CH 88

1571, Mid August

In early July, Shizuko led a force of 2000 elite soldiers to Kyoto. The purpose of this mission was for Nobunaga to present a Turkish Angora cat to the emperor. However, the soldiers were fully armed and ready for combat at any time. Aya, who managed the house, and Oichi stayed in Owari, while Shou, a maid, and the three warriors, Keiji, Saizo, and Nagayoshi, along with the apprentice Takatora (Yokichi Toudou), joined the expedition to Kyoto. Additionally, they were using Arabian horses instead of the usual Kiso horses. However, only Shizuko, Keiji, Saizo, Nagayoshi, and Takatora (Yokichi Toudou) were riding the Arabian horses, while the rest of the cavalry and Shou were riding Kiso horses.

Among the flashy and eccentric individuals, Keiji stood out, but even more attention was drawn to Shizuko by the people of Kyoto. It was not Shizuko herself, but the animals around her that stood out abnormally. Surrounding the Arabian horse, which was relatively tall at about 155cm, were the Wittman family, Shizuko’s left arm was occupied by Shirogane, above the horse’s head was Akagane, and in front of Shizuko was Kurogane. The Wittman family stood out the most. Their physique was incomparable to Shiba Inus or Japanese wolves, their eyes were sharp, and their dignified atmosphere overwhelmed anyone who saw them. However, Shizuko had brought them along simply because she hadn’t been able to play with them recently, and there was no deeper meaning behind it.

After entering her usual residence in Kyoto, Shizuko checked the health of the Turkish Angora cat. She checked its ears, eyes, mouth, nose, breathing, body, skin, and fur, and then checked for any strange behavior or loss of appetite. Once she confirmed that everything was normal, she sent the cat to Nobunaga.

Once the cat was sent to Nobunaga, Shizuko’s job was essentially done. She just had to wait at the residence until further instructions. However, as long as they didn’t engage in overly conspicuous behavior, they were free to enjoy themselves in the streets of Kyoto. Keiji disappeared with a large sum of money, Nagayoshi went to the sumo stable as usual, Saizo only played go and shogi without leaving the residence, and everyone else except Shou and Takatora (Yokichi Toudou) enjoyed themselves.

“Well then, let’s go have some fun too.”

Since Shizuko, the owner of the residence, was also bored, she decided to go out to the streets of Kyoto. The group consisted of Shizuko, Saizo, Takatora (Yokichi Toudou), and Shou. Although Shizuko was interested in window shopping and fashion, the market in Kyoto was relatively small compared to Gifu, so there wasn’t much that caught her eye. However, the items being sold had a scent of “tradition” that was not present in the market in Gifu.

“There are traditional things, but there’s nothing particularly interesting, right?”

“Shizuko-sama is usually the one who creates interesting things… I suppose.”

Saizo noticed something and gestured for everyone to stop. When Shizuko looked in the direction of his gaze, she saw a crowd gathering. Judging by Saizo’s reaction, it didn’t seem like a crowd gathering for a good reason.

“Yokichi, contact the patrol squad. Shou, just in case, bring about a hundred soldiers from our house. This is a race against time. Alright, let’s move!”

Shizuko quickly gave instructions, causing the two who were inexperienced in this kind of situation to panic. However, when Shizuko urged them on, they understood what they needed to do and rushed off to their respective destinations.

“Saizo-san, I’ll go check what’s happening inside. It would be best to observe the situation calmly, but it doesn’t seem like we have that luxury.”

“Understood. However, please be careful. In a crowd like this, there may be suspicious individuals targeting Shizuko-sama.”

“Yeah, I won’t do anything reckless. As long as we can buy some time until the patrol squad arrives, it’ll be fine.”

The two approached the crowd while remaining vigilant of their surroundings. As they got closer, they could hear the commotion. From the conversation, they could tell that one of the parties was raising their voice in anger. Saizo understood that a volatile situation was about to erupt from the conversation, so he stepped forward in front of Shizuko and took a deep breath.

“What are you causing a commotion for in the presence of the emperor?! Have you forgotten that conflicts are strictly prohibited here?!”

