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And now, this Raikage's secretary had become a person of the Leaf Village. The Cloud Village was exceedingly generous, and Mabui was equally decisive.
"Ha ha ha..." Chuckling softly and shaking his head, Kazuki leaned back in his chair and appraised her once more with keen interest. "So, Mabui, are you mentally prepared to become the Hokage's secretary? Also, I'm rather curious – after you left, who will take over the position of Raikage's secretary?"
"I am confident I can handle the job, so long as the Hokage is willing to trust me." Mabui's expression remained composed, her emotions showing no fluctuation whatsoever. To her, becoming the Hokage's secretary didn't seem like a particularly momentous affair. As long as Kazuki dared to let her take on the role, she would dutifully carry out her responsibilities. "As for the vacancy I left behind, I believe Samui can step in. Although her abilities may still be lacking in certain areas, I trust she will grow into the role." Mabui had faith in her best friend.
Could someone who had defected in this manner be used? And placed directly into the position of Hokage's secretary? An ordinary person would never have the nerve to attempt such a thing. If Mabui turned out to be a double agent, the Leaf Village's losses would be catastrophic.
After a moment of silence, Kazuki's fingers tapped lightly on the desk. "Mabui, can I trust you?"
"Your trust will determine my capability," Mabui replied calmly, bowing respectfully.
"A very interesting answer." Kazuki couldn't help but smile. "Itachi, take her to my residence and get her settled first. Since she is to become my secretary, she will need to handle all matters, both personal and professional. Also, take her to complete the necessary paperwork to resolve her identification issues."
"Yes, my lord." Itachi, standing outside the door, opened it and gestured for Mabui to follow. And so, Mabui assumed the position of Hokage's secretary. As for Izumi, Kazuki had already transferred her to the Police Force, where her position was also clerical in nature.
Could someone like Mabui be used? Kazuki could answer affirmatively: yes, she could be used. But the extent of her usage depended on her sense of belonging and the village's countermeasures. Kazuki wouldn't squeeze Mabui for Cloud Village intelligence. At the same time, he would leave certain precautionary measures in place regarding her.
He is willing to trust her and make her the Hokage's secretary because her abilities are strong enough and she can handle the job. But she's not native-born to the Leaf Village. The necessary precautions cannot be neglected.
Even if Mabui took on tasks like warming Kazuki's bed, Kazuki still couldn't trust her unconditionally. Leaving some safeguards in place was best for everyone. Kazuki had thus fulfilled his duty to the village and himself, and Mabui could set aside any other thoughts and work with peace of mind.
Professionals were indeed efficient. In less than two hours, Mabui had sorted out her identification, completed her onboarding, and even taken over all the household affairs at Kazuki's residence.
As a career secretary, she quickly settled into the rhythm. However, there was still much she needed to master. The sheer volume of documents and scrolls alone would keep her busy for quite some time. Kazuki was curious to see what kind of expression Onoki would wear upon meeting Mabui.
Mabui had smoothly entered her post and was rapidly integrating. To become proficient in her new role as soon as possible, she chose to work overtime. Kazuki didn't pressure her to clock out and rest; how she managed her time was entirely up to her. But when Kazuki arrived at the Hokage building the next morning, he was genuinely unsettled.
This woman was truly ruthless – ruthless to herself. He'd assumed she'd work late into the night at most. Instead, she hadn't gone back to rest at all and even seemed intent on continuing into the early morning.
She was genuinely formidable. Placing the breakfast he'd bought on the way onto the desk, Kazuki tapped the table. "Eat something first. Then go rest in the break room for a while. Around ten o'clock, you'll be accompanying me on a mission outside the village."
"Yes, my lord." Mabui promptly rose, swiftly organized the documents and returned them to their places, grabbed the breakfast, and devoured it in large bites. After finishing, she briskly headed to the break room to sleep.
Time passed. Nine-thirty arrived. Rasa and Mei Terumi had yet to appear, but Mabui, having slept for less than two hours, was already up, making preparations. Watching the busy figure in the Hokage's office, Kazuki mused that at this very moment, the Raikage must be in such agony he could barely breathe. A perfectly good secretary, gone – requiring him to cultivate a new one from scratch.
The frustrating part was that while it seemed many people could handle the job, finding someone truly suitable and capable was exceedingly difficult. This was the fundamental reason Kazuki had transferred Izumi back to the Police Force. Izumi was efficient and loyal enough, but regrettably, her capabilities were slightly lacking. One must never underestimate the position of secretary – it required talent and capability. It wasn't a role just anyone could be thrown into and expect to smoothly handle every affair.
As ten o'clock drew nearer, Rasa and Mei Terumi arrived. Like Kazuki, they each brought two guards. Kazuki had one additional person with him – his new secretary.
"Is that... Mabui of the Cloud Village?" Mei Terumi nearly thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She rubbed them vigorously, confirming again and again that she wasn't mistaken. She knew Mabui, though their relationship was merely ordinary. They'd met during the Jonin Exams, and Mei Terumi was aware that Mabui had become the Raikage's secretary – capable and deeply trusted by the Raikage. To suddenly see such a figure in the Leaf Village, following beside Kazuki, was utterly mind-boggling. Even more absurd was the fact that the former Raikage's secretary, Mabui, now wore a Leaf Village forehead protector. Even if she had come to the Leaf Village on a mission, wearing the Leaf's forehead protector was unthinkable. What in the world was going on?
Mabui stood quietly beside Kazuki and gave a slight nod in greeting. Mei Terumi and Rasa both stared at Kazuki, hoping for an explanation regarding this former Raikage's secretary. Kazuki walked ahead, leading the way toward the village's covert Anbu passage.
"Mabui – I'm sure you both recognize her. She was formerly the Raikage's secretary. Due to certain matters of mutual interest, I requested her from the Raikage. It so happens I was in need of a highly capable secretary, and she fits the bill perfectly."
Rasa and Mei Terumi were struck speechless. What kind of benefit could possibly compel the Raikage to hand over his own secretary? It seemed the relationship between the Leaf and Cloud Villages was far better than appearances suggested.
But even if someone was given to you, did you dare use them directly? Weren't you afraid she might be a double agent, here to spy on the Leaf's intelligence?
What Kazuki was thinking, Rasa and Mei Terumi couldn't fathom. But neither of them would ever dare casually employ someone like Mabui, let alone place her in such a critical position as secretary.