Hometown

Lorenzo Ryosai was born in Hirado. Until he set out on a wandering journey as a biwa priest, Ryosai grew up in Hirado. It was a place called Shiraishi, close to Ikitsuki Island. Ryosai's feelings toward his hometown are complex. Rough fishermen and militant merchants who conducted business with pirates and their ilk. The Matsuura family, descendants of ancient naval forces who controlled them all. Born blind in such a town as Hirado, Ryosai grew up alone, embracing solitude in this land. His extraordinary memory and oratory skills ensured that his position as a biwa priest was never relegated to a low status. However, his livelihood of providing temporary comfort to samurai, wealthy merchants, or common townspeople never brought him genuine fulfillment and joy. Eventually, without even understanding what his soul sought, Ryosai fled from Hirado as if escaping, becoming a wandering biwa priest.

It was Christianity that gave such a Ryosai meaning and salvation in life. And Francisco Xavier, who preached to Ryosai, could truly be said to be a saint to him. He was not born in Hirado. Though his physical eyes never opened, Xavier opened his spiritual eyes as a Christian. At the moment he received baptism from Xavier, he truly received real life in this world for the first time. Lorenzo Ryosai firmly believes this.

"I have no time to spare now... Miguel. From whom is this letter?"

The words "a letter from Hirado" strike against wounds usually hidden deep in his heart, already depressing Ryosai. And upon learning the sender's identity, that wound opens wide with surprising ease.

"It is written from Lord Koteda Yasunori Antonio," he says.

Hearing that name, Ryosai takes a deep sigh.

"Lord Koteda, is it. Probably another request to work as an intermediary between Portugal and Lord Matsuura to resume trade. Now is not the time for that. I'll read it later. Leave it there."

The letter's sender, Koteda Yasunori Antonio, is a chief retainer of the Hirado Matsuura family. He is an important vassal renowned for his military prowess, entrusted by Takanobu with governing the entire Ikitsuki Island area. Like Tagawa Seibei, whose gunshot wound Raquel healed, he was baptized during the era when Takanobu encouraged Christianity.

However, where Koteda differed from Tagawa was that he continued to fervently practice Christianity even after Takanobu shifted his Christian policy. Naturally, Takanobu could not have been pleased with this. Yet Takanobu tolerated it. By tolerating the Christian faith of important retainers like Koteda, he may have been trying to maintain even a slight possibility of reviving the Nanban trade. Koteda, too, probably wanted to bridge the gap that had opened between himself and his lord Takanobu. He was constantly watching for opportunities to resume the Nanban trade. This time would likely be about the same topic. Seeing Ryosai's apparent lack of intention to examine Koteda's letter, having decided as much, Orsanti quietly speaks to him.

"Lord Ryosai. I understand well that this situation leaves your heart unsettled. I feel the same. However, I hear that Lord Don Antonio is a devout Christian who maintains his faith despite the increasing pressure on Christians in Hirado. He has sent word all the way to Kyoto. Perhaps he needs some assistance. Whatever the situation, we cannot abandon our comrades. Could you not at least examine the letter?"

At Orsanti's quiet words, Lorenzo feels ashamed as if his heart's wounds had been seen through.

"Father Orsanti. I am ashamed. You are right. Using this confusion as an excuse, I was about to commit the error of abandoning fellow children who serve the same God. Let us check this letter immediately."

Saying this, Ryosai entrusts the letter to Miguel and urges him to read it aloud. Miguel fulfills this role he has undertaken many times for this blind Christian, this time too with the same calm and careful attention. With that beautiful voice that sings hymns. Slowly so that Orsanti can understand too.

Respectfully, I am extremely delighted to hear that you are devoted to your missionary duties in the capital.

Now, there is in Hirado a rare female physician. She is called Raquel, having come from foreign Nanban lands, and provides medical treatment in this area. This female physician, under the protection of the Hirado domain lord, Lord Matsuura Takanobu, heals many patients regardless of their social status, and the common people of Hirado receive the grace of life-saving treatment. The reputation of this female physician grows day by day. Indeed, when I witnessed this person's medical arts, I could not help but sense in my heart something that connects to God's divine work.

Currently, while there is some distance between Hirado and the Society of Jesus, the Koteda family and the believers of Ikitsuki Island continue to protect the flame of faith. Under Lord Matsuura Takanobu's generous discretion, he maintains an attitude of tacit approval without any particular official pronouncement, allowing us to continue our faith with peace of mind.

