บท 22: Chapter 22
"It seems like Neechan has found love with that guy. Well, at 18, getting married is considered late in the clan. It can't be that I am the one holding her back, can I? Influenced by the Warring clans time period, marriages in the ninja world usually happen earlier, especially within ninja clans. Of course, it's not uncommon for some to marry late or not at all.
It used to be around this time of day when Mei would be in the kitchen preparing dinner. After two years of this routine, I've gotten used to it.
After a moment's thought, Toshiro decided to cook dinner tonight. It's a treat for myself and a way to thank Mei. Hopefully, it'll also ease her worries about me.
Opening the refrigerator and checking its contents, I retrieved various ingredients and started cooking rice. It's been two years since I came to the ninja world, and this is my first time cooking.
I peeled the potatoes, cubed the beef, and scrambled the eggs. After a little practice, my motions became fluid and natural. It took around thirty minutes. The table was set with homemade dishes from Ninja World.
Beef stew with potatoes, pan-fried fish, eggs, and tomato soup. I did not cook too many dishes, just three and a soup, but they were nutritious and flavorful.
As the door opened and shoes were changed, Mei's greeting filled the home.
"I'm back!"
"Welcome home!"
I gestured for her to join me at the table, placing two freshly served portions of rice in front of her."
Unlike her usual energetic and youthful self, today she appeared slightly fatigued, evident in the creases between her eyebrows. She resembled a doctor who had been performing surgery for hours without a break.
"Wow! Did you prepare all of this? What a pleasant surprise!" Mei exclaimed as she looked at the food on the table. The three dishes and one soup weren't extravagant, but they were certainly above average.
"Yes, Neechan has always taken care of me, so today I wanted to return the favor," Toshiro replied.
She was moved by his words and unable to contain her emotions. Mei lifted him up and planted a kiss on his cheek. This intimate gesture was rare from her, especially considering Toshiro's usual protests. However, his unexpected surprise and words had softened her previous demeanor.
"Alright, alright, please let me down now, Neechan. Shouldn't you be tasting my cooking skills?" Toshiro said, a hint of shyness evident in his voice.
With a smile, Mei obliged, gently placing him back on the ground and affectionately pinching his cheek. She then picked up the chopsticks and began tasting the dishes one by one.
"These taste pretty good..." she remarked after a few bites.
"How do they taste? Do you like them?" Toshiro asked, a hint of pride evident in his voice. In his previous life, he had grown tired of eating street food and had taught himself to cook in order to satisfy his increasingly discerning palate. While his culinary skills might not rival those of professional chefs, he was adept at preparing simple, home-cooked dishes.
"It's delicious! I never knew you had such talent for cooking!" Mei exclaimed, pausing her chopsticks mid-air to gaze at the young man across the table. As she spoke, she couldn't help but feel a little weight lessen in her heart—a concern that had lingered for some time.
It was akin to the weight of taking care of an adolescent while also balancing her work life and looking for a suitable partner. All these have become too much for her in the last six months. For Mei, her hesitation regarding relationship matters stemmed partly from the typical shyness of a young girl but also from the significant influence of Toshiro's presence in her life.
"You seem quite exhausted today. Could it be because of the issue with the new medicine? Is the clan reluctant to endorse it?"
Toshiro speculated, using his intuition to piece together the situation. However, reality turned out to be slightly different from what he had envisioned.
"It's not a problem on the clan's side, but rather with the village. They want us to solely focus on producing the new drug while they handle the procurement and sale of the medicine," Mei explained with a heavy sigh.
She had poured her heart and soul into developing the new drug over the past two years, hoping it would mend the strained relationship between the village and the Uchiha clan, and perhaps even save the lives of their comrades in the process. However, her hopes were dashed when the village proposed that they purchase the formula from the Uchiha instead.
"It's absurd! Why would the Uchiha agree to such terms? The intention was to rebuild relationships within the village and restore our family's reputation," Toshiro muttered to himself, showing frustration on his face, but he also internally understood the view of the village elders. They are trying to maintain the status quo in this manner.
"Several clan elders vehemently opposed the idea and even had a heated argument in the clan head's office," she added, her expression reflecting the turmoil within the family.
