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Returning home, Hinata didn't take a moment to rest. She changed into her combat attire and began her rigorous daily training.
Hiashi Hyuga sat quietly in the courtyard, brewing tea.
"Clan leader, Lady Hinata encountered Uchiha Kazuki on her way back. It seems he spoke to her about something," reported a guard, tasked with secretly protecting Hinata.
Ever since the incident where a ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village infiltrated the Hyuga clan to kidnap Hinata, Hiashi had assigned guards to protect her in secret. This measure had the full support of the clan elders.
Hiashi was deeply concerned about his daughter's safety, while the elders were more concerned about the Byakugan she possessed.
Unlike other children who could play freely after school, as the heiress of the Hyuga main family, Hinata had no such freedom. She was expected to dutifully focus on her training.
By the time her training ended, Hinata's clothes were soaked with sweat.
Though she was shy, timid, and severely lacking in self-confidence, she always completed the training tasks Hiashi assigned to her, no matter how difficult or exhausting they were.
Unfortunately, despite her hard work, her skills hadn't improved significantly, and she couldn't measure up to the prodigy of the branch family, Neji Hyuga.
Hiashi's hand, holding the teapot, paused briefly as he reflected on the recent announcement from the Hokage's office: Kazuki had been appointed as a Hokage advisor.
Although the position didn't carry as much authority as that of an assistant to the Hokage, both roles shared a key similarity—deep trust from the Hokage.
Hiashi recalled the day Kazuki had mediated a dispute between the Uchiha and Shimura clans.
"I understand. Send an invitation to Kazuki, inviting him to the Bamboo Fragrance Teahouse tomorrow," Hiashi instructed calmly.
"Yes, clan leader," the guard replied respectfully before retreating.
After finishing her training, Hinata, still wearing her sweat-soaked clothes, immediately came to greet Hiashi, kneeling on a mat and bowing respectfully.
"Father," she said softly.
Sitting upright, Hinata kept her back straight, but her gaze wavered, unable to meet her father's eyes.
Pouring a cup of tea and taking a sip, Hiashi asked flatly, "You encountered Kazuki on your way home from school today?"
Oh no! Father knows!
Unaware of the guards watching over her, Hinata's already flushed face, reddened from training, turned pale at her father's words.
"Yes... yes, Father," she stammered nervously.
"Did you forget the agreement you made with him?" Hiashi asked, his tone sharp.
He wasn't particularly concerned about the encounter itself; what mattered to him was how his daughter handled it.
And, as always, her performance was a disappointment. She hadn't even summoned the courage to greet Kazuki directly. Now, faced with her father's questioning, she stuttered even more.
"Your behavior is very disappointing," Hiashi said bluntly.
"I'm sorry, Father," Hinata replied, her large, teary eyes brimming with sadness. However, she held back her tears, too afraid to let them fall. She could only bow deeply in apology.
"That's enough. Go wash up and rest," Hiashi said dismissively.
If this had been the first or second time, Hiashi might have patiently guided her. But his repeated hopes for Hinata were met time and again with disappointment.
To an outsider, Hiashi might appear cold and unfeeling. But in truth, he was far more responsible than someone like Fugaku Uchiha, at least from a fatherly perspective.
If Hiashi were truly indifferent, Hinata's fate would have been grim the moment he decided to focus on training Hanabi instead.
Yet Hinata remained the Hyuga heiress, living her life without bearing the mark of the Caged Bird Seal.
Some might argue this was thanks to Naruto, but their relationship wasn't confirmed until the story's very conclusion. By that point, it was highly unlikely the Hyuga elders and main family would have waited patiently.
The reality was that Hiashi's efforts were the reason behind Hinata's freedom. If he truly didn't care about her, Hinata's fate would have been much harsher, let alone allowing her to pursue her own love.
As a member of the Hyuga clan, such matters as marriage were rarely left to personal choice.
In Konoha, the Hyuga clan was second to none when it came to arranged marriages.
Heartbroken after failing to meet her father's expectations again, Hinata left sadly.
After washing up, she skipped dinner and hid under her blanket, quietly crying herself to sleep, too afraid to let anyone hear her sobs.
"Sigh~~~~"
Knowing his daughter's reaction, Hiashi felt a deep headache.
If he could, he would have loved to tell Hinata about his true feelings and shower her with enough fatherly love.
But he couldn't do that. He was the head of the Hyuga clan, the pillar of the entire family.
He had to hold himself to strict standards and, at the same time, apply the same strict standards to his children.
---
Early the next morning, as soon as he got the notification, Kazuki arrived at the Hokage's office building.
Pushing the door open and stepping inside, he noticed Shizune, who was sorting through some documents. She gave Kazuki a quick wink, silently warning him.
'The Hokage isn't in the best mood. Be careful with your words so you don't make her angrier.'
Although Tsunade wouldn't use Kazuki as a punching bag, avoiding unnecessary conflict was still the wisest course.
"What's the matter? Why so upset first thing in the morning?"
'What do you think?'
Hearing this opening remark, Tsunade nearly laughed out of sheer frustration. She rolled her eyes at him, clenched her rock-hard fist, and growled through gritted teeth.
"These people! They just can't sit still, can they? Always causing trouble for me!"
"Even meddling in the selection of teachers for the Ninja Academy!"
"The advisory elders?"
With just two sentences, Kazuki quickly pieced together the situation.
"Who else could it be? Who else would have the audacity?"
Tsunade snapped back with exasperation:
"They're so restless, even after everything with the external assignments isn't settled yet. Now they've started scheming again."
Although the Ninja Academy's expansion plan hadn't yet been implemented, the selection of teachers was already underway.
The main focus was on recruiting individuals who had made significant contributions to the village but had become disabled in the process.
Most importantly, the village prioritized selecting candidates from among civilian ninjas.
However, upon hearing about this, certain clans immediately expressed their dissatisfaction.
Civilian ninjas may have bled and sacrificed for the village, but hadn't clan ninjas done the same?
They argued that there shouldn't be any discrimination.
Clan ninjas should also have the opportunity to participate in the selection process to make it fair.
"Have their clans become so poor that they can't even support a few disabled members anymore?"
For ninjas who had been disabled due to service to the village, the village offered various forms of support, such as regular financial assistance, to ensure they could survive.
Clan ninjas were usually better off than civilian ninjas because, in addition to the village's compensation, their clans often provided extra support to ensure they lived comfortably.
Most clans followed this practice, including the Uchiha.
If clan ninjas had their clans to rely on, then what about civilian ninjas?