Unlike Odani Castle, which was located in the middle of the mountain, Inabayama Castle is situated on the mountaintop.
Thanks to that, I didn't really experience any major problems with the living environment, such as excessive humidity.
(Building a castle in the mountains is probably superior from a defensive standpoint, but it must be quite inconvenient for daily life...)
I walk behind Lady Nobunaga, reminiscing about my time living in Odani Castle.
In the azure sky, birds of all sizes, whose names I didn't even know, flapped their wings and flew across.
I'm not an expert on birds. But I envy them. Every man has always dreamed of flying.
However, this might be the first time I've ever been lost in such thoughts since arriving in the Sengoku period.
(Perhaps it's because Inabayama Castle is located on the summit of Mount Kinka, close to the sky... that I think such things.)
In the distance, I can faintly hear the chirping of various birds, large and small, reaching my earlobes.
In that囀Chirp
"Lord Bizen-no-kami... Lord Bizen-no-kami..."
A beautiful voice was mixed in there.
I wonder if there are any talking birds in this world.
As I was vaguely thinking about such things while gazing at the beautiful sky—
"Excuse me... excuse me, Lord Asai Bizen-no-kami."
Someone suddenly tapped me on the shoulder, making me jump in surprise.
If you return your gaze to the horizontal, you'll see golden hair and blue eyes.
Indeed, those eyes—somehow, reminded me of the vast, azure sky stretching above.
"What are you standing still for? Even the Oda retainers are looking at you, Lord Bizen-no-kami, with puzzled expressions, wondering what's going on..."
"The sky..."
"What about the sky?"
"It's beautiful, and there are birds flying... lots of them."
"Well... what are you saying?"童Warawa
Kicho said so,
"It appears that General Asai, like our lord, has not lost his mind."童戯Warawaasobi
And she laughed in a beautiful voice.
In other words, he was being called "childish," but when the comparison was made with "our lord," that is, Oda Nobunaga, it didn't feel like he was being insulted.
(Well, men are basically the same creatures who never change, no matter how much time passes, ever since they were in their second year of high school...)
It's often said that a person's personality is basically fully formed by the second year of high school, and that after that, it's only slightly adjusted and doesn't change drastically throughout their life.
And the foundation of a high school sophomore's personality is formed around the age of 14...that is, around the second year of middle school.
In other words, for men, the way they live their lives is largely determined during the three years of middle school (second year, third year, and first year of high school), with the "chuunibyou" (eighth-grade syndrome) as the foundation.
Therefore, education and experiences during this period are extremely important in character development.
I sincerely hope that people of this age group will always keep this in mind and cherish each day.
"Well, men never forget their childlike innocence..."
"Is that so?"
Upon hearing this, Kicho narrowed her eyes and—
"So, does that mean that this world is in such utter chaos because of such childish innocence?"
Children are truly terrifying creatures, aren't they? That's how he retorted to me.
As expected of the talented woman who was the daughter of Saito Dosan and the wife of Oda Nobunaga... She's quick-witted.
While inwardly panicking, I made sure not to show it on my face and gazed directly at her cool, beautiful face.
"It's not the children's fault, but the society that raises them that's to blame."
"Hmm..."
"To entrust one's children entirely to guardians and grow up without ever fully knowing a mother's love... I, Nagamasa, do not believe that this world, filled with such children, can ever become a decent place..."
Having lost both my parents and grown up in an institution, I can say that I was always starved for parental love.
That might be why he fell in love with Ichihime, who was overflowing with maternal instincts, and became abnormally obsessed with her.
Things might have been different if there had been someone in the facility to act as a mother figure.
However, unfortunately, all I encountered were staff members who only treated me in a purely businesslike manner.
That matter has settled deep within my heart, becoming the root of all my unease.
And indeed, there's no doubt that I, too, am "a bit crazy as a person."
Even if one were to excuse it as an emergency situation due to the battle, he had taken the lives of many enemy soldiers with his own hands, all for the sake of Princess Ichi. Moreover—
(I killed Ryuko with my own hands, without using any weapons...)
I think to myself as I look at the scars left on my fist.
In a sense, it has become a symbol of my " ".咎Toga
My life has already gone too far to be reversed.
"it is..."
Even Kicho seemed bewildered.
During the Sengoku period (Warring States period), it was common for people of a certain social standing to be separated from their parents and entrusted to the care of an attendant.
Kicho probably didn't have any doubts about that either.
—Assuming it's just a "normal" thing.
That's precisely why I'm perplexed when someone points out that such unspoken understandings are flawed.
Humans tend to become flustered when their common sense is put to the test.
"I don't object to others educating children. If there is someone more capable than the parents, if there is someone trustworthy, it is better for the child to seek instruction from that person."
But, as I said that, Kicho narrowed her eyes.
