Chapter 2
The Kinki Kanrei, Hosokawa Garasha
The Kiyosu Castle opened its gate, causing the Tokugawa clan to surrender to the Takeda army and captured Owari. On the other hand, the news of the Mori army took over the Himeji Castle and Osaka Honnya Temple that changed its name to the Osaka Castle has spread through the people in Kyoto. Kyoto had now become a land of chaos just like the word described. It was very likely that the Mori army or the Takeda army would attack Kyoto.
Kamigyo and Shimogyo (TL note: upper part and the bottom part of Kyoto) would be a burning sea in the war. Ever since Oda Nobuna went to Kyoto and enthroned Imagawa Yoshimoto as Shogun, Kyoto was restoring as the capital of Japan, and now it was going to be involved in a war like what happened in the Onin War.
Akechi Mitsuhide who made great merit in suppressing Tanba returned to Kyoto. She returned to Kyoto in order to oversee the movement of the Mori army settled in the Osaka Castle while waiting for Nobuna’s instruction who was heading to the Gifu Castle from Ogaki Castle.
However, Akechi Mitsuhide who led the Akechi army to settle at Honnou Temple in order to have a further rearrangement unexpectedly did not seem happy at all. To be precise, she’was thinking about something else.
Due to Sagara Yoshiharu ‘chose’ to go to Mino to save Nobuna instead of Mitsuhide at Tanba when returning from Kyushu, Mitsuhide’s heart (As expected, Sagara-senpai only has Nobuna-sama in his heart. But, I…….) suffered a great impact.
Of course, Yoshiharu did not forsake Mitsuhide. He entrusted the mission of ‘saving Mitsuhide’ to his elder sister, Yoshihi who was like his double, a shameless decision like usual he would make in order to save Nobuna and Mitsuhide at the same time. In the end, it succeeded. However, despite
Yoshiharu successfully carried out his ‘strategy’ to pick up two fruits, in the view of ‘love’—- Mitsuhide had no choice but to accept that her dream of ‘marrying senpai after Tanba was calmed to peace’ was just a lie she told herself.
(Even the position as a ‘mother’ to mend senpai’s heart who fell to this Sengoku Era does not belong to me anymore, it belongs to senpai’s ancestor, Sagara Yoshihi-dono already……)
Even if we can’t get married, I am satisfied enough to be a replacement as senpai’s mother. However, even this trivial expectation of her is also going to be taken away by ‘fate’. Yoshiharu had an accident on the sea and met with Yoshihi which shouldn’t happen, this event could only be said as ‘fate’.
(……..To senpai, I am still his junior, ‘Juubei-chan’. Even though the young Hanbei-dono has been treated by senpai as a woman by calling her ‘Hanbei’ without me knowing. I must thoroughly give up the thought of getting married to senpai. But……but, how can I give up……)
In the tea house of Honnou Temple, enduring the pain like her chest and stomach being opened while writing the instruction book, Mitsuhide noticed her head was burning hot. Not only her heart, but even her body was also uttering sad calls. Am I sick, or the fatigue from the siege of Tanba, it seem to pop out after entering Kyoto.
However, the Mori army feinted to attack Kyoto and captured the Osaka Castle at Settsu in a surprise was a matter could not be ignored. Do Kobayakawa Takakage and Motoharu Kikkawa come to Kyoto afterward, or will they go to Sekigahara through Ogaki Castle, or maybe cut off Nobuna and Mitsuhide by placing their troops at Sekigahara that is between the Ogaki Castle and Kyoto. Mitsuhide couldn’t figure out Kobayakawa
Takakage’s ‘next move’ with her messed up body full of fatigue. If the Mori sisters were twins, then the strength the Oda clan was from the excellent cooperation of Nobuna and Mitsuhide.
“With the return of senpai and Tanba being suppressed, Nobuna-sama would probably switch her plan of abandoning Gifu Castle to buy time for the Eastern and Western Army to confront at Sekigahara to the plan of saving Tsuda Nobuzumi-dono who is barricading in the Gifu Castle…….so now is not the time for me to take action arbitrarily.”
Ever since entered Kyoto from Tanba, Mitsuhide had been working with fatigue. Saitou Toshimitsu, the deputy of Mitsuhide and a girl admiring her “Ojou-sama huhuhu! Great trouble! I’m very sorry! I shall execute seppuku on myself!” rushed in with tears.
“What’s the matter, Toshimitsu? Seppuku or what, it’s not like you are Shibata Katsuie-dono, don’t speak nonsense desu.”
“T-T-T-That! T-T-T-Too many things happened, what should I report first! It’s like fate wants to end your life…….!”
Saitou Toshimitsu, she was a young maiden general originally served Inaba Ittetsu, the most stubborn person in the ‘Mino Triumvirate’ of Mino Saitou clan. A maiden general with wits and martial arts, and also smart, Inaba Ittesu favored her a lot, and yet Toshimitsu believed ‘Mitsuhide is the emperor that will end this chaos era’ and passionately served Mitsuhide who served Saitou Dousan with admire.
Therefore, when she was exiled from Mino during Saitou Dousan flee to Owari, after hearing that Mitsuhide served under the Oda clan, Toshimitsu could no longer take it “The Akechi clan must be lacking of retainers! Please let me, Toshimitsu join as the retainers of Mitsuhide Ojou-sama! Let me serve you with my utmost!” forcefully joined under Mitsuhide and refused to leave from Mitsuhide.
To Inaba Ittetsu, it was a tough matter for him to let go of a capable maiden general that followed him after swearing submission to the Oda clan who newly entered Mino. Despite knowing that Nobuna favored maiden generals and would entrust important positions to them, it still brought a great impact to the Ittetsu clan for losing Toshimitsu who excelled in both literary and martial arts.
Although Inaba Ittetsu was so stubborn until him being called as the
‘stubborn Ittetsu’, he refused for Toshimitsu to become the retainer of Akechi clan with anger “You~bastard fellow!”, but it was futile.
In the end, Inaba Ittetsu caused great trouble by rushing into Oda Nobuna’s camp to have a negotiation “Return Toshimitsu”.
The main factor in Nobuna able to capture the strong province, Mino was due to the Mino Triumvirate gave up Saitou Yoshitatsu and turned to Nobuna’s side. In other words, the Mino Triumvirate were retainers of the Oda clan with merits, she must put them in important positions in order to rule Mino.
However, Toshimitsu’s loyalty to Mitsuhide was too high until she went extreme “If I was separated from Ojou-sama then I will execute seppuku”
and kicked off Nobuna’s advice of ‘returning to the Inaba clan’ by threatening them. Mitsuhide also advised “If you don’t listen to Nobuna-sama you will
face seppuku desu”, but Toshimitsu “Does Ojou-sama want to abandon me!? Such despair, then I better just seppuku!” still refused to.
Nobuna and Mitsuhide were troubled by it. Ultimately, Nobuna who had
strong pride “I’m very sorry! Please give up on Toshimitsu!” bowed to Inaba Ittetsu which formed a fearsome scene and ‘settled’ the matter. Even how stubborn Inaba Ittetsu was, for his lord, and what’s more, that Nobuna that people would relate her to the ‘sixth heavenly demon lord’ with she was in anger to bow, he could not continue the matter anymore. Since he at least couldn’t humiliate Nobuna.
And then, Toshimitsu noticed Mitsuhide’s love for Yoshiharu even earlier than Mitsuhide herself and followed by building up a mysterious organization focused on ‘Matching up our Ojou-sama with Sagara Yoshiharu-dono and carry out the wedding ceremony’, the retainers of Akechi clan joined the organization one after another. In the end, all the retainers of the Akechi clan united to support Mitsuhide’s love affair at the back. Although Nobuna “Kuh. What’s with that woman! It would be best if I just let her execute seppuku with the help of Ittetsu at that time! Why doesn’t she just get married to Mitsuhide!” regretted, but it was too late.
Despite that, Saitou Toshimitsu was able to revive Mitsuhide corp that was once perished and with not many members left as the leader, she was the retainer with the most merit in the Akechi clan. If without Toshimitsu, it was impossible for Mitsuhide to be known to the world.
The maiden general that overly yearned Mitsuhide, Saitou Toshimitsu was now with her body trembling and tears in her eyes, while forced to relay the harsh report she received to Mitsuhide.
“O, O, Ojou-sama. There, there, there’s three bad news. Do you want to start from the good one, or from the bad one?”
“Toshimitsu, what are you talking? How come bad news has anything good.”
“There, there, there is some considered to be better, and also the worst!”
“Then let’s start from the good one, make it short and simple as possible.”
“Understood! First is the movement of the troops of Himeji Castle of Harima that’s guarding Himeji Castle which is the half of the Sagara army under Sagara Yoshiharu-dono……”
“They are retreating towards the east of Harima, where the Miki Castle is if
I’m not wrong. But Mori ignored Miki Castle and captured Osaka Castle. Now the troops in Himeji Castle are marching to Kyoto here and regroup with me under Nobuna-sama’s command.”
“That, that is, the Himeji army that’s coming to Kyoto was ambushed by Kikkawa Motoharu from Osaka and the Himeji army with more than 10,000 troops were defeated completely and scattered. The chief general, Kuroda Mototaka Souen-dono, the deputy general, Motto Modourinosuke-dono, and Maeda XXXX-dono, all of them went missing!”
(TL note: That’s what it’s written there)
Hah!? Mitsuhide dropped her pen inadvertently.
“After the Ikeda Tsuneoki squad from Settsu being defeated, now even the Himeji army was defeated by Kikkawa Motoharu, and scattered!? Kuroda Kanbei-dono hasn’t even reach Kinai yet……in that way we can’t expect the Westland to provide reinforcement anymore!?”
“Please understand, Ojou-sama! I, I, Ikeda Tsuneoki-dono is still missing right now! Although there are some Oda generals are barricading in their castles at Settsu, but none of them have enough troops to fight with the Mori!”
“That means Kikkawa Motoharu is going for Kyoto soon? Then we will fight them at Mount Tennou!”
“That’s not the case! After Kikkawa Motoharu defeated the Himeji army, she didn’t pursue the fleeing troops and returned to Osaka Castle quickly!”
“…….Kobayakawa Takakage…….acts like busting the moles, she’s crushing the Oda squads one by one in order to weaken Nobuna-sama’s combat power in the decisive battle. What a troublesome fellow.”
This was still a ‘sad news considered to be better’, the other two must be even harsher, Mitsuhide sighed.
“The second is regarding the reinforcement that I, Saitou Toshimitsu. The Chosokabe Motochika squad from Tosa!”
“She refused to provide reinforcement because Kinai is too far from Tosa, am I right?”
“No. It’s even worse than that! Because Tosa is a ‘devil province’ that located at the rear of Shikoku! That’s why Chosokabe Motochika does not familiar with the geography of Honshu and lack of information about the circumstances in Kinai, she did not notice that Osaka Honnya Temple, in other words, the Osaka Castle was captured by the Mori army…….she actually led her fleet to enter straight into Osaka to meet with the Oda army! The result is she being caught by Kobayakawa Takakage and forced to join the Eastern Army right away! Her troops numbered around 6,000!”
