Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
Her figure moved gracefully under the cool moonlight.
She wore a crimson dress that looked like flames burning in the darkness of night. The fabric flowed with each movement she made, sometimes spreading wide like a blooming flower, sometimes twisting and coiling like living fire.
Shin's footsteps came to a stop.
He recognized who this woman was.
Uchiha Kasumi.
As he watched this radiant woman dancing beneath the moon, Shin found his thoughts drifting to another person—Uchiha Fugaku's wife, Mikoto. Rumors claimed she was one of the most beautiful women in the shinobi world, known for being both gentle and virtuous.
He wondered what kind of charm she possessed compared to the woman performing before him now.
A small smile touched Shin's lips.
He knew perfectly well this wasn't just a simple coincidence. Everyone who lived and worked in the daimyo manor was shrewd in their own way. As long as the price was right, there were always people willing to reveal certain harmless details about their lord's habits and routines.
For example, how he occasionally came to the garden for a quiet walk after finishing his official duties for the day.
In truth, this was merely a way for those people to earn a little extra income on the side. As long as they didn't cross his boundaries or interfere with important matters, he was too lazy to bother stopping them.
The method these women used to catch his attention wasn't particularly clever or original. But it was effective nonetheless.
Under the moonlight, Uchiha Kasumi's dance was breathtakingly beautiful to behold. She seemed completely lost in her own world, pouring all her effort and passion into every single movement. Her dedication was clear in how she moved—each gesture deliberate and practiced.
Fragrant sweat quickly dampened her temples, sliding down the fair, slender column of her neck. The moisture glistened under the pale moonlight. The crimson dress, now wet with perspiration, clung tightly to her body and perfectly outlined her mature, feminine curves.
Shin's gaze remained calm and measured as he watched, though deep within his eyes, a small fire had been kindled.
Finally, the dance came to an end.
Uchiha Kasumi concluded with a perfect finishing pose. She was drenched in fragrant sweat and breathing slightly harder from the exertion. Still maintaining her elegant posture, she placed one slender hand over her gently rising chest and looked around the empty garden with hopeful eyes.
The garden remained completely silent.
There was nothing but the soft sound of wind rustling through leaves and the quiet chirping of night insects. The person she had been waiting for—the one she'd performed for—hadn't come.
A barely concealed look of disappointment appeared on her beautiful face. Her eyes, which had sparkled with anticipation just moments before, gradually dimmed. Her long eyelashes lowered, concealing the emotions stirring within.
But she refused to let herself become disheartened by this failure.
With a resilient spirit like hers, one setback couldn't possibly break her determination. If he didn't come this time, there would always be a next time. As long as she remained within the daimyo manor for another day, there would eventually come a moment when he would see her dance.
She glanced down at her sweat-soaked dress, and a hint of self-mockery crossed her pretty face before being quickly replaced by renewed determination and resolve.
Just as she had composed herself and begun turning to leave the garden, a voice suddenly emerged from the shadows of the trees behind her.
"It's quite late. Why are you dancing alone out here?"
Uchiha Kasumi's entire body instantly tensed up.
That voice... She turned around almost stiffly, her movements jerky with surprise.
When she finally saw the figure standing beneath the moonlight, she froze completely in place.
It was him!
The daimyo himself!
A surge of surprise and panic instantly overwhelmed her heart, washing over her like a powerful wave.
"My lord!" she gasped out.
Flustered and caught completely off guard, she quickly tried to curtsy respectfully, but her legs suddenly went weak beneath her. Her body swayed uncontrollably and she began falling toward a nearby flowerbed.
A short, startled gasp escaped her lips.
The smile in Shin's eyes only deepened at the sight.
What an interesting woman indeed.
She was a nimble Uchiha shinobi whose sense of balance should have been as natural as breathing by now. How could someone like her possibly stumble and fall on flat ground? This little act of hers was actually quite endearing to watch.
Understanding her intentions perfectly well, Shin didn't hesitate in his movements. He took several quick steps to appear beside Uchiha Kasumi, extended one arm, and steadily pulled her warm, delicate body into his embrace before she could hit the ground.
The sensation was pleasant—warm fragrance and soft curves, warm to the touch.
An intoxicating scent immediately filled his nostrils, a delicate mixture of floral fragrance and the natural scent of a woman's body. His arm wrapped firmly around her slender, soft waist.
Through the thin, damp fabric of her dress, he could clearly feel the warmth radiating from her skin and the surprising elasticity beneath her taut, well-trained muscles.
