Chapter 72
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1570, early January
Shizuko attended the annual New Year’s Day banquet hosted by Nobunaga, as usual. Unlike the previous year, Shizuko gave Nobunaga a New Year’s greeting, which had two meanings: presenting him with military supplies that were stored in the warehouse, and organizing the warehouse. And not just Nobunaga. She also gave gifts to other important figures such as Mori Yoshinari, Niwa Nagahide, Sakuma Nobumori, Kinoshita Yoshitaka, Takigawa Kazumasu, Shibata Katsuie, and Sassa Narimasa. For Shizuko, it was just a matter of releasing things that had accumulated without her realizing it and organizing the warehouse, but for the lower-ranking retainers, it made her seem like someone capable of military actions comparable to a small country. Furthermore, if she appeared extremely natural and friendly towards the feared Nobunaga, and had friendly relationships with other important figures, it was not surprising that she seemed like an amazing person to the newly recruited retainers.
Shizuko had gained even more attention since the previous year and was greeted by various people, but she was tired of the situation. While she responded with a smile on the surface, she felt a stomachache from the ambitions of the people who greeted her. It’s not wrong to try to get close to someone and aim higher. However, she wanted to be spared from being sought after for that. That was her honest opinion. Mori Yoshinari, perhaps sensing that she was feeling uneasy every time someone approached her, lightly coughed and drove away the retainers. Shizuko had been enjoying the peaceful banquet for a while, but the moment she saw Nobunaga beckoning her, she realized that the peace had ended.
“Did you call for me, my lord?”
“Just now, I was discussing with Niwa if there were any words that could be used in the tea ceremony.”
“Huh…? In the tea ceremony… is that so?”
“No need to worry. I have already prepared paper and ink.”
(Not that I’m worried about that… but I can’t say that, can I…)
Nobunaga, as if he hadn’t considered Shizuko’s response from the beginning, prepared paper and ink in front of her. Giving up, she thought for a moment and wrote a four-character idiom on the paper.
“Ichigo… ichie?”
It was the most commonly used phrase in the spirit of tea ceremony, “Ichigo ichie.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichi-go_ichi-e)
Although it is said to be a phrase left by Sen no Rikyu, there is no record of it written by him. It only appears in the book of his disciple, Yamagami Soji. In terms of meaning, “ichigo” refers to a lifetime in Buddhist terminology, and “ichie” refers to a gathering or meeting, mainly in religious ceremonies. Everything is constantly changing and does not remain in the same place. When attending a tea gathering, one should consider it as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter and approach it with sincerity. By the way, the four-character idiom “Ichigo ichie” became widely known thanks to Ii Naosuke, the lord of the Hikone Domain and also a senior statesman of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the late Edo period.
(Well, during the time when Sen no Rikyu, Imami Sogi, and Tsuda Sogyu were the three great masters, my words would easily disappear.)
She thought it might not be appropriate to use the words of a living person, but since she couldn’t think of any other words, she told herself that it couldn’t be helped.
“Ichigo refers to the period from birth to death. Ichie mainly refers to a gathering or meeting, such as a memorial service. Everything is constantly changing and does not remain in the same place. When attending a tea gathering, one should consider it as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter and approach it with sincerity. That is the meaning of the phrase ‘Ichigo ichie.'”
Nobunaga had been looking at the characters Shizuko wrote for a while, but suddenly a soft smile appeared on his face.
“So everything in the world is impermanent. Interesting, I will immediately display this in the tea room as a reminder.”
“Y-yes… (Is it okay? This is really… well, saying anything would be pointless anyway.)”
Nobunaga, who was mocked as a famous collector, was collecting tea utensils with his military and financial power. Perhaps he wanted to show those around him that he was not just a barbarian who collected tea utensils, but also a cultured person who could speak culturally related words in the tea ceremony.
However, from Shizuko’s perspective, the tea utensils looked like dirty, unwashed objects. Furthermore, from now on, the tea utensils would become new rewards, and the tea ceremony would become deeply involved in politics, serving as a display of power. Shizuko, who thought that getting involved in the tea ceremony would not lead to anything good, decided to avoid it as much as possible.
(Come to think of it, do they even wash the tea utensils? No, maybe they don’t.)
Shizuko had experienced a tea ceremony as part of her cultural education, but she felt suffocated by the numerous rules and manners. While she understood the importance of etiquette and manners, she couldn’t help but feel that it was more like a presentation of etiquette rather than enjoying tea. In the end, she realized that tea ceremony was not suitable for her and decided to focus only on studying the philosophy and principles of tea.
After that, Shizuko was not approached by Nobunaga again, and she managed to get through the banquet by smiling politely to those around her. Mentally exhausted from the start of the new year, she planned to go home and crawl into bed, so she immediately set off for home as soon as the banquet ended. However, just before leaving, she was stopped by one of Nobunaga’s attendants.
“My lord has instructed me to present a reward to Shizuko-sama.”
Along with the words, the attendant handed Shizuko a rectangular wooden box. Instead of checking what was inside, Shizuko prioritized going home and getting some sleep, so she accepted the wooden box without saying anything and went home.
The next day, after Shizuko had rested and regained her energy, she became curious about what was inside the wooden box and quietly opened the lid. Inside was an old and slightly dirty matchlock gun. Feeling that it needed maintenance, Shizuko asked Aya to prepare cloth, water, boiling water, and thin sticks.
“I can disassemble the matchlock gun, but be careful with the trigger mechanism, as it is a custom-made part.”
Military equipment used for warfare, regardless of time or place, is made with a simple structure. This is because a simple structure is easier to maintain. The matchlock gun is no exception, with few parts and a simple structure.
First, she removed the barrel and stock, and then the most important part, the breech plug. The reason for caution is that matchlock guns can cause fouling, and if debris gets stuck in the threads of the breech plug, it can become firmly attached. Fortunately, the breech plug was not stuck, and the trigger mechanism was also simple, so Shizuko had no trouble disassembling the matchlock gun.
The structure of the matchlock gun is not publicly disclosed as it is considered confidential information. However, Shizuko had studied the detailed structure from literature and had attended dismantling demonstrations of matchlock guns many times. Therefore, she had a thorough understanding of the structure of the matchlock gun, down to the smallest details.
After disassembly, the next step was cleaning. The residue of black powder is water-soluble, so most of it can be removed by washing with water. To wipe off any dirt that couldn’t be removed with water, she polished each part with a cloth. Once that was done, she poured boiling water over the barrel for the final touch. The hot water heats up the barrel, causing the moisture to evaporate.
Shizuko smiled wryly at Aya, who had been watching nervously, but when she learned that muzzle-loading guns were washed with hot water, she was genuinely surprised and understood how Aya felt.
“It was quite dirty… Well, it’s clean now.”
Looking at the muddy water used for cleaning, it was clear that maintenance had been neglected.
“Oh, by the way, Aya-chan, could you bring me camellia oil?”
“Camellia oil? Yes, understood.”
In order to increase the options for vegetable oils, Shizuko had also produced soybean, sesame, sunflower, peanut, rice bran, safflower, and camellia oils. However, soybeans were military supplies, sesame had a negligible harvest yield compared to the cultivated land, and the amount of oil obtained from rice bran was small. On the other hand, sunflowers were grown as green manure, peanuts were unpopular with Nobunaga, and safflowers and camellias had no edible parts. Therefore, there was no problem with using a large amount of these oils for processing.
Unlike sunflowers and peanuts, the use of safflowers and camellias has a long history in Japan. Especially, camellias have been mentioned in the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry, the “Manyoshu,” and have long been regarded as a symbol of beautiful flowers. Camellia wood is used for furniture, furnishings, crafts, and firewood. Wood ash is used for sake brewing and dyeing. The oil obtained from the seeds is highly valued as a high-quality frying oil, as well as for cosmetics and medical purposes. In particular, camellia oil has been used as a frying oil in Shojin cuisine, which was established in the Kamakura period.
The reason Shizuko asked for camellia oil was because it is used as a rust preventive. There are records of it being used for knife maintenance in the Edo period, and it is still used today for the maintenance of swords, knives, and carving tools. Furthermore, camellia oil is also used for hair care. In the Sengoku period, long, glossy black hair was considered a symbol of beauty, and camellia oil was highly valued for hair care. After Aya returned with the camellia oil, Shizuko lightly applied it to the surface of the barrel using a brush.
“I’ve only applied it to the surface, but I hope it will be fine for a while.”
Matchlock guns are made of soft iron that contains very little carbon. Therefore, there is hardly any need to apply camellia oil. Despite knowing this, Shizuko decided to apply camellia oil as a rust preventive, just to be safe.
“Sigh…”
“But it’s not enough. If we increase the number of camellias, we can obtain more oil. I wonder why everyone dislikes them so much.”
“No one else could have performed such a bold act with the sacred camellia tree except for Shizuko-sama.”
Camellias have been objects of worship since ancient times as sacred trees believed to possess spiritual power. However, the part Shizuko cut for propagation was not from a sacred camellia tree, but from an ordinary camellia found in the vicinity. Nevertheless, she was stopped by several people, so she was only able to collect about half of the planned number of cuttings.
By the way, in the case of seedlings, it takes several years, or even up to ten years, for them to bloom. On the other hand, cuttings often bloom within one to two years. Shizuko’s purpose was not to improve the flower varieties of camellias, but to increase the number of camellias that bear fully developed pistils for fruiting. Therefore, for her, there was no advantage in growing camellias from seedlings. However, since camellias bear fruit through cross-pollination, artificial pollination is necessary to ensure stable fruiting. In a sense, it could be said that she was doing the same thing as variety improvement.
“I don’t think it’s something to worry so much about. If we have more camellias, won’t we have more camellia oil?
“It’s impossible for me.”
“Hmm, well, never mind. Also, make sure to prepare the camellia leaves and tea leaves. You can make camellia tea by kneading and twisting them together.”
“Currently, we don’t have many people assigned to manage the camellias. So when we harvest the leaves, we’ll have to hire workers.”
“Well, if that’s the case, we’ll have to increase the number of craftsmen who can make camellia oil.”
To extract camellia oil, you need to obtain seeds from the fruits that form after the flowers fall, steam them after drying them in the sun, and then squeeze them using a manually operated press that utilizes the lever principle called “kakudou”. The oil is then boiled at high temperature to withstand long-term storage, strained roughly with cloth, and finally filtered through Japanese paper to obtain the transparent golden camellia oil. The yield was relatively good, with about one and a half liters (approximately 2.7 liters) of oil obtained from ten kilograms of seeds. The byproduct, camellia oil cake (tsubaki aburakasu), was dried in the sun and distributed as fertilizer.
The majority of refined camellia oil is purchased by Nohime and her companions. Occasionally, it is said that traveling merchants also buy it, but I don’t know where they go to sell it. In the end, only a small amount remains in Shizuko’s possession, but it is sufficient for personal consumption, so she is satisfied with it. It’s a story of how the attempt to reduce the amount of money ends up increasing it.
Although it is not directly related to camellias, the collection of honey and beeswax has become more efficient with the completion of special equipment. It is a compression wax-making device that applies pressure while rotating a spiral. If you make cuts in the honeycomb collected from the beehive, it will fall naturally due to gravity, but not all of it can be collected, so the remaining honey needs to be squeezed out. The beeswax also needs to be melted in boiling water and then squeezed into a cotton bag. While the methods of extracting honey and beeswax require manual labor and are labor-intensive, Shizuko decided that the production of the compression wax-making device was necessary.
The compression wax-making device has the advantage of being able to be used for both honey and beeswax extraction. However, the use of metal was not possible due to the military technology used in matchlock guns. Therefore, Shizuko manufactured wooden bolts and nuts that are weaker in strength than metal but can be easily mass-produced with the use of tools. The advantage is that the materials are more easily obtained than metal, and with the use of tools such as dies, bottoming taps, and finishing taps, they can be manufactured with uniform sizes. Although thicker round bars are used compared to metal, the thickness can be easily adjusted using a lathe. Nobunaga, who had prohibited the production of metal screws, was caught off guard by this clever solution. However, he quickly changed his mindset and began researching the utility of wooden bolts and nuts.
The reason for manufacturing oil presses for honey and beeswax was simply because there was high demand for both. Honey, of course, is a high-quality product that is difficult to collect without stacked beehives. Beeswax is used together with the golden ridge (kinryouhen) to guide Japanese honeybees, as well as being used as wax, mixed with vegetable oil to make lip balm, hand cream, and candles. In particular, candles made by mixing vegetable oil and beeswax are very popular due to their ability to produce a gentle light without producing much soot.
The compression wax-making device can also be used for oil extraction from plants with high oil content, such as rapeseed and peanuts, by applying the structure. However, vegetable oil requires a larger quantity compared to honey and beeswax, so a large-scale water-powered oil press that can extract a large amount at once was manufactured.
“By the way, where is Keiji-san? Is he out somewhere?”
“As usual, he took various things from the warehouse and headed to his hometown. He probably won’t be back for about half a month.”
