Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

She saw the water rippling.

She saw Violet's hand drawing circles on his chest, each circle larger and covering a wider area than the last.

She saw Robin pressed against Shiraha.

Her heart began to race.

It wasn't the nervous heartbeat I felt before, but a... longing heartbeat.

Something inside her was stirring, like a blade of grass trapped under a stone, desperately trying to break free and greet the sunlight.

"You want to go there, right?"

Retsu Unohana's voice rang out again, this time with a resolute gentleness.

"I...I didn't..."

Artoria's denials became increasingly weak.

"Artoria—"

Retsu Unohana sighed softly and put her arm around Unohana's shoulder.

"You're not being honest enough."

Artoria's body stiffened slightly.

“You clearly wanted to join them, you clearly wanted to sit next to Bai Yu, you clearly wanted to put your hand on his shoulder, feel his body temperature, feel his breath.”

Unohana Retsu's voice was very soft, but each word was like a pebble thrown into Artoria's heart lake, stirring up ripples.

"But you care too much about what others think, and you're too afraid of being rejected, so you can only sit here, watching from afar, and secretly envy them in your heart."

"I'm not envious—"

"You have--"

Retsu Unohana's voice remained gentle, yet it brooked no argument.

"And there's nothing shameful about it."

Artoria remained silent.

She lowered her head and looked at the petals on the water's surface. The petals floated gently in the water, sometimes gathering together and sometimes scattering, just like her current mood, chaotic and helpless.

"Sister Hua—"

Her voice was soft, with a hint of vulnerability.

Am I... strange?

"Why do you say that?"

"Maybe I've had it too easy in the past..."

Artoria's voice grew softer and softer.

"I feel uncomfortable seeing him surrounded by other girls, but I don't dare to go over... Am I being useless?"

Retsu Unohana didn't say anything, but simply patted her shoulder gently.

After a while, she finally spoke.

"Do you know, Artoria—"

"Everyone gets nervous when facing someone they truly care about. This just shows that you really care about him. If you care about him so much, why bother about the other girls around him..."

Artoria looked up at her.

She felt that something was off about what Sister Hua had said.

"Go ahead, I'll go with you. There's nothing to be nervous about. Go and join them, don't hide yourself anymore."

Unohana Retsu stood up, and warm water poured down her body.

"Courage comes from taking action."

She reached out her hand to Artoria.

"Come on." She suddenly stood up, splashing water everywhere.

"Sister Hua, let's go!"

Unohana Retsu couldn't help but laugh at her sudden outburst.

"Okay, let's go."

The two of them walked together toward Bai Yu.

Chapter 189 The moonlight is so beautiful tonight!

The sake was brought by Ueno Hana Retsu.

This is not ordinary sake, but the century-old brewery of the Golden Emperor. It has a smooth taste, but an astonishingly strong aftertaste.

She laid out the wine cups one by one on a lacquerware tray. The six small celadon cups gleamed warmly in the candlelight, as if they had just been fished out of the moonlight.

The steam from the hot spring had not yet dissipated when several people, wrapped in yukatas, sat down on the edge of the pool.

Outside the corridor, the night was deep and dark. The stone lanterns in the courtyard burned with faint candlelight, casting the shadows of a few slender bamboo stalks onto the sandy ground. When the wind blew, the shadows shattered.

Six people is just right!

Matsumoto Rangiku sat cross-legged, her yukata collar slightly open, revealing a small patch of skin below her collarbone, flushed pink from being soaked in the hot spring.

She picked up the wine pot and poured a cup for Bai Yu first.

"Since Bai Yu-jun is the only male, he should be the first to drink."

Uchiha Shiraha took the wine cup, his fingertips touching the warm porcelain, feeling the wine gently swaying inside. He had just been held down by four people for nearly an hour, and the sensation of their fingers still lingered on his shoulders and back. His little brother was quite satisfied with the service, especially with Artoria's youthful shyness.

"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to drink alone first..."

"What's wrong with it?"

Artoria's voice came from the side, with a strange stiffness in it.

Bai Yu turned to look at her and found that she had already sat down very close to him, about a fist's distance away. Her yukata was much neater than usual, with the collar tightly bound and the cuffs neatly gathered, making her look like a sword sheathed.

"Artoria~"

Bai Yu was somewhat surprised.

When did you sit here?

"I...I've been sitting here the whole time!"

Her voice rose slightly, then quickly lowered, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

"You...you were keeping your eyes on Robin and Violet the whole time, of course you didn't notice me!"

She spoke with a hint of grievance and resentment. After saying it, she froze, her lips slightly parted, as if she wanted to take back her words but didn't know how.

Matsumoto Rangiku burst out laughing.

"Oh dear, oh dear—"

She handed the wine cup to Artoria.

"Is the Knight King jealous?"

"I don't!"

Artoria's voice rose again as she took the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

"Cough cough cough~ What kind of wine is this~ cough cough~"

"This local specialty wine has a strong aftereffect; you shouldn't drink it like this."

Rangiku laughed even harder and poured her another cup.

"Drink slowly, don't rush."

Violet sat to Shiraha's left, the hem of her yukata spread out on the water-red carpet like a quietly blooming flower.

She held the wine cup but didn't rush to drink. Instead, she turned her head to look at Bai Yu, her gaze filled with tenderness.

"Bai Yujun is in better shape than I expected today; my hands are tired..."

Her voice was very soft, as if she were talking about something that only the two of them knew.

"Just like a few nights ago..."

"Is Violet also staying up late?"

Artoria was somewhat surprised.

"I always remember you turning off the lights and going to bed very early..."

Violet paused, seemingly realizing she had let something slip, took a small sip of her drink, and fell silent.

Robin sat directly behind Shiraha, her posture relaxed, one hand supporting her on the ground, the other holding a sake cup. Her yukata was deep purple, which made her skin appear even whiter, and her wet black hair was draped over her shoulders, the ends still dripping water, leaving dark water stains on her yukata.

"Bai Yujun, have some more..."

The sake is smooth and mellow on the palate, like a warm silk gliding down the throat, then slowly spreading in the lower abdomen, turning into a small flame.

Retsu Unohana was the last to sit down, next to Artoria. Her yukata was pure white, making her seem as if she had stepped out of the moonlight. She put down the sake bottle in her hand, her gaze slowly sweeping across everyone's faces, and then smiled softly.

"It seems the hot springs were very effective tonight—"

Her voice was gentle and calm, like the night breeze passing through a bamboo forest.

"Everyone looks great."

"Where did Sister Hua go just now?"

Matsumoto Rangiku asked.

"Go check on how Kanna is sleeping..."

Unohana Retsu casually brushed it off, then poured herself a glass of wine.

"Now you can finally relax."

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere gradually warmed up.