Chronicles of The Hardships of Komachi in The Sengoku Era

Early March, 1572.

“I have a headache.”

Shizuko groans, placing her hand on her forehead. Thanks to Kanetsugu revealing his identity without hesitation, Shizuko’s escorts become more cautious, but she pays no attention to it. Saizo and others have an atmosphere that they won’t hesitate to act if they show any suspicious behavior. However, Kanetsugu accepts the reactions of those around him as a matter of course.

“I came to see the true Shizuko-sama. It is not in my nature to hide my identity and spy. Besides, I am not a spy.”

Shizuko, holding her head, answers with a laugh without any remorse for the cause of her headache. Although the caution still remains, Keiji, who has been appointed as her caretaker, continues to smile as usual.

“It could have turned into a war between Oda and Uesugi, really.”

“If it becomes a war, so be it. As Lady Oichi would say, ‘Settle everything on the battlefield.’ It would be even better if I, who started the war, were to fall in a splendid manner.”

“Please don’t say things like ‘I’m just going out for a bit’ and then die. I would be quite troubled if you died quickly.”

Shizuko adds in her mind, “In the succession struggle of the Uesugi family.”

Yoroku, later known as Naoe Kanetsugu, played an important role in the internal conflict between Uesugi Kagekatsu and Uesugi Kagatora that occurred after the death of Uesugi Kenshin. After the Battle of Okehazama, Hidehiro Mori, who had achieved great success by switching sides to Kagekatsu’s faction in exchange for rewards, became enraged when his rewards were nullified by the opinion of Hidezen Yamazaki during a meeting with Naoe Nobutsuna, and killed him. The Naoe family, who had lost their successor, welcomed Kanetsugu as the adopted son-in-law of Naoe Nobutsuna’s wife, O-Fune. Kanetsugu continued to support the Uesugi family along with Hideharu Kano.

“Oh, could that older child who was with you at that time be Nagao Kiheiji (later Uesugi Kagekatsu)?”

“You noticed well. I didn’t expect him to walk around without any attendants in a place like that. The surprised faces of the spies at that time were quite a sight.”

“That’s a terrible harassment.”

“Lord, I appreciate your gratitude at that time, but this time it’s my selfishness, so please refrain.”

I didn’t know why I was sent to Kyoto, and I didn’t even think about finding out. I didn’t want to poke the bush and let the snake out. Shizuko has no intention of getting involved with the Uesugi family, but she realizes once again that the other side doesn’t think so.

(The Uesugi family is quite eerie. If I get too involved, it could be more than just a burn. Maybe it’s better to keep a certain distance.)

While it can be said that Oda Nobunaga overturned the common sense of the Sengoku period, Uesugi Kenshin can be considered a person who can be compared to him. He had his own values and took actions that were not bound by the thoughts, beliefs, and moral views of the time.

While thinking about such things, Shizuko and her group enter a certain town. It is a town that has been entrusted with operation and management by Nobunaga since last year, and it is close to Shizuko’s mansion, and a main road leading to the port town has been developed. Since there is a town on the way from the port town to various directions, there are many merchants in the town. Due to the proximity of Shizuko’s mansion, most of Shizuko’s army resides in this town, and the soldiers and their families have become a force to be reckoned with, not inferior to the merchants. When people gather and goods are available, money naturally flows. When merchants from the port town head to Gifu or Kyoto, they usually stay in this town, showing a bustling atmosphere in Owari Province.

Shizuko’s mansion and the gathering of Shizuko’s army make most of the residents think that Shizuko is the lord of the land, but in reality, she is not even a deputy magistrate. In principle, urban planning is done by the ruler, Nobunaga, but in this town, all authority was given to Shizuko. As a result, the city, which incorporated modern design, stood out from other cities.

The most striking feature is the road, especially the main street that incorporates the highway as it is. In medieval and early modern Japan, road development was mainly done for military reasons, and exceptions were Takeda Shingen’s Shingen Embankment and Bōmichi. These were large-scale public works that could only be done because of Shingen’s charisma, financial power, and ability to control people’s hearts. In other countries, large embankments and road developments were rarely carried out, and if you left the castle town, there were only narrow and winding paths that were difficult to travel.

Such roads are prone to congestion in logistics and are also prone to kidnappings at intersections. To solve these problems, Shizuko developed wide straight main roads. Wooden guardrails were installed as guardrails, separating pedestrians from ox carts and horse carriages, and creating boundaries between sidewalks and roads. Thanks to this, the volume of logistics between the port town and Owari increased significantly, and various goods flowed into Owari and Mino. Of course, as the movement of people and goods increased, it became easier for spies from other countries to infiltrate, but they were dealt with by strict laws.

“Shizuko-sama, what is that?”

Kanetsugu, walking beside Shizuko, points to something on the side of the road. Shizuko follows his gaze and understands what it is.

