The pension for Jianchi amounted to a hefty 500,000 ryo, all in large denomination bills.
For a poor country like the Land of Rain, this was already a considerable fortune—especially since it was acquired so easily.
Aburame Shigeo was very pleased. As he tucked the money into his pocket, he decided that he would visit Jianchi's grave occasionally to clean it and leave flowers.
After all, he wasn't the type to forget his benefactors.
Glancing outside at the drizzling rain, Aburame Shigeo turned around, locked the door to his new house, and bought an umbrella from a nearby shop.
He now lived as an ordinary civilian rather than a ninja, so he had to be mindful of his behavior.
After crossing a few streets with his umbrella, he arrived at a modest inn.
Standing at the inn's entrance was Konan, who brightened upon seeing him and ran over happily.
"Master... are you okay?"
"Haha, what could happen to me?"
Aburame Shigeo chuckled and gently pinched her cheek.
"Didn't I tell you to wait for me inside the inn? Look at you, soaking wet. Go upstairs and change into something dry."
"Mm!"
Konan nodded enthusiastically before turning and heading inside.
Aburame Shigeo followed her in, casually pulling out a bill and placing it on the front desk.
"Madam, prepare some food for us and also hire a tailor to make two sets of clothes for each of my subordinates."
"Well…"
The innkeeper's wife was initially delighted to see the large bill but then appeared apprehensive.
"Master, this is too much money. Perhaps you should…"
Before she could finish, Aburame Shigeo waved her off with a smile.
"Don't worry about it. My subordinates will be staying here for a while, so treat the extra as a fee for looking after them."
"Oh… understood! Thank you, Master!"
The innkeeper's wife quickly bowed deeply and assured him.
"Rest assured, I will take good care of your subordinates! I'll call for a tailor right away!"
With that, she grabbed the money and hurried outside, so eager that she forgot her umbrella. Her haste resembled someone fleeing from a ferocious beast.
This made Aburame Shigeo shake his head in mild exasperation.
Since he had invoked Hanzo's name as a protective cover, not only did the refugees fear him, but even the Rain Village residents were terrified of him.
While this was beneficial for maintaining his anonymity, it left him feeling a bit conflicted.
"Well, I suppose there's always a trade-off."
He mused aloud before walking further into the inn and heading upstairs.
Due to the economic downturn brought on by the war, most of the rooms in the inn were vacant, making the building eerily quiet. Even the squeaks of rats could be heard.
Aburame Shigeo walked down the corridor until he reached the far end, where he heard voices coming from one of the rooms.
"When do you think Master will return?"
"It'll take time; after all, it's Lord Hanzo who summoned him."
"I thought I saw Lady Konan earlier—doesn't that mean Master's back? Should we go check?"
Hearing their conversation, Aburame Shigeo couldn't help but chuckle. Stepping forward, he opened the door.
"No need to check. I'm already back!"
The group inside immediately knelt down in greeting.
"Master!"
"Welcome back, Master!"
"Thank you for your hard work, Master!"
Seeing their joyful expressions, Aburame Shigeo felt a mix of emotions. Sitting cross-legged, he gestured for them to rise.
"No need for formalities. Get up."
"Yes, Master!"
They stood but remained in a respectful kneeling posture.
Aburame Shigeo didn't waste words. He pulled out the pension money and distributed thirteen large bills to the group.
"Here, 10,000 ryo each. This is all I can give you for now. How much you get in the future depends on your performance."
The group exchanged uncertain glances. No one reached out to take the money, nor did anyone speak.
Finally, Jingtian, who held a flute, summoned the courage to speak.
"Master, I don't want money. I only ask permission to bring my daughter here. Please!"
He bowed his head to the ground earnestly.
Following his lead, the others also bowed, each making similar requests.
"Master, I don't need money either. I just want to bring my wife!"
"Please allow me to bring my younger sister!"
"Master, I…"
Hearing their pleas, Aburame Shigeo raised a hand to silence them.
"Enough. Bring your loved ones, but take the money too. How will you provide for them without it? Or do you expect me to do it for you?"
"Uh…"
They froze, stunned by his words.
Aburame Shigeo shoved the money into their hands and continued.
"A tailor will come shortly to measure you for clothes. Once that's done, go and fetch your families. You have three days to settle them."
He held up three fingers.
"After three days, the Salamander Troupe will perform at the opera house to the north. This will determine your future in the Rain Village. Understood?"
"Yes, Master!"
Their voices were unified and filled with joy. Gratitude gleamed in their eyes.
In that moment, they were no longer mere refugees but people with newfound hope.
Satisfied, Aburame Shigeo stood and left the room, closing the door behind him.
As he walked down the hall, he could hear cheers and the clinking of musical instruments.
It was their way of celebrating a fresh start.
Just then, Konan emerged from her room, now dressed in clean, dry clothes. She paused at the sound coming from the other room, her expression curious.
"What's going on with them?"
"Haha, I guess they're just happy."
Aburame Shigeo smiled and turned to ask, "How are the little ones?"
"They're asleep."
Konan glanced toward a room across the hall, her expression soft.
"They were exhausted. After I bathed them, they fell right asleep. Should I wake them for dinner?"
"No need. Let them rest. Wake them when it's time to eat."
"Okay!"
Konan nodded but then hesitated, lowering her voice.
"Senior… are you really okay? What about Hanzo—"
"Shh!"
Aburame Shigeo raised a finger to his lips and gestured for silence.
"This isn't the place to talk about that. But don't worry, I've taken care of everything. After dinner, I'll show you our new home."
Hearing this, Konan's face lit up, and she nodded eagerly.
"Alright, I'll follow your lead, Senior!"