Before he knew it, opening day had arrived. Fuyuki was still sound asleep when a group of maids carried him off to wash up.
As the big boss of the Hot Spring Resort, Fuyuki had plenty to keep him busy. He had to oversee everything from greeting the guests to giving the opening speech.
Of course, the Hyuga Clan Head and elders would be there to show their support. After all, this was an enterprise funded by members of the Hyuga Clan, and it had the clan's backing. They absolutely couldn't let outsiders look down on them!
So, in the middle of the night, the maids carried Fuyuki off to wash and dress him, so the proceedings wouldn't be delayed.
Fuyuki himself didn't really care about any of this. He'd even picked the opening day at random.
But there was no getting around it now. This concerned the Hyuga Clan's reputation, and Fuyuki couldn't just do whatever he wanted. If he botched the opening ceremony and disgraced the clan, the elders would be back in the ancestral hall, sobbing and repenting at the top of their lungs.
By the time Fuyuki arrived at the Hot Spring Resort, the staff had already begun cleaning. Beneath the archway stood two rows of young women in colorful cheongsams and matching high heels, their outfits showing off their graceful figures. Quite a few Konoha villagers were so captivated by them that they could barely think straight.
Lords from across the Land of Fire, representatives from the Secret Technique Clans, and elders from the Konoha High Command had all gathered here today.
Fuyuki also spotted quite a few classmates. The most popular of them was undoubtedly Sasuke. The admiration he got from schoolgirls was nothing new, but now the daughters of several Land of Fire lords had surrounded Young Master Sasuke, pleading for hugs and hoping to win the second young master of the Uchiha Clan's heart.
Fuyuki couldn't accurately estimate just how rich Uchiha Sasuke was.
Aside from Konoha's funding, the Uchiha Clan surely had businesses elsewhere. For one thing, their weapons shop was famous. They'd also signed a Summoning Contract with the Cat Ninja Clan and were in the business of selling information.
The Cat Ninja Clan helped run the Uchiha Clan's weapons shop, so Sasuke didn't need to handle any of it himself.
Those were just the well-known ventures. Who knew what other businesses and under-the-table income they had?
Maybe even Sasuke didn't know. He'd have to ask the Cat Ninja Clan to find out.
The Cat Ninja Clan ≈ the Uchiha Clan's housekeepers.
If a lord's daughter married into the Uchiha Clan, any children they had, sons or daughters, could inherit the vast wealth and connections the clan had accumulated. Well, that was assuming Sasuke, that blockhead, didn't defect. Otherwise, Konoha would naturally take over all the Uchiha Clan's wealth.
"No way. I have to make him write a will. That blockhead could do anything. At most, he can state in the will that he's just holding the assets in trust, and that he can take some of them back!"
Fuyuki gazed at Sasuke with a look of regret, as though he could already see Sasuke defecting, Tsunade reluctantly taking possession of the Uchiha Clan's accumulated wealth, then heading to the gambling dens and pleasure houses with tears in her eyes.
Maybe Konoha hadn't run a massive deficit after Tsunade took office because Sasuke's defection had left her treasury so full it was overflowing. That would explain why Tsunade hadn't dipped into Konoha's public funds to bail herself out.
"???"
Hyuga Hiashi stared at him, completely baffled. "I'm in the prime of my life. Why would I need a will?"
"You little brat, what are you planning?"
Noticing his Old Father's gaze, Fuyuki stiffened slightly and gave an awkward laugh. "Not you, Father. You're perfectly healthy. You definitely don't need a will."
"I just want Sasuke to write one, so the Uchiha Clan's assets don't get confiscated after he dies."
"Oh. Hmm???"
Hiashi's heart, which had just begun to settle, immediately started racing again. Sasuke of the Uchiha Clan was no relation to Hyuga Fuyuki. Why would he put Fuyuki's name in his will?
The Hyuga Clan couldn't take any more of Fuyuki's antics!
Even if the Ancestor broke his legs today, Hiashi would first have to get this rebellious son sorted out!
Of course, Hiashi only thought that to himself. He didn't dare defy the Ancestor. He forced down his unease and said, as calmly as he could, "Himon, Tokuma, Iroha, take Fuyuki to Kabukicho. The elders and I will handle the welcome speech."
Himon, Tokuma, and Iroha: "?"
The three Hyuga Jonin were utterly bewildered. They couldn't figure out what had gotten into their Clan Head.
"Huh?" Fuyuki blinked, then nodded at once. "Okay!"
He had no idea what his father was thinking, but he'd already grown tired of standing around by the entrance.
There were so many strangers. They all seemed friendly, but who the hell were they?
He didn't even know their names, yet they were treating him with such fiery enthusiasm. It was so damn awkward!
Fuyuki turned around, brushed past the three Hyuga bodyguards, and hurried off to his mother. He joined Hinata in playing with his little sister, Hanabi. Just then, Sasuke and Naruto ran over together and demanded that he hand over Sister Moryo. They needed her to train them.
Naruto and Sasuke weren't the only ones who came over. Several heirs to the Secret Technique Clans followed behind them—some of the Konoha 12, though the three members of Team Guy weren't there.
Neji was helping his father receive guests, so he wasn't on the invitation list. Before meeting Guy, Lee was just a hardworking dead-last student. Even if Fuyuki had wanted to invite the other two members of Team Guy, he couldn't have. They had no connection whatsoever, so he had no reason to invite them.
Fuyuki greeted his classmates with practiced ease. But when he got to the last one, a guy in sunglasses, he realized with mounting embarrassment that he'd forgotten the boy's name. He did remember that he came from the Aburame Clan, the family of insect-controlling shinobi.
Scrambling to remember, Fuyuki smiled and said, "Aburame Naizhi, I didn't expect you to come today. What a rare and welcome guest!"
Shino pushed up his sunglasses and said without expression, "My name is Aburame Shino, Fuyuki."
Though his face showed no emotion, Fuyuki could hear the deep resentment in his voice.
Fuyuki laughed awkwardly. "Haha, sorry, sorry. I was talking too fast and got your name backward. Sorry! Come on, let's not stand around at the entrance. Let's go inside and enjoy the hot springs, which combine Medical Ninjutsu with the bathing experience!"
As the host, Fuyuki led the way and showed his classmates around the children's area. A super-sized Hot Spring Resort was bound to have a few less wholesome attractions, like a Fighting Club. Fuyuki didn't take his classmates to see those. It wasn't appropriate for children.
"Fuyuki, which swimsuit do you think I should pick?"
Hinata stood in front of the swimwear section, looking at the dazzling array of swimsuits with a troubled expression. She couldn't decide.
She wanted her little brother's opinion. Asking the person closest to her to help her choose didn't make Hinata feel shy.
"Hmm... How about this Sukumizu with a skirt?" Fuyuki picked out a relatively conservative swimsuit for Hinata.
"Okay!"
Hinata didn't mind. She'd just never seen so many swimsuits before, and they were making her eyes swim. She didn't really care what she wore. Everyone else would be wearing clothes, after all, so she wasn't embarrassed.
At the Hot Spring Hotel, everyone had to wear a swimsuit in the hot springs unless they'd rented a private room. That was Fuyuki's rule. He didn't want to get complaints at the Hokage's office!
Besides, Konoha didn't have anyone who could catch the peeping tom Jiraiya.
Fuyuki stared at the swim trunks and Sukumizu, lost in thought.
The question was, what should he choose?
He'd let his sister wear as much as she wanted.
But he couldn't exactly wear as much as he wanted himself, could he?
Asking for tickets in the middle of the night. Please, everyone! There are so few tickets.
Before you continue