It has long been established that chickens are responsible for dragging humans back from their dreams to reality in the morning.
However, in this world—or at least in the limited capacity of the Nagahama Palace—there seems to be an entity that usurps that role.
"Kyuooooon"
The neighing I hear from afar is indeed that of Indra.
The first morning after moving from the rented house at Sugawa Castle to the Nagahama Palace...
His awakening was triggered by the morning neighing of his beloved horse.
"Good morning, Lord Nagamasa."
"Good morning, Ichi"
In the East arena, I exchanged morning greetings with Ichihime—and we smiled at each other, kissed, and embraced.
It's such a simple act, but it feels incredibly good.
It felt as if the morning sluggishness was melting away with the other person's body heat.
It's the kind of feeling that makes you want to go back to sleep—but unfortunately, that's not allowed.
There is something I absolutely must do today.
"Ah..."
"what up?"
"Um, well, that..."
Ichihime's face turned bright red, and she conspicuously averted her gaze.
When I looked down to see what it was, there it was—my big sun, rock-hard in its morning erection form.
"He was... in good health..."
I find my wife's shyness in saying such things incredibly endearing.
Just last night she showed such a lewd expression—and now look at her.
What a drastic change!
"Well... for men, it's a regular morning routine. You're probably used to seeing it, right?"
"But, however... well..."
"what up?"
"No matter how many times I watch it...it looks so painful, and I feel so sorry for them..."
By the way, before going to sleep, I release my throbbing load about three times inside Ichihime's mouth in the bath.
She demonstrated a technical skill by lightly biting the head of my penis and then immediately licking it gently—but that's another story.
After Ichihime had pretty much played with his crotch as she pleased, the two of them slowly embraced each other and soaked in the hot springs again, talking about their future.
However, it wasn't a productive discussion based on a clear vision; it was more along the lines of wanting to stay together even when we're old grandparents.
Or perhaps we were just kissing the whole time, but that doesn't really matter.
When I tried to kiss her, she quickly took some hot water into her mouth and started mumbling like a hamster, which left me with no choice but to give a wry smile.
"Um... what should I do...?"
I find Ichihime's flustered state truly endearing.
I would have liked to calm my morning erection down right away, but it seemed that wasn't going to happen.
"No, it's fine the way it is."
"Um, well... but..."
"They're coming."
The east wing is separated by sliding screens, but you can see that two of Princess Ichi's ladies-in-waiting are already waiting outside the room.
It's purely based on intuition, but if you understand something, you understand it, and there's nothing you can do about it.
As I tried to stand up, my wife hurriedly leaned down on me affectionately, and while stroking her head and gently scolding her as she kissed me incessantly, I quickly finished getting ready and headed to the main hall.
"Oh, sir... Good morning."
"Oh, good morning."
There, Princess Osamu was already sitting, having prepared breakfast.
All the dishes are covered with lids so you can't see what's inside, but basically everything she makes is delicious.
(Although, the ingredients are mostly things like grated yam, clams, okra, and garlic.)
Haruhime always serves only foods that are supposed to be nutritious, but I wonder if that's intentional.
As I looked up, lost in thought, she tilted her head and looked back at me, exuding the aura of a young wife.
(Well, it's fine...it's delicious.)
As I sat down, Princess Chihime glanced around intently before quietly approaching me.
Its movements were like those of a ninja or a small animal, which made me chuckle wryly.
"What are you doing?"
"...Hehehe"
When I put my arm around her shoulders and stroked her head, Princess Chihime looked happy and snuggled up to me affectionately.
Considering how she was when we first met, it's a dramatic change, and I'm truly delighted to see her smiling like a normal person again.
(If Ieyasu saw us now, he'd probably shed tears of blood...)
In any case, I'm the only man allowed to touch Haruhime.
As I let that childish possessiveness boil over, recalling the face of the governor of Mikawa—
"Good morning!"
—The girl bursts through the sliding door and tumbles into the room.
Needless to say, it is a child.
Suddenly, Chihime quickly distanced herself, apparently out of embarrassment.
(I guess she doesn't want her ex-wife to see her clinging to me from the morning.)
Only Princess Osamu knows the truth of the matter.
However, seeing her face so red it looked like steam was rising from it, and her holding her cheeks while letting out inarticulate cries—my guess might not have been entirely wrong.
(In front of Naoko, I've always lived as a "man"...)
