Anka still harbored some dislike towards him, but since his Master hadn't said anything, Anka, as the Hokage's secretary, had even less right to comment. Besides, Nawaki was Hashirama's grandson; it wasn't her place to criticize. It was only because she was truly swamped with work this time that she finally spoke up.
She never expected to receive such a reply: "Thank goodness, Nawaki-sama is finally settling down."
Torifu burst out laughing at this. "Alright, alright. That child Nawaki was indeed a bit too self-centered before. He'll surely adjust himself slowly from now on, just you wait and see."
Anka smiled in response. "Very well, then I shall look forward to it."
Konoha Village had regained a valuable combatant; no matter how one looked at it, it was a joyous occasion. Although Nawaki's previous travels hadn't left Anka with a particularly good impression of him, as the Hokage's secretary, her job was simply to fulfill her duties. Moreover, the Hokage had said that Nawaki was settling down and wouldn't be traveling anymore, so she no longer had any reason to dislike him.
As a secretary, one naturally needed to be on good terms with every ninja in the village. Even if not exactly befriending them, at the very least, one couldn't make enemies, otherwise work would be difficult to carry out. Anka deeply understood this principle, so she always smiled warmly and was extremely polite to everyone. So much so that Torifu initially thought Anka's attitude toward Amado was merely professional courtesy. It was only after he inquired that he realized Anka actually had some genuine affection for Amado. That was why Torifu had started playing matchmaker.
"It seems there aren't many tasks today. Just leave directly when it's time to clock out; no need for overtime."
Anka nodded after hearing this. "Understood, Hokage-sama. In truth, I haven't worked much overtime recently, and I'm actually a bit unaccustomed to it."
Ordinarily, Anka was incredibly busy every day, and with the new year arriving, she should have been even busier. Yet, for some unknown reason, the number of tasks in the office had decreased significantly. Now Anka could leave work on time every day. She could even stroll around the streets and try some delicious small eateries. Overall, her life was much more relaxed compared to before the New Year.
However, perhaps her previous busy work had formed a habit, and suddenly having free time always gave her an inexplicable sense of crisis, making her feel as though there were still many unresolved matters. What if it affected the village?
But in fact, all her tasks had been perfectly completed. Torifu had simply instructed his puppets to help shoulder some of the work. This had made Anka's time more ample.
"What's there to be unaccustomed to? We work for a better life. You don't live for better work; you need to distinguish your priorities."
After Torifu's light admonition, Anka smiled and replied, "Understood, Hokage-sama, I will. But I really do need some more time to get used to it. I feel like my usual routine is a bit disrupted."
Torifu heard her and displayed an imperceptible smile, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk. "If you truly feel too bored, you can go to the Kumotsuru Clan territory and chat with Naori. She's also alone at home all day, terribly bored."
"Naori-sama? Very well, I'll go chat with Naori-sama if I get the chance."
Konoha Village's closing time was relatively early; normally, work ended at four o'clock. However, everyday tasks were usually quite extensive, so all the staff at the Hokage Building had to delay their departure by one or two hours. Of course, they received triple overtime pay.
Today, Anka left the Hokage Building at 4:01 PM. "Phew, work's over."
Torifu stayed in his office for about half an hour before leaving. Anka finished her duties afterwards, managing to leave on time.
"The Senju Clan will definitely be holding a welcoming party today. Hokage-sama and Naori-sama will certainly be there, so I won't need to go keep Naori-sama company. Then where should I go wander around?"
Anka had no particular destination, so she simply ambled along the street. The streets of Konoha Village at this time of day were somewhat unfamiliar to her; ordinarily, she would still be working at this hour. Even on holidays, Anka would help Torifu handle some matters.
"Staying home alone is just as dull; I might as well just wander aimlessly on the main street," Anka murmured to herself as she walked, strolling along the main street.
She passed by barbecue and hot pot restaurants, and the aroma was truly enticing. But eating alone would be too boring. Not only would she lack interest in eating, but seeing other tables filled with friends drinking and chatting happily would also make Anka feel incredibly lonely. So, she had almost never visited these two restaurants. Each time, she would just find a random eatery for a meal.
Ichiraku Ramen was her favorite. Although its popularity often meant a queue, Anka wasn't worried; Torifu was a shareholder of Ichiraku Ramen. He had once given Anka a voucher for unlimited, queue-free Ichiraku Ramen as a gift. It was a way for Anka to experience a taste of privilege.
Just as Anka was about to turn toward Ichiraku Ramen, she seemed to spot someone far off in the distance. That person also saw Anka and quickly approached, taking large strides.
"Anka, why are you out shopping alone?" Amado asked in confusion. Logically, shouldn't Anka still be at work at this time?
Seeing that the person was Amado, Anka smiled. He was one of the very few people she interacted with outside of her clan members and work requirements. Moreover, she had some affection for Amado, so she was naturally quite happy.
"Amado-sama, for some reason, my workload has decreased significantly recently, so I'm leaving work earlier. Perhaps it's because Konoha Village is becoming more stable."
Amado nodded after hearing this. So that's how it was.
"I saw you hesitating from a distance just now. Were you deciding between barbecue or hot pot?"
Seeing Amado's misunderstanding, Anka immediately explained, "No, no, no, I wasn't planning on eating at either of those. I was just about to go to Ichiraku Ramen."
Well, he had opened his mouth and immediately given two wrong answers. Amado scratched his head awkwardly. He hadn't expected Anka to be standing right outside these two restaurants and not intend to go in.
"Are you having ramen again tonight?"
"Yes, I am. Mainly, if I'm alone, I just can't get interested in eating barbecue or hot pot." Anka's tone held a hint of apology and a touch of helplessness. For many years, the focus of her life had always been on work, and she truly didn't have any friends who could join her for a meal.
She had actually tried hot pot and barbecue before, but while other tables were packed, she was always all alone. After that, Anka never went again.