Legal by Soul Society Standards?

Although Akira's smile looked harmless and gentle, in Shao Ling's eyes it seemed thoroughly untrustworthy, like someone staring at something he had no business touching.

Akira also realized his gaze had been a little too eager, accidentally exposing a hint of what he was thinking.

'Mm... It looks like I need a pair of glasses.'

In that moment, Akira suddenly understood the importance of glasses. They could adjust his appearance and make him seem more refined and harmless, while also concealing slight changes in his eyes.

Still, now that he had realized the Shao Ling Fon in front of him was the future captain of the Second Division, he could not help feeling pleased.

After all, if he could place a Forest Seed inside a future captain-class Shinigami ahead of time, the benefits would be enormous, far surpassing what he gained from seeds planted in ordinary Shinigami.

Besides, building a good relationship in advance with the future Second Division captain could only help him.

Akira had already clung firmly to Retsu Unohana's protection, but as an adult, how could he possibly place every bet on a single source of safety?

Conveniently, the seeds he had accumulated over the past two months had mostly gone into the fifty-plus Eleventh Division men just now. He still had some left, so he was not in the embarrassing position of facing Shao Ling and having no seed to plant.

Even so, he understood that he could not act too aggressively right now. Otherwise, he might frighten off Shao Ling, who was still in a youthful stage of her life.

Akira merely nodded to her and did not continue urging or forcing her. He turned calmly and walked back into the office.

Shao Ling hesitated in place for several seconds before walking in with an expression that looked almost ready for death.

After entering, however, she did not forget to open the door as wide as possible, allowing the hallway outside to see the office clearly.

That made the corner of Akira's eye twitch.

Did Shao Ling really think he was some suspicious man?

In the end, the age they appeared to be on the surface was not very different. They looked like peers. Was she truly afraid he would eat her?

At most, he wanted to borrow a little fertile ground for planting.

The doctor-patient relationship in Seireitei truly lacked basic trust.

After silently sighing over the poor state of medical trust, Akira wore a calm, gentle expression and asked Shao Ling, who had already taken a seat in front of him, "Name."

"Shao Ling Fon."

"Gender... female. Division affiliation, Second Division. Correct?"

"Yes."

"Age?"

"Forty-six."

Akira's hand paused instinctively. He could not help looking up at Shao Ling, whose features still seemed far too youthful.

"Is... is there a problem?" Shao Ling asked nervously.

"No..."

Akira's tone carried a trace of strangeness. Inside, however, he still had not adjusted to the dissonance.

By normal human standards, Shao Ling looked at most somewhere in her mid-teens. Yet as someone born in Soul Society, she was already forty-six.

Even so, her development was still not fully mature.

In Soul Society, were older women the only choice that felt safely legal?

Akira steadied himself and continued asking, "Where do you feel unwell?"

That question stunned Shao Ling.

Right. She was not actually sick.

For a while, she stammered, unable to find an answer.

After all, Shao Ling knew perfectly well that if she lied, Akira, as Captain Unohana's disciple, would likely see through it easily. That would be extremely unfavorable to her intelligence gathering.

Akira's eyes narrowed. Almost instantly, he sensed something wrong.

Even someone avoiding treatment out of embarrassment should at least be able to describe something. And Shao Ling Fon, Second Division, Onmitsukido...

Akira had not forgotten that the Second Division was responsible not only for monitoring the World of the Living, but also for surveillance inside Seireitei.

Was this an investigation? Or a test?

Under the desk, Akira's hidden finger tapped unconsciously. His thoughts moved constantly, but his expression revealed no flaw.

Finally, under Akira's patient gaze, Shao Ling casually pointed at several places on her body and described them vaguely.

"In short, this area hurts sometimes, and that place feels uncomfortable now and then..."

"I see. How often does the pain occur?" Akira asked.

"Once every day or two, I suppose."

"Mm. In that case, I will give you a simple examination first. Please lie down on that bed. Is that all right?" Akira asked gently.

Shao Ling turned to look at the simple bed. Along its edges, she could still see damp marks that might have been sweat, or might have been something else.

In the end, she glanced back at the still-open door and forced herself to answer calmly, "Y-yes."

"Mm."

Akira gestured for Shao Ling to lie down while putting on a fresh pair of white gloves.

However, when Akira touched the abdominal area Shao Ling had mentioned, he felt her entire body tense completely. Even the ten small toes exposed at the end of the bed went rigid.

"Relax..."

Akira spoke softly, his gaze clear and gentle as he looked at her. "Is it here? When I press like this... do you feel pain?"

Shao Ling bit her lower lip. Feeling the strange sensation in her lower abdomen, she inexplicably remembered Yoruichi misbehaving with her. Her mind almost went blank, and she answered on instinct.

"No... no..."

"No pain? Not even a little sensation?" Akira asked with a faint frown.

"There is... there is a feeling, n-no, that's not right. There is not..." Shao Ling answered shakily.

Suspicion flashed through Akira's eyes. Then, following what Shao Ling had described, he performed a simple examination of the other areas as well.

Finally, Akira looked at Shao Ling lying facedown on the bed, her petite, slender figure fully displayed, and he became almost certain of one thing.

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