◆
A pot filled with water sat on the hearth in the mansion that Ichihime and I were renting together.
The pot is heated by the flame, which circulates and warms the water until it boils.
泡bubblesAs the water began to boil, Ichihime scooped it up with a ladle and poured it into the teacup containing the powder that had been ground in the tea mill.碾茶Tencha
茶筅ChasenWhen I asked about the contents , Ichihime recommended it to me.撹拌mix
—It was none other than matcha.
When I tasted it and exclaimed, "Delicious," Ichihime smiled.
The most beautiful and reassuring face—
Seeing that, I finally realized that I had returned to my normal life.
"How has my brother been?"
It's nothing special, just an ordinary topic.
A gentle, calm, and soothing voice.
As if drawn in by that voice, I opened my mouth as well.
"Oh, very—"
Having said all that, for some reason, the image of Nobunaga and Kicho's affair suddenly flashed through my mind.
I was speechless for a moment, and then I slowly moved my lips as if searching for words.
"—You seemed to be in good health. Really."
"...good"
Ichihime smiled as she sipped hot water from a teacup.
Indeed, whenever I tried to prepare the matcha powder, she would gently refuse.
"Lord Nagamasa seems to be in good health."
"It was only yesterday, so there's no way my physical condition could have changed drastically."
"Yes, but I might not have even been able to worry about my own health..."
"...I'm sorry."
I bowed my head to her, who was criticizing me with a calm expression.
Now that I think about it, this might be the first time Ichihime has ever directly criticized me.
Or perhaps they did something that warranted it.
Indeed, the expression on his beloved wife's face gradually changed from calm to stern.
"It's not a matter of saying 'I'm sorry'... Lord Nagamasa."
A frightening face—that must be exactly what Ichihime's expression looks like right now.
Her beautifully formed face clearly displayed feelings of anger and sadness.
"Why did you go falconry...? Since he appeared in Mino, that was an Oda issue. It was not a matter for Lord Nagamasa of the Asai family to get involved in."
"Why? Because... Oda is your family's—"
Then Ichihime's eyes widened, and she cried out with an expression of rage I had never seen before.
"—No way! For such a trivial reason!! Lord Nagamasa... Lord Nagamasa put his own life in danger!?"
That was truly the moment when Ichihime's emotions were laid bare.
Human emotions are complex things that constantly hold the potential to transform into something different.
The sadness that had been on her face just moments ago has now completely vanished, replaced by rage.
"There's nothing trivial about it, it's your family home! Your brother-in-law and your other siblings are there! That alone is reason enough—"
"There's no way that's going to happen!"
Indeed, Ichihime unleashed all her anger on me, pouring out her true feelings.
"Oda will inevitably become an obstacle to Lord Nagamasa, it's clear that he will! So, just leave him alone!! After that, you can take over the rule of Mino and Owari in place of the weakened Oda!!!"
"You...! You're Oda's woman too, why would you do something like that!"
The moment I revealed my anger, Ichihime burst into tears and began sobbing uncontrollably.
There was no anger on his face, only sadness.
A look of sorrow on her face, as if her very existence had been denied. What could that possibly mean?
"I...I'm no longer an Oda woman! I'm Lord Nagamasa's, Lord Nagamasa's wife...!! Wasn't it Lord Nagamasa himself who said that...!!!"
—Everything was encapsulated in Ichihime's heart-wrenching cry.
At that moment, I understood her intentions—and I felt ashamed.
When Ichihime said that it would be good if the Oda clan were destroyed, it was merely a figure of speech.
What she's trying to say is essentially a scathing criticism: "I only had eyes for you, but you didn't even look at me."
When we went out falconry, I was the only one from the Asai clan.
Furthermore, he did not inform Ichihime or the Asai family that he would be accompanying them on the falconry expedition.
It was entirely due to my own ignorance, as I was unaware of the dangers of falconry, but to Ichihime, who was well aware of the dangers of falconry, this was nothing short of an act of betrayal.
In other words, the fact that he went to his death without telling Ichihime means that he didn't care about her at all.
Whether I die or not is my business; it's none of your concern. That's basically it.
I will probably be portrayed as a hero, both internationally and domestically, from now on—just like the protagonist in an epic poem.
A hero is supposed to be someone who performs brilliantly on the battlefield, and in that context, "weakness" or "shamefulness" should not be depicted. There's no way they would be shown bowing their head to a woman.
However, this world was not an epic; it was merely a society with a tangible reality.
"I'm sorry..."
"It's really true...!"
As I bowed my head and offered a heartfelt apology, Ichihime jumped onto me and clung to me.