Aya speaks while handing Shizuko the inventory list of the items Keiji took from the warehouse. Shizuko takes a quick look at it. She couldn’t help but think that he’s taking things that she still doesn’t fully understand.
“Well, it’s New Year’s after all.”
“It feels like it’s already past New Year’s by half a month…”
“It’s not something to worry about. We’ll be busy soon anyway, so it’s important to rest now.”
Aya furrows her brows at Shizuko, who speaks as if it’s a definite matter. However, Aya doesn’t pursue it further. She sensed Shizuko’s refusal to be deeply questioned, which is a rare occurrence. Aya was taken aback by this unusual situation and missed the opportunity to ask when she realized it.
(No, she must have obtained something from her information network… That must be it.)
Aya tried to convince herself with that thought, but she couldn’t completely dispel her uneasiness.
On January 23rd, Nobunaga had Yoshiaki approve an additional five articles to the Denchu On’okite (Imperial Court Regulations). These regulations were much stricter than the nine articles approved the previous year (January 14th, Eiroku 12) and the additional seven articles (January 16th, Eiroku 12). Of particular importance was the fourth article, which stated, “Regarding matters of the country, since the shogun has entrusted them to Nobunaga, Nobunaga can judge and decide without depending on anyone’s consent or seeking the shogun’s approval.” In other words, it meant that “since the shogun has entrusted the governance of the country to Nobunaga, Nobunaga doesn’t need to obey anyone, nor does he need to seek the shogun’s approval. He can make judgments and decisions based on his own discretion.” The total of 21 articles of the Denchu On’okite made the discord between Nobunaga and Yoshiaki more apparent. However, it didn’t lead to a decisive deterioration in their relationship. The definitive confrontation between the two occurred after entering the Genki era (April 23rd, Eiroku 13).
In February, Shizuko’s situation changed in several ways. First, Shizuko’s superior is Mori Yoshinari, but she became temporarily attached to the Fifth Army as a military personnel, and an additional 4,000 soldiers were assigned to her. Keiji and Saizou remained in their positions as Shizuko’s personal guards, but they also became military personnel of the Fifth Army.
As a reward for Nagayoshi’s remarkable performance in the Ise invasion the previous year, despite being only eleven years old, he was granted permission to undergo the coming-of-age ceremony at the end of January and was allowed by Nobunaga to take on a one-character name, “Mori Katsuzo (Mori Nagayoshi) Nagayoshi.” Instead of being in his father Yoshinari’s Third Army, he became the commander of the Fifth Army’s Shizuko unit.
Shizuko assigned a thousand soldiers to Keiji, Saizou, and Nagayoshi each, and the remaining thousand soldiers and a civil engineering workers unit of five hundred were placed under her command. She also recruited individuals with archery skills and formed a mounted archer unit equipped with compound bows. However, only thirty people passed the test for the mounted archer unit.
During a period without transportation tasks, unlike other armies, the Fifth Army was responsible for the construction of macadam pavement on the roads in Owari and Mino. A significantly larger number of personnel than the technical district were deployed, and the roads in Owari and Mino were paved with macadam. Thanks to the rapid road construction, Nobunaga’s proposed logistics management system for peacetime and wartime began operating slightly earlier than planned.
There was a problem of supply not keeping up with the demand for horses, but Nobunaga prepared two types of wagons: those pulled by horses and those pulled by manpower. He also established a river route for transporting goods by cargo ships. The horse-drawn wagons had a larger maximum load capacity than the manpower-drawn wagons and could travel longer distances in a day, but the transportation cost was higher, and it was not easy to increase the number of wagons. The manpower-drawn wagons had a slower travel speed and shorter distance, but they were cheaper and more flexible in terms of easily increasing the number of wagons. The river route had the highest capacity for transporting goods at once, but the transportation route was influenced by the flow of the river, and on days with bad weather, transportation was not possible. Merchants chose the transportation method based on the nature of their cargo.
Strict measures were taken to maintain public order. Even if wagons were used, merchants wouldn’t trust it if the public order was bad. If trust couldn’t be gained, money wouldn’t flow into Owari and Mino. Therefore, bandits were subject to a minimum of imprisonment, and in some cases, they were even beheaded. The treatment of imprisonment was harsh, forcing them to barely survive. It was similar to hitting a disobedient child to make them listen. To avoid experiencing hardships, they were told not to become bandits or robbers and to obey the laws imposed by Nobunaga.
With the eradication of bandits and the improvement of public order, the roads in Owari and Mino were gradually paved with macadam. As the roads were completed, commercial activities became more active, and the regions that had been devastated by war began to recover. However, the unsettling atmosphere surrounding the Oda family grew stronger as they stood out more from others.
Shizuko couldn’t help but think that her sense of smell is abnormal.
“Nanban fruits are often sweet.”
Nohime, after tasting the harvested mandarins, expresses her thoughts with a satisfied expression.
The reason why mandarins harvested from autumn to early winter can be eaten in February is simple. If the fruit is left on the tree until late, the sweetness increases and the acidity decreases, making it very delicious. Although there are exceptions like the early-ripening Unshu mandarin, which decreases in acidity quickly and hardly increases in sweetness, most varieties become delicious when left on the tree for a long time. However, they are easily targeted by birds such as white-eyes and thrushes, and leaving the fruit on the tree for a long time reduces the number of flowers the following year. To avoid this, Shizuko harvested the mandarins on the outer and upper parts of the tree in early December and applied bagging treatment to the mandarins on the inner part of the tree to prevent birds from eating them.
“It’s lonely to have only one tree that bears fruit.”
“Oh, how obvious, Lady Nohime. Shizuko has given instructions to various places to increase the number of mandarin trees, as you should know.”
As Matsu pointed out, Shizuko was preparing to increase the number of mandarin, lemon, and yuzu trees. Grafting is considered the best method for increasing citrus varieties such as mandarins, lemons, and yuzu. Rooting cuttings have a low success rate, and if grown from seeds, it takes more than ten years for them to bear fruit. On the other hand, grafting uses scions that are easily obtained as rootstocks, and they have a high compatibility and survival rate with citrus varieties. They can start flowering and bearing fruit as early as three years and as late as seven years.
“Today’s tea snack is Soba cookies (Soba boru).”
The “boru” of Soba cookies is derived from the Portuguese word “bolo,” which means “cake.” Generally, it is characterized by a light texture and a smooth melting sensation in the mouth, but there are also baked versions like castella. The shape varies, from round to flattened, large like senbei or small like grains. By the way, “Soba cookies” originated from a soba restaurant called “Kawamichiya” in Kyoto in the late Meiji era, where they added soba flour to the ingredients and baked them in the shape of plum blossoms. Another famous “maru boru” is a specialty of Saga City.
“How have things been lately?”
“I heard that Mitsuo and Ashimitsu have been teaching cooking to Gorou, but he still hasn’t reached Mitsuo’s level.”
“Oh… is that so?”
“Just kidding. To put it simply, the situation is not good.”
Shizuko asked about the situation surrounding the Oda family. And Nohime, who easily grasped the situation, bluntly said, “It’s not a good situation.” Shizuko understood that all too well.
(No matter what means I use, can I really change the course of history?)
The historical events that occur in 1570 begin with the dissolution of the alliance with Nagamasa Asai, the Battle of Anegawa, and the uprising of Kennyo, the head of Honganji Temple. The Battle of Sakamoto that occurs at the beginning of this battle is a problem. In this battle, three people, Mori Yoshinari, Aochi Shigetsuna, and Nobunaga’s younger brother Nobuharu, are killed. Not only that, but with the uprising of Honganji Temple, the Nagashima Ikko Ikki occurs, and several castles in Owari, including Kokie Castle, are attacked. In this battle, Nobunaga’s younger brother Nobuoki, who defended Kokie Castle, fought bravely and eventually took his own life. Nobuoki was Nobunaga’s trusted younger brother, and it is said that Nobunaga developed a strong hatred towards the Ikko Ikki and became merciless after his death.
(The renovation plan for Kokie Castle is solid, but it’s difficult to proceed without the uprising of Honganji Temple. Times like these make me realize how inconvenient it is to be a woman. Without military achievements, no one will listen to me.)
Preparations can be made regardless of gender, but when it comes to the battlefield, the treatment of women diminishes. To persuade warlords, it is difficult without being a person who can also become a warlord.
(It’s about time. I think the day of the decisive battle at Sakamoto is approaching.)
To smoothly communicate with the warlords, Shizuko had to improve her martial skills. This meant that Shizuko had to make a crucial decision in her life, one that couldn’t be reversed.
During the agricultural off-season when laborers are easy to recruit, Shizuko, under Nobunaga’s orders, conducted land reclamation in various parts of Owari. Owari is a fertile land with few mountainous areas, but many villages have been devastated and there are still many areas that have not been reclaimed due to the long-lasting turmoil. In order to increase the tax revenue of Owari even more, Nobunaga devised a plan to revive the devastated villages and expand the cultivated land area.
Land reclamation can be done through manual labor, animal power, or mechanical means. In modern times, large-scale machinery such as bulldozers can be used for mechanical land reclamation, allowing the development of land to be completed in a short period of time. However, in the Sengoku period, there were no large-scale machinery, so the only options were manual labor or animal power.
So Shizuko borrowed cows and horses from nearby villages and hired many laborers to shorten the working hours. She also approached young men who did not own farmland, such as the third and fourth sons, and proposed moving to new villages. The laborers included not only mercenaries and peasant workers who came to work temporarily but also labor slaves obtained through human trafficking.
Mercenaries are not loyal and tend to flee when they feel endangered. However, they are easy to replenish and can be moved according to our convenience. Similarly, although it may sound bad, labor slaves are also easy to replenish and can be moved according to our convenience. Especially during the agricultural off-season when battles are likely to occur, the price of slaves drops dramatically from the usual 20 kanmon (about 200,000 yen) to 20 mon (about 2,000 yen). However, we do not engage in practices that force harsh labor, even if the price of slaves is low. Killing non-working laborers as a deterrent is a foolish strategy within a foolish strategy. If we engage in such behavior, people will not grow, and it is clear that their motivation to work will not increase.
The laborers have various circumstances, but it is very easy to increase their motivation. It is as simple as reducing the mortality rate from labor, improving grievances, properly evaluating those who work well or make great efforts, and praising those who do a good job. This increases the laborers’ motivation and ultimately improves the overall work efficiency.
An episode that proves this is the response during Hideyoshi’s “completion of the construction of Kiyosu Castle in three days.” Hideyoshi divided the laborers into several groups and promised to give more rewards to the group that finished the work quickly. In other words, Hideyoshi, without being bound by social status, gained control over the laborers’ hearts by skillfully distributing rewards, and successfully completed the construction in three days.
However, if the proper evaluation is not conveyed to the mercenaries and slaves, the meaning of the rewards is diminished. Therefore, a laborer-oriented gazette, which includes discussions about rewards for those properly evaluated and penalties for those who engage in misconduct, as well as current events, was created and distributed.
Due to the constant improvement of working conditions, the laborers’ motivation, including mercenaries and slaves, increased, and as a result, individuals who began to demonstrate their talents emerged among them. These included those who achieved excellent results, those who were good at leading others, those who improved work efficiency, and those who were good at resolving laborers’ grievances. Of course, it was not all good, as there were also those who hindered work and caused conflicts by prioritizing their own interests or trying to gain recognition through misconduct. However, overall, the laborers’ motivation increased, and the land reclamation plan progressed faster than initially planned.
“Well, it’s going well. If things continue like this, the production capacity will increase to 3 million koku in a few years.”
“If everything goes according to plan, it might even increase by two digits. Well, even if it doesn’t go exactly as planned, an increase by one digit is certain.”
Keiji, who picked up the report that Shizuko was looking at, murmured while playing with the abacus. Originally, Keiji was taught the abacus by Shizuko for the purpose of teasing his uncle, Maeda Toshiie. Shizuko initially thought that Keiji’s teasing was just bragging about being able to use the abacus to Toshiie. But she soon realized that it was a naive thought.
“It’s better to know a little less about everything. If you understand everything, you won’t be able to experience the joy of learning something new.”
Seeing Keiji playing with the abacus, Shizuko remembered those words and chuckled. Keiji also laughed along with her, enjoying herself. But the memories that resurfaced were not all pleasant.
“Speaking of the abacus, I hope you haven’t been teasing Maeda Matazaemon (Toshiie) again.”
Keiji averted his gaze at Shizuko’s remark. The reason why Keiji learned the abacus from Shizuko in the first place was to tease his uncle, Maeda Toshiie. At first, Shizuko thought that Keiji’s teasing was just about boasting to Toshiie that he could use the abacus. But that was too naive of a thought, as she later realized.
