The Lord's Favor
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The Lord’s Favor was a virtual representation of one of Yasuke's genetic memories, relived in 2025 through the Animus EGO.[1]
Description
Diogo arrives in Kyoto with Alessandro Valignano and Luís Fróis to gain an audience with Oda Nobunaga.
Dialogue
- Diogo: Years ago, my journey started at sea. As it must for all who journey to these lands. A complex and precarious place. At war with itself for centuries. From that chaos and bloodshed, my opportunity surfaced... in the form of the most powerful warlord their history had known. Oda Nobunaga. A lord who took an interest in me. An outsider among outsiders.
Diogo narrates his journey as he and his Jesuits masters, Alessandro Valignano and Luís Fróis, arrived in Kyoto. The priests watched as their priests unveiled an ornament-decorated chair from the container, while Diogo surveys the surrounding nature.
- Diogo: (Portuguese) It is time.
- Luis Frois: (Portuguese) Get that chair ready, brothers. It has come not a moment too soon.
Diogo and the Jesuits waited as Akechi Mitsuhide, a general of Nobunaga's, arrived with two guards, speaking to them in Japanese.
- Akechi Mitsuhide: Father Valignano, you are expected to appear before Lord Nobunaga today.
The Jesuits and Diogo bowed in agreement.
- Alessandro Valignano: Thank you, Sir Mitsuhide. We are ready.
Mitsuhide and his guards took the lead, with Alessandro, Luis and Diogo following right behind, making their way to the meeting location.
- Alessandro Valignano: (Portuguese) We must not fail today. Travel beyond Kyoto is increasingly dangerous for us. Without Lord Nobunaga's permission, the Jesuit mission will not succeed.
- Luis Frois: (Portuguese) We have Diogo to thank for our safety so far. His presence has kept the monks and bandit away.
- Alessandro Valignano: (Portuguese) Diogo will not deter them forever. We must secure Nobunaga's favour.
- Luis Frois: (Portuguese) I suppose we are all going to be busier when we do. How do you feel about that, Diogo? Would you like to see the ocean again?
- Diogo: (Portuguese) It is not my favorite thing.
- Luis Frois: (Portuguese) Considering how much of it you had swallowed when we found you, I understand.
- Diogo: (Portuguese) That was a long time ago.
After a short while, they reached the meeting location, Honnō-ji. As Diogo and the Jesuits enter, Diogo exchanged curious looks with the ashigaru guards, and observed a samurai nearby. They then observed a lady with attended by a male and female servant.
- Luis Frois: (Portuguese) I see Lady Nene is here. And that is Lord Oda Nobunaga's closest retainer, Mori Ranmaru, beside her. Erai kata bakari. (There are only famous people here).
As they passed by Lady Nene, Diogo exchanged looks with the noble lady.
- Alessandro Valignano: (Portuguese) Which only makes it all the more difficult for us.
Just then, they heard a drum and turned around. The ashigaru immediately stood attention and bowed while the civilians kneeled down bowing at the side. In the middle, Nobunaga arrived on a horse in samurai armor. Alessandro, Luis and Diogo immediately followed and bowed at the side. Nobunaga alighted from his horse and walked down the road, with the servants immediately attending to the animal carcass on horseback. He then approached Lady Nene and whispered in her ear before giving a short glance at Diogo. Nobunaga turned around and nodded his head in satisfaction before continuing towards the temple. With the Lord moving away, Diogo looked up in amazement, having identified Nobunaga's identity.
- Diogo: (Portuguese) And that is Lord Oda Nobunaga.
Some time later, Diogo and the Jesuits wait outside the main building to be summoned for the audience with Nobunaga.
- Luis Frois: (Portuguese) They will call us in to see Lord Nobunaga shortly.
- Alessandro Valignano: (Portuguese) I will do the talking.
- Luis Frois: (Portuguese) Did you see how Lord Nobunaga looked at Diogo? Could it be he has never met a black man?
Before they can continue, Mitsuhide approached them.
- Akechi Mitsuhide: Lord Nobunaga will see you now.
- Alessandro Valignano: (Portuguese) Diogo. You wait here. Say nothing.
As the Jesuits prepared to enter, Mitsuhide stopped them.
- Akechi Mitsuhide: Lord Nobunaga commands that the black man join you.
- Alessandro Valignano: But he is my sword bearer. A slave. He does not speak the language.
- Akechi Mitsuhide: Lord Nobunaga commands it.
Not able to go against the command, Alessandro signalled for Diogo to step forward. Alessandro then whispered to him.