“That is a watering trough for cattle and horses. Literally, it is a water supply area for cattle and horses.”

A watering trough for cattle and horses is literally a water tank for cattle and horses. It is safe for humans to drink the water, but the height and width of the tank are designed to accommodate cattle and horses, so it is not suitable for humans to drink from it.

“It’s strange for a watering trough for cattle and horses to be here.”

“It’s quite popular among merchants. If you try to do something strange, the people around will beat you up, so it’s better not to play pranks for your own sake.”

While explaining to Kanetsugu, Shizuko’s horse changes direction towards the watering trough. Thinking that the horse may not have had enough water due to heading towards the port town, Shizuko allows the horse to drink freely. When the horse reaches the watering trough, it moves its head to indicate that it wants water. Shizuko looks into the watering trough and sees that there is hardly any water, so she needs to draw water.

“I understand. I’ll get some water for you now.”

After patting the horse to calm it down, Shizuko operates the hand pump next to the watering trough to draw water. When enough water has accumulated, the horse puts its head in and starts drinking.

“Wait here for a while. If you have time, you can go sightseeing around here.”

Shizuko sits on a low table placed by her vassals and relaxes. Kanetsugu, who was unsure of what to do, decides to change his plan to explore the town instead of leaving Shizuko’s side, as he came to assess Shizuko. He sits down next to her. He is also worried about her being too defenseless. However, his worries turn out to be groundless.

“Oh, Shizuko-sama, is that you? If you’re taking a break in a place like this, please use our tea house.”

“Too bad, it’s not me taking a break, it’s the horse.”

When a man walking on the sidewalk stops, he casually greets Shizuko. Kanetsugu is surprised by his casualness, but no one around pays any attention, as they are used to it.

“Too bad. Oops, I have to hurry back or my mother will scold me. Please favor us.”

After saying that, the man quickly walks away. After that, various people approach Shizuko and talk to her. Shizuko responds with humor at times.

“Shizuko-sama, if you continue to relax in a place like this, Genro-sama’s thunder will strike.”

“If that happens, I’ll run away, so don’t worry.”

“Instead of selling oil in a place like this, drop some money at my shop.”

“Hahaha, you should bring something that will make me give you money.”

The sight in front of him is unbelievable, and Kanetsugu is wide-eyed. In the meantime, rickshaws and horse carriages that he has never seen before pass by one after another on the road. When they pass by Shizuko, they bow their heads or take off their hats to greet her. Shizuko lightly raises her hand in response. It doesn’t look like a relationship between a ruler and the ruled, but rather like greetings between acquaintances. Kanetsugu is bewildered and thinks whether he is trusted by Shizuko and her group or underestimated.

“Take a good look, that’s Shizuchi.”

In the end, Kanetsugu, who was curious about the town, decides to change his plan and explore the town separately from Shizuko. Shizuko, without any concern, leaves the guidance of the town to Keiji and leaves with her subordinates. Keiji, who is trusted by Shizuko’s group, informs Kanetsugu of which shop she is in and then leaves, turning his back on him. Kanetsugu is unsure whether he is trusted or underestimated.

“Is it okay? Saizo-dono was watching my every move… But Keiji-dono is also one of Shizuko-dono’s retainers, right? They are completely opposite, but they don’t seem to be at odds.”

After putting the bag of money given by Keiji in his pocket, Kanetsugu turns his attention to something that has been bothering him. As he approaches, he realizes that it is a wooden box filled with stacks of paper.

“Why are there stacks of paper in a place like this…?”

Tilting his head, Kanetsugu picks up the top piece of paper. The content written on the paper is an information magazine for lodging facilities in this town. There are several inns in the town that can accommodate a wide range of people, from solo travelers to large groups of wealthy merchants. However, newcomers to the town have no way of knowing where the lodging facilities are located and how much they charge for their services. No matter how good the service is, it is meaningless if the users don’t know about it. Good things don’t spread on their own. Proper information dissemination is necessary for them to be recognized.

To solve this, information magazines for inns are placed all over the town. The one Kanetsugu picked up is one of them. Of course, the information magazines are distributed for free. They don’t ask how much you can pay for a book. However, on the back, it is written, “Please pass on the booklet to acquaintances and spread the word.”

“Hmm, there’s no dinner, but there is a street lined with restaurants, so use that. Breakfast will be served the next morning. Is that why the accommodation fee is reduced? Oh! They will store your luggage if you pay the fee. That’s not something that can be done easily.”

Kanetsugu moves to a place where he won’t obstruct pedestrians and spreads out the information magazine for inns again. The content is all new and interesting. Kanetsugu exclaims in admiration as he continues to read the information magazine. Even if passersby look at him with a puzzled look, he pays no attention.,”What’s this about point cards… Oh, I see, they give various benefits to regular customers. It varies depending on the inn, so customers must be struggling to decide where to stay.”

