The spacious dining hall in the main house was filled with the enticing aroma of food.
The long table had already been laid with a lavish spread, centered around Hidden Cloud's signature grilled meat, accompanied by fresh vegetables, thick soup, and rice.
The portions, however, looked rather staggering.
This table of food was enough not merely for four or five people, but even for twenty or thirty.
Sora took his seat at the head of the table. Mabui served him rice and set out his utensils, her movements practiced and respectful.
Pakura sat to Sora's right, visibly far more relaxed than she had been in the courtyard. She picked up a slice of richly marbled beef with her chopsticks and placed it over the charcoal fire to grill.
The fat sizzled beneath the scorching charcoal, releasing a sweet, savory fragrance that whetted the appetite.
Just then, Samui entered with Uzumaki Kana.
Samui had evidently cleaned Kana up quickly and simply. She wore a clean but slightly oversized set of plain Hidden Cloud casual clothes, while her damp red hair had been loosely tied behind her head, revealing a face that was pale yet much more delicate-looking.
She kept her head lowered, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes in both hands, clearly unaccustomed to such a new environment.
"Sit. There's no need to be so tense."
"...Yes."
Kana was clearly at a loss, but fortunately, Samui guided her to a seat on Pakura's other side.
Yet this Uzumaki survivor was still overly nervous. Her body was stiffly straight, and she sat on only the front third of her chair. She did not even dare touch the utensils before her, merely staring uneasily at her slightly trembling fingers resting on her lap.
The immense strength Yotsuki Sora had displayed, along with