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Early June, 1573.
In late May, a historic event signaling the end of the Sengoku period began at Gifu Castle in Mino. Uesugi Kenshin, who can be considered one of the representative daimyo of the Sengoku period, paid his respects at Gifu Castle, the residence of Nobunaga. With this, Echigo was incorporated into Nobunaga’s domain. However, this did not just mean the fall of one province. If one wanted to go to the eastern provinces from Mino, they had to pass through Nobunaga’s territory, making it impossible to go to Kyoto. The three provinces of Oda, Tokugawa, and Uesugi effectively closed off the road to the western provinces. This fact brought the advantage to Nobunaga of being able to mobilize fewer troops against the eastern provinces and focus on the issue of the western provinces. On the other hand, the Ikko sect in Etchu and Echizen, which had been divided in power, found themselves in a desperate situation. Their land supply routes were cut off, and they were forced to face the two-front strategy of Oda and Uesugi. The Ikko sect, which was inferior in military strength, had no chance of winning even if they stood on their heads.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of trying to adapt to the sudden change in the power balance of the surrounding countries, Shizuko, one of the culprits, was busy with other matters.
“How did it come to this?”
Shizuko couldn’t understand what had happened to lead to the current situation. It was as planned until Uesugi Kenshin visited Nobunaga and submitted to him. The problem was what happened afterwards.
“How did our housewarming party suddenly turn into a welcoming banquet for the Uesugi family?”
Shizuko complained to herself. Although their new house was completed, they hadn’t had a housewarming party, so she had planned to invite family members and have a private celebration. She could have accepted it if only Lord Nobunaga and his ally Ieyasu had attended. But she was shocked to learn that Uesugi Kenshin would also be attending the celebration. Shizuko had a fundamental question of whether it was appropriate to celebrate the Uesugi family’s submission.
“From now on, we will also become Shizuko-sama’s family. There should be no dissatisfaction with family celebrations.”
However, Kenshin himself didn’t seem to care at all and, on the contrary, showed great interest in the design of Shizuko’s residence as he participated in the celebration.
“This is the style of Owari… There are clever designs everywhere.”
“My lord, after a short stay, I have come to understand, but the fusion of old and new architectural styles is splendid! Please take a look at this.”
“Thank you for inviting me today. This is truly a magnificent mansion, Shizuko-sama.”
“Oh my, oh my, Shizuko-sama, this is a very splendid palace. I hope to have a residence like this someday.”
“Hahaha, well done, well done! With so many joyful events happening, our future looks bright.”
After that, even people who Shizuko didn’t remember inviting started to arrive one after another. With the defeat of Takeda and the submission of Uesugi, the immediate threat was gone, so the senior retainers of the Oda family could attend the housewarming party without hesitation. The unexpectedly large crowd tested the capacity of the venue, but miraculously, all the participants were accommodated. However, due to the abnormally high population density, it was impossible to know who was where except for the area near the head table.
“I guess it doesn’t have to be my housewarming party anymore.”
While muttering such things, Shizuko put the finishing touches on the dessert she had prepared for this day. It was a strawberry shortcake, so to speak. Although it was called a strawberry, it was not the Dutch strawberries that are common today, but the wild Fragaria vesca that has been growing in Japan since ancient times. Fragaria vesca is a larger variety of Fragaria vesca, and although it is not as sweet as modern varieties, it has a strong sweetness. Unlike modern varieties, it has a slightly assertive acidity, but if processed into jam, it becomes less noticeable. This time, to reduce the acidity, she coated it with syrup and cooked it slightly.
By the way, the layered cake with sponge cake and cream, topped with fruits such as strawberries, is originated in Japan. In English-speaking countries, it is called a layer (or layered) cake, and there are similar cakes. However, the used cake is not sponge cake, but a firm-textured biscuit, and the characteristic is to use cream and fruits as fillings. Therefore, the strawberry shortcake that has become a staple for birthdays and Christmas in Japan is unique to Japan.
