"The village envoy?"
i Terumi and Kisa were both caught off guard by the unfamiliar term.
Uchiha Hikaru pulled a chair over to the dining table and sat in front of them.
"Yeah. A village envoy."
"Kisa will still be a shinobi of Kirigakure, but from now on, he'll have permanent residency rights here in Konoha."
"He'll remain here as a symbol of friendship between our two villages. If other Kirigakure shinobi co to Konoha in the future…"
"…he'll be fully in charge of managing them. How about that? Pretty good, isn't it?"
"When the ti cos, we'll appoint soone from Konoha to act as our envoy to the Hidden Mist Village as well."
The idea moved even the towering figure of Kisa. His shark-like eyes softened slightly, and his gaze moistened.
Though he still held a trace of loyalty toward Kirigakure, the blood-soaked life he'd lived there left him unwilling to return.
Just as he was ready to give up on his village, Uchiha Hikaru had offered a perfect solution.
Not only could he continue to serve Kirigakure, but he could also stay in Konoha and live the peaceful life he had longed for.
Even i Terumi—who had initially intended to convince Kisa to return—couldn't help but nod in agreent.
With the introduction of envoys, the relationship between the two villages would grow even closer, like two clans forming an alliance.
Plus, future visits between villages would be smoother with a guide and point of contact in each.
That thought made i Terumi suddenly raise a question.
"What if Kisa marries soone from Konoha and has children in the future? Would they be considered Kirigakure or Konoha shinobi?"
At that, Kisa's relaxed mood vanished. He rolled his eyes, slumped onto the sofa, and turned his attention back to the TV.
Typical nosy woman... What a headache...
Uchiha Hikaru wasn't surprised by Kisa's silence. After all, i Terumi had no idea about the female shinobi who once had feelings for Kisa—only to be killed by him under ANBU orders.
Still, the question was a fair one.
It could very well happen.
Considering his long-term plans, Uchiha Hikaru didn't hesitate.
Sooner or later, Kirigakure and the Land of Water will fall under Konoha's domain anyway.
So, he casually offered a half-truth to pacify i Terumi.
"Well, it depends on where the child is born. If born in Kirigakure, they're Kirigakure shinobi. If born in Konoha, they're Konoha shinobi."
"What about the parents?"
"One of them would be from the other village. What happens then?"
Uchiha Hikaru looked at her, helpless.
This woman... Why is her head full of marriage logistics?
"Then one of them will have to officially defect and join the other village. But if they're a shinobi, they'll need to accept a curse mark to prevent leakage of sensitive information."
"That's acceptable."
i Terumi nodded, satisfied.
The curse seal condition would naturally deter most casual defection. Only those who were truly in love would go through with it.
To her, it was a romantic safeguard—a small price for the possibility of love between villages.
She didn't realize that Uchiha Hikaru had just dug a deep strategic pit.
Civilians didn't matter. They had no secrets to keep, no chakra techniques to protect.
But shinobi?
Once they had children, they would inevitably choose to raise them in Konoha—for better healthcare, education, and resources. Konoha outpaced Kirigakure in every category.
But i Terumi didn't notice this at all.
She was too focused on fairness, and that fleeting hope of true love.
...
The Next Afternoon – Village Gates
The Kirigakure delegation assembled at the village entrance.
Uchiha Hikaru walked forward and removed the chakra suppression seals from i Terumi and Kisa, doing it publicly in front of the entire escort unit.
The mont her chakra surged and flowed again, i Terumi felt a subtle tension return to her body.
She stepped toward Ao and then looked back at Uchiha Hikaru.
"Thank you. And thank Konoha… for your hospitality these past few days."
Then she turned to Kisa.
"Kisa, more of our comrades will likely co to Konoha in the future. I hope you'll look after them."
"If any of them stir up trouble, just take them down. You have full authority as our envoy."
Kisa grinned, exposing those rows of serrated shark teeth.
"No problem, Lady Terumi i."
"If soone dares act out in Konoha, they'd better be ready to face the Sahada in my hands."
Ao raised an eyebrow at Kisa's response.
He'd spent all morning discussing the details of the envoy position with Uchiha Hikaru and ultimately agreed it was a smart arrangent.
But Kisa's tone...
It didn't sound like soone serving Kirigakure while stationed in Konoha.
It sounded like soone living in Konoha who happened to be from Kirigakure.
Was it just his imagination?
Ao didn't press the issue. With i Terumi returning, his title as Acting Fifth Mizukage would soon be officially revoked.
She would take power, and Ao wasn't foolish enough to interfere based on a gut feeling.
That woman… she's not one to cross lightly.
i Terumi waved her hand, signaling the Mist shinobi behind her.
"Head out first. I still have sothing to discuss with Lord Hikaru."
Uchiha Hikaru gestured casually to his escort detail, and they tactfully left as well.
"Hey, Itachi-kun! Co visit in the Mist Village soti!"
Ringo Ayuri cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted toward Itachi.
Itachi, who had just turned away, froze mid-step.
He turned back, forced a polite smile, and gave her a quick wave.
No one noticed the faint red flush at the tips of his ears... (⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄
Reviews
All reviews (0)