Chronicles of The Hardships of Komachi in The Sengoku Era

1571, early October.

The town of Sakamoto, which was also the gate town of Hiyoshi Shrine, was destroyed and surrendered to Nobunaga. Although the main temple, Mt. Hiei Enryakuji Temple, was safe, there was no chance of winning, so it was a measure to avoid further conflict and inevitable defeat. However, this was unknown to others, and as a result, the authority of Enryakuji Temple fell and the soil was created where they could no longer behave arrogantly as before. Tendai Zasu, the head priest of Enryakuji Temple, was expelled from Mt. Hiei, and Emperor Shōshin and the Imperial Court did not blame Nobunaga for this.

The Central Hall and Auditorium of Enryakuji Temple and Hiyoshi Shrine were burned down, and all the temple and shrine lands were confiscated by Nobunaga. These territories were distributed to Mitsuhide Akechi, Nobumori Sakuma, Shigemasa Nakagawa, Katsuie Shibata, and Nagahide Niwa. While these five had their own territories, they governed the distributed territories by sending their retainers.

The head priest of the Tendai Sect, Kakusho Hōshinnō, and others who negotiated with Nobunaga, including Gōsei Shōkakuin, fled to Kai and sought protection from Shingen Takeda, who responded by protecting them. Upon learning of Nobunaga’s treatment of Enryakuji Temple, he criticized him, saying, “Nobunaga is not a human, but a ‘heavenly demon’s transformation.'”

The next day, Nobunaga entrusted the post-war handling to Mitsuhide Akechi and led only his elite troops to Kyoto. During that time, each army defeated the uprisings in Omi Province one by one. After entering Kyoto and dealing with the suppression of Enryakuji Temple and various post-war matters, as well as greetings, Nobunaga returned to Gifu. While staying in Kyoto, Nobunaga heard worrisome rumors multiple times and called for Ashimitsu, whom he suspected to be the cause.

“What have you done to Matsunaga?”

The rumors that were circulating were about the Matsunaga army that was besieging Takatsuki Castle. Despite being in a favorable position in the battle, they suddenly withdrew from the front lines and returned to their home base, closing the gates and attracting attention from those around them. Nobunaga, who had sent his spies to gather information, suspected that it was probably Ashimitsu’s doing. There was a reason for suspecting Ashimitsu. He had been targeted for assassination by the Miyoshi Trio and Nagayasu Matsunaga. It wouldn’t be surprising if he harbored deep hatred.

“Hmph, I just threatened him a little. It’s not a big deal.”

Ashimitsu laughed and answered Nobunaga’s question. He calmly answered without any sign of agitation, but from Matsunaga’s perspective, it was certain that the person he had tried to kill was still alive and waiting for an opportunity to kill him after gaining power. It made sense for him to flee from the enemy.

“Don’t talk back, I won’t listen to your excuses. Do you want to end up like Sōi (Miyoshi Sōi, one of the Miyoshi Trio)?”

“Even death is too lenient for you.”

“Do you think it’s worth seeking revenge at the cost of many sacrifices? It makes my skin crawl just to see you alive and well, you who feast on food every day. You insects should die like insects so that I can sleep in peace!”

Ashimitsu recalled the words he had said to Nagayasu Matsunaga and his son, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face.

“I’ll be quiet for a while. Although I might go crazy from being threatened too much.”

“I won’t ask for details. But be moderate.”

“I’ll handle it well.”

It was as if he was saying “no” to Nobunaga’s question. Understanding this, Nobunaga gave up on saying anything more to Ashimitsu and instead let out a deep sigh.

After completing the negotiations with Hisamasa Asai, the Shizuko army returned to Owari after leaving the post-war handling to Hideyoshi. They had suffered a considerable number of wounded soldiers, but the number of casualties was small enough to be counted on both hands. After leaving the handling of the remaining families to Genrō, Shizuko rewarded those who had performed well in this campaign. Nagamasa was among them. He was given a hundred soldiers and was also appointed as a retainer along with Endo and Mitamura. Although they were originally Nagamasa’s vassals, they were now officially under Shizuko’s command. Therefore, with this reward, they no longer needed to pretend to be coincidental and could openly follow Nagamasa’s lead. However, Shizuko, who knew that the two of them were scheming, gathered the three of them in one place to prevent unnecessary discord within the unit.

After completing the post-war handling and the rewards, Shizuko embarked on a major task. It was the harvest of pepper. In India and Southeast Asian countries, pepper is harvested from March to May, but due to the timing of planting and the climate, Shizuko’s pepper field ended up with a late harvest period from August to October. The pepper had started to bear fruit around late August, but it only produced small fruits until September. Finally, by the end of September, the fruits grew larger. Pepper plants, which are vine plants, produce about 2 kilograms of fruit per vine. However, due to unsuitable soil or insufficient temperature, the fruiting was not satisfactory, and only about 5 kilograms in total were harvested from the 10 plants that bore fruit. The expected harvest was about 20 kilograms, but this year, there were 4 plants that didn’t bear any fruit or even flowers, resulting in a significant loss considering the investment.

