After eating their fill, Uchiha Mirai and Temari both patted their now round, full stomachs in satisfaction.
They exchanged a glance, then simultaneously stuck out their tongues to lick the corners of their mouths.
With a chuckle, Mirai asked, "Temari, did you come looking for me today for something in particular?"
Temari responded immediately, "Yes, Mirai-sama."
"Ever since Gaara became the Kazekage, he's had very little time to personally mentor his disciples."
"He asked me to pass along a request—he wants to send two of his disciples to Konoha to further their development here."
Mirai replied mildly, "That's something you all can decide on your own. No need to come get my approval."
Although Konoha currently had strict residential quotas, someone like Temari—or Gaara, for that matter—wouldn't have much difficulty arranging for two people to settle down here.
Temari continued, "Mirai-sama, I was hoping to have those two disciples live with me in the courtyard of the manor."
"It gets a little lonely living by myself... and this way, I can personally train them as well."
Intrigued, Uchiha Mirai asked, "What are their names?"
Temari thought for a moment, then said slowly, "I think it was..."
"Matsuri and Yukata?"
...
Restaurant
Two lively young women sat nervously in front of Temari, their energy barely masking their anxiety.
"Lady Temari, are we really going to meet Emperor-sama today?" one of them asked.
Temari smiled, "Why would I lie to you about something like that? Mirai-sama will be here soon."
"Matsuri, Yukata—you two need to put your best foot forward."
Hearing her reminder, both girls nodded seriously and said in unison, "We will, Lady Temari!"
Born in Sunagakure, Matsuri and Yukata had grown up during the village's most precarious days—when it teetered on the edge of collapse.
They had personally witnessed Sunagakure's gradual rise, from the days of widespread hunger to a time of abundance and prosperity.
That transformation was largely thanks to Uchiha Mirai.
Naturally, they had always harbored a deep admiration for him.
Even though their teacher had since become the Kazekage, actually meeting the Emperor had always seemed like an unattainable dream.
And now, not only were they going to meet him—they were about to share a meal with him.
Just thinking about it made Matsuri blurt out, "Lady Temari, why did you write to Gaara-sensei and ask him to send us here?"
Temari's expression darkened, her voice turning stern.
"Remember this—I never wrote such a letter. Gaara made that decision on his own. Understand?"
Startled, the two girls quickly nodded. "Understood!"
Temari glanced around, then lowered her voice.
"You both know that Mirai-sama has many women in his harem. Each one is considered a top-tier beauty and kunoichi in the shinobi world."
"But among all of them, only Pakura and I are from Sunagakure."
"In a crowd like that, standing out is no easy task. That's why I brought you two here..."
With those words, Matsuri and Yukata finally understood Temari's real intentions.
They exchanged an awkward glance, both blushing and lowering their heads.
"Lady Temari... are you saying we'll be serving Mirai-sama from now on?"
Temari shook her head. "It's not that simple. You'll have to make him interested in you first."
"That's why this meal is so important."
"Everything we're doing is for the future of Sunagakure. Got it?"
Already devoted admirers of Mirai, the moment they heard this concerned the village's future, the two girls immediately nodded with resolve.
"Lady Temari, we'll give it our all!"
Seeing the determination in their eyes, Temari finally let out a sigh of relief.
Both Matsuri and Yukata were undeniably beautiful, and as long as they didn't resist the idea, this would go smoothly.
...
Outside the room, Mirai withdrew his sensory perception and allowed a faint smile to curl his lips.
Now aware of everything that had transpired, he felt no intention of blaming Temari.
Unlike the original timeline, due to Rasa's actions, Temari had grown up despised by many in Sunagakure.
She had to take care of both Kankuro and the mentally unstable Gaara...
If she had been the naïve and innocent type, she likely wouldn't have survived past some random night long ago.
One's upbringing shaped their personality. Emerging from that kind of environment, it was only natural for her to have some cunning.
Besides, Mirai understood the women in his harem well.
While they all got along on the surface, there were inevitably little "cliques" among them.
Just like—
Tsunade, Mikoto, and Konan.
Kurenai, Rin, and Yakumo.
Yugao, Anko, Guren, and Izumi.
Sara, and Koyuki Kazahana.
Sakura, Ino, Hinata, and Hanabi...
It was simply human nature—not even he could change that.
It made sense that Temari would want to bring in people she trusted to keep her company.
Most importantly—he quite liked both Matsuri and Yukata.
A little healthy competition was nothing he felt the need to interfere with.
Clearing his thoughts, Mirai stepped into the private room.
The moment he entered, Matsuri and Yukata both jumped to their feet and bowed.
"Mirai-sama!"
Temari waited for them to finish, then walked over with a bright smile and wrapped her arm around his.
"Mirai-sama, these are Matsuri and Yukata."
Mirai returned the smile with a gentle expression.
"Matsuri, Yukata—Temari has already told me about you two. From now on, you'll live with her in my estate."
"If there's anything you need, just let me know."
Seeing how approachable he was, both girls immediately relaxed.
So the Emperor didn't seem to dislike them—that was a relief.
Thanks to Mirai's deliberate efforts, the meal passed in an easy, cheerful atmosphere, and everyone quickly grew more familiar with one another.
Summoning her courage, Matsuri said, "Lord Emperor, Yukata and I are struggling with some parts of our training. If you have the time, could you guide us?"
Yukata quickly added, "That's right—our growth has hit a wall for a while now…"
Mirai cleared his throat and said seriously, "Of course. Teaching others is one of my specialties."
"I happen to be free for the next few days—starting tomorrow, come train with me for a while."
Neither of them had expected him to agree so readily.
"Thank you, Mirai-sama!" the two girls exclaimed, visibly overjoyed.
Watching their eager expressions, Mirai couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Time really flew by. Even the flowers of the third generation were ready to be plucked now...
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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