The Arrangement of Byakuya and Rukia  

"Really? Uncle Ailin?" Hisana Kuchiki was overjoyed.

Moments ago, upon learning of her sister's existence, Hisana had contemplated asking Byakuya to care for Rukia after her passing.

However, the thought of burdening Byakuya with such a request weighed heavily on her.

Although her life was nearing its end, and she felt justified in imposing this responsibility on Byakuya to atone for abandoning Rukia years ago, Hisana still wished to remain Byakuya's flawless "white moonlight."

Now, with Ailin's words, she could finally let go of her worries. Even without her protection, as Ailin's disciple, Rukia's future would be far brighter than her own.

"Thank you, thank you, Uncle Ailin..."

"There's no need to thank me so soon," Ailin shook his head. "After all, my decision to take Rukia as my disciple is not entirely selfless. I believe you are aware of Byakuya's feelings for you."

Hisana lowered her head, a happy smile gracing her lips as she basked in the green glow of Void Bandage. "To be loved by Byakuya-sama is my greatest honor."

"Your time is limited, but Byakuya's journey is far from over," Ailin continued. "He is not only himself but also the 28th head of the Kuchiki clan, burdened with the responsibility of carrying on its legacy."

Hisana's smile faltered slightly at Ailin's words.

Indeed, Byakuya was the head of the Kuchiki clan, and in their twelve years of marriage, she had failed to bear him any children.

Therefore, for the sake of the Kuchiki family's future, regardless of Byakuya's own desires, he would eventually have to remarry and continue the bloodline.

"Although Rukia will be my disciple in name, I have many responsibilities and limited time to guide her," Ailin explained. "Therefore, I will entrust Byakuya with the task of training Rukia for a period. As for the future, whether Rukia will be granted the 'Kuchiki' name, I cannot guarantee..."

A smile returned to Hisana's face.

Despite the subtle wording, she understood the hidden meaning behind Ailin's words.

Especially the last sentence about "whether Rukia will receive the 'Kuchiki' name" was Ailin's way of revealing his plan.

Under what circumstances would an outsider be granted the "Kuchiki" name?

First, if they were adopted by the Kuchiki family, becoming a member of the clan.

Second, if they married into the Kuchiki family, like Hisana herself.

"Ah, if it could be Rukia, that would be wonderful."

In this world, the two people Hisana cared about most were Byakuya, the man she loved deeply and who loved her in return, and Rukia, her younger sister whom she had abandoned years ago due to poverty.

If, according to Ailin's arrangement, the two people she cherished most could find happiness together, then her life would be complete.

"Indeed. So, please keep Rukia's existence a secret from Byakuya for now. When the time is right, I will reveal everything to him. If you tell Byakuya about Rukia now, regardless of his feelings for her, she will always be seen as a 'younger sister' in his eyes."

"I understand, Uncle Ailin," Hisana nodded. "Byakuya-sama and Rukia, I entrust them to you."

At that moment, Byakuya rushed in, his usual composure as a noble momentarily forgotten.

"Hisana..."

Seeing Hisana within the green light, Byakuya breathed a sigh of relief. She was still there.

"Byakuya-sama..."

As Byakuya approached, Ailin waved his hand, and Void Bandage dissolved into reishi, returning to its realm within Unlimited Blade Works.

Byakuya stepped forward and caught Hisana as she fell from the air.

"Alright, Byakuya. Hisana may not make it through the night. I will leave you two alone."

"Yes," Byakuya nodded.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Ailin waved goodbye without turning around and departed from the Kuchiki Manor.

"Sigh..."

Walking along the streets, Ailin couldn't help but sigh.

Although he personally favored the Byakuya-Rukia pairing, he had to admit that Hisana, aside from abandoning Rukia, had been a flawless mistress of the Kuchiki family for the past twelve years.

In fact, her presence had significantly improved Byakuya's reputation among the nobles.

Previously, Byakuya had relied solely on "rules" to forcefully restrict the behavior of other nobles.

However, after Hisana became the mistress of the Kuchiki family, she built strong relationships with the wives of other nobles. Many situations that would have required Byakuya's forceful intervention were resolved through Hisana's subtle influence and communication with the other noblewomen.

As a result, Byakuya, despite seemingly taking a less active role, gained even greater respect and admiration from the nobles.

Now, with Hisana's life nearing its end, Byakuya would likely revert to his stoic and expressionless demeanor.

Perhaps he had already exhausted all his emotions for a lifetime during this past year with Hisana.

"Yo, Captain Ailin."

Ailin, lost in thought, had arrived at his favorite izakaya. Just as he entered, a familiar voice greeted him.

"Captain Kyoraku."

Seeing a friend, Ailin decided against finding a new table and headed towards Shunsui Kyoraku.

As he approached the table, Ailin noticed three other individuals and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey, Captain Kyoraku, having a party without me? That's hurtful."

Originally, Ailin had only seen Kyoraku from the front and assumed he was alone. He hadn't expected a small gathering.

"Captain Ailin."

"Captain Ailin."

"Ah, Captain Ailin."

The three individuals rose and bowed respectfully to Ailin.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? Sit down, sit down..." Ailin waved his hand dismissively, urging them to relax. "Within the divisions, Kyoraku and I are captains, but outside, especially in a place like this, titles hold no meaning."

He turned to Kyoraku and said, "Move over, Kyoraku. Make some space for me."

Although Ailin had said so, the three individuals remained standing until he was seated, then hesitantly followed suit.

Ailin recognized the three individuals sitting opposite him.

One was the notorious "drunkard" of the Shinigami world, Rangiku Matsumoto, who spent her days either drinking or seeking out more sake.

For others, drinking was a pastime, but for Rangiku, it was a way of life.

The other two were former Fifth Seat of the Eleventh Division, Tetsuzaemon Iba, who had transferred to the Seventh Division as vice-captain decades ago due to the vacancy created by Shinji Hirako and the others' Hollowfication incident, and Shūhei Hisagi, the Shinigami with the "69" tattoo on his face.

"Why the long face? You don't seem happy," Kyoraku asked, his usual playful demeanor returning in the absence of others.

The three individuals remained reserved in Ailin's presence, but Kyoraku had no such qualms.

Although he harbored some suspicions about Ailin, it didn't affect their usual interactions.

He could separate his personal feelings from his duties. If Ailin ever turned against the Seireitei, Kyoraku wouldn't hesitate to take action.

However, regardless of any past transgressions, Kyoraku felt indebted to Ailin for sacrificing his arm to save the world years ago. He wouldn't act against him unless absolutely necessary.

"Sigh..."

Ailin noticed the awkwardness of Rangiku and the others. He rarely drank with them, so their restraint was understandable. He didn't mind their presence.

"Hisana is not going to make it."

Those simple words were enough for the four individuals to understand.

Twelve years ago, Byakuya Kuchiki's marriage to a commoner from the Rukongai had caused quite a stir within the Seireitei.

It was perhaps the first instance in the million-year history of Soul Society where a high-ranking noble had married a woman with no spiritual pressure.

Many nobles had opposed the union. However, both Byakuya and Ailin had disregarded their objections, leaving the protesting nobles looking like fools.

In the end, Byakuya's reputation not only remained untarnished but was even enhanced among female Shinigami, who admired his willingness to marry a commoner.

But everyone knew the consequences of a person with no spiritual pressure living in the Seireitei, a place saturated with powerful reiatsu.

Hisana's ability to survive for so long was already a surprise.

"Byakuya's wife... I met her once," Kyoraku said with a sigh.