Warning: All religions' right, wrong, and/or inaccurate portrayals in this story are for entertainment purposes only, and not in any attempt to push my personal ideas or showcase my personal beliefs, which naturally can be different. I'm writing this warning because this is the world we're living in right now, and because this arc is entering a story part where this issue will be central to the plot. Of course, this warning do not exclude anyone who want to discuss these details in technicality.
I don't do this often, but I admittedly have asked you all of this in the past: Anyone watched the 6th Singularity FGO movie yet? Why can't I find it anywhere despite its release schedule listed as on December 5th? Is this also following Heaven's Feel III's global viewing delay? I want you guys' opinions on this.
Alright, now that's out of the way, here's another chapter! Happy you liked the last one, and I'm grateful, as always. However, I'm disappointed Minamoto Kurō Yoshitsune doesn't appear in Lostbelt 5.5... and very excited to see the ideas I'm pushing in this fanfiction realized by Ibuki-dōji! Perhaps I should buy some future stocks and pat myself in the back for these premonitions... First Himiko, and now Shuten? They're really promoting my story inadvertently, aren't they? Kukuku...
Still, if you want to follow my plans to take over the world, check out the Mailbag below! Send me your reviews if you have any questions, too, as usual.
(Beni-enma suggestion) Guest (1): Nice insert! Though I can't put it in the story, I'll give my props to you.
(Shirō's lore) Guest (2): No problem. I don't particularly agree with your Counter Force theory, though, because EMIYA's and Okita's backstory suggested Alaya showed itself to them by its leisure, and not something a desperate person can summon willy-nilly (which is actually a popular misconception a lot of fanfic writers depend on to start their story). Yes, he indirectly abandoned the townspeople by choosing Sakura, and he didn't care for them by Heaven's Feel midpoint, but that's also because as an uneducated magic user, he doesn't know of the compromises and risks he can take to achieve both. We can easily say all of these because we know more than he is as a player character, but when looking at it from his PoV, your comments are all quite spot on. It's purely because he didn't know better. That's my best excuse for him apart from using meta theories. However, I agree with your Prisma Illya theory, as shown in the official manga too.
(Image recommendation) Guest (3): Nice doujin recommendations!
HarmonyDST05: Appreciate the tip. I've already done so, but I'm concerned about whether I've written the mistakes in other forms, which of course Ctrl+F won't be able to find because of its accuracy. I'll count on you!
ghost777: I didn't expect anyone reading this story to know! Great sleuthing!
Royal Freshness12345: Not going to comment on the traitors because it'll be spoilers, you know... Not saying there's going to be any, if at all. But yes, he's wary of any schism appearing internally, not necessarily caring it's against him. Heian-kyō comes out perfectly on time, because I plan on adding the information there to the 4th HV story... which comes out after the HV-S01: RKR rewrite. So I have plenty of time still. Hopefully Avalon Fae comes out in time for that, as well.
ThirstyAnon: Huhuhu... I shall take that as a compliment, then.
N.B.: I made some changes to Ch. 14's Glossary Update. Do check it out because I'm going to use some terms from this change in future chapters, both written and implied.
"Mmnnn… I can't eat anymore…"
Masamune mumbled in her sleep as drool leaked out of her mouth's corners, before reflexively followed her habit as her free hand reached up and scratched her soft open belly.
…only to wake up when said hand felt heavy and unresponsive… almost like someone's sitting on it.
"Funya…?!" Her eyes flickered awake, bleary from dirt, but she couldn't really differentiate anything due to the dark room and the equally-dark material right in front of her face. However, the familiar and comforting scent quickly calmed her down – at the very least, even if she's in enemy territory right now, she's with the one person she trusted with all her heart. "Louíse?"
The buxom older girl didn't stir, as evidence of her massive heaving chests still breathing peacefully, expanding and contracting enough to tickle her nose even from this distance.
Her hand, in fact, somehow ended up one of these soft breasts, its weight alone enough to prevent it from moving.
Of course, a girl her age looked upon this situation as nothing out of the ordinary. She's been in worse positions, where Louíse occasionally suffocated Masamune when using her as a substitute body pillow. Additionally, her dream of growing bigger so Louíse could stop seeing her as nothing but a small child had stuttered – no matter how much she ate, it felt like her body barely changed throughout these past few years ever since she awakened part of her red eye's power.
Maybe it's siphoning energy off her? It's certainly a decent theory, but Louíse wasn't interested in pursuing the truth about that, focusing more on Masamune's education instead.
The little girl understood, truly, and felt grateful of it. That's more than what her family had done for her, so wanting anything more at the risk of ruining this recent relationship of theirs was the furthest thing Masamune wanted – even more than mastering whatever this strange mutation was doing to her and those around her.
'…but why am I sleeping here? Weren't we at the church…?'
- Gacha.
The sound of a door opening and closing made her twitch, though fortunately Louíse's larger frame completely covered her body, with the nun's back facing the door. As a result, however, Masamune wasn't able to confirm whether this incoming entity was an ally or enemy.
