Chapter 44 — A Fiancée Suddenly Added
"Eh???"
Temari, who had just been pushed forward by Chiyo, widened her eyes in disbelief.
Her life—her future—had just been decided for her?!
"What's wrong, Temari? Do you have an opinion?"Chiyo's tone was cold, her sharp gaze locking onto the girl.
"...No… no, I don't."
The usually calm and composed Temari opened her mouth, but in the end, no words came out.
She wasn't stupid—of course she understood Chiyo's intentions.But understanding didn't mean accepting it.
Being born into the Kazekage's family was both her luck and her curse.
When the village needed her to make sacrifices, she had no right to refuse.
Although she didn't hate Su Li—after all, he was powerful, handsome, and currently acting Hokage of Konoha, which made him a respectable match—that didn't mean she was willing.
She simply disliked the feeling of having her life arranged by others.
Besides… they had only met about an hour ago.And now she was being told to marry him?Who could accept that so easily?
"Marriage…"
Su Li raised his eyebrows, clearly caught off guard.
He hadn't expected things to take such a turn.But the more he thought about it, the more he understood Chiyo's reasoning.
Even if the Sand Village agreed to ally with Konoha, that alliance wasn't guaranteed to be stable—or trustworthy.
For instance, Su Li had promised to provide them with comics that could grant power.But he hadn't said how often, or how many, or even how strong those powers would be.And even if he gave them plenty now, who could guarantee he wouldn't take them back later?
Worse yet, what if he used Sand Shinobi as cannon fodder in future conflicts?
No matter how one looked at it, there were far too many uncertainties.
So from Chiyo's perspective, marriage was a perfectly logical solution.
If Temari became Su Li's fiancée—or even his wife—then, for Temari's sake, Su Li would have no reason to treat Sand Village harshly.
And if that union produced children one day…their village's future would be even more secure.
"To be honest, Chiyo-senpai," Su Li said after a pause, glancing between Chiyo and the blushing Temari, "I don't quite know how to respond to your request. After all, she and I just met. We have no emotional foundation."
Of course, that was only partially true.
In his previous life, Su Li already knew of Temari—her beauty, her temperament, her iconic fan.But this was still their first real meeting in person.
And truthfully… he didn't know what to do.
He didn't dislike her.In fact, he rather liked her.
But still—
First, wasn't Temari supposed to marry Nara Shikamaru in the future?They'd met during the Chūnin Exams. Though Su Li didn't know if she currently had feelings for Shikamaru, he wasn't interested in becoming someone's romantic obstacle.
Second, while he liked Temari, he didn't like her enough to imagine marriage—at least, not yet.
But if he rejected Chiyo outright, she'd probably lose all trust in him.
That could seriously complicate things.
Su Li sighed inwardly. He was caught in a difficult spot.
"There's no need to rush," Chiyo said, reading his expression. "Feelings can be cultivated over time. Or…" she added shrewdly, "does Your Excellency Su Li already have someone you intend to marry?"
Even if Konoha agreed to an alliance, the hatred between Konoha and the Sand would not vanish overnight.After all, the Sand had recently invaded Konoha.
So strengthening their political ties through Su Li—Jiraiya's disciple and Konoha's likely future Hokage—was the most logical move.
Especially considering his miraculous comics.
"...Not yet," Su Li admitted with a shake of his head.
"Temari," Chiyo turned to her again, "do you have someone you like?"
Temari also shook her head silently.
She knew Shikamaru, yes, but her feelings toward him were nothing more than admiration for his intelligence. There was no romance there—at least, not yet.
"Chiyo-senpai," Su Li said gently, "I still believe it's better not to force others' emotions. Besides, Temari is still underage—it's far too early to discuss marriage."
"In that case," Chiyo replied smoothly, "how about this, Your Excellency Su Li—let Temari stay by your side for the next few years. Let the two of you build a bond naturally. When she reaches adulthood, then you may marry if the feelings are mutual."
Seeing Su Li's faint impatience, she quickly offered the compromise.
Su Li thought it over carefully.
A few years of a buffer period… that could work.
It would stabilize Chiyo's trust, give her reason to help spread and manage his comics in the Sand Village, and maintain peace between their nations.
And in a few years' time, Sand Village would likely already be fully under Konoha's—and his—control.
By then, whether he truly married Temari or not would be entirely up to him.
Besides, he didn't dislike her.And if it ever did come to that, well… it wouldn't be so bad.
"Very well," Su Li said finally, after a few moments of silence. "Then let's do as Chiyo-senpai suggested."
His tone was calm, but in the back of his mind, he couldn't help thinking—
A fiancée, just like that…?