Senno Rikyuu, Nobunaga’s tea master, has just declared that “Hanbee” is not from Okazaki. Usagi is afraid that the fact that they are shinobi has been discovered. But his reason turns out to be that he hadn’t seen such a rude warrior when he had visited Okazaki that summer. Kami no Hanzou explains that Hanbee had only recently become an officer. Rikyuu seems to accept this.

Princess Toku asks Rikyuu to prepare some tea (I think), but Usagi volunteers to do so instead. Her preparation methods are…rather informal…to the surprise of Toku and Rikyuu. Rikyuu is affronted and refuses to drink tea prepared the wrong way. He is finally persuaded to drink and is amazed at how good it is. He asks Usagi who gave her the recipe. She tells him she did, and seems to continue to say that it was a failed result of an attempt to make a weight loss tea (not sure about this) when HanzouS cuts her off and explains that his wife has had an interest in herbs since childhood. Rikyuu tells him that his wife is a genius for being able to make a tea so good. HanzouS thanks him for the praise while Usagi ponders the sudden “good natured” turn Rikyuu has made with some bemusement.

Later that night in their room as Usagi whines about how much she dislikes the tea master, the two Hanzous discuss in whispered tones that they must let their guard down around Rikyuu. Supposedly, the tea master position is also that of a government advisor. They figure Rikyuu would know about an Igan invasion. At this point Usagi barges in, wanting to know what they are talking about. HanzouK responds that they were discussing how “Hanbee” is going to love her tonight. HanzouS emphatically denies this but now Usagi is wondering if they are going to continue what they started the other night ^_^. HanzouS tells her he’s going to bed. Usagi runs after him cheerfully stating that she may not be quite prepared for this, but that she’ll…

Anticlimactically, Hanzou has already fallen asleep. ^_^ Too bad for Usagi but, she knows there’s no need to be impatient. After the mission is over they’ll be married for real, after all. For now she’ gotta do her best and obtain her ninja mastery.

After Usagi has fallen asleep, Hanzou gets up and puts on his ninja clothes. He wants to make the most of the good fortune of Nobunaga being away. And he wants to finish the mission quickly for Usagi’s sake. He begins to explore the huge castle. While he is gone, Usagi wakes up and begins looking for him desperately only to forget where her room is. While wandering the halls, she meets a man who recognizes her as the one who brought the tea. He guides her back to her room. As he does she ponders Nobunaga having such a kind retainer. As they approach her room, Hanzou emerges (hair down and in his sleeping clothes) and Usagi runs to him in relief. She claims she got lost on the way to the bathroom. As she begins to introduce the man who helped her find her way she discovers that he is gone. Hanzou then grabs Usagi in an embrace and yells at her for going out on her own. Usagi thinks she’s in for a kiss, but gets a lecture instead. ^_^

In the morning the Hanzous wake up Usagi and tell her to get dressed. (HanzouK sneaks a bit of a peak at her indecently covered lower half). Nobunaga has returned and they are to go meet him right away. It’s all a bit sudden for Usagi, but before they know it they are trekking up the steps to the castle. Usagi stops herself just in time from stepping on a stair carved with the image of Buddha. Nobunaga has placed such stairs to impede enemy soldiers. Usagi wonders about the punishment for putting the image on the steps, but then remembers that Nobunaga is the type of guy who will burn down a temple. HanzouS takes her hand and tells her there is nothing to be afraid of.

As they reach the castle there is a crowd of people calling up to someone named Mosuke who suddenly jumps off the roof…and onto Usagi. (It turns out to be an Orangutan dressed up in human clothes). They object angrily at Usagi calling it a “big monkey” and tell her that he is a human from the west (a European). ^_-;;;

A man breaks up the escalating argument, and he turns out to be the guy who helped her find her room the night before. The man explains that Nobunaga has recognized Mosuke as human and that it is the duty of his vassals to do the same. He tries to coax Mosuke off of Usagi (He’s clinging to her) to no avail and the man says he seems to really like her. He then introduces himself as Mori Ranmaru, a page of Nobunaga. As Ranmaru leads them to Nobunaga’s location, Usagi marvels at how pretty he is. She feels as if she has met him before, but thinks she definitely would have remembered someone so pretty. Ranmaru tells her that she is the first one to call Mosuke a monkey to his face. She apologizes, but he tells her that he likes honest people. However, he cautions her that if she wishes to live long she’d better start thinking of him as a person. He then beckons them to enter into Nobunaga’s presence.

back to Tsuki no Shippo Chapter Summaries.