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After a brief silence.

Soi Fon raised her head, revealing a rather complicated expression.

"You... giving me this thing, do you even know what it's for?"

Yusuke Matsushita readily shook his head.

"I'm not sure, it's probably used to hold loose change or something?"

Like a small wallet?

Since it was something he saw in the 'decorative' section, and it wasn't particularly valuable, Matsushita Yusuke chose it.

Of course, considering its shape and design, the price is quite attractive.

But Matsushita Yusuke wasn't too bothered, since those two kimonos were enough to buy over three hundred small wallets, so it was just a matter of 'reciprocity'...

No.

He still came out on a huge advantage.

After all, the person in question is capable of doing anything, and it would be somewhat inappropriate for Soi Fon to actually "feed" them.

"You don't like it? Then I..."

"I didn't say that! I was just asking you, do you know what this thing is?"

It was clear that Matsushita Yusuke was about to take it back.

Soi Fon flipped her hand away rather rudely, swatting away his right hand like a bristling Hakimi.

This guy even adopted a very alert defensive stance...

"I don't know, isn't it a wallet?"

"Tsk...giving away gifts without knowing anything? You should at least do some research first, right? I can't stand people like you."

Soi Fon hummed and lifted the pouch, pulling open the gold thread at the opening to reveal what was inside.

"See? The pockets inside are layered."

"Uh... I saw it, so what?"

"So this thing is called a comb bag, remember that!"

055: The Shihouin Family's Party

Comb...comb bag?

So what is this thing?

Yusuke Matsushita couldn't bring himself to ask, because looking at Soi Fon's eyes, he knew that if he did, he'd probably get slapped again...

But it doesn't matter, since Soi Fon is somewhat 'acquainted' with this guy, and she can basically judge his emotions just by looking at his expression.

"You've definitely never heard of it, right? Hey! I can understand you just by looking at that expression!"

Oh well, I was already mentally prepared before I left home anyway.

Soi Fon took a deep breath and said helplessly.

"A comb bag is basically a small pouch used to hold a comb. It was usually hung at the waist as a convenient item for women to use to style their hair."

It's a very simple description, so there's plenty of room to expand on it.

Soi Fon, with one hand on her hip and holding her comb bag, continued speaking with a look of disgust.

"But even an idiot like you should understand, right? People who can maintain their appearance and demeanor at all times must be either rich or noble."

The poor don't care too much about their appearance, which is similar to the inference of this theory.

"So over time, this item became a symbol of status in another sense. Generally speaking, only unmarried noblewomen would wear it."

"Then aren't you quite suitable?"

Yusuke Matsushita tilted his head.

"You're not married yet, are you? Even a lower-ranking noble is still a noble, right?"

"Idiot! I haven't finished speaking! I'm a member of a top-secret operations unit. I find it inconvenient to wear even a little extra clothing on a normal day. Carrying this around would only make things more troublesome!"

She fell silent, her chest heaving for a moment, her expression clearly conflicted.

"Furthermore! And don't casually discuss other people's marriages; it's very impolite!"

"Understood, please continue..."

Where were we?

Soi Fon pressed her cheek; it was slightly hot. After calming herself down, she spoke.

"Combs are also considered amulets among our nobility, symbolizing cleanliness and health. And your bag has a lining that can also be used to hold incense balls; it's a rather modern, multi-functional design..."

She looked through it for a while, then turned her hand over and held it up towards Matsushita Yusuke with the other side, whispering.

“Look, this area is empty, isn’t it? This is where the family crest is decorated… The old comb bags wouldn’t have this kind of empty space.”

"Let me see……"

Where are you looking? Here, here!

The two heads naturally moved a little closer together.

"So what's so special about this?"

"Young people in the aristocracy would probably like this, because it can hold combs and incense balls, saving them some trouble. Also, the color design is quite bold; older people probably wouldn't appreciate it."

"Mmm, so do you like it?"

"Of course! I've seen it all... Hey!"

Soi Fon, realizing what was happening, threw a punch.

Yusuke Matsushita grinned and dodged away.

"What's wrong with just saying you like it directly? Doesn't beating around the bush seem awkward?"

"Gu..."

Seeing Soi Fon's awkward and troubled expression, Matsushita Yusuke felt a sense of satisfaction, and his tone became much lighter.

"Since you like it, I won't return it... Let's go, don't we still need to buy some souvenirs?"

