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WARNING: Women being trained to please a male authority figure Objectification and sexualization of female characters
Shin sat in the study at the daimyo manor, finishing his review of the last petition.
With a stroke of his vermilion brush, both the Genius Cultivation Program list and the Guardian Shinobi Twelve list submitted by Minato Namikaze were signed and approved.
As the names were signed, the future of Konoha was now firmly in his hands.
He put down the brush and leaned back into his chair. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the wooden armrest.
Unbeknownst to him, whenever Shin was deep in thought, he would unconsciously make this gesture.
His mind flashed back to three days ago, to the Shimura clan members who had knelt at his feet, bestowed with the new name Kurokaze.
He had given them new life, and they had become his fangs.
"Disguise yourselves as rogue shinobi and go to the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning," he had told them.
"Act as bandits, only plundering trade caravans from the Land of Lightning."
"Remember, not too frequently. I want the Land of Lightning's border trade routes to be in a state of chronic blood loss, yet not immediately fatal."
This was the first mission he had given them.
These directives would gnaw away at the Land of Lightning, piece by piece.
A dormant chess piece had been placed on the board.
Now, it was time to enjoy another game.
"Takeshi," Shin spoke.
The butler, who had been standing by, quickly stepped forward and bowed, awaiting orders.
"Have the Department of Internal Affairs select an official to go to Konoha and disburse the funds," Shin said. "The ceremony must be grand, and he must personally hand them out."
Takeshi bowed and said, "Yes, my lord!"
Shin added, "Also, have the Guardian Shinobi Twelve come here as soon as possible."
"As you command, my lord."
Having dealt with these matters, Shin stood up and stretched. His joints cracked in a series of crisp sounds.
Outside the door, the etiquette officer in charge of the Department of Internal Affairs had been waiting for a long time.
Upon being summoned, he quickly walked in and knelt to report.
"Reporting, my lord, the initial selection for the concubine candidates has been completed. There are a total of thirty-six qualified women."
"Today is their first day of palace training. I wonder, my lord... would you like to observe?"
Shin's interest was immediately piqued.
Now that serious matters were done, it was time to relax. It was a good opportunity to see if there were any women who caught his eye.
"Lead the way."
In a secluded courtyard, the space was temporarily being used as a training ground. It was isolated from the hustle and bustle of other parts of the manor. The air was filled with the scent of pine.
Shin walked up to the second-floor corridor and sat in the main seat.
The view from here was expansive, allowing him to take in everything in the courtyard below.
He could have appeared openly, enjoying their expressions of fear, awe, and fanaticism.
But that would be too uninteresting.
Rather than watching a performance meticulously choreographed for him, it was better to observe from a distance.
What he wanted to see was not what they had learned.
But their true reactions.
The maid understood without being told. She brought him clear tea and set up a gauze screen in front of him.
The screen blocked outside gazes, but it couldn't block his scrutiny.
He picked up the teacup. His eyes were sharp, watching the thirty-six "collectibles" awaiting appraisal below with great interest.
These women, who came from all over the Land of Fire, were now standing stiffly in several rows.
Each of them had changed into their most beautiful clothes. Their faces were devoid of any makeup, showing their truest selves.
All of them were exceptionally beautiful.
There were noble young ladies of high birth and elegant demeanor.
There were modest young women who stood out from the common civilians, looking nervous.
Naturally, there were also a few special "prey" mixed in.
Mei Terumi stood among the crowd, her eyes downcast.
Her soft, long dress had replaced her Kirigakure combat attire.
Her delicate hands, once accustomed to holding kunai, could now only clasp helplessly in front of her.
She keenly sensed many gazes on her, filled with scrutiny and hostility.
Especially from a young woman standing not far from her.
That young woman had long black hair, exquisite features, and a clan crest of a fan. She was Uchiha Kasumi of the Uchiha clan.
Uchiha Kasumi's gaze merely swept over Mei Terumi indifferently, then paid her no further attention.
In her eyes, everyone here was merely a stepping stone for her to become the daimyo's concubine, and even ascend to the position of the nation's mother.
On the other side, Kurenai Yuhi seemed completely out of place.
She was not like the others, who were either nervous or ambitious.
Her face showed only confusion and resistance.