Keiji’s teasing was to finish the tasks that Toshiie had to do before him. All the settlements of the Maeda family, regardless of size, were handled by Toshiie himself. This was because after being humiliated by Nobunaga’s tea server, Jakuami, and finally killing him in the Kogai-giri incident, Toshiie learned the importance of money during his two-year ronin life. Although Toshiie was mocked by Matsu as “stingy,” his character ensured the financial health of the Maeda family. Keiji’s teasing was to finish these settlements first. And not just directly writing the answers on the documents, but attaching a separate sheet with the answers written politely.
“Well… I’ll give up for now.”
“Sorry, Shizuchi. I’m just taking over my uncle’s work, but for some reason, I seem to be resented.”
“Well, speaking of which, the sake in the warehouse seems to be decreasing…”
Shizuko didn’t have a chance to finish her sentence. Before that, Keiji quickly turned his body around and hurriedly left the room. Surprised, Shizuko called for Aya.
“Did you call for me, Shizuko-sama?”
“I think Keiji-san and Katsuzo (Mori Nagayoshi) have been drinking the sake in the warehouse. Well, that doesn’t matter. I want you to deliver this document to Lord Oda.”
Shizuko handed over a thick stack of papers that had been placed nearby to Aya. After receiving it, Aya quickly glanced through the contents to confirm.
“Is this a document about shipbuilding?”
“Now that the land reclamation is settling down, I think they will start asking about ship-related matters. So I’ve compiled the information that can be prepared here.”
The document contained information about the screw propeller, which is the propulsion device of a ship. It is possible to manufacture ships made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (commonly known as FRP). However, there is a problem when disposing of the ship. FRP ships are difficult to dispose of or recycle. There is a technology to dismantle and crush FRP ships and reuse them as raw materials for concrete. However, it was uncertain whether it could be practically applied in the Sengoku period without verification. Due to such issues, Shizuko decided to postpone the disclosure of information about FRP ships.
“Understood. I will arrange for it to be delivered to Lord Oda.”
As promised, Aya delivered Shizuko’s document to Nobunaga within a few days. Upon receiving it, Nobunaga wasted no time and ordered Kitakata Katsutaka, who led the Kitakata Navy, to conduct research on screw propellers.
Now, let’s go back a little in time to the late January when the cold was piercing. As the management of Ise began to stabilize and the political affairs in Kyoto, Owari, and Mino settled down, Nobunaga enjoyed falconry with Sakihisa (Konoe), Ieyasu, and his own retainers. Falconry is a type of hunting where large birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, and falcons are trained to catch small animals such as birds and rabbits, and their achievements are compared. The history of falconry in Japan is ancient, and there are many books on falconry that have been preserved. Among them are the second oldest surviving falconry textbook, “Shinshu Youkyo,” compiled in 818, the world’s first record of successful breeding of large eagles by Asakura Souteki called “Youtakuki,” and “Ryuzan-kou Youhyaku-shu,” a collection of poems written by Konoe Sakihisa that also serves as a specialized commentary on falconry. Falconry spread among the samurai during the Kamakura period, and it became a popular pastime among countrymen and warlords during the Sengoku period. Even the aristocrats and their attendants engaged in falconry, which was one of the representative entertainments, until Ieyasu, who later established the Tokugawa Shogunate, banned it.
The reason why the samurai family engages in falconry is said to be to cultivate battlefield intuition by anticipating the moment of releasing the falcon, to conduct reconnaissance missions in enemy territory, and to train their retainers to move like their own limbs. However, judging from the falconry episodes of Nobunaga and Ieyasu, the main reason may be to show off their prized falcons to others.
(Men never change, no matter the era, huh?)
About a week ago, Sakihisa (Konoe) captured a solitary golden eagle and brought it back. The official reason was to experience raising a golden eagle and training it for falconry, but Shizuko secretly thought that he just wanted the largest falcon in Japan.
“I should also train Kiju and the others.”
The owl siblings that Shizuko rescued belonged to the species of owls with ear tufts, known as the eagle owl (mimizuku). Although the exact species name was unknown, when measuring their body length, the older brother was 75 centimeters long and the younger brother was 73 centimeters long, which was comparable to the body length of a golden eagle, which is 105 centimeters. Despite being mere fledglings who couldn’t even hunt for themselves, both brothers had a mix of light and dark brown feathers, impressive ears and sharp eyes, and a dignified appearance that overwhelmed anyone who saw them.
Owls are nocturnal raptors that have evolved to be active mainly at night and are hardly active during the day. This is said to be to avoid the risk of being preyed upon by eagles and hawks. However, if there are no predators, some individuals may be active during the day and sleep at night. Even if they can be active during the day, due to the structure of their eyes, they tend to be quiet on days with strong sunlight.
Although the siblings looked the same, they were not exactly identical and had subtle differences. One of them was the color of their eyes. The older brother had orange eyes adapted to sunrise and sunset, and had a sharp gaze. On the other hand, the younger brother had yellow eyes adapted to daytime and always had a sharp gaze, but unlike his brother, he sometimes had a sleepy expression.
“Today, we’ll use a small deer for the training.”
Kiju and the others were rescued by Shizuko when they were about two months old, after being abandoned by their parents for some reason. Therefore, Shizuko had the responsibility to train the young owls in place of their parents. The training mainly consisted of short-distance flight training, long-distance flight training, training to catch prey, and training to perch on the arm. And today’s training was to have Kiju catch a small deer. Although it was called small, it was much larger compared to rabbits or mice. However, the two owls showed no signs of fear, but rather an attitude as if saying, “Let us prey!”
Shizuko signaled to the people restraining the deer with flags to release it. Once released, the deer dashed away. As soon as Shizuko confirmed this, she finally released Kiju and the others. The two owls flew without hesitation, as if they had already decided on their prey in advance. Due to the almost silent flight of the owls, the deer didn’t notice their approach. When the deer finally noticed their presence, it was already too late, as the owls’ talons mercilessly attacked them. The older brother killed the deer with his long legs and sharp talons, while the younger brother used a unique method of kicking the deer’s side and rolling it down a steep slope. The deer targeted by the younger brother was still alive, but its hind leg was broken and it couldn’t stand. The younger brother, who had been spreading his wings and showing vigilance and intimidation, eventually understood that the prey couldn’t resist anymore and stopped its breath with his sharp talons.
“The younger brother’s hunting style is quite amusing, isn’t it?”
Shizuko admired the younger brother’s hunting style, but in fact, it was not uncommon for raptors to push their prey off cliffs. She had heard stories of hawks dropping mountain goats living in high places from cliffs and then bringing them back to their nests. Although there was a risk of other animals stealing their prey in the wild, if they had the strength to drag their prey with their talons and the ability to fly, pushing their prey off from a high place was not a bad tactic.
“But it’s quite big for a male. There’s also the possibility of a lost bird, so it’s not easy to determine exactly what it is, but large eagle owls are quite limited in number.”
While thinking about what species the siblings belonged to, Shizuko’s gaze returned to the two owls, who had finished their meal and were now flying towards her.
“The deer didn’t seem to suit their taste. Maybe quails with a good balance would be better.”
The deer didn’t seem to please them, as there was a significant amount of meat left. Shizuko thought that since the deer would either return to the earth or become food for wild animals, it was fine to leave the carcass behind. She placed the two owls on her arm and manipulated the reins of the horse, beginning the journey back home.
(…What should I do? Should I let the golden eagle and the owl siblings return to nature, or should I take responsibility and keep them in captivity?)
Shizuko pondered while being swayed on the horse’s back. The difference between Wittman and the golden eagle was whether or not they were given individual names. Giving an individual name meant taking care of the animal. It meant taking responsibility and being prepared to care for the animal’s life, ensuring its health and safety until the end.
Shizuko was able to make the decision to keep Wittman and the other gray wolves because she had experience raising dogs and knowledge about the ecology, behavior, and physiology of dogs and wolves. On the other hand, she had no experience in keeping golden eagles or owls. Especially the golden eagle was an endangered species. Unless one was an expert, it was almost impossible for an individual to gain experience in keeping them.
(I understand that I have to make a decision. But it would be so much easier if I could decide easily.)
Shizuko realized that if she simply kept the raptors because they were cute or cool without considering the best future for both parties, they would both end up unhappy. However, raptors, like their mates, would stay with their chosen partner for life. From the affection shown by the golden eagle and the owls, Shizuko felt ashamed of her own naivety in rescuing them without thinking about the best future for both parties.
(Ah! No, no. There’s no point in worrying. Alright, I’ve decided! If I can’t find an answer within a month… I will take responsibility and keep them in captivity for their entire lives! Yes, that’s what I’ve decided!)
When her train of thought was about to become a maze with no exit, Shizuko shouted in her mind, pushing everything out. It was synonymous with her decision to keep them in captivity for their entire lives, but in her excitement, she didn’t realize that.
After that, Shizuko, who had let her guard down and was busy, forgot about the question of whether to keep the golden eagle and the owls for falconry, only to remember her decision a month later and hold her head in her hands. It was a predictable outcome, but for Shizuko, who was becoming indecisive, it might have been for the best. Although she resolved the problem forcibly, she soon faced a new problem.
“Names… What should I do?”
Shizuko once again found herself troubled by the fact that she couldn’t decide on names for the golden eagle and the owl siblings.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
1570, early January
Shizuko attended the annual New Year’s Day banquet hosted by Nobunaga, as usual. Unlike the previous year, Shizuko gave Nobunaga a New Year’s greeting, which had two meanings: presenting him with military supplies that were stored in the warehouse, and organizing the warehouse. And not just Nobunaga. She also gave gifts to other important figures such as Mori Yoshinari, Niwa Nagahide, Sakuma Nobumori, Kinoshita Yoshitaka, Takigawa Kazumasu, Shibata Katsuie, and Sassa Narimasa. For Shizuko, it was just a matter of releasing things that had accumulated without her realizing it and organizing the warehouse, but for the lower-ranking retainers, it made her seem like someone capable of military actions comparable to a small country. Furthermore, if she appeared extremely natural and friendly towards the feared Nobunaga, and had friendly relationships with other important figures, it was not surprising that she seemed like an amazing person to the newly recruited retainers.
Shizuko had gained even more attention since the previous year and was greeted by various people, but she was tired of the situation. While she responded with a smile on the surface, she felt a stomachache from the ambitions of the people who greeted her. It’s not wrong to try to get close to someone and aim higher. However, she wanted to be spared from being sought after for that. That was her honest opinion. Mori Yoshinari, perhaps sensing that she was feeling uneasy every time someone approached her, lightly coughed and drove away the retainers. Shizuko had been enjoying the peaceful banquet for a while, but the moment she saw Nobunaga beckoning her, she realized that the peace had ended.
“Did you call for me, my lord?”
“Just now, I was discussing with Niwa if there were any words that could be used in the tea ceremony.”
“Huh…? In the tea ceremony… is that so?”
“No need to worry. I have already prepared paper and ink.”
(Not that I’m worried about that… but I can’t say that, can I…)
Nobunaga, as if he hadn’t considered Shizuko’s response from the beginning, prepared paper and ink in front of her. Giving up, she thought for a moment and wrote a four-character idiom on the paper.
“Ichigo… ichie?”
It was the most commonly used phrase in the spirit of tea ceremony, “Ichigo ichie.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichi-go_ichi-e)
Although it is said to be a phrase left by Sen no Rikyu, there is no record of it written by him. It only appears in the book of his disciple, Yamagami Soji. In terms of meaning, “ichigo” refers to a lifetime in Buddhist terminology, and “ichie” refers to a gathering or meeting, mainly in religious ceremonies. Everything is constantly changing and does not remain in the same place. When attending a tea gathering, one should consider it as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter and approach it with sincerity. By the way, the four-character idiom “Ichigo ichie” became widely known thanks to Ii Naosuke, the lord of the Hikone Domain and also a senior statesman of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the late Edo period.
(Well, during the time when Sen no Rikyu, Imami Sogi, and Tsuda Sogyu were the three great masters, my words would easily disappear.)
She thought it might not be appropriate to use the words of a living person, but since she couldn’t think of any other words, she told herself that it couldn’t be helped.
“Ichigo refers to the period from birth to death. Ichie mainly refers to a gathering or meeting, such as a memorial service. Everything is constantly changing and does not remain in the same place. When attending a tea gathering, one should consider it as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter and approach it with sincerity. That is the meaning of the phrase ‘Ichigo ichie.'”
Nobunaga had been looking at the characters Shizuko wrote for a while, but suddenly a soft smile appeared on his face.
“So everything in the world is impermanent. Interesting, I will immediately display this in the tea room as a reminder.”
“Y-yes… (Is it okay? This is really… well, saying anything would be pointless anyway.)”
Nobunaga, who was mocked as a famous collector, was collecting tea utensils with his military and financial power. Perhaps he wanted to show those around him that he was not just a barbarian who collected tea utensils, but also a cultured person who could speak culturally related words in the tea ceremony.
However, from Shizuko’s perspective, the tea utensils looked like dirty, unwashed objects. Furthermore, from now on, the tea utensils would become new rewards, and the tea ceremony would become deeply involved in politics, serving as a display of power. Shizuko, who thought that getting involved in the tea ceremony would not lead to anything good, decided to avoid it as much as possible.
