Part 1: The Hidden Dragon of Hubei
There are countless men.
They are strong men.
Everyone is bowing their heads.
Moreover, I'm the one making them bow their heads.
I wonder how many people in Japan today have had an experience like that?
"Now, let's begin!"評定Hyōjō
The tanned old man standing closest to me shouted:
"I'd like to start by discussing the collection of taxes within the territory..."
The old man glanced at me and burst out laughing.
"Everyone! Tomorrow is the day we will finally welcome the princess of the Oda family! Let us all unite and work together to ensure that everything proceeds smoothly!"
"Oh!" the men exclaimed.
I desperately tried to maintain my composure, deciding that if anyone said something to me, I would simply reply, "That's fine."
It would be bad to make a mistake.
That's because I have absolutely no grasp of what's happening right in front of me.
(How did it come to this?)
I watched the meeting and discussion unfolding amongst the scruffy men, sweating profusely.
◇
I was in my room at the welfare facility dormitory, studying for the end-of-term exams that were waiting for me tomorrow.
Yes, it's what you might call "cramming."
However, I just can't seem to find the motivation.
I tossed down my mechanical pencil and closed my Math IIB textbook.
So, to change my mood, I pulled out a history book.
深井長政Fukai NagamasaThat was my name.
My parents passed away early, so I don't have many memories of them, but I'm incredibly grateful that they didn't give me a strange name like " " or " ".英雄Mars宇宙Universal
I absolutely hate the studying we're taught at school.
To put it more bluntly, I absolutely hate teachers who try to force things on you with their "You have to memorize this" attitude.
That's why I can't concentrate on studying for exams at all.
Rather, I want to be taught and learn something else—something that is directly related to life.
I'm one of those students who hopes for that.
I know that's probably impossible with today's education system, but I never even remotely considered "learning" anything other than that.
And of all the subjects I enjoy, history is my absolute favorite.
"Isn't history just about memorizing things?"
There's a classmate who says things like that, but he doesn't understand anything at all.
I know.
"History isn't something you memorize; it's something that people living in the present discover for themselves."
That's what historians are all saying.
History won't show itself unless you actively seek it out.
When I was going through a severe case of chuunibyou (eighth-grade syndrome)—which I'm still very much in the midst of—I happened to pick up a history book at the library, and in the afterword, the historian said something like that.
From that point on, I moved quickly.
Those suffering from "chuunibyou" (eighth-grade syndrome) are more insatiably craving knowledge than anyone else.
The names and settings of the evil gods, or cool-sounding phrases, are absorbed like a dry sponge soaking up water.
What I wanted was knowledge to help me live in the present.
This desire stemmed from a somewhat adolescent, angsty idea: "I think I'll need it when I have my own country."
What policies did politicians implement in the past, and how did the people react to them? What was the state of the economy in the past, and what kinds of jobs did people do? What kind of culture existed in past societies, and what kind of lives did people lead?
I thought that knowing that would help me in my future life.
Then, when I learned that history has subfields like economic history and political history, I lost interest in economics and political science.
This is because history builds and organizes facts meticulously before engaging in discussion, whereas economics and political science tend to force facts into pre-existing theories.
If I were to do something like that, the nation I would create in the future would become stifling, and eventually, riots would break out.
I felt that discarding preconceived notions like theories and instead building things up fact by fact was a much better approach.
And up until now, I've studied a lot of things that are completely unrelated to schoolwork.
As a result, we were able to learn quite accurately how politics and economics developed in Japan and Western Europe in the past, and what kinds of conflicts existed between the government and the people.
Because I keep doing things like that, I'm forced to endure the ordeal of cramming the night before every exam...
The watch on my wrist shows 3 a.m.
(Oh no, I need to start studying soon.)
It seems he had become quite engrossed in reading history books.
I hastily opened my Math IIB textbook.
(I'm... sleepy)
Before I knew it, the clock hands were pointing to 4:30 in the morning.
I'm so incredibly sleepy.
I made up my mind and set my alarm for 6 o'clock.
I'm going to take a nap. A short nap will clear my head.
(If I wake up at 6 o'clock and work diligently for an hour...)
With those thoughts in mind, I crawled into bed and fell asleep—
"My lord, it's time to wake up."
"--teeth?"
I suddenly found myself in a charming, tatami-floored room, nestled in a very traditional Japanese futon, woken up by a boy with a strange hairstyle that resembled a topknot.
