3 bar menu

Volume 3 Chapter 4 Part 5

「 I, Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide, am the renowned genius of Mino, though my father died a long time ago from the wounds that he received in battle. Once he was gone, our mother was the only one who could support our household. Because she was afraid that I would lose my chance of getting a good education, my mother even sacrificed her sleeping hours in order to get another job to support me through my studies. However, my mother has always been frail and had a weak constitution, so it didn’t take long for her body to finally succumb to weariness and exhaustion that she accumulated as well. It’s because of her determination to see me, Akechi Mitsuhide, succeed in life and restore the Akechi clan to its former glory that she forced herself so hard and never gave up on me! 」

「……. 」

Mitsuhide’s expression was stern, while tears were beginning to fill the corners of her eyes. It does not look like she was lying.

(Looks like I have to listen carefully to what she is about to say.)

Yoshiharu straightened his posture and listened attentively.

「I, Akechi Mitsuhide, under my mother’s encouragement and Saito Dousan-dono’s flair for choosing talents, became his retainer and received elite training. Compared to the other warriors, I was always better, no matter if it was concerning wits or resolve. What is truly regrettable for me now is the fact that the strong Owari does not have any warriors who truly understand Nobuna-sama’s dreams. The only one who understands the dream of Tenka Fubu and conquering the world, which was inherited from Dosan-dono, the only one who will contribute everything to Nobuna-sama’s dream, is just me, Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide, and no one else! 」

(Now that she mentioned it, when we were meeting with Saito Dosan at the Manasori Temple, she seemed really moved by Nobuna’s dream.)

….. Yoshiharu couldn’t help but recall that.

「During the period when Dosan-sama was banished from Mino, I did not participate in the last battle, but the orders I received from Dosan-sama were to ‘Go to Kyoto, Sakai, and increase my knowledge. In the days to come, you must help my daughter, Nobuna.’ So as to say, Dosan-sama has always had high hopes of me. That’s why I brought my elderly and sickly mother with me and began my journey as a ronin. To establish connections with the officials, I had to have large amounts of money. Sometimes I had to endure humiliation and do jobs like being a bodyguard to earn the money needed during the journey. In the end, after much difficulty, I had finally managed to build my own net of connections, and it was also during that time that I first became acquainted with Tsuda Soukyu. But just when I was busy working in Kyoto, someone claiming that he came from the future silently crept near Nobuna-sama and began being a threat to her. Originally, I did not believe this guy who claimed that he came from the future. And it was also obvious to me that he wanted to become Nobuna-sama’s retainer because he had some ulterior motives in regards to her. So, what could I do? It was obvious. Since that despicable and arrogant scumbag wanted to get his hands on Nobuna-sama, I had to do everything in my power to get him away from her, even if I needed to stoop so low as to use schemes and trickery. 」

「I don’t have any ulterior motives in regards to Nobuna! 」

Yoshiharu retorted back reflexively.

「I didn’t know about your motivation and filial actions, but I’m really not a bad person. It’s a misunderstanding, Juubei-chan! 」

「What do you mean’ a misunderstanding?!’!? Originally, I’m the one who should have received Nobuna-sama’s love and affection, but you… No, just because Sagara-senpai said ‘ I’m from the future’, everything was snatched away from me! 」

「What else did you want me to do?! It’s a fact that I came here from the future! 」

「Yeah, right….. Lies like yours will never get past my wit! If you really are from the future as you claim to be, then show me the proof right now! 」

「Proof? You want proof? Other than my school uniform, I have nothing else, and the battery in my phone died already, so that’s not going to do much either… 」

「See? Thatalone should be proof enough that Sagara-senpai is nothing but a liar and a fraud who doesn’t mean well for you, Nobuna-sama! 」

At this moment, Nobuna, who had been sitting quietly at the side up until now, said:

「I know of the resolve that Juubei had to restore the Akechi clan since long ago. But the problem now is about relegating one of you to manage the kitchens at Gifu Castle. 」

While Nobuna was saying that, she was playing around with her hair absent-mindedly.

「Oh, we are still doing this? Fine by me! If you think you can defeat me without employing dirty tricks, then have at you! 」

Yoshiharu had strengthen his resolve.

「If it’s a fight you want, then a fight you shall get! Just don’t expect me to let you off the hook just by cutting off your head! 」

Mitsuhide was also in a fighting mood.

「Eh….But….. 」

At this moment, Imai Sougyu said:

「Nobuna-dono, I had known about Tsuda Sokyu buying votes of the other members of the Kaigi Gunshu. It’s because I wanted the fried Takoyaki that I stayed silent about it. As far as the culinary showdown is concerned, everyone knows that if it wasn’t for the bought votes, then Sagara-dono would have won, so I think you should be lenient with your verdict. 」

But Nobuna snorted and retorted:

「Even if that’s the case, a promise is still a promise. 」

(Ahhh, so I had been betrayed by old man Imai?)

Yoshiharu, who had just realized this fact hugged his head in despair.

「It’s too cruel… such a thing…, is really too cruel… who would have thought……!!! 」

In truth, the one Nobuna wanted to scold was Juubei, but since Juubei herself did not know anything about the buying of votes, she couldn’t place all the blame on her, even if it did end up handing her the victory that she did not earn with her own actions.

As for why Imai Sogyu wanted to buy the recipe for Yoshiharu’s dish, she had known long ago that it’s because he wanted to invest in her. But the thing that pissed her off the most now is the fact that Yoshiharu is going to have to be unjustly demoted as a result… No, to be exact, she was pissed at herself for being unable to just let the whole thing go.

「Nobuna-sama. I won this culinary battle of ours! Hurry up and give the fair verdict! 」

Mitsuhide said with the purest of smiles on her face. She was totally unable to read the room.

Imai Sougyu who had planned to say 「Let’s forget about the punishment! 」 and end this entire matter peacefully opened his eyes in disbelief while muttering,

「Oi, what are you saying!? 」

「Y-you do have a point…. 」

「Hurry, Nobuna-sama! Please say, ‘Damn Monkey, from now on you are to Gifu Castle and stay there while taking care of the kitchens!’ 」

「……Uhhh…… B-but, even though you won in terms of votes, the fact remains that Monkey’s fried Takoyaki was more popular. How about just calling it a draw then… 」

「But…but the one who won the showdown is ME! 」

「W-Well… 」

Nobuna’s eyes blurred and she started to stutter. All that’s left to do now is to deliver the final strike!

At the corner of Mitsuhide’s eyes, tears started to form and she bit her finger with a face filled with anguish. This frustrated face of hers was obviously her acting

「H-how can that be…. Nobuna-sama, don’t tell me…. don’t tell me that you really like Sagara-senpai, and that’s why you don’t want to punish him? Because from where I am standing, it looks like you’re siding with Sagara-senpai to unfairly deny me my victory! 」

*FWOOSH!*

In a matter of seconds, Nobuna’s face suddenly became colored in a shade of vibrant red.

「I-impossible! H-H-H-He is nothing more than just a monkey! There is such a big gap between my status and his that… that me liking him…. that is simply impossible….! 」

「That’s right! So, please give a fair verdict now! 」

「Uhhh… uhhh, uhhh… 」

Even in this situation, Nobuna was unable to say the words 「Damn Monkey, from now on you are to Gifu Castle and stay there while taking care of the kitchens! 」like Juubei wanted her to do.

(If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have said such a thing earlier)

….. Though her heart was full of regret, it was already too late to do anything about it.