"Pfft!"
Toshiro spat out the tea he had just drunk.
"Cough, cough, cough... Broke off the engagement?"
After recovering from his choking fit, Toshiro quickly asked Rurichiyo.
"Mm, that's right. Just yesterday, I personally went to the Kannogi residence and broke off the engagement with Kannogi Shu."
Rurichiyo said as if it were no big deal, completely unfazed.
"But how could the Kannogi Clan possibly agree to such a thing?"
Toshiro asked incredulously.
Remember, even for ordinary families, being jilted is a great humiliation, let alone for those proud nobles.
If this were in a cultivation novel, the jilted Kannogi Shu would definitely follow the trope of a worthless underdog's counterattack, slapping faces and showing off.
In short, for nobles, the jilted party would absolutely regard it as an immense shame and humiliation. If Rurichiyo went to the Kannogi Clan to break off the engagement, it wouldn't be surprising if they attacked her in anger and shame on the spot.
Toshiro had originally thought that even though the previous wedding was interrupted due to dealing with Kumoi, the Kannogi Clan would still find another suitable opportunity to hold it again.
He never expected Rurichiyo to actually break off the engagement with Shu.
"The Kannogi Clan actually agreed to let you break off the engagement?"
Toshiro asked curiously.
"Of course! Don't you know who I am? I'm the head of the Kasumioji Clan, second only to the Four Great Noble Families. The Kannogi Clan is just a middle-ranking noble. How dare they disagree?"
Rurichiyo said, like a proud little peacock.
"Stop giving me that. Matters of noble honor… even facing the Four Great Noble Families, let alone the Kasumioji Clan, the Kannogi Clan wouldn't agree to break off the engagement."
Toshiro looked unbelieving.
Rurichiyo waved her hand helplessly and said, "Alright, alright, I knew I couldn't fool you, Toshiro. At first, I told that guy Kannogi Shu that I didn't like him and would absolutely never marry him, so he agreed to break off the engagement with me."
"It couldn't have been that simple. Matters of family honor… even if Kannogi Shu agreed, the Kannogi Clan shouldn't have agreed, right?"
Toshiro continued asking.
Rurichiyo nodded, "Mm, that's right. Just as you said, Toshiro, at first the Kannogi Clan indeed disagreed. But I told them, 'If you don't agree to break off the engagement, I'll tell Toshiro that the Kannogi Clan colluded with Kumoi, and have Toshiro arrest you all!' Then the Kannogi Clan agreed to break off the engagement."
"You... you actually used my name to threaten the Kannogi Clan! And they actually agreed!"
Toshiro was dumbfounded.
"How could they... even if you threatened them with my name, the Kannogi Clan couldn't have agreed so easily... No, they indeed wouldn't dare to disagree..."
Toshiro suddenly understood what the Kannogi Clan was thinking.
Previously, Kumoi had indeed planned to use the wedding of Rurichiyo and Shu as cover for the Bakkoto handover. And Shu was a member of the Kannogi Clan. If one wanted to fabricate charges and smear the Kannogi Clan, this matter could indeed be used against them.
Moreover, Rurichiyo had said in front of the Kannogi Clan that she liked Toshiro, not Shu.
Added to the fact that the 10th Division had sheltered her when Kumoi was targeting her, the Kannogi Clan definitely believed that Toshiro and Rurichiyo had some unspeakable relationship, and that Rurichiyo's desire to break off the engagement might even be instigated by Toshiro behind the scenes.
So the Kannogi Clan decisively backed down.
If it were just the Kasumioji Clan, the Kannogi Clan wouldn't be afraid. Even if the Kasumioji Clan's status was higher, they still had to be reasonable. Rurichiyo proactively breaking off the engagement was unreasonable.
As long as they had reason on their side, the Kannogi Clan wasn't afraid of the Kasumioji Clan!
But if Rurichiyo's breaking off the engagement was instigated by Toshiro behind the scenes, then the nature of the matter was different.
With the new Central 46 not yet formed, Toshiro and Yamamoto were the most powerful in the entire Soul Society! If they angered Toshiro, the Kannogi Clan might very well end up like Kumoi!
Therefore, out of fear of Toshiro, when faced with the 'aggressive' Rurichiyo demanding to break off the engagement, the Kannogi Clan, to 'preserve their lives and property', decisively chose to back down and 'swallow their pride' and agree to her demand.
Unfortunately, Rurichiyo's breaking off the engagement had absolutely nothing to do with Toshiro. It wasn't even remotely related to him. It was all just the Kannogi Clan's own imagination.
"The Kannogi Clan really has a vivid imagination."
Toshiro said speechlessly.
After thinking about what the Kannogi Clan was thinking, Toshiro didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Yare yare, clearly it was you who wanted to break off the engagement with the Kannogi Clan, and it had nothing to do with me. But now, I'm afraid the Kannogi Clan all think I was the one behind it. You really made me take the blame for you, Rurichiyo."
Toshiro said helplessly.
"Hmph, I... I actually wish it were you behind it."
Rurichiyo suddenly said with a aggrieved snort.
"Uh..."
Toshiro naturally understood the meaning behind Rurichiyo's words, so he couldn't help but awkwardly turn his head away, not daring to meet her gaze.
"Hmph! Coward! Always running away, never daring to answer my question directly!"
Rurichiyo pouted, snorted angrily, then stood up and turned to leave.
Toshiro watched her go, opening his mouth but unable to say anything.
Since he couldn't give any promises, why speak?
However, just after leaving the pavilion, Rurichiyo suddenly stopped.
"Toshiro, I... I will wait for you. Forever..."
Rurichiyo said with her back to Toshiro.
After speaking, she lingered no longer and walked straight away.
"Forever...?"
Toshiro's mood suddenly became a bit heavy.
…
10th Division, Captain's Office.
"Hey, hey, Captain, did you know? The new Captain of the 3rd Division actually proactively turned himself in to the Captain-Commander, confessing that he had cooperated with Kumoi!"
Rangiku suddenly burst in, exclaiming excitedly.
"Is that so? He ultimately chose to do this..."
Toshiro put down the document in his hand and sighed helplessly.
"Huh? Captain, you knew the new Captain cooperated with Kumoi all along?"
Rangiku exclaimed in surprise.
Toshiro wasn't in the mood to answer her question and directly asked, "Has the punishment for Amagai been decided?"
"Mm, I heard that although the new Captain cooperated with Kumoi, he didn't commit any major crimes. Moreover, he actively cooperated in the previous operation against Kumoi and made considerable contributions. So his punishment isn't severe. He was just dismissed from his captaincy and sentenced to thirty years imprisonment."
Rangiku replied.
"Is that so? That's not too severe a punishment."
Toshiro breathed a sigh of relief.
Thirty years is just a blink of an eye for a Shinigami, not very long.
After all, Shusuke had once been Toshiro's subordinate in the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force. Toshiro didn't want him to be punished too severely either.
"Matsumoto, you can go out now."
Toshiro said to Rangiku.
"Oh..."
Rangiku wasn't one to overstep her bounds. Seeing that Toshiro wasn't very happy, she didn't intend to disturb him further and directly left.
'Well, although it took a lot of effort this time, at least I managed to save Shusuke's life. He didn't commit suicide like in the anime. It wasn't a wasted effort.'
Toshiro comforted himself.
'In any case, the matter of the Bakkoto has also come to a close...'