“Wh-What? That means the Himeji army with more than 10,000 troops were annihilated, and the 6,000 troops from Chosokabe joined the Eastern Army!? Even so, that Chosokabe Motochika…..! She just changed her side that casually!? There’s a limit on becoming a bat desu!”
Mitsuhide recalled her memory regarding that person Nobuna said as the ‘Tosa genius’, the hero maiden general in the history of Shikoku, Chosokabe Motochika that Nobuna called as ‘the bat in an island without birds’. Despite Motochika was a formidable general that could keep on practicing her tactics and martial arts in battle if motivated, but once she lost motivation, she would say ‘The Tosa people are free’ again and travel through ship. Not only Tosa did not have any contact with the central of Japan, it even isolated itself from Awa and Sanuki of Shikoku. It was basically an isolated kingdom. Before the rise of Chosokabe Motochika, a maiden general considered as a peculiar person, no one in Tosa had actually stepped out from the province before.
Anyway, apparently, the people in Tosa preferred acting individually and advocates freedom.
“I-I-I’m very sorry! It, It, It’s all my fault! I know that the Chosokabe clan does not familiar with Kinai right from the beginning! If I managed to guide them properly when asked for their reinforcement, then this shouldn’t be happening!”
“……..It’s already the past desu. But Toshimitsu, this is the second bad news……..then, how about the worst report…….!?”
Toshimitsu’s report was overly exceeded Mitsuhide’s anticipation.
“O, Ojou-sama’s main castle, the Sakamoto Castle of Oumi was captured by the Iga-Koga ninjas led by Rokkaku Shotei……..your mother that’s heading to Sakamoto Castle from Kyoto was, was once again become a hostage.”
That was right. Mitsuhide’s mother, Madam Maki that was supposed to be miraculously rescued at Tanba was taken by the Eastern Army along with Sakamoto Castle.
Therefore, Mitsuhide at Kyoto now was facing a pincer attack from the Mori army that entered the Osaka Castle at West and Rokkaku Shotei that entered the Sakamoto Castle of Oumi at East.
The thing was, castles could be taken back. Even if it was entirely burnt, it could be built again. However, Madam Maki become a hostage again, this makes Mitsuhide unable to say anything. The Sakamoto Castle that Mitsuhide managed by herself shouldn’t be a castle that was easy to fall under enemy hands. It should be safer than Kyoto. Mitsuhide concluded that and sent Madam Maki to Sakamoto Castle—-.
“Despite the Sakamoto Castle was built with the all new stone bricks, it’s a castle specializes to have high endurance against a strong siege, but it lacks countermeasure against ninjas. The Koga-Iga ninjas infiltrated easily and opened the gate from the inside. Ojou-sama’s mother was captured again at Sakamoto Castle after the incident in Tanba, it’s all my fault! I shall execute seppuku!”
“That won’t do”, Mitsuhide tried her best to say that. However, (What if Rokkaku Shotei force my mother to ‘persuade Mitsuhide to turn to the
Eastern Army’………..I’m afraid that my mother would choose to suicide instead of letting me become a traitor that betrays her lord)
Having that premonition, Mitsuhide’s expression froze.
Surround Osaka Castle? No, if the Mori heads to Kyoto…….besides, attack Osaka Castle without any plan will put Madam Maki’s life in risk……what should we do now?
“Send an envoy to Sakamoto Castle to ask for the return of Madam Maki. Although the odds are very low, but this is the only way. Let me, Toshimitsu to take on the task!”
“But, you are the deputy and cannot leave the army now.”
Is there anyone in Kyoto actually suitable to take on the task as envoy to Sakamoto Castle?
There’s only one person. After hearing Mitsuhide facing this predicament, she volunteered.
“Oh–hohohoho! It’s rare to see you encounter such a desperate situation, Mitsuhide-san? But, please be assured. I’m in Kyoto. The Shogun, I-ma-ga- wa Yo-shi-mo-to!”
The Shogun elected by the Western Army, Imagawa Yoshimoto. Until now, the child Shogun elected by the Eastern Army, Ashikaga Yoshiaki had shown her behavior as the real Shogun. Meanwhile, the fake Shogun prepared for the Oda regime, Imagawa Yoshimoto was getting worse in reputation, but Yoshimoto did not mind about it at all. The army in Kyoto was under Mitsuhide’s hands completely, Mitsuhide was planning to leave her out from the battle and did not call her for the military discussion, but Yoshimoto joined in without permission. “As expected of a person without anything to do in Kyoto, looking good huh…..” Mitsuhide was getting upset and mumbled with a low voice.
In contrast, Imagawa Yoshimoto showed a serious expression that was rare to see and hold Mitsuhide’s hand gracefully.
“Let me take on the task as the envoy to Sakamoto Castle. The Rokkaku clan and Imagawa clan are both famous clans established under the Ashikaga regime. When I went to Kyoto with Taigen Sessai-san, the Rokkaku clan of Oumi that was formerly in charge of the main paths from Oumi to Kyoto made a promise of supporting the Imagawa clan to administer Shogunate together. I will definitely let them return your mother! Not only that, it’s possible that I could pull that prideful Rokkaku-san to the Western Army with my prestige oh.
Although Mitsuhide (Seems like you are very confident, is it really fine) couldn’t help but worry, but Yoshimoto was very motivated. She looks completely different from her usual idiotic behavior.
“Mitsuhide-san, you risked your life to protect me in Kiyomizu Temple at that time, now it’s time for me to pay back the debt. I will make sure Madam Maki return to your side oh, even if with the exchange of myself.”
“Exchange with my mother, you mean?”
“It’s fine to let me stay in Osaka Castle to exchange for the freedom of Madam Maki. In other words, the hostage exchange oh.”
“It’s dangerous desu! First of all, even if just the name, for the chief commander of the Western Army to fall into the enemy’s hand, such thing.”
“That is the worst case. Although I’m not good in battle, as a noble, I learned the techniques of negotiation oh. I’m the one that obtained the imperial notice from Himeko-sama of Yamato Imperial Court for the truce between Nobuna-san and Mount Hiei oh. I also responsible for that crucial kick in the Nanban kickball competition with the Honnya Temple and prevented the
battle between the Oda clan and Honnya Temple. It’s also me that made Nobuna-san get up again during the rebellion of Matsunaga Danjo-san. At that time, I endured the pain in my heart and gave a slap to the unsettled Nobuna-san oh. But I haven’t paid the debt from Mitsuhide-san.”
That was right. Normally, Yoshimoto did not make any comment regarding Nobuna’s business in ‘Tenkafubu’ and behaved like an idiot Shogun and contributed nothing in battle. But every time the Oda regime was facing a desperate situation, she would bring out her ‘true ability’ and saved Nobuna and others many times. And now Yoshimoto volunteered with courage that she would surely complete this dangerous task for the sake of Mitsuhide and her mother. To Mitsuhide who had no idea what to do in this predicament, it was a matter that she would be very grateful to see.
“Understood. However, please bring around 500 troops as your escorts.”
“Ohya, Ohya, that won’t do, Mitsuhide-san? If I bring troops then it might turn out to be a war. Two people are more than enough. Tatsuko-san~! Ozu- san~! It’s your turn for the debut oh~!”
Mitsuhide (It’s strange. Her behavior looks cheerful as always, but I still feel that she’s different from the Imagawa Yoshimoto until now……) felt very uneasy, but Yoshimoto was the only person that can rescue her mother, she entrusted Yoshimoto as the envoy with the feeling of it was the only choice, “If the negotiation turns out to fail and possible to be captured, please escape right away. The chief commander of the Western Army cannot fall into the enemy’s hand or be killed. Please consider prioritizing your own safety.” exhorted several times and finally sent Yoshimoto away.
Imagawa Yoshimoto departed from Honnou Temple as envoy and heading to Oumi Sakamoto Castle through the night.
“……..I’m so sleepy………it’s been a tough task to become a servant of Imagawa Yoshimoto, why must I, Tatsuko also go to Sakamoto
Castle…….Imagawa-san……..you treat your hostage way too cruel……”
Ever since Matsudaira Motoyasu had independence at Mikawa, Kyogoku Tatsuko from Nijou Castle was forced to become a servant of Yoshimoto, she rubbed her eyes while complaining. She had an elegant face that usually nobles had, she certainly matched with her status as the lady of Kyogoku clan, a noble of Oumi. However, the Kyogoku clan was perished by the treachery of its retainer, the Asai clan and serving the Oda clan that went to Kyoto now. Therefore, the eldest daughter of Kyogoku clan, Tatsuko was sent to Nobuna as a hostage.
Tatsuko had accustomed to this chaos era and wouldn’t likely take action no matter what was happening outside, so she didn’t mind to become a hostage of Oda clan, that mysterious money-loving clan. “……..This is all for the sake of Kyogoku clan. Understood” and went to Nobuna’s side without many expressions.
Tatsuko was a bookworm and preferred creating new writings instead of reading them. If she lived in Kyoto, then she could write ancient books whenever she wanted, and maybe even able to have contact with the Nanban printer that imports from Sakai. She could print a lot of copies if she had it, when she thought of that she actually had full of hope in her life as a hostage.
……..Actually, so far there was still nothing happen, but she coincidentally met with Imagawa Yoshimoto at Kyoto “Well well. Speaking of Kyogoku clan, it’s that Oumi noble family that shares the same fame with the Rokkaku clan right! You are the most suitable person to be a servant of mine, the Shogun oh! Tatsuko-san! I allow you to stay by my side and serve me, you must be thankful to me, oh–hohoho!” and Yoshimoto took a like on her, and then Tatsuko was forced to become a servant of Yoshimoto until now.
And for this time, Yoshimoto brought Tatsuko along was because Tatsuko was familiar with the streets of her hometown, Oumi. In other words, she was the guide for the route to Sakamoto Castle.
“That convenient slave named Motoyasu-san……no, my partner peed herself when facing Takeda Shingen-san and had to leave my side now, it’s your turn for the debut, Tatsuko-san! It’s time to announce to the world that the Kyogoku clan is back! Please look carefully about where we go!”
“……I can’t see the road at night without my Nanban glasses……”
“No good, and I was hoping you could do something. Then, Ozu-san! I have great expectation of you, who went through countless battlefields in this task as escorts for our route to Sakamoto Castle oh!”
“Why am I being entrusted as a servant of Imagawa Yoshimoto!? The only person that can command me is Hanbei-chan alone–! What about the ‘Tale of Genji’ speech that is going to hold tomorrow at Kuramayama? Hanbei- chan! Hanbei-chan~!”
One of the top ‘literary young girls’ in the Oda clan, Ono no Ozu cried.
