I guided Jiraiya to the living room and served him tea and snacks. He then took out several books from his bag and showed them to .
"Author-nim, these are the works I've been writing recently. I ca to hear so serious critique."
The book Jiraiya handed was 'Love Love Paradise'. Regardless of the content, I was actually happy to see it in person. I sat in the living room and read Jiraiya's novel seriously.
Love Love Paradise was an adult romance novel. Compared to the existing adult novels in the Naruto world, it at least had a story and was sowhat readable. But that was it. As expected, it focused too much on the act, making the narrative weak.
"Hmm... By any chance, are you married?"
"Well... I'm still a bachelor."
"Then, how many tis have you been in love?"
At my question, Jiraiya hesitated briefly before answering.
"Well... I've been rejected a few tis..."
"Then, if you don't mind my asking, do you have much experience with won?"
"I have so."
I thought for a mont, then said, "Hmm... In short, you lack experience. My advice is, it's not too late, so if you want to write these kinds of novels seriously, you need to date more and get married."
"Why is that? Please explain in detail."
I stood up and said to Jiraiya, "You've co a long way, so please stay a day. I'll write a short story as an example for you in the anti. I think it will be helpful for you to see it."
"Oh~ Thank you."
I went to my room and began writing a short story. Based on Hwang Sun-won's 'The Shower', I adapted it, setting the characters as high school students. From the boy's perspective, I emotionally described the girl's white skin and subtle fragrance, the glimpses of her underwear when they played together by the stream, and the underwear visible through rain-soaked clothes as they got caught in the shower. I tried to delicately capture the boy's excitent and subtle emotions as he witnessed those monts.
The ending, like the original, concluded with the sickly girl's condition worsening after being caught in the shower, leading to her death. The physical description was limited to a final kiss. The overall atmosphere was inspired by 'Teasing Master Takagi-san', portraying the relationship between the girl and the boy in a more cheerful and warm light.
'This should be enough.'
I wrote with enthusiasm, and before I knew it, evening had co. I left the room and prepared dinner. Jiraiya seed to be listening to Kurenai's stories about what had happened in the village. I was worried Jiraiya might try sothing with the beautiful Kurenai, but he didn't.
Just then, the children returned from training.
"Bro, I'm ho! Ugh~ I'm hungry!"
"Go wash up quickly. Dinner will be ready."
"Okay! Hey, there's a strange old guy here today? Who is he?"
Naruto asked, seeing Jiraiya. Jiraiya struck a strange pose and introduced himself.
"Good question! I am the toad spirit sage of Mount Myoboku! Known as the Toad Sage!"
"S-Sage?"
"Yes."
Then Kurenai added from the side, "This is Jiraiya-sama, one of the legendary Sannin."
"Legendary Sannin? What's that?"
"That's a long story, but just think of them as three powerful ninja who were active during the war."
At that, Jiraiya struck a pose and showed off.
"Huh? So this strange old guy is really strong?"
"Yes."
Feeling the conversation might drag on, I again told the children to wash up quickly.
"Save the rest of the story for after you've washed. We'll be late for dinner. Take your clothes off in the laundry basket."
"Okay."
While the children washed up, I set the table in the living room. Tonight's nu was assorted tonkatsu, potato salad, and broth. Again, I made a lot, considering the children's appetites.
"Oh~ Looks delicious. I didn't know Author-nim cooked."
Jiraiya admired the al I had prepared.
"It's my hobby."
"I see."
Just then, the children finished washing up, and we all ate together happily.
"Hoo~ I haven't eaten this well in a long ti."
"I'm glad. And this is the short story I wrote. It's not finished due to lack of ti, but please take a look."
"Thank you, Author-nim. Then..."
Jiraiya sat in the living room and began reading my story.
"Th-This can't be... It's this erotic without any explicit acts... And the emotionally stirring ending..."
Jiraiya, reading the story I'd given him, was trembling. Kurenai, curious, said, "Could I see it too?"
"Sure. Here..."
Kurenai took the story from Jiraiya and began reading, then burst into tears.
"Boo hoo~! I wanted them to end up together..."
Then Jiraiya suddenly stood up and began tearing up his own Love Love Paradise.
"My writing is garbage!!"
I hurriedly stopped him. "Whoa, calm down."
"Now I understand what you ant, Author-nim. I viewed won too simplistically. I strongly feel my lack of experience."
The commotion roused the resting children, who ca out to see the frustrated Jiraiya and crying Kurenai.
"What's going on here? Oh! Is that the story Bro wrote? Let see!"
Naruto spotted the story and tried to take it from Kurenai, but she hid it in her chest and said to the children, "No! You're too young to read this. Read it when you're older."
At that, Naruto looked a little hurt. "That's an."
"Sorry, but it can't be helped."
I cald Jiraiya down and gave him a spare room to rest. The day passed, and the next morning ca.
After sending the children off to the Academy, Kurenai and I tidied up, then sat in the living room drinking coffee. Kurenai then ca to and talked about the story.
"Author-nim, please publish the story you showed yesterday. I'm sure it will sell well. I'd also like to read the finished version."
I hadn't intended to publish it since it was a short story, but Kurenai encouraged .
"Did you enjoy it that much?"
