"The endemic that only men were affected is called Redface Pox." "Moreover, only young men were affected with this disease." "Eight out of every ten who fell victim to the plague died." "The male population of the country continued to diminish at a frightening rate." "However, with no effective cure for it ever found, the plague continued to spread from the mountainous villages to all over Japan." "It was during the Shotoku era." "The number of men was down to only 1/4 of that of women." ""Never shall I speak of things I have seen or heard..."" ""...inside the inner chambers..."" ""...to my parents, my brothers or sisters..."" ""...or to any other person beyond its walls."" "Bow down for the entrance of our Liege!" "Translated by yuizaki_libra Raw provider: bittersweet_bun@ourhour" "Ooku" " The Inner Chambers" "Summer, Shotoku 5 (1975)" "Hey, hey!" "Out of the way!" "Out of the way!" "Hold it tight!" "Miss!" "Please hang on!" "Miss!" "Miss!" "Miss!" "I give up!" "I lose, Yunoshin!" "What's this?" "You've still got a lot of strength left." "Mitamura-san." "You dropped your sword on purpose, did you not?" "Come!" "Another ten bouts." "Please spare me..." "Deputy Master, shall we call it a day?" "What?" "I agree." "This is enough!" "Your passion for fencing is indeed a madness." "Keeping you company shall make everyone fall ill." "What?" "O-Nobu huh?" "It's fine if you came bringing some food..." "I have brought some rice balls for you." "Yes!" "Practice is over!" "Over~!" "You indeed saved us all." "Thank you very much." "Delicious~" "As expected, O-Nobu's rice balls are really the best." "Speaking of which," "Mitamura-san's got some good muscles, but he lacks mettle." "Or rather..." "He has not experienced enough the feeling when his life is at stake." "Of course not." "No one's life is at stake here." "Perhaps he might need it if we were still in a time of war." "But in this day and age, it is nothing more than a samurai's accomplishment." "Why so..." "Are you telling me I'd better practice some singing or dancing?" "I like your fencing very much, sir." "However, you see, while it's true that men are stronger than women, their bodies are much weaker." "That is why," "I'm afraid you would get sick if you push yourself too much." "Oh, but..." "You too..." "In order to give birth to healthy babies, you have to keep well too." "You had better be good and stop associating with me." "If so, from now onwards, these mundane poor ladies who favor you so much will be bringing you rice balls, am I right?" "I hope you liked the food." "May I please have a child." "May I please have a child." "May I please have a child." "May I please have a child." "May I please have a child." "Hey, hey, hey." "Am I the Buddha or something?" "Regarding you, sir," "I doubt if there is such a divine Buddha like you." "The Buddhas I used to worship so much have all turned crimson." "All my elder and younger brothers, everyone of the men ended up being crippled by that Redface demon." "O-Yae." "Do not worry." "You will definitely give birth to a healthy child." "Even if you bear a baby boy, Redface Pox can do no harm to him." "His mother must keep well, so that she can raise up an excellent son." "Hey, take it back." "I said I require none of this." "That I cannot do, sir." "For someone of your stature, sir, to accept having me on the same bed, for just that much, I cannot thank you enough." "Even the highest courtesan in Yoshiwara could not have been better to me than you were, sir." "That's shameful of them!" "How can they be called courtesans when they cannot even please a woman?" "It's fine!" "You keep this." "I am truly indebted to you, sir." "For giving a reason to go on living." "You are back home early." "There is very good news, Yunoshin." "This time, you have received yet another very excellent offer of marriage." "You are still continuing that talk?" "The other party is the daughter of Baron Miura of Hizen, who is a commissioner of temples and shrines." "It seems that she is much attracted to external appearance, so as long as her groom-to-be is handsome, she is willing to overlook all of his other defects." "Well, I am sure appreciative of that." "You are already 19 years old." "A proposal as opportune as this will not come to us again." "How to put it..." "I don't care about those things." "This is not a question of whether you care about such things." "A man like you must marry into a good family, and then beget as many offspring as his wife can bear." "That is the foremost thing." "Your infatuation with the daughter of that merchant family is absurd." "Nevertheless, Mother, is it not of the right order for you to find a groom for my sister first?" "That is not a matter for you to worry about." "You only need be concerned about yourself." "I have long wished to express my deepest gratitude to you, Mother." "In this era, should a poverty-stricken samurai family raise a son, it is like having a valuable studhorse, and renting him out to generate money is perfectly a matter of course." "And yet you, Mother, have never once sold my body to