Ozu was once a thief specialized in stealing teaware, and self-proclaimed as ‘Gekkou no Yoru’. However, Ozu had a secret. She was a resident of the ‘underworld’ that was like a shadow and another world compared to this
‘actual world’ that called the ‘real world’ with actual entities, and also an Omnyoji born in the Heian Period.
Ozu who born at the ‘underworld’ in Heian Period was a young girl that understood ‘The Tale of Genji’ more than anyone in this world. The Kanpaku, Konoe Sakihisa, or the Saijo Dainagon, and even the nobles that lived in the Imperial Court, all of them were enslaved by her knowledge. Kanpaku and even Dainagon were all the disciples of Ozu and received her amendment of their ‘Tale of Genji’ reference books they wrote by themselves.
But, Ozu had passionate love against Takenaka Hanbei although both of
them are girls, and she most likely wouldn’t listen to what others tell her to do other than Hanbei.
“Ahah, to battle with a military god like Uesugi Kenshin, it’s not suitable for you, Hanbei-chan~! If there must be one person to Echizen, then let me go in place of Hanbei-chan oh!”
Anyway, with the help of Tatsuko who familiar with the geography of Oumi and Ozu of Kinai who made a great hassle in Kyoto when she was still a thief, Yoshimoto reached Sakamoto Castle earlier than she expected. The night bandits she worried before all ran away after they saw Ozu’s face, and Tatsuko also made a great contribution in choosing a safer route.
“We have reached, the Oumi Sakamoto Castle oh! Tatsuko-san, Ozu-san, please have a look, that ‘Tenshu’ with Japanese-Western eclectic constructed on the Lake Biwa. It certainly is a grand castle that rivals the Azuchi Castle~”
“………Imagawa is still so innocent after being defeated and fall into Oda Nobuna’s hand as a hostage. We will definitely be caught and interrogated with humiliation by that notorious Rokkaku Shotei. That sure be the case, let’s retreat……”
“Humiliate huhu? I hate that! I can’t face Hanbei-chan anymore!”
When Kyogoku Tatsuko and Ono no Ozu reached Sakamoto Castle, Imagawa Yoshimoto revealed her true intention that she never told Akechi Mitsuhide.
“Fufu. Tatsuko-san. Ozu-san. Thanks for the hard work of escorting me oh. Although I encouraged Mitsuhide-san with some positive thinking, that’s because I won’t be allowed to depart from Kyoto if I don’t do that. Rokkaku Shotei-san will never release Madam Maki for free. From now on, I will go in by myself.”
“Are you planning to trade yourself for the freedom of Madam Maki? What if they refuse to do so.”
“If that happens, then I will provoke Shotei-san with words and upset him. I don’t know why, but I’m good at making people angry. You two can return to Kyoto now. No need to die with this fake Shogun-sama oh.”
“…….What? Don’t tell me, Imagawa you, come to Sakamoto Castle with the resolve to give out your life with the negotiation breaks out……?”
“What’s with this? Certainly, even if you are a fake Shogun, but once Rokkaku Shotei killed a Shogun, then he will carry the stain of ‘killing
Shogun’ and lose his cause to compete for the world. Even in this chaotic era where retainers betray their lords are common things to see, killing Shogun is still a great crime. But, do we actually have to do until this extent!”
“It’s because I’m the Shogun that we can do this oh, Ozu-san. This is the final step in order to let Nobuna-san and the Western Army cast off the crisis oh. The me who lost her troops and territory, only the ‘Imagawa Shogun’ identity can put on to use. This is to pay back my debt of Mitsuhide- san…….in order to prevent Madam Maki to be involved in that situation, I must do some trick ingeniously. But my dream of building the ‘Sagara
Yoshiharu harem’ is going to turn to dust ne.”
“Imagawa, you actually do to this extent to support Oda Nobuna, the person defeated you.”
“That’s right! Although you’re acting like an idiot all the time, you actually are a person with a high sentiment like Hanbei-chan! Well, although I believe
that you are a natural idiot.”
“Oh–hohoho. If you two understand then hurry up and go back.”
However, Tatsuko, and also Ozu were hesitated to abandon Imagawa Yoshimoto and run away.
This hesitation caused them to lose the final chance to get away.
The gate opened suddenly, a bunch of black clothes ninjas rushed out with killing intent.
“”You lots are the envoys from Akechi Mitsuhide! This is the example of a moth darting into a flame, there’s no room for negotiation! Catch them!””
Imagawa Yoshimoto had cold sweats “We just being caught that easily ne.”
“Well well. Thanks for the hard work to welcome us. Oh, you want the fan? Or you want my signature?”
Yoshimoto made bluff and let out a proud ‘laugh’, she wanted to provoke the ninjas to focus on her. But the Iga-Koga ninjas were emotionless.
“It’s not welcome! We are the Iga-Koga ninjas hired by Rokkaku Shotei! You lots are arrested! Tie them up, don’t do any useless resist!”
And so, Imagawa Yoshimoto, Kyogoku Tatsuko, and Ono no Ozu were imprisoned in a cell made for maiden generals in Sakamoto Castle. It was not a prison, they could see the Lake Biwa from the window. It was considered a fortunate thing. Madam Maki was also imprisoned in the same cell. The Mitsuhide-style design that showed consideration for the hostage in the cell was a good thing for Madam Maki and the other three.
However, the circumstances were getting worse obviously.
“Oh no, we didn’t being killed in front of the gate, meaning we are going to be interrogated with humiliation by Rokkaku and the ninjas”, due to Tatsuko making noise in the cell, “That’s enough, there’s no interrogation nor humiliation, don’t make noise anymore, what a nuisance” the ninjas in charge of looking over them shouted with pain.
“Oh, that’s unexpectedly a good thing. That means Shotei-san had rehabilitated? Ha—-? Don’t tell me, he’s influenced by my nobility? I have done another good deed ne? My nobility, elegance, and the beauty of my depths, even I myself also fear of it oh.”
“Which part she said was serious and which part was joking, I really don’t know”, Tatsuko mumbled.
The ninja in charge of looking over them felt relaxed in the process of forced to go along with what Yoshimoto said.
“Shut up, don’t try to take over the merit all by yourself! Rokkaku Shotei was defeated in Ogaki. He had the excellent chance of capturing Oda Nobuna but in the end, his old habit made her ran away.”
“When Kobayakawa Takakage and Kikkawa Motoharu heard of his miserable action, they were very angry. Kobayakawa Takakage scolded us with frozen aura, she said if we dare to do any actions that will stain the samurai name to the maiden generals, she will treat the Rokkaku clan as the ‘clan without reason’ and wipe out the Rokkaku clan without any saying, the Iga-Koga villages that follow Shotei will be all burnt too.”
“……..Kobayakawa Takakage gets angry rarely, but once her temper rises up, I’m afraid she would be more gruesome than Oda Nobuna. Us, Iga-Koga ninjas just want to protect our villages from the invasion of Oda Nobuna as ‘mountain villagers’, we are not the retainers of Rokkaku clan. We won’t let Shotei do whatever he wants.”
“……..I see. Then, is Madam Maki all right?”
“She’s fine. That madam planned to suicide in order to ‘not becoming a burden to Juubei again’, but we stopped her and looking over her for safety measures. If we hold a mother of a maiden general as custody and she died at the end, it will waver the righteousness of the Eastern Army and greatly reduce Uesugi Kenshin’s battle morale. Kobayakawa Takakage sighed that holding Madam Maki who coincidentally appeared at Sakamoto Castle as custody when we were capturing Sakamoto Castle makes the chance for the plan of letting Akechi Mitsuhide turn to the Eastern Army becomes uncertain. Actually, Kobayakawa Takakage was surprised about Shotei able to capture Madam Maki.”
“Well. Just a rope tied with fortunate and unfortunate oh. Hostage is not something that could be simply caught.”
After confirmed that Madam Maki was safe, Yoshimoto’s expression became serious. Noticed that she was going to propose the hostage trading, Tatsuko and Ozu stopped breathing with anxious.
“Ninja-san? Can you deliver a message to Shotei-san? That I, the Shogun will be the hostage in place of Madam Maki. And then release Madam Maki, Tatsuko, and Ozu. This is the request of the Shogun oh. Tell him to have a tea party for negotiation between only me and Shotei-san. This is the reason I come to Sakamoto Castle oh.”
“What you asked for is something hard to be done. In the situation of being caught before, the hostage must stay in Sakamoto Castle. If we did it out of personal affairs, then the unity of the Eastern Army we have now will collapse, especially Takeda Shingen will never approve it.”
“Being scolded by Kobayakawa Takakage-san, have to consider Uesugi Kenshin-san’s feelings, and also consider Takeda Shingen-san’s
thinking…….the Eastern Army seems complicated. But, is it really okay to refuse negotiation with the chief commander of the Western Army and imprison her in the cell? If Kobayakawa Takakage-san knows you did such outlaw matter and being impolite to me, she will scold you again isn’t it?”
“……Hmph. What you said is correct. Although Rokkaku Shotei-dono reaps what he sows, it’s unworthy for us to be implicated.”
“Understood. Please wait for the reply in the cell. We Iga-Koga ninjas will try to talk with Rokkaku Shotei. However, we will kill anyone trying to escape, so don’t take any action.”
“Ooh, she actually did it? Imagawa must be the number one of the world if speaking of negotiation skills…..” Kyogoku Tatsuko sighed.
After made sure that Madam Maki wouldn’t be killed, Yoshimoto planned to show her true skills in the negotiation with Rokkoku Shotei in order to accomplish the hostage trading. However, the ‘ultimate way’ of angering Shotei and made him kill her when the negotiation breaks out couldn’t be done with the warning from Kobayakawa Takakage to Shotei of ‘treat the hostages with care’.
So she must think of a way to let Shotei trade the hostage, but Yoshimoto couldn’t think of a way at the moment, she went idle in the cell. But things turned out to be something unexpected.
“Don’t know what those maiden generals are thinking in their minds. They are terrifying. Never believe them. Negotiation rejected.” This is the ‘reply’ the ninja brought from Shotei.
“Eiei? What’s going on? When did Rokkaku Shotei-san have a maiden general phobia?”
“Well, he had it a long time ago but being scolded by Kobayakawa probably is the decisive factor”, the ninja revealed.
Despite Tatsuko and Ozu were assured for not needing to face the fear of being killed by Rokkaku Shotei, Yoshimoto’s negotiation had entered a ‘deadlock’ was an indisputable fact.
“…Ohyaya. In normal situation, he should have a negotiation with me even if just out of the form. In the end, we were captured, Madam Maki did not being released. What should we do? Well, we can’t do anything already.”
“We’re in trouble, Tatsuko-chan. Even if Akechi Mitsuhide surrounds
Sakamoto Castle with anger, she can’t siege down this castle that easily. If the Akechi army stuck here, then the Mori army might take the chance and capture Kyoto or move to the East and launch a pincer attack to Oda Nobuna squad with Takeda Shingen, no matter which one the Mori takes, with Ogaki Castle and Gifu Castle being captured, the battle line at the East will collapse entirely.
