Chapter 113
Yaeko slowly adjusted her clothes, making sure every fold returned to its proper place, neat as before. Her fingers moved in a steady rhythm, unhurried, as if she was truly accustomed to maintaining a flawless appearance in any situation.
After that, she brushed her hair back with a light motion that seemed ordinary, yet for some reason, it stood out so clearly in my eyes.
The sound of her footsteps was soft as she walked toward the door, steady and without the slightest hesitation. Every step she took was firm, unhurried, as if she had completely finished whatever she intended to do in this room.
Then, she opened the door and simply walked out, leaving me alone in a room that suddenly felt far quieter.
The door closed again with a soft sound, leaving behind a strange and slightly suffocating silence, as if the entire atmosphere had changed in an instant.
I was still standing in the same place, unmoving.
For a moment, I could only stare blankly at the door that had just closed, trying to process what had just happened. My thoughts began to spin, but not toward any clear direction—just scattered, colliding with one another.
For the first time since arriving in this world… I truly didn't know how to react to a situation like this, especially when faced directly with the straightforward, calm, and no-nonsense temptation of a mature woman.
Now, the only thing that kept troubling my mind was the same question, repeating over and over without end, as if refusing to leave—did Yaeko like me because of the appearance I was using right now?
I was disguising myself using the identity of Minato Namikaze from the world of Naruto. That face, that figure, the charisma attached to him—was all of that what made Yaeko interested in me?
If I wasn't in disguise, I would only look like a child. No matter how mature my way of thinking was, no matter how calm I acted—appearance was still appearance, something judged first before anything else.
It was impossible for someone like Yaeko to show that kind of attitude toward a child. Even if she tried to act normal, that boundary would still exist—unseen, yet clearly felt.
That was why, from the beginning, the only way to avoid suspicion as a shopkeeper was to disguise myself as a convincing adult man—someone worthy of standing in that position, someone who wouldn't be questioned based on appearance alone.
Besides, since I had already used Minato's identity when meeting the members of the Zenin Clan, I chose to continue using that identity without change.
It would feel strange if I suddenly replaced it, and the risk of raising suspicion was clearly not something I could ignore.
But… was it really just because of Minato's handsomeness that Yaeko had started to like me?
Damn it!
That thought felt like an endless loop, spinning constantly in my head, appearing again and again without giving me a chance to stop. The more I thought about it, the heavier it became, as if every possibility only added more confusion instead of answering anything.
I shouldn't have toyed with Yaeko earlier. I shouldn't have let the situation develop that far, crossing a line I should have maintained from the very beginning.
I let out a long, slow breath, trying to calm myself. The air that entered felt cold, but it wasn't enough to ease the chaos in my mind. Even after exhaling, the uneasiness remained, not truly gone.
After a few seconds, I finally moved. My movements were calm, even though my thoughts had yet to fully settle. Without hesitation, I walked toward the door, opened it, then stepped out of the room and headed toward the kitchen.
As soon as I arrived there, the atmosphere felt completely different.
Calmer. More stable. As if nothing strange had happened before. The air felt normal, no longer as heavy as what I had felt inside the room earlier. A sharp contrast to my thoughts, which were still spinning aimlessly.
Yaeko and Shoko stood close to each other. Their position showed clear familiarity, their bodies slightly leaning toward one another, as if they were sharing something important.
Meanwhile, Ito stood in front of them with a puzzled expression, her brows slightly furrowed, her eyes narrowing just a little.
The conversation between them came to an abrupt pause the moment I stepped closer.
A brief silence followed, awkward and thin yet unmistakable, as if my presence had immediately altered the flow of their discussion. The air between us felt slightly more rigid, even though no one openly showed it.
But it was clear that they had been discussing something serious just moments before.
"So… can you explain what actually happened now?" Ito asked. Her voice was soft, yet firm, carrying a subtle pressure that was hard to ignore. "How can Shoko hear without a hearing aid?"
Ito's gaze then shifted toward me. Her eyes locked onto mine, sharp and observant, as if trying to determine whether I was also part of the answer she had been searching for all this time. No additional words were needed—the pressure was already evident from the way she looked at me.
Yaeko fell silent, gently biting her lip, a small sign of nervousness she couldn't fully conceal. The movement was brief, yet clear enough to show her hesitation. Then, she glanced at me.
That look lasted only for a moment, yet it carried meaning.
There was a request within it—silent, but unmistakable. Yaeko was asking for help, or perhaps hoping that I would take over the situation.
There was doubt on her face, faint but real, as if she wasn't sure where to begin. Or perhaps… she wasn't sure whether she should explain everything at all.
I understood that intention without needing further explanation.
With calm steps, I approached until I stood directly in front of Ito. I adjusted my posture neatly, keeping my demeanor controlled, as if I had fully returned to the role I needed to play—a role that could not afford even the slightest crack.
"Mrs. Ito," I said in a calm and formal tone, keeping every word steady. Even in a situation this complicated, I made sure that professional impression did not waver. "Allow me to introduce myself once again."
I paused briefly, giving her space to focus entirely on me. No rush, no haste.
"My name is Kenji…" I continued, my voice even and measured. "A Jujutsu Sorcerer."
I stopped for a moment, making sure Ito was still following every part of my explanation. My gaze remained fixed on her, observing the subtle changes in her expression as she tried to process everything.
There was a slight pause in her breathing, as if she was trying to understand, yet still unable to fully accept what she had just heard.
"I own a shop that sells various tools… or rather, objects that are not exactly ordinary," I said in a calm and measured tone, keeping every word clear and unhurried. "We usually refer to them as Cursed Tools."
Ito's expression shifted slightly. Her brows knitted together, a faint line forming on her forehead, signaling the confusion that was beginning to take shape. Her gaze hardened a little—not out of anger, but out of the natural disbelief that came with something so unfamiliar.
Even so, she did not interrupt me. She remained silent, her body slightly tense as she sat there, her hands lightly gripping the fabric of her clothes. Ito chose to listen until the end, as if carefully weighing whether any of this made sense or not.
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