Vol. 1 Chapter 1.4 – Late April, 1565
by PinkPantherFarming is a battle against the earth.
Shizuko recalled her grandfather saying something along those lines once.
A month had passed since she arrived in the village, and naturally, the bulk of her work had consisted of the grueling task of preparing the soil.
However, thanks to her steady efforts in preparing the fields, she had managed to clear enough space to plant sweet corn, pumpkins, tomatoes and sugarcane.
She also turned over the heaps of composting materials once a week and transplanted the growing sweet potato seedlings into the fields one after another.
Even amid such circumstances, Shizuko still longed for a bath, so she had instructed the construction team to mass-produce wooden planks.
However, an opportunity to put those planks to use never seemed to come.
Although she knew it was only to be expected, Shizuko was beginning to feel disheartened.
Around that time, Shizuko happened to be gazing at the cliff towering behind the former village chief’s house when she noticed that a small section of it was damp.
Curious, she went to investigate and discovered a small hole slightly above her own height, roughly two meters from the ground, from which water was trickling out.
At first, she thought it might be groundwater, but when she touched it, she found it strangely warm.
Suspecting that it might be something else, she took her time collecting some of the water, only to discover that it was naturally heated water—in other words, the source of a hot spring.
“F-Fufu… It’s a miracle. Thank you, God!”
There was no time like the present. She immediately gathered the villagers and set them to work.
First, they leveled the ground and created a basin to collect the hot spring water. Then, to increase the amount of hot water flowing out, they adjusted the size of the opening in the cliff.
Watching the hot water gradually accumulate filled Shizuko with an indescribable sense of wonder.
However, it could not be used as it was.
There was little point in bathing in water contaminated with soil and other impurities, so she decided to install a filtration system to purify it.
Although she called it a filtration system, it was an extremely simple contraption consisting of stones, charcoal, river sand and gravel.
Simple as it was, its effectiveness was remarkable. The hot water, which had initially been as black as charcoal, gradually transformed into clear, clean water.
The purified hot water was then channeled through wooden pipes and directed into a building.
Although calling it a house was something of an exaggeration, it was essentially a bathhouse equipped solely with facilities for soaking in hot water.
Incidentally, the former village chief’s house had stood in the way of constructing the bathing facilities, so Shizuko had demolished it without entertaining any objections.
Shizuko would later recount that she would never forget the former village chief’s expression at that moment, when he looked as though he were about to burst into tears.
And at long last, the makeshift bathhouse was completed.
Although it had been a rush construction job, its completion was also thanks to the villagers, who, terrified by Shizuko’s almost demonic intensity, had worked even harder than usual.
“Phewww──── This is the beeeest…”
Shizuko soaked alone in the bathtub, thoroughly savoring her first hot bath in a long time. Naturally, the men’s and women’s baths were separated.
However, the villagers were unfamiliar with the very concept of bathing. Moreover, since they had no idea what they were supposed to do, they refused to go anywhere near the baths.
“A bath really is the source of lifeee.”
There was, of course, no such thing as shampoo or conditioner, but Shizuko was perfectly happy simply being able to take a bath.
‘It looks like this will improve hygiene, too, so that’s another good thing. I’ll have to find some kind of substitute for soap somehow…But seriously, I’m sooo lucky to have found a hot spring!’
With a thoroughly blissful, carefree expression on her face, Shizuko floated lazily in the water.
Little did she know that this very hot spring would eventually drag her into an utterly outrageous predicament.
One month had passed since her arrival in the village.
By then, the villagers’ initial bewilderment had long since vanished and they were planting sweet potato seedlings with practiced hands.
The planting of seeds and seedlings for the other crops—tomatoes, pumpkins, sweet corn, and sugarcane—had also been completed.
All that remained was to weed, cultivate the soil between the rows, and earth up the plants at appropriate intervals, and the crops would be ready for harvest around summer.
Since she expected compost-making and transplanting sweet potato seedlings to remain their main tasks for some time, Shizuko used her spare time to tackle other matters.
The first thing that concerned her was drinking water.
At present, they were using river water, but she would have preferred to have a well if possible.
