9 Negotiations and a Plan.

"Well then, now that everyone is in here. Let's start this meeting."

At a certain room in the castle, I sat down with the village elders Aoyama, Hikigaya and Fumikage. The tension just doubled when the defeated lord came inside, tied up and wearing a hostile face.

"Hey, been a great deal of time since I saw you all beaten up."

"Shut up. The only thing he did was to strike my face with his elbow."

"I can see that he broke your nose though."

"Ahem!"

This exchange of offensive statements between Aoyama-sama and the Akizuki lord seems to just turn for the worse if I won't step in to stop it.

"Now that all of us are here, I want to declare the demands that we have against this defeated-"

"Just cut his head off and be done with it."

Hikigaya-sama bitterly spoke as he held the bandages that Chiyo just finished on tying.

"I want to resolve this as fast and efficiently as possible. I don't think further bloodshed is unnecessary."

"But Iwasawa-kou-sama-!"

"Shut it!"

Aoyama-sama shutted him up and I returned to face the defeated feudal lord.

"I have 3 demands that I want to give to you. First, you will surrender your control over the entire Kiko province to me."

"Fine, I am not shameless enough to not give what is due after a battle."

"Second, you will be given the status "persona non grata" which means that you cannot enter Kiko province again. Treat this as a lifelong exile."

"Heh... though I don't know what this pirsuna crap is, It's not that surprising to be banished from my homeland for my entire life."

"Lastly, I forbid you to die using your hands. You will spend the rest of your life in whatever work you find along the way."

"Wha-?! Are you serious?!!!"

"He cannot...die?!"

"Yes. Those are my demands. Nothing more, nothing less."

After being defeated, a samurai can only choose 2 paths. The path of a banished and dishonored Ronin or commit seppuku to reclaim his honor.

"I know too well that a samurai would rather die than to live the rest of their lives in dishonor. So this is my conditions to you."

"You damn lad! Just how much do you want me to suffer?!"

"Suffer? Are you really suffering?"

"Huh?"

"When I looked into your eyes, you don't seem to be much of a brave man. Your courage doesn't come from your position or power. You simply want to protect her right?"

I spoke and snapped my finger, from the door behind me , a young woman wearing a miko outfit sat beside me and stared at everyone except the defeated lord.

"Just as promised. This is your daughter."

"H-Hisako!"

He stood up hurriedly and hugged his daughter tightly as if it's the last one ever.

"Father... please..."

She mumbled and pushed her father away as softly as possible.

"Hisako...why?"

"I...I heard what happened... So that was the reason why you asked me to perform a fasting ceremony inside the mountain temple...the people are...many of them died..."

"N-no-!'

"Father!"

She shouted and hit the floor using her right hand.

"Please... I've had enough of your lies..."

"B-but...I..."

"Enough mumbling... give him what is due and lead him to the border. Spread news among the people that once he's seen wandering around the lands after his banishment is set into effect, they are free to kill him."

"Yes, my lord."

"You! Give me back my daughter!"

"I told her that she's free to join you and that I will not interfere with her decision..."

I spoke and looked at the sad young woman beside me. She stared at the floor and seemed to think deeply.

"I'm sorry, Father..."

She bit her lip and stood up. While opening the back door, I saw several tears falling down from the tip of her chin and it made me feel guilty for a bit.

"...What are you waiting for? Take him."

"Yes sir!"

"You bastard!!!"

●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

"This is your bedroom, my lord."

"Thank you... please tell the other servants to not disturb me... I want to rest for now. By the way, if those people that I spoke about comes here, don't harm them and let them it."

"As you wish."

After the lengthy negotiation for release and pardon with the defeated enemy captains and soldiers and assigning tasks to the soldiers like cleaning up the battlefield and repairing the damaged parts of the castle, I gave my thanks and farewells to the 3 village leaders as they marched with the majority of the rebel force back to their villages.

"Iwasawa-dono... So this is a farewell, huh?"

After the farewell ceremony, Chiyo approached me.

"Yeah... Since I accepted all of this responsibilty, I want to atleast prove that I am fit for the job."

"I know that... After all, Iwasawa-dono is very impressive!"

She gave a bright smile and took my hand which surprised me.

"Umm..."

"I want you to have this... I made it back when I was still at Fumetsu castle..."

She placed a blue charm on my palm. One that seems like it's for good luck.

"Is this..?"

"I wish it will keep you safe no matter what happens here..."

"Thank you very much for everything that you have done for me Aoyama-san... I don't think that I'll be able to repay it."

"Haha... It's me who can't pay back the favor."

Thinking back on it... I felt that after saying farewell to these people who placed their trust onto me, I was left alone again...

It... reminded me of that cloudy memories that I had from my homeworld...

("Bastard!!!")

