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Volume 4 Chapter 2 Part 7

「I understand. If there is a piece of art of utmost beauty, it’s normal to not be able to destroy it. Is Oda Nobuna really such a beauty that one can’t look at her directly? One even more ravishing than the princesses in 「 Genji Monogatari」? I don’t dare to believe in the possibility of such a woman existing in the real world… If she is really as pretty as Wakamurasaki from 「Genji Monogatari」, then the cherry blossoms of the northern mountains and I will be mesmerized by her… The young Wakamurasaki who would cry at a pitiful young bird, if such a beauty from my dreams really exists in reality, then… Hohohoho.. Everyone, do you know about the fact that Wakamurasaki and Hikaru Genji really met at the northern mountains? After collecting numerous pieces of information about it, I finally managed to put together a concrete proof, and I think the mountain at the back of Kyoto is actually the northern mountain from 「Genji Monogatari」… what do you guys think about it? 」

(What an intriguing man. Compared to a living women, he is much more interested in a princess from a story…)

Azai Hisamasa thought as he looked upon Yoshikage’s fair face.

「Through 「Genji Monogatari」, I, who had nothing but despair of the real world in my heart, have gained immense hope. Like Genji, who brought a cute girl who looked like his mother back to his annex house, turned her into his belonging, and then changed her as per his perferences… I have finally found a perfect girl like Wakamurasaki… Ohohohoho!!!! 」

「Yoshikage-sama, I think it’s time we stop this frivolous topic. 」

「Yes, yes, I had an interest just as Rokujo Miyasudokoro, who couldn’t abandon the frivolous Genji that she hated, and even as a ghost when she was catching girls one by one and killed them, all the time unable to transmit her feelings to Genji. I think Aoi who became gradually colder towards him is really pretty too. Her suffering in her heart had pained me every time I read about it. The young wife that Genji married in his later years, San no Miya would definitely like the Nekogami-sama that is all the rage nowadays. I dare say she would be extremely happy if she could come to this era when the people really worship Nekogami-sama with their whole hearts. 」

It seems that once Asakura Yoshikage started on the topic of 「Genji Monogatari」, he wouldn’t listen to anyone else, so Azai Hisamasa and Shokakuin Gosei had to stay silent and listen…

And then suddenly, someone that could interrupt Yoshikage’s mumblings appeared.

「Asakura-sama, Azai-sama, the monkey of Oda Nobuna is dead! Sagara Yoshiharu has been blown to pieces. Even his head is nowhere to be found and, it is regrettable, but in place of Sugitani Zenjuubo, I have done it. 」

The white-clad and Onmyouji… Tsuchimikado Hisanaga. With his numerous ugly and low level Shikigamis, Tsuchimikado appeared in the main hall while making such an announcement.

「As expected from Mount Hiei, I can feel extraordinary ‘Ki’ everywhere around here. My Shikigamis are 10 times stronger here compared to Wakasa. 」

「Such a child is the head of Tsuchimikado clan? And you don’t even have Monkey’s head with you? If that’s the case, then of what use your information are to us? 」

Azai Hisanaga who said that was suddenly embraced by a Shikigami with wings and he instantly screamed:

「Please! Have mercy!!! 」

「Saru’s head was blown away by Hattori Hanzo’s bomb, so I wouldn’t be able to get it if I wanted to. 」

「I got it, hurry and get this monster away from me! Have mercy on me! 」

「How about our promise? if the Oda clan was destroyed, we, the Tsuchimikado family will once again rise in Kyoto, and gather all the Onmyoujis around the country to revere me as the leader of them all. Don’t tell me you have forgotten about that? 」

「As you wish. 」

「Wonderful. If we can return to the era of Onmyoujis and Shikigamis flying around in Kyoto, I will truly feel happy. Isn’t it a good thing to envelop Kyoto in darkness again? 」

Tsuchimikado laughed.