(Come to think of it, do they even wash the tea utensils? No, maybe they don’t.)
Shizuko had experienced a tea ceremony as part of her cultural education, but she felt suffocated by the numerous rules and manners. While she understood the importance of etiquette and manners, she couldn’t help but feel that it was more like a presentation of etiquette rather than enjoying tea. In the end, she realized that tea ceremony was not suitable for her and decided to focus only on studying the philosophy and principles of tea.
After that, Shizuko was not approached by Nobunaga again, and she managed to get through the banquet by smiling politely to those around her. Mentally exhausted from the start of the new year, she planned to go home and crawl into bed, so she immediately set off for home as soon as the banquet ended. However, just before leaving, she was stopped by one of Nobunaga’s attendants.
“My lord has instructed me to present a reward to Shizuko-sama.”
Along with the words, the attendant handed Shizuko a rectangular wooden box. Instead of checking what was inside, Shizuko prioritized going home and getting some sleep, so she accepted the wooden box without saying anything and went home.
The next day, after Shizuko had rested and regained her energy, she became curious about what was inside the wooden box and quietly opened the lid. Inside was an old and slightly dirty matchlock gun. Feeling that it needed maintenance, Shizuko asked Aya to prepare cloth, water, boiling water, and thin sticks.
“I can disassemble the matchlock gun, but be careful with the trigger mechanism, as it is a custom-made part.”
Military equipment used for warfare, regardless of time or place, is made with a simple structure. This is because a simple structure is easier to maintain. The matchlock gun is no exception, with few parts and a simple structure.
First, she removed the barrel and stock, and then the most important part, the breech plug. The reason for caution is that matchlock guns can cause fouling, and if debris gets stuck in the threads of the breech plug, it can become firmly attached. Fortunately, the breech plug was not stuck, and the trigger mechanism was also simple, so Shizuko had no trouble disassembling the matchlock gun.
The structure of the matchlock gun is not publicly disclosed as it is considered confidential information. However, Shizuko had studied the detailed structure from literature and had attended dismantling demonstrations of matchlock guns many times. Therefore, she had a thorough understanding of the structure of the matchlock gun, down to the smallest details.
After disassembly, the next step was cleaning. The residue of black powder is water-soluble, so most of it can be removed by washing with water. To wipe off any dirt that couldn’t be removed with water, she polished each part with a cloth. Once that was done, she poured boiling water over the barrel for the final touch. The hot water heats up the barrel, causing the moisture to evaporate.
Shizuko smiled wryly at Aya, who had been watching nervously, but when she learned that muzzle-loading guns were washed with hot water, she was genuinely surprised and understood how Aya felt.
“It was quite dirty… Well, it’s clean now.”
Looking at the muddy water used for cleaning, it was clear that maintenance had been neglected.
“Oh, by the way, Aya-chan, could you bring me camellia oil?”
“Camellia oil? Yes, understood.”
In order to increase the options for vegetable oils, Shizuko had also produced soybean, sesame, sunflower, peanut, rice bran, safflower, and camellia oils. However, soybeans were military supplies, sesame had a negligible harvest yield compared to the cultivated land, and the amount of oil obtained from rice bran was small. On the other hand, sunflowers were grown as green manure, peanuts were unpopular with Nobunaga, and safflowers and camellias had no edible parts. Therefore, there was no problem with using a large amount of these oils for processing.
Unlike sunflowers and peanuts, the use of safflowers and camellias has a long history in Japan. Especially, camellias have been mentioned in the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry, the “Manyoshu,” and have long been regarded as a symbol of beautiful flowers. Camellia wood is used for furniture, furnishings, crafts, and firewood. Wood ash is used for sake brewing and dyeing. The oil obtained from the seeds is highly valued as a high-quality frying oil, as well as for cosmetics and medical purposes. In particular, camellia oil has been used as a frying oil in Shojin cuisine, which was established in the Kamakura period.
The reason Shizuko asked for camellia oil was because it is used as a rust preventive. There are records of it being used for knife maintenance in the Edo period, and it is still used today for the maintenance of swords, knives, and carving tools. Furthermore, camellia oil is also used for hair care. In the Sengoku period, long, glossy black hair was considered a symbol of beauty, and camellia oil was highly valued for hair care. After Aya returned with the camellia oil, Shizuko lightly applied it to the surface of the barrel using a brush.
“I’ve only applied it to the surface, but I hope it will be fine for a while.”
Matchlock guns are made of soft iron that contains very little carbon. Therefore, there is hardly any need to apply camellia oil. Despite knowing this, Shizuko decided to apply camellia oil as a rust preventive, just to be safe.
“Sigh…”
“But it’s not enough. If we increase the number of camellias, we can obtain more oil. I wonder why everyone dislikes them so much.”
“No one else could have performed such a bold act with the sacred camellia tree except for Shizuko-sama.”
Camellias have been objects of worship since ancient times as sacred trees believed to possess spiritual power. However, the part Shizuko cut for propagation was not from a sacred camellia tree, but from an ordinary camellia found in the vicinity. Nevertheless, she was stopped by several people, so she was only able to collect about half of the planned number of cuttings.
By the way, in the case of seedlings, it takes several years, or even up to ten years, for them to bloom. On the other hand, cuttings often bloom within one to two years. Shizuko’s purpose was not to improve the flower varieties of camellias, but to increase the number of camellias that bear fully developed pistils for fruiting. Therefore, for her, there was no advantage in growing camellias from seedlings. However, since camellias bear fruit through cross-pollination, artificial pollination is necessary to ensure stable fruiting. In a sense, it could be said that she was doing the same thing as variety improvement.
“I don’t think it’s something to worry so much about. If we have more camellias, won’t we have more camellia oil?
“It’s impossible for me.”
“Hmm, well, never mind. Also, make sure to prepare the camellia leaves and tea leaves. You can make camellia tea by kneading and twisting them together.”
“Currently, we don’t have many people assigned to manage the camellias. So when we harvest the leaves, we’ll have to hire workers.”
“Well, if that’s the case, we’ll have to increase the number of craftsmen who can make camellia oil.”
To extract camellia oil, you need to obtain seeds from the fruits that form after the flowers fall, steam them after drying them in the sun, and then squeeze them using a manually operated press that utilizes the lever principle called “kakudou”. The oil is then boiled at high temperature to withstand long-term storage, strained roughly with cloth, and finally filtered through Japanese paper to obtain the transparent golden camellia oil. The yield was relatively good, with about one and a half liters (approximately 2.7 liters) of oil obtained from ten kilograms of seeds. The byproduct, camellia oil cake (tsubaki aburakasu), was dried in the sun and distributed as fertilizer.
The majority of refined camellia oil is purchased by Nohime and her companions. Occasionally, it is said that traveling merchants also buy it, but I don’t know where they go to sell it. In the end, only a small amount remains in Shizuko’s possession, but it is sufficient for personal consumption, so she is satisfied with it. It’s a story of how the attempt to reduce the amount of money ends up increasing it.
Although it is not directly related to camellias, the collection of honey and beeswax has become more efficient with the completion of special equipment. It is a compression wax-making device that applies pressure while rotating a spiral. If you make cuts in the honeycomb collected from the beehive, it will fall naturally due to gravity, but not all of it can be collected, so the remaining honey needs to be squeezed out. The beeswax also needs to be melted in boiling water and then squeezed into a cotton bag. While the methods of extracting honey and beeswax require manual labor and are labor-intensive, Shizuko decided that the production of the compression wax-making device was necessary.
The compression wax-making device has the advantage of being able to be used for both honey and beeswax extraction. However, the use of metal was not possible due to the military technology used in matchlock guns. Therefore, Shizuko manufactured wooden bolts and nuts that are weaker in strength than metal but can be easily mass-produced with the use of tools. The advantage is that the materials are more easily obtained than metal, and with the use of tools such as dies, bottoming taps, and finishing taps, they can be manufactured with uniform sizes. Although thicker round bars are used compared to metal, the thickness can be easily adjusted using a lathe. Nobunaga, who had prohibited the production of metal screws, was caught off guard by this clever solution. However, he quickly changed his mindset and began researching the utility of wooden bolts and nuts.
The reason for manufacturing oil presses for honey and beeswax was simply because there was high demand for both. Honey, of course, is a high-quality product that is difficult to collect without stacked beehives. Beeswax is used together with the golden ridge (kinryouhen) to guide Japanese honeybees, as well as being used as wax, mixed with vegetable oil to make lip balm, hand cream, and candles. In particular, candles made by mixing vegetable oil and beeswax are very popular due to their ability to produce a gentle light without producing much soot.
The compression wax-making device can also be used for oil extraction from plants with high oil content, such as rapeseed and peanuts, by applying the structure. However, vegetable oil requires a larger quantity compared to honey and beeswax, so a large-scale water-powered oil press that can extract a large amount at once was manufactured.
“By the way, where is Keiji-san? Is he out somewhere?”
“As usual, he took various things from the warehouse and headed to his hometown. He probably won’t be back for about half a month.”
Aya speaks while handing Shizuko the inventory list of the items Keiji took from the warehouse. Shizuko takes a quick look at it. She couldn’t help but think that he’s taking things that she still doesn’t fully understand.
“Well, it’s New Year’s after all.”
“It feels like it’s already past New Year’s by half a month…”
“It’s not something to worry about. We’ll be busy soon anyway, so it’s important to rest now.”
Aya furrows her brows at Shizuko, who speaks as if it’s a definite matter. However, Aya doesn’t pursue it further. She sensed Shizuko’s refusal to be deeply questioned, which is a rare occurrence. Aya was taken aback by this unusual situation and missed the opportunity to ask when she realized it.
(No, she must have obtained something from her information network… That must be it.)
Aya tried to convince herself with that thought, but she couldn’t completely dispel her uneasiness.
On January 23rd, Nobunaga had Yoshiaki approve an additional five articles to the Denchu On’okite (Imperial Court Regulations). These regulations were much stricter than the nine articles approved the previous year (January 14th, Eiroku 12) and the additional seven articles (January 16th, Eiroku 12). Of particular importance was the fourth article, which stated, “Regarding matters of the country, since the shogun has entrusted them to Nobunaga, Nobunaga can judge and decide without depending on anyone’s consent or seeking the shogun’s approval.” In other words, it meant that “since the shogun has entrusted the governance of the country to Nobunaga, Nobunaga doesn’t need to obey anyone, nor does he need to seek the shogun’s approval. He can make judgments and decisions based on his own discretion.” The total of 21 articles of the Denchu On’okite made the discord between Nobunaga and Yoshiaki more apparent. However, it didn’t lead to a decisive deterioration in their relationship. The definitive confrontation between the two occurred after entering the Genki era (April 23rd, Eiroku 13).
In February, Shizuko’s situation changed in several ways. First, Shizuko’s superior is Mori Yoshinari, but she became temporarily attached to the Fifth Army as a military personnel, and an additional 4,000 soldiers were assigned to her. Keiji and Saizou remained in their positions as Shizuko’s personal guards, but they also became military personnel of the Fifth Army.
As a reward for Nagayoshi’s remarkable performance in the Ise invasion the previous year, despite being only eleven years old, he was granted permission to undergo the coming-of-age ceremony at the end of January and was allowed by Nobunaga to take on a one-character name, “Mori Katsuzo (Mori Nagayoshi) Nagayoshi.” Instead of being in his father Yoshinari’s Third Army, he became the commander of the Fifth Army’s Shizuko unit.
Shizuko assigned a thousand soldiers to Keiji, Saizou, and Nagayoshi each, and the remaining thousand soldiers and a civil engineering workers unit of five hundred were placed under her command. She also recruited individuals with archery skills and formed a mounted archer unit equipped with compound bows. However, only thirty people passed the test for the mounted archer unit.
During a period without transportation tasks, unlike other armies, the Fifth Army was responsible for the construction of macadam pavement on the roads in Owari and Mino. A significantly larger number of personnel than the technical district were deployed, and the roads in Owari and Mino were paved with macadam. Thanks to the rapid road construction, Nobunaga’s proposed logistics management system for peacetime and wartime began operating slightly earlier than planned.
There was a problem of supply not keeping up with the demand for horses, but Nobunaga prepared two types of wagons: those pulled by horses and those pulled by manpower. He also established a river route for transporting goods by cargo ships. The horse-drawn wagons had a larger maximum load capacity than the manpower-drawn wagons and could travel longer distances in a day, but the transportation cost was higher, and it was not easy to increase the number of wagons. The manpower-drawn wagons had a slower travel speed and shorter distance, but they were cheaper and more flexible in terms of easily increasing the number of wagons. The river route had the highest capacity for transporting goods at once, but the transportation route was influenced by the flow of the river, and on days with bad weather, transportation was not possible. Merchants chose the transportation method based on the nature of their cargo.
