Author Notes
Hello everyone,
I sincerely apologize for the recent lack of updates.
Over the past few weeks, I had my final semester exams for Computer Science Engineering, and during the same time, my family also suffered the loss of a close relative. Because of everything happening at once, I wasn't in the right state of mind to properly focus on translating and maintaining regular updates.
I had scheduled some chapters to go live on Webnovel, but unfortunately, I couldn't continue managing updates properly during this period.
Thank you to everyone who continued supporting me patiently despite the delays. Your support and understanding truly mean a lot to me.
Things are slowly becoming stable again, and I'll do my best to catch up on all missed translations and delayed chapters as soon as possible. I'm also thinking about bringing more works in the future, so I hope you'll continue supporting me.
Thank you again, and I'm deeply sorry for the delays.
— White Devil
END
On the other hand,
Uchiha Kai, after returning home, sat deep in thought for a long time.
In the end, he chose to summon one of Shisui's messenger crows and sent it to notify Hinata Aya.
Yes.
No matter how he felt inside, he had already provoked the other party.
Although neither of them had spoken openly, both were far from stupid.
This kind of matter—he disdained to hide it.
Hinata Clan grounds, Aya's small courtyard.
At this moment, Hinata Aya sat quietly at the window, her expression calm as she stared into the distance.
Outside the courtyard, the branch family shinobi stood guard.
They were all diehard loyalists of Elder Hyuga Yotai, and the reason they were stationed here was obvious—
to prevent Hinata Aya from taking her own life.
Such cases…
within the Hyuga clan, had happened far too often.
Any branch member with a shred of self-respect was reluctant to marry into the ruling main family.
The reason was simple:
The main family, wielding absolute control over life and death, never saw the branch family as human.
To them, branch members were slaves, servants, property.
If displeased, the main family could kill you with a thought.
"A clever little scheme, Hyuga Yotai, Hyuga Yū."
"Trying to use me as a bridge to approach—or even exploit—Lord Kai?"
"I wondered why…"
"Someone like me, just a lowly branch member who's lived quietly and kept her head down all her life… how could the lofty main family take notice of me?"
"When it comes to beauty, the branch family has no shortage of pretty girls."
"So that was it!"
"But you're mistaken."
"You really think Lord Kai is a meek little lamb? Something you can toy with at will?"
"Lord Kai is a ruthless wolf—he eats men alive and leaves not even the bones!"
"With your petty tricks? Childish!"
Looking at the moonlight outside the window, Hinata Aya's lips curved with disdain.
Yes.
She was not naïve.
In the past, she had concealed her sharpness, living cautiously only for the sake of survival.
But now things are different.
With Uchiha Kai behind her, her attitude had grown bolder.
Just a few days ago, Elder Hyuga Yotai had personally come with Hyuga Yū to see her.
At first, she couldn't understand it.
To the Hyuga clan, she was nothing more than a branch member—an expendable asset, a servant whose life and death were held in their hands.
Why would they stoop so low as to visit her, to soothe her, even speak kindly?
So—
She tested them.
The arrogance of the main family made their methods laughably clumsy.
Naturally, it wasn't hard for her to discover their true intentions.
To them, she was a chess piece.
A useful one.
A piece to manipulate Uchiha Kai.
When she first realized this, she nearly laughed aloud.
Such ridiculous schemes… she truly didn't know how to even comment.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, the two elders, Nara Shikaku—
These men were the true masterminds of the village.
It was by their hands that the Hyuga clan had been suppressed to its current state!
And Uchiha Kai?
He was someone who had matched wits with those very men, and still came out ahead every time!
You can't even handle Hiruzen and the others, yet you think you can scheme against Uchiha Kai?
Truly insane.
Honestly, she had no respect for the main family Elder's faction.
But there were things she couldn't openly say.
So she chose to wait.
Leaving the Hyuga clan—
that was certain.
But first, she needed Uchiha Kai to completely remove her Caged Bird Curse Seal.
Until then, she would use Hyuga Yū to gather as much information as possible about the Hyuga clan's secrets.
And more than that—
she would also seek out the discontented branch members, those who resented the main family the most.
If she was to join Uchiha Kai, she needed a gift of value.
She refused to be just another ornament at his side.
She would prove her worth.
At that moment—
A jet-black crow landed on the window.
Hinata Aya's eyes narrowed.
Of course she recognized it—Shisui's crow.
The next instant, she noticed the tiny note tied to its leg.
Her expression grew serious. She untied it, read it through, and sighed softly.
"No…haru Rin?"
"Well… sigh."
"It's to be expected. Lord Kai is far too outstanding. I never thought to monopolize him."
"That girl isn't bad either. But for Konoha to discover her Three-Tails secret and resort to such venomous measures…"
"Just as vile as the Hyuga main family."
Aya exhaled faintly.
She had once done missions alongside Minato's team, so she knew Nohara Rin well.
And with the branch family's situation, the idea of polygamy was hardly an issue.
It was perfectly normal.
Besides, the Uchiha were a great clan.
Aside from Fugaku, which of the high-ranking men didn't have multiple wives and concubines?
In truth, someone like Uchiha Kai was already rare.
Especially since—
he hadn't hidden it from her, but had taken the effort to inform her directly.
That was already good enough.
And she didn't dislike Rin either.
The only thing that made her lips twitch was the thought of Obito's mad devotion to Rin.
After a pause, she picked up her brush and began to write.
She expressed her understanding, offered no objection regarding Rin, and then detailed her own situation and plans.
Tying the message back to the crow, she sent it flying off once more.
Yes.
Hinata Aya wanted to act, but she wasn't reckless.
She knew her own limits.
She might be stronger than most, but compared to Uchiha Kai or Nara Kazama, she was still far too immature.
So—
She wanted those sharp minds to weigh in, to help refine her schemes.
If the main family wanted to make her their pawn…
then they couldn't blame her for being ruthless.
Meanwhile,
Dressed in nightclothes, freshly washed, Uchiha Kai sat in his upstairs study.
He was reading Capital.
Since he had to wait for Aya's reply anyway, he figured he might as well study the system's reward.
Though he felt it somewhat useless, it was still the distilled wisdom of some of the sharpest minds of his previous life.
Half an hour later—
Flap.
The crow arrived.
Uchiha Kai put down the book and unfolded Aya's reply.
As expected, she had no objection to Rin.
Hinata Aya understood completely.
But when he read the latter part—her description of her current plight—
his eyes darkened, a thread of killing intent silently forming.
Well now.
His chosen wife—
and the Hyuga main family dared try to take her?
Even use her against him?
How amusing.
After pondering for some time, Uchiha Kai penned a reply.
He told her to prioritize her own safety.
Once his eyes had fully recovered, he would personally take her away from the Hyuga clan.
In the meantime, he instructed her to approach Hyuga Hizashi.
Do her best to win him over.
If necessary, she could leak a little information to build trust.
And most importantly—
she should converse more with Hizashi about his child.
After all—
If events followed their normal course, Hyuga Neji should be born this very year.
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