“Hmm, cakes are really good. They make you gain weight if you eat too much… Well, my exercise level is different from before, so maybe one more piece will be okay… maybe.”
Shizuko thought about having one more piece, but she imagined herself getting rounder and restrained herself. She placed a large plate with several slices of shortcake on a tray and instructed a maid to take it to Nohime.
After that, Shizuko went to the main seat where Nobunaga was, calling out to Nohime and the others who were enjoying the housewarming party in another room. She briefly thought about why she was working so hard in front of her lord, but then realized that while she was absent, Nobunaga and the others had been taking care of the political affairs.
“Let’s drink and eat and make merry today, everyone.”
After Nobunaga made his opening remarks, the housewarming party at Shizuko’s residence began.
If you were to describe the people from Echigo that Shizuko saw for the first time in one word, it would be that they had no reservations when it came to alcohol. The consumption of sake barrels was visibly different between the tables with people from Echigo and those without. Even though they were said to be drinking at a terrifying pace, they were all like snakes that didn’t get drunk. Nobunaga and Ieyasu were also amazed at the renowned drinking prowess of the people from Echigo that lived up to the rumors.
(My alcohol ban is still in effect… but well…)
As sake was continuously drawn from the barrels and carried away in sake pitchers, Shizuko watched and thought about the burden placed on her shoulders. She had prepared a large amount of sake just in case and had also bought a large amount from the liquor store, but it seemed that there would be no leftovers. The Tokugawa forces, who were still not accustomed to sake, consumed it at a leisurely pace. Although sake from Owari and Mino was now available in Mikawa and Totomi as well, it had not yet fully permeated their daily lives. Nobunaga, as usual, drank at his own pace. As he was known to be a light drinker, he didn’t require a large amount of sake. Rather, he had a tendency to prefer sweets over alcohol.
(This casual private party has turned into quite a grand feast…)
As the host, Shizuko sat at the head table along with Nobunaga. Looking around, she saw Nobunaga, Ieyasu, Konoe Sakihisa, and Uesugi Kenshin, all of whom were distinguished figures, so she couldn’t relax at all. Furthermore, she would need to meet with Nohime and the others later.
(I feel heavy…)
If the party continued without any relaxation, even Shizuko couldn’t help but feel down. However, as the host, it was unthinkable for her to not participate in the celebration, so she eventually reached a state of resignation.
“I apologize. I have some business to attend to, so I will take my leave.”
Shizuko thought it was about time and informed Nobunaga that she would be leaving her seat. Understanding that it was about Nohime and the others, Nobunaga lightly tapped Shizuko’s head and said.
“I’ll pick up the pieces for you.”
“No, I’m not going to die.”
“Even for someone as unpredictable as you, who can’t be dealt with easily, it’s not surprising that things won’t end well when alcohol is involved.”
Upon hearing Nobunaga’s words, Shizuko almost nodded in agreement. However, she couldn’t affirm her own shortcomings in front of her lord, so she quickly adjusted her attitude. After deeply bowing, Shizuko quietly left the banquet hall. At this point, the banquet was in full swing, and the venue was filled with drunken people. Even if Shizuko had made a noticeable exit, few would have paid attention.
“Phew… I’m tired.”
Shizuko let out a sigh as she moved to a place a little away from the banquet hall. As she walked, massaging her shoulders, Aya appeared from around the corner. When she noticed Shizuko, she approached her quietly. Shizuko instantly understood that there was something Aya didn’t want others to know, so she invited her to a nearby room and entered first. After a short pause, Aya also entered the room, following Shizuko.
“We have captured a spy from the Sanada clan who had infiltrated our territory. However, strangely enough, the spy asked me to deliver this letter to you, Shizuko-sama…”
“They managed to infiltrate quite well… Well, it’s probably because of the current situation. There’s no better time for outsiders to enter.”
