[Read up to Chapter 231 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/SlytherinManor]
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Uchiha Compound—
Wedding preparations had already begun to fill the compound. Tailors came and went, invitations had been sent, and the entire compound itself felt busier than usual.
Not only the Uchiha Clansmen, but even the non-Uchihas who were part of the Police Force or had someone in their family were helping out with the preparations.
"Guy... this is training; we must not let this opportunity go to waste," Duy said to his son, who had lifted quite heavy stuff and was helping in setting things up.
"I... I got it, papa..." Guy nodded, steam coming out of his nose, veins bulging in his arms as he carried the stuff despite it looking rather heavy for his size.
"He... he won't drop it, right?" one of the Uchiha Clansmen said worriedly.
"Hopefully not..." another murmured.
"Might Guy... this watermelon head... Isn't he too strong to be able to lift all that?" one of the kids in the Clan said.
"What's the big deal? I can also lift that stuff easily..." Obito snorted from the side.
"Bakabito is boasting again..." The kids laughed at Obito, making him blush in embarrassment.
Obito snorted, turned his head to the side, looking at the Naka Shrine that was being decorated for the wedding. Looking at the decoration and the wedding atmosphere, Obito couldn't help but think of Rin and daydream, 'When I grow up and become the Hokage... I'll hold an even bigger wedding for Rin...'
As a professional dog licker from a young age, it's only natural to have such fantasies for his white moonlight, right?
Like a pervert, he blushed at his own fantasy and even laughed, "Hehehe..."
"Now he is laughing creepily..." the kids said. Girls like Uchiha Mira and so on especially kept their distance from him.
Obito pouted, breaking out of his fantasy, unhappy with the teasing. He stuck out his tongue at them before running away, 'I'll go see Rin and tell her about what's happening here...'
But even when Obito left, nobody really cared about that loser. People were busy talking about and preparing the wedding of the Patriarch and were very excited...
"I don't think I have ever attended a wedding this lavish..."
After all, it was the wedding of their Patriarch; it was sort of grand.
Amidst all this, Mikoto had just finished the trial fitting of her bridal clothes at the tailoring shop and left them for the final adjustments, and left the shop. But she didn't return home; rather, she went to the Police Station instead.
The moment she stepped through the gates, the atmosphere shifted.
"Mikoto-sama."
"Okugatasama."
Police men who saw her arriving stopped what they were doing and greeted her with a level of respect that even she wasn't used to. Don't take it the wrong way; people always treated her respectfully, but now they were being even more respectful. After all, she was no longer merely the Elder's granddaughter, nor only the Patriarch's lover. In a few days she would stand as his wife, and the clan had already begun treating her as such.
Mikoto returned each greeting with a polite bow, her expression calm. When she saw the deputy captain coming to greet her, she asked quietly, "Shin-san… is Kan-sama at the station?"
"Ah… yes, indeed." Shin nodded at once and lifted a hand toward a subordinate. "Lead Mikoto-sama to the Captain."
"It's alright. I'll be fine on my own," she said, declining the escort. She walked in by herself while the men around her bowed.
'They have all become more respectful…' she noted as she moved down the corridor. The change had begun the instant Kanzou announced that he would marry her. While she was not a stuck-up for this, she did not dislike or object to the change either. It meant they were acknowledging her place at his side, and she was all in for it. Still, she reminded herself, 'The thoughts of the Clansmen mattered far less than what Kan-sama thinks.'
Shaking her head, she went inside and soon stopped in front of his office, knocked once, and as she received permission to enter, she stepped inside.
Kanzou stood in the middle of the room while a tailor worked around him, taking measurements for formal wear that he'd be wearing as the groom. Hazuki and Uroko were present as well.
"Mikoto… what's up?" he asked, glancing over. She rarely came to the Police station and preferred to take care of the home. For her to appear here, the matter was probably not something that could wait.
She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Kan-sama, I am sorry for coming all of a sudden, but… can I take some of your time?"
