Phew! The trio of duel chapters are done!
What I found interesting was you guys seemed to receive shocking, negative, and gruesome scenes better than when I write fluff and sex, huh?! Are you guys that much of a deviant?! Kukuku... Meanwhile, as usual, most of the plotholes and questions you guys had will be answered in this and future chapters, or have been answered via our correspondence. For those of you who didn't have your accounts available for PM, hopefully my discussions with the other readers helpful. I won't reply to anonymous inquiries because there's just too many of you; sorry!
Incidentally, this chapter contains a newly-released Servant! I didn't even know about it until I finished this one!
The thicker the plot, the thicker the mailbag...
uboNiniM: Ho-ho-ho... Now isn't that interesting? Hm?
GreyMan19: Ohohoho... It seems you don't understand Kagetora's mindset enough. Don't you think this will only drive her further into her warp instead of pulling her back? What do you think?
Dimensionador: Well, like they always say: It's always better to be cruel than to be kind. ...although that analogy didn't really suit what his objective is. Can you infer it from what's unwritten in the chapter?
Stratos263: Fufufu... Did you realize that chapter was written solely from Kotaro's PoV alone? Well, Danzo did strangle him, I won't deny that.
lightningwolf4r: Do you know you're the only reviewer who achieved this level of thought? Impressive! Well, I'll show you what actually happened (through a 3rd-person PoV, though...) in the next few chapters...
DPSS: Pay attention more to Shirou's narrative and PoV than Kagetora's PoV, and infer what he intends to do to her from there. What you're saying isn't wrong - he is being rather OOC - but there's always a meaning to it. Don't forget Kagetora, in fact, was one of the few who landed several good hits on Shirou in this entire series, which should serve as an indicator how skilled she was. Also, some of the characters on his level is Shuten's full-powered form (not her current chibi state), Otakemaru, and maybe Tamamo's successor in the Minamoto Clan.
Royal Freshness12345: Hahaha, was it to your liking? I have to admit I'm actually thinking of the opposite to you - I've always felt my fight scenes are too short.
Soul king: Oh, he has a special way of dodging karma, you know? Have you realized how many bullets he'd dodged from his girls? Regarding Kenpachi, Shirou Kotomine would probably exorcise him and use a Command Seal to banish him immediately... if their goals didn't align. I am planning on making a Bleach crossover, but Kenpachi is probably one of the most difficult characters to use, so I won't. Maybe a Bleach X Burn the Witch crossover will work.
Kulkukan-chan: Wasn't Kanetsugu the one who broke Kagetora's order and interfere? So it's not like she's uninvolved. Yamamoto should be summoned under the [Ruler] class, with its corresponding OP-ness.
"Nobunaga-sama, do be concerned of others' gazes a bit more."
The black-haired beauty giggled, and instead tightened her amorous grip around Muramasa's arm even more under the shocked gazes of the Kyoto townspeople.
There was a phrase in Nihon which summed up to 'three paces back' – i.e., a wife or fiancé was expected to follow their male counterpart in an inferior position and pose. While it had gotten out of style after the rule of the second Minamoto Shogun, a couple was still expected to curb their 'enthusiasm' and distance themselves appropriately in public. Affected by old customs, this led to most noble girls slightly diagonally backwards when walking with their choices of partner, demurely shuffling two-to-three steps back, just like in old times.
Then, of course, Nobunaga went out of her way to deny and destroy this notion, walking side-by-side with the famed hero of Okehazama and clinging onto his side like an oiran.
Actually, her status as Princess General enabled her to take the lead in front of men, reversing the usual adage. She was supposed to be in front, and her potential suitors buzzing at the back like a bunch of flies. The famous beauty Imagawa Yoshimoto once had a trail of two dozen men she paraded around in her territory once it became publicly known she's come of age.
Obviously, that crowd would lessen when the news of her defeat spread throughout Nihon and cemented Nobunaga's place in the power scene. In a way, this linking of the arms was in anticipation of the very same upcoming problem – might as well stake her stance now and showcase the man she chose, instead of dealing with those pests one by one later.
- Gyuu…!
"Absolutely not." Nobunaga smirked, simply pressing her recently-grown bust into Muramasa's chiselled arms even further.
She's not annoyed because she accidentally plunged a palm strike onto Yoshimoto's very… bountiful chest during their duel, momentarily stunned by its softness and allowing a clean hit to her face.
No, in fact, Yoshimoto was just as surprised as she was, and she even blushed inappropriately at Nobunaga! The gall of that wench! She'd grow to defeat Yoshimoto, just see!
'But, considering Shirō's tastes in wives… I-I'm quite smack-bang in the middle, aren't I?!' She corrected and soothed her ego at the same time, comparing herself with the petite Chiyome and the even more buxom Danzō. "Fufufu…"
Those who heard her chuckle thought of different things – the people shivered in fright, fearful she'd smite them for staring and gossiping about her and Muramasa, while said man grew even more confused, internally sighing this lord of his was up to no good again.
- Gyuu…!
"Just think of this as punishment for going off-script," she added, trying to lie right out of her mouth regarding what she was thinking of earlier. "Seriously, you should have slaughtered everyone. That way, there would be no doubt in these peons' mind of your prowess."
