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Volume 4 Chapter 4 Part 2

It came true… Of Nene’s countless prayers while she cleansed herself with cold water, one of them had finally been heard by the heavens!

「Nene-sama, Manase-sama, please tell me what has happened while I was unconscious. 」

「Hanbei-sama! If you don’t hurry and stop Nobuna-sama , things are going to get really bad! 」

Behind Nene, there was a heavily built man with a single western monocle and a blonde- haired nun with a cross hanging on her chest. The sister explained:

「After losing both Sagara-sama and Akechi-sama at the same time, Nobuna-sama had apparently lost her senses. Though it’s just desserts for those monks who are so arrogant to take up arms and dare to challenge the Oda clan, for the dream of conquering the world, Nobuna-sama’s plan of burning down Mount Hiei is just too reckless! 」

The man wearing a monocle was the merchant from the city of Sakai, Imai Sogyu.

「I’ve heard that Mount Hiei holds the highest place of learning in Buddhism in all of Japan, so we cannot allow her to burn such a valuable treasure filled with knowledge to the ground. Even though the monks at Mount Hiei have forgotten their place and taken up arms against the Oda clan, there is no need for us to kill them! We can simply disarm them! 」

The sister was Louis Frois, who had permission to build western churches in Kyoto from Nobuna. The two of them had rushed over to the capital after hearing about Nobuna’s sudden change, planning to drop by Myoukaku-dera to talk with Sagara Yoshiharu before going to meet Nobuna. Instead, they learned of Yoshiharu’s death from Nene.

「Hanbei-dono, no matter what, please persuade Nobuna-sama to come to her senses! 」

「Everyone, calm down and tell me all that has happened while I was unconscious! 」

The crafty Hanbei instantly understood what had happened and what may happen in the future. Because of it.

Whether it was the result of Manase Belchior’s treatment or Nene’s prayers that moved the heavens themselves, the fever that had tortured Hanbei was totally gone and Hanbei had a clear head now, so she carefully listened to the reports that the people around her were giving her one after another.

「I understand the situation. Everyone, we need to go to the front camp now to rectify Nobuna-sama’s misunderstanding. 」

「Misunderstanding? 」

「Yes. According to my deductions, Yoshiharu-sama did not die at Mizusaka Ridge. 」

「R-Really? B-But how?! What is this about, Hanbei-dono? 」

Nene asked loudly, unable to believe her own ears.

「I will explain the specifics to Nobuna-sama herself. Nene-sama, please wait here for Yoshiharu-sama’s return… because Yoshiharu-sama will definitely return to us! 」

Caressing the shivering Nene’s hair as she mumbled:「 Onii-sama is still alive…? 」, Hanbei smiled.

「Of course, because Yoshiharu-sama isn’t a bad guy who would suddenly die and abandon such a cute sister like you, Nene-sama. 」

* * *

The preparations for the burning of Mount Hiei had been completed.

Half of the Oda clan’s army, under the command of Niwa Nagahide, Shibata Katsuie and Maeda Inuchiyo, was stationed at Sakamoto facing Mount Hiei directly. In truth, they were chased away by Matsunaga Hisahide because they rejected the plan to burn Mount Hiei.

The rest of the army was concentrated at Kyoto, at Nobuna’s base on the Mika Slope.

The night’s air was dry and windy. The conditions for setting up a fire to the entire mountain couldn’t have been more perfect.

Nobuna sat on the bench in her base, silently staring at the map in front of her.

Time had not yet healed the wound on her abdomen, and occasionally a surge of pain washed over her. However, Nobuna could no longer distinguish whether this pain was sent from the wound itself, or from her own heart.

Matsunaga Hisahide stayed at Nobuna’s side like a mother and fed her the drug she gave her earlier frequently.

「The preparations are all finished. We will reduce Mount Hiei to ashes tonight, Nobuna-sama, so please give us the order. 」

「….Dearu ka. 」

Hisahide did not change Nobuna totally into her puppet like she did with Kuchiki Shinano, because if she did so she would destroy Nobuna’s heart. Hisahide, who doted on Nobuna like her own daughter, refused do that to her. Instead, Hisahide pressed the confused and hurting Nobuna to keep on taking the drug, calling it a 「painkiller」, as she whispered words of vengeance into her ears.

