"[When things are investigated, knowledge is achieved. When knowledge is achieved, intentions become sincere. When intentions become sincere, the heart becomes righteous.] When the heart is righteous, the self is cultivated. When the self is cultivated, the family is regulated. When the family is regulated, the state is well-governed. When the state is well-governed, there is peace in the world. Senju Hashirama accomplished all those feats, which is why he is renowned in history."

I pursed my lips and said to my seven-year-old daughter, "He's just a gambler who got lucky. About seventy to eighty percent of what the textbooks say is nonsense."

"The textbooks were compiled with the help of Brother Kagami and Brother Hiruzen, right?" my daughter innocently retorted.

"One Uchiha who insisted on following your uncle to the ends of the earth, and the other who hung out with your dad every day—both were blinded by Senju's facade. What they compiled is the least trustworthy." With the most resolute and sincere voice I could muster, I pointed at a few lines in the book and sighed. "What do they mean by 'upright, honest, heart as clear as a bright mirror, as pure as a lotus flower'? Senju Hashirama? His last name should include the word 'deceitful.'"

Yes, he's the craftiest, the most detestable con artist in the world.

"I don't understand how you two could have gotten married." The child sulked, disagreeing with my criticism.

Pinching my child's nose, I snorted coldly. "We bumped into each other in the dark, got married on a whim, and after living together for half a lifetime, we were shocked."

"Mom, you're lying."

"Think whatever you want." I pinched her nose, and the little rascal squealed for a while before her eyes suddenly lit up. "But... I'm really curious, what was it like the first time for you two?"

"The... the first time for what?" Startled, I felt my ears heat up. What kind of question is this for a child of just a few years old?

"Mom! Your cheeks are so red! Was your first meeting with Dad very impressive?"

So... I thought my daughter was asking about something inappropriate... Turns out it was about the first meeting. Embarrassed to the point of not knowing where to hide my face, I awkwardly replied:

"Meeting each other... hmm, that was a long time ago, but I'm sure it wasn't anything interesting..."

:

:

I picked up a young mango from under the leafy tree.

My memories of my old homeland are fading, to the point that if someone asks me what Uzushio looks like now, I can hardly answer anything other than the reluctant word "beautiful" as someone who has been away for so long. I have lost the ability to describe my birthplace either broadly or in detail. I can only recall a few vivid details—the ripe mango falling at my feet, the seashells in the basket brought back for the children, and the sound of the ocean waves lulling even the sleepless into a deep slumber. But overall, I remember having a fairly decent life before the young clan leader of the Senjus appeared, bringing with him a secret alliance letter from some distant time between our ancestors.

"Mito, this is Hashirama of the Forest. Though he is still young, he is about to rise to the pinnacle of the ninja world."

Hashirama before me was tall and muscular, his tan skin under the Uzushio sunlight looked like it had an extra layer of melting butter. His body was so robust, beautiful, and perfect that people around me gossiped he was an angel descended to earth. From a distance, sensory type ninjas like me could feel dizzy from the overwhelming and powerful chakra of this man. It was as if his mere presence could instantly expand the space with chakra, causing ordinary people to feel breathless and nauseous if they weren't careful. But I found it quite endearing to see someone like him struggle with it. That cautiousness, combined with his clear eyes and radiant smile, made me think that he wasn't as frightening as the rumors suggested. He tried to control his chakra, always cautiously keeping his distance from the people of Uzushio, paying close attention to those he met for the first time, afraid that he might accidentally hurt them.

The Uzumaki clan immediately arranged a marriage with Hashirama.

"Do you want to change your life, Mito?" My sharp-tongued mother smiled. "The Senju is a prestigious clan that can give you a life of wealth and honor."

"What are you thinking, Mother?" I firmly dismissed. "He belongs to big sister; the elders have already intended to bring them together."

"If not the elder, then the younger."

"Senju Tobirama?" I muttered. "I'd rather marry a rock. Don't worry, Mother, I will definitely find a good husband, and it doesn't have to be a Senju." At that time, finding a good husband to spend one's life with was every woman's dream. But for me, marriage was just a way to leave the Uzumaki clan; I never really intended to rely entirely on a husband.

