◆
The sun was still high in the sky, and it was a perfectly clear, cloudless day.
A clear and pure blue sky stretching endlessly.
The colossal shadows of the Heavenly Rainbow Silkworms flew around the vast space, casting their shadows across the earth.
"Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii"
A voice, reminiscent of a whistle blown at a school sports day, echoed far and wide.
It was a show of force by a monster that could not be harmed by human hands—and the members of the Asakura army were thrown into utter chaos.
It's only natural, since they have no way to stop the fury if the Heavenly Rainbow Silkworms charge towards the ground.
However, the Asakura army had another reason to be confused on the land bathed in sunlight and the chirping of silkworms.
Along with countless clouds of dust, there was a massive amount of blood.重吹Shibu
Indeed, under the gentle sun and sky, I , as a person, was engrossed in slaughter, following the dictates of my instincts.欣喜Kinki
"—Keep him alive, and don't let him go!"
I had already seen that Hisamasa had been killed.
For "Asai Nagamasa" in this world, he is his biological father, but...
His death is no longer a problem for me.
A primal, fundamental desire for murder and malice that overflows endlessly from the depths of life itself.
That's what passionately drives me.
Kill him, they said.
The order was to carry out a thorough massacre, inflicting the ultimate trauma on the Asakura family.
Never again set foot on this land. Never again think of it as barren, not even to the point of being worthless.
"31...32...33...34...!"
Each time I ride my Taishakutsukimo and stab Asakura's soldiers to death with my lance, a dark pleasure wells up inside me.
It was a joy that came from a kind of certainty.
"I understand... I understand..."
My vision became hazy and blurry.
But it's a sensor that doesn't miss any information from its surroundings.
The Asakura army's main camp is far in the distance. I can sense that it has begun to retreat in a hurry.
They probably have a grasp of our situation, even if only from a distance.
Hisamasa's troops were annihilated, and we began our northward advance without any regard for that.
"You thought this wasn't supposed to happen, that we would stop moving in front of Hisamasa's remains—that's what you thought, right?!"
I pierce through the 35th foot soldier, and as I listen to his death throes, I laugh.
"You fools... Bloodline only determines biological parents. The conditions for a child to consider someone a parent are not just bloodline, but whether or not they raised them with love!"
He pulled the impaled soldier's body, spear and all, towards him, slit his throat with the Ishiwari Kanemitsu sword, and threw it towards the fleeing man ahead.
"You call someone a parent if they don't shower their child with love...? Don't make me laugh!"
The severed head I threw hit the shoulder of an Asakura soldier.
Upon seeing it, he was driven almost to madness.
I deliberately refrained from killing the soldiers who were fleeing in desperation, instead turning my attention to the others who were also fleeing in panic.
"I must make them think... that they will never set foot on this land again..."
The primal instincts inherent in males are amplified by the growth of their reptilian brain.
Is it a territorial instinct that seeks to enclose one's own nest and the females?
That was what was restricting my thoughts and driving me to slaughter. But—
"My lord...! You're going too far ahead!!"
—From behind, I heard Naotsune's shout.
Shouts and screams enveloped me all around.
It was as if the curtain had been lifted, and I was suddenly pulled back to reality—that kind of feeling.
"The Asakura forces have clearly lost! There is no need for Lord Nagamasa to put himself in danger!!"
Cavalrymen suddenly appeared, flanking me on both sides.
One was Naotsune Endo, and the other was Kazumasa Isono.
"It's been a long time, Lord Nagamasa! But we'll catch up later. Now is not the time!!"
Naotsune and Kazumasa continued speaking, their lances held high on horseback.
"My lord! Surely you have more important things to do than this trivial matter!!"
"Please, Lord Takenaka, go to him quickly! We, the Sawayama forces and Lord Naotsune's Sugawa forces, will handle this situation!!"
"Osamu... Osamu... That's right, Osamu..."
Seeing me covered in blood and with my face completely black, Naotsune said:
"And as for Lord Hisamasa and Lord Tsunechika... I would like you to consider a reward for the boy who was a zashiki-warashi (house spirit) and took the heads of two enemy generals."
