Absurd accusations, unrealistic delusions.
That was Central 46's final judgment on Masasuke and the Kasumiooji clan.
Only the death penalty awaited Masasuke.
As for the surviving Kasumiooji members, it was no surprise their noble status was stripped. Whether they would be dumped into Rukongai or locked away in the nobles' private prisons as outlets for the remaining clans' rage—none of that was something Shuuichi cared to worry about.
He cared about one thing: in the verdict's coda, Central 46 assigned the follow-up investigation of the Hollowfication incident to Yoruichi of the Second Division, not to Shunsui of the Eighth.
Whether or not Yoruichi had maneuvered for it, handing the case to her was the same as handing it to the man behind her.
For Shuuichi, that was not good news.
Too many of his movements wouldn't bear close scrutiny.
For example: he was supposed to "pass through" North Rukongai's District 80, Zaraki, for show—so why did he suddenly appear in East Rukongai's District 62, organizing locals to search and sort herbs? A line like "I was being diligent" wouldn't cut it.
By Shuuichi's reckoning, a case this large—by both custom and duty—should have fallen to the Intelligence Division: the Eighth under Shunsui.
And once it landed with Shunsui, passing the buck would be easy. Given the knot of hatred between Shunsui and Tokinada Tsunayashiro, you could dump every bucket of dirty water on Tokinada's head.
Knowing Tokinada's nature, he wouldn't care how filthy he looked—or who did the dumping.
Shuuichi was sure that if Shunsui went to question Tokinada, Tokinada would accept it without blinking… and mock Shunsui for good measure.
"Why did it have to be Yoruichi…"
Shuuichi's mood soured.
At the same time, Shunsui left Central 46. Normally laid-back, he glanced up at the brooding sky, pressed the brim of his kasa down, and headed somewhere he seldom went.
"A rare guest. The august Captain of the Eighth—what brings you to me today?"
Tokinada, confined in a Tsunayashiro branch estate—one of the Five Great Noble houses—regarded the man before him with a teasing smile.
"Do you know about last night?"
Shunsui didn't waste words.
"Heh. The Kasumiooji revolted and almost flipped Seireitei. Even my out-of-the-way corner felt a tremor—how could I not know?"
Tokinada's grin wouldn't wash off as he leaned toward Shunsui.
"I know why you're here. But don't get too high and mighty. Even if I did have a hand in it, what can you do to me? I've already received the harshest punishment…
Five hundred years of house arrest—terrifying, isn't it?"
He laughed, utterly unafraid—almost delighted.
"Don't worry. Harsher will come."
Shunsui turned and left.
The meeting lasted under three minutes.
He hadn't needed to come—but he came anyway.
Seeing Tokinada's hateful face again only hardened certain resolves.
After Shunsui left, Tokinada wiped away the brazen smile and let a playful look settle in.
He didn't know the specifics of last night.
Across centuries of Soul Society's history, nobles with slippery minds had often done foolish things. Having worked in the Daireishokairo (Great Spirit Book Gallery), Tokinada knew at least eighty percent of those "foolish things" were setups by other nobles.
They used their "special status" to grease dirty struggles for power. Nothing more.
Royal houses of the past, the Maki family, the Chijō family—countless names. Tokinada had long since stopped caring.
But this time, Shunsui was stirred. That pricked Tokinada's curiosity.
Could there be more to the Kasumiooji revolt?
Much as he loathed Shunsui, Tokinada admitted the man had a bit of skill.
"Fine. Let's make it a diversion~"
Shadowing Shunsui, Tokinada walked out of the branch estate.
"House arrest" meant he couldn't leave the Tsunayashiro grounds; but in Seireitei, the Tsunayashiro holdings were vast.
Call it "arrest," read it as "range-limited."
The place he chose, of course, was the Eizō Hall of Soul Society—ostensibly rotated among the Five Great Noble houses, but in truth a private Tsunayashiro asset.
If the Daireishokairo recorded every last thing in Soul Society as text, then the Eizō Hall recorded Soul Society, the World of the Living, and even parts of Hueco Mundo as images.
The Daireishokairo's strength: if it happened in Soul Society, it was written—everything, without omission.
Its weakness was the same: it only covered Soul Society, the mass of entries was unwieldy, and text left gaps in concrete detail.
The Eizō Hall's strength: surveillance points in Soul Society, the World of the Living, and parts of Hueco Mundo—images far more direct and specific than words.
Its flaw: those points were ancient installations, akin to "cameras"—they had blind spots and didn't cover everything.
But to trace the Kasumiooji incident's thread, Tokinada thought it would more than suffice.
It might cost him time—but time was the one thing he had in excess.
All of which Shuuichi didn't know—that Tokinada's attention had found him. Otherwise…
Even if he knew, there was little Shuuichi could do about Tokinada right now. Killing him would only smear Shuuichi with trouble and earn a permanent "Shunsui is watching you" buff, with little to gain.
Not to mention whether he could infiltrate Tsunayashiro territory without notice—or finish Tokinada quickly once inside.
Too many question marks.
Two notes for today:
Bad news: this book's read-through numbers cratered, so no more front-page recommendations.
Good news: because the numbers cratered, it'll be going on the shelf soon—which means faster updates are coming.
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