However, digging a well was extremely labor-intensive, and before anything else, they would have to determine where groundwater could be found.
The hot spring had been a miraculous discovery, but she doubted they would be fortunate enough to find another convenient source of water in the same manner.
‘Well, I guess I’ll take my time looking for one.’
Most of the things that needed to be accomplished during the first month had already been taken care of, so it would be better to give her body some rest for now.
With that in mind, Shizuko had recently been limiting herself to relatively leisurely tasks.
She prepared ridges for planting sweet potato seedlings, pulled out weeds and mixed the composting materials while adding rice bran and straw.
As far as compost was concerned, obtaining horse manure had been a major boon.
Unlike cow dung, horse manure was an excellent material for making compost.
However, unlike cattle, which were essential tools for farmers, horses were scarcely ever raised on pasture during the Sengoku period.
The only horses available in any appreciable capacity were the warhorses owned by daimyo.
That was why, when Shizuko first arrived in the village, she had asked Mori Yoshinari if he would be willing to give her the manure from the horses under his care.
Surprisingly, he had readily agreed and arrangements were made for it to be delivered to the village roughly once a week.
‘I suppose I’ll use the compost in winter…and when we start growing next year’s crops.’
She planned to apply the compost twice. Once during winter, when the soil would become softer and easier to work, and again one week before planting the seeds and seedlings.
Those were the two occasions on which Shizuko intended to make use of the compost.
“Village Chieeef, we’ve finished planting the seedlings!”
“Ah, yes. Good work, everyone!”
While she was lost in thought, the villagers who had been preparing the soil and planting the seedlings returned.
Looking up at the sky, she saw that the sun’s position suggested it was not yet noon. Evidently, their growing familiarity with the work had greatly improved their efficiency.
“We’ve finished planting about eighty percent of what we originally planned. At this rate, I reckon we’ll have everything done by next week.”
“Oh my, the seedlings are multiplying faster than I expected.”
“Is that so? Still, those things are incredible. We cut almost all of them off for seedlings just a week ago, but when I checked today, the darn things had already sprouted new shoots all over the place!”
‘Well, they can even grow in soil covered with volcanic ash, after all.’
“It can’t be helped, then. It’s a little unexpected, but let’s expand the cultivated area. The bigger the harvest, the better.”
“Understood. Well then, I’ll go turn over the soil in those fields over there.”
“Please do!”
With cheerful smiles on their faces, the villagers headed back toward the fields, farming tools in hand.
Seeing tangible results from their work in the fields—even if those results were merely seedlings—must have lifted their spirits.
“Phew…I’d better finish today’s quota too, then hurry up and enjoy a nice bath!”
Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Shizuko resumed her work.
‘There was once a time when I thought I’d finish today’s work and enjoy a nice, warm bath!’
Shizuko desperately wished she could escape reality, but unfortunately, there was no chance of that happening.
The overwhelming presence of the person standing before her mercilessly dragged her consciousness back to reality.
“What is the matter? Were you not going to astonish me?”
The man, who appeared to be around thirty years old, wore a broad, mischievous grin. He was Shizuko’s patron and guardian, a man also known as Oda Nobunaga.
“I’m sorry I got carried away I’m really truly sorry! I humbly beg your forgiveness────!!”
Prostrating herself completely in a formal dogeza, Shizuko entered full-blown groveling mode, trembling violently as she rattled off apologies.
She spoke so quickly that Nobunaga could barely make out what she was saying.
“I am not angry. I am merely telling you to show me results worthy of those grand boasts of yours.”
‘That means you’re angry, doesn’t it──!?’
“I-I’m terribly sorry!”
It had all been a momentary lapse in judgment. The work had been progressing more smoothly than she had anticipated, and she had inadvertently let her guard down.
While looking down over the cultivated fields from an elevated spot, she had absentmindedly muttered aloud,
【If we can keep expanding the farmland at this rate, our miserable food situation will be completely transformed and even Oda-sama will have no choice but to see my village in a new light! Maybe it’ll even become an important territory overnight!】
Ordinarily, there would have been nothing wrong with such an innocent remark to herself. But what was done could not be undone. As luck would have it, Nobunaga himself happened to pass by at precisely the wrong moment and overheard everything.