“……..With the terms of shogi, it’s almost ‘checkmate’ ne, our moves were countered by Kobayakawa Takakage even though that shouldn’t happen. If Madam Maki who being captured successfully suicide or Rokkaku killed
Imagawa, the fake Shogun arbitrarily just as Imagawa wished of, “The Eastern Army is cold-blooded. They will reach their hands to the female hostages”, this kind of rumors will change the tide of the war, but due to Rokkaku abnormally fear of Kobayakawa, this possibility no longer exists. It’s over………”
“Kobayakawa Takakage always oversees the circumstances and considers her next move which is the best, she’s really troublesome. Normally, it’s impossible to control Rokkaku Shotei with ‘domestication’. As expected of
the ‘cold-blooded wise general’ that drove Oda Nobuna into dead end twice ne.”
“If Akechi really baited to Sakamoto Castle, that would be Kobayakawa’s victory. Akechi’s condition doesn’t seem good before this, it’s very possible she will take the bait…..”
Kyogoku and Ono no Ozu looked at each other.
However, Imagawa Yoshimoto did not have any wavering. Yoshimoto did not think twice of her tactic at all. She always decided according to changing situations (or you can say sloppy). And she was willing to die for the sake of Nobuna’s ambition, but that was the ‘ultimate move’, Yoshimoto did not feel despair for her life.
In this situation with enemies in all direction, Yoshimoto found a whole new solution.
“It’s better to say this situation is actually ‘lucky’ to the Western Army? ‘Madam Maki and we are safe, we will never face the risk of lives being taken or threatening, that is to maintain the righteousness of the Eastern Army, the policy of Kobayakawa Takakage-san’ if we can deliver this message to Mitsuhide-san and Nobuna-san, then they can arrange their troops however they want. The situation will be better.”
Yoshimoto smiled elegantly “Ahah, I know it. This is probably the reason why I chose Ozu-san to be my servant oh. I actually used my wisdom without myself knowing it, I’m so terrifying! Ozu-san? Please tear off the wings on your back oh” and started pulling off the thing looked like a black backpack that Ozu was carrying.
Ozu’s ‘familiar’, the bird with three legs—- Yatagarasu, looked totally like a backpack when it packed up its wings, and it was now attached on Ozu’s back.
“What a minute!? It sticks to me, please don’t pull forcibly! My clothes are going to tear off!”
“Guah guah!?”
“And then, is the spiritual cat that you are feeding here? Please borrow that to me too, Ozu-san.”
“You are a woman who likes to abuse shikigami! Nekotama, wake up.”
Mu—um. It didn’t wake up for so long already, the spiritual cat, ‘Nekotama’ flew out from Ozu’s chest ‘bang’.
Yatagarasu was taken by Ozu when she was still active as Omnyoji in the ‘underworld’, it could be a said as ‘Ozu’s partner’ as a shikigami, apparently, it was the descendant of an ancient god that existed even before the Kotoamatsukami brought its troops to enter Kinai.
Nekotama was originally a strong spiritual cat, it was domesticated after being defeated by Ozu’s friend. After going through several occasions, it now became Ozu’s familiar and worked with Yatagarasu. However, the immense spiritual power that Nekotama had was almost used up when Ozu brought her from ‘underworld’ to the ‘real world’, it did nothing other than eat basically.
“Yatagarasu-san’s leg was tied with my letter, head to Honnou Temple, Kyo where Mitsuhide-san is. While Nekotama-san head to Ogaki Castle where Nobuna-san is. Since Nekotama-san knows how to speak the human language so a letter is not necessary.”
“Guah guah, guah guah!”
“Mu—um! It is a very important mission that makes my body tremble ne! Please leave it to me! I, Nekotama will accomplish the mission even if going to die!”
“Nekotama, you’re already dead, okay?” Luckily the cell had a window.
Yatagarasu and Nekotama with petite figures crossed over the window and flew to the wide sky—-
“In that way, the plan of Kobayakawa Takakage-san trying to ‘bait’ Mitsuhide- san with Sakamoto Castle and separate the Akechi and Oda armies would be in vain!” Yoshimoto opened her fan and smiled.
“Ahha! My wisdom of asking Ozu-san to follow me just for this moment is too terrifying!”
Tatsuko “Liar. She’s just an escort, isn’t it? Aren’t all these just a coincidence.” mumbled, but Yoshimoto who believed she made great merit at Sakamoto Castle “This world does not have something called coincidence oh? Tatsuko-san” was pleased with herself and did not listen to what Tatsuko said.
After not so long, the old man that supposed to reject the negotiation with Yoshimoto appeared in front of the cell.
“………I’m Rokkaku Shotei. I was being sniped by Shimazu Iehisa through my armor in the battle of Ogaki Castle and unable to lead the army anymore……..until now, I snatched the daughter of my retainers, defiled the female hostages, I have done a lot of evil deeds that involved women. You can say it’s all because of me that the fame of the Rokkaku clan has fallen into the depths of the abyss at Oumi, my son is also unreliable like his father. Even though I can capture Sakamoto Castle with the help of Iga-Koga ninjas, but I can’t recruit soldiers with the name of Rokkaku clan, and you lots sent
the bird messenger to Akechi Mitsuhide, I can’t even stop her here. Therefore.”
Due to the injury from the battle with Yoshiharu, Rokkaku Shotei came here by sitting on a chair carried by the Iga-Koga ninjas, he pointed at Kyogoku Tatsuko.
“Kyogoku Tatsuko. You are the head of the clan that shares the same name with the Rokkaku clan in Oumi. Before the rise of the Asai clan and Oda clan, there always a saying of Kyogoku governs the north of Oumi and Rokkaku governs the south of Oumi. If the Kyogoku clan now turns to the Eastern Army, you should be able to recruit the old retainers that admire Kyogoku clan to Sakamoto Castle, the people and farmers of Oumi. You will be the commander in charge of this Sakamoto Castle. You probably can gather around 1,000 to 2,000 troops. If things went smoothly, Sakamoto Castle can beautifully exert its function as a ‘bait’. You can never say no.”
Kyogoku Tatsuko, (If I accept his plan, I will be a betrayer of the Western Army. Things will be very bad. What’s so bad? I can revive the Kyogoku
clan) had cold sweats while facing the request from Rokkaku Shotei that was looking like a ghost.
“…….I have no choice. But you must make sure Madam Maki and the two of them are safe. This is the condition.”
She could only make a promise.
Meanwhile, Yoshimoto whispered like she’s talking to herself.
“The wheel of ‘fate’ starts to rotate ne. The ‘history’ of Sagara Yoshiharu-san saved me and Tsuda Nobuzumi-san might turn back to its original one.
Then, what I can do now is…….”
The flying speed of Yatagarasu was astonishing.
At Honnou Temple, Mitsuhide received a letter from Yatagarasu “Madam Maki and three of us are safe. And there’s the warning from Kobayakawa Takakage-san, so our safety is secured. Sakamoto Castle is the ‘bait’ that Takakage-san prepared for you, it’s a trap. Please don’t attack here without the permission from Nobuna-san oh” that was written by Yoshimoto, “Not, not only mother did not being released, even Imagawa Yoshimoto-dono was captured!? This, this is the biggest mistake in my life! My, my decision was
too naive desu! No. It shouldn’t be this way. I’m too worried about mother’s safety that I can’t anticipate this to happen. Whatever I did is too late to turn back anymore……huhu……Okaa-sama………Yoshimoto-dono……..I’m very sorry…….!” when Mitsuhide was regretting her decision, Saitou Toshimitsu arrived with a pale face again.
“What’s now again, Toshimitsu? Don’t tell me there’s another bad news……” “Well…….that is……it’s unbelievable bad news.”
“……….so, what is it?”
Saitou Toshimitsu said that around 500 pirates that formed by the Japanese mercenaries, the ‘Wokou’ landed on Tango and made a declaration of joining the Eastern Army to fight the Western Army. They even captured the former Shogunate located at Tango, changed its name to ‘Tanabe Castle’ and started barricading in it.
The general and deputy general of the ‘Wokou’ are—-.
The former lord of Akechi Mitsuhide, the ‘Kengou Shogun’, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and the deputy was the younger brother with different mother of Yoshiteru, the one who perfected the Ashikaga Shogunate, Hosokawa Fujitaka.
“Ho-Ho-Hosokawa Fujitaka-dono is on Yoshiteru-sama’s side? If-If that’s the case, Yoshiteru-sama who completed his sadhana at Ming dynasty shouldn’t be coming back to Japan just to act arrogantly with his identity as the
Kengou desu! He’s here to complete the plan of regrouping with Kobayakawa Takakage of the Eastern Army and send the Western Army to destruction desu!”
Instead of the name of Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Mitsuhide showed to be more bewildered when she heard the name of Hosokawa Fujitaka. Saitou Toshimitsu was surprised at Mitsuhide feeling more bewildered at the appearance of Hosokawa Fujitaka instead of the ‘Kengou Shogun’.
“Ojou-sama? Who is actually Hosokawa Fujitaka?”
“To-To-Toshimitsu, when Juubei is assisting Yoshiteru-sama with Fujitaka- dono at Kyoto, you are still serving Inaba Ittetsu-dono, it’s a given that you don’t know! Should I say he looks like Ushiwakamaru or looks like a girl.
Anyway, he’s a man with a slim figure, but he’s actually a very talented strategist desu.”
Before Mitsuhide became a retainer of the Oda clan, despite it didn’t last long but she did assist the Ashikaga Shogunate at Kyoto as the ‘guest general of the Asakura clan’ before. From what Yoshiteru saw, Mitsuhide was just a ‘secondary retainer’, but she received the treatment of a primary retainer. And the benefactor that discovered Mitsuhide lived a life as ronin and made an arrangement between Asakura clan and Ashikaga clan is Hosokawa Fujitaka.
Before Nobuna went to Kyoto, Kyoto was separated into two factions with one of them was the Kengou Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru who wanted to rejuvenate the Ashikaga Shogunate, and the other one was Matsunaga Hisahide who dominated Kinai and Miyoshi clan, the Miyoshi Three. The two factions had severe conflict before. Yoshiteru combined with the Rokkaku clan of Oumi, Asakura clan of Echizen and other daimyos that favored the Shogunate to oppose the Miyoshi Three, they even summoned the ‘righteous general’ from Echigo, Nagao Kagetora who changed her name to Uesugi Kenshin in the future to suppress the Miyoshi Three.
The ending supposed to be the Miyoshi Three instigated by Matsunaga Hisahide to attack the Nijou Imperial Court, Yoshiteru being killed and died in the burning flame along with several famous swords. And Mitsuhide who known to have an unlucky fate was on Yoshiteru’s side to represent Asakura Yoshikage as a negotiator. Yoshiteru wanted to let the maiden generals that followed him to bring Mitsuhide out, but Mitsuhide refused to. Despite she dreamt of getting famous in Kyoto as a maiden general and became a retainer of Oda Nobuna who inherited the ambition of her mentor, Saitou Dousen, but she decided to die along with the pathetic Shogun.
