Nobunaga's residence is located at the foot of Mount Kinka.
My brother-in-law suddenly ran out of the mansion.
After finishing my greetings with my sister-in-law, Kicho, I was left alone in the mansion with Hisa, and all I could do was...
All I could do was place Hisa on my lap and continuously stroke her head.
And so, how much time had passed?
As the sun set and the bonfires lit, illuminating the dark night, my sister-in-law, who had come to my room once again, led me out of the mansion with Hisashi.篝火Bonfire
There were already many maidservants there, holding torches as if offering them.
"...Lord Bizen-no-kami, I am truly sorry."
Kicho said this and bowed her head.
"There is no one in Japan who can stop Lord Nobunaga if he has come to a realization. That includes me, his wife, Kicho... I am truly sorry."
"Well, that's fine, but..."
I felt a little uneasy and looked around at the maids, who were dimly lit by torches in the dark night.
It's quite horrifying.
"Where are you going now?"
" It is so."享楽園Kyōrakuen
Kicho said so.
"The garden that Lord Bizen-no-kami would have seen immediately upon entering this residence...that is Kyorakuen. Now, please watch your step..."
A large group of maidservants carrying torches led the way, and we followed.
You can hear the babbling of the river, and occasionally the sound of fish jumping.
We walked along a pristine white gravel path, crossed a wooden bridge, and beyond it lay a wide, single-story wooden building.
The light from the torches held by the maids illuminated the roof of the building.
No, it would be more accurate to say that it illuminated the decorative objects placed on the roof.
(this is...)
It 's enormous and covered in gold leaf .蛟Mizuchi役瓦Yakugawara
It's probably a representation of that colossal, vast remnant of an ancient civilization that I encountered in the underground lake.
(...I guess that means they have a belief in the Mizuchi.)
Perhaps it would be best to investigate the matter of the dragon as soon as possible.
Perhaps it will be extremely necessary to survive in the uncertain society of the future.
However, as I was thinking about that, my thoughts were...
You will be immediately thrown into disarray by the person standing right in front of you.
"...Ichi?! And Osamu?! And Naotsune too...?!"
A single-story building located within a garden.
Standing right by the entrance was the man who should have been waiting for me in northern Omi—alongside a cheerful-looking Nobunaga.
"Why... you all... are here..."
"I brought him here."
Nobunaga placed his hands on Ichihime's shoulders and said:
"Come on, come inside quickly. Tonight is an auspicious day. A friend is coming from afar; it is a joyous day."
Saying that, Nobunaga turned around and, making loud thudding noises, rushed into the mansion.
The only ones left behind were me, Ichihime, Haruhime, Naotsune, and Kicho, who was accompanied by her ladies-in-waiting.
"I am deeply sorry."
Kicho bowed to me once again.
"It seems Lord Nobunaga is... having his youthful childlike wonder stirred up when he looks at his brother-in-law..."
I thought I heard Ichihime's particularly loud sigh.
◆
The mansion is filled with candlesticks, maintaining a reasonable level of brightness—though not quite as bright as daytime.
A large and diverse array of dishes was piled up in the center of the room.
It appears that alcohol is being used to surround it , and a large quantity of it is also being deployed.徳利Tokkuri (sake bottle)
But what surprised me wasn't those extravagant items, but...
It was the sheer number of people packed into that banquet hall.
"Brother-in-law, you should come here quickly."
Nobunaga, seated in the place of honor, slapped the mat beside him and said:
"Ichi, and Osamu, you should sit on the right side of my brother-in-law. Naotsune and that child should also sit on the right side. My brothers and children will be sitting on the left side."
Nobunaga is in high spirits and laughing. He's laughing heartily.
I was standing next to him, desperately trying to keep my face from twitching.
To the left of where Nobunaga is sitting...seated in a row with plates of food in front of them are none other than the main relatives of the Oda family.
"Um... Brother-in-law"
"What's wrong, brother-in-law?"
Nobunaga looked at me with eyes that sparkled like a child's.
Looking into those clear, pure eyes, completely devoid of any malice, I hesitantly asked the question.
"Why... are the city dwellers here...?"
"I told you earlier, I'm the one who brought him here."
When Nobunaga said that, Ichihime, who was sitting very close to me, sighed.
"I will explain to Lord Nagamasa, my brother..."
