"As you know, Aizen slaughtered the entire Central 46... The current Soul Society is rebuilding amidst the chaos."
"The newly appointed Captain-Commander Kyoraku wants to stabilize the situation in the Seireitei as quickly as possible and rebuild the power structure of Central 46. He has been working tirelessly lately, running around to pacify the restless noble factions... We deeply admire him for this."
"At this critical juncture, what Captain-Commander Kyoraku needs most is stability... He needs the major families to unite, providing resources and support, rather than having internal conflicts erupt at a time like this."
"And Gyokaku Kumoi..." Kenryu let out a long sigh. "As much as I hate to admit it, he is far too adept at playing politics."
"He has long since secretly reached mutually beneficial agreements with many high-ranking nobles... To the outside world, Lord Kumoi is a seasoned, experienced, and mature politician capable of perfectly managing the Kasumioji Family's vast assets."
"In contrast, our Lady Rurichiyo..."
Enryu smiled bitterly. "In the eyes of those politicians and great nobles, she is just a naive, willful little girl who is completely ignorant of how the world works."
"Handing the Kasumioji Family over to her would only bring uncertainty and chaos."
"Lord Asuka, you are well aware of the calculations of those in power, and you know just how much filth and compromise is involved."
Kenryu raised his head, his gaze uneasy. "If we bring this matter to Captain-Commander Kyoraku, do you think that, for the sake of the bigger picture and stability, Captain Kyoraku would choose to support a willful little girl with no foundation who could be assassinated at any moment?"
"Or would he choose to turn a blind eye, tacitly approving of Gyokaku Kumoi's usurpation in exchange for a stable, obedient Kasumioji Family that can continuously provide resources and support to the new Central 46?"
"If this matter remains unspoken... we still have a chance to contact other loyal retainers to mount a resistance. But once it is brought out into the open..."
These words were indeed realistic, leaving Asuka in silence.
He did not refute them, because he realized that the scenario these two guards described was entirely possible.
Although he didn't know what kind of personality Shunsui Kyoraku had...
Anyone who could be elected as Captain-Commander in a place like that couldn't possibly be an ordinary person. He was more than likely a cunning old fox adept at calculation and weighing options.
If they handed Rurichiyo over, the most likely outcome wouldn't be protection... but rather her being used as a political bargaining chip, placed under house arrest, or even quietly dying of illness in some unknown corner.
Asuka's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at the two desperate men before him. "...But what use is it coming to me?"
Kenryu kowtowed heavily once more. "We know that you received a direct appointment from the Soul King's Palace, making you a Substitute Soul Reaper independent of the Gotei 13!"
"You are not under the jurisdiction of the Gotei 13, nor are you bound by the outdated conventions and bad habits of the Seireitei."
"In this world, if there is anyone who can disregard those corrupt exchanges of interests, if there is anyone who can protect Lady Rurichiyo solely out of a sense of justice... it is only you, Lord Asuka!"
Asuka listened quietly to their outpouring, his face devoid of any emotion.
After a long while, he let out a light chuckle.
"You have a nice idea there, but what makes you think I'll do as you wish?"
Asuka's gaze became highly aggressive as he crouched down to look at Kenryu. "You just said it yourselves. Shunsui Kyoraku needs stability and needs to win over the nobles."
"As a Substitute Soul Reaper who is still on academic probation, what reason do I have to offend the current Captain-Commander and wade into the muddy waters of your Kasumioji Family for a little girl I don't even know?"
"The way I see it, it would be much more cost-effective to just tie you up and hand you over to Shunsui Kyoraku in exchange for a favor, or to secure a more stable position for myself in the Soul Society."
"After all, returning a runaway noble daughter to the Seireitei is a great merit, isn't it?"
This counter-question was equally realistic, silencing both Kenryu and Enryu.
The two maintained their kneeling posture, their bodies as stiff as two rocks.
Of course, they had considered this possibility.
In this flight for survival, every plea for help was a life-and-death gamble.
And they actually had absolutely no bargaining chips to offer in exchange.
The Substitute Soul Reaper before them had already seen through their flaws, and the gap in strength between the two sides was like an uncrossable chasm.
Even if they wanted to hide or flee, as long as the other party intended to stop them, they had no way out.
Extreme pressure had forced them to take a desperate risk. They could only stake Rurichiyo's life and the future of the Kasumioji Family...
...gambling it all on the Substitute Soul Reaper before them, betting that he possessed a just heart.
A long time passed.
Kenryu slowly raised his head.
To Asuka's surprise, this man who had just been begging bitterly did not show any fear or despair at Asuka's threat.
He exchanged a glance with Enryu beside him, and a bitter smile full of helpless self-deprecation appeared simultaneously on both their lips.
"Lord Asuka..."
Kenryu's voice became much calmer. "If you have truly decided to do that... then there is nothing we can do..."
"Our strength is like that of mere ants before you... If you want to capture us, we don't even have the right to resist..."
"If you are going to hand Lady Rurichiyo back to Lord Kumoi..."
Kenryu closed his eyes, two streams of clear tears rolling down his face. "Then it is heaven's will to destroy our Kasumioji Family... We have nothing more to say and can only resign ourselves to fate."
Enryu also took off his sunglasses, wiping his bloodshot eyes, and continued in a tragic tone, "We only hate ourselves for our meager strength, unable to eradicate the treacherous villains."
"If Lord Asuka truly intends to use us to secure your future, we only beg one thing of you..."
"...We only hope that, seeing as Lady Rurichiyo is young and ignorant, you will leave her with an intact corpse. Please don't let her fall into the hands of that old thief Kumoi to be tortured..."
With that said, the two closed their eyes in unison.
They straightened their necks, as if offering their necks to the slaughter, awaiting Asuka's ruthless blade to fall.
Asuka looked at these two men and fell silent once more.
They were not smart.
Their plan was full of holes.
They didn't even have the power to protect their master.
However, when faced with a desperate situation, they did not choose to betray or run away. Instead, they chose to use their own lives to gamble on a minuscule possibility.
This awkward obsession... this stubbornness to protect someone, knowing full well it was impossible.
"Tch..."
'This world is rotten to the core...'
'But there are always some people who use their faint light to try and illuminate even a small patch of darkness.'
"Stop putting on this dramatic, life-and-death act in front of me. It's annoying to look at."
Asuka turned around and looked toward the end of the street.
There, Shinobu was holding hands with Rurichiyo, who was carrying a giant pink cotton candy. The two were chatting and laughing as they walked back.
"You two idiots... didn't you even prepare a Plan B or something? Weren't you afraid I'd actually arrest you?"
"Lord Asuka! Are you saying..."
"Keep your voices down and get up..." Asuka's voice remained cold, but to Kenryu and Enryu's ears, it sounded like heavenly music. "Shinobu seems to quite like that little girl."
"If Shinobu finds out I gave that little girl away as a gift to someone else, she'll definitely be very angry..."
"Sigh... Pack up your things and come with me. We'll make do and crash for the night. The shady merchant's place is big enough..."