"Fugaku, how do you see what happened today?"
Standing before Uchiha Fugaku, Sarutobi Hiruzen deliberately avoided mentioning the earlier incident, instead tossing the question straight at him.
The sudden shift caught Fugaku completely off guard.
He'd already prepared himself to apologize, to compensate—
yet now, with that single question, he didn't know how to respond.
"Uh… well…"
"Just a spar between classmates, really."
"And in the end, no one was hurt, right?"
After a moment of thought, Fugaku answered awkwardly.
In his view, since neither child was injured, the matter shouldn't be blown out of proportion.
What Fugaku forgot, however, was—
this wasn't just Sarutobi Hiruzen standing here.
There was also Shimura Danzo, who had always viewed the Uchiha as a thorn in his eye.
Hearing Fugaku try to brush it off so lightly, Danzo let out a cold snort.
"Ninjutsu. Kunai."
"Aimed straight at vital points, if I remember correctly."
"Do you know who that was?"
"That was my grandson."
"What? You think you can just wave this away?"
Danzo's words made it clear—
this wasn't ending easily.
A bitter smile crept onto Fugaku's face as he spoke again.
"Then… what does Danzo-sama suggest we do?"
Danzo didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he turned his gaze toward Aiden, who had been quietly watching the show.
"Aiden."
"You say it."
"What do you want to do?"
Beside him, Sarutobi Hiruzen also smiled warmly at Aiden.
The two elders practically radiated the message:
Don't worry. We've got your back.
Not just Aiden—
even the people around them couldn't help but feel envious.
As for Fugaku, bitterness filled his heart.
The proud head of the Uchiha clan—
reduced to lowering himself before a child the same age as his son.
"Let me think…"
Aiden pondered for a moment.
Then his gaze shifted toward the ANBU member not far away, who was comforting Sasuke.
Uchiha Itachi, huh…
At that thought, Aiden's eyes lit up.
An idea formed instantly.
"I want to change servants."
"Ever since I was little, everyone around me has been a bunch of rough men."
"It really kills the mood."
As he spoke, Aiden looked straight at Fugaku.
Seeing Fugaku tense up, Aiden grinned.
"I heard the Uchiha clan has a girl named Izumi."
"About my age, too."
"How about you let her come be my personal attendant?"
"What do you think, Clan Head Fugaku?"
The moment Aiden finished speaking—
Itachi, who had been tending to Sasuke, stiffened.
His gaze snapped toward Aiden—
then immediately to his father.
Fugaku, however, didn't notice.
Instead, his mind began racing.
Izumi liked Itachi—this much he knew.
But if Izumi were sent to Aiden as a servant…
It would greatly ease the tension between the Uchiha and the Hokage faction.
After all, Aiden was the Third Hokage's grandson and Danzo's grandson.
With that status—
if Izumi earned Aiden's favor, and Aiden put in a good word for the Uchiha…
perhaps the clan's situation could finally change.
The more Fugaku thought about it, the brighter his expression became.
He seemed to glimpse hope—reconciliation between the Uchiha and the village.
As for whether Izumi herself was willing?
That wasn't something Fugaku concerned himself with.
"Hahaha! So that's all it is."
"Young Master Aiden, rest assured!"
"I'll return immediately and inform Izumi to report to the Sarutobi estate."
"Tomorrow—no, tonight! How does that sound?"
Looking at Fugaku's barely restrained eagerness, Aiden didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Still, he nodded.
Fugaku then glanced toward Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo.
The two elders had no objections at all—both were smiling.
Their grandson's request had been satisfied.
There was nothing more to say.
Fugaku promptly took his leave.
He had no idea—
that the moment he agreed so eagerly,
something seemed to quietly disappear from Itachi's heart.
Though the matter had concluded,
what happened at the academy spread through the village once again.
Within the Uchiha clan—
Izumi knelt formally before Fugaku.
The usually stern clan head wore a rare smile.
"Izumi, how is your mother, Yezuki?"
Caught off guard by the sudden summons, Izumi answered honestly.
"Ah? She's doing well, Clan Head."
"That's good."
"There's a mission for you now."
"You should prepare yourself."
Hearing she'd been assigned a mission, Izumi immediately straightened.
But Fugaku's next words froze her in place.
"Pack your belongings and report to the Sarutobi clan."
"From today onward, you'll be Sarutobi Aiden's personal attendant."
Izumi's eyes widened.
Unable to understand, she blurted out—
"But Clan Head… didn't you tell me not to give up on Itachi and—"
"Enough!"
The moment she mentioned Itachi, Fugaku's expression turned cold.
He stared at her sharply.
"Do not harbor fantasies about Itachi."
"Remember this."
"Your most important task now is to report to the Sarutobi clan."
"And don't forget your mother."
Those words struck like a hammer.
Izumi immediately knelt down, bowing her head.
Her heart was full of grievance—
but she understood.
This wasn't something she could refuse.
"I understand, Clan Head."
"I'll go prepare immediately."
Seeing this, Fugaku said nothing more and dismissed her.
Izumi left the clan head's residence with rigid politeness.
At the doorway, she ran straight into the returning Itachi.
She opened her mouth to speak—
only to see Fugaku standing behind him.
And Itachi didn't even look at her.
He walked past her as if she didn't exist.
"…Heh."
Letting out a soft, bitter laugh, Izumi turned and left alone.
As night fell,
a girl in a purple cheongsam stood quietly before the gates of the Sarutobi estate.
"Uchiha Izumi reporting in."
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