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"How large are we talking?" Jikouji asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Large enough. He could send his whole army at us. Perhaps he’ll have sixteen thousand men by now. But I doubt he’ll do that. No doubt he’s already making plans for a second campaign."

"Second campaign... It’s still so laughable that he actually lost against the tiny Oda force."

"Agreed. He’s not the most talented strategist."

"But you shouldn’t estimate him still, Tadakata. He has a lot of men." Akiko chided him from the other side.

Gengyo smiled lightly. She was already doing her part to keep him on the straight and narrow. "That’s correct. The men under him are notable, otherwise he wouldn’t be the lord of three provinces. Jikouji, that blacksmith – where might I find him?" He asked as a sudden thought occurred to him.

"I’ll fetch him. He’ll be somewhere amongst the supply train with the others."

"Thanks, Jikouji. I appreciate it." He said firmly, as he patted his shoulder, holding his gaze. It felt like lately he was asking Jikouji to do a great many things, and he did not want the man – who he thought highly of – to think him ungrateful.

"Right you are lad, I’ll be a couple of minutes." Jikouji smiled back, and turned his horse to trot away.

"Togashi." Gengyo called out to his comrade who rode further down the line.

"Aye, Miura?" The bearded man asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"This is rather sudden, my friend, but I feel that Jikouji should have someone to help him around. I do not mean you – it would be belittling to have you do messenger work and the like. I want you to find someone suitable. He does not have to be a warrior. Just a boy will do, as long as he’ll be able to follow orders."

Togashi nodded seriously as he listened intently to Gengyo’s order. "I will get on it right away."

"My thanks."

"I don’t think Jikouji minds doing the little tasks, Tadakata." Akiko said with a gentle smile, noticing his thoughtfulness. "But I do think it’s a good idea getting him a helper. I’m sure it takes a toll on him, being as old as he is."

"That what I was thinking as well. We have plenty of good men here. There is no need for him to be doing all my biddings. He’s needed for higher things."

"You as well, Tadakata. You should use the people around you a little more, to make life easier. We’ve got so many people with us – they’d be happy to help."

It was a familiar suggestion, and one that he’d been attempting to act on, ever since that day on the beach. "Aye, everyone will have their need soon – I have not forgotten. Once the war is over, that’s when the real hard work will begin, and I’ll have need of everyone we have available."

She nodded, before leaning in close, and whispering in his ear. "I think Togashi would do very well leading people."

Even their two horses were rather fond of each other, and as Gengyo pulled his own horse in closer – so that he might whisper back in Akiko’s ear – neither of the two beasts made a fuss. "So would you, my dear. You’re getting better at this by the day. I do appreciate your words – I want you to know that. Even if at times we are already thinking the same thing, there will come a day when we are not, and on that day you’ll be able to guide me, so I want you to continue. In regards to Togashi though, I could not agree more. He and father are both doing excellent jobs leading the men in their training, and the like. As soon as a higher position is in need of filling, he will be the man for the job." He finished, brushing away one of her stray bits of hair, before kissing her forehead.

She smiled back at him blissfully, truly contented.

"Heh... I guess I’m interrupting then." Jikouji returned at that rather inopportune time, as seemed to be his nature.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to rub it in, old man, what with you missing the governor and all." Gengyo responded playfully. "Hello Takeshi, we meet again."

The timid smith bowed his head meekly, searching for the appropriate way of addressing him. "Y-yes, y-your lordship..?"

"Don’t worry about titles for now, little smith. I did warn you that we’d be having a talk, didn’t I?"

"Ah... you did your lordship." At his repetition of the lordship title, Gengyo raised an eyebrow, at which the smith grew ever more timid. "S-sorry."

"Do not fret about it. I saw the cannon you made – it was excellent. A fine piece of equipment, and perfectly suited to its role." He showered Takeshi in praise, as the smith struggled to find an appropriately humble response. As it happens, he did not need to, for Gengyo continued on. "But, what I ask of you now is of a slightly different scale, only a little less complicated. I would like battlefield ready cannons, around three times larger than the ship one. These don’t need to rotate."

Little Takeshi was already nodding his head away, running over the specifics in his head. In reality, he would just be making a normal cannon here. It was a simple enough task, especially when compared with the complexity of the last build.

