"Anyway, go back and get some rest first."
Patting Kazashiro's little head, Nonō did not expect him to understand her words and gestured for him to get up.
Having enjoyed her lap pillow, Kazashiro reluctantly sat up. He shot Iko, who was still standing there without moving, a sulky look, then pouted as he headed toward his room.
After taking off the clothes that had been shredded into rags, Kazashiro endured the pain in his body and changed into a new set of clothes.
Meanwhile, Nonō paid no heed to Iko beside her and sent Danzo the day's intelligence on Kazashiro right in front of him.
"Is that a message for Lord Danzo?"
Seeing Nonō's actions, Iko asked with an unchanged expression.
"That's right."
Nonō did not treat Iko as kindly as she treated Kazashiro. She returned his gaze with an even colder expression, making no attempt to hide her disgust.
"..."
Iko said nothing more. Instead, he observed the style of the electric lights inside through the floor-to-ceiling window and nodded thoughtfully.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
"Hehehe, cough. Business at the bathhouse is as good as ever today."
Inside the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen leered at the crystal ball before him. It displayed Konoha's largest and busiest bathhouse—the women's bath.
Just as Hiruzen, absorbed in admiring the large breasts, was about to enlarge the image further, footsteps suddenly sounded outside, interrupting him.
He hurriedly grabbed the red cloth prepared at the side and covered the crystal ball. Before Hiruzen could make another move, a white-haired man forcefully shoved open the door.
"Yo, old man. What are you busy with?"
The man swaggered up to Hiruzen, cast a curious glance at the red cloth on the desk, and thoughtfully stroked his chin.
"Jiraiya, did I