"It's impossible for a team to stop because of a child."

"The commander of this team is the temple, not your father, even if he is the patriarch, he is not capable of overstepping his authority on the battlefield."

"Don't put the blame for the team's sacrifice on yourself, Itachi."

……

Simply ate a simple meal,

Itachi went to the bathroom and walked to the steaming bathtub that his mother had prepared the morning.

Whew-

Even if Itachi is good at hiding his emotions, when his tired body touches the hot water, he can't help but exhale comfortably.

He could clearly perceive that the original fatigue in his body was slowly fading, and the various senses of his body were feeding back to his brain, as if the meridians, cells, and bones were all washed by hot water and hot air, making a cry of pleasure.

Even the struggling and vigilant hearts are slowly relaxing under the soak of this hot water.

"You're such a gentle child, Itachi."

The comfort was only for a moment, and with the calmness of the mood and mind, Itachi lay in the bathtub, looking up at the ceiling.

He pondered his mother's words.

It's impossible for a team to stop because it's a child.

Indeed, perhaps because they had a preconceived notion that their father, as the patriarch of the Uchiha, was respected by many people in the ranks, they would listen to their father's opinion and stop for half a day of repairs.

But what is the specific truth, I really need to ask my father.

Itachi's heart suddenly swelled with urgency.

However, it was not that he did not believe his mother, but because his mother was not a member of the team, her explanation of himself was just speculation.

Rather than listening to other people's words, Itachi prefers to make actual judgments by listening and confirming on his own.

But if you didn't run away from it, you didn't struggle.

Instead, I chose to pluck up the courage to ask my father when this happened, maybe I could get an answer earlier, right?

Knock knock.

A slight knock on the door sounded from outside the bathroom, and then the mother's gentle voice came into the bathroom, "Itachi, change of clothes, I've already prepared for you at the door." ”

"Yes, Mother."

Itachi replied politely.

"You have a really good family, Itachi."

At this time, Artoria's voice sounded abruptly in the bathroom, "A stern, responsible, and enterprising father, and a gentle, considerate mother. ”

"Originally, I thought you lost your childhood as a normal child, maybe it was a little sad."

"But now it seems that your life is actually quite happy."

Happiness? No, no, no, that's not what we're thinking about right now.

Itachi lay in the bathtub, staring at Artoria, who slowly appeared next to her.

After a long time, he closed his eyes, "...... Maybe we should think about it now that you should give me some personal space, shouldn't we? ”

Artoria was still wearing that armor, standing upright in the gray misty bathroom, "Unfortunately, I can't get too far away from you. ”

Itachi retorted without hesitation, "But the range of movement you can around me is not narrow. ”

"From the time you appeared with me to the present, I can feel where you have gone every time you have disappeared and left."

"The farthest one, even across a bridge."

The implication is that when she is at home, her range of activities is at least the whole of this home.

Listening to Itachi's rebuttal, Artoria was silent for a while, and then replied, "You're right, then I'll wait for you in the living room." ”

"Wait a minute."

But just as she turned to leave, Itachi sat up unconsciously and called out to her.

In the face of Artoria's suspicious gaze, he asked softly, "You also heard what Mother said just now. ”

"You once told me that you tried to leave me for a while when I was unconscious."

"So...... How much do you know about the fact that the team will stop for half a day to trim? ”

He looked earnestly at Artoria's face.

The answer to this question may also be found in her.

"In fact, as your mother said, the team will be repaired for half a day because after the battle, some of the seriously injured will need to be treated by the ninjas of the medical class."

Facing his serious little face, Artoria's expression became equally serious, "And you don't know this because this is the first time this team has encountered a relatively fierce battle. ”

"The Uchiha's team is very strong, and ordinary enemies simply can't stop this team's advance, let alone cause attrition."

Hearing this, Itachi stared at her expressionlessly, "So you already knew?" Then why didn't you tell me. ”

"Because I'm not on your path in the first place, Itachi."

Artoria reminded him, "You'd be in this situation without me. ”

"You'll also learn to carry it, learn to struggle, and feel the pain of life passing in the process."

"Although I don't understand why I came to this world and why I shared my memories with you, I know very well that this is your growth, and you can only truly understand it if you have experienced this process yourself."

Can you only truly understand it by experiencing it yourself?

Itachi's dark eyes flashed with a hint of darkness.

He then lay down in the tub again and did not speak again.

Artoria didn't say anything more, and slowly turned around and left the bathroom.

Everything around is quiet.

In the hazy bathroom, Itachi's eyes are fixed on the ceiling.

Anyway, my heart is a little lighter.

The kind of sacrifice that carries the sacrifice of so many people, and their death is inevitably linked to me, I am really painful.

It's like a mountain always weighing on your shoulders.

At that time, every word and deed of the other clansmen around him, every look of them, Itachi felt like they were complaining about themselves and resenting themselves.

Even when I close my eyes, I will unconsciously recall the corpse lying in a pool of blood in my mind.

But if it's really as Artoria says, isn't she interfering with her own growth?

Whoa—

Itachi got up from the hot water and wiped the droplets with a white cloth.

"Your mother seems to be eager to communicate with you."

Artoria's casual reminder came to mind when she went home, and the Itachi wiped it paused.

But only for a moment.

Wipe the water droplets off his body, Itachi put on his clothes outside the bathroom and slowly walked towards the living room.

There was a little more noise in the house.

Seem...... It was the father who came back.

Itachi quickened his pace and headed for the living room.