"Did you think of something?"
Rosse gently patted Shiba Kukaku's back and shook his head at her, showing that he didn't mind what had just happened at all.
"I did, but I'm not sure about that guess. I want to make a trip to the Great Archive. Captain Rosse, can you help me?"
By the time she reached the end of her sentence, even Shiba Kukaku felt a little embarrassed.
Entering the Great Archive without permission was a serious crime in the Soul Society.
Especially after the destruction of the Tsunayashiro clan, authority over the Great Archive had not been handed to Central 46. Instead, it was directly placed under Captain Commander Yamamoto.
Now, if nobles wanted to enter, they all had to submit a request to Captain Commander Yamamoto.
"The Great Archive? If it's just for normal viewing, I should be able to get permission," Rosse pretended to think for a moment before giving that answer.
"Well... what if it's something the Captain Commander can't be allowed to know about," Shiba Kukaku pressed her lips together, her face full of hesitation.
The matter might involve two of the Captain Commander's beloved disciples. How could something like that be allowed to reach his ears?
If the Captain Commander found out, even if they really uncovered something, the ones who died in the end might be them instead.
In any case, other than Rosse, she didn't trust anyone else in Seireitei at all.
When Ukitake Jushiro came before, that vague explanation had already made her completely lose trust in Seireitei.
And Ukitake Jushiro might even be one of the informed killers.
"Is the situation really that serious?", Rosse's expression grew slightly serious. He lowered his head a little, looking as if he were weighing the pros and cons.
Shiba Kukaku sat there uneasily, not daring to disturb him.
She was afraid that some careless move of hers would make Rosse refuse to help her on the spot.
As long as she could get into the Great Archive, she had a way to verify her guess.
But the premise was that she had to be able to get in.
With her level five spiritual pressure, not to mention the Great Archive, she'd probably be discovered before even reaching Central 46.
Only someone with captain-level strength, combined with some of the Shiba family's remaining foundations, would have a chance of sneaking into the Great Archive without being noticed.
Waiting was always unbearably long. For Shiba Kukaku, it was pure torment.
She was impatient by nature, and Rosse was the only helper she could think of, which made it even harder to endure.
Back when her big brother had forced her to learn noble etiquette, it hadn't been this unbearable.
Looking at Rosse's handsome face, Shiba Kukaku secretly swore to herself.
If Rosse really was willing to break the rules and accompany her into the Great Archive, even if she had to offer herself to him, she would do it. [T/N: Why is it always so convenient for MCs? It's facking boring.]
She had heard that he was in a relationship with the vice-captain of the Tenth Division, but that didn't matter. As an open-minded noble, she never cared about things like that. At worst, she could just be the lesser one.
"All right, I can take you there, but I have one condition."
Hearing Rosse's sudden reply startled Shiba Kukaku, who blurted out without thinking:
"Any condition is fine, I can be the lesser one!"
"Hmm?"
Rosse raised his eyebrow slightly and looked at Shiba Kukaku with a deliberately puzzled expression.
But with his mind, how could he not know what she had just misspoken.
"Ah! I was talking nonsense just now. Captain Rosse, please just tell me your condition," Shiba Kukaku hurriedly waved her hands. Even as bold as she was, her face couldn't help but flush red at this moment.
She really had said something like that.
'This is bad.'
"My condition is very simple. With my strength, if I take you along, I can only avoid detection from those below captain level, and there's still a chance of accidents. The Shiba family is one of the Five Great Noble Houses and should have some means to increase the success rate. I can help you, but no matter what, I absolutely cannot expose myself."
Rosse spoke very frankly, but not only did Shiba Kukaku not feel uncomfortable, she appreciated him even more.
To be willing to help her to this extent was already more than enough in her eyes.
If it were anyone else, she herself would never have gone this far to help.
Because of that, she felt even more strongly that Rosse was genuinely good.
"Don't worry. Our Shiba family has tools to conceal spiritual pressure. I can guarantee we won't be detected. If..."
Shiba Kukaku raised her head and looked at Rosse with a solemn expression, "If we're exposed, Captain Rosse can leave on his own. Just leave me behind."
With captain-level strength, even if Rosse were exposed, he would still have a chance to escape.
At worst, she could just sacrifice herself.
"All right, it's not as serious as you're making it. If we really are discovered, I'll do my best to take you away without exposing my identity. If the Shiba family really has the proper foundations, the risk actually isn't that great," Rosse smiled as he reassured her.
After all, he had intended from the start to let Shiba Kukaku learn certain things. Since she had happened to mention the Great Archive, he was all the more willing to support her from behind.
In a situation like this, even if Aizen himself showed up, he wouldn't be able to catch them.
But those truths, when they reached Shiba Kukaku's ears, sounded like nothing more than comforting words.
That Rosse was willing to do this much for the Shiba family was already enough to move her beyond words, even to the point where she felt she had no way to repay him.
The Shiba family, at this point, had declined to the extreme, aside from a bit of remaining foundation, others avoided them like the plague. Who would willingly come forward like Rosse did?
Although Rosse had said that the Shiba family had once shown him kindness.
But the Shiba family had shown kindness to many people. How many of them would return it when the Shiba family had fallen?
At this moment, Shiba Kukaku had completely made up her mind.
If they really managed to uncover the truth this time, then no matter what Rosse wanted, she would give it to him.
And whether Rosse wanted it or not, she would give him this ancestral land of the Shiba family afterward.
Better to give it to Rosse, who had helped them, than let other nobles carve it up.
If Rosse wanted her, then this ancestral land would be her dowry.
If Rosse didn't want her, then the land would serve as a token of thanks.
———
That night, Shiba Kukaku changed into a set of tight black clothing.
But even with a change of clothes, her striking figure was still impossible to hide. Wearing tight-fitting clothes instead only highlighted her charm even more.
When Rosse arrived at the meeting place, he couldn't help but take a couple more looks.
Just those two looks were enough to make Shiba Kukaku happy inside.
At least this wasn't just her own wishful thinking.
She had always been a straightforward person. She hated people quickly, and she also liked people quickly.
For Rosse to appear when she needed help the most was enough to instantly earn all of her goodwill.
The Shiba family now had nothing left to give back to Rosse.
The only thing she could give back to Rosse might be herself.
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