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Chapter 5: Investigating the Demon with Engraved Eyes
Early the next morning.
At the break of dawn, Uchiha Naori opened her drowsy eyes.
As Tetsu's bodyguard, she naturally lived in the same bedroom as him.
More accurately, she wasn't technically in Tetsu's bedroom, but she was.
There was a small partition within the bedroom, separated only by a sliding door.
Uchiha Naori slept on a futon in this partitioned space.
To be honest, she was somewhat repulsed by Tetsu's arrangement at first.
Tetsu was the Clan Leader, true, but she was still a woman, after all.
However, as the days went by, Uchiha Naori discovered that the Clan Leader didn't have any intentions in that regard.
Well, not entirely devoid of intentions. When Tetsu was working, he would sometimes glance at her, intentionally or unintentionally.
Aside from that, Tetsu never did anything untoward.
What did he take her for?
A decorative vase to rest his eyes on when he got tired from work?
Forget it, this is fine.
Otherwise, if Tetsu really tried to do something to her, she truly wouldn't be able to accept it for a while.
Ever since she started following Uchiha Tetsu, her thoughts had become a bit... erratic.
Uchiha Naori watched the morning light filter through the washi paper of the sliding door, casting shadows of ukiyo-e patterns onto the tatami mats in her partition.
The weather seemed very nice today as well.
Feeling that it was about time, she sat up and began to dress.
Her high-collared, long-sleeved clan top was made of ink-black silk, wrapping around her slender neck and the curves of her body.
The collar reached her jawline, accentuating the sharpness of her Uchiha-characteristic jet-black eyes.
Her dark gray skirt fell to her ankles, the hem like mist in the twilight, rippling outward as she tied her sash.
The friction of the fabric made a soft rustling sound, like a scroll being slowly unrolled.
When she lowered her head to fasten the two sheathed straight-bladed swords to her right hip, her waist bent slightly, pulling the fabric taut against a full curve, only to be quietly concealed by the falling pleats a moment later.
Finally, she pulled her long hair out from under her collar. Her purple hair cascaded down her shoulders and back like a waterfall, and she quickly smoothed it out.
Naori held a small mirror, looking at her exquisite and flawless face before revealing a satisfied smile.
Sliding open the partition door, Naori saw Tetsu sprawled out on the bed in a chaotic posture, sleeping like a log.
If it were her, she would have woken up long ago.
However, Naori also understood that Tetsu's abilities were not reflected in combat.
"Tetsu-sama."
"It is time for you to get up."
Hearing this, Tetsu groggily rolled over in bed, mumbling incoherently:
"Mn?"
"Mhm."
Because Tetsu appeared to be around the same age as Uchiha Naori, in her eyes, although he was the Clan Leader, he was still just a peer.
"Tetsu-sama, what would you like for breakfast?"
"You need to get up for work."
Hearing the word 'work,' Tetsu frowned slightly:
"Anything's fine."
"I'll get up when the food is ready."
Although Uchiha Naori had long been accustomed to Tetsu's lifestyle, she still sighed:
"Alright."
"Then please wait a moment."
But Uchiha Naori didn't know how to cook.
She formed hand seals with one hand, and as white smoke puffed in the room, a Shadow Clone appeared.
She could just have the Shadow Clone go buy breakfast on the street.
In a short while, Naori's Shadow Clone returned with breakfast.
Two boxes of Takoyaki from Granny Uruchi's shop.
Plus a bento box and hot milk.
The bento contained rice, grilled fish, and two servings of vegetables.
Naori ate the same thing, except she swapped the milk for miso soup.
After the Shadow Clone placed the food in the dining room, it dispelled itself.
Naori, receiving the information transmitted back from the clone, immediately spoke up in the bedroom:
"Tetsu-sama, the meal is ready."
"If you don't get up now, it will get cold."
Hearing that he could eat, Tetsu instantly sat up in bed, yawned, and nodded expressionlessly:
"Alright."
"Let's go."
Work could wait, but skipping a meal was out of the question.
Tetsu walked to the dining room wearing loose pajamas, with Uchiha Naori following behind him.
Only after Tetsu took his seat at the head of the long dining table did Uchiha Naori sit down.
"Tetsu-sama, you should just hire a chef for the Clan Leader's estate."
"It would save me from running errands every day."
Uchiha Tetsu took a sip of hot milk before responding righteously:
"How can I do that?"
"Although I am the Clan Leader, I cannot engage in special privileges."
Uchiha Naori couldn't help but smile; having her as a personal bodyguard wasn't a special privilege?
However, Naori felt that as the leader of a clan, Tetsu did indeed need a bodyguard, and mainly, she was already used to it.
"Very well."
"But could you please finish your vegetables?"
"Waste is shameful behavior."
"Besides, not eating vegetables is bad for your health."
Seeing the vegetables in Tetsu's bento box untouched, Uchiha Naori couldn't help but persuade him.
Tetsu chewed on the vegetables with a pained expression:
"Then remember to buy me all meat next time."
"I really don't like vegetables."
This suggestion was rejected on the spot by Uchiha Naori:
"Please forgive my refusal."
"You need a healthy body to lead our clan."
"Please do not say such irresponsible things."
Tetsu looked helpless:
"You're making this sound way too serious."
Tetsu shoveled the remaining vegetables into his mouth in a few bites.
Uchiha Naori seized the opportunity to advise Tetsu not to eat so ravenously.
Tetsu listened a little, but not much.
"Naori, after you finish eating, go notify Inabi to come to the outer courtyard."
"I have an important mission to assign to him."
The moment work was mentioned, Tetsu's aura instantly changed, becoming very serious.
Uchiha Naori felt that Tetsu was quite competent when it came to work.
After finishing her meal, Uchiha Naori sent a Shadow Clone to notify Inabi, while her main body cleaned up the dining room and brewed tea for Tetsu.
By the time Tetsu finished a cup of tea, Inabi was already waiting for his orders in the outer courtyard.
.....
Clan Leader's Estate, Outer Courtyard.
Uchiha Naori's attitude toward Inabi wasn't exactly loathing, but it wasn't far off.
Because Inabi was extremely arrogant. Sometimes he didn't put other clansmen in his eyes at all, especially the younger generation.
Inabi was polite enough to his seniors, though.
However, Naori was surprised that this guy had a good reputation among the younger generation.
Truly strange.
As Inabi's senior, Uchiha Naori felt this guy had a lot of flaws.
But Inabi had his merits too. Despite his arrogance and bad temper, he was actually very rational.
Tetsu arrived in the outer courtyard and gave his orders directly to Inabi, who had been waiting for a while:
"Inabi, I need you to go on a mission outside the town."
"Investigate exactly what kind of existence the demons with engraved eyes are."
"Find out what 'Lower Rank' signifies among demons."
"Take the rookie assigned to you yesterday."
"Remember, if you encounter danger, prioritize your own safety first."
"Understood?"
Uchiha Naori, watching all this from behind Tetsu, felt internally that Tetsu's arrangement was excellent.
On the surface, Hikaku seemed more suitable for this mission because his abilities were far superior to Inabi's.
But Hikaku had a problem: he was too rigid and serious, making him unsuitable for this kind of investigative mission.
In contrast, Inabi was very suitable.
Uchiha Naori felt that Tetsu had indeed thought this through carefully; otherwise, an ordinary person would definitely have just sent Hikaku.
Inabi was very well-behaved in front of Tetsu, but the excitement in his eyes couldn't be suppressed:
"Yes, Clan Leader."
"Please rest assured, I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly!"
.....
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