For Sosuke Aizen, a new year diplomatic conference was something entirely new.
There was no need to mention his original world—ordinary civilians had never even seen such things. Even Aizen in the Soul Society had never dealt with anything like diplomatic notes.
After all, there was still some distance between the Eastern Branch Bureau and the Western Branch Bureau. They were not exactly strangers who never interacted, but neither did they know much about one another. The Soul Society was indeed vast and boundless, but diplomatic activities were not within its scope of operations; there were more often large-scale coordinated actions.
So this sort of new year banquet in the realm of diplomacy truly was Aizen's first time attending one. Still, he was not particularly nervous. After all, this political landscape had been built under his own direction, and whatever developments such a structure might bring about did not seem worthy of fear or concern.
If it led to the evolution of certain political activities and customs, that would instead be a good opportunity for observation.
"...Do I really have to go with you?"
"You do not have to go, Kakashi-kun. You are still a child, after all. It is perfectly normal to protect you."
"Then I'll go."
Wearing a pained expression as he changed into a long white robe, Kakashi walked alongside Aizen down a path guarded by Ninja.
It was also the first day of the new year for these Ninja, yet they had no holidays or benefits whatsoever and continued diligently with their duties. Seeing the still-youthful expressions on their faces, Kakashi said nothing further.
Compared with those genuinely standing guard or working, the two of them going over to eat hardly counted as work. They were just going to have something to eat. Political occasions like