CH - 191 Nono: I'm Resigning.

"What a disappointment!" After many days, Akihiko sighed with regret as no letter from Konoha had arrived.

The letter, in fact, had been written by him. His plan aimed to capture Danzo, but it seemed that Danzo had gotten wind of it beforehand. The entire scheme collapsed.

Nono remained oblivious to the fact that the confidential letter from Konoha had been inadvertently discovered, and not by a fellow conspirator, but by Kabuto, an exceptional student she had personally trained.

The letter found its way to him, leaving Akihiko dumbfounded. After all, Nono, who had taken great care to avoid detection, had ironically been exposed by one of her own students.

In response, Akihiko, in front of his father, Mubuki, praised Kabuto for his cleverness and even recommended the academy to pay special attention to the talented child. This recognition was well-deserved for a child displaying such exceptional talent. Kabuto, however, seemed conflicted and shy, leaving without expressing his thoughts. A sigh escaped him, suggesting internal turmoil or hesitation.

The letter, now in Akihiko's hands, couldn't discreetly be returned, given the circumstances. Thus, upon receiving Danzo's letter, Akihiko took a moment to ponder before composing a reply himself.

He had hoped to meet Danzo again, intending to apprehend him with Kakuzu and Hanzo. They had even discussed the after-split of their plan. Unfortunately, it all fell apart at the final stage.

In response to this, Hanzo expressed his dissatisfaction, attributing the failure to Akihiko's perceived arrogance that, in his opinion, tipped off Danzo. He insisted on compensation for the lost 100 million-Ryo deal and threatened to make a public outcry, accusing the Grass Village leader of swindling an elderly man out of his money.

This demand for compensation had become somewhat of a routine, with Hanzo frequently lying down in his office, shouting about the alleged deceit. The incessant complaints had taken a toll on the office floor, nearly wearing it out.

Despite the unexpected turn of events this time, Akihiko remained unfazed by the demand for compensation. To him, a mere 100 million Ryo was inconsequential, especially considering his position as the leader of the Grass Village. Money of this scale held little significance for him, unlike the seemingly distressed leader Hanzo.

On another note, the academy in Rain Village was recently established with the support and guidance of Grass Village. Teaching materials were uniformly arranged, and several experienced teachers were dispatched from Grass Village. In return, Grass Village recruited numerous ninja from Rain Village to impart their renowned assassination techniques. The reputation of Rain Village's assassins rivaled Grass Village's intelligence capabilities in the ninja world.

It seemed clear that Hanzo has… already made a choice. During these years, he enjoyed a rather comfortable lifestyle, with the water business in Rain Village thriving. Rumors circulated that he had even taken in Sasori as a grandson, although it was a unilateral decision on his part.

However, Sasori was apparently disinterested in becoming a ninja, he continued to work in the factory, tightening bolts. Over the years, he even discreetly assisted Grass Village in enhancing various machines.

Though, Grass Shinobi's investigations hinted at Sasori's various escape plans, but due to the distractions of work, bonuses, and other activities, his attempts had yet to succeed.

Akihiko sighed with a tinge of regret, taking a sip of the hot tea beside him. Muttering to himself, he expressed, "I must properly criticize Nono later."

Despite her multiple roles, serving as a spy, an anti-reconnaissance teacher, and even working part-time at the orphanage upon her request, she seemed to have neglected her primary responsibilities. Her absence from the office during this crucial time reflected a lack of understanding of his workload. Akihiko wondered if her dissatisfaction with the intern's salary had led to this negligence.

Really, Where was her commitment to the 'rea'l mission? Did she overlook her core mission in pursuit of money? Had she forgotten the bigger picture, especially after receiving a formal contract a few days prior?

Speaking of which, Akihiko couldn't understand why she hadn't signed the contract yet and reported to the office already.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, a knock on the door interrupted his reflections. Nono, the intern secretary, entered, holding the transfer contract. Her face wore a serious expression as she addressed Akihiko, saying, "Leader Akihiko!"

