Oda Nobuna no Yabou - Volume 12 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Holiday in Azuchi 

A head cloth had been wound around Kenshin’s head hiding her silver hair and 

pure snow-white skin, in order to completely make her celestial maiden-like features inconspicuous. 

“I met you in Kyoto once. Sagara Yoshiharu, you are bold. Though you opened the 

Amano-Iwato and all of Japan memorized your face, you are alone in this town.” 

“Uesugi Kenshin, why are you in the town of Azuchi by yourself? This is Nobuna’s 

territory. You will be killed if you are found.” 

“I came to Azuchi Castle, Oda Nobuna’s last trump card. It is said that this castle was built to intercept Shingen and myself. However, what is this defenseless front gate? It is pointlessly broad and extends in a straight line. Oda Nobuna doesn’t have the intention to defend Azuchi Castle. That Azuchi Castle is for our decisive battle, was it all a complete lie?” 

Yoshiharu couldn’t run away. Kenshin’s arm was entwined around him and a blade was thrust secretly at his back so that people passing by couldn’t see it. He had no choice but go down the major road while hearing Kenshin’s words. 

A sweet fragrance he had never smelled before was attacking Yoshiharu’s nose. 

Yoshiharu became aware of Kenshin’s fragrance. 

“It’s impossible to deify oneself as a divine object. Moreover, the god of marriage. Is it a personal attack on me who has vowed to be celibate for my whole life? Oda Nobuna is provoking me by every conceivable means. Because it was intolerable, I accidentally destroyed the stone wall of Soken Temple.” 

“Did you do that!? How did you do that with your slender arm?” 

Uesugi Kenshin. To infiltrate Azuchi alone after Kyoto, do you not feel fear? Or do you defeat your sense of fear by playing the biwa and uniting with Bishamonten? 

When Uesugi Kenshin previously made an expedition to Kanto she fought against Hojo Ujiyasu in order to rescue her ally’s castle, Karasawa Castle. While it was on the verge of falling as it was besieged by the army of 30,000 Hojo troops, she appeared in front of the Hojo army with only forty five soldiers. 

At that time, Kenshin wasn’t even wearing armor, 

“Fate dwells in heaven. Armor is in your chest. Deeds rest at your feet.” 

She broke into the middle of Hojo’s army of thirty thousand as a single horseman while chanting those words, and entered Karasawa Castle as if nothing happened. 

It is said that no bullet fired or arrow shot by the Hojo soldiers touched Kenshin. 

Even when surrounded and shot at by arrows from afar, they would not hit the 

Bishamonten, Kenshin. 

Like this, the Hojo warriors that were skilled with the spear and summoned up their courage to attack Kenshin, were all cut down by the cross spear that Kenshin wielded. 

The Hojo forces that were shown such an impossible sight became frightened saying 

“This person is like a Yaksha Rakshasa”, and escaped to the left and right. It was as if the ground broke to make way for Kenshin. 

The soldiers who received Kenshin after holding out the siege of Karasawa Castle were moved to tears saying “Bishamonten has truly descended”. All of them threw away their lives, and fiercely launched themselves from the castle and repelled the Hojo army. 

Appearing suddenly in the capital of Kyoto alone, and proclaiming a declaration of war to Nobuna, it was like that. 

Neither an arrow nor a bullet can hit Kenshin. 

Kenshin’s own movements were agile and nimble too, but it was probably that Kenshin’s overwhelming courage would surprise and frighten others and cause their shooting hands to fail. 

“I can’t hit the incarnation of Bishamonten”, you would only be able to accept Kenshin’s explanation. 

Nevertheless, to sneak into Azuchi Castle alone so soon after that, it could be said that Kenshin’s bravery was almost aberrant. 

There is a limit to bravery, Yoshiharu was past surprise and fear and felt deeply moved. 

But, there was another person who was astonished by Kenshin’s appearance here. 

It was the ninja who serves Yoshiharu, Hachisuka Goemon. 

“Sagara-shi! For me of all people, to be taken by surprise! I’ll save you now!” 

They had finished going down the major road, and were approaching one of the sections of the castle town that was out of the public’s eye. 

*BANG!* 

All of the sudden, a smoke bomb exploded and Yoshiharu and Kenshin’s vision became pure white. 

“Goemon? It’s dangerous to fight one on one against Uesugi Kenshin who neither bow nor gun can hit!” 

“She is a warrior after all. But not matter how much swordplay you have learned, you can’t endure the dexterity and sleight of hand of a Shinobi!” 

Hachisuka Goemon rushed into the white smoke screen. 

To see Goemon who had always been calm until now become panicked to this extent, 

Yoshiharu was shocked. 

Because even though Goemon was standing guard, Uesugi Kenshin so easily caught my back, it was natural to become flustered. 

“Hehehe. Nothing can be seen in the smoke screen! But it can be seen by a ninja! Uesugi Kenshin, give me your life!” 

“A rowdy fellow. I don’t need to see your figure.” 

“Wait Goemon! Don’t murder a girl!” 

“B, but Sagara-shi, if I hold back even slightly…oof?” 

*DON* 

Kenshin, while still holding Yoshiharu with one hand, knocked away Goemon’s body 

that had rushed into the smoke with her other hand. 

Kenshin’s hand slowly turned, and it only looked like it barely touched Goemon’s 

stomach. 

When the white smoke was spread by the wind and Yoshiharu’s sight returned, Goemon had been thrown against the clay wall and lost consciousness. 

“…Unyu….m…mistake….Kenshin, remember this…gack” 

It was an unbelievable scene. 

“G, Goemon? It’s a lie right? A ninja like Goemon. By a single blow that only barely touched her!?” 

“I didn’t take her life. But she will be unconscious for half a day.” 

“What frightening skill. I nearly killed her,” Kenshin muttered while releasing Yoshiharu. 

“The figure of Goemon who had been completely defeated in a one-on-one fight in this way, it’s in my memory. You just touched her lightly, how….” 

Ukyuu….while laying Goemon’s fainted body gently underneath a pine tree that was 

growing in the roadside trees, Yoshiharu who had witnessed Uesugi Kenshin’s abnormal strength was more amazed rather than surprised. 

She is truly the god of war. The god of military arts. 

“I just reversed the murderous intent of this ninja back on herself. But Sagara Yoshiharu, thanks to you yelling “don’t murder her” , the ninja’s murderous intent was weakened. That is why I didn’t take her life.” 

“But, the smokescreen…” 

“Smokescreens and blinding do not work on me. I naturally have poor eyesight. 

Especially in bright places. Because of that, my ears and nose are strong.” 

“Is that so? Is the reason that a ninja like Goemon took a direct hit like that because she didn’t know that…” 

Though at night when the sun has set I see like everyone else, Kenshin murmured. 

That is why I wear this hood, to avoid the light of day. Because the light of the day is like a poison for I who does not have any skin color.” 

“I see. In future language, you are weak to ultraviolet rays. The sunlight is also strong today, isn’t it hard?” 

“I wanted to discover the weak spot of Azuchi Castle and see it with my own eyes at any cost. Before, when Hojo Ujiyasu holed up in Odawara Castle during the siege, I was not able to take down that big castle. I was born physically weak, I can’t last on the battlefield for a month. 

If that “time of the month” comes, I’ll be attacked by intense pain and nausea and won’t be able to get up. Therefore my tactics are always a prompt strike for a decisive battle. With the Azuchi Castle attack, I didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes as the attack on Odawara Castle.” 

Yoshiharu was amazed. 

To talk about all of the secrets that must not be told to an enemy, the defenselessness of Kenshin was too much. 

Completely like a child. 

At the same time, while she boasted unrivaled, overwhelming, undefeated strength on the battlefield, she must also have been swallowed up by Takeda Shingen’s and Hojo Ujiyasu’s schemes many times over, he understood this fact. 

“Uesugi Kenshin. You are talking too much about your weak points. I am an Oda house vassal, Sagara Yoshiharu. I am your enemy right?” 

“…Oh, I forgot. Because you babbled out such a strange thing like “don’t kill”. Sagara Yoshiharu, are you possibly a tactician equal to Takeda Shingen?” 

“No. You are just too honest!” 

For now I will say thank you, Sagara Yoshiharu. Kenshin bowed her head. 

Despite being the God of War Bishamonten, when she bowed it was like she was a teru teru bozu, Yoshiharu thought. 

“Why bow?” 

“I have decided not to kill people in any place other than the battlefield. Because the ninja was too strong and I couldn’t go easy on her, I was going to break my oath of no killing. 

Who on earth is this child?” 

“Oh. Then you didn’t have the intent to kill me from the beginning?” 

“Yes. Oda Nobuna’s end will come in a grand battle. Bishamonten does not perform cowardly surprise attacks.” 

Kenshin grabbed and waved the thing that had been thrust at Yoshiharu’s back. 

At first, when Yoshiharu had been taken by surprise he had imagined that it was a knife, but it was bamboo. 

“That’s right. You are indeed Uesugi Kenshin. So then, why did you capture me? Were you going to hold me as a hostage and take me back to Echigo?” 

“Bishamonten won’t use such cowardly plans. I entered a daze, I seem to have hung around the inside of the castle too much. As for this ninja, she had been keeping an eye out for hooligans.” 

“That is because you appeared in the teahouse in Kyoto that one time.” 

“Therefore, until a member of the Echigo army comes to pick me up in the middle of the night, I want to stay with you. While traveling the town of Azuchi. If I pretend to be an attendant to Sagara Yoshiharu, I won’t be suspected right?” 

Huh. I got it, I understand. I also owe you for not killing Goemon, Yoshiharu nodded.

“You are a surprisingly soft hearted person. Aren’t you afraid? I am Oda Nobuna’s mortal enemy, the god of war, Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo?” 

“I’m not scared? On the other hand it’s luck. You personally came alone to discover a method to capture Azuchi Castle that would give you an advantage, and I may even discover a precious weak point of the unrivaled undefeated god of war today. There probably won’t be a second chance?” 

“I spoke about my weak points just now. But I won’t lose even if they are known.” 

“What amazing self-confidence. But what will be my reward as a member of the Oda 

clan? It doesn’t feel like it is Bishamonten’s style to spy on the enemy territory and threaten me so I will work all day to help you escape? Something small should be fine.” 

“You are nervy. But that is correct. Then if I see you on the battlefield, you can take fifty steps without being instantly killed by the army. Only once.” 

Again, what amazing self-confidence, Yoshiharu smiled wryly. 

“But as expected of Uesugi Kenshin, to keep your eye on your opponent. Even if I walk down the road with a cute girl, nobody will notice. ‘Sagara-sama’s women loving habit has been activated’ they’ll say and smile wryly.” 

“…Huh. The rumor of the world’s number one ladies’ man is true. I won’t forgive you if you do anything strange. ‘‘I want to play as your sweetheart’, I will never speak such obscene words. Because I have made an oath of celibacy to myself. If I fell in love, wouldn’t I lose the qualifications to be Bishamonten and die? Though it is absolutely impossible for me to fall in love with a reprehensible philanderer like you, I can’t die until I defeat Oda Nobuna.” 

“Still, “Let’s pretend to be lovers. That would be the least suspicious.” What would happen if I insisted?” 

Kenshin swung the bamboo in her hand, and a deep crack appeared in the pine planted on the roadside. 

“Even if the opponent has no hostility or urge to kill, a feat of this degree is possible. 

Your body will also become like this. This place isn’t a battlefield, but if it’s for the purpose of protecting my oath of celibacy, I won’t pardon any man that attempts to do some obscene action to me. An unavoidable measure.” 

This will prove fatal if I make a careless action, Yoshiharu trembled. 

“Then pretend to be my younger sister. Recently I have gained more younger sisters for the sake of cultivating human resources. Sakichi Ishida, Otani Norinosuke, Toranosuke Kato, Fukushima Ichimatsu. Your hooded appearance, I can trick people if I insist that you are Otani Norinosuke. Because Norinosuke always covers her face with a white mask, her real face isn’t widely known. Not only are you petite and look like a teru teru bozu, you also look similar to Norinosuke from a distance.” 

“I see. That’s perfect. I wonder if this is also Bishamonten’s power.” 

“That is why, please call me ‘Ani-kun’ for today. That is what Norinosuke calls me.” 

“…Because I have some unpleasant memories of an older brother, may I just call you Yoshiharu?” 

Kenshin’s profile when she said the word older brother, it looked very lonely, Yoshiharu felt very cold. 

“That’s right. Because I forced my older brother to retire from the world, because I took the birthright and Kasuga Castle away from my older brother. At this point, I don’t have the qualifications to be somebody’s younger sister.” 

Kenshin seemed annoyed as they advanced through the great throngs of people pushing and shoving to walk through the boisterous Azuchi, her arm linked with Yoshiharu’s. “Although today is the O-bon Festival to send the souls of the dead, it is very lively. Does nobody believe that the Echigo army will attack Azuchi?” 

“The people who live around Kyoto are used to wars, they have guts. They are enjoying the present so they can become serious later.” 

“Stop the idle talk. In these innumerable tourists, many shinobi have been mixed in. Not only the Shinobi of the Oda, but also the ruffians of Takeda and Hojo’s Fuma. Sagara Yoshiharu, don’t separate from me. Please continue the act of being siblings that get along well.” 

“If we get along well, shouldn’t we be talking freely?” 

They approached the street where flashy street stalls were lined up in a succession. 

“Takoyaki~. Sakai’s specialty fried takoyaki~. Oh Yoshiharu-san, traveling with one of your younger sisters? Here young lady, feel free to have some takoyaki. At a discount.” 

“Oh, is Imai Sokyu-ossan still doing business? Do your best. Give us two servings!” 

“Thank you very much, Yoshiharu-san. The sales will be over soon. The snow-white 

younger sister, where are you from?” 

“Um. I came from a snowy district of Echigo.” 

“Hah? Echigo? A headgear like a teru teru bozu covering your face… young lady, I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere….” 

“Um. Imai Sokyu. When I visited the capital before, I met you in Sakai. This is 

troublesome.” 