“Pepper, pepper!”

Shizuko danced a mysterious dance while rejoicing that the pepper had been harvested. In the Sengoku period of Japan, pepper cultivation was nothing more than a dream, so the fact that even a small amount could be harvested was a cause for celebration. For her, the fact that she could harvest even a small amount was more joyful than a small harvest.

“Let’s make white pepper and black pepper, and mix them to make pepper.”

Black pepper (made from unripe fruit) and white pepper (made from fully ripe fruit) are made from the fruits of the pepper plant, and green pepper and pink pepper are also made depending on the harvest time and the method of production. Black pepper is made by sun-drying unripe fruit, while white pepper requires soaking in water for complete fermentation. After fermentation, the outer skin is peeled off and then sun-dried. In modern Japanese households, a blend of black and white pepper in powdered form is commonly used. However, powdered pepper loses its aroma easily and has a shorter shelf life. In contrast, whole black and white pepper can be stored at room temperature for up to three years. Therefore, in the Sengoku period, it would be best to put the grains in a pepper mill and grind them when needed.

Although an electric mill was out of the question, Shizuko believed that a wooden manual pepper mill with a tapered center would be the most suitable. A few months ago, she had purchased a wooden pepper mill with a tapered center from a Nanban ship. It only contained the container without the pepper itself, and it was not a large package, so she was able to purchase it cheaply. She also bought bay leaves (dried leaves of the bay laurel used as a spice) and bay laurel seedlings to prevent decay. The Nanban merchants were puzzled by Shizuko, who paid a large sum of money for the seedlings that were like weeds, but they didn’t want to risk upsetting Shizuko, who was a good payer, and ended up giving her a wooden box full of bay leaves and a few seedlings as part of their cargo.

The bay laurel was taken home, and the pepper mill was brought to the technology district to be replicated. Some of them were dismantled to understand the structure, but it allowed them to reproduce it quickly. Bay laurel, which is classified as a herb, is suitable for neglect cultivation, so after transplanting it into planters, they simply watered it and left it alone. Despite that, it grew well, showing the terrifying vitality of herbs.

“Chicken, check. Salt, check. Bay leaves, check. Germinated brown rice, check. Pepper, check. Eggs, check. Everything is ready.”

When the white pepper was ready, Shizuko received a letter from Fróis. It informed her that the desired heavy horse breed, Destrier, had finally been transported to Gifu. Until now, Nobunaga had blocked the key points from Kyoto to Gifu, so they couldn’t use the safe roads and the transportation of horses was delayed. However, with the destruction of Sakamoto, the blockade in the area was lifted, and they were finally able to transport the horses, as stated in the letter. The letter also mentioned that there was someone Fróis wanted her to meet.

(Hmm, considering the situation, it’s probably Gneki Soldi Organtino, the head of the Kyoto mission. It doesn’t seem like Francisco Cabral, the head of the Kyushu mission.)

Gneki Soldi Organtino was an Italian missionary who came to Japan in May of the Genki era and conducted missionary activities in Japan for a long period of thirty years. With his good personality and his fondness for the Japanese people, he was loved by many Japanese and was known as “Urukishi the Christians.” He became acquainted with the ruling powers of the time, such as Nobunaga and Hideyoshi. With his cheerful and charming personality, he actively learned Japanese language and customs. He studied the Lotus Sutra for a year from 1573 and achieved great success by increasing the number of believers in the Kinki region to 15,000 within three years. He served as the head of the Kyoto district mission for thirty years from 1577, which indicates the implementation of “adaptationism” and the tremendous trust he gained from the Japanese people.

In contrast to Organtino, Francisco Cabral, the head of the Kyushu mission, was a Portuguese adventurer who, like his contemporaries, had a negative and discriminatory attitude towards the Japanese people and Japanese culture. Cabral was the first to reject adaptationism, completely ignoring the policies of his predecessor, Cosme de Torres, and referring to the Japanese people as low-class citizens, which created a rift between Japanese believers and missionaries. Eventually, he was dismissed from his position as the head of the mission in 1581 and returned to Goa, India.

It should be noted that there were no local believers and no churches in Japan, a country in a state of continuous warfare. The fact that the missionaries like Fróis were able to conduct Christian missionary work in Japan was due to the achievements of Cosme de Torres. He implemented the ideology of “adaptationism” (where missionaries respect the local culture and live rooted in that culture) that went beyond the thinking of Europeans at the time and fulfilled Xavier’s dream of preaching in Kyoto. Churches were established in Kyoto, Sakai, Yamaguchi, and other places, and many believers were born, thanks to Torres’ continued efforts to realize Xavier’s dream.,(But wasn’t Cabral in Kyoto until he went to Yamaguchi in 1573…?)

