Chronicles of The Hardships of Komachi in The Sengoku Era

Early January, 1572.

Shizuko spent New Year’s as usual, attended the banquet on the second day, and finished greeting the Oda family’s senior retainers after the third day. Keiji, Saizo, Nagayoshi, Takatora (Yokichi Toudou), who usually never leave Shizuko’s side, and Shou, who serves as her attendant, have all returned to their respective families, and the usually noisy Shizuko residence was temporarily quiet.

“It’s peaceful, isn’t it?”

Shizuko murmured absentmindedly while drinking the tea Aya had made. Outside, everything was covered in snow, but the animals that were resistant to the cold were frolicking in the garden. Some children were sliding on the frozen pond. Occasionally, they would slip and slide in unexpected directions, but it was all in good fun.

During New Year’s, she was able to forget about the hustle and bustle of the world and spend leisurely time. However, the times did not give her much leeway. In the early morning of the tenth day of the New Year, she received a letter from Mitsuhide. It was about the Kurokuwa civil engineering workers she had dispatched to build Sakamoto Castle. She had selected skilled craftsmen from her personal Kurokuwa civil engineering workers and sent them to Sakamoto Castle with some materials. However, it seemed that some problem had occurred, as Mitsuhide requested an extension of the dispatch period for the craftsmen. Sakamoto Castle had an important role of overseeing Enryakuji Temple, so any issues with the castle would be problematic. Shizuko adjusted her schedule and extended the dispatch period, which was originally supposed to end at the end of the year, until the New Year settled down.

After dealing with Mitsuhide’s matter, she received a letter of authorization from Nobunaga. It ordered the production of weapons for the castle siege in the northern part of Shiga District. She instructed the logistics team of the technical district and the rear support unit to transport the weapons in “containers”. Container transport had become the main method for logistics teams recently. The main advantage of containers was the significantly reduced transportation cost. By using standardized containers, the amount that could be transported could easily be calculated based on the number of containers.

Rear support operations were often underestimated, but Nobunaga, Mitsuhide, and Hideyoshi recognized that rear support operations were important and should not be taken lightly in warfare. However, being ordered to perform rear support operations in the Sengoku period meant taking away opportunities for military achievements. No matter how necessary it was, depending on the situation, it could create a deep divide in the lord-vassal relationship. Shizuko, who didn’t have to consider any of that, was a very important existence for Nobunaga. The existence of the logistics team, which was Shizuko’s supply transport unit, played a significant role in maintaining Nobunaga’s defense network.

Based on the information provided by Nobunaga and the information she had gathered herself, Shizuko made plans for the transportation of supplies. However, there was someone who was getting in the way. Oichi, who had been idle since New Year’s.

“I’m bored. Isn’t there anything to do, Shizuko?”

“There’s a copy of Tsurezuregusa on the bookshelf.”

Shizuko gave a half-hearted response to Oichi, who was sitting there as if it were natural. Tsurezuregusa was considered one of the three great essays of Japan, but it seemed boring to Oichi. Seeing Shizuko’s lackadaisical attitude, Oichi pouted. However, Shizuko, who was busy organizing documents in front of her, didn’t notice at all.

“Shizuko, I’m bored.”

“Bored.”

Chacha raised both hands and said, and Hatsu imitated Chacha’s pose a little late.

“If you’re looking for something interesting, I have the complete copy of the Tōjūjinbutsu Giga that I bought for a large sum of money. It’s on the top shelf.”

Tōjūjinbutsu Giga is a picture scroll that depicts the current events and satirical scenes using animals and humans in a comical way. It is a work of ink painting on paper and consists of four volumes: A, B, C, and D. The A volume, which depicts rabbits and frogs sumo wrestling, is particularly famous. With its style of anthropomorphizing animals and incorporating effects similar to modern manga, it is sometimes referred to as the “oldest manga in Japan”. Its origin is unclear, and each volume has no connection, and the brushwork and style are significantly different. Therefore, it is believed that Tōjūjinbutsu Giga was created by compiling separate works written by multiple authors in a wide range of ages from the 12th to 13th century.

“The Tale of Genji, The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon, and Hōjōki…”

“No, that’s not it. I’m asking if there’s something interesting because I’m bored.”

“You could go back to your family’s home and relax.”

“Hmph, I couldn’t prevent the betrayal of the Asai family. My relatives all look down on me. Except for my brother, everyone treats me coldly.”

