Status: Complete
Chapter 4: Yoshiharu’s first errand.
One week had passed since Yoshiharu had
come to the Five leaf Aralia tenements.
The one week went in a blink of the eye.
As usual he was made fun of by the
Nobukatsu party, he had a hard time to answer the questions Nene asked him and
trying to uselessly work hard to prove “I am a human!”. The thicket of five
leaf aralia hedge growing between Inuchiyo and his house had more less been
finished, and both their houses were completely visible to each other.
In that interval, in order to provision
himself with essential equipment required for a battle, he had sold the roots
in the town surrounding the castle, and using those funds he had bought a used
helmet.
After he finishes his business, when he
returns back to his home, a pause later, old man Asano comes and says “Let me
teach you on how to handle a spear” and helps him practice.
He spent those unbelievable days busily.
He doesn’t even have time to be homesick.
However, in this one week, as if completely
forgetting about Yoshiharu’s existence, she had neglected him.
(This is bad. It can’t be that I have
really been forgotten…..she sure is busy)
The morning of the day when his nape of the
neck started feeling a chill, Inuchiyo appeared next to Yoshiharu’s pillow.
“…….The princess calls.”
She murmured that while sighing.
Yoshiharu pushed back the crumpling rice
cracker futon and jumped up from the bed vigorously.
“I was waiting for it! It’s finally time
for battle?”
“……..It’s the middle of preparation for
battle right now. However, a job.”
“It’s come! My first job! A plan to pull
out the enemy general? Or do I have to practice in the footsoldier’s drill? Or
could it procurement of Arquebus?”
“…..You’ll understand once you come.”
Yoshiharu changed to the old clothes
looking like a foot soldier warrior’s clothes he got from old man Asano, and
for the first time entered into a certain room of Nobuna’s in the main citadel.
Of course, since it’s a Warring State’s
building, it’s Japanese style but on the large Tatami, there were tiger skins
and panda skins lined, Nobuna was sitting on the chief seat with an unpleasant
look and a big barbarian-made globe was kept.
It’s quite a personal room, Yoshiharu
murmured.
Even then, why did Nobuna look displeased
while eating a sweet looking Uirou.
“…….I have brought him. Sagaru Yoshiharu.”
“Dearuka. Inuchiyo, Saru, come closer.”
(T/N: As you know, Dearuka is a pet phrase of hers, this time it would mean ‘I
see’. I am going to preserve it as it is)
While her knee was on the ground, she dragged
herself forward…. while making noise to just beside Nobuna.
Yoshiharu who tried to copy her, as soon as
he tried to drag his knees, he slipped. Rolling and rolling forward vigorously,
he rolled quite close in front of Nobuna.
Their lips were quite close to coming in
contact but, with a small shriek she reversed her body a bit before that and
drew out the sword that her page was holding.
“Don’t scare me! You’re really a rude Saru.
It’s sudden but I’ll behead you!”
“It was an accident!”
“Hah. For a Saru appearance, you tried
stealing my lips right? A retainer, not to mention the lowest position, know
your position. Seriously, you’re filthy.”
“W-Who would want to kisu an un-cute girl
like you!” (T/N: The Japs pronounce kiss as ‘kisu’ which also means garfish)
“Hm? Kisu? What about kisu? You’re planning
to deceive me with Saru language?”
“Ha! Although you’re cheekily keeping a
globe as a decoration, you sure don’t know barbarian words. Listen well. ‘Kisu’
in barbarian language means kissing, kissing! Bringing your lips like this---.”
Bam, a palm came flying on his cheek.
“It hurts?”
“What are you doing. Didn’t the lips nearly
come in contact, how filthy. Ah, jeez, the Saru’s stink came on my lips.”
Wordlessly Inuchiyo brought out a cotton
hand towel and softly rubbed on Nobuna’s faint pale lips.
“I can’t take this. I am at my limit. I
won’t let you live. Conclusion. I will just have to behead you for rudeness at
this place.”
Aren’t there any other conclusions in your
brain, Yoshiharu thought.
“Like I said, I don’t want to kiss an
un-cute girl like you, who would do it! That’s what I have been trying to tell
you!”
“What’s with that, what’s wrong with you,
who do you think you are. How dare you insulted the gracious and clever number
1 bishoujo of Owari.”
“Number 1 of Owari is going overboard! Did
you search? Did you search for all the bishoujo’s in Owari and competed? In the
first place, are you even number 1 in personality?”
“It seems like a Saru can’t understand the
beauty of humans after all, it’s beheading for you. Wait, don’t make me say the
same things over and over again.”
“You’re way too self conscious!”
It seems like this woman’s anger gauge goes
max upon seeing my face and her blood starts boiling!
Why does he talk to his master so casually?
Both of their eyes are burning with hatred,
hostility and irritation towards each other, and face each other with their
noses meeting and quarrel intensely with spit flying from their mouths.
