"Oda Hidetaka"
Oh, Hidetaka! Can't you do a little better at not getting dirty?
Mother, Hidetaka's not hearing anybody's voice at the moment.
Hidetaka-sama really does love insects.
He's not like normal children. My wish is for him to live quietly somewhere,
away from the strictures of a samurai family.
Put your mind at ease, Mother. For as long as he lives, I'll protect Hidetaka.
I trust you will.
Hidetaka... show it to me, too.
Yes, Elder Brother!
Eh? Nobukatsu did?!
Yes, my lady. In the recent battle, he dismounted and boldly charged the enemy.
He came close to losing his life.
That's horrifying. And after I insisted that strongly he never dismount...
Please, my lady, do not reproach him. His sense that he must aid Nobunaga-sama,
who inherited control of the family, is strong.
Nobunaga... he irks me so much.
His selfish behavior brings nothing but misfortune.
I don't want us having anything to do with him!
That doesn't seem feasible, to the extent that the bonds of brotherhood hold...
I do have one stratagem in mind, my lady.
A stratagem?
I hate to think how things would've gone if Nobukatsu hadn't come at that time.
Yes. My guts were churning with fear too.
He looked like he wanted to say something.
Brothers or not, as things stand, he can't be overly familiar toward you.
He should just speak up...
We've arrive, my lord. That is the Ikoma estate.
Kitsuno-dono...
"Kochoki" "Young Nobunaga"
"Love and Death" Thank you again for the other day, my lord.
"Love and Death" You've been all right since then?
"Ikoma Kitsuno" Fortunately, I've been kept busy by guests every day.
I have heard this estate has become a place of cultural exchange,
frequented by foreign traders and monks.
Yes, my lord... Many people deepen their cultural understanding here
by exchanging information about other countries and wisdom about business.
Wow... this is amazing!
Nobunaga-sama...
I'll introduce you to everyone, my lord.
I got a thank-you gift for Nobukatsu too... how satisfying!
I wonder if he'll be pleased by it...
Please don't tell me you're thinking of delivering it yourself.
I can't?
Of course not, my lord.
I'll serve as messenger and clearly communicate your feelings to him.
You will? Yes, please do!
That's dangerous!
Hidetaka-sama!
I'm fine!
Who's Hidetaka-sama?
He's Nobunaga-sama's younger brother...
I got it!
Are you okay, Hidetaka-sama?
Uh-huh.
That's the larva of a diving beetle.
Do you also like insects?
I played with them a lot.
In this season there are also dragonfly nymphs and water fireflies...
Oh!
Let's definitely go together to see the fireflies emerge, Tsuneoki-dono!
Yes, by all means!
Then I'm off.
That's a promise!
That Hidetaka-sama is soothing to be around, somehow.
"Kazusa no Suke-Dono" "Kanjuurou Nobukatsu"
If only we could speak heart to heart one time...
Tell my elder brother thank you for these rare goods.
Yes, my lord. Also, I have one proposal to make.
What do you think about holding an audience with Nobunaga-sama?
He believes this would allow for a more candid heart to heart exchange...
Tsuneoki-dono, truthfully--
It would be difficult for my lord to agree to this.
We have powerful doubts about Nobunaga-sama.
And what might that mean?
Nobunaga-sama's frequent selfish conduct is, to us, incomprehensible.
We are beside ourselves with concern about the Oda clan's future.
What'd you say?!
Tsuzuki-dono!
What was that sudden interruption all about?!
Tsuzuki, you know that was rude.
I have behaved too forwardly.
Ikeda-dono, I apologize.
Tsuzuki-dono hasn't been with us long; he misunderstands certain things.
We have absolutely no such feelings...
Tsuneoki-dono, we've treated you rudely during your audience of welcoming...
No, my lord. If Nobunaga-sama were here, he would likely laugh all this off.
He's a person who never tries to fetter what's in our hearts, as retainers.
What is with that piece of filth Tsuzuki, or whatever he's called?!
Next time I kill him on the spot!
Really, he's an idiot, though, shooting off his mouth in a situation like that.
I suspect it was calculated.
Huh?
Like deliberately tossing a stone into still waters...
No doubt there's some motive behind it.
Hmm...
Tsuzuki, what on earth were your intentions?!
I was only stating that opinion on behalf of everyone else, my lord.
I judged, as others do, that it's dangerous
for you to remain subservient to Nobunaga-sama any further.
You too?!
I have no intention of taking over leadership of the Oda clan.
It's fully justified that my elder brother inherited this position.
