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Volume 1 Chapter 3 Part 5

It was the moment when Katsuie raised her sword and was aiming at Yoshiharu’s head, trying to separate it from his shoulders once and for all.

「No! You can’t behead Monkey-sama! 」

「… That’s right. You cannot do that. As a retainer of Nobukatsu-sama, you have no right to punish Nobuna-sama’s retainers. 」

Nene and Inuchiyo spread their arms wide and protected Yoshiharu from her. Katsuie stopped her blade in frustration.

「Why are you obstructing me, Inuchiyo? It’s getting more and more troublesome! 」

「Do you get it now, Katsuie?! She knows that I am a useful and magnificent
retainer, because Inuchiyo is way smarter than you! 」

「… Wrong. Yoshiharu-san is an idiot, doesn’t have manners, can’t swing a spear or a sword even if it was to save his own life, is penniless, doesn’t even know what monkey’s skeleton structure is and is a strange looking man no matter how you’d try to look at him. 」

「Hey Inuchiyo, maybe praise me a little bit here?! 」

「… Not to mention, he loves big, bouncy boobs. It pisses me off. 」

「Inuchiyo-saaaan! I apologize, so please cheer up and look at me a little more favorably! 」

「H-H-H-He likes bouncy boobs? S-S-S-Stop it, don’t look at my breasts with a lecherous gaze, you perverted Monkey, or I’ll behead you after all! 」

Yoshiharu started despairing more and more.

(Inuchiyo, you talking about my love for big boobs… isn’t it the same as instigating Katsuie to behead me?!)

While staring at the red faced Katsuie who was saying things such as「Die, ero-monkey! 」, Inuchiyo then continued to speak in a low, disinterested voice.

「… However, I don’t want to lose the sight of Nobuna-sama’s smiling face. 」

「Eeh? You mean to say this guy is trusted by Nobuna-sama? 」

「Probably…… Possibly…….maybe……that may be the case….. 」

「Amazing, although it’s a bit ambiguous, Inuchiyo-san! 」

Yoshiharu started crying while saying that.

「You cannot be sure of that, Inuchiyo. During the time she was punishing him, Nobuna-sama laughed just like she used to during the time she used to spent with her father. In other words, as if she was immensely enjoying herself. 」

「No way, that is…I mean, even I somehow felt it but……it’s probably that, something like the time during childhood, resembling the time when she got attached to the barbarian missionary? 」

「That’s right. 」

(Who’s the barbarian missionary?)

Yoshiharu tilted his neck, not knowing what they were talking about.

「Since Nobuna-sama likes the sort of people who come from far off countries, I can understand that she’ll have an interest in the puzzling Monkey, as unusual as he is. Not to mention that if Yoshiharu-san dies, Nobuna-sama will once again become alone, since Inuchiyo can’t understand Nobuna-sama’s dreams at all. 」

「… U-U-Ugh. Since you said it like that, I am the same…..I am a battle maniac, so no matter how much I serve loyally, I can’t even understand ten percent of what Nobuna-sama says…..even if she tells me to ‘Conquer all of Japan’ for her, I cannot wrap my head around what she means by that, since I’ve rarely been outside of Owari myself… 」

「…….Inuchiyo likes Nobuna-sama as well. However, just by liking I can’t fill the holes in Nobuna-sama’s heart. 」

「E-Even then, is there any proof that this Monkey can understand her thoughts and dreams? 」

「…There is no proof. However, Yoshiharu-san, with his eyes shining said that in front of the Viper of Mino and Nobuna-sama. That’s why I believe him. 」

「U-Ugh…..Inuchiyo. If you look at me so intently, I won’t be able to do anything! 」

While scratching her head, Katsuie, sheathed her sword. Nobukatsu, who was excluded from the conversation while being sprawled out on the ground cried out:

「W-Wait a minute… K-Katsuie? Are you going to let go of that ferocious foot-soldier who hit
me? 」

「U-um… Nobukatsu-sama, you may have also plotted rebellions against Nobuna-sama many times but your life has been spared every time, so let’s think of this as settling one of your debts to Nobuna-sama. 」

「A-A-Are you lumping the young valuable daimyo of the Oda clan and this vulgar Monkey who’s a lowly foot-soldier together? 」

「F-For the time being, let us go back. There’s a rumor that Imagawa who is planning on marching to the capital will invade Owari as well. 」

Once he heard that Imagawa could invade, even Nobukatsu couldn’t act tough.

In the first place, Nobukatsu didn’t have the confidence that he could win the battle against the number one daimyo of the Tokaido region, Imagawa Yoshimoto. In reality, in a battle of Nobukatsu vs. Imagawa, the only plan that he had for it was: Katsuie will somehow handle it. After all, even among the young samurai around Nobukatsu, not even one of them had the courage to disobey Katsuie. Even if they banded together and tried to attack her, they knew they wouldn’t be able to win against her.

「Ugh.. khhhhhh!!! M-Monkey! I-In deference to Katsuie, I’ll forgive you your transgression for today! H-However, remember it, I’ll make you pay for it, do you hear me?! Not even father ever raised his hand against me! 」

Yoshiharu thought that a parting remark which he had heard before somewhere beforre was doing a full course here.

After Nobukatsu and the others left, Yoshiharu took the squatting Nene, who was still covering in fear while clinging onto his leg, and sat her on his shoulders.

「Thanks, Nene. Alright, let’s go back to your grandfather, shall we? 」

「D-D-D-Don’t touch me, and don’t place me on your shoulders! N-Nene just covered for Inuchiyo! 」

「Huh…My shoulders… they feel somehow warm…Nene, could it be that you peed yourself? 」

「T-T-T-T-This is sweat! A-A bright person like Nene isn’t a c-c-child, there’s no way I’d p-p-p-pee myself even with all these s-scary people around! 」

「Uooh, dirty! Get down, get off of me or I’ll start smelling like piss too! 」
「Don’t sway, don’t wave me, I’ll fall! Ah, since it’s sweat there’s no problem! 」

The ominous uproar gradually died down, and seemed to have turned into a cheerful ruckus. The old man Asano who had guessed that had come to the entrance of his residence before they realized it, and then he smiled and said:

「Ah, yes, you two are already behaving like a close brother and sister. 」

While staring at Nene who was on his shoulders making a ruckus trying to fold her feet around his neck and Yoshiharu who was trying his best to get Nene off of himself, Inuchiyo didn’t say anything for a while, and then only commented:

「….do you like shorties as well? 」

And with that, she pouted her cheeks.