Shiraishi thought Taro deserved a good thrashing.
If it had been any Shinigami other than Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru Kusajishi, they really might have come back and killed Taro after failing to find him.
If a Shinigami killed one or two unruly residents in Rukongai, they would rarely be held accountable.
Only a major incident, such as the deaths of tens of thousands of souls, would prompt a Third Seat or Fifth Seat to investigate the cause and hold those involved responsible.
Rukongai's residents generally feared and hated Shinigami, most likely because of that legal right to kill.
Shiraishi didn't want someone to get killed by a Shinigami for helping him, especially when Taro's help had been so insignificant.
At his current level of strength, he would have no trouble defeating Kenpachi Zaraki.
The reason was simple: his critical-hit ability was particularly effective against Kenpachi Zaraki.
Kenpachi had a habit of suppressing his Reiatsu when fighting others. Against a critical-hit user like Shiraishi, the first few strikes might be normal, but then a critical hit would come along and double the damage.
By then, it would be too late for Kenpachi Zaraki to increase his strength. Unless he took off his eyepatch and went all out from the start, the outcome would be hard to predict.
Taro was beaten for seven or eight minutes before he escaped the thin bamboo switch and ran to his room to change into a clean pair of pants.
Taro's mother made Shiraishi some tea and asked what he needed.
"Nothing. I just came over to play with Taro."
Shiraishi didn't say he had come to borrow money. After what had just happened, he felt a little embarrassed to bring it up, so he would have to ask the teahouse owner to put it on his tab.
After changing into clean pants, Taro was once again a fearless little boy. He came charging out and shouted, "Big bro, let's go."
"Mm." Shiraishi took a sip of tea, pouring it into his empty stomach, then stood up. "Sister Ren, I'll be going now."
"Come by more often when you have time."
"I will, I will." Shiraishi waved, stepped outside and walked along the unpaved dirt road.
Taro trotted after him and said in a low voice, "Big bro, don't tell anyone I cried just now. It'll ruin my tough-guy image."
"Sure," Shiraishi replied irritably. Tough-guy image? Taro was probably the only person in Rice Village who didn't know he was known as a crybaby.
The two of them hadn't gone far before other children joined them along the way. "Big bro." "Big bro." "Big bro."
Shiraishi was strong and treated people kindly, without an air of superiority or menace.
The children loved to tag along with him and had chosen him as the leader and big brother of Rice Village's children.
Shiraishi had no objection. He quite liked playing games with the children, especially whipping tops, at which he had never lost.
Leading a group of noisy tagalongs, Shiraishi arrived at Saito House, the only teahouse in Rice Village.
The shop wasn't big. It consisted of a thatched awning, three tables with chairs, and two long benches. At most, it could seat a dozen or so people.
From serving customers to cooking, the owner, Kichō, did everything herself.
"Oh my, if it isn't Shiraishi! Long time no see. Did you miss me?"
Her soft, sweet tone came with a flirtatious glance, as if she wanted to devour him.
Shiraishi smiled wryly. "Sister Kichō, didn't we just see each other the day before yesterday?"
"As the saying goes, a day apart feels like three autumns. I've missed you so much, but you, you heartless thing, haven't thought of me at all~"
Kichō winked playfully, her oval face full of allure. A small beauty mark sat beneath her full red lips, and the loose neckline of her gorgeous kimono revealed a glimpse of pale skin.
For once, Shiraishi acted like a proper gentleman. Not daring to make a suggestive remark for fear she would drag him into bed to put it into practice, he kept his eyes straight ahead and said, "I'm a little short on cash lately. Could I have some dango on credit?"
"No problem. If you can't pay me back, you can pay me with your body."
"Sister Kichō, could you not say things like that in front of the kids?"
Shiraishi grew even more embarrassed. The woman before him was a famous mature beauty in West District Ten, with fair skin and good looks. She was also known as a symbol of power.
Most Shinigami assigned to West District Ten would have some thoughts about her when they met her.
She got along well with everyone and was often caught between several Shinigami. She lived very comfortably.
After all, the earnings from such a small teahouse alone might not have been enough to save up for a gorgeous kimono and gold and silver jewelry, even after hundreds of years of scrimping.
"Hmph." Kichō gave the children a sour look and put her hands on her hips. "What do you brats want to eat?"
"Big sis, I want three-color dango." "I want sakura mochi!" "I want tempura."
The children all called out their orders.
"All right, you all wait here." Kichō replied and turned to prepare the food inside the shop. She wasn't treating the children for free; she was putting it on Shiraishi's tab.
Shiraishi's nature wouldn't let him enjoy good food by himself while the kids beside him watched and drooled. If they were going to eat, they would all eat together and have a good time.
The children, who had no Spiritual Power, couldn't eat much either. One skewer of dango was enough to fill them up.
All their orders combined cost less than half of Shiraishi's.
He was a big eater, after all.
Before long, Kichō came out carrying a tray with several plates of dango, sakura mochi, and tempura. The children each took a portion and happily started eating.
Shiraishi also picked up a skewer of dango with a smile.
Kichō sat down beside him, her full, warm body leaning halfway against his shoulder. "Where did you run off to yesterday?"
"I went to West District Twenty-Six with a friend."
Shiraishi answered truthfully, trying not to let his gaze wander. He did like beautiful women, but he had his principles and limits. He would never flirt with someone else's wife or mistress.
He only flirted with single girls.
"Traveling that far and back in a single day. How I envy you."
Kichō sighed. She had once applied to Shin'ō Academy but had not been accepted because her Spiritual Might didn't meet the standard.
The minimum admission requirement for Shin'ō Academy was twentieth-grade Spiritual Might. Anyone who fell short couldn't complete the training and become a member of the Thirteenth Division.
Her dream of becoming a Shinigami had been mercilessly cut short before it even began.
Shiraishi shrugged. "It wasn't a round trip in one day. I got back this morning."
"This morning?" Shock flashed in Kichō's eyes. She had spent time with quite a few Shinigami and had heard them boast about their strength, so she knew that wasn't a speed an ordinary Shinigami should have.
After all, those fellows had never boasted of anything that impressive.
"You're really strong, Shiraishi."
Stars appeared in her eyes, and her face was full of admiration.
Shiraishi was pleased and grinned. "Not bad, not bad."
Kichō pressed on. "Have you reached Captain-level strength?"
"Under normal circumstances, I can still exchange a few blows with one."
Shiraishi never boasted about his strength. On the contrary, he concealed it, especially in front of a woman as hard to read as Kichō.
He was even less likely to reveal his true strength and thoughts.
Perhaps he was overthinking it, or perhaps it was his personal prejudice against mistresses.
Shiraishi always felt that the owner of Saito House was no ordinary person.
If wealth and status were what she wanted, she could easily attach herself to a noble and leave the Beginning of Spring District, rather than stay here, run a teahouse, and serve as the mistress of several Shinigami.
Serving one man should have been much easier than serving a whole group.
Ah, women like her were too complicated. Kūkaku and Soi Fon were much more straightforward.
Thinking of Soi Fon reminded Shiraishi of their date in half a month. He really looked forward to it.