Our father also wished it to be so.
Yet Nobunaga-sama didn't attend that same Nobuhide-sama's funeral.
That's not all.
There was letting Mino troops into his castle, and the Muraki conflict...
It's not at all clear what he's thinking. We can't rely on him.
If appropriate measures must be taken, sooner is better.
That's correct. Nobunaga is a wellspring of troubles.
It's certain that eventually he'll bring great misfortune upon the Oda clan.
Mother...
I daresay I am of the same opinion as Gozen-sama.
And I as well!
Me too!
And me too!
Nobukatsu-sama...
Get out of here.
I'm hedged in on all sides. Everybody's raising me up, trying to manipulate me.
Why is my freedom so constrained?
The more Nobunaga behaves just as he likes, the greater your suffering will be, my lord.
Make things easier on yourself, unbound from these fetters...
You don't look good with your hair disheveled.
"Inuyama" "Ikoma Estate" "Oogaki"
At the same time, there were also turbulent shifts surrounding the leadership of Mino.
"Inuyama" "Ikoma Estate" "Oogaki" The disgruntled younger brothers of Yoshitatsu,
"Inuyama" "Ikoma Estate" "Oogaki" who had inherited control of the clan, began planning to oust Yoshitatsu
"Inuyama" "Ikoma Estate" "Oogaki" by raising up the now-retired Dousan.
Large upheavals will likely come to Mino soon.
That's worrisome.
My elder brother Yoshitatsu is a cunning and resourceful man. Nobunaga-sama...
But what will Dousan-dono actually do?
In any case, we'll prepare ourselves.
Nobunaga-sama, Hidetaka-sama is here...
Ah. Wait--Hidetaka?!
This is unusual, for Hidetaka to come visit us here.
It's been a long while!
Oh, they look lively, swimming around!
Right?
Oh, it seems the fireflies haven't emerged yet.
If there are any signs, I'll tell you right away!
I'll look forward to it.
He and Tsuneoki seem to have a lot in common.
But why's Hidetaka using honorific language with him?
Hidetaka-sama, hold still. Don't move.
A grasshopper? On top of my head?
Yes. He was sitting right there.
That reminds me...
Nobunaga, I hear you've been a frequent visitor to the Ikoma estate recently.
Huh? Oh, yeah.
Then did you know that there's already talk about her remarrying?
What?! Hard to believe-- she just lost her husband!
It's apparently a rich man from Sakai. He felt pity for Kitsuno-dono,
and introduced himself as a suitor-- something like that.
"Inabayama Castle"
1555: lord of Inabayama Castle, Saitou Yoshitatsu,
"Saitou Magoshirou (Yoshitatsu's brother)" "Saitou Kiheiji (Yoshitatsu's brother)" 1555: lord of Inabayama Castle, Saitou Yoshitatsu,
"Saitou Magoshirou (Yoshitatsu's brother)" "Saitou Kiheiji (Yoshitatsu's brother)" murdered his younger brothers, purging the family of threatening divisions.
"Saitou Yoshitatsu (Saitou Dousan's eldest son)" murdered his younger brothers, purging the family of threatening divisions.
Kichou. This puts you in a perilous position as well.
A rupture is likely between the Oda and the Saitou of Mino.
Your value as a wife will be gone. It's possible they will take your life.
Dissolve the marriage and come away with me.
That's...
The word is that Dousan-dono has fled?
Yes. My lord is holed up in Sagiyama Castle.
I never imagined Yoshitatsu would move so quickly... I miscalculated. Damn!
Mino is no longer on our side now.
We'll send troops to support Dousan-dono. I ask you to guide them.
Yes.
As things stand, far from being able to protect Nobunaga, you're a burden to him.
Has Nobukatsu-sama still not made a decision?
Now that Nobunaga-sama has lost Dousan as a shield behind him,
it would be easy make other alliances and overcome him.
To gain a foothold for taking control of the family,
what if he were to declare himself as belonging to the Principal Line?
You're all taking the long way around,
when there's the swifter way, of eliminating Nobunaga-sama.
That's too drastic! I'm against it.
That would besmirch Nobukatsu-sama's name.
That upstart's recent words and deeds have been beyond the pale.
He's been currying favor hard with Nobukatsu-sama and Gozen-sama...
He's a shrewd bastard.
I really do want to speak to my elder brother once...
But with everyone so hypersensitive right now,
even getting a letter to him is next to impossible.
Is that so?
Yes, it is!
Elder Brother, you mustn't touch it.
Oh, sorry!
