Shigeo Aburame chatted casually with Konan about the sights they'd encountered on their journey. As their conversation went on, the innkeeper appeared, hurrying up the stairs with small, deliberate steps. She bowed respectfully.
"Master Shigeo, Lady Konan, the tailor has arrived and is waiting downstairs."
Shigeo smiled and nodded. "Thank you for the effort. Send him up, and while you're at it, please prepare some food for us—anything will do, just make it plentiful."
"Yes, right away!" The innkeeper bowed deeply and retreated, visibly relieved as she left.
Konan, ever observant, noticed this and turned to Shigeo with a hint of curiosity. "Brother, why does she seem so scared of you?"
"Maybe she is," Shigeo replied with a shrug, adjusting his tinted glasses. Then, with a casual tilt of his head, he added, "Konan, why don't you wake up those little cuties? After we've had our meal, we'll take them to our new home."
"Sure thing, thank you, Brother!" Konan replied with a cheerful smile and darted off to wake the group of girls.
Before long, the innkeeper returned with plates of food. The offerings were modest on vegetables but rich in fish and other seafood. After the meal, Shigeo and Konan, now accompanied by the group of young girls, departed the inn.
From the shadows of the rain, several Hidden Rain ninja observed their departure, nodding to one another before silently dispersing.
While leading the group through the drizzling village, Shigeo suddenly stopped, casting a quick glance toward the direction the Rain ninja had disappeared. A faint smile crept across his lips.
"What is it, Brother?" Konan asked curiously.
"Nothing," Shigeo replied with a chuckle. "Let's keep going."
They soon arrived at the home Jianzhi had left for them. Once there, Konan wasted no time organizing the girls to clean the house. Some swept the floors while others wiped the tables. The lively buzz of activity filled the air.
Watching their enthusiasm, Shigeo smiled and headed out to buy bedding and cushions. On his return, he noticed the girls' tattered clothing and went back out to purchase a dozen identical dresses. Given their similar sizes, it seemed like the practical choice.
After delivering these items, Shigeo left Konan and the girls to finish cleaning and headed off on another errand—this time to the nearby theater.
Unlike the subdued atmosphere of the inn, the Hidden Rain Village theater was bustling. It served as a place where Rain ninja and villagers alike came to unwind and escape the harsh realities of their lives.
Shigeo met with the theater owner, a well-connected individual, and proposed adding the "Salamander Ensemble" to the theater's lineup. The owner, clearly intrigued, readily agreed and even offered a generous rate of 5,000 ryō per performance.
For ninja, this was equivalent to a D-rank mission reward. For ordinary people, it was a substantial and steady income. Shigeo, of course, accepted the offer, scheduling their debut performance for three days later.
With the performance plans in place, Shigeo turned his attention to more mundane concerns—purchasing food supplies. After scouting the local shops, he selected one with the best prices and arranged for delivery to their new home. On his way back, he also picked up a variety of personal items for the girls.
When he returned, Konan and the girls had finished cleaning. Konan greeted him eagerly but froze upon seeing what he was carrying, her face flushing red.
"These are… uh…" she stammered.
"Relax," Shigeo said with a chuckle, handing her the bag. "Take them. No need to be embarrassed—I'm not an outsider, am I? How are our little cuties doing?"
"They're all settled," Konan replied, cheeks still rosy. She pointed upstairs. "The attic is spacious, so I've arranged for them to sleep there. The downstairs bedroom is ready for you."
"And you?" Shigeo asked. "Where will you sleep?"
"I…" Konan hesitated, but before she could answer, Shigeo waved a hand dismissively.
"Forget it. You'll share with me. We've been sleeping in the same room for three years—you'd just feel lonely otherwise."
Konan's face turned even redder. "Actually… I could sleep in the attic with the girls…"
"Really?" Shigeo raised an eyebrow. "Then I'll ask if one of them wants to share my room. It's big enough for a few more people."
"No way!" Konan blurted, only to realize she'd walked into his teasing trap. Her expression turned flustered. "You're so mean! I'm not talking to you anymore!"
She stomped into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. Shigeo couldn't help but laugh heartily, his mirth echoing through the house. Curious, several little heads peeked out from the attic, wide-eyed and blinking at the scene below.
---
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Thanks to the Salamander Ensemble, the Hidden Rain Village theater experienced a rare sellout crowd. Most of the attendees were ninja, eager to unwind. From the front row, Shigeo and the theater owner watched as Konan led the girls—now dressed in matching white dresses—on stage to perform.
They opened with *"Nobody But You Matters to Us."*
The packed theater hummed with energy, but the owner, wary of trouble, fidgeted nervously. Shigeo noticed and reassured him, "Don't worry. The Salamander Ensemble has Hanzo-sama's backing. Nobody in the village would dare cause trouble. Just focus on making money."
Hearing this, the owner visibly relaxed and turned to Shigeo with gratitude. "Thank you, Master Shigeo. About the payment…"
"Don't worry about it," Shigeo said lightly. "We'll discuss that later. Let's enjoy the show for now."
---
Over the next half month, the theater continued to sell out, with the Salamander Ensemble quickly becoming the village's star attraction. To keep things fresh, Shigeo composed and adapted several new songs, including *"Strength in Unity,"* *"We Are Ninja,"* and *"Words from the Heart."* These additions solidified the group's place as the theater's main draw.
At the end of the month, the theater owner handed Shigeo a staggering 1 million ryō as the group's earnings—nearly half the theater's revenue.
Pleased with the partnership, Shigeo rewarded each girl with a bonus of 10,000 ryō, set aside 20,000 for household expenses, and used the rest to purchase prime village property.
Just as he finalized these plans, Kuroki appeared before him.
"Master, Hanzo-sama requests your presence. Let's go."
(End of Chapter)