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alias_sqbrMasterlist and guide
I'm quite liking this!
Content note: disordered eating.
Masamune leaves the moment MC finds out she's to be his page, leaving Kojuro to explain that she'll be dealing with all of his personal affairs and effects, and also preparing his meals.
MC: I've heard pages have to be well educated and good at martial arts?
Kojuro: Oh yes, as his representative, and to defend him in battle.
MC, a cook: D:
Kojuro: Exceptions will be made. Your most important job is to cook meals Lord Masamune can not only enjoy, but trust. We do not expect you to be perfect, all we ask is that you consider Lord Masamune above all others.
MC is intimidated, but determined to do her best. Her main concern is that if Kojuro has been watching her so closely, he plausibly knows that she's a woman.
MC's first job is to help the maids prepare for some guests, to learn more about the castle. Umeko gives her some candy *still ships it* Oh gosh ALL the maids keep giving her candy, pitying this poor sweet boy stuck as mean ol' Masamune's page.
Retainers: Sympathies. This young Lord Date won't even looks at us, not like his father. I wish he'd chosen a different successor, and I served someone more trustworthy.
MC is uncomfortable and leaves...and bumps into an impassively eavesdropping Masamune.
MC: I'm sorry :(
But he just calmly tells her he's out of ink. She's left feeling confused and guilty. Just what kind of man is he, and how can she best serve him?
MC encounters some locals gasping in shock at the arrival of a huge terrifying FOREIGNER...and naturally it's her two buddies from Kyoto, Luis and Fransisco. When she explains about the crossdressing they're all "Lying is a Sin but I will pray for God to forgive you".
And they're the guests! They sing 'Yahiko's praises and ask for permission to sell foreign goods and prosthletise. Masamune says he'll consider it.
That night, Kojuro helps her cook, as always.
MC: Lord Kojuro, what...kind of person...is Lord Masamune? He's not really like...my sister described, and the people in the castle say, uh...
Kojuro: It's true that he killed all those people, and can't eat in front of his retainers. But the Masamune you know from your restaurant is just as real. It is up to you to decide which reality is the truth. Personally...I think he is worthy of his position.
She apologises to Masamune again for not defending him from the gossiping earlier.
Masamune, flatly: I already know not to hope for their trust. Just like those Europeans say...they wait around for God's love because the love of men is worthless.
MC: You're the one who saved our restaurant from thugs. I trust you, Lord Masamune. And I want you to trust me. That's why I want to apologise.
Masamune: ...are you done? I'm hungry.
MC: Of course, I'm sorry.
Masamune: ...for now...I trust your food.
MC: Thank you :D
Oh goddd I hope we're not in for an angsty YOU LIED ABOUT YOUR IDENTITY reveal /o\
Masamune: Yahiko is an odd fellow, isn't he?
Kojuro: How so?
Masamune: ...
Haaa and then that night Kojuro comes to her room and says "You're a woman, aren't you?"
I was all set to be honest, but my choices are "Say nothing" and "deflect the question". Apparently the latter choice is best, interesting.
MC: Me, a man? Ahaha >.>
Kojuro: I was kidding, but they're not wrong when they say you have a comely face. You can't do much for your looks but at least try not to act like a woman.
I think he knows and this is his roundabout way of giving her advice.
The next day MC feels very self conscious about how much she has to touch Masamune to get him dressed for an upcoming hunt, though not in a "he's sexy" way. He's nice about showing her how to put on his armour.
Shigezane barrels into the room and introduces himself as Masamune's cousin, saying "Kojuro said you were pretty. And look at those tiny arms...want me to train you?".
And now we meet Masamune's mother, Yoshihime.
Shigezane: Masamune doesn't like talking about it, but as his page you should know they don't get along. She neglects him in favour of her golden child, Masamune's younger brother Kojirou.
Shigezane is openly fond of Masamune and MC is really happy to know he has someone other than Kojuro.
Shigezane: Let's go to a hot spring :D
MC: It's not...that I don't want to...I just have this scar I'm self conscious about...
Masamune: I'm fine, go without me.
A maid gets overly pushy about giving Masamune sake so he DRAWS HIS SWORD.
Shigezane: Dammit Masamune...and she's so pretty! Sorry, he hates real women like you. Masamune, the ladies love you, why not love them back?
Masamune, sheathing his sword: If you want to stop me killing someone, don't tell me to be more like you :/ *leaves*
MC: Oh no he didn't eat, poor Masamune :(
Me: Also poor maid?