The man who changed Yoshiteru and Mitsuhide’s ‘fate’ was the son of the Kanrei Hosokawa clan, and also the illegitimate child of the Ashikaga
Shogunate, the person who’d been assisting the wandering Shogun, Yoshiteru ever since young, Hosokawa Fujitaka.
Fujitaka had the appearance of a young girl, but he had superb martial arts, he could even throw a cow with bare hands, which was his ‘ultimate skill’, he rushed into the messy Nijou Imperial Court with a smile.
Fujitaka had great wisdom. In order to convince Yoshiteru who was not going to escape from Nijou Imperial Court, he actually brought Yoshiteru’s younger sister, Yoshiaki to Nijou Imperial Court. Not only he persuaded Yoshiteru to escape from Kyoto, he even advised Yoshiteru to ‘flee to the Ming dynasty’.
“Oda Nobuna of Owari has defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto at Okehazama. Everything turned out just as I anticipated, but for an unknown reason, the Oda clan did not kill Yoshimoto but to hold her as a captive instead—-the meaning of this abnormal event and the development of history that’s able to predict of. If it’s Juubei she should be very clear of it.”
Yoshiteru did not understand Fujitaka’s intention. However, when the smart Mitsuhide heard of Fujitaka advising ‘the Ashikaga siblings to flee to Ming dynasty’, she had already thought “With the absence of the Ashikaga siblings, in order to let Oda Nobuna-sama to just a cause for going to Kyoto, Nobuna-sama should elect Imagawa Yoshimoto, who’s from the branch family of Ashikaga and being captured now as the new Shogun.”
Before departing to the Ming dynasty, Hosokawa left a word to Mitsuhide—-.
“Raiding the Kyoto Shogun, such a thing is unheard of. Not only that, Japan now is in a period without a leader. And now, one Shogun candidate is sufficient, just like the usual said, two leaders cannot be in a place. If we have two Shoguns with same power then it will definitely bring utter chaos that’s irreversible. So now we just have to choose our own Shogun
candidate, and moving forward on our own path that will unite this chaos era. It looks like we are taking a long route but it’s actually the shortcut. There would be one day that we will encounter each other with our own Shogun that we differently support, and have a fight. And that fight will certainly be the final battle that unites the world. The world of me, or you.”
After Nobuna and Mitsuhide went to Kyoto, first was Ashikaga Yoshiaki came back to Japan with the status as the ‘legitimate Ashikaga Shogun’ and settled at the Mori clan to become the leader of the anti-Oda alliance.
And now, to support Ashikaga Yoshiaki for going Kyoto, Ashikaga Yoshiteru and Hosokawa Fujitaka returned from the Ming dynasty.
“Ojou-sama! Fujitaka-dono sure is a wise general. If we ignore the Kengou Shogun, the people of Tango, Wakasa, and Echizen will yield under the name of Kengou Shogun to join the Eastern Army! If we don’t ask Hanbei- dono to distribute some soldiers from Echizen to attack Tanabe Castle, the trend is unstoppable! But once soldiers were reduced at Echizen, Uesugi Kenshin at Kaga who’s fighting with Hanbei-dono will go all-out to take down the Northland and starts moving South! The Western Army is in ‘checkmate’ already.”
“But, Toshimitsu. It doesn’t seem like Yoshiteru-sama and others return from Ming dynasty coincidentally desu! Don’t tell me…….Hosokawa Fujitaka-dono returned in order to have the ‘final battle that unites the world’ with me?”
“I’m afraid that they’ve been contacting with the child Shogun at Mori clan right from the beginning and wait for the right time at Oki Islands”, Saitou Toshimitsu supported Mitsuhide who was going to fall down from the impact and lamented.
“Ojou-sama, I’m very sorry. If only the Chosokabe army could join the Western Army just as we expected………the only way now is to send
soldiers from Kyoto to Tanabe Castle. Of course, in the situation of facing a pincer attack from Sakamoto Castle and the large army of Mori after
recruited the Chosokabe squad, it’s undoubtedly a bad idea.”
“Yo-Yoshiteru-sama is my former lord, Fujitaka-dono not only introduced me to the Shogun clan and Asakura clan, but he’s also the benefactor who saved my life! I can’t do something like attacking them! But, I have already served my life to help Nobuna-sama to accomplish her ambition! With the disappearance of Himeji army, Chosokabe army being snatched, Imagawa Yoshimoto and mother being imprisoned in Sakamoto Castle, separate the troops to Tanabe Castle is exactly what Kobayakawa Takakage wished for. What should I do now.”
“……..Here’s a letter, a letter written by Hosokawa Fujitaka-dono for Ojou- sama.”
“Ei? Not to Nobuna-sama, but to me!? He wants to declare a battle with me or tries to invite me to their side?”
“No idea. It hasn’t been opened yet. I believe Ojou-sama should have a look first.”
Mitsuhide, (Even though I drank a lot of tea, my eyes are getting blurry……huhu…….) while hitting her own face when opening the letter from Hosokawa Fujitaka. After a quick read, Mitsuhide never expected the content of the letter was like this.
“Long time no see, Juubei. Ah, you are now the ‘Koreto Hyuuga no Kami’ huh. My lord, Ashikaga Yoshiteru who retired from the position of the Shogun does not have the ambition to compete for the world. However, for the sake of his younger sister, Yoshiaki-sama and his old friend, Uesugi Kenshin, Yoshiteru-sama will fight as a general of the Eastern Army even until only one soldier is left, not hesitating to sacrifice his life. I, who was supposed to meet his ‘fate’ of destruction at the Nijou Imperial Court, is a given to come back to Japan to be destroyed, that’s what Yoshiteru-sama said. But I want to save Yoshiteru-sama no matter what, and also you who are facing a desperate situation now. We want to form an alliance with the Oda clan through you— if Yoshiteru-sama could reconcile with the Oda clan, then it’s possible for Yoshiteru-sama to be the mediator between Ashikaga Yoshiaki- sama, the one the Eastern Army elected of and the Western Army. Of course, if both of them reconciled, then the Oda clan that elected Imagawa Shogun who is from the branch family will be suppressed by the main family, the Ashikaga clan sooner or later, causing the Ashikaga clan to be the one obtain the world. Despite that, this method could save not only you and Yoshiteru-sama, but even Oda Nobuna is also saved. However—-.
From the letter of proposing a ‘reconciliation’ which was actually a surrender instead of directly inviting her to turn to the Eastern Army, Mitsuhide could understand how impressive the wise general, Hosokawa Fujitaka was.
Fujitaka went to Ming dynasty was not to forsake the world affairs, but to prepare everything and wait for the ‘time’ to come, knowing that he was
waiting for the chance to step up the stage of ‘history’ with terrifying patience. Besides, considering the distance between Sakamoto Castle and Tanabe Castle, Hosokawa Fujitaka probably wrote this letter before knowing that Imagawa Yoshimoto was captured in Sakamoto Castle.
If this world exists of a flow called ‘fate’, then it could only assume that it tilted to the Eastern Army, or the Ashikaga completely.
(The moment the ‘important person’ Imagawa Yoshimoto-dono being caught, the ‘battle’ has been overwhelming disadvantageous to the Western Army.
But if once we reconciled, the stage will turn to the ‘politic struggles’, we can still make a comeback if things turned out worse. With only ‘the final battle
that decides the world belongs to who’ to achieve Tenkafubu and end the Sengoku Era is the way with minimal casualties and shortest time to end the chaos, Nobuna-sama will never agree to fight with such conviction, but if I reconciled with Fujitaka-dono, then maybe)
While reading the letter with shaking hands, Mitsuhide’s heart was in great wavering. This reason was on the ‘reconciliation condition’ Hosokawa Fujitaka written at the end of the letter brought an impact to Mitsuhide to hesitate.
(Eh, eh eh eh eh eh? How, how is that possible!? Is Fujitaka-dono being serious?)
The unexpected ‘condition’ was given to Mitsuhide, causing her to unable to say anything. How can she accept that. This kind of condition. But, if she rejected, Nobuna and Yoshiharu would be crushed by the Eastern Army
that’s expanding rapidly.
Mitsuhide felt something existed that couldn’t be seen with eyes………if
there must be a saying, then it was the ‘fate’ that was guiding Oda Nobuna, and Mitsuhide herself to the path of destruction. And she was fearing of this ‘fate’.
“Ashikaga Yoshiteru and Hosokawa Fujitaka started barricading in Tanabe Castle”, this intel reached to the Kanpaku, Konoe Sakihisa’s ears who returned from Kyushu to Kyoto just almost the same time when Mitsuhide received it.
Konoe did not greet anyone and has a pale face…….despite his face was full of white powder so it couldn’t be seen…….rushed into the Honnou Temple.
“Par-Pardon for disturbing! A-A-Akechi Mitsuhide-dono! Please, please give up on the idea of attacking Tanabe Castle degozaru!”
Mitsuhide was puzzled in whether to accept the sudden ‘reconciliation condition’ Fujitaka asked for or not, she couldn’t understand immediately why Konoe was panic to this extent.
“…….Eh…….Kanpaku-sama? What’s wrong? For you to suddenly.”
“Koreto Hyuuga no Kami, Akechi Mitsuhide, you now only ask what’s the wrong degozaru? First of all, Ashikaga Yoshiteru and I are sworn brothers! For the sake of Yamato Imperial Court and rejuvenating the Ashikaga Shogunate, we united to fight the Miyoshi Three before degozaru. The final result is Yoshiteru who suggested to invite Uesugi Kenshin to bring the Echigo army to Kinai to defeat the Miyoshi Three and me who suggested Uesugi Kenshin assume the post of Kanto Kanrei in order to build a faction that supports the Ashikaga at Togoku had a disagreement between our ideas and followed by breaking apart degozaru, but Yoshiteru chooses to retire already. I’m afraid he feels humiliated for fleeing to the Ming dynasty before and came back with the intention of being killed by the Western Army degozaru!”
“Well, what you said might be correct……”
“And there’s one more thing. Actually, this matter is way more severe degozaru. The loyal retainer of Yoshiteru and also his younger brother with different mother, Hosokawa Fujitaka, as you have known, he is the man inherited the secret book, ‘Kokondenju’ from the Sanjonishi Dainagon bloodline of the Yamato Imperial Court degozaru! That is an important note that recorded the ‘prophecy’ that could overturn the history of Japan! If the ‘Kokondenju’ was burnt along with Fujitaka, the power of the Imperial Court will wither degozaru!”
First of all, the Imperial Court was afraid of the ‘Kokondenju’ burnt off, what on earth is that? Akechi Mitsuhide and Konoe Sakihisa were knowledgeable people so they knew, but the Mino samurai, Saitou Toshimitsu hadn’t heard of that before.
