Chapter 42. That blond boy is from this kind of drama...
"You look terrible. Didn't you sleep well last night?" Your figure drifted to Shikamaru's ear as he was having a chaotic breakfast. He didn't even know when you appeared, so quietly.
Shikamaru paused, wondering how he could tell him that he had dreamt about you the whole time last night.
Even though I feel you wouldn't care about these things at all, and even if he told you, you would just nod perfunctorily and say something like, "Is that so?", it's truly an honor to be able to enter your dream.
But... he just feels uneasy, and he doesn't even dare to look you in the eye.
When he frowned, his eyebrows pressed down on his eyes, and his gaze fell. In his limited field of vision, he caught sight of your clothes. You were wearing a beige casual suit. You didn't seem to like dressing too restrictively. Even at last night's banquet, you were only barely dressed in formal attire, a white shirt and black undershirts that were ironed without a single wrinkle.
But when you were in Konoha, you seemed to wear more skirts, and people often described you as gentle. Now that I've gotten to know you up close, I've realized that people were completely wrong. You're not the kind of person with a gentle personality. On the contrary, he noticed the tough attitude hidden beneath your gentle mask.
"If you keep staring at me, it will bother me, Mr. Shikamaru." You sat down in front of Shikamaru as if you were old friends, even though there were many empty seats next to him. But you deliberately occupied the empty seat in front of him for some reason.
You cut a piece of butter with your clean butter knife and spread it on a slice of bread. Shikamaru silently watched your slow and methodical movements. Suddenly, this thought abruptly entered his mind. He felt like that piece of butter, being cut in your hands and then shaped into the form you wanted.
"Shikamaru, didn't you hear what I just said?" you repeated, then handed him a slice of bread smeared with butter. The latter, bewildered and awkward, took the bread from your hand, took a bite, and seemed to taste your aroma.
What a terrible feeling! What's worse, he doesn't seem to dislike it at all. After taking a bite, I heard you say, "I thought you'd say thank you, Shikamaru."
"Ah, thank you—" You completely controlled the rhythm, and his mouth was filled with the aroma of butter, and of course, your aroma as well.
You nodded, and Shikamaru asked if you wanted some tea. He was pouring tea for you, and the aroma of black tea wafted out. Deidara appeared amidst this fragrance, walking with a swagger. He pulled up a chair and sat down next to you, saying, "Why are you up so early today?"
Shikamaru silently observed the blond boy, whose long golden hair was tied into a high ponytail and whose bangs were held back with hair clips.
...Is it a diamond hair clip?
This outfit was really hard to appreciate, at least for Shikamaru. However, the other party didn't seem to care about Shikamaru's opinion. Rather, he simply didn't take Deidara seriously. From the moment he appeared until he sat down, he didn't even look at Shikamaru.
They completely ignored him. Fortunately, Shikamaru wasn't the type to lose his composure, so it was fine. He could use this opportunity to observe him secretly.
"Yes, I slept very well last night, how about you?"
Shikamaru infers your relationship with this blond boy based on your attitude. Are you bed partners? No, no... thinking that way is disrespectful to you. He might just be a waiter who has temporarily gained your favor, and now he's taking advantage of it?
This kind of plot seems to only appear in movies and TV dramas. I never thought he would actually see it with his own eyes.
Shikamaru doesn't usually watch these kinds of movies and TV shows, but because his teammate Yamanaka Ino really likes them, he's also become familiar with some clichéd plots, such as the story of someone gaining the favor of a superior and rising to a high position.
That blond boy is like the sparrow in this kind of story, right?
"I thought you would come to wake me up, but I didn't see you when I woke up. I thought you had left again." This wasn't the first time Deidara had been abandoned by you like this, and he seemed to be holding a grudge. But your reaction was: "Is that so? Then I'll leave you a note next time."
That's not what Deidara wanted to hear. He pursed his lips, frowned, and the diamond hairpin in his hair sparkled, just like his personality, making him impossible to ignore. He said, "This isn't something that can be solved by leaving a note."
"Oh, then can I leave a check?" You picked up your teacup and smiled at Deidara through the hazy tea steam.
As an observer, Shikamaru became increasingly certain of his previous speculation: was it really that kind of relationship?
