Ikemen Sengoku: Nobunaga Oda

Dramatic Route Chapter 11

Mai: "Stay safe."

Nobunaga: "I will." Returning my smile, he picked me up in his arms-- I was off my feet, mind and body floating in air as Nobunaga stole my lips in a kiss. My mind was still spinning as he set me gently on the ground.

Mai: "...Wow! That was sudden!"

Nobunaga: "You were suddenly lovely." He's getting better at the romantic boyfriend thing all the time! Try as I might, I couldn't come up with a witty reply. Around us, I heard the vassals gossiping.

Vassal 1: "Do you think the rumors about the Lord Nobunaga and Lady Mai are true?"

Vassal 2: "Seriously? Just look at them! I've never seen our lord smile so happily before!" We're creating a bit of a scene.

Mai: "Come on Nobunaga, don't you have a war to win?"

Nobunaga: "You look upset. I prefer the way you looked as I kissed you. You were full of desire."

Mai: "I was so not!"

Nobunaga: "Then perhaps it was just me who wanted that." Arg! I can't win! I stood on my toes and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

Mai: "There. Satisfied?"

Nobunaga: "I am. Now, we must be off."

Mai: "All right." Nobunaga sat up straight on his horse, out of my reach. I immediately missed his warmth. I don't want him to go. Nobunaga cast a look over his army.

Nobunaga: "Men, are you ready?"

Vassals: "Yes!"

Nobunaga: "Then follow me! we won't rest until the castle falls!" With a charismatic smile, Nobunaga pulled the reigns. Don't be reckless. Please. I clasped my hands in front of my chest in prayer, watching until I couldn't see him anymore.

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Guard: "We've got someone hurt over here! We need something that will stop the bleeding!"

Mai: "Let me!" Dabbing the sweat from my brow, I rushed to our newest arrival. "Can you hear me? Stay awake now."

Hurt Soldier: "Lady Mai... Y-yes."

Mai: "Good. Don't worry. We'll get you patched up. It's a shallow wound. You'll be better soon."

Hurt Soldier: "The Princess of the Oda's hands are stained in my blood... I am ashamed."

Mai: "That's enough of that talk! I'm only doing my job. Just like you did, in staying strong. Now, this might hurt."

A smile touched the soldier's face. Then he grimaced, fighting off the pain as I pressed on the wound to stop the bleeding. After applying salve and bandaging him up, I looked for the next person to help. There's been some bad injuries today. And the number of wounded keeps increasing.

It had been several hours since Nobunaga had departed for battle with Kenshin. I can only imagine that things are much worse there. My experiences in the Sengoku had desensitized me to the horrors of battle, at least enough to care for the injured.

But nothing dulled my worry. At the wash basin, I was cleaning the blood off my hands when I heard someone call me.

Mitsunari: "Mai!" Mitsunari? Is he wearing glasses?! Nice. Mitsunari and I were sharing duties at camp. I was in charge of lodging and medical-- While he was effortlessly handling information, provisions, weapons, tactics, troop arrangements, and defense all by himself. "I'm sorry to trouble you with all this work. Do you need a break? I can assign someone else if you--"