Could She Actually Be an Idiot?

That night, at Konoha's Root Base.

"Kushina Uzumaki, the Uzumaki Clan..."

In the quiet room, Danzo looked over the file in his hands, his expression dark.

He looked at Nonō, who stood with her hands at her sides. "What's the deal with this girl who suddenly appeared by Minato Namikaze's side? Why didn't you report her to me?"

"Um... was that something I needed to report, too?"

A trace of perfectly timed confusion appeared on Nonō's face. Her voice was hesitant and uneasy.

"..."

Danzo fell silent. He couldn't tell whether the girl was genuinely stupid or just pretending.

He flung the file down in front of Nonō and gave a cold snort.

"A girl staying at Tsunade's house and getting close to Minato—couldn't you see that her presence might get in your way? If not for what happened today, I wouldn't even have known about her!"

Nonō looked bewildered. "But she hasn't gotten in the way of me spending time with Minato?"

Danzo frowned. The girl didn't seem to be faking her reaction.

Come to think of it, Nonō really did have no experience with this sort of thing. He could only force down his anger.

"That girl isn't as simple as you think. She's from the Uzumaki Clan, and she's extremely important to the village."

Remembering that Hiruzen Sarutobi had even kept the matter of a potential Jinchūriki from him, Danzo's mood darkened further.

"The Third sent that girl to Minato to foster their feelings for each other. He intends to give Minato Namikaze a powerful ally and pave the way for him to become Hokage!"

"Mm..."

Nonō looked completely lost. "Th-then what's the problem? Minato's so kind. I'm sure he'll make a wonderful Hokage, won't he?"

At that, Danzo let out a muffled snort. He felt a mass of pent-up frustration gather in his chest, unable to rise or fall. It was agony.

And he couldn't even say anything about it!

He couldn't exactly say, "I want to become Hokage," could he?

Even for Danzo, who had a thick skin, telling a five-year-old about his ambition would be embarrassing...

Not because he was ashamed of his ambition, but because he knew that no one—not even the little girl standing before him—would think he deserved the position. Only the subordinates he had brainwashed would think otherwise!

That knowledge gnawed at him like countless ants, filling him with unbearable pain.

It also drove him to prove himself all the more—to prove he was no less capable than Hiruzen, to prove he wouldn't be surpassed by the younger generation, to prove that their teacher had made the wrong choice!

His desperation had nearly twisted him inside out!

As the Hokage's aide, he was treated with respect by everyone in his daily life. All he ever heard was praise.

Danzo relished that feeling. The thrill of power had ensnared him, and he couldn't break free. It only made him crave the Hokage Position more and more.

But now, Nonō's childlike words had dragged him back to reality, forcing him to face the truth he least wanted to confront.

At that moment, Danzo wondered if his judgment really was flawed.

The clever children might have already figured out what he was after, but Nonō didn't seem to be pretending to be clueless...

Forget it. If she was an idiot, then so be it.

An idiot would be easier to control!

With that thought, Danzo sighed wistfully. "The Hokage Position isn't as simple as you think, and it isn't as glamorous as it looks. Minato's personality isn't suited to being Hokage."

"He's too naive. He'd be better suited as a powerful fighter than as a leader."

What a load of crap!

Nonō sneered inwardly, but her expression didn't change in the slightest.

If Minato wasn't fit for it, then what made you think you were?

Though she was relieved to have fooled Danzo's probing, he clearly had no intention of letting the matter drop.

Recalling how Kushina had unhesitatingly stepped in front of her, Nonō made up her mind. She would never let Danzo harm her!

"Forget it. You're still too young to understand this. Just focus on your mission, and don't forget who you are."

Danzo waved her away, and Nonō bowed before leaving.

She was a little disappointed that she hadn't managed to find out more.

Still, it seemed that pretending to be clueless worked.

The Tongue-Sealing Curse left a visible Cursed Seal mark, so Danzo hadn't placed one on Nonō, in case Minato noticed.

As far as he was concerned, she was only a five-year-old child. Even without a Cursed Seal, he could keep her firmly under control.

But that gave Nonō an idea.

For the past two months, she had been observing Minato—not because she had a crush on him, but to figure out what kind of person he was.

Maybe it was just her imagination, but she seemed to sense some quality hidden beneath his sunny disposition.

It didn't feel like darkness so much as detachment.

What she'd told Kushina earlier was true. Minato was kind to everyone, but she couldn't be sure how he defined his relationship with her.

She also sensed that when Minato looked at her, there seemed to be something searching in his eyes.

Nonō vaguely suspected that Minato might have figured something out long ago.

She wanted to be honest with him and talk things through, but once she came clean, there would be no going back, whatever the outcome.

She couldn't make that decision lightly, though. She still had the orphanage to think about.

Danzo had threatened her with the orphanage more than once.

To Nonō, Danzo was an authority figure she absolutely couldn't fight.

He wouldn't even have to do much. All he had to do was make the slightest use of his authority as the Hokage's aide, and he could easily cut off the orphanage's funding.

And the priest and the plump nun wouldn't even get the chance to see the Hokage...

The children would go hungry, with too little to eat and too little to wear.

She had experienced that kind of life herself. Because she knew what it was like to be left in the rain, she wanted to hold an umbrella over someone else.

What should I do...

All the way back to her lodgings, Nonō was lost in thought. Worried that someone might be watching her, she kept up her usual calm and untroubled appearance.

She cooked, did the laundry, took a hot bath, then lay on the bed and started reading the romance books Danzo had bought for her...

She was staying in a small apartment Danzo had provided. That was about the only good thing he'd ever done for her.

"How did it go?"

A little while later, Danzo's voice sounded again in the clean room.

"The target giggled several times while reading. Otherwise, there was nothing unusual."

A Root shinobi suddenly appeared before Danzo and dropped to one knee.

"Could she actually be an idiot..."

Danzo gripped the armrest of his chair without realizing it. His face darkened.

Nonō's innocent reaction clashed with the calm and composure she'd shown before, inevitably making him suspicious. That was why he had sent someone to watch her in secret.

And the report said there was nothing unusual...

A five-year-old couldn't keep up an act every second of the day, could she?

But she was far too innocent. Were children these days really that innocent?

Danzo furrowed his brow. He couldn't find anyone more suitable than Nonō.

After thinking it over, he could only blame her young age.

If Nonō couldn't figure things out, then he'd start with the little girl from the Uzumaki Clan!

After all, she wasn't the only one of her clan left...