In the end, after finishing our talk at Squad 6 yesterday, I returned to Squad 4.
I definitely, definitely didn't give in to the pleading gazes of my subordinates! I'm telling you, that wasn't it!
Now that a night has passed, I finish the morning briefings and handle the tasks that require immediate approval before heading to the kitchen.
Because of our location, there are people working there to prepare meals for the inpatients, so I start my work in a corner to stay out of their way.
"...Mm, perfect. Everything looks good."
Next, I lightly taste the dishes I had started preparing yesterday after I got back, confirming there are no issues with the meat or fish.
Alright, preparation is complete.
Let's get this done quickly.
What am I making? Well, bento boxes, obviously.
It's a gift for Ichigo Kurosaki, who is likely going through a rough time right now. I thought I'd at least let him eat something delicious.
Because of that, I'm making food using the technique Kirio Hikifune taught me to infuse food with spiritual pressure.
It's that special cooking that makes your body sturdy and strong when you eat it.
'A handmade bento from a girl! Man, I'm jealous of Ichigo Kurosaki!!'
'A... girl...? ...??'
'...Oh! You mean me.'
'My Lord!?'
'Sorry, sorry. I totally thought you were talking about Orihime Inoue. I mean, for a protagonist, that would be the "correct" scenario, wouldn't it?'
'But she's technically a prisoner right now... Once she's released, she can make him enough food to make his stomach burst.'
"Wait... which one was she?"
I realize something while stuffing sushi rice into the fried tofu skins that had been soaking in flavor overnight.
Now that I think about it, was Orihime Inoue the type of heroine who is good at cooking? Or was she the type whose cooking is a disaster for her husband?
...Let's see... in my memory...
'Leeks! Butter! Bananas!!'
'What was that!? What's gotten into you suddenly, Nubatama!?'
'That is Orihime Inoue's shopping list, my Lord.'
'Eh? What could she possibly make with—oh, I remember now! She really was buying those!!'
'Any of them would be delicious as individual items!! ...As long as they remain "individual," that is...'
'That's right, you saying that brought back more memories.'
'I feel like I remember her calling white bread and red bean paste a "bento"... Wait, so she is the disaster-cook heroine...?'
'Stay strong, Ichigo Kurosaki...'
'But if he can have Orihime Inoue as his wife, wouldn't that make up for it!?'
'I suppose so. Never mind, Ichigo Kurosaki. Just become a fine Soul Reaper so that Assistant Captain Kenpachi Zaraki takes a liking to you. It would be even more wonderful if Captain Retsu Unohana liked you too.'
"High school boys have huge appetites, so I should probably make more... I'm sure others will eat too, so I might as well..."
Setting that aside.
Deciding that too much is better than not enough, I busily pack the food into multi-layered lacquer boxes. It was then—
"Captain... do you have a moment...?"
"Oh, Isane Kotetsu."
When I turn around at the sound of a voice from behind, Isane Kotetsu is standing there.
What's more, she has a very serious, brooding expression on her face.
"You came at the right time. Here, say ahhh."
"Wha—!? Ah, ahhh..."
I pop a slice of thick sushi roll into Isane Kotetsu's mouth.
"Is it good?"
"Mmph..."
Yes, she has a very happy look on her face. This should be fine.
Thick rolls are great... they're filled with egg, cucumber, and shiitake mushrooms. I even put in conger eel and regular eel.
Vinegar is good for a tired body, so I'm sure Ichigo Kurosaki will like it too.
"I made plenty of these thick rolls. Share them with everyone for lunch."
"!! !!"
I also have something sweet for dessert.
I decided on matcha pudding. I served it at Chojiro Sasakibe's tea party the other day and it was well-received, so I'm sure they'll like it.
'My Lord looks just like a young maiden bringing a bento to her boyfriend...'
'I-It's not like that! Don't get the wrong idea!!'
'Though maybe I should have prepared some dango shaped like a skull...?'
"...Ha!! !!, !"
"Chew first, chew first. You still have food in your mouth."
Isane Kotetsu, who had been happily savoring the food, suddenly became agitated.
