Demon Slayer: The Journey That Began When I Became Yoriichi's Sister

Chapter 570 Did Yu Zi take the wrong medicine today?

The tea room of the Kuchiki family exudes a solemnity and tranquility refined by time. The tatami mats emit the subtle fragrance of fresh grass, and calligraphy works with profound artistic conception hang in the alcove. A carefully pruned potted plant stands quietly in the corner. Sunlight filters through the washi paper sliding doors, casting soft dappled patterns on the floor.

Kuchiki Ginryo sat upright in the main seat, meticulously pouring tea for Ikuko.

"Please use."

"Excuse me." Yu Zi took the teacup. Steam rose from it, and the fragrance of tea could be smelled. This old man was clearly a tea master.

Yu Zi lowered her eyes slightly, not wanting to lose face in front of others. She pondered the etiquette she had been forced to learn for many years during the Warring States period, which was almost forgotten in her memory. Now, it finally had a chance to be put to use.

Although Yuuko has never been to the human world, judging from the structure of Seireitei and even Soul Society, there doesn't seem to be much difference. Her movements are fluid and natural, carrying a refined elegance that cannot be imitated by last-minute cramming.

All I can say is that... the rubbish I learned back then has come in slightly useful.

"Good tea." Yu Zi put down her teacup and smiled slightly.

A barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed across Kuchiki Ginryo's eyes. This female Grim Reaper possessed an air of composure and grace that even hinted at a depth of character surpassing that of ordinary nobles. It was not something that could be achieved through deliberate imitation or intentional practice, but rather a composure ingrained in her very being, a sense of ease that belonged only to the upper echelons of nobility.

This subtly raised his opinion of Yoruichi's friend even higher.

"Tsugukuni..." Ginryo's aged but still sharp gaze fell on Yuuko. "I have been in charge of the Kuchiki family in Soul Society for many years, and I seem to have never heard of any noble lineage with this surname. May I ask where Miss Tsugukuni's ancestors were from?"

What the hell?

Yuko paused for a moment, about to reply, when suddenly Yoruichi's serious face, as he gave her instructions, flashed into her mind.

"Don't tell anyone who you are!"

Emmm...

Fine, I'll just listen to Yoruichi.

Yu Zi smiled slightly: "You flatter me, sir. The Tsugumi family is not from the Soul Society, but is just a samurai family that has been passed down in the modern world."

Kuchiki Ginryo was stunned for a moment: "...I see."

No wonder he has such demeanor; even ordinary samurai would find it difficult to maintain such a bearing.

Of course, the possibility that the other party is lying cannot be ruled out.

But these things were not important to him.

After exchanging a few more casual words, Kuchiki Ginrei abruptly asked, "The one who unleashed her Zanpakuto at the Shihōin residence a while ago, could it be Miss Tsugikuni?"

"At first... this child was a bit temperamental back then." Yuko paused for a moment, then quickly corrected herself, chuckling as she patted the Zanpakuto placed to the side.

She had originally intended to say that she was new here and didn't know the rules.

But then she thought about it again, and realized that this seemed to contradict Yoruichi's instructions not to reveal her identity, so she could only change her story and say it was a problem with the Zanpakuto.

Anyway, the Zanpakuto here have been tormenting their masters for quite some time now.

As expected, when Kuchiki Ginrei saw the Zanpakuto, he showed a hint of understanding and did not continue to ask questions.

Zanpakuto are the other half of a Shinigami (death god), and it would be rather impolite to delve too deeply into the topic of Zanpakuto.

Even Yoruichi didn't delve into the matter of her Zanpakuto; she simply experienced it herself.

Seeing that Yuko's teacup was empty, Kuchiki Ginrei poured her another cup and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Miss Tsugikuni, on mastering Bankai. The Kuchiki family may need your help a lot in the future."

Yuko was stunned for a moment, somewhat taken aback by Kuchiki Ginryo's sudden show of goodwill.

“How could I dare…” Yuko shook her head slightly. “As one of the four great noble families in Soul Society, the Kuchiki family has a deep foundation and should not encounter any trouble.”

Kuchiki Ginryo sighed without hiding his feelings, then turned to look at the clear sky outside: "Power and heritage are the foundation that sustains the family."

"Captain Yoruichi is exceptionally talented, and with the assistance of a prodigy like Captain Urahara, and now they have Lady Tsugikuni, a powerful figure who has mastered Bankai. In contrast, the Kuchiki family..."

Yuko was a little confused. Although it was common knowledge in the Seireitei and even the Soul Society that the Kuchiki family was facing a generational gap, why was she telling her this so bluntly?

