"You can't tell Sasuke," Uchiha Mikoto said quickly after coming to her senses.
"What does it matter? Sasuke will find out sooner or later," Kageyama Kogetsu said calmly.
"Tell him when he's a little older."
"Not only can you not tell Sasuke, but you also have to keep it from others. It's been less than half a month. If word gets out, how can I face anyone?" Uchiha Mikoto pleaded.
After a moment of contemplation, Kageyama Kogetsu said, "Alright, you can announce it whenever you want."
"Thank you," Uchiha Mikoto smiled and leaned into Kageyama Kogetsu's embrace.
"Ah, you haven't gone back so late. The clansmen might have found out," Uchiha Mikoto suddenly thought of this and said in a panic.
"It's a small matter. Just say I was in a hurry to get back and flew," Kageyama Kogetsu said lazily.
"But they'll still be suspicious."
Kageyama Kogetsu smiled and retorted, "Isn't suspicion a good thing?"
"They'll be wary, but they won't have any concrete evidence. The pros outweigh the cons for you and Sasuke."
"Uh... I guess so," Uchiha Mikoto calmed down.
"By the way, when are you going to take Sasuke as your disciple?"
"Sasuke can start school soon."
"Tomorrow afternoon. You inform the available Uchiha ninja, hold a small ceremony, right at your house."
The Uchiha incident had been resolved. Taking Sasuke as a disciple would no longer have any negative impact. On the contrary, it was a very good gesture of appeasement. The time was ripe.
"Alright," Uchiha Mikoto said with joy.
If her previous support was subtle, then taking him as a disciple would be a public declaration of support. She and Sasuke would be safe in the future.
However, Uchiha Mikoto did not know that the few who knew about Kageyama Kogetsu taking Sasuke as his disciple were all dead.
Being a guest at night and no one seeing him leave, coupled with taking him as a disciple so quickly, would only increase the suspicion of the other Uchiha clan members.
Kageyama Kogetsu didn't care. He didn't give a damn about their opinions or gossip.
For Sasuke and his mother, although there would be idle gossip, it was still better than being targeted because of Itachi's actions.
"By the way, I have something for you. Open it and see," Kageyama Kogetsu said. With a wave of his hand, a half-foot-long box landed on the table.
"What is it?"
Uchiha Mikoto opened the box and found that it was filled with a tender green potion. There were five rows in total, with three vials in each row, for a total of fifteen vials.
"This is a potion for beauty and anti-aging. It's taken orally. Although the cost is high, the effect is quite good. It's for you," Kageyama Kogetsu said with a smiling introduction.
After so many years, Orochimaru's research had finally borne fruit.
It was about time. After spending so much money, if there were no results, Kageyama Kogetsu was ready to lose his temper.
There was also a potion for strengthening the body. It was effective on ordinary ninja, but for him... it was better than nothing.
Uchiha Mikoto was overjoyed upon hearing this. What woman doesn't love beauty?
And now that her husband, her support, was dead, her eldest son had become an S-rank rogue ninja, and her younger son had not yet grown up.
If she were to be abandoned after she grew old and her looks faded, it would be tragic.
The potion was secondary. To be able to give such a precious potion showed that the man before her had no intention of abandoning her.
At least not now. If she didn't make any mistakes in the future, she probably wouldn't be abandoned.
"Thank you. You're... so good!" Uchiha Mikoto closed the box and mustered the courage to kiss Kageyama Kogetsu on the cheek.
With a wave of his hand, Kageyama Kogetsu cleared the table and the things on it, then whispered in her ear, "I'd prefer it if you said 'sugoi'..."
"You're annoying," Uchiha Mikoto's heart skipped a beat, and she said with a shy expression.
"Hey? We just took a bath..."
Seeing the shadow fall over her, Uchiha Mikoto quickly spoke up, but the second half of her sentence was left unsaid.
...
The next morning, due to her usual biological clock, Uchiha Mikoto groggily opened her eyes...