"But if you have ambition," Mother called out teasingly as I turned to walk away, "those forest people are the closest and best you can get."

The Senju clan, for someone like me, was truly as distant as the horizon.

Even now, I still feel that our marriage is absurd—I don't understand why fate brought Hashirama and me together. Initially, the one the elders intended for Hashirama was my sister, Mikako. I was just the girl living in the kitchen corner, unloved by my father, but my big mother loved me enough to break my legs.

"Mikako is arranged, but like her, you will have a private meeting with Hashirama next week. The opportunity is equal." My mother smiled with hidden meaning. "Think carefully."

My mother was a servant in the Uzumaki clan, and servants always endured hardship. But a servant without relatives, like my mother, had it even worse. Because of her difficult life, she made it even harder by mistaking the young master for her lover. Mother said that night it was pitch dark, not even a light was lit. Since it was a festival, she was tipsy from the wine, her eyes blurry. How could she tell who was who? Similarly, the young master Uzumaki Kashino, the sixth son of the clan leader Ashina at that time, was also slightly drunk. When he saw my mother rush in, he mistook her for his wife, embraced her, and took her to his room. Then, what was bound to happen happened. The next morning, when the servants discovered what had happened, it became a big scandal. Uzumaki Kashino's wife, who came from the noble Kimura ninja clan, found out and flew into a rage, returning to her clan. The peace agreement between the two most prominent families in the Land of Whirlpools was at risk of being annulled. Seeing this, the clan leader Ashina had no choice but to place all the blame on my mother, who was then discovered to be two weeks pregnant, and expelled her from the clan. My mother's lover abandoned her after finding out what happened. With no parents or siblings, acquaintances treating her like a stranger, her lover abandoning her, and being ostracized by two powerful clans, there was nowhere in the entire Land of Whirlpools where my mother could find refuge.

And so, I, Uzumaki Mito, was born into that wretched situation. My mother gave birth to me in a foul-smelling stable with the help of beggar women. When I was just born, my mother honestly said that the first thing she asked wasn't about my condition, whether I was healthy, or even my gender, but what color my hair was. When she heard it was red, she laughed, laughed as if she had never laughed before, laughed like a madwoman, scaring those around her into fleeing, laughed until she lost all her strength and fainted. Because she knew, her hair was brown, her lover's hair was black, and neither of them had Uzumaki blood. So where did that red hair come from? I had to be Uzumaki Kashino's child, and that would be like a gift from heaven to end her days of wandering and suffering. My mother said that when she was pregnant, she thought there was a ninety percent chance the baby belonged to her lover, so she considered getting rid of it. But a very small part of her bet that it could be the child of the Uzumaki young master. She was determined to give birth to me despite the terrible conditions and constant dangers. She protected the pregnancy from harm, but trust me, there was no motherly love involved—it was entirely a gamble, all or nothing. And my mother won decisively.

"Don't be too sad." She took a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket, absentmindedly looking up at the sky, while I dejectedly stared at the meadow. "It's not that I didn't want to love you, but I couldn't. Emotions can't be forced no matter how hard you try, even when a mother's love for her child is supposed to be a given. But I no longer hate you. Your birth saved me from an obvious defeat, after all."

"Those words are quite a step forward, Mother." I gave a faint smile. "But in reality, you've survived until now because you are very capable, not just because of me."

That year, when my mother carried me to the Uzumaki clan to demand justice, she was, of course, still in a weak position. Because that noble clan, as expected, ruthlessly declared: "Keep the child, discard the mother." I would still be accepted by the clan, but my mother would not. My mother was furious. She had risked her life to give birth to me and wouldn't accept such a loss. So, she ran to a cliff with me, threatening to jump and commit suicide, causing an uproar. She cried to Kashino, "I won't put you in a difficult position." And just as she gambled, Uzumaki Kashino was soft-hearted and cared for his own blood. Seeing his child about to die with the woman whose life he had ruined, he couldn't help but kneel and beg Ashina to bring both of us back to the clan. Kashino's wife—whom I should call "big mother"—was so angry that she fell ill. After recovering, she often took her anger out on my mother, but my mother wasn't one to be easily intimidated. The two of them quarreled and fought for many years, even trying to drag the children into their fiery conflict. But strangely enough, I had a rather normal relationship with Mikako, the daughter of my big mother. It wasn't a close relationship, but we both tried to keep to ourselves, ensuring our paths didn't cross too often. At least this kind of relationship was better than with my other half-siblings from the main family: whenever we met, they would bully and insult me because of my origins.

