Chapter 12: Hiroto's Gift
Keiko was at a loss for words. After such an emotional buildup, he was asking her such an ordinary, domestic question? She had been bracing herself for a request to sacrifice her life for the village.
Pulling herself together, Keiko replied, "It's been alright, actually. It was a bit of a struggle at first, but once I got used to it, it didn't feel so hard. And I really love children. My Aiko is such a good girl. Sometimes, I think I'm lucky to have her. Without her, I might have lost all hope."
Dana continued to ask her questions while reviewing her questionnaire, including some bizarre ones about the proper diet and nutritional needs for children aged one to seven.
In the end, Keiko left the room as confused as she had been when she arrived, with only the instruction to watch for a notice from the village in the coming days.
After Keiko had gone, Dana wrote the word "Excellent" on her file and turned to Dodai. "What do you think? So far, she seems to be the most suitable candidate."
Dodai nodded. "I trust your judgment, Young Master Dana."
"Is it just me," Dana asked, "or has your attitude towards me changed in the last few days, Uncle Dodai? Did I do something wrong?"
It felt like the way Dodai spoke to him was gradually becoming the way he spoke to his father—polite, formal, and distant.
"Not at all, Young Master Dana. You must be mistaken," Dodai said with a smile, but the intense, almost reverent look in his eyes still made Dana uncomfortable.
The other candidates they interviewed all had their own issues. Some were too fanatical about their own personal interpretation of the shinobi code, making them unsuitable as educators. Others still harbored ambitions of climbing the ninja ranks and wouldn't be willing to commit to a long-term position at the orphanage.
All in all, Dana still favored Keiko Morita. One of the current staff members at the orphanage (who had only been working there for a week) would be transferred, and the other would likely follow after the handover was complete. Then, his plan for the orphanage could finally get on track.
Sometimes, Dana wondered if he was overstepping. Wouldn't it be easier to just enjoy his life as the Second Young Master of the Yotsuki clan? But as someone from another world, he couldn't suppress the urge to do something. He had been reborn as the son of the Raikage; he had the power and opportunity to make a difference, so he had to at least try. Besides, it wasn't like he was busy. He was still a kid with nothing but time on his hands.
The reform of the orphanage had begun. His plan had received initial approval. With the backing of his father and Dodai, he was no longer an insignificant child in the village. It was a good start.
We all have a bright future ahead of us.
After finishing his work for the day, Dana returned to the Yotsuki compound, where he saw a familiar flash of red hair near the gate.
Uzumaki Hiroto was standing at a corner, staring wide-eyed at the towering gate and the nameplate of the Yotsuki clan.
Hiroto had come to play with Dana. He treasured his first friend in the Hidden Cloud. The large bag of candy Dana had given him had been a huge hit with his family; his little sister had been ecstatic all night. Although they didn't have much money, Hiroto felt it was important to return the gesture. He had pestered his mother into making a small gift, and then followed the address Dana had given him. But when he saw the sheer scale and opulence of the Yotsuki compound, his courage failed him. He didn't dare to go in, and could only stand there, frozen.
Did I get the wrong address? There's no way Dana lives in a place like this!
Hiroto's legs felt a little weak. For a boy who had spent his entire life on the brink of poverty, the sight of such a grand estate was overwhelming. He felt the crushing pressure of wealth itself, so intense it seemed to choke his very chakra. The gift he held in his hand—two fish-filled rice balls his mother had carefully prepared—now felt as heavy as stones.
Two little figures appeared in his mind. One said, "Why don't you just eat the rice balls and pretend you were never here?"
The other chirped, "Yeah, good idea!"
Just as Hiroto was about to scurry home, he saw Dana returning with his entourage.
"Hey, Uzumaki Hiroto, right? Did you come to play?" Dana called out cheerfully. The bright red hair was unmistakable.
"Ah, haha, uh, I was just passing by..." Hiroto said, scratching the back of his head with a fake laugh.
Of course, Dana wasn't going to let him get away. He invited Hiroto to stay for dinner, not giving him a chance to refuse. The shy, tongue-tied Uzumaki boy was so flustered that he was practically herded into the Yotsuki compound before he could even think of an excuse.
"What?! Why is there a mountain inside the house?"
"What?! Why is there a tree in the hallway?"
As they walked, Hiroto's shock slowly turned to numbness as he was bombarded with one spectacle of wealth after another.
Dana led him deeper into the compound, occasionally pointing out various features, though Hiroto was too dazed to listen. At this point, if Dana had told him the toilets were made of solid gold, he would have believed it.
When they had first entered, Dana had sent a servant to inform his mother that he had a guest. So, when they arrived at the dining room, his mother, Satomi, was already there.
"Good evening, Mother," Dana said politely. "This is my new friend, Uzumaki Hiroto. He's here for a visit."
Hiroto sprang forward like a jack-in-the-box, bowed a full ninety degrees, and shouted, "G-g-g-good evening, ma'am! It's a pleasure to meet you! Please take care of me!"
Dana covered his ears. "Uh, Mother isn't deaf. You don't have to yell."
"My deepest apologies, ma'am!" Hiroto shouted, even louder this time.
"Please, make yourself at home," Satomi said with a gentle smile. "I wasn't expecting a guest, so I didn't have much time to prepare, but I had the kitchen make some extra dishes. I hope you like them."
Dana didn't say much more. He knew the best way to make Hiroto feel comfortable was to act as normally as possible.
Hiroto was already stunned into silence by the exquisite and plentiful spread on the table.
Satomi was curious about her son's new friend. Dana had never had a friend his own age before. She asked a few simple questions, which Hiroto answered honestly, and then she simply watched them with a warm expression.
Their strategy worked. Hiroto gradually relaxed and, drawn in by the delicious food, began to eat timidly.
With every bite, his eyes grew wider and wider.
Just as Hiroto was finally starting to feel at ease, the Third Raikage, A, came home.
When Hiroto saw the man in the Raikage hat, his eyes went wide. Even though he had only been in the village for a few days, he recognized that hat.
"Th-th-th... that's... uh... I..."
Dana ignored Hiroto's sputtering and hopped down from his chair. "Welcome home, Dad."
"D-d-d-dad?! Dana, you're the Raikage's son?!" Hiroto stammered, his face a mask of disbelief.
Dana just smiled. "I never got around to telling you. It's not like I go around bragging that my father is the Raikage."
A looked at the boy's red hair and understood. As Raikage, he was well aware of the Uzumaki family that had recently arrived in the village. His work was demanding, so the family never waited for him for dinner. He simply sat down at the table and began to eat.
But A's presence was the final straw for Hiroto. His sanity had officially snapped. From the moment the Raikage sat down, Hiroto didn't eat another bite.
Dana tried to encourage him, but after Hiroto managed to stick his chopsticks up his nose several times, he gave up.
After finishing his meal, A wiped his mouth and said, "Dana, meet me at the training grounds later. I want to test your progress."
He paused, then added, "You too, red-haired kid."
"Huh? Y-yes, sir!" Hiroto yelped.
Dana just sighed. I knew I shouldn't have eaten so much...