At the palace of the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning.
An elderly man with dark-toned skin, a neatly trimmed goatee peppered with carefully hidden gray hairs, and gray glasses wore an expression very different from his usual perpetual boredom.
"This is outrageous!" the daimyo was furious upon learning of the disturbance nearby.
Just one day before his celebration, and someone dared to cause trouble in the capital.
Who gave them the gall?
Couldn't they have waited until after the party, once his guests had already left?!
"Have we been able to find out anything?" he asked, restraining the urge to throw his favorite teacup—imported from the Artisan Village—against the wall, as he turned to question his ninja guards from Kumo.
"As a matter of fact, we have received information regarding the incident," nodded one of the Kumo ninja, a fair-skinned man with brown eyes and a scar running across his nose. "We've gathered everything here." He pulled a scroll from his sleeve and respectfully handed it to the daimyo.
The information had been sent by none other than Jōnin Kiyui less than an hour ago. Given her renowned reputation as a spy and the verification of the village's encryption codes, it was absolutely reliable.
They themselves hadn't even expected such a swift response!
Normally, the daimyo would have someone read it aloud out of sheer laziness, but he was so irritated that he decided to read it himself. He took the scroll, unrolled it, and read the information regarding the one responsible for the trouble in the capital.
"So it's one of those Sannin from Konoha!" the daimyo ground his teeth.
Openly spying on women in the hot springs and then leaving without even bothering to hide, saying he would come back again if he felt like it…
Exactly the kind of shameless and arrogant behavior one would expect from someone from the Land of Fire!
"Very well, very well, I'll make sure he pays for it," the daimyo muttered as he tossed the scroll aside.
He did not act immediately. After so many years in his position, he understood the game of politics and its nuances. Direct revenge was the cheapest option.
If he wanted to do something truly effective—something that would hurt that Sannin—he had to start by maneuvering the envoys from the Land of Fire who would arrive tomorrow. He would expose the matter in a way that dishonored the Fire Daimyo, use the offense to renegotiate trade agreements in his favor, force the other side to demand explanations from Konoha over the losses, and with any luck, cause a temporary cut in their military budget.
In fact, he himself had increased Kumo's budget by five percent just to obtain more of that "invigorating meat," which had proven remarkably effective, as demonstrated by the condition of his concubine.
But on second thought, increasing it by another five percent might be a good idea. The Raikage and his ninja had done excellent work over the past decade; granting additional benefits for such performance would motivate them to continue.
It was also an excellent way to expand his reputation as a wise and just daimyo!
…
The following morning, the three members of the squad changed clothes and took a carriage to properly arrive at the daimyo's palace according to etiquette, where they would be announced.
While most of the guests wore luxurious kimonos adorned with accessories that denoted their status and wealth, their group stood out in sharp contrast.
Kiyui wore a dress similar to the one from the concert, with slight adjustments in proportion to make it appear more dignified and elegant. Hibui wore a similar satin-red version of the dress, but with a lower shoulder cut that revealed a necklace of small pearls holding a ruby teardrop.
As for Chad, the idea of a man wearing something as feminine as a kimono struck him as laughable and worthy of ridicule. He wore an Italian suit with black vertical lines over a blood-red shirt, paired with a black tie and gold buttons. In his breast pocket was a matching red handkerchief. His shoes were made of high-end, specially treated leather.
Both kunoichi held onto his arms as they entered, drawing every gaze in the room.
"Someone find out which tailor made that—I want several identical ones," the Lightning Daimyo suddenly felt that his favorite blue kimono looked like a child's pajama next to Chad's elegant suit and gave quiet instructions. "Also ask about the women's dresses—one dozen for my wife and concubines." Seeing the lovestruck looks of all the women at the party, his instincts told him it would soon become the next fashion trend, and he wanted to get ahead of it.
The servant who received the orders stared at his daimyo for a second in surprise before hurrying off. He had almost expected a different kind of order—less… intelligent.
He couldn't help it. It was force of habit.
By the time the daimyo finished giving instructions, Chad and the others were already speaking with one of the guests.
"I'm glad to see you in such good health, Princess Kayo," Hibui greeted the wife of the Daimyo of the Land of Honey, one of the few people the entire group knew. "I trust you remember my companions?"
