Although he was the next family head, considering the family's welfare was the foremost rule every member of the Kuchiki Clan had to obey.
Kuchiki Sōjun's network of connections spread among the current captains.
Kuchiki Ginrei's network, on the other hand, consisted of veteran captains and some old noble families.
Kuchiki Byakuya…
Naturally, he would connect with the next generation of Shinigami.
However, among the current next-generation Shinigami, there weren't many worth befriending.
Coupled with the uncertainties of the future, being prepared became extremely important.
Tsugikuni Yoriichi's younger sister, therefore, was the first to catch Kuchiki Sōjun's eye.
Firstly, due to their special status.
Once befriended, even if they couldn't become strong in the future, with that connection, if the Kuchiki Clan encountered any mishaps, Tsugikuni Yoriichi would appropriately offer some assistance.
The current limit of toleration for lower-ranking nobles was set by those nobles themselves, not by Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
In Kuchiki Sōjun's view, based on Tsugikuni Yoriichi's two acts of assistance to the Kuchiki Clan, which indirectly recovered losses of tens of thousands of years for them, promoting him to the status of a high-ranking noble was entirely normal.
Unfortunately, most nobles were very rigid.
In their opinion, it was only natural for the Gotei 13 to assist the nobles.
Consequently, some nobles did not acknowledge Tsugikuni Yoriichi's achievements at all; instead, they thought the Kuchiki Clan was making a fuss over nothing.
Kuchiki Sōjun could do nothing about this; the arrogance of the nobles could not be changed in a short time.
However, he believed that even without these achievements, Tsugikuni Yoriichi would continue to rise in the future.
Because his friends were not only from the Kuchiki Clan but also from Shihouin…
To be honest, for a Shinigami less than a hundred years old, Tsugikuni Yoriichi being able to befriend two top high-ranking nobles in such a short time was a first in tens of thousands of years.
Hoo…
Silently exhaling a breath, Kuchiki Sōjun looked at Tsugikuni Yoriichi with anticipation, awaiting his reply.
Beside him, Kuchiki Byakuya seemed a bit displeased.
Although he obeyed his grandfather's command and kept his emotions very calm.
But when he heard his father wanted him to make friends with others…
An inexplicable feeling of annoyance immediately filled his heart.
He barely had enough time for daily training; where would he find time to make friends…
He really wanted to refuse, because in his opinion, no friend was as important as his own strength.
Just like his father.
His father had many friends, but due to his own weakness, he frequently encountered danger.
With such a precedent, how could he make the same mistake as his father?
Thinking of this, Kuchiki Byakuya's brows furrowed tightly.
He slightly raised his head, looked at his father, and then at Tsugikuni Yoriichi in front of him.
Somehow, seeing Yoriichi's indifferent expression, he felt like he was looking at a cat demon, which infuriated him.
Just then.
Creak.
The courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open.
Facing the brilliant sunlight in front of them, Hisana, Rukia, and Rangiku, led by a Shinigami, walked in one after another.
Hisana and Rukia's expressions were somewhat calm; after all, it was their first time visiting someone else's home, so they had to maintain the demeanor of proper ladies.
Their gazes swept around.
Flowers, trees, flowing water.
Although these were standard features in every courtyard, they still exuded such peace and tranquility.
Their taut nerves gradually relaxed.
Compared to their calmness, Matsumoto Rangiku seemed a bit excited.
Her steps subtly quickened, and in a few strides, she walked ahead of Hisana, becoming the leader.
Looking at the newcomers, Yoriichi softly greeted them.
Then, under Kuchiki Sōjun's guidance, he moved to a different spot.
However, in a forgotten corner, Kuchiki Byakuya's gaze, for some reason, became slightly fixed.
...
...
Noon arrived in an instant.
Although it was a simple meal, it was in fact the family banquet mentioned earlier.
All the heads of the Kuchiki Clan were present.
Kuchiki Ginrei, Kuchiki Sōjun, Kuchiki Byakuya, and Kuchiki Sōjun's younger sister.
Regarding this younger sister, Yoriichi did not know her name, and she herself had no intention of speaking, rarely even eating.
She just sat quietly on a chair by herself, recalling something.
Through Touhou Sekigan, he could tell her body was not well, likely due to lovesickness.
After the meal, Yoriichi questioned Kuchiki Sōjun, who seemed a bit troubled but, after some thought, recounted the events of that year.
Kōga Kuchiki's betrayal.
It was that incident that left her utterly dejected.
At the same time, Kuchiki Sōjun asked if Hisana and Rukia could visit frequently in the future.