Well... it's not surprising that someone like you, who is already in a high position and has money and power, would do something like this. Shikamaru even unconsciously started to defend you, and even thought that the blond boy was being unreasonable, completely forgetting that he was completely neutral at the beginning.
Deidara thought of how you used to write checks for Obito. Ha, you think you can use the same trick to get rid of him? Besides, he doesn't want your money. He snorted and turned his gaze to Shikamaru. Ah... that Konoha ninja. He's been acting as a background character. I guess he's been observing and analyzing him.
So, what conclusions have we drawn from these observations?
Deidara's blue eyes scrutinized Shikamaru from head to toe without any attempt to conceal his appearance. He could then conclude that Shikamaru's looks weren't his type. After all, his features weren't particularly refined; at best, he was just handsome, nothing special. His hairstyle and attire were also quite ordinary, lacking any artistic flair.
"You think you can get close to me just because of your looks? You're dreaming." Deidara looked at Shikamaru with disdain.
What's wrong with this guy? He suddenly started scrutinizing me for no reason, and then he started showing me hostility, even though I haven't done anything wrong! He's not saying anything, and his eyes aren't even giving me any meaningful look. What did I do to offend him?
"Your taste has gotten so bad? How could you even like someone like that?" Deidara said irritably.
Ha, he knew it. Shikamaru immediately understood. It seemed that the other party regarded him as a rival. This unprovoked hostility was because he was categorized as a love rival. It was strange that he had gained the malice of the same sex without doing anything, just because he had said a few words to him.
You can easily provoke his emotions and then reap the benefits.
That's a truly terrifying tactic.
Shikamaru said, "My relationship with Ms. Aki is not what you think."
Deidara was like a small bomb; Shikamaru's words ignited the fuse. Deidara exclaimed, "Who knows what you're up to? You're a Konoha ninja. Konoha probably sent you here to get Akane's help, so you'll definitely use every trick in the book to seduce her, huh!"
After hearing this, Shikamaru's expression was blank. How should I put it... He had just thought that the other person was the protagonist of a sparrow turning into a phoenix, but it turned out that the other person also thought the same about him. Their thoughts actually coincided. Isn't that a kind of coincidence?
"But couldn't your Konoha send a few better-looking people? When it comes to looks, you really don't have an advantage at all," Deidara said sharply and directly.
That's enough, why is he still going on about his appearance?
Shikamaru said, "It's better than you having only a pretty face." This was like indirectly admitting that he was there to seduce you.
Forget it, he was too lazy to explain. The innocent have nothing to fear. Besides, since the other party had already drawn a conclusion and was prejudiced against him, it would be meaningless for him to say anything more. He would still think that way.
As you spoke, you poured Didara a cup of black tea, pushed a croissant toward him, and said, "Have breakfast."
Then something amazing happened: the boy, who had been so aggressive just moments before, suddenly fell silent and quietly ate his breakfast.
How did you do that? Shikamaru glanced at Deidara in surprise, then looked at you, who happened to be smiling at him.
Shikamaru's head buzzed. Wait—you don't think so too, do you? You think he's here to seduce you or something?
but……
He's not like that, what should I do? Should I explain to you? Explaining just for this seems too deliberate. Just as Shikamaru was struggling with this, you changed the subject. You said, "By the way, do you have a summoning beast? I think I'll be communicating with you a lot in the future, and it would be a bit troublesome if I didn't have one."
Summoning beasts… Shikamaru hadn’t considered that yet. He said, “What about carrier pigeons?”
You gently shook your head and said, "No, the letter I wrote to you is very confidential."
Shikamaru gave a thoughtful "Ah," indicating that it was highly confidential and he would have to think about it carefully.
"I'll prepare the summoning beast, so please don't worry." His teacher Asuma came up behind Shikamaru. Shikamaru felt a sense of relief because of his appearance. Although he was now a Chunin and this mission was with his teammate Asuma instead of his teacher, he still subconsciously regarded Asuma as his teacher.
The idea that he could feel at ease as long as his teacher was there remained deeply ingrained in his mind.
“It’s Mr. Asuma.” You smiled at Sarutobi Asuma, didn’t get up, casually pointed to the empty seat next to you, and said, “Please sit down.”
I can sense a subtle pride in your attitude, but it's not annoying; it just feels natural. After all, you've already reached this position, so a bit of arrogance is to be expected.