Princess’ and Yoshiharu’s lips seem to be
stuck together…..Inuchiyo murmured.
“Finding this fault or that fault of mine.
What should I say to make you happy? Should I say ‘I want to kiss
Nobuna-sama!’?”
“Huh? What are you saying, even though
you’re a sorrowful Saru who doesn’t even know the difference between a sour and
sweet persimmon? That line is really creepy, beheading for you.”
“Hey wait, isn’t it that no matter how it
proceeds it’s beheading! What ill natured attitude is this.”
“It means that your existence itself pisses
me off. Even though you’re being blessed with eaten and uneaten thrown away
ration from me, your attitude is too big.”
“Uwah, you’re a bad natured woman! Even
though you know it’s thrown away ration…..”
“Be grateful just by the fact that you’re
not being turned into Saru stew. Although your meat will smell and doesn’t seem
eatable.”
“Shut up, give me more pay! Jeez, I have
eaten all the aralia of the garden!”
“There’s no way I am paying you for being a
freeloader. Work.”
“I am full of working spirit! It’s cause
you haven’t given me any work.”
“……..Princess. Let’s talk about the work
for Yoshiharu.”
Inuchiyo who couldn’t bear it any more,
restrained the two who kept on verbally fighting with no end in sight.
While giving a cough, Nobuna and Yoshiharu
sat on their cushions.
“……..That’s right.”
Nobuna thrust a uirou like the one she was still
eating to Inuchiyo who gobbled it.
“……Tasty…..chew, chew.”
“Inuchiyo! As always, nice way of eating!
I’ll give you one more!”
“…….Gobble.”
“That’s cute~”
Could Inuchiyo perhaps be fed like a pet
using Uirou as a bait…..Yoshiharu thought.
“Hey Nobuna. Won’t you give me one ‘uirou’
too?”
“Hmph. I have no obligation to give Owari’s
specialty to a free loader.”
Chew chew. Lets’ talk about the work, while
eating Uirou with her mouths stuffed, Inuchiyo said that.
“That’s right, that’s right. Be overjoyed. I
have decided to have you do a job.”
“Finally the conversation has progressed! The
conversation up till now was all useless! Say that faster!”
“Don’t fuss over the small things, you’re
noisy.”
“So, what should I do? A once in a life
time job over here is good. Like building a castle, or plotting against the
enemy general.”
“Huh? I am amazed, who do you think you
are? Is your brain rotting? There’s no way I am going to give that chief
retainer class job for a newcomer foot soldier like you, not to mention to come
over here lost from the Saru kingdom.”
“I am more fired up for big jobs.”
“Rice. Buy rice.”
At the same time as Nobuna flicked her
fingers, the pages brought the piled up koban and laid them out at Yoshiharu’s
feet. (T/N: Koban is a former Japanese oval gold coin, it is equivalent to 4
kan. 1 kan=1000 copper coins. Hence 1 gold coin=4000 copper coins.)
“There’s 3000 kan. Time limit is 2 weeks. Buy
rice with this.”
“Yeah. It’s a way too easy job. It’s like a
child’s play.”
“However!”
“However?”
“At the very least, buy 8000 koku! Any less
than that, and you’re beheaded!” (T/N: 1 koku= traditionally the amount of rice
which would feed a Japanese for 1 year, around 150 kg.)
Since he didn’t know the market price,
Yoshiharu tried asking Inuchiyo beside him.
At the current market rates of Kiyosu
castle, you can only buy 4000 koku with 3000 kan, Inuchiyo explained.
“Procuring 2 times the rice of current
market rates, which means…..interesting. I accept that challenge!”
“It isn’t a challenge, you really are an
idiot. It’s an order! Since you’re running your mouth a lot, this much should
be a piece of cake, right?”
“Oh, I got it. This job is simple. The
money making tactics that I cultivated thanks to Warring States games,
activated! Main point is that I have to increase the principal amount via
gambling.
Yoshiharu nodded full of confidence.
As expected of the sketchy Warring States
era, even without going to Las Vegas, you can bet as much as you want in the
gambling spots within the town.
Wait for me after 2 weeks, while saying
that, he stood up.
While exiting the room, he heard the
teasing voice of Nobuna from behind.
“That’s right, I forgot to say. In the case
you lose your money and fail to procure the rice, by law you’ll be beheaded.”
Yoshiharu shouted.
“Plan for increasing the money via gambling,
suspended!”
After returning back to his room, Yoshiharu
rolled in his room with his arms wrapped around his head.
While staying still in one corner of the
room all the time,
“……..What are you going to do?”
Inuchiyo asks.
“Ah. There’s a second option in the money
making tactics that I cultivated thanks to Warring States games. However,
there’s people needed in order to execute it.”
“Inuchiyo will help.”
