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Volume 3 Chapter 7 Part 7

「I came to this world to change your destiny! 」

Yoshiharu pulled the sobbing Nobuna into his chest and hugged her.

At this moment, he realized it for the first time that the girl in his arms was so soft, yet scorching hot like raging flames, and that she was actually smelling pretty nice.

No one present said anything about the difference in their status. In his brain, there was even an impulse to just take Nobuna and run away from this place.

For such a delicate girl, the responsibility of uniting the country was just too heavy of a burden. Besides, he doesn’t want to give Nobuna to anyone else.

But that was a desire that could not be fulfilled, no matter what.

「Nobuna, just like you, I don’t believe in any gods in this world. But, I have sworn to myself and made my resolve that since I came to this era because of you, I will never do anything to make you sad. I swear. 」

「…Mhmm. 」

「After you return to Kyoto safely, and I come back to your side alive… Remember to give me the world’s number one beauty as a reward. 」

「…Mhmm. 」

「The next time we meet, give me a kiss. 」

「Kisu …? What…? 」

「In other words, let us lock our lips together. 」

「…Mhmm. I got it. 」

Nobuna nodded her head lightly. Yoshiharu let go of Nobuna’s body.

「Well then, I’m off. 」

「Okay. Let’s meet again in Kyoto. 」

Yoshiharu laughed and said.

(In such a situation, how could I possibly cry? If I did that, I would definitely be laughed at by Nobuna. That would be embarrassing, and I would despise myself forever for it.)

Even if this was their last meeting in his life, he didn’t want her to see him cry like a monkey.

(For men, holding back their tears is the right thing to do.)

Matsunaga Hisashide hugged Nobuna like a mother before the Daimyo rode off from the camp. The generals were all silent while they started their own preparations for moving off. But no one was panicking, even as they prepared to all but run for their lives. They walked past Yoshiharu, shook his hand and left their final words with him.

「…Monkey… you… 」

In such a situation, Katsuie didn’t know what to say. She could only blush while holding Yoshiharu’s hand with a strength that seemed almost enough to break his bones, while tears were dropping down from her cheeks non-stop.

「…We will leave the volunteers who want to stay behind to you. Consider it a gift. 」

「Uhh, sure, thanks. 」

「You must live, for Nobuna-sama’s sake. 」

「Katsuie. If I knew I could see your breasts again, I would definitely not want to leave this world. Now hurry up and go. 」

「…Idiot. A-a-after you come back alive, I will let you touch my breasts all you want. It’s a promise! S-so….. 」

「Okay, okay,I get it. 」

「…Don’t die… Please… 」

While Katsuie was crying, Nagahide walked over to him. Nagahide who was normally calm and gentle was unable to control her tears as she pressed herself onto Yoshiharu’s hands and lowered her head.

(So Nagahide cies for my sake too…)

… A refreshing feeling welled up in Yoshiharu’s heart.

「…Sagara-dono. If I had known this…. If I had known this to be the ending, even once… I should have allow you and Nobuna-sama to… 」

「No, no, no! I had never really thought about Nobuna like that one bit. Please don’t take it to heart! 」

「…As one of the chief retainers, that’s 0 points for me. 」

「You were always worth full marks, Nagahide. If all the chief retainers were like that fool Katsuie, then the Oda clan would definitely fall apart a long time ago. 」

「….Sorry… 」

「Uhh, Nagahide! Don’t be like this. Really, I’ve not thought of her at all! 」

(Wow, I feel like if I don’t die, this will all be wasted… If I’m really alive and go back to them, they will definitely say 「Forget everything that we said to you! 」 and then kill me to make me forget…..)

Inuchiyo was next in line.

「I’ve been in your care ever since the Five Leaf Aralia tenements. Thanks a lot for everything, 」

「… 」

(She is emotionless as usual… )

Yoshiharu felt slightly better, but then Inuchiyo hugged Yoshiharu’s body tightly and didn’t want to let go.