("You don't deserve to be here!")

("Tch-! Good thing your parents died, or else you'll be paying their debts with your organs!")

"..."

It was... cloudy yet... painful.

("Say, wanna be my friend? What's your name?")

("That's a long name, hard to say too... mind if I shorten it?")

Strangely though, there was this one memory thay didn't feel painful...

"How about this? Do you like the sound of "Rai"? Is it good?"

Rai... who is that guy...?

As I thought more about it, I just got more tired.

So I just stopped thinking about it for now.

"With all of that done, I think it's finished isn't it?"

I sighed and spread my tired body on the floor.

"Hmm... It would be wise to just wait for a few days until the people can calm down... then I'll reform the former laws and present new plans... it would also be good to seek allies from the nearby provinces..."

Huh? Why does that sentence seem so nostalgic and repulsive at the same time?

"What are you doing?! Stop right there!"

"Stand down or we'll use force!"

Several shouts from the soldiers outside of the room can be heard through the thin sliding doors.

"Hiyaaahhhh!!!"

"Gah!"

And there goes the afforementioned sliding door. It's now broken into pieces.

"Prepare yourself Akizuki Masamune!"

"He's not here."

Just from the damage sustained by the bedroom, I already knew who this knuckle-head is. I laid on the bed sideways with my left hand on my chin.

"Huh? You?!"

"Hey. Been a long time Ayanami-dono."

"Why are you here?!"

"Well, why shouldn't I?"

It's been a while since I last saw this abusive woman who has more brawns than brains... don't ask me about beauty... she does win in that.

"What? Is this-?!"

Next came the other woman. A girl whose uncombed hair looked like a broom and quite hotblooded too.

"Oh. I've been expecting you. Come right in, I'll have them prepare tea for us."

And so, as wild of a scene as it is, I sat on the table along with the 2 women and told them what happened just last night.

"What?! You're the lord now?!"

"Yeah."

The female general shouted her questions and I answered them as normally as possible, wishing that she'll take a clue about her behavior and ease down the volume of her voice

"So that's what's happening here..."

From behind the nearby changing room, the female daimyo of Shinka came out, wrapped with a beautiful red-colored kimono with light orange-colored highlights. Her hair is now presentable and styled into a single Odangogea (bun hairstyle) and secured with a golden hairpin.

Now that I think about it... this castle has an excess of female clothes that looks like it can fit the former princess... Now I feel more bad than before about exiling him...

Regardless, this might be seem to be out of character for me but I really want to shout "A beautiful girl!!!" right now after seeing her makeover process.

"..."

"What are you staring for?"

"Nothing... It's just a surprise for me to see you wearing formal clothes. Your usual attire composed of a dull-colored yukata and a messy untied hair is my own way of identifying you from the crowd."

"Hey, hey. I'm happy to know that you can atleast remember something about me. But aren't those just sarcastic insults?"

"Insults?! How dare you-?!"

"Stop reacting to every little things will you?!?!"

Now it's her scolding her own retainer. The ruckus really doesn't stop at all.

"By the way, I have my reasons to declare war on the Akizuki clan. One of which is the bad blood that has been running for 3 generations already."

"About that, can you tell me what's the story behind that bad blood?"

"Hmm... Well, our clans kept on quarelling about the ownership of Iso river. The grandfather of the former Akizuki lord attacked us one day and fought with my grandfather. Though he was alive, he lost his right eye and initiated an immediate attack on the enemy clan, stating that his lost eye signifies that war will have to flow down on our blood so long as both of our clans exist. This caused the rift between our clans that later on became an arms race and mutually assured destruction once a side causes distress."

That sounds like the Punic wars and Cold war rolled into one for me.

"It seems that it's clear that your reason is already invalid."

"I know. Another reason is that the Yamaguchi clan, who agreed to a non-aggression pact with us, seems to be performing several questionable actions at their shared borders with Kiko. It would be better to have Kiko than to lose it to them."

"I may be an inexperienced feudal lord who only has a single day of experience, but I can assure you that I can hold my territories against my enemies."

"Are you sure? I don't think even a miracle can help you to keep such a huge land safe from invaders."

I don't know if this is a threat so I gave one as a testing ground.

"I think everything in battle will play out for the better. Besides, Aoyama Takeshi is on my side."

"Grrr..."

I stifled a giggle as I heard the gnashing of the teeth of the female samurai beside her. She seemed to be pissed off when I spoke out that name.

"Alright... I'm not joking anymore. I'll make you surrender your control over Kiko even if I have to be brutal about it."

Now I've done it. She seems to be holding back her pissed off tone but still tried to be as civil as possible.

"I apologize but I must decline it."

"I'm not taking a "no" or "I decline" here. I am trying to be as diplomatic as I can and negotiate about it without resorting to bloodshed."