It was an angry voice that was unimaginable coming from the usually calm Saizo. Nearby individuals frowned and turned around at the loud voice, but when they saw Saizo exuding the aura of a seasoned warrior, they quickly averted their gaze. As Saizo took a step forward, the crowd parted.

“Lower your weapons on both sides! Look around you!!”

As Saizo approached the center of the commotion, he warned both parties.

“What the hell are you… suddenly raising your voice… ugh!”

The man started to complain, but upon receiving Saizo’s sharp gaze, he swallowed his words midway. Saizo glanced at all the individuals involved in the disturbance, then forcefully struck the ground with the butt of his spear. The dull, loud sound caused the onlookers to take a few steps back. The group that caused the commotion also flinched at the determination emanating from Saizo.

“Alright, put away your weapons. How about you two over there?”

Shizuko smiled at the two boys who were at the center of the commotion, trying not to show any hostility. The boys seemed hesitant, and the younger one kept looking around anxiously. However, they concluded that it would be best to put away their weapons, and they sheathed the swords they were holding. The leader on the opposing side, however, still held his sword and maintained a disrespectful attitude. But when Saizo poised his spear, he quickly sheathed his sword in a panic.

“So, what were you causing a commotion for?”

“Hmph, I’ll tell you… no, it’s nothing.”

The man turned his back with a sulky attitude, but he broke into a cold sweat when he felt the killing intent from Saizo. However, he still refused to change his attitude, perhaps because he didn’t want to show weakness in front of his subordinates. It was clear to everyone that he was holding back, but Shizuko understood that pushing that point wouldn’t lead to any progress. So she turned her face towards the older of the two boys.

“According to that man, those two are slaves. However, the couple claims that they are their adopted children. Based on my judgment, I sided with the couple because it felt right. Therefore, I supported the couple.”

“That’s the story, but is there no mistake?”

“That’s right. I bought them from a slave trader for five kanmon. They escaped during the chaos of the battle, but I finally found them.”

Summarizing both sides of the story, it seemed that the bandit-like man had bought the slaves for five kanmon. However, the slaves had escaped during the Battle of Usayama Castle. After various twists and turns, they ended up becoming the adopted children of the couple.

“By the way, are both of you acquainted with this couple?”

The biggest unknown was the background of the two boys. They appeared to be around fifteen and eleven years old. Judging by the well-groomed appearance of the older one, Shizuko thought they were from a samurai family and a page. If that assumption was correct, she couldn’t think of a reason why the boys would go out of their way to help the couple. Whether it was to take advantage of a surprise attack or to protect their lord, the younger boy had injured his shoulder.

“There is no blood relation between me and the couple. However, abandoning the weak goes against my sense of morality.”

“…Is that all?”

“There is no other reason.”

Shizuko was convinced that the boy wasn’t harboring any sinister thoughts as he confidently asserted. If he had such thoughts, he would have chosen his words more carefully in the previous exchange. But the boy, although clumsy, didn’t embellish his words at all.

“Alright, thank you. Now, I’ll ask the couple. They said they adopted the child, but where did they take the child from?”

“Um, yes. Uh… well, from the orphanage managed by the Oda family.”

“Then you should have an adoption certificate, right? Are you keeping it properly?”

The orphanage under the jurisdiction of the Oda family aimed to help children who had lost their parents become independent members of society. Therefore, most of them became apprentices in craftsmen’s workshops, but occasionally, they were adopted as children. At that time, a document issued by the organization under the Oda family’s jurisdiction, called the “Adoption Certificate,” would be given.

“Ah, yes! I did receive it! I have it!”

“Then, assuming that it is genuine… the payment should be made to the Oda family, so please handle the transaction with them.”

Shizuko pronounced a death sentence on the leader of the bandits. If the child in the orphanage turned out to be a slave and an escaped slave, the Oda family would be responsible for paying the purchase price. However, this was only if it could be proven that the person who bought the child from the slave trader was the same person. If they couldn’t prove it, and if Nobunaga was in a bad mood, there would be a severe retaliation.

“Hah, don’t mess with me! I lost five kanmon…!”

The enraged man reached for his sword again, but he noticed that the onlookers had disappeared and that fully armed Ashigaru soldiers had surrounded them, causing him to stop his movement.