"Sure. Give me a moment. Let these measurements be finished."
She nodded and waited to the side, deciding to talk with the two women inside.
Hazuki bowed to her; her movement and expression were laced with reluctance and edged with envy. "Mikoto-sama…"
"…Hazuki-chan." Mikoto returned the greeting politely and caught the look in the younger girl's eyes. 'She… hates me...' That was what she noticed.
Next, the silver-haired Kunoichi bowed as well. "Mikoto-sama."
Mikoto's gaze lingered on her. "You are…"
"Kurama Uroko. I recently joined the Police Force. I am—"
"I see. I know who you are." Mikoto did not know that Uroko served as Kanzou's spy, but she knew the nature of what existed between them. 'It's alright… Danna-sama already warned me about this,' she told herself, trying not to let the presence of another woman who shared his bed unsettle her. Even so, a thin thread of conflict remained in her heart as she made some small talk about how Mikoto was so fortunate and other things.
The air between them was obviously a bit awkward. Uroko, Hazuki, and the other women involved with Kanzou had known one another for a long time and were even on somewhat friendly terms. Mikoto, on the other hand, had arrived last and ended up becoming his fiancée; resentment and envy were only natural.
Uroko and Hazuki were even teaming up a little to attack Mikoto.
But Mikoto did not let it affect her. She was marrying him, and she would not yield that ground.
When the tailor finished taking the measurement, Kanzou dismissed them. "Leave us alone for a while."
Hazuki, Uroko, and the others stepped outside, leaving just Kanzou and Mikoto inside.
As the door closed, Kanzou sat on his chair and pulled her onto his lap and studied her face. "…irritated?"
"It's okay." She was a bit irritated, but she did not press it.
"That's good..." He stroked her back. "So, what brought you here?"
Mikoto took out a small letter and placed it in his hand. "This came from the capital."
"From the Imperial Capital?" He raised an eyebrow and unfolded it.
She rested her head against his chest and nodded. "Yes..."
The original message was coded. Anyone without a history among the Twelve Guardian Ninja would have seen only nonsense. Mikoto, who had served as one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja for a few years, had already decoded it and rewritten the contents clearly for him.
"It's an urgent summoning order from the Daimyō," he murmured. "Why is the Daimyō calling you urgently?" he asked.
"I don't know." She shook her head. "This doesn't even make sense. I am no longer part of the Guardian Twelve. Why would Daimyō-sama summon me?"
The only explanation that came to mind was that something serious had happened and he trusted her enough to call her in secret.
"You are also instructed to keep the matter a secret, huh?" He read further, then looked at her. "You just broke the code by telling me."
"It doesn't matter… since it's Danna-sama." To her, he stood above every other authority. Even if the Daimyō demanded silence, she would still tell Kanzou.
"Fufu." He chuckled, satisfied with her response. Then addressed the matter, "What do you want to do? Do you want to go and see what's happening?"
"I don't know. What should I do, Kan-sama?" She paused, then added more quietly, "Most important to me is our marriage… but what if this matter is really serious, and I might be needed?"
She still owed the Daimyō a measure of gratitude and did not want to ignore the summons entirely. At the same time, she would not let anything push their wedding aside.
Seeing her torn, he asked, "…Want me to come with you?"
Her eyes lit. "You will?"
"Sure. Why not. Might be a little short trip before the marriage."
"Alright. If Kan-sama is coming with me… then I guess I can go." She had been ready to ignore the letter until after the ceremony. With him beside her, the journey no longer felt like a risk she had to take alone.
"Then let's go," Kanzou said, and they stood.
They could not leave at once. Mikoto still needed to change into her Kunoichi gear, and a few other things had to be arranged first. They stepped out of the office together.
Coming out of the office, Kanzou informed Hazuki, "Mikoto and I will be briefly away from Konoha."
Hazuki froze. "Huh? B-But then what about the wedding?"
"Relax. The wedding is on Sunday. We'll be back before that." He waved the concern aside. "Continue with the preparations."
