At noon, with nothing to do, Konan was spending time with Mei and Pakura.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
She got up to check and found another version of herself standing outside—the Konan from another world.
"It's you," she said with a smile.
"Are you home alone?" Hokage Konan asked.
"No." Konan stepped aside to let her alternate self enter.
Hokage Konan noticed that the entrance of the room had a frog-shaped flip board, just like the one in Yahiko's room.
Even though they no longer lived together, the three of them were still a family.
"I asked Samui and was just about to go see you," Konan said as she poured a glass of water and placed it in front of Hokage Konan, who had taken a seat on the sofa.
Although their different experiences had shaped their personalities and thoughts in different ways, Konan could more or less guess what Hokage Konan was thinking.
After meeting the others that day, Hokage Konan had left in a hurry—perhaps seeing Yahiko again had left her feeling unsettled.
Hokage Konan shook her head and said, "There's nothing much to see. The place I'm staying in is pretty nice…"
Aside from the fact that all the women there belonged to the emperor.
"That's good to hear. I actually wanted to ask if you'd like to live with me, but I figured you probably wouldn't agree," Konan said.
She felt a bit awkward at the moment.
Even though this person was herself from another world, she couldn't help but treat her with a certain level of politeness.
To Konan, even if they looked exactly the same, Hokage Konan was still an "other person" rather than an extension of herself.
They were two individuals with distinct selves.
She wasn't quite sure how to interact with her.
She thought to herself—her alternate self should understand her thoughts and feelings quite well, right?
Hokage Konan shook her head. "It's better if we don't live together. You all have your own lives, and I don't want to interfere. I'm fine being alone for now."
Konan replied, "Don't say that. Yahiko and Nagato both care about you a lot."
Hearing those two names, Hokage Konan felt a wave of melancholy.
After a moment of silence, she asked, "How much do you know about the Emperor?"
Konan thought for a moment. "Not much, I suppose. Most of what I know is common knowledge."
In Konan's eyes, the Emperor had greatly influenced her life.
If not for the warning sent by his people years ago, she, Yahiko, and Nagato would have surely fallen into Danzo's trap.
She would have ended up just like her alternate self—watching helplessly as Yahiko was taken from her.
After Hokage Konan's arrival, she had come to fully understand this, making her even more grateful to the Emperor.
Not only that, but their Amegakure had once been enemies with the Emperor.
Yet, he had chosen to forgive them generously.
This kindness was something Konan didn't know how to repay.
"I see…" Hokage Konan muttered to herself, lost in thought.
Konan smiled and said, "The Emperor has shown us great kindness, yet we have no way to repay him."
Hokage Konan remained silent.
"What made you suddenly ask about him?" Konan asked curiously.
Originally, Hokage Konan had intended to tell Konan about her current situation.
But after hearing how deeply grateful this world's Konan was to the Emperor, she hesitated.
The Emperor's kindness…
That day, Hokage Konan had only shared her own story with the three of them and hadn't really asked much about their past, so she wasn't very familiar with it.
Hokage Konan hesitated, and Konan noticed.
She pressed further, "What's wrong? Is there something you can't tell me?"
"..."
Hokage Konan took a deep breath and slowly spoke. "Samui arranged a quiet courtyard residence for me. Besides myself, there are three other women living there."
Konan pondered for a moment and said, "If you don't like your current place, we can arrange another one for you. But the housing prices in Konoha are very high, so we can only rent for now."
Not to mention Konoha—even the houses on the neighboring Adofu Street were beyond their reach.
Although their living conditions were quite good now, they weren't at the level where they could afford to buy property.
The place they lived in now was allocated to them by the Empire.
Konan assumed that her alternate self simply wasn't used to living with strangers and preferred to stay alone.
Hokage Konan shook her head. "It's not about the residence itself, and the people I live with are actually quite nice. It's just that…."
She pursed her lips and said, "They're all the Emperor's women."
Konan was stunned.
Her mind took a while to process the meaning behind those words.
She had always known that the Emperor might have a rather broad interest in women.
Back then, he had even given her a strange look.
But she didn't think it was unusual—he was the Emperor, after all.
Was there anything he couldn't have?
In the past, it was normal for high-ranking officials, feudal lords, and nobles to have many wives and concubines.