“My lord. As ordered, we have gathered a hundred soldiers.”

Just hearing the words spoken by the experienced soldiers in front of Shizuko, the hearts of the bandits shattered into pieces.,After that, things were quickly resolved. The adoption certificate they were given was verified to be genuine, proving that the couple’s claims were true. The bandits were taken away by the patrol for causing the disturbance. The young boys who had protected the couple faced no punishment, but received a stern warning for not calling the patrol. Finally, they checked the boy’s injury and found that it was unexpectedly severe, requiring stitches. They tried to treat it, but the boy stubbornly refused.

“This is just a minor wound.”

“Hmm, even so, it could fester and rot if left untreated, you know?”

During the Sengoku period, warlords despised receiving medical treatment for injuries. This was because being treated was seen as a mark of weakness. On the other hand, farmers used their own unique methods of treatment to heal injuries.

On the battlefield, the methods of treatment were rough and often dubious in terms of effectiveness from a modern perspective. In the case of arrow wounds, which were common in battles, the arrow would be forcefully pulled out and the wounded soldier would be kept at rest. However, they were not allowed to sleep, as sleeping meant death, and they were not even allowed to eat, which was a harsh and brutal form of torture. Since there were no medicines on the battlefield, dubious folk remedies using readily available materials were prevalent. For example, it was believed that drinking boiled horse dung water would stop bleeding, or that drinking urine would alleviate pain.

Shizuko abolished these treatment methods and deployed a group of specialized battlefield doctors called “kinko isshu” to treat the wounded soldiers. Although they couldn’t perform advanced treatments like modern medicine, these battlefield doctors who had learned about the treatment methods and pharmacology of wounded soldiers in modern medicine made significant contributions to reducing the number of casualties in Shizuko’s army. The reason why the Ashigaru (light foot soldiers) and foot soldiers of Shizuko’s army who were injured had a lower mortality rate was simply because they were exerting their strength as the backbone of the army.

“Ugh… It’s not a problem!”

“If you don’t properly treat the wound, there’s a possibility that you could die from it six months later, or the wound could rot and maggots could infest it, and bacteria could enter the bone, causing unimaginable pain… But well, I won’t force you.”

Unsure whether Shizuko was persuading or threatening him, the younger boy’s face turned pale. However, he shook his head and tried to push his imagination out of his mind. The older boy, who had witnessed everything, let out a heavy sigh and turned towards Shizuko.

“I’m sorry, but could you please treat him? With this injury, there is a real possibility that he could die, just as you said. I don’t want to lose him, please.”

“My lord… I also humbly request the treatment. Please, I beg you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the older boy bowed his head. The younger boy, thinking that he couldn’t be selfish after being told that by the person he served, bowed his head as if rubbing his head against the ground.

“Both of you, please raise your heads. However, treating him in a corner of the market is not ideal. If you’re both okay with it, please come to my residence… Is that alright?”

“No problem.”

“My lord, even though they are children, it is not advisable to let strangers into the residence…”

Genro, who had been silent until now, expressed his dissatisfaction to Shizuko while looking at Saizo. However, Saizo placed his hand on Genro’s shoulder and shook his head as if giving up on everything. Seeing this, Genro also put his hand on his forehead and groaned before letting out a small sigh.

“That’s right, my lord, Saizo-sama is right. Let’s just easily brush off the old man’s nagging.”

“No, no, no, since we have the kinko isshu with us, I’ll rely on them. And also, I’ll make sure not to trouble you too much, Genro-jii-chan.”

Shizuko vehemently denied, but both Saizo and Genro just sighed. They had completely let their guard down by strolling through the streets of Kyoto without even having proper escorts. Keeping such complaints to themselves, Genro let out another sigh.

“More importantly, my lord, you’re not planning to return home just like that, are you?”

“I feel like I’m being easily swayed… Well, I’ll just go back normally, though?”

Shizuko tilted her head in confusion at the intention behind the question, but either because he was exasperated with her or for some other reason, Genro pressed his temple.

“If you’re going back home, we will provide you with our escort, so please rest assured, my lord! And my lord! You are underestimating yourself too much!”

“Y-Yes. Thank you, please take care of me.”

