On most days, Senjumaru Shutara loved to boast about how remarkable she was in front of her juniors.
But now, Masatsuki Aozaki had ruthlessly exposed the truth, leaving her utterly embarrassed.
That said, for most Shinigami—especially the Divine Soldiers—Zero Division was seen as an unattainable existence. The Royal Special Task Force was the Soul King's personal guard, the closest beings to divinity itself.
Although Zero Division members never truly agreed with this notion, they had never denied it either. In fact, at times, they even took pride in it.
Thinking about this, Senjumaru suddenly felt ashamed of the imperfect image she had unknowingly portrayed, as if she had let someone down.
Masatsuki, seeing her discomfort, simply gave an indifferent shrug.
"Isn't this great? You're not some untouchable godlike senior."
"...Eh?" Senjumaru blinked, looking up at him in confusion.
There was no mockery in his gaze.
He had uncovered the truth—that the so-called lofty senior was, at her core, just another person. Yet, he didn't ridicule her for it.
And he wasn't offering empty consolation either.
Masatsuki simply didn't care. His expression remained as casual as ever as he looked at her.
"Because we were human to begin with. You've been part of Zero Division for centuries, a royal agent for the Soul King... but you're still human."
"..."
"The heart of a person is still there. Our joys, our sorrows, our love, our hatred—it's all still there. Isn't that a wonderful thing?"
"..."
"If that's the case, then there's no need to act high and mighty. If you're happy, laugh. If you're sad, cry. If you're angry, let it out. If you like something, say it. If you hate something, say that too. What's wrong with that?"
"Or do you think being human is a bad thing? It just proves that we're still ourselves.
And if anyone dares to mock you for it, just tell your adorable junior here—I'll take care of them for you."
"So relax. At the very least, there's nothing shameful about this. Stand tall, hold your head high, and if someone dares to laugh at you for being human—just slap them in the face and move on."
Masatsuki grinned brightly, his eyes as warm as ever as he looked at Senjumaru.
The sunlight shone behind him, casting his face in shadow.
Yet to Senjumaru, he seemed to radiate light—like a benevolent deity.
...
After their conversation about human nature, the two walked in silence toward the weaving room.
Senjumaru's Zero Division Riden was designed in the same traditional Japanese style as Gatonden, but there were some subtle differences between them.
While Gatonden's greatest luxury was its kitchen, the finest part of her Riden was undoubtedly its weaving room.
However, despite Masatsuki's deep passion for cooking, he had absolutely no interest in weaving.
It was worth mentioning that the place that intrigued Masatsuki Aozaki the most at the moment was none other than Hōōden.
After all, the palace's unique environment, filled with countless girls manifested from Zanpakutō, was something that undeniably fascinated him.
To Masatsuki, aside from the art of forging Zanpakutō spirits into female forms, the only thing that could capture his attention was the sight of beautiful sword-wielding girls scattered throughout the grand halls of the luxurious palace.
However, right now, his focus remained on Kirio Hikifune and Senjumaru Shutara.
Masatsuki let out a long sigh, as if countless thoughts filled his mind, yet none could be put into words. Then, he realized something—Senjumaru hadn't spoken a single word for quite some time.
Ever since he had gone on that long-winded speech about how she was still human, she had been acting different.
Head bowed, she simply followed behind him in silence.
She wasn't upset or frustrated, but her quiet demeanor felt oddly out of character.
Her face remained composed, unreadable, not a single emotion rippling across her features.
Masatsuki glanced at her and, at that moment, noticed a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. She lowered her head slightly, her eyes glimmering with a shy smile.
...That was kind of cute.
Well, as long as she was fine, that was all that mattered. After all, they still had important things to take care of.
With that thought, Masatsuki turned to her and asked,
"You've got everything ready, right? Don't go forgetting anything at the last second—I'm not running errands for you."
However, Senjumaru just stared at him blankly.
Her big, innocent eyes blinked a few times, as if she had no idea what he was talking about. Tilting her head in confusion, she asked,
"Ready for what?"
Her composed and graceful face carried an unmistakable look of surprise, making Masatsuki sigh in exasperation.
Something felt off.
Her attitude had become a lot more straightforward compared to before.
Masatsuki narrowed his eyes slightly.
If this were the old Senjumaru, she would have immediately gotten annoyed at his teasing.
What the hell was going on?
Did she suddenly change personalities?
Had she gone from being a troublemaking brat to an innocent middle schooler overnight?
After a moment of contemplation, Masatsuki simply continued strolling at his leisurely pace and said,
"What exactly is going on inside that head of yours? I'm talking about clothes—have you forgotten why we came here?"
"...Ah, yes! I already have everything prepared! You should have more faith in your senior!"
Senjumaru quickly responded in a soft voice.
Masatsuki sighed.
Alright, he was mistaken.
She hadn't turned into a middle schooler—she had regressed all the way back to infancy.
He shook his head helplessly.
...
Ten minutes later – The Weaving Room
This was Senjumaru's favorite place, the space where she spent most of her time indulging in her craft.
At this moment, however, she stood in front of Masatsuki, looking uncharacteristically flustered.
"M-Masatsuki-chan, you really don't have to be this... straightforward. Maybe you should, um... put your clothes back on? It would work just the same with them on..."
Masatsuki blinked at her, then smirked teasingly.
"What's gotten into you? You used to have no problem making me strip down. Are you telling me that after seeing it so many times, you're suddenly getting shy?"
Senjumaru's face turned bright red as she frantically waved her hands in protest.
"N-No! That's not it! It's just... I don't think it's appropriate. Besides, I already know your measurements."
But Masatsuki didn't give her a chance to argue.
Without hesitation, he took matters into his own hands and stripped down completely.
Making clothes for Masatsuki and Kirio was one of the compensations that had been agreed upon long ago.
And since Senjumaru had spent yesterday learning how to make sweets, all she needed now was practice. So naturally, today had been set aside for tailoring—nothing more, nothing less.
Of course, as expected, Senjumaru was now having second thoughts.
Masatsuki quickly shed the clothing that she would inevitably complain was "in the way" and turned to look at her.
To his surprise, the usually composed and experienced woman actually blushed.
"What's wrong? It's not like this is the first time. You're too late to back out now, so hurry up and get in here."
"Ehh? But—"
Senjumaru tried to protest, but Masatsuki wasn't having it.
Before she could say another word, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind them.
...
A wave of awkwardness settled over the room.
Senjumaru stood frozen, unsure how to react.
Her body felt warm, her heartbeat quickened, and she was at a complete loss for words.
Masatsuki-chan is right. This has happened plenty of times before... so why am I reacting like this now?
Even though she felt confused, she didn't dislike Masatsuki's actions.
She quietly watched as he held her hand, her thoughts swirling.
What Masatsuki himself probably didn't realize...
Was that the Senjumaru standing before him now was no longer the fearless woman who once wielded her power without hesitation.
And her reaction wasn't just childish stubbornness.