“Shh, shh! Norinosuke, don’t say such unnecessary things! S, see you Ossan!” 

Yoshiharu left Imai Sokyu’s stand in a hurry while pulling Kenshin’s hand. 

“How can you just blurt that out! Aren’t you giving away your true identity! It looks like you completely can’t lie or pretend at all!” 

“Um. Bishamonten cannot tell a lie. Because I am different from a person like Takeda Shingen who is a lump of lies from head to foot.” 

“Well no wonder! You would be pulled in by the tactics and schemes of a door to door salesman, such a concept seems to be entirely missing from you. You might be the god of war, but you really are a sheltered princess. I give up.” 

“But, because you can’t move when there is no information about the enemy country, the espionage activities are being done on the buildings by the Nokizaru. So. I like the Nokizaru.” 

“S, Suddenly a confession to me? Without using lies or tactics, as one would expect of you.” 

Oh, Kenshin’s white cheeks became red. 

“I, it’s different! Not you! The Nokizaru and the Sagara saru are different!” 

“Oh. My heart almost stopped when I thought you were confessing.” 

“I will die the moment I confess my love to a man. I was taught this by Bishamonten. 

Thus, you asked such a leading question to murder me who is Oda Nobuna’s mortal enemy. 

Truly a schemer.” 

“You weren’t murdered by Takeda Shingen though.” 

“Yes. That woman lives to obstruct me, but she will not try to murder me. I believe it is because she can’t say she won if she doesn’t kill me in a battle. That it is the tacit promise exchanged between Takeda Shingen and I. But, that woman fans the riots in Ecchu and plots against the inhabitants of Echigo, any kind of trick short of murder! Truly cowardly.” 

“Really. When you talk about Katsuchiyo-chan, you seem really happy.” 

“W, what are you saying? I can’t be pleased! She is unbearably hateful!” 

In the corner of the street, there was a mascot being ganged up on by several children. 

“Uuu, I want to dance with the sisters in the Namban temple. B, but, this is Leon’s duty today. Haii, I’m Azuchi Daichi! Hey, hey. Children! Stop it, please stop it! Divine punishment will come down on this Azuchi to those who gang up on others! Stooooop!” 

“Sagara Yoshiharu. Look, a weak person is being bullied. I must carry out justice. With this bamboo, the children will be scattered…” 

“Because your true identity will come out if you vacuum cut with the bamboo, stop it. 

And besides, that is the job of the local mascot. It includes being beaten up by children.” 

“Such a violent program isn’t good. The children will become warlike in the future.” 

“I can’t think of that as the words of the god of war.” 

“Don’t misunderstand. I am not a lover of war like Takeda Shingen. I only carry out my crusade to crush the strong and help the weak. But, this time I need to tread upon the countries that are in my path to invade the capital…” 

The profile of Kenshin who lowered her eyebrows seemed to be very sad. 

“For today, let’s forget about things like Bishamonten and battles. We’ll be suspected by the ninjas. Let’s eat some takoyaki! Here, here!” 

“Umu…it’s hot! Hot! Hah, hah, hah. W, what is this? Isn’t it hot!? Please don’t press it to my lips suddenly! So Sagara Yoshiharu, you are trying to assassinate me with takoyaki.” 

“It must be terrible to have a cat’s tongue. I’m sorry. Eat it after this. Foo, foo.” 

“…Uuu. What is this sticky white failed soy sauce? It’s greasy and doesn’t seem like it will pass through my throat. There are few things which I can eat.” 

“If you have an unbalanced diet, you won’t grow taller and your breasts won’t expand.” 

“Obscene person! T, to say such indecent words to the Bishamonten, there won’t be a next time!” 

“Oh. Sorry, sorry. Though you look young, your age isn’t that different from mine? I’ll be careful.” 

“I have never seen such a rude gentleman like you. You are relentless in your treatment of younger girls.” 

Muu, Kenshin who became sullen and looked the other way was too easy to understand, Yoshiharu smiled wryly. 

While Kenshin had downcast eyes and became sullen, she unexpectedly entwined her 

arm with Yoshiharu’s even tighter with more strength. 

“…Although I’m reluctant, the signs of the ninja are becoming stronger. If a fight starts here, many people would become involved. Can’t we hide in a place that is out-of-the-way?” 

“I think Nobuna stationed the ninjas with the objective of keeping the security and sending home all of the tourists safely. I don’t think they will battle inside the crowd.” 

“Having said that, if the numbers are slowly gathered and manage to surround us, I will have to break through using any means. 

“I, I understand. It’s our long-awaited Azuchi Festival. Let’s go without extra trouble. 

Over there is just right. Is that place a good hiding place? It’s out of sight.” 

Yoshiharu pointed ahead, not at a brand-new building, but at a dilapidated house that was dirty all over and had deteriorated until it looked like it would collapse. 

“Hie? H, h, haunted house?” 

Kenshin held onto Yoshiharu’s strong arm. This time it wasn’t an act. 

A signboard had been built over the deserted house’s entrance. 

The Mysterious Grand Enryakuji Temple! Haunted House! Now that Enryakuji 

Temple’s boundary against evil has been broken, it has been attacked by the vengeful ghosts that were sealed by the Tendai sect! 

That is a really long name for an attraction, Yoshiharu wanted to complain. One of the former armed monks of Enryakuji Temple could be seen standing in an imposing stance at the entrance with a hearty smile. Oh, is that ossan the producer? He understood. 

“Oh, is it Sagara Yoshiharu-dono!? You became very strong!” 

“Ossan lost his malice. Or rather, mellowed out.” 

“Since I saw my mother in Frois-sama, I became a benevolent man. But since our 

monetary offerings haven’t been collected since the armed monk corps was dismissed in Enryakuji Temple, today is a business trip in Azuchi. How about this haunted house, don’t you think the signboard which meticulously explains the purpose of the haunted house is really easy to understand!” 

“Rather than saying that the donations aren’t being collected, isn’t it instead that since the threat of the armed monks can no longer work, you can’t write off your debts to the merchants anymore?” 

“Gahahaha! You got me there! There is also that reason!” 

Whatever. I didn’t know. 

“Did the monks of Enryakuji Temple commit improper acts? They must be punished.” 

Because Kenshin was about to swing her bamboo, Yoshiharu hastily drew Kenshin’s waist close to restrain her. 

“Yipe!” Kenshin let out a small scream, but power didn’t seem to enter her body, and she became stiff and shook when she was drawn close. 

“S, Stop Sagara Yoshiharu. Touching too much, too close. Who do you think I am…” 

“Not Sagara Yoshiharu. Ani-kun. Ani-kun.” 

“I remember. Uuu~” 

“Gousei-ossan, this child is Otani Norinosuke. My new younger sister. I am bringing her up as the core of the future Sagara corps. While this girl is ignorant of the world, deep down she is a gentle and good girl overflowing with a sense of justice.” 

“Oooooh! Was that it? She seems like an extremely shy girl to completely hide her face with a mask and white hood. Please, by all means enter for free. Let’s reserve it for no one else but Sagara-dono for awhile. Gahahah.” 

“Much appreciated.” 

Kenshin gave a courteous bow. Because her figure seemed like a teru teru bozu, 

Yoshiharu almost began to laugh. 

“Alright? Young lady, I feel like I have met you somewhere before for some reason….the feeling is very different from the maternal feeling that comes from Frois but it feels very nostalgic….mmm? Possibly my imagination? I secluded myself in Enryakuji Temple and devoted myself earnestly to military arts and went crazy over alcohol, I should be a man who has no relation to women.” 

“Um. Shoukakuin Gousei. I met you many times. When I was born in Kasuga Castle. 

And when I threw away the position of the daimyo of Echigo and tried to run away to Enryakuji Temple….” 

“Awawawawawa. Come come into the haunted house Norinosuke! We’ll enter Gousei- 

ossan!” 

“What did you say? S, stop Sagara Yoshiharu. I, I am weak to ghosts…it doesn’t mean I’m afraid. B, Bishamonten being afraid of ghosts is impossible. But something like a dead person….it’s the O-bon Festival today, a ghost might really appear?” 

Kenshin who was scared for some reason and was shaking and trembling, was forcibly picked up in a princess carry by Yoshiharu and plunged into the haunted house. 

“L, let go of me! IYA!” 

While lifting the body of the surprisingly light Kenshin and racing into the small dark hallway of the haunted house, “Then when you meet someone you have met before, don’t flippantly speak about your true identity! Learn how to pretend for a while!” Yoshiharu cried. 

The two of them rushed into a dark room at the end. 

“Hie….oh, it’s pitch black. Smoke is even drifting like fog. E, even I can see it. I see it. 

T, this room is just like a graveyard. It is full of grave markers….oh, oh, the gravestone over there was smashed with a sword. Oh, Oh, there is something sinister all around. Such a curse….” 

“Kenshin has good night vision? Because I can’t see well in dim light, I’m not that frightened. Gousei-ossan isn’t around anymore, I’ll let you down soon?” 

“Stop! Please don’t let go! If my foot touches the ground, I might be grabbed by the ghosts! Sagara Yoshiharu, please hold me in your arms until we leave this haunted house!” 

She clung to the nape of his neck with a Giyuuu. 

Kenshin’s fragrance casually flowed into the depths of his nose. 

“It is surprising that Gousei-ossan who seems to be so crude would be resourceful enough to make such an elaborate haunted house. It is also unexpected that Uesugi Kenshin is afraid of ghosts. Aren’t you Bishamonten? The self-styled god is afraid of ghosts, it’s amusing.” 

“Nothing is funny. But among the dead there is a person who would want to meet me even as a ghost, a person I want to never meet. When the person I absolutely never want to meet has already become a ghost, my self-defense arts won’t work. I wouldn’t know what to do.” 

“Personally, I think you already don’t have any self-defense. You are being casually held, and even in a princess carry?” 

“T, this, is only to protect me from ghosts, I intentionally let you carry me. If I felt like it, Sagara Yoshiharu, I could instantly kill you at any time right?” 

“Yeah, yeah. Protect, protect. Since Bishamonten won’t bully the weak, I am relieved.” 

“Also. Are you a man!? Everything you do is infuriating! The worst man who combines all of the rudeness of Nagao Masakage, the arrogance of Naoe Yamato, and the happy-go-lucky nature of Sadamitsu Usami! I’ll remember this!” 

Before she knew it, Kenshin’s expression and tone became one appropriate for a girl of her age. 

Sadamitsu Usami, Naoe Yamato, Nagao Masakage. All of them are famous military 

commanders of Echigo. I’d like to meet them.” 

“…All three of them have already died. When I met with Gousei again, I remembered various things. I’d like to meet the ghost of Naoe and Usami. Masakage’s ghost would be unpleasant.” 

Kenshin’s voice, Yoshiharu’s shoulder that was connected to his arm shook. 

“Is that so? Talk of the dead is for another time. Today, let us enjoy the festival of Azuchi.” 

He quietly petted the small head that was covered by the cloth hat. 

“D, don’t treat me like a child. Sagara Yoshiharu. Don’t stroke the head of the controller of Kanto, the Daimyo of Echigo, so easily. If the many generals of Echigo who worship me as the Bishamonten saw me, it would be a bloodbath. You seem to have totally forgotten it, but aren’t you my enemy?” 

“Because today you are my younger sister, Otani Norinosuke, it’s fine. By the way. 

Because it is good for killing time, do you want to slowly go around the house?” 

“Turn around sharply. This is the Bishamonten’s order.” 

“Be careful to not faint on the way Kenshin. Konjac hanging by a thread will hit the back of your neck, a wet woman will suddenly jump from a well, they might be doing stuff like that?” 

“I, I have sharp night vision. B, because I can see completely through those traps, there is no problem.” 

While being held in a princess carry by Yoshiharu as he walked through the haunted house, Kenshin began talking about the memories of the three men who left before her. 

“As for me. Two vassals raised me since I was young as substitute parents – while being carried on the shoulders of the tactician Usami Sadamitsu and the Prime Minister, Yamato Naoe, I had my sickly older brother hand over the position of the daimyo of Echigo. It can be said that I stole it. Because Nagao Masakage was a vulgar man like a wild animal, and that fellow damaged the Echigo’s branch family, it was unavoidable. Nagao Masakage wasn’t satisfied only with marrying my older sister, but was going to snatch Echigo from my older brother. 

After my older sister, he was going to try to take me, the younger sister. Truly hateful. 

Not only Nagao Masakage. Many of Echigo’s samurai harbored the ambition to marry me and become the daimyo of Echigo and continually rebelled.” 

“…Although you are a Himekishi, aren’t you their lord? The vassal can’t marry the lord. 

It was supposed to be the law of the Warring States.” 

“In Echigo which was a country of only male warriors, there weren’t any Himekishis. I was the first Himekishi. Therefore Echigo didn’t have such a law….but Usami and Naoe assisted and protected me. If I hadn’t made an oath of celibacy, I might have been defiled. Especially by Nagao Masakage. While marrying my older sister and having a child, to then go after the younger sister…I hate it. As expected, men are like wild animals. Killing people while laughing on the battlefield, covered in blood, and then are savage to women…no. I hate it. Truthfully, I’m scared of men. I’m afraid, I don’t want that.” 

Yoshiharu silently stroked Kenshin’s head as she closed her eyes tightly and shook quietly. 

“When I met Takeda Shingen at Kawanakajima, I thought I found the light of salvation for the first time. I believed I had found a lifelong companion. For some reason, I was attracted to Shingen whose personality was the complete opposite of mine. But Takeda Shingen was a woman like me. If either of us was a man, Kai and Echigo might have been united in an alliance by marriage. But both of us were Himekishis. And Shingen was never going to abandon her ambition to annex Shinano by force. I didn’t understand. All the people who were driven out of Shinano by Shingen demanded help from me. To continue fighting for the sake of justice is my fate as Bishamonten. If Shingen does not stop her aggressive war, I have to give Shingen the death penalty through my holy war. So Echigo and Kai had no choice but to keep fighting over Shinano and Kawanakajima.” 

