Now, before I leave (or start, depending on where future Trevor places this note), I need to clarify a couple of things.
First, since I had a new idea for the story that diametrically changes the previous story, I have to change some elements of the peerage. For those who read it on Wattpad in Spanish, you know that one of his pawns was Felicia Hardy, but with this new idea, she doesn't fit at all into the mental image I have for this new peerage. Of course, it is still exclusively female, although not out of lust for Naruto. He doesn't give a damn about that kind of stuff; if he wants to have sex, he doesn't need to have it with someone who is literally enslaved by him. It's simply pure and simple logic: demons are especially competitive and territorial, and having a half-blood or pure-blood man subordinate to him will turn out terribly wrong, either due to insubordination or simple envy. It would end up going terribly wrong. So, I will not include men in his peerage due to these reasons… since, although he has the power to dominate them, in his opinion, there are other things he prefers to use his time on than controlling a bunch of idiots.
That being said, do you have any suggestions for his peerage? I have a few in mind, besides his queen, a knight, and a rook. Besides that, I am open to your suggestions.
In other words, I need two bishops, a rook, a knight, and the eight pawns.
Chapter 1:
A sepulchral silence, dense as midnight fog, enveloped the Gremory mansion. Only the crystalline clinking of silver tableware, a ghostly echo in the distance, and the silky whisper of velvet curtains, dancing to the rhythm of a breeze laden with secrets, dared to disturb the stillness. Enormous stained glass windows, cobwebs of faint light, cast elongated shadows over the intricate tapestries that adorned the walls, narrating with threads of gold and crimson glorious battles and ancestral pacts, stories woven into the very soul of the mansion.
However, behind the majesty of the tapestries, a secret throbbed hidden in plain sight, a mystery that took refuge in the penetrating gaze of a child. Naruto Sirius Gremory, the third son of the clan, an enigma that no one dared to decipher. If anyone dared to ask about him, the answers vanished like breath in the cold air, frigid and evasive as the wind that seeped through the cracks in the walls. "Just another Gremory," some said, with disdain disguised as indifference. "A lucky bastard," others murmured, with bitter envy in their voices. But no one, not even the oldest servants, dared to unravel the true nature of that boy with emerald eyes that pierced the darkness and a restlessly inquisitive mind.
"Just because you can destroy things doesn't mean you know how you want to destroy them." The phrase, spoken by Naruto long ago, still echoed in the halls of the Gremory mansion, a ghostly echo that filtered through the sugary compliments and praises directed at his sister Rias. The rest of the family, and even the servants, went out of their way to flatter her, blind to the arrogance that grew within her with each hollow word. "He doesn't learn control, he doesn't learn humility," Naruto thought, flipping through the pages of an ancient grimoire with restless fingers. "She has only learned that the world will kneel before her for being special... Ha, naive, the world kneels before no one. That teaching is utterly stupid." His eyes, usually hidden behind thick sunglasses, gleamed with an intense light, two emeralds ignited in the dimness.
But leaving those bitter thoughts aside, right now Naruto, barely ten years old, stood before his older brother, Sirzechs Lucifer. The air around them vibrated with palpable tension, a silent clash between two brilliant minds and two opposing wills. Naruto, with his four-foot-seven stature, his blood-red hair with two white streaks framing his face like moon brushstrokes, observed Sirzechs with a mixture of icy curiosity and indifference. Sirzechs, for his part, struggled to maintain his composure, but his hands trembled slightly and a drop of cold sweat trickled down his temple, betraying his nervousness. He had made a mistake, an unforgivable oversight, and now he had to face the consequences.
"What is this?" Naruto asked, with a tone that Sirzechs had learned to interpret as the expression of his natural interest, rather than a bit of indifference towards his family. His voice, though still childish, resonated with an unusual serenity for a boy his age, as if the secrets of the universe had already unfolded before his eyes.
