After the mission ended, Namikaze Minato sealed everyone's memories, including his own.
Before sealing the memories, Namikaze Minato always felt a bit uneasy. He had a strong sense of familiarity with that blonde-haired youth, but the latter seemed not to recognize him.
He considered asking, but feared knowing future events would alter the decisions he had originally made, so he ultimately gave up on the idea.
After sealing both the Dragon Vein and the memories, Namikaze Minato led the team back to Konoha.
However, during the return journey, Namikaze Minato left the team and headed alone towards the heart of the Land of Wind; with the Flying Thunder God Jutsu and no teammates around, as long as he maintained enough Chakra for teleportation, no one could threaten him.
Konoha Village, Uchiha Clan Land.
The gracefully mature Uchiha Mikota stood outside the door for a while, finally took a deep breath, silently cheered herself up, and reached out to press the doorbell.
After a moment, the door was pulled open.
"Oh, Madam Mikota, what brings you here so early?"
Uchiha Yoichi couldn't help but ask when he saw the person outside the door.
Moreover, Uchiha Mikota's outfit today made his eyes light up a bit.
The figure-hugging black dress seemed to incorporate a waist cincher, possibly to help her regain her waist shape post-childbirth.
But this highlighted Uchiha Mikota's slender waist entirely, with her shapely hips and stark features making a striking contrast.
"It's already ten o'clock, Mr. Yoichi, wasn't it you who had someone notify me yesterday?"
Uchiha Mikota was momentarily stunned at the words and then forced a gentle smile, though what she was truly thinking, only she knew.
"Since that's the case, then I'd trouble Madam Mikota to notify everyone one by one about this matter. Although most clansmen were informed of this after the last clan meeting, there are always some who might still be unaware... come in and let's talk."
Uchiha Yoichi spoke and turned to walk inside.
Uchiha Mikota hesitated for a moment and then followed him; however, she took off her high-heeled sandals at the entrance but didn't find slippers for guests. After a brief hesitation, Mikota walked in, tapping her stockinged feet on the floor.
Upon reaching the living room, Uchiha Mikota saw Uchiha Yoichi sitting by the table, then bowed and sat down, her rounded hips pressing against her pale silk-clad feet.
"This is a detailed introduction of the Uchiha support system, essentially to encourage clansmen to strive to become Jonin. Next, I'd like to trouble Madam Mikota to post this in a prominent place in the clan land.
Then notify clansmen who might not see it. Finally, aggregate everyone's details, like age and family size...
Uchiha Yoichi finished and 'kindly' advised, "I heard Madam Mikota was looking after the children before, if you feel tired, please say so, I'll find someone to help you..."
"Don't worry, Mr. Yoichi, I'm okay!"
Uchiha Mikota interrupted Uchiha Yoichi's 'well-meaning advice', her heart growing defiant.
Even if she left the ninja ranks, she was still a Jonin of Konoha Village. If not for the family, she should be a powerful female ninja now.
"Is that so, with Madam Mikota's word, I can rest assured. Then this afternoon, I'll wait at home for good news from you."
"This afternoon? Mr. Yoichi, you need this by the afternoon?"
Uchiha Mikota's red lips parted in surprise; by the afternoon, that was just a few hours!
"Can't get it done? That's fine, Madam Mikota, I'll go and ask Elder Kenji for more people."
Having said that, Uchiha Yoichi pretended to get up and go look for the Second Elder for manpower.
Uchiha Mikota became a little anxious seeing this; she originally represented Fugaku to help gain prestige, but if on the first day she couldn't get things done due to fatigue, instead of gaining esteem, she'd embarrass herself.
"Wait, Mr. Yoichi."
...
Even if shame and humiliation completely seized her, Uchiha Mikota knew she couldn't just bury herself like an ostrich, otherwise, the longer it gets, the bigger the disgrace.
Uchiha Mikota buried her face in the ground, closing her eyes and forcing herself to speak, "I-I'm very sorry, Mr. Yoichi, today I-I lost my composure, may I ask you, please leave, and lend me, lend me some clothes... I'm begging you!!!"
The last sentence was nearly shouted out by Uchiha Mikota with her eyes closed; she truly didn't know what she was doing today.
If time could turn back, Uchiha Mikota would rather die than agree to what Fugaku said!
"I'll go look for something..."
Uchiha Yoichi quickly brought in a ninja suit and a bath towel, handing them over and saying, "This was something I hadn't worn before."
"...Thank you."
After a while, there was a rustling sound from inside, but after a while, the sound suddenly stopped.
Uchiha Mikota, slightly embarrassed, softly asked, "Could I use the bathroom?"
"It's on the first floor, feel free to use it."
After saying this, Uchiha Yoichi left, having seen enough earlier, and surely Madam Mikota wouldn't let him see more, so he headed to the courtyard.
Hearing the footsteps of Uchiha Yoichi leaving, only slightly did the shame in Uchiha Mikota's heart lessen, otherwise, she was changing clothes with a man standing outside the door.
Now, briefly recalling.
Originally, Uchiha Mikota wanted to leave as soon as she changed her clothes, but she realized that she was already soaked in the warm stream water, and putting on her ninja suit would soil it.
So, Uchiha Mikota pleaded to borrow the bathroom!
