That night, Kenichi set up a large wooden tub in the bathroom. The steaming hot water inside was filled with various herbs, releasing a scent that was bitter yet carried a subtle sweetness.
"Come on, give it a try," Kenichi tested the water temperature with his hand. Once he was sure it wasn't too hot for his daughter, he gently placed Rin into the tub.
The moment her little feet touched the water, she flinched. "Hot!"
"Bear with it," Kenichi softly pressed down on her small shoulders. "It'll feel uncomfortable at first, but you'll get used to it soon."
Rin bit her lip and slowly lowered herself into the herbal water.
—And nearly leapt right back out.
"It hurts!" Her tiny face scrunched up, the sensation like countless needles prickling her skin—hot, numb, and overwhelming.
Kenichi's heart ached to see her like that, but he still insisted, "Just a little longer. That's the medicine working its way into your meridians."
Rin gripped the edge of the tub tightly, tears welling up in her eyes. She wasn't afraid of pain, but her two-year-old body was far more sensitive than an adult's.
After five minutes, the sting began to fade, replaced by a soothing warmth that seeped from her skin into her muscles and slowly spread through her limbs. Rin was surprised to find that the dull ache in her wrist from yesterday's chakra training had eased considerably.
"Huh?" She moved her wrist around. "It doesn't hurt anymore?"
Kenichi gave a relieved smile. "Good. That means it's working."
Rin soaked for a full twenty minutes. When she finally got out, her entire body had turned a soft pink, like a little steamed shrimp. Kenichi wrapped her up in a fluffy towel and gently dried her wet hair.
"From now on, every three days," he said, pinching her nose with a grin. "If you stick to it, your body will grow stronger."
Rin nodded, though her thoughts were elsewhere: That means I can secretly train without worrying as much about the strain…
But the cost of those herbal baths turned out to be far higher than Rin had imagined.
One night, while getting up to use the toilet, she overheard Kenichi speaking quietly to Grandma in the kitchen.
"…These herbs are too expensive," Kenichi's voice was weary. "One batch costs as much as a C-rank mission."
Grandma sighed. "Maybe… cut back to once a week?"
"No," Kenichi replied firmly. "The baths have to be regular, or they won't work. I'll just take on more missions."
Hiding behind the door, Rin clenched her little fists around the hem of her pajamas.
She had always assumed that her father, being a Special Jonin, earned plenty. She never imagined her herbal bath was putting such a burden on him.
No wonder he's been leaving before dawn and coming home late every night…
Silently, Rin returned to bed, but sleep evaded her.
The next day, while Kenichi was away on a mission, Rin snuck into the bathroom.
Standing on tiptoe, she rummaged through the cabinet for leftover herbs and began inspecting them closely.
She picked up a dried leaf and memorized its appearance with determination.
After a long night of thinking, Rin came up with a bold idea:
If I can find cheaper substitutes or improve the formula, wouldn't that ease the burden?
Of course, a two-year-old couldn't go gather herbs on her own—but she could…
"Grandma!" she ran out of the bathroom, tugging at the hem of the old lady's clothes as she hung laundry. "Let's go to the market, okay?"
Grandma smiled fondly and patted her head. "What do you want to buy, little Rin?"
Rin blinked her big eyes innocently. "Candy!"
—And maybe, just maybe, find out more about herbs while I'm at it.
At the market, Rin munched on the candied apple Grandma bought her while discreetly eavesdropping on the merchants.
"The border's been unstable lately. All the herbs have gone up in price…"
"Word is the Sunagakure is buying in bulk. Prices have tripled…"
Rin thoughtfully licked the sugary coating, then suddenly noticed a quiet, nondescript stall. Several fresh herbs were laid out, and they looked very similar to the ones Kenichi had brought home—except these were much cheaper.
"Grandma, what's that?" she asked innocently, pointing to one of the herbs.
"Oh, that's evening primrose," Grandma explained. "It's got calming properties, though it's not as potent as the expensive stuff your father buys."
Rin's eyes lit up. Gentler? Then isn't that better for kids like me?
She tugged on Grandma's sleeve again. "Grandma, can we buy some to make tea for Daddy? He hasn't been sleeping well…"
Grandma, moved by her "filial" concern, bought two bunches without hesitation.
On the way home, Rin's little brain was working overtime:
If I can find more affordable herbs to mix in with the rare ones, maybe we can bring the cost down…
That night, while Grandma wasn't looking, Rin secretly added the evening primrose to her bath.
The prickling sensation was much milder than before. The effects were gentler, but they worked.
This should be fine… right? Rin still wasn't confident. After all, she wasn't an expert.
Just then, the bathroom door swung open—Kenichi stood in the doorway, utterly stunned. "Rin?! You can't just—"
His gaze fell on the floating evening primrose, and his voice cut off.
Father and daughter stared at each other. Silence filled the room.
"…Did you put that in?" Kenichi asked, pointing at the herbs.
Rin shrank back, guilt flashing across her face. She gave a tiny nod.
To her surprise, Kenichi didn't get angry. He knelt beside her and gently patted her damp hair. "What made you think to use that?"
Rin mumbled, "Grandma said… it's cheaper…"
Kenichi's eyes turned red. He suddenly pulled her into a tight hug, his voice choking. "You silly child… Daddy isn't poor…"
Rin pressed her face into his shoulder, muttering, "Liar… you're a terrible liar…"
Kenichi fell silent, then laughed softly. "Alright, alright. Since my little Rin is so smart, Daddy will teach you how to recognize herbs—but no more experimenting on your own, okay? These formulas are precise. A single mistake can ruin everything."
Rin nodded vigorously.
From that day on, Kenichi began teaching her how to identify basic herbs. He even took her to safe areas outside the village to gather wild medicinal plants.
"This is Silverleaf Vine—it helps soothe muscle fatigue…"
"This is a young Fire Ganoderma—very rare. It takes ten years to mature…"
Rin learned incredibly fast. Perhaps due to the mysterious petals within her, she had a unique affinity for plants. Not only could she remember their traits, but she also started crafting herbal bath recipes tailored to her own chakra system.
Thanks to that, the cost of the baths dropped significantly, while their effects steadily improved.
At the same time, Rin's chakra control also progressed. Though she still couldn't use any ninjutsu, the pink petal markings could now last over ten seconds—and their chakra-replenishing effect had become much more noticeable.
One evening, Rin sat quietly in the courtyard, watching a petal spin slowly in her palm, a smile tugging at her lips.
"At this rate, I'll have the basics mastered before I'm five…"
At that moment, Kenichi pushed open the gate, carrying freshly gathered herbs. He saw his daughter's focused side profile in the warm light of dusk and couldn't help smiling.
—They were both working hard, in their own way.
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