Then, across worlds, with a gentle motion, Sora directly grasped Hisana's soul from the Living World and brought her to Soul Society!
Looking at the young woman before her, slightly taller, slightly slimmer, and more curvaceous, with a face very similar to her own,
Hisana was startled, then realized.
"You, could you be... Rukia!!?"
Hisana was very surprised.
Then she looked around at the scene.
How could she not recognize this place?
This was the Kuchiki Residence where she had spent her final decades!
"I've, returned!!?" Hisana was overjoyed.
One moment she was in a hotel, being battered by reality, and the next she was back in Soul Society, once again a true noble lady. This was an experience few could have.
"Is it you..." Hisana looked at Sora.
She could recognize his Reiatsu.
"Are you the one who brought me back? Thank you!" Hisana was very happy.
"You're welcome. I did it for Rukia. Of course, that kid Kuchiki Byakuya isn't bad either. I gave him a helping hand as well." Sora waved his hand.
"But still, thank you!" Hisana said.
Hearing Byakuya's name, a trace of hesitation appeared on Hisana's face.
She had been gone for so long. Byakuya was part of the Four Great Noble Families. Would things be different now...
"Don't worry, Nee-san!" This time, it was Rukia who spoke: "Nii-sama, all these years, he has never remarried. He doesn't even have close female friends!"
"Th-this..." Hearing Rukia's words, Hisana was moved: "Byakuya-sama!"
"Where is Byakuya-sama now? I want to see him!" Hisana said.
"Not so fast!" Sora interjected: "The Seireitei is currently preparing for war. Byakuya will be back later."
"But before that..."
Sora glanced at the hotel receptionist uniform Hisana was wearing and snapped his fingers.
"Someone!"
"My lord, I'm here!" A Kuchiki Clan's maid entered, head bowed.
Sora pointed at Hisana: "The mistress of the Kuchiki Clan has returned. Hurry and attend to her!"
"What!!?" The maid looked up in confusion. She was new and didn't really know Hisana.
But she had cleaned the memorial hall and had seen Rukia.
Seeing that face, she felt it was likely correct. So she immediately went out to inform the others.
Soon after, a large group of people arrived in a flurry and surrounded Hisana!
Hisana was a bit uncomfortable at first, but soon, old memories resurfaced, and she became accustomed to it.
And there was an unexpected bonus this time.
Just as Hisana was about to head to the bath, hurried footsteps approached.
The Kuchiki Clan's elder, Kuchiki Ichiki, rushed over: "It really is Hisana! It really is Hisana!"
Looking at Hisana, Ichiki was extremely excited: "Good, good! Returning is good, returning is good!!"
"Did that lord do this? I am eternally grateful!" Ichiki said.
Seeing his expression, Hisana was confused.
'Isn't this old man the one who had been the most opposed to my marriage back then. Why was he acting like this now?'
Hisana was very puzzled.
Then, seeing Hisana's expression, Ichiki understood her thoughts and quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, my lady. Back then, I was in the wrong!"
"Now that you have returned, it is good, it is good!" Ichiki kept repeating "it is good."
Hisana was even more confused.
But she was also intelligent. Seeing Ichiki like this, she guessed there must be a reason why she had to return.
Remembering the war Sora mentioned, Hisana's expression changed: "Kuchiki Ichiki, is the Seireitei preparing for a very dangerous war?"
"Th-this... indeed so!" Ichiki nodded.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be so anxious. The current Kuchiki Clan had no heir!
That stubborn Byakuya was fixated on Hisana, determined to have only her, as if to spite the elders.
If it weren't for the pressure from the elders, Hisana might not have died so early. After all, she was the young mistress of the Kuchiki Clan.
But the problem was that Byakuya couldn't mobilize the family's resources.
So, in a sense, Hisana had been hounded to death.
After Hisana's death, during the time Rukia entered the family, the elders came to understand the backlash from the younger generation.
Byakuya consolidated his power. Of the many elders back then, only Ichiki remained in the main house.
The others, every single one, had been sent away.
Ichiki had been spared because he had a good relationship with Byakuya's father, Kuchiki Sojun. When Sojun died in battle, Ichiki had risked his life to bring back his body from the depths of the battlefield.
Thus, Ichiki had a debt of gratitude from Byakuya.
But even so, Ichiki was now essentially a rich man living a quiet life.
That was also why he couldn't face Hisana with pride.