“Well.” Ukitake struggled with each word.
“Cough… my body… thanks to vice-captain Ōmaeda, on weekdays… cough… he assists with a great many tasks.
Otherwise… cough… I would miss even more work.
I feel… ahem… uneasy about it as well.”
Anyone with a shred of discernment would have excused themselves.
Ichiryu did not.
He asked as if nothing were amiss.
“What does Captain Ukitake think of Central 46’s penalty this time?”
“Indeed… ahem… it is a little severe.
But considering… ahem… the laws and regulations in Soul Society have weakened recently… ahem… Central 46 likely wishes to… ahem… clarify the canon of punishment.
And the head of the Kuchiki family… the master… ahem…” Ukitake shook his head, breathless.
Ichiryu pinched his earring, casting a subtle Kidō to muffle the sound of coughing.
Better.
No more distressing sound.
He understood the unfinished thought.
Ukitake likely believed the harsh sentence was a lever—to force Kuchiki Byakuya to plead for mercy.
The nobles of Soul Society had grown corrupt.
The strictly self-disciplined Byakuya Kuchiki, as head of the great house, was an outlier.
Ukitake would be heartbroken by Byakuya’s choice.
Even with his ‘sister’ facing execution, the man would never beg.
Yet Ukitake, born to the lower noble house of Ukitake, understood the position.
He might even support it.
At least he did not suspect Shihōin Ichiryu of entering to slander.
Ichiryu found the logic reasonable.
Byakuya Kuchiki had vowed, after adopting Rukia in violation of rules, never to break them again.
He would be as his grandfather said—the Kuchiki family must exemplify nobility.
He was the last person who wished Rukia executed.
He did not beg.
This was not stubbornness.
Soul Society needed such nobles.
Under Byakuya’s example, even the decayed aristocracy had some standard left.
If Byakuya Kuchiki fell, the bottom line might collapse entirely.
“Hm,” Ichiryu said, shaking his head. Find the original chapter at g.com.
“I didn’t expect Master Kuchiki would actually…”
The logic was sound.
Unless nobles were fighting each other, how could one be executed so easily?
Especially a Kuchiki.
Under normal circumstances, if Byakuya Kuchiki killed a few innocent Shinigami to relieve boredom, a visit to the Ōin Council would suffice.
Central 46 would declare the dead were traitors, and commend the Kuchiki family head for heroism.
“No,” Ukitake said, catching himself.
“It should be because of Captain Kuchiki that… ahem.
I misspoke.”
Ichiryu watched him curiously.
He’d blocked the coughing sound.
Those two false coughs were fake?
You’re coughing like this and still interjecting false ones?
“Hehe.
It’s Kuchiki who doesn’t know how to be flexible.” Ichiryu sneered, playing his part.
Ukitake Jūshirō seemed to believe Central 46’s fuss was a trap to drag Byakuya into the mire.
This ‘benchmark’ was too unsociable.
A threat from the nobles to the Kuchiki family.
Take a step back, save a sister’s life, and diminish the standard forever.
A very aristocratic, very reasonable thought.
Ukitake understood nobles.
And criticized them in his heart.
Central 46 might have done it.
They simply hadn’t had the chance.
From the moment they ordered Rukia’s capture, there were forty-six corpses in Central 46.
If Byakuya Kuchiki truly went to beg, he would only be shocked to find the Kuchiki family could not ask for this favor.
He would discover the strangeness.
He would glimpse Aizen’s conspiracy.
But there was no ‘if.’
Byakuya Kuchiki had no intention of compromising.
Ichiryu suspected Aizen had counted on that. This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
By now, Ichiryu saw Ukitake knew nothing.
The sick man could hardly pretend so naturally.
Still, he pressed.
“What does Captain Ukitake think about the intruders?”
“Squad Thirteen is the purification team.
The intruders… are human.
It has nothing to do with this division.” Ukitake did not wish to say more.
Ichiryu pretended surprise.
“Huh?
But there is an acting Shinigami among them!”
Ukitake’s expression changed.
Even with the sound blocked, Ichiryu could see him cough harder.
Ichiryu stepped forward and patted his back with concern.
“The first acting Shinigami was Captain Ukitake’s companion, wasn’t he?
No, no, no—don’t worry, I don’t mean to suspect you of colluding.
I just thought you would care about other acting Shinigami!
By the way, Central 46 is so concerned about this incident, perhaps because of that… what was it called… Oh, right.
Was it Kūgo Ginjō?”
The more Ichiryu spoke, the more agitated Ukitake became.
The coughs grew violent.
Ichiryu heard nothing until—
“Ugh… poof!”
He had blocked the coughing, but not the sound of vomiting blood.
Ukitake spat a mouthful onto his handkerchief.
His eyes went dazed.
The name ‘Kūgo Ginjō’ had shaken him deeply.
“Captain Ukitake, you should rest more…” Ichiryu’s tone was comforting.
Sentaro and Kiyone rushed in, supporting their captain.
They pushed Ichiryu away, angry and vigilant.
“Vice-Captain Shihōin!” Sentaro Kotsubaki said furiously.
He had heard the last part.
“How can you… say that man’s name in front of Captain Ukitake?”