Chapter 0044: A Very Awkward Situation
If I knew what the bandit was thinking in his final moments, I would have shaken my head and explained: it wasn't that the information was worthless, but rather that it was too valuable—valuable enough that I couldn't allow anyone else to share it.
The contract I found was a bounty, a high-stakes one with a reward reaching tens of millions. But it wasn't the money that interested me. It was the task: to find and retrieve, by any means necessary, the daughter of the former Daimyō of the Land of Fire—Miyuki Tsugawa.
There was even a portrait of a young girl attached, labeled as from four years ago. If this girl changed her hairstyle and wore a pair of black-framed glasses, she'd look exactly like the housewife living next door to me.
Miki... is actually the daughter of the former Daimyō?!
This realization sent a chill down my spine. I had suspected that her identity wasn't simple, but I hadn't expected it to be this complicated.
The daughter of the former Daimyō—that meant she was a real princess of the Land of Fire, royalty in the truest sense. With such a status, why had Miyu hidden her identity and ended up living in Konoha? And who had issued a bounty for her capture, dead or alive? Could it be the current Daimyō?
No, that didn't make sense. If it were the Daimyō, he wouldn't need to go through the underground black market. He could simply notify Konoha, and with the village's efficiency, it would be far more effective than relying on shady, underground ninja.
So, if it wasn't the Daimyō, then who could it be?
I pondered the matter for a long time but couldn't figure it out. The key was that I didn't have enough information. I'd have to find an opportunity to speak with the housewife next door.
With these thoughts in mind, I walked out of the camp, where Tsunade, Kurenai, and Shizune had been waiting for some time.
"You're too slow. Dealing with a few small fries and you still took this long?" Tsunade's voice immediately scolded me as soon as she saw me.
"Sorry, I ran into an unexpected situation," I said, scratching my head.
"Unexpected situation?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Did you get hurt?"
At her words, Kurenai and Shizune both turned to look at me, concern flashing in their eyes.
"No, no," I quickly waved my hand to ease their worries. "It's just that, besides the bandits in the tent I cleared, there was also a ninja."
"A ninja? What was a ninja doing with bandits?"
"He was probably trying to hide his identity. Oh, and he said he was from the Village Hidden in the Grass."
"Did you find out his objective?"
"This." I trusted Tsunade, so I didn't hold back and handed her the contract. "Given the importance of the matter, I made sure to silence the ninja."
Tsunade took the contract and, after a quick glance, nodded. "You did well. This girl's identity is far from ordinary. She's not just the daughter of the former Daimyō."
"Not just the princess?" I was caught off guard by her words.
"She was once the sixth in line to inherit the throne of the Land of Fire," Tsunade said with a sigh. "During a rebellion by external ministers, she had to flee. She was later rescued by Zixiao and has been living at his house ever since. I believe she's your neighbor?"
"Wha—Aunt Miki was actually the Daimyō's heir?" Kurenai exclaimed in shock.
"So... it's not some big secret then? You all knew?" I had assumed Miyu was hiding her identity from everyone, even Konoha's higher-ups.
But now that I thought about it, that didn't make sense.
With all the spies and Anbu in Konoha, how could someone new show up in the village without being investigated?
"Not everyone knows," Tsunade shook her head. "Aside from the Third Hokage, only Zixiao and I are aware of it."
"Uh, but now... there are three more people who know?" I suddenly realized I'd been dragged into something again.
"Relax," Tsunade shot me a glance. "There's no need to be so tense. The rebellion's already been quelled, and a new Daimyō has been appointed. That girl shouldn't be in any danger now."
"I'm not tense," I scratched my head, hesitating before continuing, "I'm just a little confused... Are we sure the rebellion had nothing to do with the new Daimyō?"
Tsunade stopped in her tracks and looked at me seriously. "That's a question I'd like to know the answer to as well. But that's not something we can interfere with. Listen, I know you're talented and you have strong ideas, but remember this—you're a ninja. Don't think you can break the rules of the ninja world."
Was she worried I'd get involved in Miyu's affairs?
I felt a wave of helplessness. Come on, I'd rather avoid this whole mess if I could! There was no way I'd meddle in such matters!
Just as I was about to voice my thoughts, the system's notification sound suddenly rang out, freezing me in place.
[New options generated!]
[Host, choose one of the following options:]
[-> Option one: Deny her: "You're not a ninja, you're just a plain weirdo. In a world of weirdos, there are no rules. I can harass anyone. No one can stop me! Let's get naked!"]
[-> Option two: Ask her: "Does the rulebook say anything about teacher-student relationships? Because I'd like to pursue you."]
[-> Option three: Rebuke her: "Some people are born to break the rules. Like you… Now, in front of them, put on a dress and start dancing to prove that dresses aren't only for women."]
[Note: You know scrotum, your ball sac? Yep, it will explode 3 seconds after you deny to choose any option.]
Damn it!
Why does it feel like the system is having fun now?
I cursed at the system in my head and, after a few seconds of internal struggle, finally made my choice. I faced Tsunade and blurted out, "S-so... teacher-student relationships aren't part of the ninja rules, right? Can I... can I pursue you?"
As soon as the words left my mouth, the system chimed in again: [Congratulations, host, for completing the mission. You've been awarded the ability to control Yin Release chakra nature.]
Silence.
The moment I spoke, everyone fell into an awkward, stunned silence. The atmosphere immediately became incredibly awkward.
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