36 hours before Hiroshi and his men left the city of Iwaki, a battle between the forces of the Shogunate-supported army of the Fujita clan and the rebel army of the Nachi clan raged in the south-western plains of Haguro province.
"Crane wings formation! Don't let their cavalrymen demolish the front line!"
"Archers! Fire at will!"
To summarize the political history of Haguro, one would probably have to write an 800-page book with just the gist of the events and battles that transpired then. But it would be more easily summarized with just two words…
Unending War.
"Here they come!"
"Hold the line! Steel your arms and plunge your spears to their riders!"
The current rebel clan was actually the legitimate line of daimyos in Haguro. The war that raged in the province since the Naisen Period 400 years ago was between the Nachi lordship and the rebelling noble families that didn't recognize the clan as the legitimate leaders of the province.
The war was simply the skirmishing of their armies and political assassinations between the two sides. It mostly didn't affect the common people save for those who are forced to leave their homes when the two forces collide near their lands.
But everything changed when the Shogunate supported the rebels and dismissed the legality of the Nachi clan's rule. It was then did the entire war shifted as the previous daimyo clan and their followers now became the rebels and the previously rebelling families became the official lordship under the leading of the Fujita clan.
In this rebellion, a female samurai general leads an army of the Nachi clan at the forest bordering the Hashidate province. And by the noon, they fought back and repelled an enemy attack at their area… but of course, with a lot of casualties from their side.
"Lady Himeji. I bring a report from every unit."
Himeji Kotori, the 19-year-old daughter of the Himeji clan loyal to the Nachi clan. She was sent here with an army of 9000 men to defend the area that acts as a passageway to the temporary capital of their rebel government.
Known as a great tactician, fighter and leader, she was given the job of holding the line until the reinforcements from their allies in Kanae estuary landed in their ports to help in the upcoming Spring offensive that their leader planned to use to retake a huge portion of the province from their enemies.
"Speak. How are everyone after the battle?"
"A total of 700 men has died and we expect a few hundred more to die as well due to their heavy injuries. I have sent my lieutenants to prepare pyres to burn the dead, but as they are tired after the attack earlier…"
"I get it. Leave them out of the camp and let our men rest. We can just burn them tomorrow when they can cut some wood and stack the bodies."
"As you wish."
After giving his report, the man left the tent, and this is when the female samurai sighed with an indifferent tone.
"When will all of this end…?"
She has only been here for a few days and has fought only a single head-on battle with the enemy, but in her entire career as a warrior, she has already won countless victories and claimed the lives of many enemy leaders whom she crossed blades with in battle.
And yet, she is here. At the same border, fighting the same enemy without any significant gains.
"We continue to fight for nothing. We lose our comrades without even moving the borders. I know we don't have the force to reclaim the land yet… but this…"
As these times, Kotori can only step out from her camp and retreat at a silent place to calm her nerves.
She needs to be alone to straighten her thoughts. And as she says it, listen to the wind's advice about what to do next.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"…"
What should I do now? The enemy is larger than us. We have the terrain advantage because of the valleys and the forest, but once they build their fire mangonels, they'll start hurling pots of burning oil to burn the forest and smoke us out of here.
"…"
There's also the threat of hidden ninjas… It is not impossible for the enemy to send an assassin against me or the other officers.
"Haah…"
Indeed, what should I do? What must I do to finish this quickly?
*Krick! Slosh!*
While I was meditating, I heard the crackling of branches behind me which made me jump up with sword in hand to dispose of the approaching enemy.
"Uwaaahhh!!!"
"Wait… Tsuna? What are you doing here?"
Suddenly, I recognized that it was just my childhood friend and subordinate named Tsuna.
"Tch! Just when I thought I escaped…"
"Escaped? Wait… your flag is…"
It was at this moment did I notice that she wasn't wearing her flag where the rebellion's crest is embroidered that identifies her as one of us.
"Tsuna… you wouldn't…"
"Tch! Take a look around you, Kotori-chan! Can you please look at our situation and tell me that this is pointless!"
I knew it… she plans to defect to the enemy.
