Watching Toshiro's figure disappear from her sight, Nel continued to stare blankly in the direction he had left.
"Nel, let's go too."
A long time passed before Pesche couldn't help but speak up.
"Oh."
Nel nodded, but still remained standing without moving.
"Nel, don't worry. Didn't Toshiro say you'd meet again someday? So let's head back now," Pesche urged again.
"Yeah, Toshiro and I pinky swore. So we'll definitely meet again someday," Nel said, clenching her little fist to cheer herself up.
Although a pinky swear might seem childish, for a child, it was a very sacred thing. Once done, the promised thing must be fulfilled.
"Then, come on up, Nel."
Pesche stood on Bawabawa and extended a hand to Nel, wanting to pull her up.
"No need, Pesche. We won't ride Bawabawa back," Nel shook her head.
Hearing this, Bawabawa immediately looked pitiful, thinking its owner was rejecting it.
"Bawabawa, you misunderstand. I just want to play Infinite Hide-and-Seek with everyone and run back," Nel comforted, patting Bawabawa's big head.
"Is that so?"
Hearing Nel's words, Pesche and Dondochakka also jumped down from Bawabawa.
"Alright! Then, Pesche, Dondochakka, Bawabawa, come chase me!"
Nel shouted, then dashed back in the direction they came from, her little legs pumping.
"Waahh ahhh ahh!"
Like before when playing Infinite Hide-and-Seek, Nel ran while shouting and screaming.
Watching Nel's energetic demeanor, no longer as downcast as when she parted with Toshiro, Pesche and Dondochakka couldn't help but exchange a smile, then started running after her, along with Bawabawa.
Pesche: "Hahaha! Nel, you can't escape!"
Dondochakka: "Ho ho ho! Nel, when we catch you, we'll teach you a lesson!"
Pesche and Dondochakka chased while letting out crafty laughter. Anyone unaware would definitely think two big villains were chasing a cute little loli.
Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force Camp.
When Toshiro returned with Ashido, he saw many people in the camp preparing food! And they were preparing a lot, even including alcohol.
Although cooking and eating were normal… after all, while ordinary souls didn't need to eat and could survive on water alone, for souls with Reiryoku, food was still necessary, so Shinigami eating was normal.
But because the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force was in a place with inconvenient communication with the Soul Society and difficult resupply, they tried to conserve food as much as possible, rarely being this extravagant. Especially alcohol… since being drunk could lead to mistakes, although not banned, few drank it.
But this time, Toshiro found everyone enthusiastically preparing lavish food, as if planning a banquet.
The corps commanders were also busy like ordinary Shinigami.
"Hey, Ando, Amagai, what's going on?" Toshiro walked over and asked.
"Oh, Commander Hitsugaya, you're back!"
Ando and the other corps commanders quickly stood up upon seeing Toshiro.
"Yeah, I finished what I needed to do, so I came back," Toshiro nodded.
"By the way, what are you preparing all this food and alcohol for? Although we can resupply after the Senkaimon connecting to the Soul Society is built, preparing some good food to reward everyone is fine. But you shouldn't drink alcohol," Toshiro frowned.
After the Senkaimon connecting to the Soul Society was built, Toshiro would return to the Soul Society, and the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force could use the opportunity to resupply. So shortages weren't a concern.
Ando scratched his head and laughed, "It's like this, Commander Hitsugaya. You're returning to the Soul Society, right? So everyone wanted to hold a banquet to see you off."
Amagai also said, "Commander Hitsugaya, your timing is perfect. We were almost ready. If you hadn't returned, we'd have had to hold the farewell party tomorrow. But that would have been a bit rushed."
Previously, the order from the Soul Society was for him to return in three days. Tomorrow was the day Toshiro would return to the Soul Society. Holding a farewell banquet tomorrow would indeed be a bit tight.
"A farewell banquet?"
Seeing everyone's sincere enthusiasm, Toshiro couldn't bring himself to refuse.
"A banquet is fine. But no alcohol. Otherwise, if anyone gets drunk and something happens, we wouldn't be able to respond in time," Toshiro said after thinking.
"Eh! No alcohol?!"
Hearing Toshiro forbid drinking, except for Amagai, the other corps commanders immediately looked miserable.
Besides Amagai, the other corps commanders loved to drink. But as commanders, they had to lead by example. To avoid mistakes due to drinking, they had been restraining themselves. This time, they wanted to take the opportunity of Toshiro's farewell banquet to drink to their heart's content. Never expected Toshiro to forbid it.
"Commander, sir, I've already arranged people to guard the camp. Nothing will happen. Please be merciful and let us have a little drink," Ando said, looking pitifully at Toshiro.
Toshiro felt a chill. "Ando, could you not be so disgusting?!"
If a pretty girl acted pitiful, fine. But Ando, a big, burly man, acting pitiful nearly made Toshiro sick.
"Oh, right, Commander Hitsugaya, who is this? Doesn't seem to be from our Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force," Amagai suddenly asked, looking at Ashido behind Toshiro.
After entering the camp, Ashido had been following Toshiro. Everyone assumed Ashido was from one of the corps, following Toshiro on some business, so they hadn't paid attention.
But Amagai suddenly realized there didn't seem to be such a person in the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force.
Although the expeditionary force wasn't small, everyone had been together for at least two years. Even if they couldn't recall names, they would have some impression. There shouldn't be a complete stranger.
Hearing Amagai, the others also realized and looked at Ashido warily, worried he might be an enemy who had infiltrated the camp.
"Heh, Amagai, you're wrong this time. Ashido is indeed part of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force. Moreover, he's your senior," Toshiro laughed.
"Oh?" Everyone was astonished.
"Let me formally introduce him," Toshiro said.
"This is Ashido, the first Commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force," Toshiro announced to everyone.