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"Haa…ah…"
Ishikawa Katori yawned as he walked down the stairs. Although it had only been light for a short while, the tavern was already bustling with noise. Most people, however, were gathered at the back door of the tavern, squeeze in front of the door and windows, looking out into the backyard.
Sitting at the bar, Ishikawa Katori took the ramen Uzuki handed him and casually asked, "Ikkaku is here again?"
"Mm."
Uzuki nodded, "He's on holiday again."
Ishikawa Katori's mouth twitched slightly. Did this guy treat his tavern as a resort?
In a flash, two weeks had passed since he obtained the entry permit. During these two weeks, Ikkaku Madarame and Ayasegawa Yumichika would come to the tavern whenever they were free, even arriving earlier than the ruffians. And every time they came, they would fight in the backyard.
This also caused the backyard wall to be damaged every few days. Ishikawa Katori, out of helplessness, could only expand the wall outwards again, and at the same time, asked Kukaku-nee to help engrave Spiritual Crests, making the entire backyard increasingly resemble an arena…
And the number of people participating in duels also increased daily. Fortunately, they mostly fought with wooden swords, so the backyard didn't become a bloodbath. It's worth mentioning that…after Kukaku-nee discovered this arena, Ganju also couldn't escape the fate of being thrown into the backyard by Kukaku-nee.
After being tormented by Ikkaku Madarame and Nishijin Ori a few times, he has rarely 'shown off' in front of the ruffians recently.
"Aren't you going to join the fun?" Uzuki asked.
"Forget it."
Ishikawa Katori shook his head, "The autumn harvest is almost over, and there should be a lot of work in the month before winter. I don't want to be injured and unable to work for a few days at this time."
The month before winter every year is the peak season for commissions, most of which are for house repairs. This is a good opportunity to gain a wave of favorability. Although the experience points contributed by a single person are not much, the quantity is huge!
Moreover, Ishikawa Katori has always managed West Rukongai as his own base. Even though he can now freely enter and exit Seireitei, he has not refused commissions from Rukongai.
"Then I might have to disappoint you."
"Hmm?"
"This year, there are no commissions for house repairs at all." Uzuki shrugged.
"None?"
Ishikawa Katori was stunned and looked at Uzuki suspiciously, "That's impossible. In previous years, they would have come knocking by now."
"How big do you think West Rukongai is in your eyes?"
Uzuki rolled her eyes at Ishikawa Katori, "In recent years, you've basically repaired every house that needed it, and both the insulation and sturdiness are incredibly good. They won't need repairs again for at least ten years. Now, the only areas left for you to repair are the higher-numbered districts."
The ruffians in the tavern, hearing Uzuki's words, their eyes lit up, and they all gathered around.
"Ishikawa Boss, if you really want to repair houses and your hands are itching, then help us repair our houses too!"
"Yes, even though we don't really live in them and we're not afraid of the cold, it's nice for the houses to look clean."
"I'll give you my house for free to repair, you just repair it for me for free!"
"…"
"Scram!!"
Ishikawa Katori dismissed this group of people with just one word.
"Don't even talk about house repairs. Recently, the house repair workers in West Rukongai have changed professions. Originally, these people controlled the repairs very well, basically ensuring that after one winter, they would need to be repaired again the next year. But once you came, they now have no work…"
Uzuki said with a hint of schadenfreude, "Your colleagues are probably cursing you behind your back."
"I'm not their colleague."
Ishikawa Katori shook his head, not caring, "So, are there any commissions today?"
"There's a job to escort a merchant caravan to the south. Ganju took a few of his subordinates to do it."
"…Is he out of money again?"
"Yes, two days ago, he caused trouble with his subordinates at the Elder's place in West 1 District, and it was reported to Kukaku-nee. After being beaten, he was kicked out of the house and isn't allowed to step inside for two months…"
Uzuki flipped through the commission book, "Today, there's only one house-building commission left. Tomorrow's commissions are quite numerous: three crop harvesting commissions, one commission from the Elder of West 1 District, and the textile factory wants your help because their demand has increased recently."
"I'll do the West 1 District Elder's commission tomorrow, and push the textile factory to the day after tomorrow. As for harvesting crops, let Ganju-nii go. Kukaku-nee always means what she says, and if he doesn't earn some money, he'll come crying to me again, hugging my leg and complaining about being poor."
