What Does a Super Weak Minor Lord in the Sengoku Era Aim For? - Chapter 4

The next day, I woke up at dawn and practiced iaijutsu in the dojo.
The excitement of being in the Sengoku period still made me restless, making it hard to sleep deeply.

Practicing iaijutsu with a real sword straightens your posture and sharpens your focus. It’s perfect for moments like this.
In fact, I think one of iaijutsu’s original purposes might have been just that. After all, it flourished during the Edo period, when the wars of the Sengoku era had ended.

Kyūdō (Japanese archery) feels similar—it’s more about cultivating concentration than just hitting the target.

*Bang, bang, bang!*

I heard a sound from the front gate. Someone was here.
The first person I’d meet in this era… I slapped my cheeks a couple of times.

Alright, time to step up as Yamanaka Yūsaburō.

“My lord, happy New Year. This is Jūzō.”

(Oh, so the first one to come is Shimizu Jūzō from Hirashimizu Village… as expected of him.)

“I’ll open the gate. Wait a moment.”

I calmed my racing heart as I approached the gate and opened the side door.

“My lord, I look forward to serving you this year as well. Huh… My lord… is that really you?”

Jūzō, a solidly-built samurai in his forties, stood there. Behind him was a retainer carrying some luggage. Jūzō stared at me, his large eyes wide with confusion.

‘Alright! The makeover worked!’ I mentally celebrated with a fist pump.

“You must be Shimizu of Hirashimizu, yes? My elder brother told me about you. I am not your former lord, Yamanaka Yūjirō. I am his younger brother, Yamanaka Yūsaburō.”

“What? Is that true? … Then, where is the lord?”

“Well, come inside first. Let’s sit and talk.”

After bringing the two of them to sit by the irori (hearth), I started the conversation.

“What did my brother tell you about his background?”

“He, um… wasn’t very forthcoming about that, Lord.”

“I see. The truth is, our father wasn’t fully supportive of my brother’s decision to go on a warrior’s pilgrimage. That may have been why my brother avoided discussing it.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Our father had high hopes for my brother and wasn’t against the pilgrimage but also didn’t fully approve. Still, he eagerly awaited my brother’s return. 

But sadly, late last year, our father fell gravely ill. The doctor said he didn’t have much time left.

That’s why I rushed to find my brother and bring him home. When he heard the news, my brother left immediately, taking only what he could carry, and returned to Suruga to see our father while he was still alive.”

“I see… so the lord…”

“Indeed. Even if he makes it in time to see our father’s final moments, he must inherit the family estate. It’s unlikely he’ll be able to return here.”

“That’s very sad to hear… to think we may never see the lord again.”

“Elder Brother instructed me to oversee this place in his stead. That is why I remain here.”

“…So, you are Lord Yūsaburō. That means you were unable to witness your father’s final moments. My condolences…”

“No, I had already spent time with Father before coming here. We said our goodbyes when I departed. I have no regrets.”

“I see… Still, you and your brother bear such a striking resemblance.”

“Indeed, I’ve heard that often. When we were younger, we didn’t look so similar, but after I turned thirty, the resemblance became undeniable. So much so that someone once seriously suggested we live apart to avoid confusion.”

“Hahaha…”

*Bang, bang, bang.*

The banging sound came from the front gate again.

“That must be Shinsuke. I’ll go and explain the situation. Jinsuke, prepare some refreshments.”

It seemed the other kokujin (local samurai), Kitamura Shinsuke of Kitamura Village, had arrived. Jūzō volunteered to meet him, saving me the trouble.

The man called Jinsuke, a small and nimble-looking fellow, went to the kitchen and quickly returned with sake bottles, teacups, and small plates. The plates held pickles, and he submerged a sake bottle in a kettle while stoking the embers to grill dried squid.

His movements were efficient—he clearly knew this house better than I did.

“Jinsuke, what was it like when my elder brother first came here?”

This village, Hōyō, was part of the Shimizu family’s territory. I imagined there must have been challenges when my brother, a traveling warrior, settled here.

“Well, Lord Yamanaka initially stayed in a small shack on Toriyama. He sought the help of the Yagyū family to secure permission.”

“The Yagyū family?”