The parlor door was quietly opened, and Uchiha Mikota, wrapped in a towel, poked her head out, looked around, and quickly headed to the bathroom with her clothes.
Soon, the sound of water splashing could be heard from the bathroom.
This time it was not stream water but water flowing from the showerhead.
Uchiha Mikota swiftly cleaned herself, washed the clothes she was wearing, and after finding a dryer nearby, quickly dried her clothes.
Afterward, Uchiha Mikota tidied up her appearance, saw her flushed face and eyes glistening with moisture in the mirror, and couldn't help but recall what happened just now...
Slap! Slap!
Mikota slapped herself twice, then said to her reflection in the mirror, "Pull yourself together, after all, making amends for this incident, Mr. Yoichi isn't someone hard to talk to. Just now, only he knew about it. As long as he doesn't talk about it..."
Having resolved in her heart, Uchiha Mikota mustered the courage, walked barefoot with her snow-white feet outside, as her pantyhose had also gotten too wet to wear due to what just happened.
Soon, Mikota found Uchiha Yoichi in the courtyard and quickly walked to the corridor.
Seeing Uchiha Yoichi approaching, Uchiha Mikota immediately adopted a sincere demeanor and said, "Mr. Yoichi, I was rude just now, but please, please keep today's incident a secret, I'm begging you!"
"I refuse. I plan to ask the clan leader what Madam Mikota meant by this today. The parlor at home is also dirty now, and nothing is resolved, madam, you should go speak with the clan leader."
Uchiha Yoichi maliciously shifted all the blame onto Uchiha Mikota.
"No, please don't tell Fugaku, I'm begging you, Mr. Yoichi."
Uchiha Mikota became frantic and immediately pleaded, "I beg you, Mr. Yoichi, I will clean the parlor, and I'll cover the cost of the tatami mats."
"Do you think it's about money? It seems Madam Mikota, you still haven't recognized where you went wrong!"
Seeing how easy it was to scare Mikota, Uchiha Yoichi's lips curled up slightly, but he quickly restrained himself, putting on an angry expression.
"Was it the clan leader who sent you to humiliate me? You all know I want to become the clan leader, so you're using such humiliating tactics to ruin my reputation, right!"
Hearing this, Uchiha Mikota almost burst into tears with urgency, and anxiously explained in a crying voice, "No, that's absolutely not the case, today... today it was my rudeness.... it has nothing to do with Fugaku!"
"Not on Uchiha Fugaku's orders? If it's your own issue, how do you plan to make amends? Don't mention buying tatami mats for me; if you propose such silly solutions again, I'll retaliate against Uchiha Fugaku in the same way and have the elders judge!"
Uchiha Yoichi said as he walked into the room, and Mikota hurried to follow, quickly entering the room.
"Mr. Yoichi, I'm begging you, please give me a chance, I, I will sincerely make amends...."
"How will you make amends?"
"Eh?"
Hearing his words, Uchiha Mikota appeared a bit at a loss, realizing that Uchiha Yoichi had relented, but she didn't know how to make amends, so she nervously said, "Whatever Mr. Yoichi says on how to make amends, then that's what I will do...."
"I haven't thought of it now, nor do I know what I can have you do, just write it down for now."
Uchiha Yoichi took out paper and a pen, then thought about how with the Sharingan one could mimic handwriting, so he also took out a box of ink pads and placed it in front of Uchiha Mikota.
"Write it down, write about today's incident and your promise to make it up to me. If you don't want to, let the elders judge; Madam Mikota, I'm not forcing you, using that method, I'm already showing you face by still willing to help you cover up.
If it were Uchiha Fugaku, I definitely wouldn't let him off so easily!"
The paper, pen, and ink pad were placed in front of Uchiha Mikota, and after experiencing so many upheavals, the softhearted woman's judgment had greatly diminished, especially at the mention of involving the elders... her heart was even more unwilling.
"Mr. Yoichi, I will write...."
Uchiha Mikota quickly said and then, as per Uchiha Yoichi's request, shamefully wrote down what had happened today, along with her promise, explicitly stating that she would make any compensation for Mr. Yoichi in the future.
After writing, Uchiha Mikota now felt almost like a puppet, completely unsure of what to do next, and stared at Uchiha Yoichi in a muddled helpless way.
"After your clothes are dry, just take the notice of the Uchiha welfare system and leave. The task of gathering household information can wait until tomorrow."
Uchiha Yoichi waved his hand and said. Mikota, upon hearing this, was a bit shocked and pointed at herself in disbelief.
"I still need to handle this matter?"
She thought Uchiha Yoichi would use the embarrassing incident to threaten her into stepping down from it, but to her surprise, he was allowing her to continue handling it.
"If you don't handle it, how will you respond if your husband asks? Will you speak of this incident?"
Uchiha Yoichi waved the slip of paper in his hand and continued to say to Uchiha Mikota, "If you work well in the future, it's not impossible to return this to you...."
But how to work was up to his discretion.
"I, I understand...."
Uchiha Mikota said softly, then prepared to head to the parlor to pick up the Uchiha welfare system notice she left behind.
But upon reaching the parlor, Mikota saw the tatami with water stains, her face flushed, she hurriedly went up and intended to lift and dispose of the tatami, intending to buy a new one to replace it.
However, Uchiha Yoichi waved his hand, directing her to leave directly.