Only now did Shizuko realize that she should have checked her surroundings before talking to herself.
“Enough of this prostrating. If you continue behaving like that, people will think of me as a man of such petty character that even a little idle boasting is enough to incur my wrath.”
“Y-Yes, my lord! U-Um, I’m truly sorry!”
“Enough. I have already told you that I take no offense. That matter is settled. Now, let us get to the point. Where is this hot spring of yours?”
“Huh? The hot spring?”
Caught off guard by the sudden mention of the hot spring, Shizuko found herself at a loss for words.
“What is this? According to Yoshinari’s report, I heard that you had discovered something called a hot spring…?”
“Ah, yes. We certainly did find a hot spring, but… um…?”
An increasingly ominous premonition began creeping over Shizuko, and she had a vague idea of what Nobunaga was about to say next.
Frankly, she wished he would spare her.
“I find myself curious about this thing called a hot spring. Therefore, you shall guide me to it.”
But reality was merciless.
It is said that Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin of the Sengoku period had recognized the therapeutic benefits of hot springs.
As for whether Oda Nobunaga shared their interest, the most accurate answer would probably be,『We do not know』.
However, his desire to experience a hot spring was essentially the same as admitting that he had never seen one before.
In other words, Oda Nobunaga had no idea what a hot spring was.
That was why he wanted Shizuko to guide him there. And what those words implied was…
‘He wants us to take a mixed bath together──────!’
In other words, he was telling her to get into the bath with him.
The reason Nobunaga had come in the first place was that Shizuko had reported the discovery of the hot spring to Mori Yoshinari.
Although Yoshinari himself had no idea what a hot spring was, he had reported the matter exactly as it was, without allowing his personal feelings to interfere.
An ordinary person would probably have dismissed the report as merely suspicious and left it at that but Nobunaga was an exceptionally inquisitive man.
If something piqued his curiosity and made him want to experience it for himself, it was only natural that he would personally come to investigate.
“What are you doing? Make haste!”
“R-Right away──!!”
Startled by Nobunaga’s angry shout, Shizuko steeled herself and led him toward the bathhouse.
Since they had already been standing near the bathhouse, there was not much walking involved. They reached their destination in a mere five minutes.
“Hoh… What a cramped little place.”
‘What exactly are you comparing it to?’
“U-Um, the men’s bath is on the left as you enter, and the women’s bath is on the right. It is customary for men and women to bathe separately in hot springs, so──────”
“I care not for such customs or formalities. Hurry up and show me inside.”
‘No, no, no, no! Please, wait just a moment!?’
“E-Even if you say that, I fear your retainers would never approve of someone as insignificant as myself accompanying you…”
It was not as though Nobunaga harbored any vulgar desires, such as wanting to share a bath with her.
After all, he did not even know what a hot spring was.
Even supposing he had explicitly demanded to bathe together with her, Nobunaga possessed more than enough authority to have his wishes carried out.
And since Shizuko was under Nobunaga’s protection, she had even less room to refuse.
“Pay it no mind. Besides, even if you intended to harm me, I am not so feeble as to be bested by a mere woman or child.”
‘I figured as much…’
“V-Very well, then. Please come inside.”
Wondering whether one of his retainers might someday cut her down for this, Shizuko opened the bathhouse door.
The items Shizuko had prepared included bathing stools, small hand buckets, washbasins, powdered soapberry fruit to serve as a substitute for soap, bamboo baskets for storing kimono, and yukatabira, lightweight bathing robes to be worn in the bath.
Soapberry fruit contains large quantities of saponin, a naturally occurring surfactant.
By drying the fruit and grinding it into powder, it could be used quite effectively as a substitute for soap.
Furthermore, saponin is toxic to living creatures, so birds and insects avoid eating the fruit.
Consequently, soapberry trees could be cultivated entirely naturally, without the need for pesticides or fertilizers. There was also no need to hurry when harvesting their fruit.
In Japan’s climate, except for particularly cold regions such as Niigata, the trees commonly grow in sunny, moist mountain areas.
