Surprising words and collision of thoughts
As their conversations through the wall increased, the older Uchiha Aoi, while still maintaining the necessary caution when dealing with Tobirama, was no longer as tense and cautious as she had been at the beginning. Sometimes, when discussing books or things she'd seen, she'd unconsciously reveal a modern perspective that transcended the limitations of her time, often causing the usually calm and composed young man outside the wall to fall into a brief silence or raise a question of surprise.
One day, they talked about a history book that Kui was reading, which recorded the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms. The book attributed the kingdom's demise to a large extent on the last monarch's incompetence and the misfortune of his beautiful women.
As Kui watched, she couldn't help but mutter to the wall, "...But isn't it too simplistic to blame the decline of a country entirely on one person, or even a woman? It's like a big tree dying. You only see the outermost leaf turning yellow, but you don't check whether its roots have rotted long ago, whether the soil has changed, and whether the climate is different..."
A long silence fell outside the wall. It was so long that Aoi thought Tobirama had left, or that he had said something stupid and was about to complain and make amends when his voice slowly rose, carrying an unprecedented, thoughtful tone: "...The roots are rotten? The soil has changed?...That's an interesting metaphor. Keep going."
Encouraged, Aoi boldly continued, "It's just... I think the fate of a country is related to many, many things. For example... um... for example, whether people can have enough to eat, whether land is concentrated in the hands of a few, whether officials work for the people or for themselves, whether other countries around them are strong or weak... and, um... whether knowledge is monopolized, whether new ideas can emerge... so many factors intertwine and ultimately lead to the outcome. Blaming only one person is like... like finding a convenient way out of all the problems while avoiding the real, difficult ones."
She tried her best to use words that could be understood by this era and carefully expressed the embryonic views of historical materialism.
There was another silence outside the wall. Then, Tobirama's voice came, no longer his usual coldness, but with a sharp inquiry: "Did you read this in a book? Or did you think of it yourself?"
Aoi's heart tightened, and she quickly said: "...Yes, I was just imagining things...Maybe I'm wrong..." She began to play the role of the noble lady who "occasionally has some small ideas but is very immature".
"...No." Tobirama denied it. "Although naive, the perspective... is very unique. Few people would think this way. Especially..." He paused, as if swallowing back the words "especially the noble ladies raised in seclusion." "...This book, next time I come, can you lend it to me?"
Another time, Tobirama mentioned, with a touch of sarcasm, that some nobles cling to old ways and reject all new things. Aoi subconsciously added, "...Perhaps it's not that they don't know the benefits of new things, but rather that they fear the uncertainty that comes with change. Maintaining the status quo at least means knowing the outcome. Change could be for the better, or it could be for the worse. For those who already have a lot, the motivation to take the risk of change may not be that strong..."
Coming from the mouth of a sheltered noblewoman, these words seemed particularly insightful about human nature. Tobirama, outside the wall, fell silent again. He seemed to chuckle softly, with a hint of resignation: "At your age, you seem to see through people's hearts."
Aoi immediately regretted it and quickly tried to make amends: "...I also heard it occasionally when my grandmother was chatting with the ladies who came to visit..."
There were several more similar conversations. Aoi's occasional subtle insights on equality, knowledge sharing, and even medical hygiene (such as the importance of keeping an injury clean rather than simply bandaging it) always left Tobirama feeling curious and confused.
He was certain she was merely an ordinary person, devoid of any chakra fluctuations. Her circumstances meant she had no access to core ninja lore or the experience of true adversity. Yet, these occasional flashes of insight, transcending time and class, made him feel that this girl within these walls was far more complex and innocent than she appeared. She was like a book, seemingly simple yet occasionally revealing a glimpse of profound depths, beckoning him to turn the pages and explore.
This collision of minds made their conversation across the wall more than just a simple greeting or exchange of knowledge, but a deeper spiritual connection. Tobirama began to feel genuine curiosity about her (intellectual curiosity), not just gratitude for a lifesaver or appreciation for a peaceful existence.
For Aoi, this kind of communication was both dangerous and fascinating. She could sense Tobirama's attraction to her occasionally out-of-the-box remarks, which gave her a secret sense of joy and accomplishment. But after each statement, she felt a wave of fear, reminding herself to be even more cautious and never reveal her most core secrets. She walked a fine tightrope, enjoying the joy of communicating with someone who truly understood some of the depths of her thinking while constantly wary of falling into the abyss.
This dangerous attraction caused the vague affection to quietly grow into more complex branches.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com