Chapter Eleven: Let Us All Join Together to Forge an Era of Benevolence and Righteousness!

Was there something wrong with what Gowe said to Hōjō Akitoki?

From the perspective of the educational ideals Gowe received in the future world and her basic worldview shaped there—no, not at all.

Even after modernization, the hierarchical social structure of ancient Japan remained deeply ingrained from top to bottom.

Yet, in that future world, whether soldiers or the police commonly seen by ordinary people, their primary duty was always spoken of as protecting the safety of the populace.

Regardless of the reality behind the scenes, that was the constant official stance.

So why then did Gowe’s words cause Grandma Kaede, who was crouched on the ground, to turn pale with shock?

One must not forget that this era was not the future world Gowe knew; it was the rigidly stratified Sengoku Japan, where social ranks were harshly enforced.

Commoners did not even have surnames—everyone was called by simple given names like Taro or Jiro.

Walking the streets, if a commoner happened upon a wandering samurai, they had to quickly step aside, lower themselves to the ground with their head bowed, or risk losing their life.

If not, and the samurai was displeased, their life could be taken in an instant.

And after testing their blade on such a victim, the samurai would stroll away carefree, untroubled in the ruthless Sengoku era.

So, in Grandma Kaede’s eyes, ordinary samurai behaved this way, and as for Hōjō Akitoki—the lord over multiple provinces and castles—even though his reputation for mercy was widely known and various rumors painted him as a just daimyo…

A daimyo was like a monster; they were an entirely different breed from ordinary commoners like herself.

To flatter such a man with kind words might be the only chance to have one’s proposals accepted.

Yet Gowe’s single statement had cornered Hōjō Akitoki.

What if Akitoki, angered, decided to take the lives of the two women and the demon, along with the villagers of Kaede Village?

“Great Lord Hōjō Akitoki, my granddaughter is somewhat foolish,” Grandma Kaede stammered.

“Please, do not be angry. I beg your forgiveness on behalf of myself and all here.”

Thinking of the worst possible outcome, Grandma Kaede kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy.

“What nonsense are you spouting, woman!” As Grandma Kaede had feared, upon hearing Gowe’s words, Akechi Mitsuhide’s face darkened immediately.

“The villagers outside are loyal subjects of our lord, are they not? And the noble warriors fighting under the Hōjō banner in the camp…”

“Are they not also loyal to our lord?”

“Now, with demons attacking and controlling the villagers to assault the camp, if indeed those villagers are as you say—our lord’s vassals—then sacrificing their lives for our lord’s dominion is an honor beyond measure!”

To the two women and the demon at his feet, Mitsuhide spoke these words with conviction.

Then, to prevent Lord Hōjō from making any decision that might cause excessive losses to the Hōjō army in the name of mercy, Mitsuhide quickly added:

“My lord, please do not hesitate. This is all for the safety of the people!”

“For the Hōjō clan, allow me to take charge of what must be done next.”

The implication was clear: Mitsuhide was prepared to shoulder the blame for ordering the massacre of the villagers under demonic control.

“No, that cannot be!” Gowe’s beautiful eyes flashed in disbelief as she looked at Akechi Mitsuhide and Hōjō Akitoki on the command platform.

Then she turned to Grandma Kaede on the ground.

This was not the world she knew.

Why was Grandma Kaede so fearful of the daimyo? And why could the noble lords so casually speak of slaughtering villagers?

This was Sengoku—the cruel era of warring states.

She had thought that by coming to this camp, the villagers of Kaede Village might be saved.

But now, faced with this harsh reality so different from what she had imagined, she could neither accept nor bear it.

The future-born girl Gowe felt dizzy and nearly collapsed onto the muddy ground.

“I knew it,” snarled Inuyasha, grimacing in pain but bolstered by the bloodline power granted by his father, the Great Dog General.

Finally able to speak, he was about to make some sarcastic remarks aimed at the Hōjō army led by Akitoki, and to mock Gowe, who still bore resentment from the reincarnation of Kikyo.

But before Inuyasha could utter a word, Hōjō Akitoki slowly raised his hand, signaling to Akechi Mitsuhide to cease speaking.

“My lord!” Mitsuhide’s heart tightened at Akitoki’s gesture.

“Hmm?” Gowe, still swaying unsteadily, caught sight of Akitoki’s movement and a light sparked in her eyes.

“Mitsuhide,” Akitoki said, rising from his seat on the command platform and beginning to walk slowly toward them.

“What is our dominion for?”

“Of course, it is for the Hōjō clan’s world conquest!”

Without hesitation, Mitsuhide answered fittingly for the age.

“Yes,” Akitoki nodded as he approached Gowe, approvingly.

But then, turning his smile toward her, he added:

“In my view, the Hōjō realm is composed of all the people.”

“The world is built by the people. The food we rely on to fill our stomachs, the clothes that protect us from cold, the swords and armor we wield in battle—all come from the people.”

“Therefore, those of us who enjoy the offerings of the people must bear the responsibility of bringing peace and security to them.”

“If not, the Hōjō’s world conquest is nothing but a dream in our sleep.”

“Today, if I fail to protect Kaede Village from the demon invasion, tomorrow, when facing an even stronger enemy, how can anyone believe that I will safeguard them and the Hōjō’s dominion?”

“Today, I will not abandon Kaede Village, just as tomorrow I will not abandon any of you!”

“My lord!”

Moved by Akitoki’s heartfelt and earnest words, Akechi Mitsuhide knelt down in tears.

“My lord’s path of benevolence is something I have failed to grasp.”

“I nearly severed the path of your mercy without realizing it!”

“Here and now, I swear that the blade in my hand will be wielded for the benevolent era of the Hōjō family!”

“Unyielding and unrepentant unto death!”

Not only Mitsuhide cried out his oath of loyalty, but all the samurai vassals who heard or were told of these words also erupted with emotion, their faces filled with exaggerated expressions of devotion.

“Is this the Qilin of Sagami, Hōjō Akitoki?”

Gowe’s mouth opened in stunned surprise. She had not expected such a turning of events.

Having endured the cold reality before, she now cherished this moment of warmth all the more.

“Is this not the perfect daimyo?”

Murmuring softly, Gowe recalled some romantic historical dramas she had watched from the future era.

The male protagonists, daimyo, were just like Hōjō Akitoki—so responsible, so compassionate.

For a moment, she was completely captivated.

“Whew.”

Unaware of Gowe’s thoughts and likely unable to comprehend her mindset, Grandma Kaede, still kneeling on the ground, exhaled in relief and let her heart settle.

As long as Hōjō Akitoki promised to save Kaede Village, everything else was of no consequence.

However, while Grandma Kaede was comforted, Inuyasha thought quite differently.

Gritting his teeth after having been struck by the Hōjō army’s arquebus and then outmatched face-to-face by Hōjō Akitoki’s display, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and stared at the lord preparing to act.

Though not inherently malicious, his petty nature was already plotting his next move.