Indeed, when Shizuko made a circuit of the surrounding mountains, she found soapberry trees growing practically everywhere.
‘Good thing I remembered that eco-friendly tip.’
Shizuko recalled reading an article in an environmentally themed magazine explaining that soapberry fruit could be dried and ground into powder to produce a natural soap.
However, she had only managed to obtain a small quantity of the fruit, so she would have to make do with what she had until this year’s harvest season.
Considering that the usual harvesting season did not begin until November, she was fortunate to have obtained even a small amount at this time of year, in early spring.
‘Well, I guess I’ll just have to put up with it. I’m going to harvest a whole bunch this year!’
With that determination burning in her heart, Shizuko accompanied Nobunaga into the men’s bathing area.
However, there was one thing she had forgotten.
To begin with, during the Sengoku period, baths in which people immersed their entire bodies in hot water did not exist. The standard form of bathing was a steam bath—in other words, something akin to a sauna.
Even then, such bathing facilities were generally available only to high-ranking military commanders and provincial lords, such as Oda Nobunaga.
Although Shizuko had happened upon a natural hot spring by sheer coincidence, a facility like this would ordinarily have required vast quantities of firewood, not to mention considerable time and effort. It could truly be described as the height of luxury.
Among the warlords of the Sengoku period, there existed customs known as『furo eshaku』(bath hospitality) and『furumai-buro』(hospitality baths), in which guests and retainers were entertained with bathing facilities. However, these, too, were steam baths.
Thus, even if Shizuko called a bath equipped with a large tub filled with hot water a『hot spring』there was no way Nobunaga would have understood what she meant.
Even so, the bathing arrangements of the warrior class could still be considered relatively fortunate.
That was because the bathing conditions of peasants and lower-ranking warriors were even more miserable.
Having access to a steam bath was nothing more than a distant dream for them, and their usual method of bathing was『gyozui』(washing oneself by pouring water over the body).
It was not until the Edo period that baths consisting of tubs filled with hot water became widespread.
Even then, this was largely confined to Edo itself. In the provinces, going several days without bathing was perfectly ordinary.
Although Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin were known to possess secluded hot springs, referred to as 『kakushi-yu』(hidden hot springs), which served as places for therapeutic bathing, access to them was restricted to a select few, such as their close retainers and favored guests.
In other words, considering the circumstances of the era, the fact that Shizuko had constructed a communal bathhouse open to anyone, using water heated by an unknown source (since she had no means of investigating it), was actually something that should have been unthinkable.
“Hoh…”
Upon seeing the large bathtub in the center of the slightly steam-filled room, spacious enough to comfortably accommodate five people, Nobunaga let out a breath of admiration.
“What heavenly bliss…”
With all the tension drained from his body, Nobunaga relaxed in the hot spring, immersing himself up to his shoulders and thoroughly enjoying the experience.
Shizuko, on the other hand, lay sprawled face down on the floor, utterly exhausted.
‘I-I’m exhausted… I never imagined I’d end up having to wash his entire body…’
Perhaps excited by the sight of the bathtub filled with such an enormous amount of hot water, Nobunaga stripped off his clothes and immediately attempted to climb in.
However, entering the bathtub without washing oneself first would cause dirt and grime to float on the surface, making the water filthy.
Shizuko therefore somehow managed to stop Nobunaga, who was about to immerse himself in the water completely naked and explained why he needed to wash his body first.
Surprisingly, Nobunaga readily accepted her explanation and seated himself on the bathing stool Shizuko had prepared.
Momentarily taken aback, Shizuko quickly regained her composure and placed Nobunaga’s clothes in a basket.
She then proceeded to wash him, starting with his hair, followed by his face, and finally his body.
‘Still…Considering that physical training is one of his hobbies, he really does have an incredible physique.’
From the perspective of Shizuko, a modern-day woman, Nobunaga’s body was practically a mass of muscle from head to toe, to the point where she thought he might have trained himself excessively.
She even found herself entertaining the rather inappropriate thought of just how strong his grip might be.
‘I remember hearing that he kept his residence exceptionally clean…And his body wasn’t particularly dirty, either. Maybe Nobunaga is surprisingly particular about cleanliness.’
