As one of the Five Great Noble Families, Byakuya Kuchiki's arrival wasn't unexpected.
He just seemed to have arrived a little early. Isshin Shiba wasn't even here yet!
Was he here to make sure Rukia didn't embarrass herself?
"Lord Kuchiki!" Ukitake greeted Byakuya warmly as one of the groom's family and invited him to sit beside him.
Although Byakuya's manners and bearing were impeccable by noble standards, he still exuded a clear, icy air that kept people at a distance.
Anyone who didn't know better would have assumed his Zanpakuto was an ice-type sword.
After Byakuya arrived, Captain-level Soul Reapers began showing up one after another.
Isshin Shiba came with Rangiku Matsumoto and Toshiro... The 10th Division's patrol duties couldn't stop. With the captain away from headquarters, the lieutenant had to hold down the fort.
Bringing Rangiku Matsumoto, a Third Seat, made perfect sense. But bringing Toshiro, an Eighth Seat...
It seemed Toshiro was doing very well in the 10th Division.
By the time Captain Unohana arrived, Aoto was already helping with the reception.
After all, Zaraki Kenpachi wouldn't be coming, so Aoto wasn't worried about anything going wrong.
But when Captain Aizen of the Fifth Division arrived with a crowd of subordinates, Aoto took a deep breath and went to greet him with Ganjuro.
Aizen was exceptionally approachable at the time. It was fair to say that the Fifth Division was the most harmonious and friendly division in all of Seireitei!
Even more so than the 13th Division.
Every Soul Reaper in Seireitei had a favorable impression of Aizen. He could practically be considered a saint!
But if he had any shortcomings... it was that he wasn't particularly strong, and his Zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu, merely misled the eye by refracting light.
Among the captains, he seemed a little unremarkable!
Even so, countless Soul Reapers were captivated by Aizen's charisma and wanted to join the Fifth Division.
Quite a few graduates of the Shino Academy joined the Fifth Division first, then were assigned to other divisions according to their individual career paths.
"Welcome, Captain Aizen!" Aoto smiled with genuine warmth. "I'd like to thank you on Kaien's behalf."
Aizen smiled and waved his hand. "I'm the one imposing on you! I feel rather embarrassed to have brought so many subordinates."
"The more people, the merrier. Weddings are supposed to be lively." Aoto laughed heartily. "Besides, Kaien probably never expected to get married a second time, so we might as well make it as lively as possible!"
Aizen clearly agreed, replying with a laugh, "Exactly! As lively as possible!"
Then, guided by Aoto, the cheerful Captain Aizen and his subordinates took their seats at a long table.
The 13th Division's members had quickly put it together while Aoto and Aizen were talking.
Aoto had basically been buying time.
No more captains would be arriving.
The captains who couldn't attend had already sent people to deliver gifts.
But even with no other captains coming, the people who arrived afterward were no less distinguished.
Every one of them came from a noble family.
At last, the other three of the Five Great Noble Families arrived in turn.
The heads of their main houses had come. Even Ukitake Jushiro couldn't claim to be their equal in status, let alone Aoto.
Only Isshin Shiba could receive them without causing offense. It also showed that the Shiba House's main and branch families stood united.
However, looking at the head of the Shihoin Clan, Yushiro Shihōin, Yoruichi's younger brother, Aoto couldn't help feeling that it was terribly irresponsible of Yoruichi to dump such a mess on the shoulders of a young boy.
Though Yushiro was probably already two hundred years old.
But two hundred was still just a child!
The wedding that followed went quite smoothly.
When Miss Miyako appeared in traditional white bridal attire, she looked every bit as lovely despite the thick layer of makeup.
She was a Soul Reaper, too, and no mere pretty face.
Miss Miyako was the current Third Seat of the 13th Division, a genuine elite who had risen through the ranks from the common people.
A woman, a commoner, a Soul Reaper, a Third Seat...
Every word in that list represented a hurdle. Achieving all of it was tremendously difficult.
Aoto admired her greatly.
Only a woman like her was worthy of Kaien. Even though they came from different social backgrounds, no one would dare say anything openly.
Byakuya Kuchiki over there had married an ordinary woman who wasn't even a Soul Reaper! Did anyone still say anything about him?
When Kaien saw Miyako, who was about to officially become his wife, he was completely stunned, despite his usually easygoing nature.
She was simply too beautiful.
If Aoto hadn't started cheering from the sidelines and brought Kaien back to his senses, he might have stood there dumbstruck for a dozen seconds.
That would have been a terrible embarrassment!
Even so, Kaien's stunned expression gave everyone who noticed plenty to tease him about.
Miss Miyako, who would soon take the name Shiba Miyako, smiled shyly, too.
No bride would be displeased to see her groom gazing at her in a daze!
Although the two were practically an old married couple already, they both felt terribly bashful at that moment.
The bride and groom's reactions naturally gave everyone else a taste of "happiness."
What an enviable couple!
But all the teasing only grew louder.
Even Ukitake Jushiro couldn't hold back, much less anyone else!
No matter how much everyone teased him, Shiba Kaien wore a blissful smile.
How wonderful!
Once the wedding ceremony ended, the guests, tired from all the teasing, immediately began eating and drinking.
That was when people finally noticed how extraordinary the food Aoto had provided was.
The dishes prepared especially for the captains were all made from Fifth-Grade Spiritual Power ingredients, and they could immediately taste the difference.
But aside from Aizen, no one realized it was processed Hollow meat.
After tasting it, Aizen naturally found it fascinating.
Aoto hadn't expected Hyakume-ki Seikyo to break convention and serve it openly at an event like this... He really was both skilled and bold.
Even among captains, aside from someone like Aizen, who had dissected Hollows and studied their bones and skin, most people would never guess it was Menos Grande meat.
The captains present had all killed countless Hollows, but none of them had ever eaten one!
They simply thought that Hyakume-ki Seikyo's inherited techniques from Kirio Hikifune could produce food with Fifth-Grade Spiritual Power. It was truly impressive.
Unohana Retsu merely teased Aoto for keeping this trick up his sleeve and not providing the 4th Division with food of such high quality.
Still, it gave Aizen some inspiration.
Indeed, it seemed that Soul Reapers weren't the only ones who could eat Hollows. Soul Reapers could eat Hollows, too!
If they could get past their misgivings, Soul Reapers could restore their spiritual pressure by eating Hollows raw.
However, the Hollow power that entered their bodies that way would be broken down very quickly, making it less nutritious than Hollow meat prepared as it was now.
What a talent Hyakume-ki Seikyo was...
This makes me not want to use you that way after all!