After thinking for a moment, Shizuko decided that it must be Organtino whom Fróis wanted to meet. Since he is also responsible for spreading Christianity in Kyoto, he would be more satisfied with him.

“Well, let’s cook after a long time. This time, it’s a dish that uses expensive spices like pepper.”

Aya and Shou offered to help, but Shizuko told them to focus on their own work as she didn’t need their help. This time, Shizuko is making salt-grilled chicken. First, she removes the internal organs and bones from the whole chicken while keeping its shape. At the same time, she rinses the sprouted brown rice that will be stuffed into the chicken’s belly and soaks it in water for about ten minutes. After finishing, she wipes off the moisture from the chicken and puts the sprouted brown rice on a sieve. Next, she rubs freshly ground pepper all over the chicken, stuffs the hollowed belly with a mixture of sprouted brown rice and bay leaves, and sews it closed with a bamboo skewer. Once the chicken is prepared, it’s time for the salt kiln. She lightly whips egg whites and mixes salt into it.

She spreads the mixed salt on the base of the stone oven to a thickness of about one centimeter, then places the chicken on top and covers the entire chicken with a dome of salt about one centimeter thick. She heats it in the stone oven for about an hour and a half, then lets it cook for another thirty minutes with the residual heat after turning off the fire. Once she takes it out of the stone oven, she breaks the salt with a hammer and takes out the chicken from the inside. She removes the stuffing from the belly, mixes it with the steamed chicken meat, and separates the thin parts with a high salt content to use as ingredients for the soup.

“Now…”

She takes out a fan from her pocket and fans the dishes arranged on the table. Like insects attracted to the nectar of flowers, everyone is drawn to the delicious smell. As the smell spreads throughout the house, Saizou, followed by Keiji, Nagayoshi, and finally Ashimitsu, gather without being called.

“Hungry children. Today’s dish is made with pepper that the Nanban people love.”

“Yay!”

Keiji and Nagayoshi raise their hands and cheer. Shizuko is slightly amazed by their attitude, but she arranges the dishes while calling Aya, Shou, and Takatora (Yokichi Toudou). Unfortunately, Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) is away with Nobunaga, so he and his grandfather are absent.

(It’ll be noisy when they come back.)

Shizuko thinks about such things as she takes her seat. She puts her hands together and gives a pre-meal greeting, and Keiji and the others follow suit.

“Wow, this is delicious. It’s just brown rice, but the flavor has soaked in and it’s delicious.”

“This soup has just the right amount of chicken flavor and it’s delicious.”

“Yum! Yum!”

Nagayoshi eats the sprouted brown rice while shouting with excitement, Saizou slowly enjoys the chicken soup, Takatora (Yokichi Toudou) silently eats his rice, and Keiji eats while taking out sake from somewhere and drinking it. The table is chaotic. Shizuko’s head starts to hurt, but she feels relieved to see Aya and Shou enjoying the food. The only one who has eaten it before, Ashimitsu, eats quietly as usual, but a small smile appears on his face.

(The pepper turned out pretty good.)

Shizuko feels a sense of accomplishment seeing that even Keiji and the others, who are picky about taste, are satisfied.

A few days later, Shizuko prepares her usual male attire for a meeting with Fróis and heads to the mansion in Gifu with Keiji, Saizou, Nagayoshi, and Takatora (Yokichi Toudou) who don’t usually accompany her. After completing the final check of the mansion, Shizuko goes to bed early to prepare for the meeting. The next day, two hours before the meeting, Shizuko finishes all the preparations and waits for Fróis’ visit.

“Fróis-sama has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

After a while, Fróis and his companions are led into the reception room. Luís Fróis, Lorenzo Rokkasai, a sister accompanying them, and a friendly-looking missionary enter the room.

“Thank you for granting us the honor of an audience today.”

Fróis bows as usual, and the other three follow suit. It seemed like the usual scene, but Shizuko noticed that Fróis’ expression seemed slightly awkward.

“Please rise. And today, I heard that you have brought the cargo I requested. First, I would like to see the horses. After that, we can have a leisurely conversation.”

Fróis hesitated for a moment, but when he saw the friendly-looking missionary nod, he agreed to Shizuko’s suggestion.

“Uh, wow…”

Among Shizuko’s group, Takatora (Yokichi Toudou) was the first to be stunned when he saw the giant horse, Destria. Nagayoshi and Saizou also showed a tense expression in the face of the intimidating presence of the large breed they had never seen before. Only Keiji’s eyes sparkled.

“Wow, what a magnificent horse.”