But why would the Emperor arrange for another version of herself to live with his women?
Was there really no spare room in Konoha?
That was impossible—this very building wasn't even fully occupied yet.
Konan swallowed nervously.
A thought crept into her mind—one she didn't dare to fully acknowledge.
She looked at the other version of herself.
It wasn't that she was being narcissistic, but this face was indeed quite attractive, and that cold and indifferent demeanor was probably very appealing to men…
Konan suddenly recalled the way the Emperor had once scrutinized her.
Back in Amegakure, in the Akatsuki, there had been plenty of men who looked at her with lecherous gazes, but none of them had left as deep an impression as the Emperor's.
Perhaps it was because the Emperor was someone who was undeniably stronger than them, far above them in status, someone who could control their fates at will.
The living room fell into an eerie silence as the two Konans sat on the sofa, both lost in thought.
Hokage Konan had come here because she had no other options, while Konan herself had no idea how to handle the situation.
She had no influence—was she supposed to go and persuade the Emperor not to make a move on her alternate self?
How could that possibly work?!
She was just an ordinary person—so ordinary that she couldn't be more ordinary.
Among the three of them, only Yahiko could speak somewhat freely in front of the Emperor.
Should she ask Yahiko to intervene…?
But considering her relationship with Yahiko, wouldn't the Emperor feel like Yahiko was trying to compete with him for a woman?
Yahiko loved his current job and life, and Konan didn't want him to lose everything or take such a risk.
What about Mei and Pakura?
They were both members of the Ten Crown Guards, people the Emperor trusted deeply.
And the two of them had always wanted to become the Emperor's women—surely they wouldn't want another addition to the Emperor's side.
But right now, they were probably also trying to win the Emperor's favor—would they really take such a risk to help her?
For a moment, Konan's mind was in turmoil.
She looked at the Hokage Konan sitting across from her and hesitated before asking, "Does the Emperor… really have that kind of intention?"
Hokage Konan was silent for a moment before saying, "Miss Samui… hinted at it very clearly."
"..."
Konan unconsciously clenched her fists.
In her mind, this other version of herself was still her, wasn't she?
If the Emperor wanted to claim her… wasn't that the same as claiming…
A series of intimate images between herself and the Emperor flashed through her mind, making her heart tremble.
She quickly forced herself to stop thinking about it, warning herself that she shouldn't entertain such thoughts.
It felt incredibly strange—she both resisted the idea and yet found it intensely stimulating in a way she couldn't quite describe.
Was it a good feeling or a bad one? She wasn't sure.
Hokage Konan watched as Konan's expression shifted repeatedly, clearly seeing her struggle.
This version of herself was probably just an ordinary person.
So she said, "You don't have to feel troubled. You don't need to do anything—this is my problem, and I'll find a way to deal with it myself."
She wanted to act indifferent, as if she didn't care, but she knew she couldn't fool herself, so she could only draw a clear boundary like this.
"But your problem is my problem, isn't it?" Konan replied.
Hokage Konan let out a faint laugh.
"You are you, and I am me. We just happen to have lived part of the same life, but in the end, I am not you—I come from another world."
She gazed at her with calm eyes. "Don't let my situation affect your life. Just seeing 'myself' living happily with Yahiko and Nagato is already enough for me."
Hearing this, Konan suddenly felt a wave of sorrow and pain in her heart.
She looked at Hokage Konan's serene expression—she must have endured so much suffering to become this numb.
Unable to sit still any longer, Konan stood up from the sofa, determination flashing in her eyes. "I'll help you find a way!"
Hokage Konan tilted her head slightly, pondering for a moment before saying, "Don't push yourself too hard."
Konan furrowed her brows. "There has to be a way."
That man was the Emperor—under normal circumstances, if any ordinary woman received his favor, Konan would have thought of it as a great fortune.
The Emperor was undeniably a perfect man!
But this woman was herself.
And she knew very well that deep in her heart, her love for Yahiko was unwavering.
No matter how perfect the Emperor was, he could never replace Yahiko.
Moreover, this version of herself had already suffered so much—should she really have to endure this as well?
A trace of resentment toward the Emperor suddenly welled up in Konan's heart.
If 'I' don't want this, does he intend to force 'me'?