With a small sigh, Yuan Chang said:
"That fellow named Yokichi... When we were about to head to southern Omi, he ran up to us alone and begged to accompany us. He said, 'Please, I beg you, to repay the kindness of Lord Bizen.' When Lord Naotsune saw this, he immediately took her in... Haha, I never imagined she was a 'barrier-bearer.' Lord Nagamasa has certainly set his sights on a formidable opponent..."
Yuan Chang let out a laugh that sounded like he was astonished.
I don't quite understand what he means by "having a barrier," but in any case, the important thing is that he was the one who killed Hisamasa.
"So that was Yokichi..."
"Well... I've had them retreat to Kuroda Fort for the time being..."
Saying that, Naotsune smiled.
"To have taken two enemy generals' heads, especially on his first battle, shows great promise. Even though he is a zashiki-warashi (house spirit), those who harbor ill feelings towards him cannot openly speak ill of him."
Following Naotsune's words, Yuan Chang continued.
"To put it bluntly, it just comes across as that person being jealous of Yokichi... A warrior should show his strength on the battlefield, not just talk, and he would only become a laughingstock."
"However, my lord, if you were to take that person into your fold... there is no other opportunity than this one. Be sure to take every precaution."
"...Okay, I understand."
I said that much, and then, in silence, I looked back and forth between Naotsune and Yunchang.
Naotsune closed his eyes for a moment and lowered his chin as if thinking about something.
And then, a few seconds later—she slowly opened her eyelids and looked back into my eyes.
"My Lord"
"...What?"
"Thanks to the efforts of the Takamine faction, we were able to anticipate the Asakura family's movements in advance and take countermeasures during this battle."
"ah"
As Naotsune said this, he glanced at Yunchang out of the corner of his eye.
Yuan Chang was exhaling through his nose and shaking his shoulders.
After seeing that, Naotsune continued speaking.
"And so, the Asakura army's formation was disrupted by the guns of the people of Tomokuni Village, and the boy from Todo Village was able to take the head of the general..."
"...Hmm."
Yuan Chang nodded deeply and looked at me.
"We practically won this battle thanks to the help of the zashiki-warashi (house spirits)... Considering that southern Omi is now under the control of the Oda clan, the Asakura will have no choice but to abandon any further invasion with their current forces."
"...That's inevitable."
Then Naotsune placed his hand on his chest and bowed deeply.
"We will advance north for a while and put pressure on the Asakura army. If they completely leave northern Omi, we will win this battle—but surely there is something more important to you, my lord... Killing the enemy is not your job. Your job is to save the people."
Naotsune said it. It was a remonstrance. It was an iron will of a vassal trying to restrain his lord's excesses.
His words pierce my heart and tear my reason out of the control of my reptilian brain.
"I apologize for speaking presumptuously. Please punish me as you see fit."
"...There's no way I would do something like that."
I took Naotsune's hand and said:
"I'm still young. It seems I often lose my self-control...Thank you."
"...I am grateful for your generous heart."
Naotsune bowed his head again, clenched his fist, and slammed it hard against his chest.
"Now that we have killed Lord Hisamasa, there is no turning back for us."
"...Yeah, I guess so."
I understood what he was saying.
We eliminated the external enemy. The external threat of the Asakura family, and the internal threat of Asai Hisamasa.
That was a problem that could never be ignored.
If left unchecked, it would have given the Asakura family a pretext to invade northern Omi, and would have tormented us for all eternity.
However, eliminating Hisamasa was not necessarily the right solution. At least, not in this Sengoku period, which was based on the family system.
Even if we, the members of the Asai family, consider something to be right, whether people from other countries will consider it good is a separate issue.
"But that's the path I must take..."
Taishakutsukigegaki takes me on a ride and starts running.嘶Inana
Naotsune and Yunchang raised their war fans and ordered their troops to advance.
Going against the direction the soldiers were running, Taishakutsukimo continued to advance relentlessly—towards Kuroda Fort.
Soon, as if waiting for me, I could see Fujishiro leading the villagers of Tomokuni Village, along with the soldiers of the Omi army.
Alternatively, we might see Yokichi holding the heads of Hisamasa and Tsunechika.
Soon, Naotsune and his men will return after they have seen the Asakura army completely leave northern Omi.
(For now, this will do...)
I take a deep breath.
