Kensei Muguruma put his tea cup down. He had a relaxed smile on his face. This broke the silence in the side hall.
"Mirai," he said. His voice was steady. He tried to make the atmosphere feel casual. "Actually, these two Captains came here to talk to you about your new book, The Killer of Meteor City. That is all. You do not need to be so nervous."
While Mirai was getting the tea, Kensei had already talked with the guests. He understood why they were there.
Two Captains visiting a 5th Seat at the same time? What else could it be but the novel everyone was talking about? To him, it was not a big deal. It was just a conversation between a writer and his readers. That was normal.
He gave Mirai a look that told him not to worry. He spoke in the tone of a Captain. "Just relax. Share your thoughts with the two Captains honestly. We warriors do not know much about books. It is fine if you talk in detail."
Mirai kept his face stiff and nodded. Inside his head, he was screaming.
Captain Kensei! My dear Captain! You make it sound so easy! "Share honestly"? How can I do that? Should I stand up and point at Captain Unohana? Should I say: "Captain, my inspiration came from your past when you killed people"? That is not a conversation. That would kill me! I have not lived long enough. I am not trying to have my own soul funeral.
Sitting next to Retsu Unohana was terrifying. Even though she was just quietly holding her tea, the pressure was heavy. Her spiritual pressure was all around him. It felt like he could not breathe. The hair on his back was standing straight up.
He forced his mind to calm down. He looked away from his Captain's face. He looked at the guest across the round table. This was Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, who seemed safer to talk to.
Mirai spoke with a calm face. "So, Captain Kuruyashiki, what do you want to talk about regarding the book?"
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi had just taken a drink of tea. He put down the cup. He was very direct.
"I read your book. I thought it was interesting, so I went to the Zaraki district."
He briefly explained his trip. He mentioned a young man with black hair. He talked about his first impression of him. He also said he accidentally wounded the man badly. He mentioned that he felt confused later.
"The 'Killer' in the book feels different. I could feel the smell of blood through the paper. It has a special feeling. He is not the same as the person I met in the Zaraki district. That kid is more like a wild animal. He is a monster that hits things because of his instinct. Even though his energy is strong... he does not have the same taste as the book."
He looked up at Mirai. He asked the question he was thinking about. "So, is 'Asahana' in your book a woman?"
Mirai's eye moved on its own. Kuruyashiki really met Zaraki Kenpachi! From the description, he seemed disappointed. Did he think the future Kenpachi was not good enough? This was a surprise, but now was not the time to think about it.
Regarding the gender of Asahana, Mirai thought to himself that he was not going to be honest.
His face stayed calm. He replied in a steady voice. "Captain Kuruyashiki, it does not really matter if 'Asahana' is male or female. He or she is just a 'Killer' born from the difficult place called 'Meteor City.' They are a symbol of that land. Gender is not important for such a strong person."
Perfect! Mirai praised himself in his head. This answer did not say yes or no. He pushed the question back gracefully. He made the talk about symbols in books.
He avoided saying Asahana was a man. That might have made the first Kenpachi next to him angry right then. He also avoided saying Asahana was a woman. That might have made her more suspicious.
After all, very few people knew about Captain Unohana's past. How could a young 5th Seat know so much detail? Being vague was his best defense.
"Oh?" Retsu Unohana put down her tea cup. She made a soft sound. She had a slightly sad smile. "I thought someone with a beautiful name like 'Asahana' would be a beautiful and strong woman. Is that not right?"
She spoke gently. She sounded like a normal reader who was a bit sad. Kuruyashiki Kenpachi laughed loudly. He joined the conversation.
"Yeah! If there really was a strong woman like the book says... someone who came out of blood and made killing into an art... I would really want to fight her! That would feel great!"
Mirai almost showed his real feelings. He had to keep his muscles tight to stay calm. He screamed in his head: Captain Kuruyashiki! You want to fight? There is one sitting right next to you! The real, first Kenpachi is here. Go fight her! Stop hurting me!
While his mind was racing, he noticed something. Retsu Unohana seemed to look at Kuruyashiki for a very short moment.
That look was very fast. It was almost impossible to see. Then she looked back at her tea cup. It was just a quick look.
Mirai felt confused. He thought Captain Unohana should like finding strong people. After she stopped being "Kenpachi" and became the 4th Division Captain, she never really fought the Kenpachis who came after her.
Sōya Azashiro had special powers that were more like magic. It made sense that Unohana was not interested in him. Ganki-jo Kenpachi used bad methods to get the rank. His strength might be fake, so it was normal she ignored him.
But Kuruyashiki Kenpachi was different. This current Kenpachi was very strong. Even compared to the strong fighters of the first Gotei 13, he was a real warrior. Why did Captain Unohana not show any interest in him? He could not understand.
While Mirai's thoughts were drifting away, a sound happened. The bottom of the tea cup touched the wooden table. This sound made him focus again.
Retsu Unohana turned her head slightly. Her kind face looked at Mirai. Her eyes looked very nice.
"I am very curious, 5th Seat Mirai." Her voice was soft as always. "How did you think of this story? The plot, the feeling, and the name 'Asahana'... where did the ideas come from?"
She stopped for a moment. Then she smiled and asked: "Also, this book only has the beginning. If there is a second book, what will happen? Can you tell this reader a little bit?"
It was here. The real interrogation had started.