Indeed, she pressed her face against my shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably.
It was none other than me who hurt her and made her cry.
Even so, I feel incredibly sorry for Ichihime, who still adores me.
"I promise I won't act rashly anymore."
"...That was just a verbal promise..."
"There's no way it's just a verbal agreement."
As I tightened my grip on my wife, I interrupted her the moment she tried to speak, pressing my voice over hers.
"I won't make our unborn child unhappy. I won't make you, my wife and mother, unhappy either—never."
"...Lord Nagamasa"
"I remember the promise we made. That even if we had a child, I wouldn't leave you alone, that we'd always be together, including the child."
"Lord Nagamasa...!"
I pushed aside Ichihime's bangs and kissed her—then I placed my hands on her wet cheeks and looked firmly into her tear-filled eyes as I said:
"And I want you to remember this: I will definitely come back... No matter what happens, I will always be by your side."
Ichihime doesn't respond to my words. She just lowers her eyes and hugs me with all her might.
That was probably her way of saying, "Show me through actions, not just words."
I hugged Ichihime tightly, being careful not to put any strain on her stomach.
She has a different scent than Princess Osamu; she smells like Princess Ichi.
This is the scent of the place where I belong.
—And indeed, for several hours, Ichihime and I held each other tightly.
Of course, it wasn't like nothing was happening the whole time. There were times when Ichihime would ask for a kiss from my chest, and we would kiss—well, a lot of things happened.
Her indescribable cuteness resonates directly in my groin.
The main reason I was able to avoid attacking her was undoubtedly because I had slept with Princess Haruhime the previous night.
Indeed, even as I embraced and kissed my beloved wife, I kept apologizing repeatedly—and by the time night fell, Ichihime finally forgave me, prefacing it with "this time."
"Lord Nagamasa... may I ask you something?"
It was after more than a hundred kisses—I'd stopped counting—that Ichihime asked me that question in my arms.
My lips are starting to sting, but Ichihime still seems to be very interested in them.
"There once was a man and a woman. They loved each other and harbored feelings for one another, but their circumstances prevented them from having such a relationship. One day, their relationship was discovered, and they awaited punishment. Now... if Lord Nagamasa were in a position to pass punishment, what decision would you make?"
"Is something wrong...?"
When asked in that way, Ichihime nodded.
"Well... my lady-in-waiting, Tsubaki... it seems she has fallen in love with a samurai from Nagara who was transferred from Odani Castle..."
In other words, it was one of the taboos of the Sengoku period (Warring States period).
I groaned as I pictured Tsubaki's appearance in my mind.
I remember that she initially showed a lot of caution, or perhaps even resistance, towards me.
However, things have changed considerably since then, and it seems that he has earned people's trust in one way or another.
(And I bet she's amazing when she takes her clothes off...)
As I hold the most beautiful girl in my arms, I indulge in such lewd fantasies, and I think to myself...
From the perspective of that era, the idea of a lady-in-waiting to the principal wife and a low-ranking foot soldier falling in love would have been utterly unacceptable.
However, from my perspective, my honest opinion is, "It's not a big deal."
Above all, I would never kill a family member over "something like that."
"Oh, well... that's not a problem, yeah."
"...What exactly is going on?"
In response to Ichihime's question, I smiled and said—
"That guy, I forget his name, but he's probably the one I was going to recommend to you. He's a spearman, but he's quite a promising guy, yeah. So there's no problem at all."
—He had simply spouted a string of blatant lies.
To begin with, those who had been colluding with the enemy during the Odani Incident all went with the Asakura army, so it seems reasonable to trust the soldiers who have moved here from Odani Castle.
And I suppose they noticed my intentions.
Ichihime's expression softened as she murmured, "Thank you."
Even she, in truth, does not want to punish the lady-in-waiting who accompanied her all the way from Owari.
"Well then, we'll meet again another day... I apologize for the trouble this will cause you, Lord Nagamasa, but I would appreciate it if you could make arrangements for us..."
"Well, actually, it would be fine if it happened today, right now..."
When I said that, Ichihime smiled faintly and shook her head.
"That won't do. We must now ask Princess Haruhime to become Lord Nagamasa's concubine."
Just as I was about to bow my head and ask Ichihime for something, she preemptively said it herself.
◆
"Does Lord Nagamasa dislike that person?"
Ichihime tilted her head slightly and asked, clasping her palms together in front of her ample bosom.
There's no way I could dislike it. There's absolutely no way I could dislike it.
(Otherwise, he wouldn't have held Princess Osamu in his arms...)
