Help! I am bound to Aizen!-Chapter 236

Chapter 236

After playing with Byakuya for a while, Kaelith casually handed him over to one of the elderly attendants nearby.

Kuchiki Ginrei cast his gaze upon Kaelith.

“Kaelith, if you have a moment, please join me in the reception room.”

The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.

Kaelith shook his head.

“Give me just a bit, Elder. I want to set something up first.”

Under Kuchiki Sōjun’s curious watch, Kaelith made a circuit around the room, surveying its structure. Once satisfied, he nodded.

He then spread his fingers; threads of reishi shot out, attaching themselves to various corners of the chamber. The lines formed intricate patterns across the interior, each concealing multiple layers of Kidō. When the designs were complete, Kaelith stepped outside and repeated the same process around the exterior.

Finishing at last, he returned inside.

“I’ve put a barrier around the room. From now on, even if the doors or windows are opened, cold air won’t get inside. Mothers who’ve just given birth and newborns both need to avoid drafts, but at the same time, keeping the windows shut day after day and never seeing sunlight isn’t good either. This barrier solves that problem.

“It draws energy directly from the surrounding air. The reishi concentration in Seireitei is much higher than in the outside world, so there’s plenty of power to keep it running. It’s a fully automatic, all-around safeguard!”

Kaelith raised his chin proudly.

Sōjun was startled—he hadn’t expected his friend to be so thoughtful, far more than he himself had been as a husband. He felt a bit ashamed.

“Thank you, Kaelith. If not for you, I wouldn’t have realized this mistake.”

The lady of the house and the elderly attendants also nodded in approval. This Captain of the 11th Division certainly knew what he was doing. After bowing in gratitude, Sōjun’s wife watched Kaelith depart for the reception room.

Upon seeing Kaelith arrive, Ginrei inclined his head, inviting him to sit. Although Kaelith was technically a friend of Ginrei’s son, Kuchiki family protocol was strict, and Ginrei insisted on treating him according to the customs for nobles of equal status.

“Kaelith, I know you’re not one for formalities,” Ginrei began. “So I will be direct. Though the Yurei household has been demoted to low-ranked nobility, the truth is, it hardly affects you. In the end, your standing—your clan’s standing—depends on your strength and your connections. Let’s be honest: as far as anyone’s concerned, the Yurei clan is you alone. If not for the estate that the Ōmaeda family provided, you wouldn’t even have land of your own.”

Kaelith sipped his tea, already fully aware of these facts. He wondered why Ginrei was bringing them up now.

Ginrei continued in a low voice.

“I also understand that titles and power mean little to you. But the Soul Society’s laws place nobles above all else. You may care nothing for fame or wealth, but from what I’ve seen, you deeply value your friends. Whenever they are in danger, you never hesitate to step in, risking yourself if needed. With your ability, it’s usually not difficult to defeat enemies and protect them.

“However, there are limits to what one person can accomplish alone. If the Yurei clan were to gain sufficient status and influence, your reputation alone could silence much petty scheming before it ever touched your friends.”

Kaelith wore a puzzled expression.

“Elder Ginrei, are you saying the Kuchiki family wants to help restore me to mid-level noble status? I don’t see the point. In your noble circles, sure, rank matters a lot, but for most people, being a higher or lower noble is all the same. Those bold enough to attack a low-ranked noble won’t be scared off by someone mid-ranked…and anyone too wary to provoke a low-ranked noble wouldn’t dare cross a mid-ranked one either…”

Before he could finish, Ginrei shook his head.

“Simply bringing you back to mid-level wouldn’t do you much good.”

Fixing Kaelith with a serious stare, Ginrei went on:

“The Tsunayashiro clan is left in shambles now that Tsunayashiro Chizō has departed. Anyone with genuine ability went with him. What remains is a pack of good-for-nothings who know only idle luxury, plus a few branch members who lack the power to rule.

“If the Kuchiki family joined forces with the Shihōin to fully oust the Tsunayashiro from the Five Great Noble Houses, it wouldn’t be hard. At that point, Kuchiki would stand at the head of the Houses. The Kuchiki and Shihōin together could then support the Yurei clan as a new member of the Five Greats. It’s not impossible.”

Kaelith blinked in surprise. He never expected the old man to have such grand ambitions. In the Soul Society’s million-plus years of history, the Five Great Noble Houses had never once been replaced. Yet here Ginrei was, talking about reshuffling the entire hierarchy.

Seeing no hint of jest in Ginrei’s expression, Kaelith frowned.

“Elder, there’s an old saying: ‘Nothing in life comes free.’ Even if I’m good friends with Sōjun, that hardly justifies you risking so much for me. After all, my friend is Kuchiki Sōjun, not Kuchiki Ginrei.”

Rather than taking offense, Ginrei smiled faintly.

“And that is precisely why I want to help you.”

“Hmm?”

Kaelith arched a brow.

Ginrei regarded him silently, then murmured, “I won’t be alive much longer.”

Kaelith’s face showed little reaction, which made Ginrei sigh in mild relief.

“It seems you’ve suspected as much.”

“I had an inkling back when we spoke about collaborating on the video game project,” Kaelith said with a nod.

Ginrei chuckled.

“I know my own condition best. I won’t last another hundred years before my life ends. Once I’m gone, Sōjun will inherit the Kuchiki name. You know better than anyone how kind and gentle my son is. Under his lead, the Kuchiki clan will appear to all other nobles like a succulent morsel—everyone will want to sink their teeth in.

"He is a good son, to good for the world of nobles"

“I lack the confidence and the time to shape him into a perfect clan leader. But I can cultivate someone else—someone with sufficient ability and moral strength—so that when things grow dire, that person can step forward and protect Sōjun.

“Kaelith, I trust you. Both your power and your character. If you’re willing, I will use everything the Kuchiki family has to elevate you into the Five Great Noble Houses before I die. And in return, you must give your full support to Sōjun—protect the Kuchiki clan, protect Sōjun, protect Byakuya.”

Ginrei finished and fell silent, fixing Kaelith with a piercing gaze, waiting for his answer.