He shook his head minutely, lightly pinching the side of her toned belly. "How many times have we discussed this? Besides, the people I want to impress on the most – positively or negatively – are those very same prisoners we shipped out. I don't care about other opinions."
"But you defeated Uesugi Kenshin! In a public duel! With such style!" She bombastically proclaimed, though thankfully just under this side of composed the Kyoto residents giving them a wide berth didn't really understand what they're talking about – all they saw was this up-and-coming warlord waving her hands about energetically with a maniacal smile on her face. "Sent her home packin' like a dog! Fuhahaha! Serves her right for trying to stab me in the flank!"
"To be more precise, she spent those several minutes trying to stab me in the flank, my beautiful lord," he corrected with a gentle smirk.
"Semantics!"
Without any of them really paying attention, they were almost at their destination: the royal palace.
"But I still can't wrap my head around the technique you used. Can you teach me later? It may come in handy…" Nobunaga uttered, holding back the cackles building up in the back of her throat. "Stabbing someone so gruesomely without them dying… Sounds more like a parlour trick to me."
"Because, in essence, it was," he explained. "A tradition from 'holy men' in a country around the central continent, west of Wazoku, called 'India'. And I know very well your esteemed opinion on these 'holy men'."
She snorted. "You know me very well, my loyal retainer. Still… if it's useful, then it's not a waste to learn." Once again, she playfully glared at him, feigning anger. "If you told me of your intention beforehand, I would've prepared more provisions for them! Maintaining prisoners is expensive, you know!"
Finally, he reciprocated her affectionate gesture, replying her constant clinginess with a pat to the head. "Yes, ma'am."
- Pat. Pat. Pat.
"Mmnnhhh… M-More…"
Unfortunately, her purrs had to stop when she felt a nauseating existence approach from behind the partially-opened gate to the royal palace.
'So that's the kanpaku…' Nobunaga instinctively tightened her hug, eager to start mouthing off the moment this sleazy-looking old man criticized their positions while bringing up 'morals' and 'traditions', but… she was surprised.
He didn't say a thing, merely glaring at the pair hatefully, with eyes full of disgust and trembling bony limbs, clearly holding back those negative opinions she expected him to spout out, full of bile and spit. Instead, he reluctantly bowed professionally, saying through gritted teeth, "Welcome… Oda-dono, Sengo-dono, and your entourage. The Empress will see you now."
"Thank you, Konoe Sakihisa-sama," Muramasa beat her to the punch, lightly bowing just the exact same amount as the old man, emphasizing they were equals and not subservient to each other. "We shall see ourselves in, shan't we, Nobunaga-sama?"
"Indeed." Nobunaga held back the arrogant winning smirk she was going to let out, knowing this wasn't yet the time and place. When she held absolute power… she'd slice him into ribbons in full view of other people while also exposing his corrupt nature to the people. "We are grateful for everything you've done for the empire, Konoe Sakihisa-sama. May Nihon rule and prosper."
With that, they quickly entered the inner keep without waiting for any guiding retainer – another breach of rules – as the rowdy Oda parade flooded into the palace, out of his control and almost forcing him to puke out blood in frustration.
Once inside, she couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. "Ahahaha! Himiko-sama truly has him under her thumb this time! I wonder what trick she pulled?"
However, instead of the ever-calm or smart remark, Muramasa was oddly nervous.
"What's wrong?"
"if Himiko-sama is in this mood… maybe it's best I ready myself." Visibly trying to calm down, he added, "It's because she's mad at me, without a doubt."
"Ah, how can she be so angry at her beloved older brother? Oh, pardon me – older cousin. I've always taken her as a loving, family-oriented girl." She waved his worries off with these words, happily creating as much noise with her steps as possible to enjoy the sensation of treated expensive wood flooring only a true empress could afford. "Wow, what a castle! Ahaha… This me is getting nervous from the luxury…"
Indeed, only someone like her could appreciate the smaller details represented by the plain-looking objects scattered around. Other than the floor, the shoji doors, wooden and metallic beam structure, ornaments, artwork – they're all understated, but classy. Clearly, Himiko was a person who prioritized true quality over gaudy presentation – sounds like someone she'd get along with well.
"Y-Yeah… I hope you're right…"
He hid his sweat-drop well, knowing whatever Nobunaga's perception of this younger cousin of his was very wide off the mark.
Trying to change the topic, he returned to their previous conversation, "Speaking of me taking prisoners… I expected you to treat Yoshimoto harsher. Are you… After all this time, you are a soft-hearted lady, after all?"
- Whack!
Nobunaga's slap on his arm produced the opposite result, as she winced at the stinging pain coming back up her wrist. 'Geez! I almost dislocate my palm! H-He's really hard, i-isn't he…?'
She chose not to follow that particular train of thought, however. "I try to learn from the best. Do your best to avoid growing a big head," she spoke with as much authority as she could muster from a grimacing face. "She has more use to me alive than dead."
