At the Konoha embassy, Minamoto Kazuhiko gently knocked on Minamoto Kaori's door. After waiting in silence for two or three seconds and getting no response, he shook his head and left.
The most beautiful daughter of the Feudal Lord wasn't necessarily the most favored.
Her fate had long since been decided.
"Meow."
After Minamoto Kazuhiko left, a cat meowed outside the window.
Tachibana rested her front paws on the windowsill, pushed off the wall with her hind paws, and hopped up. She poked her head in and peered inside, her cat eyes reflecting a girl so beautiful that even a cat thought so.
The girl sat quietly on the edge of the bed, dressed in a black-underlayered junihitoe. Brightly colored flowers were embroidered across its fine fabric, and a vivid red sash was tied in a bow at her waist.
The combination of those vivid colors with pure black looked elegant and noble, yet solemn and imposing.
But the luxurious feeling was completely subdued by Minamoto Kaori's cool aura.
Her long, ink-black hair fell naturally down her back to her waist. It was styled in a neat hime cut, with short locks at her temples and bangs falling naturally along either side of her face, setting off her small features and snow-white, delicate skin.
Beneath her long, thick lashes was a pair of large, clear, blood-red eyes, their gaze calm and natural.
A breeze passed. In the sunlight outside the window, the girl's hair lifted lightly, gleaming like raven feathers. She looked dreamlike and resplendent beyond words.
"Meow."
Tachibana meowed again. Minamoto Kaori glanced over, her eyes shifting slightly, but she remained quietly seated on the bed and even closed her eyes.
(This isn't what Nekomata said in her intel.)
(Wasn't Princess Kaori supposed to like cats?)
(Could it be she doesn't like this kind of meow?)
A little unwilling to give up, Tachibana leaped into the room. She landed on the wooden floor with a thud, the fat on her body rippling like waves.
A sudden, clear giggle made Tachibana's cat face turn red.
Tachibana stood still for a moment, then fixed her gaze on Minamoto Kaori. Her eyes were still closed, but her fine lashes trembled. The girl and the cat silently agreed to pretend nothing had happened.
(This is Lord Takeyasu's mission.)
Tachibana reminded herself, then padded over to the girl's feet with a proper cat's gait. Setting aside her feline dignity, she began rubbing her head against her.
Soon the room was filled with a kitten's soft, sweet meows.
Minamoto Kaori opened her eyes and quietly watched Tachibana's performance with her blood-jade eyes. Her little hands, hidden beneath her sleeves, clenched slightly, and her heart began to flutter.
Ever since she'd left the Feudal Lord's Palace, the little cat that used to sneak over to play with her had disappeared. Now that she saw this adorable orange cat, she wanted so, so badly to scoop her up and cuddle her.
But when she thought of how she was about to marry into the Uchiha clan—to marry those bloodthirsty ninja who lived by the sword, killed without blinking, and killed again after blinking—she felt that her life as a Caged Bird was even more unfortunate.
(If only I could keep this adorable little chubby cat.)
(But I can't bring misfortune to her. Those Uchiha ninja drink human blood and eat human flesh every day. They definitely wouldn't spare such an adorable kitty!)
(It's enough if I go to hell alone. I can't bring the cat down with me!)
All the knowledge about ninja that Minamoto Kaori had came from the palace attendants. In her mind, she had already imagined her future husband as a demonic ninja two meters tall and two meters wide, with a gaping maw, four eyes, a hideous face, and black fur covering his entire body. Her eyes involuntarily took on a mournful look.
After a while, seeing that this trick wasn't working, Tachibana meowed adorably a few times, then rolled over and showed Minamoto Kaori her plump, snow-white belly.
She didn't believe this trick couldn't win over a human girl.
This was a cat secret art she'd only ever used on Uchiha Takeyasu!
Tachibana's belly-flashing technique worked wonders. Minamoto Kaori's eyes widened. Her little hands emerged from her sleeves, then retreated, then emerged and retreated again, leaving Tachibana utterly baffled.