Shizuko realized her slip of the tongue when she heard Oichi’s words. Oichi married into the Asai family in order to form an alliance between the Asai family and the Oda family. However, after a family dispute, Asai Nagamasa, the head of the Asai family, was expelled. At the same time, the alliance between the Asai family and the Oda family was dissolved. It wouldn’t be surprising if Oichi was looked down upon by her relatives for not being able to prevent that.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Just ignore those who dare to speak against my brother’s authority. Leave those insignificant people alone. Shizuko, entertain me during my free time.”

“Noda-”

“Noda-”

Oichi and her daughters, Chacha and Hatsu, urged Shizuko to entertain them. Shizuko sighed softly, realizing that it was impossible to divert the topic any longer. If she were to be honest, she would have preferred to maintain the current situation a little longer. After all, from an outsider’s perspective, it only seemed like she was casually handling administrative tasks. If she treated important matters as important, it would leave a lasting impression on people. However, if she mixed in casual conversations like now, it would be less likely for people to think she was handling important matters. In other words, there would be less worry about information leaking. The only downside was that she would be interrupted in her work, just like with Oichi now.

“(The main person in charge of the blast furnace is Uncle Ashimitsu, and I just need to gather the materials, so I don’t need to be so serious) Alright, alright. Then let’s go sledding since it snowed a lot last night.”

As soon as she mentioned sledding, Oichi’s eyes sparkled. Shizuko, who had a headache even before starting, managed to endure and prepare for it. After gathering the necessary items, Shizuko brought Oichi and the others to the soldier training grounds. Since it was the New Year holiday, no one was there.

“(This slope is meant for training, but it should be fine)”

Originally, it was a facility designed to train soldiers’ legs and lower bodies by climbing slopes in a forward-leaning posture, but they couldn’t afford to be picky. There were hardly any well-maintained slopes, and even if there were, it would inconvenience other people as it was a walkway.

“Phew, finally. I’m tired.”

Even though they were equipped with crampons, it was still hard work for Oichi and the others who were not trained to climb the slope. Since there were no people due to the New Year holiday, they had no choice but to give up on using palanquins to go up.

“Please build up your stamina. Well, for now, please get on this.”

“Y-yes. Is this okay?”

Following the instructions, Oichi got on the sled. She pushed her protruding clothes into the sled and Shizuko placed her hand on Oichi’s back.

“Well then, off you go!”

Without waiting for a response from Oichi, Shizuko pushed her back strongly. The sled gained momentum and glided swiftly over the snow.

“O-o-ooh!”

As the sled glided, Oichi continued to make strange noises. Although it wasn’t a steep slope, Shizuko had sent her down without any explanation, making it somewhat of a screaming machine.

“Now, Aya will ride with Lady Chacha, and I will ride with Lady Hatsu.”

“Understood.”

After receiving the response, Aya noticed that the speed was faster than she expected, causing her face to twitch slightly. On the other hand, Hatsu was enthusiastic about it, so Aya sighed softly and got on the sled. Just like with Oichi, Shizuko pushed Aya’s back and sent her sliding. After that, she put Chacha on the sled, and with a kick of her foot to gain momentum, Shizuko got on the sled and slid down.

“Hyahahaha!”

“Hyaaa!”

Shizuko and Chacha slid down while making strange noises together. After sliding for about 100 meters, they reached the bottom of the slope.

“Phew, that was fun. Oh, where’s Oichi-sama?”

Shizuko wiped the sweat off her forehead and noticed that Oichi, who should have slid down first, was nowhere to be seen. She looked around and saw Oichi carrying the sled and climbing up the slope.

“She seemed to have enjoyed it so much that she wanted to slide again.”

“That’s good.”

“Shizuko, one more time!”

“One more time!”

Shizuko shrugged at Chacha’s enthusiasm, and then she adjusted the sleds. With Oichi and the others, she climbed the slope again.

After about 30 slides, their bodies became cold, so Shizuko and the others decided to end the sledding. They went to the hot springs to warm up their bodies.

“Ahh, this feels heavenly.”

Oichi enjoyed the hot springs, resting her chin on the edge. Chacha and Hatsu were in the bath with the help of their nursemaids.

“(Ah, this is so relaxing) Aya-chan, make sure to warm up well too.”

“Yes, I’m thoroughly enjoying it.”

