Help! I am bound to Aizen!-Chapter 239

Chapter 239

“Ichimaru… Gin?”

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Rangiku tilted her head, thought for a moment, then shook it. “Never heard of him.”

“It’s rare for kids in Rukongai to even have names, so if I’d met someone like that, I definitely would’ve remembered.”

With that, she reached out with her chopsticks and cautiously picked up a small piece of grilled fish. Seeing that Kaelith wasn’t angered, Rangiku breathed a quiet sigh of relief and happily continued eating.

Kaelith pondered her answer. If he recalled correctly, Rangiku had known Ichimaru Gin since childhood—they wandered Rukongai together. After that, she got caught up in Aizen’s experiment, which took part of her soul. Gin’s grudge against Aizen stemmed from that incident.

He looked at the girl across the table, cheerfully wolfing down her meal. On closer inspection, she did appear younger than she looked in the anime. Thinking back to how she’d displayed that mysterious power while fighting the wolves, Kaelith suspected that might be what drew Aizen’s interest.

He smiled faintly. Meeting him first was her lucky break.

Once they finished eating, the two left the restaurant. Kaelith stretched his arms overhead. Finding Sōsuke could wait; first, he’d take Rangiku back to the 11th Division. After figuring out her curious ability, he’d sign her up for the Shin’ō Academy. And maybe ask Yoruichi to send a few people around here to search for Ichimaru Gin. That white-haired brat was a rare genius—it’d be a shame not to conscript him…ahem…bring him on board.

Straightening his thoughts, Kaelith couldn’t help feeling smug. Truly, he was the ultimate strategist of his time. Aizen? Kisuke? Mere child’s play next to him.

In high spirits, he glanced into the distance. Rangiku was sprinting down the street, aiming for crowded spots and using her small stature to dart under gaps in the throng. Whenever she got caught stealing food, this trick helped her slip away.

Surely she’d pull it off again today and escape that gullible Shinigami, or so she thought. With a little laugh, she told herself that no normal person would pay for a free meal for some stray kid in Rukongai. As good an actor as he seemed, she was convinced his behavior gave away his real intentions.

Her glee faded as she slowed down. Ugh, stomachache. She’d stuffed herself too much, then run right after—her stomach was killing her. Face pale, she clutched her slightly bulging belly and leaned against a nearby wall. Well, she’d already gotten far enough that even if the guy was a Shinigami, finding her wouldn’t be easy. Better just rest here.

She was about to sit when a voice came from beside her: “Don’t stop all at once—walk it off slowly first.”

“Huh?”

Rangiku turned and nearly popped her eyes out of her head. “Y-y-you…”

Kaelith stood right there. She almost dropped onto the ground in shock.

“Foolish child,” he teased. “You didn’t really think you could run away after eating a meal on my dime, did you?”

With one hand on his hip and the other coyly covering his mouth, Kaelith let out a lofty chuckle. Rangiku was too stunned to mock his ridiculous pose.

Gritting her teeth, she glared. “So you do have some scheme after all!”

“Tch, of course.” Kaelith’s smirk widened. “In the World of the Living, there’s an old saying: ‘There’s no free lunch.’ For years, I’ve been mooching off other people’s meals, but no one’s ever gotten a freebie out of me.”

“Rangiku, if you want to go, fine. Just pay me back for that meal first.”

Her heart sank. It was a trap. Even though she guessed the outcome, she had no choice but to ask, “How…how much?”

“Hm, let me think…” Kaelith paused, then held up one finger with a sunny smile. “Ten million kan.”

“Just kill me now!” Rangiku gaped in disbelief. Ten million kan? She’d never laid hands on even a full string of coins in her entire life!

Folding his arms, Kaelith nodded. “No money? Fine, then you can come work it off.”

“W-work it off?!”

Mouth falling open, Rangiku stared at him as though he’d lost his mind. How could he say something so outrageous with a straight face? She was under fifty—how was she supposed to “work” for him? What kind of pervert would buy her?

Seeing that Kaelith was dead serious, Rangiku turned and ran. She didn’t get far before he snatched her up by the collar like a kitten.

“Wah! Let me go! I don’t want to do that!”

Rangiku cried out as Kaelith soared into the sky, cackling the whole way.

…

They landed, and Kaelith set Rangiku on solid ground. Her eyes were swirling, nearly faint from the experience. Sometimes he had used Shunpō; other times he practically stomped on thin air, blasting shockwaves beneath his feet to propel them forward.

If they’d been in a secure container, it might have been bearable, but he carried her by the back of her collar, literally holding her life in his grasp. She almost blacked out multiple times.

Now that they were back on the ground, Rangiku felt reborn. As she tried to steady herself, voices called out:

“Kaelith, sir!”

“Welcome back!”

“Thank you for your hard work, sir!”

Rangiku looked around in surprise. A bunch of Shinigami dressed in black uniforms were bowing respectfully toward Kaelith. Among them were two figures approaching: one was a large dog, the other a dark-skinned man.

“Kaelith!” Komamura greeted him with a happy grin. Ever since he met Kaelith and Captain-Commander Yamamoto, he’d gradually adapted to life in the Seireitei. The more he learned, the more grateful he was for his luck in meeting them. Had it not been for those two, he might still be wandering aimlessly.

He handed Kaelith a gourd of water with his furry paw. Kaelith took it, downed several big gulps, and wiped his mouth with a satisfied sigh. Meanwhile, Tōsen curiously “looked” at Rangiku.

“Kaelith, who is this?”

Kaelith grinned. “This is Matsumoto Rangiku. I brought her back from Rukongai. Starting today, she’s one of us!”

No sooner had he spoken than a voice called from afar:

“Brought back from Rukongai?! Then she must be another powerhouse! Quickly, face me in battle!”

Rangiku: “…”