"Fall out!"
"Yes!"
The Deputy Captain came up beside Nagayama. "Commander Nagayama, don't you think the Daimyo's older brother looks familiar?"
Nagayama's eyes turned cold at that. He turned his head and spoke in a low voice.
"Do your duty, and don't pry into anything else. Whether he's really Her Excellency's older brother or not, we must show him respect. After all, he has her approval."
"Yes!"
After assigning the Royal Guard to their duties, Nagayama couldn't help looking toward a certain stretch of wooded hills.
"Perhaps it would be a good thing for Her Excellency to marry a powerful ninja. At least she'd have an expert protecting her at all times. The Land of Waves is still far too weak."
The soldiers of the Royal Guard all looked solemn at his words, frustration simmering inside them. Unfortunately, they had never had the chance to become ninja.
As the squad dispersed to carry out their duties, a familiar voice reached his ears.
Nagayama smiled when he heard it. "Ru Shuang, has the Ninja Academy let out?"
A sweet-looking girl of seventeen or eighteen with a long ponytail appeared beside him, clutching her teaching materials.
"Yes, Dad."
Nagayama looked at his daughter, his eyes full of pride.
"You worked hard to pass the assessment and become a Cultural Studies teacher at the Ninja Academy. You can't slack off now, much less betray Her Excellency's trust."
The girl nodded firmly, her voice sweet.
"I've been working very hard on my lesson plans, you know!"
"Oh, Dad, I heard the academy will soon be bringing in someone to serve as a Training Instructor. Is that true?"
Nagayama immediately remembered what Her Excellency had told him earlier: her older brother would help shoulder her burdens.
"If I'm not mistaken, it should be true..."
"That's