◆
"Lord Yoshikage... I'm truly sorry... This is all we have to offer you at our home right now..."
With Yuihime bowing her head in awe, Yoshikage looked at the roasted bean tea that had been offered to him.
When hot water is poured into a bowl containing roasted beans, it releases a faint aroma of roasted beans.
Compared to the fragrant tea that Yoshikage usually drinks, there's a world of difference—
"It's delicious."
"Oh... thank you...!"
—But for Yuihime, her half-sister, it must have been a truly overwhelming gift.
Moreover, I had just shown up without any prior notice.
From Yoshikage's perspective, simply being offered hospitality was more than enough to be grateful for.
"...How about Lord Masayuki?"
"a..."
"No, there's no need to wake him. Let him sleep..."
Yoshikage turned his gaze to Masayuki, who was lying in the back of the room, and murmured:
He had been seriously wounded in the previous battle against the Asai clan.
His flank had been severely mutilated, and his entire body was covered in countless sword wounds.
I could only marvel that they hadn't lost their lives.
"So, you still can't get up properly, huh?"
"yes..."
Yuihime replied, lowering her head.
"When she's awake, it seems like her whole body burns with pain... When I'm around, she acts like she's not in pain, but as soon as I go outside, she groans in real pain..."
"But I guess I should be grateful that I didn't die."
"Yes... According to the doctor that Mr. Tomita promptly arranged, he said that I should be able to get up in about two months..."
"Tomita? You mean Nagashige?"
When Yoshikage tilted his head and asked, Yuihime nodded.
"Yes, it's Mr. Tomita Nagashige. Mr. Tomita visits me every single night, both on his way to and from work... I'm truly grateful."
"Hmm..."
I never imagined that the cynical and stubborn Nagashige would become so fond of Masayuki...傾奇者Kabuki
It was a situation that Yoshikage had never anticipated.
(Could it be that Masayuki had a physical relationship with Nagashige...? No, Nagashige is the kind of guy who would offer his ass to anyone. I don't think he'd become so devoted to her just because he'd slept with her, as Yui says...)
While thinking about such things, Yoshikage scanned the room thoroughly.
I soon saw a large pile of sandals and raw materials in the corner of the room.
It seems my half-sister is taking care of her husband, doing housework, and also working on a side job.
It seems their living conditions are not particularly affluent.
"Is life difficult?"
"No...that's not true...!"
Yui-hime suddenly lifted her head and shook it vigorously.
"It's just about right for Masayuki and me to live in. Besides... we're outcasts, so it would be presumptuous of us to ask for too much..."
"You've always been like that."
Yoshikage interrupted Yuihime's words.
"I consciously try to eliminate feelings like dissatisfaction and envy, and even try not to have hope or expectations. I suppress my emotions and try not to show them as much as possible. No, the responsibility for this happening... is probably the fault of me and my relatives, who have treated you and your mother with contempt and distanced ourselves from you."
"That's not true... Besides, Lord Yoshikage has always been so kind to me and my mother..."
"...Okay, I let it slip."
After closing his eyes and letting out a long, slow sigh, Yoshikage continued.
"Yui, have you heard anything about Omi?"
"...Are you referring to the dragon?"
"That's what I meant."
Yoshikage looked his sister directly in the face.
"I never imagined that the legendary Mizuchi would appear before us in our lifetimes... But now that this legend has materialized, a new legend will be passed down. We are on the verge of the birth of a new story that will continue into the next generation."
"..."
"And the main character will be Asai Nagamasa of Omi. He will become part of the legend, and his stories will be scattered throughout Japan... At that time, your husband—Masayuki—will lose all value."
In an instant, all the color drained from Yuihime's face.
Understanding the meaning of what her half-brother was saying, she widened her eyes, her mouth twitched, and her slender body began to tremble slightly.
"We kept Masayuki as a pet only to gain control of northern Omi. Now that we can no longer interfere with Omi without a compelling just cause, there is no longer any value in keeping Masayuki alive."
"Ah...ah..."
"If we are to try to restore our friendship with the Asai clan, it is clear that Masayuki's presence will inevitably be a hindrance."
"Please wait...! Please wait...!"
Yuihime, so shaken that she could barely speak, desperately clung to Yoshikage's knees.
"M-Masayuki-san, Masayuki-san...!"
"Yui, why do you need to protect her to that extent?"
Looking down at his half-sister, the zashiki-warashi, with eyes as cold as ice, Yoshikage said:
"A husband who is bedridden all day, a wife who is forced to work alone, and no children... What reason do you have to defend Masayuki?"
"...Th-that's..."
Unable to bear Yoshikage's gaze any longer, Yuihime lowered her face and shook her head violently.