Well, even so, Naruhito must have known that Haruhime was a woman.
(...No, I should have known, right...?)
It's impossible that she only found out her "husband" was actually a "woman" when it came time for divorce. Surely, probably, maybe.
While I was worrying about all that, Ichihime soon arrived with Kaede and Sakura, and breakfast began.
I slurped down the sloppy barley rice topped with grated yam soup mixed with chopped ginger, and cautiously glanced around the room.
Ichihime is elegantly drinking miso soup with okra in it.
Haruhime ate her grated yam soup, occasionally glancing at me, looking somewhat embarrassed.
(...So, he was a repeat offender after all.)
Just because they moved to Nagahama Palace doesn't mean that the customs they had while living at Sugawa Castle will disappear.
It remains a rule here that either Ichihime or Haruhime will basically prepare the food I eat.
And my wife, after spending the night with me, is usually so exhausted that she sleeps until I wake up.
Inevitably, the one who ends up cooking is "my wife who didn't spend the night with me"—
(So, it means, "I look forward to seeing you tonight.")
—Now that I've come to that conclusion, for the sake of Princess Osamu's honor, there's no need to tell her everything.
It is extremely shameless.
"Lord Bizen-no-kami! Would you like another serving of barley rice?"
"ask"
Smiling at Shuko, who was diligently taking care of me without knowing the circumstances, I handed her the empty bowl.
"We also have grated yam soup for Osamu-sama!"
"ah..."
The correct phrase would be "Osamu-sama's grated yam soup," but such trivial Japanese is irrelevant now.
(Besides, Osamu doesn't serve grated yam soup...)
Ejaculating milky fluid is a privilege reserved for men.
◆
After breakfast, the maids cleared the tables and began washing the dishes, and Naoko went down to the south garden where the pond was dug.
Our house, built very close to Kinshumon Gate, is simply vast and empty.
Perhaps because of that, the rooms that were used on a regular basis tended to be limited in number for various reasons.
One of those rooms is the main hall, which also serves as my office.
"Bontenmaru! Wake up!"
The child's voice rang out.
From the main hall, she is visible, desperately calling out towards the entrance of a building in the southern garden that resembles a giant doghouse.
"Kyupi..."
"Good morning, Bontenmaru! It's another beautiful morning! Come on, don't sleep in any longer, hurry up and come out!"
"Kyuuuuuuuuu..."
"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying at all! It's okay, just wake up!"
It's like I'm being an overbearing mother, but perhaps that's a feeling I shouldn't feel out of place in this world.
In the Sengoku period, it wouldn't be surprising if Naruko were already at an age where she could have become a mother.
"Grrr... Come out quickly...!"
"Kyuuuuuuuuuuuu"
From inside the hut, a voice like that of a spoiled child who doesn't want to get out of bed echoes.
"If you don't come out, I won't play with you today!"
"Kyupi..."
Naturally, Shuko's tone of voice is different now compared to when she was in front of us.
I thought she was a girl with a lot of energy, like a typhoon, but I guess she's still holding back in front of me.
"Ah, there it is."
Ichihime said nonchalantly.
And indeed, what crawled out of the giant doghouse-like structure was a celestial rainbow silkworm.
The fluffy, ball-of-fur monster emerged from the hut, spread its wings, and trembled and stretched them out.
(Is it something like a yawn?)
Incidentally, the cat that Shuko called "Bontenmaru" was none other than this pure white ball of fur.
Apparently, the fluffy material on the ear pick stick reminded him of the appearance of the Heavenly Rainbow Silkworm.
Incidentally, the giant doghouse-like structure has a wooden sign made by Naoko that reads "Bontenmaru."
The name is carved into a wooden board, and ink is applied to the grooves—a stylish design.
"Even so, it seems that Shuko-san is quite close to the Tenko silkworms..."
"Yes... I've always been the type of person who treats all kinds of people and living things without discrimination..."
Ichihime and Haruhime were saying this while watching the scene unfolding in the southern garden.
"Oh, a riding insect."
It's certainly not horseback riding, so that's probably the more accurate way to describe it.
Naoko is clinging to the fluffy, pure white body of the monster.
The Heavenly Rainbow Silkworm was walking along, frequently shaking its body—it seemed to be playing.
"Haha! Ahh! I'm going to fall, I'm going to fall, so go easy on me!"
