◆
Two days have already passed since I received Ichihime's advice.
While working with my subordinates to redevelop the abandoned village at the foot of Mount Hibari, I continued to make every effort I could to prepare for the impending contact with the Takamine Party.
Incidentally, regarding one of the issues that Naotsune had been informed of—securing provisions for the Takamine clan—they were to be provided from the Asai family's strongholds in various locations, including Sawayama Castle.
It seemed like this would be enough to get by in the immediate food crisis.
However, even so, from the perspective of continuing to support the Takamine Party, it is still not enough.
At that time, we will have to rely not only on the Asai family's organization but also on the support of private citizens.
For example, the influence of merchants such as Omiya, who had shops in the castle town of Odani Castle.
But it seems that finally—the preparations for receiving them—have to be brought to a close.
With Ichihime's assistance, he changed into formal attire and moved to the reception room in the second bailey of Sugawa Castle.
The cool sensation of the wooden corridor felt through the tabi socks.
And with each step I took, there was a faint creaking sound —a sensation that has almost completely disappeared in the modern society I came from.軋kishi
The reception room at Sugawa Castle is definitely better built than the mansion where we live.
The entire space is covered with tatami mats—it reminds me of a room where I used to live in Odani Castle.
A faint scent of rush grass filled the air, and combined with the clean air unpolluted by car exhaust fumes, it was a very pleasant experience.
"My lord, Lord Naotsune is on his way here, accompanied by the leader of the Takamine clan and one of their guardians."
"Thank you for your hard work."
I didn't enter the room, but instead called out to Naotsune's subordinate, who was reporting from the corridor, to offer my thanks.
To be honest, right now I feel more anxious than excited. That was an undeniable fact.
To begin with, even though it's only been a few months, the fact that someone like me has managed to lead countless soldiers and civilians this far is a miracle in itself.
And ironically, it was the successive wars against the Rokkaku family and the victories in those wars that actually brought that miracle into reality.
I succeeded in uniting the hearts and minds of the people within my territory through war, so in that sense, the domestic affairs I conduct are a product of something deeply stained with blood.
(But I can't stop now because of something like that—)
Throughout history, human societies have always been nothing more than a product of competition.
It is the way of the world, and a sad reality, that you cannot gain anything without sacrificing something.
It goes without saying that the prime example of this is capitalism, a form of order that emerged in medieval Western Europe and engulfed the world.
(—Above all, the order I aim for is, in a sense, one that cannot escape from such existing orders and forms.)
In the end, I'm not a great person or anything like that.
However, he was nothing more than a student going through a "chuunibyou" phase , who knew more about history than most people, and was simply aware of the relationships between past rulers and the people.罹Kaka
Therefore, all I can do is adapt to the immediate situation by imitating and improvising, while adding my own twists to the path humanity has taken up to modern society.
There's no way someone like me could possibly make all the people of Japan happy.
The reason I don't aim to become the ruler of the whole country, but instead focus solely on the development of the Asai family's territory in northern Omi, is simply because I am better aware of my own limitations than anyone else.
You often see stories in light novels about reincarnated people conquering the world—that's something I could never do.
In a world with completely different values, if you were to do something so foolish—ultimately, only the protagonist and a select few around them would be able to find happiness, while the majority of the people would be pushed into a darkness invisible to the protagonist's eyes, groaning in suffering.
(And the fact that I'm even thinking about things like that—it seems I've changed too.)
I only cared about being happy with Ichihime.
I also thought that if something happened, I could just leave the country and live a modest life somewhere, and that would be fine.
However, after his interactions with his retainers, Princess Osamu, and his brother-in-law Nobunaga , he now feels that he must somehow protect them.邂逅Kaikou
(Needless to say, that is a dangerous idea.)
As long as we are human, if we try to protect too many things, we will inevitably burn out.
If one thing becomes a focus, one will become so preoccupied with it that ultimately everything will tear apart and collapse. But even so—綻crack修繕Shūzen
(—Even so, what needs to be protected must be protected.)
Or perhaps, the reason I started thinking such things is because Ichihime is pregnant with my child.
Becoming a father, taking responsibility for a life—these immediate signs of impending change began to alter my way of thinking.
(If we have a child, all I want is for Ichi and me to be happy—such a selfish thought will never be tolerated.)
And perhaps the reason I think such things is because I was completely alone in the world I came from.
Trying to change my inward-looking thoughts, I opened the sliding door on the opposite side of the corridor—and a cheerful spring breeze poured in.
What unfolded before my eyes was the land of Omi Province, which, with Lake Biwa visible in the distance, could not yet be described as prosperous.
Even in the territories directly controlled by the Asai family, there are abandoned villages—it's safe to say that poverty and discrimination are rampant in Omi Province.
(I'll protect all of those kinds of people.)
But simply protecting them won't help them grow; it will only cause them to rot.
It is the responsibility of those in power to consider how to use it. Probably, surely.
"—My lord, it's been a long time."