Seeing Mei's slightly gloomy expression, Toshiro couldn't help but silently chastise himself for his misstep on the matter.
"Neechan, has there been any response from the medical department?" he inquired abruptly.
"Huh! The medical department? There was a request for a new batch of medicines, but not much else," she responded after a brief pause, her mind processing the question.
"In that case, it shouldn't be too challenging! With the medical department's assistance, promoting this new drug will be a bit easier," Toshiro reassured her.
"But it won't be that easy. Without support from the village, it will be an uphill battle for the family to promote this medicine alone. The village will include the original medicine as part of the mandatory medical supplies. The new medicine will have a very slow rate of popularity increase," Mei Uchiha remarked, her tone tinged with pessimism as she considered the clan's tarnished reputation.
"The medical department's support should suffice," Toshiro insisted.
Typically, the medical department tends to the wounded coming back from battlefields or missions. However, for more severe injuries, there might not be time for them to come back to the village for treatment. In such cases, first aid and medical supplies are the lifesavers.
"Do you think the ninjas of Konoha don't fear death?" Toshiro boldly posed the question.
"Fear death?" Mei echoed, finding the question intriguing.
She was momentarily taken aback.
Are the ninjas in the village truly afraid of death? Yes, of course. As a medical ninja, she has seen a lot of ninjas just before their deaths or even badly injured. They always want to live longer and definitely not die. Despite their fears, they bravely ran into battles like the First and Second Ninja Wars to safeguard the village and the Land of Fire to preserve peace in it, often never returning to Konoha again.
As a medical ninja, despite bearing the Uchiha name, she had treated not only Uchiha ninjas but also many from other clans. Regardless of surname, the sight of wounded individuals unable to hold their lives, their eyes filled with nostalgia and reluctance upon death, always stirred her emotions. There were husbands with wives waiting for them, fathers whose children looked up to them, and mothers who wouldn't see their kids anymore.
Observing the confounded expression of his sister, Toshiro hastened to explain.
"The village intends for the family to solely handle the production of this new medicine. And our reputation is too tarnished to facilitate its promotion in the village."
"By leveraging the medical department, I believe ninjas frequently embarking on missions will definitely consult with them. With the medical department's vote of confidence and word of mouth, more will surely follow, gradually building momentum..."
"It's inconceivable for the village to forbid ninjas from investing in an effective medicine with superior results. As for obtaining raw materials, even beyond Konoha Village, there are numerous medicinal herb merchants in the Land of Fire."
As Toshiro elaborated, Mei's eyes sparkled with increasing intensity. Suddenly, she put her chopsticks on the table and stood up with determination evident in her posture, ready to step out.
"Hold on, Neechan, don't rush. Listen to me!" he interjected.
At his words, she paused, furrowing her brow in thought, and settled back into her seat, fixing him with an intense gaze as if wanting to know why he was attempting to stop her.
"I have a plan. Let's take the time to educate individuals who are going to be responsible for the production of the secret medicine. Convince the patriarch to allocate funds for you to purchase a batch of medicinal herbs beforehand, before the village becomes aware."
"Isn't this going against the village?" A sense of apprehension began to seep into her.
"How can you say we're opposing the village? We're simply fulfilling our duty to safeguard the ninjas, the village, and everyone within it!" Toshiro retorted, rolling his eyes.
"Very well! When petitioning the patriarch for funding, ensure you recite the 'pleasant words' that I just told you. And have you thought of a name for the family secret medicine?"
"Let's start with something simple: 'Uchiha Secret Medicine'. It's direct and to the point! Besides, the elders adore plastering our crest everywhere; why not imprint it on the secret medicine packet as well?"
"And don't rush. Wait until tomorrow; it's too late today. And it might raise some suspicions as to why you were going to and fro to the patriarch's office and home repeatedly."
"But keep in mind that those 'pleasant words' carry weight. They're important in the discussion with the village leaders. They can silence Hokage-sama's objections. And remember, don't disclose that I came up with the idea to the patriarch..."
As Toshiro prattled on at the dinner table, Mei gazed at him intently, her expression one of happiness and relief.
"My Toshiro-kun has truly matured into a man.." she thought to herself.
AN : You can support me and read chapters published ahead on my p@treon account - p@treon.com/noviceauthor777
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