Visiting the Sick

Led by the middle-aged man, the three brats wound their way through the corridors until they arrived outside Genma's bedroom.

Upon reaching the door, the middle-aged guide offered his farewells and took his leave.

The three of them knocked lightly on the door, and a woman's voice drifted from within: "Please, come in."

Though the response consisted of only two words, the tone was exceptionally graceful, gentle, and pleasant to the ear.

A certain reader: "Hey! Author, stop spouting nonsense. Don't think we don't know you're just padding the word count. They only said two words, and you've made such a huge deal out of it."

Author: "Fine! I admit my fault, I repent. Back to the main topic."

Having received permission, the three pushed the door open and stepped inside, immediately catching the scent of strong medicinal herbs.

Walking into the inner room, they saw Genma lying on the tatami mats while a young woman, appearing to be about twenty-five or twenty-six, was busy bandaging his wounds.

As Genma lay there and saw his young, adorable subordinates, he simply signaled with his eyes for them to take a seat.

The young woman did not even turn her head, remaining focused on changing the bandages for Genma.

Once the three had sat down, Taichi whispered into Kamizuki's ear: "The woman changing Genma's bandages is his wife, Chiyuki Shiranui."

"Oh," Kamizuki replied softly.

Because Chiyuki Shiranui was preoccupied with the dressing, she did not turn around, so Kamizuki could not see her face.

Just as Kamizuki prepared to survey the room's environment, he noticed a little girl curled up at the foot of the tatami. Her upper body was slumped over the mat while her bottom rested on a small stool, and she was fast asleep with a smile on her lips.

One could only wonder what happy things she was dreaming about.

From where Kamizuki sat, he could only see a small portion of her profile, yet even that glimpse was enough to tell that this little girl was surely a top-tier, adorable, and dorky cutie.

The little girl was dressed in a fire-red, modified kimono.

Her grayish-brown hair was tied into a single ponytail that draped over her back.

As Kamizuki looked at the little girl in that fire-red modified kimono, he couldn't help but feel the fabric was rather sparse.

Suddenly, he felt a sense of familiarity with this outfit. Kamizuki struggled to recall why her appearance felt so familiar... thinking... and thinking...

While Kamizuki was busy racking his brain, Chiyuki had already finished re-bandaging Genma.

Chiyuki Shiranui tidied up the blood-stained bandages and the supplies she had used on the tatami before finally turning around.

Only then did Kamizuki see Chiyuki Shiranui's full face.

Her features were not classically beautiful, but she possessed an air of great nobility, and the faint smile she wore only added to her charm.

Kamizuki had always felt that when appreciating a woman, her looks were not the primary factor. As long as she wasn't suffering from some genetic mutation or deformity, being plain was perfectly fine—what mattered was whether she had a smile, and whether that smile was beautiful.

(Ah, I'm clumsy with words... it's getting more confusing as I explain. I just want to say that when Kamizuki looks at women, he likes those who smile.)

After clearing away the clutter, Chiyuki Shiranui turned around, offered a shy bow to the three of them with a smile, and spoke with an apologetic expression:

"I am truly sorry to you three guests. I was just changing my husband's dressings and neglected you; please forgive me!"

Seeing Chiyuki Shiranui being so polite, the three of them waved their hands hurriedly: "Not at all, not at all! The medicine is what matters."

Genma, lying on the tatami, saw them being so formal and laughed helplessly, saying to Chiyuki: "Alright, Chiyuki, these three brats are my subordinates, they're family. Don't stand on ceremony with them."

Hearing Genma Shiranui say this to Chiyuki, the three nodded in agreement, chiming in with, "That's right! That's right!"

At this, Kamizuki added politely: "Exactly, Shiniang, we heard that Master was injured and came specifically to visit him."

Hearing Kamizuki address her as Shiniang, it was the first time Chiyuki had been called by that title, and a faint blush appeared on her small face.

After a few more pleasantries, Genma finally told Chiyuki she could go. As she was about to leave, she seemed to remember the little girl still fast asleep at the foot of the tatami.

Just as she was about to pick the girl up to take her away, Genma glanced at the child and said to Chiyuki: "Chiyuki, you go ahead. Mai is sleeping soundly right now; don't disturb her."

Hearing Genma say this, Chiyuki could only offer a bitter smile before retreating to attend to her own affairs.

When Kamizuki heard Genma address the little girl as "Mai," he felt as if something had suddenly clicked in his mind.

Once Chiyuki Shiranui had left the room, Taichi asked: "Master, how are your injuries?"

Genma, still biting down on his senbon, smiled at his three subordinates: "These are just minor wounds, nothing serious. If the Third Hokage hadn't insisted I come home to rest for a couple of days, I would have..."

After they chatted for a while, Genma noticed that Kamizuki seemed distracted, frequently using his Byakugan to glance at his little niece. The look in his eyes struck Genma as rather strange.