Oda Nobuna no Yabou - Volume 2 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 : Battle for the right to obtain Takenaka Hanbei! 

For Humans, there is this term known as “friendship”---This philosophy exists in the Sengoku era as well. As for Nobuna, who considers herself a logical person, the onmyouji Takenaka Hanbei is a great headache to her. 

Hence, as long as the onmyouji adviser Takenaka Hanbei is still guarding Mino, Nobuna will be unable to conquer Inabayama Castle. 

If this situation persists, then Nobuna will have no choice but to bow her head and accept Asai Nagamasa's marriage proposal in exchange for reinforcements. If this occurs, then no matter how Nobuna tries to conquer the world, the conquered lands and their rewards will all be the property of Nagamasa. 

However, should Nobuna capture Mino on her own, the combined forces of Owari's Oda Clan will have surpassed Asai Nagamasa's forces in Northern Omi. If that's the case, even if Nobuna refused Nagamasa's marriage proposal, a balanced alliance between Owari and Northern Omi would still be possible. 

This is precisely the reason for the reward Yoshiharu wants at all costs: 

"The cancellation of the marriage between Nagamasa and Nobuna". 

That is all there is to it. 

No matter how much one must compromise to conquer the world, Yoshiharu does not want Nobuna to marry someone who doesn't love her at all. 

His wish is that that idiot Nobuna could live freely according to her ideals, no matter the time and place. Not just as a Sengoku Daimyo; Oda Nobuna herself needs to pursue her dreams, but more importantly she needs to pursue her happiness as an ordinary girl. If not, the Nobuna we see now will no longer be Nobuna anymore. 

Though that pretty-face Nagamasa had said "There should be a limit for selfishness. In the end, you are just a brat with no sense of responsibility." Sagara scoffed at that and replied, "I don't mind being the brat; I don't mind giving dumb opinions, but right now my feelings are clear, and I will always stand by them." 

"Even if Nobuna hates me or calls me a reckless idiot, I will definitely stop this omiai [7] by any means necessary. Just you watch!" 

"....Inuchiyo was thinking the exact same thing." 

"Our current objective is to find ways to get close to Hanbei and persuade her to join the Oda clan. To put it simply, it's the Pull-Outstanding-Talents-Like-Her-Over plan. The so called 'Head-hunting'!" 

"....Good luck." 

That's all for recaps. 

Back in the present, the place is Mino, Kinkazan, located at the foot of Inabayama, part of Inokuchi. 

Yoshiharu, together with Inuchiyo, dressed as vagrants and snuck into the town. 

In fact, Nobuna had not granted them permission for this mission, but their aim was to win over the genius tactician Takenaka Hanbei. 

Yoshiharu did not want to waste his time by obediently suggesting to Nobuna "How about we convince Hanbei to join us?", and if Nobuna answered "No way. It's impossible for a monkey like you to try and sow discord between them" and tried to stop them, things would only get more complicated. 

The reason Yoshiharu and Inuchiyo managed to even reach Inokuchi is ultimately thanks to the aid of Goemon and her Kawanami clan members. 

After going into the town, the first thing this happy-go-lucky Saru-Inu team did was patronize a teashop called "Ayu-ya" by the Nagawagara River. 

Just as Goemon's report said, the shop 'Ayu-ya' here is having a Takenaka clan recruitment exercise, and at the moment it is in full-swing. 

Finally, it's almost time for Takenaka Hanbei to move to Inabayama Castle to officially take up her role within the Saitou Clan. During this, she will definitely bring along her retainers and is planning to recruit some more too. 

"After dressing up like a vagrant and becoming one of Takenaka Hanbei's retainers, I will use my fiery passion and speech to convince her to join the Oda Clan. So perfect, it's really a flawless plan!" 

"....Yoshiharu, we don't have extra cash to go to tea shops." 

"Leave that to me!" 

Yoshiharu's monthly wage was 33 kan. 

Although such a shabby wage is fitting for an officer like Yoshiharu, a big part of it is also that Nobuna is notorious for her stinginess. 

Yoshiharu however, being experienced in Sengoku games, had his own way of getting money. As a result of asking Goemon to sell rice in various places, Yoshiharu's pockets were rather deep. 

Originally, if an individual wanted to do business outside of Owari, the person has to pay a tax at the border. 

An example is if one wants to transport rice from Owari to Mino, in order to pass through the border the person has to pay a certain amount of taxes to Saitou Yoshitatsu's side. 

The only Daimyos in the Tokaido area who made an effort to develop commerce and abolished this tax system are the lord of Mino, Saitou Dousan (in the past) and the current master of Owari, Oda Nobuna. 

Most other Daimyos still use border taxes as a main source of income. 

Also, since the taxation cost isn't cheap, originally this kind of re-selling behavior would not be profitable at all, no matter how one looked at it. 

But the Kanawanami gang aren't ordinary decent law-abiding merchants. They would never even think of going through the border gate, instead choosing to sneak in using routes that only ninjas and bandits know of; they never once payed taxes. 

Using this method, Yoshiharu managed to earn a small fortune by smuggling rice. 

In contrast, the innocent Inuchiyo had suffered starvation. After being exiled by the Oda Clan, Inuchiyo escaped to the mountains alone. Thus to fill her stomach during her journey, she became unknowingly wild. 

The reason why Inuchiyo has a flat, washboard-like body, is probably due to the protein lacking fiveleaf aralia soup..... After thinking that, Yoshiharu went "Uuuu what a poor thing", and cried despite Inuchiyo using all her might to pinch his cheeks with a radiant smile on her face. 

But because of his small fortune, Yoshiharu managed to surpass the crowd of poor ronins and gain the top position in the Takenaka clan. 

If they were generous enough, this interview will definitely leave a good impression on them. 

Since it is an interview, Hanbei might just be observing the ronins from an unknown corner, so one needs to eat lavishly to get his attention. 

"Alright, Inuchiyo! Don't hold back today, eat all you want until your belly bursts!" 

"....the money for the food, it doesn't matter?" 

"I'll handle it, Wahahahaha. Although we cannot enjoy to our heart's content in Kiyosu, I happen to have a personal stash of extra money, but keep it a secret from Nobuna." 

".....Stolen.....?" 

"No! I earned it all from actual business transactions! I just snuck past the borders!" 

Inuchiyo suddenly readied her spear. 

"........Trafficking from the borders is illegal." 

"Wait! Wait! I only bypass our enemies' borders! That idiot Nobuna doesn't take border taxes!" 

".....I'll let you off this time." Inuchiyo returned to her seat. 

"Eat more, Inuchiyo, and then let your breasts grow as big as Katsuie! If you want your boobies to be bigger, you have to stop eating that non-nutritious fiveleaf araila soup and try to gain more protein and fat!" 

".....Kanpaku [8] ....Death....?" 

"No, No. I mean that if you ate more meat and fish, and drank more milk, your bust size will one day grow by leaps and bounds!" 

"......Lies. Things like milk, I'm not drinking it. Yoshiharu, you are teasing me." 

"Wrong, wrong, wrong. In my world, it's a trend for girls to drink milk. That is why their breasts are all very well developed." 

".....Milk....Stinks....." 

Inuchiyo was feeling conflicted. If drinking milk will make her breasts as big as Katsuie then.....but milk stinks a lot.....And besides, milk is for babies and children...And Inuchiyo is not a baby anymore....Ahah, but Inuchiyo's wash-board-flat breasts doesn't seem to differ from most children. 

The maiden is struggling and shaking between desire and anxiety. But to normal people's eyes, Inuchiyo seems to be just sitting there motionlessly. 

"Alright alright, just eat some fish first." 

While looking at their table gradually filling up with Inokuchi's specialty, Inuchiyo's stomach begins to grumble honestly. 

".....Itadakimasu." 

"Since that devil Nobuna is not here today, let us enjoy it to the fullest! Wahahahaha!" 

"....Delicious. Uuu~Uuu~" 

Kacha Kacha Kacha Kacha. 

Whether she simply liked the fish or actually desired to have bigger breasts by taking in more nutrients, Inuchiyo ate every single fish from head to tail. 

Maeda Toshiie (Inuchiyo) 

Even though she is usually the silent type, she can be rather gluttonous when food is involved. 

"....Hoooo....Ahhh.....fish. Yummy." 

"You know, you sure got this cheerful look when you eat. Now I more or less understand your feelings when Nobuna feeds you those uirou-mochi." 

"......Jue~Jue~" *chewing sounds* 

"Here, here, here, Inuchiyo~ I got some delicious fish here~" 

"...Ah Ump." *Eating sounds* 

"I caught an Inuchiyo!" Yoshiharu laughs. 

"Let's do it once more~" 

"......Ah~" 

"Just joking. No eating right now." Yoshiharu took away the fish that was dangling in front of Inuchiyo's mouth. 

".......ha-wu, ha-wu, ha-wu!" 

Inuchiyo's mouth was opening and closing like that of a goldfish, chasing the fish in front of her eyes. 

"——This is simply too fun!" 

".....angry...." 

"Pinch"——The burning sensation on Yoshiharu's cheeks finally brought him back to his senses. 

".....If you have the energy to tease Inuchiyo, why don't you think about how to get chosen?" 

"Oh, right right right!" 

Speaking of which, where is the interview being held....Just when I was about to stand up and look around, an old stranger suddenly approached and greeted us. 

His attire and grooming seems pretty formal. He looks like he's a pretty influential warrior in Mino. 

Although he has an aloof face, it seems like he does not have any ill intentions toward Yoshiharu and Inuchiyo. He had a hunched back and a friendly attitude, but somehow he gave off a feeling that he was being modest about his skills. 

In essence, he gives off a rather mysterious aura. 

"Youngster, you're here to serve Takenaka Hanbei, right?" 

"You're right, Oji-san. I am the world's most ordinary ronin——Sagara Yoshiharu, and this is my younger brother, Inuchiyo. Do you know a lot about Takenaka Hanbei? " 

"....younger sister, Inuchiyo." 

"No one knows him more than I do." 

"....Younger•Sister•Inu•chi•yo." 

The old man accepted Inuchiyo's dishes and started eating while talking. 

"I am Takenaka Shigetora——Hanbei's Uncle. Because Hanbei's parents died young, I am like a father to her, and I have been watching over her since she was young." 

"Oh? So you must be a rather powerful warrior, right?" 

"I'm called Ando of the Iga Keep, head of the Mino Three. I used to serve the Saitou Clan as one of the aides. I was once Dousan's right-hand man, but I've since retired despite all that. Now that Yoshitatsu-dono is in power, my position in the Saitou clan is non-existent. Still, it's a good thing that there is someone like Hanbei in our family." 

But Hanbei isn't passionate enough to carve out a career, and instead wants to live a peaceful life... 