"Would you like to share that plan before the fight, or will you follow my example?" Muramasa teased, lightly grabbing her now-red palm in his own, eliciting a fierce blush on her pale skin, framed by her jet-black hair. "Open your Magic Circuit; I'll ease the pain."
- Phwoo… Phwoo…
"I-I don't need it! Sheesh! Stop fussing over me like I'm ten!" Flustered at his attempt to blow cool air into her skin, she let go of her grip on him entirely, forming a gap of half a step between them now. "I-It's just the situation with the Ashikaga, you know…"
"Ah."
He let out a short breath in understanding.
Even though this body's family as a whole, the Minamoto Clan, ruled Nihon, it soon became apparent a monopolizing ruling family wouldn't be accepted kindly by the people, especially those who had lived in the territories of other clans, with the associated economic, political, and societal baggage of changing one's loyalty in an instant. Therefore, after the Taira was eradicated down to the last child, it was made into an example for the remaining noble families to fall in line with the new Minamoto Shogunate. Additionally, with the whole backing of the Reverse Side of the World, Yoritomo and Yoshitsune's position was unshakeable.
However, throughout the generations, those repressed noble families had garnered enough strength to stand on their own. While an all-out battle would result in a similar one-sided slaughter, the Minamoto Clan could no longer afford to fight multiple fronts if enough noble families banded together against it. An example was the current kanpaku – Konoe Sakihisa – chosen mostly due to his family's political influence behind the scenes. It's not to say he's incompetent – quite the opposite, actually: he's very competent going against the Minamoto Clan's goal of placing Nihon as one of the world's leading forces, focusing mostly on his own benefits.
If she could get away with it, the empress would've just asked her 'beloved' onī-chan to assassinate him purely to get rid of his annoying face and voice. Of course, reality wasn't that simple.
"Kneel, Aniue."
This was the first time Nobunaga ever saw the man she loved being so obedient.
It was another odd situation she found themselves in.
Ordinarily, a meeting with the empress would necessitate a blind to obscure her face – this tradition of being 'heaven's descendant' and what not. This time, there wasn't any, and she was granted with… a face very familiar to her.
Secondly, there was no one else. Not just in the room, but in the immediate vicinity. No bodyguards, no hidden shinobi, no retainer or advisor… and most fortunately, no Konoe Sakihisa. She might just lose her patience and cut him down with this new katana Muramasa had forged her as a celebratory victory gift.
Ah, going back to the first point.
"K-Kazumasu-chan?" She stuttered out in disbelief at the figure sitting regally in front of them, slightly raised on a platform. "H-How… Don't joke around at a time like this! I won't forgive you if you sully-!"
[Oh, you must mean my dear younger twin, Oda-dono. How was she? We lost contact a few years ago.]
"H-Hyah! T-Telepathy?!" She nearly jumped out of her posture, before glaring daggers at the side of the calmly sitting Muramasa. "Why didn't you tell me about… well, about everything?! My heart won't keep up like this!"
[Apologies, 'twas merely my habit,] the empress spoke into both of their minds. "I assume you prefer myself speaking this way?"
"Y-Yes, please…"
The little girl smiled. "Then, allow me to introduce myself. I am Himiko, Empress of Nihon. Welcome to the palace, Oda Nobunaga-dono… and Aniue."
Dressed in traditional Shinto female priestess clothing, obviously in a much smaller size than Chiyome's, the young girl was the spitting image of one of Nobunaga's lieutenants, the pirate-cum-kunoichi Takigawa Kazumasu. Just the reveal of their connection made her head spun, remembering all the abuse and friendly bullying she gave to who now technically was the royal princess.
Still, their temperaments were different enough to easily tell them apart, despite their identical faces. Raised and trained under the Kōga Clan – though Chiyome didn't know her personally – Kazumasu was the typical pirate captain: loud, excitable, brash, direct, and so on. Himiko, meanwhile, acted as closely to a textbook queen as possible: dignified and royal, with mannerism even she couldn't mimic so easily.
"Congratulations for being able to meet me like this," Himiko complimented off-handedly, using the expected royal manner of speech. "Not many warlords have the prestige to do so… and you have achieved this regardless whether Aniue accompanied you or not."
"Thank you…?" She wasn't sure how to react to the unfamiliar words, and thus bowed lightly.
"I think you are expecting someone else?"
"…y-you can read my mind, too?!" Nobunaga exclaimed, temporarily forgetting her manners, before quickly catching herself, "My apologies."
She thought Muramasa was acting unusual, but right now, he thought of the same. Rarely did he get to see the headstrong and radical Nobunaga bowing her head in sincere apology to someone else, even if that was the reigning empress. In fact, he half-expected her to be rude and disrespectful, attempting to push her 'Tenka Fubu' idea at all times until they were kicked out of the castle. The plan was then to use his personal connection to ensure they remained, and soothe any burnt feelings which might flare up.
He never once thought of his younger cousin's appearance as unusual. Yes, she's very young – emphasized by her bob-cut and overflowing robes, making her look smaller than she actually was – but the fact Nobunaga knew someone else with the exact same face flew over his head. He'd known of the arrangement to have the twins raised separately in order to tackle various potential problems in the empire, but not about Kazumasu's decision to become Nobunaga's retainer.
