He read slowly, absorbing every word with intense focus.
When he finished, he remained silent for a long moment before letting out a soft sigh.
"The plot is certainly compelling," Kensei Muguruma said, placing the manuscript back on the desk. "It's a pity."
Ironosuke Yamayama (the 3rd Seat) knew exactly what the Captain meant. It was a pity because such a story could never happen. The barrier between the Great Noble Houses and the residents of the Rukongai was as thick and cruel as an iron wall. A line like "Do not look down on a youth just because he is poor" wouldn't be the start of a legendary comeback; it would be a death sentence for the boy's entire family.
The story was satisfying, but far too unrealistic.
Yamayama picked up the second manuscript: Mysteries of the Soul Society. This time, his brow furrowed even deeper. Halfway through, he shook his head and set it down.
"This one is just... foggy. I have no idea what it's trying to say."
Finally, he pulled out the last one: Hell Girl.
This time, his expression softened slightly. While the story was dark, the structure was complete, and the atmosphere was masterfully crafted. The tension between the catharsis of revenge and the heavy price of the soul created a clear, gripping pull.
He handed the last two to Kensei.
Kensei read Mysteries first. He looked thoughtful afterward but offered no comment. Then he opened Hell Girl. He read page after page, the only sound in the office being the rhythmic rustle-rustle of paper.
Finally, Kensei set the pages down.
"This person is putting in the effort," he said quietly. "The first two were either too bombastic or too obscure, but you can tell they put their heart into them. But this Hell Girl..." He paused, tapping his finger on the cover page. "Publish this one."
Yamayama nodded, took the manuscript, and stamped a blue "Accepted" seal in the corner.
The other two were tossed into the rejection bin, where they would wait seven days to be sent back. The rejected Sovereign of the Spirit Realm lay at the bottom of the pile. The ink on the line Do not look down on a youth just because he is poor looked incredibly dim in the fading light.
_______
"Customer, do you want this bottle of the exquisite 'Reisui' (Spirit-Drunk), or this bottle of the ordinary 'Hakutaku' (White Burn)?"
In the "Maple Pavilion" tavern in Junrinan, the kindly owner smiled as he held up two bottles of sake as if they represented two entirely different life paths. One was made of fine porcelain with a warm glaze and a faint shimmer of Reishi. The other was crude earthenware, plain and rough to the touch.
Yandera Mirai's eyes were glued to the bottle of Reisui.
He could already imagine the moment the wooden cork was pulled—the rich, mellow aroma exploding into the air, the silky, multi-layered texture dancing on his tongue.
Compared to that, Hakutaku? That stuff was basically industrial alcohol mixed with soul-scorching fire. Aside from burning your throat and emptying your wallet, it was worthless!
Gulp. Mirai swallowed hard. Steeling his resolve, he reached into his robes and slammed a small cloth pouch onto the counter with such force that it nearly knocked over a neighbor's drink.
He poured out a pile of circular Kan coins, his finger tapping them one by one.
"1,000... 2,000... 3,000! A mere 3,000 Kan!" he shouted, trying to use volume to mask the poverty of his wallet.
But the price tag on the Reisui clearly stated: 8,000 Kan.
The 5,000 Kan gap hit him like a bucket of cold water. Gritting his teeth, his face instantly morphed into a fawning smile as he leaned closer to the owner.
"Boss, look... next month! As soon as the royalties from the Seireitei Bulletin arrive, I'll pay you back with interest—"
The owner looked troubled, his lips curling into a helpless arc. "5th Seat Yandera, it's not that I won't help you out. You've already run up a tab of 50,000 Kan in this shop." He lowered his voice. "We're a small business; we have to eat, too."
Then, his tone shifted. His eyes twinkled, and his smile became meaningful.
"However... you're not like other seated officers, Mirai-san. You're a famous best-selling author here in Junrinan! If you're willing... say, if you update three extra chapters in the Bulletin this week, I'll let you put another 5,000 Kan on the tab."
"Hiss—!" Mirai gasped, his eyes wide, his lips trembling.
"Three chapters?! Boss, you're asking for my life! Writing stories is exhausting work; it requires an explosion of inspiration! I drink to find my 'state'—don't you understand the struggle of artistic creation?!"
He held up a single index finger, his face grave. "One chapter! At most, I'll grit my teeth and give you one extra chapter this week! That is my bottom line!"
"Oh, is that so?" The owner's smile vanished instantly. He crossed his arms, returning to a cold, business-like mask. "In that case, that will be 8,000 Kan. Thank you for your patronage. Also, please ensure last month's debt is cleared by the next full moon."
"By the way," the owner added, "your Captain was just here looking for you."