"Wait a moment, Tsuna-chan! Think about this first! Do you understand what will happen to your family if they learn that you defected? Your entire family will be slaughtered or sold into slavery!"
"I know that!"
With a pained shout, she replied while tears streaked down from her face.
"That's exactly why I am defecting… Sister sent a letter from home before we marched. I just read it earlier after the battle. She said that father is in his deathbed and wished to convince me to stay there before he passes away… You already know what would happen once a family loses all of its male members, right?"
"Are you saying that…?"
"Lord Nachi is already preparing the arrest orders for me and my sister. He intends to force us to marry into the other families to strengthen his rule… Me and my sister won't accept that… She said that she contacted an enemy spy at Inaba that would bring her over to the Fujita Daimyo who already promised us amnesty… I am just following her towards there."
"Wait! Please, Tsuna! I can't lose you too!"
Tsuna is the last remaining personal acquaintance that I have by my side… If I lose her too, this place will become colder than it already is.
"…If you want to stay with me, then follow me."
"Tsuna…"
"Leave this pointless war and give up already. The Fujita clan has won and there's no more reason for us to struggle."
"But…"
"Please, Kotori… I don't want to lose you too. So just give up and live in peace…"
"…"
She knew what to say to sway my heart… But I am still a warrior.
"I'm sorry, Tsuna-chan…"
With a regretful expression on my face, I looked at her before swaying my head side to side.
"…Live well, my dear friend."
"Thank you. Take care too… I wish you and your sister a peaceful life."
"Mm."
As we hugged each other tightly for what might be the last time, we bid farewell to each other. Her who gave up in this battle and me who is still forced to fight in it for the sake of my family.
"Go. Go now while the moon is bright and your horse is strong."
"Mm. Thank you very much, Kotori… Wait."
"Huh?"
Before she turned to leave, she took off her amber amulet and placed it on my hand.
"If there comes a time when you become weary of this war, or the lord demands you to use your body to increase his men and you wish to leave… wear this to remember that you have someone to run to in your time of need."
"…I will."
As she ran off to the clearing of the forest where she left her horse, I tried my best to hold back my tears as the last friend that I have at this side of the war ran to decide her own destiny.
"May the Heavens bless your travels."
The morning came and again, the enemy force sent another assault force to our camp, aiming to rout as out of the important passage point.
"Keep the arrows coming! Their cavalry must not reach the frontlines!"
"Infantry! Push back their forces! They mustn't break the line!"
War raged until noon when the enemy drummed a retreat order. From both sides, countless dead and wounded soldiers piled the cremation pyres and medical tents.
The forest we are hiding at seem to have sent some help to us as crows and ravens scattered on the field to eat some of the bodies of the dead. It was a disgusting scene, but it is better than us having to deal with those who was too maimed to even look at straightly.
"Casualty report… Now."
"Yes. Out of our remaining 9300 men from yesterday's engagement, another 1500 has fallen and 340 are seriously wounded. We predict that most of them won't make it due to the special arrows used by the enemy archers."
As my lieutenant said that, he took out a broken arrow from the battle earlier and the arrow head sure looked like something out of the ordinary.
"Jagged edges with tempered tips… It pierces armor and when it lobs into the flesh, pulling it out will make the wound bigger because of all the serrated jags on the arrowhead."
"It's exactly as you say."
"…"
I gave it some thought and tried to form a strategy.
"Ask the men to make palisades from wood or bamboo. Make sure that they are light enough to be carried to key locations but secure enough to not break under sustained arrow fire… Speaking of fire, coat it with lacquer or clay too if possible so it won't easily be burned down."
I gave out orders to my men and before I left for my evening meditation, a few of the palisades has already been constructed for use at the next attack.
"…Ah."
For some reason, the wind at my usual spot feels erratic and rough on the skin. It feels like something is awfully wrong…
"Commander!
"…"
"Commander!"
As the wind sharply scraped my cheeks, I heard a voice of a soldier behind me. I stood up from the flat-faced stone that I was sitting at turned around to see him.
"General Himeji!"
"What is it? Are the men having problems about the food again?"
"N-no, that's not it…"
No? What else could it be other than an argument about the plain bean soup or something else?
