Your Excellency Is Strong, but My Art Style Is Above Yours! Chapter 25

Could it be... Soul King... You actually heard that?

But How Could This Moonlight Compare to You

According to the usual plot, when faced with something like "wanting to go out and make a name for oneself but being opposed by one's elders," clearing the route usually required a battle full of flashbacks and verbal sparring. In the end, the protagonist would have to give it everything to win by half a move, then be allowed to leave by an elder who was harsh in words but soft at heart.

—With hot-blooded manga on the brain, Iori had long prepared himself to fight Yuki Aizen.

Unexpectedly, after the two of them had stated their respective plans, Yuki neither approved nor disapproved of Iori's idea. Though it conflicted with her own plans, she did not forcefully reject him.

During the meal, Yuki's interest shifted to the food. She slowly savored the delicious dishes, and all she discussed with Iori were amusing matters from Seireitei. She no longer dwelled on the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Army.

At first, Iori was deeply puzzled, but he had been "family" with Yuki for a long time. With a slight turn of his thoughts, he understood.

The reason was not complicated:

Yuki Aizen was not the type of feudal patriarch. One could even say she was laissez-faire. She respected other people's choices and viewed them rationally, so she would not try to stop them.

At the same time, she probably had a deep-seated belief in survival of the fittest. Thus, even toward those close to her, she would not protect them everywhere like a nanny.

This woman was, more or less, a social Darwinist...

Sosuke Aizen in the original work was actually much the same, only far colder in how he showed it.

Or perhaps no one could approach his heart, so nobody understood whether he was truly cruel or simply "respecting others' fates and letting go of the urge to save them."

Yuki was far more "gentle" than Aizen himself, and Iori was not an outsider to her. Her attitude toward him was naturally more intimate, but one should not expect her to earnestly persuade someone at length, or stage some nauseating family showdown...

Once Iori understood this, he felt a sudden realization—yet the food abruptly seemed less delicious.

"If I don't come back..."

Iori hesitated before asking, "Would you be sad for me?"

"I suppose so."

Yuki did not find the question inauspicious at all. She said bluntly, "But that would also be a choice you made yourself. Only by walking one's own path can one reach the end. If you die halfway through, it can only mean you misjudged your own strength.

There is nothing regrettable about that. Most things in this world are like that. Rather, people who choose the right direction from the very beginning and make it all the way to the end are the truly rare exceptions...

Still, on a personal level, I would probably be very sad."

"That's comforting to hear." Iori spread his hands. "As expected, big sis does have a place for me in her heart."

"If you dare flirt with me again, I'll make you bleed~"

"Hehe..."

"Then what about the other way around?"

"What do you mean, the other way around?"

"If one day I suddenly disappeared... would you cry for me?"

Resting her cheek on one hand, Yuki gazed calmly at Iori with her slender, beautiful eyes. "Would you love this world because of it, or hate it?"

"..."

Iori had originally wanted to casually say something nice, but he suddenly froze.

His attitude toward Yuki had always been both bold and cautious. That was to say, he actively approached her and cultivated their relationship, but he remained vigilant at all times, reminding himself not to get in too deep.

There was no doubt that was the rational choice, one that maximized his interests... But when it came down to his personal feelings... did he truly want Yuki Aizen to exist, or not?

"That expression is quite ugly." Yuki smiled to herself. "For a moment, you doubted yourself, didn't you?"

Iori fell silent. He had always been forceful before Tousen, Akame, and the others, but this time he was genuinely moved. He vaguely sensed something he had deliberately been ignoring before.

"There is no need to rush to answer that question. You probably cannot find the answer right now either.

Respect, affection, dependence, admiration—or wariness, vigilance, hostility... killing intent. Which of these are merely my conjectures, which are your true feelings, or are they both intertwined in a contradictory whole?

When I think about the uniquely strange family relationship we share... it truly feels romantic~"

Yuki Aizen smiled in a relaxed manner, carrying a nobility and elegance that transcended status and class.

"You cannot understand your true feelings?

Don't be impatient. There is nothing strange about that, because I have similar doubts too. I cannot understand—

What do you mean to me?"

Yuki's gaze deepened. The world had once been very simple to her; every person had their place.

For instance, Grandmother was someone who needed to be repaid and cared for.

For instance, classmates were people who could be used, toyed with, or ignored.

For instance, Captain-General Yamamoto was someone who had to be respected, feared, and then surpassed.

...Only Iori was different.

Only Iori was an existence Yuki could not see through, one filled with possibilities.

And regardless of the reason, both Yuki and Iori were, at their core, exceptionally "lonely." Perhaps it was precisely the bond between kindred souls that created this strange attraction.

A sibling? A helper? A competitor?

She could not understand it, but that was exactly why it was interesting!

"Who knows... Before coming here, I never expected to encounter such a profound question at the dinner table."

Iori let out a long breath. "If we can't figure it out, then we can think about it later. We have plenty of time, after all, and time always gives us the answer, doesn't it?"

"What a sly guy~"

In a pleasant mood, Yuki lifted her wine cup, about to drain it in one gulp. Seeing the shimmering reflections in the clear liquor, she suddenly felt something stir in her heart and looked toward the Japanese-style courtyard outside. Iori followed her gaze.

A shishi-odoshi in the pond caught the flowing water. Once it filled, it tipped over, disturbing the calm surface of the pond. The bamboo joint struck a stone with a brief, ethereal sound. In the deep night, everything quickly returned to stillness, waiting for the next cycle.

