Chapter 94

"Kyouko, I am grateful for saving Goroza's life."

Recently, the Tsuda couple has been acting separately from time to time.

This time, Kyouko was invited to Ishiyama Castle by Nobunaga.

The reason was that she successfully performed surgery on Tanba Nagahide's stomach cancer.

Nobunaga's trust in Tanba Nagahide was deep.

He was a hereditary vassal, always loyal to Nobunaga, and his contributions were significant.

His wife was Nobunaga's adopted daughter, and his eldest son, Nagahide, married Nobunaga's daughter.

There was even a rumor that Tanba's territories in Sanuki and Awa were chosen to make it easier for him to rush to Ishiyama.

His previous territories were in Kawachi and Izumi, so the rumor seemed to be true.

This was proof of how much Nobunaga trusted Nagahide.

"The cancer hadn't spread, so he was saved."

"Is that so?"

Nobunaga listened with great interest as Kyouko explained Nagahide's illness and the surgical procedure.

While cancer was known in this era, the idea of removing the stomach was something Nobunaga had never heard of before.

"But, you removed his stomach. Nagahide will have dietary restrictions, won't he?"

"Yes, he can eat small amounts several times a day."

Kyouko explained to Nobunaga the same as she did to Nagahide.

Other digestive organs can substitute for the stomach, but there will be restrictions on the amount of food he can eat at one time.

"Still, I need to be careful myself."

"Excessive salty foods can also cause stomach cancer, so please be careful, Lord."

"You got me there."

After the conversation, Nobunaga shared a meal with Kyouko.

O-Nobu and Nobunaga's young children were also present.

Sixth son Daido, seventh son Kodo, eighth son Shaku, ninth son Jin, tenth son Ryoushi, eleventh son En, and the daughters were all there, and Kyouko was surprised by the number of Nobunaga's children.

Another interesting point was that the children's nicknames were quite traditional.

"There are a lot of children today. Let's make a special dish."

Kyouko decided to make what is known as a 'children's lunch' for Nobunaga's children, considering the large number of children.

The menu included hamburger with a fried egg, shrimp tempura, spaghetti napoletana, octopus-shaped sausages, chicken rice, and dessert was a parfait with pudding, all items that children typically enjoy.

For the adults, she served a curry rice with a hamburger and a salad.

"Wow, it looks delicious."

"I've never seen anything like this before."

Nobunaga's children were delighted and started eating the children's lunch.

"Thank you for the trouble, Kyouko."

O-Nobu, who managed the inner chambers of the Oda family, watched the children eating the children's lunch with a smile.

"There's something stuck in the rice."

Usually, a flag is inserted in a children's lunch, but showing a flag from another country to people in this world wouldn't make sense.

So, Kyouko attached a lottery ticket similar to an omikuji to a toothpick.

"There's something written on the paper."

"Really?"

"I wonder what it says."

When the children opened the paper attached to the toothpick, they found numbers written on it.

"Here, you can have the toy with the same number."

The lottery included kites, spinning tops, bamboo copters, beanbags, and picture books, and the children were delighted to receive their toys.

"Wow, it flies so well."

"It spins, it spins."

After the meal, Kyouko taught the children how to play with the toys.

The children, who were usually busy with their studies and martial arts training, were overjoyed playing with the bamboo copters and spinning tops.

"Kyouko, I'm sorry for inviting you here."

"No, children are cute."

Kyouko, whose own children had grown up, thought it wasn't bad to play with young children from time to time.

However, there was one thing that bothered her.

"Lord, is there something?"

"No... nothing..."

Nobunaga occasionally sent Kyouko a glance, as if he wanted to say something.

"Kyouko, are you staying overnight?"

"Yes. Mitsu will return to Ishiyama in a few days."

"It was about negotiating the trade route, right? I heard you've been traveling around the country recently?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Men are busy with battles and governance."

Later that night, Kyouko had a long conversation with O-Nobu and then went to bed.

As she was about to fall asleep, a maid appeared.

"Kyouko-sama, Lord has a secret matter to discuss."

"Lord?"

Kyouko understood why Nobunaga had been looking at her as if he wanted to say something during the day.

He had something to tell her, and it was a secret.

"I understand (But, what could it be at this hour of the night?)"

Kyouko tried to think of various reasons, but she couldn't imagine what it could be.

Well, there was one thing she considered.

The possibility that Nobunaga was interested in her as a woman.

"But, I'm just an old lady in my forties..."

She looked young, around late twenties, and had just been told by O-Nobu that she didn't look her age and was enviable.

However, in this era, late twenties was considered middle-aged.

Kyouko reconsidered, thinking that Nobunaga wouldn't be interested in her when he had so many young concubines and mistresses.

"Besides, I have Mitsu..."

If it were true, how would she refuse?

And if she refused and a rift formed between Nobunaga and Mitsu, it could lead to a conflict between the Oda and Tsuda families.

With these thoughts, Kyouko went to see Nobunaga.

"Thank you for coming, Kyouko."

"It's about a secret matter, right?"

