Hearing Hanaki mention marrying his sister to him, Hattori immediately spit out a mouthful of water in his face, coughing uncontrollably.
"Cough, cough... Sorry, Hanaki, I just have a lot of saliva, don't mind me. Did I hear you say you wanted to marry your sister to me?"
"No, I've changed my mind now!"
Wiping the saliva off his face, Hanaki's mouth twitched.
"I'm afraid if my sister marries you, she'll drown in your spit!"
Hattori: "(ω`)"
"Drown? Do you think I'm a waterfall or something?" But he felt a bit relieved that Hanaki had changed his mind.
After all, he had already decided that he would only marry Pakura in the future.
As for other women, he would strictly follow his "Three No" policy:
No Initiating! No Rejecting! No Responsibility!
Passing through a field of flowers without being touched, he was determined to be the number one scoundrel in the ninja world!
He would have all the women take his hidden poison, be utterly conquered, and then leave in heartbreak and tears.
What a sin!
Thinking of this, Hattori couldn't help but show a faint look of resignation as he closed his eyes and began to sing passionately.
"Finally found a way to settle this victory and defeat, the cost of winning is your shattered pieces.
On the outside, you look healthy, but your heart is scarred, ending up a prisoner in this battle... Just like that, I conquer you, making you cry in the corner…"
Hanaki: "╭(°A°`)╮"
Here he goes again?
Watching Hattori sing out of nowhere, Hanaki's mouth twitched before leaving the room with the reborn puppet [Mist Ghost] he had just acquired.
On his way out, he pulled Hana, the little girl hiding in the corner listening, and took her away, leaving two servants to attend to Hattori's needs.
When Hattori finished singing, he realized he was alone in the room.
"Huh… Where did Hanaki go?"
Scratching his head with a hint of confusion on his face, he mumbled, "Didn't he ask me to protect him? Where did he go?"
Just as he wondered about this, a servant came in with a tray of food, bowing respectfully as he spoke.
"Lord Hattori, here is your lunch. His Highness asked me to inform you that now that he has Mist Ghost's protection, you can rest easy."
"Mist Ghost?"
Hearing the servant refer to Mist Ghost, Hattori chuckled and waved him off.
"All right, I get it. You may leave."
"Yes!"
The servant left after responding, and Hattori began his meal.
He ate carefully, savoring each bite. Since coming to the ninja world, he had developed this habit.
On most days, his meals consisted only of military rations, so having a hot meal was a rare treat.
So, he cherished it.
Even though he had left Sand Village and was now in the capital of the Land of Wind, where he wouldn't need to live rough anymore, he refused to forget his past.
Living in the moment is important, but remembering hardships and joys is too.
Half an hour later, Hattori put down his chopsticks and brought the tray to the door, thanking the servant.
"Thank you for the hospitality!"
"No, no…"
The servant bowed quickly.
"It's His Highness who hosted you. We are mere servants. You're too courteous, my lord. Please, rest well. We'll take our leave now!"
After that, the two servants hurriedly left.
Watching them, Hattori shook his head helplessly, walked to the pond in the courtyard, and sat down, dipping his feet in the water.
Feeling the coolness at his feet, he closed his eyes and let a look of comfort cross his face.
"Does it feel good?"
A soft voice suddenly sounded in his ear. He didn't have to open his eyes to know who it was, so he just nodded slightly.
"Mm, it's nice."
He opened his eyes and smiled gently at the little girl beside him, Hana.
"Want to try?"
"Mm!"
Hana nodded enthusiastically, taking off her shoes and mimicking Hattori, sitting by the pond and dipping her feet into the water.
"Wow!" She exclaimed in surprise, looking at Hattori in astonishment. "It really feels nice!"
"Haha."
Seeing the little girl's reaction, Hattori chuckled, then looked up at the sky with a distant gaze.
At that moment, Hana voice sounded in his ear again.
"Are you thinking about your mother?"
"Hm?" Hattori raised his eyebrows. "Why do you say that?"
"Because when I think about my mom, I look at the sky like that."
She looked up at the sky, a hint of nostalgia crossing her face.
"I can't really remember what she looks like anymore, but when I look at the sky, it feels like I can. Maybe she's watching me from up there too?"
"Maybe."
Hattori sighed, pulled his feet from the water, and started putting his shoes back on.
Seeing this, Hana asked in surprise, "Where are you going?"
"To catch some little mice!"
While putting on his shoes, Hattori explained, "You stay here. Don't wander off; I'll be back soon!"
With that, he used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared with a "whoosh."
Seeing this, Hana tilted her head in confusion.
"Little mice?"
Little did she know, the "mice" Hattori referred to were actually several ninjas who had climbed over the wall!
They had been stealthy, disguising themselves as servants, and even the guards hadn't noticed.
But to Hattori, who had covered the entire mansion with his sensory perception, their movements were as obvious as lanterns in the night.
So, before they could act, Hattori caught them one by one and sealed off their chakra.
Then the rest was simple—he tied them up with rope and handed them over to the guards.
How they would be dealt with was none of his concern.
Hattori thought that would be the end of it, but he hadn't anticipated that over the next several hours, wave after wave of intruders would appear, annoying him to no end.
Finally, he stopped bothering to catch them and instead summoned four water-iron cannon puppets to guard each side of the mansion.
Anyone who climbed over the wall—was killed!
With that order in place, Hattori could finally relax.
Not only did he sleep well that night, but he also stayed in his little courtyard for the next week.
Every day, he either ate, slept, or chatted with Hana, listening to her little stories.
One morning, as usual, Hana went to Hattori's courtyard, ready to share her latest adventure.
But to her surprise, Hattori was nowhere in sight—not even in the house.
Eventually, she found a note held down by a stone near the pond, with a few crooked words scrawled on it:
"Thanks for the hospitality. Until we meet again."
"Wah…"
Seeing the words, the girl's tears streamed down her face as she ran off clutching the note.
Watching this from the rooftop, Hattori sighed deeply.
"Alas, I've made yet another girl cry because of me. Truly sinful, right, Monkey Brother?"
"Pig, you're being naughty again!"
Hattori: "(ω`)"
*(End of Chapter)*