Strict measures were taken to maintain public order. Even if wagons were used, merchants wouldn’t trust it if the public order was bad. If trust couldn’t be gained, money wouldn’t flow into Owari and Mino. Therefore, bandits were subject to a minimum of imprisonment, and in some cases, they were even beheaded. The treatment of imprisonment was harsh, forcing them to barely survive. It was similar to hitting a disobedient child to make them listen. To avoid experiencing hardships, they were told not to become bandits or robbers and to obey the laws imposed by Nobunaga.
With the eradication of bandits and the improvement of public order, the roads in Owari and Mino were gradually paved with macadam. As the roads were completed, commercial activities became more active, and the regions that had been devastated by war began to recover. However, the unsettling atmosphere surrounding the Oda family grew stronger as they stood out more from others.
Shizuko couldn’t help but think that her sense of smell is abnormal.
“Nanban fruits are often sweet.”
Nohime, after tasting the harvested mandarins, expresses her thoughts with a satisfied expression.
The reason why mandarins harvested from autumn to early winter can be eaten in February is simple. If the fruit is left on the tree until late, the sweetness increases and the acidity decreases, making it very delicious. Although there are exceptions like the early-ripening Unshu mandarin, which decreases in acidity quickly and hardly increases in sweetness, most varieties become delicious when left on the tree for a long time. However, they are easily targeted by birds such as white-eyes and thrushes, and leaving the fruit on the tree for a long time reduces the number of flowers the following year. To avoid this, Shizuko harvested the mandarins on the outer and upper parts of the tree in early December and applied bagging treatment to the mandarins on the inner part of the tree to prevent birds from eating them.
“It’s lonely to have only one tree that bears fruit.”
“Oh, how obvious, Lady Nohime. Shizuko has given instructions to various places to increase the number of mandarin trees, as you should know.”
As Matsu pointed out, Shizuko was preparing to increase the number of mandarin, lemon, and yuzu trees. Grafting is considered the best method for increasing citrus varieties such as mandarins, lemons, and yuzu. Rooting cuttings have a low success rate, and if grown from seeds, it takes more than ten years for them to bear fruit. On the other hand, grafting uses scions that are easily obtained as rootstocks, and they have a high compatibility and survival rate with citrus varieties. They can start flowering and bearing fruit as early as three years and as late as seven years.
“Today’s tea snack is Soba cookies (Soba boru).”
The “boru” of Soba cookies is derived from the Portuguese word “bolo,” which means “cake.” Generally, it is characterized by a light texture and a smooth melting sensation in the mouth, but there are also baked versions like castella. The shape varies, from round to flattened, large like senbei or small like grains. By the way, “Soba cookies” originated from a soba restaurant called “Kawamichiya” in Kyoto in the late Meiji era, where they added soba flour to the ingredients and baked them in the shape of plum blossoms. Another famous “maru boru” is a specialty of Saga City.
“How have things been lately?”
“I heard that Mitsuo and Ashimitsu have been teaching cooking to Gorou, but he still hasn’t reached Mitsuo’s level.”
“Oh… is that so?”
“Just kidding. To put it simply, the situation is not good.”
Shizuko asked about the situation surrounding the Oda family. And Nohime, who easily grasped the situation, bluntly said, “It’s not a good situation.” Shizuko understood that all too well.
(No matter what means I use, can I really change the course of history?)
The historical events that occur in 1570 begin with the dissolution of the alliance with Nagamasa Asai, the Battle of Anegawa, and the uprising of Kennyo, the head of Honganji Temple. The Battle of Sakamoto that occurs at the beginning of this battle is a problem. In this battle, three people, Mori Yoshinari, Aochi Shigetsuna, and Nobunaga’s younger brother Nobuharu, are killed. Not only that, but with the uprising of Honganji Temple, the Nagashima Ikko Ikki occurs, and several castles in Owari, including Kokie Castle, are attacked. In this battle, Nobunaga’s younger brother Nobuoki, who defended Kokie Castle, fought bravely and eventually took his own life. Nobuoki was Nobunaga’s trusted younger brother, and it is said that Nobunaga developed a strong hatred towards the Ikko Ikki and became merciless after his death.
(The renovation plan for Kokie Castle is solid, but it’s difficult to proceed without the uprising of Honganji Temple. Times like these make me realize how inconvenient it is to be a woman. Without military achievements, no one will listen to me.)
Preparations can be made regardless of gender, but when it comes to the battlefield, the treatment of women diminishes. To persuade warlords, it is difficult without being a person who can also become a warlord.
(It’s about time. I think the day of the decisive battle at Sakamoto is approaching.)
To smoothly communicate with the warlords, Shizuko had to improve her martial skills. This meant that Shizuko had to make a crucial decision in her life, one that couldn’t be reversed.
During the agricultural off-season when laborers are easy to recruit, Shizuko, under Nobunaga’s orders, conducted land reclamation in various parts of Owari. Owari is a fertile land with few mountainous areas, but many villages have been devastated and there are still many areas that have not been reclaimed due to the long-lasting turmoil. In order to increase the tax revenue of Owari even more, Nobunaga devised a plan to revive the devastated villages and expand the cultivated land area.
Land reclamation can be done through manual labor, animal power, or mechanical means. In modern times, large-scale machinery such as bulldozers can be used for mechanical land reclamation, allowing the development of land to be completed in a short period of time. However, in the Sengoku period, there were no large-scale machinery, so the only options were manual labor or animal power.
So Shizuko borrowed cows and horses from nearby villages and hired many laborers to shorten the working hours. She also approached young men who did not own farmland, such as the third and fourth sons, and proposed moving to new villages. The laborers included not only mercenaries and peasant workers who came to work temporarily but also labor slaves obtained through human trafficking.
Mercenaries are not loyal and tend to flee when they feel endangered. However, they are easy to replenish and can be moved according to our convenience. Similarly, although it may sound bad, labor slaves are also easy to replenish and can be moved according to our convenience. Especially during the agricultural off-season when battles are likely to occur, the price of slaves drops dramatically from the usual 20 kanmon (about 200,000 yen) to 20 mon (about 2,000 yen). However, we do not engage in practices that force harsh labor, even if the price of slaves is low. Killing non-working laborers as a deterrent is a foolish strategy within a foolish strategy. If we engage in such behavior, people will not grow, and it is clear that their motivation to work will not increase.
The laborers have various circumstances, but it is very easy to increase their motivation. It is as simple as reducing the mortality rate from labor, improving grievances, properly evaluating those who work well or make great efforts, and praising those who do a good job. This increases the laborers’ motivation and ultimately improves the overall work efficiency.
An episode that proves this is the response during Hideyoshi’s “completion of the construction of Kiyosu Castle in three days.” Hideyoshi divided the laborers into several groups and promised to give more rewards to the group that finished the work quickly. In other words, Hideyoshi, without being bound by social status, gained control over the laborers’ hearts by skillfully distributing rewards, and successfully completed the construction in three days.
However, if the proper evaluation is not conveyed to the mercenaries and slaves, the meaning of the rewards is diminished. Therefore, a laborer-oriented gazette, which includes discussions about rewards for those properly evaluated and penalties for those who engage in misconduct, as well as current events, was created and distributed.
Due to the constant improvement of working conditions, the laborers’ motivation, including mercenaries and slaves, increased, and as a result, individuals who began to demonstrate their talents emerged among them. These included those who achieved excellent results, those who were good at leading others, those who improved work efficiency, and those who were good at resolving laborers’ grievances. Of course, it was not all good, as there were also those who hindered work and caused conflicts by prioritizing their own interests or trying to gain recognition through misconduct. However, overall, the laborers’ motivation increased, and the land reclamation plan progressed faster than initially planned.
“Well, it’s going well. If things continue like this, the production capacity will increase to 3 million koku in a few years.”
“If everything goes according to plan, it might even increase by two digits. Well, even if it doesn’t go exactly as planned, an increase by one digit is certain.”
Keiji, who picked up the report that Shizuko was looking at, murmured while playing with the abacus. Originally, Keiji was taught the abacus by Shizuko for the purpose of teasing his uncle, Maeda Toshiie. Shizuko initially thought that Keiji’s teasing was just bragging about being able to use the abacus to Toshiie. But she soon realized that it was a naive thought.
“It’s better to know a little less about everything. If you understand everything, you won’t be able to experience the joy of learning something new.”
Seeing Keiji playing with the abacus, Shizuko remembered those words and chuckled. Keiji also laughed along with her, enjoying herself. But the memories that resurfaced were not all pleasant.
“Speaking of the abacus, I hope you haven’t been teasing Maeda Matazaemon (Toshiie) again.”
Keiji averted his gaze at Shizuko’s remark. The reason why Keiji learned the abacus from Shizuko in the first place was to tease his uncle, Maeda Toshiie. At first, Shizuko thought that Keiji’s teasing was just about boasting to Toshiie that he could use the abacus. But that was too naive of a thought, as she later realized.
Keiji’s teasing was to finish the tasks that Toshiie had to do before him. All the settlements of the Maeda family, regardless of size, were handled by Toshiie himself. This was because after being humiliated by Nobunaga’s tea server, Jakuami, and finally killing him in the Kogai-giri incident, Toshiie learned the importance of money during his two-year ronin life. Although Toshiie was mocked by Matsu as “stingy,” his character ensured the financial health of the Maeda family. Keiji’s teasing was to finish these settlements first. And not just directly writing the answers on the documents, but attaching a separate sheet with the answers written politely.
“Well… I’ll give up for now.”
“Sorry, Shizuchi. I’m just taking over my uncle’s work, but for some reason, I seem to be resented.”
“Well, speaking of which, the sake in the warehouse seems to be decreasing…”
Shizuko didn’t have a chance to finish her sentence. Before that, Keiji quickly turned his body around and hurriedly left the room. Surprised, Shizuko called for Aya.
“Did you call for me, Shizuko-sama?”
“I think Keiji-san and Katsuzo (Mori Nagayoshi) have been drinking the sake in the warehouse. Well, that doesn’t matter. I want you to deliver this document to Lord Oda.”
Shizuko handed over a thick stack of papers that had been placed nearby to Aya. After receiving it, Aya quickly glanced through the contents to confirm.
“Is this a document about shipbuilding?”
“Now that the land reclamation is settling down, I think they will start asking about ship-related matters. So I’ve compiled the information that can be prepared here.”
The document contained information about the screw propeller, which is the propulsion device of a ship. It is possible to manufacture ships made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (commonly known as FRP). However, there is a problem when disposing of the ship. FRP ships are difficult to dispose of or recycle. There is a technology to dismantle and crush FRP ships and reuse them as raw materials for concrete. However, it was uncertain whether it could be practically applied in the Sengoku period without verification. Due to such issues, Shizuko decided to postpone the disclosure of information about FRP ships.
“Understood. I will arrange for it to be delivered to Lord Oda.”
As promised, Aya delivered Shizuko’s document to Nobunaga within a few days. Upon receiving it, Nobunaga wasted no time and ordered Kitakata Katsutaka, who led the Kitakata Navy, to conduct research on screw propellers.
Now, let’s go back a little in time to the late January when the cold was piercing. As the management of Ise began to stabilize and the political affairs in Kyoto, Owari, and Mino settled down, Nobunaga enjoyed falconry with Sakihisa (Konoe), Ieyasu, and his own retainers. Falconry is a type of hunting where large birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, and falcons are trained to catch small animals such as birds and rabbits, and their achievements are compared. The history of falconry in Japan is ancient, and there are many books on falconry that have been preserved. Among them are the second oldest surviving falconry textbook, “Shinshu Youkyo,” compiled in 818, the world’s first record of successful breeding of large eagles by Asakura Souteki called “Youtakuki,” and “Ryuzan-kou Youhyaku-shu,” a collection of poems written by Konoe Sakihisa that also serves as a specialized commentary on falconry. Falconry spread among the samurai during the Kamakura period, and it became a popular pastime among countrymen and warlords during the Sengoku period. Even the aristocrats and their attendants engaged in falconry, which was one of the representative entertainments, until Ieyasu, who later established the Tokugawa Shogunate, banned it.
The reason why the samurai family engages in falconry is said to be to cultivate battlefield intuition by anticipating the moment of releasing the falcon, to conduct reconnaissance missions in enemy territory, and to train their retainers to move like their own limbs. However, judging from the falconry episodes of Nobunaga and Ieyasu, the main reason may be to show off their prized falcons to others.
(Men never change, no matter the era, huh?)
About a week ago, Sakihisa (Konoe) captured a solitary golden eagle and brought it back. The official reason was to experience raising a golden eagle and training it for falconry, but Shizuko secretly thought that he just wanted the largest falcon in Japan.
“I should also train Kiju and the others.”
The owl siblings that Shizuko rescued belonged to the species of owls with ear tufts, known as the eagle owl (mimizuku). Although the exact species name was unknown, when measuring their body length, the older brother was 75 centimeters long and the younger brother was 73 centimeters long, which was comparable to the body length of a golden eagle, which is 105 centimeters. Despite being mere fledglings who couldn’t even hunt for themselves, both brothers had a mix of light and dark brown feathers, impressive ears and sharp eyes, and a dignified appearance that overwhelmed anyone who saw them.