“Yes. Lord Yamanaka trained at the Yagyū dojo and became close to Lord Tajimamori. He sought a private training ground near Yagyū territory, which led him to settle here with their mediation.”

Ah, so that’s how it happened. My brother must have found this place, referred to as Toriyama, and asked Yagyū for assistance. It all made sense now.

“I heard my brother had some minor success in battle. Do you know anything about that?”

“Yes, I know it well. It happened last year, during the suppression of the uprising forces from Minami Yamashiro. While we were surrounded and in danger…”

Jinsuke’s explanation was interrupted by the return of Jūzō, who had brought a man with him. This man had a sharp gaze and the demeanor of a disciplined swordsman. He stared intently at me—this must be Kitamura Shinsuke.

“You are Kitamura, correct? I am Yamanaka Yūsaburō, the younger brother of Yamanaka Yūjirō.”

“I am Kitamura Shinsuke. Jūzō has explained the situation to me. I humbly ask for your guidance moving forward.”

Kitamura bowed deeply. Despite his stern appearance, he seemed to be straightforward and sincere.

“Lord, you don’t need to use honorifics with us. Just call us Jūzō and Shinsuke.”

“Understood. Shinsuke, I am unfamiliar with this region, so I’ll be relying on you.”

“I’ll be at your service.”

Everyone sat around the hearth, sharing sake. Jinsuke and Shinsuke’s companion, a man named Kikuzō, took care of serving us.

“About the story I mentioned earlier—around twenty rebels from Minami Yamashiro advanced and confronted us north of Kitamura Village. We were fifteen in total, joined by twenty more from neighboring Sugawa. When we charged head-on, the rebels split into two groups and fled. The Sugawa forces pursued one group, while we chased after the other,” Jūzō explained.

“However, about a chō (roughly 109 meters) into the pursuit, the enemy turned around, and a group of about ten hidden soldiers ambushed us from behind. We fell into their trap. Surrounded by twice as many enemies in front and behind, I resigned myself to death,” Shinsuke continued the tale, taking over from Jūzō.

Looks like the rebel forces had anticipated the counterattack from the kokujin (local samurai). These rebels weren’t just common thieves or starving peasants from neighboring territories; some were trained fighters, including samurai who had turned rogue. 

This was an era where even monks and priests, meant to preach morality, armed themselves and fought in repeated skirmishes. For small bands of kokujin, life was precarious—a clash with just a few dozen could be fatal.

“The Sugawa forces were also struggling. We were cornered in no time, and even I also prepared myself for death,” Jūzō said.

“But suddenly, the enemy attacking from behind collapsed in chaos. Lord Yamanaka came charging in, swinging his spear. Bathed in blood, he looked like a demon incarnate. Even now, I get chills remembering that sight…” Shinsuke’s voice grew animated, as if reliving the moment.

“Lord Yamanaka single-handedly drove off the forces behind us. Thanks to him, we were able to regroup and encircle the remaining rebels, cutting them down. Among those Lord Yamanaka killed was the one leading and inciting the rebellion. Meanwhile, the Sugawa forces fell victim to a trap and suffered heavy losses…”

“Lord Yamanaka had found the rebels’ retreat suspicious and observed their movements carefully. Thanks to his quick thinking and martial prowess, we were saved. After that, Jūzō and I discussed it and decided to pledge ourselves to him. From that point on, Lord Yamanaka became our commander,” Shinsuke continued, his tone filled with reverence.

The two men passionately recounted their tale, trading off as they spoke.

—So that’s how it happened. They both requested to serve under my elder brother.

“We decided to build a proper residence for our commander. However, while we were busy gathering lumber and preparing the site, Lord Yamanaka had already finished leveling the land in the blink of an eye. We were very astonished!” Jūzō added with a chuckle.

Jūzō, Shinsuke, Jinsuke, and Kikuzō all looked puzzled, as if they still couldn’t fully comprehend what had happened.

Well, that’s understandable.

I, too, had faint memories of this.

It felt like the land had been cleared as though some kind of heavy machinery had been used…

Now that I think about it, wasn’t the winding slope leading to the gate originally designed for vehicles to enter?

The mysteries of a parallel world never cease to amaze me…