Every day, in the late afternoon, Le Chef personally oversaw Tsukinoko's education for a few hours. He helped her develop her techniques and channel her fighting instincts. A month later, she was beginning to find time slowing down. Drawing, meditating to restrain her impulses, training quietly and reading, the same routine over and over again. She thought back to the Chief and wondered what his job was and how he occupied his days.

  The Chief received soldiers during the day in a large room at the Academy, to send them on missions or collect their reports. He was seated at the back of the room at the center of a long table, an assistant on either side, looking up from his paperwork as his little disciple stood in the middle of the room.

  - I'm bored," she announces with folded arms.

  - Keep reading about Hanamaru and the Land of the Sun, we don't have an appointment for several hours.

  - I've already read everything in the library! she grumbles.

  She held his gaze insistently. The two assistants waited for the outcome, but to their dismay he placed her at the end of the long table. As she returned to her seat, her arms full reports to be sorted and checked, the assistant on her left looked worried.

  - Chief, these are confidential mission reports.

  - And she's my disciple," he concludes without looking up.

  Tsukinoko smiles proudly, then mimics her worried face with an outrageous grimace before taking her seat. The assistant took offence but got back to work, and she began carefully sorting through the reports.

  They described each mission that made up the soldiers' job. Classified from D to A, the highest rank requiring experienced and discreet soldiers, up to S for special and confidential missions carried out mainly by the Colony. An A-rank mission report catches her eye, and she leans back in her chair to read the details.

  Meanwhile, the soldiers paraded in front of the Chief and his assistants, sometimes asking who this little girl was, congratulating him on his courage and asking many questions. Suddenly, Tsukinoko stood up.

  - I'm done!" she shouts proudly, startling the room.

  - Already? exclaims one of the assistants.

  - Oh yeah!

  Haruo Sato felt her gaze and sighed, realizing that it was barely three o'clock. He puts down his brush, thinks for a few seconds, then invites her to sit next to him

  Having more or less understood what a mission consisted of, Tsukinoko was now able to assign categories according to requests from inhabitants, lords and even small neighboring countries that had no soldiers of their own and were therefore dependent on military powers. This was followed by a political lesson on the hierarchy between countries.

  The four big countries, the small ones without a capital but with a military force, and the others. Tsukinoko asked inquisitive questions. The comings and goings became rarer, and the Chief received the last arrivals before greeting his assistants, who closed the room.

  The next day, Tsukinoko arrived at the Academy in the early afternoon, overexcited as usual, but bumped into someone as she turned into the corridor.

  - Ouch, damn it! Sorry, sorry, sorry...

  She braced herself in front of Harue, who was staring at her, accompanied by Shoji. She gives a big smile to win them over.

  - What are you doing here?" asks Harue curtly.

  - Uh... I'm here to see Jījī.

  - What for? He's busy working.

  - I know, I'm going to see him to-

  - You're already lucky to have him looking after you, so don't take advantage of his kindness.

  - Yes, you can! I can come earlier-

  - What don't you understand? He's a chef, he's got a lot of work to do.

  - But I know! Tsukinoko is also annoyed. I just-

  - I wonder what he sees in her," she whispered to Shoji.

  - Tsukinoko was furious. He said that-

  - Go back to looking after yourself in the meantime, Sukinoko," he shouts.

  - It's fucking Tsukinoko! Will you listen to me at last, you fossils?! she shouts, stamping her foot.

  A heavy silence had settled over her seven-year-old tantrum. She cowered, frightened to death as they became more offended. The great hall was only a few steps away, but Harue held her by the collar before she ran off and lifted her into the air. Tsukinoko tried to struggle as she held her at point-blank range.

  - Stop it! Get the fuck off me!" she shouts, gesticulating in the air.

  - That's enough insolence!" she cries.

  - Help! Help! Help! The fossils are attacking me! Jījī!

  As the soldiers in the corridor turned to hear her bellowing, Harue's eyes widened as Tsukinoko was about to strike her with the back of her foot, but the Chief appeared and parried her blow in time. Harue let go of Tsukinoko, who crashed at their feet.

  - Ouch! What's the matter with you, you crazy old-

  - Enough! What's going on?

  Tsukinoko doesn't take it lying down and leaps to her feet, shouting at the two elders.