The woman with long purple hair and brown eyes, wearing a traditional long-sleeved kimono, lifted those same sleeves to cover her mouth as she let out a soft laugh.
"Of course. How could I forget my benefactors?"
Princess Kayo, who was also related to the Land of Sweets, had nearly been kidnapped by the Daimyo of the Land of Bitterness. He had hoped to use her as leverage and a hostage to force the Daimyo of the Land of Honey—her husband—to send troops to help him conquer the Land of Salt, if he wanted his wife returned alive.
Chad's squad had been present during the kidnapping attempt, as they happened to be nearby rescuing Chad's third student. They dealt with the kidnappers on the spot and earned her gratitude.
"How is the little one?" Kayo asked, referring to Chad's student. "The last time I saw her, she was covered in bandages and looked terrible."
"She's improved greatly. This year she'll be taking the Chūnin Exams held in Konoha," Chad explained to the princess. "Her rivals don't stand a chance."
"You seem very confident in your student!"
"After all the training she's been through, it would be strange not to be confident!" Hibui and Kiyui thought in unison.
If Yugito was the eldest of Chad's three students, then Princess Kayo was referring to the youngest. The village would have already promoted her, but Chad rejected the promotion in favor of demonstrating power during the Chūnin Exams.
However, since Yugito couldn't participate for obvious reasons, in the end a random genin would accompany the other two students to meet the requirements.
"You've piqued my curiosity. It's a shame I can't go see the finals," Princess Kayo mused. After all, the trip from her domain to Konoha and back wasn't worth it just for such brief matches.
Though her husband handled most of the responsibilities of the Land of Honey, she assisted him in many ways and couldn't be away for that long.
Princess Kayo engaged the three in a long, lively conversation, acting as the perfect shield against lower-ranking nobles whose intentions toward the group were far less pleasant.
"Remind me why the daimyo's wife isn't making a scene," Chad whispered to Kiyui.
Throwing a party like this over a concubine's pregnancy…
The daimyo's wife should be losing her mind!
"Believe me, the daimyo's wife is indifferent to this arrangement," Kiyui gave him a summarized version of the situation.
The daimyo's wife was essentially a trophy wife meant to secure the interests of various parties, with no real power or affection involved. As long as she fulfilled her duty of producing an heir and didn't cause trouble, the daimyo allowed her to indulge her whims with money and paid even less attention to her than to his concubines.
That duty had already been fulfilled three years ago.
Due to the prolonged situation, the woman began taking certain "herbal infusions" that kept her in a long-lasting state of calm and cheerfulness to cope with her mood.
As far as Kiyui knew, the daimyo's heir had never seen his real mother even once since birth.
"So his wife is a drug addict and he still throws a party like this? The poor woman must feel endless humiliation…"
A slap on the back snapped Chad out of his thoughts.
"Get a hold of yourself and focus," Hibui glanced at him while taking a sip of a sparkling drink. "Look at the poor guards—they tensed up because of the killing intent you leaked just now."
Chad gestured apologetically toward his compatriots, who visibly relaxed. Given what they knew about him, they could roughly guess his reaction. Fortunately, almost none of the guests—or the daimyo himself—seemed to notice anything during that brief lapse.
The party progressed and concluded without further incident.
"So why hasn't the daimyo made his move yet?" they wondered.
Before leaving, the group was summoned to meet the daimyo and the concubine in a separate room.
"At last, I can put a face to the famous Dodomeki of Kumo!" the daimyo looked at Chad in surprise—who knew what kind of rumors the man had mixed with reliable information. "Let me tell you, I'm very satisfied with the Sea King meat!" He couldn't suppress his need to boast about his "achievement."
"I'm glad it met your standards," Chad replied formally. "I hope the new shipment arrived without issue and is to your liking."
Although Chad couldn't stand the man before him, he was a ninja. Putting on false expressions, posture, and tone to deceive someone of this level was easy.
"Oh, without a doubt," the daimyo gave him a look only men would understand. "In any case, I admit my invitation had a second purpose. I'm aware of your reputation as a medical ninja. Some of my trusted men say you even surpass Hashirama's granddaughter in the medical field."
