Amago no Miko – Chapter 7

Translator: Flowingcloud    Editor: Arocks141

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TERMS/THINGS TO NOTE:
There are a bunch of place names. Please refer to the glossary for this chapter.
Gundai – Magistrate of a region or an administrator of a town.
Daikan – Local Governer, rules on behalf of their lord.
Jodai – Castellan ruling in the absence of their lord.

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Gundai ¹

 

January, 24th Year of the Tembun Era (1555), Gassantoda Castle, Izumo; Amago Haruhisa

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 🙁

 

“Change the flow of the Hii River?” [/note] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hii_River [/note]

“Yes. In order to do so, other than the Kando District, if I don’t manage the Numata Village in the Shuto District and Tatenui District, the execution would just be a story.” ²

The reason I called Tama to Toda was that I planned on handing over the position of Kando District Gundai, but when I try opening the lid, she asks for Shuto District and even Hirata as well? ³

How did it come to this? Did I make a mistake in raising her? No, well, it wasn’t like I raised her.

Don’t get carried away, stubborn head. It is easy to say that but since the territory’s ownership isn’t being passed around, there might be room for consideration. Everything said and done, Tama will be appointed as my ‘deputy’ (Daikan). ⁴

Well, let’s see what this lass has to say. Whether an ogre or a snake appears, only God knows, though. (T/N: An old-fashioned expression expressing you never know what will happen.)

“So, can I take it as that you want me to hand over management of Shuto District and Hirata to have the Hii River flow into Lake Shinji??”

“It is not ‘can I take it as’. It is as Father says.”

“What!? Is that the truth?”

I did not have that idea……

“Yes. Mizuhanome appeared in my dreams and taught me. ⁵

“The oracle from the Grand Shrine? If that’s the case, then probably so.”

However, even if it may be an oracle, can it be done?

“Father, why do you think that the Hii River overflows every few years?”

“That’s because of heavy rains. Even a child would know.”

Girl, are you making fun of me?

Certainly, if heavy rain does not fall, then flooding will not happen, but this is not the only cause.”

“Is there something else?”

“Yes, it’s the iron. To be precise, it’s the earth and sand that contains the iron.”

 

***(Tama POV)***

 

How are you doing?

It’s Tama. As I thought I was the miko at the Kitsuki-no-Oyashiro, my father summoned me to come to the Gasstonda Castle for my new year greetings. ⁶

For a miko, New Year’s is the busiest time of the year. Father, what are you thinking?

Then, the reason I was summoned was not to receive a surprise, but some beautiful words: “Tama, become the Gundai of the Kando District.”

Pops, are you an idiot? Are you going to die?

To make matters worse, “I will arrange Tako Tokitaka as your guardian, so do not worry,” and it ended up becoming settled.

When I promptly looked at old man Tako’s direction, the old man was just smiling at the old man…… These guys were accomplices! Did you form an alliance?

Apparently, it seems like I was set up by these two old men.

From an eight-year-old girl Jodai to suddenly becoming a Gundai?
Well, I think most Jodai are though. ⁷

Well, Well, if you eliminate the fact that I’m Amago Haruhisa’s daughter—a female, as the direct descendant of my father, I have a decent position in the family.

No matter how much you try to purge the Shingu Force, the number of directly controlled territories has increased and you need a helping hand, don’t you? Has senility finally started to affect you, Father?”

However, in a way, this is a chance.

Now that it’s come to this; if you’ve eaten poison, might as well lick the plate. Let’s do our best and fire ourselves up!

Me being able to manage within the district means that the likelihood of what I wanted to do, ever since I reincarnated into this time period, has widened.

Speaking of territory governments with a good reputation, other than lowering the tax rates, it would have to be flood control! It’s connected to soothing the population of the fief after all. By implementing flood control, new rice fields can be developed and the harvested amount would increase. It’s killing three or four birds with one stone; the economic package called flood control.

Eh? You’re not going to lower the tax rate?

You must lower it! We’re going to develop new rice paddies. In the first place, if we come up with a way to spread the rice planting method, the harvest will increase, won’t it? Then, the amount of rice entering the farmer’s pockets will increase.

Then, about the Hii river though. In this era, the Hii river directly poured into the Sea of Japan. As I thought that the river flowed into Lake Shinji, I was surprised.

However, if you think about it, there are many rivers in the modern-day that flow through completely different places in the Kanto Plains and Nobi Plains. The Tone River flows into the Tokyo Bay, so it wasn’t strange for the Hii river to flow into the Sea of Japan. ⁸

I will make them once again realize the power of flood control is great!

“Father, if I am to become a Gundai, I want to ask for a favor.”