Surely they couldn't be trying to win her over, could they?

Kuchiki Ginrei did indeed think so. Although they had only been in contact for about ten minutes, Yuko had given him a very good impression. If she could become an asset to the Kuchiki family, their future path might be easier.

Trading something that everyone in Seireitei knows for a reason in exchange for an honest attitude is the best deal imaginable.

“Mr. Kuchiki, you flatter me.” Yuko keenly grasped the deeper meaning in the old man’s words. “Yoruichi’s talent and hard work are obvious to all, and Captain Urahara’s wisdom is also admirable.”

"However, the Kuchiki family has a deep foundation, and although Byakuya is young, he has a solid foundation and great potential. Given time, he will surely become a great man."

Mentioning Byakuya seemed to lighten the somber mood on Kuchiki Ginrei's face somewhat, and a faint smile of relief even appeared at the corner of his mouth: "Byakuya... that kid is indeed talented and hardworking. It's just..."

He paused, then let out a barely audible sigh. "Too hasty and easily provoked. As the heir of the Kuchiki family, this is a major taboo."

Yuko's eyelids twitched; she actually wanted to say something.

If it's Yoruichi, this kind of temper is already considered very good.

If it were her, it would probably be even more outrageous.

But then I thought, I should maintain my composure.

“And that child’s father… Cang Chun…” Kuchiki Ginryo’s voice lowered, his eyes filled with even deeper worry.

Yuko felt a little uneasy. She suddenly regretted not going with Yoruichi to play games with Byakuya earlier.

What are they trying to do?!

She recalled the scattered rumors she had heard from other Grim Reapers.

Kuchiki Sojun, the current vice-captain of the 6th Division, son of Kuchiki Ginrei, and father of Byakuya.

He is said to be frail and sickly, and his strength is not outstanding among the vice-captains. He has a mild personality and is not capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of the Kuchiki family, a behemoth, and the captain of the Sixth Division.

Kuchiki Ginrei's worries stemmed from this. He feared that if he were to fall ill, the Kuchiki family would face a crisis of succession.

But why did you even tell her?!

She doesn't believe in rotten wood!

Don't you nobles always like to beat around the bush? Why be so direct and straightforward?

If Kuki Ginryo had possessed a bit more of the pride and reserve of an aristocrat, she might have pretended not to understand.

Yuko took a sip of tea, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes: "Mr. Kuchiki, why don't you just speak frankly?"

But whatever you say, I will refuse.

As Yuko was thinking this, the sliding door of the tea room was suddenly pulled open, bringing with it a gust of wind.

"Old man! Yu Zi! What are you two doing drinking such good tea here? You didn't even wait for me!"

Yoruichi Shihouin swaggered in, clutching the fluttering ribbon in her hand. A few blades of grass clung to her clothes, and her hair was slightly disheveled, but her golden cat eyes gleamed with excitement, and her face wore a mischievous smile.

Seeing that smug face, Yuko knew whether the game of tag had ended.

Not far behind Yoruichi was a panting boy, his face flushed, his hair disheveled, and even his clothes askew.

Byakuya Kuchiki was in a sorry state, his long, dark hair disheveled, with a few strands clinging to his sweat-dampened forehead. He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving, and his eyes were filled with shame, anger, and defeat as he looked at Yoruichi, like a little lion that had been thoroughly provoked but was helpless.

"Strange cat!" Byakuya's voice trembled with panting, laced with gritted teeth. "Give me back my hair ribbon!"

Yoruichi, however, acted as if she hadn't heard, walking straight to Yuuko's side and sitting down. She picked up the cup of tea in front of Yuuko, which Kuchiki Ginrei had just refilled, and gulped it down in one go, then let out a long sigh: "Ah! That feels good! Playing hide-and-seek with Byakuya-kun is really tiring~"

I just spat...

Yuko originally wanted to say that, but in order to maintain her composure, she decided against it.

"Who's playing hide-and-seek with you!" Byakuya jumped up and down in anger, but because his grandfather was there, he didn't dare to actually pounce on her. He could only stand there glaring at Yoruichi. "That was a Shunpo duel! A duel! You...you cheated!"

"Tsk tsk tsk~" Yoruichi clicked her tongue and shook the hairband in her hand. "Losing is losing, little brother. The enemy won't reason with you on the battlefield."

"Shunpo isn't just about speed; it's also about adaptability and utilizing the environment. You're so stubborn, all you do is blindly chase in a straight line. You deserve to be played around like this!" Yoruichi mercilessly poked at Byakuya's sore spot.

"You...!" Byakuya was speechless, his face turned even redder, and the corners of his eyes were red.