"Ultimately, it must be the parents who welcome the child into their home. They must hold and discipline the child, showing them the way of life through their own actions and actions. Without this, parents and children will become nothing more than strangers, only blood relatives. A child hates their parents because the love that should exist between them is lacking. That is why parents kill their children, and a living hell manifests itself in this world... Therefore, we must clearly understand this fact and take appropriate action."
"...is that so"
My words are merely the image of the parent I want to see.
In that sense, it was nothing more than my ideal image, completely ignoring reality.
Kicho briefly showed a sad expression, then quickly closed the distance between us.
A different woman's scent, unlike that of Ichihime or Haruhime, struck my nostrils, and my big sun twitched in response.
Indeed, because I was buried in Ichihime's soft, squishy honey pot and unable to spit out my thick, milky fluid, my son had turned into a tyrant like the wicked Emperor Nero, easily angered by the slightest thing, and would react instantly to even the slightest scent of a woman.
"Although I am a concubine without children, I understand very well what Lord Bizen-no-kami is trying to say."
So, if Kicho was the daughter loved by Saito Dosan, then his older brother Yoshitatsu was the son who was ostracized by Saito Dosan.
A man who resents his father kills him, and a daughter who is loved by her father mourns his death.
In a sense, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Saito family, to which Kicho belonged, succinctly represented a microcosm of the Sengoku period.
"No, I, a mere youngster, have been terribly disrespectful to Lady Kicho..."
When I said that and bent over, her eyes widened—and then she gave a faint smile.
"Makoto, you're an interesting person... You really are an interesting person..."
"No, well—"
"Come on, this way..."
Kicho turns around, and her long, unruly golden hair flutters in the air.
Indeed, her actions inadvertently infused the scent of a mature woman—a scent that mingled with the spring-like March breeze—into my nostrils.
A strange, sensual feeling runs through my lower body.
(No, no, absolutely not!)
Unconsciously, I was fantasizing about the flesh of her buttocks that was probably beneath her kimono, my eyes bloodshot, as I desperately tried to suppress the urges in my lower body.
If you did something like that, it wouldn't even come down to losing Nobunaga's trust; you'd be instantly killed. No, you'd definitely be killed.
To be honest, I'd say I barely survived because she wasn't looking at me. It was also fortunate that none of the Oda family's retainers were around.
—Because my big dick was fully erect, pushing up even my hakama (traditional Japanese trousers).
Indeed, I was at a loss as to what to do with my engorged son, and I followed Kicho in a pathetic posture, swinging it around inside my hakama.
◇
It was located in a fortified enclosure situated between the main keep and the second bailey of Inabayama Castle.
This was once the residence where the heads of the Saito family lived.
It is a common misconception among modern people, but castles were primarily military strongholds, and the castle lords did not necessarily live in the main keep.
For example, Nobunaga, who completely demolished Inabayama Castle and rebuilt it as "Gifu Castle," did not live inside the fortress on the mountaintop, but rather lived in the residence he set up at the foot of the mountain.
(The fact that the lord resided in the space between the main keep and the second keep suggests an intention to be able to immediately take command of the army in the event of an enemy attack.)
This residence was probably built by either Saito Dosan or Yoshitatsu, and their design philosophy was quite clear.
As I was led inside a similarly sized building that was built adjacent to the main residence, I found myself thinking about these things.
Its internal structure is not much different from the mansion in Sugawa Castle where I currently live with Ichihime.
There is a room with a hearth, and several other rooms are arranged around it.
Could she be Kicho's lady-in-waiting?
Several maidservants were standing in front of the hearth, and upon seeing their master, they bowed and moved to the corner of the room.
Indeed, their presence made me breathe a sigh of relief.
(In other words, there's no way I'll ever be alone with Lady Kicho—)
The moment they were alone, he lost all self-control, and he could easily take advantage of a powerless woman like Kicho—that's how desperate Nagamasa's sexual situation was.
(I guess I have to do something about this now...)
Although he boasted in front of Ichihime that he would "endure it," considering that it was seriously interfering with his daily life, he had to consider alternative solutions.
However, the idea of having relations with prostitutes was not something Nagamasa considered.
I just can't bring myself to mess around with women for fun.
(Maybe I should just ask Taishakutsukimo to take care of it...)
As Kicho suggested I sit in front of the hearth, I found myself thinking things like, "She's a seemingly innocent bitch, so it should be fine," which just goes to show that I'm truly beyond saving.
Incidentally, since Taishaku Tsukige is my horse, it's kept in the same stable as Renzen Ashige, which was Oda Nobunaga's horse.
(If nothing goes wrong—well, something is bound to happen.)
While I'm suffering in a sexual sense, Taishakutsukimo is clearly enjoying free sex.
I'm sure he'll seduce and take advantage of the greave gray horse as well.
