Fujiwara Hidemasa returned to his residence in Kyoto.
He forced himself to calm down and straightened his back again. This was his home, the core of the Fujiwara Family's centuries-old foundation. Every brick, every servant, was steeped in his family's authority. He refused to believe that a mud-legged nobody named Naruto Uzumaki could truly reach so far—into the heart of power in the Land of Fire.
At dinner, the table full of delicacies did nothing to stir his appetite. He waved a hand, signaling the servants to clear the dishes.
"Bring me that bottle of 'Drinking Alone Under the Moon,'" he ordered, his voice carrying a faint, nearly imperceptible tremor. It was sake he had treasured for twenty years. Only when his mind was unsettled did he rely on its rich strength to seek a moment of peace.
Yet the old butler who had served him for thirty years—the man who always kept his head lowered and obeyed his every command—did not move. Instead, he carried a tray respectfully to Fujiwara Hidemasa. On it sat a cup of warm water.
Already distraught, Fujiwara Hidemasa became even more furious at his old butler's insolence. With a muffled snort, he reached for the cup, ready to splash it in the butler's face.
"Are you deaf?! What I asked for was—"
"My lord." The butler wore the same smile as always, still humble and respectful.
"The medical adviser from Konoha recommends that you refrain from drinking lately. It will benefit your thinking."
Fujiwara Hidemasa's fury immediately subsided. He stared at the cup of water, then slowly raised his head and looked at his most trusted butler. In an instant, an icy chill shot from his tailbone straight to the top of his skull.
That night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His