Naruto Birdcage

"Lord Makoto."

A young maid knocked softly on the door of the study, calling gently to the person inside.

"Dinner is ready."

The person in the study gave a calm response, and the maid withdrew quietly upon hearing it.

Makoto sat in his chair, feeling a hint of fatigue.

On the desk before him lay a book delving deeply into the seven chakra natures.

Looking out the window, the moonlight filtered through the trees, scattering into a silvery glow.

He left the study, entering the vast, empty living room.

The servants remained out of sight unless summoned by him.

Looking at the beautifully prepared dishes on the dining table, he found he had no appetite.

Eventually, Makoto left the room, walking along the clan's covered walkways until he arrived at Ayari's residence, where the lights were still on.

He knocked on the door, and when Ayari opened it, her expression immediately turned tense.

"You... why are you here?" she asked nervously.

Makoto countered with a question of his own: "Am I not allowed to come?"

Without waiting for Ayari to invite him in, Makoto walked directly into the room.

"Have you eaten?" Makoto asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"I'm hungry. Can you make me something to eat?" Makoto said as he sat on the sofa.

Ayari sighed in resignation.

"Don't you have food at your place? I've already eaten and cleaned up.

All I have is instant noodles."

"Instant noodles will do," Makoto said.

As Ayari watched him playing with Spi on the sofa, she relented and headed into the kitchen.

The living room was still familiar, and Makoto even noticed the short blade he had given her placed neatly on display.

In less than ten minutes, Ayari returned with a bowl of cooked instant noodles, topped with a fried egg.

Makoto immediately began eating heartily, the room filled with the sound of him slurping noodles.

Ayari sat beside him, gently stroking Spi's fur in her arms.

"Finish eating and head back already. It's late... I need to sleep," she said.

Makoto quickly finished the noodles, not leaving even the soup, and let out a satisfied sigh before grabbing a napkin to wipe his mouth.

"Do you really dislike seeing me that much?" Makoto asked.

Ayari lowered her gaze, avoiding his eyes. "I never said that."

Makoto looked at her delicate face illuminated by the soft light and asked again,

"What about the matter I mentioned last time? Have you thought it over?"

Her breathing quickened instantly, and her hand, which had been petting the dog, froze mid-motion.

"I... I haven't decided yet," she replied.

"Haven't decided about what?"

Makoto reached out slowly to take her hand, but Ayari jumped up as if she had been shocked.

Ayari's chest rose and fell rapidly, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"Do you... do you have to bully me like this?"

Makoto sighed softly, leaning back onto the sofa.

Ayari stood there, her back to him, still holding Spi in her arms.

"Do you not want to?" Makoto asked.

Ayari stammered again, "I... I haven't made up my mind."

"How much longer will you need to think about it?"

"I don't know..."

Silence fell between them.

Spi let out a small whimper, seemingly tired in Ayari's arms.

"Let me hold Spi," Makoto said.

Hearing this, Ayari turned and approached him, ready to hand over the little dog.

But as she got close, Makoto suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him.

"Ah!"

Ayari let out a startled cry, falling forward onto Makoto.

Her face flushed red in an instant, and she struggled to get up.

"Don't move," Makoto murmured, holding her tightly by the waist, pressing her firmly against him.

"Makoto..." Ayari's eyes held a trace of fear.

"Don't do anything rash. You're still young… this isn't right," she said, her voice trembling.

Makoto only chuckled. "What isn't right?"

Ayari's eyes grew red, and in the end, she couldn't hold back a soft plea.

"Makoto, please don't do this."

"..."

It seemed she truly couldn't accept it, but Makoto's current power and status left her unable to refuse him outright.

Makoto felt a wave of irritation.

He hadn't intended to do anything, just tease her a little.

But the Ayari in front of him was completely different from her usual self, now showing nothing but a look of deep grievance.

He really was good at bullying people, wasn't he...

Makoto reached out and wiped at the corner of her eye, feeling a few warm tears.

He chuckled and said, "This doesn't seem like you at all, Ayari-nee."

Ayari lifted her arm to rub her eyes.

"Makoto, do you think you're still the same as you used to be?"

"..."

Makoto fell silent.

Ayari suddenly noticed that Makoto's hands had loosened their grip.

She immediately got up from him, quickly tidying her slightly disheveled clothes and hair.

She glanced back at Makoto, who remained quietly lying on the sofa.

The words to send him away reached her lips but were swallowed back down.

At that moment, Spi jumped onto Makoto's chest, finding a comfortable spot and lying down there.

"You know..." Makoto suddenly spoke.

"Spi spends every day with us, yet it doesn't have a single companion of its kind to talk to, not even someone who can truly understand it. Do you think it feels lonely?"

Before Ayari could respond, Makoto placed Spi on the sofa and stood up.

What kind of melodrama was he getting caught up in?

Makoto silently chastised himself, then said to Ayari, "I'm leaving."

As he walked toward the door, Ayari hesitated for a moment before hurriedly following him.

"Makoto."

He stopped outside the door, hearing Ayari's voice.

Glancing back at her, he said, "If you ask me to stay, I won't refuse."

Ayari's face turned red as she replied, "Don't say silly things."

After a pause, she stammered, "You... you said before, you'd give me time..."

Makoto was slightly surprised, wondering if she felt guilty or something else.

"Then give me a kiss."

"Baka! What nonsense are you spouting!"

Ayari instantly flew into a flustered rage, shouting angrily before slamming the door shut with a loud bang.

Inside, Ayari leaned her entire body against the door, her heart unable to calm down for a long time.

Outside, Makoto exhaled deeply.

His thoughts on women were straightforward—couldn't they just skip the whole dating process?

But he still didn't want to hurt Ayari.

After all, she had truly been good to him.

If she needed time, giving her time was no problem.

Makoto glanced up at the lonely moon in the night sky, pausing in place for a moment before setting off again, walking back along the corridor.

As he neared his residence, he encountered a figure.

"Lord Makoto," the person greeted him respectfully.

"Haruka, huh."

The moonlight shone brightly, illuminating the figure clearly.

"So late, and you're still out," Makoto said casually.

"Lord Makoto, I was just about to head back."

Makoto remembered that the woman before him was Natsu's elder sister and also Ayano's attendant.

After Makoto took over as clan leader, Ayano was no longer considered part of the main family.

However, Makoto hadn't paid much attention to the matter.

He hadn't seen Ayano since, and she had become very low-profile within the clan.

Ayano's residence was not far from Makoto's, so Haruka must have just come from there.

"You were at Ayano's place, right?" Makoto asked again.

"...Yes." Haruka answered Makoto's question but appeared hesitant, as if she had something else to say.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Lord Makoto. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

Haruka bowed once more to Makoto and left.

Watching her figure slowly disappear into the night, Makoto couldn't help but feel contemplative.

As the night deepened, a cool breeze began to stir, but Makoto changed his course and headed toward Ayano's residence.

The lights inside were still on.

--------------

Exclusive access : All novel on paetron

Genshin impact 270+ch, Naruto birdcage 200+ch, Overlord Complete novel

From the apocalypse 100+ch, Fairy tail Destiny 50+ch

Join now : patreon*com/DeCakraWnloverz