"…A-Alright." She nodded, though reluctance sat plainly on her face.
They started toward the corridor. Uroko, who had been listening, suddenly thought of something and called after them. "W-Wait… Kanzou-sama… what of the bachelor's party?"
"I'll be back for it," he answered without turning, already walking on.
Mikoto glanced at him as they left. "Bachelor's party? What's going to happen there?" She already had a guess.
"What do you think?" He smirked.
She pressed her lips together and looked away, picturing loads of perverted things he'd do with other women.
Sensing her jealousy, Kanzou squeezed her hand. The simple pressure eased something in her chest. He was coming with her on this trip. He was not setting her aside for them. That, at least, she could hold onto.
A moment later he added casually, "By the way, Mikoto… an invitation was also sent to Kushina-chan."
"Kushina-chan..." Her expression changed at once. She looked at him with a hint of dissatisfaction in her eyes. "Kan-sama… can you please not focus on others during these days of marriage? Let me have you all to myself… at least on the day of our marriage?"
"I didn't say I was going to do anything to Kushina-chan on the day of our wedding..." he said.
Mikoto pursed her lips. While that may be the case, but... still... he wasn't giving her any confidence.
Feeling her gaze on him, he relented, "Alright, fine." Then he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Happy now?"
The gesture was gentler than what she was used to from him. Heat rose across her face, and her heart jumped. "That's… unfair~"
"Fufu." He chuckled as they left the station and returned to the mansion.
Mikoto changed into her kunoichi gear. They took two cloaks from the rack, pulled the hoods forward, and left Konoha through a secret route since the summons from the Daimyō was meant to stay a secret.
...
The Imperial Capital was neither close enough to reach in a few hours nor far enough to demand a long journey. Leaving in the afternoon, they could have arrived in the middle of the night. Instead, Kanzou and Mikoto chose a lake along the way, built a small fire, and decided to cover the rest of the distance after dawn.
Mikoto sat by the crackling flames and passed him a piece of the fish they had just grilled. "Kan-sama… here you go."
"Hnn." He ate without hurry. When he finished, he looked at her. "Do you want to take a bath?"
"H-Here?" Color rose in her cheeks. Bathing with him was not a strange thing for her, but they were outside. If someone were to pass by, they might spot them. The thought of being seen by anyone other than him made her shy.
"Don't worry. Nothing will happen." He pulled her to her feet.
She didn't resist him. They stripped by the fire and left their clothes in a neat pile. Kanzou formed a shadow clone to watch over them, then the two of them stepped into the lake and swam side by side through the cold water.
"I feel a little cold..." she said.
"Fufu... then I'll help you warm up a little..." he said, pulling her close.
Of course, Mikoto knew what that meant. She blushed harder, but didn't refuse him. "O-Okay..." she nodded shyly.
With that, they drifted to a stone boulder at the edge. Mikoto ended up in his arms, her own arms around his shoulders, her legs around his waist, as they moved. A moan slipped out before she could stop it. "Ahnn… Kan-sama… i-if you do it like that… I… I can't control my moans…"
"I'll help you silence them," he said, pressing his lips with hers.
Chu…
"Hnn... slrrpp... hnnn..." Her moans were muffled as the water crashed.
The fishes were having wet dreams and were probably disturbed by them.
It didn't matter, and the two continued for a while.
The night went on like that, the fire burning low on the bank, the water lapping around them, her voice breaking against his lips whenever he did not cover it.
When the sky began to lighten, Kanzou stroked her hair. "Mikoto… wake up."
She stirred, nuzzling closer to his chest. "Is it morning already…? I wanted to sleep for a while longer…" Although Kanzou wasn't too overbearing on her the previous night, she was still tired.
"Wear some clothes first." They were both still naked, covered only with a blanket they had taken out of a Storage Scroll. It was better to wear clothes.
"Hnn…" She rose reluctantly and dressed. By the time she finished, the leftover sleep had faded, so she sat and watched him carry out some early morning workout. He ran through a short morning routine, then washed in the cold lake before they packed what little they had.
