Of course, Ailin was only saying that casually.
After all, if Ise Nanao truly became Ailin and Haruko's adopted daughter, she would be renamed "Kuchiki Nanao," and from then on, she would have no ties to either the Ise Family or the Kyōraku Family.
However, although Ise Nanao was not Ailin and Haruko's adopted daughter, the two of them still liked the little girl very much.
Especially after Ise Nanao graduated from True Zero Spirit Arts Academy and became a true Shinigami, joining the Female Shinigami Association through Haruko's introduction, their relationship had not grown distant. Instead, it had become much deeper.
"Hmm..."
With his arms folded, Shunsui Kyōraku walked alongside Ailin toward the Kuchiki Clan.
"Captain Ailin, when you went to arrest Captain Urahara, did you find any trace of Captain Hirako and the others?"
"Captain Kyōraku, what you really want to ask is whether I saw any trace of Vice-Captain Liza Yadomaru, isn't it?"
Ailin smiled and teased Shunsui Kyōraku.
Although the captains of the Gotei 13 all served under Captain-Commander Yamamoto, if there was no interaction between them and they had not belonged to the same generation, there was hardly any friendship to speak of.
Take Ailin, for example. The Shinigami who had graduated from True Zero Spirit Arts Academy alongside him had probably all died over the past hundred years or so. In any case, Ailin had not encountered a single familiar classmate from his generation.
Among the thirteen divisions, the first captain Ailin had interacted with was Shihoin Yoruichi, Captain of the Second Division, followed by Byakuya Kuchiki, Captain of the Sixth Division, and later Kisuke Urahara, Captain of the Twelfth Division.
These three captains were Ailin's closest personal friends.
Below them was Kensei Muguruma, Captain of the Ninth Division. Ailin had saved him several