Kageyama Kogetsu was not yet awake. After becoming the head of the Police Force, he had adjusted his biological clock.
Although the Deputy Commander of the Anbu was also a high-ranking and powerful position, it was ultimately not the number one. He couldn't be so willful with his working hours.
The head of the Police Force was different. If there were no prior arrangements or urgent matters, there was no need to rush.
If he really didn't want to go or had something of his own to do, he could just send a shadow clone. His time was completely his own.
After making progress, if one was busy working all day, what was the point of making progress?
As soon as she opened her eyes, Uchiha Mikoto saw Uchiha Fugaku with his arms crossed, looking at her with a serious and proper expression...
Uchiha Mikoto shuddered and was instantly wide awake. She quickly reached out to cover the photo frame, then got up and put the photo frame in a drawer.
Phew... I must have lost my mind last night, to be coaxed into taking out Fugaku's photo...
But maybe I can't entirely blame my weak will. The man beside me is just too good at playing games, too good at seizing opportunities to manipulate me...
Kageyama Kogetsu, who had been woken up by the movement, opened his eyes, looked at the sky, and said, "Why are you up so early?"
"You can still sleep for a while."
"No, I'm going to tidy up the tea room and then make breakfast. I'll tidy up the bedroom after you wake up," Uchiha Mikoto said, sitting on the edge of the bed and getting dressed.
"Lady Mikoto is truly virtuous," Kageyama Kogetsu said with his eyes closed in praise.
"Pah! It's daytime now. Please call me Sister Mikoto," Uchiha Mikoto spat lightly.
"Heh heh, Lady Mikoto is so cute."
Uchiha Mikoto's face burned. She hastily threw on some clothes and ran out of the bedroom barefoot, as if fleeing.
At one-thirty in the afternoon, Kageyama Kogetsu arrived at the Uchiha clan grounds, with a curious Hyuga Neji by his side.
Since he was taking Sasuke as his disciple, the fellow disciples should formally get to know each other, although they might have met at the Ninja Academy.
Amidst a chorus of greetings, Kageyama Kogetsu led Neji to the main hall of Mikoto's house.
At this time, the hall was already filled with the available Uchiha ninja. In addition, there were Uchiha Mikoto and a very formally dressed Sasuke.
"Lord Head."
"Lord Kogetsu."
"..."
Everyone bowed respectfully in greeting.
Kageyama Kogetsu smiled and nodded in response, then took the main seat in the hall, with Neji standing by his side.
Uchiha Mikoto patted her son's head. Sasuke immediately picked up a teacup and knelt on both knees to offer tea.
The master-disciple ceremony in the ninja world was always simple. Even the Hyuga clan, which was the most particular about following ancient rituals, had a simple ceremony.
Kageyama Kogetsu also didn't need those complicated rituals to show his authority as a master. Kneeling and offering tea was enough.
"Master, please have some tea," the handsome Sasuke said with a straight face, his expression serious and solemn.
Given that his master was different from a squad leader or a Chunin leader, and Sasuke was younger than Neji, he changed his address to "Master."
A single word difference, the people of this world might not understand the distinction, but for Kageyama Kogetsu, the effort he put in was vastly different.
"Mm," Kageyama Kogetsu nodded slightly, accepted the tea, took a sip, and then placed it on the table beside him.
"Get up, Sasuke. From now on, you are my disciple."
"Yes, Master," Sasuke said with a serious expression, like a little adult.
"His name is Hyuga Neji. He started a few years before you. He is your senior brother," Kageyama Kogetsu said, raising his hand to introduce him.
"Senior Brother," Sasuke bowed solemnly.
"Junior Brother," Neji returned the bow solemnly.
"Alright, the ceremony is over for today. Thank you all for your trouble. You may leave and go about your business," Kageyama Kogetsu said with a wave of his hand.
The onlookers all bowed to Kageyama Kogetsu and then left.
"Sister Mikoto, you can go about your business too. I'll take Sasuke to the courtyard to look at the basics."
"Alright."
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