The person who piqued his curiosity was a young girl with hair as golden as freshly forged gold, hiding shyly behind Sirzechs' imposing figure. Her eyes, the color of honey in the sunlight, were fixed on the floor, avoiding Naruto's penetrating gaze. A worn and stained kimono covered her slender body, and four snow-white tails peeked out from underneath, moving nervously. Two purple marks, similar to wolf fangs, adorned her cheeks, an unsettling contrast to the sweetness of her features, further arousing the young Gremory's interest.
"I got her to be the first member of your peerage," Sirzechs said with forced cheerfulness that failed to deceive Naruto. His voice, usually calm and confident, trembled slightly, and his hands, normally still, twisted with unease.
"An idiot," Naruto thought, with a mixture of icy pity and impenetrable indifference. "There's no way he believes this farce." Suddenly, fragmented memories burst into his mind, like gusts of freezing wind: the sun goddess, Amaterasu, her searing flames licking the air, her volcanic temper trembling on the verge of eruption, threatening destruction to anyone who dared to touch her "cute kitty." Sirzechs, pale as a ghost and with cold sweat pearling his forehead, trying to appease her fury.
"So he remembered me after all," Naruto murmured to himself, with an ironic smile that didn't reach his emerald eyes. "And this kitsune is the price of his negligence."
Not that he cared. He had better things to do than worry about trifles. Still, he supposed his brother and his guilt complex made him feel terribly bad about it, and he chose to give him the first thing he found, which happened to be a four-tailed kitsune in deplorable condition, probably rescued at the last minute.
"You need a bath and clean clothes," Naruto commented dryly, fixing his hawk-like gaze on the young kitsune. His gaze, sharp as the edge of a sword, focused on the smallest details: the dirt stains on her worn kimono, her tangled and dull hair, the four tails that waved nervously, trying to blend into the shadows.
"Hello." The girl coughed into her hand, trying to hide a blush of shame that burned her cheeks. Her hazel eyes, normally bright and full of life, clouded over with the mist of insecurity. "I'm Natsumi, it's a pleasure to meet you. I hope to be a good member of your peerage," she said in a trembling voice, bowing her head in respect.
Naruto observed the girl and her disheveled appearance for a few moments, drawing a straight line with his lips, a gesture that denoted his deep analysis.
"Four tails at ten years old... incredible potential," he thought, feeling a spark of interest ignite within him. "And those marks on her face... what do they mean?" His fingers, long and slender, moved restlessly over the cover of the book he was holding, a treatise on Egyptian mythology with pages worn by time, silent witnesses of countless readings. "It doesn't make sense that the kitsune abandoned her... unless..." An idea began to take shape in his mind, a possibility that intrigued and excited him at the same time.
Determined to follow his instinct, Naruto rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a small chess piece, carved from ebony and ivory. A Queen. Sirzechs, who was watching the scene attentively, opened his eyes in surprise, disbelief reflected in his gaze. He didn't understand why his brother had chosen such an important piece for an unknown kitsune. But Naruto paid him no attention. His eyes were fixed on Natsumi, analyzing every detail of her expression, every movement of her tails, every beat of her heart.
Then, with a soft tone that contrasted with his usual coldness, he instructed Natsumi on what to do. His words, precise and concise, guided the young kitsune through the reincarnation ritual, a process she followed with a mixture of fear and fascination, like a moth drawn to a flame. In a short time, the Queen piece was absorbed by her body, merging with her being. And a wave of energy ran through her veins like a river of fire, awakening a dormant power within her. She gasped, feeling an intense heat and a sense of expansion, as if something inside her were growing and changing, breaking the chains of her limitation. Naruto, with a subtle gesture, helped her to her feet, and with a brief nod to his brother, led her to one of his favorite places in the mansion: his second room, or as Rias called it, "his mad scientist's cave," which was located on the second floor, away from the bustle and frivolity of the rest of the mansion.
