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Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 7

「You…You…You… Don’t just stand there not saying anything! This is a big matter regarding your master’s chastity! 」

「Yeah, right! This is not a matter that a foot soldier like me has any right to say anything about! 」

「What? You should at least object to it! You are actually anxious, right!? Or do you intend to run away because he has such a handsome face? Don’t tell me you are that kind of cowardly, chicken-hearted wimp? 」

「Hu…Huh? What are you saying!? Me, the great Sagara Yoshiharu-sama, do something like running away because of someone’s pretty face? And what proof do you have that I’m planning on running away anyway?! 」

「That…I mean, the number 1 beauty of your dreams that you begged to be introduced to is going to be snatched away by this Azai Nagamasa, so can you really bear to be silent about it?! 」

The hot weather seems to just heat up their argument even further, as both of them totally ignored Nagamasa who was looking at everything that was unfolding before him as if it was a show as their argument was becoming more and more heated.

「Wait just a minute there! You said who is the number 1 beauty in the world?! 」

「That’s me of course! No one else but me! 」

「Huh? I’m just a lowly foot soldier, and a monkey. Don’t you totally, definitely, 100% not feel anything for me from the bottom of your heart? Don’t you dare label yourself as the number 1 beauty in the world, because that’s just too rich, even coming from someone as vain as yourself! Or if you really think like that, then just go find yourself a gigolo who is matching you in status and marry him; isn’t that going to be for the better? 」

「Wh…What? Not cute at all!! Why can’t you just cry and shout ‘Nobuna-sama is marrying some other guy! No, I don’t want something like this! No! No! No! 」?! That would be much more up your alley! 」

「What the hell are you talking about? Who would do such a stupid thing for you?! 」

「Do it! Do it now! Shut up and beg me while crying: 「Not that, anything but that! Please don’t do this! 」or else I will really go along with it and I will really marry Nagamasa right here, right now! 」

「Yeah, right! That’s n-n-none of my business! Being charmed and attracted by such a guy who already declared that he isn’t marrying you for love can only mean that you are a dumb woman, wouldn’t you agree?! 」

「P-P-Political marriages are a common thing in this Sengoku era! I’m a head of a province after all! I’m not someone who can just choose anyone I like and marry them! 」

「Ahh, this sucks! I can’t bear this anymore. Look at you! What you are doing now, is this the Oda Nobuna who is trying to conquer the world? 」

There will definitely be a day where Azai Nagamasa will break the alliance and betray the Oda clan. But Yoshiharu cannot tell Nobuna about the ‘future’ he knows about from the Sengoku era, because that is what the agreement between the two of them was. Because of this, Yoshiharu was conflicted. If he just says: 「Don’t marry Nagamasa! 」without backing his claim up with a valid reason, then Nobuna is just going to think that he is simply jealous of Nagamasa without taking their social standing int consideration, thus adding to her arrogance and pride even more.

In fact, Yoshiharu is already very jealous over this matter, but he himself just doesn’t want to admit it. This, and Nobuna is his master, while he himself is her retainer at most, and nothing else than that.

「Argh… I got it! It’s definitely that! You must not have understood the real reason why I gave Nene to you as a little sister! 」

「I understood it loud and clear! You just want to keep me away from any girls and have me live a life of torture and loneliness, right!? Because that’s just the kind of a woman you are! No, you’re not even a woman! You’re a demon wearing the skin of a woman! 」

「Oh? S-S-So that’s it, huh? You…You…You certainly made yourself clear now that you’ve shown your real colors, huh? 」

「Hmpf! 」

「Hmpf! 」

And then both of them turned their back towards each other and scoffed. Faced with such a never-before-seen drama unfolding right in front of the samurai from Omi, Azai Nagamasa, Inuchiyo felt helpless.

「… Now that they’ve become like this, it won’ end until there’s going to be a clear winner to their argumament. We will definitely pass Nobuna-sama’s reply to you, Nagamasa-sama, but for now, I don’t think you can expect to hear anything from Nobuna-sama until she calms down. 」

Nagamasa replied readily:

「I understand. I think I might’ve been too hasty with my marriage proposal, even more so since Nobuna-sama is still of such a young age. I believe that she should be given enough time to consider my offer, and I also hope that once I do receive her answer, it is going to be a satisfying one. 」

「Understood. 」

「Ah, that’s right, there’s one more thing that I’d like to say. Inuchiyo-dono, though it might be a bit rude of me, I would like to dispatch soldiers to Mino to help out with its conquest as well. After all, it’s for the future of my beloved wife, so the Omi province will always despatch aid to Owari whenever that’s going to be necessary. 」

A beautiful face that won’t lose to that of any girl, a sudden proposal and a political marriage completely void of love and a brave declaration of cooperation… all of that only served to further confuse the bratty Nobuna who knew nothing about love and relationships yet.

Seeing them all off with a smile that made it look like he had everything in control, Azai Nagamasa left Aoshuu castle.

After Nobuna beat Sagara up completely, she then found out that Nagamasa has already left. Noticing this and shouting 「Idiot monkey, this is all your fault! What are we going to do if the situation ends up getting worse because of you?! 」 she went back to her room while fuming with anger, and Inuchiyo quickly followed after her.

Motoyasu, who was abandoned in the hall just like that, poked the body of Yoshiharu, who was not moving after the beatdown he received, with her finger.

「Monkeyharu-kun, Monkeyharu-kun? Are you still alive? 」

The half dead Yoshiharu struggled back to the sitting positon, while twisting his almost broken neck towards Motoyasu.

「… Barely… I think… 」

「Thank you for your hard work. Because of your performance with Kichi-nee-san, this matter was muddled through beautifully. 」

「Muddled through? Such a rare lecture of love got turned into a full-blown fight, so I don’t know if any of that was for the best or not… 」

Motoyasu’s lips turned into a proud smile just like that of a genuine Tanuki.

「Kichi-nee-san will form an alliance with the Azai clan one day because of her intention to march at the capital. But if she formed the alliance now, it’s obvious that the stronger Azai clan would be the more advantageous of the two. The Azai clan might be the one that specifically ran over to the Oda clan to ask for an alliance, but the truth of the matter is that to Kichi-nee-san, this alliance is a necessary one for her to be able to reach the capital and fulfil her ambition. 」

「Ah, so that’s why Nagamasa proposed to Nobuna with such an arrogant tone? Because he knows that Nobuna cannot reject him? 」

「If she were to marry him now, Kichi-nee-san would forever be below Azai Nagamasa. But if we conquered Mino first, then in terms of provincial strength, Kichi-nee-san will have the definite lead. If that happens. She will no longer need to marry Nagamasa no matter what happens, since even without the marriage, the forming of an alliance is still going to be possible. 」

「I see. 」

「That’s why, to not let Nagamasa help us conquer Mino, Kichi-nee-san will desperately try finding ways to delay her reply to Nagamasa as much as possible. 」

(So that’s why she suddenly attacked me).

Yoshiharu thought.

「If that’s the case, why coudn’t she hint me more subtly? 」

「Well, she was honestly angry around in the middle, so… 」

「Were we enemies in our past lives? Why is she becoming so angry when she looks at my face? 」

Motoyasu nods her head a little.