Worse still, with one limb still buried under Louíse's breast, and the other being held cutely by the woman's bigger palm, she could do nothing if a blade suddenly stabbed the nun in the back.
Before she could yell and wake her caretaker up, however, Masamune was surprised when the voice calling out to her sounded young – about her age, actually. "Um… You're awake, right? I'll call Aneue, so stay still…"
- Gacha.
Before Masamune could respond, the door opened and closed once again. Masamune tried to crane her neck over without overtly changing her posture, but alas, her entire head was barely larger than one of Louíse's breasts, much less two stacked on top of each other due to her sideways sleeping position.
"Kichō, how are you finding Sakai?"
Instead of asking how their two 'captives' were doing, the first thing Nō's adoptive older sister did was ask about herself, which confused the little girl.
Shuffling over politely, like how she's trained to behave nobly in Mino, she approached Nobunaga, who was sitting by the windowsill in a pose she called 'cool'… whatever that meant. "It's very busy and noisy… I'm scared going to the market sometimes. But… it's not bad. There are lots of interesting things!"
"Guhaha! Don't worry; I won't let those ruffians to get close to you!" The young woman reached over and ruffled the girl's prim-and-proper hair, to which Nō squirmed happily. "If you see anything you want to buy, just tell me! Onē-chan will buy it for you!"
"Ah… B-But the budget…"
"Screw that!" Nobunaga laughed happily, secretly praising herself for managing to hold back her cruder language she's used to using in front of Muramasa. "Smile, smile! It's no longer the time to brood over what to eat tomorrow!"
Nō could only smile wryly in response, the mature head on her small body already guessing the reason for her adoptive sister's good mood. "…are you happy because there's another hostage?"
"What? Are you still thinking about your situation? I thought I've made myself clear…" Nobunaga made a bitter expression, before shifting her position and beckoning the little girl to sit next to her properly. "You're family now, so don't bother…"
"It's not that!" Nō furiously shook her head. "I mean… If you can have the hostage money, then I think you'll be happier…"
- Hhnnnggghhh!
"A-Aneue!"
"You're so cute, Kichō. Let's have a bath together after this, okay?"
"H-Hyesh… Y-Your eyes are scary…" she whimpered inside Nobunaga's sudden embrace and deep cuddle. "You… seem to be freer lately, Aneue…"
Hearing Nō's comment, Nobunaga hummed. "Hmm… You can say all the troubles my past self has is gone now, so I feel light."
"Ehehe… Then, I'm happy if you're happy."
- Hhnnnggghhh!
Nobunaga now understood why Muramasa was so touchy-feely whenever he was close with his women, including her. While she had never experienced that together with Chiyome and Danzō, what they told her sounded fun – and she's looking forward to having just those simple cuddle time with him and get to know the others better.
Naturally, both of those women didn't inhabit the same social circle as she, and neither was she interested in entering theirs or vice versa. What 'Tenka Fubu' required was both the unity and efficient independence of al social class and occupation, in order to have a holistic view how Nihon should move forward as one empire, and not daimyōs squabbling over small plots of land for empty honours – one which most accomplished leaders like Shingen and Kagetora seemingly constantly failed to foresee.
Now, she should clean things up internally, knowing what would come next regarding her in-laws.
"A-Aneue… C-Can't b-breathe…" Nō flailed her tiny arms around, perhaps attempting to slap hard at Nobunaga's arms, but the latter only felt minor pokes for a few moments before she realized what's going on, and released her grip. "P-Puha! Mou! Aneue!"
"Ahaha… Sorry, sorry…" The older sister apologized while rubbing the young girl's head. "You're so cute, so I can't help myself."
"I'm a big girl now! Don't treat me like that helpless hostage who came to your doorstep long ago!"
"Yes, yes…"
Suddenly, Nobunaga shifted her gaze from her little sister's fuming, yet adorable face, towards the hallway right outside the room they're renting inside this inn.
Well, to be frank, the entire inn was reserved for the Owari contingent, and while most of their convoy had returned to their regular duties – such as Muramasa back in his compound, Nagahide back managing internal affairs in the main castle, et cetera – there's still a sizeable number enough to fill up a high-class, room-limited inn like this. Additionally, they had suddenly acquired two more guests, thus it's a good idea to take control of an entire building and not worry about security than deal with other tenants.
Mitsuhide was here with her, but that wide-forehead girl was busy negotiating deals and sponsorships with various Sakai merchants from multiple backgrounds – precisely her speciality. Nobunaga might have the edge in wider knowledge from both her lives' knowledge, but she realized she was awful in putting it to practice… as showcased in her previous life during the events leading to her death. It's better to nurture the talents she had into an even higher level of trust and loyalty than impose her will too harshly upon others, and spend her time to relax and think about things further.
She felt incredibly blessed with this life, which did start out more horribly than the previous one owing to the massive increase in Mystery in this world, but was soon lifted by the presence of the people she now loved more than her own new life, such as Muramasa, Mitsuhide, Nō, her retainers, Chiyome and Danzō, her siblings, and so on.