Shizuko, who knew the real thing from pictures, felt a sense of admiration for Destria’s strength, despite being surprised by its size and the heat it emitted. Destria had a gentle temperament and was obedient. It didn’t resist when Shizuko, who was wearing a hood, touched it, but instead sniffed her and touched her with its nose. Even if Shizuko’s face was hidden, horses could easily read human emotions. If they are scared, horses become wary, and if they are friendly, horses respond in kind. Observing the five Destrias, Shizuko realized that they were fatigued.

“The horses seem tired from the long journey. Give them plenty of water and feed in the stable. I see you’ve laid fresh sawdust. And what about the cats?”

Shizuko asks the stableman who manages the stable. The stable is like a house for horses. It is a minimum requirement for it to be a clean, south-facing, spacious, bright, and well-maintained room. Horses are clean animals, so having a dirty room causes stress. Sawdust is the fine wood chips produced when cutting wood. It is generated in large quantities on a daily basis when cutting timber. Sawdust is not as good as straw for bedding, but it has insulation and deodorizing effects. It suppresses the smell of urine, making it a good material for both horses and the humans who manage them. For Shizuko, who manufactures a certain standard of lumber using prefab construction methods, obtaining sawdust is easy. However, she also prepared straw just in case, as some horses may not like sawdust. As for why cats are released in the stable, it is for rat control and because horses and cats surprisingly get along well.

“Yes! Everything is in order.”

“Good. Once the fatigue of the five horses is relieved, we will transport them to Owari. Please do your best until then.”

If they pay too much attention to the tired horses, it will only add unnecessary stress. Shizuko shows a somewhat indifferent attitude as she bids farewell to the horses, then returns to the room with Saizou and the others, along with Fróis and his companions. Upon returning to the reception room, Shizuko has a servant prepare tea. It was a bit difficult to drink with the hood on, but Shizuko manages to moisten her throat and coughs lightly.

“My business is finished. Now, let’s hear your story.”

Shizuko had a rough idea of what Fróis would talk about. At this time, a significant event is happening for the missionaries.

“Then, let me start. Excuse me, my name is Organtino. Please remember it from now on.”

“You are the renowned Gneki Soldi Organtino, aren’t you? I have heard rumors about you.”

Organtino shows a slight reaction to being called by his full name, but quickly puts on a smile.

“Haha, it is an honor to have my name reach the ears of the Prime Minister.”

Organtino considered asking for Shizuko’s name, but decided not to do so in this situation. Japanese rulers avoid revealing their names. He knows that they believe in kotodama, the power of words. Shizuko’s reason for not revealing her name is simply because she hasn’t received an order from Nobunaga to disclose her identity, although it slightly contradicts Organtino’s thinking.

“So, what is the purpose of your visit?”

“Ah, as you yourself mentioned, it is to let Oda-sama know about us and become friends. Following that, I also came to get to know you and become friends.”

“I apologize for my rudeness.”

“No, I also went too far with my words. With your understanding, let’s begin. To deepen our friendship.”

The conversation continued for several hours, but Organtino maintained a cheerful attitude throughout.

Shizuko and Organtino’s meeting lasted for several hours. Organtino’s stories were wide-ranging, talking about things that surprised and moved him during his stay in Japan, with a touch of humor. Occasionally, Fróis would bring up the differences between European and Japanese culture as a topic of conversation, and Shizuko would talk about not only Japan but also Western countries, Southeast Asian countries, and India, surprising Organtino. However, most of the time, Organtino dominated the conversation. They had lunch and had afternoon tea together, but the topics never ran out. In the end, when the sun was setting, the meeting finally came to an end, but both of them still felt like they had more to talk about.,”Thank you very much for spending such a long time with me today.”

“No, I also had a wonderful time.”

“I’m sorry to say goodbye, but I must leave now. Let’s enjoy our conversation again if we have the chance.”

“Take care.”

After Organitino bowed one last time and left with Frois, Shizuko stretched out. She was overwhelmed with emotions as she hadn’t had a chance to talk about history for a long time. She felt a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, and she was in such a good mood that she could forgive almost anything now.

(Ah, people from that time really know a lot. They complement the details that I don’t know, and it’s amazing.)

Even Saizo and Keiji could tell that Shizuko was in a very good mood. To be honest, the two of them couldn’t understand half of what Shizuko and Organitino were talking about. They couldn’t understand, but they realized that there was someone among the Nanban people who had knowledge similar to Shizuko’s. This made them feel slightly anxious and surprised.

“Wow, he really knows a lot more than us.”

On the other hand, Organitino was secretly amazed by Shizuko’s knowledge. And he didn’t sense any fear or prejudice towards Westerners from Shizuko. He also didn’t feel the usual wariness that those in power often have. If we showed a friendly attitude, they would respond with a friendly attitude, and their wariness would decrease.

“I’m surprised by Organitino-sama, but I’m also surprised by the Prime Minister-sama, who can keep up with him.”

