Chapter 126: Resolution Over Resignation


    After discussing the matter at length, Senken asked the question Nobu had been anticipating since his return from the bathroom, specifically, "What are your thoughts about being the representative we send to Asai? At your current rate of growth, the members of your entourage should be able to reach the pinnacle of tinum by the deadline of our original agreement. If you consent to be the next Patriarch, we can even prepare some Mithril for those closest to you..."


    Though Nobu had made it pretty obvious he didn''t want to govern, Senken knew it would prevent a lot of future problems if his son ascended to the position of Daimyo. Nobu had a very progressive mentality. Without the status and authority to back his aims, there would be no end to the number of obstacles preventing his sess.


    Shrugging his shoulders, Nobu answered, "I have three children on the way. I don''t mind being the representative but I think it would be pretty fucked up of me to pack up my bags and wander off so soon after their birth. As for the whole Patriarch thing...what about my younger brothers? You must have been preparing one of them to take charge, right?"


    Exhaling a sigh, Senken ran his fingers through his hair before staring listlessly up at the ceiling and answering, "Your brother, Nobuhiro, was a good kid but he...no, I allowed the words of my younger brother to pollute his way of thinking. As for Nobukatsu...he is too naive to ever rule over others. At best, he could be a puppet..."


    Hanging his head in shame, Senken fully expected Nobu to admonish him for his failure as a father. Instead, Nobu exhaled a notably exasperated sigh, remarking, "Of course..." before shaking his head and adding, "If your brother was able to influence his way of thinking, there''s no reason others can''t do the same. I don''t really have an interest in bing Patriarch so I don''t mind supporting him as an advisor if he has a suitable frame of mind. The circumstances of a person''s birth shouldn''t decide whether or not they are qualified to rule. If he''s spent thest seventeen years preparing to be the next Lord of Owari, he''s a hell of a lot more qualified than I am..."


    Recalling how he used to have a very simr mindset, a wry smile developed across Senken''s face as an awkward chuckle emanated from his throat. Fortunately, his father was also present, so, instead of having to sound like a hypocrite, he was able to remain silent as the middle-aged Oda exined, "The problem is that your brothercks a Heavenly Treasure. So long as you are in possession of the stone tablet, people will always believe you''re more suited for the position. Beyond that, there is the matter of the Yoshitsune n...I believe you''re overlooking an important factor..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu''s tone and bodynguage be marginally more hostile as he asked, "What do you mean...?"


    Adopting an even more serious expression, Senichi exined, "The Yoshitsune n is bound by an exceptionally powerful contract that has been certified by the Goddess of the Harvest, Inari-Okami-sama. Every member of their line is fated to obey the Lord of the Oda n. This is one of the main reasons we do not allow for formal marriages between our two ns..."


    Though he was briefly confused by Senichi''s words, it didn''t take long for Nobu to understand the greater meaning behind them. The former, noticing his realization, nodding his head in a solemn manner, stating, "That''s right. Your children will also be influenced by this contract. If you refuse to be Patriarch, you are cing their fate in the hands of another. Your brother might be a good man at heart but envy and jealousy are powerful emotions..."


    Resisting his almost overwhelming urge to release a string of curses, Nobu opened and closed his fists a few times before asking, "Is there a way to annul the contract...?"


    As there were no traces of the contract whenever he viewed a person''s status, Nobu assumed it was a part of the Curse that influenced even honorary members of the Yoshitsune n. If so, he should be able to remove it himself, but, just to be safe, he wanted to hear what his grandfather had to say.


    Somewhat surprisingly, Senichi nodded his head before crossing his arms and exining, "There is. However, ites at the cost of Inari-Okami-sama''s blessing. Annulling the contract would imperil the people of Owari, so, for thest six thousand years, the Yoshitsune n has dutifully carried out their responsibilities for the greater good..."


    Glowering the moment he heard the phrase ''for the greater good'', Nobu had to fight hard against the urge to tell his grandfather to shove the greater good up his ass. He had always detested such sayings, as, more often than not, the ''greater good'' was used as a justification to perpetuate some of the most heinous acts in human history. It was an excuse used by the people in power to avoid personal responsibility and bypass having to spend time and resources on alternative solutions.


    Unfortunately, while there were countless parallels between Terra and Earth, thetter had a distinctck of evidence to prove the existence and power of Gods. Terra was the opposite in this regard as the influence of Gods could be seen pretty much everywhere. Depending on your actions, there was a very real chance you could inadvertently insult one of them. Then, depending on how spiteful and petty they were, they could literally sacrifice a fragment of their power to curse you and your family for hundreds of generations...


    Realizing that it might not be so easy to annul Inari-Okami''s Curse, a look of grim resolution slowly formed across Nobu''s face. There was no way in hell he was going to let someone havepulsory authority over his children. Thus, after a long moment of silence, he clenched his hands to the point his knuckles had turned white before saying, "Fine...fate wants to ce me in charge of the n? I''ll do it. Just don''t me me if and when shit hits the fan..."


    Contrasting Nobu''s expectations, Senken and Senichi adopted gratified and appreciative smiles as the former said, "No worries, kid. If that happens, we''ll be right there with you. Bing Patriarch doesn''t mean you''ll have to handle everything alone. Rather, our most important duty is delegating responsibilities to others. That means, once you take over as Patriarch, you''ll have the singr right to pick and choose who you want as ministers and retainers. If you really want to support Nobuhiro, you just need to be a better big brother than I was..."