Shizuko and Aya also enjoyed the hot springs. Initially, Aya had refused to come along, thinking it was inappropriate for someone of a different status to join. However, Shizuko forcibly brought her along, thinking it would be troublesome if she fell ill due to the cold.

“(It’s fortunate that a new hot spring was discovered and made more accessible. Although when I look at the plans, my new residence is being treated like a resort… well, whatever)”

Originally, the hot spring facility was almost unusable because Shizuko’s house had undergone major renovations. However, when they dug a well to secure water, they discovered a spring that had the same quality as the current hot spring. Since the original spring and the newly discovered spring were far apart, Nobunaga changed the plans and incorporated the newly discovered spring into Shizuko’s house. Previously, the construction and renovation of the mansion had been based on the original spring, but now, the construction of a new mansion centered around the newly discovered spring was planned. As a result, the original hot spring facility became freely usable.

“Phew, it’s so relaxing. It’s a shame that once Shizuko’s new mansion is completed, I won’t be able to use it freely anymore.”,Once Shizuko’s new residence is completed, the original hot spring facility will be managed by Nobunaga, and the new source will belong to Shizuko and the others. In that case, the general public will no longer be able to use it casually. It was always a temporary measure for the general public to live in Nobunaga’s villa. If the circumstances change, it is not impossible for them to move to another castle.

“Is that so?”

“My brother sent me here to silence our relatives. But I won’t be here forever. Before long, Chacha and Hatsuhime will marry someone and leave somewhere. If that happens, I won’t have a reason to be here either. And if my brother destroys the Asai clan, I don’t know if I can continue being married to Lord Shinkuro.”

In order to form an alliance between the Asai clan and the Oda clan for the purpose of going to Kyoto, Oichi married Nagamasa. However, the alliance between the Asai clan and the Oda clan was dissolved when Hisamasa betrayed Oda. Currently, Nobunaga is protecting Nagamasa, who was expelled by Hisamasa, so the marriage between Nagamasa and Oichi is still intact. However, it is unclear what will happen after Nobunaga conquers Hisamasa’s stronghold, Odani Castle. In normal circumstances, the marriage between Oichi and Nagamasa would be dissolved, and she would marry someone else. After all, Oichi is an exceptionally beautiful woman. There would be plenty of suitors for her. But whether Oichi is happy or not, only she knows.

“I’m not sure about that. It doesn’t leave a good impression to say that it’s no longer useful just because it can’t be used.”

“My brother doesn’t care about other people’s opinions. He speaks as if he’s looking at something far away with eyes that no one knows where they’re looking. It’s something that ordinary people can’t understand, my brother.”

“Maybe he’s just a whimsical person.”

“Hahaha, that’s probably because Shizuko can see the same ‘things’ as my brother. It’s impossible for us ordinary people. That’s why my brother is fond of Shizuko.”

“I wish your brother would appreciate me a little more since I’m always given unreasonable tasks.”

“My brother thinks that Shizuko can handle it. My brother is overflowing with talent, so he makes all the decisions himself and expects his retainers to follow his instructions. But instead, he entrusts everything to Shizuko. It’s only natural to think that my brother is fond of you.”

Shizuko vaguely thought, “Is that so?” As Oichi said, she was given some freedom in her work, but she didn’t have a clear understanding of how others were handling Nobunaga’s work. In the end, Shizuko concluded that it was best to neither be arrogant nor humble and to continue as usual.

“By the way, the whaling ship will be returning soon. For dinner that day, we’ll have hot pot, and it will be a harinabe hot pot.”

“…Did you request Kyoto vegetables and kelp for that?”

Kyoto vegetables, which were cultivated in Kyoto since ancient times and are now called mizuna, and a hot pot dish made with whale meat is called harinabe hot pot. The origin of “harinabe” is said to express the crisp texture of mizuna. Unlike other hot pot dishes, it uses kelp to make the broth and is a simple hot pot made only with whale meat and mizuna.

“Hehe, since Shizuko has been involved in the fishing industry in the port town, we can eat various things. By the way, you turned something strange into fish… what was it… strangle?”

“Are you talking about live dressing and nerve strangling?”

“Yes, that’s it.”

Understanding dawned on her, and Oichi clapped her hands lightly. Live dressing is a processing method applied to fish after they are caught. It generally refers to a method of bleeding the fish to maintain freshness, but it can also simply refer to killing the fish. It is usually done with a knife, but a tool called a “tegaki” is more versatile, so live dressing is mainly done with a “tegaki” in the port town.