"It seems Shikamaru is quite reliant on his teacher. You've relaxed a lot since Asuma-san appeared," you said.
Have I been seen through?
Shikamaru took a sip of black tea to hide his feelings.
"Please don't worry about the summoning beasts. Since you want to cooperate with Konoha, we will also show our sincerity," Asuma said.
After you've almost finished breakfast, you get up and say to the teachers and students, "Enjoy your meal."
Seeing that you were about to leave, Deidara also got up and followed you out of the restaurant. Shikamaru's gaze followed your back until you disappeared.
"There's no need to look anymore, she's already gone," Teacher Asuma reminded her.
"I know," Shikamaru replied somewhat irritably, his irritation coming out of nowhere.
Asma was also feeling a bit annoyed and wanted to light a cigarette, but was stopped by a passing staff member, "Excuse me, sir, smoking is prohibited here."
Asma responded, putting away his cigarette while still holding a lighter in his hand—a habitual gesture. He said, "The mission is going well, so why do you seem so agitated?"
"I don't know what the future holds."
The uncertainty about the future made him extremely uneasy. He thought he could handle these things, but now it seemed he was not yet a qualified ninja.
"We can only take it one step at a time. Oh, right, stop trying to get close to her. Just keep your current distance. I don't think the task the Hokage assigned you included seducing her, right?"
Upon hearing this, Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly. How could even his teacher think that way? He said decisively, "No, you're overthinking it."
"That's good. Although Shikamaru is a smart kid, even the smartest person can easily make mistakes when it comes to matters of the heart. If you're going to date, don't choose someone like this." Asuma said earnestly, genuinely worried that his student would be ruined by him.
Shikamaru took a sip of black tea and said, "I know, of course I know."
His fingers tapped impatiently on the edge of the table.
Judging from this, they didn't listen at all.
After leaving the restaurant, you didn't go back to your room right away. It would be such a waste to work in the study on such a nice day. Although there are still some documents waiting for you to deal with, such as the batch of goods that Kado ordered in the Land of Wine. Kado finally realized that something happened in the Land of Wine. Actually, you thought that Kado would take some action after the news of what happened in the Land of Wine got out.
But he didn't seem to take it seriously at all, probably thinking it was just a minor incident on the island. By the time he realized something was wrong, it was too late. Your influence had already penetrated deep into this small country, and you controlled the local industries. Now, this country has become your backyard.
Some might wonder what the monarch of that country would do. What could possibly happen? If you offer them enough benefits, they'll see there's profit to be made and naturally shut up, pretending they didn't see or hear anything. As long as the benefits are plentiful, it's enough to silence those nobles. You understand this principle well.
Kado should be the one in a hurry now. After all, he paid for the goods but didn't receive them. Plus, the commotion you caused in his casino has resulted in heavy losses for him in the short term. As a businessman, profit is the most important thing. Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. He's furious.
Many people were also sent to investigate the incident, and coincidentally, the task was assigned to Kirigakure, where it was discovered by Zabuza and ended up in his hands.
It can only be said that Gato's luck was really bad, but even if he hadn't entrusted the mission to Kirigakure, even if he had entrusted it to other ninja villages, such as Sunagakure or Konoha, the result would have been the same. This is the benefit of expanding your network of contacts.
Although this world is crueler than your previous life, it is still a society based on human relationships.
Who says the ninja world doesn't value human relationships? Anyone who says that is definitely joking. In fact, the more a world is like that, the more it values human relationships. After all, people here have a weak sense of the rule of law. In your opinion, legal education has a long way to go.
Getting back to the main point, Zabuza, having received Gato's request, said to the Mizukage, "Leave this mission to me."
Don't let Zabuza's current status as just an ordinary Jonin fool you; anyone who knows a little about the inside story knows that he's already found a sugar daddy... well, calling him a sugar daddy isn't quite right, he should be called a sponsor.
There are no secrets in this world; no matter how well you try to cover things up, some information will still leak out.
Among those unsubstantiated rumors, there was a mix of truth and falsehood. The false rumors were incredibly exaggerated, claiming that he had sacrificed everything to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy. Of course, because this rumor was so exaggerated, few people believed it. Most people believed a different version of events, which was that Zabuza had fallen in love with a powerful client and was unable to win his heart.
