Chapter 279: She’s Here

Kitahara Kaede spent most of his time in the Hokage Building.

Seven or eight scrolls lay open across the desk before him.

Holding a brush, Kaede crossed several names off the paper and added others in their place.

The Six-Tails Jinchuriki’s accommodations had been settled. The next issue was organizing the defensive barrier.

They needed rules for everything in advance: a three-shift guard roster, the boundaries Kirigakure personnel could move within after entering the village, and every other operational detail.

Kaede broke apart the Konoha and Kirigakure ANBU squads and reorganized them into mixed teams, ensuring the two sides could supervise each other and neither could make secret moves behind the other’s back.

It was tedious work that required careful thought.

If other Ninja Villages eventually joined them, these complications would only multiply.

Kaede turned a page of the scroll and suddenly sighed.

Over the last few days, his mind had repeatedly drifted toward something else.

Tsunade.

He still hadn’t gone to see her.

’Once all of this is handled.’

’I’ll have time then.’

Kaede stood and stretched.

A knock sounded at the door.

An ANBU wearing a cat mask stood outside.

"Kitahara Jonin, Hokage-sama requests your presence at the village gate."

There was urgency in his voice.

Kaede casually asked what had happened.

The ANBU replied that Kirigakure’s delegation had arrived.

Kaede nodded, rolled up the scrolls on his desk, placed them inside a cabinet, and followed the ANBU out.

By the time he reached Konoha’s gate, Minato was already waiting there.

He wore his Hokage cloak and held a freshly prepared reception document.

Minato happened to turn his head as Kaede approached.

"Kirigakure’s joint defense delegation has arrived. They’re earlier than we expected."

Kaede wasn’t surprised.

"One of their senior officials is leading the delegation. Since this concerns the sincerity of our alliance, I came to receive them personally," Minato explained.

Kaede gave a distracted acknowledgment.

Who could Kirigakure have sent?

Genji had only a handful of trusted subordinates. Gonbe was the most likely leader.

Kaede’s mind was occupied with calculating the time.

Exchanging documents, escorting the delegation to their quarters, and explaining several rules would take an hour at most.

He could visit the hospital immediately afterward.

As he considered his schedule, movement appeared on the road outside the village.

Kaede looked over.

A group emerged from the tree-lined road and approached them.

The moment he saw the person leading them, Kaede froze.

She wore a dark Kirigakure combat uniform beneath a cloak signifying her status as an envoy.

Her long reddish-brown hair was tied high and swayed gently as she walked.

A chill seemed to blow across the back of Kaede’s neck.

The plan he had just been calculating—along with every thought of visiting the hospital—shattered completely.

Terumi Mei.

Why was it her?

Understanding struck him instantly.

When he left Kirigakure several days ago, Mei hadn’t asked him anything else.

At the time, he had thought the woman had suddenly changed and become considerate.

Considerate, his ass.

The moment he suggested that Kirigakure could station people in Konoha, she had undoubtedly begun planning this.

Kaede felt the veins in his forehead twitch.

How had he overlooked something so important?

Mei had come to Konoha...

And Tsunade was inside the village.

He remembered the confrontation at the border of Amegakure.

Mei and Pakura had exchanged only a few words before unleashing their strongest techniques at each other.

If Kaede hadn’t forcibly separated them with Wood Release, no one knew how far the battle would have gone.

Pakura’s temperament was at least relatively steady. She understood when she needed to stop.

Tsunade was different.

She was a genuine lioness. If provoked, she might overturn the entire Hokage Building.

And if Mei tried that clingy, coquettish act in front of Tsunade...

Kaede swallowed and felt sweat beginning to form across his back.

Tsunade had only just started awkwardly showing concern for him again.

Their progress was as fragile as thin ice and couldn’t withstand the slightest disturbance.

Yet as he watched Mei draw closer, Kaede couldn’t bring himself to become angry.

She had helped him settle the Six-Tails situation in Kirigakure.

Even knowing that she had come because of him, he couldn’t tell her to leave.

This was going to be difficult.

"Kaede?"

Minato’s voice sounded beside him.

Kaede returned to his senses and discovered that the delegation had already arrived.

Mei stopped several steps away.

She didn’t look at Kaede. Instead, she properly performed the formal salute of an envoy toward Minato.

"Greetings, Hokage-sama."

She raised her head, composed and dignified, radiating the authority of a senior Kirigakure official.

"I am Terumi Mei of Kirigakure. On Elder Genji’s orders, I have led the joint defense delegation to Konoha."

Her delivery was clear and impeccable.

"I have brought documents personally signed by Elder Genji concerning the transfer of Jinchuriki security and the integration of our villages’ intelligence networks. We may begin negotiations at any time."

She accepted a scroll from one of her attendants and presented it with both hands.

Minato received it with a smile and passed Konoha’s document to her in return.

"You’ve worked hard. The journey here must have required considerable effort."

