Aoto responded with a loud voice while raising both hands above his head, receiving the sword Ghost-Slaying from the hands of Ii Naosuke.
After Aoto received the sword, the gazes of the people in the hall toward him began to change further.
In the eyes of Arima, Inagawa, and Ushiyama, there was nothing but pure joy and congratulations.
Tojo's expression was indifferent, seemingly unconcerned or uninterested in what reward Aoto had actually received.
As for the three Dōshin members of the Tojo Group led by Nishino, the emotions in their gaze towards Aoto became increasingly complex.
However, the complex emotions in these three people's eyes were not entirely the same.
Nishino's gaze also contained negative feelings such as jealousy and displeasure, but the predominant one was envy.
Whereas for the other two Dōshin of the Tojo Group—what stood out most in their gaze was jealousy.
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