"Lord Daimyo, you've arrived..."
Seeing the Daimyo arrive, all the elders rose to welcome him.
"Mm."
The Daimyo nodded and motioned for everyone to sit, then gave Mei Terumi a meaningful look.
"Fifth Mizukage, you should understand just how difficult... Kirigakure's situation is right now."
"Under the control of a mysterious genjutsu, the Fourth Mizukage severely weakened the village and left it stripped of talent! Although we've recovered somewhat and resumed developing, we can no longer even compare to the Four Great Ninja Villages!"
"If we keep developing this slowly, we might one day be kicked out of the Five Great Nations!"
"That naturally wouldn't affect ordinary people much. But for you and me, it is absolutely unacceptable!"
"I am the ruler of a nation, and you are the leader of a village. In these important positions, we cannot act willfully. The honor of our nation and village matters most."
"Fifth Mizukage-no, Ms. Mei Terumi, as Daimyo, I implore you to agree to this unreasonable request and enter a marriage alliance with the Daimyo of the Land of Sea."
"For Kirigakure, and even more so for the Land of Water..."
"I promise you, once the Daimyo of the Land of Sea signs the Territorial Cession Treaty at the wedding and it is publicly announced for the whole world to know, everything afterward will be entirely up to you. Whether you separate from him or stay together will be your decision. We will no longer interfere."
"Please, I'm begging you..."
With that, the Daimyo of the Land of Water bowed deeply to Mei Terumi.
There had never been a precedent for a Daimyo bowing to a Kage.
"..."
With things having come to this, Mei Terumi truly found it difficult to say anything more.
She could sense that the Daimyo sincerely