“This is a good opportunity… There is something I must ask you.”
‘I’ve also heard that he enjoys sumo wrestling, so I suppose it makes sense that he’s so physically capable.’
“Ah, yes. What would you like to ask?”
While Shizuko was lost in thought, Nobunaga suddenly addressed her.
Although Shizuko was slightly startled by the sudden question, Nobunaga showed no concern for her reaction. Instead, he quietly spoke with an imposing expression.
“Perhaps it is time you confessed just who you really are.”
“…Um, I don’t suppose I have the right to remain silent… do I…?”
“If you refuse, then so be it. I shall simply cut you down.”
Nobunaga answered Shizuko’s timid question without a moment’s hesitation.
Faced with such an unmistakable threat, one that was clearly no joke, Shizuko immediately fell into a panic.
‘W-What should I do!? If I tell him I came from the future, he’ll just think I’m some kind of lunatic… For now, Nanban! I’ll tell him I came from Nanban!’
“N-Nanban! That’s right, I came from Nanban!”
“Hoh. How old were you when you left Nanban?”
“U-Um… thirteen…?”
The moment Shizuko blurted out her answer in desperation, Nobunaga’s eyes narrowed slightly.
His demeanor made it painfully obvious that he was suspicious of her, even without him saying a word.
Shizuko wanted to come up with some excuse, but she had no means of proving anything she might say.
Realizing that any further explanation would only dig her into a deeper hole, she had no choice but to remain silent.
“…Very well. I care not where you come from, so long as you bring me benefits. As I told you from the beginning, the day you leave my service shall be the day you die.”
“Y-Yes, my lord.”
‘That sounds an awful lot like he’s saying he’ll cut me down if I betray him.’
Shizuko’s interpretation was correct. In fact, Nobunaga had meant precisely that when he first made the declaration. Unfortunately, at the time, she had been too overwhelmed to grasp its true meaning.
“You shall demonstrate your talents to me. That is what you must do.”
“U-Understood, my lord.”
“That concludes our discussion. Still, this hot spring is truly magnificent. I shall consider whether it might be used as a reward for meritorious service.”
“Ahh, you sound just like Takeda Taro Harunobu.”
Shizuko muttered casually as she tidied up the bathing implements she had brought with her.
“…Takeda Taro Harunobu… you say…?”
Nobunaga’s voice was quiet yet it carried an intensity that seemed almost murderous.
“That’s right! He developed places for therapeutic bathing, calling them hidden hot springs and all that. He also used them to let his subordinates enjoy the baths, so I thought it sounded rather similar. Oh, wait, isn’t he Takeda Tokueiken Shingen now? I think he entered the priesthood and changed his name a little while ago…?”
The more Shizuko spoke, the more the veins on Nobunaga’s forehead began to bulge.
With her back turned to Nobunaga as she put away the bathing implements, Shizuko had absolutely no idea just how important and dangerous the information she was casually revealing actually was.
Perhaps the lethargy brought on by exhaustion had dulled that all-important sense of danger.
“…Silence…”
Of course, even if she had regained her sense of danger now, it would already have been too late.
“Hm? Did you just say some… thing…?”
Holding a bucket and a bathing stool in her arms, Shizuko stood up and casually turned her head toward Nobunaga.
The instant she saw his face, the bucket and stool slipped from her hands.
Clatter, clatter!
The dry clattering sounds echoed through the room.
However, Shizuko was in no state of mind to concern herself with such trivial matters.
After all, Nobunaga was staring directly at her, practically radiating murderous intent. Expecting her to remain composed under such circumstances would have been unreasonable.
“Are you a spy for the Takeda?”
Shizuko vigorously shook her head.
“Then are you a spy for the Shogun?”
She shook her head again.
“A spy from Nanban?”
No matter what he asked, all Shizuko could do was shake her head.
After all, once someone was mistaken for a kanja (a spy, in modern terms), the best they could hope for was exile to a remote island.
Under ordinary circumstances, beheading would be the most likely outcome.
‘Come to think of it, Takeda Shingen’s therapeutic hot springs were supposed to be classified information in this era!’