- Alessandro Valignano: (Portuguese) I should have left you at the port. Or floating at sea when we found you.
- Luis Frois: (Portuguese) God will see us through this, Father Valignano.
The three then went in to meet with Nobunaga. Entering the hall, the were greeted by Nobunaga and his generals and retainers, and gave a bow. After observing the three, Nobunaga signalled Mitsuhide for his next command, who then signalled them to kneel down and bow their heads half way.
- Mori Ranmaru: Lord Nobunaga, I present to you Father Valignano. Father Valignano has come to request free movement for his priests in your lands.
Diogo and the Jesuits bowed to the ground.
- Alessandro Valignano: That is correct, Sir Ranmaru.
- Mori Ranmaru: You will address Lord Nobunaga.
- Alessandro Valignano: Of course, of course. Forgive me, Lord Nobunaga. Please accept this gift.
The servants brought in the ornamented-chair.
Nobunaga signalled his servants to take it away.
- Mori Ranmaru: You may rise.
The three lifted their heads.
- Oda Nobunaga: You ask me to let your priests walk freely. But your priests are here already, Father Valignano.
Valignano stayed silent.
- Oda Nobunaga: Perhaps before you worry about your priests' feet, you may wish to plead for their heads.
Nobunaga's retainers readied their katana, which Diogo took notice of.
- Oda Nobunaga: Your black man has the instincts of a warrior. As he realized the danger you are in, his eyes found every threat in the room.
- Alessandro Valignano: I am sorry, Lord Nobunaga. He does not understand us.
- Oda Nobunaga: I would have many questions for his man, if only he understood. He is all the people of Kyoto speak about since his arrival.
Diogo decided to speak up, replying in Japanese.
- Diogo: Lord Nobunaga. I do understand you.
Nobunaga's retainers were impressed by Diogo's capability of speaking Japanese. Nobunaga, however, was not amused.
- Oda Nobunaga: Have you been deceiving me, Father Valignano?
- Alessandro Valignano: No! Lord Nobunaga, even I am as surprised to hear Diogo speak like this.
Nobunaga proceeded to speak directly to Diogo.
- Oda Nobunaga: Your name is Diogo?
- Diogo: Yes, Lord Nobunaga. That is what they call me.
Nobunaga signalled to Ranmaru to give an order.
- Mori Ranmaru: Lord Nobunaga would like to speak with Diogo. Alone.
The Jesuits and the Nobunaga's retainers got up and left the main hall. Alessandro gave Diogo an angered stare before leaving. Diogo then crawled forward towards Nobunaga.
- Oda Nobunaga: Sit.
Diogo got up into a sitting position.
- Oda Nobunaga: Has your skin always been this way?
- Diogo: Yes, Lord Nobunaga. My homeland is very far from here. All the people there have this color.
- Oda Nobunaga: I had thought to kill you all. If the Christians were gone, it would be one less thing to consider. But they have proven fair traders and a bulwark against the Buddhists. Luis Frois amuses me. We've shared tea. But this Valignano, I do not know. What are you to him, Diogo?
- Diogo: I am like a bodyguard. I am to ensure he is safe in this land that is foreign to him.
- Oda Nobunaga: You are his bodyguard, but also his slave, are you not?
- Diogo: Yes, Lord Nobunaga. I am.
Nobunaga looked at Ranmaru, giving him an order. Ranmaru then stood up and left the hall.
- Oda Nobunaga: Valignano will not be pleased that I kept you here. What do you think he will do with you? Kill you?
- Diogo: I... do not know. I have been subject to worse men, and I yet live.
- Oda Nobunaga: These worse men. Who are they?
Before Diogo could reply, Ranmaru returned with Alessandro and Luis. As Ranmaru returned to his seat, the Jesuits got into a seated position.
- Oda Nobunaga: Father Valignano, I will grant you what you came for. Your priests are free to move in these lands.
- Alessandro Valignano: Thank you, Lord Nobunaga. You will not -
- Oda Nobunaga: But your servant, Diogo, stays. He may yet prove useful to me.
Diogo looked one with a shocked expression.
- Alessandro Valignano: Very well. Thought he is good for little more than bearing sandals.
- Oda Nobunaga: Under me, sandal bearers become lords. I see potential in this man. A warrior whose spirit can inspire armies. He will be tested. He may become a legend. Or he may die.
Outcome
Diogo impresses Nobunaga with his overall stature and intelligence, entering into his service as a retainer.