Inns have associations that issue point cards. When you stay at an affiliated inn, you earn points, and various benefits are provided based on the points. The benefits obtained with points are determined by each inn. There are various benefits available, and even with relatively low points, you can receive local products from Owari. It was a lineup that was irresistible to outsiders.

“I see. They separate meals at restaurants and lodging at inns, so the accommodation fee can be lowered. And since it’s a mutual relationship, money doesn’t keep accumulating in some association.”

Kanetsugu murmured as he headed towards the road with restaurants. He felt a sense of novelty seeing the restaurants lined up, but what was more important to Kanetsugu was that the alcohol was cheap. Moreover, the sake from Owari and Mino was highly praised by his lord Kenshin. As a sake drinker from Echigo, it was impossible for him not to be interested in sake from other provinces. But he stopped his steps just before reaching the restaurants. He questioned himself whether drinking alcohol would really stop him, and the answer came quickly.

(Well, maybe next time. It’s like being a spendthrift to continue asking for money one after another.)

Kanetsugu, who had a painful experience in the pleasure district, turned back with a heavy heart. After clearing his mind of alcohol, he calmly observed the town. The town was divided into five main sections. Various public facilities were lined up in the center of the town. On the right side of the center were two sections related to agriculture, while on the left side, there was a commercial district above and an industrial district below.

The busiest place was the commercial district where business was conducted. Various products were lined up, and the voices of merchants calling out to customers could be heard here and there. With so many goods overflowing, Kanetsugu felt that there would be frequent thefts and robberies at night. However, this was resolved when he asked someone nearby. The town had strict law enforcement against crime, and soldiers patrolled regularly. There was even a specialized tracking unit that pursued criminals in the town. There were rumors that they had pursued and captured the culprits who killed the blacksmith family all the way to Azuchi. They were known for their tracking abilities.

While criminals were more likely to become desperate, the fact that there were no repeat offenses and the strict attitude towards crime served as a strong deterrent and gained the trust of merchants and travelers. Furthermore, unlike the market in Gifu, the atmosphere here was lively rather than noisy. Even without detailed investigation, it was clear that active buying and selling was taking place. If you want to know about the people, look at the commoners, Kanetsugu recalled Kenshin’s words.

(Everyone seems lively. Even if the Oda family is surrounded by enemies from all sides, is this the reason they can continue to fight?)

Most rulers take everything from the people. However, the Owari and Mino regions ruled by the Oda family coexist rather than take. The people live peacefully in exchange for paying taxes. The Oda family, who receives the taxes, protects the people. Without the people, the Oda family cannot survive, but the people alone cannot enjoy peace.

(No wonder Lord Sanada thinks he’s formidable. He has the same power as us… no, even more.)

As a warrior, Kanetsugu looked forward to fighting alongside the Oda family. However, he also thought that if the Oda and Uesugi families joined forces without fighting, many people would be saved.

(It’s becoming difficult to figure out how to report this.)

With a wry smile, Kanetsugu turned his feet towards where Keiji was. The time for Shizuko’s judgment would come later. He decided to enjoy it thoroughly as he took a step forward.

“Is that alright?”

After parting ways with Kanetsugu and returning home ahead of him, Shizuko told Aya about him. Aya’s response was quite simple. The Oda and Uesugi families are allies, but they are not as close as to have their retainers coming and going freely. Aya doubted whether it was okay to bring him into their home without permission, even though she had been informed that status doesn’t affect personnel decisions.

“Well, since it’s Lord’s decision, he’s probably already monitoring his actions. Besides, I’m not involved in any important matters right now. Well, I’ll confirm what to do with Lord, though.”

“That may be true, but…”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not a problem. If we act secretly, they can say, ‘It’s outrageous for a Uesugi samurai to be acting like a spy.’ And if we act openly, it’s impossible to escape Wittman’s surveillance.”

Shizuko’s residence was, needless to say, the territory of the Wittman family. It was extremely difficult to evade surveillance by both humans and animals. If Kanetsugu were to act secretly like a spy, Shizuko could take advantage of that. Even if he acted openly, there were no confidential matters that needed to be kept from Shizuko at the moment.

“But still, we shouldn’t let our guard down. Should I have Wittman and the others stay in the room for a while? They’re quite cautious, especially Maruta.”

Aya glanced briefly towards where Maruta was. Seeing Maruta, who was completely defenseless and lying on his back, Aya couldn’t help but wonder why he was considered highly cautious. However, thinking that it would be fine as long as Wittman and the others were there, Aya decided to leave Maruta alone.

“Please do so. I’ll prepare to send a letter to Lord.”