"Yes, even O-Nobu doesn't know."

Outside the room, Nobunaga's close attendant, Mori Ranmaru, was keeping watch to ensure no one else entered.

It was a matter he didn't want anyone else to know about.

"Um... what kind of matter is it?"

If Nobunaga made a move on her, how would she handle it?

Kyouko waited for Nobunaga's response, her heart racing.

However, he said something unexpected.

"I want to eat the children's lunch you made for the children today."

"Huh?"

"I mean, the lunch the children were eating at noon. The curry with a hamburger was delicious, but the variety of dishes, including pudding, looked so good."

"Ah..."

All her worries and thoughts seemed silly now.

Nobunaga simply wanted to eat the 'children's lunch' Kyouko had made for the children during the day.

"Kyouko said it was a children's meal. I am in a position to rule the country and am over fifty. I can't say I want it in front of others. I would appreciate it if you could consider this..."

Nobunaga looked at Kyouko with a pleading expression.

"It's late at night, so eating that meal now might not be good for your health. How about tomorrow at lunch?"

"Great! I'm looking forward to it!"

Nobunaga was overjoyed and immediately went to bed, clearly excited about the next day.

"What was I so worried about?"

Kyouko, feeling embarrassed, couldn't sleep for a while.

The next day...

"Lord, this is a tea room, isn't it?"

"It's perfect for keeping things confidential."

At noon the next day, Kyouko prepared a children's lunch for Nobunaga and brought it to the designated place.

It was a tea room designed by Tanaka Yosiro within Ishiyama Castle.

Mori Ranmaru was standing guard at the narrow entrance, just like the night before.

"To go to such lengths just to eat a children's lunch..."

Kyouko thought that powerful people sometimes waste effort on trivial matters as she entered the tea room with the food.

Inside, Tanaka Yosiro was waiting, sitting seiza.

He was currently the head of tea ceremony for the Oda family.

"Lord, your manners are not very good."

"Cut it out, Yosiro. I prepared a portion for you too."

"Oh, a bribe? I'm looking forward to it. Kyouko-dono, please prepare the tea later."

"Ah..."

Kyouko prepared a children's lunch for Yosiro as well... she thought it was for Ranmaru... but the two of them were eating the children's lunch in the small tea room.

"The variety of dishes makes it feel luxurious, Yosiro."

"Yes, the octopus-shaped sausages, for example, must be a hit with children."

In the tea room, which pursued the aesthetics of wabi-sabi, two men in their fifties and sixties were eating a children's lunch.

Kyouko witnessed a surreal scene that she would never forget.

"But, Kyouko-dono, isn't this meal quite labor-intensive to prepare?"

"Yes, it is."

A children's lunch requires preparing many different dishes.

The reason for the variety is that children can't eat much and get bored with the same dish quickly.

Kyouko explained that a children's lunch is designed to keep children engaged throughout their meal.

"I see. Not underestimating children and giving them the best possible service. This aligns with the principles of tea ceremony, which values each encounter as unique."

"Really? It's that profound?"

Kyouko had only thought that children would be happy to eat it, but Yosiro read too much into it.

However, he was the head of tea ceremony for the Oda family.

Kyouko didn't want to upset him, so she laughed it off.

"It was a meaningful meal. As a thank you, I'll prepare the tea."

Kyouko was also trained in tea ceremony.

She immediately recognized the excellence of Yosiro's movements.

She was impressed that he was worthy of his position as the head of tea ceremony for the Oda family.

"Indeed, Kyouko-dono's movements are quite good. You must have taught tea ceremony to Takigawa and Hashiba. Please visit my tea room next time."

Yosiro, impressed by Kyouko's movements, invited her to his tea room.

She was honored to be invited directly to Yosiro's tea room.

Later, Kyouko was recognized as one of Yosiro's high disciples.

"By the way, Kyouko-dono."

As they were about to leave the tea room, Yosiro stopped Kyouko.

"Yes, what is it?"

"The paper attached to this toothpick says '5'. What does it mean?"

"This is..."

Kyouko gave a bamboo copter to Yosiro from the leftover toys she had given to Nobunaga's children the day before.

"I see, there's more to the service than just the meal. I'm impressed."

Yosiro was delighted and took the bamboo copter home to give to his grandchild.

"Ugh, I was too embarrassed to ask for a toy, but Yosiro is impressive."

Nobunaga was greatly impressed by Yosiro's boldness.

"Katsusaburo, we're going to the tea room today."

"Yes, sir."

"Today, I'll treat you to a good meal."

"Huh? In the tea room?"

From then on, Nobunaga couldn't stop eating children's lunches in the tea room at Ishiyama Castle, even with trusted vassals like Ikeda Masahiro and Maeda Toshiie.

"Men are strange creatures, aren't they?"

O-Nobu, upon learning this, found it too ridiculous to comment and pretended not to know.

"Kyouko's children's lunch is delicious!"

"Mitsu doesn't mind, does he?"

"If it's delicious, it's justified."

When Kyouko and Mitsu met, he was eating a children's lunch without any reservations.