Chapter 45: Compromise

Though he didn't want to admit it, Nobu was powerless so long as he remained, well, powerless. To make matters even worse, he had already used his name and the status that came with it in order to make things easier for himself. Yui and Yuriko never would have treated him so graciously if he was 'just' Nanamori Natsu. It was also the only thing preventing him from being unabashedly played to death or becoming breeding stock for a bunch of thirsty kunoichi. In other words, without his name, he was nothing...

Or was he...?"

Thinking about what else he could provide, Nobu met the silver-haired woman's gaze before calmly asking, "What do you want from me? You had to have brought me here for a reason..." in a resolute tone.

Nodding her head in affirmation, Hitomi set down her tea and explained, "I want you to be the man you were meant to be. It's as simple as that."

Frowning in response to the straightforward answer, Nobu was about to ask what his other options were when the woman went on the explain, "I believe you might be overthinking this. Tell me, have you actually thought about what returning to the Oda Clan means? You claim you don't wish to be involved in politics, but is that actually true? If so, why are you so concerned with the management and affairs of my family? Is that not politics...?"

Though he wanted to argue they were two separate issues, the only arguments Nobu could think of were simple platitudes. He would arbitrarily be elevating himself to a moral high ground, but, unlike in his world, that actually had consequences here. There weren't any laws guaranteeing freedom of speech, and, even if he was rightfully offended by something, he couldn't take it to Twitter or spam the comments sections of a news feed. In this world, the only things that mattered were power and status. He, technically, already had the latter, but, without the power to back it up, even status was meaningless to those who didn't strictly observe it...

Seeing Nobu seriously considering her words, Hitomi gave another small nod before returning to her tea. He might be unbelievably immature, but, considering he had very little experience with this world, she didn't expect him to adapt immediately. She had no idea what kind of world his soul had wandered off to, only that it was drastically different from their own. Thus, while most people would have quickly lost patience with him, Hitomi wanted to believe that the Goddess who informed them of his condition and destiny hadn't lied...

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Far beyond the world where Nobu had reincarnated, a certain golden-haired Goddess with elven ears adopted a frown unsuited to her immaculately sculpted face. Unfortunately, before she could check to see who was badmouthing her, a hole opened in the ceiling of her office. From within, an inordinately fat person with greasy skin, unkempt hair, and thick-rimmed glasses dropped into her office like a bag of trash tossed down a chute. This immediately elicited a sigh from her throat, as, even before the man's consciousness had returned, she could tell he was another sleazeball otaku that would either hit on her or make unreasonable demands...

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After sitting in contemplative silence for the better part of twenty minutes, Nobu cautiously asked, "Can't I become like a scholar or something? I can't really explain the details, but I possess a bit of knowledge pertaining to things like construction, infrastructure, and farming. If you agree to let me stay here, I can provide knowledge and information that might drastically improve the quality of life of people in the village..."

Since he really didn't want to return to the Oda Clan, Nobu was seriously considering living among the Yoshitsune. He didn't agree with their way of life, but, so long as they gave him room and board without involving him with their 'education system', he could ignore them until he accrued enough power. He also wouldn't need to part with Yui and Yuriko, who, over the last three days, had grown on him more than he would ever admit.

Though she was tempted to refuse him outright, Hitomi seriously considered Nobu's proposal. So long as he didn't cause any trouble, having him stay in the clan compound wasn't a particularly bad idea. His mother and father were also likely to accept. They were well aware of the 'destiny' that had been assigned to him, but, in spite of this, they were far more concerned with his safety and general well-being than any prophecy. Had she not vowed to commit ritual suicide if Nobu died during the two years he spent on the street, she never would have been able to convince them to let her stress test the potency of his destiny in regards to his survivability.

Seeing no real downsides to the arrangement, Hitomi slowly nodded her head before saying, "I can agree to let you stay here, but there will be conditions. First and foremost, I will need to explain the situation to your parents. They will most likely wish to see you, so, if you're serious about following through with this, you'll need to control that temper of yours in order to alleviate any concerns they might have. As for the other conditions...well, that would depend on whether or not the information you can provide has any real value. This is neither a resort nor a vacation home. If you truly wish to stay here, you'll need to earn your keep. Since you are a member of the Oda Clan, we can't use you for breeding purposes. However, if you can't find anything substantial to contribute, we can always have you and Yui assist in the education of kunoichi trainees. It's pretty rare to have a willing male participant so it would undoubtedly provide some much-needed insight for the trainees preparing to undertake their first missions..."

Despite his best efforts, Nobu was unable to prevent a shiver from passing through his body when he imagined being used as reference material by a bunch of scantily-clad, if not naked, trainees. He wasn't an exhibitionist, and, though he had willfully ignored Rynka's peeping, the fact he was even aware of her said a lot about how attentive he was to being watched.