“Thanks, please help me! However, just
Samurai isn’t good enough. I need Shinobis.” (T/N: Shinobi refers to sneak
thieves, ninjas, spies in general, hence Inuchiyo’s confusion in the next
sentence)
While staring in puzzlement, Inuchiyo
tilted her small neck.
“….…? Will you have Shinobi steal rice?
…….?”
“Foolish. If I steal from the town
surrounding Kiyosu castle, then the first thing waiting for me would be my
beheading.”
Yoshiharu shouted.
“Hey, Goemon! Aren’t you there? I need your
power now!”
“…….Hachisuka Goemon, at your service.”
Without a noise, a girl wearing a completely
black Shinobi costume appeared in the garden.
Her nose and mouth are concealed as usual
by a mask but due to the suspicious red colored pupils, he knew it was Goemon.
“……..That surprised me.”
“You don’t look like you’re surprised at
all, Inuchiyo.”
“……Who’s she?”
“She’s Goemon who’s made a combination with
me. Goemon, enter the room.”
“No, I am fine with being in the garden. In
the first place, Sagara-uji, shinobi’s are ones who hide themselves in
shadows----.”
“It’s fine. Don’t say those rigid stuff. You’ll
once again bite yourself if you speak long sentences.”
“S-Shut up.”
“……Yoshiharu, no matter who the other
person is, whether your master or your retainer, your attitude doesn’t change.
You use the same attitude without regard in front of anyone.”
“I had rather you say that I am frank to
anyone, Inuchiyo.”
“Furanku…..?” (T/N: You know the drill,
it’s the Warring States era, Frank is pronounced as ‘furanku’ in Japanese which
Inuchiyo doesn’t understand)
In the end Goemon conceded.
While surrounding the five leaf Aralia
stew, the three of them started the tactical meeting.
Goemon suddenly said “My followers are at Kawazoku,
breaking into godowns is easy for them”, and was stopped by Yoshiharu’s hand
who then said.
“The money making tactic that I cultivated
in Warring States games, no. 2! I name it ‘Plan for making a killing through
trade’!”
“……..Trade.”
“No, before that, what’s a ‘Warring States
no technique?” (T/N: Once again, game is pronounced as ‘No technique.”)
“Well, just listen. The plan is as follows.”
If we increase original amount of 3000 kan
to 6000 kan, then we can buy the target of 8000 koku of rice.
They understand up till now.
So, firstly, they’ll use the 3000 kan and
purchase goods from the Kiyosu merchants.
And, sell them at a higher price, such as
4000 kan or 5000 kan to merchants of other towns.
Using the increased money, they once again
buy goods, and once again sell them in another town at a higher price.
Repeating this many times,3000 kan will
become 6000 kan.
So, once the budget reaches 6000 kan, they
buy rice at Kiyosu. With this they can achieve the target of 8000 koku of rice.
“……..target?”
“Fumu. Why would the things we buy, be able
to be sold at a higher price?”
“……..Haggle?”
“I see. If they don’t buy at the price we
tell them, we’ll kill them.” (T/N: This was meant to be a pun, haggle has same proununciation
as killing everyone)
“No no. Don’t say dangerous things. It’s
called market price.”
“……..Market price.”
“According to my (subtle) knowledge of
Warring States games, the price of things should be different in different
cities. we buy a lot of goods from a town where the market price is cheap, and
sell them at a town where the market price is more expensive and increase our
money.”
It seems like a good idea but…….Goemon
inserted her finger on the chin hidden behind the mask.
“If we don’t go to the town, we won’t be
able to understand the market price. By going in a haphazard manner and buying
and selling, can we be wable to double the amount in 2 weeks?” (T/N: Purposely
to indicate lisp)
She bit herself, Inuchiyo murmured.
Goemon glared at Inuchiyo with her red
pupils.
“That’s why I called you, Goemon. Using
your Shinobi network, find out about the market prices of the Tokaido region
from A to Z! If you do that, we’ll be
able to know beforehand about where to buy what and where to sell it, right?
The job of carrying the goods too, would be safer if I leave it to your
followers.”
This is the basics of ‘trade’. There’s no
need for robbery or breaking in. We can increase our money without anyone
getting hurt, Yoshiharu snorts.
You’re a genius, Goemon said nodding while
hitting with her hand.
“I haven’t even thought of using my Shinobi
like that. As expected of the wone Kinoshita had his hwopes in, fufufu.”
She really bit herself a lot, Inuchiyo once
again murmured, and once again Goemon glares at Inuchiyo.
“No, well, it’s just that all my Warring
States knowledge was built by games.”
“That no technique, could it be a barbarian
secret scroll?”
“Something similar.”
“Then, I’ll immediately go to search the
market prices of various provinces in the surroundings, 3 days would be more
than enough.”
She makes hand symbols, and makes a smoke
screen.
Goemon once again disappeared without any
sound.
“Cough Cough. Don’t create smoke within the
room!”
“……..The tatami is burning.”
“Hot! It’s hooot! We have to extinguish it
immediately! Water, water!”