"Essentially, you need Hanbei to succeed in life for the reputation of the clan." 

"Hanbei is one of best onmyouji in Japan, but because 'in terms of military prowess, she is even better than her lord, Saitou Yoshitatsu' many of the retainers in the Saitou clan question whether it is wise to keep an aide with such unknown powers." 

"In addition, because I used to be known as 'The Viper's Right-Hand', I'm now considered 'unpredictable', so trust has become an issue. Occasionally, there were even rumors that I was using Hanbei's strength to capture Mino too." 

"What? Aren't you the cause of half of Hanbei's bad rumors!?" 

"Indeed. Tomorrow, that child will move out to Inabayama for the first time. But because of the situation, I do not have retainers to serve her; even her steed is but a weak, old horse. With all that has happened, I have all the more reason to see that she is not belittled; she must look decent and dignified at the very least, and have elite warriors there to protect her at all times..." 

"So that's why you're in such a hurry to find retainers, isn't it, Oji-san?" 

"Indeed. Hopefully, we can find a hero who will not hesitate to cut Yoshitatsu down, despite any circumstances." 

"Oji-san, this kind of dangerous speech is what caused you to be known as an unpredictable terrorist, isn't it?" 

"In the end, it's just a precaution. But...... You Owari warriors, I can't help but worry about your skills with the arquebus." 

Yoshiharu's chopsticks fell on the floor. 

"How did you know that we are from Owari?" 

"That arquebus and your clothes are both foreign to Mino. It is obvious you two are from Owari." 

"What good eyes you have, Oji-san. I guess the interview is hopeless now, right?" 

"Nope. I'll choose both of you then." 

"For real?" 

"I'm very interested in the way you guys spend money. Strength is important, but the power of money cannot be underestimated either. Dousan-dono had been emphasizing that a country's life or death will be decided by money." 

Even though we had yet to see Hanbei, it seemed like this Ando Iga already decided to employ us in this tea shop. 

"Well then, let me take you to Hanbei." 

Somehow or other becoming Hanbei's retainers, the two of them were led by Ando Iga towards Hanbei's room, deep inside. 

"Odd. Isn't this plan going way too smoothly? Might this Ando-oji-san have already figured out that we're under Nobuna?" 

Is it a trap, or does he plan to ally with both the Oda clan and the Saitou clan? No matter which is it, at the moment they have nothing nothing at all unless they are able to negotiate with Hanbei directly. 

Inuchiyo gently pulled Yoshiharu's sleeve, her expression full of “...weird”. 

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Let's go, Inuchiyo." 

After gently ushering Inuchiyo by patting her butt, they proceeded in. 

Inside the house—— A handsome young merchant was sitting there in seiza position. 

"Hmm, why do I feel like I've seen this face before?" 

"What! Asai Nagamasa?!" 

"You damned saru?! Why are you here!?" 

No one predicted that these two Saru, one from Owari and the other from Omi, would meet each other here. 

"Wah Wah, this is bad," Inuchiyo exclaimed while munching on her food. 

"I...I escaped from the Oda clan and am ready to serve Hanbei-dono today! With this, I can finally say goodbye to the days where that idiotic princess Nobuna would threaten to chop my head off or use her sandals to stomp on my face! Hehe~!" 

"I see... By the way, I am not Asai Nagamasa. I'm just an ordinary merchant of the Masuichi clan from Omi named 'Saruyashamaru'. Our clan makes a living by selling medicine and was able to save up a bit. But now my brothers have all left home to find their own way of life, and as the eldest son, I have decided to serve Takenaka-sama." 

"Liar. You think you're Mitoki Komon [9] ? And all that rubbish about selling medicine for a living. You're just Asai Nagamasa, right!?" 

"I am not this Asai person. You must be mistaken." 

"Like hell I am! If you're not Asai, how could a merchant from Omi recognize my face?!" 

"How could I not know you. The rumor about the exotic monkey 'Sagara' in Owari has long since traveled far and wide." 

"Tch! Go on and spread your lies then!" 

Ando Iga, noticing the situation and quickly pulling Yoshiharu and Nagamasa apart before they came to blows, said, "The wealthy Saruyashamaru-sama and the extravagant Owari ronin, Yoshiharu-dono and Inuchiyo-dono, I had decided to let you three serve under Hanbei together." 

"Wait a minute Oji-san! You're definitely picking the candidates by wealth! From the start, all you've been talking about is money! 

"......You're thinking too much." 

"And that guy over there is the Omi daimyo, Asai Nagamasa! This bastard is full of malicious plans, even now god knows what he is thinking up! How can you hire such a person!?" 

Asai Nagamasa merely laughed. 

"Where's the proof? In fact, aren't you also lying about running away from the Oda clan? How are you going to prove that you are not actually under Nobuna's orders to assassinate Hanbei-sama, Saru-dono?" 

"Che~! You scumbag! Nobuna would never use such an underhanded method like assassination!" 

"Who knows? Hanbei-sama's tactics seems to be a big headache for Nobuna-dono. She might feel pushed into a corner by the marriage with the Asai clan and attempt an assassination plan." 

POW! 

Without noticing his rage meter has exploded, Yoshiharu lashed out his fist towards the leering Nagamasa, but the latter easily dodged that and the punch goes straight through the pillar instead. 

"Ahhhh! My Fist! My Fist!!! AHHHHHH!" 

".....Yoshiharu. Relax." 

"Now, let me chase away these poor ronins. These poor people only know how to eat; there is absolutely no worth in employing them. Just wait for a while, Hanbei will be here soon." 

It seems like Ando Iga did not really care about the fuss in the house and started to walk towards the corridor. 

"Oh yeah. If you guys treasure your life, don't ever anger Hanbei. Otherwise even I cannot guarantee your life and safety." 

It's almost as if he totally didn't care that Saruyashamaru was Asai Nagamasa; in fact, he seemed to welcome the fact. 

"I really don't understand that old man... As if the Oda and Saito clans were not enough, he is even adding the Asai clan into the mix. Don't tell me he is really planning to sell Hanbei to the highest bidder!?" 

"....Our mutual poking of each others intentions ends here, Saru." Nagamasa whispered over. 

This bastard, even though he's obviously male, how could his body emit out such a fragrance? He must have been wearing women's clothing and used aromatic oil in the process. 

Hmph. No matter what, he is an obstacle to my great 'Harem Plan'. Yoshiharu unconsciously let out a "Tch". 

"Saru, our objectives are the same, right? Both of us wanna pull Hanbei over... So instead of fighting each other, why don't we just play our roles as the Omi merchant and the Owari ronin?" 

"Nagamasa, for someone of your caliber, that's not a bad idea. I guess I'll just follow that then....However, I'll be the one to win Hanbei over! Speaking of which, you have to lower yourself to this level just to conquer Mino before Nobuna? Now that's rather shallow of you." 

"For someone like me, when I set my eyes on cities or women, I will definitely conquer them. From this point, Nobuna-dono is no exception. Instead of relying on some dirty monkey who can only do stupid things to delay the marriage, she can just hide behind me and live a more comfortable life." 

"Inuchiyo, lend me your spear. I think I should just pierce this bastard to death right here." 

".....Yoshiharu. Be tolerant here." 

Just as the three were staring at each other and quarreling, 

"Nice to meet you. I am... Takenaka Hanbei Shigetora." 

Just when did this person appear in front of us? 

In the seat in middle of the room, a pale and tall man was lying motionlessly. 

"WAAAAAAAAAA!!! That scared me !!!" 

"Even I was unable to detect this person... When did he get here?" 

".....I was careless." 

Takenaka Hanbei finally appeared. 

There isn't much difference in his looks from the Sengoku games. 

As for the age, he should be around 30 years old. 

Those fox-like eyes really go well with the whole onmyouji look as well. 

His skin was snow white, and a light yellow silk shirt was wrapped around his thin build while a stole was draped across his shoulders. 

Under the body, there were two horned Yano Kabuto [10] . 

That is the helmet of a military adviser——Takenaka Hanbei's trademark armor. 

Even being surrounded by the trio (Yoshiharu, Inuchiyo and Nagamasa), Hanbei did not look concerned and maintained his sleeping position. 

"My name is Sagara Yoshiharu. The one with a tiger skin on his head is my younger brother, Inuchiyo." 

"........YOUNGER•SISTER•INUCHIYO..." 

"I am the heir to my clan in Omi, Saruyashamaru. However...... my sources told me that Hanbei-sama is female..." 

"Mhmm mhmm mhmm. Just as you see, I'm just a handsome young man, though I'm not as young as you three. It seems that I've disappointed you, Asai Nagamasa-dono." 

"Argh. I'm exposed from the start, huh?" 

Nagamasa gnashed his teeth. He must have thought that with his looks, he would be able to charm Hanbei. Which is why he did not hesitate to come personally to Mino's Inokuchi in the first place. 

However, there is another man who is grinding his teeth as well. 

"Grrrr! I get it now Nagamasa! You must always visit other clans and seduce the women of the family to expand your territory, right!?" 

"Not Nagamasa but Saruyashamaru. I did not lie or trick anyone. Any girl under my embrace is going to feel happy and blissful——Don't place me in the same category as some monkey who will be beheaded for even fantasizing about hugging Nobuna-dono." 

"Shut up you bastard! If you dare hug Nobuna, I'll be the first to kill you!" 

"And besides, any woman that I kiss will drift to paradise." 

"Inuchiyo, lend me your spear! If I don't fight it out with this bastard, I'm not Sagara!" 

"Can you people hold your little dispute over Nobuna for somewhere else on a later date?" Hanbei, who's still lying down asked. 

Although he had entered very elegantly, it looked like this person is just plain lazy. 

"You're right, Hanbei. But before talking, can you get up first?" 

"I'll be ok lying down. Standing up is such a hassle and besides, this position is good for my health." 

"Why does this guy sound like some pretty face character from a BL game?" Yoshiharu cannot help but mutter it out. 

Nagamasa observed the situation in silence and sat down quietly in a corner. It is possible that he was thinking of another way to win over Hanbei. 

"My three guests, thanks for not minding the long distance and venturing all the way here to Inokuchi. Why don't you guys relax and have some tea first?" 

Hanbei clapped his hands with difficulty and a beautiful villager came into the room, and placed a plate full of dango in front of the trio. A pair of wolf-like ears can be seen with a flick of her head. 

"Woah...that wolf-eared girl sure is cute." 

"......(anger) Compared to wolves, dogs are definitely cuter." 

"That child is my Shikigami [11] , 'Goki'." 

"Shikigami? You mean the legendary Shikigami that Abe no Seimei uses?" 

"Precisely. To be able to know our ancestor, Seimei-sama's history, Sagara-sama sure is full of surprises." 

"Haha... It's just that Abe no Seimei is a very popular subject in my world." 