strangers." "Never once." "I well know what that has meant for our impoverished family..." "Yunoshin..." "Mother." "Please allow me to return this great favor you have done me." "I shall find a more rewarding path for me to spend my life, one that is far more beneficial to our family than a marriage." "He has grown into adulthood now." "Even if I said that, how shall I go about doing it?" "I can't keep wantoning away like this any longer." "How unusual or you to invite me out like this." "Is that so?" "Indeed." "Today, there is that right?" "The Night Festival." "Speaking of which, we used to go out a lot in the old days." "Lately, it seems that you have been quite busy at night." "You are so popular with the ladies, are you not?" "I know it." "That many women have asked you for your seed, and that you have never refused anyone." "That is not to mention this era we are living in." "Yet you never demand any payment from them." "Because I demand no payment, they all come to me." "Not because I'm popular or anything." "That is just like you." "You are very kind." "O-Nobu." "Those women do not sleep with me because they have love or passion for me." "I know that." "They just desire a child, something that can give them a reason to live on." "For that sake, they kneel down to someone like me." "Is it not heart-breaking?" "How could I not lend them my help?" "Well then, ...if I kneel down to you too," "would you do it, sir?" "O-Nobu..." "If it is your wish," "I would not mind spending the night with you, my dearest childhood friend." "You know very well that is out of the question." "I certainly do." "You are the daughter of a wealthy trader of medicinal herbs." "You are to wed a husband from one of the big merchant families." "Well, it would be bad for you to dally with the son of a moneyless Hatamoto family like me." "Pitiless..." "You are so very pitiless, sir!" "The Inner Chambers?" "Did you just say that, Yunoshin?" "It is not like I'm going into the army," "I would be very bothered if you are that surprised." "I am already 19 this year." "It is considered late for a man of my age to grow into manhood proper." "More importantly, I ought to break with my trifling lifestyle, and as a man, I feel obligated to fully devote myself for the sake of the family." "Should I be accepted into service in the Ooku, I shall receive an allowance too." "Not only would you have one less mouth to feed, I would also be able to send home money." "However, should you enter the Ooku, unless it is for something so grave, you would not be able to come out even for a short leave." "Shinoya." "But... but..." "Yunoshin." "You are sure your heart will not change?" "Yes." "In this samurai household, for you, Mother, who has tried your utmost to protect my pride as a warrior, and for Father and Sister too," "I am resolved that this is the only path I could go for the sake of you all." "Having you as my son... is my utmost pride as a mother." "I shall keep those words at heart, and exert myself to the best of my ability." "While in the Ooku, you must protect our Shogun, without fail." "Mother." "Father." "Sister." "You have taken great care of me for so long." "Ah!" "There you go." "How is it?" "See my new blue tonsure!" "Makes me look even more manly, don't you think?" "So it is true... right, sir..." "You truly are going into the Ooku." "Lend me this, will you?" "I will fix this sandal strap." "That is just like you." "Tell me, what shall I do once you are gone?" "Alright." "Like this, it will not snap anymore." "Alright." "Look!" "What is it?" "Do you yearn so much to wear beautiful robes and live in luxury?" "Is that it?" "You good-for-nothing!" "Be well." "O-Nobu." "Sir...!" "I shall be entering into service as a page here." "My name is Mizuno Yunoshin." "I am a groom of the bedchamber." "My name is Matsushima." "Yes...!" "Woah..." "People usually say that the Ooku is home to 3000 handsome men." "But in fact, that number amounts to not even 800." "These 800 men are, first, divided into two categories, those who are deemed noble and worthy of our Liege's sight and those who are unworthy our Liege's sight." "Yes." "And then these two categories... are further broken down into chamberlain, yeoman of the chamber, groom of the bedchamber, valet of the chamber, each of whom is in charge of specific duties." "For one who serves here as a page like you, your task shall be to take care of your superiors' personal belongings." "While your rank is unworthy of our Liege's sight, it is the highest position on that side." "As long as you are devoted, it is no pipe dream that Her highness might take a fancy to you." "Bear that in mind and work hard." "Yes." "You are stepping on my hem." "Oh." "For this," "I beg your pardon, sir." "These are the seamsters." "They sew all the robes worn here in the Ooku." "Cleaning duties are assigned to houseboys." "Houseboys?" "They are unworthy of our Liege's sight, and have the lowest rank in the chambers." "Even these people and everyone else are from very wealthy background such as respectable families of merchants." "Those people there are