'I must've been busy at the time…' he thought, rationalizing this gross oversight.
"Perhaps allow me to start from the beginning, of why I and Kazumasu possess different names and lives," Himiko offered, "however, circumstances demand I skip right to the point. Is that alright with you, Oda-dono?"
"H-Hah? Yes…!" Caught of guard, she almost squeaked.
"Ah, maybe we can just skip the part-"
"Silence, Aniue."
"Yes, ma'am."
The little girl took a deep breath, trying to dissipate the not-so-subtle killing intent which permeated the room just now, shocking Nobunaga once again. When Himiko opened her eyes, her expression had returned to the innocent, regal hues she projected at the start.
"Oda-dono, do you know of the internal punishment in our clan if our powers are used wantonly, without the leader's knowledge?" She asked rhetorically, though obviously her barbs were directed at the redhead who's nervously scratching the back of his neck. "Additionally, due to the… circumstances surrounding the Battle of Okehazama, various forces were spying on its flow and outcome. Thus, when I personally saw the Minamoto Clan's crest flying high in the sky…"
- Thud!
"Please punish me!"
Himiko paused, eyes wide at the sudden dogeza from the black-haired girl.
"Shirō… Muramasa-dono acted on my orders to secure victory! The blame lies with me!"
"That's ridiculous, my lovely imōto-sama. Because of Uesugi's sudden appearance, everything went off-script, and…"
She immediately cut them both. "Yes, the two of you can stop now. And do stop with the flattery, Aniue. I am still mad at you – enough so to hold you here after I send Oda-dono home. Prepare your neck."
"H-Himiko-sama, please…!" Nobunaga, nervous of what she's hearing, tried to plead again… completely oblivious of the familial in-joke going back-and-forth between the two cousins. "Please, Muramasa-dono only has my best interest in mind! I implore you!"
"Then, what do you think you've gained with his… exploits, Oda-dono?" Himiko inquired, motioning with her hand.
Nobunaga's bowed posture suddenly lifted, moved by an invisible force, facing right into the all-seeing eyes of the empress.
"Tell me what I have not yet known – the fact now you're renowned across Nihon, with the reputation of a merciful warlord by sparing both Imagawa-dono and Uesugi-dono. What else did I miss?"
"U-Uuu… Ugugu… T-That's pretty much it," the long-haired girl admitted, knowing anything she put forth aside from those would just be picked apart by their associated negative points.
Yes, her victories over two major opponents in just one battle pushed her right to the top of power ranking in Nihon… but it also meant she also rocketed to the top of the list of 'people to get rid of' for other warlords, perhaps only equal to Takeda Shingen. That said, even that was debatable since said cavalry master had never defeated Uesugi Kenshin so decisively either in single combat or large-scale battle… and Sengo Muramasa achieved it.
The expected subterfuge was ruined by the inadvertent efforts of two people: Uesugi Kenshin's penchant for announcing her arrival in as much fanfare as possible, emulating her guardian deity in all his glory, as well as Muramasa's usage of the Minamoto Clan's signature Sorcery Trait… which painted most of the sky with its crest in the form of a gigantic magic circle.
The other warlords scarcely needed any scrying spell to recognize what's going on.
While the former was to be expected – no one nicknamed the 'God of War' would ever descend to methods people deemed underhanded – the latter was the source of Himiko's intense irritation.
As soon as the night passed, she was bombarded by the nobles' interrogation regarding her stance and potential support of this one warlord from Owari. For generations, the Minamoto Clan intermarried with the royal family, and it had gotten to the point where the two were indistinguishable from each other – signifying the return of the clan to the main branch, as the Minamoto Clan was first established by those crownless members of the royal family like many other current noble clans. However, Yoritomo's rule heralded the start of this merging, as showcased by Himiko and Muramasa's current relationship.
Himiko, the empress, was the face of the clan, while the powerful warrior Muramasa was the de facto leader and decision-maker.
…though that latter fact could easily be misunderstood, as right now he knelt there, head bowed, enduring his younger cousin's silent wrath.
"Do you understand, Aniue?"
Throughout the ranting, her expression and tone were level, but even Nobunaga could feel the intensity emanating from such a small frame, portraying Himiko's intense dislike of dealing with stinky old men with their political dribbles.
"Yes, Himiko-sama."
- Pa!
Out of nowhere, a comically large fan had materialized in the empress's tiny hand and slapped down on the back of his head. "More sincere!"
- Pa!
"I hate you!"
- Pa!
"Why…!"
Nobunaga, having stayed silent until now, nearly choked on her own saliva when the empress broke all etiquette and leapt onto Muramasa's wide chest, beating upon it childishly.
"…why aren't you there with me when all this mess happened?"
"I'm sorry."
One sob. "You always say that, but don't change."
"I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing! And don't think you can get away by patting my head…! Uuu…!"
Having been on the receiving end of such gentle treatment, Nobunaga could understand why the little girl was slowly melting in his arms, her harsh killing intent dissipating into nothingness rapidly. 'I-It's over when you decide to be in arms' reach, Himiko-sama…' she commented silently, secretly jealous the headpats she was receiving earlier had its quota being spent right now on another girl.