“I see. Still, there was a bond of friendship between you and Shingen. Did you try to run away to Enryakuji Temple because your destiny to keep fighting against Shingen in Kawanakajima became painful?” 

“In addition to that, I also became fed up with Nagao Masakage’s disgusting courtship in Echigo and couldn’t bear it anymore. Whenever I would decline courtship offers, those guys would raise revolts and rebellion in my castle. It occurred in Echigo repeatedly, again and again.” 

“That’s terrible. You are too beautiful. You are a unique girl and there isn’t another like you in this world….no substitute anywhere.” 

“…Even if you say such a thing, I won’t be happy.” 

“Was Nagao Masakage always the central figure of the rebellion? You should have 

banished that guy. Even if Nobuna forgave it once, after a second rebellion they would be exiled to Mt. Koya. 

Even I was dismissed and expelled too.” 

“Well. Even the ever-tolerant Sadamitsu Usami, said I had no choice but to banish Nagao Masakage. The ruthless Yamato Naoe recommended that I execute Masakage. But I couldn’t do either. Justice and mercy in one body. You must not murder a person who you defeated in war. 

And Masakage was my older sister’s husband. If I banished him, I would also have to banish my older sister. It is the mission of Bishamonten to defeat villains, and reform them into a virtuous person. So I kept fighting, winning, and forgiving. And yet, each time I forgave and forgave him, Nagao Masakage became more stuck-up. Every time he was pardoned by me, he got even more angry.” 

However, there was a point that I could feel sympathy for Masakage. Naoe Yamato 

thought up a plan to get him married. He was made to marry my older sister, and was included into the head family. Naoe protected me, but it left a very bad aftertaste for Masakage, Kenshin let out a deep sigh. 

“As a result, you were exhausted from the series of battles in Kawanakajima and the rebellions in Echigo, and so you threw away your position as the daimyo of Echigo and ran away alone to Enryakuji Temple. A child with a sense of responsibility as strong as you, you tried to throw away your position completely. It was truly harsh.” 

Kenshin sniffled a little. 

Because it is shameful, please don’t look at me right now, she implored in a thin voice. 

“Because I have poor night vision, it’s alright. Did you meet Gousei-ossan in Enryakuji Temple?” 

“Yes. In Enryakuji Temple, I was stopped by the monk Gousei. Enryakuji Temple is 

prohibited to women, even if you become a monk, you will live your life as an outcast. He would not quit being the head priest of the Tendai Sect. I was not used to the social position of the armed monks either. So it is difficult to show justice in these chaotic times. To have the power to show justice while choosing the path of the monk, if that is the case Mt. Koya is better. In the case of Mt. Koya, it doesn’t have the law prohibiting women like Enryakuji Temple. So I left Enryakuji Temple and the capital to far away Kii. I went to Mt. Koya. Now that I think about it, Gousei was buying time. Buying time to call the men from Echigo.” 

While running away to Mt. Koya, Uesugi Kenshin hadn’t yet succeed the Kanto 

administrator Uesugi house, and was introducing herself as “Nagao Kagetora.” 

Because Kenshin (Kagetora) is a woman, she couldn’t climb to the summit of Mt. Koya immediately. 

In a small one room temple at the foot of the mountain, she entered discussions with the abbot asking “please allow me to enter the priesthood.” 

However the discussions didn’t progress. 

Without being defeated in battle, and without losing a country, that the “Dragon of Echigo”, the young daimyo of Echigo that was feared as being unrivaled with an undefeated record, fled her country and abandoned her social position in the samurai family to become a priest was unprecedented. It also perplexed the Mt. Koya monks that the daimyo was a Himekishi. 

However they couldn’t handle Kagetora roughly. 

Kagetora had gone to the capital the previous year and had an audience with Himiko and the Yamato Gosho. The Kampaku, Sakihisa Konoe, and the other nobles present were captivated by the divinity that spilled from her, her distinctive features, and her eloquent speech. The master swordsman that stood at the summit of the Muromachi Shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, was deeply impressed saying “you are a hero of these chaotic times” and “if you subjugate evil and let righteousness be known, when the time comes you will lead the Echigo army under the shogunate’s control and become the ruler of the whole country”. She was, so to speak, the military commander who was closest to ruling the whole country and was requested to return to the capital leading her soldiers. 

That Kagetora would throw away everything secular and desire to be a priest was 

incomprehensible to the monks, Enryakuji Temple’s Shoukakuin Gousei urged her “You are that lady that shows the people justice through the military arts, you mustn’t become a priest until these chaotic times are over”, and prolonged the discussions and bought time. 

The excessively honest Kagetora didn’t understand the situation behind the scenes. 

While swinging her bamboo and waiting for the day that she can ascend the mountain - Both the strategist of Echigo, Usami Sadamitsu, and the prime minister, Naoe Yamato came. 

Usami Sadamitsu had a tall figure but was an unfashionable man that always had sleepy eyes. He had been raising Kagetora to be an elegant person as “Echigo’s first Himekishi” since she was young. 

Usami Sadamitsu who had his clan destroyed in battle against Echigo and Kagetora’s father Nagao Tamekage and spent time as a vagrant possessed a strange conviction. “It is the survival of the fittest, Echigo can’t be run by a rough male commander.” The chaotic era won’t end through battle. It’s useless unless we have a Himekishi that is like the goddess worshiped by Honbyo Temple’s followers. 

The girl that matched his ideal was Kagetora. 

“Kagetora. Isn’t it fine now. We were wrong! What is the reason for your fit this time? 

Me? Was my rabbit crest bad? Or was it your long hair? Could it possibly be that? Oh. It became your time of the month and you ran away so I wouldn’t notice? Oh, there is such a thing because you are a Himekishi. Just come home. Everyone in Echigo, both the commanders and the people, are troubled.” 

Although Usami Sadamitsu advocated his favorite rabbit crest andwasn’t good at 

understanding a girl’s mind or proper time and place, he was usually one of the few men that Kagetora could truly forgive in her heart. But this time he finally enraged Kagetora. 

“Usami! I didn’t run away for such childish reasons! I have already become disgusted of the male samurai of Echigo! Whenever there is an opening, ‘I want you to let me make you my bride, let me do it, bear my child,’ all of the guys are like filthy beasts! Who am I? Aren’t I the daimyo of Echigo, Nagao Kagetora? Why do the men not recognize me as their official master?” 

Ah…that is, Kagetora. It’s because you are woman who is too beautiful. It is the destiny of human men to worship, Usami scratched his head helplessly, and had a short tea break. 

“At the beginning of our battle at Kawanakajima, I was completely disgusted by Nagao Masakage. When that fellow holds wicked thoughts towards you, the other men are stirred up as well. It becomes a vicious cycle. I’ll do it this way. I will create a suitable plot, and you will banish Nagao Masakage. If that fellow disappears, will you come back to Echigo?” 

“Don’t say such stupid things Usami! I can’t banish the husband of my elder sister! Or are you also going to banish my elder sister from Echigo?” 

But Kagetora. As long as you remain single, this turmoil will continue. When you who grew up into a beauty grows older the situation will change, but that story is a long way off…Usami scratched at his head some more while drinking the bitter tea. Kagetora became increasingly displeased to see the dandruff gently falling. 

“Rather, you’ll have to withdraw your vow of celibacy. Why must you not have a 

husband if you are the incarnation of Bishamonten?” 

“That’s foolish. If I do such a thing I will die. When I fall in love with a man, I’ll die. 

When father died, Bishamonten appeared before me and said so.” 

“Uh, Kagetora. That is just the illusion of your own heart saying so. Even I can do an imitation of Bishamonten. Look, look. Look at my favorite stuffed bunny. Let’s talk to the bunny now. “Ku, usagi-chan! I am friends with Bishamonten! Kage-chan, return home! If Kage-chan isn’t there, Kasugayama will be very lonely!”” 

“……” 

Kagetora silently grabbed the stuffed rabbit that Usami was puppeteering, and and threw it off the porch to the bottom of the cliff. 

“UWAAAAAA!? WHAT HAVE YOU DOOOOONE!? USA-CHAN!? I’LL GO AND 

GET YOU BAAAACK! THIS IS STUFFED ANIMAL MURDER!” 

“When I see a rabbit, I remember my appearance in a mirror and it becomes unpleasant.” 

“Why does it become unpleasant? You who has become such a beautiful woman, 

growing into a beauty that everyone envies, you think it is stupid? What a waste!” 

“Usami. If I marry someone, Echigo will become even more turbulent than now. The 

Nagao household and the vassal corps will be divided, all of the Echigo townspeople will be left adrift, and the farmers will lose their fields and starve to death. If you doubt it, will you try to be my husband?” 

“Hah? I am something like your big brother, don’t say something stupid. Oh. It has been difficult to handle you since you reached marriageable age, Kagetora. I miss the little girl that was called Torachiyo.” 

“You and Naoe Yamato brought me up this way. You taught me the thing called 

righteous war, and Naoe Yamato showed me the ways of Buddha to forgive the enemy with mercy. I have practiced both. Why are you complaining now?” 

“That’s right…I apologize for the adults who forced our selfish dreams and ideal on you from a young age. However. If you become the incarnation of Bishamonten when you fall in love you’ll die, such nonsense is from neither myself nor Naoe. Kagetora, you started to tell yourself that when you lost your father in battle. I think now, that when you began to equate yourself with Bishamonten, I should have knocked you down and corrected you….at that time it possibly might have made it worse. Such a gallant child, I was moved. It’s unexpected, that you would become a troublesome girl who won’t allow a man to come near when you reached marriageable age and who secludes herself in Bishamondo to communicate with Bishamonten.” 

“I should have let Kagetora read the ‘Tale of Genji’ before she became the God of War Bishamonten, no, in fact Hikaru Genji’s very existence was needed,” Usami grumbled while blowing his nose. 

“Hey Naoe! Stop eavesdropping and come out! You do something!” 

“Dear me! If it’s the role of quelling Ojou-sama’s frustration, it should be you Usami-sama. Isn’t it my job to speak harshly and say things bluntly that anger Ojou-sama?” 

A thin man with pale cheeks – Naoe Yamato reluctantly entered the room. 

Echigo’s prime minister. 

He also experienced the bitterness of having his whole family ruined due to wars with Echigo. However he saw a different hope in Kagetora than Usami. 

Originally Naoe Yamato found a resourcefulness and divinity equal to Buddha in 

Kagetora, and advised her to become a priest. He was opposed by Usami Sadamitsu who suggested that she become a samurai. 

The tender-hearted Kagetora wasn’t able to discard either of them. She inherited both dreams the two men had together. 

Abandoning the way of life of a human, taking a vow of celibacy and living an isolated life as Bishamonten, pursuing a righteous war to take back order and righteousness in a Japan that had lost it, Kagetora shouldered such difficulties. 

Naoe Yamato made up his mind to give everything in his life to such a Kagetora, and personally declared that he would be a bachelor for life and go through life single. 

The person who had the achievement of protecting the defenseless child from the ways of erotic love of Nagao Masakage who sticks to Kagetora, it was this Naoe Yamato. 

After all, it was Naeo Yamato who used foul play to get Nagao Masakage to marry 

Kagetora’s older sister as a way to restrain Masakage. 

Kagetora can’t be forcibly snatched any more by Masakage as she is his ‘wife’s younger sister’, he could say that now. 

“Naoe Yamato. Did you come too? Kagetora won’t return to Echigo anymore. Both of 

you, go home immediately!” 

“Ojou-sama. You can’t be a priest of Mt. Koya. I will even stop you using my resources. 

I have already begun appealing to the Yamato Gosho and the Shogunate. Konoe Sakihisa-sama and Ashikaga Yoshiteru-sama have already become extremely upset. In the capital of Kyoto they are making a fuss like the end of the world has come.” 

“Naoe. You are always like that! Sneakily making preparations behind my back! A 

samurai should fight openly like a samurai family!” 

“Huhuhu, this is my style. Ojou-sama? There are only two solutions we can reach here.” 

“What is the first?” 

“Take the bet of whether or not Echigo falls, and get married to Usami-sama. If another person became your husband Echigo will split apart, Usami-sama is unexpectedly suitable and everyone will say “my sympathies, Usami-sama is now henpecked by Kagetora-sama.” While sympathizing with you, everyone might give up.” 

Usami Sadamitsu spat out his tea. Kagetora’s complexion turned from blue to red and the bamboo in her hand began to shake violently. 

“A-a-a-a-absolutely not! I would rather become a priest than break my oath of celibacy!” 

“The other plan is to give up becoming a priest and return as the daimyo of Echigo while protecting your vow of celibacy. Many of Echigo’s generals would have learned their lesson a little with this. But, even if you return to Kasugayama castle empty-handed as is, something like this will soon happen again. The man with evil intentions who will try to make Ojou-sama his will come out by any means. Even if it’s prohibited and forbidden, the beings called humans will desire the forbidden fruit.” 

“I know that! So let me hear what you would do, Naoe!” 

“Assassinate the man who is the head of the family members obsessed with Ojou-sama, Nagao Masakage-sama. Forgiving evil, forgiving rebellion, but killing only the person who tries to violate the divine incarnation of Bishamonten, show it to the the vassal corps. Thus Echigo will be unified.” 

Naoe Yamato, a man who would calmly get involved in any conspiracy if it was for the sake of Kagetora. 

Different in some respects from the clever Usami, he could be said to be a bureaucrat of the realist faction. 

While Kagetora trembled in anger, with a snap she hit Naeo Yamato’s shoulder with the bamboo. 

“Assassinate my older sister’s husband? Bishamonten would never approve such 

cowardly actions. I will become a villain equal to Takeda Shingen!” 

“It is said that two great men cannot coexist. Unless I have Nagao Masakage who aims at Ojou-sama and the position of daimyo of Echigo die, Ojou-sama will not truly become the head of Echigo.” 

“Absolutely not that. It…I can’t do that!” 

“Oh. By any chance does Ojou-sama hate that man? The reason you can’t kill him is merely because he is the husband of your older sister.” 

