Chương 183: The Web and the Mirror

Sena POV I woke up at exactly five in the morning as the servants flooded into my room to assist with my morning routine. They moved efficiently, opening curtains, adjusting my robe, and preparing water for washing. My body went through the motions without conscious effort, as if habit itself had replaced thought. By the time they were done and I was dressed, the first light of morning had already begun to spill across the courtyard.

I sat by the window with a cup of tea, watching that light grow warmer across the tiled roofs. The air carried the faint scent of jasmine. Mother and Father were in the Fire Capital meeting the Daimyo for business, and today, sensei had given us a day off from training to rest and recover. It was a rare and valuable opportunity to have time entirely to myself. I had a few tasks to handle, mostly related to the recent declaration that our team would be participating in the Chunin Exams.

Such news required a proper response, expressed through formality and presentation. I gave brief instructions to one of the servants, who hurried off and returned shortly after with a bouquet of flowers. The arrangement was tasteful, a balance of pale purple and soft yellow that seemed to glow faintly in the morning light. Alongside it was a small gift bag containing a selection of the finest tea leaves in the Fire Nation.

The fragrance was light and refined, just strong enough to suggest thoughtfulness without seeming excessive. I rose and walked through the hall at a measured pace. The person I planned to visit was known for waking early, much like myself, though they took longer to prepare. If I timed my arrival correctly, I would reach them before breakfast, after making a few planned stops along the way. Morning hours were the best for polite exchanges. People tended to listen more when the world was quiet.

The streets were just beginning to stir. I walked with perfect posture, offering polite nods to each passerby. My smile was bright and consistent, the one my mother had trained into me long before I could understand why it mattered. One of the merchants recognized me immediately and stepped forward.

"Lady Sena, would you like to try some of these dried herbs from the Land of Wind? They are of very high quality. Your team did a wonderful job helping to establish this trade route." I mirrored his expression, returning his gratitude with the correct level of warmth.

"I am pleased that the village is benefiting from this agreement. More trade means better goods for our people." The merchant's smile deepened.

"Please, Lady Sena, I insist you accept this gift as a token of gratitude for your team's work." I accepted the bundle with a faint, rehearsed laugh.

"Thank you. I will make sure my team enjoys your gift and knows who it came from." The tone was light, graceful, and designed to end the exchange at a pleasant point. I offered a final nod and continued on my way. A few streets later, I noticed one of the chief builders who often managed my family's projects overseeing a new shop under construction. Workers shouted over the noise of hammers and saws, while the smell of heated clay and cut timber hung in the air.

He stood near the scaffolding, his expression stern and focused, clipboard tucked under his arm.

"Chief Inoue," I called softly, adjusting my tone to sound melodic yet clear enough to cut through the noise.

"How are you this morning?" He turned, his weathered face creased with concentration, and then recognition softened it. A small smile pulled at his lips, slightly uneven, as if his face was not used to the motion. I noted the detail quietly.

"I have a gift for you," I said. His eyes widened slightly.

"Lady Sena, why would you trouble yourself with something like that? Your family has already done so much for me. It would be too much." I offered a calm, polished smile.

"Not at all. Please accept these herbs from the Land of Wind. They are known to help with energy and endurance, and they should be especially useful during this heat wave." He blinked, visibly moved, and accepted the small parcel with both hands.

"Lady Sena, you are very considerate. Thank you for thinking of me."

"It is nothing," I said with a smile that imitated Noa's genuine one whenever I helped him with something. Just like his, it sounded warm.

"Please take care, Chief Inoue." He bowed slightly as I turned to leave. Behind me, his commanding voice rose again over the sound of construction.

"Work hard. We have a deadline to meet, and this shop must be finished on time and perfectly up to standard." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The workers responded in unison, voices full of energy.

"Yes, Chief." After checking the time in a nearby shop, where I had been browsing the variety of goods and their prices, I realized it was almost time and began heading toward my main destination. The morning crowd was still thin, the air cool, the sunlight soft against the shop windows. I adjusted the bouquet and the small box of tea leaves in my hands, making sure the arrangement looked effortless. When I reached the door, I paused to compose myself. One steady breath. Posture straight. Expression calm.

Then I knocked gently. A moment later, the door opened. An elderly woman stood there with reading glasses perched on her nose, her eyes sharp with curiosity.

"Koharu-sama," I greeted smoothly, "I hope you are doing well on this beautiful morning." I added a smile, the same kind Shizuru gave me whenever I comforted her. It looked genuine, and that was what mattered. Koharu smiled back, her tone patient.

