As she watched the creature crawling across the floor of the fishing hut , Anzu felt a tight, constricting pain deep in her developing breasts and stomach.蟻can be
My beloved mother, a mother worthy of respect, a mother who never abandoned us no matter what we did.
Because the day when she would finally run out of life was clearly approaching.
"—So you were here, Kyoko."
"Ah... Lieutenant General...!"
"That's fine, leave it as it is. I'll excuse myself and sit next to you."
Nagamasa stopped Kyoko from getting up and prostrating herself, and instead sat down.
For the girl, this man was the person she respected and loved most, outside of her family.
The young man brought us out into the sunlight from the depths of the dimly lit forest where we had been living in secret, holding our breath.
There were many things I had misunderstood, but after spending a considerable amount of time together at the Nagahama Imperial Palace, I came to understand some things.
This man is completely outside the bounds of common sense.
And because it is unconventional, it offers new values and challenges the old world —and ultimately, it kills it.蝕Tooth decay
At the heart of that unconventional worldview was the Nagahama Imperial Palace.
He lives within the ancient, traditional boundaries of the Imperial Palace .匣box
However, that way of life itself is simply too incomprehensible.
Referring to both his principal wife and concubines simply as "wives," keeping them , treating his ladies-in-waiting familiarly, and even allowing filthy creatures like zashiki-warashi (house spirits) to live with him—this is clearly not something an ordinary person would do.侍Habe
"Kyoko, are you worried about something?"
Then, when the unusual young man spoke to her, Kyoko quickly dropped her gloomy expression.
Then, putting on a smile, she shook her head from side to side.
"N-no...it's nothing."
"I see."
Nodding in response to Kyoko's words, the young man slowly opened his mouth, his gaze still fixed on the pond.
"Kyoko, please don't take this the wrong way... But lately I've been thinking this—I'm jealous of you and Takatora."
"...Huh?"
"Don't you think it's a blessing to be able to watch your parents die?"
The girl, a zashiki-warashi (house spirit), was left speechless by the utterly unexpected words.
And deep within my heart, I felt a simmering anger—a feeling I had never experienced before—begin to sprout.
Though she was ultimately just an outsider to Nagamasa, and a lowly zashiki-warashi (house spirit), Anzu was a living, breathing individual.
I couldn't possibly remain silent when someone told me they were happy at the time of their parent's death.
"...Lieutenant General...!"
Feeling her voice trembling unintentionally, Anzu turned to her lord and spoke.
Had he anticipated that reaction? Without showing any particular surprise, the head of the Asai family turned his head towards the girl.
I was prepared for it.
Anzu is merely a dependent, being raised by the Nagahama Imperial Palace.
Such a young girl could not possibly be in a position to offer opinions to Lord Nagamasa, who is acting as the representative of the dragon.
I might be met with contemptuous looks—and it could potentially become a problem that involves not only me but also my mother and brother.
Therefore, Kyoko is shocked.
The eyes directed at me bore a deep sadness.
"I didn't have parents. No, I did have parents... at least, in the sense that I exist in this world."
This was not the "Lieutenant General" that Kyoko knew, but the raw, unadorned appearance of a man.
Kyoko was so shocked that her anger finally vanished.
And then, slowly—not even knowing how to approach the young man's heart—she asked, fumbling around in the dark.
"You didn't have parents...?"
"Or perhaps, a feeling that should be passed on."
Nagamasa said in a careful voice—and therefore, a voice filled with a sternness that seemed to leave no room for other interpretations.
"Children need parents. To a child, parents are like gods. Children inherit all their criteria for judging right and wrong from their parents, and then they become independent. And parents entrust their hopes to their children, to pass on their own aspirations, the expectations they were unable to fulfill in their own lives."
"..."
"Human endeavors exist within this cycle. But what happens to a child who never knew their parents? Wouldn't the cycle created by an entity cast out of this continuous cycle inevitably become distorted?"
"Lieutenant General..."
"That is why I feel you are fortunate. Even though your mother is gone, that memory will remain in your hearts, siblings. I, who never experienced the death of a parent, do not have that."
Now, Kyoko understood that she was confronting the darkness in the heart of the man she respected most outside of her family.
Perhaps, interacting with his mother has forced that darkness to surface.
"Is Lieutenant General... not happy?"
"Perfect happiness is impossible."
The wind blowing from Lake Biwa ruffled Anzu and Nagamasa's hair.
"Of course, I must be happy. There are people who care about me, and in that one respect alone, I am undoubtedly happy. That's precisely why I feel so acutely aware of what I lack. Not knowing my parents' feelings as they were dying—that void."
"..."
"That's why I envy you. And I think you are happy. These are not words I should be saying, but... Kyoko, stay close to your mother as much as you can, and try to understand her last wishes as much as possible. And when you become a mother yourself—you can pour those feelings into your child."
And hopefully—the Lieutenant General said, looking Anzu directly in the eye.
"Until you find a partner—I want you to continue telling Manpukumaru and Chacha what it means to be a parent. Or, for my sake, since I never knew what it meant to have parents."
After thinking for a while, Kyoko slowly nodded.
◆
Sakichi Ishida believed that differences in ability are inherent in human beings from birth.