Would there really be a difference in
market prices between towns enough to make a profit?
Only that one point was worrying but they
immediately understood it was needless anxiety.
3 days later. Goemon researched about the
market prices of goods thoroughly of Kiyosu, Inokuchi (the town surrounding the
castle of Mino), Ise’s port city, Ootsu and reported to Yoshiharu.
In each town, there were goods that were in
surplus, hence cheap, and conversely goods that were out of stock and hence
fairly expensive. While holding Goemon’s report, they went to the town and
bought goods which were in surplus, and carry and sell it in a town which
doesn’t have enough of those.
Since they used Goemon’s men even for
transport of the goods, the transportation fee and transportation time was
minimal.
With this, their money kept increasing.
By the time he realized it, Yoshiharu’s
room in the Five leaf Aralia tenement was full of gold coins that even his
tatami mat wasn’t visible.
Since the original amount was a huge sum of
3000 kan, once they exceeded expectations, the money they piled up didn’t seem
like it could even be counted.
“T-T-This is a gold coin tatami? A gold
room? Could I perhaps be filthy rich?”
Originally he planned on increasing the
money in order to buy rice but, if they can increase it so much then let’s
increase as much as humanly possible, Yoshiharu gave his desires.
Relaxing in the mountain of gold coins, he
was swimming in it with a crawl stroke with noisy waves of gold coins.
Ah, somehow it feels good….with an
expression of ecstasy, Yoshiharu murmured.
“I’ll be popular. If I have this many gold
coins, I’ll be able to become popular with the ladies. That is the way of the
world!”
“………You’re like a merchant.”
Inuchiyo murmured it as if giving up but
Yoshiharu who had become filthy rich for the first time since birth couldn’t
hear it.
“I am fine with being merchant. Besides I
am bad at war or hurting people.”
“…….I understand that.”
“Alright, I’ll become the head clerk of the
Oda clan! Piling it, piling it, I’ll keep piling it up! I am filthy rich!”
“……However…..all of that is Nobuna-sama’s money.”
“What are you saying, Inuchiyo. We
increased it so much, she won’t know even if we take a bit!”
“……..You’re like a money monger.”
“I’ll buy a silk garment for you as well! You
should wear some girlish clothes on the occasional holiday and spend it cutely!”
“……Uh. Can’t refuse….”
While he was humming in the pool of gold
coins, Nene came from the opposite side’s Asano house.
It seems like she came to check up since
she was worried as she hadn’t seen him for quite some time.
After looking at the flood of gold coins in
the room and Yoshiharu who was completely over the top frivolously humming “I
am popular”, Yoshiharu, she shouted in a loud voice with both her hands raised.
“Saru-sama! What are you doing!”
“Oh, Nene. I’ll buy you a lot of cotton
candy for you too!”
With raised eyes, she kicked Yoshiharu’s
abdomen.
“Woah. What are you doing?”
“I thought it was a Saru but, you’ve
already become a thief!”
“You’re wrong, I made it via a lawful
trade!”
“Muh! For Saru-sama who ate up all the
aralia of the garden, there’s no way you have capital for trade!”
“As expected of a sharp elementary kid!
However, if it’s about capital, I have it. Nobuna generously lent me 3000
kan------wait, huh--------?”
He realized it late.
Wrong, it’s not that she lent it to me!
“I was ordered by Nobuna to buy rice with
3000 kan! I got caught up in my dream of being popular due to getting a lot of
money, and I completely forgot about it!”
“What are you doing, seriously! If Nene
isn’t there with you, Saru-sama is totally useless! Inuchiyo-dono is pampering
Saru-sama too much!”
“……Inuchiyo…..forgot as well.”
As if worried, Inuchiyo started counting
the days with bending her fingers.
“……Got it……The limit is today evening.”
Isn’t it already past noon!
Damn!
It’s that girl, no matter how many gold
coins I pile up, if I don’t have a single grain of rice, it’s beheading!?
Yoshiharu stood up in a fluster, and
started running towards Nobuna in the main citadel.
“Inuchiyo, have Goemon help and buy rice
with all the money immediately and come! There’s no time so, don’t bother
haggling! And, transport it all to Nobuna’s place! Please!”
“……Understood.”
“Saru-sama! Don’t make the princess angry!
Earnestly kneel down on the ground and ask her to wait for the rice to arrive!”
That’s probably impossible, Yoshiharu
thought.
Kneeling down, or anything, he couldn’t
think of anything.
“Y-Y-Y-You fool~! Idiot! [Fool]~!” (T/N:
Another word used for the word fool, to be explained a bit later)
Standing up from her chief seat, after
seeing Yoshiharu’s face, started raging badly.
Kick, kick, a storm of kicking on
Yoshiharu’s face who was crawled on the ground.
Furthermore, she held Yoshiharu’s hair and
dragged him around on the mat.