She wanted to confront him about it, yet she didn't quite dare to.
For now, all she could do was tell Hokage Konan, "It hasn't come to that point yet, has it? I'll come up with a solution as soon as possible."
Hokage Konan, however, simply said, "It's okay. Don't worry too much about it."
This made Konan feel even more uneasy.
Clearly, the one suffering was the other version of herself, yet that version was telling her—the one who might not even be able to help—to take it easy.
Hokage Konan left Konan's home, walking alone on the way back.
The streets of the new district were bustling and lively.
She had already wandered through this area before, but she didn't find herself liking it much.
The more vibrant and lively the place was, the lonelier she felt.
She still hadn't adapted to this new life, nor had she accepted the people of this world.
Then, she caught sight of a familiar figure—Nagato.
His striking red hair made him stand out in the crowd.
He was walking alongside two other men, chatting casually.
They were likely friends he had made in this world.
Back in her world, ever since the original Akatsuki members had all perished, she had never seen Nagato make any new friends.
Nor had she ever seen him smile like this.
For reasons she couldn't quite explain, she deliberately turned away to avoid them.
She felt that she carried too much sorrow and bitterness.
Someone like her shouldn't intrude on their happiness.
She had thought about starting over and living a more positive life.
From the moment she arrived in this world, that idea had taken root deep within her heart.
But old habits and long-standing mindsets weren't so easily changed.
Perhaps she needed a completely new light to shine into her life—something or someone to pull her out of the mire of her past.
But where would such a person even come from…?
Hokage Konan thought again about Samui's subtle hints.
Watching as Nagato and his companions disappeared into the distance, she too turned away, feeling a quiet sense of loneliness.
..............
Evening.
Nagato and Yahiko went together to visit Konan.
She was in the middle of preparing dinner, but she seemed preoccupied, as if something was weighing on her mind.
During the meal, both of them noticed that the food was a bit too salty today.
"Konan, is something wrong?" Yahiko couldn't help but ask.
"Huh? Why do you ask?" Konan responded, looking puzzled.
"The food is really salty today," Nagato pointed out.
Yahiko sighed helplessly. "You look like you have something on your mind."
Konan: "…"
Yahiko and Nagato exchanged glances.
It seemed Yahiko had guessed correctly.
"Today…" Konan hesitated.
"That 'me' came to see me."
Yahiko was surprised. "The Konan from the other world? Has she settled in? We were actually planning to visit her soon."
Konan was silent for a moment before shaking her head. "You two should probably not go. She wants to keep her distance from us."
Yahiko and Nagato fell into silence.
"Did she come to you for something?" Yahiko asked again.
"…Nothing much," Konan lowered her head and took a bite of rice, choosing not to bring up what had happened today.
"She just wanted to tell me how she's been doing, to put our minds at ease. Anyway, since she's also in Konoha, we'll inevitably run into her again in the future."
Yahiko nodded lightly. "That's true. I just hope she can start a new life here."
Konan couldn't help but ask, "Do you guys also think she's very pitiful?"
Silence.
Then Nagato spoke slowly, "If I were in her place and lost either one of you… I don't know how I'd go on living."
That version of Konan, however, had suffered that kind of loss twice—both times watching the deaths of her closest companions with her own eyes.
The conversation at the dinner table suddenly became heavy.
Konan gripped her chopsticks tightly, her gaze flickering uncertainly.
Even though the other version of herself had already suffered so much, why did she still have to endure things she didn't like?
Konan deeply respected His Majesty the Emperor, but why did he have to do this?
Was he really just after the beauty of a mere physical body?
Why… did His Majesty have such base desires?
Yahiko patted her shoulder and comforted her, "Things will get better. Once she gets used to life here, we need to take care of her—just as we would have if the me and Nagato from her world were still alive."
Nagato nodded seriously, sharing Yahiko's sentiment.
That Konan from another world was still Konan!
Hearing this, Konan merely pursed her lips and stayed silent.
She lowered her head, staring at the white rice in her bowl, her emotions tangled in a mess.
How could she spare that "other self" from this suffering?
Suddenly, she thought of Mei and Pakura, and an idea surfaced in her mind.
If a suitable substitute could be found… would His Majesty let that "other her" go?
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