"Heh," Yakumo didn't speak, just shot Kazahana Koyuki a sidelong glance.
"Princess Koyuki, we're truly grateful that you let us film your succession ceremony. This is absolutely the most perfect ending for Princess Gale," The director walked over, face beaming with joy, with several crew members carrying cameras behind him.
Originally, they thought this would just be a simple filming trip.
But unexpectedly, not only was the actress actually a real princess, there was a real evil villain, and they had even filmed the princess defeating the villain and ascending as daimyo.
This wasn't even a movie anymore. It was a documentary more exciting than a movie.
"No need to thank me. After all, I'm the star of the film. This is my duty."
"So then, the movie is already finished?", Yakumo suddenly asked the director.
"Ha ha."
The director blinked for a moment, then nodded and laughed, "If you mean Princess Gale II, then yes, it's finished. I doubt there'll be a part three."
Since Princess Gale had become daimyo, she was no longer a princess.
"In that case, since the movie is finished, that means our commission is also complete."
Yakumo nodded, then turned toward Aoba, "Aoba, we should be heading back, right?"
Aoba: "Mm, it's about time we went back."
They had stayed in the Land of Snow long enough.
The smile on Kazahana Koyuki's face froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered and said with composure, "In that case, why not leave tomorrow? Rest for today."
Kazahana Koyuki was now a ruler of a nation; naturally she wouldn't throw childish tantrums anymore.
And once Aoba left, she would immediately establish close ties with Konoha.
By then, with the two sides connected, her identity as daimyo would ensure that she would still spend plenty of time with them.
Yakumo and Hinata, seeing her agree so decisively, couldn't help being slightly surprised.
They had underestimated this Kazahana Koyuki.
"Then tomorrow it is," Aoba nodded, then said to her, "But before leaving, I still have a surprise for you."
"Surprise?", Kazahana Koyuki's eyes lit up, "For me?"
———
"What is this place?"
Kazahana Koyuki looked curiously at the surroundings.
This was an ice plain not far from Snow Castle.
Around them stood towering ice walls, smooth as mirrors and a hundred meters tall, arranged in regular hexagons that enclosed most of the frozen lake.
Yakumo and the others were also curiously observing the area.
"This is the real reason Kazahana Doto wanted to find you."
Aoba began explaining, "This is the true secret treasure your father left behind. The Hexagonal Crystal you carry is the key to unlocking it."
Kazahana Koyuki noticed the slot atop the censer-shaped platform. She took out her pendant. It was a perfect fit.
"Aoba…", She looked at him again, hesitating, unsure whether to open it.
"Go on. This was your father's gift to you," Aoba just smiled at her.
"I'll… I'll try then," Kazahana Koyuki no longer hesitated. She removed the Hexagonal Crystal hanging from her neck.
As the key to the secret treasure, it slid into the groove.
Kachak!
With a mechanical click, the stone platform suddenly glowed.
Even the surrounding ice and snow gave off a faint light.
Then—
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The ground trembled violently. Steam erupted from the ice and snow.
Heat surged upward, melting the glaciers around them.
"So warm…", Kazahana Koyuki murmured.
"What's happening?", Yakumo was filled with confusion.
Hinata activated her Byakugan, carefully scanning the area. Beneath the ground, she could see a massive mechanism.
"So this is the so-called secret treasure?", As the treasure activated, the six towering ice walls around them melted away, revealing what lay inside.
Six mirrors, reflecting rainbow sunlight, dazzling the surroundings in brilliance.
Under the light, the Land of Snow's ice rapidly melted, green grass and flowers blooming everywhere, spreading across the mountains.
"How is this possible?"
"This is unbelievable!"
Everyone's jaws dropped in shock.
In an instant, the snowy, frozen Land of Snow had turned into a lush spring paradise.
This was simply a miracle.
"Incredible…", Kurenai gazed at the scene around her, equally amazed, "A small country, and yet it has this kind of technology?"
On an icy, frozen land, a zone of warmth and life had suddenly appeared.
They could all feel it. The flowers, grass, and trees weren't illusions. They truly existed.
'Could Hashirama himself do something like this?'
Flowers and grass blanketed the whole nation.
This technology was outrageous.
["If you believe in the future, then spring will surely come."]
["What would Koyuki like to do once spring arrives?"]
At the center of the six rainbow mirrors, a giant projection suddenly appeared.
A voice resounded across the whole nation.
Startled, everyone looked up. In the projection, they saw a tiny Kazahana Koyuki, speaking of her dreams to her father.
A younger Koyuki.
["Koyuki wants to be a princess,"] The innocent voice of a little girl rang out.
Her father asked, ["Oh? What kind of princess?"]
The small Koyuki tilted her head, thinking, ["A gentle, strong… and just princess!"]
Standing on the lush grassland within the vision, Kazahana Koyuki wanted to find a hole to hide in.
She felt like she was being publicly executed, "I… I really said something like that…"
Aoba and the others couldn't help but smile at the sight.
["Hahaha, that's a tall order,"] Her father's warm laugh echoed, ["But if you make your dream your faith, and keep chasing it without giving up, it will surely come true."]
They chatted about future dreams, and then they heard Koyuki continue.
["Koyuki also has another dream…"]
["Oh? What is it?"]
["An actress!"]
Father and daughter both laughed together in the projection.
The vision ended there.
Kazahana Koyuki herself also smiled without realizing it.
'But… an actress, huh…'
"An actress, eh," Aoba's amused voice came from behind her, "That means, from now on, the whole Land of Snow can be your filming set."
Kazahana Koyuki froze, then chuckled lightly, "Yes. By the way, have you seen any of my movies?"
Aoba recalled going to watch movies with Yakumo, Sakura, and the others in turns, "I have. In fact, I've seen quite a few of them."
"Eh?"
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