Her heart could not be opened in a short time, but over a longer period, perhaps…
"No problem." Yoriichi agreed without hesitation.
This decisive answer surprised Kuchiki Sōjun somewhat.
But in the end, he gently exhaled: "Thank you so much, Yoriichi. Although I know the effect may be minimal, it's worth a try."
"Over the past few hundred years, I've invited many doctors, but they all said they had no cure for heart ailments."
"Some of her friends also came to visit, but she ignored them…."
"Hopefully, the innocence and optimism of children can have some effect."
Hearing this, Yoriichi quietly asked, "Haven't any children visited before?"
"No," Kuchiki Sōjun replied.
"Byakuya hadn't been born yet during that period, and the Kuchiki Clan had very little contact with children, let alone bringing them into our Kuchiki Clan."
"Additionally, due to the special circumstances of that period, the surrounding area was under martial law; even my sister's friends had to be checked three times to enter…."
"Over time, we forgot, but thanks to your appearance, we remembered there was another method. I hope there's still time…."
"It will definitely be fine." Yoriichi gently nodded.
Although a heart ailment requires a heart medicine, Kōga Kuchiki has been missing for over a hundred years; besides the parties involved, no one knows what happened back then.
Nor does anyone know if Kōga Kuchiki is alive or dead.
Without the heart medicine, one can only try other approaches.
Facing Tsugikuni Yoriichi's comfort.
Kuchiki Sōjun sighed softly: "I hope so…"
Having said that, he remembered something.
He picked up the teacup placed on the tray beside him, sat on the veranda, took a small sip, and after a moment of thought, said with slight hesitation: "By the way, Yoriichi, did you notice my son's gaze just now?"
"As a father, it's the first time I've seen him look slightly distracted."
"Do you think he might… *cough cough*, I apologize, Rukia is still young, please forgive my slip of the tongue, but Hisana… I just feel that wasn't the look one gives a twin."
Among Shinigami, while twins are not common, they are not extremely rare either.
Hisana and Rukia are certainly not twins, but to the average person, their appearances are extremely similar.
Initially, Kuchiki Sōjun thought it was Byakuya, shocked by their extremely similar appearances.
Later… he found it wasn't.
It was a feeling difficult to describe.
If he had to put it into words, it was probably similar to three parts confusion, three parts hesitation, and four parts restless anticipation…
Listening to Kuchiki Sōjun slowly explain his deduction, Tsugikuni Yoriichi subconsciously spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of confusion.
After he spoke, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Immediately following, Kuchiki Sōjun suddenly coughed repeatedly:
"*Cough cough*… Now that you mention it, it really is, but in my eyes, Byakuya's gaze was just like that."
"For decades, I, as his father, have never seen it."
"He's interested in something other than training for the first time."
"Look…"
Kuchiki Sōjun slightly raised his eyes, looking at Yoriichi.
As a father, he shouldn't interfere in his children's affairs.
If it was truly as he suspected, everything had to be left for them to decide.
Or…
His guess was wrong.
Byakuya's gaze wasn't directed at Hisana?
Although Hisana and Rukia's appearances look very similar, in reality, a soul's appearance becomes fixed around the age of ten.
After that, their appearance only ages one year every five or ten years.
Hisana currently appears to be thirteen years old.
Rukia, ten years old…
Based on Kuchiki Sōjun's judgment of Byakuya, it's not impossible for Byakuya, due to his inexperience, to mistake the latter for a soul decades old?
Hiss…
The warm tea lingered in his mouth, and Kuchiki Sōjun felt an inexplicable toothache.
He only hoped his guess was correct; that would be better than betraying the beliefs of the Kuchiki Clan.
They were, after all, paragons of nobility.
Beside him, a servant also brought a cup of tea and placed it next to Yoriichi.
Yoriichi took it, casually speaking:
"You mean Byakuya likes them?"
"It can't be, right?"
"Aren't you a high-ranking noble?"
"Byakuya is so old, and he hasn't even seen any noble women he finds appealing?"
"It's truly a shame." Kuchiki Sōjun sighed helplessly, his shoulders slightly slumped, a bitter smile on his face, "Since Byakuya was born, he has rarely gone out."
"Ever since he gained understanding, he wanted to help me with my worries, so the only women he saw were my household servants and my younger sister."
"Some excellent noble girls wanted to approach him, but Byakuya mercilessly refused them all."
"He believes spending time with them is less valuable than practicing with his Kenpachi for a bit longer."
"It's my fault."
