Saru nodded but was still unsure. I smiled at her to encourage her and she started talking, “It’s about my father.” I nodded to her. She took a deep breath and continued, “My father changed. He was great before. He would do anything I ask of him with a smile but now he just… he seemed to hardly tolerate me. It’s like he doesn’t love me anymore.” She went silent after that.

I dropped down from my chair and made my way to her then hugged her. She smiled sadly and hugged me back. After a second I returned to my chair and asked, “Why?” She looked at me quizzically “Why would he change like that?”

Saru bit her lip. After a bit of silence, she answered, “His new job. He changed after he got his new job. Before that, he would read books to me, give me head pats and play with me but… with his job he changed too. Now he only sees me as a tool to further his ambition. My father… He is not that kind of person. I am sure it’s his boss making him like this. My father even said that his boss wanted me to be his wife. I am not old enough to marry! I am just thirteen! I don’t understand what he has seen in me.”

Hearing this I shook my head. ‘So boss wants Saru. He must be that kind of person. I just can’t understand them. What do they find in children? Well, she is at an age to marry here. It just seems wrong. I sighed silently and asked, “When did he tell you that?”

“Today,” Saru answered with some sadness. She then added, “Do you understand why I am sad?”

I nodded. “You don’t want to leave your family and become some old man’s wife. I understand.”

Saru nodded at me thoughtfully, “You are really smart you know that.” She smiled and added, “Maybe you are even smarter than me. So tell me, what should I do?”

“I don’t know.” I said while shaking my head then added, “I might be smart but I don’t know everything. If it’s okay with you, I will ask my father for some advice for you.”

Saru smiled sadly, “Thanks. You can ask, I don’t mind.”

“Okay,” I said standing up. “It’s cold out here, let’s get back before you catch a cold.”

Saru chuckled while following me. “Why? Are you cold, little man?”

I pouted. “I am not little, I am all grown up now.” With that, her sadness cracked and let in some laughter.

We walked in silence towards our rooms and with a wave, went in our own way. When I was inside, I saw Jiraia sitting on the bed with a thoughtful face. He looked at me and asked, “Did you learn anything useful?”

I shook my head and answered, “Not quite. All I know is that Soichiro has changed after he changed his job and his boss wants Saru.” Jiraia nodded thoughtfully then I added, “I was going to ask for your advice about it.”

Jiraia sighed, “Don’t tell me you became friends with that little girl. Can't you guess what will happen to her father?”

I nodded, “I know but his father’s crimes aren’t hers. They are different people. I was thinking that we could take down Soichiro’s boss when they are about to marry Saru. You should be able to get close enough to them by then since you are a powerful samurai.”

“Kid, you are right. That’s possible but we have a different mission. Our priority is to take down the yakuza not Soichiro’s boss. We can’t risk our mission to save the girl. Do you understand?”

I nodded, “What if we push their marriage further until we deal with yakuza here? That would be pretty convenient.”

Jiraia chuckled “Yeah that is true. So how do you intend to earn us some time?”

“You can always want Saru for me. If you can persuade Soichiro that she would be happier with me and that he would stand to gain from this, he should hesitate for some time.” I said while looking at the wall between our and Soichiro’s room.

Jiraia nodded while smiling. “Good, kid. But there is a flaw with your plan.” I looked at him quizzically. “Satou can always force Soichiro to give the girl. He is not a good person after all.”

I lost my energy. I sighed, “That means my plan most definitely won’t work. Isn’t there any other way?”

“Easy, kid. Leave it to me. I can make it work.” He came closer and added, “Just don’t do anything before you marry, do you understand?” He wiggled his brows.

I put my hands on my hip. “What do you think I can do to her? I am six.”

Jiraia grinned mischievously, “Oh, kid. I can tell you a few things on top of my head. What do you think? Do you want to learn?”

I shook my head. “You are hopeless, you giant pervert.”

Jiraia stood up and posed with a hand on his hip and the other reaching up. He turned his face to me and said, “I am not a giant pervert. I am Super Pervert!”

I flinched from his voice. “Why are you yelling? What if other people understand who you are?”

Jiraia didn’t say anything. He just slid his bed a few centimeters and showed me a fuin. “This fuin is called silencing fuin. No one will hear anything from this room if I don’t want them to.” I got closer to fuin to see how it works but Jiraia slid his bed again and prevented me from looking at it.

I raised a brow. “Why don’t you let me look at it? You are my teacher. You should teach me something useful.”

Jiraia shook his head. “It’s too early for you to learn a fuin like this. I will teach you personally when you are ready.”

That confused me. ‘How is that possible that I am not ready? Is he saying that because he is lazy?’ I shook my head. “So, what are you going to teach me?”

Jiraia smirked, “Taijutsu of course.”

I sighed, “Well, that’s good enough I guess. I need the last 18 kata’s then I will be finished with Academy Taijutsu Style.”

Jiraia lost his smile. “Well…”