“You shouldn’t be so wary, Frois-kun. If we show sincerity, they will respond to it. Being honest is considered a virtue in this country.”

Frois muttered with a slightly wary expression. In response, Organitino waved his hand to dismiss his thoughts. It was a typical thought of Organitino, who had a favorable impression of Japan. In his letters, he often mentioned that Europeans were wise, but compared to the Japanese, they were barbaric. He was the missionary who liked the Japanese the most and understood them the best.

“In this country, sincerity is the highest strategy, and being honest is the best tactic. Especially those in power are sensitive to our wariness. To avoid unnecessary suspicion, always strive to be sincere.”

“Y-Yes.”

Even Frois, who had become famous in Europe, couldn’t match Organitino when it came to spreading the faith in Japan.

“I talked to him for a long time, but I oppose the idea of making the Prime Minister a believer. He dislikes political figures aligning themselves with a specific doctrine. In order to govern fairly, he does not accept any particular teachings.”

“Then…”

“Well, that’s his view on politics.”

Organitino chuckled at Frois’s worried expression. He continued speaking with his usual kind smile.

“We have the example of Wada-dono who helped us. The Prime Minister is not a believer, but he is not hostile to us either. So, it’s much better to extend a hand of friendship rather than reject him as a heathen. Although, when I mentioned this to Cabral-dono, he just laughed.”

Organitino’s attitude was nonchalant, as if he didn’t really care. This difference in attitude showed the contrast between the serious Frois and the carefree Organitino.

“However, I agree with Frois-kun’s opinion that it’s better not to introduce him to Cabral-dono. Cabral-dono wouldn’t be able to keep up with the Prime Minister’s conversation. It would hurt his pride, and it would be a problem if we accidentally offend the Prime Minister.”

“Yes. Now that Wada-dono has passed away, it is urgent for us to establish a good relationship with Oda-dono and the Prime Minister. I apologize, but we are not strong enough with Takayama-dono.”

“The Takayama family is rushing too much with their missionary work. They don’t seem to have the saying ‘haste makes waste’ in their minds. At this rate, they will soon make too many enemies and be in a desperate situation. Frois-kun, please advise them to exercise restraint.”

Organitino ordered Frois with a slightly stronger tone when it came to exercising restraint.

“Yes.”

Satisfied with Frois’s response, Organitino put his hand on his chin and pondered.

(As I thought, the person who suppressed the epidemic in Kyoto and the Prime Minister are the same person. They seem to be hiding it, but they haven’t been able to hide the difference in gender completely. But why do they hide their true identity? Is there some problem with revealing their identity to us?)

Having reached that point in his thoughts, Organitino shook his head and stopped thinking.

(Let’s not dwell on it. If they are hiding something, there must be a reason why they don’t want it to be mentioned. We have lost a good supporter in Wada-dono. We can’t afford to meddle in unnecessary matters and lose the powerful supporter that is Oda-dono. The fact that the Prime Minister is a woman is a trivial matter. There is no need to worry about them not revealing their true identity. Everything is decided by the Lord.)

Organitino concluded that Shizuko’s situation was also decided by the Lord.

Five days after the meeting, Shizuko, who judged that the horses had recovered from fatigue, transported the five Destriers to Owari. However, when all five heavy horses were gathered, they emitted an overwhelming sense of intimidation. With an average shoulder height of 160 centimeters, they towered over the average height of Japanese people at the time. Due to their large size, they had a wide stride and a low posture when walking, which allowed them to easily overtake others just by walking normally. Therefore, great care was needed in handling them. As an excuse to gain experience, Shizuko had one of them equipped with horse gear, but even with her relatively tall stature, it was a struggle for her to ride. She felt a slight cold sweat as her line of sight was slightly elevated, but she managed to arrive in Owari without showing it on her face.

“Phew, that was tiring. They’re more suited for carriages, yeah.”

After telling Keiji, “Choose your favorite one,” Shizuko rubbed her waist and passed through the gate. She received a rough welcome from Wittman and then a warm welcome from the Shepard family.

“By the way, we haven’t decided on names yet. Alright… you’re Sakura, you’re Tsubaki, and you’re Kikyo. From today, remember those names well.”

Shizuko, who was stroking Shepard’s head, realized that she had forgotten to give names to the Shepard dogs. At first, Shepard looked puzzled, but when he realized that she was calling him, he barked softly. Seeing that he liked it, Shizuko stroked Shepard, Sakura, and Tsubaki’s heads a little harder.

“It’s impossible to come up with names for the puppies. Numbers are also boring.”

Although they were less than a year old, the Wolfhounds were growing rapidly. Wolfhounds had a handsome face, a keen sense of smell, erect ears like Shepards, and excellent reflexes and agility. Their fluffy drooping tails were also a characteristic. They were loyal and affectionate towards their owners, and they were patient even in stressful environments. However, they also had the cautiousness, wariness, and vigilance unique to wolves.