Another sob.
Pushing away from him – 'Finally!' – she returned to her previous position, coughing to restore her previous dignified voice. "Now that my beloved brother has thrown our entire empire into chaos, we may as well benefit from it. Oda-dono, receive your imperial mandate."
"Here!"
"Pacify the foreigners, and turn them into our side. Execute those whose hearts were impure."
"E-Er… yes…?" Her tone betrayed her confusion clearly. "I… am not quite sure how much authority you have given me, Himiko-sama…?"
"Precisely none. Zero."
The Princess General wanted to ask further, but realized doing so would just make a further fool out of herself, showing her relative incompetence in seeing through various schemes. She berated herself for almost falling for it, despite technically having knowledge of the future! Besides, after taking a split second to compose herself, she finally understood what the empress was implying.
"Those spies… Are they planning on invading again?"
Technically, the 'again' Nobunaga was referring to was never against Nanban. For ages, Nihon had been going against Chūgoku and Chosŏn – invading and being invaded – with Himiko eyeing the latter as it currently weakened internationally. The first different opponent Nihon faced was the Khanate, while Nanban first entered Nihon's territory only during the last decade or so with the first waves of missionaries.
Obviously, any foreigner entering one's own country carried with them the risks of espionage, sabotage, or purely a parasitic effect on the economy. There were surely honest, hardworking people, but inevitably, their rulers must be pragmatic in order to secure a long-term positive effect for their own country. Himiko, too, thought of this way, but until her empire was united under one direction and warlord, preferably one she could reliably control and depend on not to backstab her, invading another country and expanding their territory… nay, even just to control a different culture would just be a pipe dream.
"Not at the moment, no. To be honest, the more pressing thing is… No, I shall burden Aniue with this task. Oda-dono… I'll look forward to your conquest of these lands," Himiko cryptically smiled, passively encouraging her victory in contrast to the neutral side she usually showcased other warlords. "I am only speaking this out loud to you, because you are the woman Aniue chooses. Please, do not disappoint my expectations and fail to become my newest sister-in-law."
"Himiko!" Muramasa chided softly, his subservient self thrown out of the window the moment such suggestive theme left the little girl's mouth. "Do not impose your own world view onto others. I thought we as a clan agreed on that!"
"Ah, are you perhaps embarrassed, Aniue? Right now?" Himiko sarcastically replied, trying her best to wiggle her eyebrows suggestively – and failing. "After you never spend time with me and play around with women instead?! Oda-dono, do you know- Mmpf!"
His palm shot forth, covering the entire lower half of her face – such was her tininess and his above-average height. "Kippōshi, do you understand what she said earlier? About the task she entrusted to you?"
"W-Well, yeah, but… I-Isn't she about to say something more?"
"No. Absolutely nothing here! Let's leave!"
"A-Ah, alright…"
With a quick but deep bow, Nobunaga and Muramasa awkwardly excused themselves from the royal castle, leaving a fuming Himiko behind.
"Fuuuaaaaaaahhhhhhhh… Your sister's really somethin' else, isn't she?"
An accommodation in Kyoto was stupidly expensive even for nobles, befitting its status as the royal capital. Still, that was only for nobles from the outskirts whose responsibility also include actual working in the field, instead of just mooching along with the citizens' taxes. Nobunaga's own personal wealth would also suffer if she insisted on funding this trip herself… which was exactly why she brought Yoshimoto along.
Unexpectedly, when they arrived, Matsunaga Hisahide was already waiting at the city's literal doorstep, before ushering them into this high-class inn. She also cheerfully told them the fact the shogun's seat was now empty – part of her handiwork with the Ashikaga Clan – and insisted Nobunaga to ascend into the position, that dark-skinned buxom woman. Knowing her reputation, neither Nobunaga nor Yoshiomto promised anything – either two possessing the requisite qualification to assume the position – and chose to separate and do what they planned earlier.
- Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
"Dear guest, I have brought some refreshments!"
The door slid open, where a tiny red-haired girl with a sparrow-shaped hat bowed with a platter of fruits near her hands.
"Do enjoy."
"Thank you, Proprietress." Returning the bow, Muramasa flashed a short professional smile, eager to have this high-ranking yōkai leave their vicinity as to have some privacy. "I'll take it from here."
Beni-enma nodded, sliding the door shut once the tray was in the room.
- Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
"It's rare to see you so flustered, Kippōshi," he noted, setting down the refreshments on the nearby low table.
"That's because you and her are so much alike," she nonchalantly replied from her lying posture on the floor, letting go of her inner sloth to sprawl sideways completely undignified. "Haaa… So tiring…"
- Flip.
He gently rolled her over to face him, seeing the playful smile on her face and spoiled mannerism. She extended both her arms and circled them around his neck daintily, tracing the muscles on his neck. "Feed me."
"By your orders."
She crawled onto his lap, letting her long black hair to spread across his thighs and onto the floor. "I really love this place. Hisahide… Danjō really did us good, despite what we think of her at first."