Shizuko realized that her own strategy had been used against her. People from Oda, Tokugawa, and Uesugi had gathered in one place. While she could keep track of the invited guests, it was impossible to keep track of each and every attendant.
“However, we couldn’t deceive them with the ’empty guard’ strategy. We tried to dispose of them secretly, but when we heard that they had information from Sanada, we decided to tie them up and lock them in a cell.”
“Now, there are more people in this mansion than the animals that claim this territory. Well, there are enough crows to be considered ’empty guards’ though.”
Wittman and Shirogane, among others, were animals that claimed Shizuko’s residence as their territory. However, there were also other animals that considered the same space as their territory. The most numerous were the crow family. The exact number was unknown, but nearly a hundred crows made Shizuko’s residence their stronghold. As scavengers, the crows took care of the disposal of household waste from Shizuko’s residence.
As a result, if a spy tried to infiltrate Shizuko’s residence, they would be recognized as enemies trying to steal their food, and the crows would attack them. It was a natural countermeasure against spies that could be achieved simply by disposing of household waste in the designated area.
“Hmm… Hmm…”,Shizuko received a letter from Sanada through Aya, and she checked the contents of the letter. As she read further, Shizuko’s face became stern, and naturally, Aya’s tension also increased.
“This is troublesome.”
“What was written in the letter?”
“In simple terms, it’s a family dispute. Muto Kihei, who was sent back, took over the Sanada family, but he is having a dispute with those who do not accept his decision to betray Takeda and join Oda. Furthermore, he is being held responsible for retreating from the army before the withdrawal order during the battle. The Takeda spies are in a similar situation.”
The letter described the situation of the Takeda family and the Sanada family. First, Muto Kihei officially took over the Sanada family and started calling himself Sanada Masayuki. However, as soon as he took over the Sanada family, he was held responsible for retreating the troops before Shingen’s withdrawal order during the Battle of Mikatagahara. To put it bluntly, instead of being held responsible, he was ordered to confiscate his territory as a demonstration to compensate for the losses of the defeat. It is not difficult to imagine the situation where Masayuki and the entire Sanada family are being looked down upon.
The Takeda spies were also used as a demonstration. Katsuyori described the Takeda spies, who Shingen had painstakingly built, as a “despicable group of people.” And he held them responsible for not being able to gather information from the Oda side during the Battle of Mikatagahara.
As a result, the Takeda’s network of spies suffered a devastating blow. Later, Katsuyori’s embarrassing mistakes would be repeatedly brought up, but in the Sengoku period, spies were generally underestimated. However, even so, it is demoralizing to have the information gathered at the risk of one’s life discarded without even being examined. The reason why the former Takeda spies came under the command of the Sanada family after Shingen’s death was because the newly formed Sanada valued information and did not treat the spies as disposable pawns.
“A demonstration… is it?”
“To put it simply, they maintained their appearance by assigning the entire organization’s problems to specific individuals. It can compensate for the losses. In that situation, even if Sanada didn’t retreat, there was no chance of winning… well, it’s just an excuse.”
“That’s like eating your own hands and surviving hunger, but without hands, you can’t cultivate the fields…”
“That’s right. Takeda didn’t want to admit that they lost as an organization. Moreover, they blamed a few cowards for dragging them down. It’s a good trend for us, but an organization that doesn’t hold responsible those who don’t take responsibility will eventually collapse.”
Now, Shizuko pondered with her hand on her chin. History has already deviated from known facts. It is not certain that the various factions will act according to the known historical facts from now on. That’s why Shizuko wanted Masayuki Sanada to return as soon as possible. She believed that information would be more important than anything else from now on.
“Keep the spies in prison for a while. If they are moved recklessly and more people come to know about the information, they will surely be eliminated. To avoid that, it is better to keep them in prison and release them at a later date.”
“Understood. I have already ordered to keep the spies confidential, and if by any chance it is revealed, we will say that they are still gathering information.”
