It seems that he had self-esteem as a head of the noble Asakura family in Echizen Province, and until his death he refused to be in a home territory of Nobunaga who was just a baishin (indirect vassal) from Yoshikage's viewpoint.
越前の名族・朝倉家の当主としての自尊心だけは高かったらしく、義景から見れば陪臣に過ぎない信長の膝下に入ることを最後まで拒絶している。