In the time Shizuko came from, in the distant future, information about Takeda Shingen could be obtained with little effort.
However, the Sengoku period was an age when spies would risk their very lives to obtain even the simplest piece of information, such as who was staying where.
For someone like Shizuko to casually blurt out information that could be considered among the most closely guarded secrets of such an era was practically begging to be regarded with suspicion.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I am a man who keeps his promises. So long as you do not betray me, I shall have no reason to cut you down.”
“H-Haha…”
At this point, all Shizuko could do was laugh. Her face twisted into a strained expression as she let out a dry, hollow chuckle.
She had a vague feeling that her yukatabira was slipping off her shoulder.
“However, I must question you once more. You shall prepare to depart immediately.”
“…Huh?”
“We are returning to the castle.”
Nobunaga delivered this announcement as though it were the most natural thing in the world, while Shizuko stood frozen before him, wearing a thoroughly dumbfounded expression.
Apparently, Nobunaga was the first person to begin residing in a castle during the Sengoku period.
Shizuko’s current predicament was so dreadful for her stomach that she found herself wanting to escape reality by recalling such utterly trivial bits of historical knowledge.
‘I feel like I’m going to get a hole in my stomach…’
Shizuko stole a glance to her left. Oda Nobunaga’s retainers were lined up there.
Apart from Mori Yoshinari, everyone was either looking at Shizuko with suspicion or regarding her as though she were some dubious character.
It was hardly surprising. They had been summoned without warning, only to arrive and find a lone woman sitting there.
No wonder they were suspicious of her.
“Raise your head.”
‘M-My legs are going numb…’
“Yes, my lord.”
Abandoning her dogeza posture, Shizuko raised her head as Nobunaga commanded.
For a brief instant, her eyes met Nobunaga’s stern gaze, which was so fierce that it seemed as though veins might be bulging on his forehead.
She instinctively averted her eyes but anyone would have done the same upon seeing Nobunaga in his present state.
As proof of that, even his retainers had subtly turned their faces away.
“Shizuko, tell me about Takeda Tokueiken Shingen.”
“Pardon?”
Tilting her head at the unexpected question, Shizuko began recalling everything she knew about Takeda Shingen.
Ordinarily, a person would know little more than his name.
However, Shizuko was fond not only of agriculture but also of history and geography.
Although she had never been able to read particularly rare historical texts, she had read the majority of the historical materials available to her.
She was especially fond of the period spanning the late Muromachi era through the Edo period, and could recite most of the major historical events that had occurred during those years from memory.
“Ahem! Takeda Tokueiken Shingen was the legitimate eldest son of Takeda Nobutora, the eighteenth head of the Takeda clan descended from the Kai Genji, a family that had served as the hereditary shugo (provincial military governors) of Kai Province for generations. He was the nineteenth head of the Kai Takeda clan. His imina (personal name) was Harunobu, while his common name was Taro. Tokueiken Shingen was the Buddhist name he adopted after entering the priesthood.”
As Shizuko fluently recited information about Takeda Shingen, the expressions of Mori Yoshinari and the other retainers grew increasingly tense.
Shizuko, however, was secretly delighted to have an opportunity to talk about her beloved history for the first time in ages.
Consequently, she failed to notice their expressions entirely. Rather, she was already halfway immersed in her own little world.
“While engaging in a series of conflicts with Nagao Kagetora (Uesugi Kenshin) of Echigo Province during the Battles of Kawanakajima, he brought nearly all of Shinano under his control and subsequently expanded his dominion over numerous territories. He also minted Koshukin (Goishikin), a form of gold coinage. These were the first gold coins produced in this country. His active adoption of excavation and refining techniques introduced from Nanban, which enabled him to produce enormous quantities of gold that were subsequently allocated to flood-control projects and military expenditures, is particularly famous.”
‘Like hell they know any of that!’
“Using his authority as a daimyo, he undertook flood-control projects and vigorously promoted the development of new rice paddies on floodplains. A representative example was the construction of the embankment known as the Shingen-zutsumi at Ryuo, where the Midai River and Kamanashi River converge. This project was carried out alongside the development of the Kofu castle town, altering the rivers’ courses and reclaiming land for cultivation. The flood-control works took nineteen years to complete.”