Owls are nocturnal raptors that have evolved to be active mainly at night and are hardly active during the day. This is said to be to avoid the risk of being preyed upon by eagles and hawks. However, if there are no predators, some individuals may be active during the day and sleep at night. Even if they can be active during the day, due to the structure of their eyes, they tend to be quiet on days with strong sunlight.
Although the siblings looked the same, they were not exactly identical and had subtle differences. One of them was the color of their eyes. The older brother had orange eyes adapted to sunrise and sunset, and had a sharp gaze. On the other hand, the younger brother had yellow eyes adapted to daytime and always had a sharp gaze, but unlike his brother, he sometimes had a sleepy expression.
“Today, we’ll use a small deer for the training.”
Kiju and the others were rescued by Shizuko when they were about two months old, after being abandoned by their parents for some reason. Therefore, Shizuko had the responsibility to train the young owls in place of their parents. The training mainly consisted of short-distance flight training, long-distance flight training, training to catch prey, and training to perch on the arm. And today’s training was to have Kiju catch a small deer. Although it was called small, it was much larger compared to rabbits or mice. However, the two owls showed no signs of fear, but rather an attitude as if saying, “Let us prey!”
Shizuko signaled to the people restraining the deer with flags to release it. Once released, the deer dashed away. As soon as Shizuko confirmed this, she finally released Kiju and the others. The two owls flew without hesitation, as if they had already decided on their prey in advance. Due to the almost silent flight of the owls, the deer didn’t notice their approach. When the deer finally noticed their presence, it was already too late, as the owls’ talons mercilessly attacked them. The older brother killed the deer with his long legs and sharp talons, while the younger brother used a unique method of kicking the deer’s side and rolling it down a steep slope. The deer targeted by the younger brother was still alive, but its hind leg was broken and it couldn’t stand. The younger brother, who had been spreading his wings and showing vigilance and intimidation, eventually understood that the prey couldn’t resist anymore and stopped its breath with his sharp talons.
“The younger brother’s hunting style is quite amusing, isn’t it?”
Shizuko admired the younger brother’s hunting style, but in fact, it was not uncommon for raptors to push their prey off cliffs. She had heard stories of hawks dropping mountain goats living in high places from cliffs and then bringing them back to their nests. Although there was a risk of other animals stealing their prey in the wild, if they had the strength to drag their prey with their talons and the ability to fly, pushing their prey off from a high place was not a bad tactic.
“But it’s quite big for a male. There’s also the possibility of a lost bird, so it’s not easy to determine exactly what it is, but large eagle owls are quite limited in number.”
While thinking about what species the siblings belonged to, Shizuko’s gaze returned to the two owls, who had finished their meal and were now flying towards her.
“The deer didn’t seem to suit their taste. Maybe quails with a good balance would be better.”
The deer didn’t seem to please them, as there was a significant amount of meat left. Shizuko thought that since the deer would either return to the earth or become food for wild animals, it was fine to leave the carcass behind. She placed the two owls on her arm and manipulated the reins of the horse, beginning the journey back home.
(…What should I do? Should I let the golden eagle and the owl siblings return to nature, or should I take responsibility and keep them in captivity?)
Shizuko pondered while being swayed on the horse’s back. The difference between Wittman and the golden eagle was whether or not they were given individual names. Giving an individual name meant taking care of the animal. It meant taking responsibility and being prepared to care for the animal’s life, ensuring its health and safety until the end.
Shizuko was able to make the decision to keep Wittman and the other gray wolves because she had experience raising dogs and knowledge about the ecology, behavior, and physiology of dogs and wolves. On the other hand, she had no experience in keeping golden eagles or owls. Especially the golden eagle was an endangered species. Unless one was an expert, it was almost impossible for an individual to gain experience in keeping them.
(I understand that I have to make a decision. But it would be so much easier if I could decide easily.)
Shizuko realized that if she simply kept the raptors because they were cute or cool without considering the best future for both parties, they would both end up unhappy. However, raptors, like their mates, would stay with their chosen partner for life. From the affection shown by the golden eagle and the owls, Shizuko felt ashamed of her own naivety in rescuing them without thinking about the best future for both parties.
(Ah! No, no. There’s no point in worrying. Alright, I’ve decided! If I can’t find an answer within a month… I will take responsibility and keep them in captivity for their entire lives! Yes, that’s what I’ve decided!)
When her train of thought was about to become a maze with no exit, Shizuko shouted in her mind, pushing everything out. It was synonymous with her decision to keep them in captivity for their entire lives, but in her excitement, she didn’t realize that.
After that, Shizuko, who had let her guard down and was busy, forgot about the question of whether to keep the golden eagle and the owls for falconry, only to remember her decision a month later and hold her head in her hands. It was a predictable outcome, but for Shizuko, who was becoming indecisive, it might have been for the best. Although she resolved the problem forcibly, she soon faced a new problem.
“Names… What should I do?”
Shizuko once again found herself troubled by the fact that she couldn’t decide on names for the golden eagle and the owl siblings.
1570, early JanuaryShizuko attended the annual New Year's Day banquet hosted by Nobunaga, as usual. Unlike the previous year, Shizuko gave Nobunaga a New Year's greeting, which had two meanings: presenting him with military supplies that were stored in the warehouse, and organizing the warehouse. And not just Nobunaga. She also gave gifts to other important figures such as Mori Yoshinari, Niwa Nagahide, Sakuma Nobumori, Kinoshita Yoshitaka, Takigawa Kazumasu, Shibata Katsuie, and Sassa Narimasa. For Shizuko, it was just a matter of releasing things that had accumulated without her realizing it and organizing the warehouse, but for the lower-ranking retainers, it made her seem like someone capable of military actions comparable to a small country. Furthermore, if she appeared extremely natural and friendly towards the feared Nobunaga, and had friendly relationships with other important figures, it was not surprising that she seemed like an amazing person to the newly recruited retainers.Shizuko had gained even more attention since the previous year and was greeted by various people, but she was tired of the situation. While she responded with a smile on the surface, she felt a stomachache from the ambitions of the people who greeted her. It's not wrong to try to get close to someone and aim higher. However, she wanted to be spared from being sought after for that. That was her honest opinion. Mori Yoshinari, perhaps sensing that she was feeling uneasy every time someone approached her, lightly coughed and drove away the retainers. Shizuko had been enjoying the peaceful banquet for a while, but the moment she saw Nobunaga beckoning her, she realized that the peace had ended.Did you call for me, my lord?Just now, I was discussing with Niwa if there were any words that could be used in the tea ceremony.Huh? In the tea ceremony is that so?No need to worry. I have already prepared paper and ink.Not that I'm worried about that but I can't say that, can INobunaga, as if he hadn't considered Shizuko's response from the beginning, prepared paper and ink in front of her. Giving up, she thought for a moment and wrote a four-character idiom on the paper.Ichigo ichie?It was the most commonly used phrase in the spirit of tea ceremony, Ichigo ichie. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichi-go_ichi-eAlthough it is said to be a phrase left by Sen no Rikyu, there is no record of it written by him. It only appears in the book of his disciple, Yamagami Soji. In terms of meaning, ichigo refers to a lifetime in Buddhist terminology, and ichie refers to a gathering or meeting, mainly in religious ceremonies. Everything is constantly changing and does not remain in the same place. When attending a tea gathering, one should consider it as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter and approach it with sincerity. By the way, the four-character idiom Ichigo ichie became widely known thanks to Ii Naosuke, the lord of the Hikone Domain and also a senior statesman of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the late Edo period.Well, during the time when Sen no Rikyu, Imami Sogi, and Tsuda Sogyu were the three great masters, my words would easily disappear.She thought it might not be appropriate to use the words of a living person, but since she couldn't think of any other words, she told herself that it couldn't be helped.Ichigo refers to the period from birth to death. Ichie mainly refers to a gathering or meeting, such as a memorial service. Everything is constantly changing and does not remain in the same place. When attending a tea gathering, one should consider it as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter and approach it with sincerity. That is the meaning of the phrase Ichigo ichie.'Nobunaga had been looking at the characters Shizuko wrote for a while, but suddenly a soft smile appeared on his face.So everything in the world is impermanent. Interesting, I will immediately display this in the tea room as a reminder.Y-yes Is it okay? This is really well, saying anything would be pointless anyway.Nobunaga, who was mocked as a famous collector, was collecting tea utensils with his military and financial power. Perhaps he wanted to show those around him that he was not just a barbarian who collected tea utensils, but also a cultured person who could speak culturally related words in the tea ceremony.However, from Shizuko's perspective, the tea utensils looked like dirty, unwashed objects. Furthermore, from now on, the tea utensils would become new rewards, and the tea ceremony would become deeply involved in politics, serving as a display of power. Shizuko, who thought that getting involved in the tea ceremony would not lead to anything good, decided to avoid it as much as possible.Come to think of it, do they even wash the tea utensils? No, maybe they don't.Shizuko had experienced a tea ceremony as part of her cultural education, but she felt suffocated by the numerous rules and manners. While she understood the importance of etiquette and manners, she couldn't help but feel that it was more like a presentation of etiquette rather than enjoying tea. In the end, she realized that tea ceremony was not suitable for her and decided to focus only on studying the philosophy and principles of tea.After that, Shizuko was not approached by Nobunaga again, and she managed to get through the banquet by smiling politely to those around her. Mentally exhausted from the start of the new year, she planned to go home and crawl into bed, so she immediately set off for home as soon as the banquet ended. However, just before leaving, she was stopped by one of Nobunaga's attendants.My lord has instructed me to present a reward to Shizuko-sama.Along with the words, the attendant handed Shizuko a rectangular wooden box. Instead of checking what was inside, Shizuko prioritized going home and getting some sleep, so she accepted the wooden box without saying anything and went home.The next day, after Shizuko had rested and regained her energy, she became curious about what was inside the wooden box and quietly opened the lid. Inside was an old and slightly dirty matchlock gun. Feeling that it needed maintenance, Shizuko asked Aya to prepare cloth, water, boiling water, and thin sticks.I can disassemble the matchlock gun, but be careful with the trigger mechanism, as it is a custom-made part.Military equipment used for warfare, regardless of time or place, is made with a simple structure. This is because a simple structure is easier to maintain. The matchlock gun is no exception, with few parts and a simple structure.First, she removed the barrel and stock, and then the most important part, the breech plug. The reason for caution is that matchlock guns can cause fouling, and if debris gets stuck in the threads of the breech plug, it can become firmly attached. Fortunately, the breech plug was not stuck, and the trigger mechanism was also simple, so Shizuko had no trouble disassembling the matchlock gun.The structure of the matchlock gun is not publicly disclosed as it is considered confidential information. However, Shizuko had studied the detailed structure from literature and had attended dismantling demonstrations of matchlock guns many times. Therefore, she had a thorough understanding of the structure of the matchlock gun, down to the smallest details.After disassembly, the next step was cleaning. The residue of black powder is water-soluble, so most of it can be removed by washing with water. To wipe off any dirt that couldn't be removed with water, she polished each part with a cloth. Once that was done, she poured boiling water over the barrel for the final touch. The hot water heats up the barrel, causing the moisture to evaporate.Shizuko smiled wryly at Aya, who had been watching nervously, but when she learned that muzzle-loading guns were washed with hot water, she was genuinely surprised and understood how Aya felt.It was quite dirty Well, it's clean now.Looking at the muddy water used for cleaning, it was clear that maintenance had been neglected.Oh, by the way, Aya-chan, could you bring me camellia oil?Camellia oil? Yes, understood.In order to increase the options for vegetable oils, Shizuko had also produced soybean, sesame, sunflower, peanut, rice bran, safflower, and camellia oils. However, soybeans were military supplies, sesame had a negligible harvest yield compared to the cultivated land, and the amount of oil obtained from rice bran was small. On the other hand, sunflowers were grown as green manure, peanuts were unpopular with Nobunaga, and safflowers and camellias had no edible parts. Therefore, there was no problem with using a large amount of these oils for processing.Unlike sunflowers and peanuts, the use of safflowers and camellias has a long history in Japan. Especially, camellias have been mentioned in the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry, the Manyoshu, and have long been regarded as a symbol of beautiful flowers. Camellia wood is used for furniture, furnishings, crafts, and firewood. Wood ash is used for sake brewing and dyeing. The oil obtained from the seeds is highly valued as a high-quality frying oil, as well as for cosmetics and medical purposes. In particular, camellia oil has been used as a frying oil in Shojin cuisine, which was established in the Kamakura period.The reason Shizuko asked for camellia oil was because it is used as a rust preventive. There are records of it being used for knife maintenance in the Edo period, and it is still used today for the maintenance of swords, knives, and carving tools. Furthermore, camellia oil is also used for hair care. In the Sengoku period, long, glossy black hair was considered a symbol of beauty, and camellia oil was highly valued for hair care. After Aya returned with the camellia oil, Shizuko lightly