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Volume 4 Chapter 2 Part 9

「Come, drink it down. With this, the nightmares will end and that which replaces it will be dreams full of happiness and joy, dreams that Nobuna-sama truly wants. 」

Even when Nobuna-sama had suffered such a serious injury and become so weak, she was still beautiful beyond comparison.

「Nobuna-sama… I swear that I will protect you using any means necessary. 」

Hisahide looked at Nobuna’s sleeping face, and putting the bowl to Nobuna’s dry lips, she slowly, very slowly fed her the boiled medicine.

「…Uhh…Uhh…Ugh….. 」

… ….. …….

「Mon… key… run…. 」

Nobuna was dreaming about Kanegasaki, a place that had become hell on earth. This hellish scenery… Just how many times had she seen it? This nightmare that seemed to be repeating over and over again… with no end in sight.

For the dream of conquering the world, Nobuna, who had abandoned Sagara Yoshiharu in Kanegasaki and fled for her life, and now she had been searching and wandering about for Yoshiharu in the dream of Kanegasaki ever since getting shot.

「Hey, Monkey, Yoshiharu! I’m such an idiot! If you are dead, who will accompany me to sail across the wide seas? With just me, what meaning is there for me to fulfill my dreams!? So… Please, I beg you, come back…! 」

As she wept, she rode through the mountain path. After traversing it, she will have to once again witness the scene where Monkey was caught and killed by those people hunting for escaping warriors.

And as she looked at Monkey dying, her heart was slowly dying with him as well.

No more, she doesn’t want to experience such a nightmare anymore!

(If, if I have to experience this never ending nightmare as I live on, then I should just…!!!)

But this time, the dream wasn’t a nightmare.

Over the hill, she could see Yoshiharu leading his 500 troops back with gusto.

「…..Yoshiharu…..!? 」

「Ohh, Nobuna? W-W-Why did you come back? Anyway, who is this Yoshiharu you’re talking about? 」

「Isn’t that you!? You, have you forgotten your own name? Your intelligence is really that of a monkey! 」

「S-Shut up! If you just suddenly call me ‘Yoshiharu’, I’m not going to know how to react in time! 」

「…..Yoshiharu!! 」

Nobuna ran towards Yoshiharu, and without saying anything, hugged him. Her tears could not be stopped from flowing.

She had once thought it was a dream… But, this wasn’t a dream. This was the real Yoshiharu. The warm, slightly sweaty-smelling Yoshiharu. Her chest could feel his heart thumping, so this must be the real Yoshiharu.

(I don’t care whether this is a dream or reality anymore! My dream is to conquer the world, see for myself the different wonders of the world across the wide seas and… and for this strange man who proclaimed he came from future Japan to be by my side and protect me.)
As if he heard her thoughts, Yoshiharu replied: 「Nobuna, you are necessary to this country, I know it. Even if others in this era don’t understand you, I understand you, and I will always support you from behind.

(Is such a feeling love…? Or is this the same thing as with the western missionary who I had once admired as my elder brother….? This… I don’t know yet. I don’t understand it, but this feeling is definitely not the same. Father… that missionary… old man Hirate… Viper and all the guys I had loved from the past, there is a fundamental difference here, because, every time we meet, my chest starts to feel as if it was in an intense pain. It is a feeling that I have not felt since birth, so I… I must have…)

「Oi Nobuna, just how long do you intend to hug me, and your expression is kinda weird. What the hell happened to you? 」

「Wh…What happened?.. I… I was worried about you! Just what kind of attitude is this?! 」

「Commander! Seems like the atmosphere is getting hotter, hahaha. 」

「You should get married once you return to Kyoto! 」

「Shut up, you guys! We had to save Azai Nagamasa who was imprisoned and help him get back his position as the head of the Azai clan, and then defeat the Asakura clan’s forces… We will need to head out almost immediately once we get back as well, won’t we!? There will be war very soon! 」

Yoshiharu let Nobuna sit on his thighs as he hugged her waist with a single hand, his other hand holding the reins of his horse as he rode forward. Nobuna’s heart couldn’t help but to start having doubts…

(Monkey, he… When did he become so skilled at horse riding…?)

