The corridor of the Palace is wide and bright, and the huge glass windows bring in the clear sunshine of Land of Snow without reservation.
Compared with the visit that Naruto remembered that was full of intrigue and chill, there is a lot more people and warmth here, and even the air is not so cold.
Kazahana Koyuki and Naruto were walking side by side, her arm gently holding Naruto's arm.
This is a rare moment for her to relax. She is surrounded by people who can bring her an absolute sense of security. Outside the window is a country that she has devoted her efforts to and is gradually coming to life.
She even temporarily forgot about Daimyo's demeanor, and there was a lightness in her steps.
However, this lightness did not last long.
Just when they were about to pass through the last arch and step into the open-air platform where they could overlook the panoramic view of Capital, Kazahana Koyuki's footsteps stopped without warning.
She released her hand holding Naruto's arm.
The hand lowered slowly, its fingertips slightly curled up, as if it was accumulating some strength.
She turned around and faced Naruto. The sunlight hit her face from the side, making her eyes look extremely bright and determined, even with a hint of determination.
"Naruto,"
When she spoke, her voice no longer had the softness and dependence of the hug just now.
"I know."
She paused and looked directly into Naruto's bottomless Blue Eyes eyes, as if she wanted to penetrate the calm surface and see the true intention underneath.
"You're here to ask for Land of Snow, right?"
She said this very softly, but it was like a heavy piece of ice hitting the warm atmosphere between the two.
"Land of Wind, Land of Earth, Land of Lightning, Land of Water...
So many powerful countries have been conquered by you."
Kazahana Koyuki uses a more euphemistic term, but the meaning is very clear.
"In comparison, Land of Snow is just a Small Country who has just emerged from the ice and snow and has a shallow foundation.
For you, taking this place is naturally easy and a piece of cake."
There was a bitter curve at the corner of her mouth.
"But, Naruto."
She raised her head slightly, and the lines of her neck were as tight as a swan.
"I am Daimyo from Land of Snow.
My father and my Ancestors have protected the people of Land of Snow.
My responsibility is to protect it and let it prosper, not to treat it as a gift or a bargaining chip and hand it over to anyone easily."
Her eyes did not waver at all, even when she was facing Naruto Uzumaki, whom she deeply loved and knew his terrifying power.
"Even if that person is you."
Kazahana Koyuki's voice is very soft, but the words are clear and ringing.
She clearly knew that with Land of Snow's current strength, if Naruto was really strong, he might not even be able to organize a decent resistance.
Ninja stationed by Konoha may follow the orders of Hokage, or may hesitate, but the final result will not change. However, this does not become a reason for her to give up.
Handing over the ancestral heritage and betraying the trust of the people for the sake of personal emotions?
She Kazahana Koyuki can't do this kind of thing.
She waited for Naruto's reaction.
Angry? Disappointed? Or simply crushing her persistence with strength?
Naruto listened to her quietly, without any expression of surprise or irritation at being rejected.
He didn't even immediately refute or persuade, he just nodded calmly.
"Well, I understand."
His reaction was so bland that Kazahana Koyuki felt his heart tighten, and at the same time, he felt an inexplicable uneasiness.
Then, Naruto turned around, no longer looking at her, but turned his gaze to the huge glass window at the end of the corridor, to the vast land in the distance that was transitioning from pale to Jade Green.
His back looked tall and lonely in the sun.
He spoke again, his voice still calm, but like a cold wind carrying snow particles, it blew away the last bit of luck in Kazahana Koyuki's heart.
"But you can't hold on."
This sentence is not a threat, but a statement of a cold fact.
"Land of Snow, I don't even have a Shinobi Village of my own."
Naruto said slowly, his eyes still staying on the distant horizon.
"Today, it is Konoha's Ninja that protects this land and scares the surrounding wolves. It is the power under my command."
He tilted his head slightly and glanced at Kazahana Koyuki's instantly pale face from the corner of his eye.
"Once this external force disappears, or you change your stance. Land of Snow, what can you do to resist the greedy gaze?
Rely on the guards in your Royal Palace?
Rely on the agricultural tools that the people have just started to resume production?
Or those Train that can only drive on Railway Tracks?"
He turned around and faced Kazahana Koyuki again.
