The night was thick and silent.
Arashi set down the scroll and stood up to stretch his limbs.
After finishing his official duties, he walked out of the study and slowly made his way toward the sleeping quarters.
The guards and maids along the corridor all bowed their heads, barely daring to breathe.
Arashi was long accustomed to such treatment, and it pleased him.
At the entrance of the sleeping quarters, two newly assigned maids stood respectfully with their hands clasped and their bodies slightly bowed.
Arashi pushed open the door and entered.
Inside, candlelight flickered, and the faint scent of incense filled the air.
A figure lay curled up on the bed, the bedding outlining the graceful curves of a woman's body.
Arashi's footsteps lightened, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
Perhaps hearing the sound, the figure on the bed visibly tensed.
Arashi walked straight to the bedside, sat down, and with a playful look, reached his hand into the bedding.
What he touched was not soft skin but the rough texture of fabric.
His smile vanished instantly, and he pulled the quilt back sharply. "You're still wearing clothes?"
Yui suddenly opened her eyes. Her gaze was filled with fear, but her expression remained stubborn.
Arashi ignored her emotions. His face darkened as he let out a cold snort. "It seems you still haven't learned how to be a maid."
"Someone!"
The door opened immediately, and the maids outside hurried in, falling to their knees and pressing their foreheads to the cold floor.
"I told you to teach her the rules!"
Arashi pointed at Yui, his voice carrying suppressed anger. "Didn't you teach her?"
"T-this…" The maid trembled violently, repeatedly bowing her head.
Arashi frowned, his patience thinning. "Take her away and teach her again. Make her understand what a maid's duty is."
He paused, his tone dropping lower.
"If she still hasn't learned by this time tomorrow, you will be held responsible."
The maid quickly nodded. "Y-yes, My Lord! I will definitely teach her properly!"
Arashi turned slightly, and the maid immediately scrambled up, rushed to the bed, and grabbed Yui's arm. No matter how she struggled, she was forcibly dragged out of the sleeping quarters.
The hall door closed behind them, cutting off her cries.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the study windows, casting soft shadows across the floor.
Arashi finished reviewing several reports and was slowly sipping his tea.
"Lord Tanaka requests an audience, Lord Daimyo," Gen announced from outside.
"Let him in."
Soon, a slightly overweight middle-aged man entered briskly. His name was Tanaka Shigeru, an old minister of the Land of Fire.
Tanaka bowed respectfully. "May Lord Daimyo be in good health."
"Sit," Arashi said, setting down his cup.
"Thank you, Lord."
Tanaka sat carefully, occupying only half the chair, his posture humble.
After a few formalities, Arashi said, "Last night, the Third Hokage of Konoha sent a letter."
Tanaka asked, "What did it say?"
Arashi toyed with the cup lid, his tone even. "The letter was very touching. First, it congratulated me on my succession, then it reminisced about the long-standing friendship between Konoha and the Daimyo Manor, and finally, it made a small request."
Tanaka's eyelids twitched.
A "small" request mentioned by the Daimyo himself could not be small.
"What does the Third Hokage mean?"
"His meaning is that in this great war, Konoha made great contributions but also suffered heavy losses. The Village lies in ruins, awaiting reconstruction," Arashi said indifferently.
"So, he hopes the Daimyo Manor can provide an additional budget for post-war rebuilding."
Tanaka's face turned bitter, and he immediately protested, "My Lord, that is absolutely impossible!"
"The national treasury is emptier than my hair! Suppressing the rebellion already drained our reserves. Reconstruction efforts and compensations all require funds! We have nothing left to give!"
"Oh?" Arashi raised an eyebrow. "Is it that serious?"
"Even more so, My Lord!"
"Bring Konoha's account books for me to see."
Tanaka had come prepared. He hurriedly presented a thick ledger with both hands.
Arashi took it, flipping through swiftly, scanning several lines at a time.
The figures inside were staggering.
Procurement of weapons, ninja mission subsidies, casualty compensation, infrastructure construction, research and development… These expenditures consumed one-third of the Land of Fire's annual budget.
During the Third Great Ninja War, that share had even risen to half.
Arashi's expression darkened. He shut the ledger with a dull thud.
"So much?"
Cold sweat formed on Tanaka's forehead as he explained, "Konoha is, after all, our military shield. Without their efforts at the frontlines all these years, we…"
Arashi smiled faintly.
"Tanaka, I ask you—Konoha is important, but are the other citizens of the Land of Fire not important?"
"During wartime, I can understand high military expenses."
"But now, the Third Raikage is dead, Iwagakure is weakened, Sunagakure has submitted, and Kirigakure is caught in internal strife. The war is nearly over."
"Instead of reducing spending, he wants even more funds? What kind of logic is that?"
Tanaka hesitated, speechless. "Then… does My Lord intend to reject it outright?"
Arashi waved his hand. "Rejecting it would appear too harsh. The Third is respected and has rendered great service to the Land of Fire. We can't be so heartless."
Tanaka looked confused.
Arashi's smile deepened. "Not only can we not reject it, we must actively help him."
"Help him and help Konoha Village learn what frugality means."
He raised two fingers.
"Starting next quarter, Konoha's annual budget will be reduced by two-tenths."
"Two… two-tenths?!"
Tanaka nearly leapt from his chair. "My Lord, that's impossible! That's an enormous cut! Konoha will never agree! The Third Hokage…"
"He will agree," Arashi interrupted calmly.
He stood and patted Tanaka's shoulder.
"The treasury is struggling after the war. For the sake of the Land of Fire's recovery, everyone must share the burden. Konoha, as part of the Land of Fire, should set an example. I'm sure the Third will understand."
Tanaka's face turned pale as sweat ran down his cheeks.
He understood perfectly.
This was about establishing authority, using Konoha as an example to warn others.
"But Konoha…"
"With such heavy losses in this war, I'm already being generous by not holding them accountable."
Arashi sat back down. "The Third is a wise man. He knows what choice to make."
"It's settled. Draft a new financial budget for me."
"Yes, My Lord." Tanaka bowed deeply.
"Go, and make the official document sound sincere."
"Yes!"
Tanaka withdrew, his steps unsteady.
Silence returned to the study.
Arashi's expression was calm. The first move had been made.
Even without a System mission, Konoha would have been his first target.
As a Daimyo, how could he allow the blade to be held in someone else's hand?
Power and authority must never be entrusted to others.
Just then, Gen's voice sounded from outside the door.
"My Lord."
"Enter."
Gen pushed open the door and bowed. "My Lord, a Konoha ninja requests an audience. He says he's on orders from the Third Hokage to deliver a detailed report on the great war."
"A Konoha ninja?"
Arashi looked slightly surprised. "Who is it?"
"He calls himself Yuhi Shinku."
(To be continued.)
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