“Good. Information will be crucial in the battles to come. We must gather even more information than before, and for that, we will need many skilled spies.”
With that, the conversation ended, and Shizuko stood up as if to say so.
Nohime played with her hair and muttered, “Is Shizuko still not here?” The maids straightened their backs and answered, “She has not yet arrived.” Nohime sighed and dismissed the maids.
“Nohime-sama, Shizuko must have been caught by Lord Nobunaga. It will take some time for her to return.”
Ichi tried to appease Nohime, but it had little effect on her.
“Lord Nobunaga is pushing Shizuko too hard. It’s supposed to be a celebration, so he should let her relax… Right, Ichi?”
“I cannot understand Lord Nobunaga’s thoughts. That’s why I wonder why he created such a situation.”
“Lord’s thoughts may seem difficult to understand, but they are straightforward. He is probably showing off Shizuko’s influence, both externally and internally.”
As she spoke, Nohime picked up a sweet from a plate in front of her. It seemed that Nohime was slightly irritated to Ichi.
“However, that reasoning only applies to a male-dominated society. In a female society, a woman is considered complete when she marries and bears children, manages the household, and raises the legitimate heir. From that perspective, Shizuko has not fulfilled any obligations, she is just a burden.”
“Certainly, Shizuko has a house but no husband or children. However, that is because she has devoted herself to Lord Nobunaga’s cause, the unification of the land. The fact that our lives have become prosperous and the Oda family has maintained its power is the result of Shizuko’s efforts.”
“Ichi, sadly, not everyone is as understanding as you. There are plenty of people who criticize her for not fulfilling her duties as a woman, even if she accomplishes great things. Especially those who confine themselves to the narrow world of their own families and consider raising their children as their only pride, they are nothing but useless fools.”
Nohime, who rarely showed her emotions, openly cursed, and Ichi was secretly surprised. But if she thought about it, it was because Nohime trusted her that she could speak like that.
As Nohime mentioned, in the deepest part of the Warring States period’s warrior society, the female society, there were clear obligations. Although closely related to the male society, in a society isolated from its influence, no matter how useful one proves to be in the male society, they will not be valued in the female society.
“So, you are occasionally burdening Shizuko with unreasonable tasks.”
Despite not fulfilling her duties as a woman, Shizuko receives favor from Nohime, who is at the top of the female society. It is natural that the lower-ranking women would not find it amusing. However, if they are shown the sight of Shizuko being burdened and struggling at every opportunity, while also being jealous of her, how many women would still want to take her place? And if Nohime spreads the various works created by Shizuko, they will be accepted without being looked down upon, and not only Shizuko herself, but also the things she creates will be recognized as useful. It is only with these invisible considerations that Shizuko can focus solely on the male society, not fulfill her duties as a woman, and still be accepted in the female society. For the women, Shizuko is useful, but not so much that she becomes a nuisance, and she plays the delicate role of gathering favor while being overall unfortunate.
“At this point, Shizuko has accomplished her greatest challenge assigned by Lord Nobunaga, the subjugation of Takeda.”
“Indeed. It is quite unreasonable to defeat Takeda, who had many capable generals.”
“But Shizuko did it. With this, her position in the male society is secure. And… you understand, right?”
Nohime, hiding her mouth with a fan, made it clear what she wanted to say, and Ichi understood. Ichi also followed Nohime’s lead and lowered her voice by hiding her mouth with a fan.
“(Lord is planning to give Shizuko his child as an adopted child. This will silence the useless ones.)”
“(I see… And by Shizuko accepting Lord’s child as her own, she can demonstrate her loyalty to Lord. It’s killing two birds with one stone.)”
“(Yes. Lord also considered Shizuko as his “son-in-law”. However, no matter how many times he discussed it with Lord Kinoshita (Hideyoshi), they couldn’t reach a conclusion. Well, this is a bigger problem than Shizuko herself, as his army is collapsing.)”