"Hmph, I understand."
My brother-in-law grinned and, fiddling with his mustache, said to Princess Ichi:
"He is your precious husband. Don't worry, don't worry... I won't take him away from you."
"That's not what I meant!"
"I know, I know. Don't burn it, don't burn it."
Ichihime puffed out her cheeks and glared at Nobunaga, but he seemed completely unfazed—he effortlessly brushed off his younger sister's protests.
Ichihime glared at her older brother for a while, but then she saw Nobunaga start talking to the man in front of him...
She pouted, sighed again, and turned to face me.
"Listen to me, Lord Nagamasa!"
"Oh, oh..."
My beloved wife crept closer, grabbing both of my hands, and pleaded with me.
"This morning, my brother suddenly showed up at Suyama Castle...and he was all alone!"
"Ah, ah..."
Responding to my wife's determination, I nodded in agreement like a bobblehead doll.
"Guess what I said then!? 'Today is a good day, so we're having a feast in Gifu! I've come to pick up Ichi and Osamu!'"
As Ichihime gripped my hand tighter, she continued.
"Of course, such a thing... could never be accepted! But then my brother suddenly cut his fingertip with a knife and presented a blood oath...!"
Naotsune, who was sitting in the right-hand row, was cross-legged with his arms crossed and his eyelids tightly closed.
"And then they confronted Lord Endo, and Lords Akao, Kaihoku, and Amamori, who were at Sugawa Castle regarding the construction of Nagahama Castle, with it and started some kind of negotiation... Oh, come on...!"
I've never seen Ichihime so wild before.
But this is probably her true self.
In front of her older brother Nobunaga, and her own siblings and relatives, her true character from her time in Owari was revealed—that's what I felt as I was shaken by Ichihime's actions.
"Now, now... just calm down a little, okay?"
"Hmm..."
As I caught yet another glimpse of my wife's personality, I squeezed her hand back and asked:
"But you're pregnant... Surely you didn't come here on horseback, did you...?"
"It's a palanquin, sir."
Haruhime said, sighing just like Ichihime.
"Putting my wife and I in a palanquin, protected by Lord Endo and 200 soldiers from Sugawa Castle...we'll come here."
"And on top of that, I caused trouble for the Takenaka party members along the way... Oh dear..."
Nobunaga, who had keenly overheard Ichihime's voice as she clutched her head, said:
"There are no problems whatsoever. Later, Takenaka will thank his retainers on behalf of Oda. They will be rewarded fully, so do not worry."
Seeing him laugh it off, I guess I decided that there was no point in continuing the conversation.
Ichihime slumped in despair—and then leaned onto my lap.
"Lord Nagamasa... what about Ichi... what should Ichi do in this situation..."
"Oh... behold, you all."
Nobunaga addressed his siblings in a teasing tone.
"That wild, unruly Ichi is like this in front of my brother-in-law! My brother-in-law is not only a horse trainer, but also a skilled horse trainer!"頑hard鷹匠Takajo
A burst of laughter erupted from the left side—from the members of the Oda family.
Upon hearing this, Ichihime jumped up and puffed out her cheeks once again...
Needless to say, he began glaring sullenly at the people on his left side.
◆
After the greetings were exchanged with Nobunaga's brothers and his children, including Nobutada, the banquet began immediately.
Nobunaga was in an extremely good mood, telling the children things like, "If anything happens to me, rely on Lord Bizen-no-kami," while constantly offering them sake.
As I chatted with Nobukatsu and many other Nobunaga brothers and children, discussing everyday matters and military affairs, time flew by in an instant.
"Oh... my darling..."
The eldest son of the Oda family, with a sickly pale complexion but eyes as sharp as his father's...
As I was telling Oda Nobutada about the falconry trip, a soft, small body leaned against my back.
His body temperature was very high, and above all, he smelled strongly of alcohol.
Haruhime's face turned bright red.
"Hey... Osamu, you..."
"Yorurenai refu"
Haruhime clung tightly to my neck and said, her breath smelling of alcohol:
"Don't drink the salmon, but don't let the salmon drink you, that's the basic rule."
"Yeah, that's right."
I apologized to Nobutada, then turned to her and picked her up.
In the distance, Ichihime was deep in conversation with her younger sister Inuhime, while beside them, Hisa was ravenously devouring food with Nobunaga's daughters—Gotokuhime and Fuyuhime.
