Help! I am bound to Aizen!

Chapter 235

“What?!”

Kaelith’s outraged voice echoed through the hall as he slammed a hand onto the armrest of his large, fur-draped chair.

“This is a huge incident in the Soul Society, and you’re only telling me now?! Are they looking down on the 11th Division?!”

The messenger Shinigami froze for a moment before hastily adding, “If you leave right away, sir, I can guide—”

“Guide me? Not necessary!”

Kaelith sprang to his feet and vanished in a blur.

…

Snow blanketed the streets of Seireitei in a pristine layer of white. Several Shinigami on duty were busy clearing the roads, shoveling away the first snow of winter—which was falling heavily this year. Overnight, it had already built up to several centimeters.

Leaping nimbly from rooftop to rooftop, Kaelith could’ve traversed the snow without leaving a trace, but he couldn’t resist stomping on every undisturbed rooftop, simply because it was satisfying to leave footprints behind.

Before long, he dropped from the sky into the courtyard of the Kuchiki estate. Alarmed by the sudden intruder, the guards braced themselves—until they recognized him:

The 11th Division Captain, Kaelith Yurei, a friend of their young master Sōjun Kuchiki. He often visited the Kuchiki estate for a meal or two, and nobody dared provoke him.

Not long ago, Kaelith’s noble rank was demoted from mid-level to low-level for stirring up trouble. A certain family advisor had suggested that their young master should cut ties with such a reckless troublemaker. Within an hour, that advisor was expelled from the Kuchiki household—personally at Sōjun’s command.

Normally gentle, it was rare for Sōjun to punish anyone, let alone so harshly, which only showed how highly the Kuchiki family regarded Kaelith.

“Captain Kaelith!” the guards said, all bowing in respect.

“Morning!” Kaelith replied with a broad grin, waving at them before disappearing again in a burst of speed.

Though the Kuchiki estate was enormous, Kaelith knew his way around. It took mere moments to reach his destination. He slid open the horizontal door with a brisk motion:

Crrrk!

Inside, a few figures were seated on the tatami. Among them was Sōjun Kuchiki, alongside a graceful woman by his side. Several elderly maids bustled about. The woman was cradling a fussing infant, whose cries echoed through the room with enough force to rattle one’s skull.

When Sōjun looked up and saw Kaelith, he smiled.

“Kaelith, you’re here.”

Kaelith ignored him and quickly stepped inside, sliding the door shut behind him. Then he strode across the floor, grinning from ear to ear.

“Quick, let me see the kid!”

The graceful woman gave a wry smile. She knew Kaelith well—both his strength and his character satisfied her as Sōjun’s friend. But this baby, barely born, had a surprisingly strong set of lungs. It felt rude to hand over such a noisy child to a guest. Yet Kaelith simply reached out and scooped him up without hesitation.

Her warnings died on her tongue as she realized the baby, once in Kaelith’s arms, stopped crying altogether. He blinked at Kaelith, two tiny hands stretching out to pat the man’s face. Stunned by the peaceful scene, the woman fell momentarily silent. Sōjun, on the other hand, nodded approvingly.

“Incredible, Kaelith—you’ve got a knack for soothing children!”

Even the old maids began to murmur praise at the sight. Kaelith studied the baby for a while, then clicked his tongue.

“Why’s he so ugly? Well, as hideous as he is, I’m not heartless. I’ll still accept you. Come on, little guy…call me ‘Gramps!’”

“Excuse me?” Sōjun nearly rolled his eyes.

Just then, there was a cough from outside. A servant slid the door open, revealing Ginrei Kuchiki in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back in a dignified pose. Seeing him, Sōjun and his wife gave polite bows, and the maids dropped to their knees.

“Father,” Sōjun greeted softly.

Ginrei Kuchiki gave a brief nod, about to speak, but Kaelith cut him off:

“Hurry up and come inside, old man! It’s freezing out there—don’t want the baby catching a chill!”

Ginrei’s lips tightened. He stepped in, closing the door behind him, eyeing Kaelith with clear disapproval. Good thing he arrived when he did—this rascal nearly stole the title “Grandpa.”

Even so, Kaelith stood there, entirely shameless, making Ginrei’s blood pressure climb. If only his own son had half of Kaelith’s audacity, life would be easier.

While Ginrei was momentarily lost in thought, Kaelith peeked under the baby’s blanket to confirm the child’s “important details.” Satisfied it was a boy, he asked, “So, Sōjun, does he have a name yet?”

Sōjun nodded with a smile. “Yes. We’re calling him Byakuya. Kuchiki Byakuya.”

Ginrei took a few seconds to consider, then nodded his approval. Kaelith, too, broke into a grin. Sure enough—Kuchiki Byakuya. Though Shinigami could live for hundreds or even thousands of years, a child’s early growth wasn’t all that different from a human’s. In just a few short years, Kaelith would have a fun little…well, an interesting junior around.

He couldn’t help feeling a twinge of emotion: Byakuya’s birth meant the grand wheel of destiny was in motion. By the time Byakuya reached his early teens, the Aizen of the original storyline would have begun his plans. But this world’s Aizen was so different from canon… Could it be that some event diverged, altering his character?

Oh well, Kaelith thought, that’s his own affair, probably nothing to do with me.

Humming under his breath, Kaelith continued entertaining little Byakuya in his arms.