“(Lord also mentioned that. Thanks to Shizuko’s army, the troubles they face in battles have been halved. Well, even if they tell her to do twice as much work now, complaints will surely arise.)”
“(Indeed… And Shizuko’s position as a heavy burden for Lord Kinoshita is also a problem.)”
“(Nohime-sama’s deep consideration, I am truly impressed. In that case, even though I am powerless, I will help as well.)”
“(Don’t think too much about it. Just do as usual, as always.)”,With that, Nohime closed her fan. It was a signal that the secret conversation was over. Ichi closed her fan a little later.
After parting ways with Aya, Shizuko went to the banquet hall for women where Nohime and the others were. Shizuko felt her feet getting heavier as she approached, but she couldn’t ignore it.
“Excuse me.”
Although it was called a banquet hall, it was not as formal as the main hall where Nobunaga was. Rather, because the host Nohime disliked formalities, the atmosphere was very relaxed.
“Oh, you finally came. Come over here.”
Nohime, who was the first to notice Shizuko, beckoned her. Shizuko obediently sat down where Nohime indicated.
“I saw it during the planning stage, but it’s quite a splendid mansion. Lord Nobunaga is putting too much effort into it.”
“Yes… It has indeed become an excessive mansion. Thanks to that, I have to hire many people to manage it.”
“I’ve heard. You have not only hired Matsu’s daughter, but also Akechi’s daughter, right?”
“I don’t know where you heard that, but it’s true. For some reason, everyone keeps asking me how my daughters are doing.”
The daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide, is named Tamako. However, during the Meiji period, she became famous as Hosokawa Garasha because Christians praised her.
The new mansion was much larger than the previous one, so Aya and Shou alone couldn’t handle it. Therefore, Shizuko decided to hire new people, and when Mitsuhide heard about it, he recommended his daughter. This triggered other warlords and even Shizuko herself to follow suit, causing a kind of commotion. Instead of hiring unknown people, Shizuko decided to hire the daughters of the warlords to take care of them. At first, there were some concerns, as they were educated daughters of warlords. Although their behavior was initially awkward due to the difference in their living environment, they quickly adapted and efficiently performed their duties. However, their knowledge level, such as Japanese language and mathematics, which were only required in Shizuko’s residence, was relatively low, so they occasionally provided supplementary lessons to improve their knowledge. Thanks to this, amusing situations occurred where letters written in kanji arrived from daughters who hadn’t been taught anything, in various households.
“Shou-chan is energetic, but Tamako-chan is very curious. She’s not afraid of the Nanban people I hired. Well, being too impulsive is Tamako’s flaw.”
“That’s fine. It’s more… cough, amusing that way.”
“Don’t even try to deceive me!”
Shizuko sighed, feeling relieved that Nohime didn’t try to rephrase her words but simply used different words with the same meaning. It was tiring to keep up a smile without any hostility.
“You seem tired. In such times, it is crucial to enjoy yourself.”
“After this is over, I will relax for a while.”
Just as Shizuko was saying that, hurried footsteps could be heard from the corridor. Thinking that there was an urgent matter, Shizuko turned her face towards the entrance, and the sliding door was forcefully opened.
“Tou-chaaaku!”
“Chakuu!”
On the other side of the sliding door were Chacha and Hatsu. Ignoring the surprise of those around them, the two looked around the room. And when they found the person they were looking for, Shizuko, they rushed towards her with smiles on their faces.
“Shizukooo, congratulations on your new house!”
“Congratulationsss!”
They were children, but their tackle had the weight of their entire bodies. While thinking about that, Shizuko caught the two of them in her arms. But they didn’t care and snuggled up to Shizuko like kittens.
“Alright, both of you. You shouldn’t open the entrance so forcefully. Let’s handle things with care.”
“Yesss.”
The two replied energetically to Shizuko’s words, but they didn’t understand what Shizuko meant. Before they could understand, their attention shifted to something else.
“Shizukooo, what’s this?”
