This was the day that would decide the fate of the Azashiro family.
Katori Sora and Kyōraku Shunsui followed Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni to the trial chamber of Central 46.
It was a tiered, octagonal room, like an ancient amphitheater. The forty-six seats were arranged around a central platform, distributed across three levels of steps.
The seats in the first row, closest to the center, were reserved for the upper nobility.
The key members of the Azashiro family stood on the central platform, awaiting judgment. Kana Azashiro, her little brother Sōya, and their parents were all there.
Their parents held them close. They had been separated for some time, and they believed this might be their last moment together.
A representative from the Kasumiōji family was also present. They knew what the theft of their scroll meant and had to prepare an emergency response.
"Akihiko Azashiro," the head judge began, "all evidence points to the Azashiro family's intent to commit treason. Do you plead guilty?"
Akihiko Azashiro's voice was cold. "The Azashiro family has no intention of rebelling, nor has it prepared to do so."
"All of your so-called evidence is nothing but slander!"
"Insolence!" The judge had the evidence presented. "These 'Bakutō' were all seized from the Azashiro residence. Some of your guards were even equipped with them!"
"And the letters between you and your vassals found in your bedroom are all proof of treason! The evidence is irrefutable!"
"Hold a moment," Yamamoto suddenly interjected. "The evidence I have here can prove that there is more to this matter."
He took out the scroll and submitted it.
The judge quickly read it and passed it to the other members of Central 46.
"This is a scroll recovered from the Kasumiōji family's records room," Yamamoto said slowly. "Its detailed contents are sufficient to prove that the 'Bakutō' are weapons forged by the Kasumiōji family."
The Kasumiōji family's representative spoke up. "Lord Judge, the 'Bakutō' are indeed weapons forged by the Kasumiōji family."
"However, our original intention was to create them to give Shinigami greater strength against Hollows."
"The 'Bakutō' found in the Azashiro residence, as well as that forging base, were all purchased from us," he claimed. "We did not know they intended to rebel, so we sold the 'Bakutō' to them. Who knew they were planning such a thing!"
After the scroll was stolen, the Kasumiōji family had changed their strategy. They could no longer deny the issue of the swords, so they chose to cut their losses.
As long as the charge of treason against the Azashiro family was confirmed, they could not be accused of framing them. The crime of using commoner souls to forge swords was not enough to bring ruin upon a high-ranking noble family; they could offer a few scapegoats and the matter would be settled.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto," the representative continued, pointing at Shunsui and Sora, "the two individuals who entered our family's records room did not have a warrant, did they?"
"They were committing theft!"
"The case of the Azashiro family's rebellion is full of suspicious points," Yamamoto's tone was firm. "It was I who sent them to investigate!"
He took full responsibility for the intrusion.
"The matter of the 'Bakutō' forging can be set aside for now," the judge said, rapping his gavel. "But the swords and letters found in the Azashiro residence are ironclad proof of their intent to rebel!"
"These are the purchase records from the Azashiro family," the Kasumiōji representative said, presenting more evidence. "We have kept all of them."
Yamamoto had anticipated this. "The truth that I know is not as you have described it," he said slowly.
"According to our investigation, you have repeatedly tampered with the patrol logs of Squad 10. But what you did not know is that Vice-Captain Amanomon kept backup copies of those logs!"
"With those backups as a comparison, your actions are laid bare!"
The Kasumiōji representative broke out in a cold sweat. He never imagined that Vice-Captain Amanomon would have kept such a failsafe!
As the son-in-law of the Kasumiōji family, Amanomon had helped them with many things. To avoid being used as a scapegoat, he kept backups of the tampered logs as leverage.
Ironically, he was the first to be detained when the plot was uncovered, and his failsafe became the very thing that would condemn the Kasumiōji family.
After the meeting yesterday, Kuchiki Ginrei and Ukitake Jūshirō searched Amanomon's home and found the original logs. They proved frequent contact between Kasumiōji members and the Azashiro family's guards.
"Furthermore," Yamamoto pressed on, "there is one more crucial piece of evidence regarding the forging of the 'Bakutō'."
"The Kasumiōji family's forging 'sacrifices' were not limited to commoners from the Rukongai. They also used students from the Shin'ō Academy!"
"Slander!" the representative immediately retorted. "We have absolutely never used academy students as forging 'sacrifices'!"
Sora stepped forward and took out a vial of blood. "This is blood extracted from my student, Homura Kudanoki. It contains the Spiritual Pressure of a 'Bakutō'."
"Before Homura was consumed by the sword, he begged me to find out the truth, so I saved his blood."
As Homura was being corroded by the sword, his entire body was filled with its Spiritual Pressure. While treating him, Sora had drawn several vials just in case, and today, they came in handy.
This evidence was enough to sway many of the Central 46 members who had originally intended to protect the Kasumiōji family.
They could ignore the souls of the Rukongai, but they absolutely could not ignore the use of academy students—especially when the Kudanoki family was part of Central 46 itself.
The judge immediately announced an investigation into the Kasumiōji family, and the Azashiro trial was postponed.
The resolution was supported by more than half of the members.
"Detain the members of the Kasumiōji family! The Azashiro treason case will be revisited after the investigation is complete!"
...
Two weeks later, Kana Azashiro returned to the dojo.
The subsequent investigation confirmed that the Azashiro family had indeed been framed, and they were released.
The Kasumiōji family, on the other hand, was found guilty of framing the Azashiro clan and using academy students and commoners to forge Bakutō, among other crimes.
They were sent to the Execution Ground, a special place where captured Hollows were released for prisoners to fight.
Any who survived were exiled to the Dangai without a Hell Butterfly to guide them.
This would have been the Azashiro family's fate. Furthermore, with their current clan members being too weak to even achieve Shikai, they would have certainly all died at the hands of the Hollows.
"I'm back!" Kana said, running and throwing herself into Katori Sora's arms.
"I thought... I thought I'd never get to eat... never get to see you again, professor!"
"It's good that you're okay," Sora said, feeling his chest grow damp. He rubbed her head and said gently, "What do you want to eat? I'll make you a welcome-home meal."
"The braised wild boar shank!" Kana said, her tears instantly turning to a smile as she remembered the first delicious meal she had ever eaten in this courtyard.
"That main ingredient needs to be prepared in advance," Sora hesitated. "It's a bit hard to find..."
"Then... pork hock and soybean soup?"
"That, I can do!"
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