“…That is enough.”
Nobunaga spoke quietly, his voice carrying an overwhelming authority that permitted no argument.
Shizuko felt somewhat dissatisfied at having her historical lecture interrupted but the moment she looked at Nobunaga, that feeling vanished like mist.
She had the distinct impression that saying anything unnecessary might result in her being cleaved clean in two.
“…”
Nobunaga quietly closed his eyes and began tapping out a rhythm with the folding fan in his hand.
Ton-ton, ton-ton.
Only the faint tapping sounds echoed through the room.
“You know far too much. An ordinary man would judge you as a danger and have you cut down.”
At that instant, an unpleasant amount of cold sweat streamed down Shizuko’s back.
Seeing the tense expression on her face, Nobunaga broke into a fearless grin. Pointing his folding fan at her, he continued.
“But that is precisely what makes you interesting. Rest assured, Shizuko. I have yet to ascertain the full extent of your talents. Therefore, I shall not take any action against you for the time being.”
“…Haaa.”
For the time being, Shizuko breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that she would not be cut down on the spot.
However, this merely meant that the decision had been postponed. If she failed, her fate would still be the same.
“However, Oyakata-sama, this person is far too dangerous. She may be a spy seeking to get close to you.”
Just as Shizuko was placing a hand over her chest in relief, one of Nobunaga’s retainers suddenly stepped forward to offer his counsel.
“Saru, there is no need for concern. Even if Shizuko is a spy, my Yoshimoto Samonji will suffice.”
The man Nobunaga had addressed as Saru turned toward Shizuko with a piercing glare but Nobunaga responded to his admonition with complete confidence. His retainers felt both reassured and invigorated by their lord’s commanding spirit and utter disregard for danger.
‘Saru… Toyotomi Hideyoshi!?’
Shizuko panicked for a moment but quickly remembered that Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the name he adopted after becoming the ruler of the realm. During his years as Nobunaga’s retainer, he would have been known as either Kinoshita Tokichiro Hideyoshi or Hashiba Hideyoshi.
‘They haven’t even conquered Mino yet, so he must still be Kinoshita Tokichiro Hideyoshi. Still, his face isn’t nearly as monkey-like as the stories make it sound.’
Harboring such rather disrespectful thoughts, Shizuko turned her gaze toward Hideyoshi.
Noticing her stare, Hideyoshi looked back at her with an irritated expression.
“What is it? Is there something on my face? Or do you intend to offer me some excuse claiming that you are not a spy?”
“It’s not like I’m like my older sister. There’s no way I’d be a spy…”
“Huh? A supai?”
‘Oh no, I said that out loud!’
“No, it is nothing.”
‘I really need to stop making unnecessary remarks.’
With that thought in mind, Shizuko decided that her best course of action was to keep her head bowed and remain silent.
‘This is the Sengoku period, after all. Proving my identity is practically impossible. Saying anything that might invite unnecessary suspicion is dangerous.’
Shizuko’s knowledge, after all, consisted entirely of information handed down to later generations.
It was not information that people living through the Sengoku period would necessarily have known at the time.
Since she had no way of knowing what constituted classified information or where enemy spies might be lurking, the less she said, the better.
“There is no problem whatsoever. If she possesses talent, I shall make use of her. If she has none, I shall cut her down. That settles the matter.”
“Yes, my lord…”
Hideyoshi still appeared to have something more to say but upon hearing Nobunaga’s declaration, he withdrew, albeit with a dissatisfied expression.
The other commanders reacted similarly, with only Mori Yoshinari casting a worried glance toward Shizuko.
“Ah, that’s right! I had a gift I wished to present to Oyakata-sama.”
Although Shizuko had been feeling the prickling sensation of everyone’s gazes upon her, she suddenly remembered something.
“Hoh…”
Wearing an expression that suggested he was testing her, Nobunaga murmured those words and lightly clapped his hands.
The entrance was opened and a young page entered carrying the offering on a tray, which he brought before Nobunaga.
The instant Nobunaga saw it, one of his eyebrows twitched.