Upon closer inspection, the dangos that was served by the girl has a thick layer of something on it: Hatcho Miso. 

In addition, the cups were filled with hot simmering tea. It seems delicious. 

"This is my favorite snack, Hidan's special dango. Hidan's rice doesn't taste good so it is turned into dangos. It is very popular in Mino as well," Hanbei proudly told the trio. 

"And Inabayama castle is a place where it is hard to get fresh water. In order to conserve water during a siege, instead of cooking rice, we use rice by molding them into dangos, that's our way of storing food." 

"Man...the way you say it makes me real thirsty! Itadakimasu!" 

"......Dango...looks good. I'll try." 

The beautiful girl had retreated from the room without a word, Yoshiharu and Inuchiyo became engrossed with the tea and dango not unlike ants on sweets. 

As someone who despises Miso added dishes, Nagamasa said "Miso dangos are a bit......" and started to frown. Why do people like to add such bitter tasting miso to these sweet dangos? It was totally incomprehensible. 

"Nagamasa, come and eat a few too! It's so tasty, simply delicious! This tea too; though it's a bit hot, the heat is totally fitting to a stomach that was just filled with lunch!" 

"....Yeah, Yeah. Miso-dangos, though a little bitter, it's tasty!" 

Though people were calling Takenaka Hanbei a famous weirdo who looked like a fox on first glance, he seemed like a nice fellow. If I suggest straight out to him to join the Oda clan, he might just agree to it. 

Yoshiharu and Inuchiyo nodded with a silly smiling face. 

But... 

"Gahahahahahahaha!" 

As Yoshiharu who was shouting "Tasty, tasty!" and kept refilling his cup, and Inuchiyo who was stuffing her face full of dangos, were looking at each other while smiling silly, Hanbei broke into an uncontrollable laughing fit. 

Suddenly, his face broke into pieces, and his mouth widened like a demon. 

Yoshiharu and Inuchiyo, including Nagamasa's brain couldn't keep up with the development. 

"Hahahaha, and I was expecting something more from the Owari warriors who broke through my 'Ambush from all sides' and 'Stone Sentinel Maze'. In the end they fell for such a low level prank, how dumb is this! Hohoho!" 

"Oi, Hanbei's face completely changed into a fox face? Inuchiyo, how scary!" 

"......." 

While they regained their senses, Hanbei totally changed into a fox. His face had already grown a mustache and he grew a tail. From his half opened mouth, one can see some sharp fangs. 

Somehow or other, the two had hugged each other in fear. 

"Demons!" 

Nagamasa unsheathed his sword from his waist in reflex. 

"Prprprprprprprprank? Do-do-do-don't tell me that the tea and dango was poisoned?" 

"....Now that you mention it.....My stomach...hurts...Yoshiharu!" 

"Me too, I feel disgusted somehow.....! And my mouth has a weird taste......!" 

"It's just a prank, no poisons involved." 

The fox-Hanbei laughed and stood up. 

"It's just an illusion from the Onmyoudou, what you guys just drank is actually horse piss. As for the "miso" on the dango, those were horse dung." 

*Cough* 

"*Retching noises*~! What the hell did you just let us drink?!" 

"......eaten too much.....Inuchiyo should just commit seppuku and die." 

"Calm down, Inuchiyo. Now is not the time to commit seppuku but to vomit out all the dangos." 

"......such humiliation, how can I live and go back to see Hime-sama?" 

"Keep calm and avoid indirect kisses with Nobuna temporarily." 

"*Retching noises*.... No, I can't vomit it out." 

"Good.....It's a good thing I did not eat the dangos...." The visibly shaken Nagamasa let out a cry of relief in his heart. 

"Hohohoho." 

"You dare do such a thing! Now I'm angry!" 

With an unconcerned face, the fox-Hanbei suddenly sneered with an unbelievably long tongue and said, "Oh, coming here to pull my master to your clans, and now you want to kill me? Don't make me laugh." 

"Che......" 

"Sagara Yoshiharu, Asai Nagamasa. If you guys can finish up these shit dango and beg me, leaving the Saitou clan to your side is still a possibility. What do you guys think?" 

Nagamasa started to stutter and mumble. 

"I...I...I...I... er... Hmmm.... If I eat those, both Nobuna and Owari will be mine. But..... I hate miso.....this is too......" 

"But wait. Both Miso and horse dung are similar in the way they ferment. So as to say, even though they are rotten, people can still eat them. The difference is only the timing they rot. If I think of it from this way....... How the hell can they be the same!!! I...I...I.....Hmmmmmm..." 

Nagamasa looked at the bunch of shit dango and perspires profusely, while falling into a loop of thoughts. 

Yoshiharu was thinking while making retching noises. 

"Since I have already eaten so much..... No giving up at this point...... B...but, I know it's shit now...... If I put it into my mouth, all is over......!" 

So now, who will be the one who agrees to eat these shit dangos for Nobuna? 

The ultimate choice! 

*Sob....* 

"Hmph! How can I lose to the Owari Saru..... Here I go!" 

For his own ambitions, the Nagamasa who made up his mind takes up the dangos and opens his mouth! 

Yoshiharu isn't hesitating and followed suit! 

"Che! If I lose here, Nobuna will be marrying this bastard......" 

Just throw away the honour of the samurai and the dignity of a man and eat these dangos; after that all we have to do is to kneel and beg this idiotic fox-Hanbei...... That's all, that's all to it. 

Forced to eat shit by his opponent/demon and beg for him, what kind of a man am I!? But...But...But...If I don't do as he says, Nobuna will...Nobuna will...! Argh! I'm going all in! 

Inuchiyo, looking at the hesitating Yoshiharu, gripped her spear tightly and suddenly thrust her spear towards Hanbei's chest. 

"......Hya!" 

*Ka-chak!* 

With a shrill scream, the fox Hanbei did some somersaults due to the spear thrusts and fell out the window. 

"What have you done!" Throwing away the dango in his hand, Nagamasa rushed to the side of Fox-Hanbei. 

"He...He's not breathing......! You two, as expected, your motive is to assassinate Hanbei, right!?" 

"No!" 

"In-in-in-in-inuchiyo, you stabbed someone to death, what should we do now?!" 

"......opponent is a demon......and no matter how you think of Hime-sama, I do not want to see Yoshiharu eat shit-dango and lower his head to others." 

"But......!" 

".......Yoshiharu" 

"What?!" 

"For a samurai, even if you lower your head to someone, you must always be clear of the situation. Even if you lower your head, you should not feel inferior, and you should never give up your dignity. If you break these two points, Yoshiharu isn't a samurai. The Yoshiharu just now lost himself due to his worry for Hime-sama!" 

The still red face Inuchiyo spewed out some rarely heard long sentences, and continued with another thrust at Hanbei. 

"Though what you said is correct, from what I see, you're just fuming with anger over him who bluffed you into eating a big bunch of shit dangos, right?" 

"......That's an illusion." 

"And you specifically checked if he is dead or not, how deep is your hatred?!" 

"......You're thinking too much." 

"What to do now? We can't possibly run back to Nobuna now and tell her we disguised ourselves as ronin and killed Hanbei. Nobuna's reputation will drop to the ground..." 

"Wa....Crap...." 

"Though I do not need to eat those shit dangos because of you guys, it's a pity that I have seen everything. Allow me to tell all the provinces about this," Nagamasa said. 

"Not good, Inuchiyo! Hurry, try and re... revive Ha...Ha...Hanbei!" 

"Hey, Hanbei-dono. *Poke* *Poke* *Poke*" 

…… 

…… 

…… 

".....no reaction from poking. Just like a corpse." 

"He is just...just...just faking sleep [12] ! How can an omnyouji like him die so easily?" 

"......Fox, faking sleep. Masterpiece, hehehehe" 

"Now is not the time to laugh!" 

"......Yoshiharu, run away with Inuchiyo. How about going to Kyoto and doing gag shows?" 

"Naive! You are underestimating Kyoto's gags! It's still 10 years too early!" 

".......Wa....." 

What should we do now. 

Inuchiyo and Yoshiharu hugged each other and sat down in a daze. 

Nagamasa said to himself "No, if this goes on, I will be counted as one of the culprits assassinating Hanbei!" and started to panic. 

But just when the trio regained their senses, the corpse of Fox-Hanbei in front of them disappeared like a mirage. What remained was just a small flower, lying on the tatami. 

"Ah, huh? What is going on, Inuchiyo? Where's Hanbei?" 

"......strange. There are no blood traces on the tatami. 

"Found him, here!" 

The room has one more person! 

Asai Nagamasa pulled a dagger out from near his chest gallantly and threw it to a pillar deep in the room. 

"......Ah.....Please....Please, don't...don't...don't bully me......" 

It seems like she is frightened stiff. 

From the shadow of the pillar, a small girl is rolling over to the legs of Yoshiharu. 

She is a girl even more delicate and petite than Inuchiyo. 

Big black eyes, and long eyelashes, she's a young girl that gives people the "just like a small squirrel" feeling. 

"......Please don't bully me......sob, sob....." 

Just as Yoshiharu reflexively said "It's ok, no one here will bully you", the small girl who is just crying pulled the famed dagger "Toragozen" our from her waist and swung it right between Yoshiharu's eyebrows. 

With his dodging skills that can be compared to those in American spy movies, Yoshiharu managed to avoid it. But Yoshiharu couldn't stop but scream with fear, and his pants seem a bit wet...... 

"Woahhhhhh?! Dangerous!!!!" 

~Shiver~ The small girl in front of them rolled herself into a ball, her fear of them seems to have increased. 

".....Sob...Sob...As...As expected, you people will bully me...... You guys will definitely bully me...... Sob...Sob...." 

"Not at all, we won't bully you! So please stop with the sneak attacks!" 

"Loud... A loud man.... Terrifying, gonna... gonna get bullied....... Sob...Sob...." 

"Ahhh, sorry about it, it's my fault. I'm not angry at all~ I will always stand by your side~ So don't be afraid, come, let me wipe your tears..... To prove that we are good, I'll return this dagger to you ~?, hold on to it~?. " 

There is something creepy about Yoshiharu's tone, Inuchiyo narrowed her eyes. 

"Why are you looking at me like I did something wrong?" 

"......You even prey on little children, not caring about the time and place." 

"You think too much!" 

".....Sob....Hanbei, 14 years old now......" 

"See, Inuchiyo, Hanbei-chan is a grown-up lady [13] here." 

".....Lei....di....? 

"Sob.... Thank....you" 

"So please don't cry while flinging daggers at me..." 

Inuchiyo said "It's dangerous" and took away the dagger from the girl. 

"......This dagger is the famed blade 'Toragozen'. This child is the real Takenaka Hanbei," Inuchiyo said while nodding her head. 