Upon crossing the threshold, Natsumi felt transported to another world. The smell of dust and old paper mixed with the acrid aroma of unknown chemicals, an olfactory symphony that made her wrinkle her nose. The room was an organized chaos: shelves filled with ancient books, whose worn covers whispered forgotten secrets, tables covered with parchments and diagrams, and dark corners where strange devices and scientific instruments piled up, relics of arcane experiments. In the background, a massive wooden desk stood imposing, covered with scribbled papers, complex diagrams, and small trinkets that seemed to have been collected at random: stones carved with unknown symbols, ancient coins with faces worn by time, and a small silver medallion that shone with a faint light, like a watchful eye in the darkness.
Curious, Natsumi approached the desk and examined the objects closely. Naruto's handwriting, which covered the pages of notebooks and parchments, was a reflection of his mind: a labyrinth of apparently chaotic strokes, but with an internal logic that only he could decipher. A small photograph, placed in a worn silver frame, caught her attention. In it, a younger Naruto smiled mischievously, his eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint, while sharing a cup of tea with a girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes like newly polished sapphires. Natsumi felt a pang of curiosity, a silent question throbbing in her chest, but before she could formulate it, Naruto's voice startled her.
"I'm a person interested in many things," he said, in a tone that mixed indifference with a slight echo of contained enthusiasm. "These are my notes on a topic I found interesting. It turns out that human iron and underworld iron are very different, and I'm interested in knowing what's really there to make them so different."
Natsumi flinched at the sound of his voice, a stifled cry escaping her lips like a frightened whisper. She turned quickly, her heart pounding in her chest like a frantic drum. Naruto watched her with an analytical gaze, the shadow of an amused smile curving his lips.
"Do you want to help me?" he asked, offering her a pair of safety goggles.
Natsumi, still with the blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks, nodded in silence and took the goggles, feeling the brief brush of their fingers together, a fleeting contact that left a spark of electricity on her skin.
Grayfia Lucifuge, with her silver hair like a lunar waterfall that defied gravity, was the very image of elegance and power. Her amethyst eyes gleamed with a sharp intelligence, capable of cutting through the air, and an unwavering loyalty to her King and husband, Sirzechs Lucifer. The maid outfit she wore, immaculately white with black details that highlighted her slender figure like a brushstroke of ink on canvas, fit her lithe form like a second skin, accentuating her delicate curves and haughty bearing. With a fluid motion, she arched a perfectly groomed eyebrow as Sirzechs materialized in her office with a slight burst of magical energy, the air crackling with his presence.
"How did he react to your gift?" she asked in a respectful tone that did not hide her curiosity, her words falling with the precision of blades.
Sirzechs, frowning and staring into space, as if trying to decipher an invisible enigma, seemed not to have heard her.
"Is everything alright, Sirzechs-sama?" Grayfia insisted, with a slight touch of concern that softened the coldness of her voice.
"Why would he use a Queen piece on a four-tailed kitsune?" Sirzechs murmured to himself, oblivious to Grayfia's presence, his voice a whisper laden with confusion.
A slight shadow of confusion crossed Grayfia's face, but she quickly hid it with her usual composure. She placed the teacup in front of Sirzechs with a smooth and precise gesture, a movement that denoted grace and efficiency, and with a slight nod, she excused herself.
"With your permission, Sirzechs-sama."
With quick and silent steps, like a shadow gliding through the corridors, she headed towards Naruto's room. Questions crowded her mind, a whirlwind of uncertainty that threatened to break her facade of serenity, but she kept her expression impassive, like a mask of serenity that hid the storm of thoughts churning inside her. Had Sirzechs really forgotten that Kitsune grow exponentially as they gain tails? What plans did Naruto have for her? And how would this affect the balance of the peerage and the future of the Gremory clan?
"Sirzechs-sama may have prevented me from training Rias's Queen, but nothing was said about Naruto-sama's. I will make sure Natsumi is a Queen worthy of a Satan's brother," Grayfia thought, with unwavering determination in her gaze, her amethyst eyes shining with fierce intensity.