Hisamasa died, and Asakura left. And southern Omi, which had been under the control of the Rokkaku family, finally came under the control of the Oda family, the family of Ichihime.
(Now, finally—we can focus on domestic affairs...)
We had finally reached the point where we could enrich northern Omi.
◆
Masayuki was imprisoned in darkness where no light ever reached.
There was no one around Masayuki. His father, his relatives, nothing was to be seen.
Feeling an overwhelming pressure that threatened to crush him, Masayuki was hyperventilating as he desperately searched for an exit.
An amount of time that seems infinite.
After wandering aimlessly and without direction for a long time, Masayuki finally found the light.
It was a plain bathed in brilliant sunlight from a clear blue sky.
Lush green grass grows thick, swaying gently in the soft breeze.
Masayuki was drawn to the warm and cozy space, as if by an irresistible force.
A large tree stands in the center of the plain.
Masayuki did not know what the name of the tree was.
But that wasn't the problem.
In Masayuki's eyes, he saw the Asai family's retainers and people basking in the sun in the shade of that great tree—all with peaceful expressions on their faces, gathered around the trunk.
"a..."
And at the base of the trunk, Masayuki's older brother, Nagamasa, and his wives were relaxing, stroking the Taishakutsukimo tree.
It was a very gentle atmosphere... completely devoid of any trace of conflict. A paradise that Masayuki had longed for.
As if drawn in by an invisible force, Masayuki's feet began to move unsteadily—
I stepped through a weed with a crunching sound.
"Ah...ah..."
—Suddenly, the atmosphere changes completely.
The vassals and commoners who had been basking in the sun under the large tree all turned their heads at once and stared at Masayuki.
There was not a trace of emotion in his eyes, nor any trace of the calmness that had been there just moments before.
"I...I..."
Shaking and trembling, countless figures rise up like marionettes.
The gentle wind turned violent and began to blow towards Masayuki.
The sky, which had been clear, turned crimson, and dark clouds began to gather.
"Ah, ah, ah... Aa
Screaming and clutching his head, Masayuki turned his back on them and ran back into the darkness where he had come from.
I knew all along that there was no longer a place for me there...
And yet, I still craved it. A connection with another person, or perhaps that warmth, in such a selfish way.
Having betrayed my family, I have no right to do such a thing.
"Ah... ugh... uh... uh..."
In the darkness where not a single person was present, Masayuki wept uncontrollably and simply trembled.
My father isn't there for me. My relatives aren't there to support me either.
An overwhelming loneliness that could drive you insane.
Fluid leaks from the eyes and nose, so much so that it depletes all the water in the body.
"No..."
"...difference..."
"I don't want to die...alone..."
"...Mayu...n"
A choppy, disjointed noise resonated in Masayuki's eardrums.
At the same time, images of his father and brothers flashed through Masayuki's mind, then faded away.
And finally, the image that came to his mind was that of his wife, who had devotedly supported him even though they had not yet consummated their marriage.
"--Masayuki-san!"
And at that moment, her clear voice pierced through the consciousness that had been dominated by the dark cloud of loneliness...
Masayuki finally woke up.
◆
I feel like I'm lying on a bed made of woven fur.
Masayuki stared at the dimly lit ceiling of the mansion, his eyes wide open.
There are several stains there, probably due to a leak.
And it didn't take long before I realized it was something I was familiar with.
"Ah... Masayuki-san, Masayuki-san... Ah... Finally, finally you can see..."
If I turn my head to the side, even with my blurry eyes, I can clearly see the face of my beloved wife.
It was Yuihime. She was gripping Masayuki's hand tightly, tears streaming down her beautiful face.
"Yu...yu...cough...!"
The moment I tried to call her name, I felt a tearing pain in my throat.
My throat feels dry and sticky, almost as if it's fused together.
And each time, the pain gets worse and worse.咽choking
"Ugh... cough... ugh..."
"Ah... ah...! Water...! Water...!!"
Each time I coughed and a vibration ran through my body, I felt a sharp pain all over.
Then, I noticed that a strange, unpleasant odor, like that of herbs being rubbed into my body, was emanating from various parts of my body.
Upon realizing this, Masayuki finally grasped his current situation.
"Masayuki-san...! Here's some water, can you drink it...?"
