More than three months have passed since Rika returned to the Daimyo's Mansion, and the qiē around her has returned to her familiar appearance, and even the early summer scene when the water lilies are waiting to be released and the trees are chirping is exactly the same as in previous years. "Words * love * first * hair

Daimyo and Shijimi coincidentally imagined that their little daughter had suffered greatly and been wronged in the previous months, and they were so distressed that they couldn't wait to hold all the treasures in the world in front of her to make her happy. Even Xiude has become much more gentle and tolerant, and is no longer critical of his sister.

Strangely enough, Rika didn't say anything about the time of her disappearance, neither cried to her parents and brothers about how badly she had been treated, nor did she angrily order the burning of Dew Street, as she had thought countless times before. She hadn't even told anyone about her nearly three months in Dew Street.

When Kakashi sent shinobi dogs to deliver the news to the Daimyo's Mansion and Konoha, he only said that he had found Princess Rika in Kitano Castle. As for whether he explained the truth to the Hokage after he returned, Rika didn't know. As a ninja, absolute loyalty is more important than anything else.

Not to mention the princess of a dignified country, even if she is a girl from an ordinary family, she was once abducted and trafficked to Hualiu Street, even if she came back, she was still clean and clean, but if there was any gossip accidentally, she would probably spend her whole life in shame.

Even though Rika is so strong that she doesn't seem to be afraid of any gossip, she is an unmarried girl after all, and she is very strong. She didn't want her parents and brother to know that she had been in that kind of dirty place for so long, although in retrospect, Kano Kikyo Yuriko and the others were not as hateful as they had been at the beginning.

Rika felt as if she had an unbelievable dream. When she woke up from the dream, she was still the first eldest lady of the Fire Country who was held in the palm of everyone's hands.

It was as if nothing had changed, and it was as if something important had changed subtly unconsciously. Rika was ignorant, and she couldn't speak clearly.

The stars were shining brightly on the early summer night, and when I looked up in the backyard of the Daimyo's Mansion, I saw countless broken diamonds glittering on a huge black curtain.

However, in Lixiang's eyes, it was never as good as the starlight seen on the roof of a farmhouse in the deep forest village that day. Despite the cold and windy night, Rika didn't feel the chill lingering in her memory.

- Even though the night was beautiful tonight, no one took her up to the roof to see the stars.

Rika sat on the edge of the wooden cloister at the junction of the main house and the courtyard, looking up at the starry sky. Ryoko walked lightly with Haori, saluted behind Rika and knelt down on the corridor: "The weather is cool at night in early summer, so it's better that Rika-sama doesn't catch a cold." ”

Rika shook her head: "I'm not cold. After speaking, he looked back at her and said, "Don't wait for me, you can go down and rest." Although the tone is not gentle, it even has a bit of unique arrogance. But Ryoko still felt her kindness.

Ryoko couldn't hide the surprise in her heart, and her eyes were full of emotion as she stared at Rika in a daze.

As one of the handmaidens chosen in a hundred, Ryoko has been by the side of Princess Rika since she was five years old, when she was just learning to walk. It can be said that Ryoko was raised entirely to take care of Rika. In the past ten years, everyone knows that the princess of the Fire Country is not a master who is easy to serve, but Liangzi has always been diligent and has never complained.

Growing up with Rika, I'm afraid she knows Rika better than Daimyo, Shijimi, and Hidetoku.

Rika looked at her strangely: "What kind of eyes are you?" ”

Ryoko smiled lightly and sighed with emotion: "Lord Rika, you have grown up and begun to know how to be considerate of others. ”

Rika was stunned—she had heard this before. It's just that the person who spoke was different, and her feelings were completely different - she didn't think that she cared about the silver-haired young man because she had grown up, but now, she actually somewhat agreed with Ryoko's statement.

What is the reason for this--Rika thought carefully. "It's weird." She frowned and said with a confused expression.

Ryoko is also unsure of her sudden confusion.