“Naoe Yamato! You always try to manipulate my heart in this way! No matter what you say, that is the skill you use! It isn’t your true feelings! I have grown accustomed to it! I will never approve of assassination! But if I return to Echigo like this, I’ll run away again. I also know that! Torachiyo, no, Kagetora, I don’t want to come into contact with men anymore! I don’t want you to swear your loyalty! While hiding the ugly lustful desire to defile me behind a sham of offering loyalty, that is a man! The exceptions are only you two, Kageie Kakizaki, and an extremely few others. I won’t return to Echigo!” 

Persuading Ojou-sama will be difficult this time, a man like Naoe Yamato broke into a cold sweat and groaned. 

“What to do, Usami-sama?” 

“If it comes to this, should we marry you to Kageie Kakizaki? That fellow is more fixated on Buddha than Bishamonten.” 

“No. Whoever the partner is, Ojou-sama won’t consent to it. Because she has obstinately become convinced that if she falls in love she will die.” 

“Naoe! It is because you brainwashed her into taking a vow of celibacy! For now you need to stop being a lifelong bachelor! Go marry someone! 

If you, her sworn friend and ally give up being a lifelong bachelor, Kagetora may also change her mind.” 

“I refuse. If I abandon my oath of being single for my life that I adopted as proof of my loyalty to Ojou-sama, I will be reduced to just an ordinary, cold-blooded, underhanded prime-minister. Excuse me from that. If it is for Ojou-sama I will completely dirty my hands. It is against my aesthetics to abandon this one point.” 

Every one of these guys….this is why all of these people who are crazy about god and Buddha are troublesome…ugh…while Usami was gnashing his teeth, the “third man” who nobody expected stepped in suddenly. 

A toned muscular body. 

Thick black eyebrows. 

A glint in his eye like a hungry wolf. 

The man who, while married to Kagetora’s sister, is an ambitious military commander still obsessed with Kagetora. 

“Nagao Masakage? Wait a minute. Why have you come?” 

“You should have been left as Echigo’s deputy daimyo. You could take over Echigo in our absence, why are you in Mt. Koya?’ 

“…Don’t come near me, Nagao Masakage! Attempting to get both sisters together, it is the act of a beast! You even gained a child with older sister! Shameless. Go back to elder sister!” 

Kagetora whose feelings were disturbed intensely cursed Masakage. 

“You already took my older sister as your wife! Know that there is never a day that you can obtain this Kagetora alive!” 

Nagao Masakage sat down on the tatami with a thud and pierced Kagetora with his 

ferocious gaze. 

“It’s a pity Kagetora. Did you become fed up with your pretend Bishamonten game, and escaped to Mt. Koya at last? It seems that it has become hard to hold your vow of celibacy throughout your life while being the head of a samurai family. If you become a priest you can escape. But I won’t let you flee. No, this time I’m not going to let you free.” 

“This shitty idiot! You won’t chase down this Kagetora anymore!” Usami tried to restrain Masakage, but Naoe Yamato stopped Usami with his eyes, “Anyways, I’ll let you say what you want to say. Something might happen.” 

“Run away? This Kagetora? From you?” 

“That’s right. You ran away from me. You were frightened by my courtship and ran 

away. But it isn’t only that. You are going to escape from everyone’s lives.” 

“Masakage! I don’t fear you! Even if you think yourself to be strong, you haven’t become one of Bishamonten’s rivals. I will win if I battle with you. Even if I fight you one hundred times, I will win one hundred times. You are the husband of my older sister. Therefore, know that I use my heart of mercy!” 

“Hmm. Kagetora. You are certainly born as a genius of war. You will win if you fight. 

Usami Sadamitsu’s strategy, and Naoe Yamato’s underhanded manipulations, you don’t need either of them. Since the creation of Japan, the only genius to be equal to you in battle would only be Minamoto Yoshitsune. I can understand the reason that you were not stopped in posing as Bishamonten. However, you are weak. Weak at heart. When it becomes suffocating, you will immediately try to run away from reality. It’s because you don’t want to be hurt that you insist that you are the incarnation of Bishamonten and not a human being. Since your father was killed in the riot, you have continued trying to escape the harsh reality in front of you. On that day, you stopped living as a human being. It’s frightening to be hurt. You want to die as the unrivaled undefeated god of war. You are scared of being defeated in battle. You are even afraid of living as a human. That you will awaken to the feeling of love and it won’t come to fruition, that thought burns in your body. You suffer and struggle, and you can’t do it. You have no such courage. If you have a vow of celibacy from the beginning though, you will never be disappointed in love.” 

Usami and Naoe were watching the exchange between the two of them with baited breath. 

Nagao Masakage came with the intention to die. If I am to be robbed of Kagetora by Mt. 

Koya-san forever, I would rather say everything I want to say to Kagetora. For Nagao Masakage who could be called a lump of ambition, to the young Himekishi Kagetora – he was an existence that always yearned for her and would bet it all without a single regret. 

“But before you, a nemesis called Takeda Harunobu appeared. That Takeda Harunobu, she can’t quit while she is ahead. If you take up the destiny to go to war with that Himekishi, eventually one of you will be dragged to the ground. Now that you have faced Takeda Harunobu, being the incarnation of Bishamonten, your war of justice, your heart of compassion, and your confidence to persist to these pipe dreams faded away. Therefore you escaped without care for your appearance.” 

Her rival that she hadn’t been able to settle her fight with two times in Kawanakajima, Takeda Harunobu – later Takeda Shingen. 

“…Don’t speak the name of Takeda Harunobu in such a way! A man who is covered in 

blood and greed like you! Don’t dishonor me and Harunobu!” 

Masakage’s abuse, Kagetora had endured it stoically. 

But the moment that name was mentioned, she became enraged and lost control. 

“You! What do you understand about us?” 

While letting her bitter tears overflow, she slammed the bamboo on Masakage’s hard head and bulky chest. 

While Masakage became covered in blood, he continued staring at Kagetora with a small smile 

From this day forward. 

Kagetora – Uesugi Kenshin returned to Echigo with Usami Sadamitsu and Naoe Yamato. 

To Nagao Masakage who returned earlier, Kagetora made a vow. 

“Masakage. I will never run away. I will not escape. You don’t have the power to drag me from the world of the heavens.” 

“That may be so. But I will win in the end. Even if I become a corpse and exist only as a soul, I will surely drag you to earth.” Masakage only laughed fearlessly. 

And then – the fourth decisive battle was carried out in Kawanakajima. Immediately after, the Echigo Army and the Takeda army took massive damage. 

The strategist Usami Sadamitsu and the treacherous fiend Nagao Masakage both drowned while boating together in a lake. Kenshin designated Masakage’s child as her adopted daughter, the many holy crusades were rewarded, and Echigo which was on the brink of breaking up due to the battles in Kawanakajima, at last completely unified under Kenshin. 

Naoe Yamato was the only one of the three men who detained Kenshin in Mt. Koya who survived. After the mysterious death of the two of them, he suddenly grew old, fell sick, and quietly died. Naoe Yamato followed his lifelong oath of celibacy until the end. 

He entrusted Kenshin with the Himekishi, Naoe Kanetsugu, who Usami Sadamitsu had 

introduced him to and who he had raised as his own adopted daughter. 

After leaving the haunted house, Kenshin talked about it even after she began walking down the road on her own feet. 

Usami Sadamitsu. Naoe Yamato. Nagao Masakage. 

The story of the men who lived with Kenshin, sometimes quarreled, and then disappeared across Echigo. 

Yoshiharu remembered. 

Uesugi Kenshin is not some mutant genius that suddenly descended to earth, she was raised by a large number of people in war-torn Echigo. She was loved, built up hostility while fighting against others, and was treated as a miracle or the crystallization of a dream. 

But in Echigo there were only male commanders. Kenshin’s existence was too dazzling, an existence that drove many male commanders crazy with ambition. 

That is why Kenshin confined herself in Bishamondo, where she wouldn’t need to maintain her vow of celibacy. 

Yoshiharu had thought she was an ice princess who had completely shut herself up in a fortress of ice. 

“Do you understand the reason that I flew into a rage at Oda Nobuna? Sagara Yoshiharu. 

That woman who obtained the power of the Three Sacred Treasures, steals the world, climbs to these heights, is equal to God, won’t stop living as a human being, and declared to all of Japan that she won’t throw away love. If felt like she completely denied my way of life. 

“It’s a misunderstanding Kenshin. Nobuna has no intention on personally becoming a God. She will live as a human girl to the end. She wants to end the era that depends on god’s miracles and fears the curses of vengeful spirits. She chose the future where human beings can live using the power of humans. That is the path Nobuna chose. Because the fellow is easily misunderstood, she is called a demon king that runs wild in order to destroy the gods and exterminate traditions.” 

“There is no credibility to that when she displayed her own image in Soken Temple.” 

“That is only to make fun of you who calls yourself the incarnation of Bishamonten.” 

“Excuse me? Even if that’s the case I have no choice but to destroy Oda Nobuna!” 

“Now now, calm down. But, while Nagao Masakage is a selfish man that continued to stubbornly make advances to you while making your older sister his wife, there might be some truth in Masakage’s words. Kenshin, you have become stuck…you seem to live only for vows to the deceased.” 

For some reason Uesugi Kenshin was irritating, and Yoshiharu couldn’t stand it. 

To meet each other only once in Kyoto and only spend half a day in Azuchi, it wasn’t a situation where he could interfere with her lifestyle, even if he understood the reason. 

“You plan on ridiculing me? Do you also say that I am a child who is playing as 

Bishamonten? That to protect my heart from the shock of seeing the figure of my father lose in battle and die in front of me, I began to say that I am the incarnation of Bishamonten? No. I inherited my will from Usami and Naoe.” 

Kenshin jabbed the bamboo into Yoshiharu’s shoulder while flushing. 

“I think that your will that chose to live as Bishamonten to show justice in these chaotic times is precious and beautiful. I think that Usami-san and Naoe-san above all also found a beautiful dream in your pure heart. Certainly, someone must lead the people, or there will be no end to these chaotic times. You have that power. But, while it is important to inherit the will of the deceased, the future is necessary to live as a human being. The hope for the future. The present you is bound by your promises with Bishamonten and the deceased, I feel that you haven’t lived your own life for a single day. 

“Well. Having a life where you pretend to be the elegant Hikaru Genji that exchanges kisses with his lover, to you it might seem so. But that kind of thing…though it might be necessary for human beings, it is unnecessary for Bishamonten.” 

“All day long you are taking a break from your journey?” 

“No. According to the words of Bishamonten, there is little left of my life. When I consign Oda Nobuna to oblivion, my life as Bishamonten will be over. From the start I thought that I couldn’t live for a long time. Because I was born with such a weak body. With a childlike figure of an ugly rabbit. So I don’t want to have any regrets. Uesugi Kenshin was the genuine commander of justice who gave everything to righteousness, she was the true Bishamonten. If the people of the future will hand that story down, I won’t regret having a short life. Rather than living for a long time and being left with regrets by exposing myself to disgraceful behavior and being branded as disqualified from being Bishamonten. If I carry through my life of abstinence and end my life with an unrivaled undefeated record, when I return to heaven as the true Bishamonten, Naoe Yamato and Usami Sadamitsu who raised me will surely be pleased.” 

Kenshin muttered that while smiling. 

“Kenshin! That’s wrong!” 

Yoshiharu grabbed Kenshin’s shoulder and shouted. 

The blood instantly went to his head. 

Why had he become so enraged like this, Yoshiharu didn’t know, and Kenshin really didn’t know. 

“Th, that hurts. What’s wrong? Sagara, Yoshiharu?” 

“I never met Usami Sadamitsu or Naoe Yamato, but I can only say this! Even if you die having finished becoming Bishamonten like that, Usami and Naoe won’t be happy! 

They will absolutely be sad! ‘Where did we take the wrong path’, they will have those regrets!” 

“D, don’t say such a selfish thing! Why can you say such a thing? You haven’t ever met or talked with Usami!” 

“Because I am a man, I understand it somehow! The men of Echigo didn’t worship a 

goddess called Bishamonten! They brought up the human called Uesugi Kenshin and were only trying to protect you! Neither Usami nor Naoe recommend that you stop being a human being. 

Why did you feel you had to become Bishamonten?” 

“It’s a different way of thinking! Our lives are just a momentary glimmer. An empty dream of 19 years. The glory of one’s lifetime. A cup of wine. Human life is really short and transient, everyone dies in the end without being able to accomplish their goals. Like my father. 

Older brother. Usami, Naoe. Nagao Masakage. Everyone, everybody died halfway! My life is shorter than them. I want to be the guidepost for all of the people at least. After I have died, I can be believed in as the incarnation of Bishamonten, to emit the light of justice from the skies, I want to be such a person! To end the chaotic era where the hearts of the people have been hardened like beasts, someone has to do it. Because I don’t want to break off Usami’s will. I don’t want to accept the ending that his life was a farce! Therefore I cut off my bond of camaraderie, and even continued fighting against Takeda Shingen! I was fine. If I become a star of Bishamonten that shines from heaven after having died, even if I can’t live a single day as a human girl, I won’t have any regrets!” 

Ah. This child is too kind to live as a Warring States general. Too pure. You burdened yourself with everyone’s expectations, so you broke off your friendship with Takeda Shingen and secluded yourself in Bishamondo in solitude, and chose to live while leading as the God of War, Yoshiharu understood. 

The feelings of the male commanders of Echigo that repeatedly courted and rebelled against Kenshin, he began to understand them a little. If you are not able to drag this lonely girl to earth, you have no choice but to worship this girl completely as the goddess Bishamonten as she wishes. “When alone, she gives up.” 

“Kenshin, I went too far. I’m sorry. You did your best. It’s amazing. To accomplish so much with such a small body is something that no one could imitate. But. It is already enough. 

You have already shown justice often enough in these chaotic times.” 

“It isn’t enough yet! It’s never enough! Takeda Shingen and Oda Nobuna are not going to throw away their ambition to conquer the world! Show me the evidence that it is enough!” 