「Hey, Yoshiharu, is it true what you just said? About helping Nagamasa get back the position of head of the Azai clan, I mean. 」

「Yeah, it’s true. Our back troops are all safe, so there isn’t anything to worry about. Juubei-chan and the rest have already made it back to Kyoto safely as well. 」

「Dearu ka… Good… so everyone is still safe. 」

「Yes, they are. 」

Yoshiharu said as he hugged Nobuna a little tighter.

「So that’s the thing, Nobuna. After returning to Kyoto, we will continue our battle to conquer the world! The Asakura clan had already surrendered under the lightning fast attacks of the Azai clan led by Nagamasa, so there are no more enemies in the central area for us to fight! Old man Imai from Sakai also sent us lots of military funds, and the military strength of Oda clan is now 20,000 soldiers! We have become Japan’s strongest! 」

「Ahhh…Uhh, B-But we had a promise, that if you came back alive, I would reward you. That reward, I should give it to you soon, right? 」

「Ahh, that promise of a kiss? Since there isn’t enough time, how about we do it right now? 」

「Wait, no, no, no, no, no! Aren’t the soldiers looking at us!? I…I…I…I haven’t kissed a man before, s…so it’s not good if it’s not some deserted place! Ahh, but, after returning from Kyoto, Manchiyo and Riku will come and disturb us for sure… 」

Yoshiharu revealed his white teeth, laughed and said:

「There won’t be anyone to disturb us. 」

(Huh… What is going on? Suddenly, Yoshiharu seems to be 5 times manlier than usual…. This fellow… Had he been that suave before? I can’t remember…)

Nobuna tilted her head in puzzlement. But in her mind, this was okay too, so she did not mind it much.

「You haven’t heard anything yet, Nobuna. Nagahide-dono and Katsuie-dono will no longer disturb us. Well, Katsuie is still crazy with jealousy, but Nagahide plans to give us a wedding and is currently making the necessary preparations back at Kyoto… 」

「Ehhhhh? W-wait… What is this… Wa…Wait, I…I…I… When did I say I wanted to marry you? Th…The…The…There is such a big difference in our family statuses…! 」

Yoshiharu revealed his extremely white teeth again as he played with the hair on his forehead,

「That’s what’s still troubling you? Well, then you will be glad to know that after surviving the 「Retreat at Kanegasaki」, I have become known throughout Kyoto; even the kids and nobles have recognized me as a big hero. The people all feel that there isn’t anyone else who could match Oda Nobuna but me. So there you have it, it’s such a thing now. I would actually prefer a girl with bigger breasts as my bride, but everyone would probably be unhappy if I said no to you. 」

「Shut up! Mine aren’t small, okay? If anyone has small breasts, it’s Hanbei! Compared to her, mine are already considered big! And, why are you so engrossed with girls’ breasts? Breasts are used to nurture babies! T be so engrossed with them after growing up, are you a pervert!?」

「Breasts are men’s ultimate romance! Hahahaha! 」

Yoshiharu revealed his teeth and laughed.

「Geez, you idiot. 」

Nobuna mumbled weekly.

「But, since Himiko-sama told me ‘I leave Nobuna-sama to you’, I can’t really reject you anymore…. 」

「Hi…Him…Himiko-sama said so herself? T-Then there is no other way. If I reject you now, won’t I be disloyal one here? 」

With a do or die attitude, Nobuna sent her lips over to Yoshiharu.

「See? We can see Kyoto now, Nobuna. 」

「Ahh…. 」

「Everyone has come to congratulate us for our return and give us their blessings for the wedding. 」

* * *

At dusk, in Kyoto. Yoshiharu’s and Nobuna’s wedding had begun.

「「「Congratulations! Congratulations! 」 」 」

Everyone’s faces were full of smiles.

The wedding between the two of them started just like this.