Chapter 103

Indeed, inside the tent, I was greeted by a slightly different scene than expected. Specifically, Inuzuka, visibly agitated and unsure where to put her hands, dressed almost to the point of biting her lower lip. Considering she only does this in moments of extreme agitation or distress, her state of mind was quite understandable. Nevertheless, nobody started threatening me or anything similar, despite my underlying anticipation. Moreover, her body language (legs drawn up, hands on her knees) indicated readiness for a conversation rather than aggression.

"Hmm, I take it Hyuga disappeared as soon as she got dressed?" I asked, just to break the silence at the threshold.

"Yeah," Tsume replied quietly, still not daring to look up at me.

No, this won't do at all! Having already forgotten my own fears, I flopped down onto the futon (which she probably arranged) next to her, and grabbing her waist, I pulled the surprised girl towards me, crossing her into a lotus pose. I also hugged her tightly to prevent any attempt to escape. After all, I completely forgot that I was dealing with an emotionally unstable teenager (war, killings, blood—none of which positively affect a woman's psyche), not a mature and experienced woman.

"So, about what happened yesterday, there's nothing scary or shameful for either of us," I began, resting my chin on top of the kunoichi's head and holding her closer to my chest to discourage any thoughts of escaping. "The only regrettable thing is that your first time happened under such circumstances, and with a slightly larger company than it should have been. But I hope you at least found some pleasure in it?"

While it was a rhetorical question, Tsume remained silent, and I noticed her ears starting to blush traitorously. However, I didn't need a verbal answer.

"As for our relationship after yesterday, absolutely nothing has changed and won't change until you decide otherwise. We're still partners, and I have no intention of letting go of jokes or hints. Nor will I try to drag you into bed again."

After my words, the girl noticeably relaxed in my embrace. Though she still didn't say anything, the silence was less tense than at the beginning. Mentally, I congratulated myself for choosing the right words and correctly identifying my partner's fears. It remained only to regret that shinobi didn't have professional psychologists who should handle such cases, instead of me moonlighting half-time!

"Oh, and don't worry about the consequences of yesterday—I'm sterile," I remembered one more detail.

"What?" This time, Tsume didn't remain silent, trying to twist her neck to look me in the face.

"No-no, I'm capable of having children. It's just that a skilled medic can make themselves infertile without consequences until they decide to leave offspring," I wisely omitted the mention of the seal that guarantees I won't sire children from casual liaisons in any case.

"Oh... I see."

"So, I'd suggest you treat casual encounters during wartime or missions much more leniently than those that happen in the village—immediate danger always stimulates hormones and instincts for progeny as a kind of protective mechanism, preventing our population from dying out. Because if shinobi didn't have children so early, Konoha would hardly have half its current fighter contingent. Moreover, this method of pleasure and stress relief is one of the main means to avoid going insane, falling into depression, or committing suicide for many shinobi who have experienced the horrors of war. Specifically, take Hyuga who was recently here—she dragged a guy she liked into bed, got what she wanted, and calmly went about her business afterward. And I can tell you for sure she's already married. There are plenty of such cases. So, this is one of the few ways to relax and relieve tension that is looked upon leniently, unlike drugs or alcohol. Well, the same goes for certain types of tobacco that our Hokage loves to smoke. And I'd prefer you to sleep with me or someone else (using protection, of course) rather than consider trying drugs again, without the ability to quickly cleanse your body of that crap."

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