章 53: Chapter 53: The passing month
"I'm sorry, you want to do what?" Tsunade asked with a raised eyebrow, her drunkenness diminishing by a level while Shizune beside her was also looking at Shin with a strange look.
Shin sipped his tea before repeating himself, "I don't want you to do anything, I am just the messenger. The daimyo wants you to take a look at Young lord Inoue's penis. Apparently he has been having issues… getting in the mood. There can't be a wedding without any chances of a child now can there?"
Yes, the young master of the Inoue clan had gotten erectile dysfunction with the wedding only a month away. Luckily, that issue was discovered quickly due to his very frequent visits to the brothels but the doctors could not heal him. After two weeks of failed treatments, Daimyo had requested Shin to track down Tsunade and bring her to the capital and heal the man before the wedding.
"Ugh, You can't expect Tsunade-sama to treat that vagrant! I say he got what he deserved!" cussed Shizune. No one could blame her, the man's reputation as a useless playboy was just short of legendary but his was an important noble family and Daimyo needed their support to counter the war-happy faction of the nobles.
"Naturally, you will be well compensated, receiving a reward of royal proportions." Shin sweetened the deal.
"Shizune! Packup! We are going to the capital!" Tsunade perked up as her eyes started to shine brightly. Shin smiled, knowing this was the best way to get this money-loving woman to do something.
Shin left soon after, he wasn't worried about the sannin going back on her word so he made his way back to the capital to report to the daimyo. After ensuring the man of Tsunade's arrival and that the matter will be resolved soon enough.
After Shin left the audience chamber, he started to make his way towards the entrance, as a key noble, he had many responsibilities to fulfill. But before he could exit the palace, he ran into someone, "Princess Yukina, it's good to see you again." Shin greeted the girl with a smile, her trusted friend and aide, Minori standing right behind her.
"Lord Hirano, ah yes, It's good to see you as well." shuttered the princess while she hid her face with one of her sleeves.
The two had interacted many times over the passing months, especially since Shin was often called by her father to sit on important meetings, afterall he was soon to become a member of the royal family.
Nonetheless, Shin always found the princess avoiding his gaze whenever they met. Looking at the shy princess, Shin decided to leave, "Well then, farewell your highness." Shin started to walk away but he had only taken a few steps before he was halted.
"Wait Lord Hirano! Ahm… I heard Lord Father sent you to bring the legendary sannin to heal Lord Inoue…" the girl spoke with pauses, unsure of how to ask her question, her heart a whirlpool of complicated emotions.
Shin however understood what she meant and gave her a bright smile, "Lady Tsunade will heal Lord Inoue, your highness needn't worry about this matter."
Yukina bowed, hiding her face from Shin's gaze, "Thank you lord Hirano. Please excuse me." the girl went away, leaving Minori to chase after her.
The princess swiftly moved to her room, closing the door behind her with more force than expected as it slid close right as Minori was about to enter.
When the servant girl entered the room and found the princess hugging a pillow, her face was buried in it. Minori sat next to the girl, she would happily call a friend or even a sister.
The princess sniffled as her muffled voice filtered from the pillow, "I should be happy that my future husband will be healed but… why don't I feel happy?" she sniffled, tearing her face from the comfort of the soft pillow. "But why am I sad now? Why do I feel unhappy whenever I see that man I would be calling my husband? And why does my heart hurt whenever I see my sister's happy face, whenever Lord Hirano sends her a letter or gives her a gift or smiles at her!" Tears of self loathing and regret had started to fall from her face, "While all I ever get is the lecherous gaze of that ugly man!"
Yukina hiccuped, " I want to get gifts and letters of love too! Why does Kami-sama have to be so cruel!"
Minori wiped the girl's face, hugging her tightly, "My sweet princess." she spoke with pain and kindness, "I am so sorry that you had to feel this now, but I am afraid this is your fate, it's the fate of a princess." she patted the princess's back, trying to calm her, 'Fate is cruel to you my sweet princess, it gave you love yet put it just out of your reach.' Minori's thought's were conflicted, no matter how much she wanted her friend to have happiness, she could never give it to her. She could do nothing but pray that Kami had written happiness somewhere in her fate.
............…
"Well, I suppose that settles it. Still, just how many brothels did that man visit for him to lose vitality at such a young age!" the daimyo clicked his tongue.
"There is nothing we can do about it, your highness, we need the Inoue clan to counter the nobles crying for war." Spoke to the old lord Matsudaira. He didn't fancy the vile reputation of the young master of the Inoue clan but their support was now more necessary than ever. More and more nobles were siding towards war and losing a powerful clan like the Inoue would spell the end for them as they would have no other choice but to start a war or risk a revolt of the nobles.
"I know I know…" spoke the ruler in annoyance. "Why can't they just be satisfied with what they have!" he cursed, "Why can't they be more like Lord Hirano! Now there is a fine noble! Stellar reputation! Powerful ninja! Handsome too~ I'd give him both my daughters if I could." joked the daimyo.
"Heheh you are quite right your highness." chuckled lord Matsudaira, he was very happy with his decision of marrying Shin to the second princess. Having a powerful ninja in the meetings had prevented many nobles from acting out and Shin also worked as a liaison between the daimyo and the hokage. Since Shin was now bound by marriage, any information passed through him would be trustworthy, this had improved the relations with Konoha and Daimyo had even increased the funding, hoping to nurture more ninja's like Shin.
Shin's reputation had taken a massive jump when he killed Orochimaru, afterall he was one of the legendary sannin, their fame reached every ninja on the continent! Naturally having someone like that was a huge boon for them. Compared to him, anyone would find a lecherous playboy quite lacking.