"Good morning to you too, Sena. How are your father and mother doing?"

"They are doing great," I replied, offering the small box of tea leaves.

"This is a gift from them. Mother said you would enjoy it immensely." Koharu lifted the lid slightly and inhaled the fragrance. Her eyes softened, exactly as expected.

"That is a most considerate gift indeed." I lowered my head in a short, graceful bow before presenting the bouquet.

"And this is from me, Koharu-sama, as a token of gratitude for your efforts in helping our team reach the Chunin Exams." Her smile turned playful.

"Are you bribing me, young lady?" I let out a small, carefully timed laugh and looked faintly embarrassed. It was the same reaction Genta had whenever Noa offered him a third serving of food, harmless and very endearing to others. Koharu laughed quietly at my response.

"I am only teasing you, Sena. You are as charming as your mother." I matched her tone perfectly.

"You are too kind, Koharu-sama." She glanced down at the bouquet again and nodded with approval.

"These are lovely. They will look wonderful in my living room. Thank you for the thoughtful gifts."

"I am glad they please you," I said, my voice smooth and light.

"I know you are busy, so I will not take more of your morning. Please take care and have a wonderful day." Her tone softened.

"You too, Sena." I inclined my head, turned, and began walking away. The polite expression stayed on my face until I was far enough down the street that no one was watching. Only then did I let it fade. The visit had gone well. The response had been exactly what I intended. With the formalities complete, I let myself breathe. Today was one of those very rare mornings when I could choose how to spend my time instead of following a schedule planned for me by someone else. I decided to visit Noa's house.

The walk to the Senju compound was quiet and pleasant. When I reached the entrance, I greeted the old guard and handed him a small bag of fresh fruit I had picked up along the way. He accepted it with a grateful smile and a small bow before ushering me in. As I approached Noa's house, the sound of laughter carried through the closed door, loud and unrestrained. Genta's booming voice mixed with Shizuru's sharp scolding, which might have sounded like anger to anyone else but never truly held any.

Despite myself, I smiled. It was the first genuine smile of the day. When I slid open the door, the scene inside was complete chaos. Genta was running in circles with a rice ball clenched between his teeth and another in his hand, shouting through his full mouth, while Shizuru chased after him, waving her arms like an angry crane.

"Stop taking all the food, you gluttonous fool," she yelled. He kept running, half laughing, half choking.

"But you do not eat much anyway."

"It is still mine. Maybe I wanted to save some for later." I sighed, though I could feel my smile widening even more. Noa sat at the low table, doubled over and laughing like an idiot, barely able to catch his breath as he pointed at the two of them as if watching a play. The air was warm with the scent of steamed rice and grilled fish, a comforting mix that filled the room. His cooking had become genuinely impressive. At this point, he was starting to rival some of the better cooks in the village.

Genta was always here, of course, but lately even Shizuru had started finding excuses to visit more often, pretending she was only passing by. The truth was obvious. Noa's cooking was enough reason to come, and the company made it even better. A quiet sadness filled me as I realized how rare it was for me to visit my friends so freely. Every day, month, and even year of my life had always been carefully planned.

I left those thoughts behind and decided, just this once, to do something Noa had taught me and live in the moment. When he noticed me standing at the doorway, Noa smiled easily.

"Hey, Sena. Come in. I will get you some food. I always leave some hidden." Genta and Shizuru looked at me at the same time and shouted together with incredible coordination, "You devil! We knew you were hiding food from us all along!" I let out a quiet laugh as I stepped inside. The warmth in the room, the smell of food, the noise of voices overlapping in a way that made no sense and did not need to, all of it made the world outside feel distant.

This was not one of my arranged morning visits or a polite exchange meant to buy goodwill. This was simple, unguarded, and real. A/N: A very rare Sena POV chapter. It was really interesting to write since I rarely do POV chapters, especially from Sena's perspective. I'm excited to hear what you think about it, so let me know your thoughts in the comments <3 If you read Chapter 179 and have not voted yet, open this link (https: //discord. gg/SmpXHEwPhE) and help choose the name of that jutsu.

The current top three jutsu name contenders are: Storm Nexus, Leipviðr (Lightning Tree), and Raiton: Raijin Jukai (Lightning Style: Forest of the Thunder God). Pretty awesome choices from my equally awesome readers if I do say so myself! Make sure to vote for your favorite or suggest a new one. Only two days left to cast your vote so don't miss it!