"Oh, Captain Yukawa... isn't it?"
"Hm? Who are you...?"
"It's Airin... right...?"
Captain Unohana and Vice-Captain Zaraki—along with Third Seat Kusajishi, who was clinging to his back—all looked at me with dubious expressions the moment they arrived. It was as if they didn't know who I was, reacting as if we were meeting for the very first time.
'Why is that...?'
'Wait... no! Don't tell me I've been turned into Aizen's double by Kyoka Suigetsu right now?!'
If that was the case, I was in serious trouble! There was no way I could handle a serious fight against these two...
"Um, Teacher... your mask..."
"...Ah!!"
Thanks to Kira's quiet reminder, I finally noticed. That's right, I was still hollowified.
'There is a limit to being too comfortable, my lady!'
Ugh, Nubatama was right... but I had been so caught up in the heat of battle... I had grown so accustomed to the form that I felt it was natural even while masked, and that had backfired on me...
'Oh dear, this is... quite the blunder, isn't it?'
I hurriedly deactivated the hollowification, but it was already too late. Waiting for me as I returned to my Soul Reaper form were Captain Unohana and the others, their eyes sparkling like children's.
"My, my. So that is your trump card? I see. I have finally been able to witness it... It is wonderful, truly wonderful. I simply must have a sparring match with you..."
"Hahahahahaha!! This is great, just great!! Airi, you were hiding that kind of strength?! I thought you were someone who wouldn't go down no matter how many times I cut you, but I really want to try cutting that form from just now!!"
"Amazing!! Airin, what was that?! What was that?! That white mask just went 'whoosh' and vanished!! But you looked super strong with the mask on!"
Ugh... I was being welcomed with open arms... I was on their radar more than ever now...
'As expected of people who "love a good fight more than three meals a day" or are "better at beating people with blades than serving tea"...'
I had been desperately trying to hide this precisely because I hated this kind of reaction!!
"Alright, Airi. For now, put that mask back on. Then we're gonna have a duel. I don't need to... hold back, right?"
"Kenpachi, what are you saying? As a Captain, I shall be the one to engage in a duel—rather, an inspection. You stand down; that is an order from your Captain."
"What?! No matter your orders, I can't listen to that this time..."
"W-Wait a minute, please!"
A volatile, dangerous atmosphere began to swirl, so I rushed to intervene.
"You two... didn't come here just to fight me, right...?"
"...?"
You two Kenpachis! Why are you both tilting your heads with question marks?! Don't tell me you've already forgotten your original objective?!
"Ah, come to think of it..."
"That's right..."
"We thought it was bad that Airin was gonna be executed."
Thank goodness, they remembered...
"But man, Airi. You're at fault too, you know? Showing off such a delectable Spiritual Pressure that makes me want to cut it... There's no way I could hold back after that..."
"Indeed. That was... heehee..."
'My, my, Milady... you are quite popular...'
I don't want this kind of popularity...
"Hey, are you alright?! ...Wait, what. You look pretty energetic...?"
"We heard you were being executed, but this is strange... Could it be, Captain Yukawa? Did you kill everyone in Central 46 and stage an escape?"
A short while after Captain Unohana and the others, Ikkaku and his group arrived.
"Of course not! ...Listen, I will tell you everything I've learned here..."
For now, I decided to share all the information I had regarding Aizen.
---
Once I finished explaining everything that had happened, everyone present took on a solemn expression.
"I see... I felt something was off, but..."
"So everything was orchestrated from start to finish..."
"And it was Captain Aizen who did it, huh..."
As everyone voiced their thoughts, Third Seat Kusajishi was groaning with a look of utter despair.
"Uuuugh... uuuugh...!!"
"Um, what's wrong?"
"So this means Airin was just being tricked?"
"Y-Yes... that's how it is..."
I couldn't bear to watch and spoke up, and she shouted back at me.
"Then does that mean we won't get a reward for helping Airin?! You won't make food for us?!"
"R-Reward...?"
What reward?
"I'm not sure what you mean by reward, but if you're okay with sweets or snacks, I could make—"
"Really!?"
"—some for... y-yes..."
She interrupted me instantly. What incredible reaction speed.
"It's true that you came to help me because you were worried. If that's all you want, I'll give you a reward."
"Yay!!"
She started hopping around, overjoyed. When she's like this, she's actually quite cute.
'Ah... um, Milady? It's impossible to take that back now, you know...?'
Take it back...? I just have to make some snacks or lunch boxes, right?
'No, that's not what I meant...'
"I heard something good. Right, Kenpachi?"
"Yeah. It wouldn't be fair if we didn't get our debt repaid as well."
'...Ah. So that's... what she meant...?'