"A passing group of strangers offered their services, and they are treating our sick soldiers."
"Strangers? Are they not from the Amanogawa Bakufu's army?"
Are they perhaps ninjas sent by the enemy? If so, I have to hurry back and finish them.
"W-we don't know, but they seem to have come from the south since they came from the forest."
"I see…"
The south? In Hashidate then… but why? Why would someone from outside come to Haguro when we are currently in a civil war?
It's pointless to think too much about this. I can't gather enough information by staying behind the scenes like this.
"Lead the way. I've had enough time for meditation tonight."
As we walked back to the camp, I heard the soldiers busily going to and fro. It seems like everyone is in a hurry wherever they ran to.
"Can someone hand me a bandage? The arrow got through his collarbone."
"Y-yes!"
"Get the antiseptic from my bag. His wound might get infected at this rate."
"Got it!"
While I was looking around the busy crowd, I saw the one who were giving orders to my men and other strangers that I ascertained to be his followers.
"Iwasawa-sama. Here's the antiseptic."
"Good, help me keep him down while I'm applying it."
He looks like a normal person but something about him seems… strange.
"Okay, cover it with the bandage as soon as I pulled it out. He must've a vein right there so cover it as soon as possible… one, two, three!"
"RAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!"
The moment he pulled the arrow from the soldier's shoulder, blood spurted out, staining his clothes and hands as he poured a slightly viscous fluid on it.
"Keep the bandage down! I have to stitch his wounds!"
As his assistants piled cloth after cloth on the wound, he worked with perfect efficiency to thread one of the soldier's hair into a curved needle that he then used to force the flesh around the wound to a close.
"…Disinfectant and coagulant. Pour it later when it stops bleeding. I'll prepare some pain relievers later so give him a batch as well."
"Yes, sir."
"Alright, next one!"
It was at this moment did my eyes wander around the medical tent and I saw the few hundred wounded men that was mentioned to me earlier.
"It's just a flesh wound. I'll rub some salve on it to help it heal up. Don't move it for a few days. If you do, it may become bigger and cause you more problems."
"Y-yes… Thank you."
Curious of who he really is, I approached him as he was wrapping a bandage over the soldier's arm wound.
"G-general Himeji…"
"It's alright. I'm just watching."
Without batting an eye, he went to the next wounded soldier and with just a few looks at him, he can already give a report about their situation.
"You're suffering from a bruised abdominal cavity… Did you get hit with something blunt and heavy earlier?"
"Ah, yes… I think one of the enemy horses kicked me on the stomach earlier when they approached our line."
"Okay… I'll check if there are internal bleeding. Lift your shirt, I have to listen to it."
As he placed a weird contraption that has two buttons that entered his ears and a big circle that he lightly tapped before placing on the soldier's abdomen, he focused until he gave his verdict.
"You have an awful lot of stomach worms, but you can thank the heavens that there is no internal bleeding."
"Ah! I see…"
He wrote something on a piece of paper that he was holding and went to the next soldier.
"Alright, how are you feel-"
But before he can ask questions, I interjected and faced him.
"Are you the stranger that everyone is talking about?"
"…I am."
With an indifferent tone, he replied which made me satisfied.
"As you may already see, there are a lot of wounded here. If it may please you, can we talk about your terms of employment and compensation?"
"I believe that can wait. If it is only about how long I will work and how I can be paid, I can wait later when I already have saved lives."
"I see… I wouldn't be bothering you then…"
I left the medical tent in order to not bother his work. Later that night, I invited him to the strategy room to talk to him and the other officers.
"My name is Himeji. General of this army. What is your name, stranger?"
"Hiroshi. My name is Iwasawa Hiroshi."
He was fairly young. Probably younger than twenty years old. He had a fairly long black hair that is tied into a low ponytail and eyes that looked sharp and discerning.
"I apologize for saying this, stranger. But you smell… you smell a bit too sharp on the nose."
"That would be due to the disinfectant. I believe it is better than smelling like blood and pus."
"A-ah… Yes…"
He is also fairly straightforward as he replied to my subordinate who seemed to have annoyed him.
"Everyone… please quiet down for a bit. I have some questions for our guest."