He chuckled, bopping her forehead with a piece of peeled tangerine. "I think you've been away from luxuries for too long to be so easily swayed by this. But… Yes, I do think Hisahide-san is a better woman than her reputation suggests."
"Tch! Are those words coming from a glimpse of her deep-valleyed breast?! Huh!?" Nobunaga fussed, wiggling her head from between his thighs. Despite all that, her dainty mouth still managed to gulp down the fruit piece, shivering lightly from the sweet-sour taste. "I'm growing too, you know! Just you wait – I'll be bigger than Danzō soon!"
"I think you're exaggerating your jealousy, as well as misplacing it."
"That's it! That's how you two siblings are so similar! Guuuu…! So difficult to deal with!" She complained, though it's clear there's a considerable amount of sarcasm and joking in it. "Honest, yet too sharp for anyone to handle! D-Don't tell me you've been reading my mind this whole time, y-you pervert!"
"And what if I did?"
She froze when he bent down, closing down the distance between their faces incredibly close to zero. "S-Shirō… I-I was just j-joking…"
"Why not take it as real? Do you have something in your mind I shouldn't look into?" His usual warm amber eyes turned sharp silver – a sight she's so used to in their training sessions during their childhood – as his serious expression intensified. "Do you think [Telepathy] can read everything, just the things the user wishes to see, or the darkest, most perverted secrets the victim buries so deep they forget about it?"
- Sizzle…
Not just her cheeks and ears, but the tips of her hair had begun to turn bright red, lightly scorching the expensive tatami floor. Soon, it got to the point the inn's self-restorative Magecraft kicked in – erected to protect the building and furniture against drunk guests' shenanigans, so the tiny proprietess didn't have to rush in and behead all troublemakers every single time.
- Chu.
"You should be more careful with your words, Kippōshi. You're already at that age, after all."
Her body felt numb from the kiss, and she could only dumbly ask, "What age?"
"Marriageable age."
"K-Kyuuuu… R-Really just like Himiko-sama… Y-You two really like bullying me!"
"Because it's rare to see the usually bombastic you act so cutely," he admitted honestly, still maintaining the distance where their breaths could tickle each other's faces. "And make an expression I love so much."
- Munyu…!
Finally, she garnered enough strength to lift both palms and push away his face, breathing heavily. "D-Dangerous! You truly are a dangerous character, S-Shirō…! My fated enemy!"
Clutching her rather loose and casual kimono tighter to her chest, she tried her best to repress the fire burning out from deep in her loins, yet her hair simply shaded redder and redder. The Enma-tei had provided them with high-class relaxing clothing – befitting its reputation and actual price – yet Nobunaga wanted nothing more than returning to wear her well-worn armour and military uniform.
She realized she was unusually flustered, yes, but hadn't decided on the why. Was it truly this irrepressible love for her childhood friend, the one who first reached out across the flames to hold her? Was it purely exhaustion from whatever's going on lately: Yoshitatsu's rebellion, the Battle of Okehazama, her comical and ultimately rigged duel with Yoshimoto – since she won by proxy instead of pure strength and skill – or dealing with the aftermath of… well, everything?
Or, most likely, it was pure confusion at how things were so different than what she knew.
One would think having knowledge of the future would be a massive advantage, especially in this era where public information was still in its infancy. Yes, while the usage of Magecraft was more widespread, a combination of a lack of recent progress and the magi's eagerness to keep as much advantage among the ruling class as possible – owing to budgetary reasons – meant changing her image was a trivial matter.
All she had to do was kill those corrupt monks and nuns secretly, instead of publicly burning Mt. Hiei, and all would be well and good. Do some charity here and there, struck some friendship with people in high places, and she'd be golden.
It was supposed to be that way.
Then, a few years into her life, Shirō appeared.
Her mind was instantly derailed, with her heart and physical desires at times taking full control when they shouldn't.
She even first thought this was the very first good karma she received after spending all of her past suffering under the moniker 'Demon King'. Back then, her other self wasn't religious at all, yet… just the fact she thought of this as a possibility made her admit… admit that… that she's weaker.
The 'Tenka Fubu' she pushed forth with everything – which eventually included her own life – now had other people understanding it and sharing the burden with her. Jūbei. Shirō. New people, new faces, new personalities, new abilities. Did this fact made her relax? Made her think this wasn't so hard after all, and thus didn't require as much effort and sacrifice?
…did she deserve to feel this happy, after all she did?
Away from her own dilemmas, even after all these years, she failed to notice something about this man she held dearest in her heart, specifically regarding his tendency to mimic the emotions around him, process it, and spit them back out in the most optimal way.
Well, it's partially understandable, since even Chiyome and Danzō needed several Dream Cycles to properly understand what kind of being he was… and that was after many, many rounds of hot, steamy sex.
Being a virgin in this life – and her lack of wonderful experience with men in her past life – her delusions, when faced with these new sensations, ran uncontrollably wild whenever they're near each other, unknowingly piling on these thoughts into him.
Right here, right now, in this room where there's only the two of them… it exploded.
"S-Shirō…!" She yelped, noticing he had put away the fruit platter to one side and was quickly approaching her position. "T-This… Hyah!"