Seeing the two of them full of motivation, I finally realized that I had said something careless. As Nubatama said, it seemed impossible to take it back...
"...Fine, I get it!! I will properly repay both of you, as well as Ikkaku and Fifth Seat Ayasegawa, in some form! However! Since you've come this far, you're going to stay with me until the very end!! Only after this situation is properly settled!!"
"Don't forget those words."
The sight of Vice-Captain Zaraki grinning with his fangs bared was very frightening.
"Of course, we will cooperate. So, should we head toward the other person... Rukia Kuchiki, immediately?"
"But Captain. Even if we go at full speed now, I'm not sure we'll make it... it's quite a distance."
"No, first we will gather evidence."
"Evidence?"
Ikkaku and the others tilted their heads and asked back.
"If Captain Aizen was hiding here, there must be traces left behind. Could you search for evidence that he was controlling Central 46 at his will? It would be even better if there was something like a master plan... though I doubt something like that exists... It's more constructive than heading to where Rukia is right now."
The scene where Central 46 was slaughtered hasn't been discovered yet. It's perfect, so I'll have Squad 11 find it. If there are bodies, it will serve as proof that the orders were illegitimate. I have to provide a reason that the Head Captain and Captain Komamura can accept.
"I see. Understood."
"Tch, what a pain..."
"Now, now, Vice-Captain, let's just go along with it."
"An expedition! An expedition!"
"I don't think you'll feel like it's an expedition, though."
"I'm sorry, but please take care of it."
Despite their complaints, Vice-Captain Zaraki and the others went to look for evidence. As I saw them off, Captain Unohana spoke up curiously.
"Oh? Airi, what will you do?"
"I... will treat Kira's wounds..."
"His...?"
She shifted her gaze for a moment to observe Kira's condition.
"From what I can see, he is treating himself... Is there a need for you to go out of your way to treat him?"
"No, it's just... there are wounds that only I can see..."
"...I see. However, do not overdo it. Men are simple, but they have surprisingly fragile parts. Be careful."
So Captain Unohana understood just from that...? What I'm looking at are the wounds in Kira's heart. To put it simply, I'm going to comfort him.
'Could that be! The so-called consolation se—'
Right! Out!! That's a word you absolutely must not say!
...Ahem.
"Kira, are your injuries alright now? Sorry for making you wait..."
"Ah, Teacher..."
Since he had been continuing his self-treatment while I was talking with Squad 11, it seemed the sword wounds were no longer an issue.
"Yes, the physical wounds are fine. But..."
After finishing a quick visual inspection of the wounds and confirming there were no problems, I gently pulled Kira close and embraced him.
"T-Teacher...!?"
"The wounds... are they still open...?"
As I whispered softly into his ear while holding him, Kira remained stunned for a while. But soon, he began to struggle frantically to escape.
"N-No! Let go, please let me go!! I... to you..."
"Yeah... you're right. In times like this, one usually wants to be left alone, don't they...?"
But I didn't let go. Instead, I hugged him even tighter.
"But I can't leave you alone right now... because you're blaming yourself so much you look like you're about to break..."
"..."
"You acted because you were thinking of me, didn't you...?"
"...Yes..."
A weak reply came back.
"Then that's enough. It just ended up this way as a result. I won't hold it against you, okay?"
While still holding him, I whispered and gently stroked his head. Kira suddenly looked up.
"No! But I—!! Mmph...!?"
I pressed my finger against his lips, cutting off his words.
"Right now, you're trapped by guilt and can't think clearly... So, calm down, think properly, and after you've reflected on yourself, let me hear those words then. I'll be waiting until then... okay?"
'Milady is starting to look like a femme fatale...'
It's better to have him motivated with a bit of a dirty mind than to have him wallowing in depression, right?
"Captain!! Thank goodness, you're safe!!"
"Hey, Airi! Inside was a total disaster!!"
Just as I finished getting Kira motivated, Isane and the rest of Squad 4 arrived. At the same time, Squad 11 seemed to have returned from their investigation.
"Good timing. Let's compare what we've found. Also, Isane, please notify all Soul Reapers of what you hear through Tenteikura."
"Eh, um... Tenteikura? What do you mean...? And what happened inside... wait, inside the Central 46...?"
"I'll explain the details now, so listen carefully. Also, the reason I'm asking you to use Tenteikura is because if I'm the one to say it, they might not believe me. Please, Isane, you're the only one I can rely on right now!"
"U-Understood! If it's your request, Captain!!"
And so, after completing the broadcast in the familiar sequence you all know, we headed for the execution grounds—the Sokyoku Hill.
But this time... there's no way we'll make it in time, right...?
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]