"Kyuuuuuuu"
"Hahaha! Sorry, I have absolutely no idea what you're saying!"
"Kyuuuuuuuuu"
Tenkosan, or rather Bontenmaru, seemed very pleased, perhaps because he had found a playmate.
Shūko let out a high-pitched shriek as she clung to the trembling monster's back.
She might be better at riding the Bontenmaru than I am.
"Kyuooooon"
In the southern garden, where the voices of the Tenko silkworms and the girl echoed, the clear, resonant cries of the Taishakutsukimo mingled with them.
Suddenly, the trembling silkworm stopped moving and turned its lovely, dark compound eyes towards the Indra.
"Oh, Hisa-sama! Good morning!"
"Um... good morning..."
Whenever Taishakutsukimo appears in the South Garden, Hisashi is invariably clinging to its back.
She's not wearing the kimono and hakama she wore when she went to Gifu Castle, but her hair is still styled in a half-updo and tied with a white cloth.
It seems that Hisashi is slowly but surely starting to develop an interest in fashion.
Naosuke dismounted from Bontenmaru, and Hisa also dismounted from Taishakutsukimo.
And then, the girls' gossip session begins.
I can't make out what they're saying, but...
Nevertheless, it's undoubtedly a good thing that the shy Hisa can talk to girls close to her age like this.
"Kyuuuuuuu"
"Kyuooooon"
And Taishakutsukimo and Bontenmaru are also exchanging words.
Unfortunately, I can't understand a word they say, since they are monsters.
Incidentally, the horses' living quarters, including those of Taishakutsukige, were also located within the grounds of the Nagahama Imperial Palace.
A large area located on the north side of the residence, or in the northwestern part of the entire Nagahama Imperial Palace...
A large ranch with a horse breeding facility and stables has been built there.
The stallion harem, with Taishaku Tsukimo at the top, "resides" there, and while being cared for by the stewards, including Hisashi, they are thoroughly milked every single night.
(Well, it's just that Taishakutsukige is the odd one out for fighting a hundred of them in one day...)
I couldn't help but sigh.
Seeing me like that, Ichihime tilted her head. So cute.
"Oh, you..."
"yeah?"
Haruhime tugged at my sleeve, trying to get my attention towards the south garden.
When I looked over to see what was going on, I saw that Taishakutsukimo had advanced to the fifth tier in front of the main hall.階Steps
It seems the time has finally come.
"Kyuoooon"
"Yeah, I know."
I nodded to Taishakutsukimo and slowly rose to my feet.
"Are you coming now?"
"ah"
Ichihime asked with a smile.
"Just to confirm, how many people are there?"
"Three people. It might take some time, though..."
"Will you be returning today?"
"That's the plan."
I said that to her, then looked at Haruhime.
"I feel bad for Osamu, but I'll tell Masamoto..."
"You were preparing to welcome me, weren't you, sir?"
With a calm expression, she clasped her hands together in front of her chest and said:
"I'll make sure everything is perfectly prepared. Is the location alright?"侍所Samurai's place
"ah"
In Shinden-zukuri style architecture, the Samurai-dokoro is the place where close attendants slept and lived.
In my house, this corresponds to the room connected to the corridor that extends south from the east wing where Princess Ichi lives.
I don't have any personal attendants, so no one lives there right now.
"Kyuoooon"
"Okay, I'll be right there."
Urged on by Taishakutsukimo, I quickly went down the stairs and then jumped onto her back.
"M-My lord!"
"What's wrong, Hisashi?"
Hisa, who was clinging to Bontenmaru's back along with Shuko, cried out.
It seems they managed to climb up but can't get down.
"That horse with a carriage attached has already departed for Todo Village!"
"Understood"
After giving a salute to Tenkosan and the two girls, I firmly grasped the reins of Taishakutsukimo.
Sensing this, she raised her torso high, let out a loud neigh, and began running towards Kinshumon Gate.
Stepping out of Kinshumon Gate, you'll find yourself on the shore of Lake Biwa.
Taishakutsukimo turns and then speeds off, maintaining its momentum.
The destination was Todo Village—the village headman, Yohachi, had already been informed of the situation in writing.
(Yohachi's reply said he would speak to the Todo family members, but... we'll see how that goes.)
I did everything that needed to be done beforehand.
Having done everything I can, I now leave the rest to fate—all I can do is pray that things go smoothly.