Mirai stood where he was. He gave the Shiba residence one last look and prepared to turn around and leave.
The root of the chaos spreading through Rukongai was the power vacuum left after the Shiba family gave up its place among the Five Great Noble Houses. Those upper nobles and powerful factions that believed they were qualified were now fighting fiercely over that empty seat.
He did not want to get dragged into that mess at all.
"Yo, isn't this Mirai? What are you doing here?"
A familiar voice with an easy smile sounded from behind him.
Mirai let out a silent sigh. The gap in strength was still obvious. He had not noticed at all when Shihōin Yoruichi appeared.
He turned around, his expression unchanged. "I am on patrol, making sure the noble conflict does not spill over and harm the civilians of Rukongai."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Shiba residence in front of him. "Are you here to visit someone, Yoruichi?"
Yoruichi crossed her arms, wearing a relaxed smile, as if she had just slipped away from something annoying. "Yeah, I came to see Kūkaku, and I figured I could get some peace and quiet while I was at it."
As she spoke, she walked forward and casually grabbed Mirai's wrist, pulling him toward the Shiba family's front gate. "Some people in the squad keep trying to make me support this person or that person. It's a pain."
Mirai followed as she pulled him along. He went with her, but he was still puzzled. "Then why not just support someone? If the Shihōin family gains an ally with a seat among the Great Noble Houses, wouldn't that make things easier later?"
"Tch." Yoruichi gave a cold snort and slowed slightly. "Those people act humble and beg for support now, but the moment they sit in that position, they change immediately. Great Nobles? They're nothing but trouble."
She turned her head and looked at Mirai, her tone becoming more serious. "Mirai, the twists inside noble politics are a hundred times more complicated than the novels you write. My father once said that no matter how much noise there is outside, the Shihōin family should just follow the path they believe is right. Nothing else matters."
Mirai's heart stirred slightly. Yoruichi's father, Shihōin Chika, was not only the former head of the Shihōin family, but also one of the veteran figures who helped Captain-Commander Yamamoto establish the original Gotei 13. His status, strength, and prestige were all beyond question.
With words like that from Shihōin Chika behind her, Yoruichi truly had the standing to stay above the conflict and do as she pleased. In all of Soul Society's noble circles, she was probably the only one who could live so freely. Even someone as carefree as Shunsui Kyōraku still had to deal with many things behind the scenes.
While talking, the two arrived at the front of the Shiba house. Yoruichi did not knock. She simply pushed the heavy wooden door open and pulled Mirai inside as she raised her voice and shouted, "Kūkaku! I came to see you!"
"Yoruichi!"
A girl with a black ponytail, only seven or eight years old, ran out from the inner room like a gust of wind. Smiling brightly, she jumped straight into Yoruichi's arms.
Yoruichi laughed and rubbed the girl's head hard. "Yo! You've grown, Kūkaku! You're heavier now!"
Mirai stood just inside the doorway, his gaze quickly sweeping across the room. Unlike the rough and unusual look of the outside, the inside was simple and clean. It had none of the old decorations, luxury items, or forced elegance common in noble residences. The furniture was practical, and the space was open. If he had not known this was the Shiba house, he might have thought it was just a somewhat larger ordinary home. That plain style matched the Shiba family's decision to step down.
"Mirai, don't just stand there. Come sit." Yoruichi, still holding Kūkaku, sat down on the floor beside the low table in the center of the room and waved at him.
Mirai walked over and sat across from her. Kūkaku peeked out from Yoruichi's arms and looked at Mirai with curiosity. Mirai met her gaze and gave her a calm, polite smile. Kūkaku's face turned a little red, and she quickly hid again in Yoruichi's arms.
"Hahaha!" Yoruichi laughed even harder. Then she raised her voice toward the inner room. "Kaien! Come out and pour some tea! We have a guest!"
Slide.
The door leading to the inner courtyard opened, and Shiba Kaien appeared in the doorway with a helpless look. He was holding the hand of a young boy, only three or four years old, and the boy was trying to pull free.
"In the middle of the night, why are you here again..." His complaint stopped halfway when he saw Mirai sitting across from Yoruichi. His voice cut off, and his expression froze for a moment.
A few seconds later, he set the still-struggling boy, Shiba Ganju, down on the floor and gave him a light pat to send him off to play. Then he straightened his clothes, walked over to Mirai, and gave him a serious bow.
"Fifth Seat Mirai, the words I said and the attitude I showed on the battlefield in the World of the Living were offensive. I am truly sorry." His tone was completely sincere.
Mirai stayed seated and only gave a calm nod. "Third Seat Shiba, there is no need to worry about it. I did not take it to heart."
His expression did not change. Back when Shiba Kaien had shown some hostility toward him in the World of the Living, Mirai had guessed at two possibilities. One was the natural judgment and bias a noble might have toward a talented commoner. The other was simple rivalry or jealousy. But seeing Shiba Kaien apologize this openly, neither of those guesses seemed right.
Shiba Kaien seemed to let out a breath of relief. He sat down beside Mirai with a helpless look. "Actually... most of this is Lady Yoruichi's fault. She used to bring you up in front of me all the time. She kept saying your strength was impressive, your talent was outstanding, and that I was no match for you."
He spread his hands, sounding very helpless. "Usually, I could just listen and let it pass. But after hearing the same thing more than a hundred times, anyone would start to feel annoyed, right? So when I saw you in the World of the Living, I could not help wanting to nitpick and see exactly where you were so 'strong.' Looking back now, it was really childish."
Mirai slowly turned his head and looked at Yoruichi, who was still playing with Kūkaku.
So it was you. You've been making me a target this whole time.
"What are you looking at?" Yoruichi met his gaze and raised an eyebrow. "You don't actually think you're weak, do you?" She pulled Kūkaku closer. "Or do you think I'm weak, so my judgment does not count?"
Mirai had no answer. After knowing Yoruichi for decades and sparring with her many times in private, the person who understood his strength most clearly, aside from himself, was probably Yoruichi.
As for Yoruichi's strength, with Second-Class Spiritual Pressure at captain level, she was among the strongest even within the thirteen captains. If you also counted the Shihōin family's hidden weapons, her place in combat rankings would likely rise even higher.
"Nothing to say?" The pride on Yoruichi's face was obvious. She turned to Shiba Kaien and said, "Did this kid mostly use Kidō in the World of the Living? And did he use it in a pretty flashy way?"
Shiba Kaien thought for a moment, then nodded. "That is true. Fifth Seat Mirai's skill with Kidō, especially casting without incantations and modifying spells, was very impressive."
"Hahaha!" Yoruichi laughed. "That surface-level Kidō is not even his strongest point. Well, in one sense, you could still call it 'Kidō.'"
She said it in a vague way. Only after Mirai shot her two cold looks did she stop laughing, though the mischief in her eyes remained. She touched Kūkaku's hair and added, "But do not worry. Kūkaku is not an enemy."
"Come on, Lady Yoruichi," Shiba Kaien said with a bitter smile. "Does that mean Ganju and I are enemies, then?"
Mirai gave a slight nod. He understood that Yoruichi was speaking on behalf of the Shiba family, easing the mood and making her position clear so he would not hold onto the earlier issue. After thinking for a moment, he turned the conversation back to the main matter and asked in a steady voice:
"So, about this current chaos over the noble seat, how do you two think it will finally end?"
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