Chapter Five - Encounter

Oda Nobunaga

"State your name once more. Where do you come from?"

This was Mount Azuchi, overlooking Lake Biwa. No, it could no longer be called a mountain. One man had transformed this small hill into a massive castle in merely three years. The castle was named Azuchi Castle. In the audience chamber that spread across the third floor of the main keep, Raquel now faced the lord of the castle. Her entire body was dominated by emotions that could be called neither fear nor awe. Is this truly human? Raquel's body stiffened before the man, unable to move a muscle.

Due to her profession as a physician, Raquel had met many kings and leaders before - in Portugal, in Goa, in Malacca. However, none had emanated such an aura as this man. An irresistible supernatural presence emanated from his delicate frame and pale countenance, completely enveloping Raquel. And it made her intuit one thing.

She could not speak falsehoods before this man. That would surely lead to her destruction. Raquel steeled her resolve.

"Lord Oda Nobunaga. I am called Raquel Nunes de Santangel. I was born in the town of Viseu in Portugal. And I came to drift ashore at Hirado by way of Goa in India and Malacca."

"Why did you come?"

"I fled here."

"What did you flee from?"

"From Christians."

"Why do Christians pursue you?"

"The Jewish teachings I believe in appear to be heretical to those Christians. Therefore we have been continuously pursued. They arbitrarily call us demons and seem to fear us. That is the reason I fled."

At these words, Nobunaga broke into a broad grin and replied.

"Ho! This I too have been repeatedly called a demon by the fools of Miyoshi and the corrupt priests of Mount Hiei! I am the Demon Lord of the Sixth Heaven. You and I are of the same ilk, then. Wahaha!"

The man who until just moments ago had been emanating a murderous aura so intense that a mere touch might result in being cut down suddenly broke into a beaming smile and laughed loudly. Raquel, taken aback by this sudden change, could only prostrate herself, unsure of what to do. After laughing heartily, Nobunaga regained his composure and continued speaking.

"I am pleased. That wisdom to return only accurate answers to what is asked. And to do so in an unfamiliar language, no less. This is not something a dull-witted person could accomplish. The more foolish they are, the more unnecessary words they string together. What saved me was not a demon, but a capable foreign physician. Master Raquel, I offer my gratitude once more for your dedication."

Saying this, Nobunaga bowed deeply to Raquel. Seeing this, the surrounding retainers immediately prostrated themselves, pressing their foreheads almost to the tatami mats. Among them was Mitsuhide's figure. Raquel too was confused by the sudden words of gratitude. However, she endeavored to maintain her composure and reply.

"I did my job. However, it was Lord Nobunaga himself who grasped life. From Lord Akechi, I heard that Lord Nobunaga ordinarily trains his mind and body, abhors excessive drinking and eating, and practices moderation. I believe Lord Nobunaga's daily training became the source of the strength that sustained his life."

Hearing this, Nobunaga nodded small but with satisfaction. Then, while gazing at Mitsuhide who waited beside him, he replied.

"Pleasant words you speak. Indeed. I am firmly convinced that to accomplish the great enterprise of tenka fubu, above all else, this mind and body must first be strong and healthy. Well, for that reason, Jūbei here, who still has to wrestle with me, seems rather fed up with it all."

As he said this, some laughter leaked from among Nobunaga's retainers. Mitsuhide, suddenly the center of attention, replied briefly with a wry smile.

"Certainly not, my lord. This Jūbei considers it the greatest honor if he can be of even the slightest service in the training of Lord Nobunaga's robust body."

"Haha. Wrestling with you serves no purpose in training my mind and body. However, your work this time is worthy of admiration. To find this foreign physician who was living quietly in distant western Kyushu's Hirado, bring him to Azuchi in merely ten days, and have him treat me - that work was splendid. I hear there was also the work of Master Ryōsai of the foreign temple and the people of Hirado. I shall offer them my thanks as well."

Nobunaga turned his gaze to Ryōsai, Frois, Organtino, and Tagawa, who were waiting far from Raquel, and offered words of appreciation. Beside Tagawa, Diego was also waiting. The sight of his bear-like body forced into prostration and cowering was somewhat comical. However, he himself was in the extreme of tension, not feeling truly alive.

