After a rather deep exchange, Shizune returned to her desk and continued with today's work.
Aoba also sat in the Hokage's seat and started going through the work reports from the past two days.
Being Hokage was actually pretty relaxing.
While he was reading the reports, Shizune suddenly seemed to remember something and asked,
"By the way, about that commission this time, what ended up happening with that miko?"
"Uh… of course it was completed perfectly."
Aoba answered vaguely.
Shizune didn't buy it and immediately rolled her eyes at him, "I know the commission was completed perfectly. I'm asking about that miko's current situation."
"Ahem! Her condition is also very good. Eating well, drinking well, full of energy."
"..."
'Great,' Shizune already knew what that meant.
But she had just been satisfied and was in that clear-headed state afterward, so after glaring at him once, she didn't press further.
She just felt like doing it once in the office every day was almost becoming a habit.
'This guy really fit that saying now. When there's work, the secretary does it. When there's no work, do the secretary.'
'What a fallen Hokage.'
Shizune muttered complaints about Aoba in her heart.
Aoba saw right through her at a glance and deliberately put on a serious face.
"Shizune-nee, are you secretly scolding me in your heart?"
"So what if I am?"
Shizune wasn't afraid at all.
"As the Hokage's secretary, you dare to scold the Hokage? Looks like your Will of Fire isn't firm enough, Shizune-nee," Aoba looked stern.
"..."
Shizune had long since become someone who caught on instantly. How could she not understand what he was hinting at?
But if she accepted another so-called baptism of the Will of Fire right now, she probably wouldn't be able to focus on work for the rest of the day.
"Speaking of which, after resting and recovering for so long, is your plan to unify the ninja world about to begin?", Shizune changed the subject.
Seeing her back down, the serious look on Aoba's face immediately turned into suppressed laughter.
Shizune shot him a resentful glare.
Only then did Aoba rein himself in a little and nod.
"Yeah, it's about time. In a few days I'll have Mei-nee and the others come to Konoha for a Five Kage Summit."
Although the other four great ninja villages now followed Konoha's lead, aside from the rebuilt Kumogakure, they were still independent and not truly unified.
This Five Kage Summit would also be the final one.
After it ended, the other four villages would no longer exist as independent entities, but become part of Konoha. That would count as complete unification.
And after that, the four great nations would be the next piece of meat on the chopping board.
"Do we need to prepare the venue in advance?", Shizune asked again.
"Well…", Aoba thought for a moment.
"As for the venue, I'll arrange it myself."
With Mei Terumi and Kurotsuchi's personalities, if he just said it outright, they would definitely have a bit of an attitude. When that happened.
"Why do I feel like you're thinking about something not very proper?"
Shizune stared at Aoba suspiciously. She had a feeling this Five Kage Summit might turn out rather absurd.
After all, aside from the Kazekage of Sunagakure, Gaara, the other three… those who knew, knew.
"Shizune-nee, are you questioning the Hokage again?", Aoba put on a straight face.
"..."
Shizune glared at him again and muttered softly, "When it's night, I'll have Lady Tsunade clamp you off!"
"Ahem!"
Aoba was completely caught off guard by Shizune's bold words and immediately coughed dryly.
He hadn't expected something like that to come from her mouth.
Sure enough, Shizune's face was a little red too.
With her strength alone, she could only assist. If anything was getting clamped, Lady Tsunade would have to take the lead while she provided support.
Aoba looked at her with amusement. He had been about to say she could use other methods instead, but there was suddenly a knock at the door.
He had no choice but to drop it.
"Come in!"
The office door opened.
Two people walked in.
"Konan-nee… hmm?"
One of them was Konan, and the other surprised Aoba a little.
"I remember your name is Ajisai, right?"
Looking at the short purple hair, Aoba almost forgot this person existed.
"Hokage-sama."
Ajisai immediately bowed slightly to Aoba, looking somewhat nervous.
Aoba didn't have a deep impression of her, but she remembered him clearly.
Back in Amegakure, she had even challenged him, wanting to take back the Angel-sama, but the result had naturally been complete defeat.
After that, she devoted herself to training.
And then… Amegakure announced that it had become a vassal of Konoha.
Aoba didn't care about her overconfident challenge back then. He just asked curiously,
"You're a ninja of Amegakure. Why did you come to Konoha?"
"I… I want to see for myself the path to peace that Angel-sama once spoke of!"
Ajisai's originally nervous expression suddenly turned serious.
Ever since Amegakure became a vassal of Konoha, in nearly a year's time, Amegakure and even the Land of Rain had undergone tremendous changes.
First, quite a few people from Konoha arrived, along with several construction teams.
Factories were built in Amegakure, recruiting workers. Many people who couldn't become ninja and had been so poor they wandered the streets now had jobs.
Later, many merchants from Konoha came as well. They brought goods from the outside world and also provided channels to sell Amegakure's specialties like rain berries and river crabs.
Many people's incomes increased.
Although the endless rain in the Land of Rain hadn't stopped, the overall lives of its civilians were steadily improving.
Ajisai knew these changes were because of Konoha.
She also understood what kind of true path to peace Angel-sama had spoken about back then.
So she wanted to follow Konan and see it with her own eyes.
After making full preparations, Ajisai left Amegakure.
Of course, she had applied to Nagato. Leaving the village privately to go to another ninja village could count as becoming a rogue ninja.
When Nagato learned she wanted to find Konan, he didn't object.
But Ajisai was still a little nervous. After all, she was from Amegakure. Most villages wouldn't easily accept ninja from other villages, since there was always the possibility of spies.
"Well…", Aoba felt that what she said was a bit too abstract.
'You want to see the path to peace. But how exactly are you planning to see it?'
He looked toward Konan, who was currently staring at Shizune.
He understood she probably guessed what he and Shizune had just been doing in the office, so he coughed lightly.
"Konan-nee, what do you think?"
"..."
Konan withdrew her gaze, her cool face revealing no particular expression.
Right now she didn't feel much like looking.
She felt a bit more like sucking.
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