Then, a man's voice, which I hadn't heard in several days, struck my eardrums.
And indeed, Naotsune Endo is there—accompanied by two men wearing hoods.
"...Welcome back. Come in—you two too, of course."
◆
Naotsune is sitting cross-legged on the lower side of the table.
Behind them, a figure that was clearly female and a figure that was clearly male were prostrate, both wearing hoods.
These two can be considered representatives of the Takamine faction.
Indeed, it is extremely simple—but that is the scene unfolding before my eyes.
"—I don't like that, Naotsune."
When I muttered that, the man and woman in hoods trembled.
Even though she's wearing a mask, she can probably sense my gaze.
To have such negative words hurled at you while I watch—that must certainly be a terrifying experience.
"Come a little closer, I can't see your face properly like this. Or the people over there either."
As I said this, beckoning to him, I lowered my voice and continued.
Indeed, Naotsune urged the two members of the Takamine faction to move towards me, closing the distance between us.
The men and women from the Takamine faction seemed quite hesitant, but as the distance between them and Naotsune widened, they must have felt uneasy and slowly approached.
The first thing that struck me was how large the men's bodies were , and how small the women's bodies were in comparison.逞Takuma
She's still very young, probably around 12 years old—though in this era, that might already be considered adulthood.
Indeed, men have broad shoulders, while women have narrow shoulders. Men's bodies are thick in every way, including their chests, while women's bodies are slender in every way, including their chests.
And they are wearing shabby linen kimonos—perhaps this is the best they can afford to be.
The contrast between me, dressed impeccably in formal attire, and him was starkly apparent.
"Naotsune, could you introduce me? It's really unsettling to keep meeting someone without ever knowing their name."
"Yes... Indeed, that is correct."
In front of the two representatives of the Takamine faction, Naotsune said with a beaming smile:
"I'm hopeless, it seems. I had planned to introduce the members of the Takamine Party who are waiting here before you, my lord , but that thought completely slipped my mind... Oh dear, this is truly troublesome."口上factory
"No, I understand that feeling perfectly. It's fine as long as you're thinking about what you're going to say to Ichi and Osamu today, but... when you're actually in front of them, the words just won't come out. Probably because you're nervous."
"Even you get nervous, Master?"
"That's just what it means to be human, isn't it?"
At the word "human," the two hoods flutter slightly.
Their subtle movements convinced me. These two were probably zashiki-warashi (house spirits).
"Well, let's put that aside for now—first, we need to get to know the people in front of us."
Upon hearing my words, Naotsune straightened his posture, twisted his body slightly, and began to speak, pointing to the two hoods with his palms.
"Now, let me introduce them to you. This is the leader of Takamine, one of the 21 Koga families , and his guardian ."高峰Takamine妙Tae弥七郎Yashichiro
Then the woman, introduced as Takamine Myo, bent even further, almost rubbing her hood against the tatami mat, and said:
"It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Myo, the leader of the Koga Twenty-One Families, from Takamine. I have heard rumors about Lord Bizen-no-kami for some time now—"御事Onkoto
I had absolutely no interest in that somewhat perfunctory greeting.
Slowly standing up, I quietly approached the woman in the hood, trying not to make any noise.
Naturally, Naotsune noticed my movements, and the hooded man also seemed to have sensed my actions—but the girl, however, was so engrossed in reciting the speech she had desperately memorized that she seemed completely oblivious to my movements.
"Hey, Tae."
"Y-yes!?"
I crouched down in front of the girl and spoke to her from close range.
She must have been surprised. Just a moment ago she was far away, but now my voice sounds like it's coming from very close by.
And as she lifted her head with a spring-like motion, I—
"—Sorry, but I make it a point not to judge someone without seeing their face. Let me see it."
"Huh—"
My hand reached for Myo's hood and pulled it up in one swift motion.
Appearing along with the somewhat naive voice of a young girl was a dazzling blue.
And from within her vibrant hair, reminiscent of a cloudless sky—
"--ah...!?"
"Cat ears...?"
The girl, who seemed unsure of what to do, was opening and closing her mouth repeatedly. Her appearance—while certainly far inferior to that of Ichihime, one of the most beautiful princesses in Japanese history—was still quite attractive.
Or perhaps, the fact that even when I see a girl of this caliber, I still settle on the assessment that she's "reasonably attractive" is proof that my sense of aesthetics has been warped by Ichihime.
In any case, the blue hair was—still unreal and very fantastical. Or perhaps the twitching cat ears and golden eyes were similar.
However, the mother and son of the Todo family also had silver hair and pointed ears, so perhaps it's not that surprising now.
"M-My lord...?"
"What is this? Is it real...?"
With Naotsune's bewildered voice as background music, I ruffled the girl's hair and then turned back to the man called Yashichiro.
"So, you're a zashiki-warashi too... I see, I thought so. But that doesn't mean there's a problem."
"W-why!?"
Behind me, Myo exploded.