Chacha pointed to the sweets placed on a tray while riding on Shizuko’s back.
“These are Nanban sweets. There are various names for them, but I call them gateau (which means cake in French).”
The history of cake is ancient, with sweet bread made in ancient Rome considered the beginning of cake. The ancient cheesecake called placenta was also born, but it is slightly different from the cake we imagine today. The cake that modern people envision was born in medieval Europe, nearly a thousand years later, and the modern way of baking cakes developed several centuries later in the 17th century.
On the other hand, in Japan, castella, which was introduced during the Warring States period, is considered the beginning of cake. Several centuries later, during the Taisho period, Fujiya developed and sold the modern shortcake.
The cake Shizuko made was a petit-sized cake with a sponge cake sandwiched between cream and fruits, and a little decoration with buttercream on top. However, due to the generous use of sugar, eggs, fresh cream, and butter, even though it was petit-sized, it became a luxury confectionery that only the powerful could taste.
“It’s sweet, sour, but sweet.”
“You should eat it calmly. The sourness comes from the wild strawberries sandwiched in it.”
As mentioned earlier, wild strawberries are slightly more acidic, but among wild strawberries, they have less acidity and more sweetness. They are easy to cultivate, and as long as they are protected from drying out and have enough sunlight, they can be easily propagated without much effort. However, if planted in the ground, they will spread freely by extending their underground stems, so it is desirable to cultivate them in planters where the growth can be limited.
The wild strawberries are coated with syrup to emphasize their sweetness, but it seems that their sensitive taste buds perceive the acidity as stronger.
“It’s slightly sour. But it’s sweet, so it doesn’t bother me.”
Despite their complaints, Chacha and Hatsu liked the petit-sized cakes. They quickly devoured the lined-up petit-sized cakes one after another. However, being children in single digits, they were not far from being full.
“I’m satisfied.”
“Indeed.”
Rubbing their stomachs, the two leaned against Shizuko. While thinking that she should have ordered the maids to bring blankets, Shizuko soon regretted it. As soon as the blankets were placed, Chacha and Hatsu fell into a deep sleep, and Shizuko realized that she couldn’t move them.
“My whole body is numb.”
Seeing Shizuko unable to move and in distress, Nohime called the nursemaids to collect the two. After thanking Nohime, Shizuko walked around to loosen her stiff body. She peeked into the banquet hall, but since many people had already finished, Shizuko quietly closed the entrance and left the place.
“Hmm, my body feels stiff.”
Stretching while cracking her joints, Shizuko thought that if everything went well, Japan would be unified by the Oda family within a few years. Of course, that was only if everything went well. There was a high possibility of problems arising and everything falling apart. However, even so, it was almost certain that the Oda family would unify the country.
“Huh? Is that…”
“Lady Shizuko.”
Shizuko saw something in the distance, but before she could focus her eyes, she was called out to, so she turned her attention to that direction. When she turned her face, she saw Mitsuhide, slightly smelling of alcohol. He bowed when he realized that Shizuko had noticed him.
“I apologize for the late greeting, despite my daughter being in your care. Is my daughter serving you well?”
Instead of words, Shizuko pointed to a certain spot in response to Mitsuhide’s question. At first, Mitsuhide tilted his head, but when he looked in the direction Shizuko pointed, he covered his face with his hand.
“She’s doing well. As you can see, she’s doing too well, though.”
Shizuko pointed to where Mitsuhide’s daughter, Tamako, was playing with cats while holding a cat toy. Now, with Shizuko’s housewarming and the increased workload of the maids, she was naturally busy, but Tamako was slacking off. She seemed to be more interested in the cats, and Shizuko understood that she had forgotten about her work. For Mitsuhide, it was embarrassing and he couldn’t remain calm.
“I apologize for my undisciplined daughter. Please scold her without hesitation if she makes any mistakes.”
“She usually performs her duties properly, so there is no need to make a fuss about this.”