However, the fact that he had slept with her was something he absolutely could not tell anyone.
Above all, it's for my sake, for Haruhime's sake, and for Ichihime's sake as well.
Ultimately, if I were to confess that I slept with Haruhime without knowledge, I can easily imagine that she would harbor feelings of resentment towards me and her, which is probably a common reaction for women.与Azuka
"I don't dislike her. On the contrary, I think she's a trustworthy woman—but..."
I couldn't understand Ichihime's intentions at all, so I asked her.
"Ichi, why... why would you do something like that, becoming a concubine..."
For a fleeting moment, the thought crossed my mind that perhaps—though it seemed highly unlikely—that the story about the concubine was merely a facade, a way to expose my relationship with Haruhime, and that they intended to harm her later.
That's probably because, before I tripped here, I was reading and listening to tons of yandere-themed novels, doujinshi, and CDs.
I don't particularly like yandere characters. I just want to add that I was envious of how much she loved the protagonist. Really.
"Isn't that something Lord Nagamasa would know best?"
Ichihime said with a deep sigh.
"They say 'heroes are fond of women,' and it seems Lord Nagamasa is no exception... If I were honest, I would want to accept everything about Lord Nagamasa, and I intended to accept it all—but that's simply not possible now that I'm carrying a child."
Ichihime smiled, stroking her belly, and said, "Lord Nagamasa's magnificent thing would crush me."
"Besides, Lord Nagamasa has been looking so distressed lately... and that's very hard on Ichi."
After saying that, she hugged me tightly.
"Lord Nagamasa's happiness is my happiness as well. I always want Lord Nagamasa to be smiling. Fortunately, Princess Osamu also loves Lord Nagamasa, and above all—"
Ichihime kissed my neck, leaving a hickey, and then said:
"I believe that she is a woman worthy of respect. And I believe that Lord Nagamasa will surely lead Princess Osamu to happiness and pull her out of the mire of misfortune."
"If things continue like this, Princess Osamu will never be truly saved," Ichihime murmured.
"You seem to have a very high opinion of Osamu."
He ruffled Ichihime's hair.
Then she looked as happy as a puppy and rubbed her cheek against my chest.
"Yes, she possesses many qualities that I lack... Of course, if that weren't the case, I wouldn't recommend her as a concubine."
"I see... So, if I were to say that I wanted Tsubaki, the girl we were just talking about, as my concubine..."
"I will kill Tsubaki."
I'll keep it a secret that I was a little intimidated by Ichihime's clear, cold voice as she made her decision.
Well, it's certainly true that whether or not she would be happy if I slept with her is an extremely delicate matter.
To begin with, I'm not the kind of guy who can surround himself with lots of women like the protagonists in light novels.
And above all, the thought of sleeping with any woman other than Ichihime caused him considerable internal conflict until he went out on the falconry expedition.
In that state, there's no way he could make multiple women happy.
If you truly wish for a woman's happiness, it's definitely best not to interfere in her life unnecessarily.
Having money and a good living environment doesn't necessarily lead to happiness.
"I really don't want it. The thought of any woman other than myself touching Lord Nagamasa's body... it's horrifying just to imagine it."
"Oh, okay..."
"The city belongs to Lord Nagamasa. I wish Lord Nagamasa also belonged to the city... but perhaps it's arrogant of me to wish for that."
This time, she latched onto my right collarbone, leaving a large hickey, and said:
"Therefore, Princess Osamu is special. Moreover, Princess Osamu will become Lord Nagamasa's right-hand woman... In that case, it would be best if they were intimately close, both physically and emotionally."
Then Ichihime casually, and quite obviously, blurts out something very important.
"Furthermore... I had always intended to take Princess Haruhime as Lord Nagamasa's concubine. The letter you sent to my brother was to have Lord Nagamasa prepare the necessary items for taking a concubine. Of course, I kept Princess Haruhime's name a secret."
"picture...?"
"But I think my brother sensed it. That I was planning to take Princess Haruhime as Lord Nagamasa's concubine. That's why he sent me that beautiful kimono, isn't it? He must have thought, 'I will prepare something suitable for Lord Shigeharu.'"
I was so shocked it felt like my head was being shaken, and then it all made sense to me, like, "So that's why!"
To begin with, considering the incredible creatures that are horses, and taking into account the speed of transport, it's impossible that preparing that box handed to Nobunaga would have taken an entire day.
Nobunaga had said it would be troublesome to take it out, but that was probably a lie... he was surely busy preparing the kosode (short-sleeved kimono).