Finally, Grayfia reached the younger Gremory's room. Carefully, she raised her hand and knocked gently on the door, the sound of her knuckles against the carved wood echoing in the silence of the hallway, like a dry and precise knock. From inside, a female voice murmured something akin to "I'll open it, sir," and a moment later, the door opened with a prolonged creak, a silent lament that broke the stillness. In the frame, the little kitsune watched her shyly, her hazel eyes wide open and her four tails moving nervously, as if trying to trace invisible figures in the air. The outfit she now wore, a simple white robe provided by the servants, seemed to swallow her small figure, and her hands, small and delicate, twisted with insecurity, like two little birds caught in an invisible net.
"C-can I help?" Natsumi asked in a trembling voice, her fox ears twitching slightly, betraying her nervousness.
"That's good, a solid foundation to work with," Grayfia thought with satisfaction, her amethyst eyes assessing the young kitsune with an analytical gaze that stripped bare every detail. "Greetings. I am the Queen of Naruto-sama's older brother. Do you know that Naruto-sama's brother is a very important figure in the underworld?"
Natsumi nodded docilely, her fox ears trembling with each movement of her head, like leaves stirred by a gentle breeze.
"And that Naruto-sama himself belongs to a very influential family?"
Natsumi nodded again, but this time with less confidence. Her eyes darted to the side, seeking refuge in the shadows of the walls, as if hoping to find answers among the murmurs of the old wood.
"Due to these factors, I would like to teach you how to be a suitable Queen for Naruto-sama. I will also train you to become stronger physically, mentally, and magically, so that you can become the best you can be," Grayfia said, in a firm and authoritative tone that resonated with the experience accumulated through countless battles and challenges.
As Natsumi opened her mouth to reply, Grayfia raised a hand to signal her to wait, a gesture that cut through the air with the precision of a sword.
"Discuss the offer with your King first. That is my first lesson," Grayfia instructed, with a smile that did not reach her eyes, an expression that hid the steely determination that throbbed within her.
Nodding in confirmation, the kitsune girl closed the door. After a minute or two of murmured words that Grayfia could not understand—a murmur of high-pitched and curious voices that seemed to dance in the air like autumn leaves, indecipherable whispers that filled the space with palpable tension—the door opened again. In the threshold, not only Natsumi appeared, but also Naruto, with his piercing blue eyes fixed on Grayfia, like two lasers analyzing every movement. The young kitsune, with her four tails moving nervously, hid slightly behind her King, seeking protection in his shadow, like a fawn before the presence of a wolf.
"Naruto-sama, I believe you have heard about the offer I made to your Queen," Grayfia said in a formal tone, but with a slight glint of curiosity that sparkled in her amethyst eyes like shooting stars. She watched attentively the restless movement of Natsumi, who seemed trapped in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, between the indifference of her King and the authority of the experienced Queen.
"I have," Naruto replied with his usual calm, his eyes fixed on Grayfia without revealing any emotion, like a frozen lake that keeps its secrets in the depths. "I certainly didn't expect the proposal, but I have no problem with you taking care of Natsumi from time to time. How often do you think you can train Natsumi?"
"Once every 2-4 weeks for a maximum of 24 hours," Grayfia replied, in a professional tone that resonated with the firmness of an unbreakable pact. "Although I am pleasantly surprised that you have agreed so easily, Naruto-sama."
"Yes, well... I've seen how a Queen can act when given complete freedom and absolutely no discipline," Naruto said, with a slight touch of sarcasm that curved his lips into an ironic smile, as his mind conjured the image of Akeno, his sister's Queen, with her childish attitude and senseless whims.
Grayfia nodded in silence, understanding the reference without needing words, the shadow of an almost imperceptible smile crossing her face. The poor Natsumi looked from one to the other, her gaze filled with confusion, like a little animal caught in a conversation beyond its comprehension, not daring to interrupt the conversation.