"Cough...gulp...cough..."
"...Mmm!"
It probably choked and decided it was impossible to swallow the water.
Yuihime took some water into her mouth, and without hesitation pressed it against Masayuki's lips, slowly letting the water flow into his mouth.
During that time, she desperately gripped her husband's hand.
"Cough... y... yui..."
"Yes... yes...! It's Yui, your wife, Yui...!!"
As Masayuki called out his wife's name in a hurry, she nodded desperately, her face covered in tears.
"Yui... I..."
"It's alright, it's alright, Masayuki. Please don't worry. It's alright, this is our home... there's nothing here that could hurt you, Masayuki...!"
She must have felt relieved as she clutched Masayuki's hand to her chest.
Yuihime began to sob, bending her body and crying uncontrollably.
"Yui, why...? I was in Kita-Omi..."
As I said that, Yuihime's crying got even worse.
It seemed best to remain silent for a while until she calmed down—that was Masayuki's decision, so he turned his gaze back to the ceiling and began to absentmindedly count the number of stains.
I needed to think slowly and carefully.
Perhaps because Masayuki himself had been sleeping for so long, his mind felt completely blank, and it was difficult for him to even think properly.
"Yui... I'm sorry."
"Why... why are you apologizing, Masayuki-san...?!"
Holding her husband's hands in both of hers, Yuihime shook her head, scattering tears, and glared at him as she pleaded.
"The real culprit is war, isn't it...? Masayuki was merely a victim of it—"
"...I don't think I'll be able to hold you...for a while."
"--picture?"
With her eyes wide open, Yuihime stared at Masayuki's face.
Masayuki's face occasionally contorted in pain, but he still managed to force a smile and gazed at his wife.
"...I told you, didn't I? When I get back, I'll hold you. I'll make you my wife in the truest sense of the word."
"...a"
"So, I'm sorry. I don't think I'll be able to fulfill that promise anytime soon..."
"Masayuki-san...!"
As his wife shed tears, Masayuki asked her various questions.
And I was able to learn many things.
It is said that Masayuki was wounded in a battle near Lake Yogo, was taken home, and then remained bedridden for four days.
It is said that the Asakura family's primary objective of gaining control of Wakasa Province was thwarted, and the entire province came under the Asakura family's control.
And then there's Nagashige, who seems to have some thoughts about Masayuki's injuries—and apparently comes to this dilapidated house every single night to check on Masayuki's condition.
Incidentally, it seems that all the expenses for medicine, bandages, etc., are being covered by Nagashige.
Moreover, it seems they are providing quite expensive medication, which is said to be keeping the amount of infection to a minimum.
Yuihime also told me that the pharmacist that Nagashige brought with him every night had said that it would take about two months for him to recover.
But even so, she still wouldn't tell Masayuki the information he most wanted to hear.
It was as if they were deliberately avoiding it.
That's why, in order to obtain that information, I had to take the initiative myself.
"Hey, Yui..."
"...What is it, Masayuki-san?"
"...How is my father doing?"
In response to Masayuki's question, Yuihime closed her eyes and gripped her husband's hand even tighter.
"...In the battle near Lake Yogo the other day, he fought bravely, but was killed in action."
"...I see."
"Um, Masayuki-san... well..."
Yuihime called out to him with a worried expression, but then she involuntarily gasped.
I noticed that tears were streaming from my husband's eyes and being absorbed by the bedding.
"Yui..."
"yes..."
"Please... won't you hold me?"
Yuihime nodded gently, then softly lifted her husband's head with both hands and placed it on her lap.
Then, leaning his upper body forward as if to cover Masayuki, he placed his left hand on Masayuki's right cheek and slowly and carefully stroked the top of his head with his right hand, as if cherishing him.
Indeed, a wailing cry rises.
But Yuihime continued to stroke her husband's head until he fell asleep from exhaustion.
She, too, was shedding tears uncontrollably, repeatedly saying, "Welcome back."
"Masayuki, please don't leave me behind."
It is uncertain whether Yuihime's somber voice reached Masayuki.
But even so, his tattered fingertips were still firmly gripping the hem of his wife's simple kimono.
_-_-__-_-__--_-_-__-__--_-_----__::_:_:_:_:_:
This concludes Part 4.