Though my mother and I were always the subjects of ridicule within the clan, thankfully, Kashino didn't let us starve.

So in the game of life, my mother gambled recklessly and often, but she won every time. Is this fate?

"Your mother was indeed capable, but the key was you." She laughed. "Mito, at that time, the old Ashina secretly checked you and sensed that your body possessed a special chakra capable of controlling giant monsters. That's why he agreed to let Kashino keep both you and me."

I shrugged indifferently, thinking about what I should say when I was alone with Senju Hashirama to ensure he wouldn't have a bad impression of me.

Back then, all nine sisters from the main house of the Uzumaki clan had to dress up and wear makeup beautifully to meet the young clan leader of the Senju in a private meeting, something everyone hailed as "a special privilege". Calling it a special privilege, but in reality, we were no different from goods being presented for the Senju to inspect and choose from. The Uzumaki clan held Hashirama in such high regard that they didn't arrange a marriage with any specific girl beforehand; instead, they let him meet all of us and choose whom he liked. Placed ninth in line due to my sensitive status, I waited for my eight sisters to chat with Hashirama from morning onwards. I almost wanted to collapse into the tea table and take a nap, but the Uzumaki etiquette instructor's sharp glares forced me to sit properly like a true noble lady.

The furisode I was wearing was the most beautiful piece of clothing I had ever seen. Although it couldn't compare to the furisodes of the other eight, compared to the ragged clothes I had at home, it felt like a gift from heaven.

But it wasn't easy to wear and started to feel... strange.

I felt itchy and sore all over my body.

"Uzumaki Mito-sama, daughter of Kashino-sama! Please come in!"

Hearing the call, I felt pulled out of my thoughts. Slowly, I stood up and followed the steward into the meeting room. I don't even remember my first impression of meeting Hashirama or what his face looked like that day, because I was busy struggling with the furisode, which for some reason made me itchy and caused painful rashes every time I moved. The young clan leader of the Senju, seated opposite me, greeted me gently and invited me to sit down. He discreetly glanced over me, likely assessing me from head to toe. As for me, I never looked up, focusing instead on trying to alleviate the itch that was tormenting me.

"Ah... Mito-dono," Hashirama's tone was somewhat cautious. "Are you alright?"

Only then did I look up at him, meeting his warm, concerned eyes, and remember his presence. "Nothing to worry about, Senju-dono."

"I don't think you're alright," Hashirama said, standing up and moving around to where I was sitting. "Your face is very red, and you have a rash. Your chakra is fluctuating. Let me take a look." The gentle man intended to take my hand to examine it, but I was startled and moved back, nearly hitting the wall with my back to distance myself from him.

"What... what are you doing?"

"I am a medical ninja." The Senju clan leader withdrew his hand and slightly bowed, smiling. "I'm sorry if I was impolite, Mito-dono, but as a healer, I can't stand by when I see someone struggling like you are."

I raised my eyebrow, expressing my doubt. "You're not the type of healer who burns some kind of incense for the patient to inhale or splashes salt water on them and then uses a whip until they are 'cured,' are you?"

"No," he laughed, but didn't seem annoyed. "I am a true chakra healer."

Seeing the sincerity and generosity in Hashirama's brown eyes, a strange stirring suddenly blossomed in my heart, and I extended my hand for him to examine. The palm of the young clan leader emitted a soothing light green glow, which carefully and meticulously glided over my skin, and I found myself lost in the sight of his long, shiny black hair, wondering how a person could be born with such a healthy, perfect body.

"That is poison ivy...and a mix of other allergens...combined into a highly toxic substance," Hashirama frowned, pouring water from the jug on the table into his hand and lifting a water sphere. "It was applied to your furisode, and if there had been more, it could have been fatal."