They're all beautiful girls, and they're at a level where they could form an idol unit all by themselves.
"city"
"Yes. What is it... ah..."
Seeing Haruhime slumped over in my embrace, Ichihime gave a wry smile.
"I'm going to take Osamu out for some fresh air."
"Yes, I understand... My brother has also been through something like that."
Saying this, Ichihime pointed to my brother-in-law.
Further ahead, the supreme commander of the Oda clan is snoring loudly while Kicho gives him a lap pillow.
"A brother like that is truly rare..."
Ichihime said, narrowing her eyes.
"They must really trust us. Otherwise, they wouldn't have acted like they used to..."
She was looking at Nobunaga with a gaze that seemed to evoke a sense of nostalgia for the past.
Circumstances change people, and as a result, lifestyles are inevitably forced to change.
A boyhood in which he could behave freely and unrestrainedly as a fool.
The boy eventually grows into a young man, becomes socialized, and becomes an adult.
Oda Nobunaga was no exception to this...
Rather, it was precisely because they enjoyed a moratorium that they were forced to become more self-disciplined and accept various changes in their lifestyle.
And as Ichihime, his younger sister who knows her older brother well, she must have many thoughts on the matter.
"I'll be right back."
"got it"
Naotsune, surrounded by the Nobunaga brothers who were pestering him for a military discussion, hastily stood up and tried to follow me, but I stopped him.
Stepping outside the single-story building, a warm breeze, reminiscent of the first signs of summer, hits your skin.
I walked along the torchlight-lit path, my arm around her shoulder, until we reached the bridge over the river.
Perhaps because of the flowing water, the breeze is pleasant.
But for Princess Osamu, who was flushed from drinking, it probably served as a good way to sober up.
"Your lord..."
Although he still looks a bit dazed, it seems his senses are gradually returning.
She slipped out of my arms, stood up on her own two feet, stumbled and wobbled, and then eventually came back into my arms...
She hugged me tightly, pressing her body against me with great force.
"..."
But she remained silent.
I instinctively felt that they probably couldn't put their emotions into words.
In her life, consumed by a dark past, was there ever a time when she could drink with countless men without any problems?
Or perhaps, having been in the midst of a group of men, she has ever managed to get away with nothing happening.
Simply drink alcohol, chat, laugh, and have fun.
She was unable to enjoy even that simple happiness.
And I have no words to say to Princess Chihime.
All I can do is stay by her side.
The past resides within oneself, and the only one who can confront it is oneself.
We outsiders may be able to confront Haruhime's past, but we cannot actually cross arms with her.
The god of the past resides within her, and only she can put an end to its tyranny.
"..."
I continued to hold Haruhime's small, slender body in my arms for several minutes.
My lovely wife quietly moved away.
A faint creaking sound could be heard from the wooden bridge .軋kishi
As she listened to the gentle murmur of the river, Princess Osamu looked up at me, closed her eyes, and stood on tiptoe.
It seems she's drunk and wants to kiss me.
"...Mmh"
He wrapped his arms around Haruhime's back, leaned down to hold her close, and pressed his lips against hers.
That's all. If I had to say anything else, it would be that it smells of alcohol.
"Your Majesty..."
As I stroked her hair, she said:
"It's really strange..."
"What?"
"This is the current situation..."
Having cooled down considerably, Haruhime continued, burying her face in my chest.
"Something is happening that shouldn't be happening. I just can't believe it...the current situation."
When I gently pinch and tickle her earlobe...
She flinched and recoiled, as if tickled.
"What kind of situation is so unbelievable?"
"Are you serious, sir...?"
Haruhime buried her face in my chest again and said:
"In these turbulent times...the head of a daimyo family, who rules over the samurai class, visits another family alone, summons another family's wife, and then, without any reservations, exchanges drinks with the head of that family...and sleeps with them. How can such a situation be believed...?"
Indeed, if you think about it calmly, that's true.
And on top of that, he even tried to introduce me to all of his siblings, sons, and daughters...
Clearly, this kind of behavior would be considered nothing short of madness in that era.
"But I do understand... that Oda Nobunaga harbors absolutely no ill will towards the Asai family... that much is a fact."
"..."