"I currently have no duties for the next 12 hours of the day. If it's not inconvenient, I can start Natsumi's training immediately," Grayfia added, with an expectant look that pierced Naruto's gaze, awaiting his response.
XXXXXXXXXX
Upon reaching a small meadow on the outskirts of the Gremory mansion, Grayfia made Natsumi stop in front of her. The fresh air caressed their faces, lifting strands of hair and whispering secrets among the leaves of the trees, carrying with it the sweet scent of wildflowers and the melodious song of birds that filled the air with a natural symphony. With a precise gesture, Grayfia conjured a piece of magical chalk that floated in the air, radiating a soft and warm light that danced like a firefly in the breeze. This object allowed her to write in the air as if it were a solid surface, drawing words with luminous strokes that seemed to come to life, dancing and twirling in the breeze like shooting stars.
"Now, Natsumi, I understand that at first these lessons may seem intimidating, but in time you will thank me for making you a worthy Queen," Grayfia began the lesson, her voice resonating with authority and experience, like the echo of an ancient scroll unraveling its secrets, that of a veteran teacher guiding her disciple.
Natsumi nodded uneasily, her four tails waving nervously, like white flags waving in a silent storm, while her hazel eyes, large and bright, fixed on the words Grayfia wrote in the air, absorbing every detail with a silent voracity.
"Now, how much do you understand about being a Queen of a demonic clan?" Grayfia asked, with a penetrating gaze that seemed to read the young kitsune's soul, scrutinizing her deepest thoughts.
Swallowing with difficulty, Natsumi replied in a trembling voice: "N-not much, G-grayfia-sama." She internally reprimanded herself for stuttering, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks, coloring them with a delicate pink that contrasted with the paleness of her skin.
"Understood," Grayfia said in a neutral tone, revealing no emotion, her face an impassive mask of unwavering serenity. "A Queen is the right hand of a King. His main companion and his closest confidante. The traditional structure of a peerage, which many devils have already forgotten, is that each piece has an important place, especially in combat. Within combat, the pieces function as such: Pawns are generally, but not always, quantity over quality, but they can also act as secret trump cards if necessary; they are the most adaptable piece. The Rook is the "tank" of a peerage, it can receive and deliver large amounts of physical and magical damage, although this increased strength means a decrease in speed and agility. Knights, on the other hand, suffer the opposite problem: they have greater speed and agility, but apart from that, their physical capabilities are mediocre. Bishops are the "mages" of a peerage, their magical abilities increase, while their physical capabilities remain the same or decrease to compensate." She paused to make sure Natsumi was listening, and continued, "Finally, the Queen piece, like you and me. We have all the increased attributes of the Rook, Knight, and Bishop..." Her voice became deeper, as if she were revealing an ancestral secret that resonated in the depths of time. "In exchange for having all the increased abilities, these are increased to a lower level than an individual piece. An example is that if a Queen and a Rook have the same physical strength before being reincarnated, after they are reincarnated, both will have greater strength, but the Rook will be much stronger."
Grayfia finished her explanation and looked at Natsumi, searching her hazel eyes for any sign of understanding, hoping for a spark of comprehension in the darkness of her ignorance. Natsumi, her head filled with new information, nodded enthusiastically, her tails waving vibrantly, like a fan of white feathers celebrating the newly acquired knowledge.
Natsumi nodded her head, mentally reviewing the words that Grayfia had written in the air. She remembered the letters shining with a soft light, like small stars suspended in the breeze, guiding her mind through a labyrinth of new concepts. As Grayfia explained the intricacies of the peerage and the functions of each piece, Natsumi couldn't help but notice the passion that emanated from her voice, the way her amethyst eyes sparkled with an inner fire, like two embers ignited by the flame of wisdom. A small smile appeared on the young kitsune's lips, infected by her teacher's enthusiasm, like a silent echo of her fervor.