Mei inclined her body slightly and responded with perfect etiquette.

There at the village gate, the two briefly reviewed the scale of the joint defense, the limits of nighttime guard duties, and supply arrangements.

As Minato observed the young woman, he silently nodded in approval.

Her words left no openings, and her presence completely dominated the Kirigakure elites standing behind her.

Genji had chosen well.

The formal negotiation didn’t last long.

As soon as official business ended and Minato prepared to have someone escort the delegation to their quarters, Mei’s gaze shifted.

She looked at Kaede, who had been standing to the side and doing his best to become invisible.

Her dignified and imposing demeanor vanished without a trace.

The corners of her lips lifted, her eyes curved into crescents, and even her voice changed.

"Kaede!"

The call was both sweet and affectionate.

Konoha’s gate instantly became so quiet that a falling needle could have been heard.

Several gate guards stared with their mouths hanging open.

The senior officials who had accompanied Minato exchanged strange looks.

The Kirigakure personnel, however, remained perfectly calm.

They lowered their heads, clearly having heard plenty of rumors inside their own village.

Minato’s eyes moved between Mei and Kaede twice.

He knew Kaede had connections in Kirigakure, and he knew Mei had provided enormous assistance.

But he had never imagined their relationship was like this.

That single call nearly wrote the words "deep affection" across her forehead.

Minato was curious, but his position as Hokage prevented him from asking directly.

Kaede wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and bury himself.

Feeling the gazes coming from every direction, he coughed.

"You must be tired from the journey. Enter the village and rest first."

His voice was dry. He only hoped the woman would restrain herself and stop being so blatant.

Minato was perceptive enough to rescue him.

He tucked the scroll into his sleeve and broke the awkward silence with a smile.

"Your quarters have already been prepared beside the Six-Tails Jinchuriki’s residence."

He turned toward Kaede.

"Several urgent intelligence reports are waiting for me at the Hokage Building. Kaede, take Representative Terumi to the compound and help her become familiar with the area."

Without wasting another word on pleasantries, Minato turned and left with his entourage.

He walked remarkably fast.

Kaede watched him disappear around the corner and cursed inwardly.

’He sure ran away quickly.’

...

Kaede led the way toward the compound.

Mei naturally quickened her pace and walked beside him.

The Kirigakure attendants tactfully remained more than ten steps behind, following from a distance without approaching them.

The streets were lively, crowded with pedestrians.

Mei looked around with great interest.

Konoha lacked Kirigakure’s cold, desolate atmosphere.

The sunlight was pleasant, and even the air carried a sense of stability.

As they passed a corner shop selling dango, she suddenly spoke.

"Konoha has a wonderful environment."

She sounded as though she were making casual conversation, but she turned her face and focused on Kaede’s profile.

"By the way, how has your Lady Tsunade been lately?"

The question came without warning.

Kaede’s stride paused for half a second.

His expression tightened, and he kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"What do you mean, ’my’ Lady Tsunade? Don’t say ridiculous things."

He deliberately lowered his voice, adding a warning edge to his tone.

"This is Konoha, and people are everywhere. What would happen if rumors about Tsunade-sama spread because of your careless words?"

Mei didn’t argue.

She simply watched him in silence.

She noticed the tiny movement with which he avoided her gaze and heard how urgently he tried to deny the matter without daring to sound too harsh.

If Kaede and Tsunade had reconciled, he would never react with this evasive uncertainty.

The more he invoked rules and reputation to silence her, the less confidence he clearly possessed.

They hadn’t made up yet.

The heavy stone in Mei’s heart finally fell away.

She lowered her head to hide the smile she could no longer suppress.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, the group reached the compound in Konoha’s southeastern district.

Kaede led her into a detached building.

He took out Konoha’s duty roster and compared patrol times with Mei.

Then he explained several restricted areas they were forbidden to approach without authorization.

These matters concerned security, so neither of them allowed personal feelings to interfere. It took nearly half an hour to arrange everything properly.

Once their official work was complete, Kaede rolled up the scroll.

"That’s everything. Let your people rest for now. Tomorrow, you can visit the Hokage Building to discuss the specific coordination procedures."

He turned toward the door.

Mei obediently nodded.

Just as Kaede took half a step, her voice drifted from behind him.

"Kaede, where is your house?"

The quiet question caught his leg like a perfectly placed thread.

His foot stopped in midair before returning stiffly to the floor.

Kaede turned around.

He wanted to ask why she needed to know or dismiss her with a random excuse.

But one look at Mei’s smiling eyes told him that neither would work.

If she wanted to find his address in Konoha, she only needed to ask an ANBU.

Kaede sighed, raised his hand, and pointed southwest.

"That way. Cross two streets. It’s the house at the very end of the alley."

Mei followed the direction of his finger.

Her gaze remained there for several seconds, and a light flashed in her eyes.

Then she turned back and smiled at him.

"I’ll remember that."