What happened? That's bad manners.
I couldn't help but poke her cheek. Yep, it's soft.
"Gulp... Phew. Thank you for the food."
"You're very welcome. The thick rolls are over there with the inari sushi, so let everyone know before lunch."
"Yes! ...Wait, no!!!!"
It's wonderful when words are actually intelligible.
"Captain... I, I'm worried... I'm afraid that Ryoka might hurt you. Besides, that Ryoka was staying with Squad 13, right?"
"Y-Yes. That's right..."
"I started thinking that maybe something has already been done to Kiyone Kotetsu, and it's making me so anxious... I'm afraid something might happen to you too, Captain..."
Ah. She's worried about things like slow-acting poisons.
She thinks the kind face is just an act, and that behind the scenes, he's steadily setting things up to use and manipulate each Soul Reaper.
She's brooded over it so much that she couldn't just sit still.
...Wait? Wasn't there a Soul Reaper somewhere doing exactly that?
'Is it the glasses-wearing Captain of Squad 5, or the twin-tailed Captain of Squad 4? I wonder which one you mean, my Lord...?'
"Not just that... there are even rumors that the Ryoka is trying to settle a hundred-year-old grudge for Kisuke Urahara! If that's true... if anything happened to you, Captain... I'm so worried..."
Yeah, I know about that. It was a topic at the Captains' Council too.
I see, so it's already reached the level of rumors among the rank-and-file...
...Still, Momo Hinamori must surely know those rumors, yet I wonder why she was getting along so well with Orihime Inoue...?
Is it compatibility? Or is it the power of the airheaded atmosphere Orihime Inoue carries...?
"I see. I'm sorry, Isane Kotetsu. For making you worry..."
"Ah... C-Captain..."
Let's set the matter of Momo Hinamori aside for now. I have to put Isane Kotetsu at ease first.
So, I gently embrace her to calm her heart.
...Oh! Of course, I wiped my hands clean first.
"But you see... it's only for now, just a little longer... Would you put up with my selfishness? Please?"
"Ah... nn... y-yes... but only for a little longer, okay...?"
Continuing, I look into her eyes and gently stroke her cheek.
The downside is that I'm shorter than Isane Kotetsu. It's frustrating that I can't quite pull off the cool look.
However, it seems to have been incredibly effective; Isane Kotetsu nodded weakly, her face turning bright red.
"Um... Captain... if, and this is just a 'what if', okay? If I ended up like Rukia Kuchiki... would you save me?"
"Of course. What are you saying? If you were put in that position, I'd save you even if I had to wipe out Central 46 and crush the Shrines of Penitence and the Sokyoku into dust."
"Fue...!"
Isane Kotetsu turned red all the way to her ears.
Even her pale neck was flushed crimson, and thanks to the hug, I could feel her racing heartbeat.
At any rate.
Thanks to this persuasion, I managed to get Isane Kotetsu's permission.
'What you are doing is exactly like a homewrecker seducing a woman... Alas, where has my pure and lovely Lord gone... Oh, woe is me.'
Also, given the location. There were squad members working at the scene. They saw everything from start to finish.
Apparently, some slightly "pink" rumors started spreading, but it's probably not a problem.
Well then, let's go see how Ichigo Kurosaki is doing.
---
"! ...I can't go on...!!"
7th Seat Yamada clung to me with a face like a zombie.
For this kid, who usually doesn't stand out, to assert himself this much, things must have been pretty dire.
As soon as I show my face, this happens. It really dampens the mood...
"I'm sorry. But could you hold on just a little bit longer?"
", ...!!"
Oh, he fainted.
"Captain Yukawa? I don't think it's very kind to push your subordinates too hard."
"My apologies, Captain Unohana. I thought he could handle it... it seems my assessment was naive."
As I say that, I glance over at another spot, and there I see Ichigo Kurosaki engaged in a fierce struggle with Ikkaku Madarame.
