“My answer?
Is that important?
Since Captain Kuchiki has already decided to let me join the Kuchiki Family, what meaning would my opposition have?
Instead, it would only make things very unpleasant for both parties.
I agree, but I have two small requests that I hope Captain Kuchiki can grant me,” Rukia said.
“Tsk, why are you such a troublesome little girl?
Letting you join the Kuchiki Family is already a huge favor.
Why are you so fussy and making demands?
Others can’t even get in if they want to.”
The minor character Vice-Captain spoke up again.
Clearly, he had no good feelings toward the Rukongai-born Rukia and was instead very jealous.
After all, she had directly become Kuchiki Byakuya’s sister, her status soaring to a level he could no longer reach.
“Shut up, Cangyou.
Rukia is my sister now.
Watch your tone!
Have you thrown away the etiquette of the Kuchiki Family?” Byakuya’s brows furrowed tightly.
It was clear he had lost patience with this Vice-Captain.
He would probably be gone in a few days.
Seeing his captain’s displeased expression, Cangyou, though unhappy inside, dared not say anything.
The hierarchy within the Kuchiki Family was very strict.
He could only stare gloomily at Rukia, as if wanting to vent the anger in his heart upon her.
Rukia glared back, refusing to be outdone, and was also very annoyed.
We are in the middle of discussing business, why are you coming over here making noise?
You deserve to be scolded, why are you looking at me?
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment, the four of them staring at each other, not knowing what to do.
It was Byakuya who finally broke the silence: “Very well, I agree to your conditions.
As long as they are not too excessive, I can accept them.”
Seeing Byakuya agree, Rukia was very happy inside.
After all, there were rewards to be gained.
In the original work, Byakuya’s wife was Rukia’s biological sister.
Doing something that didn’t happen in the original work should yield many rewards.
It was just unclear if Hisana was still around.
“Um, could I ask the headmaster and this Mr.
Cangyou to please step out for a moment?
I don’t want a third person to know about what comes next.”
“This…
very well.” The old headmaster looked hesitant.
No matter how he looked at it, Rukia seemed like someone who wouldn’t let herself suffer a loss.
He didn’t know what kind of trouble these two were going to stir up, but thinking that he couldn’t change anything, he could only drag Vice-Captain Cangyou out of the room.
Byakuya turned and closed the door, saying, “Speak.
What are the conditions that require them to not be present?”
“Captain Kuchiki, I would like…”
“Call me Brother!”
“Captain Kuchiki, that isn’t very appropriate, is it?
We just met.”
“Call me Brother!”
“Uh…”
“If you don’t call me that, I won’t agree.”
“Fine…” Rukia had a helpless look on her face.
How was this iceberg-faced man from the original work acting like a child right now?
But this was fine, it was much better than a block of ice.
“Brother!”
“Yes, tell me, what is the matter?” Hearing that “Brother,” Byakuya seemed very satisfied, and his tone even lightened up.
When it came to the serious business, Rukia’s expression turned solemn as she said, “I want to know the truth of the matter.
Why adopt me into the Kuchiki Family?”
“What reason is needed for this matter?
You are a once-in-a-century genius with Level 9 Reiryoku.
Do we need a reason to make you one of us?” Byakuya said, pretending not to care.
“Is there still a need to pretend?” Rukia said indifferently.
Although Rukia had long known that Byakuya adopted her as his foster sister because of her sister Hisana, she still wanted to make him say it himself.
After all, in the original work, Byakuya only told Rukia the truth about her adoption after the plot had begun.
“It is true that I am a genius, but using that as a reason is really too forced.
Moreover, you kept insisting that I call you Brother, so the aforementioned reason is even less likely to hold up.
There must be another reason!”
“Regarding this, I can only tell you that I am fulfilling a request.
However, I cannot tell you who made the request.
Alright, next question.” Byakuya did not give Rukia time to react and directly skipped over this question.
“Fine.
Anyway, you will tell me sooner or later.
The second thing is that I hope to use the power of the Kuchiki Family to find my sister.
Although I have some grievances about her abandoning me, she is, after all, my only blood relative.
Moreover, after so long, I have already forgiven her.
I haven’t been doing too badly during this time.”
“Of course, I was too young at the time and didn’t know her name, but I still remember what my sister looks like.
She looks similar to me, so she should be easy to find.”
Hearing this, Byakuya bit his lip and could no longer maintain his composure.
He suddenly reached forward, opened his arms, and hugged Rukia tightly.
“Hey, what are you doing?
Let go of me.” Rukia struggled.
In her previous life, as a man, she really couldn’t stand being hugged like this by another man, even if he was her childhood idol.
“I’m sorry,” Byakuya said with a trembling voice.
“Hisana was forced to abandon you.
After she married me, she was always looking for traces of you.
She searched for five years, and until the very last moment before she passed, she was still calling out for you.
Do not blame her; if you must blame someone, blame me.”
“My sister, she…
has passed away?”
“Yes.”
Hearing this, Rukia stopped struggling and said:
“I don’t blame her.
I believe my sister had her reasons for having to abandon me.
So much time has passed; I stopped caring a long time ago.”
Byakuya let her go and stood up, saying:
“Come with me.” Without further ado, he took Rukia’s hand and walked toward the outside of the academy.
“Eh?
Where are we going?” Rukia asked.
“Home!”
They didn’t speak on the way, and Byakuya soon brought Rukia back to the Kuchiki Family estate.
The scenery that met her eyes was vastly different from Rukongai.
Although she had already seen it in the anime, seeing it in person still left her stunned by the sheer wealth and extravagance of the Kuchiki Family.
The luxurious courtyard was filled with cherry blossom trees, and the blooming flowers draped over the white Kuchiki Family estate like ribbons, tinting it with a touch of pink.
Passing through the complex maze of the courtyard, the two arrived at Byakuya’s residence, during which Rukia was once again shocked by the sheer scale of the Kuchiki Family.
It was no wonder so many people wanted to join the nobility; living in a place like this was pure luxury.
After entering the room, Byakuya took a notebook and an incredibly gorgeous black furisode kimono from a cabinet nearby and said:
“These are Hisana’s keepsakes.
This is her diary.
And this kimono was her favorite outfit while she was alive.
Every New Year, she would wear it to perform a celebratory dance.
To me, that was the most beautiful dance in the world.”
“Could you please put on this outfit and let me see it once?”
Rukia wanted to refuse, but just then, the dormant system sent a notification: New Quest — Hisana’s Keepsake.
Put on this outfit; rewards of different tiers will be issued based on the number of days worn.
One day: Reward E-rank skill or item.
One week: Reward D-rank skill or item.
One month: Reward C-rank skill or item.
Three months: Reward B-rank skill or item.
Six months: Reward A-rank skill or item.
One year: Reward S-rank skill or item.
PS: This quest lasts up to five years, so please make the most of it.
Given that this is the host’s first long-term quest, the reward for the first day upon completion is the skill — Ice Clone.
Ice Clone — Creates a clone with 50% of the original’s strength.
Duration is affected by the host’s spiritual pressure (upgradable).
Seeing such a long message, Rukia swallowed the refusal that was on the tip of her tongue.
After hesitating for a moment, she said, “F-fine then.”