"Now, as Naruto-sama's right hand, you will be in charge of his general well-being, but also of ensuring that he is disciplined and does his job. If you're lucky, he'll be the opposite of Sirzechs-sama and will do his job without serious consequences," Grayfia said, with a slight touch of irony in her voice, a spark of dry humor that briefly illuminated the seriousness of her face. "But if by chance Naruto-sama is the same, I will teach you how to properly deal with his lack of motivation. This is a method that usually works well, and there are others, although I won't teach you some until you are older."
Natsumi nodded shyly and docilely, her four tails waving gently, like white feathers caressing the air.
"Now, stand up," Grayfia ordered, with a tone of voice that resonated with the authority of a royal decree.
Natsumi stood up with a slight tremor in her legs, feeling Grayfia's penetrating gaze fixed on her, like two daggers of ice that scrutinized her every move.
"The first thing we will work on is your confidence," Grayfia said, with a smile that did not reach her eyes, an expression that hid the steely determination that throbbed within her. "And for that, you will need to overcome your fears."
Natsumi swallowed, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten her throat like an invisible rope. Grayfia's eyes shone with an intense light, like two embers burning in the darkness, casting dancing shadows on her expressionless face. A chill ran down her spine like the touch of a ghost, and her hands, small and fragile, clenched into fists, trying to cling to the courage that was fading.
XXXXXXXXXX
The next morning, Natsumi, after finishing her intense training with Grayfia, entered Naruto's room. Her kimono, worn and stained from life on the street, now also showed the marks of earth and sweat from training, with some patches of grass and dry mud that told the story of her effort. Her hair, normally neat and tidy, was disheveled and tousled, with some strands stuck to her sweaty forehead and others escaping in all directions, like rebellious strands of silk. A slight frown furrowed her brow, darkening her delicate features with an expression of tiredness and frustration. She had accepted to serve a demon, a Gremory, to have a better life, not to look like a wild creature just out of the forest. However, as soon as she looked at her King, who was in a corner of the room with his feet resting on the desk and a notebook in his hands, her anger dissipated like the morning mist, vanishing in the presence of his calm.
Naruto, oblivious to her presence, seemed absorbed in his notes, his pen gliding quickly over the paper, leaving a trail of black ink and incomprehensible words that danced like ancient runes.
"Naruto-sama?" Natsumi said with a hesitant stutter, which made her curse under her breath, her voice a whisper barely audible in the stillness of the room. But she had to suppress her frustration when Naruto simply threw his head back to look at her, with eyes that left her completely surprised, paralyzed for an instant. "His eyes... are the Six Eyes?" she thought in amazement, feeling a chill run down her spine, as if the very air had frozen. "How the hell are the Gremorys not training him to be the best? Those eyes literally make him an almost omnipotent powerhouse, even I know that."
"Hmph... I thought you'd be back for breakfast," Naruto commented casually, lowering his feet from the desk and sitting properly in his chair, the sound of the wood echoing in the silence. With a fluid gesture, he turned around and adjusted his dark glasses, hiding his powerful eyes from Natsumi's view, as if hiding a dangerous secret. "How did it go?" he asked with genuine curiosity, his voice sounding softer than usual, a contrast to the intensity she had witnessed in his previous gaze.
"Quite well, actually, Grayfia-san had to return to her duties," Natsumi replied, trying to stand straight and speak professionally, just as Grayfia had taught her. However, her tails betrayed her, waving behind her nervously, as if they had a life of their own.
Naruto smiled at her slightly, and the light seemed to capture the sparkle in his blue eyes, illuminating his face with an unexpected warmth. He had realized that Grayfia wanted to turn Natsumi into a miniature version of herself, with all that formality and rigidity. It was a kind gesture, he supposed, but he didn't think Natsumi would feel comfortable that way.