also houseboys." "They are from the kitchen." "But indeed, there are scores of men here." "It makes one forget the fact that the country is lacking men." "This is the place that house those who are worthy of our Liege's sight." "Courtiers' Quarters." "That is the most powerful man in all of the Ooku, Fujinami-sama." "Although the highest rank belongs to the grand chamberlain, ...in actuality, the person who controls ...all the doings inside the Ooku ...is that person." "Yes." "I shall tell you one final thing." "Whatever you may see or hear from now on in the Ooku shall remain untold." "Break this pledge..." "Your name is Mizuno Yunoshin, is it not?" "Yes." "It is a good name." "However, from now onwards, you shall be called by your surname, Mizuno, only." "As it is, "Mizuno" has a pleasing reverberation, and is indeed a suitable name for the Ooku." "When people cast aside the name used in their earthly life, they are reborn." "All right, Mizuno?" "Yes." "I am a newcomer here." "My name is Mizuno." "I am pleased to make your acquaintance." "Such an indecently narrow topknot." "Behold the rough kimono he is wearing." "If you are a newcomer, let me teach you the way of this place." "Yes, I am very grateful for that." "Firstly, have off the hair on your legs." "The hair...?" "Our current Shogun is still a seven-year-old young maiden." "And one of the things she dislikes is hairiness." "Oh..." "I see." "Hey you, they are just making fun of you." "Yes?" "If you shave the hair off, you will feel itchy." "Seldom do we have someone so rustic here." "Most probably, he is the son of an impoverished Hatamoto family, pushed into this place so that the family has one less mouth to feed." "Look at this, the color of his kimono." "He looks like a rat." "And then how narrow this topknot is!" "It's disgraceful." "What is this for?" "Trying to hide your near-bald head, are you not?" "Are you not?" "Are you not?" "That hurts..." "Shame on you." "Who is the one that looks disgraceful?" "You ugly toad!" "Let me tell you about the tonsure." "During times of war, men had to wear helmets and so they shaved their hair to keep their heads cool under the iron helmets." "It is, so to speak, the proof of a samurai!" "And yet look at you." "At your age, you are wearing the long topknot of a callow youth, which in my eyes is far more revolting!" "How dare you speak to me like that?" "Generally speaking," "I purposely wear my own topknot like this." "This is the most fashionable hairstyle in Edo now." "And then this kimono is..." "Well, it is certainly not of the highest quality, but its brownish grey color is the most in vogue, and is worn by all the men in Edo." "So I ask you, who here is the rustic bumpkin?" "How dare you...!" "Oh, shall we fight?" "The afternoon duties are about to start." "I beg your pardon for not having introduced myself earlier." "My name is Sugishita." "You had better go change your clothes fast." "You must not make a snapping noise like that." "Wipe the dust away with gentle strokes." "Another daily duty is to pass the Masters' robes over scented smoke." "The... the Masters?" "That means the gentlemen who are worthy of our Liege's sight." "But, good grace... there are so many goldfish and cats in these chambers." "You have to call those "cats" "Honorable Cats."" "What?" "That is one of the rule." "Then, it means that... we have to call this "Dear Honorable Goldfish?"" "For someone who have been raised as the cherished son of the Hatamoto, perhaps you are not accustomed to these things.." "but it is not possible that all the positions in the Ooku are glorious." "Oh no." "These tasks are downright easy." "My family is so poor to the extent that is is laughable." "From working as a servant at the bathhouses to scrubbing the boards covering the town sewers, in short, I have done everything, other than sell my body to women." "Alright." "Mizuno, fetch this to Matsushima-sama." "I understand." "Matsushima-sama, is it?" "Matsushita-sama." "I have come fetching your supper..." "Mine was brought to my chambers long ago." "Please pardon me for my mistake!" "He has just entered the pages' quarters." "His name is Mizuno." "Quite a refreshing man, I must say." "Is that right?" "What was that..." "Is that so..?" "So that is how it was..." "Fire guards passing through!" "Watchmen doing the rounds!" "Guard you fire with care!" "Be vigilant-!" "Fire guards passing through!" "Watchmen doing the rounds!" "What is it?" "Be obedient!" "Ahh... in looks only..." "What are you doing?" "Pages who do not know where they stand shall be disciplined like this." "Our Liege is only seven years old, which means there is practically no woman in this Ooku." "Do you understand now?" "We rub a man's buttocks hole with clove oil to make it feel like a woman's body." "Let me go." "Is it dreadful?" "Hmm?" "You fool." "Are you insane?" "Drawing one's sword in the Ooku is strictly forbidden!" "Shut your mouth!" "If I am compelled to commit harakiri later, then I'll slay the three of you first before going to hell." "This is not merely a threat." "If you dare to try this