It had just recently dawned on her this wasn't a new feeling at all, but purely one she repressed, and eventually killed off, in her previous life. She shaved off little by little, starting by the time she beheaded Nobukatsu, neglected Nō, abandoned Oichi, then doomed her brother-in-laws Nagamasa and Katsuie directly or indirectly.
Perhaps it's also due to her newfound attraction to the same sex, so she's biased when compared to their male counterparts in that old life. Regardless of how dependable an established and experienced man was attractive, cute girls were certainly easier on the eyes.
Maybe Muramasa could also transform into a girl? It certainly wouldn't be impossible, considering how much of his skills she still didn't know yet.
She shook her head. Thinking about this matter when she's in the same environment as a nun wouldn't do her any good. There were Nihon spells and abilities which allowed one to hear another's thoughts – who's to say Nanban didn't have a similar thing?
Nō had just caught up to what attracted her sister's attention, and turned her head towards the sliding door – which was promptly opened by a confused-looking Masamune, peeking her horned hoodie from the side. Her expression was returned equally, though, as Nō was wondering why this blonde girl not only dressed this way – beyond even her sister's eclectic mix of Nanban and Nihon clothes – but also shyly covering her right eye, in a demeanour completely unlike her analysis of this 'guest' of theirs.
Oh, despite technically still a Mino political hostage, and her current public status as Nobunaga's younger sister, she was still her father's daughter, after all. She loved Nobunaga, and would do her utmost to be useful to her at all cost. People like her were a dime a dozen – proven by Motoyasu's existence and back-and-forth status between the Imagawa and Oda – and would be cast away as soon as no one found use for her.
Having studied the internal workings of the Date Clan, she found out how the Date was constantly trying to remove Masamune from the clan's heirdom, owing not just to her bastard status but also the fact a Nanban fathered her. Nō could practically sense the enmity surrounding the latter recorded fact through the records, helped by the lack of developed shinobi forces in Northern Honshu when compared to the three stalwarts the Oda family now had.
…oh, wait, four. Nō forgot Hanzō had now entered their service… because he lost. A young girl like her, no matter how mature she liked to act and be perceived, always enjoyed good heroic and victorious stories, and the one occasion she got Chiyome to retell her fight with the legendary ninja stayed in her mind for many nights, dreaming of becoming a woman as strong as her at Nobunaga's side.
"…what's wrong? Come on in, little demon," Nobunaga chuckled, waving at the short blonde to enter the room. "Don't be afraid; we're not so different, after all."
"B-But… your eyes are normal, so…" Masamune uncharacteristically mumbled incoherently, though her body instinctively followed that hand of Nobunaga's. "Ah… Where are my manners! Thank you for your assistance at the time. The Date Clan will surely repay you!" Trying to assert the slightest bit of comfort born from faux magnanimity, she declared as such.
"Kufufu… What I want, your clan can't give," Nobunaga declared mysteriously, her hands already reaching out again to pull her little sister into her lap again, Nō uncomfortably squirming and glaring at her along the way. "First of all, since you mentioned 'manners', what do you think about speaking to others while cupping one eye? Put your hand down."
Masamune twitched at the direct order, despite it being spoken softly, due to the overwhelming silent pressure and charisma this person in front of her was emitting.
Suddenly, what Nobunaga said earlier entered her young mind. "…we're not so different, after all…"
She spent her life leveraging the fact she's different to make things go her way, avoiding the pitfalls 'different' people like her experienced in traditional Nihon. Calling herself 'Beast VI' and most of its monikers she half-heartedly learnt from Louíse – admittedly only the 'cool' parts – she longed to paint herself as an untouchable child no matter the connotation, good or bad, that she's long lost sight of the 'God' Louíse was constantly praying to.
"Hey, that person… Y'know, the 'Father' you're calling out; does he really respond?"
"In the most wonderful way you can't imagine, Bontenmaru."
Inside those masses, under Louíse's sermons, she never honestly felt anything. No supernatural presence, no magical power, no leakage of Conceptual Weight from the Reverse Side.
But, more often than not, she found that 'blessing' in Louíse's smile.
…right now, this person in front of her was emitting that kind of aura. A different kind.
By no means it's [Holy], which was Louíse's most likely Element. However, the sense of higher being was certainly emanating from this beautiful, yet entirely ordinary person.
Slowly, she let her hand fall to reveal her demonic red eye, complete with its triple-tomoe spinning hypnotically.
"What do you think, Kichō?" She heard this person talk softly to the younger girl around her own age.
Said girl, 'Kichō', spoke with disbelief, "…Yoshitatsu-nēsama? It can't be…"
- Bam!
"You know someone else with this eye?! Who is this 'Yoshitatsu' you're talking about?! Where is this person?!" Energetically slamming the floor in front of her, Masamune leant forward enough to almost kiss Nō's nose. "C-Can I talk to them?!"