"I will take your nodding as you will be able to do it? Do we have enough material in order to build five?"

He snapped out of his thought, and blushed heavily, growing fl.u.s.tered. It only grew worse when he glanced up to see the beautiful Akiko smiling down at him ever so gently. He barely managed to force the words out. "Y-yes!"

"Ahem... I reckon we likely have enough material for ten, given what we picked up in Okazaki." Jikouji interjected, seeing that Takeshi would not be speaking any time soon.

"I do not think we will have time to make ten, but that gives me a good idea of how much material we have – thanks Jikouji. Takeshi. I will ask you to begin construction of the cannons as soon as we arrive in Honkaido. You will have men to help you. They will function the same as they did when we were constructing things back in Okazaki."

They went quiet a moment, as Gengyo considered whether there was anything else he needed to add. As it happens, there was nothing, so he dismissed the man who was clearly uncomfortable in his company. "Very well, that will be all Takeshi." He turned away from the young smith, anticipating his departure, as he began to instead speak to Jikouji. "I’ve sent Togashi to get you a helper, Jikouji. A page, or something like that, to help with the boring tasks that I keep giving you."

"Eh? You needn’t have done that." Jikouji protested, thinking the little smith had gone as well, but he still had yet to leave. He worked his lips, desperately trying to say something, but unable to do it. Of course, he could build cannons – any smith could build cannons. That wasn’t what he wanted to do, though. At least, not only that.

At the beach, with Jikouji, he’d gotten a taste of something that he truly enjoyed, and that was innovation. Back in Okazaki, he had witnessed the birth of a monstrous weapon, yet his role in its conception had been minimal. He didn’t know why, but that irritated him. Not only did it light a fire in his forge – it also lit a fire in his heart. All those designs that he’d kept hidden, fearing there would be no one to look at them. He’d reviewed them endlessly, comparing them to the rotating cannon, and the revolving rifle. Most of them, he’d burned out of shame. They simply didn’t match up.

There was a single one, however, that he had kept. He’d reviewed it over and over, rethinking the design to make sure that it was viable, and completely operational. And now, with the mention of cannons, it was the perfect time to unveil it. At some point, he’d begun to idolize this man. He’d heard talk of his inventions from amongst the men. He’d even witnessed some himself. He was a man after his own heart, yet still years far ahead of he. If only he could impress him, then his invention truly might be worth something.

It was only then that they seemed to notice him.

"Takeshi? You’re still here? Is there something else you want to say?" Gengyo asked, surprised to see that he had stuck around, and even more surprised by how much he was struggling to speak.

Even with Gengyo’s prompting, Takeshi couldn’t get the words out. He opened his mouth, but could barely speak. On a subconscious level, he was terrified of being rejected. Of his work being called pathetic. But how would he know if he didn’t try?

"Say it, whatever is on your mind, you will not be punished for it." Gengyo reassured him, almost sure that there would be some sort of criticism or suggestion in regards to the way he was carrying out his mission.

"It’s alright, Takeshi. Miura means what he says. No matter what comes out of your mouth, you won’t be shamed or punished for it. Speak freely." Jikouji reassured him patting him on the shoulder.

Akiko smiled gently at him, with a gaze that contained all the empathy in the world. It was as though she completely understood what was going through his mind.

He clenched his fists, and held onto his reigns tight, gulping deeply, struggling to steady his beating heart, and make his own voice be heard over the mess of anxiety that was preventing him from moving forward as both a smith and as a man.

"I..." He began, shaking as he forced the word out of his throat.

"Go on lad." Gengyo encouraged him reassuringly.

"I... design... to show to... you." Takeshi looked up at him with pleading eyes, begging for him to understand.

Gengyo grinned at him. To think it was something like this. "I would be honoured to review your design, Takeshi. Do you have it on you?" It was his first time hearing a request like this. To be able to review another man’s creation. What greater privilege was there than that?

Takeshi shoot his head. "It’s... back with the tent." He was able to speak a little easier now, as though a great weight had been lifted off his chest, but he was still immensely nervous, thinking that his design might be called stupid.

"Lead the way." Gengyo motioned forward, leaving his position at the front in order to review his smith’s work.