Mirai's finger shook with rage as he pointed at the man, but he couldn't find the words. He was the one in the wrong, after all. He had been "on hiatus" (dragging his feet) for two weeks now. He'd talked to the boss about publishing a bound volume of his serialized work, but the Captain hadn't given the green light yet.
The measly royalties from the Seireitei Bulletin weren't nearly enough to support his taste for top-shelf sake. Especially since... he was actually stuck on a plot point. The story had reached a critical junction. If he went further, he'd start touching on subjects that might bring real trouble. He was genuinely hesitating about whether to continue the serialization...
"Oh my, isn't this 5th Seat Yandera?"
A voice—warm, mellow, and as soothing as a spring breeze through a bamboo grove—came from beside him.
Mirai turned and saw a young Shinigami with brown hair and black-rimmed glasses. He had a gentle face and a smile that made people feel instantly at ease. Behind the lenses, his eyes were calm and deep. Though he wore the standard attire of a recent Shin'ō Academy graduate, he couldn't hide his steady, refined aura.
It was Sosuke Aizen.
Aizen stepped forward gracefully and placed several high-denomination bills on the counter—exactly the price of the Reisui.
He smiled at Mirai, his tone humble. "Allow me to cover the tab. A good story, of course, requires the author to ponder deeply and experience life with a clear heart. I am a great admirer of your current serial, Mirai-san. If you don't mind, would you do me the honor of sitting down to share some sake and a conversation?"
Mirai didn't say a word. First, he grabbed the bottle of Reisui and pulled it into a protective hug. Only then did his face break into a wide grin.
"Aha! Aizen-kun! You're too kind! But... didn't you just graduate from the Academy? Where did you get this much money?"
Aizen chuckled softly. "You flatter me, 5th Seat. I take on odd jobs here and there. Consider this an 'investment' in the author Aikawa." (Note: Aikawa is the pen name or protagonist name in Mirai's book).
"I see, I see! Then I won't refuse!" Mirai nodded as if realizing something profound.
He couldn't wait. He popped the cork, took a deep, lung-filling sniff of the intoxicating aroma, and sighed in bliss before quickly resealing it. He glanced left and right like a thief, making sure no debt-collecting acquaintances or his Captain were in sight, then gestured toward the door.
"Too many eyes and ears here. Aizen-kun, come on. I know a better spot. Shall we?"
After all, the guy had just paid 5,000 Kan. It was only right to share a few cups.
Behind his glasses, Aizen's eyes flickered with a faint light, his smile becoming a fraction more genuine. "It would be my pleasure."
The two of them walked to the bank of a small river flowing through Junrinan and sat on the stone steps beneath a weeping willow.
Mirai pulled two small ceramic cups from heaven-knows-where, carefully opened the sake, and poured a full measure for Aizen.
Aizen accepted it graciously. They shared a look and clinked their cups.
"Cheers!"
"Please."
Mirai downed his in one go, feeling the rich liquid slide down his throat like a warm stream of Reishi, spreading through his limbs and bringing a blissful buzz.
"Hah—! This is what real sake tastes like! That Hakutaku stuff is basically industrial cleaner!"
After three rounds, the atmosphere was harmonious. Aizen looked at Mirai with a burning intensity and finally cut to the chase.
"To be honest, 5th Seat, I have been a loyal reader since my days at the Academy. Especially The Loneliness and Arrogance of the Genius Boy—it is truly magnificent."
He paused to choose his words. The protagonist of that book, "Aikawa," had a way of thinking, a set of struggles, and a method of solving problems that overlapped almost perfectly with Aizen's own internal world. It was a literary reflection of his soul.
If he weren't certain it was a work of fiction, he would have suspected someone was peeking into his mind and writing it down.
At first, he wondered if Yandera Mirai had a Zanpakuto with the ability to see the future or write destiny. But after several "chance encounters" and tests during his school years, he found that Mirai seemed to have no such special power. He was simply building a world for a genius through sheer insight and imagination.
And that made Aizen even more... delighted.
He had finally found an intellectual "soulmate." It turned out the Seireitei wasn't entirely populated by the mediocre. As a fellow genius, perhaps Sosuke Aizen would not have to be alone forever.
Of course, in terms of raw power, Aizen—who had reached Captain-level strength while still a student—far surpassed the 5th Seat before him. But in the realm of thought, Aizen viewed Mirai as an equal. That was far rarer than an equal in strength.
"Lately, the plot has reached a turning point," Aizen said with a smile. "Now that Aikawa has reached the limit of his power and seen the barrier before him, how will he choose to cut his way forward?"
Mirai chuckled and filled his own cup again, muttering inwardly:
Duh! The story is literally based on your life path. Of course it's exciting!
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