However, there is one matter of concern. This female physician, Lady Raquel, despite her excellent medical practice, rarely attends Mass, and her manner of taking rest differs somewhat from the teachings of the Society of Jesus. I wonder greatly whether this might be some Christian precept unknown to us. Witnessing her miraculous medical arts, I believe her to be a true Christian, and I wish to know and properly observe the full scope of her true teachings.

Should you, Lord Ryosai, ever descend from the capital to the land of Hirado, I earnestly wish for you to become acquainted with this female physician, Lady Raquel.

Respectfully submitted with utmost reverence

Tensho 7th year, 6th month, auspicious day - Koteda Antonio

To Lord Lorenzo Ryosai

Learning the letter's contents, Ryosai wants to cry out at this terrible coincidental correspondence. However, he somehow suppresses this with reason and strives to maintain composure. Then he does what must be prioritized first: silencing Miguel.

"Thank you, Miguel. Please hand that letter to Father Orsanti and return to singing practice. As always, you must never speak of this content to anyone."

Miguel hands the letter to Orsanti as instructed and returns to hymn practice.

Orsanti's Japanese is not sufficient to understand all the letter's content from hearing it once. However, he seems to have grasped the fact that there is a female physician in Hirado. After confirming that Miguel has closed the door, Orsanti places his hand on Ryosai's shoulder while shedding tears of overwhelming emotion, his face flushed red.

"Lord Ryosai. This must be God's grace! To learn that a Nanban physician we thought no longer in Japan is indeed here. And with considerable skill, it seems. Now that this is settled, we must hurry. Our destination has changed. I shall head not to Bungo but to Hirado! Lord Ryosai, please compose a letter of introduction to Lord Koteda. Or would you rather go to Hirado yourself, Lord Ryosai?"

At Orsanti's excited and animated words upon this surprising news, Ryosai's face clouds over. Going to Hirado—for Ryosai, who had received the gospel and proceeded confidently on his evangelical voyage with his soul's sails filled with favorable winds, this would be like folding his sails against contrary winds and enduring the frustration of being carried away from his destination while facing his past.

"This is indeed fortunate. However, my going on this urgent journey while blind would surely be a hindrance. I shall remain in Kyoto. Rather, shouldn't we send word for Father Frois in Bungo to head to Hirado as well? I cannot have this letter written by dictation. Father Orsanti must compose it."

At Lorenzo's words, Orsanti nods deeply. He immediately rummages through the desk to compose a letter, searching for paper and ink. At that moment, Frois's letter lying abandoned on the desk catches Orsanti's eye.

"Bah! Such a thing. It doesn't matter now."

Orsanti grabs that letter and tosses it into the desk drawer, then spreads out paper and ink to begin preparing to compose a letter.

"Such a thing?"

Ryosai responds to those dismissive words.

"A letter that arrived from Nagasaki two days ago. From Frois. The accompanying note says it's a message from a new Jesuit member who came from Macau. No doubt it's complaints about Japanese conversions being slower than planned, or spending too much money on missionary work. Those people judge based only on results from Macau. They understand nothing about this country or the Japanese people. Such things don't matter now!"

Hearing Orsanti's rough words, Ryosai gently counsels him with calm words.

"Lord Orsanti. This is not like you. I was just now saved by your words and opened the letter from Hirado. In it was written what can only be considered God's grace. Now let me say the same. Father Frois is now working hard at missionary activities in Kyushu. If that letter's content is as you describe, Father Frois too is caught between Macau and Japan and suffering. By sharing in such suffering of our comrades, can we not move forward? Moreover, if you leave tomorrow, this letter will remain unopened for many days with no one to read it. Yet it cannot remain unopened forever."

At Ryosai's words, Orsanti lets out a great sigh and throws down the pen he was about to dip in ink. Then, with a wry smile, he responds.

"Indeed. However, you can understand my reluctance to open a letter I know contains sermons about unmet conversion quotas or excessive spending. I apologize for my negligence. Let us read it here and now."

Saying this, Orsanti breaks the seal and runs his eyes over Frois's letter. As he reads on, his hands begin to tremble and his eyes become bloodshot. Orsanti is seized by violent palpitations. When he finishes reading everything, he becomes limp and stares into space with an expression of despair. The whirlwind of joy and excitement from moments before is nowhere to be seen.