And so, Mitsuhide explained the ‘Kokondenju’ to Toshimitsu in a simple way.
‘Kokondenju’, on the surface, it was an ‘explanation book’ of the ‘Kokin
Wakashu’ that discussed the history of poems over 600 years ago inherited from the ancestors of Yamato Imperial Court.
However, it actually was an ‘implication book’ that was written with a language different from Japanese, rumor says that inside contained an important secret that could change the history of Japan if the contents were revealed. Therefore, a family of the Fujiwara clan, the Sanjonishi clan protected this book by passing through bloodline for a long time. There were many sayings of books with an aberrant copy from the ‘Kokondenju’ that was leaked out from the Saijou clan, but all of them did not have original copies left, only the Sanjonishi clan had the only ‘Kokondenju’ currently as the real ‘implication book’.
To escape from the war in Kyoto, the Sanjonishi clan was once settled on the outskirts of Kai where the Takeda clan was and Suruga where the Imagawa clan was. During that time, many important historical books that were kept in Kyoto were burnt and lost in several battles happened in Kyoto ever since the Onin War. For instance, the ‘future diary’ that was written by the legendary prophet, Prince Shotoku from the Nara period. There were many transcripts of it recently, but all of them were burnt due to the fire from wars and unknown reasons.
The Sanjonishi clan went through a time that they might lose the chance to inherit the ‘Kokondenju’ to their next generation at any time. Because of the eldest child of the main family was still young, the Sanjonishi forced to pass on the ‘Kokondenju’ for only one generation to Ashikaga Yoshiteru’s blood- related younger brother, the genius excelled in literary and martial arts in the history of the Shogunate, Hosokawa Fujitaka. They made a promise that Hosokawa Fujitaka would return the ‘Kokondenju’ to the Sanjonishi clan when the eldest child of the Sanjonishi clan grew into an adult safely.
In other words, the ‘Kokondenju’ was an implication with the record of astonishing secret—-Saitou Toshimitsu held her breath and stares at the conversation between Mitsuhide and Konoe.
“Kanpaku-sama. The ‘Kokin Wakashu’ is originally a book with the collection of ancient poems. If the ‘Kokondenju’ is not an explanation book for the poems, then what did it actually recorded?”
“The Sanjonishi Dainagon, who passed the ‘Kokondenju’ to Hosokawa
Fujitaka said its important part ‘cannot be read’ degozaru. That means, the inheritors until now actually passed on that book to the next generation without reading it degozaru.”
“Words different from the Japanese language…..other than Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana, is there any other writing system in Japan? Even the ‘Kokin Wakashu’ was written with Kanji and Kana systems. It’s hard to imagine there’s something like ciphers inside that book, but…….”
Mitsuhide was a cultural person that loves miso who was an exception in the maiden generals of the Owari Oda clan, she can basically recite the ‘Kokin Wakashu’. The Hiragana characters that were written in the book by the author, Ki no Tsurayuki, it could be said that Mitsuhide had memorized all of it.
“…….The preface wrote by Ki no Tsurayuki ‘Move the world, feel the ghosts, influence the people, harmonize the couple, poems are the best of
it’……..the culture of poems did certainly have the power to ‘influence’ people in the ancient Heian period, but the Sengoku poems now have lost its ability to feel the ghosts and suppress the fury heart of the samurais.
Besides, Waka is not a trend of these days, but ‘Renga’ already.” (TL note: Waka and Renga are two different forms of Japanese poems)
Konoe Sakihisa “Now is not the time to have a literary argument degozaru” explained with cold sweats.
“Even if it’s not allowed to read, Hosokawa Fujitaka owns the transcript of ‘Kokondenju’ now, it is still an item that signifies the power of the Yamato
Imperial Court just like the ‘Three Sacred Treasures of Japan’ degozaru! If the ‘Kokondenju’ was destroyed in the battle, not only the Sanjonishi clan, even the Fujiwara clan led by me will face accountability and followed by losing our power. Not only that, the existence of the Imperial Court and Himeko-sama will meet a danger that risks their lives! Please give up the idea to attack Tanabe Castle degozaru!”
If leaving the Tanabe Castle alone. The people from Echizen, Wakasa, and Tango will join the Eastern Army one after another, causing the Eastern Army to capture Osaka of the West and the Western Army in the Kiyosu Castle of Owari located at the East unable to take any action. Regardless of Hosokawa Fujitaka, the existence of ‘Ashikaga Yoshiteru’ is too enormous to the people.
However, once the Kanpaku prohibited to attack the Tanabe Castle in order to protect the ‘Kokondenju’, Mitsuhide was a person that respects Yamato Imperial Court so she cannot refuse it.
“Actually, it’s strange for Hosokawa Fujitaka who is a samurai to inherit the ‘Kokondenju’ that supposed to pass on to the bloodline of Sanjonishi clan only degozaru. We can only assume that Hosokawa Fujitaka swindled the Sanjonishi with good words to obtain the ‘Kokondenju’ as a preparation for
the certain coming ‘decisive battle that decides the owner of the world’, once the time has come, he will use it as a ‘weapon’ degozaru!”
At this moment, Mitsuhide remembered a conversation she had with Hosokawa Fujitaka before.
After serving Nobuna, the days in the Ashikaga Shogunate have been a far away past to Mitsuhide. However, Fujitaka did tell Mitsuhide the matters regarding the ‘Kokondenju’.
“Speaking of that…….that happened before going to the Ming dynasty with Ashikaga Yoshiteru-sama and Yoshiaki-sama. Fujitaka-dono said that there would be one day he will pass on the ‘Kokondenju’, a book that related to the secrets of Japanese history to me.”
“Hmm. That’s weird degozaru. Pass on to the ‘Hosokawa clan’, it only limits to Fujitaka’s generation in order to protect the ‘Kokondenju’ from the war. He made a promise that he will return the ‘Kokondenju’ to the child of Sanjonishi in someday.”
Being exhorted by Konoe Sakihisa ‘Do not attack Tanabe Castle, in addition, Fujitaka who is barricading in Tanabe Castle proposed a harsh ‘reconciliation condition’ that couldn’t be accepted easily.’
When Mitsuhide “What should I do” was in confusion, and “Please have mercy on the ‘Kokondenju” Konoe having a petition at the side, a more unexpected character appeared.
This man did not bring any weapon, he came to the Honnou Temple with a tidy priest attire. Saitou Toshimitsu who was standing at the entrance of the room where Mitsuhide and Konoe were “An important conference is having inside. You are prohibited to enter!” wanted to stop that man, but the moment he raised his hand with a smile, Saitou Toshimitsu fell down immediately.
“You……..you, you, you!? Why are you here in Honnou Temple! Do you come here to assassinate me!” Konoe lamented and pointed his finger to the man that was walking into the room.
“What you have done to Saitou Toshimitsu degozaru? It must be a Nanban dark magic.”
“From the word of Zipangu (TL note: That’s how Japan was said in Italian based on the book written by Marco Polo), I have the protection from the ‘shadow’. Because it’s an emergency, so I let her fall asleep. It’s a rude action of me, but I did not hurt her.”
Mitsuhide (Even Toshimitsu was fallen in an instant? Who is this person?) was puzzled.
“Akechi Mitsuhide-sama, ‘Nice to meet you for the first time’. I’m a missionary of the Dominus Church. My name is Jasper and I’m entrusted to manage the missionary activities of Christians in Zipangu.”
That man, Jasper, made an elegant ‘Japanese’ bow to Mitsuhide.
Although Akechi Mitsuhide was not a Christian, she was lenient to Nanban people and culture just like Nobuna, she also had a friendly relationship with Nanban merchants through the business of rifles. However, it was the first time she met with Jasper who spent his time on Ootomo Sourin at Kyushu before this. He was an elegant and quiet man with proper appearance.
However, he was different from the other Nanban people she saw, she unintentionally felt a chill on her back.
“Isn’t the principal people in charge of Dominus Church in Japan Frois- dono?”
“That’s correct. The Catholic church is a religious organization that worships Saint Mary, but Sister Frois always being branded as a witch due to her breasts, so it’s not easy for her to be at the top. The person who inherits the task of being a missionary in Japan from Francisco Xavier-sama is me.
Please do remember this—-.
“Then, did Frois-dono leave Kyoto already?”
“She hasn’t. I asked her to wait at the front yard of Honnou temple. Recently, she was tempted by this golden country of the Eastern world, Zipangu and busy in writing the ‘history’ of Zipangu, she’s now speeding up to complete
the literature of ‘Japan history’, apparently. She’s also said that the ‘Usa Hachiman oracle’ that attached on Ootomo Sourin in Kyushu is just like the prophecy of Witch Olympus, is there actually any cultural connection
between Zipangu and Europa? The unfortunate thing is I don’t have time to decrypt the history now, so I’m planning to carry on that by splitting the jobs to others.”
“What do you mean by splitting jobs degozaru! It doesn’t matter that Frois writes the ‘Japan history’ degozaru! But you are trying to put your hands into the political matters in Kyoto even though you are a Nanban people degozaru!” Konoe Sakihisa shouted with anger.
“What on earth do you want to do by coming here degozaru! Don’t tell me, you intend to deceive Akechi Mitsuhide-sama and take over the military power of the Oda clan degozaru!? If without the struggle from Sagara Yoshiharu, Ootomo Sourin is still your puppet now and building a Christian kingdom at Hyuga degozaru! Your deeds at Kyushu are already unforgivable, and now you actually dare to enter Kyoto. You are unforgivable degozaru!”
“……..No. That kind of thing will never happen. I have a technique that could predict the future, the ‘observation art’ that does not exist in Zipangu. And now, the Western Army faction with the Oda clan as the core is facing the danger of collapsing. What I foresaw is, the Azuchi Castle that symbolizes Oda Nobuna-sama’s Tenkafubu ambition and also her main castle will be burnt no longer. A fate of destruction is approaching Oda Nobuna-sama—- in order to prevent that ‘future’ becomes reality, I’m here to do whatever I can
to help the Western Army.”
“Eh eh!? ‘The future of Azuchi Castle on fire’ means what? I’m very grateful for your help! And please do help!” The kind Mitsuhide wavered but Konoe knocked her head relentlessly.
“Uhhu. It hurts!”
“Mitsuhide-dono, you are too kind degozaru! That will cause you to be deceived easily degozaru! This person is here to take over Kyoto degozaru! If Oda Nobuna who favors the Nanban was destroyed and the Eastern Army that supports the old system obtained victory, the Christians cannot have their missionary as they please degozaru! But they deserve it degozaru! You brat intended to build Mushiga, the so-called Christian kingdom at Hyuga,
that’s definitely unforgivable degozaru!”
“…….Konoe-sama. You are adopting the path of founding Japan while suppressing the Christians, that’s unreasonable. You will betray Oda Nobuna-sama sooner or later.”