“If you say so, I will feel somewhat relieved. However, if she continues to neglect her work, please let me know without hesitation. I will personally take care of it.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Mitsuhide approached Tamako with large strides. She was still focused on the cat toy and didn’t notice Mitsuhide’s presence until he stood right behind her. But it was too late.
“F-Father! Th-this… I mean, the cats are cute!”
“I know that! Tamako! What kind of judgment is it to neglect your work and play with cats like this?”
“Gyahh!”
(Ah, Tamako got punched. I think it’s better to apologize sooner rather than later.)
While thinking about advice in her mind, Shizuko didn’t approach Mitsuhide and Tamako’s conversation. After being scolded for about ten minutes, the two returned to Shizuko’s side together. Tamako seemed to have a headache from the punch and kept rubbing her head. But seeing her still holding a cat, Shizuko could only smile wryly.
“I have reminded her to fulfill her duties properly. Next time she does something like that, please don’t hesitate to reprimand her. I will personally take care of it.”,”Shizuko-sama, I apologize for forgetting about my work.”
Mitsuhide bowed first, followed by Tamako.
“Please raise your head, Lord Akechi. As long as Tamako understands why she was scolded, there is no problem. Now, Tamako, work hard to make up for the lost time.”
“Y-Yes!”
After energetically replying, Tamako hurriedly left. She didn’t let go of the cat even when running, but halfway through, the cat seemed to get bored and kicked Tamako’s hand, jumping out. Tamako momentarily stopped, but perhaps remembering Mitsuhide’s scolding, she quickly averted her gaze from the cat and ran towards the kitchen area.
“Oh well, even though she’s a child, I wish she would be a bit more responsible.”
Mitsuhide sighed at Tamako’s busyness.
“Old man, I’m coming in… You never change.”
Holding a bottle of sake, Keiji entered the room where Kotaro was. Without waiting for a response, Keiji entered the room and smiled wryly at the messiness. The diagrams and calculations scribbled everywhere on the floor were incomprehensible to Keiji, who had no education. However, he thought it was not good to leave things scattered around like that.
“Hm? Who are you, young man? If it’s the job I asked for, it’s already done.”
Kotaro, who was either sleeping or dozing off in the chair, spoke with sleepy eyes. He needed to observe the stars now, so Kotaro had been living a reversed day and night schedule.
“Old man, want a drink?”
“If you refuse, you’ll probably drink somewhere else. Honestly, it wouldn’t hurt to show some consideration for an old man.”
“I am showing consideration by making sure you don’t overwork yourself and collapse.”
“Well… you have a point.”
While stroking his impressive beard, Kotaro pulled a small table. Along the way, the corner of the table caught on a pile of books nearby, reducing the exposed floor space, but Kotaro didn’t pay it any mind.
“Is your research going well?”
“Not exactly… but I have good equipment, so I’m not struggling.”
After pouring sake into Kotaro’s cup, Keiji filled his own cup and asked. Kotaro’s research was to prove the correctness of the heliocentric theory. For that purpose, Shizuko had provided various equipment. Apart from the refracting telescope, there were also a solar projection plate and a dedicated sundial. Especially the solar projection plate was excellent, allowing Kotaro to observe the sun without the risk of blindness. Although it had a fancy name, the principle was simple: just place a white paper or board along the extension line of the eyepiece lens of the astronomical telescope. It worked even with a low magnification eyepiece because the target was the sun, but it had the disadvantage of requiring extra time to adjust while observing the target, as it couldn’t be finely adjusted while observing.
“I see. I don’t understand what you’re talking about, but it’s good that you’re enjoying it.”
“I only translated Copernicus’ book, so I wasn’t originally that interested. However, the more I learn, the more interesting it becomes. And if it turns out to be correct, I can make the church people howl.”
“Sounds fun, old man. But enjoying yourself is important.”
“I don’t want to live my life groveling to the whims of the higher-ups. After all, life is only once, so it’s better to do what you like and live without regrets.”