About twenty days before this day, Organtino had caught Frois in Bungo. Together they visited villages in Bungo searching for Almeida. However, they could not find him within seven days. Almeida was at that time on a missionary journey to villages deep in the mountains. The two abandoned the search for Almeida and hurried back to Kyoto. By that time, Raquel had already traveled to the capital with Ryōsai. And accompanied by Mitsuhide, she had entered Azuchi Castle, devoting her entire soul to treating Nobunaga. Ryōsai responded to Nobunaga's words with prostration.

"Lord Nobunaga. We were able to find and bring this foreign physician through truly miraculous successive coincidences. This too is the will of Deus. And without the assistance of Lord Matsuura Takanobu, the territorial lord of Hirado in Matsuura domain who was protecting Master Raquel, it would not have been possible to bring Master Raquel here. I would like to bring Lord Takanobu's consideration to Lord Nobunaga's attention."

"Hmph. You people attribute everything to the will of Deus... Well, fine. I shall keep Lord Matsuura Takanobu in mind. Once I subjugate the Mōri, Kyushu will be next. I shall not treat the Matsuura house poorly."

Raquel felt profound relief at these words. She almost wanted to look toward Tagawa, who was prostrating himself in the distance, but she held back.

"By the way, Master Raquel. How do you view my symptoms this time? From Jūbei's account, you diagnosed that I had been poisoned. However, I am cautious. Naturally, my poison-tasting is thorough. There are countless who would kill this Nobunaga. Let me hear your detailed assessment."

Raquel sensed what lay beneath the expression of Nobunaga as he asked this question. There she could see swirling anger alongside undisguised curiosity. Even the poison that had nearly killed him had become an object of that curiosity. Such was his nature, it seemed.

"Then, Lord Nobunaga, I shall speak. I believe this matter was indeed caused by some form of poison. Fever, palpitations, vomiting, diarrhea - the causes of such symptoms are various. The treatment by the attending physician and Lord Akechi that I heard of was excellent. If Lord Nobunaga's condition had been an epidemic disease or simple internal disorder, you would have recovered with the attending physician's treatment. However, the symptoms continued to worsen. Therefore I suspected poison."

Nobunaga listened intently to Raquel's explanation. Confirming his attention, Raquel continued.

"I suspected that some poison had entered through the mouth. Therefore, I prescribed medicine that I use in such circumstances. In Portugal, it is called theriac. It is an important medicine that has been passed down among our people since ancient times. This time, I added some adjustments to this theriac. The medicine I made acts on the liver and promotes the power to expel poison. After prescribing this medicine, I had Lord Nobunaga consume large quantities of tea and water. Judging from the subsequent progress, it appears the poison was gradually expelled. However, theriac is originally medicine that assists the liver's function. It does not have the power to eliminate poison. If Lord Nobunaga's liver strength had been weak, the medicine's assistance would not have sufficed. Indeed, Lord Nobunaga's daily training and moderation kept his organs strong, enabling them to demonstrate their power with a little medicine's help. And above all, it was Lord Nobunaga's brave decision to believe in and consume an unknown foreign medicine that saved his life."

Hearing this far, Nobunaga nodded deeply as if his thoughts had been confirmed.

"Mm. After being made to drink your decoction of that theriac, I felt my belly grow hot. After that, my urine flowed well. My appetite returned. The demons of hell failed to devour my liver, it seems. Foreign medicine is remarkable indeed. Far more trustworthy than the prayers of corrupt Buddhist priests. Moreover, my soul was crying out that I would die if I did not drink that. I had no hesitation. Now, what kind of poison do you assess it to have been?"

Raquel sensed Nobunaga's spreading resentment beneath those words. And she was convinced that whoever had administered the poison, regardless of who they were, would find continued existence difficult. However, all Raquel could do was speak her thoughts without deception.

"All is speculation. However, this poison was likely not from plants like aconite. It was probably from minerals. These are heat-resistant. Likely, it was applied very thinly to a vessel. In that case, time would be needed for the poison to dissolve and mix with food. I heard that the poison-taster showed no symptoms. Seeing this too, the possibility of mineral poison is high. In Portugal, I treated many soldiers shot by firearms. Among them were some who, though their wounds healed, died with symptoms similar to Lord Nobunaga's. Probably the poison from lead bullets remained in their bodies."