Since he bent his waist thoughtlessly in
order to kneel on the ground, he wasn’t able to avoid the demonic attack.
“It hurts! It’s going to rip apart, my hair
is going to rip apart.”
“You must have forgot the deadline and
started goofing around! W-W-Why do I have to worry for you…..aren’t you really
an idiot? Shitty [fool]!”
“Wait, Wait Nobuna, don’t lose your
temper!”
“You’re in the wrong right, you! Why are
you empty handed? Why don’t you have even a single grain of rice? The money
that I gave you? The 3000 kan is?”
“Hey…..I have been curious since before
but…..What do you mean by [fool]?”
“You don’t even know that? If you keep
dividing the fields you inherited to your children, you’ll grow poor, you call
those people [fool]. I don’t want to become that [fool] so I decided to
immediately dismiss the incompetent retainers who just keep getting land but
not being useful……wait, don’t fool me with that!”
“So I was found out, huh.”
“As per law, it’s beheading for you who
lost the 3000 kan.”
Nobuna unsheathed the sword she received
from the page, and closely came upon hitting the back of Yoshiharu’s neck.
“The sun has not set yet, please wait for
just a bit more!”
“Shut up! If you weren’t able to fulfill
your master’s orders, then you should have just given up and returned back the
money! You couldn’t have really used all of it in gambling and lost it all,
right?”
“Wrong wrong wrong! I increased the money
diligently!”
“How?”
“Trade secret!”
“You’re once again trying to deceive me by
incomprehensible Saru language. I want the pampering to stay within bounds as
well.”
“Call it future language.”
“Hmph. If you increase it, there should
have been a lot of rice bags piled here by now, right?”
“Since there too many I couldn’t carry them
by myself! Right now Inuchiyo is carrying them! Please, believe me and wait.”
“......I don’t want to believe you but, if Inuchiyo
is in it, then in deference to her I will wait till the time limit.”
While snorting with a ‘hmph’, she sheathed
her sword, and once again sat on the chief seat.
Irritated, irritated, irritated.
She was irritated enough for Yoshiharu to
even tear apart his chest.
If she just smiled, well you can’t call her
a bishoujo but, her face is spoiled like that. It’s a waste.....Yoshiharu
thought.
For the time being, he was able to escape
from being beheaded.
To accurately put it, it’s just that the
beheading time got prolonged.
However, the glaring continued.
“She isn’t coming.”
“S-She won’t come immediately. Rather, since
the quantity is a lot....”
1 minute.....1 minutes.......3 minutes.
Nobuna’s patience was like a cup ramen’s
cooking time.
“I am bored. If I get bored, I like to
behead a Saru. It’s that sort of disease.”
“Aren’t you fast to get bored?”
“I feel like hearing the scream of a Saru’s
death agony.”
“H-How about spending some time chatting?”
“I don’t to hear anything from a Saru who
completely spent away 3000 kan and didn’t even buy a single grain of rice.”
She removed her facade, and started
imitating a Saru’s voice with a ‘Ki---.”
She seriously isn’t cute. What a face she’s
making, Yoshiharu got annoyed.
“If that’s the case, you talk.”
Nobuna turned her head sideways and looked
up at the sky.
Beyond the sliding screen, the blue sky
started reddening bit by bit.
It’s painful to say it but if she closes
her mouth, she is pretty after all, Yoshiharu inadvertently gave a sigh.
(W-Wrong! I have not fallen for her! I
haven’t fallen for her!)
Nobuna was starting at Yoshiharu who had
become red and swaying while sitting.
“You aren’t interested in my story anyways.
Just wait till quietly till your head flies.”
“It’s not that I am not interested. Buying
Arquebus, a globe from the barbarian merchants, gazing at ‘Conquering Japan’ or
‘The World’, why did you become a strange person called ‘The fool of Owari’, I
want to hear it for future reference.”
“......It’s with me since birth. I don’t
remember it but it seems like I kept biting the wet nurse’s nipples since I was
born.”
“That’s strange. Babies don’t have teeth
right? It’s a made up story.”
“Since I heard it directly from mother, there’s
no doubt.”
“Your mother who is over at Nobukatsu’s
place, huh.....”
Why do you know about Kanjuurou, her lips
got a displeasured look, and threw the candy at hand.
While sitting crossed legged, he nimbly
dodged them.
“Every day, he comes with his faction to my
tenement, and says his hatred. It seems like he wants to hinder my job.”
“I see. Although it’s what my ill-natured brother
perpetrated, I won’t apologize.”
“It’s fine. If you apologize, it’ll feel
unpleasant for me.”
“Kanjuurou was encouraged to do martial
arts and studies by Mother who said ‘Succeed the Oda clan’. However, he always
lost to me. So he’s just twisted a bit. He isn’t that bad a human.”
“Indeed, compared to your twisting, he’s
still at a cute level......it hurts.”
Nobuna who understood that he would dodge
if hit from the front gave a surprise attack.
