Chapter 106

Carefully stepping over the protective perimeter of the security barrier she had erected at the first signs of Linli's rounded belly, Mito ascended the porch and rang the bell located to the left of the door, announcing her presence. Without waiting for a response, she entered the house. Although the entire Senju quarter was surrounded by protective and alarm barriers preventing anyone from entering the secured territory without overcoming guarded gates, over her long life as a kunoichi, Mito had learned one lesson — it was always necessary to remain vigilant and take security measures even under conditions of complete safety. Considering the identity of the child's father, it was necessary to take appropriate precautions regardless of circumstances.

"Lin-chan, I'm here," Uzumaki called out, removing her shoes in the hallway and stepping with pristine white socks onto the polished wooden floor.

"I'm in the nursery, Mito-sama," Linli's voice immediately replied.

Confidently navigating through the familiar house, Mito joined her young friend just as she was breastfeeding the rosy-cheeked baby girl. Despite her recent birth, little Katsumi already displayed true traits of red-haired fuinjutsu masters — an excellent appetite at any time of day or night, and a rich red hue to her thin hair that had only started to emerge a few days earlier.

"How's our little treasure doing?" the formidable kunoichi beamed broadly, shedding the impassive mask of a porcelain doll she wore in public.

"She eats so much her ears must be ringing," the redhead Senju smiled lovingly at her child.

"No surprises there — takes after her dad!" Mito smirked, affectionately watching the baby suckling eagerly.

However, this moment didn't last long as she once again assumed a focused expression.

"I've found a solution to our little problem."

"And how reliable is it?"

"It can only be detected by those who know what to look for and have a good knowledge of fuinjutsu," Mito informed. "The seal will change the hair color to an exact copy of yours and only over time will it shift towards its natural shade. By fifteen years old, Katsumi will have her own natural color, but by then, anyone interested will be convinced that her hair simply darkened over time, as often happens with most children."

The issue with little Senju-Uzumaki had arisen relatively recently. Since Linli had sufficient finances not only for years of life ahead but also investments in clan enterprises (contrary to carefully maintained public opinion, the founding clans owned not only all the hot springs of Konohagakure and Sato but also about one-fifth of the village's immovable property, rented out in most cases), the retired kunoichi could afford the services of a skilled midwife in the final month of pregnancy rather than checking into the maternity wards like most other women nearing their due dates.

Thus, only a limited number of people had seen the newborn baby girl, and only the mother and the named godmother Mito had seen her hair begin to grow. Therefore, after a brief discussion, it was decided to simplify Ryo's life and change the color of the girl's hair to something closer to her mother's before presenting her to the clan.

Plus, avoiding a scandal with the Nara clan regarding paternity was an additional bonus. Indeed, while there were villagers with similar hair colors due to the great affection shown by the allies of the Uzumaki clan, they were all from ordinary women, unlike Ryo, who was a very purebred representative from the allied clans on both sides of his family.

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