"I have to pay a fine?!" Chad stared wide-eyed at the notice in his hand, delivered directly by Mabui without a hint of hesitation just a few days after his triumphant return.
It wasn't that the fine was large; he could pay it with a snap of his fingers without batting an eye. But the reason behind it felt, in his opinion, somewhat unreasonable!
"Brother, you practically exposed yourself that day on the way back," Mabui raised an eyebrow at her younger brother's question. "The Raikage-sama's office has been flooded with complaint notes about your behavior. Hundreds of ninjas, from genin to jonin, are crying out in moral outrage. And they're not wrong!"
It didn't help that many kunoichi broke up with their boyfriends after his return…
Mabui had read the reports; many were stained with tears, carrying a lingering dark aura of resentment.
On the other hand, alcohol sales at the izakaya had skyrocketed.
"I didn't do any of that on purpose!" Chad felt unfairly treated, betrayed by his own men and subordinates whom he had saved from a mortal threat. "I was attacked by the enemy while I was bathing, and I rushed to inform everyone as soon as I defeated him."
Finishing off Obito permanently should be considered a damn war achievement!
"That's not an excuse," Mabui cut him off seriously. "You could've taken ten seconds to wrap a towel around yourself or get dressed in a minute. Instead, you went and caused more problems. Didn't the hot springs teach you that lesson back then?"
Chad closed his mouth, because it was logical and reasonable.
But he still didn't like being attacked over other people's insecurities!
Could he refuse to pay the fine? Sure.
But he was fairly certain his sister had something worse in mind if he decided to act like a wronged child, so he had no choice but to pull out a check and pay.
"Anything else? You know I'll be very busy for a while," he asked as he watched Mabui carefully tuck the check away inside her clothing, not in her pockets. "I still need to catch up on the lab status to see what progress the ongoing research has made, review the orphanage accounts and the children's health, handle the most serious hospital cases that require my personal surgical intervention, do a stock check of the izakaya's storage, and we need another hunt to restock Sea King meat," he listed, counting on his fingers, already feeling a headache just thinking about the clones he'd have to make to manage everything. "I also need to see how my squad's training is going, and then I still have to check on Koyuki."
If Yugao couldn't handle spatial ninjutsu, he would have taken her with him for the sensokume rite. They'd have to figure something out…
"Actually, there are," Mabui checked the documents on her arm and, finding the one she was looking for, pulled it out and read. "Not long ago, ninjas from Suna arrived to resupply Powder of Dance."
"I thought we already send them the product regularly? There's no need for them to come all the way here— unless… they're here to check on the situation of the former Kiri ninjas, right?" Chad realized mid-sentence. "They're worried about their supply?"
"Among other things? Definitely," Mabui nodded. "Although integration has gone better than expected and only a few reasonable disputes have arisen, you know this is a long-term project."
The Daimyo had it worse, having to integrate or impose the systems of the Land of Lightning onto the former Land of Water. Even just disputes between nobles and administrative chaos were a living nightmare on paper.
"So?" he still didn't see how this affected him, despite being the creator of the product. "I'm pretty sure our production can afford to give them another batch if they ask for it."
In fact, as long as raw materials didn't run out, they could produce as much as they wanted, since many steps were automated. Only the most complex parts required the intervention of his researcher and scientist subordinates.
"We don't just want to reassure Suna, but also Iwa, Konoha, and even the former Kiri ninjas that everything is fine. We need to make it clear to outsiders that they won't have a chance to cause trouble in the village (more than they already may be planning) while also calming the newcomers who have been on edge," this conversation had been initiated by the Raikage himself. "So, when is the wedding date with Terumi?"
So in the end it all comes down to sealing the deal?
Strange. The Raikage already knew about Terumi's condition; he knew she wasn't the risk…
"I didn't think you, of all people, would be the one pressuring me into this political marriage."
"Chad, we all saw what we saw in the office upon your arrival. I don't know how you managed it, but you know the former Mizukage seems especially enthusiastic about her 'sacrifice' despite maintaining a serious front in public," Mabui gave her brother a flat look. "I fear that if you delay the wedding, she might end up having a child out of wedlock before I even notice."
They both knew that couldn't happen, not with Chad's medical ninjutsu, but that didn't mean Mabui wouldn't use it as a jab to poke at him.
