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Volume 4 Chapter 3 Part 5

「….Senpai, that expression you showed me at Kiyomizu-dera, that sad expression, just what did you wanted to tell me through it!? I have been thinking about Senpai unknowingly from then on! The one that Senpai wants to protect, and loves, just who is it? It should be Nobuna-sama, right?! Or, Uhm, is it possible that maybe Senpai wanted to.. after knowing about my fate, wanted to tell me about that my sad fate….? Because knowing that I have such a sad future ahead of me… and, and you wanted to protect me… Senpai, is that what you wanted to tell me?! 」

(WH…WH…WHA…WHAT THE HELL AM I TALKING ABOUT!?)

Though she wanted to stop, though they are in a situation where they could be killed anytime, every cell in Mitsuhide’s body seems refuse her control…

「Senpai, save me! I, can’t see anything else once I’m fixated on something! I’m easy to be fooled, and everyone around me says that I can never read the atmosphere in the room properly, and I am sure I will definitely meet with lots of failures in the future! Please, please, teach me how can I keep myself from turning into a bad girl in the future! 」

(Uwahhhh, this isn’t the normal things that this smart Juubei would say!!!)

Though all of her senses were shouting, 「NO!!! DON’T DO IT!!! 」, her body was filled with unstoppable feelings.

「Senpai, during the time at Kiyomizu-dera, or maybe even before then… I think… I think that I might have fallen in love with you, Sagara-senpai… That sad expression, It was the first time… for me… Senpai, who was always energetic to the point of troubling others with it… just what could be the thing that was hidden in his heart? He must have known something, and must have been greatly hurt by it. I, I want to heal and calm Sagara-senpai, who had continued to fight with this unspeakable sadness inside of him in place of senpai’s mother whom you can no longer meet… 」

(… Huh?)

She then felt that someone was staring at her. And as it turned out, it was…

「….Umm, Juubei-chan, what have you been mumbling about from just now…? Ah, don’t tell me you are punishing me? Is this one of the ’72 methods of bullying’? 」

… Sagara Yoshiharu, who has regained consciousness.

(EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?)

「 Why did you wake up now of all times, you ero-monkey?!!!!! 」

Mitsuhide was overcome by an urge to suffocate Yoshiharu, but due to this lovers play that she had to put on right now, she fell into Yoshiharu’s chest and cried instead.

「Wait, what is going on right now?! D-Don’t move around me so much!, what if I become excited? Do…Don…Don…Don’t tell me you are serious with this, Juubei-chan? N…N…No…No matter what, I’m a healthy high school student, so if this goes on, I will lose control of myself for sure! 」

「Huh? W…Wh…Wh…What the hell are you talking about? H…Ho…How can I…I…I, Mitsuhide say such mushy things to an ero-monkey like you! Though if you cried and proposed to me on your knees, with ‘I like you, Mitsuhide-sama, please marry me!’, it’s not like I couldn’t consider it for a moment, but the situation now is totally different! 」

「Okay, but like, why must I be the one who proposes to Juubei-chan? No matter what, if you don’t let go of me now, things are going to be terrible. I’m telling you now, I’m very tired, but what is about t happen is totally separate from my will. Guys who feel the threat of death will want to leave descendants behind them due to instinct, so please…! 」

「So…So it’s like this! It was all just an act! Like this, due to acting, so no matter what I said, they are lies and have nothing to do with anything! What I said just now were ALL lies! 」

「Wait, breasts, your breasts! You are squeezing them against me! Why are you leaning on me!? Uwahhh, Juubei-chan is broken!? Goemon, save meeeeeee! 」

「Ahhh, Sagara-senpai! W…Wh…What is going on, just now, there was something hot, and stiff on my tummy, just what is…… 」

「Nothing! It’s nothing! 」

「A…An…Anyway, just continue acting! From now on, what was said are all lies, so forget them after listening! Juubei likes Senpai! Senpai is so suitable to that tragic battle! I just want to see your smiling face! As long as it’s something I can do, I will do everything for Senpai! If it’s Sagara Yoshiharu-senpai, Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide is willing to be an obedient girl for you! 」

「… 」

「… … … 」

Ah… It’s over… it’s all over…

She wanted to say these words only in her mind, but instead she said Yoshiharu’s full name out loud on impulse.

