AN: Historically inaccurate fic of a historically inaccurate manga

When his older brother came home from his journey to Rome, there wasn't much fanfare about it in the castle. Of course, the peasants were absolutely delighted and crowded the port to welcome him back. His vassals were obviously not happy about his return, no doubt thinking about the troubles Harunobu would cause for the fiefdom. Takaramaru wasn't worried about Harunobu changing his mind and decided to pull a coup against him. It was quite clear that his brother had no desire to become a lord, after all.

However, the uneasiness of his subordinates didn't appear out of nowhere.

When a village girl started talking about how his brother won a war without killing anyone, Takaramaru was a bit skeptical. War always resulted in deaths, one way or another. "But then again, she is talking about Harunobu here." Except it wasn't a thought Takaramaru would admit out loud. Not when he had his mother's expectations hovering over him.

Then foreign merchants started to visit Kyushu.

They wanted to open trade with the fiefdom that nurtured The Hawk Eyed Scholar. There were some murmured confusion between his retainers, but Takaramaru had a good guess on who this scholar was. "Are you talking about my brother? Harima Harunobu?"

The merchant beamed, "Ah! You are his brother? I did not know that! Despite the scholar's friendly mannerism, he was full of mystery!" the man laughed heartily. There was no proof, but Takaramaru had a feeling that the Portuguese merchant he first met wasn't just a mere tradesman. That was the only reason he let the man told him stories that the man himself only heard from a friend of the person who was there when it happened. "I have never personally met him, but the impact he made to the trade systems is filling my pocket for sure!"

Takaramaru smiled politely, wishing his subordinates would follow his example instead of wearing an incredulous or perplexed face.

By the end of the story, Kyushu was given several seeds for free and a book on how to cultivate them properly, no doubt was written by Harunobu. "We hope this will entice you to open trade with us."

It felt like a slow progression, but before anyone realized it Kyushu was bustling with foreigners wishing to open trade. Not only European merchants either. It almost felt like the whole world gathered there. Academics wishing to do research on whatever strike their fancy, some nobility who wanted to sight-see, warriors paying their respect to The Smiling God of War.

The Smiling God of War of all things.

Oh, but that wasn't the only title Harunobu held, it seemed.

He Who Called Forth Thunder, The Man Who Defeated Sorrow, A Friend of the Church, and The Chapel Launcher. Each stories behind the nickname grew more ridiculous and unbelievable. That was how rumors worked. But the fact that foreigners started visiting Kyushu over some rumors was bewildering. His mother seemed convinced it was Harunobu's scheme to undermine Takaramaru's leadership. His retainers shared her sentiment.

His mother fell ill some days before Harunobu came home. It frustrated Takaramaru, but the physicians only said it was exhaustion. Takaramaru refused to believe that. It had been a week and she hadn't gotten any better.

"Can I take a look at her?"

It was the first word Harunobu uttered to Takaramaru after someone let it slip that Tokusen'in was bedridden. Takaramaru narrowed his eyes, words escaped his mouth before he managed to catch it. "So you can gloat?"

Harunobu's retainer-Momo or something- scoffed. His master whacked the retainer with the so called DaiHyakka before turning to Takaramaru again. "Gloating won't heal her. I have learned about medicines from the best of the best, what's the point of not using my knowledge?"

Takaramaru couldn't help but to hope. So he led him to his mother's room, only stopping short when Harunobu did so too. "What's wrong?"

"Hey, Momo, you should probably stay outside." Harunobu told his retainer. The man didn't even nod, he just immediately leaned back on the wall.
Takaramaru couldn't help but feel that there was more to that order than just propriety. He ignored it for this time. "Mother." Takaramaru knelt beside her futon.
Tokusen'in's eyes blearily opened when she heard his son calling her. "My son..." there was a ghost of a smile that could barely form on her weakened state.
"There is someone here who might be able to help you." He said softly, hoping to soften whatever reaction his mother would have when seeing Harunobu again.

He did not expect a scream. "You- YUI?!"

Harunobu blinked, seemingly unfazed for being mistaken as his dead mother. "Uuuuh, no, this is Harunobu." He knelt and settled beside Takaramaru. "Calm down, I'm here to see what your illness is."

