Chapter 53: Maki
Dana looked at the boy. His face was unfamiliar, but his nonsensical aura was unmistakable.
He's already like this at such a young age? Is he a lost cause? Waiting online for an answer!
There might still be hope. At least he hadn't picked up the terrible habit of rapping.
Before he left, Dana made sure to tell Keiko not to let this little idiot—no, this little Killer Bee—get exposed to any strange music.
He had met the next generation's "B." As for the next "A," he hadn't seen him in a long time. At sixteen, Arashi was now a full-fledged Jonin, currently leading his own squad on an S-rank mission in some remote minor country. It had been almost two months since he'd seen him. Arashi had even missed the big news of Dana finally gaining the ability to use chakra.
As for the current generation's "A" and "B"... Dana sighed. He thought he had a royal flush, but that person had stubbornly refused to return to the village. But there was no point in dwelling on it. His emotional baggage wasn't something that could be unpacked in a day or two. The situation was still under control, and there was no immediate need to recall him. And Dana believed that when a real crisis arose, he would return. Jinchuriki, he mused, all seemed to have their issues.
Leaving the orphanage, Dana returned home as evening fell. He had dinner with his mother. In addition to the regular food, there were also some medicinal dishes prepared specifically for his training.
Every single one of them was disgusting.
Watching Dana poke at the plate of medicinal food with a look of disgust, his mother, Satomi, covered her mouth and smiled. It was only at times like these that she felt he was like a real child.
Ever since her second son was born, she felt she had missed out on the joys of motherhood. When he was little, she couldn't even hold him because of his "bloodline disease." And as he grew older, he had developed the personality of a little adult, always busy with his own affairs.
Her husband was the Raikage, constantly busy. Her eldest son was often away on missions, gone for weeks at a time. And now, even her youngest son was running around, busy with his own projects. Most days, she ate alone.
This had left her feeling a bit resentful. And when a mother gets resentful, she tends to get creative.
"Dana," she said, "did you know that Ume is getting married next month?"
Dana put down his chopsticks. "Of course. I'll be there to congratulate her."
Ume was twenty-six now, well past the usual marrying age in the ninja world. A year ago, she had met an outstanding Jonin from the village. They had fallen in love, and six months ago, she had resigned from her position as a handmaiden to prepare for the wedding. Dana had just received the invitation. The wedding was at the beginning of next month.
Ume had been taking care of him since she was seventeen. He was fond of her. To protect her from any potential scumbags, he had even had her future husband investigated. But he had turned out to be a decent and outstanding man, a Jonin who specialized in research and ninjutsu development. He was a good catch.
Dana had prepared a generous gift for her. As the de facto head of the "blacksmith's shop" project and the owner of a twenty percent stake, he was already financially independent. The gift was an extra dowry, including some real estate, like a shop, enough for her to live comfortably and with dignity after her marriage. It was also a statement: even though she was leaving the Yotsuki clan, she was still under their protection.
But he didn't know why his mother was bringing this up now. It had all been settled a long time ago.
"Without Ume, it must be inconvenient for you to not have a handmaiden," Satomi said, a hint of something else in her voice.
"Not at all," Dana replied. He had never been used to being taken care of. He had only needed Ume before because of his uncontrolled electrical discharges. Now that he was older, it was actually a bit inconvenient. And with his increasingly busy schedule, he had no time for such things.
The Yotsuki clan, in addition to being a ninja clan, was also a major noble house, with vast lands and assets. Many of their servants were brought in from poor families across the Land of Lightning. But they were not like the decadent nobles of other clans. For the servants, it was just a job, albeit in a more closed-off environment to ensure loyalty. Ume was a typical example. When it was time for her to leave and get married, the Yotsuki would not stand in her way.
As he was wondering what his mother was getting at, she clapped her hands.
"Maki-chan, you can come in now."
A graceful, tall young girl with a sweet face and delicate skin walked out from the back room. "You called for me, my lady?" she said respectfully. She then peeked at Dana, her face flushing red as she looked down at her feet, which were nervously rubbing against each other.
Dana: "???"
Am I that handsome? She must have seen me around the compound before. He looked at the girl, a hint of surprise in his eyes. She was undeniably beautiful. She looked to be about his age, with fair, rosy skin, and a timid demeanor. Most strikingly, though she was young, she was already quite tall, only a little shorter than him. She had the potential to be a real stunner in the future. In fact, she already had a pair of long, slender legs.
He quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to be rude, and turned to his mother, wondering what she was up to.
"This is Maki Minabe-chan," his mother said. "She's about your age. She will be taking Ume's place as your personal handmaiden."
The girl kept her head down, her fingers fidgeting. She was clearly very nervous.
"Mother, I really don't need a handmaiden," Dana said, exasperated. This was a critical time for him. He didn't need a handmaiden following him around, especially one his own age. Who would be taking care of whom?
Hearing his words, Maki's fidgeting stopped.
"You're so young, and you're always so busy," his mother chided. "How can you take care of yourself? Besides, Maki has been trained by the clan since she was a child. She won't be a bother. With her by your side, I can at least find out what you're up to. Since Ume left, I can never find you!"
His mother went on and on about how pitiful it was that she, a mother, didn't even know what her own son was doing. Dana finally relented and agreed. Maki seemed to relax a little and looked up at his mother.
"Maki-chan," Satomi said, her expression instantly changing to a warm smile, "I'm leaving this boy in your care."
"My lady," Maki said, her eyes welling up with tears as she performed a deep, formal bow, "I will not fail you."
Dana was taken aback. Was such a formal gesture really necessary? He just chalked it up to her being a very traditional and polite person.
As he was leaving with Maki, he didn't notice the sly smile on his mother's face. Silly boy, she thought. A handmaiden and a "personal" handmaiden are two very different things.
Dana walked towards his private courtyard. He had been so busy lately that he hadn't slept in his own bed for three days, crashing at the "Special Strategy Division" headquarters instead.
Maki followed behind him, her head bowed, not saying a word. The silence was a bit awkward. When he had first met Ume, he had been a child, so it hadn't been so complicated. Now, he didn't know what to do.
He stopped at the door of his room and turned to her. "That's all for today," he said. "You can go home. Just come back tomorrow morning."
Maki hesitated, unwilling to leave, but she couldn't find the words to say so.
Dana assumed she was just shy. He offered a few words of reassurance and then went into his room. And was immediately hit by a sense of unfamiliarity.
"Did I take a wrong turn? No. Then what is this?" He stood in an empty space, confused.
This was his room. But... "Wasn't there a wall here? Has it been knocked down?" he wondered, gesturing at a blank space. The wall was gone, and his room was now connected to the one next door.
He hadn't been here for a few days, and the layout of his own house had changed.
As he was trying to figure it out, Maki opened the door on the other side of the now-open wall and stood before him again. "Young Master," she said timidly, "what time should I wake you tomorrow?"
...
This... could this be the legendary "tsubone"?