Her father had roughly pulled her from her shinobi career and thrust her into this gilded cage.
To this day, she still hadn't understood why her life had changed so drastically.
At this moment, an old woman with white hair, holding a ruler, slowly walked into the center of the courtyard.
She was the strictest female official in the palace. Even the concubines of the previous daimyo had been trained by her.
"From today onwards, forget your past," the old woman's voice was dry and sharp, grating on everyone's eardrums.
"Here, you have no names, only one identity—concubine candidate!"
"For the next month, you will learn palace etiquette. Your words, your actions, every frown, every smile, must conform to the rules."
"First lesson: how to kneel."
"Kneeling is not prostrating! It is using your knees to feel the majesty of your sovereign!"
She demonstrated herself, every movement as precise as if measured with a ruler.
"Knees together."
"Slowly lower yourself."
"Keep your upper body straight, hands placed on your knees."
"Head slightly bowed, to show respect."
"Now, repeat my actions. Begin!"
At her command, the women in the courtyard all bent their knees.
Shin watched them with great interest.
What a wonderful performance.
Downstairs, the old woman sternly shouted, "You! As a noblewoman, your posture is improper, your legs wide open. Are you trying to invite someone?!"
The ruler cut through the air with a loud crack, striking hard on the ground in front of a noblewoman.
The noblewoman's face turned pale with fright. Her body trembled violently.
The old woman's gaze then turned to another woman. "And you! Lift your waist! The daimyo manor does not need fawning servants. It needs women who can serve the sovereign!"
She understood boundaries well. Her reprimands could be severe, but they would never leave scars.
Because among these women, a future daimyo's concubine was very likely to emerge.
She feigned strictness, solely for the purpose of discipline.
And discipline was the fastest tool to smooth out rough edges, more effective than physical scars.
The eyes of the civilian girl who was being admonished instantly turned red. Tears welled up, but she held them back fiercely, not daring to let them fall.
Shin watched for a while, then his gaze fell on Mei Terumi.
Mei Terumi bit her lower lip, which had lost its color. She forced herself to bend those knees that belonged to a shinobi.
The moment her knees touched the soft cushion, Shin clearly saw her body tremble uncontrollably.
Perhaps she had never knelt before anyone in her life!
But now, to obtain the funds that could save her companions, she had to kneel.
And she knelt very properly.
He then looked at Kurenai Yuhi.
Kurenai's movements were equally stiff.
Those legs that could easily walk upside down on trees struggled with this simplest of actions.
Those knees seemed to only kneel for the Will of Fire, for the protection of her companions.
And not to please a man she had never even met.
Shin's smile deepened.
He hadn't expected Kurenai Yuhi to participate in the selection.
In his previous life, he actually had a good impression of the character Kurenai Yuhi.
But since she came, she had to follow the rules here.
Finally, his gaze settled on Uchiha Kasumi.
Her movements, rather than being a learning exercise, were more like a performance.
Her supple waist slowly curved, outlining a graceful arc. Even while kneeling, it did not detract from her elegant posture. Instead, it added a touch of delicate charm that invited pity.
She bowed slightly. Her slender neck lowered with it, revealing fair and delicate skin, and a hint of cleavage that seemed to stretch endlessly.
Her exquisite face was filled with calmness and focus, devoid of any humiliation or resistance.
It seemed she viewed this training as a stage to showcase herself.
Beneath that calm exterior was undisguised ambition.
She even took pride in it.
She was using her figure and demeanor to silently declare that she was the most perfect woman here, and the sole victor.
The old woman was also very satisfied with her performance. "Well done. It seems you have put in a lot of effort."
"Remember, everything about you is to please the daimyo!"
"Your body, your smile, even every breath you take, must be exactly as he likes it!"
"Those who cannot learn, or learn poorly!"
"Will be eliminated directly!"
"Do you all understand?"
"Yes!"
The responses were sparse and tinged with tremors.
Shin put down his teacup. The bottom of the cup clinked lightly against the table.
Mei Terumi's endurance of humiliation.
Kurenai Yuhi's silent resistance.
Uchiha Kasumi's ambition.
All of them were striving to become his chamber guest.
And he would be the sole admirer of their raw, unguarded states.