Aya, who couldn’t even read or write at first, had become a talented woman who could read, write, and use an abacus thanks to Shizuko’s thorough training. Shou, who was also competitive, was struggling, but since they had different study hours, she could only read and write for now. However, as someone who inherited the blood of Maeda Toshiie, her skills in using the abacus were improving rapidly.

“Good luck.”

“I’ll have Shou contact the others. She’s better at it than me.”

After moving to the temporary residence, or perhaps because the new residence was designed for a large number of people, the Oda retainers began sending their children to serve as Shizuko’s attendants, household staff, or assistants. Even though it was called a temporary residence, Aya and Shou alone couldn’t manage it, so it was a welcome development. However, another problem arose. Aya being a commoner became a bottleneck in managing the household.

Shizuko’s meritocracy, for better or worse, required both ability and luck. Genro, who is now entrusted with hundreds of soldiers, was originally a blacksmith who was captured and enslaved after his village was attacked, then escaped from his buyer and became a bandit, only to be suppressed by Shizuko’s unit. He somehow escaped punishment, but then he was assigned to a job that was close to being a human shield. But he managed to survive, and after achieving various military accomplishments, he was finally incorporated into Shizuko’s unit. Jinzuke and Shikichi, who were the leaders of the archer cavalry unit, also had tumultuous lives. The reason they worship Shizuko is because, despite experiencing rock bottom and having a lowly background, she evaluates them based solely on their abilities.

Shizuko’s meritocracy remained unchanged even within the residence, and she employed the talented Aya as her attendant and as the person in charge of managing the household. However, there was someone who didn’t find this amusing. Even though they were informed in advance that status wouldn’t affect personnel decisions, it was still difficult for those who had lived in a hierarchical society to easily change their mindset, and Shizuko was somewhat resigned to this. However, if they were to make a mistake, they would receive a severe reprimand from the head of the family, so those who were not pleased with the situation remained silent.

“You don’t have to worry about it. If you want, I can make you (Aya) my sister.”

“…As grateful as I am for such an offer, it would mean relying completely on Shizuko-sama. I would like to see how much I can do on my own a little longer.”

“Is that so? Well, whenever you feel like it.”

“Thank you. When that time comes, I will rely on you. Now, let’s finish this conversation and please take care of these documents.”

After bowing deeply, Aya piled up the documents in front of Shizuko. The desk let out a creaking sound, and Shizuko thought it was definitely not an auditory hallucination. With a dry smile, she picked up the first piece of paper.

“Haha, there are quite a lot.”

“Since it’s the month to plan for the coming year, there are many documents to process. I apologize, but I ask for your thorough review by the end of today.”

“Well, I’ll do it, but don’t expect too much.”

“I ask for your thorough review by the end of today.”

After emphasizing it once again, Aya left the room to report Kanetsugu’s matter to Nobunaga. Left behind, Shizuko let out a heavy sigh and then looked through the papers again.

“Hmm, it’s quite a good plan with a good perspective.”

“Oh, there you are, Shizuchi.”

As she was reading the papers and accompanying materials, Keiji entered with a smile on his face. Without any manners, he forcefully opened the sliding door at the entrance and entered the room with the same momentum. Of course, Shizuko could only worry if the sliding door would break just by looking at it.

“Is it about Yoroku (Naoe Kanetsugu)?”

“Correct. So…”

“You’re not going to ask for alcohol and talk all night, right?”

In an instant, Keiji froze with a smile on his face. Shizuko, with her hand on her cheek, smiled and continued speaking to the sweating Keiji.

“And you’re not going to ask for karasumi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karasumi) as a side dish, right?”

“N-No, that’s right. As expected of you, Shizuchi. Please, won’t you?”

Realizing that Shizuko had figured out everything, Keiji clasped his hands together and worshipped her. Shizuko had been glaring at him with half-closed eyes for a while, but she gave up thinking about it and covered her face with one hand.

“For dinner, we’ll have yellowtail and vegetable hot pot. If you don’t drink alcohol at that time, I’ll allow it.”

“Ugh, it’s tough to not drink alcohol with hot pot.”

“I’m already making quite a concession. Normally, I would say no.”

Crossing her arms, Shizuko sighed deeply, but Keiji couldn’t make any more concessions. Since he had already gone through a lot of trouble with the money issue, Keiji had no choice but to accept Shizuko’s proposal or not.,”Fine. I’ll accept those conditions.”

“Then come get the key after dinner. I’ll also give you the key that leads to the basement of the storehouse.”

The storehouse had two floors above ground, but only the storehouse for storing sake had a basement floor. This was because the basement could maintain the temperature and humidity suitable for preservation better than the first and second floors. When someone opened the door to the storehouse on the first or second floor, the humidity and temperature would change. On the other hand, if the facilities were in place, the temperature and humidity in the basement would not change significantly just from opening and closing the door. In order to maintain the quality and prevent easy removal, the sake was intentionally stored in the underground storehouse.

“Well then, that’s settled.”