Thinking it would be better not to oppose him, Shizuko nodded obediently to Genro’s words. Although Genro had a slightly suspicious look, he turned his face towards the soldiers and raised his voice.

“You all! The lord is returning to the residence! Take your positions!”

As if propelled by Genro’s voice, the soldiers surrounded Shizuko in unison. No one could approach her with this defensive formation. Shizuko could only manage a dry smile.

“(H-Haha… do as you please)… Well then… I’ll be heading back now.”

In response to Genro’s voice, Shizuko gave orders to the soldiers with a nonchalant tone.

The boy’s injury turned out to be worse than expected, and the stitches could only be removed after two weeks. In the worst case scenario, if Nobunaga also took a long time, they would have to return to Gifu, leaving the kinko isshu behind. However, Shizuko decided to stay in Kyoto for a little longer.

“The court seems to have many rules. Shou-chan, could you bring me three pieces of firewood?”

With unexpected free time during the extended stay, Shizuko was making sweets in the brick arch-shaped stone oven in the residence. This time, she was making castella in the stone oven. Of course, she wasn’t going to eat them all by herself.

“Here you go, three pieces of firewood.”

“Hmm, thanks.”

After receiving the firewood, Shizuko immediately threw two pieces into the oven to increase the heat. Realizing that she didn’t need three pieces from the state of the fire, she placed the remaining piece of firewood to the side.

“Leaving the house unattended is so classic, it invites thieves, right?”

When someone enters an unoccupied house, thieves looking for valuables often break in. And the infiltrators usually choose a time when there are fewer people around. Even if Shizuko and Keiji were out, the thieves would only bring along someone who was either a relative or a porter. That was the extent of it, so it was hard to imagine why the young attendant was so flustered. Therefore, there was only one possibility.

“Could it be that someone else came to visit?”

“Um… well, actually…”

Shizuko tilted her head as the attendant’s words faltered. She had informed the attendants and soldiers that the boys would be visiting today to express their gratitude for the treatment. Even if they brought along unfamiliar people, they would most likely be relatives or laborers. It was hard to believe that the attendant would be so flustered about it. Therefore, there was only one possibility.

“Oh, sorry, can I ask again? Is it okay?”

Shizuko, who couldn’t believe her ears, pressed her temple while asking the attendant another question.

“No, um… well…”

The attendant’s response was hesitant, making Shizuko tilt her head even more. She had informed the attendants and soldiers that the boys would be visiting today to express their gratitude for the treatment. Even if they brought along unfamiliar people, they would most likely be relatives or laborers. It was hard to believe that the attendant would be so flustered about it. Therefore, there was only one possibility.

“Could it be that someone else came to visit?”

“No, it’s not a lie or anything, Lord Tokugawa has arrived…”

“Huh, why? I don’t remember inviting him, and I don’t remember telling him I’m here in the first place. Anyway, can you let him in the guest room? After I finish here…”

“That won’t be necessary. I, who made a sudden visit, will be fine on the veranda.”

Shizuko, who couldn’t believe her ears, pressed her temple while asking the attendant another question.

“No, it’s not a lie or anything, Lord Tokugawa has arrived…”

“Huh, why? I don’t remember inviting him, and I don’t remember telling him I’m here in the first place. Anyway, can you let him in the guest room? After I finish here…”

“There’s no need for that. As someone who made a sudden visit, I’m fine on the veranda.”,Shizuko was about to instruct the page to guide Ieyasu to the guest room, but someone interrupted their conversation. In this situation, there was only one person she could think of, but Shizuko asked hesitantly while holding her head.

“Lord Tokugawa… right? It’s quite rude to stay on the veranda…”

“Hahaha, I’m just a tanuki who was lured by the delicious smell here, Shizuko-dono.”

It was a difficult response. After calming her mind, Shizuko turned to Ieyasu. Ieyasu, who was at the back of the veranda, had a smiling face. There were also familiar faces among the guards behind him.

(Lord Honda, Lord Sakakibara… and Lord Hattori? Quite heavy security.)

Without waiting for Shizuko’s response, Ieyasu sat down in a suitable place. The three guards also moved to their designated positions.

“I apologize. Heihachiro said he smelled something delicious and was a bit forceful, but I came to intrude.”