"Meow?"
"...You should go now, you adorable little chubby cat."
(Chubby?)
(This is voluptuous!)
(Do you even know what voluptuous means?)
(Lord Takeyasu would never like a bony scarecrow like you.)
Watching Minamoto Kaori suddenly fall into self-pity, Tachibana suppressed her anger. To carry out Uchiha Takeyasu's mission perfectly, she flipped over and sat up, ready to hear what Minamoto Kaori wanted to say.
"Meow?"
Looking at the adorable cat with her head tilted, Minamoto Kaori resisted the urge to pet her. The cat's lively eyes seemed almost able to speak, making Minamoto Kaori want to confide in her.
"Little kitty, did you know? I'm about to obey my father's orders and marry a man I've never met."
Tachibana nodded. I know. It's Lord Takeyasu.
"The man has unparalleled strength."
Tachibana nodded again. That's right. Lord Takeyasu is the strongest!
"But the man is also a bloodthirsty murderer."
Tachibana started nodding, then shook her head. Thinking of her owner, who was either killing someone or on his way to kill someone, her cat face grew humanly serious. That's right. Lord Takeyasu is a bloodthirsty murderer!
"I've also heard that the man is invulnerable to blades and spears, fire and water, and has a body like a demon. He's terrifyingly powerful and eats two virgin boys and girls every day."
"Meow?"
"Most importantly, the man likes to eat cats!"
"Now you're just making stuff up!"
The room fell deathly silent. Tachibana covered her mouth with her paw, deeply regretting it. She'd meant to stay by Minamoto Kaori's side and gather intel whenever she could, but now she'd ruined everything by speaking.
Minamoto Kaori stared blankly at the talking orange cat. Her eyes grew brighter and brighter, as if they were about to turn into stars.
"A chubby little cat that can talk!"
"I'm not a chubby cat!"
Completely forgetting her princessly decorum, Minamoto Kaori jumped to her feet and tried to hug Tachibana. But the orange cat nimbly leaped beneath her arms and, glancing back, gave her a cool, disdainful look.
"Don't go, kitty."
"Don't go?"
"Foolish human princess, I only came near you because I had a mission. Now that the mission has failed, you're no longer useful to me!"
Lady Tachibana stood proudly on the table, looking up at Minamoto Kaori as she prepared to summon herself away at a moment's notice. She snorted. "Are you going to stop me, human princess?"
"No."
"I thought not... Meow?"
"Can you tell me your name? Will I see you again? Can you come talk to me in the future?"
The three questions in a row left Tachibana at a loss. Sensing Uchiha Takeyasu approaching, she turned and dashed for the window.
"Oh, that's the third floor. It's dangerous!"
Minamoto Kaori hurried after her. At the window, she watched the orange cat leap nimbly from roof to roof, then land in the arms of a handsome young man. Their eyes met across the distance, and Minamoto Kaori, who had very rarely met a man's gaze, nervously drew the curtains shut.
After blocking the view, Minamoto Kaori patted her chest. Then she heard an anxious voice from outside the door.
"Your Highness, are you all right?"
Minamoto Kaori took a breath and replied calmly, "I'm fine. What is it?"
"Please don't leave your room. Something bad is happening in Konoha."
(Something bad?)
She hadn't noticed it before, but now Minamoto Kaori suddenly remembered the large group of murderous ninja following the young man. Worried about the orange cat's safety, she replied, "I understand. You may go."
After hearing the footsteps retreat, Minamoto Kaori carefully pulled back one corner of the curtain and peered out. Not far away, a rectangular barrier of transparent purple flames had enclosed an area, and worry rose in her eyes.
"I hope the chubby little cat is all right."
"And is that young man the chubby little cat's owner?"
"His clothes seemed to have the Uchiha clan crest."
Understanding dawned on Minamoto Kaori's face, and two blushes appeared on her cheeks. She murmured, "Someone a cat likes can't be a bad person."
"So the Uchiha are good people."
Before you continue