After the discussion ended, Keiji waved his hand and left. After sighing once, Shizuko looked back at the documents she was holding. Until dinner time, she continued to diligently process the documents.

It was a series of surprises for Kanetsugu. He was surprised that there were many animals living in the mansion, but what surprised him the most was that Shizuko would dine together with Keiji and the others. When it came to a samurai’s meal, it was usually plenty of brown rice, with red rice and black rice as the basics. The side dishes were usually pickles and umeboshi, and at best, there would be vegetable stew. But now, they were having white rice, miso soup made with soybean miso instead of rice bran miso, and the main dish was a pot of vegetables and yellowtail. And not only Shizuko, but also Keiji, Saizo, their retainers, and the maid Aya were all eating white rice. They were all eating the same side dishes as well. Kanetsugu was amazed, regardless of the poison issue.

“Hmm, maybe it doesn’t suit your taste?”

Shizuko noticed that Kanetsugu wasn’t eating much and stopped eating to ask him. Kanetsugu, who was brought back to his senses by her words, quickly shook his head.

“No, it’s just that I’m not used to eating white rice. It’s a bit surprising.”

“I occasionally mix in red rice or black rice for nutritional value. But it’s not popular among the malnourished children over there.”

Shizuko pointed to someone with a look of disbelief. When Kanetsugu followed her finger, he saw Keiji, Saizo, and Nagayoshi eating the meal with great enthusiasm. However, upon closer inspection, they were competing to take the ingredients from the pot and quickly eating the rice.

Shizuko made sure to provide enough white rice every day, but she also mixed in about 5% red rice or black rice to supplement vitamins and minerals. Mixing red rice or black rice with white rice also made the rice visually appealing and allowed the unique aroma of red rice or black rice to be enjoyed. If everything was red rice or black rice, the rice wouldn’t taste good, but by making it into “mixed rice,” she was able to give the rice various variations. However, for Keiji and the others who usually ate white rice, mixed rice or brown rice was not well received.

“Even the maids can eat rice, huh? You must have quite the fortune.”

“Huh? The yellowtail is different, but the vegetables and rice in the pot were grown by me, and the miso was made by me. So, it doesn’t cost much.”

“Huh?”

Upon hearing Shizuko’s words, Kanetsugu became even more puzzled.

(Wait, cultivation? Why is a prominent member of the Oda family doing peasant-like work? Is she trying to hide her wealth? No, that’s not it. It looks like she’s really serious. She doesn’t seem to be trying to deceive anyone.)

Even though he was known as a reckless person without common sense in the Uesugi family, Kanetsugu was still perplexed by Shizuko’s words and actions.

(Let’s reconsider, Yoroku (Naoe Kanetsugu). She said cultivation, but she probably just means managing.)

“By the way, Shizuchi, what is the purpose of the facility you recently built?”

“It’s a place for raising salmon fry for release.”

Kanetsugu was about to reluctantly accept it, but his thoughts were once again thrown into turmoil by the casual conversation between Keiji and Shizuko.

(Wait, release? Salmon fry? What on earth is the purpose of doing such a thing? And why is Lady Shizuko raising them herself? Well, even though they are retainers, they never know when they might be targeted, so it’s probably best to keep their own skills as secret as possible.)

Artificial hatching of salmon and trout, in short, involves catching fish during the spawning season, carefully collecting the eggs without getting them wet, fertilizing them, and then immersing them in a tank with a suitable environment for hatching. This technique, known as the dry method, has been used for artificial hatching of salmon and trout in recent years. This technique was established by Dr. C. G. Atkins in the late 19th century. The reason for keeping the eggs dry is that if they get wet, they will develop like fertilized eggs but never hatch, becoming unfertilized eggs.

“In a little while, we’ll release them together with the fry raised by others. We’ve been doing this since the year before last, so it will take another year or two to see results. Well, I think a lot of salmon will come back next year.”

(Wait, wait, wait. The rivers where salmon can be caught are given as fiefs. Takeda collects nearly half of the caught salmon as taxes. Why is she casually teaching others how to increase the salmon!)

Kanetsugu was troubled by this, but in fact, Shizuko was implementing a certain policy and was not particularly concerned about others knowing her techniques. That was because of patents. A patent is a system that guarantees individuals or organizations who have made beneficial inventions exclusive rights for a certain period of time. It can be used to monopolize commerce and collect patent fees from those who want to use the patent. While patents are a double-edged sword, they prevent valuable techniques from being lost by keeping craftsmen from keeping their beneficial techniques secret. They also prevent inventors from losing their development motivation or losing their motivation to explore new businesses and markets. Of course, it is not an unrestricted priority right. There are certain restrictions on market monopolies, and if the paying party is dissatisfied with the patent fee, they can file an objection.