"Come to think of it, It's rather poetic isn't it lord Matsudaira? That the princess he rescued by chance would happen to become his wife? Hohoho, it's like in one of those love stories!" Daimyo laughed in glee and lord Matsudaira nodded. It was indeed a strange twist of fate.
...............
Unknown to him, Shin was also the subject of a conversation going on elsewhere, where an angry man cursed and yelled, throwing his wine cup at a shadow that expertly caught the cup before it hit him.
"You useless fool! You couldn't even take care of that simple task! You should have ripped that bastard's dick off instead of poisoning him!" the man cursed.
"We didn't think that one of the legendary sannin would be called for something as trivial as this." the shadow apologized.
"Doesn't matter, that Hirano bastard! He is the cause of all this! You assured me he would be taken care of! Why haven't the Akatsuki attacked yet!?" the man cursed again in anger.
"The Akatsuki are being hunted by all the ninja villages, not to mention they seem to have their own objective and Lord Hirano is no easy mark. He killed Orochimaru, a man that avoided Konoha for years and was one of the legendary sannin." the shadow explained, sadly for him, the man didn't seem convinced.
"I don't care how powerful he is, is he a god!? Can he not be killed!?" roared the man.
The shadow sighed before trying to calm the man, "Perhaps, there is another way to deal with him?" suggested the shadow, "He had daimyo's complete trust, if you can gain his trust then convincing the daimyo to start a war would be easy. Instead of an enemy, turn him into an asset!"
The man became silent as he pondered the faithful shadow's advice, "Yes… yes, that could work. Afterall, he is nothing but a peasant, he will be dancing in my palms before long. Alright, arrange a time for me to meet him." commanded the man and the shadow bowed and left.
............
A few days later, young lord Inoue was successfully healed by the Tsunade, her diagnosis: the man had been poisoned! Naturally she told this to Shin in confidence as announcing it would cause the Inoue clan to back away from the marriage since it was clear someone was trying to sabotage it.
Shin informed the daimyo and started his investigation, trying to find any lead but even as the wedding date approached closer and closer, Shin had nothing to report to the daimyo. Nonetheless, Shin assured Daimyo that the wedding will proceed as planned and nothing will go wrong. Shin even went as far as to directly oversee all the preparations of the royal wedding and ensure the security of the entire city.
It was an important event and nothing could go wrong so Shin worked tirelessly, often escorting the princess Yukina whenever she went out for wedding preparations which seemed to be more and more often as the fateful date drew ever closer.
It wasn't until the day before the wedding that Shin finally found some free time or rather, was forcefully instructed to take some time off by lord Matsudaira. Since this was an important event, elite jonins had been stationed at the capital and under Shin's jurisdiction. As such, there was no need for Shin to oversee everything himself and was instead told to attend the groom's bachelor party which was, by no one's surprise, at a bar.
Shin decided to attend as a form of courtesy but as soon as he did, he saw several scantily dressed women singing and dancing with the young lords of the noble clans, even some of the older ones were enjoying themselves to the fullest. Shin was in and out before anyone knew it, he had no interest in such vain activities.
As soon as he came out the door, Shin ran into an elegantly dressed man. As soon as Shin recognised him, Shin greeted him, "Your highness, it's quite a surprise to see you here."
"Ah, Lord Hirano. It is a surprise indeed. I just came to meet my brother in law but why are you leaving so soon? Well, I suppose this kind of thing is not to your taste." the man smiled kindly.
He was the second prince of the country and next in line to inherit the throne after his elder brother was mysteriously assassinated. He was also to be married to one of the noble clans of the country but since that clan was a supporter of the war faction, the daimyo had decided to postpone the wedding.
Shin had met him several times during the meetings but never had much of an impression. "To each their own I suppose. Ah, I must apologize, I had heard you came to visit but I have just been too preoccupied with the arrangements of the wedding." Shin changed the subject.
"Yes, you have been rather busy i Suppose, pay it no heed. I just wanted to get to know you better seeing as we've never really had the chance to have a proper conversation before." the prince smiled kindly.
Shin smiled back, his eyes getting drawn by one the prince's retainers. It was a middle aged man with bent back as he remained in a bowing position. To everyone else, it was just another servant but to a high level ninja like Shin, he could easily see through the disguise, it was a ninja and not a weak one either, this man was definitely a jonin level ninja.
The Prince observed the shift in Shin's gaze, as the latter eyed his servant, and spoke up, "Well if you excuse me, I have to greet the groom. Perhaps you can join me for tea sometime soon." the prince offered while saying farewell and entering the bar.
Shin flickered away, 'Whatever, I'll need some healing.' Shin reached home and looked for Pineapple, drawing her into a comfy hug, "Ahhh~ Pineapple~ where did you go? You left me~" Shin rubbed his cheeks against the cat.
"Meow OwO"
Shin could smell a sweet scent on the cat, "Did you go to the palace?" he asked the cat while squishing her cheeks.
"Meow >w<"
"Alright, but you know in a few more years, she will be living with us anyways." Shin spoke while squishing her toesies.
"Meow ^w^"
"Oh~ you were keeping her safe eh~ So dutiful!" He petted her head.
"Meow! UwU"
And Shin spent the rest of his night playing with Pineapple, looking at this, no one in their right minds would think this was one the most powerful beings in the world.
クリエイターの想い 
HermitOfLifeMount
HermitOfLifeMount You know what we need more of?
Pineapple!
Also, I wonder who is this totally mysterious guy in the shadows! So very mysterious!
*nods*
Very Mysterious indeed!
週次パワーステータス
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