Chapter 264: Fabulous Tea~


    <span style="font-weight:400">Even with his senses, Kazuya couldn’t pinpoint the exact direction of this stalker. Rangiku, on the other hand, waspletely oblivious. This stalker was very skilled at their job.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Rangiku, let’s go inside. I’ll treat you to some tea.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’d have preferred some alcohol but tea is fine. I can’t be too greedy.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya opened the door for her. “Do you never get tired of alcohol?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Booze is love. Booze is life.” Rangiku walked inside and took off her sandals. “Why don’t I take you out for some today?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“A date with my Vice-Captain. Breaks my heart to say no to that.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rangiku turned around and gave him a judging look. “What’s keeping you busy today?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Training, training, and more training. I can’t stagnate my growth because I beat some goofy-ass Arrancars.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Those goofy-ass Arrancars nearly ended me.” Rangiku shook her head. “I hope you don’t reject me next time.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I promise.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">While wearing slippers, Rangiku took a peek down the long hallway. “It’s bigger than it looks from the outside. Captain Unohana gave you an expensive ce.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“She is the best.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rangiku nced at his smile and realized that her Captain would need more than just words to convince Kazuya into bing his sessor. At the same time, she understood the expenses were justified to gain the loyalty of a talent with his potential. It was near-impossible to predict his ceiling. He might even end up joining the Royal Guards and directly serve the Reio.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘Why are all silver-haired brats geniuses?’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">One had already be a Captain, and the other was most likely to seed her Captain. She felt bittersweet about working under Kazuya in the future as he’d always remind her of herck of talent.


    <span style="font-weight:400">…


    <span style="font-weight:400">Fifteen minutester.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya put down the tray on the low table and sat down on the floor. The living room was preupied by the sleeping Yoruichi. As such he had to utilize the other living room. Seriously, the house had half the rooms as his Living World’s mansion, which was just absurd for a house of this size.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rangiku leaned in with closed eyes and deeply inhaled the tea’s aroma. “This smells heavenly. Let’s see if it tastes half as good as its aroma.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She picked up the tea cup with both hands with more elegance and grace than Kazuya expected from her. Slowly bringing the cup to her lips, she took a small sip. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she continued sipping. With a final slurping sound to show appreciation, she put down the tea cup.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Haah, it was divine. The best tea of my <i><span style="font-weight:400">life</i><span style="font-weight:400">! How did you brew this?!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She only sensed his presence in the kitchen, so she knew the tea was brewed by his hands only.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh. It’s a secret.” He chuckled. “I’m d you liked my first brew.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Observing Unohana paid off massively. With all the same ingredients present in the kitchen, he had no trouble taking guidance from the memory and recreating the same magic Unohana’s tea had.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“First brew?” Rangiku asked with wide eyes, nearly flipping the table out of shock. “You gotta be kidding me…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not.” He shook his head, revealing a smile. “Let’s just say I’m very good at observing and applying the said knowledge. Captain Unohana is the one you should praise.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I have tasted Captain Unohana’s tea. It’s good but not as vorful as yours.” She reached forward and grabbed his cors. “Can Ie here for


    <span style="font-weight:400">He scratched his cheek. “I get it. Can we put it behind us and talk about why you graced my home?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rangiku went back to her seat and smiled. “Can’t Ie to see my fellow Shinigami without an ulterior motive?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yes.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ouch, that went straight through my heart.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rangiku giggled and then suddenly put on a serious expression, the air around her shifting with her mood. “I asked around for any clues about my missing Zanpakutō Spirit. Can you guess what I found?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“More missing Zanpakutō Spirits?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She raised her brows in surprise. “How did you know?! Y-You must be the mastermind behind these incidents! Wait… is this the part where you reveal that the tea was drugged, and then I’ll pass out and wake up in a dark basement?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He flicked a Reiatsu bullet at her face. “It’s not a murder mystery.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ahahaha. I watched a good one the other day. The Living World’s theaters are amazing. Why don’t we go there someday? You can help me choose some clothes and we can even dine at a restaurant there.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What you’re describing is a date.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“No, it’s called hanging out with a friend. Besides, I’ll cover all the expenses.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You look desperate. Well, fine. I’ll be your boyfriend.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rangiku narrowed her eyes, smiling. “Good. Let’s talk about the Zanpakutō Spirits.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“So who else lost their Spirit?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ikkaku Madarame, the Vice-Captain of the 11th Squad.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Never heard of him.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She let out a soft giggle. “He makes some of the funniest faces. Yesterday, when we were drinking in the town, he brought up ack of voice from his Zanpakutō recently. Then he med it on ‘Hōzukimaru’ being upset with him for not properly utilizing its strength.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya nodded as he listened to her. “I heard that the guys from the 11th Squad don’t treat their Zanpakutō Spirit with proper respect.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Although he knew that Muramasa was behind Ikkaku’s Zanpakutō Spirit’s disappearance, he had to act skeptical before Rangiku. Otherwise, she’d grow suspicious of him when he eventually ends Muramasa’s ns. The alcoholic blonde had one of the keenest observation skills among her peers.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rangiku nodded her head. “Yeah, I’m not really certain Madarame is suffering from the same condition as me. But it’s suspicious nevertheless.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I see. I’ll look into your matter when I’m free from my training.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rangiku stood up and fixed her kimono. “That tea alone was worthing here all the way. But I gotta go now or the Captain will eat my ear off.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“See you soon.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Once Rangiku left, Kazuya stretched and returned upstairs for a quick shower. As he returned to the bedroom, he heard a scraping sound outside the window. The noise would’ve eluded anyone without hearing as sharp as his.


    <span style="font-weight:400">He picked his Zanpakutō from the bedside and carefully approached the window.