"She's dead," Nobunaga answered bluntly, "precisely because she was consumed by those very same eyes. We had to put her down."
"…ah."
The transition between her excited, animated self and her forlorn one was abrupt.
"I-I'm sorry… for being no help to you…" Nō uttered, shifting her gaze away from the curious blonde.
Masamune shook her chubby head, the horns on her hoodie comically swaying along with her movement. "…it's fine. Sorry if I overstepped my boundaries; you two are my… our saviours, after all."
Nō waved her bony arms frantically. "It's Aneue's doing! I… I wasn't even there to see what happened!"
- Pat. Pat.
"She did nurse the two of you to health, though. So you can go ahead and show your gratitude more sincerely and intimately, little demon," Nobunaga claimed, playfully rubbing her sister's head.
Being the humble girl she was, Nō tried to wave off the praise before Masamune took it seriously… and she didn't disappoint, properly forming a dogeza close to the girl's legs. "Thank you very much for your hospitality! The Date Clan will surely reward you handsomely!"
When nothing came back in reply, she peeked her head up to check their expressions, and was surprised when Nobunaga's formerly inviting eyes now shifted into a condescending and disappointed one. "Do you always use your clan name to get anywhere in life? I thought you're better than that – it seems I'm wrong more and more often lately."
Masamune was speechless at that insult.
"W-Well, Aneue… She's about my age, so…"
"That's just nonsense. What do you desire, little demon? When I was your age, I nearly killed myself working hard to achieve my dream – everything was set up and culminated in this moment right here and now," Nobunaga harshly refuted her sister's attempted excuse. "Besides, this person here is dishonest, Kichō… because like me, she despised her clan. Yet – ask around – everyone you ask will speak of the same thing: I've never used that as an enticement. What I have, I offer – not what the Oda Clan has."
"That's…!" The blonde was about to say something angrily, yet couldn't find the words to do so as what Nobunaga said settled in. "Guuu…" She could only frustratedly grit her teeth, her eloquence left behind with the still-sleeping Louíse, since the nun was usually the one who did the actual adult talking against people who didn't buy into her 'demon' persona.
"To proof my words aren't empty, I shall outright tell you what I want right now: I want you, Date Masamune."
- Fwomp!
"…Aneue, please watch your phrasing."
"Huh?" Nobunaga looked down at Nō, and then at Masamune… who's furiously blushing, her cheeks the same colour as her right eye. "W-Wait! I didn't mean it t-that way!"
"You dare call me 'demon'…! Do you think of me as such a simple maiden who'll spread her legs for her saviour?! Huh?! Huh?!" Masamune hissed, barely managing to contain herself from shouting lest her ruckus woke Louíse up. "To think you have such an ulterior motive…! Evil! Pervert! Demon!"
"O-Oi! What the hell… Don't make baseless accusations!" Nobunaga shot back at her, the tips of her hair ever-so-slightly turning red. "Who's interested in a brat like you?!"
"That's rich coming from someone who's molesting their own little sister!" Masamune now nearly shrieked, pointing sharply at Nobunaga's hands which hadn't left Nō's body. "Lolicon! Siscon! Tyrant!"
"GGGGUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! S-Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Nobunaga stood up, nearly launching her little sister into Masamune's face in the process. "W-What do you know?! Kichō and I are close! Very close! But pure – purer than what your dirty mind thinks! Aren't we, Kichō?!"
Credit to the girl, as she managed to roll out to the side from the sudden movement and close space between the two yelling women. However, when suddenly faced by Nobunaga's question, the prim little girl shyly shifted her gaze sideways, her cheeks lightly tinged red. "Umm… I-I love Aneue… s-so… it's fine…"
"K-Kichō…!" The black-haired older girl choked, not knowing what to say.
Interestingly, Masamune followed, gagging and turning her head back-and-forth between the siblings. Her already-pale skin – the sign of her Nanban heritage, compared to the healthy light tan on both Nobunaga and Kichō – burnt crimson once again, her right eye now circling agitatedly. "You both are crazy!" She finally managed to squeak out after a few pregnant questions, stomping to stand up.
Her reaction went unnoticed by the two now-shy siblings, who were trying their best to avoid each other's gaze.
Eventually, the ruckus did wake Louíse up, who stumbled upon the place looking for her charge.
In Sakai, there were so many cultures mixing and mashing about, owing to its status as Nihon's prime port city. Naturally, many foreign beliefs and customs settled here first – tested, so as to not waste their energy probing the inner parts of the empire, by all sides. Whether they fit – or, more importantly, benefit – Nihon would be observed by the powers that be, from the Empress herself down to the humblest stall owners flanking the main streets.
Indeed, one thing reigned supreme in this place. Not history, not prestige, not honour… but cold, hard money. As such, merchants held sway here, not politicians or generals or nobles. In fact, some of those aforementioned groups eventually moonlighted as merchants anyway, swayed by the prospect of sharing Sakai's riches which looked to be never-ending at one point.
