"Then tell me, what should I do. As long as it is something I can do, I will help," Yoruichi took a deep breath and made the promise in a heavy voice.
She did not know how to comfort the close friend in front of her, but she knew she had to take care of Sui Feng's matter properly.
As for what the Shiba family had suffered, she could only apologize, and in the future slowly repay this blood debt for Sui Feng.
"Very simple,", Rosse spoke up from the side to go along with it, saying casually, "Right now the Feng clan has already been liquidated. Only a few very distant collateral branches are left, but they still retain their noble status, and in name they are still a subordinate family of the Shihoin. You let the Shihoin publicly announce that Sui Feng is stripped of her noble status. Our Shiba family will then issue a statement to leave Sui Feng her final bit of dignity," On the surface, Rosse's demand did not seem excessive.
After all, it was just removing the name of a noble family that was already in ruins. It could not really be considered any trouble.
Although Yoruichi had stepped down from the position of clan head, as long as she showed her face at the Shihoin clan once, she could easily fulfill Rosse's request.
In reality, Yoruichi did not think too much about the deeper meaning behind it. Her hesitation was only about whether she should return to the Shihoin clan.
After all, if she went back to the Shihoin, she would have to reconnect with the family. At that point her whereabouts might not be able to be hidden anymore.
"Is there any problem?", Rosse asked out loud.
He did not really care about the demand itself, but like Shiba Kukaku had said, on the surface he had to be responsible to the people in Soul Society who supported him.
The private things Yoruichi had agreed to could not be put out in the open.
But if the Shihoin made a move first and then they stepped forward to clarify, it would be different.
That would only make the outside world think that the two families were cooperating to clear Sui Feng's name, and that it was just giving the Feng clan a final bit of dignity.
Of course, with the level of control Rosse currently had over Soul Society, he could completely skip this step, since no one could stand up and oppose him anymore.
And this matter also carried a bit of targeting toward Kyoraku Shunsui and the others, because quite a few people knew that it was Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro who had secretly pushed for Sui Feng to be labeled a Hueco Mundo spy.
But Rosse already had conflicts with Kyoraku and the others over the position of Captain Commander. Adding one more would not matter, and everyone would just see it as normal.
After all, on one side was Captain Commander Yamamoto's top disciple, on the other was the Acting Captain Commander. If you said there was no conflict between the two, the other captains would not believe it.
"No problem! No problem!"
Yoruichi did not dare hesitate any longer and quickly agreed.
This really was not difficult for her. It was just a matter of exposing her identity.
After hearing Shiba Kukaku's words, she felt that exposing her identity did not matter. After all, this was something Sui Feng owed the Shiba family, and she should repay it for her.
"Is that really enough? This will not make other people overthink it?"
Yoruichi asked with some uncertainty. She still did not see what connection there was between the Shihoin removing the Feng clan and clearing Sui Feng's name. Were those not two completely separate things?
Her battle intelligence was not bad, but when it came to the dirty dealings between clans, she really did not understand them.
And because she disliked all those twists and turns, she had so easily let go of the burden of being the Shihoin clan head.
To her, that was nothing but a shackle, with not the slightest feeling of ease.
"This is enough. Since you agree, whenever you release the statement, we will follow up here as well. As for Aizen's side of things, whenever he shows a flaw, that will be the time to prepare to kill him in one strike," Rosse nodded lightly, counting this as drawing a final line under this meeting.
After thanking them and apologizing several times, Yoruichi also quickly left the Shiba residence.
She had already gotten the answer she wanted. She could confirm that Rosse and Shiba Kukaku were on her side, and after some time she would be able to get justice for Sui Feng. That was already enough to satisfy her.
As for what she had paid, it was only some insignificant things.
All in all, she was very satisfied with this meeting.
After Yoruichi had completely left, Shiba Kukaku finally dropped the act she had been putting on. Her dim eyes looked in the direction Yoruichi had gone, her tone carrying a trace of confusion, "Do you think it is her who changed, or me?"
This exchange with Yoruichi had not been long, but because it was all serious matters, it instead made her feel something different.
She and Yoruichi had completely drifted apart.
Behind Yoruichi's seemingly carefree freedom was the blood of others as the price.
And after she herself grew up, she had completely lost that former carefree spirit. Whether in what she said or what she thought, it was all about interests now. She no longer had that purity from back then.
In truth, she herself knew the answer to her question.
Yoruichi had not changed. She was still as carefree as ever, still looking so worry free. For the sake of a bit of kindness in her heart, she would make a huge fuss and do some unbelievable things.
She had changed. She had changed so much that she could no longer agree with Yoruichi's ideals.
"If you want to be carefree, I can carry the burden for you. If you want to shoulder responsibility, I can walk forward together with you," Rosse glanced at Shiba Kukaku and gave her the answer she most wanted to hear.
There was no need for so much sentimental brooding. It was just because she was idle.
Some time ago, when she was almost crushed by pressure, Shiba Kukaku had cried and vented, but she had never hesitated.
If one could keep moving forward, who would choose to stand still?
"I was thinking too much," Shiba Kukaku smiled. The smile was very bright, but it was not the smile of a young girl. It was the gentle smile of a married woman.
Yes, there was no going back. But why cling to the past?
That kind of carefree life in the past had only existed because someone was carrying the burden for her.
Now she also had someone who could carry the burden for her, but after going through so many changes, how could she bear to let the person willing to give so much for her still stand alone in front, shielding her from wind and rain?
She should completely wake up from that little girl's dream.
She was no longer the Shiba Kukaku of the past, nor was she the close friend in Yoruichi's eyes from back then.
The current her only had family in her heart, only the people she loved and who loved her.
"Husband," Shiba Kukaku looked at Rosse with hazy eyes, gazing at him with affection.
Whenever her emotions were off, she wanted Rosse to properly comfort her.
And every time like this, Rosse naturally would not refuse.
Walking up and pulling Shiba Kukaku's exaggeratedly curvy body into his arms, Rosse lowered his head and firmly kissed Shiba Kukaku on her red lips.
Shiba Kukaku also gave her most intense response, wrapping her arms tightly around Rosse, as if she wanted to press him into her own body.
Today's Yoruichi had given her a huge emotional wound.
At this moment, she wanted Rosse to help her recharge.
[T/N: There's a monthly discount ongoing on my P@treon page for the next three days. You can get 20% off on your membership. Enjoy~
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