Only the three young people remained in the room. Senju Arashi smiled and asked Qiancao, "Well? Did my father scare you?"
Qiancao shook his head and smiled wryly. "A little, I suppose. But I'm not worried he'll kick us out. I'm only worried I won't be able to keep being friends with you."
Senju Arashi was taken aback. After a moment, she continued, "Don't worry. I know my father very well. He won't just refrain from objecting to me spending time with you—he'd actually like you to stay here longer."
Hearing that, Qiancao asked in confusion, "As the head of the Senju Clan, shouldn't your father be making his position clear and standing firmly against the Uchiha with his family and friends?"
"If things were normal, we'd definitely have to keep our distance," Senju Arashi explained patiently. "But because my father is the clan head, he can't afford to act on impulse."
"As long as your identities benefit the Senju Clan, my father would be delighted if you stayed here forever."
Qiancao looked surprised. "Do we really have some kind of special identity?"
"Uchiha clan members persecuted by the Uchiha Clan. Isn't that the best identity you could have?" Senju Arashi said with a smile.
"Why do you think my father left in such a hurry? Do you think he had something else to do?"
"He went to spread your story far and wide! He'd love to make your past sound even more tragic and expose the Uchiha's inhuman brutality, so outsiders would think even less of the Uchiha Clan."
Qiancao hadn't expected that beneath Senju Raizo's honest-looking exterior, he already knew how to wage a war of public opinion. It made Qiancao see him in a new light.
Senju Arashi was pleased to see how quickly Qiancao caught on. She stood up and stretched, showing off the curves of her figure to the fullest.
Wuming glanced at Senju Arashi's mountains, then at her own hills, and felt a curious sadness well up inside her.
"I'll take you somewhere to rest," Senju Arashi said with a yawn. It was the first time she'd been through such a disastrous mission, and she was truly exhausted.
Senju Arashi led the two of them out of the Senju Main House's courtyard. After several turns, they stopped in a corner of Senju Village in front of a small courtyard with three little houses.
"I built this little courtyard with money I earned from missions," Senju Arashi told them. "But I hardly ever stay here. You're the first friends I've ever invited over."
The three of them entered the courtyard and went to the guest room. Senju Arashi slid open the door.
From outside, the guest room didn't look like it had any valuable furnishings, but it was tastefully decorated, and the whole floor was covered in fresh tatami.
They took off their shoes and went inside. The soft feel underfoot put Qiancao at ease.
Ever since he'd been thrown into an Uchiha prison cell, this was the first time Qiancao had stayed somewhere so nice. He couldn't help gradually relaxing.
Senju Arashi took the bedding out of a cupboard. Qiancao hurriedly took it from her and helped her lay it out on the floor.
As they made the bed, Qiancao happened to glimpse Senju Arashi's soles. The skin was tender, white with a rosy hue, and her feet were long and graceful. They had a different charm from Wuming's petite, delicate feet.
I wonder how she takes care of them. She's always roughing it and traveling long distances, yet she doesn't have any calluses.
Qiancao thought that to himself, then felt a little sleazy for being so lecherous. She's kindly putting us up, and here I am fantasizing about her. I'm really shameless. A hint of chagrin appeared on his face.
Senju Arashi finished making the bed and turned to see Qiancao's expression. She assumed he didn't want to stay there.
"There are rooms at the Senju Main House, but too many people come and go," Senju Arashi explained, telling them why she'd arranged for them to stay here. "Your identities are rather sensitive, after all. Staying here will save you a lot of trouble."
Qiancao snapped out of it and quickly said, "It's nothing, really. This place is already very nice."
"I'll prepare your meals, so just get some rest and stay here for a few days.
"My aunt lives on a small island at sea with the Uzumaki Clan. We'll have to take a boat to get there, so I need to find someone to arrange our trip."
"I also need some time to let my friends around here know I'm safe. Once everything's taken care of, I'll take you to the Land of Whirlpools to see my aunt."
"My aunt is an expert in sealing jutsu. She even helped design the seal used to seal a Tailed Beast!"
At the familiar term, Qiancao's thoughts stirred. He wondered where the Nine Tailed Beasts were roaming these days.
"Oh, and if Seiichiro comes looking for a spar, just ignore him," Senju Arashi warned Qiancao before leaving.
Qiancao asked, "Is Seiichiro really that strong?"
"I'd like to say he's not as strong as me," Senju Arashi said ruefully. "Unfortunately, he's never beaten me. I heard he's evenly matched with Hideki, the strongest young fighter on the Uchiha side. Neither of them can get the better of the other."
"He's loved fighting since he was a kid, so he has a ton of experience. But he's reasonable enough. If you don't fight him, he won't force you to."
With that, Senju Arashi waved. "I'll go find you something to eat. Wait for me here!"
After Senju Arashi left, Wuming sat down in a corner, lost in thought.
Qiancao sat beside her and asked, "What's wrong? You haven't said a word since we got here. Are you feeling unwell?"
Wuming didn't answer right away. She first pulled Qiancao's arm into her embrace, as if drawing a little courage from it, and then continued:
"I just feel strange inside," Wuming said in a low voice, lowering her head. "I've killed many Senju shinobi, and now I'm a guest in Senju territory."
"Some of the people we passed on the road today might have lost friends or family to me. Yet now I'm being treated as a guest here. No matter how I think about it, it feels strange."
Qiancao had no answer. He understood that Wuming was struggling with guilt, and could only comfort her:
"There's nothing we can do about that. The daimyō fight each other over territory. There's no absolute right or wrong."
"All we can do is avoid starting conflicts and try our best to make the world a better place."
Qiancao knew his own comfort sounded feeble. His homeland in his previous life had suffered terribly in the flames of war, and he had no right to forgive on behalf of those who came before him.
He could only take comfort in the fact that the wars of the Warring States period were mutual slaughter instigated by those in power for the sake of authority, not one-sided aggression like that of the country in later generations.
"If any of those Senju really want revenge, they can come after me. I'll face them with you."
Wuming didn't reply. She only tightened her embrace around him.
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