"What is this! Why does God play such tricks on us! Does He say our suffering is still insufficient!"

At Orsanti's wailing, the hymn singing that had been echoing from downstairs ceases. After the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs, Miguel knocks on the door with a frightened voice.

"Lord Ryosai. Has something happened? If there is anything Miguel can do, please command me."

"It's alright, Miguel. I'm sorry to have frightened you. Don't worry about us. Practice your singing well."

Saying this, Ryosai sends Miguel away, then gropes with his hand to find Orsanti's shoulder, places his hand there and stands in silence. He says nothing until Orsanti calms down. Though he doesn't know what is written, Ryosai's ear accurately perceives that it would be difficult to calm him with words. Hymn singing can be heard from downstairs again. After a long silence, Orsanti finally speaks.

"Lord Ryosai. This contains additional information about the Nanban physician in Hirado. This woman is not a Christian. She is a Jew. It says if found, capture her immediately and turn her over to the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Macau."

"A Jew, you say. I too have heard a little about them from Saint Xavier during his lifetime. They are the people of Israel mentioned in the scriptures. Saint Xavier called them pitiful people who turn their backs on the gospel. I did not have the opportunity afterward to receive sufficient knowledge about those people from Saint Xavier. However, they are misled by false teachings and wandering in darkness, are they not? Then we should teach and guide them to the gospel. Right now we are making every effort to baptize and save the pitiful Japanese who are misled by false religions and wandering in darkness. Why must they be sent to such an ominous place as a court?"

Orsanti responds to those words with cynical, cold mockery.

"Lord Ryosai is Japanese, so it is understandable that you do not know them well. We Christians have been teaching the Jews for over a thousand years since our Lord Jesus Christ was born into this world as God's manifestation. We have told them to abandon the law and convert to the gospel. However, those who pretend to understand and even receive baptism but secretly continue to observe Jewish law are endless. Not only that—those who secretly spread word that Jesus was human and not divine even drag children of Christ who have finally awakened to the gospel back to the devil's teachings. Christian tolerance toward those people is already finished!

Nearly a hundred years ago, God commanded the Spanish King to expel the Jews from the holy Christian world. Eventually, the Portuguese King followed suit. The panicked Jews scattered to Portuguese territories around the world and continue their faith in secret to this day. One of them fled to Hirado. Whether by chance or necessity I don't know, but that place now has completely cold relations with both the Society of Jesus and Portuguese merchants. Lord Matsuura launched naval battles against the great friend to whom we gave Jesus's light, Omura Bartolomeo, and foolishly even tried to plunder Portuguese ship cargo. With her hiding in Hirado ruled by such Lord Matsuura, it's no wonder she hasn't been found until now. She's a lucky woman."

Having spoken this much in one breath, Orsanti roughly pours water down his parched throat.

"What sacrilege to say that Jesus is not God's manifestation! I understand Father Orsanti's anger well. However, this is troubling. We now need a Nanban physician. What will happen to that female physician?"

"Capture her in Hirado and send her to Nagasaki. Hand her over to the Holy Office there, and the rest is their business. She'll probably be sent from Macau to the Inquisition in Goa for heresy trial. If she still won't convert, it's the stake. If she repents and converts before dying, she might live if lucky. If unlucky, hanging. The rest will be left to God's final judgment."

"How cruel! Dragging her before the stake... Forcing conversion through threats! Isn't it the mission of those who serve God to teach and guide her, opening that pitiful female physician's eyes and heart herself!"

Orsanti looks down and clenches his fists. He suppresses the urge to smash the desk before him with those fists and scream loudly. After a long silence, Orsanti speaks in a suppressed voice.

"Lord Ryosai. Let us end this discussion here. This is not the time to go on and on about the long history between us Christians and Jews!"

Saying this, Orsanti turns to the desk and begins writing a letter to Nagasaki again. But this time, it's not a request for Frois to move to Hirado, but a report to Costa in Nagasaki about Raquel's whereabouts. Sensing this atmosphere, Ryosai presses Orsanti further.

