Volume 1 Chapter 6 Part 5
「Nobuna-sama, it’s my responsibility for not stopping Monkey! I’m very sorry! 」
「Enough. Treating this monkey as a retainer…. What the hell was I thinking? 」
Nobuna sighed heavily.
「Monkey, know that I will never forgive you! How dare you do such a thing behind my
back! 」
「Sorry. I had planned to bring geezer back while you’re still sleeping. 」
「This is what I meant by doing things behind my back! You did not even bring a spear with you, so why are you still acting like you can do everything on your own?! 」
「I can understand why you are angry, and I won’t make any excuses, since it really is all my fault. But, if you were really angry at me, you could have just not saved us, right? I mean, this whole escapade was planned with the idea that it is going to be a suicide mission in mind. 」
「Tah! 」
Nobuna had sent a punch right at Yoshiharu’s abdomen. Just like before, he didn’t avoid it, because it was launched at him as a surprise attack.
「It’s… It’s not like I’m here to save you, don’t be stupid! I’m here for the Viper of Mino, because if Viper can come over to Owari I’d have even more reasons to attack Mino! Yes, I did it just for this reason only! 」
「Ahh, so that’s how it is~~ I see~~. 」
Yoshiharu finally started to be angry, and he gnashed his teeth together, while Nobuna’s mood was getting worse by the minute.
「If it’s you we’re talking about, then even if you were killed by Yoshitatsu’s army, that wouldn’t be any problem to me! 」
「What are you trying to do here, huh? Why are you trying to stir up more unnecessary trouble? 」
After getting retorted by Yoshiharu, Nobuna had planned to say something back to him again, but after she opened her mouth and was about to say something, she immediately closed it and bit herself on the lips. And when she next open her mouth, a torrent of words assaulted Yoshiharu.
「I…I…I… Because I hate people like you more than anything else! 」
「Oi oi, that was a little uncalled for, don’t you think? 」
「Y-You’re always acting like you understand me, but there’s a limit to how rude towards me you can be, you know?! 」
「I see! Ahh, I got it! Well guess what?! Someone like you who is always so impatient, willful and totally not cute… I hate people like that the most as well! 」
「Don’t use strange monkey language on me! 」
「I’m not talking to you, I’m just stating an obvious fact, you self-conscious woman! 」
「Behead, someone behead this insolent fool right now! I don’t need anyone like him as my retainer! If that’s what you think, then feel free to go wherever the hell you want from now on! 」
「No… Nobuna-sama, I don’t think there’s any need to go that far… 」
Looking at the intense quarrel between the two of them, Katsuie had to become the one to defuse the situation against her will. Nobuna and Yoshiharu were both red in the face, and with a snort, both of them turned on their heels and faced away from each other.
At this instant, a horse rushed into the base. The one riding it was Niwa Nagahide, who was supposed to be stationed in Aoshuu castle.
「Imagawa Yoshimoto of Suruga is heading towards Owari with an army of 25,000 soldiers. It seems like she had finally made up her mind to head to the capital! 」
「So she did notice that our main castle is currently empty. It’s all the fault of this damn monkey here.」
Nobuna’s became grumpy and mumbled in such a low voice that almost no one could hear her.
「Actually, it’s your fault, you know? 」
Yoshiharu muttered while turning his head back towards her. Their eyes never crossed paths though. Katsuie, who was stuck between them, was so messed up by the uncomfortable atmosphere between them that her own stomach started to hurt due to stress.
「The few bases near the border have been conquered one by one, so our current situation is just 1 point. 」
「No matter if it’s me or the Oda clan, all is gone now. Owari’s conquest of Japan will be nothing more but a thing of the past! 」
「Nobuna-sama, that depressed way of saying things, even if you wanted 100 points for it, I’m afraid that I can only give you 5 points for it. 」
「So stingy, Manchiyo. At least make it 20. 」
「I cannot do that. In the first place, I only gave you those 5 points because it was you, Nobuna-sama. 」
Even under such a situation, the usual smile of Nagahide was still present on her face. Meanwhile, Katsuie was thinking to herself:「Nagahide is so strong」 and obtained a good deal of newfound respect for her for still trying to come up with plans to repel their enemies. Finally, she apparently was able to come up with one.
「Oh…oh!! Nobuna-sama, how about listening to the suggestions of Dosan-dono? 」
That was Katsuie’s 「Ask others for help 」strategy.
However…
「…….Uhhh…. My back… My poor back….. 」
An old illness that Dosan was suffering from seems to have relapsed during their escape back to Owari, and Dosan himself was now lying down onto the bench while massaging his back.
「Uh,uhhhh… This is the first time I have experienced such pain in a long while… I can’t think properly…. 」
「Damn! You damn geezer, why did you pick such a crucial time to incapacitate yourself like that?! 」
Another scout returned shortly after the first one.
「Imagawa Yoshimoto’s forces have broken through the border and are invading Owari! 」
* * *
Imagawa Yoshimoto, known as 「The Strongest Bow of Hokkaido」attacked the Owari province with her troops, since she recognized Owari as an obstacle to her way towards the capital.
According to the calendar, it’s 18th of May in this world, but according to modern times, it should be June, of the rainy season.
Though it is sunny now, the humidity and temperature is pretty high, as befitting of a hot and wet season.
The military base at Marune ,which is located between Owari and Mikawa provinces is the final line of defense against Imagawa which Nobuna built. For Imagawa, if she can capture it, it’s going to be a smooth sailing all the way towards Aoshuu castle.
First she’s going to stomp Owari with the heels of her shoes, and then she’ll conquer the Omi province and move on towards Kyoto. Just like Yoshimoto’s style, it’s a plan which is kinda sloppy.
「Oh~hohoho. It’s really hot, I wanna rest for a while! Use this time to set up the camp properly! 」
This trip to Kyoto, Yoshimoto had spent quite an effort in dressing up, appearing in a very formal and grandiose attire. But no matter what, wearing the full 12 layer kimono in this weather was straight up dumb. Even getting up and down from the horse requires several of her servants to help her out.
Add to it the fact that due to the heat, to avoid having a heat stroke, she ordered her army to stop at Kutsukake castle because she needed to rest. But as long as her retainers do their job while she is sleeping, they can still keep the schedule and reach Kioto in time she desired.
Her resting aside, Yoshimoto did not forget to waste time pushing on her noble strategy.
「Motoyasu? Motoyasu~? 」
「Yes~ I’m here, my Lady. 」
While elegantly cooling off from the heat in her base, Yoshimoto called her retainer, Motoyasu, to her side.
Matsudaira Motoyasu was actually the daimyo of the Mikawa province, but she had encountered multiple unfortunate incidents in her life from the moment she was born. First she was taken hostage by the Imagawa clan, and then she got kidnapped by the Oda clan, and after a few twists and turns of events, she came back under Imagawa Yoshimoto to serve as her retainer. Living half of her life getting kicked around like a ball, she was really an ill-fated girl.
The long period she spent as a hostage and multiple kidnapping incidents, coupled with the fact that she had to follow each and every wish of the extremely willful Imagawa Yoshimoto had changed her to always smile deviously and made her develop a very cunning tongue.
Motoyasu, who was looking at the improperly dressed Imagawa Yoshimoto who was being fanned by her servants while complaining 「It’s so hot~~ 」still had an expression on her face that seemed to imply that she could lick her feet willingly anytime.
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