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Tsunade's little thoughts—you could guess them even if you used your knee to think.
But going out to play? Tsunade's general idea was probably to wander around.
As for specifics, Kazuki wasn't too clear.
Tsunade didn't say, and he wouldn't ask proactively.
"She'll probably return after playing for a while. Tomorrow, issue an announcement to stop anyone from gossiping."
The Hokage's seat wasn't an easy one. Even if no one dared to say it openly, at least privately, people would discuss it.
So, an announcement was necessary to prevent anyone from thinking Uchiha Kazuki coveted the position.
"....."
Lady Hokage is really bold, just running off like that without giving anyone time to prepare!
Thankfully she at least knew to leave a note at Kazuki's place!
Otherwise, no one would know if she was truly missing or had just run away from home.
Tsunade's actions were essentially no different from running away from home.
The leader of a village directly fleeing—if this blew up, it was no joke!
Just look at Sunagakure next door. The Third Kazekage's disappearance directly triggered the Third Great Shinobi War.
That's why Homura and Shikaku had been so anxious.
"Izumi, you go back and rest first. I'll handle the remaining tasks."
Kazuki couldn't work overtime indefinitely, even if tasks remained unfinished.
He wasn't the Hokage; why work himself to death? Doing a decent amount was enough.
But handling more was better.
Letting things drag on too long wasn't good either.
As time grew late, Kazuki knew he'd have to sleep in the Hokage's administrative building today, so he told Izumi to rest first.
"Sir, I..."
Izumi didn't move. She stood in the Hokage's office, head lowered, her face slightly flushed, her small hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.
"?"
Kazuki looked up.
"What's wrong? Is there something else? Wait, why is your face red?"
"I..."
Izumi's originally flushed face turned completely crimson. Gritting her teeth, she mustered her courage.
"Sir, I don't want to go back. I want to stay with you."
"....."
This "stay with you"... is it serious?
Is it platonic or... not?
Does it involve certain... colors?
Kazuki wasn't blind, nor was he an idiot.
He quickly realized what Izumi wanted!
This girl seems to have reached her limit.
Something's off with you!
Is this how you test Lord Advisor?
Kazuki didn't speak. Izumi waited expectantly, feeling she'd be disappointed once again. Kazuki seemed to truly have no intention of...
"Sir?!"
Izumi suddenly exclaimed because she noticed the lights in the Hokage's office had gone out.
Moreover, she was lifted into the air. Before she could react, she was already outside the Hokage's administrative building.
Does this even require consideration?
Kazuki decisively turned off the lights, picked Izumi up, jumped out the window, and headed home to sleep.
As for those mountainous piles of documents—they could wait.
No one was going to make him stay and work overtime.
"Was that Lord Advisor just now?"
An Anbu guard at the Hokage's building looked back at his companion.
The companion replied casually, "Probably. Lord Advisor likely went home to rest."
"Then we..."
"You want to go guard Lord Advisor's house?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
Kazuki disliked Anbu personnel coming to his house to stand guard, something the Anbu all knew.
Even for routine duties, they stayed at a distance. Unless something happened, they couldn't approach.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing?
Izumi, who had finally mustered her resolve, thought she'd be harshly rejected.
After all, she'd been rejected quite a few times before. Though she felt disappointed, she'd prepared herself for rejection again. Who would have thought...
Before she could react, she was already lying in Kazuki's house.
And then...
Did I... give myself away a bit too... haphazardly?
Women sometimes felt a bit conflicted about such matters.
Men, on the other hand, were more direct. Either they didn't partake, or once they decided to, they'd have their fill.
Or, as they say, "deal with it later."
The next day, the Advisor's secretary played hooky, staying home to sleep in.
Kazuki's office became Shikaku's temporary workspace.
Kazuki knocked on the office door and entered before Shikaku could respond.
"Lord Advisor?"
Seeing it was Kazuki, Shikaku quickly stood up.
Kazuki gestured for him to sit, no need for formalities, then handed him the document in his hand.
"This is the announcement I've prepared. Make the arrangements and issue it publicly to stop people from gossiping privately. As for the rest, we'll address it later. Perhaps Tsunade will return soon."
Even if he just sat in the Hokage's office, no one would dare say anything.
But Kazuki didn't want people whispering behind his back. If not caught, fine.
If caught, handling it strictly might seem excessive.
Not handling it would be irritating.
Better to issue an announcement first. If, after the announcement, people still gossiped, then he wouldn't hold back.
"Will this really work?"
Kazuki's intention was simple: issue an announcement stating the Hokage was away on a special mission. How many believed it wasn't the point; the point was having an official explanation.
After all, some things couldn't be hidden forever.
"Do you have a better idea?"
Kazuki spread his hands, asking in return.
"Uh... no."
There were already enough troubles. Shikaku didn't want to create more for himself.
Since Kazuki had decided, he'd have the announcement issued.
No need to complicate this matter.
If it truly couldn't be concealed later, they'd think of other methods. Maybe Lady Hokage would return soon.
Even if the Hokage played hooky or ran away from home, she couldn't just go wild outside indefinitely, right?
"Then I'll leave this to you. Izumi isn't feeling well today; she's taking a sick day at home."
Offering this explanation, Kazuki turned and left. He had plenty of work on his end too; not much time to linger here.
The situation at the front-line camp had stabilized; no need for him to go back.
Unless war broke out, Kazuki could stay in the village overseeing things, gradually handling official duties.
In short, overtime was out of the question.
That evening, Kazuki decisively left.
There was a lovely lady waiting for him at home. Who the hell wanted to work overtime?
"Lord Shikaku, Lord Advisor has already returned."
When Shikaku wanted to find Kazuki, Anbu personnel informed him that Kazuki had already gone home to rest.
"Huh? So early?"