Otherwise—when I ordered a kimono, there's no way such a high-quality kosode (short-sleeved kimono) would have come out so easily.
(Now that I think about it, that night—my brother-in-law said he was busy and didn't show up until late at night...)
Perhaps, while fulfilling his duties as head of the family, he prepared a feast for the sake of the meal.雉pheasant was also busy hunting for food for a feast and procuring kimonos.
Indeed, if such a thing were possible, the person would have to be nothing short of superhuman—yet, with my brother-in-law, I have a feeling he might just pull it off out of sheer stubbornness.
While I was lost in my own thoughts, Ichihime looked at me with her eyes cast upwards and asked me a question.
"By the way, Lord Nagamasa, did your brother give you anything? That little box..."
"Oh, yes, I did receive it, but... sorry, I left it with Princess Haruhime..."
"Is that so? No, actually, it saved me some trouble."
Then, Ichihime moved away from me and clapped her hands together to summon her ladies-in-waiting.
Normally, three people would come, but now only two people, excluding Tsubaki, are here.
Indeed, Ichihime, in her usual calm and composed manner, instructed her ladies-in-waiting to guide Osamuhime to our mansion.
◆
In the mansion at night, there was a sound of "Hoo...hoo..."梟owlThe sounds of "Hou...hoo..." echoed
I couldn't help but strain my ears to hear that cry, which I rarely heard in the world I came from—
To my surprise, the moment Ichihime heard the voice, she became frightened and began trembling, clinging to me.
Indeed, numerous bonfires began to be lit all over the castle.
Judging from the looks of it, the owl is probably a monster as well.
A state of alert remained in place at Sugawa Castle for some time, and it wasn't until around 8 PM that it was lifted .戌dog
"Lord Bizen-no-kami, your wife... I apologize for being late."
Princess Osamu arrived with her ladies-in-waiting only after the owl's hooting had stopped.
Their faces were completely pale—a sign that they had been stranded outdoors for a long time.
"No, it's alright. Now, you seem to be quite cold... Here, please, warm yourself by the fire."
Ichihime not only offered the fire to Haruhime but also to her ladies-in-waiting, and began filling pots with water and boiling it.
And as soon as the water boiled, he would immediately prepare tea and serve it to the princesses.
As the girls relaxed and took a breather, sipping their hot matcha, Ichihime pulled out two new tea bowls—and prepared matcha in those as well.
I had no idea who it was for, but...
"Take the camellias and give them to that gentleman."
The fact that she's giving orders to Kaede and Sakura suggests that Ichihime is, after all, quite considerate of her subordinates.
March is still a month of many cold days.
Even though it's a punishment, it must leave a bad taste in your mouth if someone freezes to death in a padded cell.
"...I'm sorry, Princess Osamu. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting outside on such a cold night."
"There was an owl, so it can't be helped. Please don't worry about it."
After Kaede and Sakura left, Ichihime and Haruhime began to converse haltingly.
Ichihime seemed to be making an effort to treat Haruhime in a friendly manner.
As Princess Osamu understands this thoughtfulness, she smiles at Princess Ichi.
But why does it seem somehow distant or unfamiliar?
Indeed, in the world I used to live in, it seems that women generally lived their lives within relationships similar to those unfolding before our eyes.
(Men are simple creatures... just by drinking, telling dirty jokes, and talking about the women they like, they can open up to you before you know it.)
As I listened to the polite yet somewhat distant conversation between Ichihime and Haruhime, I couldn't help but think this:
(Women are complicated in the end...that's why they put on airs, make a lot of excuses out of concern for the other person, become afraid of hurting them, or being hurt themselves—and that's why it's hard to get to the heart of the matter and open up.)
Therefore, even though they both have things they want to say to each other, in the end, they only end up throwing warning shots at each other.
However, there's nothing more boring than a game filled with a constant barrage of pickoff attempts.
What the audience wants is a direct confrontation between the pitcher and the batter, or a heated, head-on battle that begins with a declaration of a straight pitch.
"—Ichi, and Osamu. Let's put an end to this tedious exchange."
When I interrupted their conversation, which seemed like it would go on forever, they immediately dropped the mask of smiles that had been plastered on their beautiful faces and fell silent.
I wanted to ask them loudly if they really intended to continue that kind of relationship.
It's understandable why Ichihime might feel hesitant around Haruhime.
However, if he intends to take her as a concubine, and if he intends to incorporate Haruhime into a female-dominated structure with the principal wife at the top, then he cannot continue such a cumbersome relationship indefinitely.
Or perhaps, there's a psychological factor at play that prevents them from accepting Haruhime.
