Early summer morning.
Birds chirped on the branches, the roadside grass held glistening dew, and a faint white mist still permeated the air, a scene full of vitality.
Yamatake Chiyo took off her heavy twelve-layered kimono and changed into a light, thin white gauze dress, which Senjumaru Shutara had given her before she left.
Also included were new sandals from the shop.
Yamabuki, unable to get used to wearing wooden clogs, had made his own summer sandals, which, unexpectedly, became very popular among girls upon their release.
Last night, Yamatake Chiyo had received news that the assassin had been caught, so she returned to her home in the morning. Although only she was left in the Yamatake Clan, it was still a home, after all.
"Bang bang bang!"
A knock sounded from outside the door. Chiyo-chan scurried to the door and gently opened it a crack, seeing that it was Yamabuki standing outside.
"Chief of Staff, you're here! Please come in quickly." Chiyo-chan showed a pure and lovely smile on her face.
Yamabuki walked into the mansion with a faint smile on his face.
"Aren't you scared living in such a big house alone at night?" Yamabuki asked.
Chiyo-chan shook her head gently and said, "No, wasn't the assassin who killed my brother already caught?"
"Although the assassin has been caught, the mastermind is very cunning and might try to harm you again. You must be careful. If you encounter any difficulties in life, you can always ask me for help." Yamabuki smiled.
"How could I dare trouble the Chief of Staff! I'll go make some tea, please wait." Chiyo-chan said with a smile.
This didn't look like someone who had lost a beloved older brother at all.
"Don't bother, I mainly came to return something to you, and then I'll leave immediately, as I still have a lot of work to do." Yamabuki handed over a cloth bag. Chiyo-chan looked curious, opened it, and her expression instantly froze.
The cloth bag was filled with gold.
"Chief of Staff… what does this mean? Why are you giving me so much gold?" Chiyo-chan asked with a curious expression.
"This isn't given to you; it was originally yours. It's the betrothal gift from that monster to your brother." Yamabuki had been observing the girl's expression, and Chiyo-chan consistently maintained a surprised look.
"Didn't my brother gamble all this money away? Why is it in your hands?"
"Although your brother was a scoundrel, he wasn't completely foolish. The day after he was killed, I investigated all the gambling houses, big and small, in Seireitei. The result was a shocking conclusion: in the past few days, your brother hadn't gambled. Yet, two-thirds of the gold, which was meant as a betrothal gift, mysteriously disappeared. Aren't you curious where that gold went?" Yamabuki asked with a smile.
Chiyo-chan touched her lips with a finger, thinking for a moment with an innocent and adorable pose, then shook her head.
"I found this gold in the assassin's pocket. I think even if your brother was stupid, he wouldn't spend money to hire someone to kill himself. Do you remember what you said? You came to the courtyard because you heard your brother's cry for help. That means your brother didn't want to die at all; he wanted to live. But the assassin took your family's money and killed your own brother…" Yamabuki paused slightly, a bitter smile appearing on his face: "Do I need to explain further? Why was that assassin instructed to kill you and your brother separately? And that assassin said he never told you anything like 'I'll come to kill you in three days.' How did you accurately predict that the assassin would attack you in the middle of the night three days later?"
Chiyo-chan still wore a very cute and innocent smile: "Chief of Staff, what are you talking about? I don't understand at all!"
Suddenly, Yamabuki drew his Zanpakutō and thrust it at Chiyo-chan. Chiyo-chan couldn't dodge at all, or rather, she didn't dodge, watching as the blade pierced her body.
"This is the answer!" Yamabuki withdrew his sword. His blade had clearly pierced the child's body, yet it caused her no harm.
The girl even looked at him with a smile.
More accurately, the Chiyo-chan in front of him was an illusion. The real Yamatake Chiyo was watching him from somewhere, using this illusion-created clone to converse.
"Actually, I found it strange when I arrived. Today is a clear day, there's no fog, so why is your courtyard so misty? If I'm not mistaken, this must be your Zanpakutō's ability, right? You've been exposed. Come out." Yamabuki said.
The girl's illusion in front of him suddenly vanished, turning into a cloud of white mist.
With a creak, the inner hall door opened, and a girl in a white dress reappeared. Yamabuki used Shunpo to move over and fiercely pinched the young lady's cheek, turning her face red!
"Ow, ow, ow!"
"Looks like this one's real." Yamabuki pulled his hand back. He had to admit, the little loli's cheek was truly tender!
"I'm very curious! How did you find me? I thought I was hidden very well." Chiyo-chan's eyes were completely different from the previous illusion. The illusion had shown innocence and purity, while the real one's eyes gleamed with more cunning and slyness.
"Actually, I had doubts the first time we met, because you were too calm. Your own brother was killed in front of you, yet you could still calmly answer all our questions. Although there was fear in your eyes, with your acting skills, it shouldn't have been a problem to fool these amateurs."
"Furthermore, although the Yamatake Clan has declined, they are still a high-ranking noble family. Getting a Zanpakutō shouldn't be a problem, and you've always had a strong spiritual pressure, just suppressing it so we wouldn't discover it. It seems you're not a helpless, innocent young lady at all." Yamabuki said.
Chiyo-chan smiled like a little fox and raised the hilt of her sword: "Return, Mist-Gazing Flower!"
The white mist in the courtyard instantly returned to the sword hilt, transforming into a short sword less than a foot long.
"My Zanpakutō is called Mist-Gazing Flower. After Shikai, the blade turns into mist, forming various illusions and also interfering with people's vision. You are the first person to see through my Zanpakutō's ability. You truly live up to your reputation as the Chief of Staff of the Gotei 13." Chiyo-chan said proudly, chin raised: "Since you've seen through my plan, I'll tell you why I killed that idiot."
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