Nobunaga's Caddy Episode 3 [Creative Award 2024 Manga Original Work Category Entry]

3
“Yahoo!”
“...”
“Whoa!”
“.........”
“Eek!”
“...You’re getting too carried away, Nobu-san.”
Miran admonishes Nobunaga.
“No, no, I should be excited! Do you have any idea where we are!? This is Ryukyu! Ryukyu!”
“It’s called Okinawa now... but wow, it really is Okinawa. To think they’ve already opened the beaches since spring...”
Miran looks around, impressed.
“Look! At that brilliant, shining sun!”
“You’ll hurt your eyes if you look directly at it.”
“At this white sandy beach!”
“Ah...”
“At this blue sky!”
“Yes...”
“At this crystal-clear sea!”
“Yes...”
“And at the girls walking around or lying down half-naked!”
“Yeah, you finally said what you really think at the end there.”
“To think Ryukyu was a place like this... Was this the 'Paradiso' that the missionaries spoke of?”
“A paradise... well, I can’t say it isn’t...”
“But seeing it in person is truly irresistible, that thing called a bikini...”
Nobunaga licks his lips while watching the women in bikinis.
“Please, don’t do anything weird... You’re a prominent figure who attracts attention, Nobu-san...”
“This is a private beach. There’s no need to worry about it leaking out.”
“You only ever learn phrases like that quickly... The owner of the Okinawa golf course that partners with our golf course invited us specially. If you cause trouble, you’ll be ruining our manager’s reputation too.”
“I know, I know! Oh! A foreign woman!”
“Ah, wait!”
Before Miran can stop him, Nobunaga calls out to a woman with a blonde bob lying on a beach chair.
“Hello~♪”
“...!”
“Won’t you have a wonderful memory together with me?”
“...?”
“I didn’t want to see Oda Nobunaga speaking Ru-language...”
Miran holds her head in her hands.
“I’m Nobunaga Oda! People call me the Sixth Heavenly Demon King!”
“Are you a lackey of the England crowd?”
“...!!”
“Ah...!”
A woman with long red hair presses the handle of a beach umbrella against Nobunaga’s neck from behind.
“What are you doing to someone’s companion...”
“N-no, it would be rude not to hit on a beautiful woman, wouldn’t it...”
“That way of thinking is what’s rude...”
“Huh?”
Nobunaga turns around and glares at the red-haired woman.
“What is it?”
“You... do you know whose neck you’re pressing that against?”
“A perverted old man, that’s what.”
“A-a perverted old man!? Of all the things to say, you...”
“...You want to go?”
“You’re the one who picked the fight, so I won’t show mercy even if you’re a woman, you know?”
“Ah! Please wait a moment!”
Miran steps between the two.
“Oran, don’t stop me!”
“I’m stopping you! Fighting is bad! Especially against a woman!”
“What... a child?”
The red-haired woman tilts her head.
“A child!? W-well, I do have a somewhat baby face, but... no, that’s not it! We’re about to play a round at a nearby golf course, so we’ll be leaving now! I’m truly sorry for the rudeness!”
“A golf course? ...Does that mean you two are the prominent figures?”
“E-eh?”
“I am the one who will face you...”
“W-wait, now that you mention it, even though you’re a foreigner, we can understand each other... A-are you... what is your name?”
“I am Jeanne d’Arc.”
“Ehh!?”
Miran is so surprised she falls on her bottom. A few hours later, at a golf course near the beach, Nobunaga and the red-haired woman who called herself Jeanne d’Arc face off.
“Hmph, so you’re today’s opponent... A woman, huh...”
Nobunaga mutters with a sigh.
“What...?”
Jeanne d’Arc is annoyed.
“H-how did you end up in Okinawa from France?”
Miran asks.
“I came here to get used to long-distance travel by plane, and also for a vacation. It seems the owner of this golf course and the person taking care of me are old acquaintances.”
“Oh, is that so...”
“Oran.”
“Yes? What is it, Nobu-san?”
“Is this woman really that well-known?”
“It’s beyond just being well-known! She’s the 'Miraculous Saint'!”
“Miraculous... ha, how ridiculous...”
Nobunaga scoffs.
“! Ridiculous, you say...?”
Jeanne glares at Nobunaga.
“And what’s with that armor anyway? It must be terribly heavy, right?”
Nobunaga points at Jeanne with his chin.She is wearing Western armor over her golf wear. Miran also thought it was a strange outfit.
“This is... a manifestation of my resolve...”
Jeanne mutters, placing her right hand on her chest.
“Do you intend to head to a battlefield? This is a golf course, you know?”