"""…"""
"…Iwasawa-san… Is it? As the commander of this army, I wish to send my utmost thanks for your help regarding the recuperation of my men."
"Your thanks are warmly received, my lady…"
His way of speaking is refined too. He truly is a strange person to have these qualities whilst only being a travelling doctor.
"I remembered that you wanted to negotiate for the terms of our employment and compensation thereof, am I right?"
"Yes. We wish to hire your help considering that you have already taken care of our men earlier. We wouldn't be so shameless to not pay you now that you've provided us with your help."
"That wasn't my intention at all. I saw that there are wounded people when my group was passing by, so I went ahead and gave them a hand. There's no need to feel indebted for something that the other side willingly provided."
"Oh please, don't be too humble… Ayami, bring it here."
As my servant brought in a cask of gold Kan, I opened it and told him my initial terms.
"We will pay a total amount of 100 Kan for all of your work."
From behind him, one of his men whispered to his ear and he looked like he pondered about something.
"I have a suggestion, Lady Himeji."
"Oh? Do say it."
"I forgot to mention this but me and my men came from the province of Kiko at the south."
"K-Kiko?!"
"The south?!"
The audible shock from my retainers surprised me. But after I processed what he just said, even I can't believe my ears.
"Y-You mean-"
"You came from the land of the Kirin Lord?!"
As he nodded, my men looked at each other with wonder and shock.
"It seems like you are aware of the law set upon us by our lord… If so, that would make things a lot easier."
After one of his men said that, he took out a scroll and wrote on it in front of us.
"I came from the Misanagi clan, the family appointed by our daimyo to overlook all judicial and legal affairs of the province. As such, I am obligated to draft a contract for this employment order as we have to uphold our master's honor due to his title."
"I understand… Please continue."
I stepped down from my seat and sat in front of the table where Hiroshi and the document was.
"Your signature and personal seal, please."
"Yes…"
I signed my name on the scroll and pressed my seal on the red ink and paper. After that, Hiroshi did the same and it was at this moment when I noticed something strange in the paper.
"Your name and your lord's name…"
"Yes?"
"Isn't it the same?"
It can't be… it would be too ridiculous if this person really is him.
"I get teased a lot about it."
"Ah. I see."
So, it is just a coincidence, huh? Seems like I was too hasty with my assumption.
"With that, we are now attached with your army. I guess it would be good to state my range of services so it wouldn't be too surprising when the time comes…"
"Well then, feel free to speak."
"My medical services include diagnosis, testing and treatment of communicable, infectious and deadly diseases. I also have a wide range of experience in battlefield injuries including surgical removal of musket balls and shattered shrapnel wounds."
"Wait, surgical?"
"Yes. I worked with the soldiers of Kiko and Shinka. In our sieges, there were times when they are hit by enemy musket fire, and I had to remove the shattered bullets on their bodies. Because of that, I oftentimes have to open their body and stitch it up later to fully remove all of those shrapnel."
Opening someone's body and stitching them up? Is this guy serious?!
"Butcher! Are you suggesting that you'll be treating our men like animals?!"
"Ack-!"
Before anyone can react, one of my men, Kiyotaro, threw his metal fan to Hiroshi which hit him squarely on the face.
"Kitaro! Hey, are you-"
"You bastard!"
As Hiroshi fell on the floor and clutching his bleeding forehead, his right hand man stood up to draw his sword but was pulled back by Hiroshi."
"Minori… I didn't told you to fight back."
"But-"
"Please… I already expected this to happen."
He sat back up even though his forehead was bleeding and with a stiff tone, spoke his reply.
"I am aware of how absurd surgery may sound as a medical practice to all of you. But I wish you can understand that I wouldn't suggest such a thing after I already signed my name on that contract."
"…"
"The practice of surgery has saved countless lives in our homeland. It has helped mothers to give birth more easily. Helped soldiers who had life-threatening wounds in battle and even helped some physically disabled people to live normal lives."
"H-how?"
