In the shrine's rear courtyard.
Inside a small room, Hyuga Setsuna stood there helplessly as several attendants dressed him in an ornate black kimono.
After Princess Akishinomiya Yuri gave her consent, Hyuga Setsuna was brought into this little room by the attendants.
Hyuga Setsuna had initially refused to let the attendants dress him. As a good child, how could he let others wait on him?
However, what he had never expected was that this ornate black kimono was even harder to put on than he had imagined.
The elaborate collar layers, shoulder widths, and sleeve widths alone were difficult enough, and in the end, he even had to pay attention to the beauty of straight lines.
Left with no choice, he could only let the attendants come in and dress him.
One of the attendants looked at the conspicuous Rabbit Mask on Hyuga Setsuna's face and said,
"My lord, you need to take off your mask too!"
Hearing her words, Hyuga Setsuna came to his senses. After all, wearing a mask with a kimono was indeed far too strange.
Hyuga Setsuna raised a hand, casually removed the Rabbit Mask from his face, and set it aside.
"How cute!"
"So handsome! Kawaii!"
"I want to take him home and hug him!"
When the attendants beside him saw Hyuga Setsuna after he took off the Rabbit Mask, their eyes filled with affection as they continuously cried out in amazement!
The attendant adjusting his kimono below looked up at Hyuga Setsuna's exquisite features and praised him.
"My lord, a face as exquisite as a God's should not be hidden behind a mask!"
Listening to the attendants' praise, a smile appeared on Hyuga Setsuna's face as well.
After all, who would not be happy to be told they were handsome and cute?
With the attendants working diligently, Hyuga Setsuna finally had his kimono properly put on. They also briefly combed his hair and tied his smooth black hair into a ponytail with hemp cord.
The attendants had originally wanted to apply a little makeup for him, but Hyuga Setsuna rejected them without hesitation or room for argument.
Looking at himself in the mirror, Hyuga Setsuna's face showed surprise.
The boy in the mirror wore an ornate black kimono. Though his features were still somewhat youthful, they were exceptionally exquisite, and a hint of heroic spirit shone from his white eyes!
Hyuga Setsuna looked at himself in the mirror and thought to himself.
I never thought that after dressing up properly, I could look this handsome.
Within the Sealing Space, Otsutsuki Kaguya saw the dashing Hyuga Setsuna after he had been dressed up. A trace of pride flashed through her eyes as she said,
"As expected of my child!"
Outside, the attendants looked at Hyuga Setsuna with respect and affection as they reminded him,
"My lord, Her Highness is waiting for you outside!"
Hearing the attendants' words, Hyuga Setsuna nodded, then walked toward the door with a warm smile on his face.
In the shrine's outer hall, Akishinomiya Yuri sat on a stool, swinging her little short legs in boredom as she stared blankly outside the hall.
After a while, Akishinomiya Yuri puffed out her delicate cheeks and complained unhappily,
"That guy is so slow~"
It had already been nearly half a shichen since Hyuga Setsuna entered that little room.
At that moment, Akishinomiya Yuri wanted nothing more than to go in herself and urge them to hurry up. She could not wait to see the outside world!
Grandma Shiori, floating beside Akishinomiya Yuri, wore a cheerful smile as she said,
"Little Yuri, you need to be patient. You cannot be so impatient!"
As Grandma Shiori looked at Akishinomiya Yuri's puffed-up chubby cheeks, it was as though she were seeing Yuri as a child again.
Back then, she had been just like this, wishing she could go out into the world every day and play to her heart's content.
She had simply never expected that after her death, she would instead see the other side of the Royal Capital.
Akishinomiya Yuri rubbed her little head in distress and said,
"But I really want to hurry up and see the outside world now!"
Just as Akishinomiya Yuri complained in frustration, a gentle voice sounded beside her ear.
"Is that so? Then, Your Highness, we can set off now!"
Hearing that voice, Akishinomiya Yuri immediately jumped down from her stool and turned toward it with excitement on her face.
Before her stood a handsome young boy dressed in an ornate black kimono.
A look of amazement appeared in Akishinomiya Yuri's eyes as she praised him.
"I never thought you would be so handsome after taking off your mask!"
However, after praising him, Akishinomiya Yuri's gaze was firmly drawn to Hyuga Setsuna's Byakugan.
"Wow, your Byakugan are so beautiful!"
"So you're from the Hyuga Clan!"
Hearing Akishinomiya Yuri's words, Hyuga Setsuna replied with a warm smile,
"Yes, Your Highness, I am from the Hyuga Clan."
"However, we should hurry to the Royal Capital. Otherwise, there will not be enough time left for Your Highness to have fun there."
"Although Lord Daimyo allowed you to visit the Royal Capital, your time is limited!"
Hearing this, Akishinomiya Yuri came to her senses. She hurriedly led Hyuga Setsuna toward the exit of the Daimyo's Mansion, asking curiously as they walked,
"By the way, what's your name?"
"Yagokoro should be your codename, right? Can you tell me your real name?"
The two passed through the luxurious courtyard of the Daimyo's Mansion, and Hyuga Setsuna patiently answered Akishinomiya Yuri.
"Your Highness, a ninja's real name is not so easily revealed."
"You can just call me Yagokoro!"
At the same time, Hyuga Setsuna discreetly glanced toward a corner nearby.
Kakashi was closely following them at that moment.
Kakashi really had found him an easy job to slack off in.
Akishinomiya Yuri looked at the thin white band around Hyuga Setsuna's forehead and asked,
"By the way, why do you have that thin white band tied around your forehead?"
Hearing her question, Hyuga Setsuna paused slightly. A trace of gloom flashed through his eyes, but he smiled as though nothing had happened and said,
"Your Highness, don't you think this white band looks good with my black kimono?"
After saying that, Hyuga Setsuna hurriedly changed the subject and said to Akishinomiya Yuri,
"Your Highness, we can leave from up ahead!"
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Akishinomiya Yuri, who had been acting like a curious child, immediately became excited and completely forgot about Hyuga Setsuna's forehead.
Grandma Shiori, following beside them, looked thoughtfully at Hyuga Setsuna's forehead and murmured,
"Branch Family?!"
Looking at the child with the warm smile on his face, Grandma Shiori understood why Hyuga Setsuna wore a thin white band around his forehead.
Grandma Shiori had once heard of the Hyuga Clan's family system. They divided their clan into the Main Family and the Branch Family for management.
The Main Family used the "Caged Bird" Curse Mark to maintain its position as rulers, while members of the Branch Family were branded with the "Caged Bird" Curse Mark from childhood and made to serve the Main Family as slaves for their entire lives!
It was said that the "Caged Bird" Curse Mark had no solution and that no one could remove it!
She had never expected this child to be from the Branch Family. He was truly pitiful!
Grandma Shiori looked at the little boy wearing that warm smile and could only sigh silently in the end.
La la, first update!!
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The Royal Capital arc was finally about to get into its rhythm. Earlier, it felt like I had been in poor form and was still stuck on the plot...
Before you continue