Chapter 18: Makoto... Is a Woman?!

Under the lead of Unohana, dressed in the traditional death wear, Makoto followed obediently towards the gynecology department within the Fourth Division.

Along the way, wherever Unohana passed, waves of admiring gazes followed her, with both the Fourth Division members and other shinigamis receiving treatment in the division bowing respectfully.

Despite the high status of captains in the Seireitei, the reactions of the numerous shinigamis were enough to show the level of admiration and fame Unohana held.

In response to the bows and greetings from the Shinigamis, Unohana never grew tired, always responding with a gentle smile and a nod.

From time to time, Makoto also felt the weight of certain gazes falling upon him—some curious, others envious.

With this thought in mind, Senju Makoto glanced at Unohana's profile. Under the sunlight, her graceful and intellectual aura seemed to accentuate the softness of her beauty, making her appear like an exquisite flower in full bloom.

However, despite the fleeting moment, Unohana noticed the look from Senju Makoto. She turned to him and asked, "Makoto, what's wrong?"

Senju Makoto quickly averted his gaze and answered, "As expected of you, teacher. Your popularity is truly remarkable. It's enviable."

Envy?

Hearing this, Unohana's expression froze for a moment.

In the entire Soul Society, the atmosphere generally reveres strength. This is not only because of the power itself, but also because the thinking of everyone tends to align in similar ways.

However… "envy" was not the mindset that would reflect a reverence for strength. It was, in fact, a dangerous line of thought.

It was only with equals that one might feel envy.

Makoto's thoughts could only mean one of two things: either he sees himself as an equal, not an unattainable powerhouse; or, his thinking leans more toward the dangerous mindset of those who are feared by the aristocrats who rule the Soul Society—those who are not bound by class or rules.

At this point, Unohana's eyes instinctively studied Senju Makoto. On the surface, she didn't say anything, but internally, a hint of doubt began to form.

Could it be... that I have shown too much equality before Makoto, and that he, a freshly graduated shinigami, hasn't fully grasped the significance of a captain's role yet?

If Makoto knew how much Unohana had inferred from his simple words, he would likely have placed her at the top of the list of individuals to be cautious of.

Even if he noticed the slight, puzzled look Unohana gave him, he wouldn't realize that a single word he carelessly uttered had revealed certain aspects of his own nature.

Unlike the normal spirits of the Soul Society, certain fixed thoughts, including the one that "nobles and generals are born to rule," still lingered deeply within Senju Makoto's soul.

Thus, reverence for strength was never his true nature.

If the throne is left empty, it is only natural to fight for it and claim it for oneself.

To Senju Makoto, that was the most natural way of thinking.

In the end, Unohana couldn't help but glance at Makoto again. The pure and innocent young man smiled gently, appearing harmless to the extreme.

"Was that just my imagination? Perhaps I..."

"Have I been overthinking lately?"

Unohana Retsu raised her hand and rubbed her temples, glancing around. Seeing that they had reached the gynecology department, she decided not to delve deeper into the matter.

She then instructed Makoto to wait in the corridor while she went to find the officer in charge of the department. After all, Senju Makoto's assignment to the gynecology department was a last-minute decision, and she needed to make proper arrangements with the officer responsible for the department.

As Unohana left, Senju Makoto stood alone near the entrance of the gynecology department, feeling the strange and intense stares from the passing female Shinigamis. It wasn't long before he started feeling quite uncomfortable.

The thought of staying in such an environment made his expression turn to a shade of green. Sure enough… he had been completely misled by Unohana 'Dark-hearted' Retsu!

Originally, Senju Makoto had thought there would be a number of male Shinigamis working in the gynecology department, or else Unohana wouldn't have spoken about it so naturally and confidently.

But after observing the corridor for a while, even the male cats wandering around the area were neutered.

Just then, Senju Makoto suddenly heard his name.

"Makoto?"

Turning around, he was surprised to find Aoki Risa, whom he had met the previous day at the funeral home, standing beside him.

"Makoto-kun, what are you doing here?" Aoki Risa asked, puzzled.

Seeing a familiar face did not bring any joy to Makoto's heart. Instead, he felt a sense of social anxiety, like being caught in the act. He weakly explained, "I've been assigned here for an internship."

Risa gasped in surprise. "An internship? How is that possible? This is the gynecology department!"

In an instant, Makoto felt the weight of several gazes upon him. Instinctively, he grabbed Risa's wrist and quickly pulled her into a quieter corner.

"Uh… Makoto-kun, could you… could you let go of my wrist?"

Makoto glanced at her and noticed that Aoki Risa, who had seemed so outgoing the day before, now appeared quite embarrassed, with her cheeks slightly flushed as she shyly avoided eye contact.

"Sorry…" Senju Makoto quickly apologized and released her wrist.

Risa let out a sigh of relief, her eyes darting to the side as she fanned her face with her hand and asked, "Makoto-kun, are you sure this is right? There's never been a history of male Shinigami interning in the gynecology department."

"I wish it was a mistake," Makoto sighed, clearly exasperated. "But it looks like I've been set up by Unohana 'Dark-hearted' Retsu."

"Ah?"

Risa mumbled in confusion.

"Now that I think about it, Makoto-kun, you didn't go to the funeral home for your assignment yesterday. Instead, you were sent here to the gynecology department… Could it be…"

She paused, as if realizing something, and turned to stare at him, her eyes wide with shock. "Makoto-kun, are you perhaps a woman? Or from a noble family, and being given special treatment?"

What?!

Makoto froze, his whole body stiffening at her words.

Unohana-sensei, look at this...

In the world of the Soul Society, people would rather believe my gender than accept that you assigned me to the gynecology department!

This is nearly as absurd as the vice-captains of the 2nd Division always being huge, jolly men—completely illogical!

In that moment, Makoto couldn't help but feel that he would soon become the "spectacle" of the gynecology department, and that this situation would become the latest gossip, spreading throughout the Seireitei before he even knew it.

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