Hearing Raquel's explanation, Nobunaga nodded deeply.

"Astute observation. Is that excellent medical skill something passed down in your house? Are you from a hereditary family of foreign physicians? I want to know about your ancestors."

Raquel hesitated briefly about how much to reveal. However, she immediately decided in her heart to speak everything she could. Ultimately, that would protect her.

"It will be somewhat long. Please forgive me. My ancestors lived for generations in Spain, neighboring Portugal. At that time, my ancestors were not physicians. They served a small kingdom's king, handling royal trade management, war fund procurement, tax collection, and such. However, nearly a hundred years ago now, Spain's Catholic monarchs expelled us Jewish people from that land. My ancestors fled to neighboring Portugal at that time. Since then, my family line has made a living through medical practice in Portugal while disguising ourselves as Christians. As I mentioned, my name is Raquel Nunes de Santangel. Nunes is the name of my ancestor who fled to Portugal during the great Spanish expulsion. When Nunes fled to Portugal, he was still only six years old. His father was killed with his belly split open before Nunes's eyes. By bandits who wanted to steal the gold coins he had swallowed for the escape. This name was given to me by my parents so that I would not forget our family's hardships. Our clan lived in Portugal for several decades. However, due to a certain incident, we became intensely pursued by Portuguese Christians as well. So I fled to Goa in India. Since then I have lived a life of wandering."

Nobunaga shook his head left and right while groaning softly, then continued speaking.

"This world is truly strange. Frois and the others here came all the way to Japan, taking two years, for Christian missionary work. I could not readily believe that story. And now, one pursued by those Christians, fleeing across the great ocean, has drifted to this Japan and saved my life. Even stranger still. However, why do Christians fear you people so much? Christians go around saying that what the priest called Jesus spoke is the truth of this world. Those who pursue such truth simultaneously chase others with bloodshot eyes to the ends of the earth. This too is peculiar. Sometimes..."

At that moment, a man who had been listening to this exchange with an expression of extreme anxiety lost self-control and interrupted Nobunaga's words. It was Organtino.

"Lord Nobunaga! This must not be! To defile your ears with the words of such heretical people. Impurity in Lord Nobunaga's heart..."

Poor Organtino could not complete those words. The fury of the Demon Lord of the Sixth Heaven erupted skyward. It echoed through the great audience hall that easily exceeded thirty tatami mats. The waves of anger made the dragons and tigers in the gold-leafed sliding door paintings tremble as if life had been breathed into them.

"Katsuie! Strike down this barbarian priest! To think there is still such a fool in this world who interrupts this me! Moreover, that my soul is defiled? The only thing that governs my soul is one thing - myself! To be lectured about my own soul by a mere barbarian priest is extremely unpleasant! Strike him down here and now!"

"By your will..."

Shibata Katsuie, who had been waiting beside Mitsuhide, replied with one word and walked toward Organtino. Organtino was already nearly unconscious from terror. However, for Katsuie, this was merely a daily scene that had been repeated many times since serving Nobunaga.

(Fool...)

Looking down at Organtino, Shibata Katsuie muttered one word in a voice so small that no one could hear it. Then, without changing expression, he drew his blade. The sword gripped in his hand was a famous blade inscribed with the name Bizen Osafune Nagayoshi. One swing would prevent a person's head from remaining attached to their body.

It was then. Mitsuhide ran like a startled rabbit to Organtino's front and struck his face with all his strength. The face swelled visibly, broken teeth flew, and blood dripped onto the tatami.

"You fool! I repeatedly told you not to speak freely before Lord Nobunaga! You know-nothing!"

Mitsuhide raised his fist again. His own fist became bloodied, and the elegant garments wrapping his body were quickly dyed red with blood spatters. Mitsuhide finally stopped his hand when the skin on his knuckles split. Then he prostrated himself before Nobunaga and said:

"My lord. This is due to my inadequate discipline. I deeply apologize. However, if we kill the barbarian priest, unexpected effects on foreign trade might result. For such a worthless life to cause such disadvantage to Lord Nobunaga would be far too wasteful. I will properly discipline this fool myself, so please spare his life alone."