「… 」

「Oi, Inuchiyo-san? You are Nobuna’s retainer, right? Hurry and chase after Nobuna, hurry! 」

「…I’m not going. 」

「No! Eh, was your strength always so ridiculous!? I can’t get away… Someone, pull Inuchiyo away from me! 」

「…Don’t wanna. 」

「Look! Listen, I’m not the only one in danger! Nobuna is going to be facing a crapload of danger too! There won’t be any meaning to it if you just protect me and put Nobuna in danger because of it! 」

「… 」

Inuchiyo finally let go of Yoshiharu.

「… 」

Her face had a streak of glittering tears on it. Yoshiharu was suddenly speechless at that sight. Suddenly, he did not know what else to say.

As expected, he should not die here… To the last second, he must fight on and live…

「…See you. Bye bye. 」

「Hmmm. Live on, and let us meet again later. 」

「… 」

「Well, with this, everyone should have retreated from the camp… 」

Yoshiharu let out a sigh of relief and sat on the bench Nobuna left behind. There was still a bit of warmth left on it.

(This is the warmth of Nobuna…. her body is so hot…I’m just a Sengoku era games fanatic, but it’s such a good thing that she turned out to be a girl… But just one time… I wanted… to kiss her…)

「As expected… I can’t die here. 」

When he raised his head, he realized there were 2 warriors that stayed behind: Matsudaira Motoyasu… and Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide.

「Oi, what the hell are you still doing here? Hurry and run for your lives! 」

「Saruyoshi-san. Why didn’t you take Kichi-nee-san away just now? 」

「H-Huh? What are you saying, Motoyasu? 」

「Hehe. One day, I plan to change my name to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Such a fabulous name~

「I don’t really like it. It sound like an old man’s name. 」

「Uhhh. I’ve been shot down… 」

「Motoyasu-dono is from Mikawa, so her tastes are ancient. At this point, my new name is much better and elegant. ‘Koreto Hyuga no Kami!’ Such an elegant and different name, it’s so exciting. 」

「Is that even a reasonable name for a human? I don’t understand what you are saying at all~ 」

「There’s nothing even remotely linking that with ‘ Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide’! Besides, why are Juubei and you still here? 」

Mitsuhide snorted and puffed up her chest pridefully.

(You’ve become rather arrogant after Nobuna left, huh? )

Yoshiharu shrugged his shoulders.

「To let someone as weak as Sagara-senpai be in charge of guarding the back of Nobuna-sama, it’s almost certain that we will all be wiped out in an instant. If that’s the case, there isn’t any meaning to your sacrifice, so I will stay and protect you, however unwillingly it may be. 」

「Same for me~. I had heard from Hanzo~. The reason Mikawa was able to become independent is all due to Saruyasha-san’s plan. So this is the time for me to repay you with my gratitude~ 」

(Ahhh, this tanuki is so polite… But what does Juubei-chan plan to do?)

「Anyway, senpai, since we are here, prepare yourself. 」

「Mitsuhide-san, you said itwrong; it should be, ‘Please be grateful for our help.’ 」

「No, no. I, Juubei Mitsuhide, may actually end up shooting Sagara-senpai from behind. 」

「No, no, there won’t be any need for that! Both of you, go now! 」

Yoshiharu put on a stance as if he was about to stat shooing ducks, and tried to chase them away.

「Sagara-senpai, you are just too arrogant! Just be obedient, shut your mouth and accept my kindness! There will be a day when I need you to pay it back 10 times over! 」

「Kindness is to be paid back, this is the family rule of the Motoyasu clan who has long worshipped the tanukis. 」

「Listen to me. Both of you are necessary for Nobuna’s plan to conquer the world. I’m afraid that after Nobuna unifies the country, she planned to leave all state affairs to you, Motoyasu. 」

「To me~? 」

「Yeah. Because you are honest, no one else is more capable of enduring more than you when there are things that need to be defended, Motoyasu. Though you have Takeda Shingen who was known as the Sengoku’s strongest as your neighbor, you never gave up and never considered betraying Nobuna and defecting to Takeda’s side, right? 」