Yoshiharu and Nagamasa regained their senses and let out a shriek. 

"Ehhhhh? This snot-nosed girl is the real Hanbei? The one who outsmarts Nobuna all the time....." 

"The world renowned military adviser, Takenaka Hanbei? How unbelievable." 

Though Inuchiyo said that, in truth Yoshiharu is still in doubt. It's true that this pale girl is similar to the history's Hanbei who was also sickly in health, but is this really true? Is this sobbing young child really the one who devised the horrible "Ambush from all sides" and "Stone Sentinel Maze"? 

Nagamasa is thinking That commoner-faced Saru seems more capable with small kids. If that's the case, will I able to pull Hanbei over before Saru does? while Yoshiharu was thinking Damn, this kid is even harder to deal with than Nene and was patting Hanbei's head in a panic to reduce her wariness. 

"Your hand movements are getting more and more creepy," Inuchiyo mumbled. 

"*Sob* I won't be naughty anymore. So please don't bully me..." *Piak* 

"Nya, stop pasting strange talismans on my forehead!" 

"Takenaka Hanbei's Kagemusha (substitute) Zenki, has revived! Sagara-dono, prepare yourself." *Pinch* 

"Oi, why is there a Shikigami suddenly?! Ouch, it hurts, damn it! Blood, blood is flowing out? My neck is bleeding now!!!!!" 

"See... You became angry in the end. As expected, you are angry." *Sobsobsob* 

"What the hell!!! You are the one who is making me angry, ok!?" 

~cries~ 

"Hmmm! For the crime of making my master cry, you will pay with your life! I pinch!!!" 

"Wa...Wait wait wait! If this goes on, I will really die due to blood loss...... Inuchiyo, help me!!!" 

"......being bullied by such a small child yet having such a blissful face, Yoshiharu, you really are perverted." 

"Oh, Hanbei. This guy is your new aide! He's not here to bully you! You can't use your Shikigami and be rude to him." 

"No mercy to anyone who makes Hanbei cry, let me kill you!" Yoshiharu's scream reverberated throughout the room, the whole scene looks just like hell. 

After dispersing the ronins from the shop, Ando Iga came over frantically. 

"I'm so sorry, Sagara-dono! This child has been sickly, cowardly and childish since she was young. Because of the combination of these three characteristics, people bully her! Whenever she first meets someone, she will always use her onmyouji and scams to test if they are easily angered. 

"No one will remain calm after being messed up like that! Hey, geezer, stop staring and come up with a solution now!" 

~Crying~ "He's angry, he's fuming mad now...." 

"How dare you make my master cry? This crime is only punishable by death!" 

"So noisy." 

"Why not just let this monkey die. With this Nobuna-dono will......" 

"Guys! There will definitely be people who will have jealous thoughts towards Hanbei, who finally became Saitou's strategist! Please try your best and protect Hanbei so her move to Inabayama castle for her first day of work goes smoothly!" 

"Compared to that, I'm more afraid of being bullied to death by Hanbei!" 

"This weak adviser can't possibly be the real Hanbei." Yoshiharu, while fighting desperately with the Shikigami, thought of his own future and let out a deep sigh. 

The next morning. 

Hanbei and her aides climbed Mount Inaba, also known as Kinkazan. The mountain was given this nickname because of how the whole mountain is colored golden by the flowers when the seasons rolled around and the beech flowers bloom. 

Saitou Yoshitatsu's castle, Inabayama Castle, is a gigantic fortress that utilizes the approximately 330-meter tall Mount Inaba as a natural shield. The Nagara river flows at the north side, while in the east stands Megumiyama and Kiso Mitakesan. In the west, Kinkazan, Ibukiyama, Yorozan and Suzukayama, all provide a wall of mountains. At the south of Mount Inaba, the town acts as the first defense line against the Owari army. 

The most important feature of Kinkazan and Mount Inaba was their very steep slopes. They can easily be compared to Kyoto's door of death, Hieizan. 

"This castle has excellent geographical advantages. From the viewpoint of an onmyouji, the Inabayama Castle is fit to be the fortress of kings. Thinking of it this way, I can understand why Viper-dono and Oda Nobuna, who both had ambitions for the world, would want so desperately to conquer this point." 

The one talking to the new aides and giving them the thoughts of an onmyouji, all while acting like a tour guide, was Hanbei herself. Hanbei was lightly clothed to the point of not even wearing boots, and was adorned in her trademark-like silk clothing. 

"Because boots are heavy, *sob*" 

Hanbei was riding a horse, though it would probably be more fitting to call it a donkey; this horse is just too chibi. Her legs are closely straddling the horse, giving a standard look of a distinguished lady. 

"Because big horses are scary, *sob*" 

"No matter how delicate you are, as a warrior, its still embarrassing to ride like this," Yoshiharu mumbles, holding the reins of Hanbei's horse. 

"Hanbei-chan, what do you mean by excellent geographical advantages?" 

"Er..... If there is no river close to the town, the town won't be able to flourish for long due to water supply issues. If there are no mountains close by, it will increase the difficulty of defending. So for any fortress of kings, it must be a place with nearby rivers and mountains." 

"I see, Onmyoudou is actually a knowledge which focuses heavily on feng shui," Yoshiharu nods while agreeing. 

Because of her two Shikigamis Zenki and Gouki being too ridiculous, it's still a bit hard to accept. Yoshiharu even thought that all this might just be another illusion, but if that's the case, the bite marks on his neck will become another mystery. 

"I'm really sorry for yes...yesterday. I'm already reflecting on it." 

After glancing at the bandages around Yoshiharu's neck and giving out a "Ah!", she bowed down deeply and apologized to her three servants. Now who is the master and who is the servant? 

"I...I...I have a history of being bullied... I am a masochistic child. (Omenko [14] )" 

"Oh.... So Hanbei-chan is masochistic.... Ehhhhhh!?" 

"Ah! I'm sorry, sorry, sorry for being masochistic. *sob*" 

Looking at the extremely alarmed face of Yoshiharu, Inuchiyo explained that omenko means "introverted" in Mino dialect. 

"Yes. That's why I had to see if you people would bully me in the first meeting.....Because I'm afraid of strangers......*sob*" 

"Ma......Masochist???!?!!!" 

"It's 'introvert' in Mino dialect," Inuchiyo stressed once again. "......Yoshiharu seems to mishear it so perversely intentionally." 

"Is...Is it!? Oh, it's a small thing actually! No problem since Hanbei-chan is so cute!" Yoshiharu said. 

".....Yo...Yoshiharu-dono, you plan to dote on me.... Dote, so... so as to say, you wanna bully me harshly? You want to gather all the aides and push them over here? *Sobsob*" 

"Push? It's not a sumo contest! It's not like that!" 

"I'm wrong? Are you angry?" 

"I'm not. But Hanbei-chan, since you have not been under the Saitou-clan until now, don't tell me there is a very terrifying person in Inabayama Castle? 

"The previous head, Viper-dono is a very very very very scary person. *Sobsobsobsob*" 

"I see. Yeah, that geezer seems scary when he's talking." 

"The new head, Yoshitatsu-sama is better compared to Viper-sama, but such a tall and big guy is still scary......" 

"Don't be so strict on outer appearances." 

"I'm sorry! ...... are you bullying me?" 

"Who is bullying you!? Hanbei-chan, you should be afraid of going onto the battlefield. I didn't expect you to have the resolve to take up the advisor position." 

"......Because there are two very scary people in Owari, Viper-sama and the sixth Maou Oda Nobuna. Once I think that these very scary people are going to invade Mino from Owari, I can't sleep from fear, so no matter what, I have to protect Mino..." *Sobsobsob* 

"Ahh... So that's it..." Yoshiharu nods his head repeatedly. 

"......Hime-sama and Viper, these two, their bad names are really over the top outside," Inuchiyo said. 

"On the other hand, Asai Nagamasa from Omi is a friendly and strong warrior," Nagamasa stepped into the conversation too. 

"Che... How can that sissy be a strong warrior?" 

"Shut up, you shit eating monkey." 

"You shut up, sissy Omi monkey." 

"Both of you have such a good relationship," Inuchiyo mumbled. 

"'Good' your ass!!!" 

"Erm... Sagara-dono, Asai-dono. I will not go over to Owari or Omi..... If I betray Yoshitatsu-sama, I will definitely be hated and bullied.....especially when Owari has Viper-sama and Oda Nobuna; having a good relationship with them is definitely impossible..." *Sobsobsob* 

"Damn, our motive has been exposed!" Yoshiharu started to panic. 

"It's because of your big mouth, you Owari Monkey." Nagamasa grumbled. 

"Okay, the problem for now is the bunch of people around Yoshitatsu-sama," Ando Iga grumbled while holding his back. 

"Such a young Hanbei being promoted to the position of strategist, who knows what terrible things will happen?" 

".......*shocked*" 

"Geezer, you're too careless with your words! Hanbei is scared now, isn't she?" 

"Oh, yes, you're right. Sorry, Hanbei." 

"It's ok, Uncle-sama. Because there are so many squirrels in Kinkazan......So cute......" The small Hanbei said. For some time now, squirrels have been gathering on her head and knees. 

"Morning, Squirrel-san. I've brought sunflower seeds for you guys. Squirrel-san won't bully me, I love them so much." 

"......Hmmm. Inuchiyo wanna feed them too......But they just don't come to me......" 

"It's your fault for wearing that tiger hat. Which squirrel in the world will take food from a tiger?" 

"......*shocked*" 

"In the past, Viper-dono bought a bunch of squirrels as a source of food from overseas. After that, they ran away onto Kinkazan. Over the twenty-odd years, their numbers have grown quite a bit." 

"Eating such cute squirrel-sans? So scary......*sobsob*" 

"Hanbei is starting to shiver again, Geezer!!!" Yoshiharu couldn't bear it and shouted at Ando Iga. This geezer really doesn't think things through. 

"......at the summit already." 

In this era, a fortress seldom has a Tenshukaku (Main Tower). The Lord of Mino, Saitou Yoshitatsu's living quarters are in the middle of Kinkazan, a place known as "Ninomaru". It's a three story building designed personally by Viper, Saitou Dousan himself. 

For Hanbei's group, today is the start of their first day of work. And for Mino, today is also the day they come up with an overall plan to defend against Owari. 

Though Hanbei did cry and shout that "The castle has too many scary people", and refused to be at Inabayama Castle personally, her pleas are easily repelled by the reasoning "As the strategist, how can you not show your face?" 

Saitou Yoshitatsu and his aides had been waiting for quite some time. 

In fact, Yoshitatsu had now became wary of this weird strategist Hanbei who has twice repelled Owari's attacks with her "Ambush from all sides" and "Stone Sentinel Maze" tactics, and is having premonitions of danger for giving such a person total control over his troops. 