This is going to make someone cry!

Yuko's lips twitched almost imperceptibly twice.

Looking at his grandson's appearance, Kuchiki Ginrei's brows furrowed again, as was his habit. The worries that had eased slightly because of Yuuko's words resurfaced. Impatience, irritability, lack of adaptability... these shortcomings were exposed in their entirety under the influence of Yoruichi's bad example.

I had originally thought that Byakuya would get used to Yoruichi's behavior and become more composed, but now it seems that he has not made any progress at all.

Yuko glanced at the old man, whose face looked rather grim, then at Yoruichi, and sighed. She had no choice but to act as a peacemaker.

"Alright, Yoruichi, now that training is over, don't be so reckless." Yuko snatched the hairband back from Yoruichi's hand without saying a word.

“Byakuya, right?” Yuko returned the hairband to him. “His Shunpo foundation is very solid, and his explosive power is good, but his prediction of Yoruichi’s movements is a bit lacking.”

"Thank...thank you..." Kuchiki Byakuya took the hairband in a daze.

If I remember correctly, this person came with this strange cat?

Because my attention was completely focused on the strange cat, I only noticed Yuko's presence at this moment.

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow and smiled flippantly: "Oh, trying to coax a child?"

Kuchiki Byakuya's face, which had just recovered, flushed red again instantly.

Yuko glared at her irritably, then comforted Kuchiki Byakuya: "Don't mind it, Yoru is just not good at expressing himself."

“When she came here just now, she told me that she didn’t want you to bear the name of the Kuchiki family at such a young age.”

"Family, that word is too early for you."

"That's why I've been acting out of line."

……

Byakuya Kuchiki: Are you talking about that strange cat again?

Kuchiki Ginryo: Is it...too early?

He was well aware of this, but the current situation of the Kuchiki family couldn't wait for Byakuya to grow up peacefully.

Yoruichi: Are you talking about me?

No, no, no, that's what she really thought, but she never told Yu Zi about it. Could it be Grandpa Yinling?

Kuchiki Byakuya's expression had improved considerably, but he still snorted coldly, "She wouldn't be that kind."

Ye opened her mouth, about to retort, but was glared at by Yuko and shut up.

Kuchiki Ginrei's gaze toward Ikuko grew increasingly satisfied. Seeing that things were about right, he called out to Byakuya, "Come and sit down."

"Yes, Grandpa." Kuchiki Byakuya wiped his sweat and sat down with dignified manners.

With a contented expression, Yoruichi rested her hands on the tatami mat behind her back. She glanced at the upright grandfather and granddaughter, then at the elegant Yuko beside her, and subconsciously straightened her posture.

Wha, what's going on?

Did Yuko take the wrong medicine today?

Without thinking, she nudged Yuko's arm: "Hey, why are you so serious?"

Yu Zi said calmly, "You're just too impetuous."

What's going on?

Yoruichi's mind was filled with even more questions.

Yoruichi suddenly leaned close to Ikuko's ear, lowering her voice with a hint of slyness and encouragement, "See? Isn't it hilarious how this kid looks when he's all puffed up? Want to try it? I guarantee it'll be a hundred times more fun than teasing those little stray cats in Rukongai! I'll teach you, to deal with this kind of serious little stickler, you have to..."

Yu Zi pulled her aside expressionlessly.

Yoruichi: ? ? ?

Something is wrong, nine out of ten times something is wrong.

When did this woman become so quiet?

Kuchiki Ginrei took in the whole scene, and his opinion of Yuko quietly rose a few more points. She knew how to comfort people, spoke appropriately, could read people's minds, and knew what to say in what situation.

She's much better than that girl from the Shihōin family.

With someone like that coming... presumably...

After glancing at Byakuya, who had calmed down, Kuchiki Ginrei turned his gaze back to Ikuko: "Miss Tsugikuni, I have a request."

Yoruichi looked at Kuchiki Ginrei with a shocked expression, then at Ikuko.

What did you do?

How did it escalate to the point where the head of the Kuchiki family personally begged you?

Yuko had a bit of a headache, but she still managed a smile: "Mr. Kuchiki, please speak."

Kuchiki Ginrei said sincerely, "Byakuya is a very talented and hardworking child..."

"I reject!"

Yoru slammed his hand on the table.

Everyone: "..."

Yuko pulled her back: "What are you refusing?"

These are her lines! And she hasn't even finished speaking yet!

She almost blurted it out herself.

Yoruichi's gaze was resolute: "I absolutely disagree with this marriage!"

Everyone:?

Yu Zi's lips twitched. "Excuse me for asking, whose marriage is it?"