Making a God of War (Uesugi: Legednary, Domination)

[Maltz]

At the same time, in Echigo...

Two months have passed since Nagao Kagenobu and Minato got married.
Just like all international couples, cultural clashes slowly transform from excitement to lonesome.
Most samurai treat woman as their belongings. Nagao Kagenobu, however, never lives like a samurai.

"Dear Minato, my love, the breakfast is ready!"
"Can't you see I am still sleeping?"
"OK~"

Frankly, Minato is quite disappointed from the arranged marriage.
She imagined her husband would be similar to his nephew Nagao Kagetora.
Now she realizes that her husband is just a bystander of the Nagao family - not exactly respected, not really appreciated, only occassionally mentioned.

Kagenobu: "OK then, I will leave the breakfast on the table. I have to hold a meeting soon in Kasugayama Castle."
Minato: "What meeting?"
Kagenobu: "A clan officer meeting."
Minato: "Why do you have to do it? Don't they usually ignore you anyway?"
Kagenobu: "Well, I am technically the highest ranked Nagao family member in Echigo now. Kagetora and Masakage are both on the ships."
Minato: "So you are the least useful Nagao family member?"
Kagenobu: "Yep... I've never fought a battle... I don't want to."
Minato: " So you get left at home to hold meetings..."
Kagenobu: "I got left at home to take care of my wife. "
Minato: "Estúpido..."
Kagenobu: "Hey, I can understand Portugese if you keep using the same word! But if I was as smart as Kagetora, I would have a lot of lady fans. Then I probably won't come back tonight."
Minato: "How dare you?!"

Minato actually has a smile on her face.

Minato: "Just go to your meeting... who will be in the meeting?"
Kagenobu: "The internal affairs officers, Naoe Kagetsuna (直江景綱) and Honjo Saneyori (本莊實乃). They are nice people. Kagetora brings his wife on the trip. Why don't you join me?"
Minato: "No, I want to sleep more."
Kagenobu: "Let's take a look at Kasugayama's 'sea of cloud' together."
Minato: " You call that little lump of dirt Kasuga mountain? You didn't see the mountains in Portugal."
Kagenobu: "Well, Japan also has Mount Fuji, which must be taller than your Portugese mountain. Hm... but Mountain Fuji is a dangerous volcano. You don't want to live close to a volcano. Think about this. When a person is not very tall, a small mountain would appear taller."
Minato:

Minato gets off the bed in pajama.

Minato: "BAH. You go to hold some boring meetings. I will go have tea with Maoko sister."
Kagenobu: "Sure... are you coming home for dinner?"
Minato: "I don't know. Just go! Don't let people wait for you!"

Kagenobu nods in silence and puts on his straw coat, as the cold spring fog could quickly dampen his clothes.
Marriage is not as sweet as he imagined. But he is very satisfied with life nontheless.
Afterall, one does not need a reason to be happy.