again with me," "I will absolutely cut the lot of you down." "It's terribly noisy!" "Don't be bothered so much by last night's happening." "It is commonplace in the Inner Chambers." "Is that really so?" "Many times I have laid with men myself." "If you are fortunate enough to become friendly with a chamberlain or groom of the bedchamber, you might have the chance of getting promoted in the ranks." "That is the reason why so many here in the Ooku have kept their forelocks." "What is this..." "If you could just take one step out of the Edo Castle, there are numbers of woman who are desperate to bear children but are unable to due to lack of seed." "I cannot do it..." "I cannot act as if I can wastefully throw my seed in vain." "We are only goldfish." "We are useless creatures, kept in the goldfish bowl that is the Ooku." "And our job is merely to be kept." "Having so many man together is to no earthly avail." "And they let their precious seed go to waste." "However, this very wastefulness is the extravagance of this world," "It is the evidence of our Shogun's might and power, is it not?" "Begin!" "I accept my defeat!" "Good posture." "You certainly have skills." "Fujinami-sama..." "There, there." "Lift your head." "Yes, sir." "What is your name?" "My name is Mizuno." "Mizuno..." "Oh..." "You are Mizuno, that page?" "I have heard rumors about you." "Instead of performing the night duties, you fought them off brilliantly." "Yes..." "How about this, Mizuno." "Will you not step into the fencing hall and have a bout with one of them?" "However, my Lord," "I belong to the rank that is unworthy of our Liege's sight." "The Ooku is, by nature, the place where the men shall tender Her highness with utmost security." "This is an extremely important mission." "I will make an exception for you." "Now, among all of the men present here today, who is the one with the most brilliant skill?" "Yes." "That person is Tsuruoka." "Tsuruoka, have a bout with Mizuno." "Yes." "His first opponent is Tsuruoka?" "The odds are against the newcomer?" "This is worth watching." "Begin!" "As expected of Tsuruoka." "He did not even glance at the opening Mizuno purposely created for him." "Though looking quite light, he has a body... that cannot be built without daily practice." "Mizuno wins!" "Excellent, Mizuno!" "I am terribly sorry." "Since you have such tremendous strength," "I was unable to stop my sword completely." "And also, allow me to thank you..." "Encountering someone with such exquisite swordsmanship like you," "I am truly very happy!" "Then..." "Please grab my hand..." "What swordsmanship..!" "Don't get so full of yourself." "It is far more important in this Inner Chambers, to have a beautiful face and impeccable manner." "Regarding beauty," "I am far above you." "Matsushima-sama..." "You have worked hard, Tsuruoka." "It was a good match." "No, but I..." "Well, Mizuno was just a little more skillful than you." "There is nothing to fret about." "Matsushima-sama..." "Do not touch me." "It is unsightly." "O-Nobu..." "This place is dark." "Even though it is crowded with men who are blessed with such beauty and talent that can dazzle one this much," "everyone's heart is dark." "I'm from a low-raking vassal family with an income of thirty bales of rice, just enough for three people." "Even among the low-ranking vassal family, there is no lower stipend than that." "What's more, my parents, unlike your own, forced me to lie with women every night for money." "Every night ever since I turned 14." "There were some women who would press red hot fire irons on me." "There were some who have diseases." "When I was married off at the age of 18," "I could finally escape that dreadful hell." "I was really happy." "But after several years of marriage, we were still without child." "In the end, they put the blame on my lack of seed." "And I was divorced." "In the last months I spent there, I was hardly given anything to eat." "It was impossible for me to go back to the penniless house of my parents." "And so when I was 23," "I entered here into the lowest rank of houseboys." "Washing and scrubbing heavy pots and buckets or any other physical work, mingling with sons of merchants, sometimes getting raped by the seniors here, all of these did not inflict on me any longer." "Perhaps to you, the Ooku may seem a hateful, thoroughly revolting and rotten place." "But there are people who cannot live their lives anywhere else." "Woah!" "That is Mizuno-sama!" "He is so handsome~!" "What shall I do~!" "They are your admirers." "My admirers?" "Words about your match with Tsuruoka-sama the other day have been spread around and garnered much admiration." "Someone, go there." "Then, Kakizoe, you go!" "Ah..." "I am terribly sorry." "Oh no big deal." "Never mind that." "Excuse me..." "Since it has gotten cold lately, please do take care not to catch a cold, sir." "Yeah." "Thank you." "Kakizoe, you did it!" "You did well!" "He is so handsome." "I have been waiting for you, Mizuno." "Tsuruoka-sama?" "Mizuno." "Fight with me one more time." "You have taken away my position." "There is