"Also, I'm not the one pressuring you," she clarified, though she was sure Chad already knew. "It's Raikage-sama who wants to settle the matter as soon as possible. The variables are too problematic, and he doesn't want a Kage-level kunoichi…" Mabui grimaced as she repeated the words. "…you know, without a 'leash' to keep her calm."
"That's very disrespectful."
"Those are Raikage-sama's words, not mine."
"I know, I know," he waved it off.
He still found it strange how—
Wait a minute.
Chad narrowed his eyes, an idea clicking into place.
A remote possibility, but calculating the timing…
"Sister?"
"Hmm?"
"By any chance, has the Raikage's partner been pushing for her own wedding?"
"How did you know?" Mabui looked surprised.
As one of the Raikage's closest confidants, being aware of such things was inevitable. She had no idea how her brother had figured it out.
"And is it also possible that the Raikage intends to propose and hold a double wedding?"
Mabui's expression stiffened, and that was all Chad needed to confirm his suspicion. In fact, seeing her reaction, he realized something else.
"Shit!" he widened his eyes. "He already got her pregnant?!"
"Shh!" Mabui quickly put a finger to her lips, glancing around. "How—? Never mind, don't say it so loudly! You know how badly that's seen. The Raikage doesn't want those rumors spreading."
One of the few things that seemed consistent across worlds was that matters like pregnancy and children were only appropriate after marriage.
A couple forced into marriage due to an unexpected pregnancy was seen not only as deeply irresponsible, but also as a bad omen by elders, creating enormous social shame for both families.
"How far along is she?" Chad dismissed Mabui's concern about secrecy; he was a doctor, confidentiality was sacred.
His attention was now fully focused on the fetus's condition.
"She has an appointment with you this afternoon for a checkup. It should be among the documents you have at the hospital," Mabui explained quietly. "But they estimate she's between two weeks and one month pregnant. It's just scheduled as if you were checking a cold, instead of going to the maternity ward… for obvious reasons."
That meant that, at most, Chad had three months to finalize the wedding with Terumi, and by extension, the Raikage had the same window to avoid rumors, since pregnancy wouldn't be physically obvious to outsiders until the fourth month.
But ninjas were far more perceptive to details, so that grace period was reduced to less than two months at most.
As for the double wedding, it wasn't hard to understand the reason.
Politically, the Raikage was "balancing" his wedding with that of the former Mizukage — a strong statement that things would go well and a firm commitment.
If such a move didn't calm the former Kiri ninjas, nothing would.
"But if I had to guess, it's probably not just about the pregnancy. That guy is too embarrassed to hold a grand wedding and wants to split the attention," Chad quickly saw through the Raikage's true intentions. "Even without the pregnancy, he would've taken advantage of the occasion anyway."
Even with all his character, the Raikage was the type whose joints would stiffen with nervousness during his own wedding, sweating from sheer embarrassment. But if he held it at the same time as Chad and Terumi, most of the attention would be on them, and he could breathe easier.
"Let Terumi spend a few more days with Hibui, Kiyui, and Yugao," Chad said. "As for the date… tell the Raikage it'll be in two or three weeks. We can finalize the details later, but he can start preparing things."
Not only to allow proper preparation for the ceremony, but also to manage the accumulated workload and ensure important guests from afar could arrive on time.
If the "Lightning Daimyo" were present at this double wedding, the significance would be even greater!
The Raikage didn't get married every day.
"I'll have to tell Black Zetsu to have the fake Daimyo prepare two worthy gifts. Maybe some land or something," Chad mused. "I wonder if the Raikage has told that wannabe rapper he's going to be an uncle?"
The jinchūriki's face must've been priceless.
He could already imagine B rapping next to the baby's crib, only for the Raikage to send him flying with a lariat so he wouldn't wake the child.
"Don't worry, sister. I'll go to the hospital right now and examine that woman to make sure neither of them has any problems."
Mabui felt much more relieved by her brother's promise.
The Raikage might try to hide it, but ever since he found out he was going to be a father, his emotions had been completely unsettled.
Like that morning when he had been writing important scrolls with a distracted gaze—only to realize afterward that everything had been written on the back side of the parchment!