I was stunned: someone hated me enough to want to take my life? Today it's the furisode, tomorrow it could be food, drink, or something else?

"What a despicable act…"

Hearing the hint of inexplicable anger in his tone, I felt disheartened. "I don't even know if I'll make it to the end of the month…"

"It's okay, Mito-dono." The man reassured me, his other hand gently patting my shoulder, the scent of sandalwood enveloping the space around us. "I can heal well. For now, I'll help alleviate your symptoms, and later I'll prepare some medicine. Make sure you take the medicine as prescribed..."

"Thank you very much." I temporarily calmed the panic spreading through my mind and bowed to my benefactor.

"There's no need to be so formal. As a medical ninja, saving people is my responsibility..." The man gave a radiant smile, and he was very close, with only a finger's width between our foreheads. His chakra was still as immense as usual, but there was no hint of it being out of control. It was completely gentle and warm, indicating that the owner of this chakra was in a very positive mood. He showed no wariness or unfamiliarity towards me, and was extremely comfortable.

Perhaps I felt the same way towards him.

Seeing Hashirama's face light up through the water sphere, I boldly asked:

"Have you taken a liking to me, Senju-dono?"

"Taken a liking... to what, Mito-dono?" he asked, his eyes still fixed on the spreading red spots on my arm.

"Taken a liking to me on the perfect wife scale," I replied. "Let's be direct—do you intend to marry me?"

"Marry...marry?" It seemed my words startled him, making him look up. "Marry, Mito-dono?"

"Yes, marry," I looked at him in confusion. "What did you think you and I were doing here?"

"Isn't that a bit...hasty, miss?" he replied, blushing and looking down, while the itching sensation on my skin gradually subsided.

For a moment, I thought Senju Hashirama was a joke.

"Thank you for treating me, but if you don't intend to marry me, then don't make me feel moved." I looked straight into the man's eyes, then moved a bit to let him know how tightly his hand had been unconsciously gripping my wrist all this time. "No, Senju-dono. You don't know how your actions are making me misunderstand."

Please don't be so gentle with me like that and let me know if you treat everyone this way.

(You and Mikako are probably destined to be together, whether you both like it or not...)

Please don't show temporary warmth and then leave forever.

"I didn't mean to..." He avoided my gaze, fixing his eyes on the ground, slowly widening the distance between us.

I sighed, thinking to myself that I didn't mean to make things difficult for Hashirama, yet he looked no different from an oversized child caught doing something wrong.

"You're not upset, are you?" I asked gently. "I just want us to be honest with each other so we don't waste each other's time."

The man looked up at me, his eyes surprised. "Honest...with each other?"

The symptoms had stopped.

"Exactly. I suggest that you and I each take a piece of paper and write down our 'requirements' as if we were to get married," I said clearly. "Then we'll give them to each other to read. Usually, the man's requirements are more numerous and considered more important, but I think Hashirama-dono is generous enough to respect that women have their own conditions too. We'll both carefully consider each point, and then, if we both agree..."

"Then you and I will get married?"

"Exactly."

"Mito-dono, this is too obsessive," Hashirama looked at me in panic. "You talk about marriage like Tobirama droning on about terms when drafting an alliance with the Sarutobi."

"Is that...unusual?" I asked, tilting my head.

"It's very unusual! You...you...don't...argh...this is marriage, you're marrying a husband and you're talking as if...!"

"A transaction? That's what it essentially is, and so is this meeting." I sighed. "Senju-dono, I'm just preparing for the future. Even though the chances are high that you won't marry me, it's better to plan ahead. What if, by some strange twist of fate, you decide you want to marry me? What then? You know how difficult it is for a woman to marry far away, right? You men also marry, but you're just bringing home a wife, and your lives remain the same. Meanwhile, we women leave our clans, our homelands, and go far away to become part of another clan. Even in death, we belong to that other clan."

Silence enveloped us. Both of us avoided looking each other in the eyes and found the table particularly interesting. I thought that out of the eight people before me, no one had brought this up in front of him. Even though I felt a twinge of reluctance at making the meeting tense, I reminded myself that it's better for both sides to know each other's thoughts and principles now, making it easier to work together later.