"I do."
The daimyo took a second to process that response. The confidence was there, at least. One could only speak like that so convincingly if they truly had something to back it up; otherwise, the farce would have been exposed long ago.
"I would like you to perform a medical checkup on my concubine to ensure everything is in order," he explained. "The court physician is competent, but I understand medical practice in Kumo has advanced considerably and can provide more detailed insights. Do you need any tools brought in or…?"
"That won't be necessary. I can do it right now."
"Very well, proceed," the daimyo made no move to leave.
The concubine looked nervously at Chad.
"Should I remove my clothes or…?"
"That won't be necessary," Chad knelt in front of her. "Please open your kimono and lift your inner shirt to reveal your abdomen. That will be enough."
Following his instructions, the concubine revealed a pale, smooth belly, with no visible signs of pregnancy yet. Chad raised his hand, visibly gathered medical chakra in his palm, and pressed it against her skin.
"It tickles," the concubine murmured, restraining the urge to press herself against the firm hand she felt.
The daimyo watched with interest—chakra truly was something amazing!
"I must give the daimyo my double blessing," Chad finished the examination in barely two minutes, far quicker than expected. "They're twins—a boy and a girl."
"You can tell their gender so early?" the daimyo asked skeptically.
Though not a doctor, he had a rough idea that fetal characteristics weren't distinguishable at that stage.
"I can, and that's not all," Chad spoke with confidence—he had been through this situation so many times he'd lost count. "As long as the mother receives proper care, both will be born healthy. My medical advice is to avoid alcohol, tobacco, and—"
The daimyo listened, expecting routine warnings, but was surprised when Chad began giving far more specific details—such as the boy needing more calcium-rich foods starting at age five, and the girl needing strict control over sweets because she would gain weight easily and be allergic to shellfish.
Halfway through the explanation, he had to call in a scribe to carefully record everything so nothing would be forgotten when the time came.
"It only took two minutes!" the daimyo thought, stunned.
Suddenly, he was glad he had granted his concubine's request to wait until after the party for the examination. If others knew just how good Chad was, they might try to steal him.
"Daimyo?"
"Huh?" the daimyo snapped out of his thoughts.
"I was asking whether you would like me to perform a more thorough examination of your concubine while I'm here," Chad repeated patiently. "I noticed mild damage in the joints of her right leg, and one of her fingers can't bend properly—likely a childhood fracture that healed poorly. I can fix all of that and leave her healthier."
"Oh, yes, yes, of course," the daimyo stood up. Between the party and this meeting—which had gone on longer than expected—he had already delayed today's cursed paperwork long enough. "Go ahead. I must excuse myself for now."
Hibui and Kiyui waited outside the room with the concubine's maids while Chad treated the injuries. Fifteen minutes later, he exited the room, drying his hands with a clean towel.
"For one week, she must soak her right leg in slightly warm water for an hour a day—the hot springs will suffice," he instructed the maids. "I fixed the finger, but she mustn't move or strain it for a month, so keep it in a cast. The court physician can remove it then."
After taking the towel from his hands and bowing, the maids hurried to attend to their lady.
It was late when the three finally left the daimyo's palace.
"I know why the daimyo didn't make his move during the party," Chad said once he made sure they were alone. "The concubine convinced him—and for good reason."
"What do you mean?" Hibui asked curiously.
Chad's smile grew wider by the second.
Both women seemed to understand at once and stared at him, mouths agape.
"It's exactly what you're thinking," Chad's laughter echoed through the area, unable to contain himself any longer. "The concubine is indeed pregnant—but not by the daimyo!"
Kiyui and Hibui clapped their hands over their mouths.
No wonder!
If the concubine knew of Chad's abilities and that he had been invited, she must have been panicking that he would expose her in front of everyone at the party. In a way, she saved them from a major problem, with the implicit hope that they wouldn't say anything about her situation.
And Chad?
He was delighted to play along.
Everything he said was completely real and the result of his medical examination—but he never explicitly confirmed that the twins belonged to the daimyo!
It was all clearly on record!
Chad wanted to retract his earlier statement—just for this alone, the trip had been absolutely worth it!