Some weeks earlier.
Evening: 5:30 pm
In the Hyuga compound
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Saturated orange sunlight poured onto a desk through the window.
The scent of aged wood and faint old books was inhaled by Ren as he gently fanned the Hyuga princess with a large, ornate fan, each slow sweep creating a gentle breeze that stirred the curls of her hair and rustled the papers slightly.
The soft rustling of the fan's movement and the quiet scratching of a red needle were the only sounds in the focused atmosphere.
.
Hinata's elbow supported her chin as she leaned forward, engraving interactive markings on the desk, leaving green patterns around a needle that was placed perpendicularly in the middle.
She hummed softly as the sharp red needle dissolved into the air.
As her hand lifted upwards, massive amounts of chakra surged around her hand.
She gently placed her five fingers on the desk and let her chakra go wild. As soon as a wisp of chakra entered the pattern, it ominously lit up and came to life.
All of the lines started to wiggle as if they had their own consciousness; in the next instant, they compressed and crawled toward the tip of the needle.
*Drip*
A bead of sweat ran down from her forehead to her cheek and splashed on the ground, breaking the focused atmosphere.
"Huff." Hinata let out a tired breath. She felt a large portion of her chakra depleted, if she considered it a large amount of chakra so it was far beyond what normal shinobi could imagine.
"Here, Lady Hinata," Ren quickly handed her a glass of cold water.
"Thanks, Ren." Hinata gulped down the water and picked up the needle, smirking as she inspected its tip.
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"It's the 1835th layer," Ren commented in awe as he too looked at the needle.
"Hehe, once it's completed, it will usher in a new age for our clan." With every word she spoke, the glow in her eyes seemed to flicker more intently. What mysteries she was hiding in that needle, nobody knew.
"For the past five years, watching you perform the sealing has fascinated me," Ren said.
He was the only person who had witnessed her struggles; even a minor mistake could set her back to square one. A slight hand movement could destroy the entire pattern, forcing her to start over again and again.
And every time, it took a tremendous amount of chakra to successfully perform the sealing.
He had seen her eyes and hands literally bleed from overworking, sometimes frustrated and tired, but her patience surpassed all.
.
She had never shown this to anyone outside of this room. In Ren's eyes, there was only admiration and respect.
"Ren, what are you thinking?" Her voice brought him out of his trance.
"It's nothing," he said, resuming his fanning.
"How much money?" she asked.
And there was another issue: the cost.
The green ink used for the sealing was very rare and expensive, even for a royal clan like theirs.
Even 10 ml of ink cost thousands of ryo, and she had been using it for years, meaning millions of ryo had already been spent.
.
"I think it's time for this year's quota," she chuckled.
Picking up the needle, she sealed it in a mini scroll and tucked the scroll into her sleeve.
And what was the best way to earn money? To kill someone, and collect the bounty from the black market.
"Tell Grandpa to hold a meeting tonight," she ordered him.
"Yes, lady Hinata," he slightly bowed before disappearing.
She closed all the remaining books and scrolls, neatly placing them on the shelves.
Her fingers twitched in excitement. "It's time to meet that monk," she whispered to herself with a slight laugh as she exited the library room.
'Fire temple here I come,'
*
Outside, an evening breeze rustled through the green grass, lifting stray leaves in its wake.
Hinata reached out, catching a flowing leaf between her fingers. As she walked towards the backyard, she released the leaf. Floating in the air, it soon disintegrated into tiny particles that scattered in all directions, as if embraced by the touch of death.
.
With her hands locked behind her back, Hinata walked excitedly towards her mother, a big smile on her face and her hair bouncing with each step.
As she leaned forward, her hands started to spread and slowly wrapped around her mother's neck. With a genuine and beautiful smile, she whispered in her mother's ear, "What are you doing, mommy?"
A fish peeked through the water's surface, creating ripples as if breaking the serene silence.
.
Her mother lifted her gaze from the pond, her eyes meeting Hinata's with a warm smile gracing her lips. "I was waiting for you," she replied.
"Oh, why is that?" Hinata giggled, rubbing her cheek against her mother's.
"Can't I wait to see my daughter and spend time with her?" Her mother questioned, a playful pout on her face.
'Are you trying to make my heart explode?'
.
"Here I am. Are you happy now?" Hinata whispered.
*tap*
Her mother tapped the bench, indicating Hinata to sit next to her.
As she looked at her daughter, her eyes softened. She didn't understand why, but her heart always skipped a beat whenever she saw Hinata, a forbidden feeling to cherish her for eternity striers inside her.
She took a deep breath, feeling her heart overflow with emotions. Among all her children, Hinata was the closest to her, as if she had a part of her heart attached to her.
Why was feeling like this, there was no reason she just loved her daughter that much.
.
Gently, she placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder and pulled her close, causing Hinata to lay her head in her lap.
"What did you learn today in the academy, dear?" Her mother asked, gently tucking strands of hair behind Hinata's ear.
"Nothing."
"Hehe," her mother giggled. "You're too smart for them."
"Hmm," Hinata hummed, looking up at her mother. She raised her hand, a slight smile spreading across her lips as she twirled her fingers through her mother's hair strands. 'Should I pull them, like I used to when I was a toddler?'
.
"Don't even think about it," her mother said with a raised eyebrow, gently squeezing Hinata's hand.
'How did she know what I was thinking?' Hinata looked at her mother in surprise.
'Can she also read minds using her Byakugan?'
"Don't make that face, sweetheart. I'm your mother, so of course, I know what you were thinking. And besides, your cute little face tells me everything," her mother poked Hinata's cheeks with a cheeky grin.
"Am I that predictable?" Hinata asked, somewhat disappointed in herself.
"Hehe, to me, yes," her mother patted Hinata's head reassuringly.
"I can't hide anything from you, can I?" Hinata whispered, nuzzling her nose into her mother's belly, making her giggle.
.
Their laughter, filled with pure joy and love, seemed to breathe life into the surrounding nature, making flowers sway gently and bloom more brightly.
Their random talks, tender moments, and sweet memories were the epitome of their love— these emotions were something that not everyone is fortunate enough to experience.
And they both knew this. That's why they lived each moment with all their hearts. No one knew what the future held; the most precious things might not always be there.
.
More than half an hour passed like this. "I should be going now, mother," Hinata finally said. Her mother looked at her daughter, yearning to spend more time with her and spoil her with love.
"The mission, huh..." she began, her soft eyes turning slightly sad and worried.
"Are you worried?" Hinata held her mother's hand. "Don't you know that I am strong enough to----"
"I know more than anyone how strong you are," her mother replied, her voice tinged with both pride and concern.
"But that doesn't mean I shouldn't worry about you." She gazed at Hinata.
"Don't look at me like this or you'll make me cry," Hinata thought, but a genuine smile spread across her face.
"I will be extra careful, okay," Hinata reassured her, receiving a nod in return.
"Be careful, baby," her mother whispered, her voice barely audible, as she watched her daughter's back disappear into the distance.
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End of the chapter.
AN- I was busy learning some stuff, some thought on writing a book, will I make some money, how many people use pat..reo.n.
give your brother some powerstons...