Chapter 70: During the Banquet
Life underground had no day or night. A warm glow, provided by chakra extracted from the deepest parts of the Ryūmyaku, illuminated their world. The ventilation shafts were covered by thick filtration systems. At a set time, patrol guards would turn off the Ryūmyaku-powered lights, and people would go to sleep, one day after another.
In the eyes of the many citizens, this banquet was a carnival of resources. The oppressive underground life drove some to suicide from time to time; only festivals like this could help them shed their fear of the future and plant a flower of hope in their lives.
The dry ground was always covered in a fine layer of dust that could never be fully swept away. Kakashi, Mei Terumi, and Sara, the three highest-ranking individuals in the country, had finished selecting their attire. The two ladies had also touched up their makeup, looking even more stunningly beautiful. In comparison, Kakashi, the only one not yet an adult, appeared somewhat youthful. It might give one the wrong impression that he was a kept man or a gigolo.
The long-overdue bustle had the banquet chefs working at their peak. The aroma of meat and vegetables drifted through the corridors to every commoner and ninja waiting in the great hall. They chatted and boasted amongst themselves. The queen had not yet arrived, but there was already an air of grand festivity.
The banquet was held in the largest assembly square underground, which was now filled with long tables and chairs. At the front, a single high platform awaited the queen, who would ascend it to declare the start of the feast.
"The scale is quite large."
Kakashi remarked that he had never seen such a large banquet, even on the surface. Hardship and suffering always seemed to bind people's hearts closer together.
"There are still over four thousand five hundred people left underground. Including those who were already hiding here, the nearly one thousand people you saved are almost all still alive. There are also newborns among them. They've never seen the sky or been to the surface since birth," Sara explained the recent situation, standing to Kakashi's left, with Mei on his right.
"You'll have to go up with us later."
Before going on stage to speak, Mei was surprisingly no longer angry. If these commoners could increase the chances of Kakashi staying by even a small fraction, it would be for the best.
"I have to go up on that stage?"
"Of course."
"You two go. I'll pass."
Breaking free from their grasp on either side, Kakashi lifted his foot, preparing to blend into the crowd below the stage.
"Oh no, you don't."
Sara and Mei once again seized Kakashi, as if he were a prisoner being led to his execution. What should have been a scene countless men dreamed of instead sent a chill down the silver-haired young man's spine.
'I must have been out of my mind to agree to this banquet.'
After receiving a signal from the banquet's host, Sara was the first to take the stage. She reported on Rōran's recent situation, including the state of the war with Sunagakure, the status of the Ryūmyaku, and the distribution of supplies.
The servers below orderly paused their busy work to listen to the Queen's speech. Over four thousand people were present, and every entrance and exit was guarded by Rōran's strongest soldiers and the Mist Village's elite ninja to ensure no attacks occurred at such a time.
"Lady Mizukage has brought us half a year's worth of supplies. For these six months, we can stay away from famine and dehydration. The Ryūmyaku is showing signs of recovery. In a little while, using the technology we've learned from the Mist Village, we might be able to replicate the Great Rōran Barrier, laying the foundation for our return to the surface."
This was arguably the best news they could have hoped for. The audience below broke into smiles, imagining the scene of returning to the surface. Some even began to cry, having long grown weary of life underground.
"This is all thanks to Lady Mizukage's efforts."
After Sara finished speaking, Mei took the stage, accepting the people's most sincere blessings.
The previous times she had stood here, she had felt nothing. Only today, with Kakashi watching her from behind, did she have the mind to compare herself to her past self. Compared to then, her current growth was undoubtedly something the entire shinobi world would notice. She had indeed fulfilled the expectations Kakashi had for her.
Looking back, she saw he was indeed watching her.
As if no one else existed, she walked off the stage amidst the crowd's blessings, grabbed the fellow who was still trying to sneak away, and linked her arm with his, walking to Sara's side.
Sara simultaneously linked her arm with his other side.
An immense sense of shame enveloped Kakashi's entire body. It was one thing for the people below to cheer for the "Prince Consort," but these two women were now inciting the crowd, telling them how great he was, claiming he had faked his death for years to find a way to liberate Rōran...
Even a play wouldn't be this dramatic.
He wasn't happy at all, not in the slightest. The cheers from the crowd below only made him feel a sense of dissonance. He hadn't done any of these things, and the feeling of having them forced upon him was extremely uncomfortable.
"I didn't do anything. And you weren't saved by me."
Unable to bear it any longer, the silver-haired young man spoke these words to the crowd. But everyone thought he was joking. He was like the protagonist in an absurd play; no matter what he said, no one would believe him.
Except for the two women beside him.
Sara still showed a hint of hesitation, as if wondering if this was the right thing to do, but Mei had already leaned in close to his ear, whispering in a voice only the three of them could hear.
"No one but us knows who you are, and they don't care who you are. They all believe you are their savior."
"Is this your scheme? I don't remember teaching you to be like this."
"Sara and I will pave the way for your return. You can integrate into this world step by step."
"Sara?"
Kakashi looked at the Queen of Rōran to his left. She didn't dare meet his gaze and could only tighten her grip on his arm.
"I declare the banquet to begin!"
No one noticed the Queen's abnormality. The servers continued to bring out platters of delicious food, and below the stage, a band from Rōran began to play music Kakashi had never heard before.
The singer's magnetic voice entranced the crowd, the notes flowing like water into the listeners' hearts.
The chakra hidden within the music was incredibly familiar to Kakashi.
Just as he was about to strike and kill the person casting the sound-based genjutsu on the spot, he was once again restrained by Mei and Sara. This time, the force of their grip was no longer normal.
"It's just a simple sleep-inducing genjutsu. It's not life-threatening."
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
"I'm sorry."
Sara's apology once again sent a wave of alarm through Kakashi's heart, because she wasn't apologizing to him, but to the people below the stage.
In an instant, the Mist shinobi subdued all the Rōran soldiers in the hall.
"Boom!" A violent explosion destroyed one of the pipelines. Sand shinobi poured out from the pipe, surrounding all the citizens of Rōran.
"Sara, you want to kill them?"
He questioned the strong queen who called him "husband" in a serious tone. Kakashi could believe Mei might do such a thing, but Sara...
He sensed that several powerful shinobi had already headed straight for the final Ryūmyaku. It would have been absolutely impossible to bypass the blockade of Sara's soldiers and the Mist shinobi.
A kunai flew towards Mei from behind. Smiling, the charming Mizukage didn't move an inch. It wasn't until Kakashi activated his physical conditioning, freed his hand, and knocked the kunai away that he realized she had used some method to suppress her own chakra to the bare minimum required to sustain life.
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