Normally, she would be the one taking control. All her life, she strived to have the power to do exactly that: dictate anything and everything to her liking, placing her in a comfortable and impregnable position. Men should be the one begging for her attention, for the permission to get close to her… all by her choosing, just as easily as her picking a new and rare porcelain tea set for her collection.
The men and women she selected to accompany her all couldn't handle… well, her everything. Mostly, they got burnt to cinders by the time she was approaching her first climax. Only when she deliberately held back, such as that time with Nō, did she manage to produce heirs together… who ended up nowhere near as competent as she wished, since none of them managed to take back control from the rampant monkey and tanuki. Not even Chacha, who she placed her highest hopes on, could break the societal shackles imposed on her purely because she's a woman, unlike Nobunaga.
This one… This one, clearly, was something else.
The earlier squeak came undignifiedly from her lips as he pushed her down.
Nobunaga was a powerful Princess General, with a strong body expected from said title. Not to the monstrous extent as Uesugi Kenshin, obviously, but any men or women doing this would find her posture incredibly tough to move if she resisted. Well, they'd be torn to shreds by her personal Magecraft and Mystic Code first.
Of course, with Shirō, she had little reason to, and her confusion about herself – between what she's supposed to be and what she wanted – made her only able to listlessly watch when she felt her back touch the floor.
"You know, last time… Tatsumi interrupted us, didn't he?"
Showing a conflicted and complicated face in front of her retainers would silence the room, with their minds racing to figure out what displeased and troubled their lord so.
Not Shirō, though. He just found it adorable and alluring.
It was a vicious, unstoppable circle. Force-fed strong positive emotions from a person he respected, adored, and came to love on his own, he already had difficulties holding back the older they got ever since they interacted for the first time as children. Presented with the loveliest setting – and discarding the remorse of burning the empire's money just to stay here a few nights – he let himself go.
"Do you also know why Enma-tei was so expensive, Nobunaga-sama?"
"N-No… W-Why is that…?" She's not sure whether she either didn't want to know or dying to know.
"Furnitures, food, entertainment, luxury facilities… They're a dime a dozen at this price range, even in Kyoto."
Trying to find an angle to slip out, just to clear her muddled head – 'Did the tangerine just now had sake in it?!' – she answered randomly, "I-Isn't it because i-it's a landmark, built in the capital to showcase human and yōkai could l-live together?"
"Well, there's that, yes. Prestige is certainly not something money can buy, either – not in Kyoto, at least." He chuckled, kneeling either side of her stomach and trailing his fingers through her almost-fully-crimson hair. "Well… this is something the proprietess told me, so…"
- Slip.
His fingers ran down her cheekbones, to her exposed collarbones, before his thumb hooked into the hem of her clothes' inner fold and gently peeled them down, exposing more and more of her healthy milky skin.
"…this inn boasts unparalleled privacy."
- Slip.
Another movement, and her casual kimono was split open in the middle, showcasing everything to his masticating eyes. A small [Sword Burst] cleaved every undergarment neatly down its seams, ensuring they could be repaired perfectly later.
"I want you, Kippōshi."
For efficiency's sake, an empress's day would usually be packed full of meetings whenever one was held early. If there's already one booked, why not fill the entire day with the rest to finish up? Besides, it's easier to deal with problems when they're all lumped together in the same place.
But this 'problem' in front of Himiko was a tougher one to chew through.
Shaking her head after another attempt of [Telepathy], she nodded respectfully and full of admiration. "Imagawa-dono, it's an honour for you to present nothing but your true self in front of me. Your reputation precedes you, and shamefully, I have fallen for them. Do accept my apology."
"Nuhahaha! No sweat, no sweat! A queen shouldn't bow her head so easily, Himiko-sama! Don't mind my behaviour!" Yoshimoto chuckled, her bountiful breasts bouncing even under her jūnihitoe. "I was the rude one, too… but 'tis my real character! Gahaha!"
Both the playful and serious Yoshimoto were true, unlike what some of her retainers believed. It's just easier for her to manipulate things around her by presenting either one as the situation demanded. For instance, wearing her silly mask around Hanzō in order to gauge the veteran ninja's loyalty, and immediately taking it off to catch his tanuki-like bespectacled lord off-guard.
That said, her evaluation of them turned out to be useless the moment she decided Nobunaga was a worthy person to stand beside this queen in front of her to guide Nihon to a greater stage.
Her impression of the Oda Princess General was… more of a confusion than admiration, to be honest. Yoshimoto knew her fighting style was highly unorthodox, despite her skill in traditional naginata, archery, and [Lightning] Magecraft – she blended all of that with aspects of kemari and kabuki dance to create an odd rhythm.
To her own surprise… it worked. That's the reason she rampaged unopposed these past few years, garnering the same amount of military power as Nobunaga almost achieved now and becoming one of the must-see young Princess Generals. Still, against Nobunaga, she found the latter's fighting style was… no, no one hadn't seen before.
And, to be frank, a genius one at that.
