Seireitei Calendar year 997, July 7th, night.
Ichiryu had spent the past two days visiting a string of nobles.
Most were not the family heads, but direct descendants or close relatives in line to inherit.
And most of them chafed under their current family’s leadership.
Some were motivated by profit, some by conflicting ideals, and some by pure personal animosity.
He was tired.
When he slid open the door to his quarters in the Second Division barracks, he found Suì-Fēng sitting cross-legged in meditation, waiting for him.
“Huh?
Captain?
Care for a drink?” Ichiryu said, miming a cup.
A vein throbbed at her temple.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” she asked, her voice tight.
“I recall telling you, just two days ago, to be more cautious and low-key recently.
Do you remember?”
“That’s right.
I haven’t gone to inspect any other divisions these past two days,” Ichiryu replied, the picture of earnestness.
“Just making the rounds with the nobles.
Daily public relations.”
“Really?
Then why have so many of your ‘public relations’ targets shifted to branch families lately?
Especially those in competition with the main line?” She watched his act without blinking.
“This closed meeting at the Senzaikyū—the Shihōin family governor will be confirming your position with the other families there, correct?”
Ichiryu wasn’t surprised by her intelligence network.
As captain of the Second Division and Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, she commanded an apparatus no ordinary captain could match.
Many new Shinigami thought the Second Division was the Onmitsukidō, and the Onmitsukidō was the Second Division.
That wasn’t true.
Administratively, the Onmitsukidō, the Kidō Corps, and the Gotei 13 were supposed to be parallel organizations, all directly under Central 46.
The Onmitsukidō was divided into five corps, the first being the Punishment Force.
In theory, that made its Commander-in-Chief equal in rank to the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.
It was only theoretical equality.
In practice, Suì-Fēng’s salary from Central 46 matched Yamamoto’s, but in every other aspect—funding, authority—the Onmitsukidō had long been eclipsed.
To keep the organization running, she’d had to assign many operatives to work simultaneously for the Second Division, blurring the lines until they seemed one and the same.
The Kidō Corps was worse.
It had devolved into a “Kidō Research Institute,” an auxiliary unit for the Gotei 13.
The “three major forces” under Central 46’s jurisdiction had long been dominated by the Gotei 13.
Which was why Ichiryu firmly believed his efforts to review and restrain the Captain-Commander were foresighted, selfless, and utterly blameless.
As Commander-in-Chief, Suì-Fēng’s intelligence network remained formidable.
“Are you thinking something rude again?” she asked sharply.
“Ahem, of course not!” Ichiryu waved a hand.
“I was just thinking… as Shinigami, our humanity is paramount.
We must not see ourselves as mere weapons.
Relationships between people are what matter.
To cozy up only to whoever is in power—that’s a terrible mindset…”
He launched into a rambling, philosophical tangent.
Suì-Fēng was not swayed by sentiment.
She watched him in silence, neither interrupting nor refuting.
Seeing her reaction, Ichiryu knew he couldn’t talk his way out of it.
“Alright, fine.
I’ll be honest.
As for the family governor… isn’t that why I have you, Captain?” He layered on the flattery.
Suì-Fēng was born into the Feng family, a lower-ranking noble house.
Her given name was Feng Shaoling.
“Suì-Fēng” was the name of a Shihōin family retainer, and she had always used it.
Her current status came from representing the Shihōin clan, having inherited the legacy of the former head, Yoruichi, to the greatest extent possible after her defection.
Even though the Shihōin clan had recovered some vitality under Ichiryu’s planning, it hadn’t fully rebounded.
Suì-Fēng maintained that she was a Shihōin retainer, and the new family head didn’t wish to break with her.
The head had long wanted to arrange a marriage between her and the family governor, but Ichiryu’s interference had prevented it.
From that point on, within the Shihōin clan, Ichiryu ceased to be seen as “the wastrel favored by the family head and governor.” He gradually became “the branch family elder clinging to his retainer.”
“Don’t try that,” Suì-Fēng said flatly.
“Don’t expect me to help you.”
“Eh?
Captain, you don’t actually want to marry the family governor, do you?” Ichiryu feigned shock.
“It’s irrelevant.
It would just be a political union.” She looked unconcerned.
“Is that so…”
His exaggerated, astonished expression made her visibly uncomfortable.
Suì-Fēng stood to leave. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
If she stayed any longer, he’d only grow more insufferable.
“Captain,” Ichiryu called after her.
“Hm?” She paused but didn’t turn.
“You’re sure you don’t want that drink?” He mimed the cup again.
Suì-Fēng said nothing before walking away.
In the blink of an eye, a week passed.
August 1st, Seireitei, Second Division barracks.
Suì-Fēng was almost… touched.
Was Ichiryu really being this obedient after that night?
He hadn’t left the barracks at all.
He seemed remarkably low-key.
This level of compliance was unprecedented, even right after “that incident” years ago.
It made her wonder if something had happened to him after he’d gotten drunk.
At the same time, in his room…
“So slow, so slow, so slow… How can a man be this slow?” Ichiryu muttered, as if waiting impatiently for something.
He took a deep breath, and his reiatsu grew faint, almost illusory.
“Hm?” Suì-Fēng suddenly sensed the abnormality in his spiritual pressure.
All her momentary goodwill vanished.
Of course.
He’s up to something again.
She marched to his room and slid the door open with a sharp clack.
The door frame rattled as she appeared in the doorway.
“Captain Suì-Fēng?
In such a hurry—is there an urgent mission?” Ichiryu’s face was a little pale, his reiatsu visibly unsteady.
“My apologies.
I made a small mistake practicing Kidō just now.
I’m afraid I’m not quite fit for duty at the moment.”
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