Faced with Suzuki Makoto's rhetoric, Byakuya Kuchiki felt a sense of disappointment deep within his heart. He had actually wanted Suzuki Makoto, in his capacity as the leader of the Yellow Turbans, to persuade Rukia to enter the Kuchiki family.
"With Suzuki-kun's prestige, you should be able to persuade Rukia, right?"
"Captain Kuchiki, the Yellow Turbans are not the Seireitei, and I am not Central 46. If my methods were no different from those Nobles, then there would be no meaning in my founding of the Yellow Turbans."
Suzuki Makoto flatly rejected Byakuya Kuchiki's hint.
"You are Rukia's family. Naturally, I am willing to act as a bridge for your reunion. However, beyond that, I will not do anything superfluous. Whether Rukia wishes to remain in the Seireitei or stay in Rukongai, that decision must be made by her alone."
Byakuya Kuchiki fell into silence. He had just erupted in a fierce conflict with the clan elders back home precisely to allow Rukia to enter the Kuchiki family and become Rukia Kuchiki. Yet, he hadn't expected that he might have gotten excited too early; neither Rukia nor Suzuki Makoto seemed to have any intention of granting his wish.
"Since that is the case, I will have to trouble Lieutenant Suzuki for your assistance."
Even so, Byakuya Kuchiki did not want to give up. At the very least, he should meet Rukia in person. After all, she was Hisana's younger sister; no matter what, he had to fulfill his wife's dying wish.
"No problem. I will write a letter right now and have Rukia come to the Seireitei."
"No! It would be better if I went to Rukongai."
Byakuya Kuchiki was very clear about the Yellow Turbans' current reputation within the Seireitei. If he used Suzuki Makoto's channels to bring Rukia to the Seireitei, it would inevitably attract a lot of unnecessary attention. In that event, the resistance to Rukia returning to the Kuchiki family would also be greater, because in that situation, the ones wanting to stop it wouldn't just be those within the Kuchiki family—other Nobles would surely express their dissatisfaction as well.
Therefore, Byakuya Kuchiki decided to personally go to Rukongai to meet Rukia and attempt to persuade her to return to the Kuchiki family.
"In that case, do you need me to accompany you?"
"If Suzuki-kun could come along, that would naturally be best."
"Then we will have to wait a short while. After all, if I want to leave the Seireitei, I still need the Captain-Commander's written approval."
Suzuki Makoto lied with his eyes wide open. Let alone leaving the Seireitei, even if he were to leave the Soul Society, the Captain-Commander couldn't control him.
"It doesn't matter, I can wait. Rukia is currently studying at the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy branch, so she is relatively safe."
Byakuya Kuchiki expressed his understanding. He indeed needed Suzuki Makoto by his side to "borrow the tiger's might," so to speak; this should more or less make Rukia trust him a bit more.
The two of them went to the 1st Division barracks together to apply for Suzuki Makoto's exit permit from the Captain-Commander. Unexpectedly, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto was quite straightforward, and even told Suzuki Makoto not to mind the reactions of the Nobles.
Although a Great Noble was present right there, Byakuya Kuchiki merely indicated that the Captain-Commander was correct, and that Suzuki-kun shouldn't care about those fellows and should just hurry up and take him there.
Thus, Suzuki Makoto notified Black Jeanne, and then took Byakuya Kuchiki into Rukongai. The two traveled via Shunpo all the way to the branch school in District 41.
"Captain Kuchiki's Shunpo is quite exquisite."
"I learned some from the Shihoin family. If Suzuki-kun is interested, I can pull some strings for you."
Byakuya Kuchiki obviously didn't want to discuss this matter in detail. After all, being bullied daily by Yoruichi Shihoin during his childhood was purely a family shame that shouldn't be aired in public.
"Forget it. I still have a piece of Heavenly Armament from the Shihoin family in my possession. It would be quite awkward if we met."
During their conversation, Black Jeanne deactivated her spirit form and appeared at the entrance of the branch school.
"Is this him? Rukia's brother-in-law?"
Faced with this form of address, Byakuya Kuchiki was obviously caught a bit off guard, but he still nodded.
"Then come on in. I've already called Rukia to the meeting room."
Walking into the meeting room, Rukia, who was sitting inside looking somewhat uneasy, jumped straight up from her chair when she saw Suzuki Makoto, stammering as she saluted him.
"Su-Suzuki-sama!"
Suzuki Makoto looked at Black Jeanne suspiciously. Just how exactly was this fellow helping him manage the Inspection Team?
"Cough, cough. Rukia, have you forgotten even the squad regulations?!"
"Ah—I'm sorry! Mr. Suzuki, Miss Jeanne!"
Rukia immediately performed a ninety-degree bow.
"I shouldn't have hidden from you the fact that a Noble contacted me before! They wanted to develop me into a subordinate of the Nobles, and even used information about my sister to tempt me—I really refused! I just didn't want to implicate my sister, so I didn't think to report it!"
Now it was the turn of the two to look at Byakuya Kuchiki simultaneously. The man, maintaining his stiff facial expression, did not reveal a single flaw, but he had already made up his mind that once he returned, he would ruthlessly execute family law upon the person he had sent out.
"Rukia, sit down. That matter was a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
"Yes, sit down first. Let me introduce you. This is Byakuya Kuchiki. He is indeed your brother-in-law."
"Your sister, Hisana, was my wife. The person from before was also sent by me."
The young girl's eyes went wide.
You really are my brother-in-law?
"Yes, I am your... brother-in-law."
Byakuya Kuchiki had already given up on using other forms of address.
With this, Rukia stood up anxiously again, staring at Byakuya Kuchiki with a look of hope on her face.
"Then what about my sister? If you are a Noble, my sister must be in the Seireitei, right? Is she living well?"
"She... she passed away. Because her body was frail, and she fell gravely ill."
Byakuya Kuchiki's eyes dimmed. This was also the pain in his heart.
"H-How can that be—"
Rukia's face was full of shaken emotion. She had originally thought there was at least a chance for the sisters to reunite. She hadn't expected that the news she waited for would be this.
"Rukia, before Hisana passed away, she entrusted me to find her younger sister, Rukia, and to take good care of her. Now I have finally found you. So, I want to invite you to return to the Seireitei, to return to the Kuchiki family. I will adopt you as a righteous sister and regard you as a bloodline member of the Kuchiki house."
Byakuya Kuchiki poured out all of his thoughts.
"I..."
Rukia instinctively began to hesitate. Of course, she wanted to go into the Seireitei to see the place where her sister had lived before she died. But her struggle for survival in Rukongai over these years, combined with her life here in the Yellow Turbans, gave her a natural hostility toward Nobles. Just going back with Byakuya Kuchiki already made her hesitate, let alone becoming a Noble herself.
She aspired to become a person like the Jeanne d'Arc sisters!
Byakuya Kuchiki could not help but turn his gaze toward Suzuki Makoto, the plea within it self-evident.
"Rukia, at the very least, you can go and pay respects to your sister first. Leave the rest for later. Your studies aren't over yet, are they?"
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