Even though Ikkaku Madarame hasn't even used his Shikai yet, he looks a bit flustered. I'd guess he's fighting with about seventy percent of his total spiritual pressure. Right now, he'd probably have a great match against the Renji Abarai from the World of the Living.
...My assessment was naive. I didn't expect him to grow this quickly...
'By "assessment," you meant that... Poor Hanataro Yamada...'
I thought 7th Seat Yamada would be fine replenishing Ichigo Kurosaki's lost spiritual pressure a few times. Well, it can't be helped. We'll have to let him suffer just a little longer.
"More importantly, I brought some snacks. Why don't we take a break soon? I want to hear how Ichigo Kurosaki is doing too."
"Oh, that sounds lovely. Let's do that."
"Eh! What what!? Is it maybe Airin's bento!! Yay!! We did it, Kenny!! It's a bento!! It's delicious!!"
The moment I mentioned food, 3rd Seat Kusajishi bit.
I understand the feeling of not being able to wait, but don't open it yet.
"Hey, Ikkaku Madarame! Ichigo Kurosaki too!! I brought snacks, so let's take a break!"
"Oh, isn't it Captain Yukawa. Nice, that helps a lot. Alright Ichigo Kurosaki, let's take a breather."
Ikkaku Madarame stopped, but it seems Ichigo Kurosaki is still fired up.
"Hah!? What are you talking about! I've finally gotten to the point where I can fight you! From here—"
"Just come here! You're gonna eat too!"
"—Daaaagh!! Ow ow ow ow!! Let go! I get it, so don't grab my hair!!"
Ah, since he's been moving around so much, the sweat has washed away the ink, and his orange hair is almost completely exposed.
Since Ikkaku Madarame grabbed that hair, his hands are now stained black too.
"Here, Ikkaku Madarame. Your hands are dirty, so wash them with this! Ichigo Kurosaki, I dampened a towel, so wipe yourself down with this! 3rd Seat Kusajishi, not yet. Only after those two have washed their hands!"
"Right."
"Heh, oh, thanks..."
"Chee... I'm hungry... it's fine now, right Airin!"
So, once everyone's preparations were complete—yes. The unveiling.
"""Ooooooooooh!!"""
"As always, everything except your swordsmanship is magnificent."
"Heh, looks even tastier than usual."
"Now that I think about it, it has been quite a while since I've had Airi Yukawa's cooking."
"Ugh... I want to eat... but my appetite... I'm hungry but..."
Seeing them so happy makes the effort of cooking truly worthwhile.
Yoruichi Shihoin also made a sudden appearance. I knew she was in Squad 11 because I got a message from Byakuya Kuchiki yesterday saying he "left the cat behind."
And 7th Seat Yamada? If you don't eat, you'll end up being carried back to Squad 4.
"There's plenty of food, so please don't hesita—"
"It's chow time!!"
"Hey, you! I was aiming for that!!"
"Ehehe, Baldy's too slow! Finders keepers!"
"Stop with that nickname!"
"—te... I guess I didn't even need to say it."
The two of them started eating with incredible intensity.
Perhaps overwhelmed by that momentum, Ichigo Kurosaki froze. Even though he was cheering "Oooooh" just a moment ago.
"Here, Ichigo Kurosaki. Go ahead. I heard that boys in the World of the Living like this kind of thing."
"A-Ah... thanks, Yukawa. It definitely is full of my favorites... and man, this looks seriously good..."
"This might sound like I'm playing favorites, but I guarantee the taste. Look."
Captain Unohana pointed toward—
"Mmmmmm!! My mouth is so happy!!"
"Ah, this is great! Is this all that's left of this one!?"
"Mmu... delicious... the difference between this and my previous meals is like night and day..."
"I see, I'm convinced. I'm eating too!!"
Seeing 3rd Seat Kusajishi, Ikkaku Madarame—and one animal—he realized that standing still was pointless. Another participant joined the food scramble.
Sigh, I'm very happy they're enjoying it, but I wish they'd savor it a bit more...
I worked hard on that meat with a pressure cooker! The flavor is really soaked in!!
The fried chicken! The tempura! The simmered dishes! The teriyaki!
