Chapter 1 Part 2 - Since I was reborn as Saito Yoshitatsu, I'm aiming to hand over the territory to Oda Nobunaga and live longer!

Year 20XX

This is the Chacter Name Index, to help you better understand the story and be less confused. I'll be updating it simultaneously with the progress of the story.

TL: Yuina

Editor: Yuina

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"This ceiling seems really unfamiliar."

　The phrase escaped my lips without thinking.

　But it truly was a ceiling I had never seen before. It's because I'm alive that I can calmly contemplate this unfamiliar ceiling that even I, a doctor working at the hospital, can't recognize.

　I noticed that my voice was unusually high-pitched, which added to the sense of discomfort that I felt staring at this Japanese style wooden ceiling.

"Aaaah... ah?"

　This voice is so shrill. It should be a woman's or a child's. The feeling of unease deepened some more.

　At that moment, I heard a voice from outside the room.

"Waka-sama, are you awake?"

　Wakasama? Waka-sama? Wakasa Ma? Young master? [1]

　As I turned my head towards the sound, my gaze fell upon the wooden floor and the sliding doors, with two figures standing on the other side. Additionally, I noticed that the pillow beneath my head felt too rigid. Could it be made of wood?

"Young master?... Is he sleep talking? The disciple of the esteemed physician, Roan-sama, said that he had already overcome the critical stage."

"For now, I will inform the lord that he may have awakened."

"Then I will go and check on his situation. Young master, pardon me."

　Without delay, one of the figures stood up and left, while the remaining person opened the sliding door.

"Young master, have you woken up? How are you feeling?"

　The person who entered was a woman in her early thirties, dressed in traditional Japanese clothing. Both her manner of speaking and appearance resembled that of an actor in a historical drama.

　Feeling somewhat uneasy, I tried sitting up, and the truth I had vaguely sensed was thrust upon me.

　My body was so small. I could even say it was that of a child. It was evident when I looked at my fingers. The skin was supple and smooth, and even when I squeezed my hand, I couldn't muster much strength.

"I'm alright."

　She looked at me suspiciously, so I gave a perfunctory reply. As a doctor, I couldn't detect any pain anywhere. If anything, my neck felt a little sore from the pillow. I couldn't feel any abnormality when I put my hand under my armpit or touched the lymph glands by my chin. This body was a completely healthy. There was no Adam's apple. How old could this body be?

"That's good to hear. The Lord will be here soon, so please wait a moment."

"Yes."

　After that, I touched my face and checked the length of my legs, but no matter how I looked at it, my body was at the age of a preschooler. Was this a dream? It felt too vivid to be just a dream. The notion of "reincarnation" fleetingly crossed my mind.

"What is the current date?"

"Today is June 18th. Young master has been bedridden for three days."

　No, that's not it.

"Um, of what year?"

"It's the second year of Tenbun."

　Tenbun... When was that? It was definitely not the Heisei era or any similar time period. The past, perhaps. Kamakura? Muromachi? Sengoku? Edo?

"What was the name of the Shogun again?"

"I believe I haven't taught you that yet, but it is Lord Ashikaga Yoshiharu, the Senior Councilor."

　I don't know which era Ashikaga Yoshiharu belongs to. I have no memory of studying about him in history class, so it's clear that this isn't a delusion or a dream. For now, if it's Ashikaga then it must be the the Muromachi shogunate. I wonder when it is now. The era of the Northern and Southern Courts? The Warring States period? Or perhaps a time unaffected by conflicts? And where is this place? Who am I? It's definitely Japan, but it doesn't seem to be Okinawa or Hokkaido.

　While still deep in thought, I suddenly heard heavy footsteps approaching. With each heavy step, my heart quickened. In an instant, the person arrived in front of the room, and the moment I saw his face, my instincts told me who it was.

"So you didn't die, Toyotamaru. [2]"

　Oh, so this is Saito Dosan, the viper of Mino. I have been reincarnated as the son of the viper.

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[1] The phrase "わかさま？和歌さま？若狭ま？若様？" reflects the confusion and uncertainty of the protagonist regarding the proper address or identity of that voice was referring to as "若様" (waka-sama).
わかさま (wakasama): It is a possible variation of "若様" and could be a more colloquial or regional form of addressing a young master.

和歌さま (waka-sama): It could indicate someone associated with poetry (和歌, waka).

若狭ま (wakasa-ma): "若狭" refers to a region in Japan, and the speaker is considering if the person could be connected to that region.

若様 (waka-sama): This is the original term used by the speaker to address the person, meaning "young master" or "young lord."

Overall, the phrase showcases the protagonist's internal confusion and the range of possibilities he was considering.

[2] 豊太丸 - That's Saito Yoshitatsu's childhood's name, before his coming of age ceremony.