Combining traditional swordsmanship and gunsmanship was nothing new. Saika Magoichi was clearly the number-one master of that particular fighting style, proven so devastatingly effective on the battlefield with her mercenary band. Yoshimoto didn't have the chance to meet her, but she heard that athletic, buxom woman was also a fun personality to have around. Her figure atop her galloping horse, firing mayhem across the plains, was the subject of various songs and poetry – her gallantry supplanting the traditional view of honourable combat… that was, one-on-one duel with bladed weapons, like Uesugi Kenshin's speciality.
This was the first time Yoshimoto faced floating rifles, however.
She assumed it was some variation of the basic [Projection] Magecraft, but those things were solid, with no trace of degradation from the original. Their design was both familiar and foreign at the same time – which Yoshimoto later concluded was the new batch the Oda camp was mass-producing with their newfound blacksmithing establishment – and their firepower, while impressive on their own, was downright monstrous when charged by Nobunaga's magic energy.
That was the first time her [Lightning]-infused bolts disintegrated upon impact with another projectile! And the compressed flaming bullets didn't even stop there, ploughing through her armour of electricity and almost taking her breasts off when she sidestepped them!
Also, describing them as 'bullets' wasn't entirely accurate. They were more akin to large beams of pure heat and destruction than a metal ball, completely tearing up the small private camp her troops had set up and almost decimating them all, had she not warned them beforehand only to keep Nobunaga's entourage at bay. It's fortunate – and surprising – the Oda Princess General also thought of the same way, i.e. keeping the loss of lives to the minimum, thus engaging her in a duel so unsuited to this unique battle style of hers.
The mercy she showed at the end, as both young women had thrown everything they had at each other, was the decisive factor which won Yoshimoto's 'quiet' loyalty, ending up with her agreeing to this scheme now.
The palace maids came in with refreshments, yet from their posture she could tell they're already whispering some quite nasty things about Yoshimoto among themselves. It's just like those people who didn't deserve to glimpse at her true self –small-minded, judgemental, and followers of tradition instead of trailblazers. Those kinds of people, Yoshimoto had no interest in respecting their opinions. Only the few who could see through her guise like Himiko, or accepted her despite not having the ability to do so like Nobunaga were the precious ones she had to take into account.
"They are Ashikaga's people. Do not mind their impulsiveness," Himiko indirectly apologized in their stead. "They are about to get marched out of the back door anyway."
Sipping the frothed green tea elegantly, Yoshimoto fanned herself lightly, a dangerous smile spreading across her face. "Like I said earlier, Denka, I don't take small people's criticisms against me seriously."
"But aren't you here to do just that?"
- Clack.
Snapping her fan shut, she placed it firmly on the platter's side, eyes boring right into the little queen's own.
"Indeed. Make me shogun, and I'll rid those flies from your surroundings. That, you have my word, Himiko-sama."
Hanzō had easily 'secured' Konoe's men despite his lingering injuries from the battle several long days ago, for Yoshimoto had foreseen they'd make a fuss if one word from this conversation made it through these thin shoji walls. It's better to be safe than sorry, especially because that vile man might have a way past the empress's personal privacy barrier, having worked alongside her for most of her life already.
The little girl smiled.
Yoshimoto recognized that particular expression, sighing, "As expected… What's the catch?"
"The Ashikaga is a disgrace to the Minamoto Clan."
That sentence made Yoshimoto pause midway to stuffing her face full of sweets… and almost dropping them onto the spotless wooden floor.
"I… honestly didn't expect something that vicious, Denka."
"Fufu… How is that 'vicious'? To me, 'tis mercy asking you, instead of Aniue."
The older girl was greatly confused as to whom the reigning empress addressed as 'esteemed older brother'. It stemmed from her duel with Nobunaga – both of them were so intensely invested in it they both missed what actually turned the battle into the Oda warlord's victory: the usage of the Minamoto Clan's Sorcery Trait. Additionally, right after her self-proclaimed 'defeat', Nobunaga immediately whisked her away to explain what's going to happen to her now with childish threats to her life, dreams, ambition… yadda-yadda-yadda.
She'd found the person she could trust all of the above to. That was enough; as long as she could spend the rest of her life mooching along, playing kemari and eating delicious foods whenever she wanted, she'd gladly leave this warmongering lifestyle behind.
She decided against asking the aforementioned man's identity, because even she knew better than pry into the secrets of the ruling family.
"Where are they now? The Ashikaga?"
"I heard they were attempting to board a ship to Chugoku, where they'd ask for help in 'restoring' their authority here."
Yoshimoto sweat-dropped. 'If you already knew that much, take care of them right there and then!'
"However… my people met some… complications," Himiko admitted, never breaking her calm expression along the way. "Foreigners have caught wind of this event happening, and managed to secure them faster than I could reach them."
- Fwip!
Before even confirming what that sound was – the shrill shriek of wind being cut by fast-moving fabric – Yoshimoto had already completed her dogeza, the sweets platter already moved aside.
Himiko slashed the air with one hand, gesturing sharply with her palm positioned somewhere above Yoshimoto's head from her own point of view.
"Imagawa Yoshimoto, hear the heaven's decree."
"Yes!"
"Bring me every Ashikaga's head. Then, you shall be shogun."
"Your will be done."