A single ray of light streams into the small, four-and-a-half-mat room.
As I slept, lending my arm to Haruhime, my consciousness slowly awakened as I was bathed in the direct sunlight.直directly
The early spring sunlight streaming through the windows of Kinka-ji Temple was faintly warm, as if blessing us as we shared our love for the first time.
"Are you awake...?"
Haruhime, who was already awake, leaned closer to me, placing her hand on my chest.
A thick, sweaty smell emanates from her hair, along with the aura .薫face
When I silently pulled her head into my arms, Haruhime leaned into me with a blissful look on her face.
My right arm was quite numb from using my arm as a pillow for so long—but I'll just put up with it, since it's a happy kind of numbness.
"—This is the first time I've had such a wonderful morning."
"I see. If you think that way, then it's the greatest compliment a man can have."
I parted the hair that fell over Haruhime's ear and whispered to her while playfully touching her well-shaped earlobe.
Then she made a ticklish face and started to cling to me.
When you consider that this is one of the greatest military strategists in Japanese history, whose name resonates throughout the land... the contrast is so dizzying.
(I did it with such a beautiful woman yesterday...)
Such a sweet feeling of happiness.
In the languid atmosphere typical of morning, I inhaled deeply into Haruhime's scent and pondered what the future held.
Although it would be a post-facto request for her consent, the only option left is to ask Ichihime to accept Haruhime as a concubine.
"Osamu... take a look."
As I sat up, she leaned closer to me and turned towards the window.
"It's the morning sun. It looks like it's blessing your dawn, our dawn."
"beautiful..."
The sun peeking over the Nobi Plain, Japan's most fertile plain, floated in the cloudless blue sky, its brilliant light spreading across the horizon.
The room, which was still dimly lit, gradually became brighter.
I brushed back Princess Osamu's disheveled hair, lightly kissed her forehead, and then stood up.褥Shitone
"Don't move from there for a while. I'm going to fetch some water."
That's because, in many ways, Princess Osamu's body is in a truly remarkable state.
Her crotch and thighs are covered in dried or semi-dried semen from the large amount I ejaculated last night, and her chest and neck are riddled with traces of my saliva.
Unless this was wiped away, it would be .憚fool
"...Yes. Have a good day."
"Ou"
I put on only my loincloth, stepped onto the veranda, put on my straw sandals, and headed towards the well with a bucket in one hand.
The well at Kinka-ji Temple is deep, making it difficult to see the bottom.
I drew up some groundwater, filled a bucket with it, and decided to wash my face first.
Even a princess like her wouldn't want a dirty man to clean her body.
"Are you Asai, Lord of Bizen Province?"
"...Who's there?"
Just as I started vigorously washing my face, I heard a man's voice from behind me.
Kinkaji Temple was double-guarded by soldiers from both the Oda and Asai clans, so there was no way an intruder could get in—but I quickly stood up and turned towards the direction of the voice.誰何watermelon
"I apologize for the delay in introducing myself. My sister is always indebted to you—I am Oda Nobukane. Lord Bizen, I would be grateful if you would remember me from now on."
"Lord Nobukane... oh! No, I apologize profusely!"
I apologized for my rudeness, feeling slightly flustered.
Oda Nobukane was one of Nobunaga's few younger brothers, and also the older brother of Ichihime.
Within the Oda family, he held the second highest rank after Nobunaga's sons, and was effectively the foremost among the Oda retainers, excluding the successors.
In short, they are someone I absolutely cannot afford to make an enemy of if I want to deepen my relationship with the Oda family.
"B-Bizen-no-kami-sama! There's no need to do such a thing--"
"No, Lord Nobukane is my brother-in-law, just like Lord Nobunaga. I must apologize for my disrespect, otherwise I cannot set a good example for my family and for Oichi."
When I bowed my head, Nobukane became flustered and said something like, "Please don't do that."
During that time, I was intently observing his appearance.
(How should I put it... he's like a young Nobunaga with absolutely no intimidating presence.)
In other words, it means he's an incredibly handsome guy, the kind that even a group of male idols combined couldn't compete with.
If I appeared on TV during the time I used to work, it would quickly spread online, and people would start trying to identify me.
Nobunaga, Nobukane, and Ichihime were all incredibly handsome and beautiful.
If the Oda siblings were to form an idol group, I have a feeling that the modern-day Sengoku period of idols would easily be conquered.
"So, what exactly is the matter you're here to help, Lord Nobukane?"
"Yes, I have a message from my brother—Lord Nobunaga."
Let's listen.
I wiped my face with a cloth and then turned back to face Nobukane.
I couldn't possibly listen to Nobunaga's message while I was in the state of being an ordinary, dripping wet man.
"Well then—firstly, they will be visiting Kinka-ji Temple by noon, so please wait a little while until then. Secondly, they would like to hold a three-way discussion with Lord Tokugawa. And thirdly—"
Nobukane said, looking at me.
"If you have any problems or concerns, please feel free to contact me through this letter. Those are the three points."
"Hmm..."
I crossed my arms and pondered.
The first point is probably related to the letter from Ichihime that gave me the reason to stay overnight in Mino in the first place. The problem is the second point; I have absolutely no idea what its intention is.
