What dual Hokage system? What advice? What making up for a lack of experience?
None of that existed!
None of it!
It was flower arranging! What existed was flower arranging! As he walked down the stairs step by step, the creaking mingled with his footsteps. Chiba descended, his mind a complete mess.
Just now, prompted by the Third Hokage's words, he had instinctively glanced at the scroll on the table. He had even been thinking of how to refute the Third Hokage, since staying behind to eat with him would be rather awkward.
The Third Hokage trusted him greatly and sincerely cared for him, but eating together still made him feel restrained. They were not familiar in private, after all, and he had never even interacted with Biwako Sarutobi. Staying for a meal under such circumstances would definitely not be just a meal—it would be a test.
But in that glance, what he discovered was not village secrets, nor the Fourth Hokage seeking his advice, but flower arrangement styles.
Yes, the scroll contained nothing else. It was just simple, basic flower arrangement patterns—beginner-level! In other words, the Third Hokage was not trying out some dual Hokage system, nor was he troubled by some major village matter.
He was learning flower arrangement! He was worrying over which style to learn! He really was living a retired life! He had started arranging flowers, for heaven's sake. Forget a dual Hokage system—the Third Hokage was completely staying out of politics and entrusting everything to Minato Namikaze!
The Third Hokage really was asking him to stay as an ordinary retired old man. Chiba could not find any reason to refuse.
Besides, he had come here to learn from the Third Hokage. Since the Third Hokage, who had agreed to teach him, wanted him to