Blood rushed to Kasumi's face in an instant. Her entire complexion turned crimson, the blush spreading all the way to her earlobes and down her neck.
She was completely frozen in his arms, unable to move or think.
Her mind had gone completely blank from the shock and excitement.
Every single one of her senses focused solely on the scorching warmth of the man's strong arm wrapped securely around her waist.
"Be careful now," Shin said gently.
His voice carried a hint of natural magnetism that made her heart flutter and tingle with strange sensations.
He helped her stand steadily on her feet again, but his hand didn't immediately release her. Instead, it remained firmly supporting her waist, keeping her close.
"Are you troubled by something?" He looked down at the beauty in his arms, her face still flushed red, asking the question even though he already knew the answer.
Uchiha Kasumi's heart pounded violently against her ribcage.
She felt as if she might melt completely in this man's embrace. Gathering all her courage, she bit her lower lip and slowly raised her misty eyes to look up at him.
"I... I'm just unwilling to accept things as they are," she admitted softly.
"I want you to look at me... to truly see me..."
As the words left her mouth, she shyly lowered her head again. Her pitiful, vulnerable appearance naturally evoked sympathy.
Shin's smile deepened even further upon hearing her honest confession.
Unwilling to accept her situation?
A proud member of the Uchiha clan—her unwillingness wouldn't be something as simple as just wanting someone to notice her. There had to be ambition beneath those words.
However, he found himself appreciating this straightforward display of ambition. It was refreshing in its own way.
As expected of an Uchiha through and through.
Even with calculations and schemes running through her mind, she didn't bother hiding her true nature or intentions from him.
Shin finally released his arm from around her waist and stepped back half a pace, giving her some space to breathe and compose herself.
"Your dance was very good," he said simply. "I saw the entire performance."
He didn't bother exposing or questioning her inner thoughts and motivations. Instead, he chose to affirm her words with a positive, straightforward answer.
Uchiha Kasumi's head snapped up suddenly. Her eyes filled with genuine surprise and disbelief at his words.
She watched as Shin raised one hand and gently waved toward the maid who had been standing dutifully by the garden entrance this entire time. The maid immediately hurried over with her lantern, bowing respectfully to the daimyo.
Shin glanced once more at Uchiha Kasumi, who still stood frozen in place trying to process what was happening. He turned his attention to the maid and gave clear instructions.
"Take Lady Kasumi to see Takeshi. Tell him to arrange a quiet, private courtyard for her use. Starting from tonight, she will move there and reside in that new location."
Then Shin turned back to address Uchiha Kasumi directly. "I will come to find you tomorrow night."
After speaking those words, he didn't linger in the garden any longer. He turned smoothly and began walking away at a leisurely pace, his figure gradually disappearing into the darkness.
This left Uchiha Kasumi standing alone, rooted to the spot in complete shock.
Lady Kasumi... a private courtyard of her own... This was the very first time the daimyo had bestowed an official title of "Lady" upon anyone. The significance wasn't lost on her.
The maid approached her with careful steps. Her entire demeanor had become noticeably more respectful than it had been just minutes earlier. She bowed politely and said, "Lady Kasumi, please follow me."
An enormous wave of joy and relief instantly crashed over Uchiha Kasumi, threatening to sweep her away completely.
She suddenly looked up, her gaze following his retreating figure, which was almost completely swallowed by the night now. Tears that she could no longer hold back began streaming from her eyes, flowing freely down her cheeks.
This time, the tears weren't part of any act or performance.
They were tears of genuine relief after gambling everything she had on this one chance. They were tears of excitement and triumph that came from having a long-cherished wish finally fulfilled after so much effort.
This man was proving to be much gentler and more considerate than she had ever imagined or hoped for.
Meanwhile, Shin returned directly to his study. He handed the recently reviewed scrolls and documents to the Shadow Guard member waiting beside him, then pushed open the door and departed from the room.
However, Shin did not go to find Uchiha Kasumi that night.
He had said tomorrow, and it would be tomorrow. He was not the type of person to change his plans arbitrarily or act on sudden impulses. Besides, the palace had strict rules and proper protocols that needed to be followed.
As both the creator and primary beneficiary of these rules and systems, he understood better than anyone that he should not casually break them just for personal convenience or pleasure.
Returning to his private bedchamber alone, Shin gave orders that no one should attend to him for the remainder of the night. After a maid helped him wash up and prepare for bed, he dismissed everyone and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.