"You don't need to be so formal with me, Natsumi," Naruto said, in a soft tone that contrasted with the coldness his eyes could show, like a reassuring whisper in the dark. "Grayfia needs to be because of her position as my brother's Queen, but I don't have such a high position. I may be your King, but you are also my right hand," he added, with a small, reassuring smile that lit up his face, like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
Natsumi let out a small cry, a sharp and surprised sound that echoed in the room, breaking the stillness with a trembling echo. An intense blush colored her cheeks, as if an internal fire ignited under her skin, spreading to the tips of her fox ears, betraying her nervousness with a vibrant crimson. Naruto's closeness, his smile, and his kind words had completely disarmed her, leaving her vulnerable to his unexpected warmth.
"I will try not to be so formal, Naruto-sama," she said in a trembling voice, lowering her gaze shyly, unable to hold the intensity of his stare. "B-but, can I ask you to do the same? Grayfia-san said that I am supposed to be your greatest confidante."
"An eye for an eye?" Naruto asked, with an amused smile tugging at his lips, a mischievous glint that lit up his eyes. Seeing Natsumi nod, he continued, "I can try to do that, Natsumi. Would you like to help me?" he asked, raising his notebook with an inviting gesture, offering her a glimpse into his secret world.
As she approached him, Natsumi saw that the page was covered with names written in a messy but energetic calligraphy, strokes that danced on the paper like living creatures. Names of creatures and beings she had only heard in stories and legends: mermaids with melodious voices, dragons with impenetrable scales, forest spirits with bright eyes... A world of possibilities opened before her eyes, a fantastic universe that throbbed beneath the surface of reality.
"W-what is this, N-Naruto-sama?" she asked in a trembling voice, as she tried to smooth her hair and tails to look more presentable, a desperate attempt to regain her composure. However, her efforts were in vain. Her kimono was still worn and dirty, and her movements were clumsy and insecure, betraying her discomfort.
"Since I don't really have anything better to do right now, I thought that, since I was given a reason to start a peerage, I could start studying the species I know to look for potential members," Naruto replied casually, without taking his eyes off his notebook, as if revealing a plan that had been brewing in his mind for a long time.
Natsumi's eyes widened, as if she had just discovered an incredible secret that would change her perception of the world. "C-can I borrow the notebook, Naruto-sama? I would like to i-investigate the species you are looking at," she asked shyly, holding her breath as she waited for his answer.
Naruto looked up and smiled kindly at her, a gesture that instantly reassured her. "Sure, Natsumi," he said, extending the notebook towards her, offering her a priceless treasure. "Be careful, some of those creatures are quite dangerous."
Natsumi took the notebook with reverence, her fingers brushing the worn pages delicately, as if afraid to break a sacred object. "Thank you, Naruto-sama," she said with a sincere smile, feeling a wave of gratitude towards her King, a warm feeling that flooded her chest.
"You're welcome, Natsumi," Naruto replied, returning to his notes, immersing himself once again in his world of fantastic creatures. "Oh, and please, try to avoid my sister, and Queen Akeno. She's about our age, has long, black hair, and purple eyes. She's a bad influence."
Natsumi nodded, engraving Akeno's description in her mind, a warning that resonated with a tone of mystery and danger. With a final farewell, she left the room, closing the door gently behind her, a gesture that marked the beginning of her new mission. As she walked down the hallway, with the notebook pressed against her chest, a new determination shone in her eyes, a spark of hope that illuminated her path.
"I will be the best Queen for Naruto-sama," she thought firmly, remembering Grayfia's words, a silent oath that sealed her destiny. "I will protect him and help him achieve his goals, no matter the cost."
Meanwhile, Naruto, oblivious to the intrigues that were weaving around him, continued his research, his mind absorbing information like a sponge, exploring the depths of arcane knowledge. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, like a lightning bolt in the darkness, a fleeting reminder of his oversight.
"Hmph... I forgot to ask her if she had breakfast yet," he murmured to himself, with a slight shrug, dismissing his forgetfulness with carefree indifference.
End of chapter.