Nerve strangling, as the name suggests, is a processing method that destroys the medulla oblongata and central nervous system of the fish. Depending on the region, it is also called “medulla cutting” or “nerve removal.” Unlike live dressing, nerve strangling requires skilled techniques such as using an awl to destroy the brain and medulla and inserting piano wire or wire along the spine to destroy the central nervous system. The reason for performing this process is to delay rigor mortis in the fish and maintain freshness. However, nerve strangling is not done for small fish or medium-sized fish because it causes the flesh to become loose.

Live dressing is a technique that originated in Japan, but it only flourished after advances in freezing and transportation technologies during the Showa Bubble period. Surprisingly, its history is relatively short. This is because in ancient times, salted and dried fish were the main focus, so there was no development of techniques to preserve the freshness of fish. However, in modern times, there has been a demand for fresh fish. Therefore, techniques such as live dressing and nerve strangling were developed.

“It’s simply to prevent the fish from spoiling. If the fish’s blood remains, it accelerates the spoilage.”

“I see. It seems like you’ve thought about various things even though it doesn’t seem like it.”

“…I often hear that, but do I really seem like I don’t think about anything?”

“Well, let’s get out of the hot spring soon. It’s not good to get overheated.”

Ignoring Shizuko’s half-eyed glare, Oichi quickly got out of the hot spring. Shizuko sighed softly and followed Oichi out of the hot spring. After drying herself and changing into a yukata, Shizuko drank iced barley tea and took a breath.

(It’s not well known, but if you put saltpeter in water, it takes away the heat, so making ice is surprisingly easy. Well, we have an air-powered ice maker, so we don’t need to go through that trouble.)

When saltpeter is added to water, it absorbs the heat of the water and lowers the temperature. By mixing saltpeter into the ice made from this process and chilling plain water, ice can be made. Then, the saltpeter-containing ice is separated from the water and the saltpeter is recovered. This allows ice to be made using saltpeter multiple times regardless of the season.

However, it is also possible to make ice without using saltpeter and instead using only air to create an air-powered ice maker or freezer. Shizuko actually developed an early version of an air-powered ice maker. However, there are various problems with ice makers. The problem lies not with the ice maker itself, but with the fact that the value of ice changes. If ice makers become common, the value of ice will plummet, leading to unemployment for many people currently involved in the ice-making industry and affecting the logistics of distributing ice. As a result, the economy stagnates, resulting in significant economic losses. Ice is best positioned as a luxury item.

Air-powered ice makers are based on a simple principle, but their efficiency is not very high. It takes a considerable amount of time to make a single ice plate compared to modern methods. However, if it is limited to making small ice, this problem can be overcome. Using a mechanism called the “orga system,” water is slowly poured onto a well-chilled cylindrical wall. The ice film formed on the cylindrical wall is shaved off and collected, and finally, pressure is applied to create the desired shape of ice. It can be done as a continuous process, making it suitable for producing large quantities of ice, but it cannot produce transparent and beautiful ice.

(I wonder when the Stirling engine will be completed. In the last report, they said they had finally started developing the prototype. By the way, just having hydraulic or pneumatic power has greatly increased work efficiency, more than I expected.)

Shizuko forgets, but the invention of the engine is a symbol of the Industrial Revolution. The invention of the engine is also the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Even though it is a primitive engine, once the Stirling engine is completed, it will be capable of doing things that cannot be compared. If cost is disregarded, it would be possible to have generators, refrigerators, air conditioners, and more. However, even if it is invented, the cost is not negligible, so it will likely be limited to the use of a few powerful individuals like Nobunaga.

“Shizuko, tea.”

Chacha raises both hands, indicating that she wants the tea that Shizuko is holding. It’s hard to tell who is the retainer and who is the master, and Shizuko chuckles as she hands Chacha a tea bowl. Chacha happily takes it and drinks it all at once. It must have been just right for her body, which was heated in the hot spring, as she handed the empty tea bowl to Shizuko with a satisfied expression.

“Refill.”

“…I might need two more tea bowls.”

Shizuko’s premonition was correct, as Chacha, who found Oichi, and Hatsuhime also came to ask for tea with ice. Shizuko could only sigh.

