Double the Blame

Her voice rose half a pitch, excitement breaking through despite her efforts to contain it. She took half a step forward and gestured with both hands.

"The manager of the Five Rings Trading Company wanted to profit from both sides!

"Making money on the difference is a merchant's nature!

"He paid you compensation himself, then turned around and asked Lord Hokage for even more!"

She spoke faster and faster, the words pouring out in a rush. After the last one, she closed her mouth and stared at Yongye with wide eyes, her chest rising and falling slightly.

Yongye looked at her, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.

"Not bad."

He nodded.

Where there was a merchant, there was a scheme. That damned Mechuan Steward had definitely been thinking along those lines.

Unfortunately for him, Uchiha Yongye wasn't the type to play fair. Instead of quitting while he was ahead, he had openly threatened to kill the man and scared the manager into paying through the nose!

Now Mechuan Steward, whose scheme had backfired, would have to face the Third Hokage, who had to clean up the mess. That ought to be fun!

Ayame's face lit up. Her eyes curved into crescents, and her grin nearly reached her ears.

She bounced lightly on her toes twice, wiping her hands over and over on her apron.

Yongye pulled the bankbook from his robe and tossed it into Ayame's arms. She fumbled to catch it, then looked down—two hundred million ryō.

Her pupils widened sharply. She ran her fingers over the bankbook, her fingertips trembling. Two hundred million ryō!

Her father had worked hard his whole life, yet Ichiraku Ramen's annual profit was only a few hundred thousand ryō. Lord Yongye had handed her two hundred million just like that!

"From now