“What is it? Tell me.”

“Allow me to implement flood control.”

“Hmm, flood control is important after all. Other than flood control, I will permit Tama to implement policies regarding general concerns.”

“Thank you very much. Specifically speaking, I would like to change the flow of the Hii River.”

With this and that, let’s return to the beginning (of the chapter).

 

***(Still Tama POV)***

 

“Is there anything else?”

“Yes, it’s the iron. To be precise, it’s the earth and sand that contains the iron.”

The kanna-nagashi method has not been introduced yet, but that should have begun in the Edo period. The iron was collected from the rocks that were likely to crumble by nature, so the influx of earth and sand of the Hii River is far more than the rivers upstream where the geological features are hard. ⁹

“The reason why the Hii River is prone to flooding is due to the earth and sands shallows the bottom of the river, causing the water to overflow where the Kobe River merges.”

“Hmm, now that you mention it, that is the case.”

“Thus, we can separate the Hii and Kobe River, and naturally press forward the land reclamation of Lake Shinji with the earth and sand from Hii River while we’re at it. Mizuhanome told me so.

“I see, that makes sense. So that’s why Hii River’s mouth is Hirata, huh.”

“Yes. The Hii River will pass through from Nakano to the north, from Takeshi to the northeast, from Midami to Hirata.” ¹⁰

(T/N: This ain’t getting translated, sorry.)

“So the Shuto District will become east and south of the river?”

“Yes. There is also the issue of tax exemptions of land tax from the people whose land will be taken for the new river and water rights, so it is indispensable to have agency over the Shuto District and the Numata Village in Tatenui District.”

“It’s complicated to get entangled with the water problem……”

“Skirmishes are a daily occurrence after all. If done poorly, you will kill each other, thus no hope for the future, is that not right?”

“Hm? What is that “occurrence” you speak of? A Tama-word created by Tama?” ¹¹

Huh? Did the term “daily occurrences” not exist in this era?

“Tea and rice matters. It is a common occurrence like normally drinking tea and eating a meal.” (T/N: Refer to the previous footnote if you decided to skip over it, or else this sentence makes no sense at all.)

“Hahaha! Tama created an interesting word. However, if we were killing each other every day like we were eating a meal, would the people not all be gone?”

“Father, it is just a figure of speech!”

“Hahaha, it’s a joke, a joke. Do not get so sulky.”

“Geez, putting that aside, what about the matter of becoming a Gundai!”

“That’s right. I get it. I will entrust Tama with being the Gundai of the Shuto District and the Daikan of the Numata Village.”

“I understand. I humbly accept.”

“What? There is no need to be so stiff. Even if you fail, I have the power to wipe the ass of a lass. You can perform your duties without needing to care about failure.”

One way or another, Father was a proper father, wasn’t he? For the first time since I’ve reincarnated, I felt like Amago Haruhisa was actually my father, and subconsciously, my eyes have become moist, haven’t they?

Momo-san, I have made another family member in this world other than you.

As a modern person, this may be a slightly harsh period we lived in, but Mother, I am thankful that you gave birth to me this life.

I will try my best to protect Amago and Izumo!

Just a maybe though……

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 🙁

1. https://japanese-wiki-corpus.github.io/title/Gundai.html
2. Japanese Wikipedia to the Tatenui District:
   https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A5%AF%E7%B8%AB%E9%83%A1
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirata,_Shimane
4. Daikan: https://japanese-wiki-corpus.github.io/title/Daikan%20(local%20governor).html
5. https://japanese-wiki-corpus.github.io/Shinto/Mizuhanome.html
6. Flowingcloud: Japanese usually have huge traditions revolving around the new year, and new year greetings are one of them. However, it is not common for her to be called there as she is already a miko at the shrine.
7. Jodai: https://japanese-wiki-corpus.github.io/title/Jodai%20(Castellan).html
8. List of geography:
   Kanto Plain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kant%C5%8D_Plain
   Nobi Plain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C5%8Dbi_Plain
   Tokyo Bay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Bay
   Tone River: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_River
9. The method: https://www.hitachi-metals.co.jp/e/tatara/nnp020605.htm
10. There is no exact page for the Nakano Village mentioned: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E9%87%8E%E6%9D%91
    Midami Village (does not exist anymore) is mentioned in this Japanese Wikipedia page: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%87%BA%E9%9B%B2%E9%83%A1
11. The actual term for “daily occurrence” was 日常茶飯事 and Haruhisa was asking what “茶飯事” meant as the term did not exist in those times. The term “茶飯事” literally means tea and meal matters. You have to have tea (cause for some reason they don’t drink water) and a meal every day, thus the word means a commonplace event.