As usual, except for Keiji, everyone returned to Shizuko’s mansion after the New Year’s Day and the first seven days passed. A few days after everyone had settled down, Shizuko headed to the port town. The reason was to welcome back the first whaling ship of the year.

Whaling is thriving in the port town, but unlike other places, there are various organizations and rules for whaling. First of all, anyone engaged in whaling must join the Whaling Association. The joining date, as well as height, weight, age, and health condition, are recorded. All of this information is stored in the Whale Temple.

The Whale Temple is a temple that creates memorial tablets for whales caught in whaling, assigns them Buddhist names, and establishes and oversees memorial towers. There are several such temples in Japan, and the most famous one is Ryutozan Kongochi Temple, one of the Shikoku Pilgrimage’s 88 temples. The temple stores whale-specific memorial tablets, memorial towers, the Whaling Association’s roster, and documents related to whaling called “whaling records.” The whaling records contain detailed information about whaling, such as the date and time of the catch, the size of the whale, the approximate location, the member list of the involved whaling associations, and the destination or disposal method of the dismantled parts.

Unlike fish, there are detailed regulations for whaling. The most important thing is that if it is not recorded in the whaling records, no one is allowed to touch the whale, even if it happens to wash ashore on the beach. This is because the idea is that if a whale washes ashore, something bad is happening in the sea. In addition, whales that have been caught are not immediately dismantled but undergo a certain procedure involving a ritual.

First, the whaling report is made to the Whale Temple, and the abbot assigns a Buddhist name to the whale. Then, the whale’s tongue is cut off and returned to the sea. This is done to convey the pledge to the sea god, saying, “We will use the whale completely and not waste anything.” If the tongue is eaten by an Orca, which is considered the messenger of the sea god, it is interpreted as the pledge reaching the sea god. At this time, if by any chance the Orca does not eat the tongue, it is believed that there is someone with a guilty conscience, and the caught whale is carefully buried after a memorial tower is built.

“Even though it’s called a tongue, it’s quite heavy…”,The sperm whale, the largest living species on Earth, weighs about 4 tons just with its tongue. Even though it is a smaller individual, it is not easy to transport a tongue that weighs several hundred kilograms. Without a dedicated transport vehicle, it would be impossible to not only let it flow into the sea, but even to move it.

“Sorry, I hurt my back on New Year’s Day. Hyohyohyo”

While lightly tapping his back, the abbot of the Whaling Temple apologizes. Normally, it is the abbot of the Whaling Temple who pushes the transport vehicle, but he became unable to do so due to a back injury. So Shizuko was chosen as a substitute. Although I thought it would be fine with someone else, various complicated matters made it impossible.

“I can’t ask for help because it’s a religious ceremony. Ah, the Orcas have gathered for the tongue.”

Some of them are performing a behavior called “spy hopping,” where they raise their heads above the water surface to survey the surroundings. It seems that the news of the transport vehicle bringing food has spread to the pod. Initially, there were only about three Orcas in the port, but now there are more than ten. Although there is only one species of Orca, they are roughly classified into four categories based on their diet and size. The larger ones are Orca that even attack whales, and the parts of the whale that they prefer are the tongue and mouth. By the way, Orca sounds cute, but its English name is “killer whale,” and its scientific name is “demon of the underworld,” which is a terrible name.

“Kyuikyui”

The Orcas make cute squeaking sounds that don’t match their huge bodies. After that, the transport vehicle needs to be moved to its designated position, and the abbot will offer a memorial prayer. Then, the whale’s tongue can be dropped into the sea to complete the ceremony.

“Ah! You!”

While moving the transport vehicle, suddenly a shout from behind is heard. Shizuko, who had a bad feeling, quickly turns around. She sees a man running towards her with a small sword in his hand.

“Abbot, get down!”

Upon hearing Shizuko’s voice, the abbot also realizes the abnormal situation and quickly takes cover behind the transport vehicle. Seeing that the man’s actions do not change at all even after seeing this, Shizuko understands that she is the target.

(What should I do? Since it’s a religious ceremony, I left all the weapons behind!)

Weapons are considered ominous because they are used for cutting, and they are generally not used in religious ceremonies, and carrying them is not allowed. The bodyguards who usually surround me were also away because it was a religious ceremony. Although the man is only showing a small sword, there is a possibility that he has something else. While pondering what to do in this disadvantageous situation, a stone suddenly flies towards the man from somewhere. Unable to avoid the stone that flew from outside her field of vision, the man loses his balance and falls forward due to the impact of the two stones colliding.