That night Masamune gets MC to cook for Kojuro as well and they both quietly think it's adorable.
Kojuro: I know of a secluded onsen suitable for a woman.
MC: AHAHAHA YOU ALREADY SAID THAT JOKE >.>
Kojuro: No but seriously.
He says he's known since the thug attack, but doesn't want Masamune losing one of the few people he's able to trust.
Kojuro: But if you do anything suspicious I will kill you myself.
MC: I want nothing more but to make sure I don't betray his trust.
Just as MC is enjoying the onsen, Masamune arrives! But he remembers that she said she was self conscious about her appearance, so gives her privacy, aw.
Time for Falcony! Sengoku falconry outfits look so dumb.
Anyway, MC is a bit scared of Masamune's giant hawk, but notices how kindly he looks at it.
While gathering water she encounters the retainers who were gossiping about Masamune before, now slacking off. She tells them off and one is about to punch her...when a wild dog attacks, and the guy protects her. She defends another retainer, and then Lord Masamune's hawk scares off the dog for good.
She defends the retainers, lying that they were helping her gather water.
Kojuro: This is not the time or place for a page to have words with me >:(
Masamune punishes them by making them be her personal servants for the next fortnight. They all agree that "Young Date" might not be so bad after all.
MC: Thank you for saving me.
Masamune: Thank her, not me.
MC, patting the hawk: Thank you.
Haaa he claims he wasn't being kind with his punishment, just valuing his retainers as
"Fools, but fools who can fight".
Masamune: Why did you save them?
MC: Because I could.
Masamune: Keep doing things like that and you'll get hurt.
And then Kojuro arrives with the news that Masamune's father, Lord Teramune, has been kidnapped!! By the Date clan's long-time rivals the Hatakeyama Clan.
Masamune goes very cold. As he, Kojuro, and Shigezane organise a rescue, they hear Masamune's dad in the enemy camp shouting "Just shoot me!"
(The narration talks a lot about 'light glittering in Masamune's eyes' etc, I guess because 'eye', singular, sounds a bit odd. But it always throws me off for a second. We can only see one eye!)
Masamune: Attack the enemy camp. Shoot everyone.
MC: ...and rescue your dad?
Masamune: Our first priority is to defeat the enemy.
Shigezane: Um...I don't want to cast doubt on your judgement but...your dad?
Masamune: And? You forget yourself, and who you serve. Follow orders or step down.
Shigezane: ...as you wish, milord.
Aw :(
Masamune is interesting, he's not actively awful like Nobunaga and Ieyasu, but still very much a Warrior Lord, with Kojuro his equally rigidly hierarchical second. They were fluffier in the events I've played, but this is interesting too, and I'm curious to see how the overall dynamic plays out.
MC is visibly distressed, thinking back to the death of her own father, and not sure how she feels about Masamune.
Masamune: Is this your first battle?
MC: Yes...
Masamune: Ah :( I remember my first battle, I was just like you. But I never left the safest place. Do you know where that is, Yahiko?
MC: *shakes head*
Masamune: Right by the general. Unless you want to die, do not leave my side.
Masamune gives the order to fire and the air fills with smoke. But when it's announced that his father has been found alive but bleeding to death, Masamune runs to his side.
Masamune's father: You did well...Masamune...
Masamune: Father...
Masamune's father: Take care of Oshu...and my wife...
As the other men weep, Masamune coldly gives the order to return home. And now "he shot his father in cold blood" is added to the rumours around him.
MC sees his mother screaming "Demon spawn!" at him in anger as he just stands there, impassive. That night, he refuses to eat his dinner, and again every night after.
Just as she's at the point of talking to Kojuro about it, she hears them arguing.
Kojuro: You haven't eaten anything since he died, have you? Yahiko is worried about you too, you know. Lord Masamune, you are not the one to blame.
Masamune: So you say, but I am the one who killed him.
MC cries, feeling guilty that she ever doubted Masamune's concern for his father. They are both war orphans, their fathers dead for nothing.
She doggedly takes food to his room, even though he always ignores it. When she goes to check on him later she finds him crying, softly...without his eye patch. His other eye is a different colour.
Masamune: GET OUT!!
MC: Why would you ever think I could leave you like this?!
He looks at her in shock...and then collapses.
;_;
Kojuro calls for a doctor, and says Masamune has to be a strong Lord for his followers, but feels the weight of everything he's done. MC asks to stay by his side overnight, and hears Masamune beg for his father's forgiveness in his sleep :(
The next day Masamune wakes up, and apologises for causing trouble but still says he isn't hungry.