“What is this…? I have never seen such an object before.”
The surrounding commanders also began murmuring among themselves at the sight of the offering.
And understandably so, for the object presented before them was something none of them had ever seen.
‘Good thing I brought my atlas of Japan!’
The gift Shizuko had presented was a book of maps, something that could be purchased quite ordinarily in the modern era.
Moreover, the particular volume she had brought was a thick reference book of the sort used by specialists.
Although agriculture and other primary industries were practically second nature to Shizuko, she naturally had other hobbies as well.
Those hobbies were history and geography.
Whenever she had free time, she would immerse herself in history books and geographical reference materials.
Consequently, she was extremely knowledgeable about history, and it was perfectly normal for her to have maps of Japan or the world tucked away in her bag.
As it happened, on the very day she had traveled back in time to the Sengoku period, she had been carrying her atlas of Japan.
‘Even during the Edo period, maps were treated as state secrets and were prohibited from being taken out of the country. In the Sengoku period, they should be considered even more valuable. The courses of the rivers may have changed because of flood-control projects, but the distances and directions should still be accurate.’
“Shizuko, what is this? Explain yourself.”
Nobunaga asked while pointing his folding fan toward the atlas of Japan.
He appeared somewhat wary of the object but his curiosity was clearly stronger than his apprehension.
Shizuko nodded once before moving directly in front of Nobunaga.
The only thing separating them was the atlas of Japan.
“Allow me to explain.”
With those words, Shizuko opened the atlas.
Nobunaga watched with great interest as Shizuko opened the book.
After all, bookbinding technology of this kind did not exist during the Sengoku period. Even the better-made books of the time were little more than sheets of washi paper bound together with string.
Scrolls and wooden writing tablets were the usual standard. A book with pages bound together using adhesive was something they had likely neither seen nor even heard of.
However, what astonished Nobunaga most of all was the fact that the book was printed in full color.
The vividly colored pages, unlike anything he had ever seen before, were more than enough to arouse his curiosity.
‘I need to make sure I can get him to give me some salt in exchange for this atlas…’
But Shizuko had yet to realize something.
By making Nobunaga regard her as someone indispensable, she had created a small ripple in the vast current of history.
A small ripple, indeed, but one that would slowly grow into waves and spread ever outward.
[Saponins are bitter, plant-derived chemical compounds that create a soap-like foam when mixed with water]
[AKA:Takeda Shingen.
武田 (Takeda) — Family name.
太郎 (Taro) — Traditional name or designation.
晴信 (Harunobu) — His original adult personal name.
信玄 (Shingen) — His Buddhist name, adopted after entering the priesthood.]
[Takeda Tokueiken Shingen name is religious Dharma name adopted by Takeda Shingen]
[Yukatabira is the historical Heian period hemp robe that evolved into the modern yukata, originally worn by aristocrats for steam baths.]
[Koshukin (甲州金), sometimes alternatively referred to in its early unrefined form as Goishikin (碁石金), refers to Japan’s first systematic regional gold currency system minted and circulated in Kai Province (modern-day Yamanashi Prefecture)]
[Shingen-zutsumi (信玄堤 / しんげんづつみ) Literally, “Shingen Embankment” or “Shingen Levee.”]
[Yoshimoto Samonji (義元左文字 / よしもとさもんじ) is a famous Japanese sword associated with Oda Nobunaga. It is also known as Sōza Samonji (宗三左文字). The sword originally belonged to Miyoshi Masanaga and eventually came into the possession of Imagawa Yoshimoto. Following Yoshimoto’s defeat at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, Nobunaga claimed it as a war trophy]
1. Kinoshita Tokichiro Hideyoshi (木下藤吉郎秀吉)
木下 (Kinoshita) — Family name.
藤吉郎 (Tokichiro) — Common name (tsusho).
秀吉 (Hideyoshi) — Adult personal name (imina).
2. Hashiba Hideyoshi (羽柴秀吉)
– 羽柴 (Hashiba) — His newly adopted family name.
– 秀吉 (Hideyoshi) — His personal name.]
[Washi paper is a traditional handmade paper from Japan]