And before I knew it, I was dressed in a thick kimono and had an eboshi hat placed on my head—and before I knew it, I was in the scene described at the beginning.袴hakama
◇
"Lord Nagamasa, are the arrangements for when members of the Oda family enter our territory correct?"
"You should do so."
However, I was trying to stay calm and was gradually beginning to understand the situation.
First of all, it seems that my name is recognized as "Nagamasa."
And considering how everyone is acting subservient towards me, it seems he's the owner of a building with a room large enough to house a large number of strong men, and also the boss of this "our territory."
Furthermore, the phrase "Oda family" is used.
(Could this possibly mean...?)
I swallowed hard.
And so—knowing the risks involved, I decided to take the plunge.鎌kama
"Tell me your current age."
"--teeth?"
The great hall fell silent.
It seemed they had absolutely no idea what I was trying to say.
A sense of tension hangs over the men, as they can't say anything foolish to me, their boss.
"Lord Nagamasa, it is now the 10th year of the Eiroku era."
A man speaks from the great hall.
I looked in his direction and slowly nodded, saying "Yes."
Simply sitting firmly and moving slowly can give off an air of dignity.
"This is a milestone year."
As soon as I heard the number 10, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
That alone caused a murmur of "Oh..." to ripple through the hall. You guys are way too simple.
"I am full of vitality, and Lord Oda is still in excellent health."
Saying that, I stared intently at the old man standing closest to me, with a meaningful look on my face.
The old man seemed to think he had to say something, so he nodded and said,
"Indeed, Lord Oda Nobunaga is 33 years old, and Lord Nagamasa is 22! Well, once again, this is a joyous occasion! Even in the age of war, two families with outstanding leaders are forming an alliance in this milestone year. What an auspicious sign!"
"Oh!" the hall murmured once again.
I inwardly thought, "He's not 22," but I nodded to the old man again, convinced of my suspicions.
There's no mistake, I've become Asai Nagamasa, a warlord of Omi Province during the Sengoku period.
As soon as I realized this, my heart started pounding, and cold sweat began to pour from my entire body.
I never imagined that something like the fantastical stories I sometimes read in light novels would actually happen in reality...
I instinctively clutched my chest tightly.
(And what do you mean, marriage?! I'm still a student!)
Moreover, the other person's older brother was none other than Oda Nobunaga, the warlord of the Sengoku period who was also known as the Sixth Heavenly Demon King.
In historical fact, the person I am now is a crazy guy who cuts off Asai Nagamasa's head, covers his skeleton in gold leaf, and drinks a lot of sake.
I no longer feel alive.
"With that, let's conclude the assessment. Let each of you give your all so that we can face tomorrow in perfect condition."
That old guy loudly declared the meeting over.
Apparently, this old guy is ...浅井亮親Azai Sukechika
It was worth the effort of desperately trying to eavesdrop on the conversations of the men in the great hall.
If my memory serves me correctly, he was a fairly influential general within the Asai clan and actively worked to forge an alliance with Nobunaga.
(I definitely need to remember these guys' names...!)
I was desperate.
If I make even the slightest mistake or treat my subordinates disrespectfully, my head will roll immediately.
It is a well-known story that Nobunaga, who treated Akechi Mitsuhide like a bald bastard, was killed at Honnoji Temple.
In this era, for example, if I were to get someone's name wrong, it could instantly trigger a rebellion.
That's why I decided to stay holed up in my room in the morning and spend the whole day desperately organizing the information I had on hand.
◇
The day after I was inexplicably transported to the Sengoku period.
Asai Ryochika, the old man in question, set off early in the morning for the territory of the Oda clan, accompanied by two other warlords .安養寺氏種Anyoji Ujitane遠藤直経Naotsune Endo
Endo Naotsune is a berserker that anyone with even a little knowledge of the Sengoku period has heard of.
At the Battle of Anegawa, where the Asai clan confronted the Oda clan, the idea of someone single-handedly charging into Nobunaga's main camp was simply insane.
Incidentally, it is said that An'yoji Ujitane was the key figure who mediated this marriage between the Asai and Oda families.
Incidentally, when these three came to say hello, I thought it would be rude to rudely turn them away, so I invited them into the room and had them serve tea. They literally burst into tears, drinking the tea with tears and snot streaming down their faces, and then left sobbing uncontrollably.
To be honest, I thought, "Who are these guys?", but looking back, it was an exceptionally generous gesture for the head of a daimyo family to invite his subordinates into his room and drink tea with them during the Sengoku period.