MC: My father always told me eating is the first step to carrying on. If you can't even find the strength to save yourself...you won't be able to find it when you need to be there for someone else.
Kojiro: If you won't eat...Yahiko and I will make you
Masamune: Aren't we living dangerously >:/
Kojiro: Every day, Milord.
Masamune: I suppose you are right, it would disgrace the name of the one eyed dragon to be brought down by malnutrition.
Later MC finds him staring sadly at the moon. He says he doubts himself, and asks what she thinks of him. I made the wrong choice so her answer was muddled, oops, but she said something about how he did manage to save SOME people even if not everyone. She also talks about the horror of war and the pointlessness of revenge, and he stares at her thoughtfully.
I am quite liking this, overall! It's interesting having an MC stay cross-dressed for this long, but without any overt shippiness. Not that Masamune would show it if he was interested in someone, regardless of gender. He obviously likes 'Yahiko' more than he's willing to say overtly, but I'm not sure if we're supposed to read him as thinking of it as romantic. MC doesn't think of her concern for Masamune as sexual or romantic yet. But it's still all very shippy, and I am happy with the slow burn for now. I'm curious to see when her gender gets revealed, and how it changes their dynamic.
There's that thing where I feel like the narrative relies slightly too much on his (very endearing) woobieness to make up for him doing unfortunate things. He can't entirely help being the way he is due to trauma etc, but I'm a bit worried it'll lean too far into "he has trauma so It's All Fine And Not A Big Deal", when I'd prefer "it is a big deal but he can improve while still respecting his limitations and needs".
I'm quite liking this!
Content note: disordered eating.
Masamune leaves the moment MC finds out she's to be his page, leaving Kojuro to explain that she'll be dealing with all of his personal affairs and effects, and also preparing his meals.
MC: I've heard pages have to be well educated and good at martial arts?
Kojuro: Oh yes, as his representative, and to defend him in battle.
MC, a cook: D:
Kojuro: Exceptions will be made. Your most important job is to cook meals Lord Masamune can not only enjoy, but trust. We do not expect you to be perfect, all we ask is that you consider Lord Masamune above all others.
MC is intimidated, but determined to do her best. Her main concern is that if Kojuro has been watching her so closely, he plausibly knows that she's a woman.
MC's first job is to help the maids prepare for some guests, to learn more about the castle. Umeko gives her some candy *still ships it* Oh gosh ALL the maids keep giving her candy, pitying this poor sweet boy stuck as mean ol' Masamune's page.
Retainers: Sympathies. This young Lord Date won't even looks at us, not like his father. I wish he'd chosen a different successor, and I served someone more trustworthy.
MC is uncomfortable and leaves...and bumps into an impassively eavesdropping Masamune.
MC: I'm sorry :(
But he just calmly tells her he's out of ink. She's left feeling confused and guilty. Just what kind of man is he, and how can she best serve him?
MC encounters some locals gasping in shock at the arrival of a huge terrifying FOREIGNER...and naturally it's her two buddies from Kyoto, Luis and Fransisco. When she explains about the crossdressing they're all "Lying is a Sin but I will pray for God to forgive you".
And they're the guests! They sing 'Yahiko's praises and ask for permission to sell foreign goods and prosthletise. Masamune says he'll consider it.
That night, Kojuro helps her cook, as always.
MC: Lord Kojuro, what...kind of person...is Lord Masamune? He's not really like...my sister described, and the people in the castle say, uh...
Kojuro: It's true that he killed all those people, and can't eat in front of his retainers. But the Masamune you know from your restaurant is just as real. It is up to you to decide which reality is the truth. Personally...I think he is worthy of his position.
She apologises to Masamune again for not defending him from the gossiping earlier.
Masamune, flatly: I already know not to hope for their trust. Just like those Europeans say...they wait around for God's love because the love of men is worthless.
MC: You're the one who saved our restaurant from thugs. I trust you, Lord Masamune. And I want you to trust me. That's why I want to apologise.
Masamune: ...are you done? I'm hungry.
MC: Of course, I'm sorry.
Masamune: ...for now...I trust your food.
MC: Thank you :D
Oh goddd I hope we're not in for an angsty YOU LIED ABOUT YOUR IDENTITY reveal /o\
Masamune: Yahiko is an odd fellow, isn't he?
Kojuro: How so?
Masamune: ...
Haaa and then that night Kojuro comes to her room and says "You're a woman, aren't you?"