With a no-motion hitting from the back
side, she hit the candies on his face.
“Which part of me did you say is twisted, without
even having proof, to slander your master is difficult to forgive.”
“Didn’t you appear at your father’s funeral
in the appearance of a fool and cause a ruckus. That’s way too twisted.”
“That time I was pissed off at both my
father who died and left me behind on his own, and the main retainers who were
sitting in a row with a composed expression and discussing on how conduct
themselves! No one was earnestly grieving for father’s death! That was vexing!”
“I see. Nobukatsu was like that too?”
“Kanjuurou was.....sad and crying. However,
the vassals around him.....had eyes looking like they were plotting a rebellion
against me.”
“That guy, has rebelled against you
countless times, but he’s been forgiven, is what Katsuie told me. Even a demon
girl like you cherishes her brother, huh.”
“Shut up. I have a policy of not forgiving
those who rebel, be it may my brother! It’s just that since mother will be sad,
even though I want to behead him, I can’t cut him!”
“I see......”
Nobuna looks down sadly, and let out a
small voice.
But she immediately swallowed her words, and
started glaring at Yoshiharu with sharp eyes.
It became a face of Warring States’ feudal
lord.
“However. Kanjuurou is....No, if Nobukatsu
rebels against me this time, I’ll kill him.”
“Why?”
“Because, if the clan is split up, then it’s
impossible to protect Owari from the strong Imagawa clan. That’s why, I decided
that.”
“That’s dangerous. Don’t say that and try
patching things up.”
“Watch your mouth, Saru. I am the protecting
Lord of Owari, Oda Kazusanosuke Nobuna. My position is different from yours. I
have responsibility for all the people of Owari and the retainers!”
“.........And also, for the dream of ‘Conquering
Japan’, there are times you have to sacrifice your personal feelings.....huh?”
“That’s right. It’s fine, right. There’s no
point in talking to a foot soldier more than this.”
Che, she diverted the topic, clicked his
tongue in his heart.
No, it’s wrong. I am still not thought of as
an equivalent existence to her......realizing that, due to vexing, his chest
somewhere got tightened.”
“More than that, I’ll measure your brain
with this globe.”
“A globe, huh. I accept your challenge.”
“It’s not a challenge. Do you think a human
and a Saru can equally compete in a challenge? This is just a measurement of a
Saru’s brain.”
While rotating the globe in her hand, she
showed a surprisingly smiling face and shouted.
“The barbarians who made this are tough! Since
they crossd the huge sea, travelled around half the world and came to Japan! Do
you know? About the meaning of this globe? The world isn’t flat. It’s a sphere like this globe!”
“I know that much.”
“Eeh~? Don’t speak likes.”
“I learnt it at school.”
“For the Saru country’s temple elementary school
to be the level of barbarians, it’s difficult to believe.”
Nobuna’s small lips has a sour look while
she’s glaring at Yoshiharu.
“Then, do you know where in this globe is
Japan located at?”
“Yeah, I know. Apparently it’s this small island
nation. By the way, the ‘barbarians’ that you call come from the far far away
Europe in the west.
While pushing the globe with his hands, he
pointed at the place of Japan and the barbarians.
He was subtly wrong in the place of the
barbarians (Although he should point at Holland, Spain, Portuagal, Yoshiharu
was pointing at France), but, he was more or less on the mark. Unexpectedly Nobuna
had an angry face since whenever she explained that the earth was a sphere, no
one believed her, but why did a Saru like him know about it?
“It’s not like my head is that great. In
the world that I was in, it’s common sense.”
“Hmph. I can’t take light of it. The Saru country.
It may become the biggest enemy of mankind. It may be better to destroy them
right now.”
“Like I said, I am not a Saru!”
“The various barbarian countries who have
the Arquebus and the ships that go around the globe are really strong.”
While ignoring Yoshiharu’s comment, Nobuna
said that.
“Right now only the missionaries teaching
about Deus come but, someday definitely I believe that they’ll come to Japan
with their huge fleet to attack. That’s why, if even one day faster, I want to
conquer the chatotic Japan, and build a country that can rival the barbarian
countries! Hey, is what I am saying strange? Do you think I am a fool?”
Yoshiharu thought. She, when talking about
barbarians or about the world, just a bit, just a little bit, has a nice
face......
“What you getting red for? Do you have a
fever or something, Saru. Could it be an intelligence fever?”
What you’re saying is correct, Yoshiharu
replied that scratching his nose.
“You may be annoying but, you’re a genius
who crosses eras. The ones who laugh at you are the stupid ones. However, can’t
be helped but, you’re the one who’s special. Don’t worry about it.”
“.......Hmph. Even if I am told that by a
Saru, I am not happy. There’s no basis. Could you perhaps be a flatterer?”
With running her usual poison tongue-----showed
a really defenceless, a smile like a little girl.
It was for only a moment.