They left without breakfast. Eating now would only create a problem later, and Mikoto was reluctant to relieve herself in the open.
"I… I am sorry. I… used to be able to do that, but…" She bit her lip, ashamed. "Ever since I sort of retired… I seem to feel reluctant to do that out in the open…"
"It's fine." He patted her head. Comfortable living changed people. Going back to field habits was never as simple as it sounded.
"I am sorry," she said again, though relief showed in her eyes when he did not press her.
"As I said, don't worry about it." After a moment, he asked, "How did you manage back in your days as a member of the Guardian Twelve?" Periods, sanitation, all of it would have been harder on the road.
"Most of the time we weren't out in the open. We had to stay near Daimyō-sama, so we were always in cities or towns... Mostly at the Imperial Capital as Daimyō-sama didn't travel much, so it wasn't a big issue. Rarely did we have to deal with those things." She paused. "And… there were two other women in the Guardian 12, so… it was manageable."
"Ohh." He nodded. Other women in the same unit made certain things easier.
"I am really sorry," she said once more.
This time, he didn't even bother to stop her from apologizing, and just shifted, "Come on. Let's hurry up."
She nodded, and they picked up speed toward the capital.
...
Before long they reached the capital.
It was as beautiful as one would expect. Streets, gardens, and tiled roofs sat in careful order, close enough to the Kyoto of Kanzou's old memories that the resemblance was hard to ignore. That made sense. The Land of Fire was the richest of the great nations, and the Imperial Capital was the face of that wealth.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Mikoto asked. A bit of fondness sat in her voice. She had spent years here and still missed this part of it.
"I suppose." He nodded. What had always struck him weird was how ordinary people were able to remain in power and rules this Country. Superhumans existed in this world, yet the nations were still ruled by ordinary men. It was completely against the concept of what mankind's desire for power represents.
But Kanzou did not dwell on it. Political power and lavish castles were not what he chased. He could have then whenever he wanted, but he wasn't that interested in them. To him, strength and entertainment came first.
Shaking his head, he focused on the issue in front of them.
Since. Mikoto had been summoned, they had to go meet the Daimyō to find out why.
"Let's use the secret passage," she said.
"There's no need." He started toward the main approach. "Come on. We can even go from the main gate."
She hesitated, wanting to say that they had to keep the visit a secret, but didn't question him and simply followed.
The guards didn't notice them or stop them. "I see... Genjutsu..." she nodded.
Indeed, Kanzou had layered a genjutsu over them as they walked. With his control, the guards never registered two extra figures passing through. They crossed courtyards and corridors without a single challenge and reached the inner court where the Daimyō usually worked.
It's just that when they arrived there, they learned that the Daimyō was not there.
Mikoto caught a passing maid under a light genjutsu and pulled the information she needed. Her eyes widened. "This…"
"The Daimyō isn't in the capital?" She sounded stunned. "He is visiting the Land of Iron…?"
"So who sent the message?" Kanzou asked.
Mikoto questioned the maid further and soon learned that the second son of the Daimyō was currently managing things here.
"Well… then it had to be him," Kanzou said. "But why would he send an urgent message to you?"
Mikoto shook her head. "I have no idea."
"Then, only one way to find out."
They would have to meet the man in person.
...
In another room of the castle, Madoka Kagerō sat over a spread of papers and suddenly mumbled while moving the pens, "Any news on Mikoto-san?"
The ninja standing at his side shook his head. "Nothing so far. But I have deployed some people. When she comes to the city, we will know."
"Good." Kagerō nodded, then murmured under his breath, "Mikoto-san… please arrive quickly. I have been wanting to meet you for so long…"
The words had barely left him when another voice answered from the doorway. "Why do you want to meet me, Kagerō-sama?"
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Double Chapter, be sure to drop loads of power Stonessssssssss!
[Read up to Chapter 231 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/SlytherinManor]