Chapter 31: Pirate Attack

Okazaki Castle Town – Isshiki Masataka

1561. Fall.

When we first arrived, we didn’t cause any commotion.

But now, when we were about to leave, we had to proceed slowly amidst the festive cheering of the townspeople.

Someone must’ve seen the cart filled with dowry and the impressive-looking palanquin—both weren’t there when we first arrived—and realized that they were all prepared for Ohisa-sama’s wedding procession.

Actually, Ohisa-sama herself wanted to ride on a horseback, but Motoyasu insisted that it would be too dangerous, and in the end, she was forced to settle with riding the palanquin, much to her displeasure. Even now, she kept complaining that it ruined her traveling attire.

She might be my future wife, but we were still practically strangers. I didn’t know how to react to this exchange between the two of them.

Anyway, eventually, we reached Yoshida Port safely. There, several large, yet familiar ships, were anchored.

These were Kureishiya’s ships for sure.

“Ah, there you are, Masataka-sama! Someya-san told me that you hadn’t returned and it gave me a heart attack! But then I heard the news from Ōigawa Castle, so I decided to stay here and wait patiently!”

“My bad for that. I should say something to Someya as well, huh?”

“Please do. He was so panicked, it was a sight to behold, you know?”

He chuckled after he said that, his shoulders shook up and down. How panicked was Someya, I wonder? By the way, the person we had been talking about was Someya Kumakichi, the seventh owner of the Someya Merchants—also a member of Ōigawa Merchant Guild.

They mostly dealt with textiles from all over Hinomoto, conducting their business in a wide area ranging from Kyōto to Tōhoku to the north and Seto Inland Sea to the south. What set them apart from other members of the guild was that they employed a lot of escorts and guards, and even provided escort services for other merchants. It wasn’t for free, obviously, but there was never a lack of customers for them. After all, the sea was just that dangerous.

“Can the ships depart immediately?”

“Yes, they can. We’ll leave as soon as your entourage is on board.”

“Then, we’ll be in your care. By the way, this is Ohisa-sama, my future wife. She will also be in charge of the castle’s kitchen from now on, so I suggest you start talking to her soon.”

“Oho! Thank you for your kind consideration, Masataka-sama.”

After seeing Kureishiya—who went straight to Ohisa-sama at an unbelievable speed in contrast to his heavy build—off, I went to look for Someya.

“Someya-dono is in that dumpling shop, my lord.”

“Sorry for the trouble. Make preparations for our departure.”

“Understood.”

After sending Michifusa away too, I made my way to the shop where Someya was.

“So, I heard you’ve been worrying about me.”

“M-my lord?! I-I—n-no, it’s good to see you safe, my—cough!”

He choked on his food when he saw me, so I passed him a cup of tea.

“S-sorry for the trouble.”

He gulped the tea in one gulp and patted his chest a few times. Only then did he calm down a little.

Then, he cleared his throat, thanked me again and bowed his head.

“Don’t sweat it. Anyway, I heard everything from Kureishiya. I appreciate your thoughts.”

“It’s an honor, my lord.”

“Well, this isn’t exactly a token of my apology or anything, but I want to buy something from your shop. I don’t care about the price, just get me the best you have in stock.”

“A token of—no, what is it that you need, my lord?”

He had been acting like a timid boy despite him being older than me—I’m sure he was 28 or something—but the moment we talked about business, his expression changed to one that befit a merchant. Honestly, I liked it. After all, the merchants’ profits were one of our Isshiki’s sources of income.

I pointed at a group of people loading luggages onto the ships.

“See that lady in a traveling attire?”

“…Huh? That lady?”

“Yes. That’s Ohisa-sama. I want to buy a kosode for her. And an uchikake¹It’s a formal kimono for women, used for marriage. Pictures below., I guess.”

“If you’re looking for a gorgeous and flashy piece, something from Kyōto would be perfect.”

“Something from Kyōto, huh? Well, I’ll just trust your judgment, Someya.”

“Understood.”

After that, we talked for a while. Then, someone that Kureishiya sent notified us that the ships were ready to set sail.

“Alright, I’ll trust you with what I asked of you just now. There’s no need to rush, though. Just take your time.”

“No, we can start the preparations for that right now. We’ll immediately work on it after we are done escorting Kureishiya’s ships back to Ōigawa Port.”

“That’s quite reassuring to hear.”

We then returned to the port and boarded the ship. Just like when we came here, I boarded the sekibune, while Someya boarded his own vessel. After a while, the ships sailed.