I was all set to be honest, but my choices are "Say nothing" and "deflect the question". Apparently the latter choice is best, interesting.
MC: Me, a man? Ahaha >.>
Kojuro: I was kidding, but they're not wrong when they say you have a comely face. You can't do much for your looks but at least try not to act like a woman.
I think he knows and this is his roundabout way of giving her advice.
The next day MC feels very self conscious about how much she has to touch Masamune to get him dressed for an upcoming hunt, though not in a "he's sexy" way. He's nice about showing her how to put on his armour.
Shigezane barrels into the room and introduces himself as Masamune's cousin, saying "Kojuro said you were pretty. And look at those tiny arms...want me to train you?".
And now we meet Masamune's mother, Yoshihime.
Shigezane: Masamune doesn't like talking about it, but as his page you should know they don't get along. She neglects him in favour of her golden child, Masamune's younger brother Kojirou.
Shigezane is openly fond of Masamune and MC is really happy to know he has someone other than Kojuro.
Shigezane: Let's go to a hot spring :D
MC: It's not...that I don't want to...I just have this scar I'm self conscious about...
Masamune: I'm fine, go without me.
A maid gets overly pushy about giving Masamune sake so he DRAWS HIS SWORD.
Shigezane: Dammit Masamune...and she's so pretty! Sorry, he hates real women like you. Masamune, the ladies love you, why not love them back?
Masamune, sheathing his sword: If you want to stop me killing someone, don't tell me to be more like you :/ *leaves*
MC: Oh no he didn't eat, poor Masamune :(
Me: Also poor maid?
That night Masamune gets MC to cook for Kojuro as well and they both quietly think it's adorable.
Kojuro: I know of a secluded onsen suitable for a woman.
MC: AHAHAHA YOU ALREADY SAID THAT JOKE >.>
Kojuro: No but seriously.
He says he's known since the thug attack, but doesn't want Masamune losing one of the few people he's able to trust.
Kojuro: But if you do anything suspicious I will kill you myself.
MC: I want nothing more but to make sure I don't betray his trust.
Just as MC is enjoying the onsen, Masamune arrives! But he remembers that she said she was self conscious about her appearance, so gives her privacy, aw.
Time for Falcony! Sengoku falconry outfits look so dumb.
Anyway, MC is a bit scared of Masamune's giant hawk, but notices how kindly he looks at it.
While gathering water she encounters the retainers who were gossiping about Masamune before, now slacking off. She tells them off and one is about to punch her...when a wild dog attacks, and the guy protects her. She defends another retainer, and then Lord Masamune's hawk scares off the dog for good.
She defends the retainers, lying that they were helping her gather water.
Kojuro: This is not the time or place for a page to have words with me >:(
Masamune punishes them by making them be her personal servants for the next fortnight. They all agree that "Young Date" might not be so bad after all.
MC: Thank you for saving me.
Masamune: Thank her, not me.
MC, patting the hawk: Thank you.
Haaa he claims he wasn't being kind with his punishment, just valuing his retainers as
"Fools, but fools who can fight".
Masamune: Why did you save them?
MC: Because I could.
Masamune: Keep doing things like that and you'll get hurt.
And then Kojuro arrives with the news that Masamune's father, Lord Teramune, has been kidnapped!! By the Date clan's long-time rivals the Hatakeyama Clan.
Masamune goes very cold. As he, Kojuro, and Shigezane organise a rescue, they hear Masamune's dad in the enemy camp shouting "Just shoot me!"
(The narration talks a lot about 'light glittering in Masamune's eyes' etc, I guess because 'eye', singular, sounds a bit odd. But it always throws me off for a second. We can only see one eye!)
Masamune: Attack the enemy camp. Shoot everyone.
MC: ...and rescue your dad?
Masamune: Our first priority is to defeat the enemy.
Shigezane: Um...I don't want to cast doubt on your judgement but...your dad?
Masamune: And? You forget yourself, and who you serve. Follow orders or step down.
Shigezane: ...as you wish, milord.
Aw :(
Masamune is interesting, he's not actively awful like Nobunaga and Ieyasu, but still very much a Warrior Lord, with Kojuro his equally rigidly hierarchical second. They were fluffier in the events I've played, but this is interesting too, and I'm curious to see how the overall dynamic plays out.
MC is visibly distressed, thinking back to the death of her own father, and not sure how she feels about Masamune.
Masamune: Is this your first battle?
MC: Yes...
Masamune: Ah :( I remember my first battle, I was just like you. But I never left the safest place. Do you know where that is, Yahiko?
