Oda Nobuna no Yabou - Volume 13 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue 

Otomo Sorin who had declared to build the Kingdom of God in Hyuga left Bungo with an army numbering 50,000 thereabouts in total. 

“I don’t take part in religious wars,” a lot of veteran generals, such as Tachibana Dosetsu who was the cornerstone of the Otomo army, expressed their stubbornness and didn’t participate in the war. In actuality, they pretended to check the sneaky approach of the third force of Kyushu – Ryuzoji of Hizen. The core of this expeditionary force which was organized by the Christian princess general who worshipped the virgin saint, Otomo Sorin: Lily Crusade. 

The Otomo army, marching as they hoisted a banner with a brilliant white cross, destroyed Shinto shrines along their way for the religious as they progressively thought up of strategies for the anti-Shimazu war. 

The legendary land of Takachiho which was said to be the place where Amaterasu-no-Okami had descended from heaven was kept in check by the Otomo army; the Otomo army gained impetus and overwhelmed Northern Hyuga. 

Otomo Sorin built a camp in Mushiga of Hyuga. 

The name Mushiga derived itself from the Namban word musica or music to its equivalent kanji character. Sorin herself felt that this name was worthy for the Kingdom of God and named it as so. 

The capture target was Takajo Castle which had continued to be an important base of the Shimazu Clan in Southern Hyuga. The number of soldiers who were protecting Takajo Castle was only 500. 

When Takajo Castle had fallen, the Shimazu army would be forced to withdraw from Hyuga. 

However, Shimazu Yoshihisa who had quickly reconciled with Kai Soun at Hibikinohara gathered a reserve force numbered 40,000 from every place to reinforce Takajo Castle. By making the Sagara Clan as their subordinate clan, succeeded in reconciling with their powerful enemy—Kai Soun—and for the first time, they were able to execute their strategy by sending all of the Shimazu army from the two sides of Higo to Hyuga. Furthermore, not to mention Takegami—Yoshihiro—the head of the clan Yoshihisa herself, who rarely went to the field, had come forward to lead the soldiers. 

At the improvised Namban church which had become the main camp in Mushiga, a war council was held. Two strategists were next in line to Sorin’s left and right. One person was the Namban missionary who had foreseen the future by using a Platonic solid—Gaspard. And the other one was a female strategist—Kuroda Kanbei. 

“Thanks to Simon for taking the command, I am saved. I can quickly invade and attack the uninhabited place here. Really, Simon is a genius.” 

“Yes. It was a wonderful command like clear, flowing water, Don Simon.” 

“Sim. From now, this Simon will help Sorin as a strategist of the Otomo Clan.” 

“You forgot our first purpose. To willfully lead the Otomo army to gain a territory without permission; this is the same as rebelling against Nobuna-sama. Furthermore, Yoshiharu-san is in the Shimazu army. With the way things are going, you will fight against Yoshiharu-san,” Louis Frois who accompanied this expeditionary force admonished Kanbei, but Kanbei was engrossed with the concept of having a decisive battle against the Shimazu army and ignored Frois’ words without hesitation. 

“Say no more, Frois. If the Otomo Clan is defeated in this battle, Oda Nobuna will be checkmated; we need to have a certain victory. However, because there are a lot of vassals that don’t obey commands from Gaspard who is a Namban, Simon is taking command. By no means, isn’t the reason why I got the role of a strategist because I’d received 120,000 Nakatsu Castle’s stones from Sorin?” 

“If we do not stop the Mori Clan’s advancement towards Akechi-sama, and if Akechi-sama falls, then Nobuna-sama will…” 

“Mufu! It’s alright; when this Simon seriously commands the Otomo army, then the fight for the hegemony over Kyushu will be a child’s play! I will rout the Shimazu army with a swift attack, and then return to invade the Mori Clan! While Oda Nobuna is fighting a decisive battle at Honshuu, Simon will conquer the lands from Kyushu to Chugoku in one fell swoop!” 

“At this rate, Yoshiharu-san and Simon will have to fight a decisive battle at Kyushu! Why did this happen…” Frois looked up to the sky. 