Of course, that depended on how they treated foreigners, while at the same time maintaining the integrity of their culture. While most other countries would've struggled, Nihon's various rulers – both men and women – fortunately had great counsels, including those from the Reverse Side as it's easier for them to stay peacefully in this area than other places, even as close as Ming or Joseon.
Mitsuhide heard her beloved senpai warning her about the dangers Ming particularly would bring, but he always eluded the finer details from her. Still, she respected him enough to not pry too much – in fact, it merely spurred her on to improve and become a lady worthy for him to share his deepest secrets.
When she did so, she'd surely stand above Chiyome and Danzō and become his favoured wife! 'Fufufu…!'
"You look happy all of a sudden. Your dream man appearing in your mind?" Hisahide coyly asked, sultrily smiling and batting her eyelashes naturally. "Kukuku… No need to deny it. I know that face very well: one of a maiden in love."
"Yes, you're right."
"Oh, ple- Huh? You're not denying it?" The buxom, tanned woman jolted slightly more upright, looking at the girl sitting across her.
They were in one of Sakai's premier teahouses, where busy Ming and Spanish merchants got together and debated loudly – or, in this case, their respective translators were. Hisahide had long erected an invisible privacy barrier around them… more to deal with this problem than worrying their conversation would be eavesdropped by the wrong ears. As a result, the two ladies were surrounded by what looked more like silent comedy skits, with animated faces and gestures flying all over the place faster and more ferocious than the spits leaving the old coots' mouths.
Noticing Hisahide's shock, Mitsuhide simply smirked. "What? Too used to teasing others with your words? I find those kinds of people are best faced with honesty." She poured another portion of warm sake into her drinking bowl, despite the sun still very high in the sky, downing it with a gulp. Despite this, her grace and elegance were still apparent, showcasing her blue-blooded education. "It works, even for a multi-faceted person like you who wished for something so different you can't even be honest to your own reflection in the mirror."
Faced with that frighteningly accurate description of herself, Hisahide drew a sharp breath, before sighing in resignation. "…well, I can't deny that. Fine, I'll play the entrapped victim – who told you that? I assume my persona is quite impenetrable."
Once again, surprisingly, Mitsuhide shook her head. "It's just my analysis of your personal interaction with Nobunaga-sama. If you insist me giving credit, then the shinobis guarding those conversations of yours should be the ones." She began pouring out more sake, the silent heated arguments going around them urging her to match their temperament, but found the bottle empty. "Don't tell me this barrier of yours prohibited my voice to travel outside and call the waitress."
The tanned woman shrugged. "If you want, let's move out. I'm getting tired of this place's atmosphere, anyway."
"Sure."
They left the payment on the table, as was customary for high-end clients to 'be above' calling for check. Somehow, amidst the ruckus, the sweet sound of a stacked metal coins always seemed to cut through everything, right towards the teahouse owner's ears.
"So, where to? Let's hop to someplace with better drinks. Tea, perhaps," Mitsuhide casually suggested, stretching out once the sun's noon rays hit her face and letting the people around her gaze at her tight and slim physique accentuated by the movement. "You have something in mind?"
"Yes. My own."
Mitsuhide froze. "…to avoid misunderstandings, you mean a restaurant you owned, right?"
Soon, Hisahide realized her faux pas, eyeing the shorter girl filthily. "Of course. What were you thinking?"
"Nothing."
"Don't lie!"
Still, she was somewhat flattered another pretty girl thought of her as beautiful, too. Her Persian heritage made her appearance rather baby-faced despite her hourglass figure, but she had to admit she'd been getting on the years. Of course, she's far from the limits of natural child-bearing age – which she could extend anyway with her alchemy – but the sight of white strands of hair once terrified her to no end.
Now, though, she found it fashionable, so she simply dyed her entire hair white. The contrast between it and her dark skin made her so exotic many more men tried to woo her whenever she went with various techniques and intentions, both sincere and malicious. To safeguard herself until she'd reached her goal, she began building her reputation as a treacherous snake who'd bring fortune for whomever she served… momentarily. The people, meanwhile, she never touched, giving her the necessary popularity to find a new master every time the previous one had dried to a husk.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she rushed to overtake Mitsuhide's step and brought out a well-worn, ornate tea kettle. "This is my Workshop. I have good tea stashed in there – would you like to come in?" She calmly asked, putting back her professional smile.
"You… Are you a chagama?"
"No, my Guardian Spirit is a tsuchigumo," she admitted, "nothing as grand as your Genbu or mischievously kind as that raccoon."
"I don't know whether to be suspicious how well you know me or laughing at your joke about Motoyasu-san," Mitsuhide bitterly smiled, though she placed her palm on top of the tea kettle without hesitation. "After this, drop me back to Owari… the Sengo Clan's forge, alright?"
"Hoo… A fine choice of a gentleman," the magus chuckled. "Very well, then."
While most onlookers watched their… interesting exchange, only those unfamiliar to Nihon custom gasped in shock when these two beauties disappeared in an invisible magical vortex, twisting their visages before leaving nothing on the street they were just walking on.
