Fear had gripped him, worried that the Kusa Shinobi might suspect him, that he'd lose his job and be disqualified from the award. He even feared it might drag down his wife and daughter. The Kusa Shinobi had come personally to investigate, and Kawaki had been sure he was going to be taken away.
Shinobis were known to be terrifying figures, but in this case, things were different. They only asked Kawaki a few questions, didn't take him away, and even encouraged him to keep working hard.
They had already confirmed his innocence, so there was no need for him to worry about being misunderstood. The Kusa Shinobi were truly good people. They believed him without subjecting him to harsh interrogation.
Kawaki knew that if it had been any other shinobi, innocent or not, they would have tortured him first. Thinking about this made him angry all over again. He had come to the Land of Grass to work, yet the Rain shinobi kept bothering him, even going so far as to send spies undercover into Kusagakure.
'When would it ever end?' Frustrated, Kawaki sighed. He had once thought one of his coworkers was a good person, even planning to invite him home for a meal, but now he realized it had all been a lie.
Just as Kawaki was grumbling about his deceitful coworker, the crowd suddenly fell silent. He felt the shift too and, along with everyone else, looked up.
When the figure entered, excitement spread across everyone's faces.
'Could it be the lord?'
'Yes, the lord had arrived!'
Meanwhile, somewhere else, Renjiro and Kongo saw the lord of the Land of Grass but were unimpressed. Renjiro casually picked his nose and said lazily, "He doesn't look that special."
They hadn't really planned to come, but Kongo was curious, and since Yahiko had invited them, they decided to check it out. Renjiro pouted, complaining, "I'd rather be sleeping in the dormitory. This is so boring!"
Before he could say more, Kongo quickly covered his mouth, embarrassed by the nearby stares. Laughing, he said, "He doesn't mean it, he just can't keep his mouth shut!"
'Really! How could Renjiro say such nonsense here? Wasn't he afraid someone might beat him up?'
Yahiko and Nagato exchanged helpless looks. They knew Kongo was actually a good person, just a little outspoken at times. But Konan glared at Renjiro angrily.
Anyone who insulted Charlie-sensei was simply annoying! Charlie-sensei was so nice, especially when he didn't assign homework! How could anyone speak badly of him?
"Still being stubborn?" Kongo glanced at Renjiro's green work uniform, shaking his head. "Just listen quietly!"
Renjiro nervously defended himself, "I'm only wearing this because my clothes got chewed up by a dog. I didn't have anything else!"
Kongo nodded without expression and didn't argue. Instead, he said simply, "I heard the head of the engineering team recently approached you with a good salary, asking for help?"
Renjiro froze. How did he know that? He hadn't said a word.
Kongo shrugged and said casually, "I applied for some short-term work because I was low on funds. I can't take missions without special clearance, so when they saw I'm tall and know Water Release, they suggested manual labor."
Renjiro raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "Manual labor? As if a shinobi would stoop to that." He shook his head, sounding dismissive. "You actually considered it?"
Kongo offered a faint smile. "I didn't agree to do it."
Renjiro's expression shifted, first dismissive, then tense as he noticed curious glances. "Don't get me wrong, I'd never work for them. I keep my word. Even if it kills me, I won't betray my village!"
Kongo glanced at Renjiro's uniform, perfectly fitted, and said nothing.
Renjiro flinched. "This uniform is just a coincidence, nothing more!" He forced a laugh, though his voice wavered.
"I believe you," Kongo replied quietly. "Now let's listen, looks like the Kusa lord is speaking."
Cheers erupted around them, and Renjiro stopped fussing, watching quietly. Though his lips twitched, and he felt a faint flicker of envy seeing everyone else so happy.
"Thank you all for your tremendous contributions to the Land of Grass. The Land of Grass will never forget your efforts! Once you come here, you're one of us! Let's work together to build a beautiful Land of Grass!"
Charlie's warm words sparked applause from the crowd. He smiled and raised his hand to quiet everyone down. "Now, we begin this year's Outstanding Employee awards!"
Under everyone's watchful eyes, he took a deep breath. "There is one employee who has consistently shown initiative during work, seriously studied the business knowledge, mastered the key points and skills of the job in a short time, and applied them effectively."
After hours of extra effort, he took the initiative to study alongside senior employees, determined to overcome his weaknesses and eager to learn advanced skills. He refused to stay stuck in one place. That dedicated employee was none other than Kawaki from Squad One.
The announcement hung in the air, leaving everyone momentarily stunned. Kawaki himself froze, unable to believe he had actually won the award. But soon, the room erupted with enthusiastic applause.
Everyone clapped, looking at Kawaki with newfound admiration and respect. They all knew him, the one who always stepped up first whenever trouble arose.
"Hurry up and get on stage, Kawaki! Don't keep the lord waiting!" someone called out.
"Yeah! Stop standing there!"
Snapping out of his daze, Kawaki glanced around and caught sight of his wife and daughter nearby, cheering and pumping their fists excitedly. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I'm going up now!"
With everyone's eyes on him, Kawaki took a few stiff steps forward, a little awkward like a kid receiving their first gold star. But he soon reached the stage.
"Don't be nervous! Your hardworking attitude has earned everyone's respect!" Charlie said with a smile as he handed over the certificate. "I hope you'll keep up the good work next year."
"I, I will definitely do my best," Kawaki replied, his voice trembling with emotion as he accepted the certificate. "I won't let you down, lord!"
"Now… say a few words to everyone!"
Kawaki's surprised eyes met Charlie's, and the room fell silent in anticipation. Say a few words? What should he say?
Suddenly, he felt completely lost, unsure of what to say. His legs shook, and inside, he felt just like he had during his very first job interview, nervous, scared, worried.
Then, from nearby, came a familiar voice: "Dad! You can do it!"
Kawaki snapped back to reality and smiled faintly at his wife and daughter, who were cheering him on with bright, excited faces. His nerves melted away.
Clutching the microphone tightly, he took a deep breath and, with a clear smile, spoke to everyone watching: "Thank you, lord. Thank you, Land of Grass, for giving me this opportunity…"