"Sure enough, boys are more fun. So, little Hakushi, I'll leave tonight to you."
Miyako smiled with a suggestive look in her eyes.
Leave what to me? Tonight I'm the one down below. Hakushi grumbled inwardly.
And kids aren't meant to be played with.
"By the way, Auntie and Ayane, why are you two here together?"
Hakushi asked about this topic.
"We are discussing what we should prepare for the festival that's coming soon."
Ayane replied.
For lively events like festivals, women always put in a lot of enthusiasm.
"Is that so? Well, take your time chatting, don't mind me, I'll go upstairs and rest for a bit."
Hakushi wasn't very interested in women's conversations, and who knows what kind of things these people might stir up. He was dead tired and just wanted to rest well.
Leaving the three women to discuss the festival in the living room, Hakushi returned to his room alone and fell asleep.
Although a ninja's energy is indeed more abundant than that of ordinary people, after so many days of high-intensity work, no matter how energetic one is, they would feel mentally exhausted.
He fell asleep groggily, and when he woke up, he suddenly felt a bit thirsty and had a slight blockage in his nose.
Outside, it was already bright, clearly the next morning.
The wind blew with a woosh, and even though just the sound made it feel cold, it gave a sense of the New Year atmosphere.
"Are you feeling unwell?"
Ruri, who was sleeping beside him, opened her eyes, seeming to realize that Hakushi's condition was a bit off.
"Yeah, I seem to have a slight cold."
Hakushi covered his head and said with some helplessness.
"You keep saying one should take care of their body when going out, and yet you are a medical ninja yourself."
Ruri sat up from the bed, then got out of bed, went outside to pour a cup of hot water, and looked for cold medicine, placing it on the bedside cabinet next to Hakushi.
"Sorry for troubling you."
Hakushi took the medicine and put it in his mouth, then took a sip of hot water.
"Are you going to work today?"
"No, I want to rest at home for a while; it's okay if the work over there is delayed for a day or two."
"Really, I was planning to have you come with us for a walk today."
Ruri seemed a bit troubled.
"Anyway, it's not the New Year's festival yet; I'll take care of my body in the next few days. As long as you all have fun, it's fine."
Hakushi felt a bit dizzy; if he had known this earlier, he would have packed more things for the patrol and not traveled light.
After taking the cold medicine, Hakushi lay back down, not wanting to move.
Seeing Hakushi in this state, Ruri also felt he was indeed not fit to go out, and considering his usual exhausting work, as well as the arduous nights at home, she decided to give him a few days off.
After dressing, Ruri did a simple wash-up and went out.
With a shadow dancer around, she didn't have to worry about Hakushi being unattended.
Outside, her mother Miyako and Ayane, who could be called her arch-rival, were already waiting.
"How strange, why hasn't Hakushi come out?"
Ayane tilted her head, feeling puzzled.
"He caught a cold and will be resting at home today."
Ruri replied.
"That's really unfortunate. Indeed, Hakushi's constitution has noticeably weakened compared to before."
Ayane rubbed her chin, commenting in a very professional tone.
"Maybe he's been exhausted at night. Even though they aren't married yet, they're like newlyweds hopelessly in love. Little Ruri needs to be a bit more restrained in that aspect. But it's like when I was young; dad worked very hard back then to bring little Ruri into the world."
Miyako said with a chuckle.
"What nonsense are you saying! Is that something a mother should say?"
Ruri was a bit embarrassed and annoyed.
It seemed like the matter of Hakushi catching a cold was related to her excessive demands.
No, her demands were just a normal physiological need for humans living in this world; she merely asked for a little more than a normal person.
"Let's not talk about meaningless topics. I pushed back my training time to agree to come out to unwind."
Ruri took a heavy breath, ending the topic.
"Oh yes, little Ruri is cute in this aspect. Let's leave it at that. After all, the festival in the Land of Demons is very lively; we should prepare well."
"Auntie Miyako has lived here for many years and has certainly attended many festivals. How does it compare to Konoha?"
Ayane asked curiously.
"Konoha? I rarely return there during New Year. In recent years, I've only occasionally visited, and that's through secret channels… how to put it, each has its own merits. However, the Land of Demons stands out more in terms of regional customs and culture."
Miyako, who has lived in the Land of Demons for many years, was very familiar with most things here.
With customs and culture different from Konoha and the Land of Fire, people from various countries gathered here find it quite novel.
If you must compare, then it's probably the difference in beliefs.
As Miyako knows, the Land of Fire believes in monks, that is, the 'Buddha' traits of the Temple of Fire. Unlike the Land of Fire, Konoha Village believes in the Will of Fire. However, the Will of Fire has too short a birth time, making it naturally unable to compare with the land of demons' deeply rooted witch culture in terms of belief and cultural cohesion.
Afterward, the three of them strolled through the shopping street in Shion City.
Because of their overly sensitive identities, Ruri and Ayane's clothes held no family insignia and their faces were covered with masks.