"This is surprisingly welcoming. I expected some tricks, but you disappointed me," Mitsuhide uttered honestly, her hand just leaving the kashira by her waist. "I was eager to test you."
Holding up both palms towards her, Hisahide laughed nervously, "Oh, please don't. This kettle is expensive to procure, and the Workshop even more so. Besides, I won't last one blow against you."
"Somehow, hearing that only makes me want to go at you even more. However, considering the state of our camp, I shall let this dishonesty slide," Mitsuhide spoke while sitting down, fixing the kumquat hairclip by her forehead after that.
Magically, a tea set appeared, complete and complex just like how a proper tea ceremony would be held. She silently wondered whether Hisahide had learned something from Rikyū, though discarded that thought immediately when considering how that shy young girl's stony, silent attitude contrasted with Hisahide's sly, cunning, and talkative persona.
She quirked one eyebrow when several cute spiderlings – plushie-like with thick, soft furs covering even their spindly legs – set about to make the tea and serve the rest of the refreshments. Lighting up the small embers, carrying plates and bowls larger than themselves filled with sweets and cakes, as well as handing the ladies several utensils to use. Their movements were mostly silent, the typical scurrying and scuttling sound most girls would scream at absent due to their physical and spiritual make-up.
…or did Hisahide simply enchant every surface they're coming into contact with? Either way, so long as this service neared her senpai's own otherworldly one, then Mitsuhide would truly consider this magus as an ally.
After all, no one who served her delicious food could ever be bad, right?
"…I'm not going to poison you, you know?" Hisahide quipped, noticing her guest still hadn't touched her food and drink yet.
Several small spiders were busy whipping the matcha, using their silk threads to form tiny whisks and brushes to achieve better consistency. The movement was quite hypnotic, so Mitsuhide simply answered, "No, I'm just enamoured by how cute they are. If you want to harm me, then my acceptance to enter this place would've been my doom."
"I'm glad you understand."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Danjō-san," she finally acknowledged, before fixing her posture to become more formal. "What, pray tell, was so important you were forced to create this dimension in the first place? You mentioned a Workshop, yet no magus I know have this particular setup."
"Oh, merely some annoying flies chasing me when I was young," Hisahide replied while fanning herself, attempting to look flattering. "Sheesh… Men can be troublesome. While Muramasa-san is trustworthy, he's the exception, not the rule, Jūbei-kun."
"I know that very well. Do you think a mere man can attract my heart? Not to mention the girls who keep flocking around him…" Mitsuhide giggled, finally reaching out for a finished bowl of tea. "What about you? Surely, this opportunity will be wasted if I can't listen to your romance stories!"
To Mitsuhide's knowledge, HIsahide was both a storied politician, magus, and Princess General in her own right from a generation before her. Slightly younger than Dōsan, her adventure tales were expansive, with rumours stretching as far as Persia in the far west to how this treacherous creature managed to weasel off her executions time and time again. Having her as an ally wasn't particularly a reassuring thought, since most of the Oda Clan's energy would've been spent to be wary of her eventual backstab, which wore down on one's psyche very quickly.
Still, having consulted with her senpai, he trusted this woman to keep in line for now, so Mitsuhide wouldn't worry about it too much.
"Hm~ Hm~ You're quite different from what I imagined, Jūbei-kun," Hisahide admitted. "I would've taken you as someone stiffer."
"Pfft! My younger self, perhaps. I was competitive, arrogant, and boastful…" She momentarily paused, before shyly adding, "Well, I am still those, but I'd like to think I'm better person now. What do you think?"
Faced by her beaming, expectant smile, Hisahide couldn't find it in her to answer with sarcasm. "…I think I'm not the person you should impress with that change. Have you asked Nobunaga-sama?"
"How could I? It's not a question so important I can take away her time – public or private."
- Clack. Clack. Clack.
For a while, their conversation stopped, each filling their stomachs with delicate provisions. Each had their quirks – Mitsuhide was the picture of traditional Nihon noble girl, while Hisahide's attitude had traces of Nanban culture in her. One folded legs, one crossed; one elegant swipes of the chopstick, one firm and steady mix of spoon and finger pinches. They finished at about the same time anyway, marking the real start of their discussion.
In fact, today, they were supposed to speak about how they should independently move in addition to Nobunaga's decisions, each eager to secure more credits to themselves to bolster their positions internally. This was of particular importance to Hisahide, since Mitsuhide and their lord were practically siblings already with how close they were… along with loving the same man. No spell Hisahide could conjure could compete with that bond.
"Alright, who made you drive away the Ashikagas from Kyoto? Was it an imperial mandate?" Now relaxed, Mitsuhide switched to a more casual tone. "I understand if you're sworn to secrecy, so take your time."
"Ufufu, it's nothing that serious. The brother was beginning to become a pain in the ass – a powerful shogun, yes, with solid backing… but he's going to cause disasters one after another if he's left alone for longer," the tanned woman explained. "His sister is far more personally annoying… That's why I gave Yoshimoto-san her information first, so that brat can be taken care of faster."