Immediately, she got flustered and went to
her original displeasured expression.
Thump, Thump, Thump. Yoshiharu’s heart
started beating fast.
(Wait, Wait. Don’t be deceived! I can’t f-fall
for this brutal tyrant! And first of all, the social statues are different! I
am a humble foot soldier, she’s my master and she’s the princess feudal lord
governing Owari! There are limits to even retainers supplanting his Lord.)
Abruptly, Nobuna opened her eyes, and
peered at Yoshiharu’s face.
It was a distance where Nobuna’s breath hit
his cheeks.
Dammit. Even though she’s just Nobuna, for
her to be a bishoujo is being cheeky.
“What. What’s with that face? Do you have
something that you want to say to me?”
“Eh? N-Nothing!”
“Even though you have something you want to
say, for you to keep quiet, it’s not like you. Are you planning on a rebellion
or something?”
“Rather that a rebellion, more like
retainer supplanting his lord.....”
“.....Hmph. What sort of retainer
supplanting his lord?”
“T-That is......um.......um”
“.....What......?”
Yoshiharu couldn’t move like he was
paralyzed.
It’s vexing but, she’s pretty after all! Only
her face though!
The two of them stared at each other for
some time, a drum resounded from somewhere in the castle to indicate the time.
“.......It’s sunset. It’s the time limit.”
Nobuna returned to a serious face.
“Saru-------following the Oda clan’s law, you
will be beheaded. Sit properly.”
It was a refined expression of Warring States’
feudal lord.
So she wasn’t able to make it in time,
huh.....
Yoshiharu lowered his head while sitting
straight at Nobuna’s feet.
Strangely he didn’t have any fear.
As usual something’s missing from me,
Yoshiharu became strange.
Nobuna will behead me without hesistation I
guess.
In order to live as a Warring States’
feudal lord, she seems to have prepared
herself to kill her little brother.
One or two footsoldiers would not even need
hesitation.
“Sorry for failing. Now, do it.”
“......Do you have any last words, Saru?”
“I am going to die anyways. In the end, what
I worked out is------a lie but, I’ll teach you the method to make money I
learnt from the Warring States games.
Nobuna who was standing behind Yoshiharu
gave a piercing cry.
“That sort of thing doesn’t matter! Isn’t
there anything else that you want to say? Like not wanting to die, or don’t
kill please!”
“Are you a fool. If I plead for my life, you’ll
suffer later. In reality you’re bad at these sort of things, right?”
“......S.......Shut up! There’s no worth in
letting an idiot retainer who lost all the 3000 kan of war funds live! That’s
right, it’s obvious for your head to fly here! I am just cutting you since you
said to cut you! It’s paying for one’s mistakes! Idiot!”
Nobuna’s characteristic high pitched voice
was gradually became a fine nasal voice.
Huh........could I have been saved if I
begged for my life?
This girl isn’t straight forward so she
doesn’t say it clearly but, she had some....intention to save me?
Damn it, I acted way too cool, Yoshiharu
tried to raise his voice.
Nobuna had already gripped her sword
tightly and brought it down.
What sort of face she was making, Yoshiharu
couldn’t see it.
Stab.
However, Yoshiharu had bad luck.
Clash!
The sword fell from Nobuna’s hands.
Abruptly from the balcony direction, a
throwing star came flying and made the sword fly away.
The back of his neck was cut just by 3 mm, Yoshiharu’s
neck was barely connected.
“Ah, it hurts.....everyone, come out! S-sneaky
bastard!”
“.......It’s not someone......I got
late......”
“Inuchiyo?”
Inuchiyo entered the room in a samurai
appearance dirtied with blood.
“......Yoshiharu......I bought the rice......”
“Oooh, Inuchiyo~! You bought it.....”
The one who threw the throwing star was
Goemon, Yoshiharu realized.
If you guys had come one second earlier, there
wouldn’t have been blood flowing from the back of my neck.
“However, Inuchiyo. The bags of rice are?”
“That’s right. Where are they?”
“.......Right now, they’re being carried in
from the castle gates.”
Nobuna and Yoshiharu look from the window, an
outrageous amount of rice bags was being carried into the castle one after
another.
“Oh Oh, it’s an achievement of Saru-dono.”
“It’s big harvest! Let’s take one bag back
to the tenement as well!”
Old man Asano and Nene were playing a flute
and a drum and encouraging the samurais who were carrying the bags.
“It’s a really huge number! How many did
you buy?”
“........75000 bags.”
“1 koku is 2.5 bags so......30000 koku? No
way? Really?”
Dammit, that Nobuna’s calculations are
fast, Yoshiharu murmured.
The request was for 8000 koku so the rice
he procured was in reality around 4 times of that.
It was a huge achievement.
Gon.
“Rejoice, Saru!”
“Oh? Will you give me a reward?”
“Since you got delayed after the time
limit, there’s no reward! However, I’ll let you keep your neck intact! Be
grateful to Inuchiyo’s effort and my leniency!”