Rika pursed her lips as if giving up and ordered, "I'm going to sit down for a while, you can stand down." ”

Ryoko bowed her head and bowed.

The wind of the night passed through the girl's long hair, and the pond in the courtyard occasionally heard the "plopping" sound of a carp jumping out of the water and falling.

The night is long, and now is only the beginning of the night.

If you like something, you must get it - the principle that Rika has pursued for more than ten years has not changed so far. When she first liked the Konoha ninja, Rika tried her best to keep him by her side to play with her, but unfortunately her liking lasted only three months at that time.

And now, Rika feels that she likes that man again, but she doesn't want to forcibly keep him by her side like before. Rika knew he wouldn't be happy to be tied down like this—she didn't care if he liked it or not!

Rika was just puzzled by this change in herself.

The wind blew the candlelight on the walls of the cloister flickering on and off, and the guards on duty dutifully patrolled every corner of the house, and saw Rika sitting on the edge of the cloister looking up at the night sky, saluting her, and continuing to the next inspection spot.

Rika called out to one of the black-haired youths, "Asma." ”

Asma stopped and turned. Rika raised her chin and gestured to him for the position next to her, "Sit down and talk for a while." ”

The young man scratched his hair, looking quite embarrassed, hesitated for a while, showed an embarrassed smile and said, "Princess, I have a girlfriend in Konoha." ”

Rika was stunned for a moment, then rolled her eyes ungracefully, and said angrily: "Are you afraid that I like you?" Don't worry, I like good-looking people. ”

Asma: "......=_=#" always feels that this sentence is not a good word. But he still sat down according to the words, keeping a distance of about one meter from Rika.

As a result, Rika didn't say anything for a long time, and just when Asma couldn't help but ask, the girl frowned and whispered as if reluctantly, "Tell me about Kakashi Hachiki, everything you know." ”

Asma was slightly surprised.

***

In June, it's the annual Konoha Ninja and Daimyo Mansion Guards Competition. Rika woke up much earlier than usual that day, and it took more than three hours to dress up. Especially when choosing clothes, several wardrobes were wide open, and the gorgeous and expensive clothes were dazzling, and Rika tried no less than twenty pieces before she was barely satisfied.

Ryoko was busy directing the other maids in and out, and although she was surprised, she didn't say anything. ――In the past, even though Rika was very picky and exquisite, it was not as important as it is today, as if she was going to a blind date banquet.

When combing her hair, Rika asked with some hesitation, "Does this pair of earrings with today's makeup not seem to look good enough?" ”

Ryoko stared at the reflection of the girl in the mirror - bright eyes and bright teeth, snow-white skin, and delicate facial features like jade carvings. There is no need to wait for the future, the princess she serves has unknowingly grown into a girl with a stunning appearance.

The dazzling luster of pearl earrings also eclipsed in front of her expectant eyes.

Liangzi Wan'er sincerely admired: "Lord Lixiang is already very beautiful. ”

Rika blinked, I don't know if she suddenly thought of something, and her expression was a little sullen and not too happy.

Then Nunu said, "Forget it, let's get out." ”

Six or seven maids, led by Ryoko, followed her to the drill ground in the backyard.

Rika ascended to the high stands, the daimyo and Hokage were already seated, and Hidetoku was also present to watch this year. The young heir of the Fire Nation Monarch sat in a straight posture, and the demeanor of the future Ming Monarch was already faintly visible.

Rika's location is next to Hidetoku and is not next to the daimyo. The girl did not sit down directly, but stood with her waist straight, looking around with a somewhat confused look, and then her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

There are about a dozen Konoha ninjas in the training ground, most of whom Rika has seen when she was in Konoha, such as Sunset Red, Moonlight Blast, Tenzo and others.

But there was no one she wanted to meet.

"Do you want to sit next to your father? Let's switch places with you. Seeing that she didn't sit down for a long time, Xiude thought that she was not satisfied with her seat, so she opened her mouth to mention yì.