"Wow, you're evil…" Mitsuhide half-heartedly chided. "I don't know them personally, so I'll trust your account, since you've watched them close over these past few years."
"Hmph! Close? More like if my army wasn't there, Heika would've been forced to mobilize the Imperial Guards! That's how bad it was!" Hisahide complained.
Mitsuhide sat straighter up. "I… didn't know it was to that extent."
The white-haired woman hummed. "Anyway, unless Yoshimoto-san blundered, they shouldn't be a problem to us. I think there's some movements from Muramasa-san's side, too, to back her up. I'm not sure you're privy to this, but hey, now you know."
"Yes, I'm aware of that. Also, I think it's best for us not too pry too deeply into such matters," Mitsuhide concluded. "Don't want Goemon-chan grilling us, after all."
Hisahide laughed. "Ahahah! Well, isn't that a scene I can look forward to watching…?" Summoning the earlier spiders to clean up their table, she continued, "The more pressing matter… is the Azai-Asakura alliance."
Mitsuhide stopped her with a palm gesture. "I only wish to know… whether what you know places Oichi and Chacha-chan in danger or not. Tell me that first."
"…yes," Hisahide answered after taking a second to consider. "I don't think Nagamasa is strong enough… not against Yoshikage."
The mention of the two 'male' heirs of the respective clans made Mitsuhide frown. The two of them knew of Nagamasa's real gender… but the other person, to put it mildly, was plainly insane. Extremely chauvinistic, racist, and selfish, he was the sort of nobles whom the Minamoto Clan purged to the last child a few generations ago. Only the current political climate, with various small wars exploding across the country, did the imperial family chose to prioritize acting against foreign interests who loved to fish in troubled waters.
"Then, I'll count on you to plan a safe exit for them, preferably with me in it," Mitsuhide growled, unable to stomach the thought of another one of Nobunaga's siblings dying without her being able to do anything. As the last visage of Kohaku appeared in her mind, her Od spiked, nearly tearing this dimensional space apart. "Of course, if you can deal with the political impact afterwards, I'll be grateful to you."
"Alright, alright! Just calm down for a bit!" Hisahide clapped her hands, trying to gain back the younger girl's attention, her voice panicking at the uncontrollable tremors assaulting this place. Her spider familiars were similarly running about in fear, huddling together and shivering in a pile of soft, plush fur. "Reign yourself in! Geez…"
It was the suffocating, drowning sensation of the deep ocean, where Genbu supposedly resided in its underwater palace. While similar in habitat to Ming's sea dragons, the Black Tortoise wasn't particularly attributed solely to the [Water] Element, since it historically was able to traverse the lands on its own. People also often forgot it's not just one being, but a tortoise and a snake together in one.
Perhaps that's why Mitsuhide got along so well with Chiyome and vice versa. It extended to Danzō too… somewhat. Surprisingly, the taciturn kunoichi wasn't particularly friendly to most who couldn't decipher her intentions with one glance. For those who couldn't, then Danzō hardly bothered with them, blaming her own faulty communication skills all the while.
"I'll get my army ready. Can you drop me out already? I want to discuss this with Senpai, since you telling me right now meant we're probably almost too late," Mitsuhide decided, scarfing down the rest of the tea and cakes quickly. "I'll count on you to mobilize whatever you can on your end."
"I think I can spare some from the ones sending Yoshimoto-san off," Hisahide exhaled, glad her precious tea kettle was saved. "I don't personally have much more, since most of them have been absorbed into Nobunaga-sama's main army."
The blue-clad girl nodded coolly, before the entire place shimmered and spat them out right outside Muramasa's forging compound.
It's always a nerve-wracking experience when working alongside the master of the house. Not only the pressure of producing perfect product existed, their behaviour and technique would also come under great scrutiny. While Muramasa never explicitly forbade conversing within the forge, both his sisters always frowned upon those who did… hypocritically, apart from themselves, of course. They loved to gossip about whatever's happening around them, though mostly still about bladesmithing techniques.
Still, the redhead himself had enough skill to mesmerize those who watched his back into silence.
This day was slightly different, because of an important guest sitting calmly from the semi-open rafters, looking down on Muramasa while drinking sake in the middle of the day.
"…so, I'll leave Otakemaru to you. I'm off to my cave to sleep," Shuten-dōji casually dropped, yawning at the end. "Oi, little Muramasa, are you listening?"
Since earlier, none of the apprentices, or even Toyo and Tome, dared to make any unnecessary noise out of respect to the great oni. However, Muramasa treated her more like a rambling old woman, continuously working silently and precisely.
"Of course. I'm just thinking of what I should do next."
"Well, no pressure. Even if you don't do much, I'm sure Tamamo won't let her host be harmed in any way," the oni leisurely spoke and burped at the same time, letting an intoxicating fruity smell escape from her enticing lips. Her bare legs dangled seductively from her sitting position, her toes wiggling meaningfully. Of course, doing so while looking down on the master of the house was incredibly rude if it wasn't her doing so. "But I have high hopes from you… and Tomoe, although I haven't heard from her for some time."