“What’s with that? You’re stingy! If you
give a reward in times like this, your subordinates will be happy! First thing
is to make your retainers stay in ‘Five Leaf Aralia tenement’, which sort of
miser of a manager are you?”
Bonk.
This time, with a smile she hit him on his
flank with a side kick while being silent.
“Don’t attack me while smiling, I just
barely dodged it.”
“Shut up! Since I am letting you live, cry
and be deeply moved! Prostrate yourself at my feet and say this while crying
and begging “Nobuna-samaaaa, this Saru will follow you for lifeeeeee”, you want
to beg right?”
“Huh? You too, be moved my alchemy and blush
while saying “Yoshiharu, I am useless without you~”! Is that bishoujo face just
a decoration? Show some of your cute side too, you ferocious woman!”
“Ugh-gi-Guh-gi! What’s with you, what’s
wrong with you, just because you got a bit of a lot of rice, acting all high! It’s
gross, don’t delude yourself! I am going to kill you after all!”
The two of them once again had their foreheads
together and give a groan, “Fuuuuh~”. Inuchiyo tugged at Nobuna’s sleeve.
“.......Princess.....behead Inuchiyo.”
“Eh? What are you saying, the one who will
be beheaded is this Saru, you know?”
“.......Inuchiyo cut down Nobukatsu’s page
a bit back. I broke the law.”
Now that she says it, there’s fresh blood
on Inuchiyo’s sleeve.
“That’s why if you don’t behead Inuchiyo,
then you’ll be in a tuffle with Nobukatsu-sama.”
“What are you saying. T-There’s no way I
can do that!”
“......For Owari’s sake.”
Yoshiharu grabbed both of Inuchiyo’s
shoulders and asked in a loud voice.
“Inuchiyo. While trying to carry the rice
bags into the castle, were you once again hindered by Nobukatsu and company?
That’s it, right?”
She nodded a bit.
“......There was no time. If I didn’t cut
him down, I wouldn’t have been able to make it in time.....I haven’t taken his
life.”
“You heard her, Nobuna. The one who is in
the wrong is Nobukatsu! Don’t behead Inuchiyo!”
“I know it! However....however.”
Inuchiyo seemed to be an existence above a
little sister for Nobuna.
There’s no way she can behead her.
However, if she overlooks this, the
Nobukatsu side won’t stay quiet, once more the confrontation of elder sister
and younger brother would deepen.
Even for Yoshiharu’s eyes, there’s no way
that naive Nobukatsu could win against Nobuna.
Even in the past, he rebelled countless times,
and has lost during those times.
In other words, if Nobukatsu’s side takes
offense with the incident of Inuchiyo and once again tries to disobey------
Nobuna will behead her real younger
brother----.
(Behead Inuchiyo, or behead Nobukatsu, she
has to choose between one of them.)
There’s no way she could choose.
Nobuna was at a loss for words, and grabbed
the handrail and started shaking.
Yoshiharu couldn’t keep watching, and wanted
to raise his voice.
However, he shouted different words.
“Inuchiyo! Abscond!”
“......Abscond......”
“Run away from Kiyosu! We’ll make it that
were cut down by Nobuna and that you’re absconding, and make a bargain with
Nobukatsu! Someday when Nobukatsu and Nobuna reconcile, come back.”
“.....However....”
“Ah, jeez! It’s pathetic for me to say this
to you who worked hard for me but, there’s no other way than that right now!
And, it would be finished with both you and Nobukatsu not being beheaded by
Nobuna!”
Inuchiyo nodded without hesitation.
She turned to Nobuna and bowed deeply.
“.......Princess. Farewell.”
“Inuchiyo.”
It seemed like a line of tear had fallen on Nobuna’s
cheeks.
However that was Yoshiharu’s optical illusion.
Indeed, she was crying in her heart.
However, she didn’t show it in her expression.
She was bearing it.
The line that looked like a tear was blood. Her lip
was cut.
As if trying to stop herself from letting out
complaints like a normal girl, she bit her own lips inadvertently and stopped
herself from speaking.
(Don’t leave me behind, don’t let me be alone, isn’t
it fine to say at least that much.)
However, even without Nobuna having to say it with
words, it was conveyed to Inuchyo.
Inuchiyo gave a really gentle smile while staring
at Nobuna.
“......I will definitely return. And also,
Yoshiharu’s there.”
So she smiles like this......without thinking as Yoshiharu
stared, abruptly Inuchiyo turned to face Yoshiharu.
“Oh, Oh? You surprised me? It’s a promise,
Inuchiyo! Definitely come back!”
“.......You.....forgot the promise.”
“Hm? What was it again?”
“.......Will you buy me a silk garment?”
When you return, I’ll buy you as many as you want
with my money making technique, Yoshiharu grabbed Inuchiyo’s hands and shook
them.
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