Nobunaga nodded slightly at Mitsuhide's quick thinking. Then he looked at those blood-covered fists.

"Hmm. In deference to your spirit in beating that fool until your fists bled, I shall spare his life. Take that barbarian priest away immediately!"

Raquel could only tremble and shudder at the overwhelming violence that had suddenly erupted before her eyes. This was Nobunaga. She was forcibly made to understand that this country was in the midst of fierce warfare, where only the martially strong could survive.

"Well. The fool is gone. Let us resume."

Saying this, Nobunaga smiled. As if he had completely forgotten about nearly killing a foreigner, innocent curiosity returned to his face. However, Raquel's thoughts were paralyzed by fear. Seeing her state, Nobunaga encouraged her with an unexpectedly gentle voice.

"The incident. I want to hear about the incident that caused you to be pursued from Portugal. It may be long, but I don't mind. Hearing stories of foreign lands is interesting. It is the finest entertainment."

Prompted by Nobunaga's words, Raquel's previous conversation with Nobunaga came back to her mind. And so did sealed memories. However, I must speak of that. Raquel resolved this in her heart while feeling her heart still pounding with fear.

"When my father was operating a clinic in the town of Viseu in Portugal, I was training there. At one time, I examined the child of a Christian nobleman. He was still a male child not yet ten years old by count. Severe fever, vomiting, convulsions - these continued for twenty days. My father and I applied every possible treatment. We gave him theriac as well. However, the young boy did not have the life force to overcome illness as Lord Nobunaga did. Despite our efforts, he died. We never understood the cause to the end. The boy's parent was a rational Christian. He did not reproach us, but quietly accepted his grief."

Having spoken this far, Raquel quietly observed Nobunaga. Nobunaga waited for Raquel's next words without moving. Confirming this, Raquel resumed speaking.

"However, some time after that, rumors began to circulate. Whether the Santangel family were not Christians but Marranos pretending to have converted. Marrano is a derogatory term for secret Jews. Actually, rumors had arisen before as well. We secretly continued our faith, taking care never to be discovered. However, there are always those with the intuition to notice small differences. The rumors spread little by little. However, the nobles wanted to keep us, with our high medical skills, in their territory. They denied the public rumors and continued to protect the Santangel family.

But with that boy's death, the tide changed. The rumors spread with malicious embellishments. Eventually, false rumors flew about that the Santangel family had deliberately killed the boy and used his blood in Jewish rituals. The nobles still tried to protect us. However, my father came to think that terrible atrocities by Christians driven by hatred were quite possible. So my father first sent my sister and me out of the country. At that time, my father assigned Diego here as my guardian. This man is my father's close friend. He is a merchant and a navigator who knows the sea well. He also has brief experience as a mercenary. I fled with Diego from Lisbon in Portugal to Goa in India on a smuggling ship."

"What became of your father afterward?"

"He died. He was judged in a heretical trial and burned to death while still alive. The fact that he had sent us out of the country probably made my father's sins heavier as well. I learned of his death in Goa and, feeling endangered, fled further to Malacca. That was more than seven years ago now."

Hearing this, Nobunaga stared intently at the ceiling. On that ceiling, a magnificent phoenix by Kanō painters was depicted. Its eyes received Nobunaga's gaze and stared back. Nobunaga was trying to fathom what this foreign woman was telling him.

"Your father was burned alive merely because he believed in a different god? If that is true, then Christians are the very demons themselves. As for me, I set fire to Enryaku-ji eight years ago. I burned to death many Buddhist priests, from adults to women and children. However, that was not because I could not forgive their faith. They manipulated the people through faith, armed them, controlled territory, and accumulated wealth - conduct unbecoming of Buddhist disciples. In the end, they even used women and children as shields, drew bows against this Nobunaga, and tried to steal territory. I was resolved to become a demon if necessary to completely eradicate those shit priests who had strayed from the path. Did you people also try to steal Christians' land and property, or Spain or Portugal itself?"

Raquel watched the greasy sweat that had formed on her forehead trickle down her cheek and drip messily from her chin to soak into the tatami. And she thought: She was resolved to speak everything. But the problem was whether it would be understood.