But seriously, I'm already fed up with this thing. I just want to rest and take my time before working.

"Fine. How about an alliance?"

"No. I want direct control, not an agreement full of lies."

"You can do something to make sure that I won't lie though."

"Eh? You don't mean..."

The female samurai beside her immediately lost her angered expression and seems to be processing something on her brain.

"I would never agree to marry you or make any of my family members do so... don't make me throw up."

"Well, the sentiment about it is mutual, so let's just throw it off."

"Just give up control and get done with it."

"Well then, it seems like there is only one more thing to consider."

"And that is?"

"I'll agree to be your semi-independent retainer. I'll be lord over my lands but I would assist you in whatever you do."

"A semi-independent retainer... What's the conditions for it?"

"I'll be lord over Kiko province. But there will be certain things that I'll do for you. First, I am obligated to join any war or conflict that you are experiencing, so long as I can support the amount of forces you requested and the distance of the attack from my lands are not too extensive."

"So if I ask for 100,000 soldiers to attack the Capital..."

"Of course, since it is unreasonable, I will definitely refuse to do so. Second, I request your financial and logistics support while my province is still in restoration, along with it is a 6-month long exemption from trade taxes of outgoing merchandise from my province."

"Hmm... and what support do you expect to get from us?"

"Wood, Iron ore and other resources that is vital for rebuilding my province. The amount would vary but I'll send periodical reports of progress and request for more or less of one resource."

"What can I expect as a counter-offer to that?"

"A single supply chain. If we get a bountiful harvest or a surplus on certain products, Shinka will be the first to have it within a non-profit exchange margin."

"What about the third?"

I took out a vial from my bag and placed it on the middle of the table.

"My third and last condition is for you to give me access to the provincial hospital of Shinka. I request permission to supply medicines to the place."

"Huh? You want to sell medicines to that run-down and depresssing place?"

"A doctor would always be a doctor, I took an oath of service after all."

She took the vial from the table and scrutinized it. She must have noticed the weird thing that I've placed inside the vial.

"What is this clear fluid inside?"

"That is called penicillin, a medicine that I have created to cure many illnesses. I believe that the people of your province would appreciate your decision to take this offer."

"Really... I don't believe that this is truly from good will..."

"It's all your decision. After all, I can't do all of this by myself."

"Let's forget about this semi-independent retainer thing. How about-"

"If ever you are thinking of marching your armies here and waging war on us, I do will remind you that the 3 great families are still edgy about your previous actions in our lands..."

"You-!!!"

"Well then, let me hear your decision... Peace...or War?"

I spoke with confidence, knowing well that I have control over the negotiations. I looked at her, calming down from her rage and trying to speak calmly.

"Hah... I accept your first condition... I want to change the second one, I'll only give you those resources if you meet my expectations during our battles. Is that alright to you?"

"As long as a 3rd person would be the judge of it."

"Your last one... I don't seem to understand the point of it. But nevertheless, do what you want to do."

Hearing her approval, I took out a scroll from my bag and laid it on the table.

"Fine then. This agreement will last for 1 year with the given conditions. Everything written here will automatically renew itself unless disagreed upon by one of the two specified individuals."

"You... you really prepared for this didn't you?"

"Yes. There's no point in being stagnant and doing nothing after all..."

I spoke as I wrote my name on the scroll and cut the skin of my thumb lightly to press a bloody fingerprint on the paper because I don't have my Lord's seal yet.

"Before I sign this... why don't you look and act angered towards us even after all the things we did to you?"

That, huh?

"Nothing really. It's all about understanding and being understood."

"Understanding and... what?"

"I understood that as warriors,you will act like warriors. As such, as I am a doctor, I should also act like a doctor."

"I don't seem to understand..."

"Let's just say that I am not the kind of person to hold grudges for simple stuff... sometimes, being able to let go of the things that make you feel angry when you remember them is something you should do to grow as a person..."

"..."

After that, it seems like she was silenced for a while.

"So that's that... I did feel pissed back then, but not anymore. After all, I got something that you wanted even if I was forced into it. For me, that is more than enough..."

"I see..."

After nodding, she did the same. She wrote her name and pressed her Lord's seal on it.

"With that, I am now an ally to the Kusanagi clan. Good to be doing business with you, Lady Kusangi."

"Come on Mitsuha. Let's leave before sundown."

"Y-yes!"

She spoke as she passed through the broken sliding door with more grace than before she entered it.

"I... have a last thing to ask..."

"Yes?"

Half-way through the door, she spoke without looking at me.

"Can you... visit Shinka one day?"

She asked while hiding her face by looking down. I thought fast anf looked a

"It will be an honor."

"I see... thank you."

After that, they finally left and I was able to rest.

"Now... Time to rest."