So that was it. These guys...
Pushing open the door to the Japanese-style wooden house, Chiba had not even stepped inside before he halted, a smile touching his lips—one he could not tell whether was helpless or warm.
At that moment, through the entryway, he could already see one corner of the low table. Several things had been placed there, clearly left behind by Asuma and Genma, who had just departed.
When they had met at the edge of the little grove earlier, he had tried to keep them, but both said they were done with what they had come to do and had plenty to handle for the New Year, so they left without staying.
When Chiba asked what they had come for, neither of them said.
Now, it seemed they had come to deliver things for him, just like Namiashi Raidō.
As for their excuse about having plenty to keep them busy, Chiba naturally did not believe it. During this period, the ninjas involved in the lockdown had begun taking shifts off, and a group had also been transferred back from the front lines. Young ninjas like them had long since gone on holiday. With their parents at home, what could possibly be keeping them busy?
They had probably just gotten tired of hanging around here and decided to go home.
"They really don't treat this place like someone else's home!"
Sure enough, just as Chiba had thought, once he walked in and looked toward the low table, he found several stuffed bags sitting on it. Scattered around them were all kinds of fruit peels, and even the snacks he had not finished yesterday had been dug out and completely eaten by the pair.
And they left all this for me to clean up...
After muttering that, Chiba