Yes, values are completely different now than they were in the past. I had completely forgotten that. Even though historians have always said that "people's thinking is completely different now than it was then."
And so, by midday, I was dressed in a thick formal suit by the pageboy.
By the way, I had assumed the wedding would start tonight, but apparently that wasn't the norm in the Sengoku period.
The bride is indeed coming to Odani Castle, but apparently they won't be meeting immediately today.
They would stay in a room in the castle, and the wedding ceremony would begin the following day.
As proof of this, Odani Castle is now in an uproar from top to bottom.
Since the sister of Oda Nobunaga, a powerful daimyo who has conquered Owari and is trying to swallow up Mino, is coming, they probably can't afford to make any mistakes.
To be honest, I had already made up my mind.
Since I've somehow been transported to the Sengoku period, it's unlikely I'll be able to return to my original world.
The fact that their names were both "Nagamasa" and therefore didn't feel too out of place was one of the reasons.
After all, even the last name only changed from "Fukai" to "Asai"...
Besides, I have no regrets about that world.
I actually felt that this world, where I wasn't burdened by exam preparation, suited me better.
What I wanted to learn was something directly relevant to my life.
And here in the Sengoku period, everything you need to learn is directly related to your own life.
Moreover, if I put the knowledge I've gained from studying history to good use, I'm sure my territory will prosper.
I gained the knowledge I had always wanted, and at the same time, I was able to contribute the knowledge from my original world back to my territory—a win-win situation.
Moreover, Oda Ichihime, who is said to be a woman of unparalleled beauty, will come to marry him.
Making up my mind was quick, and it was inevitable.
"I've decided. Now that things have come to this, I'm going to thoroughly develop my territory and Princess Ichihime!"
Alone in my room, I mustered my strength and determination.
◇
—But I would come to regret the naivety of my decision.
After the wedding ceremony, I left the hall where singing and dancing were rampant, and what awaited me was the wedding night ceremony... what's commonly known as the first night.(喧騒)Kensou
In the dimly lit room, only the faint light of a lantern flickers. Illuminated by that soft light are a set of futons and a black-haired woman sitting in a formal kneeling position.
To be honest, I underestimated it.
Ichihime, who was hailed as an "unrivaled beauty," undoubtedly has a color portrait of her in Japanese history textbooks and reference materials.
When I saw it, I rudely scoffed, "Ah, this thing won't work in modern times," but I was completely wrong. The real thing was insane.
The goddess was there.
Actresses and glamour models you see on TV are completely out of the question when you're in her presence.
Her lustrous black hair flows like silk, creating a striking contrast with her smooth, pure white skin.
Her moist eyes are large and round, and her nose is high.
And above all, she has a great figure. I came to this room with her, and I was surprised that there wasn't much of a height difference between us. I'd say she's at least 170 centimeters tall.
And the way her breasts bulge, pushing against her kimono, stirs up my desires as a man.
She is undoubtedly a woman of unparalleled beauty.
At this stage, it would be more accurate to say she's an exceptionally beautiful girl.
I sat down quietly in front of Ichihime.
Then she knelt down with her hands together, bowed her head, and looked at me with her eyes looking upwards.
"I am Ichi. Lord Nagamasa, once again, I look forward to working with you..."
I was moved.
Oh my goodness!
The ideal Japanese woman, whom the Japanese had long forgotten, was right here all along.
However, as a modern kid, I can't help but think this way.
I wondered what would happen if we thoroughly developed a gentle淑Shito
"Yeah, like an erotic doujinshi. Like an erotic doujinshi."
"--picture?"
Oh no. I seem to have said it without realizing it.
With her head tilted slightly, Ichihime asked.
"Um, Lord Nagamasa... what exactly is an erotic doujinshi...?"
"Oh... I mean the textbook."
I blurted out something that sounded plausible.
Ichihime's face immediately turned red. I wonder what she imagined when she heard the word "textbook." Perhaps she's actually interested in such things.
But more importantly, I'm reaching my limit.
"Um, well..."
As I gently pushed her down onto the futon, Ichihime averted her gaze shyly and murmured.
The way her black hair flows smoothly onto the futon is beautiful.
"It's okay."
I stroked her beautifully shaped cheek and whispered in her ear.
"I'll make sure it's all right for you."
"Eh, like those erotic doujinshi...?"
As she said it with a bashful look on her face, my son was reaching his limit.
He pulled open Ichihime's kimono, exposing her shoulders.
Swallowing hard at the sight of that pure white substance, I took my first step towards the "Ichihime Development Project."