"Hmm, hmm..."
In my own room inside the student dormitory, I am scanning the latest issue of the Seireitei Communication.
The Seireitei Communication is something like a public relations magazine or official gazette published by the 9th Division. Naturally, it circulates throughout the Seireitei, and sometimes a part of it circulates in Rukongai as well.
I had also looked through it when I was in Rukongai.
However, what I am looking for is not the articles.
"No familiar names, huh..."
Twice a year, the Seireitei Communication comes with a Gotei 13 Registry attached. This lists names in seat order for each division, and unseated officers are listed in Japanese syllabary order.
That said, as an Academy student, it doesn't mean much, but for the current me, it is valuable information.
Namely, to check if there are any names I know.
No, it is not that I doubt the names of the Captains of the Gotei 13 that Master taught me, but that was quite a long time ago. And asking Master "Please tell me the Captains' names" every year would be unnatural.
So, I wanted the latest information. In that sense, this Seireitei Communication was very useful. Because I can check names periodically.
Unfortunately, there were no names I knew—other than what I heard from Master.
"If I recall correctly, Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake should have been portrayed as quite the veterans, right? But for their names to not even be in the general soldier column... just how long ago is this..."
Surely they won't die of old age before the original story starts, right!?
That would be trouble!! Orihime! Rangiku! Harribel! Bambietta! Even though I haven't even seen the mountains yet!!
Combining distraction and escapism, I look through the Seireitei Communication.
...
...
...Boring.
Feeling like I was reading a schedule, I instinctively threw it away. I lie down on the tatami mats just like that.
"It feels like 'Just a list of events and schedules!' I wish they would publish articles like a more fun magazine."
I am fed up with the content that hasn't changed from what I saw during my Rukongai days.
I have never seen one, but were the tile-block prints (kawaraban) of the Edo period like this? Or is it because it is a Soul Reaper publication that it is such stiff reading material?
Besides, if considered as a schedule, it is exceedingly excellent. Since what happened is written extremely concisely, it is not interesting, but it is easy to read.
It feels full of minimum requirements and a sense of duty, so it is not interesting, though.
It might be more decent than gossip articles or fabricated articles written as if they are "facts," or personal opinions written as if they are "the will of the whole."
"...Ah, oh no!"
Remembering via the schedule, I hurriedly get up.
"Today was the day for library work!"
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The Spiritual Arts Academy has summer vacation, winter vacation, and spring vacation.
It was surprising.
I thought it would be stricter, like "To become a Soul Reaper, it's Monday-Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Friday! Know that there is no rest!", but unexpectedly, there are parts close to modern society education.
And currently, it is summer—during the summer vacation period.
Students who have homes in the Seireitei take this opportunity to return home temporarily, but for someone from Rukongai like me, that is not possible.
I am not yet of a status where I can freely come and go through the Seireimon. If things go poorly, just issuing the pass could consume the vacation period.
So basically, I am in the dorm the whole time. Since the Academy side also takes such circumstances into account—although on a smaller scale than usual—the facilities and cafeteria can be used.
By the way, Ayase-san and the others are nobles, so they are currently back home. So I could stack up training, but...
"I'm sorry, I'm late!"
"Ah, Yukawa-san. It's okay, you're right on time."
Running into the library hurriedly, it seems I managed not to be late.
"Then, shall we begin?"
"Yes! Please leave it to me!!"
As I said before, Academy students basically don't need to spend money.
In addition to minimum food, clothing, and shelter, things necessary for classes and such are provided.
If it is not enough, you can get it by applying.
But what you can get is strictly only necessary items.
If it is something necessary for personal reasons, you cannot get it unless you pay out of your own pocket. If you are a noble, money is easily obtained, but for someone from Rukongai, that is not the case.
Therefore, the Academy also recruits for help—so-called part-time jobs arranged by a university—and there, you can get money, albeit a small amount.
Though the income is truly small.
And today, I am working part-time as a librarian.
"Then first this book... this goes on that shelf over there... this one hasn't been managed yet so leave it for later..."
"Yes, what's in this box goes over there, right? And this goes over there..."
What we are doing is organizing books.
However, since I am tall and have strength, it progresses tremendously. Even the top shelf is easy-peasy, no ladder needed.
"Umm, what about this book? Ah!"
"This is... ah, this is fine."
I did not miss the title of the book he picked up as if to hide it hurriedly.
What was there were the words "Advanced Kido Textbook," a book containing Kido that is difficult and dangerous, thus inappropriate for students to manipulate.
It is one thing for a teacher to look through it, but it is a dangerous item for a student to read. And if they read it, naturally they would want to manipulate powerful Kido.
If they can control it properly, there would be no problem, but it is the way of the world that such powerful things tend to become unmanageable and explode.
If only the caster gets seriously injured, that's still fine, but almost certainly, it will cause trouble for the surroundings too. If things go poorly, the teacher might get scolded severely for lack of supervision.
"...I will pretend I didn't see it."
"Sorry, it helps if you do that."
He must have sensed my consideration. We were able to smoothly settle on "it never happened."
But this is like holding a weakness over him. I should be forgiven for being a little selfish.
"In exchange, I have one request."
"Hmm, what is it?"
"Are there any books or techniques about the simplification of Kido?"
"...Simplification? What exactly do you mean?"
"Put simply, methods to exert power close to full incantation even if the chant is abandoned, or methods to easily activate Kido using some tool, things like that."
What I seek is a method to manipulate simple and powerful Kido, which I have been pursuing since my Rukongai days. Aim for chantless! I have been doing trial and error with that spirit, but still no progress.
For now, my only move is firing Bala silently, but if it is someone related to the Academy, perhaps—
"Sorry, I don't know about things like that."
—Perhaps not.
"Hrmm... Then, do records exist of trying such things but it was no good, or failed?"
"I haven't heard of such books either... Well, I haven't read all the books here, so they might be somewhere."
No good, huh... Even if it's a record of failure, I wanted it because I might be able to reduce the number of trial and errors or notice a different viewpoint or means I couldn't think of myself.
"Even if it's not here, the Central Library might have it—"
"—Central Library!? Where is that!?!?"
"I-It's in the Central 1st District."
When I asked in detail, apparently it is the largest library in the Seireitei.
I see, there might be information there.
"I'll take you there next time when I have time, but work is priority now."
"You're right."
I almost forgot, but I am currently in the middle of a part-time job.
But while organizing books, if there are books that look interesting or books that seem useful, I remember their locations, and reading those books at a later date is my secret daily routine.
As for the crucial simplification of Kido... shall I take the long view?
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