The Wolfhounds, which combined the docility of dogs with the attentiveness of wolves, had an average shoulder height of 30 centimeters and weighed between 10 and 20 kilograms, already reaching the size of a medium-sized dog despite being only a few months old. Dogs become adults in about six months to two years. If they continue to grow well, their shoulder height will reach 65 to 75 centimeters and their weight will reach 35 to 45 kilograms. If there was a flaw, it would be that when they saw someone as an enemy, they would attack before barking, showing a high level of aggression. They also had more potential when there were two or three of them rather than being alone.

“Good boy, good boy.”

Although their body size was that of a medium-sized dog, the Wolfhounds were still puppies. They put their whole body and soul into everything they did. However, whether it was due to their parent’s blood or their personality, they also wholeheartedly sought affection.

A few days after transporting the Destriers to Owari.

“Whoa!”

Keiji chose one of the horses, but the horse refused to be ridden. He had been trying to mount it and had been thrown into the river several times. However, the amount of time he could stay on the horse was gradually increasing, so Shizuko thought he might be able to ride it soon.

“You’re energetic.”

“It’s been four days already. He comes back every day covered in bruises, but he shows no signs of giving up.”

Saizo answered Shizuko’s question as he watched Keiji. He was amazed that Keiji, who had been rejected by the horse so many times, not only didn’t give up, but also burned with passion to master riding. However, Saizo also felt a slight envy that he could be so passionate about something.

“I still have a long way to go!”,He straddled the horse and was rejected by it and fell off. After repeating this for ten days, a change finally occurred between Keiji and the horse.

When Destoria looked at Keiji, it lightly bit his shoulder. After biting a few times, the horse lightly shook its head sideways. Seeing this as if it was saying “you can ride now,” Keiji’s eyes sparkled and he nodded. He stroked the horse equipment that was attached and then mounted the horse. Unlike before, the horse did not show any signs of disgust and neighed loudly. After several days of struggling with the horse, Keiji was recognized by Destoria as someone worthy of riding on its back.

“Run!”

The horse ran with Keiji’s voice. Its explosive power was not good, but it had a beautiful form that flowed smoothly. It was a war horse that could carry over 100 kilograms. Even with Keiji, who was nearly two meters tall, it didn’t show any signs of fatigue. Unlike the Kiso horse, which would quickly run out of stamina.

“Speed that pierces the heavens! From today, you are Matsukaze!”

Keiji, who had been engaged in intense struggles day after day, was covered in scratches and wounds, but his expression was lively and radiant.

In early October, permission for a topographical survey of the Mikatagahara Plateau was granted by Ieyasu. Of course, not only Shizuko and the others, but the survey would also be conducted under the supervision of Tadakatsu’s squad. Thanks to the preparations made in advance, Shizuko and the others headed to the Mikatagahara Plateau without any panic, loading the survey equipment onto wagons.

“Oh, it’s really spacious.”

The north-south distance was about 15 kilometers, and the east-west distance was about 10 kilometers. The lowest point had an elevation of 25 meters, but the highest point reached 110 meters. Due to the uplift of the fan-shaped land of the Tenryu River, there were few completely flat areas at first glance, and it had a hilly atmosphere.

“First, we need to grasp the shape of the plateau. Then we need to measure the elevation.”

The Takeda army occupied the Mikatagahara Plateau with a force of 30,000. Considering that the Oda and Tokugawa allied forces were camped in a slightly distant location, the places that could become battlefields were limited. If they thoroughly understood the actual battlefield and the surrounding terrain, it would be easier to plan for the Takeda campaign.

“Alright, let’s set up the camp at this spot.”

While walking and observing the terrain, Shizuko and the others discovered an ideal location for a considerable number of people to camp. They wrapped bamboo poles with animal leather, laid mats on the ground, and set up tents. The tents were perfect equipment for topographical surveys as they could protect against cold and dust even in winter. Everyone was familiar with the process, so they started setting up their tents after unloading their belongings from the wagons. After the tents were set up, it was time for a meal. The meal consisted of rice balls, miso soup, and side dishes such as pickles. However, the miso soup was an instant miso soup that Shizuko had come up with, as suggested by Takenaka Hanbei.

When it comes to instant miso soup in the Sengoku period, the famous ones are Imokukinawa or the instant miso soup invented by Masuda Nagamori, who was one of the five administrators of the Toyotomi family. However, the instant miso soup that Shizuko and Takenaka Hanbei came up with was in the form of solid cubes. After adding kombu and bonito flakes to the miso to make it a soup base, they wrapped it with dried vegetables and shaped it into cubes. All that was left was to dissolve it in hot water when needed. It was basically similar to Imokukinawa, but Imokukinawa was more like a simple soup rather than miso soup. It couldn’t be stored for a long time, but the taste was definitely better compared to Imokukinawa. It was better to have a warm miso soup that warms the body, but the advantage of being able to eat it in one bite when you couldn’t boil water was also a plus. It would be nice to have a rice cooker, but unlike the modern aluminum ones, the all-iron ones were too heavy and not suitable for individual carrying.