Just as people have their strengths and weaknesses, they are not inherently equal in terms of ability.
Therefore, even as a child, Sakichi believed that people should specialize in and work in the fields in which they excel.
The Ishida family were local samurai in Ishida Village, Sakata District, Omi Province.
They are not from a prestigious family, nor do they have any recent ancestors who could be called heroes.
Therefore, it was thought that even if one served a daimyo family that valued tradition, it would be quite difficult to rise in rank.
However, as Sakichi heard about his father's place of employment, he began to think, "The Asai family seems to be different."
First of all, that house was just too unusual.彼mosquito
It's also said that they are protected by the blessing of the dragon.
There were also some eccentric family heads who, if they recognized their usefulness, would try to take in even a zashiki-warashi (a type of house spirit) without hesitation.
Moreover, the person in charge of the civil officials is none other than the head of the family's younger brother.
Under normal circumstances, the relatives of the Asai family would become "fighters."
Because it is considered right to make the battlefield spectacular, as it demonstrates that one's own family is worthy of being the rulers.
However, Asai Masamoto was a man of calligraphy.
Sakichi doesn't know why.
However, as far as the facts were concerned, the Asai family provided an ideal environment for those aspiring to become civil servants and hoping to climb the social ladder.
Civil officials are often looked down upon by military officials.
At that time, having the head of the family act as a protector is extremely important.
His father, Masatsugu, who was once nothing more than a local samurai, has now had his abilities recognized and is steadily rising through the ranks.
The Asai family desires talented administrative officials, and if you have the ability, they will give you a position commensurate with your abilities.
Sakichi had made up his mind that, at any rate, their only destination was the Asai family.
"Little brother! Little brother!"
"What is it, brother?"
March 25, 1568 (Eiroku 11).
Sakichi, who was poring over books in his father's empty study, turns to look at his older brother, Yasaburo, who bursts in excitedly.
He was almost the only person Sakichi considered worthy of his respect.
"Look! I've caught one!"行燈斑猫Andon Hanmyo
"What the hell is going on, brother!"
Sakichi threw down the book he was reading and ran to his brother.
"There shouldn't be that many lantern-spotted cats in Omi Province! Where did you catch it, brother?!"
"That's a good question, little brother!"
Yasaburo proudly held up a basket containing a lantern-colored cat and said:
"There are few monsters in Omi Province... So all I have to do is go outside of Omi—and I've captured one at Sekigahara!"
"As expected of you, brother!"
"You can praise me more, little brother!"
Yasaburo puffed out his chest in front of his younger brother, who was applauding.
"Now, finally, our ambition can be fulfilled..."
"It's been a long time, brother..."
"That's right, little brother..."
The Ishida brothers embraced tightly.
A basket is tossed about haphazardly and rolls around, and a spotted cat moves about.
"Now I can finally... get my revenge on that detestable 'Osae'!"
"That's right, brother...!"
The 12-year-old and 8-year-old brothers looked into each other's eyes and nodded.
"I'll never forget it...that winter day, when that woman dropped a huge pile of snow on us from the trees as we were making our way through the accumulated snow...!"
"That's right, little brother...! That villain who condescendingly invited us, covered in snow, saying, 'It's so cold, isn't it! Come to my house and warm up!'... I will absolutely never forgive him!"
"Yes, yes!"
Yashichiro picked up the basket that had fallen to the ground and, raising his other hand, said:
"Let's go, Sakichi! From here on..."久世Let's go We'll storm into the mansion and defile Lady Sae completely with the bodily fluids of the Andon-Han Neko!"
"Response!"
The bodily fluids of the Andon-bane cat are cloudy white and have a grassy smell, and it is said that the odor lingers for three days and three nights even after washing.
To unleash that on an innocent girl is quite a horrific act of "revenge."
Incidentally, the Kuze family were vassals of the Ishida family and were a powerful local clan responsible for maintaining order in Ishida Village.
The Ishida and Kuze families have maintained a long-standing close relationship, and it has become customary for the head of the Ishida family to marry a wife from the Kuze family every three generations.
Incidentally, Yasaburo was the third generation according to this custom, and it had become certain that he would marry "Osae," who is the subject of this discussion.
Therefore, although this whole affair was a farce, Yasaburo and Sakichi were fully aware of it and were thoroughly enjoying the charade.
"Look, brother! The sky is blue and truly bright!"
"That's right, brother! This is the perfect day to settle the long-held grudge of us Ishida brothers, just like this vast sky!"
"That was a clever thing to say, little brother!"
"Of course, brother! When it comes to quick thinking, I, Sakichi, am second to none!"
"They say there's no older brother who's inferior to his younger brother, little brother!"
"..."
"..."
"I've always disliked your arrogant attitude."
The Ishida brothers begin fighting on a country road just outside the mansion.
Yasaburo takes the dominant position, Sakichi takes the dominant position, and then Yasaburo takes the dominant position again—this is repeated dozens of times, and the two of them end up covered in mud for about 15 minutes.
The raised fist will never be brought down.
As the two were engaged in this farcical spectacle, a villager arrived, his face pale with shock.
When I went to the village gate to see what was going on—
"...Brother"
"...Yes, first we must treat it."
—There lay a girl, barely breathing, her body slashed from shoulder to waist.