C11 The Law of Fragrance

The air was suddenly thick with the scent of alcohol as slurred words tumbled out unexpectedly.

The title "Great General of the Spirit King" caused a momentary pause, as faces involuntarily contorted with twitches.

And the term "Grandfather" was particularly jarring—it was as if he had just dismissed everyone present as mere children.

True to the saying, with a cup of liquor down the hatch, he wouldn't recognize a deity if one appeared.

"Captain Zaraki, please don't take it the wrong way. Taku is simply inebriated," Lucia said, her face betraying her concern.

Still, she steeled herself to mediate, driven by the debt of gratitude owed to Kaien Shiba and the promise to Ukitake.

"Haha, Lucia, relax. This fellow is quite the character," Zaraki Kenpachi chuckled with a hint of malice.

"Whether he's genuinely drunk or faking it, that last strike may have startled you, but the kid wasn't wrong—there was no intent to kill, just a probe."

"If we can't discern anything now, we'll leave it for later. Renji, take him to Shinoreijutsuin for the assessment without delay. I wouldn't want my list of worthy adversaries to be one name short."

Zaraki Kenpachi sheathed his sword with a look of keen interest, and Abarai Renji was taken aback.

Every member of the Eleventh Division knew that such a gesture from Zaraki Kenpachi was a sign of considerable respect.

Such recognition was something even he, as a sixth seat Shinigami, had not received.

Now, Zaraki Kenpachi's attention was fixed on a youth whose eligibility for the Shinoreijutsuin's examination was in question.

Was he implying that Renji was less capable than a drunkard?

"Thank you, Captain Zaraki. I'll take Taku to the assessment right now. Once he sobers up, I'll make sure he comes to apologize to you personally," Lucia said with a sigh of relief, quickly assisting Taku to his feet.

Her only concern at the moment was to get Taku to the examination promptly to honor Ukitake's commitment.

Whether he could pass was not her immediate worry.

"My dear, you're still as lovely as ever. Bring the wine with you—there's a bit left. And don't forget to prepare some water for me to soak my feet..."

A wave of alcohol hit her full in the face, and Lucia was taken aback to see Taku, mouth agape, referring to her as his wife.

Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink, yet she found herself instinctively taking a sniff.

"It smells amazing!"

These two simple words, tinged with a moan-like tone, erupted unexpectedly.

Particularly when Lucia's nose twitched and her face showed a hint of rapture.

It left Abarai Renji and the others completely bewildered.

Was this her way of acknowledging being called "wife?"

How could she find the pungent alcohol scent pleasant? Why would Lucia comment on its delightful aroma?

"Ah, I'm his wife—no, what I mean is, the liquor is truly aromatic. Don't get the wrong idea," Lucia hastily regained her composure, her face glowing red as she clarified.

But recalling the scent of wine from Taku's breath, she had felt an indescribable thrill, as if every pore in her body had opened in satisfaction.

The thought of her earlier, almost greedy inhalation of the alcohol fumes made Lucia's face bloom with embarrassment, like a ripe apple, overwhelmed with a sense of mortification.

Yet, to Abarai Renji, Lucia's demeanor seemed akin to that of a bashful bride.

Especially when he saw their cheeks nearly brush against each other, he lost his patience and made a grab for Taku.

He couldn't bear the thought of his lifelong crush, whom he had pursued for so many years, falling prey to someone else in a drunken moment—someone who had not only stolen a kiss but perhaps more.

"Why are you touching me? I'm not into guys. You can't pick up my soap," Taku deftly avoided Abarai Renji's hand, took another swig of liquor, and then comfortably leaned back against Lucia, letting out a satisfied belch.

"You lecher, you scoundrel, get over here!" Abarai Renji felt like he was losing his mind. But as he approached, the alcohol fumes hit him, sending a shiver through his body, and he found himself muttering without thinking.

"It smells amazing!"

The words slipped out before Abarai Renji could stop them, and as he became aware of the surrounding stares, his face struggled to hide his embarrassment.

"Renji, we all heard you clearly—you said it smells amazing," Lucia interjected quickly.

"I didn't blush because of what he said earlier. It was the scent of his wine—it was so intoxicating that when I caught a whiff, I felt all my pores open and a wave of inexplicable comfort wash over me. That's why my speech sounded slurred."

Lucia cringed at the memory of her tone when she uttered those words, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.

After all, even if you haven't seen a pig run, you've at least eaten pork. She was well aware of how odd her tone had sounded.

"Renji, is this for real?" Madarame Ikkaku strode forward and sniffed Taku's body, his spirits instantly lifting.

He reached out to grab the wine pot from Qin Yu's hand.

"Can't lift it?"

Madarame Ikkaku was dumbfounded.

He was the second strongest in the Eleventh Division, right after Zaraki Kenpachi. His strength was formidable.

Yet now, he couldn't budge a wine pot from the grasp of a drunkard—an utterly astonishing sight.

But faced with the secret of the wine pot in Taku's hand, Madarame Ikkaku didn't have time to ponder. He leaned in and inhaled deeply.

"It smells amazing!"

The familiar phrase escaped Madarame Ikkaku's lips.

In that moment, Taku seemed to embody the very principle of irresistible allure, compelling an involuntary, admiring verdict.

The sensation was akin to the legendary allure of Tang Seng's flesh.

Not just from the wine pot, but Lucia also detected the special fragrance emanating from Taku's body.

The closer she got, the stronger the wine's aroma grew, making her pores open and her spiritual energy flow more freely, as if rejuvenated by a long-awaited rain.

There was even a hint of empowerment.

"Lucia, you look completely enraptured," Abarai Renji said in disbelief, his voice tense as he spat out the final words.

"Enraptured?" Lucia snapped out of her reverie, her cheeks flushed. "No, you've got it all wrong. It's just that Taku is very comforting to embrace."

"No, it's more than that. Holding Taku, there's this special sensation, like a surge of happiness. Try it for yourself, and you'll understand."

Lucia's words tumbled out in a fluster.

For a woman, uttering such words was akin to a bolt from the blue.

Observing the reactions of those around her, Lucia was acutely aware that her explanations were only muddying the waters.

With no other choice, she steeled herself to clarify once more.

Meanwhile, she encouraged Renji to take a turn holding Taku, hoping that through action, they could shatter the so-called "irresistible appeal" rule.