"I once had a patient in the town of Aoya who was swerved on the knee with an ox's horn. Because of the lump that formed after his wound swelled with infection, his entire leg was disabled. However, after I opened his lump, drained the infected flesh and repeatedly applied medicine on his wound, he became able to plow his fields again and live a normal life."
"That… that's not enough to convince me that your practice is safe."
"Then how about this? During the war between the Akizuki clan and the Kusanagi clan, the domain chief of Aoya, Aoyama Takeshi, was hit by a musket from a battle with Lady Kusanagi Kyoko. I was later brought to his estate and found out that the musket ball shattered inside his body. With the permission of his daughter and nephew, I opened his abdomen and after scouring his innards, finally removed all of the shrapnel before closing his wound and saving him from internal infection."
Even with all of the accounts that he narrated, my men seemed to still be skeptical of his words.
"Those are all external wounds… what about what you said earlier about illnesses treated with surgery."
"I suppose you heard about the official crowning of Lady Kyoko after Lord Kenji transferred his throne to her?"
"We heard some rumors, yes."
"I won't be saying much since it would break my non-disclosure agreement with the Kusanagi clan, but the reason for Lord Kenji's deposition is due to an illness that I was responsible of ridding him from."
"Illness? What is it?"
"I cannot say that. But one thing I will state is that it has caused him unbearable pain and due to my surgical operation, he was relieved from the illness and was allowed to live to see his daughter's crowning."
"…"
After his last statement, it seems like everyone is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Iwasawa-sama… your wound."
"Thanks."
He placed a cloth on his wound and spoke with a gentle tone.
"There will come a time when you would need to undergo that procedure as well. At that time, rest assured that you are in good hands."
He bowed slightly before standing up and leaving with his men.
"Lady Himeji… that guy…"
"I don't trust him."
"His poise and speech look and sound noble, but his ideas are…"
"It sounds too doubtful."
My men voiced their concerns, but I had my own thoughts.
"Leave for tonight. Let's talk about this tomorrow when everyone has rested."
"""As you wish."""
After they left the tent, I called my servant as she poured me some tea.
"Ayami."
"Yes, my lady?"
"What are your thoughts about that man?"
"…I believe his words has substance on them."
"Oh?"
"He speaks as if he already knows what would happen yet are also aware that what has to be said needs to be said. He has a strong sense of duty and the fact that he spoke stiffly earlier even though his head is bleeding and he seems shaken, I can say that he didn't even need the contract made by the Misanagi man to do what was asked of him."
"…"
If that is how Ayami saw him as, he sure has some layers that he didn't want to show to us.
"Can I ask your girls to watch over him?"
"Please, Lady Himeji. We are yours to command."
"Well then. Watch over his actions and report to me regularly. Whether he will be a trustable ally or a new enemy, your observations and words would decide it."
"As you command."
As she wore a serious expression and went out of the tent to meet with her kunoichi ninjas. I sat there while reading the document that he left with me.
"Iwasawa Hiroshi… Just who are you and why did you join us?"
Tomorrow morning, we were about to start a strategy meeting when our watch tower by the forest's entrance sounded their gong, signaling that an enemy attack is about to come.
"Form up by the clearings! Don't let their riders break your formations!"
"Archers! Climb on the trees and single out their officers! Shoot them down and the cavalry charge will be routed!"
I immediately wore my armor and rode my horse to lead our men to our frontlines.
"Kitaro, what's the situation right now?"
"Things are becoming difficult… The enemy are sending heavy cavalry with mounted archers at the back."
"Are our palisades finished? We have to avoid our men getting hit by the enemies' arrows."
"That has been done, general. But the issue is with the cavalry. They can easily break the barricades before we can use it against the enemy archers."
"Tch! They saw right through our plans…"
I tried to push my mind to the limits in order to form an impromptu strategy. But before I can tell them to light the tall grass near us on fire to scare away the enemy's horses, a gunshot rang out and suddenly, the nearest enemy horseman fell from his steed.
"W-what the…?"
"Sustain your fire. Pick out the nearest ones and drop them from their saddles."
"Yes, sir."
From behind us, the voice of someone talking to soldiers atop a tall maple tree was heard.
"L-Lord Tozen!"
"Y-Your Highness!"
"Did you guys not expect me to show up in here?"