  - I came to see you but they wouldn't leave me alone!

  - What's going on?" he asks.

  - Mr. Sato," sighs Shoji. We were making him understand that the Chief doesn't have all the time in the world for a little savage like her, especially as she's so undisciplined, it would be better to entrust her to someone who can educate her.

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  - What?! she snaps. I don't need to be-

  - That's enough, Tsukinoko," he said, frowning.

  The Chef strengthens his serious expression, then turns back to her.

  - Apologize to them and wait for me in the hall.

  - Huh? Never! Never! They started it," she sulks, turning her back on them.

  - Anyway, you didn't address them properly," he insists. At your age, I shouldn't have to teach you politeness.

  While the councillors looked down on her, waiting for her to apologize, and the soldiers in the front row watched curiously, Tsukinoko refused to lose her pride and crossed her arms brazenly.

  - Nan.

  The Chief was beginning to lose his patience. From the corner of his eye, his furious gaze crushed Tsukinoko, who held back a tense smile of panic at the pressure.

  - Par'on," she barely mumbles.

  - How?" insists Le Chef.

  - It's fucking good!" she rants.

  Sulking into the room before everyone's stunned eyes, the Chef gave up in disappointment. Hiding behind the door, Tsukinoko spied on their conversation as everyone went about their business.

  - Excuse us," he sighs. Didn't Tsukinoko explain that we had an appointment? I told her to come and work with me this afternoon," he explains, squinting.

  - She didn't tell us.

  - Anyway, she's my responsibility, so you needn't bother to intervene. Thank you, he insists. I've got to get back to work, I'm swamped.

  Tsukinoko runs to the side of the table at the back of the room, under the judging eye of the assistants as he returns. He sits back down and lights his pipe, sinking into his armchair. Just as she's about to apologize, he sends his assistants to fetch some supplies without opening his eyes again.

  - Jījī, sorry!" she suddenly shouts. But they wouldn't let me explain! Je-

  - I know you can. I've been hearing you since you came down the hall," he confesses, taking a drag on his pipe.

  - Really? Why didn't you say something?!

  - Anyway, be polite to them, okay?" he asks calmly. Try to stay out of trouble, I can't spend all my time looking after you. And that goes for everyone. I've explained that you mustn't be noticed.

  - Yes, she capitulates. I'm sorry, I...

  She calms down and twiddles her thumbs as she understands the situation, sheepish after her foolishness.

  - This is the last time an incident like this will happen, Tsukinoko, is that clear?

  - She grimaces. I promise.

  - Well, you've come to work, haven't you?

  - Why don't they like me? I haven't done anything wrong... she suddenly asks sadly.

  - Well, my boy... After the disaster, the village is a bit on edge, you see. And as you don't come from Hanamaru, they're wary. Behave well, and you'll earn their trust.

  Over time, Tsukinoko came to know the village by heart. When the Chief wasn't working in the Great Hall, he would take her to the Residence library and tell her all about the village, the clans, the Great Wars and other countries. She always listened attentively, drinking in his words.

  As the days passed, she felt lighter. From time to time, she would stay up all night, overcome by melancholy and sadness. But little by little, the buried cracks began to heal.

  The Chief took her to eat at Teuchi's every Friday, and she enjoyed every evening spent with him. In her spare time, she worked on controlling her impulses by meditating, and trying to gain the trust of the village one day.

  In early spring, Tsukinoko trained for hours on end under the watchful eye of the Chief. Night had long since fallen, but they continued their training

  He was smoking his pipe, dressed in a comfortable black yukata, while Tsukinoko was in shorts and t-shirt, drenched in sweat, in the middle of a circle drawn in the grass. He'd lit a fire and put out some snacks before calling her in for a break, almost at the end of five hundred perfect sequences

  The fire dazzled Tsukinoko as she admired it. Amused, she tried to reproduce the aspects imagined in the flames. Sitting one meter in front of the firehands outstretched, she concentrated on manipulating the shape of the flames, as if she had the magical powers of the heroes in her favorite books.

  A rabbit, a cat, a lizard and then a wolf, while the Chief watched with a curious eye. Suddenly, the head of a dragon escaped from the brazier and flew into the air. An ember erupts, startling the dragon, which dissipates in the smoke. Tsukinoko is suddenly out of breath and her hands are burned.