"Understood. Let us stop discussing heretical faith now. But what about Lord Nobunaga? According to Lord Koteda's letter, that female physician is capable. Being that capable means there are Nanban medicines in Hirado too. She's probably cooperating with Chinese merchants and trading with Macau. Father Almedia has no Nanban medicines. We don't even know if we can find him. Whether he can come to Kyoto by the deadline is also unknown. If anything should happen to Lord Nobunaga, the Japanese Society of Jesus would immediately be in crisis."

At Ryosai's words, Orsanti stiffens his body and stops writing to look up at the ceiling. His eyes are bloodshot and wander in space. He is completely confused.

"Ah, then what should we do! Entrust the fate of our Society of Jesus and Christians to this heretical woman, this Jew? Moreover, the lord of Hirado is in conflict with the Society of Jesus. Even if we ask, will he easily hand her over? Why does God sometimes become so cruel!"

At those words, Ryosai also clouds his face and hesitates. Indeed, Lord Takanobu is protecting the female physician for some purpose. To send her to Kyoto would require a convincing reason. Not just a reason—who conveys it to Takanobu is also important. Think, Ryosai tells himself. The decision here and now will determine everything. After a brief silence, Ryosai quietly begins to speak.

"Lord Orsanti. After all, I will go to Hirado. I will meet with Lord Takanobu, obtain permission, and come to Kyoto with that female physician. If you or Father Frois go to Hirado and say the woman is a heretic so the Society of Jesus will take her, Lord Takanobu is unlikely to agree. If you phrase it wrong, you might be cut down on the spot. I will tell Lord Takanobu that Lord Akechi Mitsuhide is critically ill and I am searching for a Nanban physician on Lord Nobunaga's orders. Lord Nobunaga's authority now resounds beyond the five home provinces. Lord Takanobu too must be on edge about developments in Kyoto. He surely knows that warriors who drew bows against Lord Nobunaga have been defeated one after another. With such an order from Lord Nobunaga, Lord Takanobu will surely send the female physician to Kyoto. If that female physician cannot save Lord Nobunaga, the woman will surely only be executed. When the female physician saves Lord Nobunaga... What happens after that must now be left to heaven. But at least then, the Society of Jesus should be safe."

Orsanti nods several times unnaturally large as if forcing himself to be convinced, then shakes his head slightly.

"Is that our only option now? What a situation... What about Father Almedia? In case Lord Takanobu won't give up the female physician, should we still pursue Father Almedia too?"

"I think so. You should meet with Father Frois in Bungo and search for Father Almedia. However, if you search for seven days and cannot find him, please return to Kyoto with Father Frois. I will surely persuade Lord Takanobu and return to Kyoto with the female physician. Father Almedia and the female physician—if both fail, we shall report everything to Lord Mitsuhide and await heaven's will."

"Hmm. What about the Holy Office in Macau? At least until Lord Nobunaga's fate becomes clear, we cannot inform them about the female physician. Yet if they think we concealed her, we don't know what might happen to us later."

"Now, that messenger from Macau must not know anything. Though that man claims to be a Jesuit, it's better not to consider him a comrade. To avoid unnecessary questioning from him, Father Orsanti must not approach Nagasaki. You should cross the Inland Sea and land at Shimonoseki to head to Bungo. The handling of the female physician—when Lord Nobunaga's life is saved, we can only seek Lord Nobunaga's own judgment. Even the Holy Office cannot oppose the judgment of the great Lord Nobunaga of the realm."

Hearing Ryosai's words, Orsanti shows a slightly relaxed expression. Then he takes Ryosai's hand and speaks in a low voice as if suppressing uncontrollable emotion. That voice trembles, and there is something gleaming in his eyes. Ryosai feels those tears in his heart.

"Twenty days from here. This will determine the fate of us all. Let us pray to God that Lord Nobunaga's life is not called to heaven during that time. God will surely not abandon us. Believing in His protection, let us fulfill heaven's will."

Ryosai too silently grips Orsanti's hand firmly in return. From the floor below, the voices of Miguel and others singing can be heard. It is Gregorian chant.

Hail, merciful Mother, Queen of Heaven. Our life, joy, and hope, we pray to you from our hearts.

We are descendants of Eve, children exiled in this world, lamenting in the valley of tears, weeping and sighing as we look up to you with longing.

Therefore, O Mother who protects us, turn your merciful eyes toward us.

And when our journey of exile in this world ends, show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb.

O merciful, O gracious, O sweet Virgin Mary.