no chance I could ever forgive that." "Please stop this, Tsuruoka-sama." "This is inside the castle..." "Be quiet!" "How could you understand how I feel?" "Do you know... how much I have had to withstand in order to be where I am today?" "Please refrain yourself." "There is absolutely no reason for me to fight you, sir!" "Draw your sword, Mizuno!" "I cannot do that." "This sword is... for the sake of protecting our Liege." "I cannot not draw this sword!" "Die." "Please... put your sword back, Tsuruoka-sama." "As her samurai," "let us protect our Liege together." "Do not come near." "I have heard about it..." "That Tsuruoka suddenly attacked you, and that he ended his life by committing suicide." "No." "That is decidedly not true, sir." "I also heard your cheek has gotten a cut..." "There is no such thing, sir." "Then it is fine." "I will convey to Fujinami-sama and the Outer Chambers that Tsuruoka has passed away due to grave illness." "The same thing will be conveyed to Tsuruoka's family." "Yes." "The seventh Shogun of Tokugawa Tokugawa Ietsugu" "The Shogun's Privy Councilor Manabe Akifusa" "My poor Liege." "Ietsugu-sama..." "Ietsugu-sama..." "Her highness has passed away earlier that we could have thought." "It has been decided that the succeeding shogun will be Lord Yoshimune from Kii Province." "Since a new shogun will be crowned, the Ooku will also be made anew." "Before long, we would not have so much free time on our hands anymore." "I wonder about that." "It is said that she is very thrifty." "I heard Lord Yoshimune even said that renewing the Inner Chambers is a waste of the country's resources." "Is that truly so?" "According to what I have heard, Lord Yoshimune of the heads of the three branch houses, was the first to reach Edo Castle when our Liege just passed away." "The Kii province bribed one of the chief retainers to intentionally delay the report of our Liege's critical condition to other branches." "Is that right.." "Women are pernicious." "Bow down to the entrance of our Liege." "Your Highness." "How does this swept-up gown please you?" "Manabe, you mean this uchikake over-garment?" "Yes." "This is the custom here in the castle to call it so, for one sweeps up the hem of it with one's hands when walking." "It's beautiful." "However, Manabe," "I am sure I have told you the other day that I require no luxurious garments." "With all due respect," "I believe I have faithfully followed your command that your robes be the most simple, my Liege." "However, anything simpler than this would be deemed humble, and it will mar your great reputation, my Liege." "This place is not the same as the hinterlands of Kii province." "I understand." "Then there is nothing to be done about it." "I am most grateful." "Your understanding is above all else." "Well then, Manabe Akifusa." "Pack your belongings and be gone by the end of the day." "Pardon me?" "At this time when there are unprecedented economic hardships, for one who is charged with ruling the nation and rebuilding its finances to pad around dressed in such extravagance, it seems to me that that this is something only a lunatic will do." "And it strikes me that you are afflicted with precisely such lunacy." "I cannot have such a madwoman like you serve me as a privy councilor which is an important government post, can I?" "This is..." "Did you not hear me?" "Disappear from my sight." "Yes." "Later to become Yoshimune's Intermediary Kano Hisamichi" "Is it true... that Her highness shall not hold an audience in the inner chambers for some time?" "As for Her highness, since she is much occupied with affairs of the state..." "However, Kano-dono, our shogun has been into her reign for ten days, and she has not once seen fit to hold a general audience in the inner chambers..." "Well, but this is not as though she will never come here, sir..." "I should think not!" "I cannot help but think that the conduct of our Liege in this instance will lead to others' heaping scorn on the inner chambers." "What on earth could Her highness be thinking?" "The future of this country." "Would you not like some flowers?" "Let see, let see." "Today it is quite dusty around here." "Ah!" "I am so sorry!" "Do not be bothered." "You indeed have vigor." "If only the women in this country have the same liveliness as yours." "Selling oil and sauce~ Please buy our oil!" "Out of the way!" "Out of the way!" "Stop running!" "Don't block the way!" "Wait, you rascal!" "Out of the way!" "Out of the way!" "Wait, you thief!" "Do not be so tense, Saburoza." "Being under your protection in my every step" "I find it much less pleasurable to travel incognito." "I humbly beg your pardon." "I have always wanted to know how the people in this country make their living." "I wonder how that must feel like..." "For a mother, perhaps it is her utmost wish to have her son survive by all means." "Recently, Redface Pox has been spreading quite rapidly again." "Thus, the number of men continues to decline." "Attract more customers for me!" "You too!" "Both of them are such excellent men~" "That is right." "As expected of