“I am the evidence. Bishamonten that was revered as a God from the past, and a mere human like me who came from the future, which exists in front of your eyes?” 

“Though there is no evidence that Bishamonten exists, there is also no evidence that you came from the future? I have never met such an aggravating man like you, Sagara Yoshiharu!” 

“Ooh. This obstinate person!” 

“If you came from the future, you would also know my future. You should be able to defeat me in battle? Can you beat me? If you can win against me, I might believe your words!” 

“Kenshin? Would you say those lines to Takeda Shingen? No, it’s useless to exchanges words like this…your real face without the mask of Bishamonten, it’s too short-tempered.” 

PCHAK, his cheek was hit by the bamboo. 

“Shut up! Enough, don’t follow me anymore! I will escape from this Azuchi alone!” 

“So go on! The long-awaited festival will become a scene of carnage! Kenshin, didn’t you promise? You would spend all of today as just a girl? If you break your promise with me, it will go against your justice!” 

“Ugh!? H, h, how mean, Sagara Yoshiharu…” 

“Shut up! You keep relentlessly hitting me with that bamboo like I’m a monkey. It isn’t mean at all, if you are Justice Commander then keep your promise!” 

While her small shoulders shook with anger and humiliation, Kenshin nodded with teary eyes. 

“…U, uu…I love animals. I don’t hit monkeys with bamboo…I’m only swatting a vulgar human… I’m angry. Angry. Sagara Yoshiharu…… I hate you!” 

“Oh, that’s a better face than that of the Bishamonten standing in the heavens! Hate me as much as you like! Still, it’s dusk, there is time until the person that is supposed to pick you comes. I’ll show you around Azuchi, I’ll show you a few things that aren’t in Echigo’s Bishamondo! The future man!” 

“Just a minute. Where are you going to take me? No way, you are going to find an excuse to throw me to the ground, I’ll be attacked! Men are always like that!” 

“In the whole world there isn’t any man that can safely attack the god of war, Uesugi Kenshin! I want to take you straight to the future world, but it isn’t possible to open the Amano-Iwato anymore. As a substitute for the future world, Namban culture!” 

The place that Yoshiharu brought Kenshin to – If was the first Christian seminary in Japan. 

On the bank of the canal that flows from Lake Biwa, there was the large grounds of the seminary. 

The performing group that had assembled in the large garden was centered on a pipe organ brought by the Nambans and was playing western music. 

In the garden, the young uniformed samurai boys and girls from throughout Japan had gathered around the young missionary Organtino who had become the school principal, and were noisily eating rice. 

“Oh, Yoshiharu-san! Wow, long time no see! Who is that teru teru bozu next to you? Oh, you are accompanied by your younger sister!” 

A good person who is willing to help others, Orgatino seemed to be liked by other children. His gynophobia also doesn’t seem to appear if his companions are little girls, he was definitely suitable as the first headmaster of the seminary. 

“Oh. Is that it? It seems the children are still increasing? It feels like the Orgatino kindergarten is opening in opposition to the Sagara kindergarten!” 

“Yes. Not only from the areas around Kyoto, it seems the children of the Christian families all the way in Kyushu have come to Azuchi to study abroad~. Hyuga’s Ito clan, Nagasaki’s Arima clan and Omura clan, even the samurai children of Bungo’s Otomos. 

“I see. There are many Christians in Kyushu.” 

“However in Kyushu now, the Shimazus of Satsuma that hate Christians seem to be 

going on a rampage to drive out the Nambans. The Christian daimyos of Kyushu are all going to need to rely on Nobuna-sama who rules over the whole country. If the retainer troops of the Otomos are divided into a Christian and Buddhist group, it would be a serious situation for the missionary work in the Warring States Era Japan.” 

“The Shimazu are certainly incredibly strong…are you okay?” 

“The missionary Gaspard-sama who is in Kyushu, he stirred up Otomo-sama too much to make the Country of God in Hyuga of all places. Because it is a sacred ground that holds the legend that the gods descended in Hyuga, Shimazu Iehisa seems to have lost it. Gaspard-sama seems to think that he can completely wipe out the old culture of this country and make it a Christian nation…it is troubling.” 

“Is that the missionary that sent the Magatama to Gamo Ujisato to send me back to the future? When doing missionary work in Japan, would I who came from the future be a hindrance? But, to be aware of the power of the Magatama is quite suspicious. He isn’t an ordinary missionary.” 

“Yes. He has the appearance of a beautiful gentlemen, but he is a terrible man who will use any means at his disposal. Otomo-sama has been completely taken by him…he will meet Nobuna-sama eventually. I’m worried about Nobuna-sama.” 

“Because Nobuna has me it isn’t a problem! Never mind that let’s eat, it is a festival today!” 

“Oh, yes. Alright!” 

While Orgatino was giving the children meals in turn, Kenshin stared at Orgatino and tilted her head with a “?”. 

“This is a Namban missionary…this is my first time seeing one. It’s strange, the color of his hair and his skin color, even the color of his eyes is similar to mine.” 

“Isn’t it because white people have little pigment that they are called white people? By the way, conversely there are black people with black skin. In the future, everyone lives together normally.” 

“If their skin is so white, there are many people who call themselves Bishamonten aren’t there?” 

“There aren’t any people like that! In future Japan, I think there are many white people?” 

Is that how it is, Kenshin stared blankly. 

“Um. Who is the younger sister that is accompanying you Yoshiharu-san? The number increased a lot. That’s right. I believe the teru teru bozu is Norinosuke-chan?” 

“That’s wrong. I am the Echigo’s god of war, Uesugi Kenshin. Best regards.” 

“Uwa! Yes, yes! Norinosuke! This is Norinosuke! She has been saying some slightly bothersome things today, don’t worry about it!” 

Yoshiharu suggested that Orgatino adopt the dining method called “barbecue” on this day. 

Originally it was a seminary for the children of the Christian samurais, but on the day of the Azuchi Castle’s grand opening festival, “This is the Namban School.” “That bizarre musical instrument. Because Organtino is playing it, it sounds like “Organ”? “It smells so good!” The garden of the building was crowded by a great crowd of sightseers and tourists who gathered in obvious curiosity. 

“Tourist-sans. Today we are selling a Namban dish which we brought over from 

Nagasaki~. I will use the proceeds as funds for the seminary, by all means purchase some~! We are making money little by little!” 

Orgatino who had become completely accustomed to the language of Sakai’s merchants recommended the Namban cooking to Yoshiharu and Kenshin with a “by all means feel free.” 

“Come on Norinosuke-chan. Please have the excellent castella of Spain!” 

“I find Namban cakes unpleasant…amu…oh…sweet…howaaa~…” 

Oh, Kenshin who had been so moody began to happily smile and squirm in happiness 

with a single bite. 

Castellas are incredible! Yoshiharu was impressed. 

But Kenshin who was eating a castella for the first time in her life was more impressed. 

“What is this…what is this…delicious…delicious!” 

“It seems to have suited your tastes! At first glance it looks like it is the color of blood, but it isn’t blood. It is wine. Oh, but a child should only have a little. Because it is alcohol. 

“Because I am not a child it isn’t a problem. I’ll receive…open up…oh, it is 

sweet…although it is liquor it is sweet…fu, fuaaaaaa……!?” 

Kenshin staggered around while flushing. 

Yoshiharu who hurriedly supported her back, was beaten on the head with the bamboo and a “rude fellow.” 

“Fua…hic. Hic? I wonder what that was. I believed I was strong against alcohol…oh. 

Feet. My feet are unsteady…Sagara Yoshiharu, support me without touching me…auu.” 

“Don’t say unreasonable things! Well Organtino. The sun hasn’t set yet, will you begin what I suggested? You know, the ‘dance party.’ I’m sorry, that was English.” 

“I understand. Today is a festival! While playing popular music in the gardens, we sing and dance. Gregorian chants are standard in the seminary, but because Yoshiharu-san said ‘You dance during the O-bon festival in Japan’, I’ll do it. 

The children and pupils yelled “Oooh!” and formed boy and girl pairs and made a ring. 

While there were some boy and boy pairs and girl and girl pairs among them too, since they were children it wasn’t a problem. 

However, for Uesugi Kenshin, it was a big problem. 

“Sagara Yoshiharu? Wh, why are you grabbing my hand and pulling me by my waist? S, Stop. F, filthy.” 

“Now, now. Put aside rank and party. This is known as the O-bon Festival dance. Have you ever danced with somebody in a festival in this way? 

“That would be impossible. I am the daimyo of Echigo, leader of Kanto, the unrivaled undefeated god of war, Bishamonten…..release my hand! 

“Compared to the normal O-bon dance that was generally relaxed, both the choreography and music are the future method this time. Because we will be dancing extremely quickly there isn’t any time to be embarrassed.” 

“Our first piece is the latest popular song that is sweeping over Europe. It is Luca Marenzio’s ‘A Roma’, although the original song is acappella, we’ll play it lively like a Zipangu festival! Everybody, make a pair and join hands!” 

Orgatino stood in front of the pipe organ and began to bang on the keyboard while his hair became disheveled. “Uaaaaa! The music is an explosion! Though I am normally timid and frightened by girls, I am only different when playing music! Fiercely in the future method! 

Deliver my feelings to Rome!” The musical performance by the boys and girls began. 

“Just a minute. Wait. What am I doing?” 

“There is no time to hesitate! Spin and twirl, dance and dance!” 

“D,d,d,d, don’t lift my body without permission!” 

“That is the choreography! Because you are light, I can spin and turn while lifting you. 

Hiya!” 

“Aaah! I’m getting dizzy! Stop it!” 

Kenshin who ate the wine and had gotten drunk wasn’t able to resist. 

A Japanese festival with Namban music, even though the future dance that Yoshiharu taught Organtino wasn’t very detailed, it was enthusiastically blended and jumbled with the Trinity and became a mysterious musical performance. They sang at random and danced at a tremendous speed. 

Everyone continued dancing at 100-meter dash speeds. 

“This is great! This speed, this tempo, it’s amazing Yoshiharu-san! I am sure to be excommunicated if the pope heard it, but I don’t mind!” 

I have a hunch I just changed the history of music, Yoshiharu nodded carelessly. 

“Uoooo! The dance music I knew wasn’t difficult, but everything is great! I’m getting fired up! Next is the great turn the Giant Slalom! Here are the results of my training in the Murakami Navy!” 

“Che. Stop….Sagara…..KYAAAA!?” 

“Whirl, whirl! So light, so light! If I lose my hold you will go beyond the fence and splash into the canal! Ahahahah!” 

“Ukiiii! I’ll remember this!” 

While being literally swung around by Yoshiharu, it seems that Kenshin became furious and embarrassed by the foolishness. 

“It’s your turn next! I’ll give you unlimited spins!” 

Kenshin landed while staggering, and swung Yoshiharu’s arm that had grasped her. 

Yoshiharu’s body began to gently float, and then 

“Oh? Whoa whoa, u uwaaaaah!?” 

While his hand was still joined with Kenshin’s, Yoshiharu’s body began to spin around and around vertically in the air. 

“HIEEEEE!?” 

Kenshin would not let go of his hand. 

He started steadily going faster and faster. 

“Ahahaha! If I use my taijutsu for dancing, I can even do something like this! Sagara Yoshiharu! What a sorry state!” 

“I surrender, help, kueeeee! Oeeeeee!” 

“I won’t! If you want forgiveness, prostrate yourself and admit that you do not rival Bishamonten-sama! I’ll continue spinning you around and around until then!” 

“What is that? Who is Bishamonten!? Like hell I will prostrate myself! Oh, but I’m already at my limit oooooooeeeeee! What in the world is this ability, the so-called Aikido…? 

“Fufu. If Yoshiharu says ‘I surrender to Uesugi Kenshin-sama’ I’ll forgive you!” 

“Oh, thank you Kenshin-sama…I can’t call yourself by that name in front of so many people!” 

“…Ah. I forgot. It was unconscious.” 

“I have been waiting for you Sagara Yoshiharu! According to this Simeon’s predictions you would come by this seminary with the purpose of Frois’ breasts, but why on earth did you bring Uesugi Kenshin dressed as Otani Norinosuke? When Oda Nobuna’s eyes are off you are you having an affair with the Himekishi of other countries again? Are you an adult? Is it an adult relationship? You really can’t help being a would-be Hikaru Genji, mufu!” 

One girl with short hair that had mixed in with the child musical performers, stood up abruptly. 

It was Kuroda Kanbei. 

What luck! I have outwitted Hanbei, and now I can raise the beacon of the First-class KuroKan! All of you, catch Uesugi Kenshin! The greatest of deeds!” 

Aaaah! The child musical performers targeted and rushed at Kenshin and Yoshiharu. 

“Nene will also ambush! Ani-sama, having an affair with Uesugi Kenshin is a 

wrongdoing equal to treason! Be prepared!” 

“Damn! Of all things, to be found by Kanbei who doesn’t know how to listen! 

Furthermore there is Nene! Kenshin, it will be bad if the uproar spreads! Flee!” 

“Where do I run away to……ahh…it’s no good, because you were swinging me, my legs 

are unsteady…” 

“Even I was given centrifugal force at the same level as astronaut training and feel like vomiting! Hey, hey Kanbei, this isn’t a rebellion. Really. It’s different. That if a man and woman of age dance together it is an affair, I thought you had graduated from such childish thoughts!” 

“Because Simeon is a child, I don’t understand it, ahahaha! If I can exceed Hanbei who headed to Azuchi Castle! That will be fine!” 

“I beg you, please overlook it! If you push Kenshin into making a serious effort, the precious Azuchi festival will become a tragic bloodbath!” 

“Sim, I thought you would say that! For whenever you blundered in, I prepared a number of traps in the seminary! Now, catch them!” 

“Oh no. You aren’t just reading the books on Namban military science, you even read the Tale of Genji! You said that you don’t like it if it isn’t a Namban one, but romances are okay! 