The Daimyo and the Hokage also looked at it together. Ape Fei Ri Slash also smiled and said, "Long time no see, princess." ”

Rika turned her head to look at him with a hesitant face, squirmed her lips, but finally said nothing, just nodded and sat down.

It is not enough to sit for a quarter of an hour......

In the exercise field, Moonlight Blastwind and Guardian Ninja Nanwu were fighting, and Rika was no longer here, pursed her lips irritably, and stood up awkwardly.

Pearl earrings that reflected the sunlight swayed back and forth with her movements.

"It's sunny, I'm going to go to a shady place below."

Huge parasols in the stands shrouded the girl's body in shadow.

-- It's all nonsense with his eyes open.

Xiude immediately sank his face: "Stop messing around!" ”

Rika ignored him and puffed out her cheeks and looked at her father pitifully.

The daimyo, who is not reliable at all, waved a folding fan and said, "Rika can go wherever she wants." ”

Xiude argued: "How can you move around at will before the competition is over?" It's so disrespectful to the Konoha guests who come from afar! ”

Apparently his father and his sister were unimpressed. Ape Fei Ri Slash immediately played a round and said, "His Royal Highness Xiude is serious. The Daimyo's Mansion is the princess's home, so please don't worry about us, hehe. ”

Rika smiled at the Hokage, who favored her daimyo and kindness, and then raised her chin and wrinkled her nose at her brother, and walked down the steps.

The skirt resembles a swaying bright flower.

She walked over to the Konoha ninja who were waiting in the shade of the tree, and the ninjas who knew her greeted her one after another.

"I haven't seen her for more than half a year, and the princess is really getting more and more beautiful." Sunset Red said with a smile.

Thanks to your compliment, you are also a well-deserved No. 1 beauty in Konoha. -- Rika could not have spoken such a polite and tactful response. In fact, she directly ignored the praise of the red-eyed beauty, and asked with an uncomfortable brow, "It's your turn this year, right?" ”

The first to answer was Tenzo: "Yes, it's exciting to be able to fight against the elite guards of the Daimyo Mansion. The young man's gentle smile reminded Rika of how he was often oppressed by a silver-haired ninja.

The girl was not satisfied with his answer, as if someone owed her tens of millions, and her face did not improve in the slightest.

A smile appeared in Sunset's red eyes: "Originally, Kakashi was also on the attendance list, but unfortunately he couldn't come back from a mission." ”

Lixiang seemed to be poked by someone, and her delicate makeup couldn't hide the blush on her face, and she glared at her big eyes angrily and said, "Who asked him!" After finishing speaking, his footsteps turned, and he lifted the skirt and walked away in a hurry.

Tianzang looked at her back and was confused, but when he turned his head, he saw that Sunset was smiling silently, and the really simple and upright young man asked, "Why is the princess suddenly angry...... Hey, what are you laughing at? ”

Sunset Red still bent the corners of her mouth, looked at him and said, "How can you men understand the thoughts of girls." Then he saw Asma's eyes looking at Asma among the twelve ninja guards on the other side, and his smile suddenly narrowed and he glanced sideways.

Asma was stunned.

Tenzo was even more confused.

Rika walked to another courtyard far away from the exercise ground, sulking alone that she didn't understand the reason. She didn't bring a maid with her, but even if the daimyo's mansion was big, she wouldn't get lost in her own home.

The design and layout of the Daimyo's Mansion is indeed like a labyrinth.

She won't get lost, but someone will.

Rika was around the corner of the cloister and saw a person in the gazebo in front of her who wasn't supposed to be here. - The man's silver hair seemed to be very good, and his lazy dead fish eyes looked around the courtyard, and he muttered to himself without any haste: "Oops, it seems to be lost......

His gaze inadvertently deviated, and in response to the meaningless gaze of the girl on the upper corridor, the young man calmly raised his right hand, and the only eye that was exposed bent was bent: "Okay, princess." ”

Lixiang sniffed, and the air still smelled of the dew drops of the early morning.

For a moment, the girl thought that it would be better for her favorite creature to be kept in a cage.