Soi Fon looked at this guy who had taken the initiative, and her expression became somewhat conflicted.

She darted forward and kicked Matsushita Yusuke in the butt.

"Don't try to tell me what to do!"

"A brand new kimono! If you're so unhappy about it, then hurry up and do it yourself..."

"Humph……"

"Soi Fon... Honestly, do you really like this thing?"

"Barely!"

As the familiar subtitles appeared, Yusuke Matsushita's smile became somewhat subtle.

[Soi Fon's Affection +5]

Given this guy's personality, even if he maxes out the rewards, he probably won't say anything nice.

Then, only after realizing that things were beyond repair did she start crying and saying things like, "Why didn't you take me with you?"

Wow, wow, wow! I didn't expect there to be a "wife-chasing-after-the-cremation" plot! That's so exciting!

Closer to home.

Soi Fon is also helping with the selection of souvenirs.

Although this guy is usually carefree, he is actually quite careful and cautious in the more subtle ways.

She not only helped Yusuke Matsushita choose clothes, but also put a lot of thought into the souvenirs—she even bought one for him as a backup.

"You can give this to Lord Yoruichi. Even if he doesn't need it, it will still be a respectable gift."

Yusuke Matsushita realized that their items were not quite the same.

"Is there a trick to this?"

"Yes, there are differences in gifts between men and women. This is also part of aristocratic etiquette and something that must be taken into account."

It's quite complicated.

Fortunately, with Soi Fon's help and hints, Matsushita Yusuke didn't have to rack his brains in this situation.

"Thank you, Soi Fon."

"..."

She glanced in Matsushita Yusuke's direction.

Surprisingly, she didn't yell back... She reached for the small pocket that was already hanging at her waist, a side that Matsushita Yusuke couldn't see.

"It was just a small favor. After all, we're in a superior-subordinate relationship. If you embarrass yourself, I'll feel awkward too."

After saying these words, she let out a soft breath and nodded gently, as if hypnotizing herself.

Yes, it is like that!

"Let's go, we can't be late for Lord Yoruichi's party, we need to get there early!"

To be fair, the pomp and circumstance of the nobility were indeed extraordinary.

The venue for the party was located inside the Shihōin family compound; you'd have to walk around the area twice to find it.

Along the way, you can see many people whose names you don't know... Soi Fon, on the other hand, is very generous in greeting and striking up conversations with others.

They all seem to be quite extraordinary individuals.

Although Yusuke Matsushita didn't care about these things, he eventually gave in after Soi Fon secretly pinched his waist.

'Consider it as building your future network; just be patient.'

Unexpectedly, Soi Fon would deliberately lower her voice to explain something at this time.

This surprised even Yusuke Matsushita.

How come this hot-tempered delinquent girl has suddenly become so gentle?

—Is this 5-point favorability rating really that impressive? Could it have completely changed her impression of me?!

The specifics remain unknown.

The two entered the Shihōin family's mansion, and after walking a short distance, they saw Kōnosuke greeting guests.

This vice-captain is truly dedicated...

Let's set aside work for now; we also need to take care of your personal life.

The Shihōin family is incredibly lucky to have such a subordinate noble family.

056: If you want it, you have to come and get it yourself.

The entry process was not complicated, but what caught Matsushita Yusuke's attention the most was the incredibly spacious 'venue'.

Judging from its appearance, it should be a place similar to a martial arts training ground... It was temporarily built, modified, and transformed into a rather spacious banquet hall.

Yusuke Matsushita stood at the entrance, looking around for a while, but he felt like he had seen this place somewhere before. After thinking about it for a while, he finally remembered.

That's right~

It's a rural banquet!

"Don't just stand there, go inside."

Soi Fon nudged his shoulder, and Matsushita Yusuke nodded in agreement. The two then entered side by side.

After they took their seats, many more unfamiliar people came in one after another, but these people were quite polite to Soi Fon.

Matsushita Yusuke took the time to learn a thing or two, and that's how he learned from the other party about the different ranks among the nobility.

'While I am nominally a lower-ranking noble, it's only relative. The Soul Society has developed over many years, with deeply entrenched organizations and a vast number of members…'

This so-called distinction between upper, middle, and lower nobility is actually only a superficial one.

"The term 'lower class' mostly refers to families that can interact with families like the Shihouin family. In reality, there are many nobles below me, but these are the majority who are not considered respectable."