When Ichiryu called him by his real name rather than “Kōen,” it meant business.
The time for code names was over.
Kōen heard this and removed his wolf mask.
The figure behind it was not tall, his voice still holding a trace of boyishness.
He was just a youth.
His skin was the same deep brown as Yoruichi’s — the hallmark of the Shihōin main family.
That Ichiryu had been born pale was something that had always seemed off.
His eyes were strikingly similar to hers: golden irises, heavy lids that needed no liner.
But unlike Yoruichi, Yūshirō lacked her confidence.
His gaze seemed hesitant, almost fragile.
“Lord Ichiryu, what is it?” Yūshirō asked softly.
Without the mask, all pretense of composure vanished from his tone.
“I saw your sister today…”
Yūshirō perked up instantly.
“Sister?
How… how is she?”
“Lady Yoruichi seems to have some… misconceptions about me.” Ichiryu recounted the encounter with an air of melancholy.
Yūshirō immediately protested, aggrieved.
“Why would she think that?
Lord Ichiryu, you’ve always been the kindest to me after my sister!”
The grievance was voiced entirely on Ichiryu’s behalf.
“It’s nothing.
I’m accustomed to being trusted yet suspected, loyal yet slandered.” Ichiryu waved a dismissive hand.
“If I see her, I’ll explain everything clearly!” Yūshirō vowed.
“Lady Yoruichi must have heard rumors.
I can bear a little misunderstanding.
When you meet, don’t be too willful with her.” Ichiryu radiated a thoroughly understanding, elder-brotherly warmth.
“Yes!” Yūshirō nodded fiercely—his eyes finally gaining a sliver of resolve.
“That’s all I wanted to say.
You should rest.
I doubt Lady Yoruichi would attack me in my sleep.” Ichiryu said sincerely.
“No—I mean, of course she wouldn’t!
But… Lord Ichiryu! New chapters come out on g.com first.
Please let me guard your quarters tonight!” Yūshirō pressed his lips together, making the bold request.
Ichiryu feigned hesitation.
“Please!
Give me this chance!” Yūshirō bowed deeply.
“Very well.
I’ll leave it to you, Yūshirō.” Ichiryu patted his shoulder.
Assured of both Yūshirō’s genuine goodwill and his vigilant guard, Ichiryu slept soundly through the night.
Whether Yoruichi couldn’t penetrate the Seireitei’s spirit barrier undetected, had begun to appreciate Ichiryu’s character, or was simply mindful of Suì-Fēng, the former patriarch did not come to cause trouble.
Early the next morning, Ichiryu had just woken when a black butterfly fluttered before him and alighted on his shoulder.
He focused, receiving the message, then rose and dressed formally.
Seeing the neatly attired Ichiryu emerge, the masked Kōen greeted him.
“Lord Ichiryu!”
“Stand down.
Get some rest.” Ichiryu dismissed him.
“Yes!” Kōen responded—far more capable-sounding with the mask on.
Following the Hell Butterfly’s summons, Ichiryu headed for the 1st Division headquarters.
Along the way, he noted that Captain Suì-Fēng had left even earlier; she must have received the same assembly order.
Upon arriving, Ichiryu went to the “Secondary Officers’ Room” indicated in the notice—the gathering place for vice-captains.
The captains, he assumed, were already before Captain-Commander Yamamoto.
The primary function of the entire 1st Division complex was to host meetings.
Ichiryu considered this inefficient.
He was determined to reform the structure, separating the duties of the 1st Division captain from those of the Captain-Commander to clarify authority and responsibility.
The Gotei 13 would operate with agility and renewed vigor.
A pity it was merely a thought, with no time to realize it.
Ichiryu’s timing was neither early nor late.
The Seireitei covered a vast area—far more than a few streets.
Each division had its duties; vice-captains were seldom idle and typically scattered.
However urgent the summons, assembly took half a day.
Ichiryu, being relatively close, even had time for breakfast first.
Approaching the 1st Division building, he happened upon Matsumoto Rangiku, also walking toward the side chamber—the vice-captain of the 10th Division.
As for the second most prominent…
By Ichiryu’s observation, that would be Ōmaeda.
The 8th Division’s art collection would have to wait.
“Good morning, Vice-Captain Matsumoto,” Ichiryu offered amiably.
“Good morning, Vice-Captain Shihōin,” Rangiku returned, polite but distant.
Naturally, Rangiku knew what Shihōin Ichiryu had been doing these past years.
It hadn’t directly impacted the 10th Division, so she bore no particular bitterness, but she held no fondness either.
Moreover, Ichiryu seldom drank socially, so their private contact was minimal.
The feeling of walking alongside an unfamiliar colleague with no common ground was awkward, no matter how prominent she was.
Ichiryu decided to initiate conversation.
“The captains are assembling as well.
This must be about the intruders,” he ventured.
“Yes.
We’ll need to be careful,” Rangiku said, affecting a cautious tone.
It was just an act—when it came to work, Rangiku left as much as possible to Captain Hitsugaya.
Duty belonged to the captain; absence meant drinking.
“Captain Ichimaru was supposed to intercept those intruders the day before yesterday.
It’s rather puzzling that he neither captured nor eliminated them,” Ichiryu began, using criticism of another department’s leadership to bridge the gap.
“Perhaps… the intruders are particularly cunning,” Rangiku replied, coolly noncommittal.
“Captain-Commander Yamamoto must be furious.
Ah, speaking of which, Vice-Captain Matsumoto, are you close with Captain Ichimaru?
Do you know what he might be thinking?” Ichiryu asked, as if the thought had just occurred to him.
“I don’t,” Rangiku said, her words sparse.
Partly from caution, partly because she truly was uncertain—in recent years, she’d grown increasingly confused about Gin Ichimaru.
“Oh?
I’d heard you were childhood friends.” Ichiryu pretended not to notice her reluctance.
“Hah.
Well, in recent years, you, Vice-Captain Shihōin, have probably been closer to Gin—to Captain Ichimaru—than I have,” Rangiku said with a tinge of irony.
“Well, there will always be those who find us all irritating.
The people you dislike aren’t necessarily all on the same side.” Ichiryu suddenly displayed remarkable self-awareness.
Rangiku said nothing.
She had no rebuttal.