Noticing Nobu's discomfort, the smile on Hitomi's face faded for the first time as she plainly stated, "You are not in a position to have everything your way. If you want to speak concerning the matters of my Clan, become the next Lord and coordinate with the next Matriarch to reform things over the next hundred or so years. You might not like kunoichi, but clans like ours are the pillars supporting the nobility. Without eyes and ears in other countries, we would never know what our enemies are plotting. Without hands and feet working behind the scenes, the only way to settle disputes would be to go to war. You might have revisionist fantasies, Oda Nobunaga, but mere ideas don't change a thing. Power, money, and time do."

Though he couldn't help frowning in response to the woman's words, her final statement resonated deeply with Nobu's personal views. Power, money, and time had also governed his previous world, and, were it not for the fact he had been born in the US, a place where citizens often had an ample supply of all three, life would have been significantly more difficult. The living conditions of some second and third world countries were nightmare fuel for the people of his generation, and, though it had only been two months since his reincarnation, he was already nearing his wit's end knowing that things like the internet simply didn't exist.

Believing he would have more freedoms here than in the Oda Clan, Nobu eventually took a deep breath before nodding his head and answering, "Fine. I'm confident that I can provide more than enough information to avoid having to participate in those kinds of bullsh...I mean, those kinds of lessons. Just promise me that, even if my knowledge isn't up to snuff, you aren't going to ask me to rub one out in front of a bunch of brats. I would, literally, rather commit suicide."

Restraining the urge to laugh, Hitomi's usual smile returned to her face as she mused, "I'm sure we can work out the specifics of your 'participation' when the time comes. For now, I'll have someone guide you to an available room. You will stay there until I send a missive to the Oda Clan and hear back from them. As for Yui, she will be along to attend you after gathering the other kunoichi from her generational group. Though a few of them might have trouble adapting to the sudden change, there are at least eleven girls who are quite eager to meet you..."

Offering an awkward smile in response, Nobu resisted the temptation to say he didn't need eleven kunoichi waiting on him hand and foot. This was tantamount to insulting their very existence, and, if they were anything like Yui and Yuriko, his acceptance would mean a lot to them. There was also a high probability that all eleven were ridiculously beautiful girls, so, at the very least, he wouldn't be bored during his stay in the Yoshitsune Clan...

Noticing the tell-tale glimmer in Nobu's eyes, the smile on Hitomi's face became marginally more prominent as she said, "So long as you remain 'Oda Nobunaga', I will not tell you what to do with your kunoichi. However, while you might not be concerned with such things in the present, there is a chance you will require their services in the future. I would suggest you leave at least half of them with their virginity intact. Our kunoichi are educated to imprint on the first man they sleep with so it will become a serious issue if they become too attached to you. It will be even worse if you become attached to them. There are few things more dangerous than a renegade kunoichi that has become infatuated with her Lord...it never, ever, ends well..."

Without waiting for Nobu's response, Hitomi raised her index and middle fingers to produce a peculiar blue aura that flickered several times before evaporating into thin air. Almost immediately thereafter, a woman wearing the skimpiest outfit Nobu had seen thus far appeared out of thin air before promptly bending the knee, head lowered and her right fist touching the ground as she said, "Kunoichi Chikako greets the Matriarch! Please tell me how I can be of service!"

Instead of looking down at Chikako, Hitomi's heterochromatic gaze lingered on Nobu for a brief moment. This went unnoticed by the man in question, as, from the moment Chikako appeared, his gaze had wandered to her largely exposed buttocks. It was only after several seconds had passed that he averted his eyes and noticed her watching. This resulted in him promptly averting his eyes, and, though he attempted to conceal it with a frown, Hitomi could see the embarrassment hidden beneath his mask of frustration.

("How cute. His personality suits Yui well...I'm actually a little envious...")

As that thought crossed her mind, Hitomi looked down at the patiently waiting Chikako and said, "Chika-chan, there is someone I would like to introduce you to. Afterward, you will need to guide him to one of the spare bedrooms in the East Wing. Understood?"

Without any hesitation whatsoever, Chikako immediately answered, "Understood!" before rising along with Hitomi's gesture. Truth be told, she was actually quite nervous to be in the same room as a man. However, that was paltry compared to the rollercoaster of emotions she experienced when the Matriarch said, "This is Oda Nobunaga, First Son of Lord Senken. In other words, from this day forward, he is your Lord and Master. Fortunately, he has already encountered your little sister so I'm sure the two of you will have plenty to talk about. Now, be a dear and escort him to his room~."

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(A/N: This granny is pretty wicked...it's no wonder Yui's a closet Sadist (UwU)...)