"I think I understand," Muten Natsu said directly. "So you came to me because you want to know something that the Daireishokairō can't show?"
"The Daireishokairō cannot record a person's inner thoughts," Nayura Amakado replied just as straightforwardly. "And I want to understand yours."
"You're a good person..."
"More and more Shinigami are using lines like that to reject confessions, but you're overthinking it." Nayura Amakado nearly lost her composure. "My desire to understand isn't purely personal, not entirely. Part of it comes from my role as head of Central 46."
"Then you're not a good person."
"I can understand how you feel, that's also one of the reasons I stopped you."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Nayura Amakado fixed her gaze on Muten Natsu. "Can you find a place to sit? My neck is a little stiff."
Muten Natsu: "..."
She sat on the bench and rubbed her neck. "As the Soul King's right-hand, Central 46 upholds the laws of Soul Society. It is the guardian of the law. A deep understanding of those entrusted to us, the people of Soul Society and the Shinigami, is essential. To pass judgment without even glancing or listening, that leads only to extermination by the Shinigami."
Muten Natsu had learned about the Soul King at Shin'ō Academy.
The Soul King is the ruler of Soul Society.
Though he is the King, he has left the governance of Soul Society entirely to Central 46, intervening only rarely, so his presence is almost imperceptible.
Muten Natsu remembered the two times Central 46 had been massacred. "Is this what you call 'experience'?"
"Exactly," Nayura Amakado said, ignoring the sarcasm in his tone. "If Central 46 had understood the Shinigami better, my father might still be alive."
"I killed him?"
"It was Sousuke Aizen who killed him," Avanmenna Yura Rin interjected, "You killed my grandfather, and you held him in your hands for a long time."
Muten Natsu: "..."
"No need to feel guilty. He died because of his own actions, or rather, because of what Central 46 has been doing all along." Nayura Amakado sighed. "If Central 46 had always made fair and thorough judgments, anyone would have sensed that something was wrong this time. To ignore petitions from multiple captain-level Shinigami and order Rukia Kuchiki's execution, such an unreasonable verdict shouldn't have happened."
In truth, Central 46's absolute confidence in its own authority had often led to unjust rulings in the past.
They had slaughtered Shinigami, favored the noble class, and in disputes, blamed commoner Shinigami without properly investigating the evidence. Trusting their own judgment over the facts was all too common.
So when Rukia Kuchiki's verdict came down, many Shinigami did not question it, thinking, "This is exactly the kind of ruling Central 46 would make."
Rather than acceptance, it was closer to resignation:
[What's the big deal? Isn't it always like this?]
Muten Natsu spoke his mind honestly, "Would it be rude if I said I don't actually feel guilty?"
"I think it would be even ruder if you pretended to feel guilty," Nayura Amakado said, tilting her head. "He's technically my grandfather, but we weren't close. He lived in Seijōtōkyorin all those years, and I hardly ever saw him. After becoming a Librarian, I learned about him..."
Nayura Amakado paused. "Would it be rude of me to say he deserved to die?"
"If everyone in Central 46 were as blunt as you, a lot of things might never have happened."
"At least Kaname Tōsen wouldn't have defected." Nayura Amakado's expression grew complex. "Back then, his best friend was killed by her husband. Because the killer was of noble birth, he was merely imprisoned in the Nest of Maggots. Kaname Tōsen, who pleaded with Central 46 to handle the matter impartially but to no avail, ended up becoming Aizen's subordinate."
"Gin Ichimaru too?"
"His situation is even more complicated. We haven't found much information yet; all we know is that he lived with Rangiku Matsumoto for a while. But now isn't the time to dwell on the past. We need to focus more on Aizen's future plans and the Seireitei's next developments."
"The former requires consulting the Daireishokairō, and the latter..." Muten Natsu guessed what Nayura Amakado was thinking, "Requires me?"
"I can see that you have the desire to change Seireitei, and more importantly, you have the ability to do so," Nayura Amakado said seriously. "The previous members of Central 46 have all perished. The hastily assembled new Central 46 is currently centered around more experienced Captain-Commanders. Now is the perfect time for change. Blood has already been shed, and if we don't act now, that blood will have been shed in vain. I want to find a path toward a new Central 46 that can truly represent the Soul King."
"I'm leaving soon."
"But you'll be back. There are many here who bear a grudge against Aizen. You don't need to act alone, and a stronger Central 46 can provide better support." Nayura Amakado reached into her bosom and took out a Seireitei Pass. "This is one of the results of my efforts."
The Seireitei Pass is a certificate that must be presented to Seireitei guards when entering Seireitei from Rukongai.
Applying for a Seireitei Pass involves a complex process that usually takes several weeks to complete.
"The Seireitei's structures have suffered severe damage, and we urgently need to replenish our personnel, so I proposed streamlining the process. Now, one can obtain a pass through a simple procedure at the Special Temporary Civil Affairs Bureau in front of each Seireitei gate. Supplies and materials from outside can be delivered faster, and the people of Rukongai can also enter Seireitei to serve as laborers. When registering fingerprints at the Special Civil Affairs Bureau, Reiryoku is also measured. Those found qualified are invited to study at Shin'ō Academy," Nayura Amakado said, waving the Pass. "Some things aren't impossible to change, it's just that people don't want to change them. To resolve special problems during extraordinary times, we must establish special regulations. If these regulations receive positive feedback, it will be much easier to make them permanent."
"That sounds like a lot of trouble, and it doesn't seem like I'm needed."
"No, you're very much needed. Because of what happened before, you possess certain privileges. And to realize those privileges, corresponding changes are necessary," Nayura Amakado explained further. "I intend to grant you more privileges, and you will exercise them to bring about change, so that eventually, those privileges will no longer be privileges."