The most important thing is that if the content recognized as a patent is sold to another country, severe penalties will be imposed. Depending on the rank of the technology, at the very least, the entire family will be beheaded, and if it is a fundamental technology like basic research, the entire clan, including all its members, may be beheaded. If there are people other than the clan, they will also be subjected to interrogation, including torture. Various criminal laws have been enacted regarding patents, and information leakage and espionage are particularly dealt with severely.

(I don’t understand.)

Kanetsugu, who didn’t know about these circumstances, thought about it for a while and then gave up thinking. He decided to quietly eat his white rice and put a bite in his mouth, when suddenly the sliding door at the entrance was forcefully opened.

“Shizuko… What do you mean by postponing the pot?”

The one who forcefully opened the sliding door was Oichi. Behind her, Chacha and Hatsuhime struck a pose, spreading their arms wide and forcefully opening the door. Kanetsugu was half amazed at whether it was customary for the residents here to forcefully open the sliding doors.

“Well, I did tell you. We need to wait a bit because the meat needs to be aged.”

“Hmm, I didn’t hear that. So I didn’t know.”

“Don’t act so high and mighty. Even though the meat has been aged before dissection, we still need to wait a little longer. It’s fine, we can eat it tomorrow.”

Whales have a slightly higher body temperature than humans. Therefore, after cutting open their bellies (without discarding the internal organs) to prevent decay at high temperatures, they are immersed in seawater for about 16 hours to maintain a low temperature and age the meat. After whaling, this process is always carried out after the ritual. Therefore, you have to wait a day after the ritual to get whale meat. This should have been communicated in advance, but it seems that Oichi didn’t hear about it.

“Ugh, can’t be helped. Then I’ll forgive you for using that pot today.”

“It’s not about forgiving me, this is my dinner… And besides, I’m sure there’s dinner prepared for you over there.”

“I can’t eat cold rice. And Nohime-sama also said that delicious things should be enjoyed together. Besides, my mother won’t take care of you guys. Shizuko will take care of you.”

As soon as she said that, Oichi sat down in an empty seat. Chacha and Hatsuhime tried to sit next to her, but Oichi heartlessly drove her own children away. However, Chacha and Hatsuhime went to Shizuko as usual and settled in a suitable place.

(It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman. Delicious things should be enjoyed together. What an unconventional idea… but it’s not a bad one.)

Unbeknownst to himself, Kanetsugu had a smile on his face.

“Baths are wonderful.”

Kanetsugu, who had experienced his first bath, was delighted. Feeling warm all over, Kanetsugu headed towards the hut where Keiji was staying. The hut in the temporary residence’s garden was estimated to be about six tatami mats in size, not particularly spacious, but it had a serene atmosphere separated from the secular world.

“First, a drink.”

Keiji poured sake into two tea bowls he had prepared and handed one to Kanetsugu. When Kanetsugu accepted it, Keiji grinned, sat cross-legged, and Kanetsugu followed suit.

“It’s an unusual vessel.”

“Shizuchi calls it a chawan-sake. It’s a tea bowl used for drinking sake. Quite an exhilarating story, isn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

Tea ceremony had become established as an entertainment for the upper class, but they deliberately drank sake in vessels used for tea. It was an unconventional story, but Kanetsugu thought it was quite refreshing. Kanetsugu noticed that the sake reflected the moonlight and peered into the tea bowl.

“It’s as clear as water. It’s only natural that it reflects the moonlight.”

“Enough with the gazing, let’s drink first.”

As soon as he said that, Keiji tilted the tea bowl and drank it all at once. Kanetsugu followed suit a little later and drank the sake in his tea bowl in one gulp.

“Delicious! That’s all I can say.”,”Good things don’t need words.”

They poured sake into each other’s empty tea bowls.

“That’s right… yes, this side dish is also delicious. The sake is going down quickly.”

He put a piece of karasumi in his mouth and then poured sake into his mouth. An indescribable deliciousness spread in his mouth. Kanetsugu usually only used salt as a seasoning for sake, and even then only once every few times, so karasumi was an unexpected delicacy for him. From then on, while praising the taste of the sake, the two of them chatted and laughed. The topics of their conversation were varied. Of course, they couldn’t talk lightly about confidential matters.

“No, but I’m really envious. It’s not often that you can drink such sake. It’s no wonder my lord praises it.”

“Shizuchi doesn’t have any fiefs. Instead of giving him land, they give him various things. Well, sometimes he gets scolded for drinking too much.”

Despite being scolded, Keiji didn’t seem to have learned his lesson. While laughing, Kanetsugu put his mouth to the tea bowl and a pleasant smell wafted into his nose. Looking around curiously, Keiji also seemed to have noticed the smell and was searching for its source.

“It’s coming.”

