Mirai didn't take the manuscript directly to the publisher. Instead, he made a detour to the Sixth Division barracks.
The Shinigami standing guard at the gates recognized him, and their attitude was quite respectful. However, upon hearing Mirai's intent, the guard's expression turned troubled.
"I'm very sorry, 5th Seat Mirai. 3rd Seat Kuchiki and Captain Kuchiki went out early this morning. It seems they are handling an urgent matter. Moreover..."
The guard lowered his voice slightly. "The entire division has been incredibly busy lately. It's hard to say exactly when they'll be back."
Mirai nodded in understanding. He didn't press further and turned to leave with crisp efficiency.
He had originally intended to let Kōga Kuchiki review the draft first. Since it involved the man's personal experiences and image, communicating early was better than inviting trouble after publication.
It now seemed that the "internal unrest" within the noble circles was far more severe and tense than he had anticipated. Even a core noble guard unit like the Sixth Division had entered a state of high alert.
But why was the Ninth Division's atmosphere largely unchanged, aside from the Captain's brief mention of the situation? Was Captain Commander Yamamoto truly determined to sit back and leave the nobles to settle this themselves?
Mulling these thoughts over, Mirai's footsteps naturally veered off-course on the way back to his own barracks. He turned instead toward the Maple Pavilion tavern in Junrinan.
The moment he lifted the door curtain, the familiar scent of sake and a light buzz of chatter washed over him. He scanned the room and, as expected, spotted two familiar figures in a booth toward the back.
Shinji Hirako was slumped over, looking as lazy and spineless as ever, whispering something to Shunsui Kyōraku. Shunsui held a cup, a hard-to-read smile playing on his lips.
The cold, "Soul Society's Most Beautiful Noble" mask on Mirai's face almost entirely dissolved the moment he stepped inside. He walked over briskly and sat down in an empty seat without invitation.
"Shunsui, Shinji... you two are drinking without calling me? Do you think a drinking buddy of my caliber isn't high-class enough for your eyes anymore?"
Shinji squinted at him and curled his lip. "You only talk like that when you're in a tavern. The moment you step outside, it's 'Captain Kyōraku' and 'Captain Hirako.' Who's the one not treating who like a friend here?"
He rolled his eyes, though there was no real anger in his voice.
Shunsui Kyōraku offered a warm smile as he poured sake into Mirai's empty cup. "Shinji, Mirai is just being proper. You have to realize that in the Seireitei, life isn't very comfortable for those who 'don't know the rules.'"
His words seemed to carry a double meaning. His smile was gentle, but his eyes flickered with a sharp glint.
Mirai didn't take the bait. His attention fell on the sake jar and the cups on the table. He reached out, hefted the jar to check its weight, and took a sniff. He immediately snorted.
"Tsk. Two esteemed Captains—the heads of the Eighth and Fifth Divisions—sitting here drinking 'Aoba'?"
Aoba was a mid-tier sake, priced at 1,800 Kan. It was much better than the cheapest "Shirayuki," but it was a far cry from a truly top-shelf sake like "Spirit Drunk."
Hearing this, Shinji slammed his palm onto the table, making the cups rattle.
"Do you think a Captain's salary is high?! I work myself to death every month handling all that garbage, and I only take home about a hundred thousand Kan! If I drank Spirit Drunk every meal, I'd be begging for scraps in the Rukongai by the end of the week!"
He grew more agitated as he spoke, pointing a finger at Mirai. "Unlike you! You just scribble some drawings and stories, and a single book's royalties net you hundreds of thousands! It's practically a crime!"
As he ranted, his eyes suddenly darted around. His anger evaporated, replaced by a grin as he leaned in closer.
"By the way! I heard you're going to write about that Kōga kid next? How about it? Why don't you write my story too? I'll provide exclusive material! I only want... thirty percent of the royalties as a 'story fee.' Fair deal, right?"
Mirai ignored him. He turned toward the counter and shouted, "Boss! Two jars of Spirit Drunk! Put it on my tab."
Only then did he turn back and curl his lip. "I've only just started writing. I haven't even finished organizing the first draft. Your information is a bit too fast, Shinji."