“A warm miso soup is justice on its own.”

Shizuko dissolved the miso cube in a mug cup with bamboo chopsticks and drank it. Then she took a bite of the rice ball. It was slightly cold, but the saltiness made it delicious. The fillings were pickled plum, tsukudani made from dashi-gara kombu, and okaka made from dashi-gara bonito flakes. Although they were made from the leftover kombu and bonito flakes used to make the broth, with a little effort, they became perfect fillings for rice balls.

“By the way, you’ve been doing sumo wrestling since earlier… Are you fighting over the fillings for the rice balls again?”

“That’s right. So you can just leave it alone.”

Shizuko made a questioning face as the Tadakatsu squad members were wrestling a little away. It was as if she was used to seeing such scenes, Shizuko sighed. Hanzo casually brushed off her question.

Shizuko didn’t intend to get involved, but their way of life gradually infiltrated the Tadakatsu squad. Those who were easily influenced were assimilated in a matter of days, and even stubborn individuals fell within a few weeks. The main cause of their disputes was the fillings for the rice balls. There were three factions: the pickled plum faction, the tsukudani faction, and the okaka faction. Some even questioned whether they should be considered as fillings for rice balls. When they fought over the fillings for the rice balls, the resolution method was sumo wrestling. So behind the scenes of sumo wrestling between the Mikawa samurai, it could be assumed that they were arguing over the fillings for the rice balls.

“For now, the pickled plum faction led by Heihachiro is the largest faction.”

“Well, there’s no need to analyze the situation calmly. Oh, we don’t need to stop them?”

“There’s no cure for fools.”

Although his attitude seemed indifferent, Hanzo had learned from the experience of trying to intervene before and being thrown by Tadakatsu that it was best not to get involved with them in that situation. Even when sumo wrestling heated up in the background, he calmly chewed on his rice ball. Ashimitsu joined the sumo wrestling at some point and had a close match with Tadakatsu, but fortunately, no one suffered serious injuries.

“Today, I will defeat you!”

“Shut up, brat! You’re a thousand years too early to beat me!”

Shizuko heard angry voices coming from the direction of the sumo wrestling while drinking tea after the meal, but she ignored it all.

After the arrival day, the members were relaxed due to various reasons, but from the next day, everyone switched their mindset and started the survey. Shizuko didn’t need to be fully involved in the survey, but she had to participate in the kickstart. Once the kickstart was done, the basic process was the same as other projects, waiting for reports to come in. The Stirling engine and rangefinder were the same. Recently, Shizuko’s role had become acquiring the budget for the projects and planning. Although she occasionally wanted to be involved in the development, her higher status meant that people would gather around her, making it more of a hindrance. With the advantage of being able to push through plans more easily, Shizuko had lost the freedom to act on her own. She was now in a position where it was difficult for her to act on her own accord.

The personnel were assigned according to the plan, and the survey began. After a week, Shizuko received a red seal letter from Nobunaga. At the same time, Tadakatsu also received a letter from Ieyasu. Although they didn’t compare the contents of the letters, their actions were the same. Shizuko disbanded half of the combat troops and returned to Owari, while Tadakatsu and his squad headed to Hamamatsu Castle, leaving only Hanzo’s subordinates behind.

“I didn’t expect this. But I guess they reacted after all.”

On the way to Owari, Shizuko complained to Saizo, who was sitting next to her. The letter stated that “Takeda reacted to the topographical survey of the Mikatagahara Plateau.” Shizuko thought that if only the Oda army moved, it would appear as an act of invasion, but she believed that as long as they were acting together with Ieyasu’s vassals, they wouldn’t cause unnecessary provocation. However, Shizuko’s expectations were too naive. Even with only half of their usual force, Takeda reacted to the Shizuko army, which consisted mostly of rear support troops, and came to investigate the movements of the Tokugawa. Both the Oda and Tokugawa had no intention of engaging with Takeda at the moment. Both sides ordered their troops to stand down.

(Well, the topographical survey of the Mikatagahara Plateau is going smoothly. If things continue like this, we might have most of the data in half a year, not a year.)

Initially, Shizuko thought it would take a year, but the Kurokuwa civil engineering workers were efficient. Topographical surveys involved measurements and calculations on-site, followed by numerous calculations. They were all working without any confusion. Once specialized topographical surveys began, there was no more work for Shizuko to handle. Even in modern times, the higher the position, the more it involved checking documents and reading reports, as well as assigning personnel to deal with issues. Shizuko had become a position where she could no longer act on her own accord. She was now in a position where she could only wait for reports to come in.