It seems that he dropped the small sword when he fell, and the small sword rolls and slides towards Shizuko’s feet. Seeing this as a chance, Shizuko starts running to grab the small sword. On the other hand, the man, who has stood up, notices that the small sword is rolling in front of him and hurriedly stands up and starts running.

“Chesto!”

Although it’s a close call, the man manages to grab the small sword faster. However, before the man can stand up, Shizuko kicks him in the face with all her might. The man, who was focused only on grabbing the small sword, cannot avoid Shizuko’s kick and takes a direct hit, rolling on the ground with the momentum. Even though Shizuko is a woman, taking a kick from her can be quite painful. Especially if the kick hits the right spot, it can shake the brain and render the person unable to move. It is unclear whether Shizuko’s kick caused any damage to the man’s brain, but seeing that he doesn’t stand up again, she is relieved that she managed to incapacitate him.

“Using dangerous weapons like small swords is dangerous. Well, let’s get back to—”

Just as she is about to finish her sentence, the man, who had been convulsing, sits up. He twists his body and stands up, then jumps into the sea to escape. Shizuko, who didn’t expect him to jump into the cold sea to escape, quickly turns towards the sea. She sees the man who jumped in the air. Not knowing what happened, Shizuko looks around and notices that the dorsal fins of the Orcas are concentrated around the man. The man’s body is slammed onto the surface of the sea. Without any delay, the man’s body is thrown into the air again. From the fact that the dorsal fins of the Orcas are visible when the man is in the air, she understands that they are using their tails and their whole bodies to throw him.

The launch by the Orcas is powerful enough to throw a 100-kilogram seal more than 20 meters above the sea surface. It is said that the act of throwing prey onto the sea surface with their tails is to teach their children how to hunt, but the exact reason is still unknown. One thing for sure is that even if the Orcas were just playing around with the launch, it is a dangerous attack that puts humans in a life-threatening situation.

While watching him being thrown about five times, Orcas gather near Shizuko. Seeing them spouting water, Shizuko realizes that the Orcas are urging her to give them the whale’s tongue.

“Abbot, abbot. The Orcas are very angry. Let’s resume the ceremony quickly.”

Urging the abbot, who is about to collapse, they resume the ceremony. Although the abbot was confused and skipped various things, there was no time to worry about that now. After everything is done, Shizuko tilts the transport vehicle and drops the whale’s tongue into the sea. Immediately, the Orcas gather around and start tearing apart the whale’s tongue one after another. Even the Orcas that were playing with the man seemed to have noticed the whale’s tongue, and after throwing the man with their tails, they rush towards the place where the whale’s tongue is. Among the pod, there were Orca calves, but they were diligently eating the whale’s tongue along with the adults.

“Phew, the port was saved without being destroyed. Abbot, let’s go back.”

Shizuko picks up the small sword the man was using and returns with the abbot, who seems to be about to collapse.

(Hmm, it can be assumed that I am seen as a dangerous person because I engaged in direct acts of violence. I’m curious, but the man probably doesn’t have anything that reveals his identity. The possible suspects are Takeda. But Hojo, who is still silent, is also suspicious. Uesugi probably won’t execute such actions because it would cause the loyalty of his retainers to crumble.)

By confirming the inscription on the small sword, the origin of the weapon can be somewhat determined, but it is still uncertain. Shizuko cannot judge whether it was purchased in the place where he lives or obtained during a mission. Not expecting much, Shizuko puts away the small sword. When she returns with the abbot to the people participating in the ceremony, she glimpses their bewildered expressions.

“We apologize for the unexpected problem, but we managed to complete the ceremony. The sea god has allowed the dissection of the whale, so please take care of it.”

When Shizuko informs them that the ceremony has ended safely, they breathe a sigh of relief.

Despite some problems, the first whaling ceremony of the year has been completed. What happened to the man afterwards is unknown. Although the Orcas performed several launches, Shizuko didn’t bother to search for him. Instead, it was more difficult to appease the security guards from the port town who came flying and apologized.

“We deeply apologize for this.”

“Well, well, everyone makes mistakes. There’s no need to commit seppuku over this. Instead, think about how to make up for the failure.”

