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Volume 2 Chapter 3 Part 13

「Don’t mind us, Hanbei-chan. Getting back Mino for Dosan and going to the capital has always been Nobuna’s dream. It’s just that currently Nagamasa is interfering and the situation isn’t very good, but we’ll find a way out of it, I promise. 」

「Yoshiharu-san likes Nobuna-sama despite being a lowly foot soldier. That’s why he wants to use his own strength and stop Nagamasa’s marriage so that she could marry someone she truly loves. 」

「Oi, Inuchiyo! W-W-Who would ever like that idiot?! I just… uhm, I mean… as a retainer of the Oda clan… oh, right! It is only natural that I can’t see eye to eye with someone from the Azai clan. ! From the start, that bastard Nagamasa didn’t like Nobuna even one bit, and he kept on repeating that their marriage would just be a political one like it was not a big thing at all. How can I let Nobuna marry such a heartless guy?! Uwah, why is my body getting hot hot with anger whenever I think about that manwhore?! 」

「As you can clearly see, Yoshiharu-san has been has been completely captivated by Nobuna-sama. He would even go so far as to give up his own life for her sake. 」

「Oi, oi! Inuchiyo, stop giving Hanbei-chan strange ideas, okay?! 」

「Yoshiharu-san, it seems to me that Nobuna-dono is really a very important person to you. 」

Looking at the moon’s reflection in the river, Hanbei whispered softly.

「No… it’s not like that all! Don’t be deceived by my appearance. A guy like me, I’m fiercely loyal! And don’t judge Nobuna like that either. Even though normally she is very bashful, she’s very arrogant and never knows when to pull her punches! And yet, that violent girl still accepted and kept someone like me, a foreigner to this world, around as her retainer. 」

Hanbei looked at the blushing and stomping Yoshiharu, and said in a quiet voice:

「… If she’s really that important to you, you can just hide her somewhere where nobody can touch her. To not let anyone hurt Nobuna-sama, you should treasure her as such and keep her deep inside a fortress. 」

The words Hanbei wanted to say actually went more along the lines of: I want to do have nothing to do with your worldly affairs. If only I had remained in seclusion without getting myself involved, this never would’ve happened to uncle Ando, and I wouldn’t be forced into the life of a fugitive, but instead, Hanbei chose to keep those thoughts to herself and said:

「Yoshiharu-san, If Nobuna-dono really is as important to you as everyone says she is, then it should really be alright for you to hide her from the rest of the world. All you would have o do then is to lead the Oda clan to battle in her place. 」

「That is wrong, Hanbei-chan. 」

「Eh? 」

Yoshiharu stood beside Hanbei, her gaze still fixed on the moon’s reflectionin the water.

「Hanbei-chan. The moon is beautiful, isn’t it? 」

「Yes. It’s so beautiful. 」

「You like the moon? 」

「Yes. Though it’s a bit scary, today for some reason it’s not scary at all. 」

「So have you ever thought about hiding the moon in a secret place and not letting others see it just so that you could have it only for yourself? 」

「Huh? But the moon cannot be hidden in such a way. 」

「I’m just saying it as an example… but if you were to use your powers as an Onmyouji, then technically it could be done, right? 」

「Yes, it should be possible… but even if I could do it, I don’t think I would go through with that. 」
「Why, Hanbei-chan? 」

「…. Because if there is no moon shining brightly in the night, then everyone would feel lonely. The roads will be pitch dark and it will be lots of trouble to everyone. No matter if I like it or not, it’s not a thing I should be keeping just to myself. 」

「That’s correct. That moon should be shining brightly in the night sky for everyone to see, not be hidden away like on a cloudy night. If that’s not the case, the moon won’t be the moon anymore. It has such a beautiful and mysterious power to lighten up the darkness of the night, yet if it can’t use this power and is only going to dwell in a cage, even the moon will feel sad about it. 」

Yoshiharu made a brief pause there.

「It is exactly for that reason why I can’t hide Nobuna from the entire world. If I did that, then her life would lose all of its meaning. In hiding, she wouldn’t be herself anymore, and I… I would like her to shine brightly in front of the entire world. 」

「… If she shines out in the world, then behind the light there will always be shadows. She will make lots of enemies and make even more people jealous. If that’s the case, I think that your important person will be spending her life in agony, Yoshiharu-sama. 」

「If that happens, then it’s going to be alright, because we, her retainers, will be there to solve all of her problems for her. I… want to protect her, and at the same time, I want to let her shine out in the world, where she belongs. 」

For a while, Hanbei was stumped, and glanced at the face of Yoshiharu who was standing by her side.

「Just now… I think you’ve stolen something from my heart, Yoshiharu-sama. 」

Just like that, a small feeling of unfairness mingled with joy crept into her heart. This feeling is totally different compared to her 「righteousness」, but it was burning in her heart just as strongly. It’s a totally new feeling that Hanbei has never experienced before. Righteousness, loyalty, filial piety; her own thoughts, as well as a new passion mixed inside her and then erupted into a vortex of emotions that was much stronger than all of them on their own.

But then, she said things that were completely at odds to these emotions she was feeling now.

「Y-Yoshiharu-sama is not just conflicted, but extremely greedy as well. And so childish! 」

Using all her strength, she tried to resist voicing her own thoughts in such a way, but even targeted with such a statement, Yoshiharu spoke in low tones with bright eyes.

「Yes, I’m nothing but a childish brat. I don’t want to give up on anything. No matter who teases me about it, I will never become a decent adult who is able to put important things on a scale and measure them. 」

(Ahhh…)

Hanbei realized that her most important thing was stolen from her by the young man in front of her. But once again, the words that came out of her mouth were:

「Yoshiharu-san, you might really be a big idiot. 」

「Yes, I might be. 」

「Yoshiharu-sama, is there any talent of yours that can be of use to Nobuna-dono? 」

「My skills with the spear and with horse-riding are all downright lousy, and because I will feel uneasy just from seeing blood, going onto the battlefield is a no-go for me too. But since I’m from the future, I do know some history. 」

「*Cough* Even if that’s true, Yoshiharu-sama’s actions will change the course of history. If that’s the case, then you won’t be able to help Nobuna-dono at all. 」

「Hanbei-chan, do you feel cold?「

「No, I’m okay. Compared to me, Yoshiharu-sama’s matters are far more important. I think you must have lived in a peaceful world, right? So you should not be here in this Sengoku era. You are really gentle, but too useless. 」

「Then I will just go and die. But if there’s a way for me to help Nobuna, then I will never give up on helping her. 」

「But no matter how hard you might try, a Daimyo is a Daimyo, and a retainer is just a retainer. Even if Azai-sama’s marriage plan is stopped, the two of you will never be together. Do you really think that’s…. 」

「The great me, marrying that girl? Haha. I’ve already said the thought had never crossed my mind. 」

Like this, a silence stretched between the both of them, and they gazed quietly at the bright moon reflected in the river. And then, Hanbei suddenly spoke clearly in a volume only Yoshiharu could hear.

「I’ve hesitated for a very long time, but if I don’t say it out now, I will definitely regret it, and this dream that I have finally realized might end right here and now. 」