“Ohya! You’re actually trying to cover your misdeeds by blaming me! You brat are the one that’s trying to make Oda Nobuna a puppet of yours just like Sourin degozaru!”
“I do not see Sourin-sama as a puppet. That’s just a difference of our views.”
“You evil brat! Traitor! I’m going to ask Shimazu Yoshihiro from Satsuma come here to let you face the divine punishment degozaru!”
“Uhwawa. So this is what it calls troubles from the inside and outside! What should I do!? What should I, Juubei actually do……!”
“Well…….Konoe-sama. If this father of Nanban (TL note: A priest, if you can understand) have the technique to ‘predict future’, then it’s better to ask for his help”, a young shrine maiden said timidly.
A servant of Konoe Sakihisa, the shrine maiden of the Yoshida Shrine, Yoshida Kanemi.
She was a friend of Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide who had unlucky fate liked to visit shrines, she would visit Mount Atago and Yoshida Shrine whenever she was free.
“Kanemi-chan? When did you come here? Long time no see desu!” “Um, yeah. Mitsuhide-chan, long time no see.”
“Don’t call me ‘Mitsuhide-chan’ desu! Reminds me of Takigawa Kazumasu desu!”
That Yoshida Kanemi was going to reveal the secrets of ‘Kokondenju’ and Hosokawa Fujitaka that even Konoe Sakihisa, Akechi Mitsuhide, and Jasper didn’t know about.
“What are you doing—-Yoshida Kanemi! You cannot enter here without permission degozaru! Aren’t you a shrine maiden of the Yoshida Shrine! What did you say about asking for the help of this Nanban people!”
“Please calm down and listen to me, Konoe-sama. Actually, Hosokawa Fujitaka-sama knows of the ‘future’. I’m afraid he knows even more than this father of Nanban. He probably could even rival Sagara Yoshiharu-san.”
“””Knows of the future!?”””
Jasper who was very calm until now, “Impossible. Able to rival Sagara
Yoshiharu and knows of the future clearer than me, it’s impossible for such a person to exist in this Sengoku Era of Zipangu. The barrier of time is not something that anyone can break through. That’s right. The ‘person from the future’ in this world should be ‘that one and only’!” confused and said that.
“Don’t tell me Fujitaka-dono is from the future as well?” Mitsuhide held Yoshida Kanemi’s shoulders with panic.
“No, no. He’s not from the future. Fujitaka-sama is obviously a person from this era.”
“Then, what you mean is…….ahah? That means what’s recorded in ‘Kokondenju’ is the ‘future’ of Japan! Fujitaka-dono learned the ‘future’ by decrypting the ciphers in ‘Kokondenju’?”
“Mitsuhide-chan, what you said is correct. The true appearance of ‘Kokondenju’ is actually a ‘prophecy book’ recorded the ‘future’. Fujitaka- sama took several actions under the circumstances of knowing the ‘future’.”
“What? That kind of thing is unacceptable degozaru!” Konoe Sakihisa shouted in panic.
“No one in the Sanjonishi clan can interpret that implication book, so how is that young Fujitaka able to interpret it degozaru! If he really did interpret it,
then please explain how he did it!”
“Yes. Please let me explain step by step. First of all, Fujitaka-sama is undoubtedly a younger brother of Ashikaga Yoshiteru-sama with different mother. The information about his born and his growth are all true. The biological father of Fujitaka-sama is undoubtedly Ashikaga Yoshiteru-sama’s father, therefore Fujitaka-sama serves his loyalty to Yoshiteru-sama as a retainer and also younger brother is a fact everyone knows, but no one knows about Fujitaka-sama’s mother which is very unexpected. Of course, Konoe-sama knows about it.”
“…….Fujitaka’s mother, huh? Who is she again? Oh yeah, that’s right. She’s the daughter of the sage, Kiyohara Senken who excels in the national study, Confucian study, history, Shinto and other knowledge degozaru! Kiyohara Senken fled to Asakura clan during a war happened in Kyoto and died in Ichijoudani……how is that related, Yoshida yo?”
“Yes. Hosokawa Fujitaka-sama, his father is the Shogun of Ashikaga
Shogunate, but he’s also a grandson of Kiyohara Senken if traced on his mother’s side. That Kiyohara Senken-sama—-he’s actually a direct bloodline of the Yoshida Shrine I inherited. He’s a person of the Yoshida clan. That means Hosokawa Fujitaka-sama and I are cousins.”
“…….Oh. Based on what you said…….it’s not wrong degozaru!?”
“Fujitaka-sama and Kanemi-chan are cousins desu!? But, how is that related to Fujitaka-sama able to interpret ‘Kokondenju’?”
“Mitsuhide-chan. The reason Yoshida clan established ‘Yoshida Shrine’ is due to the knowledge of the sage, Kiyohara Senken-sama, to build an independent Shinto organization to correspond with the new coming Sengoku Era. Kiyohara Senken-sama once did research on the ‘Jindai Moji’, a weird ancient Japan language that’s independent of the Kanji and Kana characters. Those Jindai Moji still remains in many shrines and relics.
Kiyohara-sama wrote this in the research book of ‘Japanese Chronicles’, the ‘Japanese Chronicles Copy’. ‘The Jindai Moji is a secret that cannot be leaked out—-its font and rhyme are nearly the same as music note'”
“Is, is, is there really such weird writing exist in Japan?”
“Yes. There is, Mitsuhide-chan. For example, the Ise Shrine still remains literature written by ‘duck grass characters’, one kind of the Jindai Moji. However, no one is able to interpret it. The sage, Kiyohara-sama successfully interpreted the duck grass characters. He also passed on the
interpretation to his grandson, Hosokawa Fujitaka-sama as a secret matter with the help of Yoshida Shrine—-the people of Yoshida clan afraid the secret technique of interpreting the ciphers is lost in the war, so they passed on the technique to Hosokawa Fujitaka with the agreement of forbidding him going outside—-”
“Ohya!? It’s exactly the same as gossip I heard about Fujitaka inheriting the ‘Kokondenju’ from the Sanjonishi clan degozaru!” Konoe Sakihisa hadhis mind clear finally and pat his knees.
“Kanemi-chan!? In other words, Fujitaka-sama inherited the way to interpret ‘Jindai Moji’ from the Yoshida Shrine, and at the same time he inherited the book of ‘Kokondenju’ from the Sanjonishi Dainagon! I finally understand everything! ‘Kokondenju’ was not written by Kanji nor Kana characters, but
the ‘Jindai Moji’! No matter the Yoshida Shrine or Kiyohara-sama also cannot have a look at the ‘Kokondenju’ protected by the Sanjonishi-chan. But only Fujitaka-sama who possessed both conditions is able to interpret it desu!”
Move the world, feel the ghosts, influence the people, harmonize the couple, poems are the best of it………Mitsuhide recited the preface written by Ki no Tsurayuki again.
“During the Miyoshi Three commencing a surprise attack on Nijou Imperial Court, where Ashikaga Yoshiteru-sama was, Fujitaka-sama noticed it and rescued Yoshiteru-sama without accident was also due to him interpreted the ‘Kokondenju’ and learned the ‘future’ of Yoshiteru-sama being killed in Nijou Imperial Court!?”
Mitsuhide had finally noticed Fujitaka’s intention.
Electing their respective Shoguns to compete for the world, and unexpected chaos happened right now when one side should quit…….she had finally understood the reason why Fujitaka brought the Ashikaga siblings to flee to the Ming dynasty. Fujitaka knew Mitsuhide would surely serve Nobuna and go to Kyoto sooner or later, and also the Oda clan declared the cause of ‘Tenkafubu’! Originally, due to the death of Ashikaga Yoshiteru in Nijou
Imperial Court, Nobuna should elect Yoshiteru’s younger sister, Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the Shogun candidate for going to Kyoto. However, Fujitaka changed history by saving his elder brother, Yoshiteru. If Yoshiteru did not die and stayed in Japan as Shogun, then the development of Nobuna’s cause of ‘Tenkafubu’ and go to Kyoto will not be established. Just like when Uesugi Kenshin went to Kyoto, Nobuna can only take the cause as ‘Yoshiteru’s escort’. In that way, the cause of ‘Tenkafubu’ couldn’t be achieved and the world was still in chaos. It was certain of Fujitaka’s ambition to make the Ashikaga siblings as the ’emperor’. However, by
distorting the ‘history’ and placing Oda Nobuna and Akechi Mitsuhide as the daimyos of Owari and Mino respectively, the ‘Tenkafubu’ would not be moved on.
And that was exactly why Fujitaka let the Ashikaga siblings who should be detached from the flow of history to step down from the stage and consigned the ‘history’ to Nobuna and Mitsuhide temporarily, followed by making
Imagawa Yoshimoto as the ‘replacement’ of Ashikaga Shogunate.
“……Fujitaka-dono, he just overlooks me and Nobuna-sama elects Imagawa Yoshimoto as Shogun, go to Kyoto, and almost half of the world was suppressed!? And then……..in this ‘decisive battle that decides the world belongs to who’, he came back to have the final battle to see who is the
victory…….the time is now, it’s time to take back the world. That’s how he concluded, am I right desu!?”
“What you said is right”, Jasper also agreed with Mitsuhide in confusion.
“Fujitaka-sama knows of the ‘future’ of Zipangu, with this as the basic, if he wants to let the Ashikaga clan that should be done for in the Nijou Imperial Court to obtain the world, then he shouldn’t go for a path that brings a decisive deviation from the original ‘future’, but to minimize the changes in the path and choose to step up the stage of ‘history’ in the final phase to overturn everything. If there’s a great deviation in the first step of the path
that connects with the ‘future’, it’s hard to amend the path back to its original way with the power of human, and the ‘future’ knowledge that he worked hard to obtain will be rendered useless. Therefore, he takes action at the final phase, the final moment, the final battle that ends the Sengoku Era, that means right now. If the ‘Kokondenju’ really is a book recorded the ‘future’, then Fujitaka certainly rivals Sagara Yoshiharu, maybe the future knowledge he learned is more detailed than Sagara Yoshiharu, plus with his keen mind and wise thinking which Sagara Yoshiharu cannot win!”
“And the most important thing is”, Jasper told Konoe and Mitsuhide.
“Sagara Yoshiharu is now taking action to guide Oda Nobuna-sama’s ‘future’ to a good direction. Of course, he believes that ‘love’ will bring salvation and happiness to Nobuna-sama’s solitary soul, while I still believe that Nobuna- sama has no chance to survive other than abandon ‘love’ and descends to the world as a god, our final objectives are different, so we are inevitably
foes to each other. Although we are foes, our ‘objective’ is to protect Nobuna-sama, this is the same for us.”
Let Nobuna-sama become ‘god’? This Nanban person, why does he have such weird thinking? Isn’t he a Christian? Mitsuhide felt a mysterious sense of contradiction in Jasper’s words. However, she should prioritize in thinking of ways to fight against Hosokawa Fujitaka’s plan.