“That’s right, it’s fun to eat delicious food and lie in the sun. We’re celebrating today, so it’s easy to borrow some delicious food.”
“I thought there was a commotion, but that’s what you were doing. Young man, aren’t you going out? It’s such a formal occasion.”
“I’ll pass on such a stuffy gathering. Drinking while probing each other’s hearts is not enjoyable.”
“That’s for sure.”
The two laughed and emptied their cups.
“At first, I thought it had a strange taste, but once you get used to it, this sake is also delicious.”
“Hehe, there were plenty of good sake today, as it’s a celebration. I took a bit more without anyone noticing.”
“I see. But it makes me miss the wine from my hometown. If I tell the master, he might be interested… no, the master probably knows how to make wine.”
“It wouldn’t be strange if Shizuchi knows. Speaking of which, Shizuchi was the one who started making this sake. Well, we try not to let Shizuchi drink it too much because it causes a lot of trouble.”
“Like a drunkard, huh? That’s just about right. Humans are boring if they’re too perfect.”
“Hmm, a drunkard… maybe. Well, having a bad drinking habit is the same. Anyway, Shizuchi probably knows a lot of things, and maybe even knows how to make it.”
Kotaro found Keiji’s vague response suspicious, but he wasn’t particularly interested, so he let it go. After that, the two enjoyed their conversation while occasionally drinking sake.
“What is Nanban like?”
“Well… it’s hard to say. I worked under a certain scholar. Scholars are ignorant of worldly matters. Thanks to that, I also grew old without knowing much about the world.”
“That must have been tough. Life is a waste if you don’t enjoy it. Sometimes you have to indulge yourself.”
“In my case, I just started indulging a little late.”
“Oh, you’re quite something, old man.”
After grinning, Keiji emptied his cup. Kotaro followed suit a little later. Keiji poured sake into Kotaro’s cup and, in his usual blunt manner, Kotaro returned the gesture.
“What is Shizuchi really? It’s meaningless to know. I’m not interested. At least… well, I think so. We… or at least I think that way. It’s because we keep our distance from Shizuchi.”
“…”
“Shizuchi does interesting things, and I’m excited to see what she’ll do next. That’s enough.”
“I guess so. It’s true that it’s important to have something to look forward to. Well, in the case of the master, it’s a bit difficult to see what she wants to do because she gets involved in unrelated things too much.”
“That’s true.”
“That’s why we don’t force our beliefs on our subordinates.”
“Even in our country, different sects have formed while worshiping the same Buddha. And they exclude others as heretics. It’s just a difference in interpretation, even though the teachings are the same. Fighting over it is futile.”
“That’s right. It’s absurd. However, if people with such thoughts gather and form a country, their way of thinking becomes the norm. Well, we Jews have an exclusive nature, so even if we become the majority, it probably won’t change.”
“Strange talk. From my perspective, isn’t the god we believe in the same? In Japan, too, while worshiping the same Buddha, there are various sects. And they exclude others as heretics. It’s just a difference in interpretation, even though the teachings are the same. Fighting over it is futile.”
“That’s true. It’s good that religious leaders don’t have much influence in this country. I don’t want to get involved in the commotion of reclaiming holy lands or hunting down heretics.”
“In our place, we don’t force anyone to believe.”
“If your subordinates believe in something, it doesn’t matter to you. Is that the master’s policy? By doing so, you can enjoy even the things that don’t make sense. But it’s difficult to see what the master really wants.”
“Well?”
“Well… I mean…”
Kotaro was taken aback by Keiji’s indifferent response. It seemed like he didn’t know anything about the master, and he didn’t even seem interested. Keiji noticed Kotaro’s expression and spoke with a genuine smile.
“Knowing who Shizuchi really is doesn’t matter. I’m not interested. We… or at least I think that way. It’s because we keep our distance from Shizuchi.”
“…”
The two laughed together. From then on, they continued to exchange sake and enjoy their conversation.