"Duh!" Shinji looked at him as if he were an idiot. "The moment Kōga got back to the Kuchiki estate the other day, he reported it to Ginrei. We were standing right there and heard it all. He wants to use your pen to become famous, and you want to use his life to make money. Mutual benefits."
He held up his hand again, spreading five fingers before pulling two back. "Thirty percent is too much? Fine, twenty! I only want twenty percent of the final royalties! That's a real friendship price!"
Mirai took the jars of Spirit Drunk from the owner, skillfully broke the clay seals, and filled the empty cups in front of Shinji and Shunsui. The mellow aroma of the high-end sake immediately filled the air, overpowering the scent of the Aoba.
Only then did he speak in a slow, somewhat impatient tone.
"Kōga Kuchiki's story has a core: 'A commoner genius wins the favor of the Kuchiki princess through his own ability and character, finally leaping through the dragon's gate to become a member of the high nobility.'
"The legendary nature and inspirational value of that story—not to mention the appeal to commoners and ordinary Shinigami—guarantee the sales. I don't even need to say it."
He looked Shinji in the eye. "Shinji, do you have... anything particularly exciting or marketable in your past? Let's hear it."
"Hahaha," Shunsui Kyōraku took a sip of the Spirit Drunk, letting out a satisfied sigh as he chuckled in agreement. "Mirai has a point. Lord Kōga's story is enough to spark a lot of imagination and gossip even within the noble circles."
Shinji was left speechless for a moment, huffing stubbornly. "I'm from a commoner background too! I'm a Captain now, and Kōga is just a 3rd Seat! Is my experience of climbing the ranks not more exciting than his?"
Mirai poured himself a cup and asked flatly, "Counting Captain Commander Yamamoto, there are at least several commoner-born Captains in the Gotei 13, aren't there? What makes your experience special? Where's the hook?"
"Uh..." Shinji's mouth hung open, momentarily at a loss for words.
It was true. Captain Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was the ultimate example of a commoner rising to power, and there were other commoner Captains in various divisions. In the world of Captains, his background wasn't actually that unique.
Seeing Shinji silenced, Mirai finally raised his cup and took a small sip, letting the warm spiritual power of the Spirit Drunk dissolve in his throat. He tilted his head slightly, as if bringing it up casually, and looked at Shunsui Kyōraku.
"By the way, Shunsui. Is it... getting a bit restless on the noble side lately? I went to the Sixth Division barracks earlier to check the draft with Lord Kōga, but the guard said he's been out with Captain Ginrei and Lieutenant Sōjun for days. Even the Sixth Division is that busy?"
"Hmph," Shinji muttered, still a bit annoyed about not being able to "sell his story." He took the chance to snap back. "All you care about is writing books and drinking. You really keep your head in the sand, don't you?"
Mirai ignored the complaint, his eyes remaining on Shunsui.
Shunsui swirled the sake in his cup. The usual lazy smile on his face faded slightly, though he remained gentle. He spoke in a slow drawl.
"Mirai... about certain things... I am first and foremost Old Man Yama's student. Only after that am I a member of the Kyōraku family.
"So, whatever the Noble Council is fussing about or how they're going about it—as long as it doesn't affect the fundamental duties of the Gotei 13—it doesn't have much to do with the Kyōraku family or myself."
He paused and looked up at Mirai, his gaze carrying a hint of a meaningful warning.
"Rather than asking a half-hearted noble like me, you'd be better off... asking your 'good friend,' Captain Yoruichi. From where she stands, the things she sees might be a lot more direct."
Mirai's fingers tightened slightly around his cup before he relaxed. He nodded, choosing not to press further. A smile returned to his face as he raised his cup.
"Come on! The sake is here. Drink!"
"Drink!"
"Tsk. This Spirit Drunk... it really is expensive for a reason." Shinji tossed his frustration aside and drained his cup.
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Sorry, everyone I had the posting schedule set up incorrectly over the last four days, which is why the latest chapters didn't go up. I apologize for the mistake, and thank you for your patience. The uploads should be back on track now
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