"Tonight is actually a full moon... Iori, when the water ripples, even the moon in the sky sways along with it~" Yuki smiled. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"But the moon on the water is only a false reflection in the end."

Iori poured himself a cup as well, his tone casual. "The moon has always hung high above, unchanged. The disturbed water will eventually return to calm."

"You really have no sense of romance."

Yuki gave Iori a bored glance, then turned her eyes back toward the sky. For no reason, her mood became more pleasant.

"No matter what... the moon is beautiful tonight~"

"But how could this moonlight compare to you?"

Taking in the beautiful view, Iori drank his sake and casually said it without much thought.

Only after speaking did he remember something, and he could not help but smile.

Fortunately, a certain novelist who loved suicide had not been born yet. Otherwise, Yuki's words just now would definitely have been misunderstood, wouldn't they?

Yet while he secretly amused himself, he had no idea that Yuki had slightly tilted her head, her beautiful eyes resting on him with an exceptionally teasing look...

Captain, You're Sweating Buckets, Aren't You!

The Moon Is Beautiful Tonight

Category: Bond

Level: A

Quality: Rare

Drawing...

Calculating...

Rewards—

Attribute Points: None

Talent:

Wind Flower Snow Moon

· An innate nature that discovers and appreciates "beauty."

· Will not be numbed by harsh reality, making one more easily moved by beautiful scenery or touching stories.

· Greater sensitivity on a spiritual level, slightly increasing the chance of entering states such as "enlightenment," "selflessness," and "Oneness with Nature."

—

"Temporary Ninth Seat Iori Aizen of the 12th Division, reporting for duty!"

"Good, come in. We've already received your transfer order, but according to the rules, we still need to conduct the necessary review... You're rather unlucky, kid. Usually, this sort of thing is handled by me, but this time the captain specifically requested to see you personally."

When Iori arrived at the Expeditionary Army's rotating-rest outpost, he was received by a pleasant-looking young man with thick brows and large eyes. He seemed friendly, and his slightly naturally curly hair gave him an easygoing, relaxed air.

In the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Army, where everyone seemed to wear grim expressions, seeing such a cheerful face... either he was naturally thick-skinned, or he was strong enough to remain relaxed.

Iori felt it was probably both—until he heard the man's next words.

"I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Tenkai Shūsuke. I'm the Expeditionary Army's Third Lieutenant Captain, roughly equivalent to a Fourth or Fifth Seat officer in the Thirteenth Division. Don't be formal, just call me Tenkai.

When you meet the captain later, make sure to watch your words and behavior. You're an auxiliary staff member on temporary assignment, so the captain probably won't make things too difficult for you."

"Thank you, Senior Tenkai." Looking at the mild-mannered man, Iori gradually overlapped his face with the character from his memories.

...There had not been much change. Two hundred years had merely turned him from a young man into an uncle.

He just did not know what state Tenkai was in right now. It seemed that Tenkai had only gone dark after something happened to his father. Setting aside that side of him twisted by hatred, Tenkai himself was not a bad person. One could even say he was an ambitious young man with a bright future.

Come to think of it, he had joined the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Army this early... No wonder hardly anyone knew him when he later returned to Seireitei. It turned out he had not had much contact with the Thirteenth Division.

Tenkai led Iori through the outpost. Along the way, every Bleach they encountered greeted Tenkai, but each of them looked rushed.

"Everyone looks busy, right?" Tenkai kindly explained to Iori. "That's because Central 46 issued an order to transfer part of the Expeditionary Army's elite to the World of the Living to join the war against the Quincy... Personnel changes alone are enough of a headache, not to mention all the problems caused by reduced fighting strength."

"That makes sense. Even an ungraduated student like me was sent into the Thirteenth Division. That shows how badly they really need people right now."

"A student..."

Tenkai glanced at the wooden sword hanging at Iori's waist, the one bearing the words "Toyako." His eyes were full of curiosity, but out of politeness, he did not ask directly.

Perhaps there was an Asauchi hidden inside the wooden sword, and Iori had merely made its sheath look like that out of personal interest~

At first glance, the three characters "Toyako" made no sense. But a genius Bleach recommended by a Vice-Captain could not possibly carry an ordinary wooden sword... There had to be some profound meaning behind it, even if Tenkai did not know what it was!

CG Recorded

The Demon Sword Hoshikuzu, said to have been bestowed by a hermit and forged from Ten Thousand Year Diamondwood~ In reality, it was merely one of the curry-flavored wooden swords given away during hot spring trips and sold through TV shopping—Toyako!

Category: Normal CG

Level: E

Quality: Normal

Rewards:

Stamina · Slight increase

Spirit · Slight increase

Toughness · Small increase

Note: Stop looking. Even if you're looking forward to it this much, I still can't use Bankai—Toyako: Shut-In: Hermit's Sayings.

—

Iori: "...Huh?"

"What's wrong?" Tenkai gave Iori, who had suddenly made a strange sound, a curious glance. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"It's nothing... I suddenly remembered that I forgot to lock the door when I left." Iori waved a hand. "But there's nothing valuable in my room anyway, so forget it."

"That won't do. If you don't correct the habit of being careless, you'll suffer badly on the battlefield."

"Thank you for the reminder. I'll keep it in mind." Iori's expression remained calm, but inwardly, he was frantically complaining.

Why can this have a CG too?!