“T-T-Thank you for your forgiveness, Shizuko-sama.”

“(Is crying really necessary?) It will continue to be cold, so take care of your health and work diligently.”

After bowing deeply once again, the security guards left. Shizuko, who was tired of dealing with the security guards’ response rather than the assassin, let out a small sigh.

“It was helpful to have the support of the stones. But I never expected to find you here.”

While placing her hand on her forehead, Shizuko turns to Keiji, the person who threw the stones at the assassin, and the younger boy she met in Kyoto.

“It was just a coincidence. Besides, this guy was faster at throwing stones, so if you want to thank someone, thank him.”

“I didn’t do much. Besides, I was helped by you in Kyoto.”

Keiji laughs mischievously and points his thumb towards the younger boy. The boy also smiles back cheerfully. Shizuko tilts her head at their unusually good relationship. She hears that they met in the pleasure district and hit it off, and they have been having fun together ever since. When she had a slight feeling of unease, someone gently puts their hand on Shizuko’s shoulder. When she turns around, she sees Koto (the courtesan that spies for Shizuko / Oda) with a kind smile.

“Shizuko-sama, could you settle the bill for those two?”

She says while making a circle with her left thumb and index finger. When Shizuko turns to Keiji with a forceful motion, both of them bow their heads and worship her.

“How much is it?”

Thinking that it would be embarrassing for the retainers to be dragged into prison over something like this, Shizuko decides to pay the bill. Koto smiles and presents the amount to be paid.

“…It will be this much for the fun you had.”

“Both of them were having so much fun, so it would be a shame for us not to provide the highest level of hospitality.”

“You got us.”

“I don’t quite understand what you mean, Shizuko-sama.”

Shizuko’s words, accompanied by a half-closed eye glare, are calmly dismissed by Koto. Shizuko realizes that further arguing would be meaningless and lets out a heavy sigh, taking out her wallet.

“Here.”

“Thank you very much. We look forward to serving you again.”

“I hope there won’t be a need for this again.”

After chuckling at Shizuko’s complaint, Koto leans in and whispers in her ear.

“(Please be careful. The boy is Yoroku, a retainer of the Uesugi family. I still don’t grasp his intentions.)”

After conveying only that, Koto walks away as if nothing happened. Although Shizuko’s head starts to ache from the unexpected identity of the boy, she decides to keep her mouth shut, thinking that revealing it now would only cause further confusion.,”Well, well, take care of yourselves and see you later. I’m going home.”

“Oh, wait.”

Everyone tried to go home together, but they were stopped by the boy, Yoroku, who would later become Naoe Kanetsugu. Shizuko had a bad feeling, but it was impossible to ignore his words in the current situation, so she stopped.

“I have a bad feeling, but let’s at least hear what he has to say.”

“I ran out of travel money just now. I can’t go back home in the snow, so I want to stay with you for a while.”

“What are you talking about? If you don’t have travel money, you should work. There are live-in job offers around here.”

Shizuko’s head started to ache. Even if he wasn’t Naoe Kanetsugu, it wouldn’t be easy to make him do live-in work. But if she rejected him and that got back to Kenshin, it would be a big problem. Nobunaga always avoided direct confrontation with Kenshin and Shingen, and instead pursued a policy of appeasement. Shizuko couldn’t ruin that policy. Thinking too hard, Shizuko groaned and continued to think.

“Instead of Shizuchi’s place, why don’t you stay at my place for a while? That should solve the problem, right?”

Keiji came to Shizuko’s rescue as she was struggling. Keiji was staying in a small hermitage. If they were to move from there to Shizuko’s mansion, they would definitely attract attention. Instead of informing everyone and causing confusion, Shizuko concluded that it would be more efficient to create an opportunity and inform only Keiji.

“…Alright then. If you can handle it properly, I’ll waive the money I lent you earlier. But if you fail, I’ll double it.”

“Understood! Kid, it’s a bit cramped, but stay at my hermitage.”

“I won’t complain about the place since I’m indebted to you. I’ll be a burden until the snow melts.”

The two exchanged a firm handshake. They became close friends as if they were sworn brothers, but it gave Shizuko a headache.

“Oh, I almost forgot. My name is Yoroku, a retainer of the Uesugi family. Nice to meet you, hahaha!”

Shizuko had been planning how to proceed with the conversation, but Kanetsugu’s words completely shattered her plans.