Rina held back her yukata’s baggy sleeve back as she poured tea into Kinoto’s cup. The smile on his face widened in appreciation or some facsimile of it, in her unvoiced opinion the man was better stone-faced, the smiles did him no favours.

She sat back with her legs folded underneath her and poured into Nana Megumi’s cup, the aging clan head sat next to Rina without so much of a smile as she studied her guest. Nana Megumi had been the one to invite Kinoto from the Mizukage’s tower, using Junichi to redirect him to the Hozuki clan compound.

Rina couldn’t guess what her grandmother had planned nor what was going through her mind when she asked for her presence at the meeting. She was a mere Chuunin and Kinoto’s presence entailed whatever conversation to be had today would be political in nature.

Frankly, Rina was getting sick of her grandmother’s machinations, sick of being used as a pawn, another piece to move the Hozuki into a prosperous position. It’s not that she didn’t wish to see her clan flourish but there was a taint to the method.

At least she’s given up on marrying me to Yagura-sensei. Yet only to ensure the Mizukage share his prestige by forming a team with two Hozuki clan members on it. To be fair, Rina was quite pleased with that outcome, even though it meant she’d have to share Yagura’s teachings with a prodigy like Mangetsu, the official nature of their team meant she would most certainly make Jounin— her hardwork would be noticed first and foremost by the Mizukage, but first she had to put her back into it.

And yet, here she was serving tea for a Konoha shinobi. Rina inheirited enough of her grandmother’s shrewd nature to realize there was more to her presence in this meeting than simply serving tea but it didn’t make feel any less…ugh.

Kinoto bowed his head slightly before gulping down the piping hot tea. He overexaggerated a satisfied expression as he sighed and placed the cup down to wear that off putting smile again. Rina wondered if all Konoha shinobi were this strange.

“That has a wonderful taste, thank you.” Rina moved to refill his cup but he covered it with his fingers and spared her a glance before fixing his fallen smile as he said, “I thought I would be meeting Yagura-sama today.”

Nana Megumi took the kettle from Rina, leaned over and refilled his cup, not even caring whether his fingers were in the way. Fortunately for him he took them away before she could scald them with tea. Kinoto’s smile was looking feebler with each second.

“Did you think the Mizukage would always have time for you?” She scoffed as she sat back and let Rina handle the kettle while she savoured a sip of her own cup of tea, “What were you hoping to discuss with Yagura-sama?”

Kinoto’s eyes darted towards Rina and back to Nana Megumi, she noticed, catching his meaning but paid it no mind. He shifted on his tatami mat and cleared his throat, “The usual…what we discuss is never too complex, merely my description of Konoha and what life is like there.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Nana Megumi took another sip but was silent, offering no response to his avoidant answer. At this point Rina wasn’t sure what to do with herself and so she poured a cup of tea for herself and kept silent as she observed her grandmother’s not-so polite interrogation tactic.

Quickly finding the silence unbearable Kinoto corrected himself, “I held some hope we’d talk about the future of our villages, Yagura-sama hasn’t been very vocal about what he wants from Konoha, if anything.”

Nana Megumi giggled like a school girl, she looked at him silly from behind her cup, “Why would you think he wants something from Konoha? Were you not the ones to invite us to these relations? Perhaps he waits for Konoha to speak what it wants from Kirigakure.”

Kinoto’s eyes narrowed at this but his lips were pulled into a grin as a quack of a laugh escaped his throat, “Yes, yes, I suppose you are correct.”

“Kinoto-san, you don’t seem very aware of your role here or do you have another?” Nana’s eyes mirrored his, she all but commanded him to drink with a glance at his full cup. She spoke again once he’d taken a moderate sip, “Tell me, you have been speaking about Konoha and what else?”

“Yagura-sama often asks I tell stories of our Yondaime Hokage, he is enamoured by tales of Jiraiya-sama and Kushina-sama as well.”

Nana Megumi frowned but it was quickly wiped away as she asked, “And you? What do you ask of him, what does your master ask?”

Rina’s ears couldn’t miss that emphasis and neither did Kinoto as yet again he glanced at her, wondering whether her presence was necessary same as she was.

“Hokage-sama has only asked my team and I to report whatever we deem necessary, offers from the Mizukage and such are included of course. Konoha is not in need.”

Nana Megumi looked over at Rina, smiled and turned her attention back to Kinoto, “What does your master ask, Kinoto-san, do not play me for a fool.” Again Kinoto glanced at Rina and this time Nana Megumi bothered to address his concern, “If you’re uncomfortable with the truth in this house then you must feel very certain of yourself in the Mizukage’s Tower.”

That made him frown plain as day. He sat up with his back straight, gulped down his cup of tea and inhaled, “Konoha wishes to determine whether Yagura will behave as his predecessor did, there will be no offers until the legitimacy of his person is confirmed. Relations with another Blood Kage has never been in Konoha’s interests.”

Rina bit her lip at the not so subtle insult. Now she understood why Kinoto held back his words, not so much because of its confidentiality as it’s significance to her. She wasn’t ignorant of her father’s actions in war but that was what this world was and at times, when threatened there was nothing to do but retaliate in full.

She glanced at her grandmother and by the smirk on her lips she knew the insult to her son wouldn’t pierce her skin. Nana Megumi was a retired Kunoichi and has been an Elder on the Mizukage’s council since Nidaime Gengetsu, words were nothing.

“And how will…Konoha determine that? And if it does, what…offers are present?”

Kinoto wore that ugly smile again, “That is beyond my purview at the moment, Lady Hozuki, but should the determination be made I will ensure you’re among the first to learn of what comes after, if anything.”

Nana Megumi cackled, “Very well, I wish you were more than a pawn but alas. At least, Konoha will know of this meeting, yes?”

“Know of you? Of course, Lady Hozuki.”

Rina wasn’t certain why but she felt her grandmother had just opened the Hozuki clan to something dangerous. With all the hubbub around the Yuki, Rina was more than a little frightened and yet she felt her Nana’s expectant look fall on her and knew she had a role in her machinations.

I just want to get stronger.