“M-My lord!? I-I didn’t mean it in that way…”

Tadakatsu denied in a flustered manner while Ieyasu explained with a suggestive smile. Hanzo and Yasumasa also smiled suggestively, but Shizuko couldn’t understand what the three of them were thinking and tilted her head.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m going to take out a knife to cut the castella, so please try not to react.”

While making the announcement just in case, Shizuko washed her hands and took out a bread knife. Although it had a wavy blade unlike a regular knife, the three warriors unconsciously reacted. Feeling their slightly painful gaze, Shizuko cut the castella on all sides. Once that was done, all she had to do was cut it into a certain thickness to complete it.

“My lord, I received a message earlier that the two gentlemen you mentioned had urgent matters and couldn’t come here.”

As Shizuko was putting the castella on a plate, it was Genro who reported to her, not the page. Shizuko felt a bit disappointed upon hearing the report, but she nodded quietly without showing it on her face.

“If it’s urgent, then there’s no helping it.”

“Yes. It seems their parents in the country fell ill… The details are written in this letter. Here it is.”

Shizuko received the letter and unfolded it. It stated that their parents couldn’t visit due to illness and apologized for the sudden change of plans. Shizuko neatly folded the letter and put it in her pocket.

“If fate allows, there will be another opportunity. It’s just a matter of receiving thanks at that time.”

“No, they have brought a token of gratitude along with the letter. This sword here is it.”

“I might end up hanging about seven swords on my waist… ”

The three standard gifts in the Sengoku period were gold, horses, and swords. Occasionally, rare items were given as gifts, like when Nobunaga presented a folding screen to Uesugi Kenshin, but in most cases, one of these three was chosen. Among them, the most commonly given gift was a sword.

“Well, it’s not good to nitpick about gifts. Let’s gratefully accept it.”

Shizuko muttered in her mind that it would be stored in the warehouse. She cut the castella into sixteen pieces and placed two pieces on each plate. She cut all three other castellas into sixteen pieces as well, and asked for one to be delivered to Nobunaga and one to Keiji, who was likely in the pleasure district. Shizuko also had a feeling that Nagayoshi was starting to accompany Keiji, so she judged that it would be fine to deliver it to him.

“It has an unusual texture.”

Ieyasu praised the fluffy texture and smooth mouthfeel. Tadakatsu and Hanzo also nodded in satisfaction as they put it in their mouths. Ieyasu had been silently enjoying the castella for a while, but when he finished a piece, he straightened his posture. Inspired by him, Shizuko also unconsciously straightened her posture.

“I came here today with a request, Shizuko-dono.”

“A request…?”

“Don’t worry. I have Oda-dono’s permission.”

Ieyasu made a gesture and Hanzo handed a letter to Shizuko. She took it and opened it, and it was unmistakably Nobunaga’s seal. However, as she read the contents more deeply, something unbelievable was written. Shizuko couldn’t help but raise her face and give Ieyasu a questioning look. In response to that gaze, Ieyasu smiled kindly and then voiced his request.

“I would like you to take care of my Heihachiro and Hanzo for a while.”

It was a request that came as a bolt from the blue for Shizuko.

On the other hand, the two boys who were originally Shizuko’s guests headed to a certain place over the course of a few days. Upon arrival, they were allowed to meet the owner of that place, and their first words were:

“We have returned, my Lord.”

Ashimitsu had been asked by Shizuko to engrave rifling on matchlock guns for a year, and he had finally managed to complete it. There are two main methods for engraving rifling on guns. One is the method of using a special tool called a rifling broach to perform cutting, and the other is the method of shaping the rifling by hammering it with a hammer machine called cold hammer forging.

Cold hammer forging has the disadvantage of requiring large-scale manufacturing equipment, but it can mold the rifling from the rifling to the chamber all at once, making it suitable for mass production. However, it requires equipment that uses hydraulic or oil pressure to pressurize at extremely high pressures, which is impossible to achieve in the Sengoku period. Consequently, the only option was the cutting method using a rifling broach.

There was no problem with the cutting method using a rifling broach, but the processing time became extremely long. The process involved inserting the rifling broach into the barrel and rotating it while pulling it out several times. Then, the uneven ridges of the rifling caused by burrs were made uniform by passing a reamer through them. Once the ridges of the rifling were uniform, the process with the rifling broach was repeated.

