"Captain Rosse?"
Shiba Kukaku repeated the name to herself, and a faint look of confusion appeared on her face.
As for the new captain of the Tenth Division, of course she knew his name.
But meeting him, this was the first time.
Earlier, when Ukitake Jushiro mentioned the cause of death of her brother and sister-in-law, he had spoken very vaguely. He didn't mention Rosse at all, so she had no idea why Rosse had come.
After all, since the complete fall of the Shiba clan these past few days, only two captains had taken part in the funeral.
One was Ukitake Jushiro, captain of the division Shiba Kaien served under. His presence was obligatory.
The other was Kuchiki Byakuya. As the leader of the nobles, attending to offer condolences was expected.
But this Captain Rosse, who normally had no connection with them, chose to appear at such a time. That alone made a faint sense of caution rise in Shiba Kukaku's heart.
But a guest was still a guest.
Especially in such a desolate moment, someone still willing to step through the Shiba family's gates could not be refused.
Shiba Kukaku steadied her thoughts and slowly rose to her feet.
As she moved, the plain white mourning clothes that should have hidden every curve seemed pushed up from within by an invisible force. Beneath the fabric, her proud and striking figure appeared, carving a breathtaking arc before slowly settling under its own weight.
She stepped forward and moved toward the entrance.
When Rosse entered the hall, his gaze was drawn to the figure walking toward him.
The rumored fiery-tempered Shiba Kukaku looked instead like a flame frozen by frost and snow. That plain white mourning robe, instead of hiding her striking figure, made the strength and vitality beneath the cloth stand out even more.
But that vibrant beauty was torn apart by the exhaustion and sorrow etched into her face.
Her features were as bright as always, but now bloodless. Dark shadows lay beneath her eyes, and those eyes that should have been full of life were covered in bloodshot lines, like lava about to run dry, leaving only sinking ashes.
That extreme beauty and extreme fatigue combined into a kind of sorrowful contrast.
"Miss Shiba, I'm sorry we couldn't arrive in time to help. Please accept my condolences."
Rosse looked once more, then withdrew his gaze, speaking calmly and politely.
"Thank you, Captain Rosse, for making time to come despite your busy duties."
Shiba Kukaku bent slightly in return, her movements flawlessly precise. Then she stepped aside and gestured politely with her hand.
She normally disliked these noble courtesies, and had argued endlessly with her brother Kaien over them.
But now, she only wanted to send her brother and sister-in-law off with dignity, without creating any unnecessary ripples.
Still, Rosse's words stirred faint waves in her heart.
'Couldn't arrive in time to help?'
'What exactly happened that required the Tenth Division captain to intervene, and even so had failed to arrive in time?'
'And when the incident happened, what was the Thirteenth Division's captain, Ukitake Jushiro, doing?'
Rosse followed behind Shiba Kukaku, appreciating her graceful curves.
Under her guidance, he went through the full set of funeral procedures and completed his respects to the Shiba couple.
Rosse seemed to have no intention of staying long. Once he straightened, he prepared to leave.
Seeing Rosse about to go, Shiba Kukaku hesitated, but she didn't want to lose this opportunity, so she spoke, "Captain Rosse, could you stay a little longer? Let me fulfill a host's duty."
She wasn't even sure if that was the right way to invite someone. She had always disliked these courtesies.
If this weren't her brother and sister-in-law's funeral, and if she weren't planning to ask Rosse for something, she would have been blunt from the start.
Hearing her awkward invitation, Shiba Ganju was startled, looking at his sister in shock.
'The polite gestures earlier were one thing, but since when did sister speak so delicately when asking someone to stay? Is she interested in this handsome captain and planning to make him marry into the Shiba family?'
'But he is a Shinigami!'
In Ganju's mind, all Shinigami were villains now, not a single good one among them.
But Kukaku was still his elder sister. Ganju opened his mouth, but didn't dare say anything in the end.
He worried that if he said something wrong, they'd be holding his funeral tomorrow.
"Yes," Rosse nodded slightly.
Shiba Kukaku turned and led the way, the faint outline beneath her white robe visible even in the dim corridor, guiding him toward the Shiba family's reception room.
———
The furnishings here were elegant, yet the lack of people made the space feel hollow.
Following etiquette, Shiba Kukaku tried to fold herself into a proper kneeling position, but her full, powerful body seemed utterly unsuited to it.
Beneath the loose mourning clothes, the firm lines of her muscles made each breath carry its own unruly tension.
After finally settling into an awkward seat, she found herself troubled again as she faced the tea set.
She spent her days surrounded by fireworks and explosives. How could she possibly know how to use such aristocratic toys?
All the things her brother Kaien had forced her to learn had long been forgotten.
Seeing this, Rosse simply reached out, took the expensive tea set from her hands, and began to prepare it before her.
In just a short while, a pot of fragrant hot tea was ready.
Rosse took out two cups, poured the fresh tea, and tapped one lightly with his finger.
The cup floated lightly, landing perfectly before Shiba Kukaku without spilling a single drop.
"Miss Shiba, you can speak plainly. I once owed the Shiba family a favor."
His fluid, elegant tea-making was like a mirror, reflecting all of Kukaku's clumsiness and forced politeness. Heat rushed up her face in a sudden wave.
Letting a guest brew tea for the host was a humiliation that hurt worse than a blade.
Seeing that things had already reached this point, Shiba Kukaku no longer wanted to pretend.
There was a soft rustle of fabric. She stopped enduring the awkward kneeling posture, relaxed her body, and cleanly shifted her position.
As she moved, the loose robe swept off her legs like receding tide, and a pair of long, strong, pale legs crossed openly into Rosse's line of sight.
Kukaku leaned forward, all pretense gone, leaving only raw inquiry and sharp focus. She pressed her lips together and asked softly:
"Captain Rosse, I want to know what my brother truly died for."
"The cause of Vice-Captain Shiba's death, I don't know much, but because of some recent incidents, I did investigate."
Rosse spoke quietly, paused, then continued, "On the surface, Vice-Captain Shiba died to a special Hollow that could devour Shinigami. Because Third Seat Shiba encountered that Hollow and was killed, the Hollow used his body to kill many members of the Thirteenth Division. After killing the vice-captain, it was finally subdued by Captain Kyoraku and me."
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