Tokusen'in scoffed. "So you are just here to gloat."
"Why does everyone keep saying that? Sheesh, Takaramaru-kun already said I'm here to help, didn't he?"
"What can you do?" She sounded snippy.
"I'm not here to brag, Tokusen'in-san." Harunobu sounded tired. "I heard you have been complaining about the tingling feelings on your limbs. Have you been only eating vegetables, by any chance?"

Tokusen'in glared at Harunobu defiantly. "And what if I do?"

"That means the cause of your fatigue is because you haven't been eating enough meat and dairy products." He pulled out his book as he said that, it was thicker than the last time Takaramaru seen it. "Mm, I know what to make. I'll be right back." Harunobu stood up and exited the room, "Hey, Momo, let's cook!"

After the pair left, Takaramaru faced his mother who looked even more irritable than usual. "This is ridiculous."
"Give him a chance, Mother. You've heard what people said about him." Takaramaru said softly.
"They're foreigners, how reliable are their stories?"

The smell of whatever the hell it was Harunobu had cooked... it was heavenly. So naturally Tokusen'in thought it was poisoned. "I will not eat anything you served." She insisted.

"If you are worried it's poisoned, I can eat it with you." Harunobu offered.
"Child, I know you are immune to most poisons known to men." She snarled.
"Oh, that's true... I'll get Old Man Katsuhide to eat it with you, then."

Takaramaru sighed. "Mother, you know if Harunobu truly wanted you to die he can just left you in your current condition."
"See?" Harunobu looked triumphant.

Tokusen'in finally relented, seeing the logic in her son's argument.

She was getting healthier, that much was obvious. Takaramaru thanked Harunobu in his mother's behalf. Harunobu looked surprised. "She's thankful?"
The mysterious samurai, Momo, just rolled his eyes. "She's too prideful to ever say thank you, that's why His Lordship is saying this behind her back, Mi Amor."
"Oh, okay, that makes more sense." Harunobu nodded.

Takaramaru would never get used to how... casual this master-servant pair was. They bantered like old friends, often in a foreign language no one in this castle understood except for those two.

"So, how was the meeting today?" His brother changed the subject quickly.
"They are pushing for a campaign to expand our territory." Takaramaru replied with a neutral expression.
Harunobu's face, however, was one of irritation. "Let's not."
"It's not for you to decide." For once he wished Harunobu would respect his authority.
"Yeah, that's why I'm telling you instead of those bozos."
"They're loyal vassals of the fiefdom."
"They are vultures and you know it."

Takaramaru was glad he was the Lord of Kyushu instead of his brother. Harunobu had no tact to handle diplomacy at all.

"Tch, amateur."

The scene before Takaramaru was not what he had expected when he attended a meeting with messengers from neighboring provinces. A shinobi... an assassin sent to take his life, unmasked by his brother and his retainer.

"Is he from Iga?" Harunobu poked the tied up shinobi. "He recognized you."
"You can't survive the underworld without knowing me, Mi Alma." The foreign word was uttered with such exasperation that everyone could recognize it as an insult. "He's definitely from Koga." Momojuuro replied as he disarmed the ninja.

"So... the rumor is true..." The man sounded amused despite having been taken down. "Oboro Yasha has been tamed."

The atmosphere in the room chilled. Oboro Yasha was a boogeyman, an assassin that was just a story. Everyone was ready to accept that the Koga ninja was bullshitting them until Harunobu whacked his head with his book. "What the fuck. What the fuck. He's not tamed he's not a goddamn wild beast." The man looked angry. "Apologize to Momo, you bastard." There was another whack. "Also did you kill the real messenger from Shikoku?"

"Oi, stop it Haru. He can't answer if his head won't work anymore." Momojuuro- no, Oboro Yasha- ordered.

From the corner of his eyes, Takaramaru could see his mother paling considerably, as if she was sick again. "Ah" Takaramaru thought. "So this was the shinobi Mother hired to kill Harunobu many years ago."

Harunobu had grown into a surprisingly competent man, haven't he?