Detective "Nara Yoshino"

Detective "Nara Yoshino"

"Phew!"

After passing the test and watching that Root ninja leave, she took several deep breaths and thought to herself.

I think I answered pretty well today. I hope I didn't cause Ryoko any trouble.

With that thought, she noticed the heavy weight hanging around her neck. Her gaze slowly lowered to Asuka, who was sprawled against her chest with his arms wrapped around her neck.

As an excellent Medical Ninja, he had encountered as many children as the Third Hokage, who gave speeches at the Ninja Academy every year. The child this guy had transformed into truly had not a single flaw outsiders could spot.

He looked even more like her eldest nephew than her actual eldest nephew did.

Because she had been so tense earlier, she had forgotten about that after answering the questions. When she saw her eldest nephew clinging to her, she had even affectionately nuzzled against him.

The moment she remembered that this guy was Asuka in disguise—and that he had kept pushing her nose away with his hands, showing how resistant he was—several veins bulged on "Ryoko's" forehead.

Moreover, with the calmness she had displayed during the questioning, she suddenly connected it to Asuka's identity as a Medical Ninja. The fog in her mind completely cleared.

Ninety percent of the things that had recently happened to Ryoko were this guy's doing.

She took several deep breaths, and her voice instantly turned cold. "Aren't you getting down?"

Smack! Asuka landed steadily on the floor. Then, after releasing his transformation, he stretched his body. Sensing the awkward atmosphere in the air, he casually found a topic. "What exactly is your plan for tonight?"

Hearing that, she gave Asuka a smile that wasn't quite a smile. Then she stood and walked back toward the bedroom, speaking as she went. "I'll use the Yamanaka Clan's basic secret technique, Mind Body Switch Technique, to control Ryoko. Once 'that man' arrives, I'll use the Shadow Binding Technique to restrain his movements. Then the Akimichi Clan will beat him until he loses the ability to fight, and the Yamanaka Clan will enter his mind, using interrogation ninjutsu that damages the psyche if necessary to obtain information. If we fail to restrain him and he manages to escape, I've also arranged for a tracking ninja.

"But now, none of that is needed.

"Uchiha Asuka, we need to talk later."

"Is it important?"

"Whether it's important or not, if you dare run today, Ryoko will show up at your house tomorrow, and the wedding feast will be held at the Uchiha Clan Grounds the day after tomorrow."

Hearing that she would send a Widow to his house, Asuka's retreating step immediately froze. Watching "Ryoko's" departing figure, he muttered to himself.

Could I have been found out??

After she saw off the few close friends who had come to help and fully lifted the alert at the Clan Grounds before returning to the room, she found Asuka leaning against the sofa, his face practically screaming that he was deep in thought.

"Uchiha Asuka, do I look like an idiot to you? You actually deceived me for so long?"

Following the voice, Asuka saw Nara Yoshino standing before him with a dark expression.

Shikamaru's mom is this smart too? I hadn't even confessed anything yet, and I was already exposed? "Lady Yoshino, were you the one controlling Ryoko just now?"

"Mhm." Yoshino nodded. Seeing the confusion on Asuka's face, she explained briefly.

"The Ino-Shika-Cho clans formed an alliance as early as the Warring States Period. Our three families have always gotten along well, like one large clan. That's something your Uchiha can't compare to.

"After fifteen generations of close cooperation among Ino-Shika-Cho, the leaders of our three clans have each mastered some basic secret techniques of the other clans.

"After all, only by knowing each other inside and out can we cooperate even more closely, right?

"So... won't you tell me the truth now?

"For example, why did you approach the Nara Clan?"

At that, Asuka knew he had been completely exposed. He stood and pointed at the sofa, signaling Yoshino to sit, while he moved to a place convenient for escape before speaking. "Actually, I came on behalf of the Clan Head to arrange a marriage alliance."

"I've met Uchiha Fugaku. He isn't the kind of man to cheat on his wife. Don't use that excuse to deceive me."

"What if the Clan Head gets divorced?"

As if she had heard some joke, Nara Yoshino pursed her lips and smiled. "He would get di—di..."

Seeing Asuka's certain expression, a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed through Yoshino's mind. Then she looked at him as though he were some rare animal and sighed.

"So you're the bastard clansman Mikoto cursed out.

"Your Uchiha Clan is the most tolerant clan I've ever seen. The ideas within your clan really do bloom in every direction."

"Lady Yoshino, since you already know the reason, I'll head home to sleep."

"Don't be in such a hurry!"

Yoshino leaned back against the sofa. Pointing toward the unconscious Ryoko in the bedroom, she continued, "While Ryoko is still unconscious, tell me about your other objectives."

Other objectives? Asuka stopped and secretly studied Shikamaru's mother. Seeing her prop her cheek on one hand as she looked him over with interest, his gaze slowly drifted downward to her rounded stomach. "Does making friends count?"

"Making friends?"

Following Asuka's gaze, Yoshino looked down at herself. After a long silence, she asked uncertainly, "You're lusting after my body?"

"No, no."

"Isn't that always what men have in mind when they make friends with women?"

Seeing that she had gotten the wrong idea, Asuka waved his hands and explained, "I actually want to be friends with your son."

"Heh!"

Yoshino sneered. She did not believe that someone wanted to befriend her son before he was even born. Could he see the future? Had he foreseen that her son would become an important figure and decided to invest early? But wasn't that investment a little too early? He was still in the womb.