This way, in the future, he might know how to treat Mikako properly, the most suitable candidate among the Uzumaki daughters to be his wife. My half-sister, though distant from me, is still my blood. I hope she will live well.

"Mito-dono, I am very troubled." Finally, the young clan leader of the Senju spoke, breaking the silence. "They brought your sisters and you here, and I had to have private meetings with all of you. Out of courtesy, I couldn't refuse. I feel like a terrible person, having the right to be picky and judge others, while you all are nothing but..."

"Treated with contempt? Objects? Puppets?" I blinked vacantly. "Don't be so sentimental; they said coming to meet you is a 'privilege"."

Hashirama's eyes widened.

"I just want to be honest, it's not a privilege at all... The Senju clan is in the midst of a war. Marrying into this family won't bring you happiness, and if one day I die on the battlefield, it would be even worse." He sighed and looked at me. "You'd be better off staying in Uzushio, where you might find a peaceful life... This kind of marriage is too hasty, and I fear I'd disappoint my future wife. I can't love her completely, and perhaps she feels the same. If it weren't for Tobirama advising me to marry to strengthen our alliance and honor our ancestors' promises, I wouldn't... I think we don't need this arranged marriage at all. It's just nonsense." Then suddenly, he snapped out of his monologue, looking up and exclaiming loudly, "No, I didn't mean to say the Uzumaki clan is nonsense, I'm truly sorry, arranged marriages have been the foundation of many alliances throughout history, and I shouldn't belittle that, I just think it's unnecessary, you've waited so long to meet me, and you shouldn't be treated with such disrespect..."

"Hashirama-dono, you're stammering," I quickly interrupted. "And don't beg or apologize by banging your head on the table." Yes, remind yourself to stop him when you see him about to do that. "It will hurt a lot, I'm not that stone-hearted Uchiha clan leader, I will feel sorry for you."

"You...you know...?" The Senju clan leader suddenly became...shy. It was truly unexpected; the longer I talked with him, the more I realized the meaning of the saying, 'seeing is believing.' But it was also strange, even though Hashirama was a bit clueless, I felt as if we had known each other for a long time, and talking to him was very comfortable.

I nodded. "You mean the story of you on the battlefield, repeatedly bowing your head to ask for an alliance? The whole world knows about it."

"You must think I'm really foolish, right? Tobirama has said that many times as well..."

"No," I said calmly. "I'm wondering what the hearts of the Uchiha brothers and those in their clan are made of, that they still haven't recognized your sincerity."

"Madara is a very loyal person, he's just trapped by his clan obligations," he immediately said. "But...Mito-dono! Do you really think so? You're the first person not to call me foolish or delusional." Hashirama's brown eyes lit up. "Thank...thank you, thank you very much."

"You're not foolish; the foolish ones are those who continue the war. In these times, let's not make things complicated." I said sympathetically. "Actually, even without love, I don't think an arranged marriage is all that negative, at least from a... well... financial standpoint," I hesitated, wondering if I was being too shameless."For example, to me, money is everything. As long as I have money, I'll be happy—enough food and clothing, not being looked down upon by others. I don't ask for anything else. It's fine if my future husband doesn't love me, but if he does, even better. Just remember not to make things difficult for each other as spouses, and it will be fine." Hashirama couldn't help but stare wide-eyed at these words.

"The Senju clan has money and power, and you, young and talented, are like the midday sun. In times of war, that's more than enough for a woman. At least we don't have to marry a clan leader old enough to be our father, with a bunch of grandchildren, and become his fourth wife, for example. Or someone who already has a wife, forcing us to become nothing more than a doormat. The worst would be someone with a cruel heart; if that happens, our whole lives would be ruined. But you're different." I felt a sense of peace. "A man who considers the suffering of women will not be a bad person. Any woman who marries you will have a good place to rely on."

I gently concluded with a sincere smile.

The man stared at me, his gaze complex, and whispered, "Mito-dono, are you in pain?"

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T/N: While I did not create this story, I am merely a humble admirer seeking to share this wonderful story with a wider audience. The original work is a masterpiece that deserves to be recognized and appreciated by many.

English isn't my first language, so excuse me if I make any grammar or punctiation mistakes. You can point them out.