Looking at the plates that had been wiped clean, Kirio Hikifune wore a satisfied smile. She looked at Asano Kiyoshi and slowly said:
"My cooking is decent, isn't it? How was the meal?"
"Yes, thank you very much for the hospitality! I have never eaten such delicious food!"
Hearing Asano Kiyoshi's praise, Kirio Hikifune smiled. Her voluptuous figure seemed to have slimmed down slightly. She cleared away the plates, then asked Asano Kiyoshi:
"Little Kiyoshi, may I ask you a few questions?"
Hearing this, Asano Kiyoshi looked at the woman before him, nodded, and said with a smile:
"Of course, Miss Kiryu. Please, go ahead."
Kirio Hikifune pursed her lips, then looked at Asano Kiyoshi and asked in a low voice:
"How much do you know about Zero Division? I heard that you once visited the Great Spirit Book Gallery and looked through quite a lot of material there, so I want you to tell me the truth."
Faced with Kirio Hikifune's sudden question, Asano Kiyoshi was somewhat puzzled, but he answered calmly:
"Miss Kiryu, I do not know much about Zero Division. When I was in the Great Spirit Book Gallery, for personal reasons, most of the materials I consulted were books related to Kido. Even the rest concerned the nobles. I did not look into matters related to Zero Division."
"At present, nearly all the information I have about Zero Division comes from Captain-Commander, what I have seen on this trip, and several incidents I heard about in Soul Society. Other than that, I have not looked into it much."
Hearing this, Kirio Hikifune merely stared into Asano Kiyoshi's eyes and said:
"Then what do you think Zero Division is? A hidden armed force of the Gotei 13?"
Looking at Kirio Hikifune's slightly narrowed eyes, Asano Kiyoshi considered