Bab 36: Chapter 36 - A Promise
Genta opened up her eyes and squinted from the sudden light that flashed before her eyes.
"Rise and shine, little brat," came Orihime's voice from her left, sitting close to the window with a book in her hand. Genta recognized the book she was holding (it was her drawing book), and she held herself back from running forward to grab it away from her, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"I have been admiring your sketches," she said to Genta, "but I didn't mean to pry." But the content of this book looks fascinating. "Did you come up with these off the top of your head?"
Genta sighed. "Yes, I did," she replied as she got out of bed.
"I need to get down to do some chores; do you want to come with me?" she asked.
"Sure thing," Orihime replied as she got ready to leave with her. But right at the moment when Genta took hold of the door's handle, a knock came from the other side, prompting them to take a step back, each slightly startled by the sudden sound.
"Who is it?" asked Genta.
"Kenpachi," replied the voice, "I need to talk to you."
"Oh right, come in," she said. Then the door opened, revealing Kenpachi, who looked slightly annoyed to see Orihime standing behind Genta.
Orihime sighed, not in the mood for an avoidable drama. Reading the current situation, she walked out of the room and away from the area. "Where did you say Kazuya is, again?" she asked Genta before getting out of sight.
Genta looked at Kenpachi. "Is Kazuya still with you?" she asked.
"He made mention of going to see the blacksmith soon; maybe he has done that already; if not, he might still be moping at the balcony," he replied.
"Check at the blacksmith's cave downstairs," Genta said to Orihime, "I will meet with you there shortly." Then Orihime left them alone.
"So Kenpachi, what do you want to talk about?" she asked.
"Are you leaving with those two?" he asked right off the bat.
Genta was taken aback by his sudden question, "Why would you think that?" She replied, "I belong here; don't you know that?"
"Please just answer the question, Genta." Kenpachi pressed on, "Are you going with them?"
"No, I am not going with them," Genta replied.
"Alright," Kenpachi replied, taking a deep breath as he turned away before looking back suddenly to ask, "But do you want to?"
"Well...", Genta reacted, not knowing what to say, and Kenpachi read the situation perfectly.
"I see," he replied, taking a deep breath, "I just hope you know what you are doing."
"What are you talking about?" I am not going anywhere! "Why is everyone acting as if I officially announced that I would be leaving the guild?" she asked, putting her hands up dramatically, wondering where this whole deal was coming from.
"Can I ask you one final question?" asked Kenpachi.
"Sure," Genta replied, though she was afraid he would ask a tough question.
"If they offered to let you come along with them, and the Master approved of it and gave you her blessings, would you leave the guild?" he asked, and Genta fell silent.
"My point exactly," he said.
"But the Master hasn't given any approval," she said to him, "so can you all just stop being dramatic over this?" "It's something that barely has a chance of happening!"
Kenpachi sighed, "Oh, but it is going to happen." Heck, I could swear that it is happening right now. I mean, they have offered you a chance to join them, right? "I guess the Guild means nothing to you," he said, but right before he could finish his statement, she slapped him across the face so hard that it left a slight imprint on his cheek.
The sudden slap left him speechless, as Genta quickly left, heading downstairs to be with Orihime.
Kenpachi clenched his fists, beating himself up mentally for acting that way.
Genta got out of Kenpachi's sight, heading towards the stairs, when she saw Orihime standing there, leaning on the wall with her hands folded.
"Were you listening to that?" she asked.
"Yeah, and it was boring as hell," Orihime replied. "I forgot the way to the blacksmith's cave, and barely anyone is downstairs to show me where it is." "I came to ask you, and here I am.
Genta sighed as she walked ahead of her down the stairs, while Orihime directly followed behind.
They got downstairs, and Genta pointed in the direction of the blacksmith's cave, and Orihime followed her there, surprised that she had missed it earlier.
They got to the entrance of the cave and could hear the repeated sound of the hammer clashing against the conforming metal, typical of his shop at any hour of the day.
They both looked in and could see the man hammering persistently, all covered in dirt and sweat, yet focused on his work. Orihime's eyes widened when she saw what he was working on—Kazuya's sword.
It looked way cooler than it initially was, but she couldn't discern the full details of it from the distance she was at. She was almost distracted enough to forget that it was Kazuya they were looking for.
The blacksmith knew that they were there, so he said out loud to them, "I told you that the weapons and armor would be ready by noon today." Please don't interrupt my work until then.
Genta bowed. "I'm so sorry!" she said out loud before leaving immediately. Orihime reluctantly left with Genta, as seeing Kazuya's upgraded work made her wonder what the finished sword and armor would look like.
As they left the blacksmith's cave, Genta picked up a broom and said, "If Kazuya isn't here, then he has to be up there on the balcony as Kenpachi said he would be."
"Alright, I'll go see him," Orihime said to her. "I'll see you later."
So Genta went on with her chores, while Orihime went back upstairs to find Kazuya. On her way upstairs, she came across Kenpachi, who barely recognized she was there, even though she gave a casual wave at him, and she took note.
She had wanted to ask him for directions as to where he would find Kazuya, as she had forgotten to ask Genta. However, his rude behavior made her do otherwise.
She got upstairs and went the other way, and after a few twists and turns, with one right direction from a kind mage, she found Kazuya, standing on the balcony, looking outside.
As he stood there, taking in the view and thinking, she came to his side, resting her back on the rails of the balcony as she stared into the slowly brightening sky.
"Good morning, Big Man," she greeted him.
"Good morning, Orihime," he greeted back, barely looking beside him.
Then about a minute of silence followed before she asked, "Have you noticed the way everyone in the guild thinks we are trying to steal Genta?" "It's crazy and annoying, and I don't even know where that thought came from."
"Neither do I," Kazuya replied. "Thankfully, in a couple of hours we will be out of here, where we won't have to deal with the drama any longer."
"But have you thought about it?" she asked.
"You thought about what?" he asked back.
"About having Genta join us?" she asked.
"You talk as if we are an official squad," he replied. "We are only working together because we have a common goal." After that goal has been achieved, we will have nothing else in common, and our alliance will be disbanded. "Why would we want Genta to be a part of something like that?"
"Well, don't you think that, given all the few things we have accomplished, we could have a chance at a good life if we all pursued more meaningful goals together after our revenge against the goblins?" she asked.
"I think you have a grave misconception about me, Orihime," Kazuya said to her, "because I do not intend to live a peaceful and comfortable life after clearing the goblin hideout."
"Oh yeah? What do you intend to do after that? "Continue grieving and mourning?" Orihime asked.
Kazuya took a deep breath, trying to control his anger as he replied, "The only purpose my life has right now is destroying the people responsible for the deaths of my family." After that, I would have nothing else to live for. "Even a rich, peaceful, and comfortable life cannot replace the life I once had with them."
Orihime knew where he was going with this; she knew what he was planning to do to himself after all was said and done. He wouldn't want to live any longer after ending his vengeance, and it pained her to realize that.
"Hey, Big Man," she called him again, and then he looked at her with an arched brow, wondering what she was about to say next.
"Promise me one thing, Kazuya... ", she said to him with all the sincerity she could express.
"What would that be?" he asked.
Then she replied, "Promise me that before you decide to kick the bucket, you will first talk to me."
"Talk to you? "About what?" asked Kazuya.
"You will know when the time comes," she said to him. "So, do you promise?"
"Yeah, whatever," Kazuya promised.
Then Orihime nodded with a slight smile. "Good," she said to him, "I will be downstairs, assisting Genta with her chores." "Try not to mope alone for too long, alright?"
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