"Otherwise, I wouldn't be this drunk... And Lord Endo wouldn't have gotten so engrossed in military tales..."
"Osamu..."
Saying that, Haruhime lifted her face from my chest and smiled, looking up at me.
"Perhaps the reason we can create an opportunity like this is because of the relationship between you and Lord Kazusa-no-suke."
It would be wonderful if more peaceful and tranquil spaces like this could be created...
The extraordinary strategist said this with a wry smile.
If war can be resolved through dialogue, that would be a wonderful thing.
However, in reality, conflicts cannot be resolved without the direct or indirect use of force.
Haruhime, who lived during the Sengoku period, knew that fact very well.
"yeah..."
A wind blew, and my petite wife shivered.
I took off my jacket and draped it over Haruhime's shoulders, then gently put my arm around her shoulders.
Words weren't particularly necessary.
I shared a gentle kiss with her, and then we returned to the banquet hall.
The party will probably continue for a while longer.
Hoping that this extraordinary experience would become the norm, I returned to the bright and lively space once again.
◆
The feast continued until approximately 11 PM.
Nobunaga, who had been sleeping on Kicho's lap, slowly woke up, exchanged a few words with her, and then declared the meeting over.
And finally, we Asai group said our goodbyes to the members of the Oda family...
I was led to my bedroom by the ladies-in-waiting.
"Lord Nagamasa likes it too, doesn't he..."
Next to me, Ichihime said with a wry smile:
"Really...hehe. To say that it has to be in the same room as us...the maids were wide-eyed with surprise."
Yes, Ichihime and Haruhime are also in the bedroom prepared for me.
Originally, separate bedrooms had been prepared for Ichihime and Osahime as well—but this was partly due to me saying something irresponsible like, "It's the custom for the Asai family to sleep together."
However, both Ichihime and Haruhime looked embarrassed...
However, I was only able to say that because she didn't show any signs of displeasure at all.
Incidentally, Naotsune and Hisa are also in the same room.
Their sleeping quarters were separated by a sliding door, and it was set up so that Naotsune could respond immediately if 'something' happened.
"Well, that's fine, isn't it..."
I smiled as I ran my fingers through Ichihime's bangs.
"And so the three of us lay our futons side by side and sleep together in a row... A symbol of peace."
"Yes, that's right."
Ichihime rubbed her eyelids and said:
It seems she's feeling sleepy.
It must have been quite an exhausting experience seeing your siblings after so long and catching up on all sorts of things.
"Good night, Ichi"
"Yes, good night, Lord Nagamasa."
When I close my eyes and deliberately make soft breathing sounds as if I'm asleep...
As if influenced by this, Ichihime let out a lovely sigh and drifted off into a dream.
Hmm, it's cute.
"...Ichi sleeps really well."
"..."
"So... it looks like Osamu won't be able to sleep easily."
"Mm..."
I silently slipped into the bed where she was curled up on my right, and stroked her slender shoulders as I asked her a question.
"Some people find it easier to fall asleep after drinking, while others find the opposite. It seems Osamu is the latter."
"a..."
It means that at night, her husband sneaks up to her bed and caresses her body.
What happens next is something that most women can probably imagine.
With her face bright red, Haruhime quickly turned her back to me and curled up even more.
"Osamu..."
"No... No, sir..."
A hand slipped into the gap of my kimono, and my breasts were gently massaged...
My wife lets out a hot, trembling sigh.
"That won't do... Your wife is... And, and beyond that sliding door..."
"It's okay, just be quiet...it'll be alright, it'll be alright."
Haruhime's body was burning hot and flushed.
As I stroked it, I gently nibbled on his earlobe with my lips, then slid the tip of my tongue into his ear canal and whispered in the lowest voice I could manage, but as softly as possible.
"...Is it no good?"
"Ah... uh... ah..."
Haruhime is generally susceptible to kindness.
If you embrace her with paternal warmth, and whisper with a hint of animalistic instinct, all you have to do is wait for her to nod in approval.
"It's okay, I'll take it easy..."
"Is that... really true...?"
"Oh, that's true."
As her breasts were kneaded and her ears and neck were licked, Haruhime hesitated for a moment before—
"If you could be slow and gentle..."
—While clearly hinting at sexual expectations, she maintains the facade of a virtuous wife…
Her eyes welled up with tears, and she let out a troubled sigh.