MC: *shakes head*
Masamune: Right by the general. Unless you want to die, do not leave my side.
Masamune gives the order to fire and the air fills with smoke. But when it's announced that his father has been found alive but bleeding to death, Masamune runs to his side.
Masamune's father: You did well...Masamune...
Masamune: Father...
Masamune's father: Take care of Oshu...and my wife...
As the other men weep, Masamune coldly gives the order to return home. And now "he shot his father in cold blood" is added to the rumours around him.
MC sees his mother screaming "Demon spawn!" at him in anger as he just stands there, impassive. That night, he refuses to eat his dinner, and again every night after.
Just as she's at the point of talking to Kojuro about it, she hears them arguing.
Kojuro: You haven't eaten anything since he died, have you? Yahiko is worried about you too, you know. Lord Masamune, you are not the one to blame.
Masamune: So you say, but I am the one who killed him.
MC cries, feeling guilty that she ever doubted Masamune's concern for his father. They are both war orphans, their fathers dead for nothing.
She doggedly takes food to his room, even though he always ignores it. When she goes to check on him later she finds him crying, softly...without his eye patch. His other eye is a different colour.
Masamune: GET OUT!!
MC: Why would you ever think I could leave you like this?!
He looks at her in shock...and then collapses.
;_;
Kojuro calls for a doctor, and says Masamune has to be a strong Lord for his followers, but feels the weight of everything he's done. MC asks to stay by his side overnight, and hears Masamune beg for his father's forgiveness in his sleep :(
The next day Masamune wakes up, and apologises for causing trouble but still says he isn't hungry.
MC: My father always told me eating is the first step to carrying on. If you can't even find the strength to save yourself...you won't be able to find it when you need to be there for someone else.
Kojiro: If you won't eat...Yahiko and I will make you
Masamune: Aren't we living dangerously >:/
Kojiro: Every day, Milord.
Masamune: I suppose you are right, it would disgrace the name of the one eyed dragon to be brought down by malnutrition.
Later MC finds him staring sadly at the moon. He says he doubts himself, and asks what she thinks of him. I made the wrong choice so her answer was muddled, oops, but she said something about how he did manage to save SOME people even if not everyone. She also talks about the horror of war and the pointlessness of revenge, and he stares at her thoughtfully.
I am quite liking this, overall! It's interesting having an MC stay cross-dressed for this long, but without any overt shippiness. Not that Masamune would show it if he was interested in someone, regardless of gender. He obviously likes 'Yahiko' more than he's willing to say overtly, but I'm not sure if we're supposed to read him as thinking of it as romantic. MC doesn't think of her concern for Masamune as sexual or romantic yet. But it's still all very shippy, and I am happy with the slow burn for now. I'm curious to see when her gender gets revealed, and how it changes their dynamic.
There's that thing where I feel like the narrative relies slightly too much on his (very endearing) woobieness to make up for him doing unfortunate things. He can't entirely help being the way he is due to trauma etc, but I'm a bit worried it'll lean too far into "he has trauma so It's All Fine And Not A Big Deal", when I'd prefer "it is a big deal but he can improve while still respecting his limitations and needs".
no subject
Date: 2020-04-07 04:17 pm (UTC)And I'm side-eyeing Masamune more, because the sword-drawing. What are you doing, Masamune.
Oh goddd I hope we're not in for an angsty YOU LIED ABOUT YOUR IDENTITY reveal /o\
Maybe there will be a non-angsty and sweet "you lied but I don't care" reveal!
There's that thing where I feel like the narrative relies slightly too much on his (very endearing) woobieness to make up for him doing unfortunate things. He can't entirely help being the way he is due to trauma etc, but I'm a bit worried it'll lean too far into "he has trauma so It's All Fine And Not A Big Deal", when I'd prefer "it is a big deal but he can improve while still respecting his limitations and needs".
I'm very curious to see how it goes and what you think of it! Based on the routes I've played, I do think SLBP does a lot of woobieness and a bit of sweeping unfortunate things under the rug sometimes.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-16 01:54 pm (UTC)Yeah, Kojuro's first priority is Masamune but he tries to be generally decent to everyone. I'm not sure I'd enjoy his romance but I respect him as a person.
Thus far there is a LOT of woobieness, sigh.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-08 02:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-04-08 02:05 pm (UTC)But it's not his fault, he only killed those children because of peer pressure and social anxiety!
no subject
Date: 2020-04-08 04:00 pm (UTC)