Master." "Our young Master has such a discerning eye." "Our eyes met!" "Is it not alright?" "Just enter our store~" "Even in such a condition... they still have to be doing all this..." "Do not talk back to me!" "Quickly go and come back, you moron!" "Wait a moment!" "I hear that one in five people can survive." "Take care of yourself." "My Liege," "Later to become Edo Capital's Magistrate Ooka Tadasuke" "I would like to express my gratitude for your utmost hard work today." "Are you dissatisfied because I went out to the street, Echizen?" "Nothing can be further from the truth than that." "However, before long, you might want to consider visiting the Inner Chambers, my Liege." "That is what Echizen-dono has been contemplating." "O-Nobu-sama." "As the ruler, I ought to resolve urgent matters at hand." "I am not in the position that allows me to deal with men now." "With all due respect," "Holding a morning's audience is also a task a ruler must do." "That is indeed correct, O-Nobu-sama." "Call me "Your Highness."" "I am promoted to..." "a groom of the bedchamber?" "Absolutely." "This time, you will finally be able to appear in front of Her highness." "Afterwards, through that way, you would be considered together with other grooms of the Bedchamber." "If you are lucky enough to become her bed partner, you might even ascend to the position of the Father of the Successor." "Oh..." "Fujinami-sama has been extremely pleased to have been acquainted with an excellent samurai like yourself." "Welcome back, sir." "Allow me congratulate you on your promotion." "Master." "Oh, no..." "You need not call me Master..." "From now onwards," "I have been commanded by Fujinami-sama to serve as your personal attendant." "And as of today," "I have been elevated to the rank of cupbearers." "I always expected to end my days here in the pages' quarters." "This is more than I ever dared to hope to attain." "Master, allow me to direct you to your new apartment..." "Alright." "This time, I have been assigned to tailor your formal attire, Mizuno-sama." "My name is Kakizoe." "Oh." "You are...?" "I shall exert myself to the best of my ability." "Considering your features," "I would suggest that strong colors be most suitable for you." "Perhaps a scarlet or maybe a deep blue..." "No." "I want black." "Black?" "As for the pattern," "I want something large and bold, in just one or two places..." "Can you make a formal attire as I have just described?" "What would you think of such a design?" "A black background, upon which a single large pattern of a flowing water is dyed in a somber, smoked silver on the back..." "And then, gold..." "No, a golden brown?" "No, all will be black." "I beg your pardon, sir!" "I did not mean to annoy you with my endless rambling." "No." "I like it." "I like your proposal." "You have a surprisingly great taste." "Very swell." "I shall leave it in your hands." "Do it as you see fit." "Everyone, this is the newly appointed groom of the bedchamber." "Mizuno." "My name is Mizuno," "In the coming days," "I hope to receive your kind guidance." "Mizuno." "Is this the first time you play the three-incense game?" "Yes." "Then, try it out." "Well, all we do is sniff each of three censers and then guess whether the three fragrances are like or unlike." "Yes." "If you think of each of the three fragrances is unlike the others, you answer by drawing three vertical lines like this." "This is called "Dew on Flowering Silvergrass."" "And, if you think all three fragrances are identical, you join the tops of the three lines like this." "This is called "Evergreen Grove."" "Well, how about when the first and the third ones are the same?" "Then it's "Snow on the Peak."" "Oh, I understand now." "Oh, indeed, the design looks like a hill tipped with snow." "Oh~" "How is it, Mizuno?" "Is it by any chance, "Snow on the Peak?"" "Indeed it is." "As expected of you, Mizuno!" "Yes!" "How is it, Matsushima?" "Mizuno is a pretty interesting fellow." "Is that right?" "My eyes has certainly not deceived me in the least." "If it is him, he will surely catch our Liege's attention." "What is the matter?" "Even for someone like you, are you perturbed by the fact that Mizuno would become your rival?" "No, sir." "It's merely that, I have yet to fathom your true intention." "I will place this here, sir." "This is..." "How does it please you, sir?" "Yeah.." "I like it." "The tailoring is very thorough." "As expected of a seamster of the Ooku!" "You are showering me with more praises than what I deserve, sir." "Oh." "I shall give you something as a token of my appreciation." "Speaking of which, where are the cookies I received the other day..." "Huh?" "Wait a minute..." "Where did they go?" "Mizuno-sama." "I need nothing..." "I do not desire anything." "But.." "But what?" "Just a memory..." "Ah..." "I can't give you..." "anything more than this." "No..." "I will cherish this memory for the rest of my life." "Well..." "That was no big deal." "Hey, do not laugh." "I said do not laugh!" "Everyone looks so splendid~" "Let us see yours." "This is the first morning's audience." "I