"Lord Nobunaga. I shall speak honestly. First, the god we believe in is the same as the god Christians believe in. The god they call Deus. However, we do not consider the priest called Jesus, whom Christians worship, to be god in human form. Deus is god. But Jesus is not a manifestation of god. God would not appear in this world by taking human flesh. This is what we believe."

"Ho. You believe in the same god, but that priest Jesus is not his incarnation. So you say. This is not incomprehensible. Most who claim to be incarnations of gods are frauds."

"There is one more thing I must tell you. As the Santangel family has long lived disguised as Christians, we know their teachings as well. In Christian teaching, Jesus himself never claimed to be god. After his death, those around him who admired Jesus enshrined him as a manifestation of god. May I continue this story?"

Raquel fearfully observed Nobunaga's demeanor.

"Good. Your story is interesting, but the flustered expressions of Ryōsai and Frois waiting there are equally interesting. They must have things to say. But do not open your mouths. Right now I am speaking with Master Raquel. If you open your mouths, this time it will not end with Jūbei's fists - Katsuie's white blade will surely not stop. Be at ease. I intend to hear your arguments as well in due course."

Having said this much, Nobunaga again faced Raquel directly and encouraged her to continue.

"Understood. There is one more thing about our faith that should be conveyed. The ancestor of our Jewish people, thousands of years ago, heard the voice of god and was given stone tablets inscribed with absolute commandments. And in exchange for protecting those commandments, he was given a country and land. That country is called Israel.

Since then our people have protected those commandments and nurtured life in that land. However, more than a thousand years ago, our homeland was destroyed by an ancient great empire. Since then we Jewish people have lost our land and country and become wandering people. However, we have never forgotten the commandments and continue to protect them.

We are now being tested by god.

If we were to steal the Spanish king's land, rob the Portuguese king's property, and build a country there, that would be a great betrayal of god. At that time we would lose our homeland Israel forever by our own hand. We may hope to sustain this life modestly in Spain, Portugal, India, and this Japan, but stealing their countries is not permitted by god."

"Hmm. After your people were driven from their homeland, for thousands of years since ancient times, though living in foreign countries, you have never tried to steal those countries. That is not your covenant with your god."

"I swear on the honor of my people that such a thing has never occurred. I was once asked this by Lord Matsuura of Hirado as well - whether I was plotting to propagate Judaism in this Japan like Christians do and increase believers. So I understand Lord Nobunaga's concern."

Hearing this, Nobunaga's eyes widened.

"Mm. I understand well what Lord Matsuura wants to say. And your answer?"

"Yes. I shall answer. As I mentioned earlier, god gave commandments to our ancestors. Initially there were ten commandments. Our ancestors decided to accept those commandments in order to make Israel their place of rest. These are commandments unrelated to heathens and foreigners. Our faith is merely a modest ethnic faith.

Also, after the ten commandments, god repeatedly showed further commandments through those who could hear his voice. The accumulation of those commandments and their interpretations is vast. To protect those commandments, we must understand writing. Hebrew, our language. This covenant with god shown in Hebrew, and the mark that males carve on their bodies as proof of it, are the evidence of our faith.

Therefore, to practice our faith, one must first master Hebrew. Moreover, it is necessary to live daily while observing detailed commandments from daily life to meals. To put it simply, it is very troublesome. It is not meant for proselytizing like Christianity."

"You carve marks on your body? Where, and what do you carve?"

Raquel hesitated briefly.

"You cannot say?"

A color of distrust crept into Nobunaga's voice. Raquel told herself: I decided to speak everything. I must not hesitate.

"It is on the tip of the spear that men possess. We cut off part of its sheath."

At those words, a small commotion arose among the retainers who had been listening intently to catch every word of Raquel's speech.

"You surprise me. To master this country's language to such an extent. Truly magnificent intellect. In essence, you cut the skin of the phallus. That would certainly never be forgotten. Now, what do women do? Women must also observe the commandments, must they not?"

"In our teaching, women are considered perfect from birth. Men are imperfect, so they must carve the mark of covenant on their bodies and strive never to forget the commandments."

"Women are perfect beings? That too is correct. Men are imperfect. All men are fools. Increasingly interesting!"