This is Nachi Tozen, the son of Lord Nachi Eichi. The prince of the Nachi clan and one of the core leaders of our rebel force.
"What brings you to this battle line, Your Highness?"
"Why? I heard that our southern army are having a hard time blocking off the forest passage to Inaba. I heard that Kotori was given the command of this battlefield and I came here to assist you."
As he said that, he went down from his saddle to take my hand and softly kiss it.
"Y-Your Highness…"
Caught by that unexpected gesture, I blushed a little as he giggled and looked at me with a gentle smile.
"G-going back to the battle… who are those, my lord?"
"Oh? They are the new soldiers that I've personally trained to use the muskets that our allies at Kanae Estuary sent as an initial aid to our war. They said that circumstances near the capital had led them to delay the sending of reinforcement troops to us. So, they sent these wonderful weapons first to at least help us repel our enemies."
While he was saying that, much of the charging cavalry seemed to have either fallen after being hit or have retreated back to their camp after losing their leading officer. Most of the dead enemies were hit by the musket shots and arrows, keeping our palisades spotless and undamaged to catch the arrows of the enemies who tried to shoot us.
"Seems like I arrived just in the right time, huh?"
"Ah. Y-yes…"
As Lord Tozen looked around the battlefield with a delighted expression, another person came up to us with quite a messy appearance.
"Lady Himeji. I have something to report."
"Huh? WAAAAAHHHH-!!!"
"L-Lord Tozen, what are you- AAAAHHH!"
Both of us screamed as the person who suddenly appeared behind us had his hands, forearms and the apron over his clothes covered in blood.
"I-Iwasawa-san?! What are you doing here with that appearance?!"
"I apologize… But what I am about to say is urgent."
Before I can ask what it was, Lord Tozen blurted out things that he didn't usually say.
"You cur! How dare you show up to me with that appearance, you butcher!"
"…"
Even when confronted with the enraged tone of one of the highest nobles in Haguro, Hiroshi didn't even looked like he was shaken and simply looked at me to say what he had to say.
"There's an illness spreading at your camp. This blood came from the autopsy I did."
"What is the illness then?"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I noticed it last night when I used my stethoscope on one of the soldiers. I thought it was just stomach worms, but it was actually abdominal bleeding.
"Minori. I have a job for you guys."
"What is it, Iwasawa-sama?"
"Take these test tubes and test the river water near us, the water supply of the soldiers and bring some of the bean soup last night as well."
"Alright…"
"Another thing, is the guy hit by an enemy horse last night still at the sick bay?"
"Ah. The one whom you diagnosed with stomach worms? I heard he died just earlier… He is about to be burned later."
"What?!"
Hearing Minori's words, I stood up from my seat and ran to the pile of corpses about to be burned on pyres outside of the camp.
"Hey! Hey!"
"Huh? Hey, aren't you the doctor from last night?"
"Yeah. Is the guy who died earlier still here?"
"Oh, him? There he is. Is something wrong?"
He pointed at the body that is on the top of a pile of bodies that looks like they just died.
"…May the Lord forgive me for this…"
I chanted a short prayer before wearing an apron, laying open my surgical kit and used a scalpel to open his abdomen.
"Oi! What are you doing there?!"
"…Shit."
I cursed under my breath as I saw pockets of blood forming at the incision as soon as I sunk it in.
"Hey! Stop that or I'll tell this to Lady Himeji!"
"-!"
As soon as I sank the scalpel deeper than the layers of flesh and fat at his stomach and pierced the abdominal cavity, the audible noise of something like a fart made me jump away as his tummy squirted out blood like a loose faucet.
"WAAA!!!"
"What the hell?!"
The soldiers who were near me looked at the corpse and as I walked nearer to inspect the abdominal lining, I knew what was really happening here.
"You guys. Take a bath as soon as you can. Not just a bath on a river. Boil some water and use it to clean yourselves."
I still have to wait for Minori's collection of water samples and the soup from last night… But with this level of internal hemorrhage, it is safe to assume that that was the reason for this sudden illness.
"B-But why?"
"Typoid fever is in your camp. Everyone might be infected now."