"Young clan head, help us! This kid colluded with Wang Er to frame our people from the inner district!" someone shouted.
Kaede looked at the speaker—Fugaku? A faint pressure rolled off him, strong and cold. By the Leaf's current year, he should be in his twenties, no Mangekyo yet—but talented enough to feel monstrous already. No wonder he'd grown arrogant by the Third War.
Fugaku's gaze cut over. "You must be Kaede."
At the name, the two supposed witnesses wilted. The Uchiha were proud, insular, and they didn't like outsiders; they'd heard of Kaede, but never seen him up close.
Fugaku arrived with two squads at his back. He raised a hand. "Arrest them—and the smith. Search the shop."
Kaede sighed inwardly. Loud, aren't you, Fugaku? A young chief shielding his own this openly… no wonder certain elders hated you.
"The Leaf's security is this rotten now?" Kaede said, voice flat. "As the head of Security, you're awfully quick to cover for subordinates. Can you live up to your father's trust?"
The rabbit-mother pushed forward, voice shaking. "Make them bring my husband out!"
Fugaku scanned the noisy crowd—then recognized the woman who'd been returning home that morning. He knew the common folk shouldn't be the ones to pay for shinobi crimes. At the same time he cursed the two idiots who had dragged the clan's name through the mud. This time, he might not be able to save them.
"I'm not shielding them," he said. "I'm taking them back for judgment. Security bears responsibility, too. We'll publish the sentences and the full account of their crimes. Supervise us."
He clipped the two fools with a short baton. "Where is her husband?"
Wang Er's eyes lit—chance to atone. Thank goodness he hadn't gone as far as murder. When the wind changed, he'd planned to starve the marks and burn the evidence; now this was the safer path.
"I know. He's locked in a basement behind the back mountain."
Kaede tilted his head at Fugaku. "Take your clansmen back. This one goes to the Dark Division. Interrogate him there."
Somewhere in the crowd, someone whooped approval. Applause broke, grew, and merged into a steady clatter.
A vein jumped in Fugaku's forehead before he smoothed on a smile. "Yes. Right away." He waved his people to move, praying the two imbeciles wouldn't do anything worse. Their lives weighed less than the name of Security—and of the clan.
He glanced back at the two Dark Division operatives flanking Kaede, started to speak, and thought better of it.
"You're impressive," someone muttered—envy plain. They spoke of Ennosuke as a once-in-a-century talent, but Kaede seemed even more gifted. Lucky for everyone, both were the Hokage's sons.
People harbored their own thoughts.
Second Princess: "If only Rudi's 'secret gourd' were also the Hokage's son… The Fire Temple matters, but a marriage with the Leaf would be perfect. Love and duty, both soaring. I envy Fourth Sister—fool's luck!"
Third Princess: "I envy you, sisters! You all have someone you like. What about me—marry whoever comes? Kaede is fine, but he's too young. Otherwise, we could link Fourth Sister with the Sarutobi house."
Fourth Princess: "Kaede is so cute. I wonder if my child would be as adorable as my brother-in-law's."
The master monk folded his hands, thoughtful. "Such an extraordinary boy… how can I help him taste the depth of Dharma, and so kindle a fondness for the Fire Temple?"
Lu—eyes bright—murmured, "That seal-less technique just now suits me. I must memorize it and show Master later."
Ennosuke slung an arm around Kaede. "Wicked little devil—but lucky he's my brother. With him, our house can rule for fifty more years."
"I'm starving, Kaede! Eat already!"
The master monk spoke first, curious and serene. "Little benefactor Kaede truly is a once-in-a-century genius. It seems the Land of Fire may again see the brilliance of the First Hokage."
The monk had been startled by Kaede's offhand talk—it sounded like mere chatter, yet cut to the bone.
Kaede glanced at the Second Princess and Rudi, sitting naturally side by side, and wasn't fazed. Look at them—an old soul among monks, and still… well, your disciple still walks with someone.
Catching Kaede's look, the monk read no malice there—only calm—and took it as a chance to teach. "You're wondering, aren't you, benefactor? If monks are to keep distance from women, why do I not pull the Second Princess away from my disciple?"
At being so bluntly named, the Second Princess—and many others—flushed.
Rudi himself had often wondered why his master never interfered with his private closeness to the princess. They knew, of course—but hadn't expected a cheeky child like Kaede to drag it into the open.
(End of Chapter)
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