At the same time as those words, the sliding door opened. Saizo and Nagayoshi entered the room, each holding a large plate. Kanetsugu and Keiji realized that the source of the smell was the plate that Saizo was holding. Saizo placed the large plate in the center and sat down in a suitable place. He placed the sake bottle he was holding next to the large plate, and Nagayoshi also sat down in the same way.

“It’s rare for you to come over here. Oh, and grilled chicken, how extravagant.”

“…Shizuko-sama said, ‘If men are going to talk, it should be with this,’ and gave us sake and side dishes.”

“That’s a cool thing to do. Well then… yes, it’s delicious.”

Saizo, who was still wary of Kanetsugu, understood that Shizuko had sent him here to have a frank conversation. Nagayoshi didn’t seem to mind and quickly poured sake into his own tea bowl, watching Saizo’s actions with a piece of grilled chicken in his hand.

“First, let’s drink. Don’t refuse.”

As soon as he said that, Saizo poured sake into Kanetsugu’s empty tea bowl. Kanetsugu had already drunk quite a bit, but he had a smile on his face.

“Hey, don’t underestimate the Echigo people. This is nothing! I can handle it!”

Without hesitation, Kanetsugu drank the poured sake in one gulp. He smirked and pushed his tea bowl towards Saizo. Kanetsugu understood that it meant “pour more.” He poured sake into the tea bowl just like before. Saizo also drank the sake in one gulp, just like Kanetsugu.

“Don’t underestimate me, kid. I’m used to drinking with heavy drinkers. You can’t twist the Echigo people around with just one hand.”

“Don’t underestimate the Echigo people either. I’ll prove that the amount I drank with Keiji-dono earlier won’t put me at a disadvantage.”

From there, they drank sake in one gulp, while Keiji and Nagayoshi chatted and made a fuss. They also drank their fair share. They drank without considering the pace, and it goes without saying that the next day, all four of them were in a state similar to a hangover.

The technology district and the brewing district are places where even members of the Uesugi family cannot enter, but the port district and the districts associated with Shizuko can be entered and exited normally. This can be said for both districts, but the areas where restaurants lined up were filled with stimulating aromas. Especially in the port district, there were many restaurants due to the abundance of seafood, and each restaurant was competing with each other.

“All the restaurants have appealing smells that reach your stomach.”

Kanetsugu murmured while sniffing the surrounding aromas. He wasn’t particularly hungry, but the fragrances of the dishes were so enticing that he felt like eating something.

“Haha, this is a place that Shizuchi is actively involved in. All the restaurants are delicious, but the most popular one is probably Unagi Shizuka. They received a secret ‘sauce’ from Shizuchi and started serving Unagi-don and Unagi-ju, and it became a big hit. On days when a lot of eels are caught, there’s always a long line.”

Keiji explained to Kanetsugu while pondering which restaurant to enter.

“I want to try it, but it seems like it would be a hassle to wait in line.”

“It became so popular that fights occasionally break out. Thanks to that, Shizuchi is planning to cultivate eels.”

“I’ve heard this before, but why bother increasing the supply? There’s plenty of fish that can be caught.”

Aquaculture is an industry that artificially cultivates living organisms. In an era where they couldn’t even go out to the open ocean like in modern times, it was unlikely that marine resources would become depleted. Unless there was an abnormal weather event that occurred once every few hundred years, the climate in the Sengoku period was colder but stable compared to the present day. Marine resources were not at risk.

“Even if they can be caught, how much can the common people consume?”

“Huh?”

For a moment, Kanetsugu didn’t understand the intention behind Keiji’s question. Keiji made a serious expression while moving a smoking pipe without tobacco up and down with his mouth.

“Even if fish can be caught abundantly, it doesn’t matter if the common people can’t eat that fish. If only the upper class eats it and the lower class can’t, nothing will change.”

“So, it’s about increasing a reliable source of food that we can obtain ourselves without relying on the unpredictable sea.”

“If Oda-dono unifies the country, there will be no more wars. The wars to secure a source of food like before will no longer be possible. It will become a scramble for resources. If there’s a scramble, eventually everything will be devoured.”

Keiji continued speaking with a slightly melancholic tone. He was a true warrior, and there was nothing more painful for a warrior than losing a place to die. Yet, he didn’t leave Shizuko. Even if he were to lose his place on the battlefield, he wanted to see the new world that she wanted to create under Nobunaga’s rule. Keiji thought that he had a difficult personality himself. While seeking a place to die as a warrior, he also wanted to see what the new world would look like, and he held conflicting desires.

“Oh, isn’t that Keiji-sama over there?”

Startled by the sudden voice, Keiji turned around. There stood a plump woman. From the woman’s entourage standing behind her, it could be inferred that she was a person of high status.

“Oh, it’s Saki-dono. It’s rare for you to come out here.”

“Hohoho, I finally got permission to set up a shop here. I’m here for a visit as well.”