(Surely, this wouldn't involve a request for an alliance with the Tokugawa family, would it?)
In any case, I think they'll at least propose considering a non-aggression pact with the Tokugawa family.
For the current Oda family, the Tokugawa family controls the east, while the Asai family controls the north and west.
Even though they are geographically distant, I think their true feelings are that they don't want to be at odds with each other.
(In any case, it would be best to be able to speak with Tokugawa Ieyasu.)
As I once told my retainers, the Tokugawa domain was practically the only region in Sengoku-period Japan that succeeded in the cotton industry.
The transfer of this technology would have been a great help to the Asai family's policy of enriching the country and strengthening its military.
"Understood. Please tell my brother-in-law that I understand and agree to everything."
"I understand."
Nobukane said this, bowing deeply. He was a remarkably humble brother-in-law.
"Also, would it be alright if I asked Lord Nobukane for a favor?"
"Anything you need. That's what my brother has told me."
"I'd rather you didn't ask me to hunt another hawk," Nobukane said with a laugh.
It's probably a witty joke about the Sengoku period.
"That's because I'd like a nice, presentable kimono. A women's kimono, and as good-looking as possible."
"Hmm..."
Saying that, Nobukane stared at me intently—
"Are you going to wear it?"
"That's impossible!"
With an eager look on his face, my other brother-in-law looked at me with heavy breathing and asked, "Do you need hair extensions too?" I felt a chill down my spine and yelled at him.
◆
I can hear the chirping of small birds from outside .囀Chirp
However, the room we were renting at Kinkaji Temple was completely closed off, so we couldn't see who the voice belonged to.
However, all of that is for the sake of the woman standing in front of him.
I held a clean piece of linen cloth in one hand and asked Princess Chihime:
"That's nice, Osamu."
Haruhime hesitated, saying, "I guess it's no good..." but when she realized I absolutely wouldn't listen to her, she closed her eyes tightly in resignation.
Haruhime, kneeling on the futon, was wearing nothing, and her pure white naked body gleamed as it reflected the sunlight streaming in through the window.
Two well-shaped breasts jiggled softly—and from the vaginal opening between her slightly parted legs, remnants of the semen I had ejaculated last night were dripping.
"This is unacceptable...the sun is still up..."
"We're not going to have sex or anything. I'm sure Taiyo will approve."
I moved behind Haruhime and placed one hand on her waist as I said—her slender body trembled and her lips tightened.
I took his silence as acceptance, soaked the linen cloth in the water in the bucket, and wrung it out.
"Okay, let's get started."
"please..."
Shizuhime, trembling with shame, nodded while gripping my arm.
However, two tears spilled down her cheeks from her eyes.
Haruhime had been subjected to continuous abuse by men up until now. She surely had never experienced being cleansed by a man's hands.
Considering that, the actions I'm about to take will have significant implications for my future with Haruhime.
You must never harbor any evil thoughts.
"Ah..."
"Sorry. Was it too cold?"
"No... well, I'm fine..."
The damp fibers of the linen cloth moisten and wipe away the semen I've released.
The feeling of Chihime's thighs through the Azabu fabric was enough to give me an erection if not handled carefully.
When I wiped her soft labia, Chihime let out a hot sigh, "Ahh..."
She is having her genitals touched, albeit indirectly, by the man she loves.
Even a man would get excited if the woman he loves—even if she's just a little boy—touches him.
"Does it hurt?"
"Yes... with your very gentle hands..."
"I see. Well, that's fine then."
I tried to speak in a calm voice as I parted Haruhime's labia with my fingers.
Then, after getting her consent, I lightly pressed on her abdomen—and with a squelching sound, a lot of remnants of last night's memories leaked out.
"Oh... I really don't like this..."
"Be patient."
I scoop up the semen that is leaking out and float it in another bucket filled with water.
This is also a trait of my child, but there's nothing I can do about it.
Sperm are said to be quite resilient and can survive for a considerable time after being released—but I'll just dump them under the eaves later.
"There are no ladies-in-waiting. In that case, it is the husband's duty to do these things."
"How could you call me your husband...! You already have a wife, Princess Ichihime—"
"You fool. Don't think I'd sleep with any woman outside of the city without any resolve."
After pressing down on Haruhime's lower body a few times and confirming that no semen was dripping out, she began to clean my chest and neck, where traces of my saliva remained.
"But I—cannot have children. Please don't think about responsibility or commitment... I beg you."
Indeed, according to her account, despite her horrific experiences in the Saito household, she had never become pregnant even once.
" I am unsuitable even as a concubine... Your retainers would not be pleased if you took a woman like me. I do not want to cause you—I do not want to cause you any trouble..."石女horse mackerel
"Why would you care about kids?"
As I muttered that, Haruhime turned around to look at me from behind, with a surprised expression on her face.
I pressed my lips to her cheek and declared it clearly.
"There should be diverse ways for men and women to be. Whether or not to have children, or whether or not one can have children, is not a major issue. What matters is whether the man and woman trust and love each other."
In this day and age, those are not words that I, especially someone of daimyo status, should be saying.
