Night fell, and in the sleeping quarters of the Land of Water's royal palace, Shun, having finished his official duties, walked slowly towards Mikoto's bedchamber, holding an intelligence scroll.
The scroll contained the detailed account of Itachi and Izumi's casual conversation by the small lake earlier that day.
From their dialogue to their interactive expressions, everything was meticulously recorded by the secretly observing ninja and eventually compiled into his hands.
Shun stood outside the bedchamber door, hesitated for a moment, then pushed it open.
Inside, a faint scent of sandalwood wafted. Mikoto was sitting at her vanity, removing her makeup.
Hearing the movement, she merely glanced at him indifferently.
Her tone held a hint of distance and a touch of resentment. "Why are you here? For the past three months, haven't you been spending your nights with Tsunade-nee?"
Mikoto knew in her heart that her husband already had 9 royal consorts, and outside the palace, he kept Mabui and Yugito as two external mistresses.
Shun felt a bit awkward, but he had always been thick-skinned. He quickly walked over, gently embraced her waist from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder.
"I just missed you, you know. I've been handling some matters recently that required Tsunade's help with medical ninjutsu research, so I stayed a few extra days."
Actually, it was because Tsunade had achieved Wood Release fusion, and he needed to improve his Wood Release proficiency through intimate act, so he often spent the night with her.
Mikoto snorted but didn't push him away. "Missed me? It's been over three months, and you've only come to me twice. Not to mention Tsunade-nee, you probably haven't been spending any less time with those two outside the palace, have you?"
Compared to the Daimyo of other countries, who often had dozens or even hundreds of concubines, Shun only having 9 royal consorts was considered quite restrained. But as a woman, Mikoto inevitably felt a little wronged in her heart.
Shun lowered his head and gently kissed her neck, his voice tinged with apology. "Mikoto, it's my fault. I promise to spend more time with you from now on."
After speaking, he scooped Mikoto up into his arms and carried her towards the large bed in the inner chamber.
Inside the bedchamber, the ambiguous atmosphere quickly heated up, leaving only their hurried breaths.
Shun made up for his neglect with action, and only after both were tired and lying on the bed did he slowly bring up the main topic.
He stroked Mikoto's long hair and said seriously, "Today, I received intel that Itachi and Izumi chatted by the lake for a long time. Izumi is a good girl, with high talent and a good personality, and she also has feelings for Itachi. I want to set them up. What do you think?"
Hearing this, a flicker of deep thought crossed Mikoto's eyes.
After her former husband Fugaku had passed away, Itachi had become increasingly taciturn. Besides speaking a few more words when he was with Sasuke and Karin, he was usually indifferent to everyone else.
She had long been worried about her son's future and had secretly observed Izumi. That girl was not only outstanding in strength but also genuinely devoted to Itachi. If they could get together, it would be a good thing.
"I also like Izumi, she's sensible and steady. But you know Itachi's personality, he's thoughtful and completely focused on his younger siblings, so he might not actively pursue a girl. And he's still so young now, wouldn't it be too early?"
Shun smiled and said calmly, "It's not too early. Shisui was already undertaking S-rank missions when he was his age. I plan to send them on an S-rank long-term mission to give them more time together. I've already thought of the route. Starting from the Land of Water, passing through the Land of Lightning, the Land of Hot Water, the Land of Waterfall, the Land of Earth, the Land of Bears, the Land of Demons, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Tea, finally returning to the Land of Water. Along the way, they can gain experience and develop their feelings."
Mikoto frowned, her voice filled with worry. "That's too far. With so many countries, what if they encounter danger?"
Shun patted her back, reassuring her, "Don't worry, I'll have Shisui lead the team. Although he's only 17, he possesses the Mangekyo, has been injected with Hashirama cells strengthening fluid, and has the Nature Cursed Seal. He alone can suppress a major ninja village. Plus, Nawaki and Anko will also follow. They are familiar with Itachi and Izumi, so it's a perfect team. It's a pity Shisui doesn't have a girlfriend, otherwise, it would be good to bring another girl along to let them interact more."
Mikoto's eyes lit up, and she said, "Speaking of Shisui, I just remembered someone: Yūgao. Both of them are 17, and Yūgao is a beauty, with good strength, she's a good match for Shisui."
Shun's body stiffened instantly, his gaze a little unnatural.
Yūgao was a beauty he had noticed before. She was calm and good at handling documents. He had originally planned to promote her to be his secretary after she gained more experience.
Shun quickly said, his voice tinged with a hint of panic, "They're not suitable. Both of them are too quiet, and life would lack a lot of fun. Do you see any other lively young girls of suitable age in the clan, perhaps from the Uchiha or other clans, to introduce to Shisui?"
Mikoto looked at him suspiciously, feeling that Shun's reaction was a bit strange, but she didn't think much of it.
She just thought seriously and said, "In the clan, there's a girl named Saya. She's the same age as Shisui, has good strength, and a lively personality. What do you think?"
Shun breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded. "That's good. You arrange for her to interact more with Shisui first and see what Shisui thinks. Matters of the heart still depend on whether they get along themselves."
Mikoto smiled and nodded, leaning into Shun's embrace. "You're still the most thoughtful. This way, both Itachi and Shisui will have companions, and I'll be relieved. But the mission route needs to be adjusted. Don't let them go to overly dangerous places, like the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind, which isn't peaceful lately."
Shun lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Okay, I'll listen to you."
Setting up Itachi and Izumi would not only give Itachi more to care about but also benefit Izumi.
Moreover, if Shisui could find a suitable partner, his future children's talents would certainly not be weak.
The next morning, Shun summoned Shisui, Itachi, Izumi, Nawaki, Anko, and Saya to the royal palace study to discuss mission matters.
"This time, your mission is to collect intelligence along the way on Kekkei Genkais, special secret techniques, rare minerals, and so on."
When the mission route and team roster were announced, Izumi's cheeks flushed, and she secretly glanced at Itachi.
Itachi, on the other hand, remained calm, only a flicker of anticipation in his eyes when he heard they would be visiting so many countries.
Shisui patted his chest and promised, "Don't worry, Daimyo-sama. I will definitely protect everyone and successfully complete the mission."