Her real name is unknown, but the woman called Saki by the courtesans is a powerful figure in the flower district of Ninokai, a pleasure quarter in the port district. Unlike Koto and Oto, who are slim and beautiful, Saki is on the heavier side and can’t be called beautiful. However, Saki is always kind and sometimes strict, and she is so beloved by the courtesans of Ninokai that they call her “kakaa-sama” (mother / mama-san).

“Oh, so you’ve brought out the syphilis.”

When someone infected with syphilis, also known as “soudoku,” escaped from Ninokai, Shizuko temporarily closed off the district. It was a business loss, but due to the contractual relationship, there was no choice but to accept the condition of not having any new patients.

“It was really tough for a while, but thanks to Shizuko-sama, I managed to recover.”

“Oh, does that mean the closure of Ninokai has been lifted?”

In order to prevent the spread of syphilis, Shizuko temporarily closed off Ninokai. It was a loss for business, but there was no choice but to accept the condition of not having any new patients.

“Hohoho, finally reopening for business. We have to make up for the losses. Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

After bidding farewell to Keiji and the others, Saki left with her entourage.

“Hmm, there’s a lot of people here, don’t you think?”

Normally, there weren’t many people at Shizuko’s mansion, and there was minimal coming and going. But now, it was crowded with people. From their appearance, it was clear that they were the attendants of high-ranking individuals. Kanetsugu and Keiji tilted their heads in confusion but managed to avoid them and enter the house. As soon as they entered, a scent they had never smelled before tickled their nostrils. If they sniffed carefully, it had a sour smell like fermented food, but they could tell that it had a unique aroma.

“…Oh, could it be!”

Keiji realized something and rushed out in a panic. Kanetsugu, who was momentarily surprised, quickly followed him. Keiji, with his keen sense of smell, ran towards the source of the scent, but he was stopped after a while.

“Lord Nobunaga is beyond this point. No one can pass through.”

Hori stood in front of Keiji, who stomped his feet in frustration. Kanetsugu, who couldn’t keep up with the flow of the conversation, widened his eyes in surprise.

“Damn, I knew they were up to something, but I didn’t expect it to be today!”

“Give up.”

Kanetsugu was about to ask Keiji what was happening, but before he could speak, a powerful voice came from the end of the corridor. The moment they heard those words, Hori stepped aside and knelt down. Keiji also made an awkward face and moved to the side of the corridor.

“Good things should be shared by everyone. But I will be the first to taste it.”

Nobunaga appeared from the back. He looked at the still bewildered Kanetsugu and curled his lips as he spoke.,”Are you a member of Uesugi?”

Silence dominated the scene with just that one word. Kanetsugu, sweating coldly, tried to say something. But no words came out of his mouth. He was doing his best just to withstand the pressure he felt from Nobunaga. When he was Uesugi Kagekatsu’s right-hand man, it was a different story, but now he was just a retainer, and a young one at that, around twelve years old. Having gone through numerous battles, fighting against the demons and monsters that ran rampant in Kyoto, and sometimes cooperating to control politics with the aristocrats and Buddhist temples, Kanetsugu was unknowingly frozen in front of Nobunaga. But Kanetsugu did his best to put up a brave front, so as not to let it show.

“Hmph… Hori, Shizuko will soon be baking a Nanban food called ‘pizza’. Have someone bring it over. They say it’s delicious when it’s freshly baked. Make sure to deliver it quickly.”

Nobunaga saw through everything, but without touching on Kanetsugu’s bravado, he gave orders to Hori. Hori glanced at Kanetsugu for a moment, then bowed respectfully to Nobunaga and quietly left.

“If you want to know what I want, keep an eye on Shizuko and the people. The answer you seek is there.”

With just those words, Nobunaga passed by Kanetsugu without looking back and disappeared down the hallway. After Nobunaga was gone for a while, Kanetsugu finally let out a breath. Unknowingly, he had been tense, forgetting to even breathe. Nobunaga’s presence was that extraordinary. He felt an atmosphere that, while extremely natural, could tear his throat apart if he let his guard down.

(That… if he’s an enemy, he could even destroy the Buddhist temples, the sixth heavenly demon)

The nickname “sixth heavenly demon” was also given to Nobunaga. However, he was not the first to be given this name. The famous figure who was initially called the sixth heavenly demon was Ashikaga Yoshinori, who first served as the head priest of Enryakuji Temple’s Tendai Sect before returning to secular life and becoming the Ashikaga shogun. When he came into conflict with Enryakuji Temple, he was also called the sixth heavenly demon. Other figures who were called the sixth heavenly demon by Enryakuji Temple and its supporters include Hosokawa Masamoto, who carried out the second attack on Enryakuji Temple.

(He’s someone who can’t be described in words, someone indescribable)

Kanetsugu continued to stare in the direction where Nobunaga had left, as if he had been possessed for a while.