"For this strategist Hanbei to be able to repel such a strong Owari army, though she is just a brat, could she be the manifestation of a monster?" Yoshitatsu felt a sense of fear creeping up from his heart. 

In the audience is also a guy who had distanced himself from battles but is always coming up with schemes to do people in. The person named 'Saito Hidan Mamoru' had been advising Yoshitatsu, and is trying his best to remove Hanbei. 

"First, aggravate Hanbei by insulting him, then force him to draw his 'Toragozen'. As long as Hanbei draws his weapon in the castle, it will all be over. Then all I need to do is label him a rebel and a criminal, then I let the samurais hiding close by finish him off." 

"As for my master Yoshitatsu, all I need to do is follow the plan and say 'Hanbei plans to assassinate master'. After all, there is only one kind of person in the world who won't talk; a dead person." 

"Hanbei has always been calm, so it won't be easy to make him angry. There must be a certain level of insult. If not, this plan won't succeed." 

But this Saito Hidanmori had never set foot on the battlefield. He knew nothing about how Hanbei looked; rather, before you even mention looks, he assumed that Hanbei was male from just the name. 

Now...... 

Hanbei had just reached Inabayama castle was walking cautiously to the castle gates. At that instant, Hidanmori who is guarding the gates stands up calmly and grabs a howling dog. Right after that, the pee from the dog sprays onto Hanbei's little face. 

"Know some shame, you idiots who only know how to flatter!" 

".......Uwwwaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" 

Hanbei was shocked at the sudden turn of events and after getting told off by Hidanmori, tears start to gather around her eyelids. 

The squirrel named "Hanbei" started to cry out loud. 

Hidanmori is also shocked at the scene in front of him, "Eh? A...A girl?! And it's just a kid.....?" Knowing that he has done something irreconcilable, Hidanmori shouted with a pale face "No, it's not like that! I'm not a pervert who gets excited seeing a bishoujo X dog pee" and rushed out from the castle gates while still shouting. 

"What, what happened?" Yoshitatsu and his people had started to gather after hearing the noise, and witness Hanbei's half wet look. She was originally already a legendary bishoujo; adding in her current wet clothing and her face full of tears, Hanbei's current look stirred up the guys innate protective desires. 

"Oh, isn't that Hanbei-dono?" 

"Been bullied, huh?" 

"Eh? Why are you wet?" 

"Th...Th...Th...The clothes have became see-through." 

"It looks like the dog peed on her." 

The guys' breath started to get heavier and faster..... 

"If this goes on, she will catch a cold. Let me wipe her body." 

"No, let me!" 

"Shut up! Here you should let me, the master of Mino, Saitou Yoshitatsu change her clothes and wipe her body, then console her by patting her on the head!" 

These guys's lolicon souls are burning brightly! 

"What the hell? Why do we meet lolicons so frequently nowadays!? And they even have a pee fetish!" Yoshiharu yelled out, unable to bear the scene. 

"......Sob....Sob....Sobsob.... I....I...I...I've been bullied." 

Hanbei was getting confused now; that's the real crisis! 

Yoshiharu, Nagamasa and Inuchiyo were scared stiff by this turn of events and couldn't move at all. 

"Damn it! Hanbei is going bonkers! Guys, don't let her go berserk!" Before Ando Iga can even finish speaking, Hanbei shouted "Don't bully me!!!", grabbed a talisman and started to dance. 

"Hmmm! To cleanse my master from the humiliation, Zenki pays his respects!" 

"To give divine punishment to the perverts of Mino, Gouki pays his respects!" 

Following right behind the fox and wolf pair Zenki and Gouki, all kinds of never before seen Shikigami began to appear from Hanbei's magic formation. 

"The Twelve Heavenly Guards, Snake pays his respects." 

"The Twelve Heavenly Guards, Phoenix pays his respects." 

"Rikugo pays his respects." 

"Kouchin pays his respects." 

"The Azure Dragon pays his respects." 

"The Bourgeoisie pays his respects." 

"Night" 

"Day" 

"Genbu, the black tortoise." 

"Great Couture" 

"Shirotora" 

"Great Sky" 

Hanbei threw all the talismans in her hand, and the number of Shikigami she had summoned has reached a never before seen number of 14!!! 

From the state of full throttle lolicon power, all of a sudden terrifying ghosts started appearing in front of Yoshitatsu and his men, prompting their screams "It's out!", "Takenaka Hanbei has rebelled!", and "Inabayama castle has been assaulted from within!" 

"Demon arts, run for your lives!" 

"No, I just want to pat my adviser's head as the province master!" 

Everyone ran back into the building. 

"Stop, we barely made an appearance! Hmmmm!" 

"They ran like whipped dogs just from seeing us Shikigamis, what a bunch of cowards!" 

Zenki and Gouki chased after Yoshitatsu and his minions making the whole Inabayama castle a complete mess. When they came back to their senses, they found that the Mino soldiers in Inabayama castle had all ran away, leaving Hanbei's party and her Shikigami army. 

"Eh? Does this means the fortress belongs to us now? Good job, Hanbei!" 

Hanbei and her party walked into the now deserted castle, planning for a rest, and only at this time Ando Iga realised the fact that "Inabayama castle has been conquered". 

A small brat just conquered a whole fortress by making a fuss and crying? Hanbei shivered with fear after noticing the dreadful situation. 

"I...I...I...I did...did not plan to do this...Ah...Ahhhh. If I re...re...rebel, I'll be bullied... *sobsobsob* *Achoo*" 

"With how things are going now, it can't be helped. For now, just change your clothes before you catch a cold!" 

"......Yoshiharu, don't blame the dog." 

"Hanbei-dono, it's an undisputed fact that you have claimed the fortress from your master's hands, even if it was unintentional. Can you give this Inabayama castle to me, Asai Nagamasa? Of course, I will not bully you. I can even swear now, as long as I Saruyashamaru still draw breath, you will be protected from bad people who bully you even if that's the last thing I do." 

Nagamasa suddenly held Hanbei's little hands and spoke non-stop. He's the best when it comes to situations like this. 

"Now just stop right there, Nagamasa! What do you mean by "I will protect you in this life of mine." Didn't you already propose to Nobuna?" 

"Stop trying to make a mess, Saru! As a Sengoku daimyo, having a harem is totally normal. Besides, my love is unlimited. My love won't dry up even if there is a couple more girls." 

"Damn you, didn't you say shitty things like 'Though I don't love you, it's for the sake of political marriage.'" 

"Damn Saru, just how stupid are you. Don't tell me you know nothing about the creatures called women?" 

Nagamasa gives off an expression of triumph, and softly whisper to Yoshiharu's ears. "To a realistic person like me and Nobuna-dono, one who has their eyes for the world's conquest, using logic is most effective, like saying 'For the sake of your biggest dream, forsake the little hopes you have'. But, Hanbei-dono and Nobuna-dono are totally opposite, so professing 'An everlasting love' is most likely be able to move her heart." 

"You bastard, you just mix your words to whatever benefits you the most using that sinister mouth of yours, huh?" 

"That's right. It's ok as long as I say the things the other party wants to hear. That's the trick to being loved by women." 

"Oh shit......Saru, this is all your fault!" 

"Hanbei-chan, never get deceived by this sissy's flattering words! Oi Nagamasa, get your ass away from Hanbei-chan now!" 

"You bastard; you plan on stopping me, huh? At this moment, if I get my hands on Inabayama castle, Nobuna-dono will definitely marry me to get Mino. 

"That's exactly reason I'm trying to stop you, get it?" 

"How many times do you want me to say it, Saru? For a small-time soldier like you, marrying a princess from the daimyo family is not even a slightly possible. It's like a toad trying to eat a swan, it's all bullshit." 

Grrrr.....! 

Yoshiharu's whole body is red all of a sudden. 

"I...I...I...I...I really feel that who No...No...No...Nobuna marries is totally not my concern! Bu...But Nagamasa, I just don't like you! You see girls as tools for you to get ahead in life! Are you still fit to be a guy!?" 

"Oh..... You came all the way here to persuade Hanbei, all because you don't like the way I treat girls indifferently? What a brat-like statement, but it fits your character after all." 

"Grrrr....Inuchiyo! Lend me your spear, I will definitely finish this today with this marriage deceiving criminal." 

"*Sobsob* I know both of you are here for Oda Nobuna, but please stop fighting..... And the fight isn't even about me....." Hanbei eyes start to fill with tears again. 

"No. I honestly don't love Nobuna-dono, but my love for you, Hanbei-dono, is the truth!" 

"Oi, Nagamasa! Who are you trying to bluff with such obvious lies?" 

"Hmmm! 'I have nothing to do with Nobuna.' Who said this kind of idiotic thing, huh? By stopping me from taking Nobuna-dono away, you are real culprit who played with Hanbei-dono's heart." 

"I can't take it! When have I played around with Hanbei-chan!?" 

"Aren't you letting Hanbei-dono miss a chance at happiness?" 

"That's why I said, what makes you think you can give Hanbei-chan happiness! There is only Inabayama castle and Nobuna in your head now." 

"These two guys can't settle down unless they fight it out....." Inuchiyo grumbled. 

Hanbei said once again "I will not go with any of you." 

"I will never do such a thing like betraying. To solve this misunderstanding, I must let Yoshitatsu-sama return to Inabayama castle, and I will retire and go back to Bodaisen." 

"That is impossible, Yoshitatsu and his people will not return because of your Shikigamis," Nagamasa said. 

"Now is not the time to be indecisive. If you follow that Saru to Owari, the terrifying Viper and Nobuna who will be waiting for you with watering mouths, not to mention there will be a shitty monkey harassing you everyday. But if you follow me to Omi, I, Saruyashamaru, will definitely protect you; which is better? I do not think you need to consider anymore." 

Just as Nagamasa planned to pull Hanbei, he met the just returning Zenki and Gouki, and with their "This fellow is obviously lying", "Suspicious fellow", Nagamasa had to give up. 

With so many interfering people around, there is really no way for Nagamasa to pull Hanbei over to his side. 

After saying "I have something to say to Ando-sama", Nagamasa dragged the totally drunk Ando Iga who is saying "No matter if it's Omi or Owari, Hanbei has became a fortress owner now. I should just drink till I'm full now" and left the building. 

"Am I wrong in being so cowardly?" Hanbei let out a voice of concern and collapsed onto the tatami. As the rumors had said, Hanbei's constitution was really weak. She seemed to have a fever now. 

"Achoo! *Sobsob* .....So...So cold..." 

"......Inuchiyo will bring her a shower. Yoshiharu, do not peek!" 

"I...I will not do such a thing!" 

"......haven't you been peeking at Katsuie while she's showering?" 

"I...I said I'm not peeking! Though it's correct that I have an enormous interest in those ever swaying breasts of hers!" 