“What an impressive ship this ship is.”

“Kureishiya is one of the biggest merchant companies in Hinomoto, so it’s only natural. After all, this is proof of their dedication and hard work for their business.”

“I see.”

Considering the era, the opportunity to board a ship didn’t come by so often, so I’d been worried if Ohisa-sama would get seasick, but it was a needless worry. One of the retainers I brought with me, however…

Anyway, some of the cabins—including the one we were in right now—had small, carved-out windows, allowing whoever inside to see what was going on outside.

Ohisa-sama seemed to enjoy her first experience boarding on a ship, making me glad that I had chosen to go by the sea. But of course, things wouldn’t just proceed so smoothly. Especially in such a turbulent period of time.

A commotion broke out outside. I could hear something that sounded like a bell being rang.

“What is happening, my lord?”

“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling about this.”

The air in the cabin turned heavy. Suddenly, the door burst open and Kureishiya came in.

“What happened?”

“It’s a pirate attack. We’re currently chasing them away, but this means the ship will have to stop in the meantime.”

“Do you need help?”

“No, you won’t need to trouble yourself. I’m here to ask if you want to take a look?”

Kureishiya asked, confidence oozing from him. Well, this seemed like a good chance to take a look at his battle tactics. Who knows, it might serve as a good reference later.

“Michifusa, take care of Ohisa-sama.”

“Yes!”

After I told Michifusa that, I stepped forward to follow Kureishiya, but someone pulled my hand.

“I’m coming with you. I don’t want to leave your side, Dear Husband.”

“But it’s dangerous.”

“Though a woman, I am also a member of a warrior clan. I want to see with my own eyes what a battle truly looks.”

No matter what I told her, she wouldn’t back down. I felt like I could understand Motoyasu’s struggle now.

“If you insist. Michifusa, stay here and protect the handmaidens. I’ll bring three guards with me.”

“Understood.”

I followed Kureishiya outside, with Ohisa-sama following me behind. Soon, I realized that I really had nothing to worry about. Out there on the sea, there were several small ships burning red in flames.

With the way the deployed kobaya spread out, not a single pirate managed to even get close to the sekibune.

“That’s the battle tactics that Someya-san invented. Pirates don’t usually have big ships, they attack in small boats instead, cloaked by the darkness of the night. Sink one of those boats, none of them will come to their comrades’ rescue because chances are their boats will be sunk too. So, rather than chasing them away, Someya-san invented a tactic to reduce their ships instead. Due to the nature of his company’s business, they acquired a large amount of clothes, and conversely, a large amount of unusable fabrics. Those unusable fabrics are then soaked in oil pots, so that they could be used to light flame arrows in case such an attack occurs. If those flame arrows hit a pirate boat, it will burst into flames and sink.”

“I see.”

While we were talking like this, another pirate boat caught fire and sank. The pirates who tried to swim away were caught and got dragged into one of our ships. Once those pirates fell into the sea, there really were only two options: drown and die, or be captured. They really had picked the wrong target to raid, huh?

“With Someya-san here, we can transport our goods by the sea route without worry, we only need to pay him. He will then use the money for his business, and use the fabrics that won’t make him any money to protect us. It’s a well thought out system, don’t you think?”

“It is, but I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“That young man commanding that ship. Who is he?”

I was pointing at a young man who were issuing orders, telling the others which boat to attack. He also commanded the other ships, leading them to arrest the pirates who had fallen to the sea. There was no way he was just an ordinary merchant.

“Ah, that’s Someya-san’s younger brother. His name is Someya Torakichi. Unfortunately, he’s hopeless when it comes to business, but he’s really good at fighting, it’s hard to see him losing to anyone. He’s the one leading the Someya’s mercenaries.”

“I see.”

Before long, all the pirate ships had burned down. All the commotions died down, and the ships returned to their previous formation.

“That was quite the show.”

“I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed it.”

Kureishiya opened his fan as he laughed, hiding his mouth like a noble lady. He was probably mimicking a client from Kyoto or something.

“What do you think, Ohisa-sama?”

“It was a spectacular sight. I’ve heard often of how pirates cause great trouble to the people at the port, but seeing the battle just now, I didn’t feel that way at all.”

“Right? I believe it’ll do us wonder if we were to use the same tactics in our territory.”

With the heat of the battle cooling down, the sea breeze blew to cool our bodies.

“It’s about time we go back.”

“Yes.”

After thanking Kureishiya once again, we returned to our cabin.

Uchikake: