Shisui walked a step ahead of me, his shoulders stiff like he was marching into an exam he hadn't studied for. He kept glancing back, like he still couldn't quite believe I was following him.
Well, to be fair, I couldn't believe it either.Last night I was literally gnawing on Black Zetsu pudding, and now here I was—strolling toward the most powerful ninja village in existence, being escorted by a boy who blushed every time our eyes met.
What a glow-up.
"Hey," I called, breaking the awkward silence. "You're not… worried about me?"
Shisui blinked. "…Worried how?"
"You literally found me standing in a field of corpses." I tilted my head, pretending innocence. "What if I'm a bloodthirsty criminal who murders for fun?"
He gave me a long look. Then he said, dead serious:
"…But you don't feel like one."
…
Oh.
My brain short-circuited for a moment. Was this kid for real? How could he just decide I wasn't a threat because of some ninja gut feeling?
Also, was it me, or did he just dodge the fact that I did actually kill those guys? Like, hello? Murder scene here?
"…You're either incredibly trusting," I muttered, "or incredibly dumb."
He cracked a small smile. "Maybe both."
Great. He was charming, too. The universe was trying to make me feel guilty already.
By the time we reached the village gates, it was dawn. The guards gave Shisui a respectful nod but side-eyed me suspiciously. I couldn't blame them—I was a random gorgeous woman following an Uchiha around like I belonged in a perfume commercial.
Shisui explained briefly, dropping the words "possible ally" and "found outside the village." The guards exchanged looks but didn't argue. Uchiha Shisui was well-known for his loyalty, and if he vouched for me, that carried weight.
Still, one guard muttered, "Keep an eye on her."
I flashed him my sweetest smile, and for some reason, he turned red and looked away.
Heh. Still got it.
The Hokage's office was everything I expected—paperwork stacked like mountains, sunlight streaming in through wide windows, and in the middle of it all, Minato Namikaze.
The Yellow Flash himself.
Up close, he was… disarming. Not in the "I'll kill you if you move wrong" way, but in the "I look like the nicest guy in the room but could still end you in 0.2 seconds" way.
Beside him sat Kushina Uzumaki, her red hair glowing in the morning light, her eyes sharp but warm. She was leaning casually against the desk, clearly in the middle of pestering Minato about something before we entered.
Shisui bowed respectfully. "Hokage-sama. I… brought someone you should meet."
Both Minato and Kushina's eyes landed on me.
Minato's expression softened, curious. Kushina's lit up immediately.
"Oh my gosh—Shisui, she's adorable!"
I froze.
Wait. Adorable? I had literally just murdered and eaten a bunch of men last night. My disguise was intentionally crafted to look like a mysterious, dangerous beauty.
And this woman just called me adorable?!
Before I could react, Kushina walked over and took my hands, beaming. "Look at you! Those eyes, that hair—so pretty! Shisui, where'd you find her?"
Shisui scratched the back of his neck, flustered. "…Uh. Outside the village. She was… in trouble. I thought it best to bring her here."
Minato studied me carefully, but his gaze wasn't sharp—it was… kind. Like he was trying to figure out whether I was lost, not whether I was a criminal.
"You're not from any village, are you?" he asked gently.
I shook my head. "No… I've just been surviving on my own."
Which was true. Just… not in the way they thought.
Minato nodded slowly. "Shisui trusts you. That's enough for me."
My brain stalled.
"That's… it?"
He smiled. "That's it. If one of my most loyal shinobi believes you're worth bringing here, then you are. We'll help you settle in."
Help me… settle in? Did this man just offer free rent in the most fortified city in the world?
Meanwhile, Kushina clapped her hands, excited. "Perfect! You can stay with us! Minato's always busy, and I get bored being home alone. I've always wanted a little sister!"
Before I could even argue, she hugged me tightly, squeezing the air out of my lungs.
Oh no. She was warm. Too warm. Not physically—though, yeah, literally too—but emotionally. It felt… alien.
I froze, not sure how to respond. Demon Queen doesn't do hugs. Demon Queen does murder, intimidation, and occasionally sarcastic monologues.
Shisui, standing off to the side, cleared his throat awkwardly. His eyes flicked between me and Kushina, and… was that jealousy? Or maybe relief? I couldn't tell.
Minato chuckled softly at the scene, already pulling out paperwork. "Then it's settled. From today onward, you'll live with us. Welcome to Konoha."
Kushina finally pulled back from the hug, still grinning. "What's your name, by the way?"
Crap. Name. I hadn't thought that far.
Brain, do your thing.
"…Akari," I blurted. "My name is Akari."
Kushina's smile widened even more. "Pretty name for a pretty girl. Akari-chan, welcome to the family!"
Family.
That word hit me harder than I expected.
Because even though my system window was already reminding me that my next meal was overdue, a tiny, traitorous part of me thought:
Maybe… this isn't so bad.