That salad uses a tomato as a bowl! And since the tomatoes are homegrown by Squad 4, savor them properly!! I worked hard picking off the side shoots to make them sweet!!
"Well then, shall we eat as well? Kenpachi Zaraki."
"Yeah."
"I-I'll have some too..."
And just like that, the boxes I prepared were emptied in an instant. Looking at this, I could probably have prepared twice as much without any problem.
"Ichigo Kurosaki, how was the taste?"
"Yeah, it was incredibly good."
Currently, we are in the middle of post-meal dessert.
...Ah! 3rd Seat Kusajishi! Don't eat them all at once!! I only prepared five for you!! Don't take other people's!!
"I'm glad to hear that. But while the taste is one thing, I guarantee the effects too."
"Effects...? What are you talking about?"
"I guess Ichigo Kurosaki wouldn't know. Her cooking makes you stronger when you eat it."
"Haaaah!! Soul Society has such convenient items!?"
"They actually do, so what can you do? Apparently, if you do something with spiritual pressure while cooking, it heals wounds and reinforces you."
Ikkaku Madarame pretty much explained it.
But calling it a "convenient item" is rude!! I refined an amazing technique taught to me by former Captain Hikifune! It takes time, effort, and spiritual pressure!
"It's nothing to be that surprised about."
Just as I was thinking that, Assistant Captain Kenpachi Zaraki spoke up.
"When you're hungry, you eat. You turn the food you ate into flesh and blood. That makes you stronger, and then you can enjoy even more interesting fights. There's nothing strange about it."
What he's saying is perfectly logical... if you exclude the part about fighting.
His appearance, wearing a fearless smile, was like a beast hungry for blood—wait, isn't he actually hungry for blood? I get the impression his frustration is on the verge of exploding...
"So that's how it is. You eat up and get strong quickly. Then make it so you can do what you did back then whenever you want, and entertain me."
"O-Oh..."
...Ah, it looks like my guess was right.
The current Ichigo Kurosaki isn't enough to be his opponent yet. But just watching Ichigo Kurosaki grow stronger is a huge test of his patience. That's probably it.
I'm sure it's not because 3rd Seat Kusajishi already finished his pudding and that's why he's irritated.
"Indeed... I need Kurosaki-san to get stronger as quickly as possible, or I might also..."
...Ah, there's another one here... someone else who looks like they might explode...
"Yoruichi Shihoin, are you teaching him Bankai or anything like that?"
"In a manner of speaking. He should have the concept hammered into his body by now, and I'm having him commune with his Zanpakuto in the intervals... but..."
Hmm... should Bankai training be the priority, or should improving his base strength come first...? It's a difficult choice...
"...By the way. What is the meaning of this?"
"Eh, can't you tell by looking? Don't worry, it's very stretchy."
"That is not what I am asking!!"
While thinking, I had put a collar on Yoruichi Shihoin, but she didn't seem to appreciate it.
What was wrong with it...?
The design?
The color?
Or was it that it says "Assistant Captain of Squad 2. If found, please contact Soifon" on the collar...?
"Soifon asked me to 'find you.' That's why. Or should I contact her right now—"
"Well, I suppose it cannot be helped. It doesn't seem to be in the way, so do as you wish."
She seemed to accept it.
Now, let's get one more person to accept things.
"Phew, I'm stuffed. That was seriously delicious! Thanks, Yukawa!"
"Not at all, you're very welcome."
Ichigo Kurosaki looks full and happy, overflowing with satisfaction.
"By the way, Ichigo Kurosaki. Since you enjoyed it so much, this is very hard to say, but..."
"W-What is it...?"
"Squad 4's meals aren't free for anyone outside the Gotei 13... There's a fee... Do you have any money?"
The moment I brought it up so seriously, Ichigo Kurosaki froze.
"Money!? I don't have any money!!"
"I thought so... well, I guess you'll just have to pay with your body... is that okay?"
"Eh, w-with my body!?"
When I asked that while leaning in close on all fours, for some reason, Ichigo Kurosaki's face turned pink.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]