I'm taking that to show to Ikeda Tsuneoki-dono soon.
I hear you've become close to Tsuneoki-dono recently.
Is there some problem with that?
No, there isn't. In fact, there's one favor I'd like to ask of you.
When you meet Tsuneoki-dono, I'd like you to pass this letter to Elder Brother...
...to Nobunaga-dono.
"Kazusa no Suke" "Kanjuurou Nobukatsu"
A letter?
Yes... can I ask this of you?
I understand. I'll go tomorrow, then, to deliver it.
You have asked Hidetaka to become your connective link, my lord?
I see. Hidetaka's retainers are all old men, estranged from governance,
none of whom would needlessly pry. You've thought this through.
Of course you're against this too.
No, my lord. I won't intrude any further into your brotherly ties.
Do as you wish.
I am thinking only of your happiness and nothing else, Nobukatsu-sama.
Brotherly ties...
We don't need those.
Hidetaka-sama?!
Wait just a bit!
Those are hunting grounds!
You mustn't!
They've begun to emerge! I have to let him know!
Wait, my lord!
Tsuneoki-dono...
Hidetaka-sama!
"Oda Nobutsugu"
This is terrible!
What is it?
It appears that one of our arrows has pierced somebody who strayed into the hunting grounds!
What's that?! Who's the halfwit who wandered out here to get himself shot?
It's...
Hidetaka! Hidetaka!
Why? Why?! Hidetaka!
Mother...
Nobukatsu... look at his face... his face is still the same as it ever was...
As though he's dreaming...
Why?! Why?!
Take Mother to her bedchamber.
Eh? What's that in his...
Would this be a letter?
I'll take that for safekeeping.
Who'd imagine--struck by an arrow in the hunting grounds...
It's heartbreaking.
Why did you fail to protect him?!
Our humblest apologies!
I hear that the arrow belonged to one of Oda Nobutsugu-sama's retainers!
So what's become of Nobutsugu-sama?!
He fled from that very spot.
If only I hadn't sent him with this accursed letter! I'm sorry... Hidetaka...
I killed you...
It's not your fault, Nobukatsu-sama.
I don't know if I should say this...
...but the truth is, my lord, I heard something earlier.
Apparently Nobunaga-sama refused to receive the letter from Hidetaka-sama.
It defied understanding, why you'd put an important letter in Hidetaka-sama's care;
you ought to have delivered it yourself, he said.
He wouldn't...
It was as Hidetaka-sama was paralyzed with worry, about how he'd failed you,
that the arrow...
If Nobunaga-sama had accepted the letter from Hidetaka-sama,
this tragedy would never have occurred.
This cannot simply be put down to misfortune, my lord.
Nobunaga-sama truly is the wellspring of all our troubles.
He treats the fate of the Oda clan as a trifle for his amusement!
That's a lie! Be silent! He would never do such a thing!
Nobukatsu-sama! Hidetaka-sama's slayer...
Let us take vengeance on Nobutsugu-dono!
--Nobukatsu-sama! --Nobukatsu-sama!
Make your decision.
Rally a force!
Such a piteous fate...
Hidetaka-sama...
Ill fortune is all this can be called...
Nobunaga-sama! An emergency messenger has come from Suemori Castle!
It's a message that Nobukatsu is going to take vengeance on our uncle, Nobutsugu.
He says he'd like me to send reinforcements.
A battle of revenge... Nobunaga-sama, what will you do?
I feel as Nobukatsu does.
But Hidetaka's voluntarily entering the hunting grounds was a lapse in judgment.
What's to be done...
Nobunaga. If you are going to raise an army, there must be great cause.
Those who wage war without great cause will eventually fall to ruin.
Engrave this truth upon your heart.
Honoring my brother's memory and raising an army... are two separate things.
"Moriyama Castle"
My elder brother hasn't come yet?!
No, my lord!
So Nobunaga-sama once again intends to betray Nobukatsu-sama...
To not come, even to a battle of revenge...
Why, Elder Brother?
Do you care nothing for our blameless younger brother's death?
It was the same for Father's funeral...
When I want you by my side, you're never there.
Elder Brother, what on earth is it that matters most to you?!
It's wholly unclear what he's thinking. You can't rely on him.
That is Nobunaga-sama.
Even knowing this, will you still cling to these brotherly ties, my lord?
I will never again call you brother...
...Nobunaga!
Frolic and play just as much as you like...
...Hidetaka-sama.
"Next Episode"
"Nobukatsu"
"Look forward to next week's episode!!"