"I think Tomoe-sama's deep up north, and it's difficult for us to scry her position due to a dragon's influence. My letters went unread, too," Muramasa calmly replied, watching the colour change of his steel billet through the wispy blue coke flames. "I was hoping to spare some energy to delve deeper into this, because Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi has been reacting strangely whenever I thought of this… but there's still that great evil we have to deal with first."
"Kukuku… As expected of my descendant. Although… I hope Tomoe isn't just playing around. She's easily distracted with you humans' games, after all," Shuten chuckled, before hopping down and improbably landing right on top of the blazing coke pile in the middle of the forge… without burning. "What are you making, anyway? Is it so important you can't talk while facing this Great Ancestor of yours? Where did that cute child who hugged me all the time go, I wonder?"
"He got married, and thus couldn't hug random women anymore," he dryly shot back. "And I'm sure you don't want soot on your skin, Great Ancestor. Kintoki-sama will cry."
"Ohohoho! You've grown up with a smart mouth, I see!" The diminutive woman laughed out loud, observing how he steadily moved the billet from underneath without letting her fall. Her oversized gourd shook noisily, dangling from her back, yet her body remained light and ephemeral, undisturbed by the extreme conditions around her. "I never realized you're familiar with his personality and spirit. Do you have yet another talent I'm not aware of? Hm?"
"It's only a figure of speech, Great Ancestor," Muramasa answered, placing the near-white billet on his anvil and started forging his bevels. Reinforcement and Alteration flowed through his left arm and holding tongs, enabling durable forging while essentially overheating the metal to destruction. "Though yes, I've recently studied the memoirs he left behind, mostly filled with complaints against your esteemed self. Do you not know of it?"
"Pah! Don't believe everything you read! How can someone criticize a cute girl like me, see?" Shuten-dōji bent forward sharply, attempting to look adorable by placing either index fingers on her cheeks. "Now, hurry up with reforging my blade! I can't wait to laze off!"
"I don't think that's a declaration you should make in public, Great Ancestor. Your reputation will crumble. See?" He motionlessly indicated the apprentices and workers around them, all of whom suddenly look busy and serious. The Ippon-Dataras were swinging more furiously than usual, sweating under Shuten-dōji's sudden glare, frightful they'd get eaten like many of their brethren a long time ago. "Also, you know full well a good creation has to mature naturally, and not rushed."
"Sheesh! The older you get, the more annoying you become! Hmph! You sound more and more like that cow of an ancestor!" Shuten-dōji childishly stomped, scattering smouldering embers around, mimicking her unseen relative Ibaraki-dōji. "In any case, I'll borrow an empty room here! Don't get too active at night; I need my beauty sleep!"
"Of course, Great Ancestor."
Her gourd's stopper floated up, allowing its magical content to spill out into a magic circle, with which Shuten-dōji teleported out, too lazy to walk to the living compound mere several dozen leaps away. "Don't forget my pre-slumber snacks!"
With her gone, he finally lifted his gaze up as he returned Shuten-dōji's mangled katana into the flames. "Why are you all frozen? Don't we have requests to fulfil?" He asked calmly, accusing the staring crowd.
Led by Toyo and Tome, those present began their work once again, though clearly the two's conversation still lingered in their minds.
He quietly sighed. While he appreciated the oni's forthrightness, it's not a certainty it wouldn't leak out of this room, deliberately or not. His lovers did their best, but time and time again something unexpected would happen to screw everything up.
In this crucial time, the Azai-Asakura alliance should begin their rebellion. While he's confident now the tripartite to the north wouldn't make any moves anytime soon due to Kagetora's still-weakened condition, this in-law of Nobunaga's was weak to familial pressure and should foolishly joined up with Yoshikage to rebel.
The 'Tamamo' Shuten-dōji mentioned previously was, in fact, merely one of the tails who became Oichi's Guardian Spirit. With most of Amaterasu's power still within Himiko's body, it's still powerful enough to keep that woman safe for a while.
However, he fully intended to nip this rebellion at the bud owing to Yoshikage's dangerous presence. It's not too far out there to consider Otakemaru had laid his hands on the Asakura heir, considering his avatar's, Koshin Kaji, abilities, because the easiest people to manipulate was someone who thought themselves as an arrogant evil genius.
Muramasa was one man, and this Calamity was many. The previous Heroic Vessel had vanquished its real body, but it just kept popping up. He could feel Otakemaru consolidating its power, aiming to become whole once again, but what it's doing to achieve that…
Well, just with Yoshimoto's continued existence, the present had changed considerably. All Muramasa could target were the scums of humanity whose personality and ideals lined up with the yōkai, such as Yoshikage.
"Chiyome, Danzō… are you two here?"
From the shadows, his two beloveds appeared silently, causing the twin sisters to jump in fright.
Greeting them with a smile, he casually declared, "Gather everyone. Let's go to war."