9

The moon hung high in the sky, and the candles in the Hokage's Office finally flickered out.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, dragging his almost-collapsed body, walked home. The night wind on his face carried a hint of coolness, slightly relaxing his nerves that had been taut all day.

During the day, he was the Third Hokage, a man of profound strategy, whose every word and action influenced the future of the entire Village. Every decision had to pass through a simulator in his mind, sifting through countless bloody bad endings to find the only path that would allow Konoha to survive.

This feeling was like dancing with an incredibly heavy mask, where no step could be wrong, no expression could falter, because countless eyes were watching from below. Some were trusting, some suspicious, and others, like Danzo, were just waiting for him to stumble.

Tired.

He was truly too tired.

Returning home, he pushed open the door, and a warm aroma of food wafted over him, dispelling the chill of the late night.

"You're back."

A gentle voice sounded from the entryway. Biwako walked over. She didn't ask about his work, but simply and naturally took his removed hokage god robe and hung it on the rack.

"Dinner is still warm. Go wash your hands and eat."

"Mm."

Hiruzen Sarutobi responded, feeling as if half the weight of his entire being had been lifted. Outside, he was the Hokage; here, he was just Hiruzen Sarutobi, a husband returning home.

On the dinner table were a few simple home-cooked dishes and a steaming bowl of miso soup. Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his chopsticks and ate heartily. He was truly starving; after a day of official duties and then training the three little brats at the training ground, his physical energy was greatly depleted.

Biwako sat across from him, quietly watching him eat, occasionally refilling his bowl of rice.

"Eat slowly, don't choke," she said softly.

"I can't help it, I'm too hungry," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, his mouth full of rice and his words muffled, "I've officially taken on a team, and those three little rascals are truly a handful."

At the mention of this, he couldn't help but want to laugh.

"Oh? Are they the ones you mentioned before, Shodai(1st)-sama's granddaughter, and that genius and dead last?" Biwako's eyes also held a hint of a smile, clearly interested in these children.

"Indeed," Hiruzen Sarutobi swallowed his rice and began to recount vividly, "That boy named Jiraiya, with his white hair, was so boisterous. He rushed straight at me, only to fall headfirst into a pit I'd dug, hanging upside down. You wouldn't believe how comical he looked."

"Pfft." Biwako couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"And Tsunade, Shodai(1st)-sama's granddaughter, has quite a temper. One punch from her leaves a huge crater in the ground, like a monster. Too bad she didn't hit me even once." Hiruzen Sarutobi mimicked Tsunade's punching motion, making Biwako laugh continuously.

"What about Orochimaru? Didn't you say he was a genius?"

"A genius? Yes, he's a genius, just a bit too cold."

Hiruzen Sarutobi pouted, "He's clever though, he knew to lurk and ambush."

He recounted the events at the training ground today to his wife as if they were a joke.

Watching the bright smile on Biwako's face, he felt his daytime fatigue and pressure melt away little by little with her laughter.

Outside, he had to play the role of an omnipotent "wise ruler," calculating people's hearts and weighing pros and cons. Only here could he shed all disguises, sharing amusing anecdotes from life like an ordinary person.

After dinner, Hiruzen Sarutobi slumped into a chair in the living room, letting out a comfortable sigh, feeling like a boneless salted fish, not wanting to move an inch.

Biwako cleared the dishes, brought him a cup of hot tea, and then silently walked behind him. A pair of slender but strong hands gently landed on his shoulders, beginning to massage them with just the right amount of pressure.

"Mmm…" Hiruzen Sarutobi hummed comfortably.

Biwako's technique was excellent, precisely finding his most sore spots, with perfectly balanced strength. His tense muscles gradually relaxed under her massage.

"You were very tired today, weren't you?" Biwako's voice was soft, brushing his heart like a feather.

"It's alright," Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes, enjoying this rare tranquility, "Being the Hokage, there's no avoiding being tired."

"I saw you come back today, your eyebrows were practically knitted together."

Biwako's hands paused, "Are you worried about the Uchiha Clan? I heard that Root's recruitment faced resistance from them."

Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his eyes, a little surprised. He hadn't expected Biwako to know even this.

"Just idle chatter from some elders, don't mind it."

"Hiruzen," Biwako's voice suddenly became serious, "Don't forget, I am also a Ninja. Although I don't go on missions much now, I still know some things happening in the Village."

She walked around to face Hiruzen Sarutobi, squatted down, and looked up at him.

"I know you're under a lot of pressure. Your teacher just sacrificed himself, and the burdens inside and outside the Village have all fallen on you alone. You have to reassure the people, deter external enemies, and also deal with internal issues like Danzo and the Uchiha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked into his wife's clear eyes, which held no complaints, only understanding and concern.

"I can't help you much, but you must remember."

Biwako held his hand, saying each word distinctly, "The women of the Sarutobi family have never been weaknesses that need to be protected behind. We are the Hokage's strongest support."

"No matter what decisions you make outside, no matter how unreasonable those decisions may seem to outsiders, when you come home, I will always trust you and support you."

A huge wave of warmth instantly surged through Hiruzen Sarutobi's entire body.

He had transmigrated to this world, taking on a dangerous mission, dancing on the edge of a blade every day. He had a future simulator, allowing him to see futures others couldn't, which gave him a god-like perspective, but also destined him to be a lonely traveler.

He couldn't tell anyone his secret; all the pressure and fear he had to bear alone.

He thought he would continue to be lonely like this.

Until this moment.