Koyuki Kazahana, the Daimyō of the Land of Snow—also known to many through the films starring her alter ego, the actress Yukie Fujikaze—was having an unpleasant week and couldn't help recalling the past during her break.
Returning home hadn't been easy—let alone governing an entire country.
When her uncle killed her father over a machine he didn't even understand (which was incomprehensible, considering that same uncle had been capable of creating something as complex as chakra armor), her plea for help to Konoha was never answered. Instead, she was rescued by a ninja from Kumogakure who just happened to be passing nearby.
The ninja not only brought her safely to the Elemental Nations, but also hid her, helped her begin her acting career with the assistance of a kunoichi named Kiyui, and… never asked for anything in return.
Koyuki had even considered throwing away the "key" her father had given her into the depths of the sea and fully embracing the identity of Yukie—but her uncle had no intention of letting her go.
So only one path remained.
She returned—and she did so with the same ninja who had saved her.
Even now, her heart raced when she remembered the back that shielded her from wind and snow—a mountain capable of bearing everything for her and protecting her from any harm.
But her return wasn't as dramatic as she had imagined.
At first, they had planned to use a film as cover, but the idea was immediately discarded for being far too high-profile.
The villagers who had waited years for her return helped her slip back into the Land of Snow in secret. They barely had to face three Yukigakure ninja (with only a single casualty along the way), and by the time they stood before her uncle inside the castle—just as he was launching into a monologue about his improved chakra armor after dramatically casting aside his cloak—two arms bloomed from his shoulders and twisted his neck in one swift motion.
And just like that, her nightmare—and last living relative—ended beneath frozen soil.
It was an anticlimactic return, but she certainly wasn't going to complain!
In fact, had she known that with the ninja's help she could avenge herself so easily, she would have done so years earlier. She enjoyed acting and had talent for it—but some fans could be downright terrifying.
Then, just as she was about to use her father's machine with the Hexagonal Crystal, Chad—the ninja who saved her—somehow identified the machine as a geothermal heat generator that harnessed underground thermal energy and stopped her.
Under his explanation, she later understood that if she had activated the machine and transformed the Land of Snow into the Land of Spring as her father had wished, she would have essentially destroyed most—if not all—of her country's ecosystem.
Instead, Chad proposed a smarter use.
Have the engineers who built the machine for her father modify it so it would only affect selective partial zones, allowing the Land of Snow to dramatically improve agriculture and livestock.
They could even change the "seasons" in places like the capital, creating a tourism phenomenon.
He even suggested using geothermal heat to generate electricity so people would no longer rely on fuel to warm their homes!
And who would have thought—electricity could help with far more things than she had imagined.
It would still fulfill her father's wish to bring spring—but in a controlled and beneficial way for everyone.
Thus, after the ceremony declaring her the legitimate Daimyō of the Land of Snow, she worked alongside Chad—who, thanks to one of his jutsu, could visit her frequently—to bring that vision to life.
She even formally submitted a long-term mission request to Kumogakure so he could come more often!
Which, as she later learned, thoroughly confused the Raikage of his village.
But it was worth it—especially when she succeeded in bringing Yukigakure truly under her rule and fostering closer cooperation.
When the project succeeded, they drank and… she felt particularly bold that night. She needed to show him just how grateful she was for everything he had done for her over the years.
In short, before she realized it—Chad became her consort!
And she didn't regret it for even a second.
Of course, things grew much more complicated later.
Chad wasn't a noble, nor even native to the Land of Snow. He was a ninja of Kumogakure—and then there were the other women… just to name a few examples. She didn't complain. In fact, having "sister-wives" was something of a relief when she needed recovery time.
But the upside of being the Daimyō was that she had the authority to tell the discontented to shut up—or leave her country.
If that didn't work, Fubuki would receive a secret mission from her.
And if all of that failed, her husband would stand up, roll up his sleeves, and… everything would be resolved.
"Counting the days, he should be back soon," Koyuki murmured, gazing excitedly at the calendar on the wall. "I hope he can help me deal with that idiot from the Land of Fire. I didn't expect that Daimyō to send something like this."
The envoy had not only presented an intention to restore trade between their countries—trade she had cut off as soon as she became Daimyō, remembering that Konoha had ignored her and redirecting commerce to the Land of Lightning for obvious reasons—but had also had the audacity to propose a "real" marriage offer!
"If that envoy had investigated for five minutes after arriving in the capital, he'd know perfectly well that I'm already happily married!" She snapped the fourth brush of the day in her hand and tossed it onto the growing pile before grabbing a new one from a nearby box. "Or does he not take it seriously? Does he think I'll change husbands just because he says so?"
"We can't allow that."
"Exactly, never—" Koyuki froze and turned her head to the right, blinking once. "When did you get here?" she asked happily.
As for whether her jōnin had failed to notice him or deliberately chosen not to move, she didn't bother thinking about it.
"Come on, is that it?" Chad asked as he casually dropped down to sit beside her. "No startled scream? No jump? Nothing?"
It had been more fun when she was shy.
"I've seen you teleport between continents without wearing pants. I think I've developed quite an immunity to surprise," she said as she set the brush down and leaned against him, savoring the warmth and scent she had missed.
"You've grown bolder too," Chad remarked, wrapping an arm around her.
"And whose fault is that?"
"I certainly hope it's mine," Chad laughed, kissing her forehead. "I was told you were having problems?"