am really nervous~" "Look at you, Matsushima-sama." "The light purple color of your costume suits you perfectly." "Yours too." "A somber black color..?" "It is certainly unusual..." "What a somber costume." "And it looks quite seedy too." "Perhaps he deliberately wears this to attract attention, but with that costume...?" "Mizuno!" "That jet black costume... suits the brightness here very much." "I am much obliged to you for your great consideration." "And then, Mizuno, I shall tell you this one thing." "During the morning's audience, if Her Highness asks someone for his name, then that is a sign." "A sign?" "Her highness shall now enter for the morning's audience." "Bow down for the entrance of our Liege." "Heaven's sake." "What a bunch of garish overdressed men." "Your Highness!" "I am all right." "The person who laughed just now." "Who was it?" "Who was it?" "That was me, your highness." "I most humbly" "beg your pardon." "It was me who laughed just now." "Raise your head." "Yes." "Fret not." "Show me your face." "You there, what is your name?" "I am most honored, your Highness." "My name is Mizuno." "Have you heard that, Fujinami?" "Yes!" "Your Highness." "Was there some happy occurrence at this morning's general audience?" "Indeed." "It seems that I am still a woman." "Does that mean you have already taken a fancy to one of the men ?" "However, if I am right..." "What is the matter, Hisamichi?" "Yes." "Um..." "If I am right, the first man chosen by an unmarried shogun to be her companion in the bedchamber is called "the Secret Swain."" "The Secret Swain?" "The Secret Swain must forfeit his life." "And that means, you will be secretly decapitated." "While the Secret Swain... serves a most important mission, that is, to initiate the maiden Shogun into the ways of the Bedchamber, at the same time, he is marring her virginity and hence injuring her person, which is indeed a horrendous crime." "And for this reason, the Secret Swain must forfeit his life." "This was decreed during the reign of the third shogun, Lord Iemitsu." "And it is stated in the Ooku code." "Do you have anything to say?" "What will my family be told about my death, sir?" "That you fell ill." "Under no circumstances will matters pertaining to our Liege ever be made known outside the Ooku." "If I may make one more query, as the blood relations of one who has committed a horrendous crime, by any chance, must my family bear a similar price?" "None." "Your parents' family will receive a pretty sum of money as a token of our condolences." "I shall guarantee that." "Then if that is the case, it it good enough." "I most humbly accept the honor of fulfilling this duty for which I have been chosen." "You're praise-worthy!" "This is inhuman!" "What inhumanity!" "No." "It does not seem to me that the events of this morning's general audience were arranged beforehand." "However, it does not change the fact that since the beginning," "Fujinami-sama has wanted Master to be the Secret Swain, and that must have been why he made you a groom of the Bedchamber." "Had you not been promoted, the Secret Swain would have been chosen among the current Grooms of the Bedchamber!" "Nonetheless, since Fujinami-sama... has received vast sums from noble samurai families whose sons are Grooms of the Bedchamber, he has intentionally raised you up to be a sacrifice..." "Is that not self-interested?" "Is that not ruthless and outrageous?" "I beg of you..." "Please say nothing more." "My heart is about to crumble..." "Please forgive me... for the foolish words I have spoken." "Sugishita..." "Do not let this happen to you." "Indeed." "I was indeed overcome with terror at the morning's audience~!" "Truly, sir." "If Mizuno had been punished for his insolent breach of manners, all of your scheming up until now would have been wasted." "In any case, at the next morning's audience," "After I make a recommendation about you to Her Highness," "Matsushima, you shall become the Father of the succeeding Shogun." "Finally," "I can then repay the kindness that you have bestowed me with, Fujinami-sama." "O-Nobu..." "If I had known it would come to this," "I would have shared the night with you." "I love you." "I always wanted" "to tell you how much I love you." "Sir!" "I have brought some rice balls for you." "This is enough, sir!" "Because you always forget about your own unfortunate circumstance..." "Allow me to wash your back, Master." "Please close your eyes." "It is known that Lord Yoshimune is a wild and violent woman." "Take care not to let her squeeze every last drop of life out of you." "It would be a pity if you die even before your sentence." "What is this?" "Even though you are a monk, you are speaking in such a lewd manner." "Just so you know, like us who serve as eunuchs, if you are unable to perform your function as man tonight," "it would be this." "I need not you to worry." "You crude monk." "Well then, please do serve her well." "Be at ease." "Raise your head." "Yes." "Do not be bothered by the attending monks." "Loosen up." "Even if I say that, perhaps it is impossible to do." "Nonetheless, let