“Sagara Yoshiharu’s actions and mine are all for the sake of Nobuna-sama. We did everything in order to change Nobuna-sama’s ‘fate’. However, it’s the opposite for Fujitaka-sama. He took actions to ‘eliminate’ Nobuna-sama from the ‘history’ in order to make the Ashikaga clan become the final victor…….! To me, to Nobuna-sama, and also to Sagara Yoshiharu, he’s an unexpected existence and also the most formidable enemy.”
“Speaking of that, Jasper-dono. Isn’t your ‘observation art’ can observe what Fujitaka-dono will do the next step?”
“Fujitaka-sama excluded himself from the network of my ‘observation art’. The ‘future’ obtained through my art is just intermittent images, it’s not the whole thing. It’s true that the Azuchi Castle will be on fire. That is an image shown by the platonic solid I own. As for the details of how the fire happens then I don’t know about it. Besides, that person called Hosokawa Fujitaka does not appear in the platonic solid even once until now.”
“Platonic solid is? What is that? I never heard of that before!?”
“You brat really seems strange degozaru! Let’s not talk about Sagara Yoshiharu, that erotic person from future Japan, why do you, a Nanban person so fixated on Oda Nobuna until this extent!? Don’t tell me you actually like her degozaru?”
“……….It’s because Sagara Yoshiharu and Nobuna-sama have a love that does not have future that she’s being accused of usurping the Imperial Court, followed by leading the Oda clan to destruction, Konoe-sama should know about this as well. Love……..is the culprit for the destruction of Nobuna-sama…….”
Jasper, (Who is this Nanban person? Why is he so fixated on Nobuna- sama…..) looked at Mitsuhide again who questioned his true identity,
“Compared to that, Mitsuhide-sama, you must be wavered by Fujitaka-sama already! He sent you a letter isn’t it?”
He asked. Mitsuhide was surprised by his question,
“Fu, Fujitaka-dono said that if I accept a certain condition, then Tanabe Castle will reconcile with the Western Army.”
She couldn’t help but reveal it.
The other people in the room, “Eh? Trouble comes” forced Mitsuhide who had a pale face “Let us see the letter”, followed by confirming the ‘reconciliation condition’ that was written on the final part of the letter wrote by Hosokawa Fujitaka to Mitsuhide.
On that letter, it certainly was written by the top genius cultural person, Fujitaka himself with fluent writing.
“Juubei. You who is the prime minister of the Oda clan get married to me, Hosokawa Fujitaka. This is the only reconciliation condition I want. Juubei. There is no choice for you to get away from your ‘destiny’ other than this.”
“What? It’s an amazing chance degozaru! Akechi-dono, please accept immediately degozaru! We can assure the ‘Kokondenju’ and even Ashikaga Yoshiteru’s life degozaru! We can also shake off the dire situation the Western Army confronting now and miraculously brings a truce between the Western and Eastern Army degozaru! In that way, Oda Nobuna’s destruction will be prevented degozaru!
“If the stage for the final battle turns from ‘war’ to ‘politics’, then Fujitaka- sama who supports Ashikaga, the legitimate Shogun will become the final winner. Nobuna-sama’s position will be in danger. However, Tanabe Castle is forbidden to attack, if this goes on then the morale of the Eastern Army will be getting higher. If the provinces at the shore of Japan join the Eastern
Army, then the Western Army couldn’t even maintain the battle line it has now. Nobuna-sama will be destructed. The ‘future of Azuchi Castle on fire’ that I saw through platonic solid will become reality. To Fujitaka-sama, it doesn’t matter how the ‘history’ turns out. Rather, it’s more convenient for him if Nobuna-sama disappears sooner. Akechi-sama. This is the final chance to take away the just cause of the Eastern Army. Despite this is what Fujitaka-sama wishes to see, we should still accept this political marriage. If you really think about Nobuna-sama.”
The left was the Kanpaku that stood at the peak of Yamato Imperial Court, Konoe Sakihisa.
The right was the leader of Nanban missionaries in Japan, Jasper.
Being forced by the two of them to ‘getting married with Fujitaka-dono immediately’, Mitsuhide was getting more depressed.
Her mother becomes a hostage once again, plus with Imagawa Yoshimoto being captured at this moment, Mitsuhide had been full of fatigue and also having a high fever.
Mitsuhide was in great confusion due to the unbearable pain she had now. From the corner of the room, she saw hallucination that shouldn’t happen—-
“This is the only way to go through this desperate situation! There’s no solution other than letting Juubei get married with Fujitaka-dono immediately! That’s right, Juubei just has to be a wife of Hosokawa then everything is fine! Then we can reconcile with the Kengou Shogun! The battle morale of Ashikaga Yoshiaki or the just cause of the Eastern Army will be greatly reduced, Mori’s fierce attack will stop at Osaka Castle! Juubei, thank you,
thank you…….! I will never forget your loyalty to me in my life! As for the wedding favors, I will gift Izumo and Iwami, these two provinces to you as new souvenirs! But you have to get them from Mori by yourself, okay? Ah, Tanba is not needed for you anymore so it’s confiscated~”
This is a hallucination due to my fever desu! Although the real Nobuna-sama is a petty and ill-tempered tyrant, she will never say that kind of words desu,
despite Mitsuhide’s rationality was convincing her, but her emotions couldn’t endure anymore.
“A couple of beautiful man and woman with noble bloodline is born degozaru! Then the destruction of ‘Kokondenju’ is prevented, one matter has been settled degozaru, hu, hu, hu! Establish the marriage immediately to contain the Mori at Osaka Castle degozaru! Let me, a virtuous person that people respect of to be the matchmaker degozaru! Aiya–huhuhuhu!”
Konoe laughed without looking at the atmosphere and decided everything. “Like I said–! I hate it-t-t-t-t-t!” Mitsuhide shouted.
“Despite Fujitaka-dono was a benefactor of mine and he deserves to be respected as an excellent samurai excels in both martial arts and literary, but I only love Sagara Yoshiharu-senpai alone desu! Although I can do anything for the sake of Nobuna-sama, only political marriage alone is never desu, never desu!”
Mitsuhide rushed out to the yard to flee from Konoe who was chasing after her while saying “What! Please protect the ‘Kokondenju’ degozaru! Where are you going degozaru!”
And she noticed Frois just like an eagle went for a hunt.
“Ohya! Akechi-sama? It seems you are a bit…….what’s wrong?”
“Frois-dono! I must become a nun right now! It would be best to worship Buddhism, but Gosei Shokakuin is not here now so I tolerate with the Catholic desu! Hurry up! Carry out the baptism now! Please desu, help me!”
She said that while relying on Frois’ breasts.
It was a nature of Frois to not abandon anyone that was facing difficulty. Looking at Mitsuhide who had her body trembling with a pale face “Well. She must be scared too badly…….poor Akechi-sama” and did not ask anything,
“Understood! It’s my pleasure to be able to save Akechi-sama!” And agreed.
“I’m saved desu! I really don’t want to get married to the person I don’t like desu! But if I reject political marriage, everyone will get angry desu!
Therefore, I want to block it with the excuse of becoming a nun so I can’t get married desu!”
“But the normal followers of Catholic that do not stay in the church have the freedom to get married. Although divorce is prohibited……..but, a sister like me is forbidden to get married.”
“Then I will become a sister! Can I continue my cause as a samurai?”
“Yes, you can. Because there’s a Catholic knights where Giovanna belongs to, I will introduce you to them.”
Frois always brought the baptism tools along with her in order to carry out baptism on the person that wants to. So she did baptism on Mitsuhide immediately.
“That’s great desu uhuhuh! In this way, I’m a sister of the Christian desu! Well done, I protected my chastity at the crucial moment desu! And I can continue becoming a maiden general! Christian is the best!”
“Con-Congratulations. Your Christian name will be ‘Garasha’ (TL note: This name has some special meaning, you can search google for it), how about it? It means ‘the grace from God’. In order to let grace falls on Akechi-sama who has many struggles.”
“Huhuhu! Garasha huh? Not bad! Then the marriage becomes impoverished desu!”
“However, I just feel there’s something strange”, to Mitsuhide who smiled happily with praying hands, Frois asked like she heard something unbelievable.
“Akechi-sama, is your betrothal with Yoshiharu-san removed already? I heard that you two will get married after Tanba was suppressed……what happened that cause you to change your mind, abandon Yoshiharu-san to become a sister and preserve your chastity for the rest of your life?”
“…..Eh?”
“Like I said, why do you want to cancel the engagement with Yoshiharu-san on your own? Huh? Don’t tell me you do it for the sake of Nobuna- sama…….? Hu…….such praiseworthy act…….wish the grace of God will grant everything Akechi-sama wants.”
“………Eh——-!? Ahah, ahahahahahah~!? That’s not it desu! I just want to, want to get myself away from the proposal of Hosokawa Fujitaka-dono……”
“Eh, eheheh? Is that so? But you have become a sister already, Akechi- sama? You must go to the Vatican of Rome to deal with quite complicated procedures to be official free yourself from the church……..what, what should we do!?”
“…….It’s over……..I break up the engagement with senpai by myself…….everything is over…….”
Pata.
Mitsuhide had finally over her limit and fell down.
Frois picked up Mitsuhide with panic and discovered her head was burning hot.
“It’s, very hot. A very severe fever. And her conscious is getting blurry, just now she had a quarrel about having baptism just like dream talking…..! Is there anyone here! Please call for a doctor!”
“Mitsuhide-chan! Stay strong! Doctor Manase Cilbal will be here soon! In order to prevent Mitsuhide-chan from being conducted in a marriage when she falls into sick, I will keep watching over Konoe-sama!”
Yoshida Kanemi rushed to Mitsuhide’s side with tears and took a broom to get rid of Konoe Sakihisa who came here while complaining “Akechi-dono, stand up degozaru! If you are proud as one of the Toki clan then stand up with your perseverance degozaru!”
“The person that excluded from my ‘observation art’ is not only Sagara Yoshiharu. This is bad…..”
In this world, there was ‘only one’ person from the future. As long as he prevented Sagara Yoshiharu and Oda Nobuna to fall in love with each other, then it could probably change Nobuna’s ‘fate’. Even for the expert in astrology, Yamamoto Kansuke who had died or Kuroda Kanbei who knew how to use Tarot, they were few of the people that can approximately read
the flow of ‘fate’ of people in this world, but a person from the same era that could know the ‘future’ directly was non-existent.
Jasper did everything until now with that as the basis, so he was very puzzled with the unexpected appearance of Hosokawa Fujitaka, who was a formidable opponent, and at the same time, he had some bad premonition on Akechi Mitsuhide’s unusual love to Sagara Yoshiharu.
“This is just like……eliminating a factor that brings destruction to Oda Nobuna causing another one to come. The ‘mission’ to overturn Oda Nobuna’s ‘fate’, the difficulty of it is far beyond what I expected.”
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