Upon hearing her words, Akihiko reciprocated the seriousness, nodding in acknowledgment. "It seems you've finally made up your mind."

"Yes, I apologize for the delay," Nono affirmed with a nod.

"It's okay. This is what you deserve," Akihiko nodded with a slight smile and then reached out to take the contract with his right hand. "Congratulations, through your efforts, you've successfully..."

Before he could complete his sentence, Nono bent down, handed over the contract, and stated, "Sorry, Leader, I've decided to resign!"

Akihiko's eyes widened, and his right hand holding the contract froze. "Resign?!"

"Yes," Nono responded with a relieved smile. "I've decided to resign."

Curious about her sudden decision, Akihiko inquired, "Is it because you're not happy with the work?"

"No!" Nono shook her head, indicating that the workload was not an issue, and the work itself was fulfilling.

"Have you been wronged at work?" Akihiko asked, seeking clarification.

"No." Nono shook her head once more, emphasizing that she hadn't faced mistreatment.

"Could it be that you find the salary too low?" Akihiko asked after a momentary pause.

"Not exactly... well, a bit." Nono nodded, admitting that the salary was a factor.

Akihiko looked at her, speechless, 'Hey, is it time to speak the truth now? You're not here to earn money, you know.'

The two maintained eye contact, and the atmosphere of the entire office instantly fell into silence.

After a moment, Akihiko smiled awkwardly and said, "The intern salary is a bit low, but now you've become a regular employee, right? Don't worry; although it might be a bit less at the beginning, your benefits will surely improve as long as you work diligently."

However, Nono shook her head, "I'm sorry, but I still feel that this job isn't suitable for me."

"Then what are you planning to do?" Akihiko inquired after hearing her rejection again.

"In fact, the orphanage has already hired me as the vice director!" Nono replied with a slight smile.

Akihiko couldn't help but wonder how she ended up as the vice director of the orphanage. Twitching his mouth, he looked at Nono, who had a gentle gaze behind her glasses, sighed, nodded, and asked, "You've already decided?"

"Yes!" Nono affirmed with a firm expression.

"Alright!" With that, he sighed again. "It's a pity; I really had high hopes for you."

"Thank you, Leader!" Nono's smile widened upon hearing Akihiko's words, and with a playful glint, she blinked before posing a question. "But... I am curious about something, if I may, Leader?"

"Of course," Akihiko replied in a relaxed manner.

"Have you already unraveled my identity some time ago?" Nono inquired after a brief moment of contemplation.

Akihiko tilted his head, a look of confusion crossing his face. "Your identity?"

Upon finishing her words, Nono hesitated momentarily, then flashed another smile, shook her head lightly, and remarked, "Nothing."

With the approval for her resignation granted, she respectfully inclined once more. "I won't take up any more of your time, Leader. I trust you'll find an outstanding assistant."

With that, she turned and strolled towards the exit. However, before Akihiko, who was audibly sighing, could react, she abruptly pivoted and fixed her gaze on him. "Leader, when did you figure it out?"

"Right from the start!" Akihiko replied instinctively, raising an eyebrow, then, with a perplexed expression, looked at Nono. "What did you say? I didn't catch..."

Nono met Akihiko's gaze with a smiling expression, her eyes carrying a hint of relief. She chuckled softly and remarked, "Despite your frugality, strictness, and demanding on your subordinates, I appreciate your care, Leader Akihiko!"

With a turn of her head, she added, "Oh, and don't forget my salary, you stingy leader."

Did she know all along? Akihiko smiled wryly, then seemed to recall something and hastily called out, "By the way, I've got a venture in Konoha. The risk is high, but the returns are substantial. If it pans out, you'll receive seven, and I'll take three. It's dicey, but I trust you to handle it. I'm offering this for one reason only—for you to write a letter... Hey, hey, hey, where are you off to? Don't you want the money? Why are you running?"

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