The Daimyō smiled. It was sweet that the first thing he wanted upon arriving was to help her.
Or perhaps he simply wanted to clear her schedule for quality time together—but either reason suited her wonderfully and helped her relax.
"Before that, don't you have anything for me?" Koyuki extended her hand shamelessly.
She might carry herself like a proper Daimyō at official events, but in private, with her husband, her attitude was far more relaxed.
"Yes, yes." Chad pulled out Mabui's scroll and handed it to her. "I still don't understand how you ended up as some kind of pen-pal with my sister," he commented. "Ah, and this is from the Raikage—official matters," he added, producing the other scroll.
"Mmm." Koyuki settled more comfortably against him and opened Mabui's scroll. "I suppose we got along well. Besides, I don't have many friends here. Loyal people, subjects, yes—but friends… that's more complicated."
At this point, Fubuki of Yukigakure counted as one of the few, since they met often enough that some friendship had naturally formed. But the number remained small enough to count on one hand.
"I assume your Raikage's matter has something to do with the Fire Daimyō's envoy?" Koyuki had been in office long enough to start noticing patterns.
Perhaps it was her husband's influence, but she was beginning to understand why he openly mocked other Daimyō. They were rather selfish people—and not nearly as capable as they believed.
"That's right. Prevent him from succeeding at all costs, blah, blah, blah." Chad hugged Koyuki from behind. "So… what was that about a marriage proposal?" he asked in a darker, jealous tone. "Actually, why haven't you sent him back yet?"
Koyuki tried not to physically shiver. She loved that low, possessive tone…
"It's the Lightning Daimyō's fault." She wrinkled her nose in annoyance. "He used a completely wrong approach, and now it's hard to provide clear reasons to reject the trade—at least without making myself look bad."
The truth was that trade with the Land of Lightning more than sufficed to supply her country. She even planned to open exchanges with the Land of Earth within a year or two once port expansion was complete. Given the differences in values and distance, the Land of Snow could become a profitable resource exchange hub where everyone benefited.
But if the Land of Fire inserted itself into the project, everything would be ruined.
The exchange hub would inevitably relocate, and she and her people would lose greatly.
Of course, Koyuki could see that this was precisely why the Fire Daimyō had chosen to move now. He clearly wanted that outcome and was leveraging the Land of Fire's weight to make it happen.
"So what the Fire Daimyō really wants isn't to reopen trade—but to steal your opportunity to prosper?" Chad asked, hearing the situation laid out plainly.
"Yes, exactly." Koyuki nodded. "And the marriage offer is also a trap—an even more obvious one. I suppose they expect me to be cautious about it, hoping I'll lower my guard regarding the other matter."
It was petty moves like this that made Koyuki roll her eyes when dealing with other Daimyō.
"A double ambush. I can see it," Chad snorted.
Unfortunately, not everything could be solved by simply eliminating problematic people.
"Tell me, do you have any idea to break the stalemate?" Koyuki asked, lifting her head to look into his eyes. "I just need an excuse to reject this proposal—and by extension, refuse to resume trade."
Chad took a moment to think.
"If it's about rejecting the marriage proposal, there's a very simple way," he told her. "As for resuming trade—don't. Just give him impossible yet outrageously 'reasonable' conditions. If he accepts, we gain commercial and tariff control. If he refuses, then it'll be the other Daimyō who lacks sufficient 'sincerity.'"
Koyuki blinked twice while processing the idea.
In fact, pretending to accept the resumption of trade "under her conditions" might be the best option. As her husband said, whether they accepted or not, she would have a seemingly legitimate excuse to act. But…
"What way did you think of to reject the marriage proposal?"
If this were between ninja clans or civilians, it would be much easier—but politics among noble families involved too many interconnected interests.
"Just tell them you're pregnant." Chad poked her abdomen with his finger.
Outside the Land of Snow, it might appear that Chad had become her consort for questionable reasons. Many nobles considered her a rebellious woman and might assume Chad was simply a shield she used to avoid "real" marriage proposals—until heavyweights like the Fire Daimyō made a move, forcing her to stop "pretending."
"Pregnant? But I'm not—oh…"
If Koyuki were expecting an heir from her "puppet husband," the political implications would shift entirely—to the point where the Fire Daimyō would appear to have made a serious misstep.
The nobles would be forced into two options: abandon their plans to extend influence into the Land of Snow—or persist and earn the hostility of a hormonally and emotionally unstable pregnant Daimyō.
Someone capable of causing them considerable losses over a single offended glance.
And a mother never forgets. That kind of grudge could last years!
"Yes, now you're getting it," Chad nodded. "By the way, I need to tell you what I found out about the Lightning Daimyō's concubine…"
"Wait, don't rush." Koyuki reined in Chad's enthusiasm, though she was curious about the gossip. "The envoy isn't brilliant, but he's not the dullest either. Do you think that alone would convince him to back down?"
Daimyō envoys were capable individuals who understood their monarch's intentions and knew which lines they could risk crossing.
"Besides, I've already met with him a couple of times. I don't know if using that excuse would be convincing enough."
Chad's smile widened at her words.
"That's easy to fix."
He lifted Koyuki into his arms in one smooth motion.
"Kyah?!" The Daimyō instinctively grabbed his neck. "Wait! You mean—?"
"We just have to make it not an excuse—"
"—but a reality!"