"Heh." Yoruichi's light chuckle seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth. A cold, sharp arc curved at the corner of her mouth as she looked at Hiroki with a gaze of undisguised mockery. "It seems the old man is truly blind to have taken a liking to a character like you. You put on a decent front before, but you're actually like this to the core!"
Hiroki's expression remained unchanged, even carrying a hint of deliberate tranquility as if stating a universally accepted truth. "Is that not so? One can only say Lord Kiyone's eye for talent is quite 'discerning'." He placed a subtle emphasis on the word "discerning." "Otherwise, how could he have spent a fortune to 'snatch' me from the hands of the Kuchiki Clan, who are also one of the Four Great Noble Clans? Doesn't this 'appreciation' at any cost prove that I have extraordinary potential and am worth the investment?" He spread his hands, his tone carrying a touch of hypocritical regret. "Unfortunately, the Kuchiki Clan has likely suffered a great loss by losing such a worthy son-in-law."
This is the truth, after all. Just look at the trouble Kuchiki Kōga will stir up later. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
"What kind of vision did he have to take a liking to a bastard like you?" Yoruichi's anger was visibly ignited by this shameless remark. Her voice suddenly rose, and the fire in her golden eyes seemed ready to burst forth. To her, Hiroki's logic was simply bandit theory—the old man had clearly forced the deal just to get one over on her, yet in this man's mouth, it became a story of being thirsty for talent and having a keen eye?
Hiroki didn't care about her anger; he was merely a bargaining chip here to negotiate terms. He unhurriedly picked up the already cold teacup, his fingertip lightly tapping the rim with a faint sound. His gaze swept over Yoruichi's face as if he were seriously comparing her. "It is precisely because of Lord Kiyone's 'unique' vision. Look at yourself now, and then think of that young lady of the Kuchiki Clan who has never shown her face—as far as I know, a daughter raised by the Kuchiki Clan must be well-behaved, dignified, and demure, with every movement reflecting the style of a top-tier noble, a perfect representative of their household. And then look at you..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear—an image far removed from a "dignified young lady" was vividly suggested.
He put down the teacup, crossed his fingers on his knees, and leaned forward slightly. His face finally showed a hint of the businessman's nature found on a negotiation floor, wearing a smile that Yoruichi found exceptionally irritating. "By comparison, hasn't Lord Kiyone's 'mistake' caused me even greater reputational damage and psychological trauma? As this 'worthy son-in-law,' I'm really getting the short end of the stick! So," his tone shifted into a sort of mercenary calculation, "think about the risks and losses I'll have to bear in the coming years... In all fairness, shouldn't this alimony... be increased a bit more? After all, I am enduring what ordinary people cannot." He seemed quite satisfied with his own analogy.
"You...!" Yoruichi was completely choked up by this speech that twisted black and white and pushed for more. An indescribable sense of humiliation and absurdity welled up in her heart. She stood up abruptly, knocking over the low stool behind her. Her chest heaved violently, and her finger pointing at Hiroki trembled slightly. It took a long time before she squeezed out another "You" from between her teeth, but the rest of her words were stuck in her throat from rage. Finally, she could only give Hiroki a freezing glare as if trying to pierce through him, then she violently swung her arm, turned, and strode away. With a "shua" sound, she pulled open the paper door and then slammed it shut with a loud "bang." The force made the door frame and walls hum.
Listening to the hurried footsteps disappear at the end of the corridor and confirming she was truly gone, Hiroki's tense shoulders collapsed like a deflated ball. "Whew—" He let out a long breath and raised a hand to rub his throbbing temples. The forced composure and calculation from just now instantly faded, leaving only a sense of physical and mental exhaustion mixed with relief. "Finally... I managed to deal with it." He recalled Yoruichi's flustered yet speechless state just now. Although the process was risky, the result seemed to be within his plan. At least, his two core demands—divorce and alimony—had been clearly conveyed. Although she was furious, she hadn't flipped the table and refused to negotiate.
"Objectively speaking, Shihōin Yoruichi does indeed have... a good figure, and her looks are wild enough." Hiroki leaned against the low table, commenting as if to himself. Whether from his memories or the close contact just now, Yoruichi's powerful, wild beauty was very impactful. "However," he smacked his lips, another image more to his personal taste surfacing in his mind, "I still prefer the kind that is... fair-skinned, beautiful, with a cold or gentle and elegant temperament... preferably with a pair of long legs that one can't take their eyes off of." He was full of longing for his future life as a "wealthy man of leisure."
Thinking of this, he felt a bit more relaxed. "I'll just make do for now. Anyway, that old bastard Kiyone really doesn't have many years left to live." The plot of the original work was clearly etched in his mind. If not for that, the old man wouldn't have been in such a hurry to practically force his daughter's wedding, just to push the pawn he had prepared onto the board within his limited time to restrain his lawless daughter.
"Kiyone's goal is simply to have Yoruichi slowly learn to take on family responsibilities with the 'company' of me, her so-called 'husband,' while using the 'good reputation' I've accumulated in the Seireitei to cover for Yoruichi's behavior and reduce the jokes in noble circles, isn't it?" Hiroki saw through it clearly. "And the old man's most important task next is to transition the core power of the Shihōin Clan and the Second Division bit by bit into Yoruichi's hands... to ensure that after he closes his eyes, the Shihōin Clan won't quickly collapse or be swallowed up by others." This was Kiyone's true layout, and this marriage was just one step in the game.
"So," Hiroki stood up, stretched his stiff neck, and a smile of relief appeared on his face, "my job is actually very simple—to play house with this 'wife' who is destined to elope in the future." He paced to the window, looking at the exquisite landscape of the courtyard. "While Kiyone is still alive, I just need to cooperate and play the role of the 'loving couple' well. It's nothing more than showing respect on the surface and putting on an act to put the old man's mind at ease, making him feel that the pawn he chose is stable and obedient enough to exert some 'restraint' on his precious daughter (though that's completely impossible). Then his old self can probably go to meet the ancestors without too much worry."
Thinking of his status as a "temporary stable factor," the curve of Hiroki's mouth grew wider. "As for the real relationship between Yoruichi and me? Non-interference is the best policy. As long as we maintain this surface harmony and everyone acts according to plan, my task will be complete. Once Kiyone's day of 'honorable retirement' arrives..."
His gaze drifted further away. At that time, it would be the moment for him to be completely free with a generous "compensation" and run toward a new life of freedom.