    Though he had thought this numerous times over the past two days, Nobu couldn''t help thinking that Senken was both an amazing person and an incredible father. The man just took everything in stride, and, though it was very clear he had made numerous mistakes over the years, he didn''t allow them to weigh him down. It was trulymendable.


    What Nobu didn''t know was that Senken and Senichi hade to a simr conclusion in regards to him. Most people would resent being forced into a position they didn''t want, yet, after a mere three exchanges, Nobu had already epted the reality of his situation. More importantly, the look in his eyes showed resolution rather than resignation. This was something that generally took a long time to form, yet, as if it had been slumbering within him his entire life, Nobu was already exhibiting the resolve necessary to be a leader...


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    While Nobu was inadvertently strengthening his position in the hearts and minds of Senken and Senichi, a young man with inordinately long ck hair and slightly feminine features was making his way through the silent halls of Inuyama''s Inner Sanctum.


    Seeing the young man walking through the halls, every servant immediately lowered their heads as a gesture of respect. In spite of this, the youth regarded them as little more than air as he bypassed each and every one of them without so much as a curt nod or a polite greeting. It was only after he reached his destination that the youth''s previously expressionless face, adorned with ruby-like eyes and sharp eyebrowed, morphed into a polite smile.


    "Forgive me for the intrusion, Kaa-chan, but there is a matter I would like to discuss..."


    Without waiting for a response, the youth slid open the door before turning statuesque when he noticed the room''s other upants. The smile on his face immediately faded away, and, in its ce, a look of disdain marred his fair features as he stated, "You shouldn''t be here..."


    "Hiro-chan! What did I tell you about being rude to Nohime-chan...!?"


    Furrowing his brows, the young man, Nobuhiro, red at Nohime as if she was responsible for his mother chastising him. Then, much like the servants he passed along the way, he decided to ignore her as he turned towards his mother and offered an apologetic bow, stating, "Forgive me, Kaa-chan. It appears my training has left me somewhat fatigued..."


    Though she adopted a slight pout in response to her son''s behavior, the woman, Nana, eventually raised herself to her feet before approaching him and asking, "What''s wrong?" in a motherly tone.


    As it was unusual for his mother to meet him at the entrance, Nobuhiro''s brows raised as he looked over her to stare at Yui. He didn''t recognize who she was, but, feeling his mother was attempting to conceal yet another secret, his eyes sharpened as he muttered, "I don''t believe I''ve had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Kaa-chan''s guest..."


    Increasing Nobuhiro''s suspicions, Yui stared directly at him for a brief moment before offering a curt nod. This implied an unordinary status, as, even if they were Warriors affiliated with the Oda n, everyone was obligated to lower their heads to him...


    Smiling wryly in response to her son''s words, Nana attempted to guide him out of the room so they could speak elsewhere. Nobuhiro didn''t resist this, but, before departing the room, he made sure tomit Yui''s features to memory. He had made a point to memorize the names and faces of every single person with ess to Inuyama''s Inner Sanctum. If his mother was trying to keep the woman''s identity a secret, he would do everything in his power to uncover her origins...


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    Following the departure of Nana and Nobuhiro, Yui promptly found herself as the focal point of Nohime''s icy re. Now that they were alone, ignoring the fact that Nobuhime was resting at the side, the onyx-eyed woman didn''t hesitate to say, "I can''t do anything about my husband choosing you. However, regardless of the circumstances, my position as the official wife remains unchanged. Once you have given birth, you will renounce any ims your children have to an inheritance. Do I make myself clear...?"


    Surprising Nohime quite a bit, Yui''s expression hardened as she stared directly at the woman and said, "You''re making a grave mistake. These are not things we, as women, can decide. Lady Suzuki and I have both exined Nobunaga-sama''s peculiarities to you. If you continue thinking like this, it is only a matter of time before Nobunaga-sama annuls your marriage. He cares little for politics and outright disdains many of Nian''s cultures and traditions. If you believe your status as a Princess affords you some inalienable right, you''re going to be severely disappointed when Nobunaga-sama shatters your expectations..."


    Though she understood the importance of the alliance between Owari and Mino, Yui knew Nobu better than anyone else in Nian. She knew he would tolerate being married to Nohime if it meant keeping the peace, but, the moment anyone attempt to force him to behave a certain way, he was bound tosh out. This was one of his more peculiar yet praiseworthy qualities. He was remarkably easy to convince if you yed off his sensibilities, but, the moment you attempted to force him, he would do everything in his power to oppose you. He had a remarkable sense of responsibility, but, unlike others with simr dispositions, he was unwilling to capitte to threats. If you tried to force him, you might seed in dictating his actions, but, given enough time, it was inevitable that Nobu would get his revenge...


    Glowering in response to Yui''s words, Nohime clenched her hands into fists. Before she could say anything in retaliation, however, Nobuhime began to make a series of disgruntled baby sounds that demanded attention. Unfortunately, despite her bridal training, Nohime had no experience dealing with children. As a result, she could only observe as Yui sprang to her feet and skillfully resolved the situation...


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    (A/N: Nobu is beginning to learn that fate is not so easily eluded...)