Shinigami: Medicine Can't Save The Soul Reaper Society

It was apparent that, despite having countless beautiful maids in the household, Byakuya's peculiar sense of aesthetics seemed utterly unable to resist the plea of this 'spring onion head-looking' girl.

Thus, after Byakuya inquired about Hisana's younger sister's whereabouts, and under Hisana's guidance, he and Makoto headed toward what Hisana called her "home."

If one could even call a place without a roof or walls a home.

This was clearly an utterly abandoned house, far more dilapidated than the one Gin Ichimaru and Rangiku Matsumoto lived in.

Next, the petite Hisana squeezed herself into a gap no more than thirty centimeters between the floor and the ground. Moments later, she emerged, carefully cradling a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.

This scene delivered an unprecedented shock to Byakuya, who had grown up in a noble household. Stunned, he asked,

"You... live in this gap?"

"Yes, but rest assured, noble lord. Rukia is still healthy. I've filled the gap with plenty of old clothes and the like to keep it warm," Hisana replied nervously.

At that moment, Byakuya gazed deeply into Hisana's eyes, remaining silent for a long time. Then, he turned and started walking toward the Seireitei, saying only,

"Follow me."

His seemingly contradictory behavior left Hisana bewildered, unable to grasp his true intentions.

Seeing this, Makoto gently reassured her,

"Don't worry. Byakuya's just a very stubborn guy. Just follow along."

"Yes, Shinigami-sama," Hisana said, exhaling a breath of relief. She held Rukia tightly and followed Byakuya and Makoto.

Walking alongside Byakuya, Makoto quietly asked,

"Byakuya, are you planning to take Hisana back to the Kuchiki household?"

Byakuya nodded silently, as if already resolute.

"I advise against it," Makoto said.

Byakuya looked at his friend in surprise, frowning. "I can persuade my father and grandfather. This is a decision I've made of my own will."

Makoto shook his head and held up five fingers.

"If she lives in the Kuchiki household, she won't survive more than five years."

"Why? Will someone harm her?" Byakuya demanded.

Makoto glanced around at the desolate surroundings of the Rukongai district and sighed.

"Do you know why captain-level Shinigami are forbidden from using their Bankai in the Soul Society without permission, and why both Vice-Captain and Captain-level Shinigami must suppress their spiritual pressure when entering the human world?"

"To prevent large-scale destruction?" Byakuya replied.

"That's only part of the reason," Makoto said after a pause.

"The more critical reason is that excessively strong spiritual pressure, even when unconsciously released, can exert oppressive force and harm those with lower spiritual pressure. For someone like Hisana, who has no spiritual power at all, prolonged exposure to high-intensity spiritual pressure would cause her soul to disintegrate."

This truth became apparent to Makoto not long after he began studying healing arts under Retsu Unohana.

While such notions weren't officially discussed in the Seireitei, the relationship between spiritual bodies, spiritual energy, and spiritual pressure often correlated strongly.

Residents of the Rukongai, who had no spiritual energy or pressure, inherently had fragile spiritual bodies. Prolonged exposure to intense spiritual pressure could lead to various issues with their souls.

Thus, while Makoto deeply sympathized with the residents of the Rukongai, he also understood why the nobility and Shinigami were concentrated in the Seireitei, with the Sekkiseki walls isolating the two areas. In some sense, it was to protect the Rukongai residents from further harm.

Byakuya's pupils constricted at this revelation, and he froze in place.

Makoto sighed in exasperation.

For once, his warning wasn't meant to quash Byakuya's budding infatuation but was a genuine act of friendship.

In the original timeline, Hisana had married Byakuya and passed away early. This was very likely due to the same reason, as no illness would be incurable with the Kuchiki family's resources.

What Makoto didn't expect was Byakuya's solemn response:

"Makoto, is there any way to solve this problem?"

Sensing the faint hint of romantic tension, Makoto raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, are you serious, Byakuya? You've only just met her!"

"There are things you wouldn't understand," Byakuya replied earnestly, instantly breaking through Makoto's mental defenses.

Makoto glanced back at the spring onion head-looking hisana trailing behind them.

Ah, right, I really don't understand this weakness for spring onion heads…

And one that's practically a walking flat-screen tablet, too.

Suppressing a twitch in his mouth, Makoto relented,

"Fine. Give me some time. I'll try to figure something out."

"Thank you, Makoto," Byakuya said sincerely.

"Don't think the problem's solved yet. I doubt Captain Ginrei Kuchiki and Vice-Captain Sojun Kuchiki would approve of you, the future head of the Kuchiki family, marrying a powerless Rukongai resident," Makoto reminded him.

On the surface, it would damage the Kuchiki family's reputation as paragons of nobility. In the long run, Hisana's lack of spiritual energy might affect the family's bloodline.

Caught off guard, Byakuya stiffened and said,

"Who said…I am marrying her? I just… pity her. Besides, I happen to need a maid. That's all. Marriage… is clearly too early."

"Indeed," Makoto agreed, nodding solemnly. "You still need to grow a bit, Byakuya."

??!!

Kuchiki Byakuya.

The next moment, Byakuya drew his sword without hesitation and slashed at Makoto.

But Makoto, prepared, vanished in an instant, reappearing ten meters away with a grin.

"Ah, did I hit a nerve, revealing something unspeakable in your heart?"

"Nonsense! Slandering the Kuchiki heir with baseless accusations is a grave offense!" Byakuya barked angrily.

"How do you know it's baseless? What if I confirmed it?" Makoto countered.

???

Byakuya.

"When… when did you confirm it? And how?" Byakuya stammered, pointing with a trembling finger.

"With my eyes, of course—your height and build…"

Byakuya froze, his expression stiff, while Makoto continued.

"Why, what did you think I meant? Our esteemed Kuchiki noble, Byakuya-sama?"

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