A/N – We cut back to see what Hiashi is doing throughout all of this.

Hiashi rubbed his temples, filled with more stress than he had suffered in a while.

He had sent some of his best spies to the Capital to gather information about Oda Mamoru's affairs (the Hokage had alerted her informants as well), and the information he had obtained was simply too confusing.

Oda Mamoru was in bed with the Raichō gang, which was funded (covertly, and without much actionable evidence) by the Nishin clan (Hiashi could not believe that they had not known this before! How could they have missed something like this!?).

The Nishin clan was a clan that dealt mostly in the sale and purchase of antiques (gained through both legitimate and under-the-table means), although they had a finger or two in the sugar manufacturing industry as well. Hiashi was aware that Elder Hideki had had business with them in the past, and the relation had soured when they tried to gain the Hyūga's influence in setting up shop in Konoha.

At least, that is what they had believed.

Hideki had confessed (after quite a lot of pressure), that the actual reason was that he had refused to pay in full for an antique cabinet that had (allegedly) arrived damaged (Hideki's attempt to conceal his guilty gaze made it clear that the damage was not an innocent coincidence).

The Hokage's informants had learned that Oda had been seen leaving one of their antique shops, looking furtive. Said antique shop was also known in the underworld to be a front for the Raichō gang's activities.

They'd had more information about how exactly Oda was involved with them, but Hiashi had (perhaps unwisely) let the words wash over himself.

On paper, it all made sense. The Nishin could have instructed the Raichō to leave the threat in retaliation to Hideki refusing to pay them. Threatening the heiress would put them all on high alert, which meant Hideki could not hide what had actually happened, and would pay the rest just to keep the word from going out. It all tied up neatly.

Perhaps a little too neatly.

Hiashi himself was now more certain than ever.

Oda Mamoru was not the main link here, and neither was Hyūga Hideki.

Regardless of whatever Oda Mamoru had been doing in his free time, Hinata should not have been involved. They had no way of being sure just yet, but they were fairly certain that Oda had not made a big deal of what he considered to be his impending nuptials.

Hyūga Hideki was the one who had wronged them, and Hiashi felt that there were other ways to get at him that did not involve his daughter.

Hiashi poured himself a cup of sake (he needed to be careful, it would not do to become a... connoisseur... at the same level as Tsunade).

Oda Mamoru was a distraction. This whole thing was about Hinata, which meant that the Nishin might not be involved either. They had the Daimyō's (reluctant) ear. If they wanted to truly set up their shop in Konoha, they could have had it ordered by him.

If they wanted the rest of their payment, they could simply write to Hiashi and Tsunade to force the issue.

Someone left that head for her, and Hiashi does not know who did it or why.

His daughter was not the kind of kunoichi to elicit threats. As Kakashi had brought up that night, she was not undertaking those kinds of missions.

Maybe Kumo?

But if they were able to get into her room for a second time, somehow, they would have just abducted her again!

Hiashi threw back another cup of sake.

His thoughts were bordering on ridiculous, but it needed to be considered.

Was it someone from the Village?

But who could it possibly be? And he came back to the same question of why?

Hinata had always been too sweet (to her own detriment, as far as the Main Family was concerned), and she was always helping everyone in the Village (even when it was expected for the heiress to the Hyūga to remain aloof from the rabble). There was no reason for someone in the Village to hate her to this extent.

His musings were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Enter."

"Hiashi-sama," Neji entered and bowed. "I have returned. No suspicious characters on patrol."

"Hmm." Hiashi hummed in acknowledgement, wondering. Neji stood silently before him, waiting for a dismissal. "Neji, I... have a question."

"Yes, Hiashi-sama?" Neji queried, sounding curious.

"Does..." Hiashi pursed his lips tightly together. The very idea sounded preposterous! But what if...? "Do you know of any enemies Hinata might have within the Village?"

Neji looked gobsmacked, as if a fish that had been left out in the sun for a few days had jumped out at him from a freezer.

"Enemies!? In the Village!?" Neji exclaimed, incredulous. His voice jumped high in disbelief. "Hinata-sama!?"

"Answer the question, Neji." Hiashi prompted, fingers itching to travel to his temples again.

"I do not believe so." Neji sounded sure, which Hiashi was uncertain how to feel about. On the one hand, it was relieving to know his daughter had no enemies within the Village, but on the other hand, this put him back on square one. "Do you... do you believe someone in the Village did this?"

"I do not know what I believe, Neji." Hiashi sighed, staring out of the open window. "I just know that Mamoru was simply a casualty. This whole situation, it is not about him. Nor was this meant to intimidate the Hyūga."

"You believe that the threat was intended for Hinata-sama?" Neji asked, his tone absurd. "But... who would do that!?"

"That is what we must find out, Neji."

"Are you going to inform Hokage-sama? Or Hatake-san?" Neji asked, stiff with worry and anger. His fists clenched at his sides, and Hiashi sensed chakra flowing to them.

"Not yet." Hiashi scowled, remembering the tense couple of meetings. "The Elders believe that at this point in time it is best to let the investigation reveal more information and not point any fingers. Accusing someone in the Village without proof could be seen as incendiary."

Of course, they were far more concerned about the Hyūga image. The Clan Head had to be seen as dignified and unflappable, even when his daughter had been threatened in her own home.

"I see." Neji grit his teeth, looking like he was barely holding back from rolling his eyes. "Then I suppose the plan is to simply wait and see if she gets attacked again?"

"Mostly, yes." Hiashi agreed, stunning Neji. "If this person wants something with the Hyūga, they will break into the Estate again. If Hinata is, indeed, the intended target, they will become overconfident and try to break into Hatake Kakashi's house and get caught."

"And if they don't do either?" Neji asked.

Hiashi was silent for a moment.

"...Then I do not know."

A/N – Yup, things are not looking good at the moment.

Wonder if Hiashi will find out who it was...