Chapter 16: Rain, Depression, and Chocolate
"Hm," In the meantime, I had to keep the conversation with the kids going, so I forced myself to push aside my gloomy thoughts. "So, how do you like the Academy?"
"So far, I don't see anything good about it," Nami-chan puffed out her cheeks. "They're only teaching the basics. We haven't even had chakra control training yet. Just strengthening the body and mind."
"You can't have everything at once," her reasoning amused me.
"For clanless students, it's too early to begin chakra training," Mikoto, it seemed, was wise beyond her years.
"Exactly," I agreed. "You've been trained since infancy, but they still have everything ahead of them. So be patient. A shinobi's greatest strength lies in their teammates," I decided to sound clever. "And your teammates are studying right alongside you right now."
"Teammates?" Nami-chan's eyes widened in surprise. "Then I'm doomed! They don't even know the basics of taijutsu!"
"They'll get there," I snorted. "Shinobi don't always have to be talented or powerful—there's a need for ordinary soldiers too, for C-rank missions."
At last, we reached the house. Even I was getting tired of this miserable weather. The barrier and seals Reiko had left behind had already been removed by my clones. With a soft click, I turned the door handle, and a wave of warm air hit my face, laced with the scent of chocolate and spices.
"I'm home," I whispered quietly, knowing no answer would come. "Come on, get inside quickly, Mikoto-chan, before you freeze solid."
"S-Sorry for the intrusion," the girl squeaked, slipping past me into the house.
"Sorry for the intrusion," Nami-chan echoed with a polite bow, then stepped inside, her eyes shining as she eagerly took in the entryway.
I hadn't expected her to be so interested in my house. Though it made sense—anything forbidden invites curiosity, and I'd never let her in before. I was used to shutting the door in Nawaki's face, so I'd ended up doing the same with her. In truth, it was just an ordinary house. Small, but Reiko had worked hard to make it cozy. The first floor had an entryway, a bathroom, a toilet, a storage room with a hidden passage to the basement, and a large living room separated from the kitchen by a single bar counter. A standard layout for this place. The only difference was that while other homes warmed themselves under kotatsu, my entire first floor was heated. Installing heated floors had cost a fair sum, but in my opinion, it was worth it. There were more cold days here than most people would like.
After sending the kids to wash their hands, I quickly checked that the entrance to the basement was closed. There was nothing illegal down there, of course—but it was better if no one saw it.
When I came out of the bathroom, I was greeted by the following scene: Mikoto was crouched in front of the oven, stretching her hands toward it, while Nami sat beside her—not warming herself, but clearly enjoying the aroma of the baking.
"Come sit at the table," I called with a smile. "Tea—or whatever my clones have prepared—is ready."
"That's definitely not tea," Hyuga declared, climbing onto a chair. "But it smells really good!"
"I'm sorry for troubling you so much," the blush didn't seem likely to leave Mikoto's cheeks anytime soon. Why was she so shy?
"It's nothing. By inviting you over, I not only saved you from the cold but also myself from loneliness. Coming back to an empty house is… unpleasant," I said, inhaling the steam rising from the cup one of my clones handed me. "Hot chocolate, then?" I asked, shooting the clone a glance.
The pale-faced bastard only stretched his lips into a snake-like smile and shrugged. Right—apparently, by local standards, I couldn't brew tea properly. Better not embarrass myself. Still, not bad. They'd even added ginger—good for warming up.
"Delicious!" Nami exclaimed after taking a sip.
"If it feels too strong, it's better to drink some milk with it," I advised, savoring the warmth. "How are your kenjutsu studies going, Nami-chan?"
"I dare hope they're going well," sometimes her manner of speaking really threw me off. "While you were away, Mikoto agreed to help me with my training."
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at the dark-haired girl.
"When I saw your training, I became interested in your style, Orochimaru-san," the Uchiha flushed again. "I wanted to see how effective it would be against what I already know."
"Are you being trained in kenjutsu?" Now that was surprising.
There weren't many swordsmen in Konoha, and even fewer trained in kenjutsu. Though the Uchiha did use long blades fairly often. Still, Mikoto seemed a bit young for a sword.
"Yes, I've been training within the clan for about half a year," the girl nodded, hiding her face behind her cup.