「Noooo, as expected, Mitsuhide is a straightforward girl that has absolutely no idea how to act and lie while speaking to others! Anyway, This isn’t the time to stick out the tongue and put on a cute smile! 」

「Wahh, this can’t be! Get a load of this, guys! That woman is Akechi Mitsuhide! 」

「Then that Sagara-senpai she was talking to… As expected, that must be…!!! 」

「That must be Sagara Yoshiharu! Get them! 」

The soldiers rushed into the cave in an instant.

「It’s…It’s all over! 」

「So that’s it, that’s what was happening! To not let these soldiers find out that we were hiding here, you were acting as if we were lovers meeting in secret! And for a moment I thought… 」

「Wait, Gorilla-senpai! Why did you sink your head into my breasts again! That’s too rude! Anyway, hurry and get up! 」

But Yoshiharu, who was too exhausted to move properly was still unable to get up.

「…S…Sorry, but it seems like my strength has not returned… Only that area is full of vigor, as expected… hehe… 」

「Ahhh, enough! What a useless Gorilla you are! You are really a monkey, a useless monkey! 」

「Well that’s uncalled for. 」

Her two swords were both broken when she had climbed up from the crack in the ground, so Mitsuhide didn’t even have a weapon to defend them with.

「Damn it, if this goes on…! 」

「Sagara-senpai, leave this to me! 」

Mitsuhide and Yoshiharu were in a huge crisis, but she has already decided.

Even if it’s with her bare fists, she must protect Yoshiharu as long as there is still a breath left in her body. She must not let Sagara-senpai suffer anymore injuries.

「Bastards! Listen, I’m the descendant of Tsuchizaki Gen, Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide, Koreto Hyuga no Kami! 」

Wearing the shirt on her shoulder, Akechi Mitsuhide stood up. Her heart was naught of fear, and was filled with the thought of protecting Sagara Yoshiharu.

The soldiers were all stunned by Mitsuhide’s resolve, and Sagara Yoshiharu’s eyes were also attracted by Mitsuhide’s courageous look.

Different from Nobuna who shined like a bright sun, Mitsuhide’s beauty was as calm and quiet as the moon. A beauty unable to have anything or anyone else compared to her, with the firm will that was hidden inside this beauty that would not lose to Nobuna.

Yoshiharu could feel instinctively that Mitsuhide warming his body with her own, her saying such embarrassing things… those acts weren’t for praises or rewards. She was someone who even that twisted Nobuna was able to acknowledge and name her as her successor.

She was indeed… remarkable.

「…Like a fairy that has materialized in the real world….. 」

「Wait, we don’t know whether they are the real Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide and Sagara Yoshiharu! it might be a trap! Everyone, be careful! 」

Shouted a leaderly man from the squad. Yoshiharu thought that he has heard his voice somewhere before.

「Understood! 」

The rest of the soldiers were swinging axes, chains and swords at them. Those weapons were all swinging around, almost as if they were thirsting for Mitsuhide’s flesh.

「Hurry and run, Juubei-chan! Don’t worry about me! 」

But Mitsuhide had put on a stance, refusing to retreat even a single step.
With the skills of the Kashima Shinto style, this female warrior of unlimited talent and courage would not lose out even during a fist fight.

「I am asking the heavens now. If I follow my fate…. if the meeting between I, Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide and Sagara Yoshiharu was to end like this, as just another sad fate of the Sengoku era, then we will not die here! Whether it’s right or wrong, heavens, please give me an answer about the meaning of our meeting…! 」

But at this time, Mitsuhide’s right shoulder that should have been relocated let out a feeling of pain, and her right hand could no longer move properly.

Noticing that, Mitsuhide made her resolve to die defending Yoshiharu.