There was no warmth in those blue eyes at this moment, only the calm analysis and almost cruel frankness belonging to the superior.
"Land of Snow, there is no ability to resist independently.
Its security, from beginning to end, is based on a fragile covenant and deterrence.
And the source of this covenant and deterrence is Konoha."
Naruto took a small step forward. Although the movement was not big, it brought an invisible pressure.
Kazahana Koyuki stood there, feeling that the blood in his body was about to freeze.
Every word Naruto said pierced her heart like an ice pick.
She couldn't refute it, because this was the bloody reality.
The prosperity of Land of Snow is like a castle built on quicksand. It looks beautiful, but in fact its foundation is fragile. It completely depends on the "goodwill" and "protection" of Young Naruto in front of us.
Don't say that Land of Snow got help from Konoha only after signing a cooperation agreement with Land of Fire Daimyo. Now Land of Fire Daimyo is just a mascot.
Daimyo from the other major countries were all sent to Capital from Land of Fire, not because Naruto was showing loyalty to Daimyo, but to keep them in captivity together.
She opened her mouth to say something, but found that her throat was too dry to make any sound.
The persistent pride and cruel reality collided fiercely in her heart, making her almost unsteady.
Naruto looked at the pain, struggle and unwillingness surging in her eyes, but there was still no expression on her face.
He said no more, just waited quietly, waiting for the young woman Daimyo to make her choice between ideal and reality, emotion and responsibility.
There was silence in the corridor, with only the sunlight flowing silently, lengthening the silhouettes of the two confronting each other.
There were piles of exquisite porcelain wine bottles scattered on the tatami, and the air was filled with a faint, refreshing aroma of wine.
Naruto sat up from the tatami with neat movements.
He slightly tidied up his front, which was slightly messy due to sitting casually before. His expression was calm, his eyes were clear, and he didn't look drunk at all.
He looked across.
Kazahana Koyuki was leaning against the low table, with a few strands of her silver hair originally neatly tied up falling down, sticking to her cheeks that were flushed with an intoxicating blush.
The luxurious Kimono skirt on her body was also a little loose due to her previous movements, revealing a small section of her fair neck.
At this moment, she was gently pressing her forehead with the back of her hand, her eyes were half-closed, her eyelashes were trembling slightly, the blush on her face spread to her ears, and even her exposed neck was dyed a light pink.
"You lose."
Naruto stated calmly, with no hint of winner's pride in his tone.
Kazahana Koyuki let out a vague, drunken snort from his nose. He reluctantly opened his hazy eyes and glanced at Naruto, then quickly closed them and buried his face in his arms, leaving only the red tips of his ears exposed.
"Hmm... I didn't expect... even drinking... can't compare to you..."
Her voice was slurred, frustrated and extremely shy.
She originally thought that through the drunkenness, she might be able to get closer to him, say things that were difficult to say when she was sober, or at least see a different side of him.
Unexpectedly, he fell down first, while the other person looked like he hadn't drunk.
It's obvious that the other person is younger than you.
Naruto didn't answer the call anymore and started to collect the scattered wine bottles.
He gathered the empty bottles together and capped the bottles with a little liquid left.
Picking up a half-full bottle of sake, he brought it to the tip of his nose and smelled it, then frowned without concealing his disgust.
"It smells really bad and tastes bad."
He whispered to himself, as if he couldn't understand it at all.
"I don't know why you like to drink this kind of stuff."
For him, this kind of liquid that stimulates taste buds and anesthetizes nerves is far less comfortable than a drink.
He didn't like the chaos and sense of loss that alcohol brought.
The feeling that his mind was awake but his body was out of control made him feel very uncomfortable.
After putting away the wine bottles, Naruto sat back down and looked across at Kazahana Koyuki, who was almost half asleep due to the drunkenness and relaxation, and his breathing was gradually becoming even and long.
She had taken off her strong shell, and now she was just a drunk and defenseless young woman, with a lingering blush and a hint of childish grievance on her face.
Naruto looked at it quietly for a while, then reached out and pulled the thin blanket neatly stacked next to her, and covered her body casually.
After doing this, he looked away and looked out the window of the Japanese room again.
His expression was dark and unclear in the shadow where no one was watching.