After crossing the street, Naruto and Konan entered an alley.
Though secluded, the alley had ninja guarding it from the shadows.
Konan raised a hand slightly, and the hidden guards withdrew.
Naruto could not help asking curiously, "Konan, what's the background of this person you're taking me to meet?"
Konan said calmly, "She was once the princess of the Land of Rain. Her subordinates betrayed her, and she lost both her parents. I rescued her while she was on the run and have kept her secretly sheltered in Amegakure for years..."
Naruto was surprised. "A princess? So her father was the ruler of the Land of Rain?"
[Note: only the rulers of the Five Great Nations are called "Daimyo." The rulers of other, smaller nations are called "sovereigns."]
Konan said, "Her mother, to be precise..."
Naruto said, "A queen? I thought only the Land of Nadeshiko was ruled by a queen. So the Land of Rain used to be, too."
Konan said, "The former queen was diligent and loved her people. Even Hanzō treated her with respect. Later, her advisers rebelled. To avoid persecution, the princess took her father's surname, Amamiya."
"I see. What's her name?"
Their similar experiences made Naruto feel a little closer to her.
Konan said, "Amamiya Ruri. She's seventeen."
Naruto was taken aback. "Seventeen... isn't that a little young?"
After all, Naruto had been well into his twenties when he became Hokage in his previous life.
But Konan said, "Young as she is, she grew up learning from her mother and inherited her talent. If not for that tragedy, she would already be the next queen in line. She could govern a country with ease, let alone a village..."
Indeed, as Hokage, the leader of a village, Naruto had been forced to use Shadow Clones to