「Asakura-sama, you really are an understanding person! Yes, yes… oh, and while we’re still at it, I have killed that Akechi Mitsuhide too. That small lass that was staying at Asakura-sama’s place for a while; the one with a wide forehead? This is fine, right? You won’t be holding a grudge against me for it? 」

「….I see, that smart and elegant lass… if her forehead weren’t so wide, she could very well me my very own Wakamurasaki… 」

Though it was unknown if Oda Nobuna was alive or dead, it’s a fact that she couldn’t move right now. The Oda clan’s most tenacious retainers, Sagara Yoshiharu and Akechi Mitsuhide, were also defeated by Tsuchimikado Hisanaga. Saito Dosan, who was protecting Mino and Owari with a small amount of troops was under the threat of an attack from Koga clan’s Rokoku and Takeda Shingen from the east, and would be unable to help, and Takigawa Kazumasu at Ise was held down by Rokoku’s army too and couldn’t come to Kyoto’s rescue at all.

Though at first glance the Oda clan’s army appeared to have Mount Hiei surrounded, in actual fact, it was the Oda clan that was surrounded by numerous armies itself.

Shikoku’s Miyoshi Three had appeared again. If one was to estimate the ideal time they would attack Kyoto, which was now an empty city…

「The Miyoshi Three would likely launch their attack in two weeks. If we endure these two weeks of boring life, we can reverse the situation and victory will be ours. 」

「Uwahaha, we can win, Asakura-sama? Shibata Katsuie and Niwa Nagahide are both female warriors. They can’t take a step onto Mount Hiei, so they can’t even attack us. To have used Mount Hiei where women are prohibited from entering, as expected from the cunning strategist like yourself! 」

「I just hate to see girls getting wrapped up in war. Frivolous people like me tend to think that women should be kept in the house, helping me change my clothes every night and serve me in the bedroom where I could be mesmerized by their beauty as enjoy her thoroughly… Hohoho…! 」

「It’s kinda disgusting to hear it, you know? 」

Tsuchimikado Hisanaga, who was still a child, spurted out his true feelings accidentally, but Asakura Yoshikage simply said…

「It is going to take me another two weeks to return home… how troublesome. It is such a shame that Mount Hiei is full of nothing but boring men. I should have brought Hasegawa Tohaku with me 」

… as he immersed himself in his little world again.

* * *

Kyoto, the waiting room of Honno-ji.

Nene was continuously asking Manase Belchior about the situation outside while she was taking care of Nobuna, whose side she didn’t dare to leave.

「Please tell me. How are Katsuie-dono and Nagahide-dono doing? 」

「They seem to have fallen into a situation where they can’t move forwards or backwards at Mount Hiei, and there is apparently nothing they can do about it. 」

「Onii-sama or Mitsuhide-sama… one of them could have come up with a brilliant plan that would shock all of us while turning things around in our favor, I’m sure of that. How is Hanbei-sama doing? 」

「She is sleeping now due to her medicine. I’m only telling this to you here, but Hanbei-chan’s condition is unexpectedly serious, so don’t go telling anyone about this, okay? 」

「….Is that so….? I see… 」

「As for when will she wake up, we will have to see. Everything depands on Hanbei-chan’s strength and will now. 」

「Uhhh… Everyone is important, yet Nene who is still a child can’t do anything, how infuriating! 」

「But you did do something. To cleanse yourself with cold water in such cold weather to pray for everyone, Nene-chan’s feelings will definitely find their way to Yoshiharu-sama and Nobuna-sama. 」

「But Nobuna-sama… Nobuna-sama’s condition now is…..! 」

Manase Belchior lowered his head.

True, Nobuna looked much weaker now, even though the surgery went perfectly. She had a fever, but the fever and the toxins in her body should disappear, and when the fever subsides, Nobuna would wake up.

But….

「Due to her high fever, I’m afraid Nobuna-sama is having nightmares. The human heart is a really mysterious thing. Because of these nightmares, at the same time her spirit weakens, her body’s condition will weaken too, and that brings along an even higher fever. So, she can’t wake up no matter what. If this keeps repeating, and the situation goes on like this, I’m afraid Nobuna-sama will… 」