Her long, flowing black hair scattered, revealing her pristine white nape.
"Masayuki-san... Masayuki-san made a promise to me...!"
"Oh?"
As Yoshikage nodded in agreement, egging her on, Yuihime gripped her half-brother's knees and pleaded with all her might.
"You absolutely promised never to leave me alone...! You promised to hold me when you got back, and that you would definitely survive and return alive...! And Masayuki did return alive...! So, so...!"
"Hmph..."
Yoshikage snorted as if laughing mockingly, looking at Yuihime, who was completely dejected.
"If anything, still唯you処女Oboko ... No wonder there haven't been any reports of her going into labor..."
"..."
"In that case, there would be no problem if I killed Masayuki and divorced you. As long as you're a virgin, you can find a husband anytime. Let's see... How about the Magara brothers? They are retainers who have made significant contributions to the Asakura clan and cannot be ignored... They would be suitable as a second wife."
"No...! I don't want to...!!"
Yuihime suddenly lifted her head and, with tears streaming down her face, pleaded with Yoshikage with a desperate expression.
To Yoshikage, who knew his half-sister as a child who had always obediently followed men's orders, seeing her resist in this way was a refreshing change.
It was worthwhile to marry her off to a man who hadn't been influenced by the customs of Asakura.
However, without showing even a hint of such emotion, Yoshikage further provoked him.
"It doesn't have to be Magara. Just as there are countless women, there are plenty of men you can throw away. Men are generally creatures who prefer virgins, so they'll welcome a virgin with open arms—though, if you have children, that would be a different story."
"...Huh?"
A blank expression appeared on her tear-stained face.
After scooping up the tears that had been streaming from his eyes with his fingers, Yoshikage stood up and turned his back to Yuihime.
"You have six months... I won't say anything more than that."
"..."
"If I do not receive news from you or Lord Masayuki that you have had a child by then, you will have to abide by my decision."
With those words, Yoshikage left the dilapidated mansion, joined his retainers who were waiting outside, and began walking towards his own residence.
(If Yui and Masayuki have a child, the blood of the Asakura, Asai, and demons will be mixed together...)
The young man from Asai who had been sacrificed returned from the dragon's presence and became a priest to appease it.
The role of priest would then be taken on by the head of the Asai family.
At that time, if hypothetically...
If it becomes possible to nominate a child of Yuihime and Masayuki as the head of the Asai family, it would be a significant step towards resolving Yoshikage's concerns regarding the dragon.
Then, using that as a pretext, you can go to Mizuchi and negotiate with him.
In exchange for my body and soul, and if that is what I desire, I must offer everything—not a vague promise like appeasing it, but a firm assurance from the dragon that it will never appear on earth again, for the sake of the future of the people.
To achieve this, Princess Yui needs to give birth to a child with a man who has Asai family blood.
I still feel a lingering regret for having manipulated the thoughts of my precious half-sister, but—
(But someone who isn't even prepared to hurt their own family...how could they possibly lead countless people?)
—Yoshikage let out a quiet sigh and looked straight ahead with unwavering resolve.
(If, hypothetically, we were forced to defeat Asai Nagamasa—we would need to take every possible measure to prepare for that time.)
The names and personalities of the leaders of the surrounding countries instantly came to Yoshikage's mind.
Uesugi of Echigo—a battle-crazed monster unlike any other, who hides his true nature by wearing a facade of hypocrisy. He will undoubtedly go along with the plan to satisfy his own fighting instincts.
The Takeda clan of Kai—who prioritize the lives of their people—will undoubtedly lend their support to protect their subjects from the perspective of the crisis facing Japan.
(All that's left is to incite the Ichikōsō followers—and we can easily weaken the power of the Asai and Oda clans.)
Yoshikage stopped in front of his mansion and looked up at the sky.
It's probably around the Hour of the Goat (14:00) right now.
The azure sky, cold and unyielding, yet seemingly boundless and magnanimous.
He gazed for a while at the ironically clear blue sky, then lowered his head and shook it.
The sky is not a place for humans to live.
It was a place that could only be gazed upon, a place that could never be invaded or intertwined with.
Those who cannot fly can only invade the ground, and even that ground is a cruel place for humans to live.
"If this chaotic era can be rectified, my life is a small price to pay... If only this chaos can be brought to an end, I don't care if anyone hates me."
Even if the person directing their hatred towards you is a family member.
If that leads to a world where people can live in peace, then I am willing to get my hands dirty.
Muttering to himself so as not to be noticed, Yoshikage stepped alone into the quiet, cold room.
I wondered what the young people of Asai were doing at this time of year.