Ishikawa Katori sighed. This wasn't the first or second time Ganju had been punished. Every time he was severely beaten and thrown out, he would come to the tavern to freeload food and drink, looking so unrecognizable that even his own sister wouldn't recognize him. Although Ishikawa Katori didn't mind him eating and drinking, Kukaku-nee had forbidden Ishikawa from giving him money…
Ishikawa Katori certainly didn't want to be beaten by Kukaku-nee because of this.
"As for today's house-building commission, find someone to inform the customer that I'll start work the day after tomorrow."
Ishikawa Katori picked up his bowl and drank the noodle soup in one gulp. Although… Uzuki would cook him a bowl of noodles every morning, after a few years, her noodle-cooking skills still hadn't improved at all.
However, with a bowl of thick noodle soup in his stomach, Ishikawa Katori's hangover headache was significantly relieved.
"I must go to Seireitei today."
"Why?"
Uzuki's eyes lit up, "Has a commission finally come from inside Seireitei?"
"No, there's still no way to accept commissions right now. It's really too difficult to take on commissions from Seireitei."
It had been two weeks since Everything Store's business expanded to Seireitei, but no matter how many flyers Ishikawa distributed, no customers from within Seireitei came to commission him.
At first, he thought that people in Seireitei didn't need help, but later, after a reminder from a Fourth Division Squad Member of the Comprehensive Relief Station, Ishikawa understood that it wasn't that no one needed help, but that no one was willing to travel from Seireitei to Rukongai to post a commission.
Ishikawa Katori had also considered setting up an office in Seireitei, but unfortunately, although he could freely enter and exit Seireitei, he was not allowed to establish businesses there. And even if he could, he didn't have someone like Uzuki to help him take commissions.
The Vice-Captain of the Onmitsukidō Supervisory Team had offered to let Squad Members take turns helping him accept commissions, but Ishikawa Katori refused.
The reason was simple…
The few streets adjacent to the Second Division barracks could be described as 'sparsely populated.' Neither Shinigami nor their relatives were willing to pass near the Second Division, preferring to take a long detour.
If he let them help him take commissions, his Everything Store wouldn't be far from bankruptcy.
Hearing that there were no commissions, Uzuki immediately lost interest, "Then what are you going to Seireitei for?"
Ishikawa Katori's eyes showed anticipation, and his voice even carried a hint of excitement, "There's a Floral Arrangement Society meeting. Even if I have to crawl, I will crawl to Seireitei to participate!!"
"Floral Arrangement Society?"
Uzuki was stunned, then looked at Ishikawa Katori with a strange gaze, "When did you develop such a hobby?"
"Hehe—"
Ishikawa Katori gave a strange laugh and did not explain, but instead got up and walked out of the tavern.
He wasn't interested in floral arrangements, but in the person organizing the Floral Arrangement Society!
Because the person organizing the Floral Arrangement Society was none other than the Fourth Division Captain, Retsu Unohana, whom Ishikawa Katori had admired for a long time.
During these two weeks, although Ishikawa Katori went to the Comprehensive Relief Station whenever he had time, he never encountered Retsu Unohana there.
According to Kotetsu Isane, the Captains of each Squad have a lot of work to deal with. Although… some Squad Captains are accustomed to leaving their work to their Vice-Captains; the Fourth Division's work is generally handled by the Captain, while the Vice-Captain is responsible for the affairs of the Comprehensive Relief Station.
Unless necessary, Captain Retsu Unohana rarely comes to the Comprehensive Relief Station.
But the Floral Arrangement Society is different. Because floral arrangement is Retsu Unohana's hobby, she gathers the Squad Members of the Fourth Division every month to hold a Floral Arrangement Society meeting. Squad Members are not forced to attend; if they are interested, they can go and participate.
In other words…
As long as he went, he would be able to meet Retsu Unohana!
Ishikawa Katori naturally couldn't miss such a good opportunity. For this day, he had prepared a week in advance. Not only did he read many books about floral arrangements, but he also, in his conversations with Fourth Division Squad Members, pretended to unintentionally reveal his desire to participate in the Floral Arrangement Society.
Only then did he receive the invitation to the Floral Arrangement Society yesterday.
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