Yoshiharu was swiftly knocked on the head by the fuming Inuchiyo with her spear, collapsing unconscious onto the ground. 

…… 

"Hmmm? When did I faint? It's already night?" 

The first thing that the freshly rebooted Yoshiharu did was to rush to the courtyard, but the sun had already gone down, and there is nothing before him but darkness. 

In such a dark and windy night, Inuchiyo and Hanbei's small faces suddenly appeared in front of him without a sound, triggering Yoshiharu to scream "Wahhhhh". 

"......Yoshiharu, it's still too early to be stunned. We have not reported to you anything yet." 

"*sobsob* Just when I collapsed due to fever..... Uncle Ando he..." 

"......was lured away by Asai Nagamasa." 

"WHAT!?" 

Inuchiyo is holding up a letter, and the letter is of Nagamasa's handwriting. In summary, it went something like this: "Because of some monkey's interference, I can't portray my love to you, so I hope you can forgive me for my disrespect. If you want Ando Iga to be returned safely, please meet me without the monkey's interference. The time limit is tonight at 4:30, at the middle of Nagara river, Sunomata. If you come here, I will definitely return your uncle in one piece." 

Though disguised as an invitation, it's obviously nothing short of a ransom letter. 

"Nagamasa that bastard, going for another way, now he has finally shown his true colors! Hanbei-chan, please do not go alone! If you do, you will be the one who is lured away and captured next!" 

*Sobsob* 

"......Yoshiharu and Inuchiyo will go to Sunomata and defeat Nagamasa. 

Anyway Inuchiyo, not mentioning about that geezer being the hostage now, brought up another issue: 

"....Yes, it's dangerous if we meet an ambush in the night." 

Suddenly, Yoshiharu smacked his thighs and said excitedly. 

"Ah! Yes, didn't Hanbei-chan have the strongest Shikigami army!? Just use the Shikigamis and this can be finished in no time!" 

*sobsob* "It's impossible now....." Hanbei shook her small head. 

"Ehhhhh?" Yoshiharu is stunned on the spot. 

"Onmyoujis need to setup formations when summoning Shikigamis or doing the stone sentinel maze. As an Onmyouji, by right I should be well equipped with the talismans to set up such a formation." 

"Hanbei-chan, don't tell me you......" 

"Yes, during this morning's fuss, I used all of them unintentionally....." 

"If so, how about Zenki?" 

"Once the talismans wears off, they will all disappear. Without the talisman, it is impossible to resummon the Shikigamis." 

"Just us will be dangerous....." Inuchiyo chipped in and said. 

"How do we get those.... Er, wrong, how do we obtain those talismans?" [15] 

"The pentagram seal only needs to be drawn onto the talisman itself, but to successfully summon a Shikigami, it's a must to go to the Seimei shrine to input spiritual energy in it." 

"The Seimei shrine...... is...isn't that in Kyoto?" 

"*Cough* The shrine's headquarters is in Kyoto, but there are actually several smaller shrines spread out in Japan. All the different shrines aren't just for worshiping Abe Seimei; they are actually places for onmyoujis to train, input their spiritual power and exchange information." 

"Hmmm. So the Seimei shrines are your refueling stations. And you have different branches all around in Japan." 

"Just ignore Yoshiharu's foreign ramblings," Inuchiyo said. 

"Mino's Seimei shrine is at Ogaki. Though it's true that it's near my hometown, Bodaisen." 

"Ogaki? Wait, why do I feel like I've heard about this place before?" 

"About Ogaki, I remember in the Sengoku SLG's famed work "The ambition of Oda Nobunaga", there is an Ogaki castle in west Mino." Yoshiharu's sengoku gaming knowledge is starting to spin again. 

Though Ogaki is in Mino's territory, and is near Sekigahara, it's actually closer to Omi. It's not a place that we can reach in a span of hours. 

And besides, Nagamasa's place, Sunomata is actually close to the foot of the mountain. 

"Hanbei-chan, am I right to say we do not have time to go to Ogaki's Seimei shrine?" 

"Yes. If we factor in Asai-dono's deadline, there is no time if we go to Seimei shrine and back." 

"But even if it's like this, I can't let you risk it alone. Worst case scenario, we will just have to try something with the three of us. 

"......if that's the case, won't this fortress be just an empty fortress, Yoshiharu-san. If Yoshitatsu-sama knows about it, he will definitely lead troops to conquer it back...ummm...is that really ok.....?" 

"How......" Inuchiyo frowned and mumbled. 

"Sagara-shi...Sagara-shi" 

At that moment, from the floorboards of the room came a familiar voice with a bit of stuttering. 

Yoshiharu and Hanbei retreated a few steps, and a small head appears from the floorboards. 

"It's you, Goemon. If you were here, don't let Ando-jii-san get kidnapped away." 

"I...I'm dishonored. I... was chased by the Shikigamis and was hiding in the mountains for very long~nyaa." 

"A ninja getting chased away by a Shikigami, what an extraordinary scene." 

"......Sagara-shi. Even if it's against reason, we should hurry now, let's just abandon Ando-shi." 

"What did you say?" 

"Hanbei will hate Asai-shi and become Sagara-shi's ally. Yanapayama(Inabayama) castle will belong to Sagera-si(Sagara-shi)." 

This is a translation of what Goemon actually means. "Promise to save Ando-shi with Hanbei, then abandon Ando-shi." 

The exact procedure she has in mind is "Let me start a fire secretly outside the room, this will make her unable to leave the room. After that, I will either use drugs or hypnosis to make her sleep. A little onmyouji brat who can't summon her Shikigamis can never win against a ninja." 

After Ando-shi is murdered, Hanbei will definitely swear upon her name to take revenge for her uncle. Since she is unable to rely on Saitou Yoshitatsu now, the only one left is Sagara-shi. When that happens, Inabayama castle, so as to say, Mino will be up for taking for Nobuna-dono. After taking Mino, the promise of doing great things between Sagara-shi and Nobuna-dono will be fulfilled. And, after looking at Hanbei's achievements, Nobuna-dono and Asai-shi's alliance will become impossible, and the marriage between them will automatically be dissolved. 

".....the lough(rough) outline is like this, what do you think, Sayara-shi?" 

Towards Goemon who is very inept at talking with long sentences and had almost bitten off her tongue, she let out a sigh in relief after ending her long speech. 

But. 

Yoshiharu was not even the least bit moved by Goemon's plan. 

"Don't ever suggest such a plan again, Goemon." 

Maybe due to his anger, Yoshiharu's shoulders had started to shake as he lectured Goemon. 

"I am the guy who succeeded Kinoshita Tokichirou! I will forever stand on the side of Japan's cute girls! How could I let Hanbei-chan have a terrible memory!? A thing like Inabayama castle can be abandoned, but I will definitely save Ando-jii-san!" 

After being lectured, Goemon answered in a tone that sounded like a cat being caressed "Understood. I was expecting Sagara-shi to say this. Hehe." 

"Don't say such a thing knowing what I would say. You and the strength of your Kawanami clan, lend it to me once again. 

"Leave it to me, but what do you plan to do with Nobuna-dono and Asai-shi's marriage~nya? 

"Uhhh....Th...There should be a way......!" 

"So can you do it?" 

"But Nobuna's marriage is a problem between Nagamasa and me, how can I drag Hanbei-chan into this!? That bastard Nagamasa, I will definitely duel it out with him one day." 

"Ara-ara. So shameless to want to have everything~nya, Sagara-shi." 

"There will be a day when you must abandon someone," Goemon said lightly to herself and disappears. 

"Don't lump me together with Nagamasa!" Yoshiharu shouted at the disappeared Goemon. 

No matter what happens, Nobuna will never marry someone like me. After thinking this, Yoshiharu feels as if his heart is being pierced by needles. 

Just then, Hanbei and Inuchiyo gather at Yoshiharu's side. 

"Um....Just now, who were you talking to?" 

"Ah, Hanbei-chan. That girl just now is a ninja called Goemon. Rather then being a friend...... she is more like family." 

"Is......a ninja. You... You mean those people who kill silently in the darkness with one blow? So....So scary......" 

"The same goes for you, and I think that a Shikigami summoned by an onmyouji is much scarier." 

"......Yoshiharu. Have you decided on what to do?" 

"Oh, Inuchiyo. First Hanbei-chan should send a letter to Yoshitatsu saying that she summoned her Shikigamis to punish the rude Hidanmori and has no intentions to rebel. Then we should move out from Inabayama Castle to make things right. That's the plan, I think." 

And then, we three should go and save Ando-jii-san! 

While saying that, Yoshiharu raised his fist in a fit of adrenaline, while Inuchiyo mumbled, "......Yoshiharu, always treats cute girls like his own belongings", and raised her hand and rested it on Yoshiharu's fist while giving an exasperated expression, and Hanbei stretched her hand out cowardly and said, ".....Th...Th...Thanks.....! Yoshiharu-san, this gratitude, I will never forget it, ever......!" 

With her eyes shining brightly with a hint of tears, Hanbei placed her hand onto both of their hands, before remembering something and addressing the duo. 

"......Ah....But, for Oda Nobuna-dono, isn't this fortress something that Yoshiharu-san definitely needs? If Nobuna-dono can't capture Mino successfully, she will have to carry on the marriage with Asai-dono....." 

Though she's a brat who loves to cry, Hanbei isn't stupid at all. She now has a vague understanding of the situation between Yoshiharu, Nagamasa and Nobuna. Inuchiyo told her everything from Asai Nagamasa's proposal to the inside affairs of the Oda clan without hiding anything. 

Hanbei isn't just a snotty little girl. 

In her heart, there's also real courage and her own sense of ideology [16] . 

This chivalry, can be described as righteousness. 

Though Hanbei has extraordinary wits and commanding ability, she does not have many ambitions, instead wanting to live a secluded life alone in Bodaisen. She served under Yoshitatsu mostly to substitute for her uncle as he tries his best to bring honour to the family, which which she does to repay her gratitude for Ando Iga in raising her in place of her father, or in short, for her sense of righteousness. 

From the start, Hanbei's constitution was poor from birth. Even now, getting high in spirits with the duo has her head feeling slightly warm. Before she can gain anything, her own existence will definitely disappear from this world. 

When she was still very small, she had abandoned herself to despair. Hanbei may have already realized her own body's limit. 

But. 

Because she had never been interested in worldly affairs, she had become devoid of desires. She only had an empty feeling like "The world would be the same without me" towards living in this world. 

Towards the desireless Hanbei, in place of her desires which leads her is her so called "righteousness". 

The same Hanbei now sensed from Yoshiharu, who was supposed to grab Inabayama Castle for Nobuna, a different "righteousness". 

