The Elders' Late-Night Compromise, Test of Resolve, and Tacit Warning

Only one lamp on the desk remained lit in the Hokage's Office.

The soft light divided the room into two starkly contrasting halves. Baishi sat in the shadows, and the tea before him had long since gone cold.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, light and carrying a trace of hesitation.

"Come in." Baishi's voice was low, yet it carried clearly outside.

The door opened a crack, and Mitokado Homura slipped in sideways through the gap. He was not wearing the formal robes that marked him as an adviser, only ordinary dark clothes. Once inside, he immediately reached back and gently closed the door. The sound of the lock clicking into place was especially jarring in the silent night.

He stopped without approaching at once, merely standing in the shadows by the door. His graying hair looked somewhat glaring in the dimness.

"Lord Hokage."

His voice was dry, utterly lacking the vigor he had displayed at the conference table during the day.

Baishi said nothing. He merely raised a hand and pointed at the chair across from his desk.

Mitokado Homura hesitated for a moment before walking over. He sat rigidly straight, his hands on his knees, like a Genin being questioned for the first time.

Baishi picked up the teapot and filled the empty cup before him to seven-tenths full. The tea leaves unfurled in the hot water, and a faint fragrance spread through the room.

"It's so late. Why is the adviser still awake?" Baishi asked evenly.

"When people grow old, they need less sleep." Mitokado Homura lifted his teacup but did not drink. He only held it in his hands, feeling its faint warmth. "What happened in the village today has everyone on edge. It's hard to sleep soundly."

He was referring to the tax audit in Kyoto.