Raquel confirmed that the color of distrust had disappeared from Nobunaga's expression and felt relieved. Nobunaga continued to fire questions like arrows.

"Now, what manner of thing are these dietary commandments? The shit priests of Buddhism also say things like not eating four-legged animals. Is it similar to that?"

"Yes. We also have strict prohibitions regarding four-legged animals. However, in our commandments, cattle and sheep may be eaten if properly prepared. On the other hand, pigs and rabbits are completely prohibited. Actually, what triggered suspicions that our Santangel family were secret Jews - Marranos - in Portugal was also food. The fact that we ate no pork whatsoever became the trigger for suspicion."

"I see. Because of that pious behavior, you paradoxically endangered your lives. The shit Buddhist priests say four-legged animals are forbidden while eating boar and cattle, and say lustful acts are unthinkable while nightly indulging in lewd behavior. Compared to those shit priests, your commandments are strict indeed. And you believe that if you continue to protect those strict commandments, someday you will be able to return to your homeland?"

Nobunaga appeared to find it difficult to readily believe what this foreign woman physician was telling him about gods and law, yet precisely because of that, his interest was inexhaustible. And he seemed to be enjoying his own mental confusion.

"I am deeply honored that you have shown interest in the modest faith of a foreign people on the verge of extinction. I am amazed by Lord Nobunaga's astute insight."

Nobunaga looked straight into Raquel's eyes and showed a gentle smile.

"Mm. I intended to hear about poison, but heard a far more interesting story than that. You are wise. I like intelligent people."

Having said this much, Nobunaga took one deep breath. As if to cool his head, tired from pursuing the unfamiliar foreign story, by sending fresh air into it. Then he slowly shifted his gaze, which had long been facing Raquel directly. And he called out to two men who had been listening to this exchange in silence, but with clearly anxious expressions.

"Lorenzo Ryōsai. And Master Frois. We shall hold a religious debate. About ten years ago, you magnificently defeated Priest Nichijō, who had come pleading for the prohibition of Christianity, in such a debate. At that time, you were full of confidence facing Nichijō. The defeated Nichijō actually tried to swing my sword to cut you down. You must not have forgotten. That was truly comical. By such foolish behavior, everyone present was convinced of Nichijō's defeat.

However, today your behavior is somewhat strange. I can see in you, listening to Master Raquel's story, unmistakable agitation, anxiety, or perhaps anger that you cannot hide. This Nobunaga does not overlook such things. You and that fool who was punched by Jūbei - it's like watching Nichijō back then. These Jewish people whom you Christians pursue even from across the sea - what they say makes sense to me. I want to know the logic of why you Christians hate these people enough to burn them at the stake. And how that logic intersects with the truth that your Jesus preaches. I shall hear it properly."

Having said this, Nobunaga faced Raquel again.

"Master Raquel. Your story today resonated in my heart. Once, this Ryōsai and Master Frois engaged in religious debate with a strange Buddhist priest named Nichijō who came saying Christianity should be prohibited. At that time, I was impressed by the Christian story. However, today your story has also pierced deep into my heart. The pursuer and the pursued - I want to hear both sides' arguments properly. This is my entertainment. I ask you to indulge me. But in return, as long as my eyes are black, your lives will not be in danger in this Japan. This Oda Nobunaga promises you. In this Japan today, there should be no greater guarantee than this."

Having spoken this much in one breath, Nobunaga suddenly stood up and commanded Mitsuhide.

"Jūbei. We shall hold a religious debate. Ten days hence. The place will again be here. And while Master Raquel and her companions stay in Azuchi and Kyoto - no, while they remain in this Japan - do not let Christians near them. Master Raquel is now my most important guest. Understood?"

Saying this, Nobunaga departed the audience chamber like the wind.

Several months after this day, a certain rumor spread in Azuchi's castle town. That Nobunaga had beheaded several serving women who worked in the castle. The reason was said to be that they had disturbed castle discipline during Nobunaga's absence. In the castle town, everyone was shocked by Nobunaga's cruelty in taking retainers' heads for such a small matter. The beheading rumor was true. However, the fact that those serving women had been responsible for kitchen work and poison-tasting was buried in darkness forever.