Aoto exchanged a few more pleasantries with Inagawa before bidding farewell.
Leaving the Magistrate's Office, Aoto began scanning for the figure of his bodyguard.
Aoto quickly spotted Saito—beneath three pigeons…
There stood Saito against the stone brick wall opposite the Magistrate's Office entrance.
He stood straight, arms crossed and resting on the sword at his right waist, unmoving like a statue. The only part of him that showed any movement was his eyes, blinking with a rhythmic pace.
Perched on his head and shoulders were three large, plump pigeons.
These pigeons seemed to truly assume Saito was a statue, half-closing their eyes and adjusting their plump bodies to sit more comfortably atop Saito's head and shoulders.
Yet Saito made no move to shoo away the three big pigeons, standing still as ever.
A samurai as unmoving as a rock, with three large pigeons perched on his head and shoulders… Such a bizarre sight naturally attracted the gaze of many passersby.