  - Bobo... she sniffed like a baby.

  - Well, that's going to hurt for the next few days. Go put them in the water for a few minutes, then we'll stop training.

  With her feet dangling in the air, Tsukinoko lay on the bank to let her arms soak in the water, overwhelmed by her foolishness.

  The Chief had put their things away, but a doubt crossed his mind. He in turn sat down where Tsukinoko was. The warmth of the fire gently caressed his hands, without burning his fingers even though he would have stayed there the rest of the night, before he put it out.

  - Tsukinoko, what were you trying to do with the fire?

  - Me?" she grimaces. Nothing, I just imagined I was making animal shapes. A cat, a wolf," she giggles, "just like in the book!

  - I see," he smiles. Let's go home, it's so late, the sun will be up soon

  The Chief was surprised to see his disciple arrive the very next day, her hands already healed. On their toes, they made their way to the course despite a storm that had soaked the turf, and a heavy atmosphere

  Tsukinoko was having trouble concentrating, and the Chief stopped her after a while because she couldn't meditate as she wished due to the heat storms filling the air with tension.

  - That's interesting. Well, I'll give you a few minutes to realign your chakras, then we'll continue. If you meditate correctly, external disturbances shouldn't interrupt you, he teaches.

  Tsukinoko returned to her cross-legged position to sign the tiger's incantation and rest her mind. Behind the trees on the edge of the clearing, something scratching the ground made her laugh

  - There are baby wild boars in the forest, they look cute," she murmurs.

  - Wild boar," he corrects her. Can you smell them?

  - Yeah, there's four of them, with their parents.

  - What else do you see?" he asks curiously.

  All the animals of the forest, behind on the other training ground a brigade of motivated young soldiers. His aura emanated as his hair slowly bristled. More or less easily, Tsukinoko could perceive almost all of Hanamaru, but couldn't distinguish the people, entangled in clusters of chakra.

  - You seem to have a good sense of touch, like a third eye. Keep practicing on it," he insists.

  In the Chief's personal workroom, Tsukinoko lay on the cushions at the far end of the platform. Unaware of how many hours had passed, she awoke slowly, misty. He was working on the coffee table in front of her, and pointing a meal tray to one side

  With her cheek resting on his shoulder as she chewed, she made his handwriting tremble, but he said nothing, after she'd taken ill in the morning from drawing on her strength. Tsukinoko explained to him what she had managed to make out, then put down his brush.

  - You're able to perceive chakra at long distance. We're going to work on a new technique from now on. You're going to meditate so that you can better distinguish the elements around you, each person, each inhabitant.

  - Okay!" she exclaims, motivated.

  She sat cross-legged behind him. Without breaking her concentration, despite the comings and goings of the soldiers, the days passed without any signs of fatigue, thanks to her second-rate state. Little by little, each person in the building stood out from the others, capable of being listed with the Chief. His perimeter of vision was expanding, little by little.

  During the day, Sh?d? came to chat with the Chief, who was holed up in his office watching over Tsukinoko, accompanied by his assistant, Shizune, barely older than his peer.

  - This is my latest disciple, Tsukinoko," exclaims the Chief. She's been working on a perception technique for a few days.

  - Interesting, Furoggu was right when he said she melted your heart," Sh?d? laughs. She looks exhausted. But how long has she been like this? insists Sh?d?.

  - It's been four days now," he replies without looking up.

  - Four days in a row? Without a break?! she shouts.

  - It's not necessary, she'll tell me when she needs it.

  - Hey kid, stop and come back!

  Tsukinoko couldn't concentrate as Sh?d? shook her by the shoulder. Tsukinoko looked terrible, her lips chapped and her dark circles dark after not sleeping or eating for four days. Sh?d? shouted at her ignorant former master, pretending to have arrived in time before Tsukinoko's amateur brain gave out.

  Tsukinoko came to her senses, in hospital and full of drips again. Anxiously, Shizune reassured her, then left to look after the other patients. She rested until the Chief arrived, but jumped on him as soon as he entered.

  - I've been thinking about this technique while you've been recovering. I even came up with a name for it. Kenja no Daisan'nome .

  The Sage's third eye