With that thought, Yoshino reached over and picked up a cushion from the sofa, replying perfunctorily, "Shikamaru can't talk yet, but he just kicked my stomach. As his mother, I can understand what he means.

"He agrees.

"Now tell me your other objectives."

Watching Nara Yoshino spout nonsense, Asuka spread his hands and said very seriously, "There aren't any."

"There aren't any?"

"There really aren't."

He truly had only two objectives. One was to give Danzo's subordinate a bit of warmth, and the other was to trick Shikamaru into being friends when he had just learned to read, using lollipops.

"Then listen to me!"

At that moment, Nara Yoshino glanced sideways at the still-unconscious Ryoko, then turned her gaze to Asuka. Her expression instantly chilled.

"You haven't told me a single one of your real objectives.

"During the questioning just now, I suddenly remembered that your expression when you saw Ryoko was far too natural. You had no way of knowing that I had entered Ryoko's body. At the time, you treated me as the real Ryoko.

"And I had simply placed you on our side from the start, mistakenly assuming you had also come to catch someone. But the person we were trying to catch was actually you.

"Am I right?"

Seeing Asuka stand there in silence, Yoshino licked her dry lips and continued.

"Compared to ordinary people, Ryoko's identity has several obvious labels.

"Root member. The Nara Clan Head's cousin. Widow.

"When I borrowed Ryoko's body just now and instinctively acted affectionately toward you, I knew from your slight resistance that you didn't like her. That rules out the Widow label.

"Your Uchiha aren't interested in the Shadow Imitation Technique, and I'm also on good terms with Mikoto, your Clan Head's Wife. Aside from certain secrets involving the clan, she shares everything else with me.

"Ryoko is extremely loyal to the clan, and she would never do anything that harmed the Nara Clan. On top of that, there are quite a few people in the Nara Clan who are the Clan Head's cousins, so that label can be ruled out as well.

"Then only the final answer remains: she is Danzo's subordinate.

"Everyone in Konoha knows Danzo's attitude toward your Uchiha. Are you planning to make a move against Danzo?"

"You tell me."

At that moment, Asuka rubbed his chin with one hand and looked in the direction of his own Clan Grounds. His tone was somewhat hesitant. "Is it possible that our Clan Head likes Widows with status?"

???

Nara Yoshino froze. Remembering the way this guy had looked at her earlier, she felt a little creeped out.

The Clan Head likes Widows with status, while the clansman likes married women with status?

There seemed to be no logical problem with that, but... was that how normal people thought? After taking several deep breaths, Nara Yoshino rose and walked to Asuka's side. Looking at the door ahead, she spoke to herself.

"To strengthen the special bond between the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, the Sarutobi Clan gives earrings to members of the three clans as witnesses to our friendship.

"And the friendship between the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō is just like that between our three great clans.

"Actually, I quite like Mikoto, but her identity means she is destined to be held hostage by the will of her clansmen.

"What you're thinking is dangerous. Don't drag the Nara Clan into it. I'll repay you for treating my nephew by other means. Don't think you can use this to threaten Ryoko."

Asuka clasped his hands behind his back and watched the moon, mostly obscured by the window. The pale moonlight shone on his face, making his naturally rosy cheeks seem to lose all color in an instant.

His deathly pale face, paired with that chilling voice, made goosebumps rise all over her skin.

"Madam."

"Hm?" Sensing the strange atmosphere in the air, Nara Yoshino instantly became alert.

So fast!

Watching Uchiha Asuka suddenly appear at her side with the Body Flicker Technique, her pupils shrank. Before she could say anything, Asuka patted her shoulder and said earnestly, "The Uchiha Clan will fully support Senju Tsunade in becoming the Fifth Hokage."

Seeing him force her to state her position with his eyes, Yoshino hesitated before answering, "If Princess Tsunade truly runs for Fifth Hokage, we will certainly support her."

"Then you don't object to the Uchiha becoming Tsunade's in-laws, right?"

"It's good to have dreams. I don't object to that."

"Then I want the Clan Head to get divorced. You don't object to that either, right?"

"That's an internal matter of your clan. I can't interfere."

"You said you would repay me, right?"

"Mhm!"

"When you have the chance, persuade Mikoto to hurry up and get divorced to free up the position. The Uchiha Clan Head's Wife must always have a spirit of sacrifice as well."

With that, Yoshino watched Asuka vanish directly from the room.

Watching him leave, Yoshino's expression gradually stiffened. Her heart was beginning to feel unsettled, and that sense of having everything under control had shattered somewhat as well.

He had shown none of the anger, sorrow, or pride she had expected. Instead, he had only said a bunch of incomprehensible things.

Help you persuade Mikoto?? Even if I persuaded her to divorce, the chances of your Uchiha and Senju forming a marriage alliance would be one percent of the chances of Tsunade marrying Jiraiya.

"Tch!" Shaking her head, Nara Yoshino decided that in the future, she would stay farther away from every Uchiha clansman except Mikoto. There was something wrong with their heads.

However, looking at the note Asuka had stuffed into her hand before leaving, Nara Yoshino could not help frowning. She muttered as she read it.

"Your daughter-in-law is gone!"

That really was incomprehensible.

Her son was still in the womb... where would he get a daughter-in-law?