Chapter 27 Part 1 - Since I was reborn as Saito Yoshitatsu, I'm aiming to hand over the territory to Oda Nobunaga and live longer!

1537 (Tenbun era, year 6)

TL: Yuina

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Chapter 27: Even with no concept of sexual harassment, I still wish for women to be more restrained

　Mizunami, Toki County, Mino Province

　In winter, it is hard to boil water, so it is not possible to take a bath. Even though we call it that, a bath in this era is just a steam bath, similar to a sauna.

　However, even this was only possible a few times a year, and not being able to soak in a bathtub became painful for me, so I started going to hot springs in the winter.

　The hot springs I often visited in my previous life had not yet been discovered in this time period. It took more than three months of searching with just some place's name I still remembered, and it was last fall when I finally found it. It was my miscalculation that the temple I wanted to locate had not yet been founded, but we still managed to find it.

　I was told that the temperature of this spring was about 25 degrees Celsius when I came here once back then, so I am planning to use it as reference for making a thermometer later, but it is still too lukewarm for a hot spring, so I have it boiled a little beforehand when I come here.

　This time, I came with my mother, Miyoshino, but we did not go in together because I have already had my coming-of-age ceremony. I left my mother in the care of the maidservants and went in with the pageboys. Since I am not interested in the common people, this is the only place where we can get naked together. Shinshichi had made all kinds of preparations, first I washed my body with soap, then I soaked my shoulders in the open-air bath, which was made of large stones from the dredging upstream.

"Whew!"

　Hot springs are so nice. It makes me forget all about the poor working environment.

"Shinkuro-sama is still growing taller."

"Hikotaro is probably still growing too."

"I don't think I'll ever grow that tall."

　Hikotaro, the future Mitsuhide Akechi, came to my side. Tani Kotaro was still washing his body. Okuda Shichirogoro Toshinao is too big to enter the bathhouse and the water would overflow if he did so, so he is guarding outside and said he will enter after everyone has left. We all went in without thinking. I can't help feeling sorry for him.

　That's right, my height is growing steadily. At only 11 years of age according to the East Asian age reckoning, my true age being 10 years old, I am about to reach 5 feet (150 cm). The average adult height here is around 5'2" (156cm). So, no one is going to treat me like a child anymore at the conference.

　However, I think it would be nice if they treated me more like a child. I wonder how far we've reached in history. Being a prominent general has its advantages and disadvantages, I think it is better not to attract so much attention and risk getting targeted.

"I beg your pardon, Shinkuro-sama."

"Kotaro, the bathtub is small, so we have no choice but to squeeze together. Come here so I can bend your legs."

"Then, excuse me. Here I come."

　Don't go squeeze with the other pageboys out of consideration for me. Am I some girl?

"By the way, it is said that along with Shinkuro-sama's medical skills, word of this hot spring has already reached the surrounding countries."

"Really. What do they say?"

"It is said to be the hot springs of the divine fox[1]. It is said that if you soak in it, you will be cured of all illnesses."

"I heard that too. They say even those with broken bones can be healed in a moment."

"It's true I saw the fox in a dream, so it can't be helped, but it still shouldn't work for broken bones. I don't know who came up with this version."

　As per the original legend of these hot springs, it is assumed that a fox stood on my bedside and told me about it in a dream.

"If soaking in the hot water really has that power, I would come here every day. If only it wasn't so difficult to come here unless I had something to discuss with one of the seven Endo heads or to get a winter hot-spring cure."

　That's right, the only drawback is the distance. From Inabayama, it would take a week, heading east. Since it is along a river, it is not very tiring, but around Seki, there is a bout of walking on foot and a fair amount of mountain roads.

　The other Oniwa Onsen in Mino is also not accessible unless you have business at Tsumaki-dono's kiln. Therefore, it is only possible to come here to get a hot-spring cure in the winter or early fall, when it becomes difficult to boil the water. The famous Gero Onsen area is in the Hida Province, and although the Toki clan entertain good relationships with the Miki clans that rules the area, it is indeed too far away.

　I would like to make better use of lignite coal so that people can soak in the bathtubs at the Inabayama residence on a daily basis. A bath is but a paradise for the soul. Should we build a waterway?

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[1] Shinko (神狐, lit. "divine fox") – Similar to komainu, shinko are twin dual statues of foxes, usually depicted as having white fur, who serve Inari Ōkami as messengers. (from wiki)