The work was more mentally demanding than technically challenging. They built a facility to engrave rifling using a waterwheel power source, but a problem arose with insufficient torque. They solved the problem by meshing gears to increase the torque, but they couldn’t solve the problem of removing burrs and making the ridges of the rifling uniform. In the end, they worked for only a few hours a day and relieved the mental burden by manufacturing other parts during the remaining time.

It took about a day or two to make one matchlock gun. However, with the rifling engraving, it took five days of work, resulting in a minimum of six days. If they had machines like a gearbox or torque converter that could alternate between cutting and deburring, the work would have been a bit smoother, but all of them required advanced skills, so Ashimitsu deemed it impossible and gave up.

(When I watched a program about illegal handguns, I thought it was weak to take several days, but this is surprisingly mentally taxing. I kind of want a slave… but there are information security issues, so it’s impossible.)

Ashimitsu sighed heavily while checking the gun barrel in the final stage. But if this was completed, Shizuko would be happy, and that thought rekindled his fading motivation. Even after the gun barrel was completed, it wasn’t over. They would need tools to manufacture Minié bullets that could take advantage of the rifling’s performance. Once that was done, they would assemble the gun barrel and finally test fire it to complete it.

“Finally completed one.”

It had a similar appearance to an Enfield rifle and had a shoulder stock instead of a cheek rest like before. This posed a problem because it required him to study a shape that would be easy to hold even with armor, but that was a problem that arose because he wanted to make it resemble a Winchester M1873 Carbine. From the outside, Ashimitsu seemed to have taken on unnecessary hardships, but he shone the most when he was studying the shape of the gun.

(Is this a Nanban gun?)

“You could say that. I’ll show you its performance later. But first, let’s hear the report.”

Ashimitsu placed the matchlock gun he had with him on the table and sat down on a chair. After a short pause, Tobikato spoke up.

(Among the anti-Oda alliance, the one with the most hostility towards the Oda clan is Enryakuji Temple. The Asakura clan is currently unable to take military action. The Asakura clan’s leader is not making a move, which is causing dissatisfaction among the vassals. Honganji Temple is making a fuss about using this opportunity to establish a country of the Ikko sect.)

“As expected, Enryakuji Temple, which is closest to Kyoto, is the most troublesome organization.”

(Enryakuji Temple… I’m afraid it’s in danger. Enryakuji Temple is currently under the protection of the Takeda clan. If we were to attack Enryakuji Temple, it would make an enemy out of the powerful Takeda clan.)

Enryakuji Temple is the head temple of the Tendai sect, which was founded by the monk Saicho in the Heian period and has a long history. The head priest is called the Tendai Zasu and, along with Kongobuji Temple, was the center of Heian Buddhism. It gained the respect of the imperial family and nobles, and its armed forces became so powerful that even Emperor Shirakawa, who controlled the government, couldn’t control them. In the Sengoku period, they neglected their training, indulged in alcohol and pleasure, and when something didn’t go their way, they either went to war and killed people or carried a portable shrine and made demands as a group.

“Hmph, that man doesn’t have much time left, but it’s annoying that he seems to have escaped. Yes… crushing them and gaining prestige wouldn’t be a bad idea.”,(You mean… to destroy the Takeda clan? Is such a thing possible…)

“It’s not impossible. Listen, there are no absolute strong ones in this world. Whether it’s Takeda, Uesugi, Enryakuji Temple, or Honganji Temple, they will eventually lose and be destroyed. Of course, there is also a good chance that we will be destroyed.”

(…)

“However, I have no intention of being destroyed. Well, that’s enough talking. There’s no major task at hand right now. Take care of Takeda’s walking shrine maiden, Uesugi’s skilled ninja… and yes, recently, deal with those annoying Iga agents of the bothersome Tokugawa. There’s no need to interrogate them, they probably don’t have any useful information anyway.”

As if signaling the end of the conversation, Ashimitsu placed a bag of gold coins on the table from his pocket. Then, he shouldered the matchlock gun on the table and left the room without saying a word to Tobikato.