Though Yoshiharu did not say anything, Hanbei felt it, the admiration he held toward his own master Nobuna. No, his feelings were far stronger then the word admiration can describe. 

Towards Hanbei who had yet to experience the taste of love, this feeling was unbelievably strong. 

But to help Hanbei and give up Inabayama Castle, for Yoshiharu, it might mean that he would give up his most important Nobuna. 

In fact, all he needs to do is kill the defenseless Hanbei who had already lost the ability to summon her Shikigamis. 

But no matter if it's Yoshiharu, or Inuchiyo who is by his side, neither thought of "kill Hanbei and grab Inabayama Castle". This choice never existed inside Yoshiharu before. Right now, after balancing the weight of the situation, it is as if Yoshiharu had decided outright on helping Hanbei in this moment of trouble. 

After confirming his "righteousness", Hanbei also decided to use her own "righteousness" to repay Yoshiharu, even if she had to bear the crime of betraying her master and conquering the fortress. 

Hanbei puffed up her small chest and announces, "......I can't accept your help. This fortress, Yoshiharu-san, please accept it. Let me advance to Sunomata alone." 

But. 

Yoshiharu and Inuchiyo rejected Hanbei's proposal with a smile. 

Yoshiharu said, "Till I am fired, we will always be the aides of Hanbei-chan. So it's ok if you don't force yourself" while he rubbed Hanbei's small head. 

Hanbei's eyelids start to grow big with tears. 

This time, she shed tears not because of fear, but because her heart was overflowing with so much warmth that she did not know what to do, but yet, it relived her. 

With this. 

Hanbei and her party rendezvous with Goemon and left the castle under the dark of night. They set on the Kawanami clan's raft and sped off on Nagara river. 

During this, Hanbei sent a pigeon carrying a letter to Yoshitatsu, who was hiding in the town near the foot of the mountain. It seems that Yoshitatsu had been scared stiff and did not have the guts to return to Inabayama castle. 

Yoshiharu readies himself on the raft, with his battle ready stance. 

"That Nobuna, this time she will definitely be fuming with anger......" Yoshiharu mumbled. 

Just imagining Nobuna being taken away by Nagamasa is enough to cause him terrible agony. 

But, looking at the small face of Hanbei taking a nap on his lap, he didn't feel a tinge of regret in his heart. 

"This child is the so called "Current Zhuge Liang" in the 21st century that I lived in, Japan's number one genius strategist, the Takenaka Hanbei who had intelligence over 98. Who would have suspected that I would end up trying to pull Hanbei over? But, how can I let such a weak girl bear such a tragic fate like revenge? I will definitely be scolded by Tokichirou-jii-san if I that happen. 

Using the river currents, the Kawanami raft party launched an ambush towards the mid river's Sunomata. 

But..... 

They couldn't find any trace of Ando Iga and Asai Nagamasa. 

Everyone opened their eyes as wide as possible and searched, but not even a kitten was found. 

"Bastard! We've been set up!!" yelled the vice commander leading the Kawanami clan, a macho guy named Maeno. He stomped his feet in rage, making Hanbei let out a "Uwahhh" and hide behind Yoshiharu in fear. 

".......Yoshiharu, there are words in the soil." Inuchiyo pointed at a soil patch without any grass growing and said. 

It seems like the righteous Hanbei-dono is very uncomfortable about being a traitor. 

But as long as Sagara Yoshiharu is there, returning Inabayama castle to Saitou Yoshitatsu is impossible. 

So according to my plan, I will be the traitor. 

Now, knowing how much Sagara hates me, he must have brought Hanbei-dono here. 

If that's the case, Hanbei-dono can be rid of the name of traitor. 

But after causing such a big mess, I believe it's impossible to return to Mino. 

Please come to Omi. 

As long as Hanbei-dono becomes my aide, Ando Iga will definitely be safely returned to your side. 

"Damn! After seeing that it's impossible to persuade Hanbei to join him, that bastard lured us here just to return Inabayama Castle to Yoshitatsu! That bastard Nagamasa, he really isn't just a normal gigolo.....!" 

".....Maybe he is desperate for an alliance with the princess." 

"But it's really unbelievable to think that Nagamasa gave up Inabayama castle so easily." 

"..... He might be thinking with Hanbei as his aide, he can conquer the fortress alone. Besides, it's the same result with the princess even if he did not conquer it." 

"No matter how I see it, he plans to take the Oda clan as his own by political marriage. Why is that guy so persistent over Nobuna when he does not love her at all!" 

"It is common sense, Hime-sama who has the same ambition as him should be the best candidate for marriage," Inuchiyo mumbled, but Yoshiharu did not think that way. Yoshiharu is certain that the "world" in Nobuna's eyes and the "world" in Nagamasa's eyes are definitely not the same thing. Though Asai Nagamasa is very energetic and cunning, he is definitely not one who holds compassion towards the people, and he has a laughable chance of competing in equal terms with the Europeans, since those sweet words of his are definitely useless towards the Euro fleet. 

…… 

There's nothing we can do by staying in Sunomata. 

Yoshiharu and the gang headed north following the Nagara river, planning to send Hanbei back to her hometown of Bodaisen since no one knew if Yoshitatsu had already sent out troops to kill Hanbei. 

Looking at the dark and diminishing Mount Kinka, Inuchiyo said softly, "......Just the Owari army alone is unable to conquer that fortress. Hime-sama will have to marry Asai Nagamasa." 

"Not yet, Inuchiyo. I have not given up yet. Though I can't just go accepting the fortress from Hanbei-chan, I will definitely think of something to conquer that Inabayama Castle." 

".......Impossible. For one thing, Hime-sama excels at guerrilla warfare. She sucks at besieging fortresses. 

"Yeah, because Nobuna is impulsive, but there must be some other way; there must be!" 

"Ohhhhhhh! I will definitely stop Nagamasa's marriage for all of you to see!" Yoshiharu shouted, using all his brain juice to think on the boat while Goemon used her pelican to fish in the river. 

"It's impossible." 

This sentence pierced Yoshiharu's heart like an arrow sounding a "kachak". 

"If you really want to stop the marriage, you should kidnap Hanbei back to the portress(fortress)." 

"Goemon, even if that's true, I will never kidnap girls. That is my, the popular harem warrior Sagara Yoshiharu's way of life." 

"In the end, you will lose Nobuna-dono." 

"What can I do? I am someone who won't give up chasing any of my rabbits, no matter if I end up pursuing two or three at once. Besides, it's a matter of life and death, how can I just leave it like this!?" [17] 

"Arara. Sagara-shi, what a lustful person you are." 

"Goemon, shouldn't you use the word "good" here?" 

"No~pe. It's lustful person." 

"....*sob* Really, I'm so sorry." 

Maybe because she was afraid of the ninja and the macho men, Hanbei once again lowered her head after sitting and hugged her legs a distance away from Goemon and the Kawanami clan members. 

"Don't mind us, Hanbei-chan. Getting back Mino for Dousan and going to the capital has always been Nobuna's dream. It's just that currently Nagamasa is interfering and the situation isn't very good." 

"......Yoshiharu likes Hime-sama despite being a lowly foot soldier. That's why he wants to use his own strength and stop Nagamasa's marriage." 

"Oi, Inuchiyo! Wh-wh-wh-who likes that idiot!? I just... um... as an aide of the Oda clan... er....! It's only that I can't see eye to eye with Asai clan.....! From the start, Nagamasa that bastard, doesn't like Nobuna one bit, he even kept saying about it being a political marriage like it's nothing..... How can I let Nobuna marry such a heartless guy! Uwah, why is my body getting hot so suddenly!?" 

"......As you've seen, Yoshiharu has been mesmerized by Hime-sama. He would even go so far as to give up his life." 

"Oioi Inuchiyo, stop giving strange information to Hanbei-chan." 

"To Yoshiharu-san, Nobuna-dono is really a very important person." Looking at the moon's reflection in the river, Hanbei whispered softly. 

"No...Not at all! Don't be deceived by my appearance; a guy like me, I'm fiercely loyal! And don't judge Nobuna like that. Even though normally she is very bashful, very arrogant and never knows when to pull her punches, that violent girl still accepts and keeps me, a foreigner to this world, as an aide." 

Hanbei looked at the blushing and stomping Yoshiharu, and said in a small voice, "......If she's really that important to you, you can just hide her somewhere where nobody can touch her. To not let anyone hurt Hime-sama, you should treasure her as such and keep her deep inside a fortress." 

The words Hanbei wanted to say actually went more like: 'I just do not want to be mixed into these worldly affairs. If I had chosen seclusion, this wouldn't have happened to uncle and I wouldn't have to face a thing like escaping.' 

But instead, Hanbei said "Yoshiharu-san, if you really treat Nobuna-dono so importantly, it should be all right if you just hide her. And then, Yoshiharu-san would lead the Oda clan into battle in place of Nobuna-dono." 

"That is wrong, Hanbei-chan." 

"......Eh?" 

Yoshiharu stands beside Hanbei, her gaze still fixed on the moon's reflection. 

"Hanbei-chan. The moon, it's beautiful, right?" 

"......Yes. So beautiful." 

"You like the moon?" 

"Yes. Though it's a bit scary, but Tsuki-sama [18] is not scary at all." 

"So have you ever thought about hiding the moon in a secret place and not letting others see it?" 

"Tsuki-sama can't be hidden." 

"I'm just saying. If you use your onmyouji, it can be done, right?" 

"......I think, I would not hide it away." 

"Why, Hanbei-chan?" 

"......If there is no Tsuki-sama shining brightly in the night, everyone will feel lonely. The roads will be pitch dark and it will be lots of trouble to everyone..... No matter if I like it or not, it's not a thing I should have alone." 

"That's correct. That moon should be shining brightly in the night sky, not hidden away like the night of the new moon. If that's not the case, the moon won't be the moon anymore. It has such a beautiful and mysterious power to lighten up the dark night, yet if it can't use this power and only dwell in the cage, even the moon will feel sad." 

"It's the same reason", Yoshiharu said. 

"If I hide that fellow, there won't be any meaning anymore. That fellow won't be the same anymore. I... would like that fellow to shine brightly in front of the world." 

".....If she shines out in the world, behind the light, there will always be shadows - making lots of enemies, and making people jealous. If that's the case, I think that your important person will be agonized, Yoshiharu." 

"If that happens, it's alright; we as aides will solve it for her. I... want to protect that fellow, and at the same time, I want to let her shine out in the world." 

For a while, Hanbei is stumped, and glances at the face of Yoshiharu who is standing by her side. 

"Just now... in my heart... Yoshiharu is stealing something away." 

Just like that, a small feeling of unfairness yet mingled joy crept into her heart. 

This feeling is totally different compared to her "righteousness" burning in her heart. 

