Chapter 115 There Is No Absolutely Correct Path
Senju Wakama stared at Tamayo Nara.
She had changed her hairstyle; her original two braids were now down, forming short hair on both sides, while the back still cascaded long.
Senju Wakama had been forced to learn about this kind of hairstyle from Tsukuyo.
At the time, because Tsukuyo always wore a double-bun updo never seen before in the ninja world, and Senju Wakama thought her attire looked good, he couldn't help but ask more about it.
Only then did he learn that women's updos contained many meanings, with a close relationship between the updo and one's identity and profession. Just by looking at the updo, one could roughly tell a woman's status and whether she was married.
This greatly broadened Senju Wakama's horizons; unlike before, when he simply saw an updo and only thought whether it looked good or not.
Senju Wakama had also seen Tamayo Nara's hairstyle, which Tsukuyo called 'Tiaoxue' – a cute and distinctive popular hairstyle. Coupled with her deliberately refined, pretty face, rosy-cheeked, it made her look charming and mysterious.
Senju Wakama stared at Tamayo Nara for a while before sincerely saying, "Miss Tamayo, your attire today is captivating."
Tamayo Nara chuckled softly, "Your adjectives are truly... are you complimenting me or insulting me?"
Senju Wakama also smiled, his arms folded. He said, "If Miss Tamayo comes with good intentions, then I am complimenting you. If Miss Tamayo comes with malice, then I am insulting you. How do you understand that?"
"Your Senju clan is nothing like a ninja clan." Tamayo Nara slowly walked towards Senju Wakama, "I came with selfish motives; for you, it's hard to say if it's good intention or malice."
As she spoke, Tamayo Nara's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she quietly asked, "Seeing as I specially dressed up for you, could you walk with me?"
Senju Wakama pondered for a moment, "Let's go."
Regardless of this woman's intentions, she was a guest, and Senju Wakama still compromised.
Even if he was truly tricked by this woman, Senju Wakama still had his ultimate trump card – Brother Zetsu.
Zetsu generally did not interfere with Senju Wakama's personal affairs.
When Senju Wakama had a rendezvous with Uchiha Yuki, he didn't know where Zetsu had gone.
However, Senju Wakama knew that if he encountered danger, Zetsu would act first.
Death was probably not that easy. As for his innocence... what innocence did he have left? He had already been corrupted by that femme fatale Yuki; how much more corrupted could he get?
As long as he had a breath left, even if his third leg was crippled, Tsukuyo could heal him. What was he afraid of?
Seeing Senju Wakama finally agree, Tamayo Nara showed a look of surprise.
Senju Wakama inwardly wondered why this woman beside him was so persistent about him.
To say that Tamayo Nara needed Senju Wakama as a guide because she was unfamiliar with the place was a reason Senju Wakama didn't believe.
She had been there for so many days, traversing Hot Spring Street daily; she probably knew everything about Hot Spring Street by now.
Walking down the bustling Hot Spring Street.
Everywhere were shouts from tourists due to their heightened emotions.
Some shrieked because they won a desired item in a lottery.
Others had terrible luck, always drawing items that ended the lottery, losing all their "ransom," and howling at the sky.
As a ninja clan, to be able to operate such a street, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire contributed greatly. With the Daimyo of the Land of Fire's protection, the Senju clan's activities could be carried out.
All of this began when Tsukuyo leased "health."
Nobles, to prolong their lives, had to support the Senju clan.
Moreover, they themselves also profited.
This was a win-win situation.
Senju Wakama handed Tamayo Nara a portion of bright green lamb offal soup.
Tamayo Nara held the soup bowl, looking at the messy, unidentifiable parts inside, and didn't take a single bite.
Despite the fragrant aroma of the food wafting directly to her nose.
The gamey smell of lamb was also masked by the mixed scent of various herbs.
But Tamayo Nara still couldn't bring herself to eat it. She couldn't help but quietly ask, "What exactly... is this soup?"
Senju Wakama admitted he was doing it on purpose. He explained without changing his expression, "This is Lamb Bie soup."
"Lamb Bie soup?" Tamayo Nara looked surprised. "Are the auxiliary ingredients herbs?"
The soup was so terrifyingly green.
Yet, despite such bizarre food, the line of tourists waiting for their meal was very long.
Senju Wakama gave a sly smile, "To be precise, this is... the half-digested vomit of a lamb after it has eaten herbs."
Tamayo Nara: "...Vomit?!"
Tamayo Nara stared blankly at the tourists queuing up.
Senju Wakama followed her gaze and chuckled softly, "This is a delicacy created by my sister, unique to the ninja world. It's a soup made by mincing lamb offal and mixing it with the half-digested herbs from a lamb's stomach and intestines, then adding bile."
"This is a common good medicine for treating stomach ailments, do you know? If one accidentally eats Heartbreak Grass and gets poisoned, drinking a bowl of lamb stomach acid can alleviate the toxicity."
"This dish is also advertised that way. The number of nobles suffering from chronic gastritis is still enormous, so hearing that this soup can cure stomach ailments, they all plan to try it."
"After trying it, many people quickly grew to like it, coming to eat it whether they were sick or not, which is why the line is so long every day."
Tamayo Nara stared blankly at the bowl of soup in her hand, which was so green it made her uneasy, speechless for a long time.
Seeing that he had built up enough atmosphere, Senju Wakama said wistfully, "Miss Tamayo, do you truly know who I am? Is what you like about me my good looks, or my wealth, or perhaps... you don't actually like me, but just want something from me?"
Tamayo Nara looked up at Senju Wakama, who stood beside her.
Then Senju Wakama said, "My sister once told me that to truly love someone, one should know their strengths and weaknesses intimately. The strengths are what one needs, and the weaknesses are what one can accept. One should have a clear understanding of one's own love."
Senju Wakama stared at Tamayo Nara, "So, Miss Tamayo, have you truly seen your true intentions?"
"Walking around the temple fair with me, have you felt that we are actually incompatible in many ways? The food I eat, you might not be able to swallow, and the food you eat, I might never have seen."
Tamayo Nara silently held the emerald green soup, quietly picked up the spoon, and ate it, spoonful after spoonful.
This action left Senju Wakama silent. He couldn't help but think, "Does she have to go to such lengths?"
Tamayo Nara ate very elegantly. The soup bowl was small, and the portion was not much. Before long, Tamayo Nara finished eating. She neatly placed the utensils in the leftover area arranged on the side.
Then, she looked at Senju Wakama with a serious expression and said, "There is no absolutely correct path in this world. I just need to make the path I choose the correct one."
Senju Wakama looked at Tamayo Nara for a long time. He smiled again, "You are right..."
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on Patreon. with 50 advanced chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/Leanzin