I know it's completely inappropriate, but I couldn't help but feel a mixture of envy, jealousy, and resentment towards her.
"Now then... we would like Lord Bizen-no-kami to spend the evening here."
She said this and bent over with a graceful posture.
Her mannerisms bear some resemblance to those of Ichihime, suggesting that it was probably Kicho who provided her with instruction during her marriage preparations.
(Now that I think about it, Ichihime did say on their wedding night, "My sister-in-law never taught me anything like this...")
The image of Ichihime's alluring figure flashed through my mind, and in a panic, I tried to dispel that fantasy by fantasizing about that old man... Ryochika's bear-like, hairy, spoiled body, which suppressed the swelling of Big Sun.
Even my son, with all his strength, couldn't withstand it, and he slowly lost his strength.
But as a consequence, a deep wound was inflicted on my heart.
"...I wonder if Lord Bizen-no-kami was not pleased with this residence?"
"No, that's not the case."
Sensing the confusion behind Kicho's expression, I waved back.
This mansion is probably the second finest building within Inabayama Castle.
What would happen if I said, "I don't like it"?
(In other words, we must pursue them from the residence where Lord Nobunaga and Lady Kicho will be staying.)
—And that would certainly not please Nobunaga, and it would also affect how he views me in the future.
Just as one must not confuse bravery with recklessness, one must not cross the line between being spoiled and being audacious.
"...If you wouldn't laugh..."
"Hmm..."
So, I suppose I should tell a lighthearted story here.
"The city...is not there."
"Ichi... yes, you mean Princess Ichi?"
"Yes, that city is missing."
I pretended to be acting naturally, picked up the fire poker stuck in the charcoal of the hearth, and repeatedly poked and pulled it at the pile of coals.
"I just can't get used to it. When I'm at the castle, if I'm indoors like this, Princess Ichi is always by my side... so I just can't relax. Being indoors without her by my side is just..."
That was my true feeling.
Kicho seemed relieved and laughed out loud. Laughter from the ladies-in-waiting could also be heard from the corner of the room.
It seems I managed to fool them somehow... But I'll put on one more act now for future reference.
I deliberately frowned,
"I told you not to laugh, but..."
He deliberately let out an unhappy voice.
"Well... I'm very sorry."
Kicho bowed her head, still smiling.
"I see, so that's the kind of life Princess Ichihime leads. You all seem to be very close..."
"And Ichi said that he received various teachings from Lady Kicho..."
"Yes, in order to ensure that you do not cause any offense to Lord Bizen, I, Kicho, together with Lady Tsuchida, have provided you with pre-marriage education—"
—Was there something about Ichihime that you didn't like?
Seeing the expression on Kicho's face, I responded by shaking my head.
"What, why am I grateful? She's too good for me, a wonderful wife. I'm also deeply indebted to Lady Kicho for raising her to be that way."
"Well... well..."
I'm sure they never expected to hear such a lovey-dovey story here.
Kicho is smiling as she looks at me, her brother-in-law.
"And there is one thing I would like to ask of Lady Kicho."
"Now then, what exactly happened...?"
As she said this, Kicho seemed to have completely let her guard down around me, and she was smiling and waiting for my reply.
All the acting up to this point was well worth it.
Indeed, I used Ichihime's name to ask Kicho a question in order to resolve the greatest doubt lurking in my heart.
"I would like to hear about the myths of this country, Japan."
"Hmm... why... why?"
Kicho tilted her head, looking bewildered.
For some reason, she couldn't connect Ichihime with the mythology.
A lock of beautiful golden hair flowed down, shimmering and reflecting the light of the hearth fire.
"The last time Ichihime told me a bedtime story, there was a significant discrepancy. The myth I knew and the one she told... just didn't match. I thought it would be best to ask Lady Kicho, who educated Ichihime, about this..."
"...However, even I haven't taught you such things. That's something Princess Ichihime learned on her own—"
"No, I still beg you. Oichi may seem obedient, but she is a stubborn woman. No matter how much I try to persuade her, she will insist that 'Lord Nagamasa is wrong' and will not back down. If she hears what Lady Kicho has to say and realizes that I am right—even Oichi will surely have to change her mind."
A lie can be a necessary evil. If there is something I must know, I must find out, no matter what means I have to use.
Besides, Ichihime wouldn't get angry over something like this. It's clear that she has a stubborn side.
As for Kicho, she's giving me a wry smile.
To her, I'm probably still just a kid, being 10 years younger.
I bet they're listening to my made-up story and thinking, "What a lovely couple they are..."
"Understood. Then, for the sake of peace between Lord Bizen-no-kami and Princess Ichihime, I, Kicho, shall speak to you."
"thank you!"
I bowed my head so low that my forehead almost touched the floor.
Kicho watched the scene with a wry smile.