Hanbei would understand the atmosphere and let us go!” 

“Hanbei is too sweet here! But as for this Simeon! I am not sweet! Whatever the reason! 

To overlook the enemy is the height of folly!” 

“Sit down there Ani-sama! I will deliver divine punishment on Ani-sama who betrayed Hime-sama again!” 

“Later, Nene! Kenshin, this is a problem let’s go jump into the canal now! Whenever I am at a loss, there always seems to be water behind me! I seem to have a fated connection with water. Hmm? Come to think of it, my ‘Sunomata overnight castle’ was on the water’s edge….” 

“Eh? Just a minute. I, can’t swim….” 

“Echigo’s princess can’t swim? Let’s go!” 

Yoshiharu picked up the unsteady Kenshin who let out an “uuu”, and crossed over the hedge that divided the garden and the canal. 

“Iyaaa…Iyaaaaaaaaa!” 

Although Kenshin was scared to death of the water around her, there was no room to hesitate. 

“Mu! They got away!? However, Simeon is good at swimming. And Yoshiharu has 

brought a hammer! Before you reach Lake Biwa, you’ll be caught in the narrow flow of the canal!” 

Uesugi Kenshin discovered! With this I have surpassed Hanbei! Kanbei, who was 

blinded by the size of her achievement and had a completely villainous expression, chose the shortest distance to reach the canal, and ran straight down the hill - 

Pop. 

“Waaaaa! I fell in one of the anti-Sagara Yoshiharu pitfalls I personally prepared! Augh!” 

Kanbei’s small body fell into one of the pitfall traps that had been set in the hill, and suddenly disappeared from Nene’s sight. 

“Ooh! Namban strategist-dono vanished! Uesugi Kenshin uses frightening magic!” 

“Aaaah! It’s dark! It’s narrow! It’s damp! Uuukukuk. Help meeeeee!” 

The cries of Kanbei who seems to have gained a phobia of dungeons echoed through the seminary’s garden. 

“Kuh, Kuh….uh….I haven’t almost drowned since I jumped from the Oyashirazu ridge 

into the Kujira Sea…. 

When Kenshin woke up while spitting up water, she was on the deck of a ship. 

This isn’t a ship that people board. It was floating on the banks of Lake Biwa, the sending ship for the O-bon festival. Brilliantly decorated with countless paper lanterns, it was the spirit ship. 

“…Sagara Yoshiharu. What is this?” 

“It’s for the O-bon festival. It is the spirit ship that sends off the souls of the dead. That an unmanned ship was floating in Lake Biwa was convenient, we were lucky. It seems like I am protected by something like a water spirit. Sunomata, Kizugawa, Seto sea, and Lake Biwa today. 

You seemed really weak in water, it was a little dangerous. You can’t return to land.” 

“I’ve never heard of something like a spirit ship. Furthermore, it’s a ship that is so big two people can get on.” 

It’s Nobuna’s preference. Nobuna who loves the sea especially loves Owari Tsushima’s Tenno Festival. The centerpiece of the Tennou Festival are the straw ships covered with countless lanterns. The shining ships are lined up in a row in the Tennou river.” 

“…So. While we are on the lake, it seems unlikely that pursuers will come for awhile. 

The sun is also beginning to fall over the horizon. By the way Sagara Yoshiharu, you didn’t steal my lips to blow breath into me did you?” 

“I, I didn’t do it. Why?” 

“I am Bishamonten. I am celibate for life. No matter what the reason is, if you kiss me I’ll kill you.” 

What a terrible story, Yoshiharu laughed. 

“Be a little afraid of a death sentence from Bishamonten!” 

“Because you had a voice like a kid while fainting, you were crying water is scary, scary. 

You muttered that you were going to be taken by Bishamonten.” 

“…Uuu…no…I don’t know.” 

Hmph, Kenshin turned away. 

“Oh, I’m hungry. Whoa, there is a lot of food piled up! Let’s eat!” 

Yoshiharu ate the takoyaki, crucian sushi, and mackerel somen that was loaded on the spirit boat. 

“Aren’t those offerings? Such blasphemy. Besides, the smell is terrible. Is there no plain food that doesn’t have an odor?” 

“Because the food is just for the festival, the seasoning is over the top. Oh, isn’t this the soy milk which I brought using a future recipe? It really is soy milk Kenshin. Here, replenish yourself with this.” 

“What is this? It’s the color of sake, but I’ll take it.” 

While pouring the snow-white soy milk into her favorite horseback cup, Kenshin looked at Azuchi Castle again. 

The job of decorating the whole mountain with paper lanterns was advancing steadily. 

“What are those lanterns? They have the same appearance as the ones loaded onto this ship.” 

“When the sun sets and night begins, the whole Azuchi castle will glow with the light of innumerable paper lanterns. To send back the souls of the dead who returned to earth. It’s a magnificent ceremonial bonfire using the entire mountain. It is the centerpiece of the Azuchi attraction that Nobuna thought up.” 

“Is that right. In this way, aren’t you sailing with the enemy general? Don’t you want to be together with your lover Oda Nobuna?” 

“Ah. The festival of Azuchi doesn’t have to be limited to today. You can bring in the next one as well. Because there is a girl who says dangerous things like she will die after the next battle before my eyes, I’m not able to leave.” 

“……Usami Sadamitsu and Nagao Masakage who couldn’t agree, they also had fun 

sailing on a lake, and died together.” 

“Now even I, after spending my first and last day as a human being, am sailing with a man who should be an enemy. It’s strange.” 

“It’s just a coincidence. I never planned on assassinating you? I also don’t have those sort of skills.” 

“Haha. All day long, you were never frightened by me. You don’t treat me like 

Bishamonten, you don’t treat me like the ruler of Kanto, you don’t even treat me like a Himekishi. Are you just really thick, or more courageous than anyone? Sagara Yoshiharu.” 

“I am defeated by you. You are daringly undertaking your fate to return to heaven with Nobuna.” 

“Yes. It’s already fine. I decided to swear an oath of celibacy, and cannot bear a child, I wanted to convey my aspirations to somebody,” Kenshin said. 

“I found the person who will succeed my justice. Naoe Kanetsugu. The Himekishi who Usami Sadamitsu found, and Naoe Yamato raised as his adopted child. When that child grew up through her encounters and battles with Bontenmaru of Oshuu into a full-fledged Himekishi, I thought that my mission on earth is almost over. However, when Naoe Kanetsugu came back to Echigo after finishing her war with Bontenmaru, she began to say strange things.” 

“Is that right. Was the word ‘love’? She took the crest of love.” 

“Why do you know that?” 

“The Justice Commander, Naoe Kanetsugu who succeeded the will of Uesugi Kenshin, 

she stood on the battlefield using a helmet with the crest of love. In the future four hundred years from now, all of the Sengoku Era fans know about it. There are a lot of theories that it is the 

“love” of Ragaraja rather than love meaning affection, because the Japanese put many meanings into a single word. Play on words like that.” 

“That reminds me, at first Kanetsugu had insisted that this crest is read charming not love. I laughed that it was a pun. Naoe Kanetsugu’s name is also transmitted to the future?” 

“Yes. As the famous general who inherited Uesugi Kenshin’s spirit of justice.” 

“Is that so. What a relief. Hey, Sagara Yoshiharu. My life was not a wasted effort right? 

Even in the future, is my father slandered as the ‘murderer of his master’?” 

“Of course. You worked so hard. The life of the Justice Commander, Uesugi Kenshin, is passed down in the future. There isn’t a single person who condemns your father as a murderer of his master. The brightness of the huge existence called Uesugi Kenshin, and the struggle of Naoe Kanetsugu to succeed the will of Uesugi Kenshi, it blows away all of Nagao Tamakage’s misdeeds. In fact, other than the fact that he is the father of Uesugi Kenshin, even I don’t know much about Nagao Tamakage.” 

“And what about me, I who stole the position of family head from my older brother, and was appointed to the office of Kanto official to succeed the Uesugi clan? Was I not blamed for treasonous behavior that was stained with greed?” 

“If they are Japanese, everyone knows that you didn’t ask for rewards, didn’t run to act out of self-interest, and earnestly continued to fight for justice.” 

“…Really.” 

The day completely ended, and night came. 

To send off the souls of the dead who came back to earth with lights, it is the night of the O-bon festival. 

The innumerable lanterns decorating Azuchi Castle emitted their light. 

On the surface of Lake Biwa, the shining Azuchi mountain appeared upside-down. 

The ship which floated on the lake hoisted a torch, the lanterns were added to the town of Azuchi’s roads all at once, and the seminary was sounding a bell. 

“…Beautiful…” 

Kenshin who had made up her mind and was about to drink the soy milk suddenly 

stopped her hand, and watched the castle and town of Azuchi which gleamed in the darkness. 

“Ah. It’s beautiful. It’s like something from a fantasy world. To decorate a castle and town with innumerable lights like this.” 

Kenshin recalled the Kasuga Castle of her hometown. 

Cold Echigo. Dark night. When she was young, Kenshin was a weak child who would 

collapse if she went outside during the daytime. Therefore she always strolled in Kasuga Castle at night. The dim moonlight. The loneliness that freezes you. 

It was scary to go out into the dazzling world. 

The dark world of the night, the world with only moonlight, that is the place I should be, so I believed. 

But, Azuchi Castle this evening, while it was shining brightly, the countless small lights were kind even to Kenshin’s eyes. 

Many humans are living. 

A lot of people are enjoying the festival. 

They all are living their own lives. 

“I wonder if Usami and Naoe’s souls also came to Azuchi this evening. Are they looking at this beautiful Azuchi castle from somewhere?” 

“The souls of the dead, humans that have died, have you ever met them?” 

“No. Though it is disappointing, I have never met them. The only person who appears before me is Bishamonten. Always.” 

Kenshin seemed to be sad. 

She seemed to want to say that neither Usami nor Naoe would appear. 

“While Nobuna is letting this castle’s light and town’s light appear to mourn the dead, she are also giving new hope for the humans that are alive. That fellow sure is a greedy one.” 

“I who will destroy Oda Nobuna soon, am I allowed to view this sight? Why are you so kind? To your own enemy.” 

Aren’t you the one who is continually forgiving your enemies, Yoshiharu laughed. 

Kenshin noticed that the beating of her heart sped up suddenly. 

“Kenshin. By fighting against fate, I may be able to save a person’s life. But a human’s soul – unless they personally desire “I want to be saved”, they can’t be saved. I, I became conceited, I thought that since I could save people’s lives, I could save their souls with my power. I recently have begun to think about that. But all I am able to do is to simply encourage and support that person’s back, but beyond that is their own fight.” 

“Y, yes. If it’s a human. But since Bishamonten is a god. Therefore-” 

“As for humans, we can make mistakes and have flaws, but I really don’t think we are so weak. After coming to this world and meeting many of the Himekishis, I began to feel this way. 

Takenaka Hanbei. Nobuna. Juubei-chan. Kobayakawa-san. Katsuchiyo-chan. Also Bontenmaru. 

Even that Imagawa Yoshimoto. Everyone is fighting against something within their own hearts. I just charge in to protect their lives, but I can only support them from behind. I cannot save the soul. They must win that that themselves. It isn’t something given by God or another person. 

You have to forgive yourself. I think with that, the soul can be saved.” 

“…Strange. For you who seems to aim at saving the lives of Himekishis, to say such a thing.” 

“I haven’t made it my aim. It’s just in my nature. Because I love girls. If this wasn’t a world shattered by war, if there weren’t Himekishis, I would just be an ordinary erotic monkey. 

Actually it was like that in the future. I believe in the strength of her will to live. I’m attracted precisely because she is strong. When I’m not here that fellow becomes useless, with this hand I want to save her soul. I was looking down on her with such a conceited way of thinking, it was a curse against her.” 

“You are the same as Takeda Shingen after all, you will deny my way of life? You think that my act of saving the souls of other people with my heart of mercy is just useless arrogance?” 

“She won’t deny you. Even I couldn’t. But to simply continue to bear the role of 

constantly forgiving others, what a painful and lonely way to live is what I thought. Even you are a human being. Moreover, a girl of marriageable age. Isn’t it enough now? Didn’t you become enraged when the Amano-Iwato was opened, because you actually wanted to live as a human girl like Nobuna?” 

No, it was enough to decide to be Bishamonten, Kenshin answered in a low voice. 

“Did I say a little too much? Forgive me, Kenshin.” 

“It’s fine. Oda Nobuna, is she strong? Isn’t she unforgivably jealous?” 

“She is strong. Takeda Shingen recognized her as her strongest foe.” 

“Stronger than me?” 

“In battle, you are much stronger. Nobuna isn’t particularly good at war. So far she has been beaten many times. However, that fellow’s soul never breaks. Even when I ran away to the Mori clan, that fellow didn’t give in. She constructed the iron armored ships and pulverized the Mori navy.” 

“Yes. That a samurai family can make the Honbyo Temple that was so united in their faith surrender, I hadn’t thought it was possible. But, you didn’t make Oda Nobuna that strong? 

“The one who became strong was Nobuna herself. I only supported her back.” 

“…If there is something missing in my way of life, it could be said that Kanetsugu has it.” 

In the slowly swaying spirit ship. 

Kenshin and Yoshiharu’s gazes intersected. 

“Kanetsugu says that justice is insufficient to end these chaotic times, and that love is necessary. Rather than saying that to persuade herself, it seems she wants to say this to me. I have never understood anything about love. If I fall in love with a man I will die, I will die at the moment I tell the man that I have fallen in love. Since I was told this by Bishamonten, I have continued to reject love and affection. Because of this, I rejected all of Nagao Masakage’s courtship attempts and secluded myself in Bishamondo.” 

“Even though I’m not Naoe Kanetsugu, I want to say that love is insufficient. In that case…” 

“…But I met you who came from the future, I played around and was told that my life hadn’t been a spectacularly futile effort, I feel like the weight on my mind has been relieved a little.” 