“Golf is also a battle...!”
“Hmph... well fine, I’ll show you the difference in our strength.”
“Try it if you can...!”
Jeanne glares sharply at Nobunaga, who is literally looking down at her from above.The match-play golf between the Sixth Heavenly Demon King and the Miraculous Saint begins...!
“Hmph!”
“Nice shot!”
Nobunaga hits a powerful tee shot. Miran cheers him on.
“...Hmph.”
“Yeah, the distance is also sufficient!”
Miran nods as she watches the ball’s trajectory.
“Should I have gone easier on you?”
Nobunaga says to Jeanne.
“...”
“Ignoring me, are you... You’re an irritating woman...”
“...Yo.”
Jeanne closes her eyes and mutters to herself while gripping her club.
“What are you saying?”
“Nobu-san, be quiet...!”
Miran warns him.
“Tch...”
“...Please lend me your strength...!”
“...!?”
When Jeanne opens her eyes wide, the air around them changes completely. Nobunaga is also taken aback.
“Haa!”
“!?”
Jeanne hits a powerful tee shot. The ball flies with tremendous force.
“I-it flew further than Nobu-san’s!? Even though she’s so slender...!”
Miran is surprised.
“...Alright, I’m in good form today too...”
Jeanne nods. The round continues with Jeanne taking the lead, maintaining the momentum of her first shot into the middle of the game.
“Honestly, being led is unexpected...”
Miran stares intently at Jeanne.
“...God.”
“...!!”
“Haaah!”
Jeanne hits another incredible shot.
“...I understand.”
“? What is it, Oran...”
“I understand now!”
Miran turns to face Nobunaga.
“So what is it?”
“That girl... Jeanne is using the routine work of praying to God to heighten her concentration to the limit, and then exploding it at the moment of the shot!”
“...Is that the secret to why her ball flies further than mine?”
“Yes...!”
“Hmph... a person who believes in gods and Buddhas... that’s difficult to deal with...”
Nobunaga scratches the side of his head.
“W-what will you do?”
“There’s nothing to do...”
“Ah...”
Nobunaga approaches Jeanne. Jeanne looks suspicious.
“...What is it?”
“I apologize for insulting you as a woman...”
Nobunaga says while still standing tall. Jeanne is exasperated.
“Is that an attitude for apologizing? That...”
“...I consider you an opponent to be defeated with all my might.”
“...!!”
“That’s all I wanted to say...”
Nobunaga walks away from Jeanne. The round reaches the final hole with Jeanne leading by one stroke. Miran announces.
“Final hole, a par-5 long hole.”
“Hmm...”
“We’re in trouble if we don’t get at least a birdie.”
“I know.”
“Haaaah!”
Jeanne hits another powerful shot. Miran clicks her tongue.
“Tch... she’s hitting it hard until the end...”
“...Mmm!”
“! T-this is the best shot of the day!”
The ball hit by Nobunaga’s driver flies further than Jeanne’s for the first time that day. Jeanne hits her second shot. She lands in a good position.
“T-this is bad, if she’s in that position, a birdie is almost certain... Nobu-san, let’s play it safe and get close here...”
“……………”
“Nobu-san?”
“Give me the driver again.”
“Ehh!? A driver for the second shot!? That’s difficult!?”
“Just give it to me!”
“Y-yes...!!”
Miran hands him the driver.
“...Mmm!!”
“Ohh!?”
The second driver shot hit by Nobunaga flies vigorously, lands on the green, bounces a few times, and then goes into the cup.
“...Phew...”
“A-an albatross!”
Ignoring Miran’s amazement, Nobunaga speaks to Jeanne.
“Miracles are not something to be wished for... they are something you create with your own power...!”
“...Oda Nobunaga, I apologize for thinking you were a perverted old man...”
“Y-you’re still saying that!”
“I will defeat the Demon King with all my might...!”
Jeanne sinks her third shot into the cup. It’s an eagle. The score is now even. Miran asks the two.
“Extra round... shall we do it?”
“...Let’s stop. Alright? Jeanne...”
“Yeah... I suppose so.”
Jeanne nods at Nobunaga’s words. After a brief pause, Miran speaks up.
“...Does that mean...?”
“Oda Nobunaga, let’s settle this at the 'Masterpiece'...”
“That’s what I was hoping for...”
“Then, excuse me...!”
Jeanne leaves the scene briskly.
“Jeanne d’Arc, huh... What an interesting person... Oran!”
“A-ah, yes!”
“We’re going to take on the world! Follow me!”
Nobunaga flips his cape and walks off majestically.