Kuchiki Sōjun's eyes held a hint of self-reproach; he sighed softly, as if feeling guilty about his physical condition.
"If my body were better, Byakuya wouldn't have turned out this way."
"You can't say that." A brief conversation had made Yoriichi understand Kuchiki Sōjun's current predicament.
Outside the clan, someone wanted to kill him.
Inside the clan.
His sister's health was poor, and his son's personality was flawed.
His father's lifespan was short.
Even for a normal person, their body would deteriorate day by day.
No wonder the Kuchiki Clan was so eager to win him over earlier.
They simply couldn't hold on any longer.
Thinking of this, Yoriichi slowly replied:
"The state of one's body is not something one can control. If it's not too much trouble, come with me to the Gotei 13 later."
"I remember my teacher seems to have acquired something called the White Bone Hell and Blood Pond Hells, which can cure all diseases. Perhaps…"
"It can also cure you and your sister…"
"Of course, since the latter suffers from a heart ailment, physical healing might not have much effect on her."
"But at least it can make her body healthy, preventing an early death."
Kuchiki Sōjun, having been born too late, did not know what the White Bone Hell and Blood Pond Hells were, so he found it difficult to give an immediate answer to Yoriichi's words.
Just as he was pondering.
Kuchiki Ginrei's voice slowly sounded from behind the two of them:
"Lord Yoriichi, is that true?"
"Does the Gotei 13 really have the White Bone Hell and Blood Pond Hells?"
Thump thump…
Kuchiki Ginrei slowly walked over, his pale brows slightly furrowed.
His somewhat confused gaze looked at Yoriichi, and he said with some uncertainty, "These things, I remember, weren't they lost hundreds of years ago?"
He was a generation older than Tenjiro Kirinji.
When Tenjiro Kirinji was promoted to Squad Zero, Kuchiki Ginrei vaguely heard of his achievements.
Compared to the invention of the White Bone Hell and Blood Pond Hells.
The creation of Healing Kido seemed so insignificant.
The latter could only mend the physical body.
Barely restoring combat power.
The former, however, could make all foreign substances within the body disappear, including fatigue and pain.
Yoriichi slowly explained: "It was lost, but my teacher found it, and he's already calling people to prepare it."
"I only learned about this this morning. I thought I wouldn't need this information, but I didn't expect…"
Yoriichi's tone carried a hint of emotion, as if lamenting the unpredictability of fate.
Kuchiki Ginrei, meanwhile, pondered silently.
This morning, then, no wonder; he hadn't left the clan grounds all morning today.
He had originally thought his son and daughter's health would be difficult to improve.
Now…
The White Bone Hell and Blood Pond Hells appearing was good news.
Kuchiki Ginrei nodded.
Then, he suggested to Kuchiki Sōjun:
"Since that's the case, after things settle down, Sōjun, you should go with Lord Yoriichi."
"Take your sister with you."
"Staying in her room all the time isn't good; her health is important."
"As for Hisana and the others, it's fine if they leave a bit later; our Kuchiki Clan will take good care of them."
"If absolutely necessary, they can even stay the night."
"That little girl named Rangiku seems to really like it here."
Kuchiki Ginrei smiled, his usually stern eyes now much kinder.
Kuchiki Sōjun hesitated for a few seconds upon hearing this, blinked, and asked: "Father, is it really alright?"
"I personally have no objection, it's just, as for Aoi…"
"She probably won't want to go out with me, will she…"
"It's been over a hundred years…"
Kuchiki Ginrei stared intently at Kuchiki Sōjun, interrupting him: "If she doesn't want to go, then force her to go."
"As the head of the Kuchiki Clan, do you have to consider others' opinions even for your actions?"
"You know her physical condition; she hasn't fought for over a hundred years, she probably can't even break free from Bakudo Number One."
That was indeed the case. Although acting forcefully didn't suit his personality as an older brother, health was paramount.
As long as she could regain her health, afterward, whether she hit him or cursed him, he wouldn't care.
Thinking of this, Kuchiki Sōjun nodded, then turned to look at Yoriichi:
"Then I'll be troubling you."
"It's nothing. Since it's something for healing, it's meant for people to use. Let's set the time for an hour from now."
Yoriichi's voice was calm and gentle, making one feel at ease.
"I need to contact my teacher."
"To see if it's ready."
"Mm." Kuchiki Sōjun suddenly remembered something at this point.
"By the way, Yoriichi, when you were promoted to captain, I had the Twelfth Division customize two items. They should be arriving soon now."
"Do you want to see them?"
"These are gifts for Hisana and Rukia, and also for you."