“Fufufu. I knew. It was told by Gaspard. There is only misfortune in the future that Simon follows. Cunning rabbits die, good dogs are boiled. Simon works as a strategist for the sake of world conquest, always neglected by the person who rules over the whole nation and smoldered at Kyush. There is a chance for the biggest decisive battle to happen in Honshuu, and instead, I am tasked with sweeping over Kyushu which is fit to be called a second- rate region! But! It’s no longer the story about the distant future of Oda Nobuna! If Oda Nobuna, Takeda Shingen, and Uesugi Kenshin fought in a decisive battle at Honshuu; the victory can’t be decided in one day! The time to obtain Kyushu is now! Oda Nobuna is a unique schemer who is exploiting the opportunity from the battles at Honshuu to suppress Kyushu! This Simon has no ambition for the world; the chance to obtain Kuroda Ichiryuu is now!” [Recheck the whole paragraph] 

“But, isn’t Nobuna-sama’s Tenka Fubu the stage for proving Kuroda Ichiryuu? Two people who share their will should be a comrade. With this, Simon-san will be suspected of conspiring with the Otomo Clan and become isolated in Kyushu without permission when the master falls into predicament. It will become according to the anecdote of the Chinese general—Han Xin! It will be an ending where “the cunning rabbits die and good dogs are boiled.” Before that, if the war with the Shimazu Clan is prolonged, then Nobuna-sama will be overthrown by the anti-Oda Alliance!” 

“Mufu. There is no intention of betraying Oda Nobuna’s favor. Because I do things diligently, there is no worry. Oh, if OdaNobuna perishes then Simon will succeed the foundation that Oda Nobuna has laid and lead the Otomo Clan in suppressing the whole country at that time! At any rate, I have been nominated directly by Gaspard, “If anything should happen to Oda Nobuna, the owner of talent who is suitable as the 2nd Prester John is you.” Being a number one is heart-breaking.” 

“Yes. If we win this, we can rescue Oda Nobuna who is besieged by the allied forces. But because it is an extremely difficult task to change the world’s future, I have considered the worst thing and prepared a substitute. Indeed, the talented Simon-kun is appropriate as the substitute; as for the destruction of the Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, just leave it to me,” Gaspard calmly smiled as he poured wine to Sorin. 

“Simon-san. What are you going to do with Yoshiharu-san who is staying in Shimazu’s camp?” 

“Mufu. Frois. Isn’t that fellow a traitor? Why will a messenger of peace for the Otomo Clan stay at the Shimazu camp who will be fighting against the Otomo Clan? Besides, be it Sagara Yoshihi or Shimazu Iehisa, haven’t you heard that he is collecting a large number of local wives when Oda Nobuna is not looking around? The Shimazu Four Sisters are unanimously trying to become his wives and fighting each other. He really is a worthless cheater. Simon needs to chastise him, hahahaha!” 

“No, it’s a misunderstanding. Yoshiharu-san is just trying to increase his comrades. A fellow countryman of Zipangu is not an enemy for that person who came from the future. Such is the origin of Yoshiharu-san’s strange charm…” 

“Really? Kobayakawa Takakage and Uesugi Kenshin, every princess general whom that guy is trying to win over to take side with the Oda Clan, haven’t they become powerful enemies of Oda Nobuna in the competition over Yoshiharu?” 

“If you want us to assist Oda Nobuna, you must cooperate with us, Frois. Sagara Yoshiharu has broken through the 2nd trap that I prepared and has now become a senior statesman of the Shimazu Clan subsequently. He seemed to have done things a little too much. Now, he is a person who must be excluded for the sake of Oda Nobuna’s continuation of political power,” Gaspard said with a smile. 

“This is not according with the promises,” Frois protested, but Gaspard, “Still, he has yet to appear in front of me and Sorin-sama,” didn’t back down either. 

“Oda Nobuna is running out of time already. He will exit from the battle over the center stage of history at last. The cooperation of the Shimazu Four Sisters and the man from the future—Sagara Yoshiharu—is strong, but if it’s Simon then this will be accomplished.” 

Frois made a sign of the cross and grieved. An uneasy situation had occurred. Grasping the hearts of the people by inspiring their unhappy future, it was an inexcusable act. Was it possible to change Kanebi whose mind was controlled by Gaspard? 

“The strategist Kuroda-han got herself deceived and didn’t notice that she already enacted a rebellion. Furthermore, she conspired with a schemer with a technique to predict the future. This is the biggest crisis for Sagara-uji, de-gojaru,” Goemon who had been hiding under the church’s roof, her red eyes glowing, disappeared silently.

Fine