Haruhime was clearly shaken, her body rigid with shock.
"What happens when there is no love between a man and a woman?... You might even doubt whether their child is truly the offspring of their husband. A man can't know for sure if his child is truly his own bloodline. That's why, ultimately, what's most important is love and trust. With those, it's more than enough. Children become secondary—a secondary issue."
After thoroughly cleaning Haruhime's body, I moved in front of her, who was still in a daze, and hugged her.
"Lord Nobunaga probably thinks the same way. The reason he has kept Lady Kicho, who has been childless for so long, as his principal wife is because he, too, loves and trusts her—after all, if there is something you cannot do yourself, you can have others do it for you. Humans are not omnipotent enough to do everything. No matter how hard you try, you can't become a god. You should leave what you can't do to others and do only what you can do perfectly."
汝NanjiKnow your place in the world.
Like a well guardian living in a well, all that matters is protecting oneself from pests that try to pollute it; that is what a mature human society should be like—that's what I think.領域field
"So, you—"
He whispered while holding Princess Haruhime in his arms.
"—Just stay by my side and smile. Just lend me your strength so that I can smile. That's your role."
As I held her in my arms, silently weeping, I gently patted her back at regular intervals, like comforting a child.
That's what Haruhime needs.
She is starved for love, so I must shower her with affection, like watering dry soil.
In that way, the land will eventually regain its vitality and sow seeds that will continue for future generations.育That's right.育nurture
While this was happening, I heard a voice calling me from the veranda.
It's Nobukane's voice. It seems he's brought what I asked for.
"Wait a moment."
I draped my jacket over Haruhime and stepped out onto the veranda—and sure enough, it was Nobukane.
Behind him were several men, each carrying a long, narrow box made of paulownia wood.
"Lord Bizen-no-kami, I have brought the items you requested!"
Nobukane ordered the men to place the box on the veranda.
And when Nobutsugu opened the box that had been placed there, he found a beautifully decorated kimono folded inside, like a jewel.
"This was a request that was completely outside of our expectations, so I immediately consulted with my brother about it—"
Nobukane said this and smiled.
"My brother happened to have some that he had ordered for his page, and he replied, 'You can have more clothes made later,' and instructed me to hand them over to Lord Bizen-no-kami as they were."
"No, but even so—"
Even I, who know nothing about kimonos, can tell.
This is something I absolutely shouldn't accept. It's probably something that could easily cost around 8,000 Yukichi Fukuzawa bills.
"What are you saying, Lord Bizen-no-kami?"
However, Nobukane calmly declared:
"Lord Bizen-no-kami is the one who hunted falcons and saved Mino... And not just Mino, but the people who lived there, and my brother and the entire Oda family. So, we have to do at least this much to make amends—and more importantly, we would lose face otherwise."
Shinkane stared intently at my face, giving off a strong vibe that he'd be in trouble if I didn't accept it.
However, there's no point in going around in circles here.
The reason I originally asked him to make the kimono was because I needed a replacement for Princess Osamu's kimono, which had become muddy during a falconry hunt.
Besides, if we continue arguing here any longer, Princess Chihime will have to endure the cold in this room—
"Okay... I'll gratefully accept it."
I bowed my head and thanked Nobukane.
Then I took the box back to my small room (a four-and-a-half tatami mat room), put on my jacket inside, and placed it in front of Haruhime, who was patiently waiting for me.
"The Oda family has a gift for you, Osamu."
When I said that and showed her what was inside the box, she widened her eyes and stared intently at the kimono.
Apparently, even from a woman's perspective, it appears to be quite expensive.
With its base fabric dyed crimson and adorned with flowers of the four seasons, this elegant piece is certainly not something that the head of the Takenaka family, who are merely a local gentry family, could ever afford.
"Th-this is so wonderful ... there's no way I could accept it..."小袖That is precisely
As she picked up the fabric, Haruhime was trembling.
Saying that, and not being happy from the start, but accepting everything from there—that must be Princess Osamu's virtue.惧Os
I'm sure she'll become a wonderful mother.
The child that Ichihime gives birth to will be her child and my child, but at the same time, it will also be a child of the Asai family. Naturally, that includes Osamuhime. And then—
(To be honest, if possible, I'd like my child to have Naotsune and Haruhime as tutors...)
I have an intuitive conviction that if even a little bit of Naotsune's martial arts skills and Haruhime's strategic acumen are passed on to him, he will surely grow into a fine adult.
And if talented young men are assigned as close attendants, there will be no weaknesses left. For that reason—
"Osamu, just accept it without saying anything."
"But, however—"
"This kimono is made of thick fabric. It will protect your slender body from the cold well. To continue walking beside me, to live a long life, you need to take care of yourself."
I pressed her, saying, "Surely you understand that much," and she hesitantly took out a kimono that was like a jewel.
Then, she was left speechless when she saw the equally high-quality underwear inside the box.
I thought to myself, as I looked into Osamuhime's bewildered eyes, that this alone would probably wipe out the annual income of a minor daimyo.
—I felt an immense fear at the Oda family's economic power, which allowed them to provide such things so easily.