"Yes, I really enjoyed it."
"Alright. I'll publish it then."
As Kurenai and I were discussing the story, Jiraiya ca out of his room, yawning.
"I'm sorry. I went to bed late, lost in thought…"
"It's fine. That happens."
I made a simple sandwich and handed it to Jiraiya.
"If I had woken up earlier, you wouldn't have had to go through this trouble... Thank you."
"Not at all."
Eating the sandwich, Jiraiya asked , "If it's not too much trouble, could you tell how Naruto ca to live in this house?"
Finally, Jiraiya asked about Naruto.
"I don't know why you're asking, but okay, I'll tell you."
I told him everything openly and in detail, from Naruto being ostracized by the village, unable to get proper food, drinking spoiled milk, and catching fish from the river, to how he ca to live with . Jiraiya listened with a very serious expression.
"No way... Surely the Third Hokage promised to take care of him..."
From this, it seed Jiraiya, being away, didn't know the details of Naruto's situation. Even so, he wasn't blaless. If he had cared, he should have co to the village at least once to check on Naruto.
"Anyway, I understand. I'll see you again."
With a very angry expression, he quickly packed his things and left. Kurenai and I couldn't even say goodbye, intimidated by his fierce look. He was probably heading straight to the Hokage's office.
'Well, they'll sort it out between themselves.'
So I ignored it and just wrote novels in my room. Two days later, Hiruzen and Jiraiya visited the house together. It was dayti, so the children were at the Academy.
"Long ti no see, Hokage-sama. What brings you here today?"
"Hmm... This is a difficult story to tell here. May we co in?"
"Of course. Please co in."
I guided them to the living room and served tea and cookies. Then Hiruzen spoke.
"Hmm... The truth is, Naruto has a substantial inheritance. But there were reasons we couldn't give it to him until now. Have you heard of the Nine-Tails incident?"
"Yes, I heard that before I ca to this village as support, many people died in the Nine-Tails attack."
"That's right. The village suffered severe damage. So we used the inheritance Naruto was to receive for the village's reconstruction. In fact, it wasn't just Naruto. It also included the assets of orphaned children and those whose entire families had died."
"Was it right to use that money arbitrarily?"
When I asked incredulously, Hiruzen sighed.
"Hoo... No, it wasn't. But we had no choice. At the ti, the situation was unstable, and we needed to show that Konohagakure was still strong. So rebuilding the village was urgent. It was an unavoidable choice for . I had to prevent larger conflicts."
Kurenai, listening, looked shocked. It seed she was hearing this for the first ti as well.
"Then you should have at least ensured the children could live properly. I cannot accept Naruto going hungry, drinking spoiled milk, and catching fish from the river."
"About that... I have no excuse. I didn't pay proper attention. But now that the village's situation is gradually improving, I plan to return their assets to them."
I wondered what had gotten into Embezzlezen. It seed Jiraiya had given him a good talking to.
"But Naruto's inheritance is quite large, so instead of giving it all at once, I will give it in five monthly installnts. Please keep it safe until Naruto cos of age."
"It's a relief that you're returning their assets. Understood. I will take responsibility and return it to Naruto."
With that, Hiruzen and Jiraiya returned to the Hokage's office. The fact that they didn't ntion Minato suggested they weren't ready to reveal that yet.
And thinking about it, I realized that money was likely the revenue from the figures Yamato was making. In a way, Yamato was suffering in Naruto's place.
'Yamato... If you want to curse soone, curse the pathetic leaves and Embezzlezen...'
I prayed for Yamato's soul and went back to my room to write.
Two days later, Jiraiya ca to the house again.
"Hello, Author-nim."
"Welco, Jiraiya-san. What brings you today?"
"Well, I was wondering if I could stay here for a while. I want to take care of Naruto. And I also want to learn about writing from you... Of course, I'll pay for room and board."
"Is there a particular reason you want to take care of Naruto?"
"Well... because Naruto is the son of my student. Naruto is doing well now, so he might not need , but when it cos to ninjutsu, I can be of help."
I didn't know if he was doing this out of guilt for having neglected him, but having Naruto learn from Jiraiya early would only make him stronger, so I had no reason to object.
"I see. Understood. I don't need money, so please stay as long as you like."
When I agreed, Jiraiya bowed his head in thanks.
"Thank you."
I gave him the sa room he had used a few days ago. Jiraiya went to a furniture store and bought a desk and chair. Probably to write novels.
When evening ca, the children returned. We held another welco party.
"So, this old guy is going to teach us from now on?"
"Yes. He's a legendary Sannin, so you'll have a lot to learn."
As I introduced Jiraiya to the children, he said to them, "I look forward to working with you. But if you want to learn a lot, you'll have to put in the effort."
And so, Jiraiya also ca to live with us. In the mornings, he asked for advice on writing. When the children returned from the Academy, he went out with them and helped with their training.
"So, it's not that being completely naked is erotic; rather, what's partially covered is more erotic. It stimulates the imagination. You need to understand this difference."
"I see."
Jiraiya, as if not wanting to miss anything, diligently took notes. Then Kurenai, apparently unable to listen any longer, went to her room, saying, "I don't know why I keep listening to this nonsense... Call when it's over so we can go shopping."
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