“I think love is something that can’t be explained through words. However, perhaps you to Takeda Shingen…the feelings you had toward Katsuchiyo-chan, whether or not they are love, they are close to love. Surely Katsuchiyo-chan will have had the same thoughts for you.” 

“For me? What do you mean? Sagara Yoshiharu.” 

“She wanted to drag you down to earth from the lonely heavens. To open the door of Bishamondo and take you into the human world.” 

“…Yes. Shingen used the same words. To me.” 

“If Katsuchiyo or you were a man, I’m certain you would have fallen in love. If so, you might have changed history.” 

“No. Bishamonten does not fall in love. It isn’t because the other party is a woman, it is fate.” 

Kenshin said. 

On that day. At the Oyashirazu Pass. 

My father, the shugo of Echigo Nagao Tamakage, was attacked by the rioters of Ecchu, and was severely wounded and on the verge of death. 

My father didn’t notice that I was his own daughter. He was frightened of my red eyes. 

“…Bishamonten…has Bishamonten come to pass divine judgment on me!? Impossible, there really was a god? Will I fall into Hell?” 

“That’s wrong, I’m not Bishamonten. Otou. It’s Torachiyo.” 

My words couldn’t reach father anymore. 

“Oh god….forgive me…! I beg of you, forgive me! That I killed the shugo of Echigo, that I murdered the Kanto Kanrei, I’m sure you are angry! But, it was kill or be killed! I had no choice!” 

My father was a cruel man. A person who killed his own lord on the battlefield. 

“I caused a civil war in Echigo, I caused rioting in Kanto, I subjugated the rioters in Ecchu, are all of those crimes! With this I invited war into Kanto! My sin of the retainer supplanting his lord, is it hard to wipe away? Over my lifetime I destroyed the order of Kanto, and sowed the seeds of war? I did all that and was not able to even unify Echigo. Was that all there was to my life?” 

My father, at the last moments of his life divulged his weaknesses as a human, feared the gods, and asked the gods for salvation. 

“Stop it! Don’t look at me with those eyes! The ugliness inside my heart, this weakness, this hideous thing, that makes one want to look away, your eyes see through it all!” 

“…Oto…you don’t understand Torachiyo. Torachiyo isn’t such a thing.” 

“Don’t look at me! I am terrible! If the gods exist, if there is a hell, do I have no choice but to be punished for eternity!? In this Echigo, was I a villain to this extent! To murder my two masters, to kill their subordinates one after another, it is an evil like me that made master’s Uesugi clan fall and plunged all of Kanto into chaos! I beg you, forgive me!” 

So I wanted to heal the soul of my father who was suffering as he died, with just that, I assumed the name of ‘Bishamonten’. “I forgive you.” 

So, I said that. 

From that moment on, I had to become Bishamonten. 

“I forgive the crimes that you committed. I forgive the crime of killing the Echigo Shugo. 

I forgive the crime of killing the Kanto Kanrei. In causing the downfall of the Uesugi’s clan main family, I forgive the crime that caused mayhem in Echigo and Kanto. I forgive you for the crime of trying to annihilate the Ecchu rioters and the crime of oppressing Honbyo Temple as a prohibited religion. I forgive the crime of destroying the whole family of Usami Sadamitsu. I forgive the crime of bringing disgrace to the whole family of Naoe Yamato.” 

To compensate for the crimes that my father committed. 

To take the lie I gave to my dying father, and make it true. 

I met the genuine Bishamonten, and I was informed of my destiny. Father died 

immediately after that. 

In place of my father’s soul, take my soul Bishamonten. 

While shouting that, I threw my body from the Oyashirazu ridge into the Kujiara sea. 

I who sank to the bottom of the sea, was pulled up to heaven, and encountered 

Bishamonten there. 

And I was told, 

“Never try to become a human. 

Live only as a god, as Bishamonten. 

My white skin that is burned when I touched by the sun, weak bowels that will immediately vomit if I satiate myself, and a figure that can be identified as the child of god at first sight, all of these are provided to protect me from the internal and external desires that would make me simply a human.” 

Kenshin repeated the ‘words’ of Bishamonten in a low voice. 

“Love will corrupt my soul. For human beings that try to leave behind offspring, there is no desire as intense as love. Because this desire if a hindrance, I recommend you take a vow of abstinence and join the priesthood. If you fall in love with a living human being, you will instantly die. The moment that you tell a person that you love them, your heart will stop.” 

I must compensate for my father’s sins, the young child thought, it was the words of a curse that was created by the power of her strong mind to persuade herself. 

They were the words of blessing that were said in order to rescue my father, and they became curse words which Kenshin gradually tied herself with. 

All of those words that are currently lies, I want to prove them true, Kenshin’s red eyes pleaded. 

In Takeda Shingen who is a woman like me, I couldn’t prove it. 

Since they are the same sex, if Shingen defeats Kenshin in battle, she could prove that Kenshin is not Bishamonten and just a simply human being. 

However, if it’s Sagara Yoshiharu - 

As he is not a man of this era, if it’s Sagara Yoshiharu who understands Uesugi 

Kenshin’s will and lives without holding any prejudice, possibly… 

But Sagara Yoshiharu already has a lover called Oda Nobuna. 

“…Kenshin. All of those words were created by your own heart. It’s a false story.” 

“Love cannot be explained in words, Sagara Yoshiharu. Even if you say a word like that a million times I will not be saved. Can love be conveyed to me with a method other than words?” 

“If it can be done, your fate may be changed. But to me, Nobuna…” 

With an expression like she was about to cry, Kenshin looked down. 

“Well….why I can’t forgive Oda Nobuna, I think I understand. I….following 

Kawanakajima, Azuchi…even if I’m selfish for once, I can’t obtain it.” 

“Kenshin?” 

While Kenshin ground her teeth, she tipped the riding cup and downed the soy milk. 

She couldn’t help being depressed, knowing that her wish wouldn’t be granted. When your heart is lost you should just drink sake and collapse. 

But the liquid that Kenshin was drinking this time wasn’t sake. 

It was soy milk. 

Yoshiharu didn’t know. Kenshin had a body that can’t tolerate soybeans. 

Kenshin also didn’t know that soy milk is made from soybeans. 

She shook as a chill ran through her whole body. 

An intense nausea rose up from her chest and struck Kenshin. 

“…this is…” 

“W, what is happening? Skin rash!” 

“You can’t have given me poison….then, Bishamonten has passed….judgment…?” 

Kenshin’s thin body collapsed into Yoshiharu’s arms. 

“K, Kenshin!?” 

“…Chest….my chest is burning? I’m going to die? Sagara Yoshiharu. Because I tried to break the commands of Bishamonten…cough, cough…” 

“You said that there are few things that you can eat right? Is it possible you also can’t eat soybeans?” 

“Yes…when I eat soybeans…my body…shakes…” 

“I understand. This is bad! You were born with a soy allergy. When you take in 

soybeans, an abnormal immune response appears and makes it seem as if you had been drinking poison. A person with that kind of constitution is rare in Japan! This isn’t the punishment of Bishamonten!” 

Kenshin’s soybean allergy seemed to be quite severe. If it was just solids like actual soybeans or tofu she would probably just vomit a little, but since soybean milk is a liquid she took in a large amount in one go. Moreover, Kenshin didn’t know that the soy milk that was introduced from the future was made using soybeans - 

“Anyways, you must start vomiting out the soy milk!” 

“…To vomit in front of a man. To be seen with such a shameful and ugly appearance…” 

“It isn’t shameful or ugly! I won’t allow a person like Uesugi Kenshin to die for such a reason! Just vomit! And survive!” 

Yoshiharu wisely looked after Kenshin. 

While rubbing Kenshin’s thin back while she vomited into the water, Yoshiharu fully realized that Kenshin wasn’t Bishamonten after all, she was just a human being who lived a hard life with a weak body, and he felt an affection that couldn’t be put into words towards that Kenshin. 

“Everything has been vomited out. Next is breathing.” 

Yoshiharu laid Kenshin’s body on her back as she shook her head unwillingly. 

“…Kahh…hah…hah…!” 

Kenshin breathed out and tried to inhale. 

“…hahh…hahh…hah, hah…” 

But she couldn’t inhale. 

“Your throat is clogged. Your swollen esophagus is blocking your airways. But I can give CPR in Goemon’s style and send the air into the lungs by force.” 

It didn’t seem like it was by chance. 

This probably won’t end in mere lifesaving, surely knowing that this isn’t an act that he could backtrack on, Yoshiharu chose the path to save Kenshin without hesitation. 

“For the time being it could be said this is my role, but if Uesugi Kenshin dies from suffocation even Oda Nobuna-sama will be mad. That it won’t be possible for anyone to defeat the ‘god of war’ on the battlefield.” 

For some reason he had a feeling like he heard Goemon’s signature speaking style in his ear. 

Really. Just as how Bishamonten has possessed Kenshin’s heart, my heart may be 

possessed by Goemon, Yoshiharu though. 

“Goemon, I’ll repeat my usual words, I’m Sagara Yoshiharu! I can’t help but pick up the fallen fruit!” 

Kenshin who was lying on her back, unintentionally bent her neck to try to avoid it. 

The Azuchi mountain wrapped in innumerable lights jumped into her view. 

Beautiful. 

Now, I who vomited in front of a man and whose breath clogged up is so ugly, and the moon that climbs over Azuchi mountain and the lake into the heavens is this beautiful. 

So I wanted to be a resident of the heavens, even if it is lonely. 

“…Sagara Yoshiharu. Am I beautiful? Do I appear as a god? Or am I ugly like a bunny?” 

“Uesugi Kenshin. You are a human.” 

Just now for a short moment of my life, I want to live. Just a little. With that wish, Kenshin closed her eyes. 

Kenshin narrowly escaped death. 

Wearing her kimono again, she nestled close to Yoshiharu and stared at the night sky where Azuchi shined. 

Tonight is the O-bon festival. Have the souls of Usami and Naoe returned to the earth, will my appearance be seen, she hesitated. 

“Sagara Yoshiharu. We will meet next on the battlefield. Is it possible to release me from the curse of Bishamonten? You who is the vassal and lover of Oda Nobuna.” 

“I will try. You have sacrificed yourself so far and saved a large number of human beings. You who has lived all this time as Bishamonten, you may be rewarded.” 

“Saving people. My life was only battle. I just let people die.” 

“When Takeda Shingen opposed Hojo Ujiyasu and the production of salt was stopped 

leading the people of Kai into a dilemma, you sent salt to Kai right?” 

“You know everything. Sagara Yoshiharu.” 

“I don’t know everything, it’s just because I came from the future.” 

“Tell me the truth. Will I die soon? If the words of Bishamonten are coming from my own heart, doesn’t that mean I sense the time of my own death?” 

Previously when Takenaka Hanbei was on the verge of death she asked “Is it me or 

Kanbei-san that survives?” Yoshiharu remembered. 

It wasn’t the time to lie to the girl. 

Now is not the time. 

“If I avert my eyes from the future, I won’t be able to change the future anymore. The important thing is to look straight at the truth – in the history that I know, you subjugated Ecchu and Noto, and marched on Kaga. You were caught by Shibata Katsuie’s troops who marched from Echizen, and they are defeated at Tedorigawa.” 

“In other words, I understand that if I fight I win. And?” 

“And, with the last decisive battle with Oda close at hand, you succumbed to illness and died.” 

“…So. I die right before I achieve my long cherished dream of destroying Oda Nobuna. 

It might be just the right type of death to become a legend.” 

Kenshin was expressionless without being shaken. 

“The future can be changed,” Yoshiharu said while holding Kenshin’s shoulder. 

“I also told the future to Katsuchiyo-chan before. She would die in the middle of the war to invade the capital.” 

“Shingen? What do you mean?” 

“Katsuchiyo-chan – Takeda Shingen didn’t run away from my words. She bravely 

confronted her fate. She grabbed her own life in her hand. Originally, Takeda Shingen should be dead already. The future has already changed in this way to allow a simultaneous Takeda and Uesugi invasion of the capital.” 

“Really. You, saved Shingen.” 

“No. In regards to her, I did not save her life. I only told her the future. Katsuchiyo-chan’s own courage and resolution changed the future.” 

“But my fate can’t be changed. Bishamonten still possesses my heart. I don’t know how to make it disappear. Even after I kissed you, it still will not disappear.” 

“So…it wasn’t enough…?” 

If it advances to the point of kissing, it might be possible to drag Kenshin down from heaven. It might have been possible to avoid the large number of people that will be killed in action in the future Battle of Tedorigawa. But that was a forbidden tactic for Yoshiharu who desires Nobuna. 

But just a little more. Just one more step. 

As it is, the curse of Bishamonten can’t be removed. 

Kenshin’s destiny is fixed. 

“I exchanged a kiss with you. But after all, it seems I can’t stop being Bishamonten unless I lose in battle. My past crime of killing Takeda Shingen’s beloved little sister Nobushige can only be repaid on the battlefield. By being defeated in war.” 

Yoshiharu nodded. That’s right. To exorcise the spirit of the god of war, Bishamonten, Kenshin must fail on the battlefield. Kenshin must herself recognize the fact that she is not the unrivaled undefeated god of war Bishamonten, or Bishamonten cannot be dispelled. 

“…Of course in history, I don’t participate in the battle of Tedorigawa. But I am here now. I will block the Echigo army with Katsuie. I will add the first black mark in the god of war Uesugi Kenshin’s life. I will prove that you are just a human, not Bishamonten.” 

“Can you do something that even Takeda Shingen couldn’t?” 

“On my own I am powerless, but I have friends to rely on. That being said, even if I want to win against the god of war, I have no idea what to do.” 

“If you had just left me to suffocate to death just now, you would have been able to win. 

You are really stupid.” 

“That’s been said so often I’ve grown accustomed to it. And not just by you.” 

“I will meet you next on the battlefield. It seems it will become a fierce battle where I can’t hold back. Like Kawanakajima. I will surely kill you. I already don’t have any time left anymore. Before this life comes to an end, I shall destroy Oda Nobuna. I shall overturn your prediction. It seems like I will earn my own future? If Takeda Shingen was able to do it, it can’t be impossible for me.” 

