Volume 1: Re:Zero -Starting Life as a Samurai Chapter 36: The Temptation of Capitalism
Seeing that Ogata had misunderstood her, the woman blushed instantly and said anxiously:
"I'm not a prostitute! The reason I waited for you at your doorstep was just to tell you something important!"
"Important things? As far as I know, we two don't know each other."
"It's true that we have never met before, but I really have something important to discuss with you!"
"…If you have something important to tell me, just say it here. If you finish your words quickly, I can go back to my room and sleep."
"This is not the place to talk." The woman looked around and said, "Let's go inside and talk."
"...No." Ogata looked the woman up and down warily and refused bluntly.
Seeing that Ogata rejected her, the woman was stunned for a moment, then said anxiously:
"why not?"
"Because I will never let a stranger into my house casually. Even if it is a weak woman who looks fragile."
"If you have anything important to say to me, say it here."
"I will never take you into my house. If you insist on coming into my house before you tell me your important things, then I will have to ask you to leave here."
The woman bit her red lips.
After hesitating for a while, he said seriously:
"I understand... Let's talk about it here."
"Before I get down to business, please allow me to introduce myself."
After saying this, the woman bowed beautifully to Ogata.
"I am Toyama Renjiro's wife - Ash ."
"Toyama Renjiro's wife..." Ogata frowned, "I wonder why Toyama's wife came to see me so late at night?"
"Lord Ogata... In the upcoming festival contest, I wonder if you could intentionally lose to my husband?"
As soon as Ash finished speaking, Xu Fang answered without hesitation:
"Impossible! Are you planning to make me play a fake match?"
"A fake match...?"
Ah Shi moved his tongue, trying hard to pronounce this unfamiliar word that he was not used to.
"Ah, don't worry about what 'match-fixing' means." Ogata waved his hand, "Did Toyama send you to persuade me?"
"No, it's not. My husband doesn't know about this. I came to you on my own initiative."
"…Madam." After a moment of silence, Ogata said, "I don't quite understand."
"Your husband is not a weak man."
"His swordsmanship is very advanced. I don't know if I can beat him now."
"It's not like your husband is fighting a losing battle, so why are you begging for him for no reason?"
"It is indeed as you just said, Lord Ogata - my husband is very strong, and the battle he is about to fight is not a battle he will surely lose..."
Having said this, a faint bitter smile appeared on Ash's face.
"But it's also not a winnable battle, is it?"
Ogata did not deny what Ashikaga had just said.
Ogata doesn't think that he can definitely win against Toyama now.
But at the same time, I don’t think that I will definitely lose to Yuanshan now.
"Lord Ogata, do you know what terrible things will happen to my husband if he loses?"
"I don't know." Xu Fang shook his head in confusion.
"My husband is a very confident person..." Ah Shi said softly, "Several months ago, he boasted to his fellow apprentices that he would definitely win this year's sacrificial contest."
"If he loses, he will commit suicide by disembowelment."
"...Your husband is really confident." Ogata smiled, "He even dares to make such a promise. But this kind of promise should not count, right? His fellow apprentices probably won't take Yuanshan's words seriously."
With a bitter look on his face, Ashin shook his head slightly, as if he had eaten a very sour grape.
"My husband's fellow apprentices probably wouldn't take his words seriously."
"But my husband took it seriously."
"My husband is not only very confident, but also has a very strong character."
"He would definitely keep his word if he said it."
"If he loses the god-sacrificing contest, even without the urging and coercion of fellow disciples, my husband will definitely fulfill his promise and cut open his own stomach neatly..."
After hearing what Ash said, Ogata couldn't help but shrink his neck.
Ogata had to admit that someone like Toyama, whose temperament was so strong and somewhat pathological, was quite scary.
"It shouldn't be that serious..." Ogata said hesitantly, "Will someone really commit suicide by disembowelment over a promise that no one cares about..."
"Others may not, but my husband certainly will!" Ah Shi said in a firm tone, "I have been with my husband for a long time, so I know what kind of person he is."
"If he loses the contest to offer sacrifice to the gods, even if all his fellow disciples stop him and tell him that 'no one remembers this promise', my husband will definitely secretly find a time when no one can stop him and quietly cut open his own stomach..."
"I don't want my husband to commit suicide by disembowelment..."
"So I don't want my husband to lose this year's festival competition..."
"Lord Ogata..."
As Ashin spoke, he lowered his head and bowed deeply to Ogata.
"Please...can you deliberately lose this year's festival contest...?"
Looking at Ash who was begging him for mercy, Ogata felt a bit complicated.
Emotionally speaking, Ogata sympathizes with Ash.
It can be seen that Ashin loves her husband very much.
Otherwise, she would not have done such a thing as going to her husband's opponent at night and asking him to show mercy.
But despite his sympathy, Ogata did not intend to accept Ashin's request.
After clearing his throat, Ogata said softly:
"Ms. Ash, please raise your head."
"I am a warrior and a man after all. I simply cannot do something like intentionally losing to my opponent."
Hearing what Ogata said, Asi bit his lower lip again with a look of reluctance on his face.
"Lord Ogata!"
Ash shouted Ogata's name, then reached into the belt of her kimono, took out something, and quickly walked towards Ogata who was only two steps away from her.
When he was only half a step away from Ogata, Asi stopped and stuffed the object in his hand into Ogata's arms.
"Lord Ogata! Please! Please help me!"
Ash stuffed a small cloth bag into Ogata's arms.
When Asi stuffed the small cloth bag into Ogata's arms, her movements were a bit too big, causing the small cloth bag in her hand to shake quite a bit.
When the cloth bag shook, Ogata clearly heard a very crisp sound.
This is the sound made by coins colliding with each other.