The voice was loud enough to make even me turn around, and the man hastily called out, "Mysterious!" to stop him.
The flames that had erupted from her were extinguished in an instant, and she slumped down in despair.
As for Naotsune, he closed his eyes and remained perfectly still, not moving at all.
The original plans must have completely fallen apart—at this point, whatever happens, happens, that kind of thinking is wafting from my entire being.
"Why? What do you mean? Myo, do you have something you want to ask me?"
"Uh... ah, um..."
"I, I'm so sorry! Though Myo is the leader, she is still inexperienced, and it's all my fault as her guardian, Yashichiro! As for Lord Bizen-no-kami, I beg you, please forgive my rudeness, I humbly... I beg you!"
Yashichiro threw off his hood, stared at me with a pale face, and then rubbed his forehead against the tatami mat.
Her head, with its short, pure white hair, had ears that protruded just like Myo's—but unlike hers, they somehow reminded one of a dog.
Judging from her appearance, she looks to be in her early twenties.
Indeed, even Myo, who had been stunned, hastily followed suit when Yashichiro prostrated himself.
"What are you doing? You don't need to do something like that. It's clearly me who's being disrespectful."
"teeth...?"
I patted Yashichiro on the shoulder, who was now uttering a voice that sounded increasingly confused, and stopped him from bowing down.
Myo's face went blank as she watched the scene. I sat cross-legged again on the tatami mat in front of the two members of the Takamine Party—
"I'm telling you, you don't need to be overly subservient to me like you are now. Your job isn't to bow your heads to me. Your job is to bring me useful information. Don't get it wrong, that's the essence of it."
—I declared. I nodded emphatically in front of the man and woman with cat and dog ears, whose eyes widened in disbelief.
Naotsune slightly opened his eyes to see the scene and gave a wry smile.
"Myōdono, Yashichirōdono. I told you, this is the kind of person our lord is."
"Naotsune, what do you mean by 'such a thing'? What do you mean by 'such a thing'?"
"Well... perhaps you should ask yourself that question again, Master?"
After pausing for a moment, Naotsune addressed the two members of the Takamine Party.
"Our lord doesn't like overly formal things. Nor does he like social conventions. I know it's difficult, but don't mention things like zashiki-warashi (house spirits) in front of our lord. He doesn't like those kinds of things either."
"You understand it well, as expected of Naotsune. I shall commend you. Now then—"
Saying that, I turned back to face the two of them, who were looking at me with expressions that suggested they were witnessing something unbelievable.
"—I am Asai Bizen-no-kami Nagamasa, commander-in-chief of Northern Omi. Welcome to my territory. I wholeheartedly welcome your arrival."
If you are willing to serve me—but only if you agree.
Upon hearing this, Myo and Yashichiro hastily prostrated themselves, their foreheads almost hitting the tatami mat.
"So, Naotsune—where are the other members of the Takamine Party besides these people?"
"Yes... We have them waiting outside Sugawa Castle—but what about it?"
"No, even though it's early spring, the Takamine clan must have endured the still-cold days and nights to get all the way to northern Omi, right? They must be hungry..."
"My lord... no, surely not."
Naotsune let out a deep sigh, his face showing a mixture of exasperation and a hint of amusement.
I also took a deep breath and clapped my hands together.
Myo and Yashichiro's bodies trembled.
"In front of the mansion, Ichi is having porridge prepared. Four large pots full, plenty of it. Isono Kazumasa of Sawayama Castle shared it with us... Naotsune, if you, the lord of the castle, would allow it, I would like to serve hot porridge to the members of the Takamine Party who must be feeling cold—what do you say?"
"...So your wife is also involved in this matter, is that correct?"
"They're happily boiling porridge, together with Naotsune, your Hisa, and Princess Osamu. It seems they've been gathering the women of this castle and have been preparing it since last night..."妻Sai
"Well, well, what a wicked person you are... my lord, really."性質Tachi
Saying this, Naotsune gave a wry smile and began to speak, glancing back at the two members of the Takamine faction.
"As you have heard, it seems that the Lord and his wife are in the mood to welcome you and your group from Takamine. The Lord may be one thing, but his wife is the younger sister of Oda Kazusa-no-suke Nobunaga... If I were to refuse now, the Lord may be one thing, but his wife would lose face, and it could even displease Lord Kazusa-no-suke. The Oda are now neighboring countries, and cannot cause discord with the Asai on my own—"Selfish
"Hmm..."
"—No, to begin with, I would never defy what my lord has decided. Even if the Takamine faction were to rebel and be killed, that would be fate. If my lord trusts the Takamine faction, then I too will simply follow suit... Now, now! Myo-dono and Yashichiro-dono, don't cry, don't cry! My lord has surely made arrangements for where you will all go. If you are like this now, I don't know what the future holds... Come on, I told you to stop crying!"
As I watched the man and woman trembling and sobbing, I was wondering how I was going to guide 300 people back to the village.