“That’s right. If I fight seriously, I can’t lose. Let’s fight each other with all of our power. 

That will be fine.” 

“You will know the true meaning of the words that I am the incarnation of Bishamonten on the battlefield. Even if you regret it, it is already too late.” Kenshin stood up while murmuring. 

“Though I wanted to do this all the way, the one day bonus is over. I must return. Soon, Kanetsugu will come to pick me up.” 

Kenshin seemed to be expecting something of Yoshiharu until the end – like she was silently screaming for “help” - Yoshiharu couldn’t help feeling that. 

“Good-bye, Sagara Yoshiharu.” 

After Kenshin switched to a boat that disappeared into the darkness, Yoshiharu sat down on the deck. “If we can overcome Uesugi Kenshin in battle, will Bishamonten be expelled from the heart of that child?” He questioned while shaking his head. 

“Sagara-shi still didn’t go to the point of kissing. If this goes on, you won’t be able to remove it from Kenshin.” 

Again, Goemon’s voice could be heard. 

“Why is the voice of my conscience using Goemon’s voice? Auditory hallucination, 

disappear!” 

“Rude. I’ve been sharing this place with you as the boatman of the ship this whole time.” 

Before he knew it, a boatman wearing a cap was standing on the deck. 

When the boatman walked forward and took off her hat, the familiar face of Goemon appeared. 

“Hieeeeeeee!? It’s the real deal? You’ve been watching the whole time?” 

“Nin nin. You have become extremely skilled at handling girls. Well, you have become accustomed to being the future Pikaru Genji. 

“Nin nin, theeeeen!” 

Yoshiharu tried to dive into Lake Biwa. Because I thought nobody was looking, I said lots of remarks and made all sorts of actions toward Kenshin. I’m too embarrassed! 

“I can’t stand it! Let me die!” 

“They are waiting for you. You must not drown yourself. It’s already too unpleasant to give artificial respiration.” 

“In the first place Goemon, weren’t you not going to be able to wake up for a while after taking Kenshin’s attack? Why are you completely fine?” 

“Because Sagara-shi said “Don’t kill” when I tried to attack Uesugi Kenshin, the blow was not especially dangerous.” 

“I’m sorry. Even so, it’s not good to peep on my embarrassing figure!” 

“I am not angry. At any rate, Uesugi Kenshin’s strength at the level of being inhuman. 

After I received her attack, I pretended to be knocked out.” 

“You played dead?” 

“I relaxed my whole body and lise consciousness, losing all my strength. This is one of the ultimate skills in my clan.” 

“So because of that you were able to get up immediately? You are inscrutable to the end…come to think of it, Goemon you have never told me about your own past, what type of background did you have before becoming the boss of the Kawanamishuu?” 

“N, Ninjas don’t speak of their past. Sagara-shi.” 

“I would like to hear it sometime. Well, it always seemed like you are a little at ease.” 

“Unyu. I won’t talk!” 

Still, it seems like Kenshin was still holding back, but no doubt she will be serious on a battlefield, Goemon groaned. 

“Sagara-shi. How are you going to defeat Uesugi Kenshin on the battlefield?” 

“I’m thinking now! I’m already out of time.” 

“Takeda Shingen is also closing in, the time to pay the bill for all the fruits you have gathered has come,” Goemon sighed. 

“The bill for gathering all the fruits. That may be. But I have no regrets Goemon. 

However, the the reaction, or perhaps I should say price, of tampering with history is too huge.” 

“Whew. It is simple. You just have to push down and have your way with all the girls who are madly in love with you.” 

“That’s right. That ruthless option is just like a ninja. Then I’ll begin with Goemon.” 

“S-s-s-s-stop it! Nya? 

“Isn’t it a simple thing?” 

“It’s not an easy thing for me uuuu! When I’m touched, no, no, eeeek!” 

“What the hell are you doing!?” Suddenly advancing at full speed, another ship pulled alongside the spirit ship, and a familiar voice flew out. 

“N, Nobuna?” 

“Because I heard that Yoshiharu was with a ‘snow white princess’ from Nene’s report, I lent Yoshiharu for only one day. Aren’t you with the snow white princess? What are the two of you doing with a ruffian? No way, you are having a tryst with a hooligan behind my back?” 

Now what. Is it appropriate to lie and say I was cheating. That is disloyal. On the other hand, if I tell the truth Nobuna will have to punish me as a traitor that colluded with the enemy. 

Previously she would lose her temper and order me to commit seppuku or exile me to Ise, but it would be fatal if I dropped from the war front even temporarily. 

Either way since I am poor at lying, I’ll immediately be seen through by Nobuna. 

What should I do? 

When Yoshiharu was unable to answer, Goemon helped out. 

“Sagara-shi was protecting a princess that can spend only today as a human all day long.” 

“That snow-white princess who you were insisting was Otani Norinosuke?” 

“However, it didn’t seem possible to give the princess what she was looking for.” 

“What was the thing that the princess was looking for? Goemon.” 

“Fu. It is, ‘love’.” 

Che. Goemon. Yoshiharu felt like dying and and tried to throw himself in Lake Biwa again, but he was stopped by both Nobuna and Goemon this time. 

“So. To look for such a thing, the princess came to Azuchi. I thought she said she wanted to accompany me to heaven in the next battle.” 

“For that reason, it was her last request at the end of a lifetime of being undefeated and invincible.” 

“…The snow princess abandoned herself, she had a personality that couldn’t forgive people. She was angry at Takeda Shingen who banished her father and snatched the territory of other countries, and now more than that, she is angry at me who was able to obtain the things that she was never able to obtain. Therefore she suspended her fight with Takeda Shingen and wanted to settle everything with me.” 

“Her will. Uesugi Kenshin’s last campaign, it will become a desperate struggle even more than Kawanakajima.” 

“The princess lived as a god and pursued holy wars, what she really wanted was to live as a human. To be loved as a human. But because the princess was born as the god of war stronger than anyone, nobody was able to defeat her and drag her down to earth. Not even that Takeda Shingen. Rather, in order to drag that princess down to earth, Takeda Shingen might have raised herself to become the strongest in the Warring States along with that princess.’ 

“It’s no wonder that Oda Nobuna who intends to snatch the world and love for herself without depending on Gods, would make her go nuts.” 

“Was the princess pleased that I lent Yoshiharu for one day? Or…” 

“I don’t know whether I should be pleased or troubled,” Nobuna said with a bitter smile. 

“Yoshiharu. Juubei returned to Tanba. But Riku has a serious invasion of the Echigo army before her.” 

“Katsuie?” 

“Though I gave the order for her not to move until I joined with my 30,000 soldiers from Azuchi, Riku arbitrarily departed Echizen and entered Kaga. Before I am drawn onto the battlefield, Riku intends to have a decisive battle with Uesugi Kenshin on her own.” 

“That fellow is clumsy at deployment, Nobuna.” 

“Riku is the Oda clan’s strongest warrior. With her experience and intuition on the battlefield, she seems to have realized that I cannot overcome Uesugi Kenshin now. The Oda army doesn’t yet have the experience against the Echigo army. To diligently smoke out the method to fight against Kenshin’s original tactics, someone has to fight once against Japan’s strongest, the Echigo army. Literally fighting to the death. Riku believes that I should be able to see something from the losing battle and find a chance for victory. Like the time with the naval battle of Kizugawaguchi. So Riku is having herself and her soldiers die as a sacrificial stone….” 

[T/N: Referring to the game Go] 

Nobuna’s expression stiffened. 

“…Because I’m weak in battle. I cornered Riku like that. I can hurry to go to help, but Echizen has torrential rains right now. The river is flooding all over and it doesn’t show signs of abating in time.” 

Katsuie’s resolution, even for Nobuna it was difficult to turn. 

As before, destiny is going to the ‘Battle of Tedorigawa’. 

“I understand Nobuna. I am faster than you who must lead Azuchi’s 30,000 troops. I have to go alone with just myself and join with Katsuie’s troops. I will join forces with that fellow and win against the undefeated Echigo army. I will win and drag Uesugi Kenshin down from the heavens.” 

“Please save Riku. That girl sacrificed half of her lifespan for my sake. Riku has not fallen in love and has earnestly lived for battle, always thinking of me. She always obeyed my absurd orders without a single complaint. How many times have I been saved by Riku so far? It might be selfish now while letting them fight against Kenshin in the Hokuriku front, but I don’t want to lose Riku.” 

“That doesn’t need to be said. The Oda clan without Katsuie, it would be something like Azuchi Castle with a destroyed castle tower.” 

“Thank you Yoshiharu. And, Inuchiyo is acting as Riku’s sergeant…” 

“Oh. Because she found me in the Osaka bay, leave it to me.” 

But I wonder if Nobuna will be in time. We have enemies in the east and west, Nobuna won’t be able to move easily, the marching speed of Kenshin who has decided the next battle as the place to die will be faster. In “history”, the forces lead by Oda Nobunaga were not in time for the Battle of Tedorigawa. If they were in time, the Oda force’s large army might have been able to surpass the Echigo army in a decisive battle. But we can’t overcome Bishamonten just by praying for the good fortune of an ally. I can’t win by just knowing the future. The march of the Echigo Army is fast. Moreover, Nobuna’s army is hampered by the torrential rains. If the army doesn’t make it in time, Katsuie’s defeat is inevitable. How do we beat the god of war? 

I wanted to treat Kenshin who has lived as Bishamonten all this time as a normal girl all day today. To imitate her by viewing her as the commander of the enemy we will fight against in   the next battle, I couldn’t do it. So I did that. I wasn’t able to come up with a way to win a battle against Kenshin. But then Nobuna’s dream of Tenka Fubu will be shattered, and the prophecy of death Uesugi Kenshin heard from Bishamonten will be fulfilled! I have to add a loss to the unrivaled undefeated Kenshin at any cost! Isn’t there any plan? Some clue? 

Wait? 

Maybe – there might be a way. 

Only one. 

However, this plan will be a strong poison for both Kenshin and Nobuna. If I make one wrong move, it will be the worst conclusion. Yoshiharu was trembling. 

However, this was the only road that Yoshiharu could choose. 

“Hey, Yoshiharu?” 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Like the time at the Battle of Tennoji, please don’t leave to a far away place ever again. 

Please don’t be tempted by Bishamonten and taken away to the heavens.” 

“…That is my intention, but I can’t make a definite promise this time. I hit on one idea. It might be called a risky plan, but nothing ventured nothing gained. While I am in the safe zone, it is impossible to catch Bishamonten and drag her down to earth. Just like when Katsuchiyo-chan moved her headquarters to Yawatabara and exposed herself in Kawanakajima, I will also have to dive into the jaws of death.” 

“Eh? What do you mean?” 

“Nobuna. This plan might infuriate you, but please forgive me.” 

“So, what kind of thing is this?” 

“I can’t say, but you’ll understand immediately. It is the ‘Hikaru Genji Rokujouin plan’.” 

“H, Hah? What on earth? You are going to seriously make a harem?” 

“Anyway, please believe me! I beg!” 

“…I guess Yoshiharu. I, I wonder why I am fascinated by a man like you. Thanks to you, I’m always anxious.” 

“Alright. I will return from the battlefield. Even if my body dies in the battlefield, my soul will return to you.” 

“Your body has to return too. I am greedy. I can’t be satisfied with only your soul. I want all of Yoshiharu. It will be unpleasant unless you are alive. Alive, I want to cry and laugh and quarrel together. I don’t want to just make beautiful memories. If I was to lose Yoshiharu by death on the battlefield, it would be much better for you to be stolen by another woman. Because. 

If you are alive, Yoshiharu will surely return to me sometime, I will be sure to take you back. 

While it is unbecoming of a lord to blurt out something like this while sending out a large number of vassals and soldiers onto the battlefield, but. I, I-” 

“Nobuna. I’m sorry for saying such a timid thing. Okay, I will come back alive.” 

“Yoshiharu. Even if your face is wounded, or you lose your hands and feet, return alive by any means. Because even if your face is damaged now, it won’t change much. So.” 

“Ah. Something like losing my memory and entering the service of the Mori clan won’t happen again. I promise.” 

You aren’t that strong Sagara-shi, although Goemon teased him as if nothing happened, 

“For me, only Nobuna is special. Nobuna can rely on me.” Yoshiharu retorted. 

“Even if you say you want to die again later I’ll stop you”, Goemon complained and disappeared from the deck. 

Goemon seemed to be considering their feelings. 

One by one, the lights covering Mt. Azuchi went out and the world was covered in 

darkness. 

“The night of the O-bon festival is ending. Every time a light goes out, a soul of the deceased that came down to earth returns to heaven. Father, Viper, Danjo – they also return to the stars in the heavens.” 

“I thought you didn’t believe in the souls of the dead?” 

“Yes. At my father’s funeral I said ‘There is no meaning to this ritual’ and went on a violent rampage. But now I think this way. I don’t know whether or not the souls of the people who have died exist, but the O-bon festival sends the soul off – we understand that ‘important people died’, it might be necessary for the sake of accepting that. To escape the sorrow of losing a loved one, we continue to be trapped by the memories of the past. So we must show our courage, face it, and accept death. While inheriting the will of the dead, in order to advance to the unseen future. So for that reason I think of the O-bon festival as a funeral.” 

“…I see. Maybe…” 

“At my father’s funeral, I raged because I didn’t want to accept father’s death. Surely that snow princess will rage even more,” Nobuna smiled while staring into Yoshiharu’s eyes. 

“But. Even if I don’t believe it, it would be wonderful if that was true. If the people who have died are truly watching me from the heavens. Don’t you think. Now the person who lives on the earth and watches over me, Yoshiharu. Is you. No matter how high I build the Castle Tower, I can’t catch the stars in the sky, but I can grab Yoshiharu’s body. So please don’t become a star. Live for one day longer than me.” 

On this day next year, let’s look at the night view of Azuchi shining together, Nobuna smiled and gently pressed her lips to Yoshiharu’s.