Chapter 52

I smirked suggestively, pleased to see the girl blush and shyly look away. "I don't know if all the girls in class regularly gossip and share all sorts of rumors about the local medical genius. Me, that is."

"In any other case — undoubtedly, but I'm not fond of gossiping with older women about potential targets for 'hunting', especially when it comes to enhancing the clan's prosperity," Hitomi replied, trying to maintain her composure, but her blazing red cheeks and ear tips betrayed her completely.

"I hope you're not placing bets on me there?" I joked.

It's clear that the kunoichi is aware of her clan leadership's plans regarding me, and she's trying not to shine a light on the topic, lest she herself end up trying to climb into my bed, transitioning from friends to lovers. Something I'd rather avoid.

"I haven't, and I don't know about others," Hyuga smiled mischievously, playing along with my joke, then grew a bit more serious. "Anyway, you should watch out for Kanade."

"What do you mean?" I didn't understand.

"I don't know about her, but her mother in our clan is quite a famous hunter for wealthy suitors and has brought the clan a lot of money and land from two deceased husbands," the girl warned, "and I doubt she won't try to arrange her daughter next to such a coveted piece like you."

"A hunter? You mean she marries and then conveniently her husbands meet their end?" I hadn't thought they could be guilty of that here too.

"Something like that, but nothing criminal — both died of heart failure in bed," the girl chuckled, "after all, it's hard for an ordinary person to keep up with a shinobi's stamina, especially if he's also of a certain age..."

Damn, now I understand where she picked up her habits from Sensei, and here I was wondering who she consults with if she's still a virgin herself. You can tell right away with enough close contact, and some of Kanade's seduction techniques I couldn't even learn from friends — usually, shinobi and kunoichi suffer from either straightforwardness or excessive shyness on this issue.

"I'll keep that in mind, but I already try to stay away from clan women," I sighed, shaking my head, "especially when they're already looking for a suitable political bride for me."

"So, you're getting married soon?!" the kunoichi gasped.

Did I detect notes of disappointment in her voice?

"Not now, not even in a year," I waved my hand in denial, "only when I turn eighteen, so I still have four years ahead. Besides, the question of the candidate isn't settled yet, and so far there's only a rough list of the most likely brides."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, maybe I'll find a suitable girl for myself before that time," I sighed, not particularly enjoying the raised topic.

Hitomi noticed this and tactfully changed the subject to the affairs of those classmates she had seen and the rumors circulating in the village about frontline combat. In appreciation, I got her another scoop of ice cream. In the end, we just chatted for half an hour and silently agreed not to bring up too sensitive topics. By the time it was two, I caught up with Hitomi at the training ground.

Her team was already gathered, so approaching, I could assess the quite significantly stretched-out guys, whom I remembered as snotty brats barely reaching my chest, and their jonin — a woman well past her second decade and confidently approaching her third. In my estimation, around twenty-eight.

Dressed in standard attire, she didn't stand out much externally, falling under the category of merely slightly attractive, with a good figure but without outstanding feminine charms. For kunoichi, this is usually standard. Of course, you can't judge much with a vest, but she's definitely not Tsunade's size.

There are plenty of them in the crowd, and their eyes don't stand out. Only the whole appearance of a gray mouse was spoiled by a broken nose, an ugly scar above the left eyebrow, left by something blunt (a staff, nunchucks?), judging by the jagged edges, and the piercing gaze of intelligent light-gray eyes.

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