applied it to the surface of the barrel using a brush.I've only applied it to the surface, but I hope it will be fine for a while.Matchlock guns are made of soft iron that contains very little carbon. Therefore, there is hardly any need to apply camellia oil. Despite knowing this, Shizuko decided to apply camellia oil as a rust preventive, just to be safe.SighBut it's not enough. If we increase the number of camellias, we can obtain more oil. I wonder why everyone dislikes them so much.No one else could have performed such a bold act with the sacred camellia tree except for Shizuko-sama.Camellias have been objects of worship since ancient times as sacred trees believed to possess spiritual power. However, the part Shizuko cut for propagation was not from a sacred camellia tree, but from an ordinary camellia found in the vicinity. Nevertheless, she was stopped by several people, so she was only able to collect about half of the planned number of cuttings.By the way, in the case of seedlings, it takes several years, or even up to ten years, for them to bloom. On the other hand, cuttings often bloom within one to two years. Shizuko's purpose was not to improve the flower varieties of camellias, but to increase the number of camellias that bear fully developed pistils for fruiting. Therefore, for her, there was no advantage in growing camellias from seedlings. However, since camellias bear fruit through cross-pollination, artificial pollination is necessary to ensure stable fruiting. In a sense, it could be said that she was doing the same thing as variety improvement.I don't think it's something to worry so much about. If we have more camellias, won't we have more camellia oil?It's impossible for me.Hmm, well, never mind. Also, make sure to prepare the camellia leaves and tea leaves. You can make camellia tea by kneading and twisting them together.Currently, we don't have many people assigned to manage the camellias. So when we harvest the leaves, we'll have to hire workers.Well, if that's the case, we'll have to increase the number of craftsmen who can make camellia oil.To extract camellia oil, you need to obtain seeds from the fruits that form after the flowers fall, steam them after drying them in the sun, and then squeeze them using a manually operated press that utilizes the lever principle called kakudou. The oil is then boiled at high temperature to withstand long-term storage, strained roughly with cloth, and finally filtered through Japanese paper to obtain the transparent golden camellia oil. The yield was relatively good, with about one and a half liters approximately 2.7 liters of oil obtained from ten kilograms of seeds. The byproduct, camellia oil cake tsubaki aburakasu, was dried in the sun and distributed as fertilizer.The majority of refined camellia oil is purchased by Nohime and her companions. Occasionally, it is said that traveling merchants also buy it, but I don't know where they go to sell it. In the end, only a small amount remains in Shizuko's possession, but it is sufficient for personal consumption, so she is satisfied with it. It's a story of how the attempt to reduce the amount of money ends up increasing it.Although it is not directly related to camellias, the collection of honey and beeswax has become more efficient with the completion of special equipment. It is a compression wax-making device that applies pressure while rotating a spiral. If you make cuts in the honeycomb collected from the beehive, it will fall naturally due to gravity, but not all of it can be collected, so the remaining honey needs to be squeezed out. The beeswax also needs to be melted in boiling water and then squeezed into a cotton bag. While the methods of extracting honey and beeswax require manual labor and are labor-intensive, Shizuko decided that the production of the compression wax-making device was necessary.The compression wax-making device has the advantage of being able to be used for both honey and beeswax extraction. However, the use of metal was not possible due to the military technology used in matchlock guns. Therefore, Shizuko manufactured wooden bolts and nuts that are weaker in strength than metal but can be easily mass-produced with the use of tools. The advantage is that the materials are more easily obtained than metal, and with the use of tools such as dies, bottoming taps, and finishing taps, they can be manufactured with uniform sizes. Although thicker round bars are used compared to metal, the thickness can be easily adjusted using a lathe. Nobunaga, who had prohibited the production of metal screws, was caught off guard by this clever solution. However, he quickly changed his mindset and began researching the utility of wooden bolts and nuts.The reason for manufacturing oil presses for honey and beeswax was simply because there was high demand for both. Honey, of course, is a high-quality product that is difficult to collect without stacked beehives. Beeswax is used together with the golden ridge kinryouhen to guide Japanese honeybees, as well as being used as wax, mixed with vegetable oil to make lip balm, hand cream, and candles. In particular, candles made by mixing vegetable oil and beeswax are very popular due to their ability to produce a gentle light without producing much soot.The compression wax-making device can also be used for oil extraction from plants with high oil content, such as rapeseed and peanuts, by applying the structure. However, vegetable oil requires a larger quantity compared to honey and beeswax, so a large-scale water-powered oil press that can extract a large amount at once was manufactured.By the way, where is Keiji-san? Is he out somewhere?As usual, he took various things from the warehouse and headed to his hometown. He probably won't be back for about half a month.Aya speaks while handing Shizuko the inventory list of the items Keiji took from the warehouse. Shizuko takes a quick look at it. She couldn't help but think that he's taking things that she still doesn't fully understand.Well, it's New Year's after all.It feels like it's already past New Year's by half a monthIt's not something to worry about. We'll be busy soon anyway, so it's important to rest now.Aya furrows her brows at Shizuko, who speaks as if it's a definite matter. However, Aya doesn't pursue it further. She sensed Shizuko's refusal to be deeply questioned, which is a rare occurrence. Aya was taken aback by this unusual situation and missed the opportunity to ask when she realized it.No, she must have obtained something from her information network That must be it.Aya tried to convince herself with that thought, but she couldn't completely dispel her uneasiness.On January 23rd, Nobunaga had Yoshiaki approve an additional five articles to the Denchu On'okite Imperial Court Regulations. These regulations were much stricter than the nine articles approved the previous year January 14th, Eiroku 12 and the additional seven articles January 16th, Eiroku 12. Of particular importance was the fourth article, which stated, Regarding matters of the country, since the shogun has entrusted them to Nobunaga, Nobunaga can judge and decide without depending on anyone's consent or seeking the shogun's approval. In other words, it meant that since the shogun has entrusted the governance of the country to Nobunaga, Nobunaga doesn't need to obey anyone, nor does he need to seek the shogun's approval. He can make judgments and decisions based on his own discretion. The total of 21 articles of the Denchu On'okite made the discord between Nobunaga and Yoshiaki more apparent. However, it didn't lead to a decisive deterioration in their relationship. The definitive confrontation between the two occurred after entering the Genki era April 23rd, Eiroku 13.In February, Shizuko's situation changed in several ways. First, Shizuko's superior is Mori Yoshinari, but she became temporarily attached to the Fifth Army as a military personnel, and an additional 4,000 soldiers were assigned to her. Keiji and Saizou remained in their positions as Shizuko's personal guards, but they also became military personnel of the Fifth Army.As a reward for Nagayoshi's remarkable performance in the Ise invasion the previous year, despite being only eleven years old, he was granted permission to undergo the coming-of-age ceremony at the end of January and was allowed by Nobunaga to take on a one-character name, Mori Katsuzo Mori Nagayoshi Nagayoshi. Instead of being in his father Yoshinari's Third Army, he became the commander of the Fifth Army's Shizuko unit.Shizuko assigned a thousand soldiers to Keiji, Saizou, and Nagayoshi each, and the remaining thousand soldiers and a civil engineering workers unit of five hundred were placed under her command. She also recruited individuals with archery skills and formed a mounted archer unit equipped with compound bows. However, only thirty people passed the test for the mounted archer unit.During a period without transportation tasks, unlike other armies, the Fifth Army was responsible for the construction of macadam pavement on the roads in Owari and Mino. A significantly larger number of personnel than the technical district were deployed, and the roads in Owari and Mino were paved with macadam. Thanks to the rapid road construction, Nobunaga's proposed logistics management system for peacetime and wartime began operating slightly earlier than planned.There was a problem of supply not keeping up with the demand for horses, but Nobunaga prepared two types of wagons: those pulled by horses and those pulled by manpower. He also established a river route for transporting goods by cargo ships. The horse-drawn wagons had a larger maximum load capacity than the manpower-drawn wagons and could travel longer distances in a day, but the transportation cost was higher, and it was not easy to increase the number of wagons. The manpower-drawn wagons had a slower travel speed and shorter distance, but they were cheaper and more flexible in terms of easily increasing the number of wagons. The river route had the highest capacity for transporting goods at once, but the transportation route was influenced by the flow of the river, and on days with bad weather, transportation was not possible. Merchants chose the transportation method based on the nature of their cargo.Strict measures were taken to maintain public order. Even if wagons were used, merchants wouldn't trust it if the public order was bad. If trust couldn't be gained, money wouldn't flow into Owari and Mino. Therefore, bandits were subject to a minimum of imprisonment, and in some cases, they were even beheaded. The treatment of imprisonment was harsh, forcing them to barely survive. It was similar to hitting a disobedient child to make them listen. To avoid experiencing hardships, they were told not to become bandits or robbers and to obey the laws imposed by Nobunaga.With the eradication of bandits and the improvement of public order, the roads in Owari and Mino were gradually paved with macadam. As the roads were completed, commercial activities became more active, and the regions that had been devastated by war began to recover. However, the unsettling atmosphere surrounding the Oda family grew stronger as they stood out more from others.Shizuko couldn't help but think that her sense of smell is abnormal.Nanban fruits are often sweet.Nohime, after tasting the harvested mandarins, expresses her thoughts with a satisfied expression.The reason why mandarins harvested from autumn to early winter can be eaten in February is simple. If the fruit is left on the tree until late, the sweetness increases and the acidity decreases, making it very delicious. Although there are exceptions like the early-ripening Unshu mandarin, which decreases in acidity quickly and hardly increases in sweetness, most varieties become delicious when left on the tree for a long time. However, they are easily targeted by birds such as white-eyes and thrushes, and leaving the fruit on the tree for a long time reduces the number of flowers the following year. To avoid this, Shizuko harvested the mandarins on the outer and upper parts of the tree in early December and applied bagging treatment to the mandarins on the inner part of the tree to prevent birds from eating them.It's lonely to have only one tree that bears fruit.Oh, how obvious, Lady Nohime. Shizuko has given instructions to various places to increase the number of mandarin trees, as you should know.As Matsu pointed out, Shizuko was preparing to increase the number of mandarin, lemon, and yuzu trees. Grafting is considered the best method for increasing citrus varieties such as mandarins, lemons, and yuzu. Rooting cuttings have a low success rate, and if grown from seeds, it takes more than ten years for them to bear fruit. On the other hand, grafting uses scions that are easily obtained as rootstocks, and they have a high compatibility and survival rate with citrus varieties. They can start flowering and bearing fruit as early as three years and as late as seven years.Today's tea snack is Soba cookies Soba boru.The boru of Soba cookies is derived from the Portuguese word bolo, which means cake. Generally, it is characterized by a light texture and a smooth melting sensation in the mouth, but there are also baked versions like castella. The shape varies, from round to flattened, large like senbei or small like grains. By the way, Soba cookies originated from a soba restaurant called Kawamichiya in Kyoto in the late Meiji era, where they added soba flour to the ingredients and baked them in the shape of plum blossoms. Another famous maru boru is a specialty of Saga City.How have things been lately?I heard that Mitsuo and Ashimitsu have been teaching cooking to Gorou, but he still hasn't reached Mitsuo's level.Oh is that so?Just kidding. To put it simply, the situation is not good.Shizuko asked about the situation surrounding the Oda family. And Nohime, who easily grasped the situation, bluntly said, It's not a good situation. Shizuko understood that all too well.No matter what means I use, can I really change the course of history?The historical events that occur in 1570 begin with the dissolution of the alliance with Nagamasa Asai, the Battle of Anegawa, and the uprising of Kennyo, the head of Honganji Temple. The Battle of Sakamoto that occurs at the beginning of this battle is a problem. In this battle, three people, Mori Yoshinari, Aochi Shigetsuna, and Nobunaga's younger brother Nobuharu, are killed. Not only that, but with the uprising of Honganji Temple, the Nagashima Ikko Ikki occurs, and several castles in Owari, including Kokie Castle, are attacked. In this battle, Nobunaga's younger brother Nobuoki, who defended Kokie Castle, fought bravely and eventually took his own life. Nobuoki was Nobunaga's trusted younger brother, and it is said that Nobunaga developed a strong hatred towards the Ikko Ikki and became merciless after his death.The renovation plan for Kokie Castle is solid, but it's difficult to proceed without the uprising of Honganji Temple. Times like these make me realize how inconvenient it is to be a woman. Without military achievements, no one will listen to me.Preparations can be made regardless of gender, but when it comes to the battlefield, the treatment of women diminishes. To persuade warlords, it is difficult without being a person who can also become a warlord.It's about time. I think the day of the decisive battle at Sakamoto is approaching.To smoothly communicate with the warlords, Shizuko had to improve her martial skills. This meant that Shizuko had to make a crucial decision in her life, one that couldn't be reversed.During the agricultural off-season when laborers are easy to recruit, Shizuko, under Nobunaga's orders, conducted land reclamation in various parts of Owari. Owari is a fertile land with few mountainous areas, but many villages have been devastated and there are still many areas that have not been reclaimed due to the long-lasting turmoil. In order to increase the tax revenue of Owari even more, Nobunaga devised a plan to revive the