I glanced at Ichihime and Haruhime alternately, then looked directly at Haruhime, steeled myself, and opened my mouth.
"Osamu, there's something I really want you to listen to."
"Yes, what is it?"
Haruhime straightened her posture and looked at me.
"Let me get straight to the point. ...I was just talking to Ichi about you. And that's what happened—"
"No, Lord Nagamasa. I will leave the rest to you. That is my responsibility."
Saying this, Ichihime approached Haruhime, took her hand, and said:
"Princess Haruhime, I have a request for you... It concerns Lord Nagamasa..."
Ichihime looked at me and Osamuhime alternately, then, as if she had made up her mind, she looked Osamuhime straight in the eye and opened her mouth.
"Please, stay by Lord Nagamasa's side—the Asai family, no... that's not right."
Saying that, Ichihime gave a wry smile,
"Would you please lend me your strength, Lord Asai Bizen-no-kami Nagamasa? Not as a general, but also, well, as a woman..."
That's what he said.
"My lady..."
Haruhime's eyes widened, and she began to open her mouth, her face beaming with joy—but that joy was immediately replaced with despair, and she lowered her eyes, her body trembling.
That alone was enough for me to understand exactly what was going on in her mind.
Unable to stay still any longer, I stood up and strode towards Princess Osamu.
Then, with large tears welling up in her eyes, Princess Chihime looked at me with an unstable gaze, like that of a lost child.
"I know why you're hesitating—but there's no need to say it out loud."
"Lord Bizen-no-kami..."
"That's not right. You don't need to call me by such a formal, distant name anymore."
As I sat down and slowly put my arms around her shoulders, Chihime jumped onto me without a sound, stifling her cries, and her tears slowly soaked my shoulders.
Seeing this, Ichihime gave a wry smile and sighed, then began to stroke Osahime's head soothingly.
"Your lord...Your lord...!"
While I held her in my arms and Ichihime stroked her head, Osamuhime sniffled and kept calling out to me.
"I adore you... I adore you...! I, I truly... love you!"
As she displayed such an outpouring of emotion, Ichihime continued to gently stroke her with a calm expression.
"But it was painful...it was so painful! It was painful for a woman with such a dirty past like me to get close to someone as dazzling as you. It was painful to feel like I was tarnishing your radiance...!"
After Haruhime had finished speaking, Ichihime and I both hugged her tightly.
I was in front, and Ichihime was behind me, both gripping her slender body tightly.
"So, what do you think...? Princess Haruhime, could you please give me your answer?"
Ichihime asked in a gentle tone.
As for Haruhime, she's still clinging to my neck, frozen and not moving.
All I could do was hope that the hickey I'd just left on Ichihime wouldn't be discovered.
"Um... well..."
"Princess Haruhime, please tell me clearly. ...It's alright, if it's no, then it's no. Lord Nagamasa would never abandon you for that reason... Besides, I'll just find a new woman that I approve of."
In short, "There are plenty of other people who can take your place"—Ichihime whispered to Haruhime in a provocative tone, causing Haruhime to grip my chest tightly.
However, at the same time, this also means that Ichihime is declaring that she "acknowledges" Haruhime.
"...Yes. I, Takenaka Osamu, will serve at the side of Lord Asai Bizen-no-kami Nagamasa..."
—After hearing Haruhime's declaration, Ichihime slowly nodded and said, "I understand."
At this point, all I could do was give a wry smile at the exchange.
It feels like everything was somehow being manipulated by Ichihime.
Indeed, when Ichihime saw my face, she smiled.
"I always thought this would happen eventually. Ever since Lord Nagamasa returned to the castle with Princess Haruhime."
"...I see."
"yes"
But, Ichihime said to me.
"Please postpone your consummation until tomorrow or later. I also have things I need to prepare for Princess Osamu—"
Ichihime paused for a moment, then said, "More than anything," and hugged me from behind.
"—You must take responsibility tonight. You must take responsibility for making me so uneasy, Lord Nagamasa."
"picture...?"
"Yes... I'd like you to sleep beside me. Sleeping alone is really lonely. And on top of that loneliness, there's the anxiety I felt the other day—I absolutely must have Lord Nagamasa make up for it..."
Therefore, I'm sorry to say, but I would like to ask Princess Osamu to refrain from joining us tonight.
As Princess Chihime slowly raised her head, Princess Ichihime looked at her with the same gaze as if she were looking at a worthy rival, and instructed her accordingly.
In that situation, there was absolutely no role for a man to play—all I could do was let out a small sigh.