Note: A small announcement at the end, nothing serious, just some changes you all need to know.
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"Rukia, how has it been in 13th Division during this time?"
Yamahiko and Rukia sat by the moat, watching the river flow gently in front of them. Many people strolled along the nearby riverbank.
Today, Yamahiko had specially invited Rukia out to comfort her, but he couldn't directly bring up the subject, so he had to wait for Rukia to talk about it.
Rukia replied with a somewhat indifferent tone, "It's been okay."
Upon hearing this, Yamahiko cautiously asked, "Did something happen?"
Rukia furrowed her brow and said, "Not anything significant, really."
Worried, Yamahiko said, "But sister, you don't seem very happy. Don't keep it to yourself; tell me."
Rukia glanced at Yamahiko, sighed, and continued, "You're the only one who comes to see me now."
Yamahiko remained silent, looking at Rukia. She managed a bitter smile and went on, "Since I entered the Kuchiki family, Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Momo Hinamori barely interact with me. And the fact that I joined 13th Division without taking the graduation exam has earned me the criticism of others in the squad. Besides the vice-captain, hardly anyone pays me any attention. I don't understand why things turned out this way."
Yamahiko knew what Rukia was talking about. Renji Abarai's distance from her was primarily because of her perceived noble status. High-ranking nobles were highly valued in the Seireitei, and even Sosuke Aizen was unaware of the existence of the Soul King Place until he overheard Jushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku chatting about Kirio Hikifune promotion to Royal Guard while on their way to the Central 46's compound.
So, Renji Abarai's distancing was not merely due to his feelings of inferiority but also to protect Rukia. If anyone found out about her close relationship with someone from the turbulent place that was Inuzuri District, it would surely lead to gossip and rumors.
That was what Renji Abarai had said, which is why they had chosen to keep their distance.
As for the hostility from her squadmates, that was because Rukia had entered 13th Division without undergoing the standard examination and training. From a fairness perspective, this wasn't entirely just.
Coupled with jealousy, Rukia found herself with very few friends. Other than Kaien Shiba and Miyako Shiba, who looked after her on occasion, there weren't many others.
This period was one of the loneliest times in Rukia's life. However, shortly after, Miyako Shiba and Kaien Shiba died, and Rukia felt guilty for having killed Kaien Shiba herself, causing her to feel remorse for a long time.
Yamahiko looked at Rukia and said, "They're avoiding you to protect you. They're worried that someone might connect you with that chaotic place, Inuzuri District."
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Rukia's mouth as she replied, "I don't mind."
Yamahiko said, "But they do mind. They want you to become better and stronger, which is why they've decided to keep their distance."
Rukia's face darkened as she replied, "If I'll still face criticism even after separating from you all, then I'd rather not join the Kuchiki family."
Yamahiko couldn't say that the Kuchiki family was her sister's married family, so he said, "Don't worry about that. You might not be aware, but Renji has been working hard to improve himself."
Rukia smiled and said, "I know he's always wanted to become stronger."
Yamahiko shook his head and explained, "But his motivation for training isn't just about getting stronger."
Curious, Rukia asked, "Then what is it for?"
Yamahiko replied, "He's been working hard to be able to stay by your side legally and openly."
Hearing Yamahiko's words, Rukia blushed and asked, "What do you mean? Why does he want to stay by my side?"
Yamahiko smiled and asked, "Rukia, you can't possibly be that oblivious, can you? Renji likes you, a lot."
Rukia softly said, "No way."
Yamahiko responded, "It's true. He believes that only by becoming the vice-captain can he stand by your side, so he's been training diligently."
In the original story, after learning about his promotion to vice-captain, Renji Abarai was very eager to tell Rukia. However, Rukia stayed in the living world for a long time, leading to the situation where he couldn't deliver the news. When Rukia returned, she got into trouble in the Seireitei, and 6th Division Squad had to be dispatched to arrest her.
Renji's affection for Rukia was evident. Coupled with the fact that they had been childhood friends, spent years together in the Inuzuri District, supported each other through tough times, and survived the harsh winters, their relationship was undoubtedly very close.
Hearing this, Rukia blushed and said, "He doesn't need to become the vice-captain for that."
Yamahiko smiled and asked, "So, Rukia, are you saying that he can pursue you without becoming vice-captain?"
Rukia quickly waved her hands and said, "I didn't mean that. I don't like him that way. I only meant that he should become my friend, whether he's the vice-captain or not."
Yamahiko smiled and said, "But he doesn't think that way. He wants to be worthy of you and is willing to work hard for it. While you may not mind, others will. Your brother, and the other members of the Kuchiki family, will think this way."
Upon hearing this, Rukia fell silent.
But at this moment, Yamahiko added, "And there's one more thing. Your teammates are isolating you because they believe you got into Division 13th through a backdoor. Show them that you have the strength to be in a squad, whether it's proving yourself or them."
Rukia nodded and said, "I will work hard."
Yamahiko chuckled and added, "But always remember, no matter where you are or what you're doing, we will be by your side."
If canon couldn't be changed, and she was still framed by Aizen, Yamahiko would undoubtedly fight to save her, even if it meant going up against the entire Gotei 13.
Rukia smiled and said, "Thank you."
After Yamahiko's words, Rukia felt much better. It wasn't that Yamahiko solved her problems, but he reassured her that her friends had not abandoned her and were still there for her.
"Now, you don't need to thank me," Yamahiko said with a smile. But at that moment, he saw a figure running towards them.
Yamahiko became slightly alert. The person arrived at Yamahiko's side, panting heavily, and said, "Rukia, Vice-Captain Kaien is calling for you."
Rukia was slightly taken aback and asked, "Vice-Captain Kaien is calling me? What's going on?"
The person replied, "It seems that Miyako is facing some trouble, and she can't handle it alone. She needs support. Vice-Captain Kaien wants you to go."
Rukia said, "Alright, I'll go. Yamahiko, let's continue our conversation when I come back."
She said this to Yamahiko and then quickly followed the messenger.
"Stay safe," Yamahiko called after her. He heard Rukia respond with a "Got it," and watched her disappear into the distance. After she left, Yamahiko turned and left the area.
~End of the chapter.~
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I know this was a short chapter.
"This has been an interesting journey so far. Can you believe I haven't missed uploading a chapter for 56 days? Are you all seeing this? I'm feeling proud of myself."
Anyway, I have finally decided to take my Patreon seriously and I'm considering starting advance chapters. It typically takes me 30-40 minutes, or a maximum of 60 minutes, to work on each chapter. I'm thinking of using only two tiers: Tier 1 : 5 chapters & Tier 2 : 10 chapters.
So, if I'm on the 56th chapter on Webnovel, on Patreon, you'd be able to read up to the 67th chapter, and so on. Do you think that's how it works? As for pricing, I haven't decided yet, and I'd appreciate your suggestions, even if you're not planning to be a Patreon supporter. I just want to know if my idea is correct.
*The implementation of the change in the update schedule will be announced later. For now, at least this week, you will continue to receive daily chapters.*
Lastly, I'm considering changing the update schedule from 1 chapter per day or 7 chapters per week to 5 chapters per week.
Please hold off on any curses!
I'm not just thinking about this to increase my Patreon support, but I'm also considering working on another project. I haven't decided yet on which anime or movie, but I'll choose based on what's currently trending in fanfiction, perhaps something like One Piece or Marvel. I'm open to suggestions for now.