devastated villages and expand the cultivated land area.Land reclamation can be done through manual labor, animal power, or mechanical means. In modern times, large-scale machinery such as bulldozers can be used for mechanical land reclamation, allowing the development of land to be completed in a short period of time. However, in the Sengoku period, there were no large-scale machinery, so the only options were manual labor or animal power.So Shizuko borrowed cows and horses from nearby villages and hired many laborers to shorten the working hours. She also approached young men who did not own farmland, such as the third and fourth sons, and proposed moving to new villages. The laborers included not only mercenaries and peasant workers who came to work temporarily but also labor slaves obtained through human trafficking.Mercenaries are not loyal and tend to flee when they feel endangered. However, they are easy to replenish and can be moved according to our convenience. Similarly, although it may sound bad, labor slaves are also easy to replenish and can be moved according to our convenience. Especially during the agricultural off-season when battles are likely to occur, the price of slaves drops dramatically from the usual 20 kanmon about 200,000 yen to 20 mon about 2,000 yen. However, we do not engage in practices that force harsh labor, even if the price of slaves is low. Killing non-working laborers as a deterrent is a foolish strategy within a foolish strategy. If we engage in such behavior, people will not grow, and it is clear that their motivation to work will not increase.The laborers have various circumstances, but it is very easy to increase their motivation. It is as simple as reducing the mortality rate from labor, improving grievances, properly evaluating those who work well or make great efforts, and praising those who do a good job. This increases the laborers' motivation and ultimately improves the overall work efficiency.An episode that proves this is the response during Hideyoshi's completion of the construction of Kiyosu Castle in three days. Hideyoshi divided the laborers into several groups and promised to give more rewards to the group that finished the work quickly. In other words, Hideyoshi, without being bound by social status, gained control over the laborers' hearts by skillfully distributing rewards, and successfully completed the construction in three days.However, if the proper evaluation is not conveyed to the mercenaries and slaves, the meaning of the rewards is diminished. Therefore, a laborer-oriented gazette, which includes discussions about rewards for those properly evaluated and penalties for those who engage in misconduct, as well as current events, was created and distributed.Due to the constant improvement of working conditions, the laborers' motivation, including mercenaries and slaves, increased, and as a result, individuals who began to demonstrate their talents emerged among them. These included those who achieved excellent results, those who were good at leading others, those who improved work efficiency, and those who were good at resolving laborers' grievances. Of course, it was not all good, as there were also those who hindered work and caused conflicts by prioritizing their own interests or trying to gain recognition through misconduct. However, overall, the laborers' motivation increased, and the land reclamation plan progressed faster than initially planned.Well, it's going well. If things continue like this, the production capacity will increase to 3 million koku in a few years.If everything goes according to plan, it might even increase by two digits. Well, even if it doesn't go exactly as planned, an increase by one digit is certain.Keiji, who picked up the report that Shizuko was looking at, murmured while playing with the abacus. Originally, Keiji was taught the abacus by Shizuko for the purpose of teasing his uncle, Maeda Toshiie. Shizuko initially thought that Keiji's teasing was just bragging about being able to use the abacus to Toshiie. But she soon realized that it was a naive thought.It's better to know a little less about everything. If you understand everything, you won't be able to experience the joy of learning something new.Seeing Keiji playing with the abacus, Shizuko remembered those words and chuckled. Keiji also laughed along with her, enjoying herself. But the memories that resurfaced were not all pleasant.Speaking of the abacus, I hope you haven't been teasing Maeda Matazaemon Toshiie again.Keiji averted his gaze at Shizuko's remark. The reason why Keiji learned the abacus from Shizuko in the first place was to tease his uncle, Maeda Toshiie. At first, Shizuko thought that Keiji's teasing was just about boasting to Toshiie that he could use the abacus. But that was too naive of a thought, as she later realized.Keiji's teasing was to finish the tasks that Toshiie had to do before him. All the settlements of the Maeda family, regardless of size, were handled by Toshiie himself. This was because after being humiliated by Nobunaga's tea server, Jakuami, and finally killing him in the Kogai-giri incident, Toshiie learned the importance of money during his two-year ronin life. Although Toshiie was mocked by Matsu as stingy, his character ensured the financial health of the Maeda family. Keiji's teasing was to finish these settlements first. And not just directly writing the answers on the documents, but attaching a separate sheet with the answers written politely.Well I'll give up for now.Sorry, Shizuchi. I'm just taking over my uncle's work, but for some reason, I seem to be resented.Well, speaking of which, the sake in the warehouse seems to be decreasingShizuko didn't have a chance to finish her sentence. Before that, Keiji quickly turned his body around and hurriedly left the room. Surprised, Shizuko called for Aya.Did you call for me, Shizuko-sama?I think Keiji-san and Katsuzo Mori Nagayoshi have been drinking the sake in the warehouse. Well, that doesn't matter. I want you to deliver this document to Lord Oda.Shizuko handed over a thick stack of papers that had been placed nearby to Aya. After receiving it, Aya quickly glanced through the contents to confirm.Is this a document about shipbuilding?Now that the land reclamation is settling down, I think they will start asking about ship-related matters. So I've compiled the information that can be prepared here.The document contained information about the screw propeller, which is the propulsion device of a ship. It is possible to manufacture ships made of glass fiber reinforced plastic commonly known as FRP. However, there is a problem when disposing of the ship. FRP ships are difficult to dispose of or recycle. There is a technology to dismantle and crush FRP ships and reuse them as raw materials for concrete. However, it was uncertain whether it could be practically applied in the Sengoku period without verification. Due to such issues, Shizuko decided to postpone the disclosure of information about FRP ships.Understood. I will arrange for it to be delivered to Lord Oda.As promised, Aya delivered Shizuko's document to Nobunaga within a few days. Upon receiving it, Nobunaga wasted no time and ordered Kitakata Katsutaka, who led the Kitakata Navy, to conduct research on screw propellers.Now, let's go back a little in time to the late January when the cold was piercing. As the management of Ise began to stabilize and the political affairs in Kyoto, Owari, and Mino settled down, Nobunaga enjoyed falconry with Sakihisa Konoe, Ieyasu, and his own retainers. Falconry is a type of hunting where large birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, and falcons are trained to catch small animals such as birds and rabbits, and their achievements are compared. The history of falconry in Japan is ancient, and there are many books on falconry that have been preserved. Among them are the second oldest surviving falconry textbook, Shinshu Youkyo, compiled in 818, the world's first record of successful breeding of large eagles by Asakura Souteki called Youtakuki, and Ryuzan-kou Youhyaku-shu, a collection of poems written by Konoe Sakihisa that also serves as a specialized commentary on falconry. Falconry spread among the samurai during the Kamakura period, and it became a popular pastime among countrymen and warlords during the Sengoku period. Even the aristocrats and their attendants engaged in falconry, which was one of the representative entertainments, until Ieyasu, who later established the Tokugawa Shogunate, banned it.The reason why the samurai family engages in falconry is said to be to cultivate battlefield intuition by anticipating the moment of releasing the falcon, to conduct reconnaissance missions in enemy territory, and to train their retainers to move like their own limbs. However, judging from the falconry episodes of Nobunaga and Ieyasu, the main reason may be to show off their prized falcons to others.Men never change, no matter the era, huh?About a week ago, Sakihisa Konoe captured a solitary golden eagle and brought it back. The official reason was to experience raising a golden eagle and training it for falconry, but Shizuko secretly thought that he just wanted the largest falcon in Japan.I should also train Kiju and the others.The owl siblings that Shizuko rescued belonged to the species of owls with ear tufts, known as the eagle owl mimizuku. Although the exact species name was unknown, when measuring their body length, the older brother was 75 centimeters long and the younger brother was 73 centimeters long, which was comparable to the body length of a golden eagle, which is 105 centimeters. Despite being mere fledglings who couldn't even hunt for themselves, both brothers had a mix of light and dark brown feathers, impressive ears and sharp eyes, and a dignified appearance that overwhelmed anyone who saw them.Owls are nocturnal raptors that have evolved to be active mainly at night and are hardly active during the day. This is said to be to avoid the risk of being preyed upon by eagles and hawks. However, if there are no predators, some individuals may be active during the day and sleep at night. Even if they can be active during the day, due to the structure of their eyes, they tend to be quiet on days with strong sunlight.Although the siblings looked the same, they were not exactly identical and had subtle differences. One of them was the color of their eyes. The older brother had orange eyes adapted to sunrise and sunset, and had a sharp gaze. On the other hand, the younger brother had yellow eyes adapted to daytime and always had a sharp gaze, but unlike his brother, he sometimes had a sleepy expression.Today, we'll use a small deer for the training.Kiju and the others were rescued by Shizuko when they were about two months old, after being abandoned by their parents for some reason. Therefore, Shizuko had the responsibility to train the young owls in place of their parents. The training mainly consisted of short-distance flight training, long-distance flight training, training to catch prey, and training to perch on the arm. And today's training was to have Kiju catch a small deer. Although it was called small, it was much larger compared to rabbits or mice. However, the two owls showed no signs of fear, but rather an attitude as if saying, Let us prey!Shizuko signaled to the people restraining the deer with flags to release it. Once released, the deer dashed away. As soon as Shizuko confirmed this, she finally released Kiju and the others. The two owls flew without hesitation, as if they had already decided on their prey in advance. Due to the almost silent flight of the owls, the deer didn't notice their approach. When the deer finally noticed their presence, it was already too late, as the owls' talons mercilessly attacked them. The older brother killed the deer with his long legs and sharp talons, while the younger brother used a unique method of kicking the deer's side and rolling it down a steep slope. The deer targeted by the younger brother was still alive, but its hind leg was broken and it couldn't stand. The younger brother, who had been spreading his wings and showing vigilance and intimidation, eventually understood that the prey couldn't resist anymore and stopped its breath with his sharp talons.The younger brother's hunting style is quite amusing, isn't it?Shizuko admired the younger brother's hunting style, but in fact, it was not uncommon for raptors to push their prey off cliffs. She had heard stories of hawks dropping mountain goats living in high places from cliffs and then bringing them back to their nests. Although there was a risk of other animals stealing their prey in the wild, if they had the strength to drag their prey with their talons and the ability to fly, pushing their prey off from a high place was not a bad tactic.But it's quite big for a male. There's also the possibility of a lost bird, so it's not easy to determine exactly what it is, but large eagle owls are quite limited in number.While thinking about what species the siblings belonged to, Shizuko's gaze returned to the two owls, who had finished their meal and were now flying towards her.The deer didn't seem to suit their taste. Maybe quails with a good balance would be better.The deer didn't seem to please them, as there was a significant amount of meat left. Shizuko thought that since the deer would either return to the earth or become food for wild animals, it was fine to leave the carcass behind. She placed the two owls on her arm and manipulated the reins of the horse, beginning the journey back home.What should I do? Should I let the golden eagle and the owl siblings return to nature, or should I take responsibility and keep them in captivity?Shizuko pondered while being swayed on the horse's back. The difference between Wittman and the golden eagle was whether or not they were given individual names. Giving an individual name meant taking care of the animal. It meant taking responsibility and being prepared to care for the animal's life, ensuring its health and safety until the end.Shizuko was able to make the decision to keep Wittman and the other gray wolves because she had experience raising dogs and knowledge about the ecology, behavior, and physiology of dogs and wolves. On the other hand, she had no experience in keeping golden eagles or owls. Especially the golden eagle was an endangered species. Unless one was an expert, it was almost impossible for an individual to gain experience in keeping them.I understand that I have to make a decision. But it would be so much easier if I could decide easily.Shizuko realized that if she simply kept the raptors because they were cute or cool without considering the best future for both parties, they would both end up unhappy. However, raptors, like their mates, would stay with their chosen partner for life. From the affection shown by the golden eagle and the owls, Shizuko felt ashamed of her own naivety in rescuing them without thinking about the best future for both parties.Ah! No, no. There's no point in worrying. Alright, I've decided! If I can't find an answer within a month I will take responsibility and keep them in captivity for their entire lives! Yes, that's what I've decided!When her train of thought was about to become a maze with no exit, Shizuko shouted in her mind, pushing everything out. It was synonymous with her decision to keep them in captivity for their entire lives, but in her excitement, she didn't realize that.After that, Shizuko, who had let her guard down and was busy, forgot about the question of whether to keep the golden eagle and the owls for falconry, only to remember her decision a month later and hold her head in her hands. It was a predictable outcome, but for Shizuko, who was becoming indecisive, it might have been for the best. Although she resolved the problem forcibly, she soon faced a new problem.Names What should I do?Shizuko once again found herself troubled by the fact that she couldn't decide on names for the golden eagle and the owl siblings.
