The next morning, while Shin-chan was still half-asleep, he was surrounded by a group of people.
"Raise your arm a little."
"Lower your head."
"The sash needs to be wrapped three times..."
Three elderly attendants in kimono circled around him, their movements light and quick. Before Shin-chan's eyes had even fully opened, a pale-blue haori had already been placed on him.
"There." The leading attendant stepped back and looked him up and down. "It fits perfectly."
Shin-chan tugged at the sleeve. The fabric felt smooth. "It's so comfy."
"This was specially ordered by His Lordship," the attendant said, smoothing out his sleeve. "It is made from the finest fabric in the Land of Fire."
"Can I move in it?"
"Of course, though your movements should be smaller. This outfit—"
Before she could finish, Shin-chan had already jumped in place twice, twisted his waist, and finally done a stretch.
The attendants' expressions froze at the same time.
By the time Shin-chan yawned his way to the palace gate, Ai had already been waiting there for a long while.
When she saw Shin-chan's clothes, she froze for a moment, then her cheeks turned faintly red.
"Let's go."
Shin-chan didn't notice the change in her expression at all. He was studying the pattern on his sleeve. "What's this gold thing?"
"It's embroidered with gold thread."
"Gold?" Shin-chan's eyes lit up. "Can I pick it off?"
"No."
The two walked side by side through the palace corridor.
When the passing ministers saw this scene, their expressions became fascinating. Why was the princess wearing clothes in the same style as that boy from Konoha? This was improper...
Today's schedule was packed.
Shin-chan stood beside Namikaze Minato, listening to the Daimyo and his ministers discuss things like "trade agreements" and "delegation itinerary arrangements." He understood every word, but when they were put together, they sounded like a heavenly script.
"How much longer do we have to watch?" Shin-chan looked up and asked Namikaze Minato.
"The itinerary has only just begun."
"I want to go home."
"This is an official occasion. Endure it a little longer."
"But I don't understand what they're saying." Shin-chan frowned. "And that uncle has been talking for so long, but over and over, all he says is 'this requires further discussion.' Then why can't they finish discussing it first and tell me the result later?"
The Daimyo sat in the main seat. His gaze swept over Shin-chan's squirming figure, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Shin-chan."
Shin-chan turned his head.
"If you find this boring, you can have Ai take you around." The Daimyo closed his folding fan. "Experiencing the life of royalty is much more interesting than standing here listening to us talk."
Then he looked at Namikaze Minato. "Minato, what do you think?"
"Since this is Your Lordship's arrangement, naturally I have no objection." Namikaze Minato's expression was calm.
"Good." The Daimyo clapped his hands. "Then it's settled."
Shin-chan immediately perked up. "A day in the life of royalty? What do you do? Is there tasty food?"
"You'll know once you go." The Daimyo smiled, as if everything were under his control.
Shin-chan had already run to Ai's side. "Let's go, let's go. What do you usually do?"
"Usually? In the morning, I have lessons first."
Shin-chan's steps stopped. "Lessons?"
"Mm." Ai nodded. "The morning is for studies."
"I have to study in Konoha, and I have to study here too..." Shin-chan's shoulders drooped.
Ai led him through the corridor and to a Japanese-style room on the east side. The paper door was half open, and someone was already sitting inside.
Ai froze at the door. It wasn't Teacher Miyano, who usually taught her tea ceremony and etiquette.
"Your Highness, please take your seat." Sitting inside was a man with graying hair. "Young Master Nohara, please sit as well."
Ai hesitated for a moment, then entered the room and sat properly in seiza on the cushion.
Shin-chan followed behind her, looked at the cushion, and finally sat cross-legged.
The old man's brows moved slightly, but he said nothing.
"Today's lesson is on the essentials of governance."
Ai froze. It should have been a lesson on etiquette. "Teacher Miyano usually teaches..."
"Starting today, the course content has been adjusted." The old man opened the book. "His Lordship personally instructed it."
Hearing that this had been arranged by the Daimyo, Ai said nothing more.
"If you were asked to manage a village, what would you manage first?" the old man asked his first question.
Shin-chan tilted his head and thought for two seconds. "Make sure everyone has snacks to eat."
"Why?"
"Hiroshi said that when people are hungry, they get bad-tempered, and when they're bad-tempered, they start fighting."
"Then what if there aren't enough snacks in the village to go around?"
"Then buy some."
"Where does the money come from?"
Shin-chan froze for a moment and scratched his head. "Money is earned from missions."
"Then what if there aren't enough missions?"
"Then..." Shin-chan's brows twisted together. This question had exceeded the scope of his snack-management studies.
The old man did not urge him and turned to Ai. "What does Your Highness think?"
Ai had never considered these questions. The Daimyo's estate had dedicated officials responsible for taxation and finances. She only needed to learn how to maintain her manners.
"I think..." She hesitated. "We could transfer some from other places?"
"Transfer from where?"
"From places that have money."
"Then why should the places with money give it to places without money?" the old man continued asking.
Ai bit her lower lip.
Shin-chan suddenly raised his hand. "I know."
The old man's gaze turned toward him.
"Plant snack trees!"
"..."
"You bury chocolate in the ground, water it, and then a tree grows lots and lots of chocolate." Shin-chan gestured as he spoke. "That way, everyone will have snacks."
The old man looked at Shin-chan and was silent for three seconds. "Trees do not grow chocolate."
"Why?"
"Because chocolate is processed food. It does not grow out of the ground."
"Then process it." Shin-chan was completely unaffected. "If everyone makes it together, then there will be lots of chocolate."
"Then what if there still aren't enough snacks in the village?"
Shin-chan tilted his head and thought for a while, then spread his hands. "Then eat a little less."
The old man raised his brows slightly.
"Misae said that when the family has no money, we can't buy things randomly." Shin-chan sat cross-legged. "If everyone shares, and each person eats half, then two people can eat."
"That is called the rational distribution of resources." The old man nodded. "Then what if someone is unwilling to share?"
"Then tell him that next time there's something tasty, we won't share with him either."
"What if he agrees, then turns around and breaks his promise?"
Shin-chan's expression turned serious. "Then that person can't be trusted."
"Mm." The old man picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip. "Credit is the foundation of governance. Those who break trust will lose all collaborators. This is a very important principle in political science."
Shin-chan blinked. "So what Misae says is political science?"
The corner of the old man's mouth twitched slightly. Then he set down his teacup and turned to Ai. "Your Highness, if you discover that the ministers under you are fighting among themselves, how would you handle it?"
Ai sat properly in seiza, both hands on her knees. "I would... make them reconcile."
"How would you make them reconcile?"
"Have them sit down and talk."
"What if they are unwilling to talk?"
Ai pressed her lips together and couldn't answer.
Shin-chan raised his hand.
"What idea does Young Master Nohara have?"
"Make them do something together." Shin-chan gestured. "Like carrying a big rock together. After carrying it, they'll make up."
"That is one method." The old man was silent for a while. "A common goal can temporarily set aside internal conflict. But after the rock is moved?"
"After moving the rock, they eat snacks together." Shin-chan said it as if it were obvious. "If they get tired together and eat tasty food together, they become friends."
"What if they become friends, then start fighting again over how to divide the snacks?"
Shin-chan sighed, wearing an expression that said, How do you not understand even this?
"Then make them carry an even bigger rock."
~~~
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