The latter is much more reasonable.
With these rumors spreading, Zabuza's life in Kirigakure will be affected to some extent, but fortunately he doesn't care about them. He scoffs at them. What does it mean to curry favor with the powerful? You're not the kind of person who's easy to please. To this day, he still can't figure out what you're thinking.
But they were right about one thing: he truly couldn't have what he wanted.
Since he returned to Kirigakure, all the letters he wrote to you have disappeared without a trace. He wrote so many letters, but you didn't reply to a single one. It's as if you unilaterally cut off contact with him.
He's not the kind of person who overthinks things, but after writing so many letters and receiving no response, anyone would be concerned, right?
He needs to find an opportunity to see you, to see what you're really doing, and whether you're really that busy. He doesn't believe it; he saw you write to Bai immediately after the banquet attack. See? As long as you're determined, even if you're being assassinated, you can still find time to write a letter.
It all depends on whether you have the will or not.
Therefore, when Zabuza saw the request, he saw that the client was Gato and remembered that Gato was your mortal enemy. You once jokingly said that you would swallow up all of Gato's assets.
Combined with your actions during this period, he knows that you are the mastermind behind Kado's extremely corrupt behavior.
Zabuza held the request, imagining how you would toy with your enemy, and couldn't help but laugh.
This is exactly the kind of thing you're capable of doing.
Even after Zabuza left the office building, many people were still whispering among themselves, "He can only take on these kinds of missions so easily because he has powerful connections, right? I'm really curious what his sugar daddy saw in him?"
"You'd better keep your voice down, it would be terrible if he heard you."
Meanwhile, you, who are currently in the Land of Tea, are unaware that Zabuza has accepted this mission and that he will be coming to find you soon.
You're still enjoying the beautiful morning.
The Land of Tea is famous for its tea, so even the capital city has vast tea fields. Tea pickers are plucking fresh tea buds under the sunlight. As you walk through the tea fields, Deidara says there's nothing particularly interesting about it.
You sit in the pavilion halfway up the mountain, looking out over the tea fields. You say, "Really? What do you think is interesting? If you find it boring, you can leave. I'm not stopping you."
Deidara fell silent. He had only said it casually, but he hadn't expected Deidara to take it so seriously. Of course, he was seriously telling Deidara to leave. He said, "Can't you say something nicer?"
He came to find you as soon as he finished his task, and this is how you reacted. He's incredibly frustrated.
I felt like my sincerity had been misplaced.
That's right, his sincerity didn't win your sincerity. It's so unfair. He said angrily, "You can even take a fancy to that ordinary-looking ninja from Konoha, but can't you even give me a second glance?"
Oh, so he's been bothered by this detail all along.
"I didn't like him."
"Then why did you spread bread slices on his bread?"
"Oh... because I found out it was salty butter halfway through applying it, I can't just waste it, can I?"
Okay, what you said seems to make sense, but Deidara is really bothered by it. He said, "You really don't like him?"
You rest your chin on your hand and approach him, reaching out to pinch his cheek. The boy's cheek is soft, just like his personality. He says, "What are you doing?" but his body doesn't move.
"You seem to really like this diamond hair clip? You like diamonds?"
"No, it's because it's yours that I like it." Diamonds and gemstones are no different in his eyes. It's just that this diamond hair clip was given to him by you, and even worn by you, which is why he cherishes it so much.
"Don't change the subject." Deidara wanted to pinch your cheek like you did, but when he reached out, his palm ended up touching your cheek. You slowly winked at him, and his voice froze.
What should I say at this moment?
"Do you like anything I give you?" you asked.
Of course, his inner voice immediately answered.
He said dryly, "Even the pain you inflict, I would still enjoy."
That's enough. These ninjas are practically McDonald's reserve soldiers. You say, "I don't have that kind of fetish. Since you like them, I'll assign you a few more missions."
Since you're just idling around anyway, why not let him work for you for free? Such a useful labor force shouldn't be wasted. As for romance and love, those are just for fooling children. Yes, the children you're referring to are Deidara.
Heartless adults only think about maximizing their profits, while naive children go to great lengths to get close to them.
Either way, you won't lose out.
Deidara was taken aback by your words. Well... it's true that the task you gave me is something you gave me, but isn't something wrong with it?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