us try as best as we can." "What is your personal name?" "My personal name is Nobu." "Then, what is your personal name?" "I am most grateful..." "It's Yunoshin." "Mizuno Yunoshin is my name before I entered the chambers." "Yunoshin..." "Is that not a good name?" "Well then, Yunoshin, are both your parents in good health?" "Yes." "They live near the castle, and are in perfectly good health." "Then this will cause them great distress." "Yunoshin." "When I asked you your name this morning," "I did not know it bring bring this consequence." "I have indeed condemned you to a bitter fate, and for that you cannot reproach enough." "However, this task... definitely has to be undertaken by someone..." "This is still a most atrocious thing..." "Forgive me." "Please, your highness..." "I am not worthy of such merciful words of yours." "But if..." "If I may beg you... to favor me with one more kindness..." "Tell me what it is." "Do allow me to..." "For this one night, please do accept this wish of mine to call you O-Nobu." "Please do accept it." "All of you there, listen well!" "It is indeed true that requesting a favor in the Bedchamber is prohibited by the Ooku code." "But this man here has been sentenced to die in no time." "If I cannot accept this small wish of a man who is on the verge of death, what kind of Shogun am I!" "Very well then, Yunoshin." "I doubt that something as trifling as this... could release you from your despair, but..." "At least..." "At least..." "O-Nobu!" "Your duty last night has concluded smoothly, sir." "You have performed you duty well." "Where is Her highness...?" "Regarding Her highness, she has commanded just now that you be left to sleep in peace, sir." "Saburoza." "There is something I would like you to look into." "Yes." "Are there any final words you wish to speak?" "No." "There are not." "Well then..." "No good." "What a bad omen." "Your son..." "Regarding Mizuno Yunoshin-sama, he has been in good health in the Ooku, exerting himself to the best of his ability while serving there." "However, at the beginning of the fall, he became consumptive" "All the treatment was to no avail, hence he has passed away." "This is his hair that is left behind." "You have done such folly, sir, doing as you please and going to so far a place all by yourself." "But you know," "I... will go on living even though you are no longer here." "Because, unlike men, women are strong beings." "That's right!" "Sir..." "I have brought you some rice balls." "I am thankful for that." "I have been secluded... in this unknown temple for a while now." "It has been quite constrictive for me." "Been a long time since I last ate white rice." "Hmm!" "How come?" "Hmm~ delicious!" "As I thought, the rice balls O-Nobu makes are indeed the best." "But how..." "That I cannot tell you." "Well, I have always been a tradesman called Shinkichi and have been your well-matched confidant since childhood." "Sir!" "You are dead." "Mizuno, the Groom of the Bedchamber, has died here today." "From now on, you will take on a new name, become a different person," "and start a new life in the world." "You shall wed your childhood friend O-Nobu." "As Yunoshin..." "No..." "As a tradesman with the name of Shinkichi." "Regarding the matter this time," "I am not impressed, your Highness." "Why, Echizen?" "From now on, for such frivolous matters, please refrain yourself from using the services of the secret guard, Saburoza." "You are forever a woman with no sense of mirth." "I still have to say..." "The Inner Chambers are an even more terrible place than it was rumored." "To toss away the life of a young man as if his life is completely a piece of litter..." "Verily so." "Hisamichi." "Select and gather 50 beautiful men for me immediately." "I shall hold an audience." "It is finally starting." "Yes." "This means that our Liege has at last had that intention." "As expected, the person who has the highest chance to become her bed partner is Matsushima-sama?" "That should be the case." "Bow down..." "for the entrance of our Liege!" "Raise your head." "Yes." "It is very fine that everyone is dressed in the same black attire." "The reason why I have you all gather here today... is nothing else... but to dismiss you from service." "You are to be dismissed... and to depart the Ooku within today." "The Shogunate's budget... is being cut down more than it has ever been before." "It is thus inevitable... that the number of courtiers in the Ooku be reduced." "If young and handsome men like you all could leave this place, you would all be able to find good prospects of marriage." "It is not so easy for those who are no as blessed as you are." "That is why I have decided to keep in service... those who are not as likely to have prospects of marrying a good match." "Everyone," "May you find good homes while still in the springtime of your youth." "And may you find happiness in your own birthplace." "That is my most sincere wish." "That is all." "This is my loss." "You have defeated us," "Lord Yoshimune..." "Well then, from now onwards, how shall I revive this country..."