(Well, I guess it will work out somehow. But isn’t it too much to ask me to make a prosperous town near my house?)

Nobunaga had built several towns along the line connecting Gifu in Mino to the port town in Owari. Unlike naturally formed towns, he calculated the distance that ordinary merchants could travel in a day and built towns at points where they could arrive in a day. The towns were designed to create an environment where merchants could easily spend money, with accommodations and a restaurant district. Various businesses were allowed in each region to fill Owari and Mino with people and goods. Of course, increasing tax revenue by allowing merchants to do business was also taken into account. A town with such characteristics was now being built in a location not far from Shizuko’s mansion, and Nobunaga entrusted the management of the town to Shizuko. She was given the condition that she could use any means she could think of to make it prosperous.

“Well, I guess I’ll manage somehow. But before that, let’s read the report from the Kurokuwa civil engineering workers that I couldn’t read on-site.”,However, even though they said a town would be built, it wouldn’t be done immediately. It would take some time. According to the progress report from the Mikatagahara Plateau, they had been attacked by bandits twice, but they were able to repel them with little damage. The investigation was also progressing smoothly, and they expected to see some results within a month.

“Well, the Kurokuwa (civil engineering workers) group is excellent. It’s no wonder they’re in high demand.”

After reading the report, there was nothing else to do. Since they were gradually gathering administrative personnel, Shizuko only needed to review and approve documents. They couldn’t hire people who would leave a mark in history, but they were able to gather hidden talented individuals who were not recorded. By delegating various tasks to others, Shizuko had been able to have more free time recently. However, she still had to deal with Nobunaga, who would come to her with matters regardless of the time.

“Let’s think about the official documents later. For now, let’s indulge in Wittman and Yukki.”

Shizuko played with the animals, Wittman and the others, who were lounging around in the room. She spent about a moment petting them, but suddenly, she heard loud footsteps. Wondering what was happening, she looked at the sliding door at the entrance, and it was forcefully thrown open.

“Shizuko! Why didn’t you call me!”

The one who forcefully opened the sliding door was Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada). Shizuko tilted her head, not understanding why he was shouting as if he were about to shed tears of blood. If it had been Tadakatsu, she would have knocked him out with a single blow, but it had no effect on the excited Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada). Without answering Shizuko’s question, Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) rushed towards her as if he were about to collide with her.

“You keep making delicious food—ouch ouch ouch! Hey, stop it! Ouch ouch ouch!”

It was sudden, so Shizuko’s defensive reflexes kicked in unconsciously, and she grabbed Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) who was rushing towards her and initiated a grappling move.

“Ha!”

Just as dangerous sounds came from Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada)’s joints, Shizuko finally understood the situation and quickly released the hold. Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) glared at her with teary eyes while rubbing the affected area. But perhaps he felt guilty for approaching her carelessly, he didn’t say anything more. When the pain subsided, Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) cleared his throat and straightened his posture. Shizuko followed suit.

“Well, sorry about that. It’s just that I unconsciously react due to my sister’s training.”

“Well, it’s fine. But more importantly, I heard you made something delicious the other day. I want to eat it too, so make it.”

“Hmm? Ah, that. It’s not possible.”

“What?! Why is it not possible!”

Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) grabbed Shizuko’s shoulder and shook her vigorously, but even if he shouted, he wouldn’t be able to eat the salt-grilled chicken. Wittman and the others, who judged that his behavior towards Shizuko had gone beyond acceptable limits, were now lowering their posture, ready to attack Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada). Shizuko grabbed Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada)’s hand and once again applied a joint lock, this time.

“Let’s listen to the whole story, shall we? It’s not something that can be prepared quickly since it requires using a whole chicken.”

“Grrr! It hurts, it hurts! Fine, fine, I get it, so let go!”

Shizuko sighed and released the joint lock. After adjusting their disheveled clothes from their struggle, Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) cleared his throat for the second time today.

“You really have a fearless face while doing such things. Surprising. Anyway, we got off track. So, when will that salt-grilled chicken be ready? I want to eat it soon.”

“Within a few days, I’ll have it ready. I have to carefully select the chicken since it requires using a whole one.”

“Hmm, it sounds troublesome. Oh? Hey, Shizuko. What’s in that wooden box? It’s tightly sealed with a strong rope.”

Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) pointed at a wooden box placed in a corner of the room and asked. There was nothing particularly strange about a wooden box, but this one was tightly bound with a sturdy rope and attached to a sturdy pillar.

“Ah, that. Well, um… can I say… I wonder if it’s okay. Well, it should be fine.”

After crossing her arms and pondering, Shizuko made a bombshell statement with her usual expression.

“Inside that box is a new type of matchlock gun.”