「Let all people of the world know there aren’t any gods or Buddhas. Burn Mount Hiei to a pile of ashes. We must kill all those fallen monks who treat women as if they aren’t human, kill all of them. Those enemies who had taken your beloved away from you, we need to let them know their foolishness for defying the conqueror of the world. We must make them regret being born into this world with their very hearts and souls. 」

With these poisonous words she had stolen Nobuna’s will, unintentionally making her little more than a puppet. If this continued, Nobuna’s heart would be consumed by this drug Hisahide prepared. Eventually, she would become a puppet without any sense of self.

But Hisahide, seeing Nobuna as her own daughter, was overcome with the desire to heal Nobuna’s feelings and was blinded to the adverse effects of her actions.

(I don’t know how to truly heal Nobuna-sama’s great suffering, but I can at least make it my mission to kill off all of her enemies and those who would dare to stand in her way.)

Hisahide could only think about that. But Nobuna was trapped by the pain and sadness of losing both Yoshiharu and Mitsuhide, and an immense fury towards Azai Hisamasa’s betrayal that led to their deaths.

(It’s all fine now… The dream of conquering the world, or the dream of sailing across the world… Without Monkey and Juubei, there is no longer any meaning to those dreams of mine anymore.)

「Come now, Nobuna-sama. Take these corrupt monks who use the excuse of Buddhism to do whatever they want and plunge them into the depths of despair. Whether it’s the Azai Asakura alliance who stole your beloved from you, or those fallen monks, burn all of them right now. Please give the order for the attack! 」

Nobuna, caressed by the smiling Hisahide thought:

(Yes… Those bastards who stole my most important person… those companions that shared my dream… If I don’t kill them all… the revenge for Monkey and Juubei… I can’t take it anymore…)

Her heart was slowly sinking into darkness. Nobuna’s cold eyes lost their focus as she glanced at the sky as she mumbled:

「… All troops, burn… Mount Hiei… to the ground… 」

Just at that instant when Nobuna gave the order to attack…

「PLEASE WAIT, NOBUNA-SAMAAA!!! 」

Takenaka Hanbei ran into the camp while gasping for breath. Accompanying her were Imai Sogyu and Frois.

「Nobuna-sama! Mount Hiei is both this country’s ancient authority and symbol of Buddhism throughout Japan. If we set it ablaze, all the Buddhist communities will rise up against you without fail! And, if we were seen as enemies to the Osaka’s Honneko-dera, which has a shocking amount of worshipers, then Nobuna-sama’s dream of conquering the world will be delayed by at least 10 years! 」

Hanbei, who had rarely ever been brave, tried her best to persuade Nobuna, resolving to stake her life on her decision.

「And if you do that, you will lose the support of the people! Though it’s a fact that those monks have fallen to a hopeless level, the common people do not know of this! They… They will just see Nobuna-sama as a cruel Demon Lord of the Sixth Heaven who killed the Buddha! And the Tendaizasu of Mount Hiei is the elder brother of Himiko-sama, so if you burn Mount Hiei, the country will lose their trust in you for committing such a travesty too! All of Japan will treat Nobuna-sama as an enemy! 」

Nobuna looks at Hanbei’s face wordlessly.

She still couldn’t think properly.

(….Am I still wandering in the dream world….? Or… But…)

「Enough, Things like Tenka Fubu… it’s already… meaningless… If I didn’t have the ambition for uniting the nation by force, Monkey and Juubei wouldn’t have to die. If I don’t… act now… my revenge for Monkey and Juubei’s deaths will never be completed… 」

Nobuna, with her mind clouded with drugs, had lost all of her normal decision-making skills. That which controlled Nobuna now was only her tremendous fury and desire for blood.

「Nobuna-sama! Please, wake up! 」

Hisahide narrowed her eyes and scolded Hanbei.

「 Shut your mouth, child. This battle is to take revenge for your master, Sagara Yoshiharu. 」

But Hanbei did not stay silent as she was told to.