He then turned his gaze to Torifu. "You must be the honored guest who came all the way from the Hidden Leaf. Thank you for coming all this way to help the Land of Whirlpools get out of this difficult situation."
"I thank you on behalf of the entire Uzumaki clan."
Torifu nodded to the Second Prince. "You're too kind, Your Highness. The Hidden Leaf and the Land of Whirlpools are strong allies, so we naturally had to come and help."
The Second Prince smiled slightly, then took a seat opposite Torifu. The First Prince ordered a maid to serve the Second Prince and then began talking to his brother.
"I heard you've been a little under the weather these past few days, second brother. You need to rest up and make sure you don't miss the meeting three days from now."
The Second Prince nodded. "It's just a minor illness. I'm almost better, so I won't miss it."
"But, older brother, you're calling a meeting so soon. I'm afraid the other brothers might still hold grudges and be unwilling to attend."
The First Prince sighed helplessly. "I have no choice. I have to make it clear that we had nothing to do with Father's disappearance! We brothers must work together during this time, not be at odds like we are now."
Torifu just listened the whole time without saying much. After all, this was a private family matter between the two brothers. How they acted and what they said at the meeting was none of his business. His goal was to gather more information and find Uzumaki Ashina.
"Torifu-dono, I apologize. I was so caught up talking with my brother that I neglected you. I'll drink a cup as a penalty." He then raised the cup on the table and drank it in one gulp.
Torifu waved his hand. "No need. I understand how you feel right now, Your Highness. When there's conflict between brothers, it's natural to want to clear the air."
The First Prince smiled and asked with a hint of curiosity, "Based on what you're saying, Torifu-dono, you have brothers as well?"
"I have two. They're both pretty easy to get along with."
The First Prince looked envious. "If we hadn't been born into a family like this, I'm sure we would have lived happily together as well. But alas, this is our fate."
The Second Prince also looked helpless.
"Let's not talk about that anymore. Torifu-dono, did you get a chance to walk around the streets today? The Land of Whirlpools has a lot of things. Some of our local products are never exported, and you probably won't find them in the Hidden Leaf Village."
Torifu took a small sip of his wine. "I went out for a little bit, but I didn't want to attract too much attention. There were indeed a lot of things I had never seen before, but they were mostly food. I'm not that into it."
"I see. That's a shame. The Land of Whirlpools doesn't have very developed industries. We mostly rely on importing and exporting agricultural products."
The Second Prince then interjected. "Older brother is right. Speaking of the various electrical devices invented in the Hidden Leaf Village, they have greatly improved the lives of the people in the Land of Whirlpools. Almost every household has them now."
"That person named Amado is really something."
Torifu remained calm and took a few bites of his food. "He is indeed. Amado is very popular in the village. I've always wanted to meet him, but he's too busy."
When the Second Prince heard Torifu's words, a flash of keenness appeared in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant. "Oh? Even a ninja like you can't meet Amado?"
Torifu waved his hand. "I'm just a normal elite Jōnin. I don't have much influence in the village."
The Second Prince's expression immediately became flustered. "I apologize, Torifu-dono. I didn't mean to offend you."
"It's fine, it's fine."
Torifu felt uncomfortable talking to this Second Prince, as if he had been caught in a lie. The Second Prince had never been to the Hidden Leaf Village, so he shouldn't have known about Torifu's situation. Even if Torifu was famous in the Hidden Leaf, his reputation wouldn't have spread all the way overseas.
"Torifu-dono, you're too kind. My brother here is just very interested in the outside world. Amado is very popular right now, and he wanted to use your connection to meet him."
Torifu couldn't help but smile. "I'm sorry to have disappointed you, Your Highness the Second Prince. My status and position are indeed lower than Amado's."
The Second Prince's expression was a little regretful, but he forced a smile. "It's not your fault, Torifu-dono. It's my problem. I'll drink a cup as a penalty." He then raised his cup and drank it in one gulp.
Torifu felt a little speechless at this point. Why did everyone here drink a penalty cup at the drop of a hat? It made Torifu feel a little awkward, so he couldn't help but drink one himself.
After a while, the conversation between the three of them became more relaxed and was no longer limited to the affairs of the Land of Whirlpools. They began talking about everything, from poetry to philosophy. Perhaps they had had a little too much to drink from all the penalty cups, but the two princes dropped their formalities from earlier. They were just like the friendly big brothers next door. However, Torifu didn't confide in them. Although he continued to clink glasses and chat with them on the surface, he was secretly observing their faces, movements, and expressions.
During the conversation, Torifu would occasionally feel a pair of eyes on him. The gaze seemed to be filled with anger, but every time Torifu looked up to find the source, the gaze would instantly disappear. This made Torifu feel very uncomfortable. Besides the three of them, there was also the Second Prince's bodyguard and the hidden Uzumaki ninja in the banquet hall. It was hard for Torifu to tell whose gaze it was, and he couldn't even pinpoint the direction.
"Torifu-dono, how was the meal today?"
Torifu gently placed his chopsticks on the plate. "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness. It was very rich, and I enjoyed it a lot."
"Hahaha, I'm glad you liked it. If you want to eat more, just tell a maid at any time."
Torifu nodded.
The three of them chatted for a bit longer, but it was getting very late. It was time to rest.
"It's been a very enjoyable chat with you today, Torifu-dono, but you must be tired from your long journey here. I won't disturb your rest anymore."
The Second Prince stood up and bowed to Torifu. "Take care, Torifu-dono. My older brother and I still have some state affairs to discuss, so we won't be able to see you off."
Torifu waved his hand. "Of course. No need." He then stood up and left the main hall.
When he got to the door, he saw Rain standing there with his head down, not saying a word. Torifu was curious and took another look at him, but Rain suddenly looked up and smiled. "Torifu-dono, please be careful. It's dark out."
This startled Torifu and made him feel a little awkward. He could only scratch his head and pretend he didn't hear him, then walked toward his residence. But at an angle that no one else could see, Torifu turned his head and looked at Rain, who was standing at the door. He noticed that Rain's posture, movement, and expression were the same as before, completely unchanged.