It's a totally new feeling that Hanbei has never experienced. Righteousness, loyalty, filial piety; her own thoughts, as well as a new passion mixed inside her and erupted into an emotion that was much stronger than the rest. 

But from her own mouth, she said things that were completely at odds to this emotion she felt now. 

"Yo...Yoshiharu-san is not just conflicted, but extremely greedy as well. So childish." 

Using all her strength, her voice resisted. 

But even targeted with such a statement, Yoshiharu spoke in low tones with bright eyes. 

"Yes, I'm nothing but a brat. I don't want to give up on anything. No matter who teases me about it, I will never become a decent adult who is able to put important things on a scale and measure them." 

This time, finally... 

Ahhh... 

Her most important thing was stolen by the guy in front of her. 

Hanbei believes. 

But from her mouth came words like... 

"Yoshiharu-san, you might really be a big idiot." 

"Maybe." 

"Yoshiharu-san, is there any talent of yours that is of use to Nobuna-dono?" 

".....My skills with the spear and with horse-riding are all downright lousy, and because I will feel uneasy just from seeing blood, going onto the battlefield is a no-no too. But since I'm from the future, I do know some history." 

"*Cough* Even if that's true, Yoshiharu-san's actions will change the course of history. If that's the case Yoshiharu-san, you can't help Nobuna-dono at all." 

"Hanbei-chan, do you feel cold?" 

"No, it's ok; compared to me, Yoshiharu-san's matters are far more important. I think, you must have lived in a peaceful world, right? So you should not be here in this Sengoku era. You are really gentle, but too useless." 

"At most, I will just die. There's always a way. I... will never give up on anything." 

"But, no matter how you try, a daimyo is a daimyo, and an aide is an aide. Even if Asai-san's marriage is stopped, Yoshiharu-san and Nobuna-dono will definitely not be together. Do you really think that's...." 

"......The great me marry that girl? Haha. I've already said it had never crossed my mind....." 

Like this, a silence stretched between the both of them, and they gazed quietly at the bright moon reflected onto the river. 

And then, Hanbei suddenly spoke clearly in a volume only Yoshiharu can hear. 

I've hesitated for a very long time, but if I don't say it out now, I will definitely... This dream that I have finally realized might end right here and now. 

Hanbei, for a long time since birth, felt fear creeping up her heart. So right here, knowing the words would change her whole life, she said it out herself. 

"I also want to.... Let me be your light and forever protect you." 

Takenaka Hanbei.... 

Just like that, she became the companion of Yoshiharu. 

"Genius strategist, Takenaka Hanbei-chan actually teaming up with an unknown guy like me.....? You gotta be joking! Besides, what's this now? Not under Nobuna, but me!?" 

If that's the case, the hope of not letting Asai Nagamasa take Nobuna away... might succeed one day! 

Yoshiharu, who was shocked at the sudden turn of events, cried "I'm forever in your debt!", and before he realized it was bowing down to the younger Hanbei. 

"Raise your head, my master. From now on, my strategies and onmyouji will all belong to you. Don't be reserved; use them as you like." 

"Nono! Hanbei-chan isn't my aide! It's companion! It's family! So, you can just call me Yoshiharu like you did before." 

".....*stifled laughter* As expected, you are totally different from the warriors of the Sengoku era, Yoshiharu-san." 

Yoshiharu nods and bows profusely at Hanbei. 

We will definitely save Ando Iga. Before that, even if it's our own allies, we should hide our real identities, the both of them decided. 

During all this.... 

Going back to Inabayama castle, Saitou Yoshitatsu and his aides were holding a feast in a three-storey building, which was also the living quarters of the fortress master. 

At the height of 6 feet and 5 inches, Yoshitatsu is a big guy with a face like a child's doodle. 

Contrary to his bad looks, his brain is unexpectedly clever. From a young age, Yoshitatsu had been doubting whether he was the true son of his father, Saitou Dousan, who has always been known as fair looking. 

After growing up and hearing from Dousan himself that he was the son of the daimyo Dousan had banished from Mino, Yoshitatsu had been hatching a plot to overthrow his godfather Dousan, aiming to revive the Toki clan. 

Yoshitatsu had always held an opposing mindset against Dousan, who had benefited from taking Mino away from them and used dictatorial methods to grow the country. 

"Otou-sama is but a merchant by birth, so he knows nothing about the importance of the old laws of this country. I'm not the same. I'm a descendant from the distinguished Toki clan. As long as I hold the reins, I will definitely abolish all the changes that Otou-sama has implemented, and let Mino go back to it's original state." Yoshitatsu planned like this at the beginning. 

And then with that moment, the last hope that the traditional Yoshitatsu held was shattered to pieces when that perverted geezer Dousan suddenly said, "I have decided to give Mino to Nobuna-chan~" 

At that time, the Nobuna who had not been through the battle of Okehazama with Imagawa Yoshimoto was nothing but a fool in the eyes of the residents of Mino. 

The residents of Mino, especially the powerful "Mino Three" had all agreed "Who knows what that fool Nobuna will do when she comes to Mino..." Fearing for themselves, they brought the strategist Hanbei and allied themselves with Yoshitatsu, and in doing so, they allowed Yoshitatsu to force Dousan into a corner at Nagara river. 

The Mino Three refers to Ando Iga, Ujiie Bokuzen and Inaba Itetsu. Between the three, Ando Iga holds the top position as Dousan confidant, but due to Dousan's reckless action of passing Mino to Owari's foolish princess Oda Nobuna, Dousan has been labelled as a tyrant. To protect himself, Ando Iga allied himself with Yoshitatsu. 

But right now, Ando Iga doesn't even know the location of his own niece. 

Yoshitatsu seemed very satisfied as he downed all of the victory wine in one gulp. 

"Good job, you really forced Hanbei and her gang to retreat from here, Saruyashamaru-dono." 

"Yesterday, no matter if it's about persuading Hanbei to join me or narrowly avoiding eating the dung dango, it was all a failure. This is but one small payback." 

Unexpectedly... 

Asai Nagamasa sits beside Yoshitatsu with a relaxed face. 

"Yoshitatsu-dono, after thinking about the alliance with the Oda clan, I Nagamasa am fed up with that undecided foolish princess. As of now, please take good care of me." 

"Hmmm. Saruyashamaru-dono, don't tell me this is also a payback to Oda Nobuna for not responding to your advances?" 

Though with a height of 6 foot 5 inches and a face that is totally fated to not have any love experience, Yoshitatsu isn't stupid. 

"What do you mean?" 

"If that foolish princess managed to absorb Mino into the influence of Owari, she will be a world renowned daimyo. If that's the case, there won't be any need to be the wife of Saruyashamaru-dono. In contrast to that, if that happens, Saruyashamaru-dono will be slightly inferior when compared to the Oda clan. So, to prevent Inabayama castle from falling into the hands of the Oda clan while it was controlled by Hanbei, and because you failed to persuade Hanbei to join you, you planned to let me gain back this fortress, isn't that right?" 

The so called doing others a favor, in fact, all of it is spot on by Yoshitatsu. 

This artistically-lacking face and that thick body actually matches Dousan in terms of intelligence. Nagamasa feels fear in his heart, but still maintains a calm face. 

"Saruyashamaru-dono, even without Hanbei, as long as I avoid open warfare, this Inabayama castle has no weakness. That foolish Nobuna will definitely be disdained after failing the last time, and will be thinking who she might look to for help. I believe the pair of you will become a couple very soon." 

"Hmmm. At that time, we might just combine forces and attack Inabayama castle, is this really okay?" 

"Of course. It's different if the Oda clan has Hanbei, but this fortress will never fall." 

"Hmmm, you have a point." 

Looks like the fact that I'm holding Ando Iga as a hostage has not been discovered; if so, Hanbei will definitely serve me one day. Nagamasa laughed in his heart while letting out a sign of relief, but he does not know the fact that Hanbei had already sworn to be by Yoshiharu's side. 

There might be a day when both of them will become enemies, and with that in mind, both Saitou Yoshitatsu and Asai Nagamasa laugh with deep meaning and toast. 

The enemy of yesterday can become today's friend, but they may just as easily become your enemy in the future. 

This is a certainty in the Sengoku era. 

Yoshitatsu's aides all signaled to Yoshitatsu with their eyes, Why not finish him off here?, but Yoshitatsu does not seem to think that way. 

It's partly Nagamasa's effort for the reclaiming of Inabayama castle, and if Nagamasa died here, there won't be a chance for me to see that foolish princess of Owari being forced into a marriage she doesn't want, with that unwilling expression of hers. 

If she became the wife of the experienced Saruyashamaru, that willfull and foolish princess might learn her limits and do her duty as a woman. After waking up from the unrealistic dream of conquering the world, she might be disdained and give up Mino. 

Beneath this doodle-like face, Yoshitatsu has already predicted to that extent. 

From Nagamasa's point of view, a man like Yoshitatsu who can become a capable Sengoku daimyo can be said to be lucky. 

Even without the help of the strategist Hanbei, Yoshitatsu still had ways to protect Inabayama castle from the Oda army. 

Nagamasa is certain that there is no other choice for Nobuna than to obey his orders. It could be said that he had Owari in his hands now. From now on, as long as Omi and Owari are allied together, sieging Mino with an all surround formation, there will be a day when Inabayama Castle will be his. During the day when he was climbing the castle, Nagamasa has memorized every detail and piece of structural information in this fortress. 

In this world where wars are abundant, it's a place where you have to bluff and cheat your way through. 

For Nagamasa, who is said to be the reincarnation of ambition, there is no such thing as friendship in this world, nor are there things like romantic love or family loves. All he does is rely on his naturally good looks, using different girls and abandoning them in stride. This way of doing things was actually very similar to that used by the young Viper, Saitou Dousan. 

A person born in a daimyo family of the Sengoku era does not need love. Their so called family members are nothing but chess pieces. 

Yoshitatsu had banished his own godfather, and Nagamasa has also forced his useless father Hisamasa to retire and give up the position of head of the clan. 

Even that Nobuna will one day give up on that childish dream of "I want to marry the man I like", and come under me. 

Without knowing why, the Nagamasa whose heart had never been moved by any female wanted to see the sobbing face of Nobuna when her dream was shattered. 

Oda Nobuna and Sagara Yoshiharu; these two people have totally different positions, yet they always quarrel and threw curses at each other once they are together. But looking at the their purity, Nagamasa would always slip into a state of melancholy. Looking at these two people who had totally no regard of their relationship would remind Nagamasa of his long forgotten, yet never really given up dream. 

Asai Nagamasa isn't someone who just plays with women. 

But the truth behind Nagamasa's long forgotten dream can never be known to others. Even to Nobuna who will soon be his wife, not a word can be spoken to her. 

"Ara, tonight is really a night worth celebrating. To the prosperity of the Saitou and Asai clans, cheers!"