My Refrigerator Turned Into A Dungeon

Driving History Discussion

"Well…"

I said that while feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction. I used to be a severely socially awkward otaku, never imagined I would have days like this, chatting and laughing with a girl.

Of course, my improved mental strength because of leveling up in the dungeon played a role. However, even more so, Nina-san's great listening skills were wonderful.

She interjected into the conversation with perfectly timed responses like "Hmm… Oh, I see" and "Wow?"

It made talking to her a pleasant experience. She was more mature than I was in terms of emotional maturity. Most otaku tend to remain childlike in their emotional development anyway.

Anyway, let's talk about the next person I admire.

"I also admire Nobunaga Oda for his way of life, but the next person I'm trying to mention is someone whose way of life I can't quite imitate… but I still respect them."

"Oh, who could that be? Tell me quickly, please!"

"Sure, that person is Tokugawa Ieyasu."

"Tokugawa Ieyasu… the person who became the Shogun and founded the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo, right? He's also a famous figure."

As I drove and glanced in the passenger seat, Nina-san seemed uninterested in Tokugawa Ieyasu, probably because he was too well-known. Tokugawa Ieyasu's general image is plain, miserly, and like a raccoon dog… He lacks a flashy and cool image like other feudal warlords.

"Yes, it's Tokugawa Ieyasu. Although he eventually became the Shogun and reached remarkable heights, he had a life filled with tremendous hardships. He had unyielding mental fortitude, making him a warlord with the strongest resilience during the Warring States period."

"Oh? I didn't have that image of him at all…?"

I see. Ordinary college girls wouldn't be interested in feudal warlords unless they were history enthusiasts. I'll explain how Tokugawa Ieyasu led such a miserable life.

"Tokugawa Ieyasu, also known as Matsudaira Takechiyo in his childhood, was sent as a hostage from Mikawa province to Suruga province to be under the protection of the Imagawa clan when he was still very young."

"Ah, I think I've heard about that. He was captured on the way and became a hostage of the Oda clan, right?"

"Yes, exactly. You know quite a bit about it. After being held as a hostage, he was later exchanged and sent back to Suruga. However, even then, he remained a hostage and spent his early years in such a situation."

"Oh, that sounds tough…"

"That alone was already quite difficult, but when Imagawa Yoshimoto returned to Kyoto, Takechiyo joined the army during the campaign. He got caught in Oda Nobunaga's surprise attack at the Battle of Okehazama. As a result, Imagawa Yoshimoto die. It was the famous Battle of Okehazama.

Ieyasu managed to return to his territory amidst the confusion, but his father had already been killed by his vassals and was buried. His mother had also been divorced and was no longer in the territory. He governed the territory, and most of his retainers and people rebelled against him in the Ikko-ikki uprising…"

"G-Gosh… It must have been so difficult for him…"

"It was. That's not all. It was a series of upheavals. His legal wife, Senahime, was the niece of Imagawa Yoshimoto, so when he allied with Oda Nobunaga, their relationship deteriorated. Their marriage also suffered, and Nobunaga Oda discovered Senahime's collusion with the Takeda clan. But at that time, Ieyasu's eldest son had already married Oda Nobunaga's daughter. All his information gets leaked. As a result, his eldest son was forced to commit seppuku."

"Why… Why did his eldest son have to do it?"

"Well, at that time, Ieyasu's legal wife, Senahime, and their eldest son lived in the same castle. We don't know how much they knew, but they were silent or planned the same rebellion, so they were seen as accomplices."

"I see…"

Ieyasu forced his son to commit seppuku because his wife collaborated with the enemy to maintain his principles with Nobunaga. If this happened, I can't imagine how it would shatter someone's mental state…"

"Y-yeah…"

"But even after that, Ieyasu's misfortune continued. He gets attacked by Takeda Shingen and became terrified. As a result of the Honnouji Incident, Nobunaga died, and he had to travel from Kyoto to Mikawa on foot for quite some time before he died. Even after Nobunaga's death, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who took real power, bullied him endlessly. He worked hard to develop his territory in Mikawa but was forcibly transferred to Edo and had to leave Mikawa. He was also forced to marry Hideyoshi's sister, whom he was already married to. Anyway, his life was filled with all sorts of misfortunes, but he somehow managed to endure and rise to the position of Shogun!"

"Yeah… At that point, it's difficult to understand how tragic his life was…"

"Yes, it's really difficult to imagine. Enduring and persevering through all those hardships, Ieyasu reached Shogun status. So, I truly respect Tokugawa Ieyasu as an extraordinary person who displayed unimaginable patience and endurance."

"I see. Then, if you named the third person you respect, would it be Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who united the country?"

"Well, I think Toyotomi Hideyoshi was an impressive figure, but he wouldn't make my list of people I truly respect…"

"Why not? In the Kansai region, there are quite a few people who like Toyotomi Hideyoshi, you know?"

Yes, I also like the cute girl character in games based on Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but…

"I know he's popular and charismatic. But when it comes to respect, I feel differently."

"Oh? What don't you like about him?"

Hmm, how should I put it? I'll have to explain even if it sounds harsh…

"To put it simply, he was selfish and self-centered. Even though he was an extraordinary figure, he was the type of person you shouldn't give too much power to. Even the capable subordinates who supported him to reach the top were viewed as threats once he became leader. He would distance himself from them or threaten to punish them if they dared to offer candid advice."

"He did such things?"

"Yes, people like Kuroda Nagamasa and Sen no Rikyuu were among those who suffered. Oda Nobunaga's brother, Oda Uraku, skillfully navigated the tea ceremony and entertainment positions. However, besides that, he also competed and weakened him. He even drove his nephew, who he had appointed as the Kanpaku, to commit suicide due to deteriorating relations after making his son the successor…"

"Hmm, what should I say…"

Yes, it's difficult to comment on this.

"While Nobunaga Oda's unorthodox actions have a certain charm and excitement, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's unorthodox style comes across as malicious and self-centered, with a selfish and opportunistic way of thinking… It's difficult to explain. Normally, you wouldn't want to give someone like him the top seat. For example, he forcibly separated his sister from her husband, who was one of his retainers, just because he wanted to make her marry Ieyasu. As a result, her husband committed suicide, unable to bear the rumors of [marrying off his wife to advance in society]…"

"Oh, I see…"

"Ugh… Hey, master, what are you talking about? Come on, let us sleep peacefully…"

It seems I woke up Serai-san, who was sleeping in the back seat while talking about historical figures. Oops, I was too loud. My bad, my bad. When discussing my favorite topics as an otaku, I tend to get overly talkative and carried away.