"Did I overdo it a little? Well, it is a good opportunity. Let us take a short break."
"Y... Yes... sss..."
Today was an off-duty day—or rather, a day to die repeatedly—or rather, a day to receive training from Captain Unohana.
As usual, I gathered at the Fourth Division early in the morning and moved to the site at a speed I couldn't catch up with even running at full power.
As soon as I thought we arrived, special swordsmanship training began immediately.
With each session, the sword strokes become more severe, and tactics or sword techniques that worked last time absolutely do not work this time. So, I have to challenge her after completely overcoming the previous shortcomings.
Eh...? What if I forget to overcome my shortcomings??
—I get slashed cleanly!! And then crushed. I've had enough of that... at least, I definitely don't want to experience it again voluntarily.
However, it's not all bad things.
In the beginning, it was just me attacking, but perhaps my ability has been recognized to some extent; the Captain now also holds a sword, and it's taking on the appearance of us cutting each other.
During practice, any points noticed are pointed out one after another, so I correct them immediately. Perhaps thanks to that, it seems I'm becoming somewhat stronger.
Even the Hollow extermination missions that are occasionally passed to me now end without a single injury... although there are still quite strong ones, and I struggle sometimes...
And when swordsmanship is over, it's Kaido practice as usual.
Here too, her sword is sharper than in the beginning, so I heal while dodging to avoid fatal wounds.
Sometimes, a strike flies at me that is absolutely impossible to dodge with my current ability.
That is also a signal that I may concentrate on treatment. Conversely, it means I'm given a major injury that would turn into a "major accident" if I don't concentrate on treatment with my current ability.
For example, like at the beginning.
"Being able to move my arm... is something to be very grateful for..."
My left arm—although not my dominant arm, an entire arm was cut off, and I completed the treatment while fighting intense pain.
While I was healing, the Captain gave me grateful words of encouragement many times, such as "If you don't hurry, the severed arm will become necrotic. Do you want to become one-armed?"
Thanks to that, I treated it.
However, the Captain must have thought she overdid it just now. So a short break was called.
I'm sitting down due to the relief that my arm healed, the fear of "what if," and fatigue; if I let my guard down even a little, I feel like I might cry.
On the other hand, the Captain has a cool face.
She is drinking water from a bamboo tube... Um, Captain, that's mine... No, I don't mind, but please at least say "I'm drinking this"...
Ah! Now even the rice ball!!
Well, it's a regular occurrence so I don't even feel like getting angry anymore, and since she's eating it deliciously, as the one who made it, I don't feel bad...
...I wonder what would happen if I forgot to bring this...?
"Come to think of it, Airi, I was late in saying it. Congratulations on your promotion to seated officer."
"Eh!? A-Thank you very much."
About a hundred years since I started training.
Before I knew it, the name the Captain called me had changed from Recruit Yukawa to Airi. Being looked after for such a long period, changes like this happen too.
"How is it? Your impression of becoming a seated officer?"
"Even if you ask for an impression..."
About a month since I officially became a seated officer.
Since the Fourth Division is busy with work every day, I only think that I've become busier...
"...Ah, if I have to say there is one, there is."
I am technically a seated officer, holding a position now. There are things that became visible by being in that position.
That is about the work system.
Even if just in name, this is a medical department, and also a department that works twenty-four hours in the sense of preparing for patients' emergencies.
Currently, it's only day shifts and night shifts, so maybe try a three-shift system of early shift, late shift, and night shift.
Have a light meeting at the time of shift change to disseminate handover details and points of caution.
Prepare something like a huge blackboard and post general announcements or seated officers' schedules there.
Prepare a matrix chart to make everyone's monthly work schedule easy to understand.
Since there must be people who want to take leave, make it easier to say so and make it easy to understand when they are resting.
Compared to Soul Reapers who go to the front lines and risk their lives, the danger level is low, but we are entrusted with other people's lives.
Even if it's cheap, can't we give at least a technical allowance to the lower subordinates? Or something.
I tried conveying such content as far as I could think of.
"I see..."
"...I thought saying it was free, so I said it without thinking, but maybe..."
"No, it is a valuable opinion. I will keep it in mind. Now, break time is about over. Shall we continue?"
I-It's okay, right...!?
I won't be killed under the pretext of training after this, right!?
—A few days later.
Duties and schedules of each soldier and seated officer became easy to understand. Shifts are also being done experimentally, though it seems it will be decided based on each person's reputation.
"This is..."
It's exactly what I told the Captain before. As I was thinking that—
"Allowances are currently under application, but most of the other proposals have taken shape."
"C-Captain!?"
—I was suddenly spoken to from behind.
"If you notice anything else again, speak without hesitation."
"Y... Yes..."
Saying only that, the Captain left.
...Does this mean I'm trusted quite a bit?
Today is also an off-duty day—a normal off-duty day where I don't die repeatedly!
Ah, the work system the Captain implemented experimentally was well-received on site.
Thanks to that, work became a little easier. Centralized management of tasks became possible, and assignments went smoothly. We can now group work pushed from other squads by people who are good at it or by similar content and execute them.
To the extent that some people occasionally leave on time.
And since it's my off-duty day, combat training! ...Is not what I'm doing; today I'm in the Central First District aiming for the Shin'o Library.
I've said it several times before, but the library here is a treasure trove of information. There is a library in the Fourth District too, but there are many medical books like medical texts and herbal encyclopedias.
If I want to read various books, this is the place after all.
Soul Reapers from other squads sometimes come here after work to read books.
...How nice, people who can go home on time...
"Umm, Kido books... Kido books... Starting letter is 'Ki', so..."
(TL Note: Looking for books starting with 'K' for Kido, but in Japanese order)
As soon as I entered the library, the place I headed to first was where Kido-related books were lined up.
What I'm looking for is the Advanced Kido Textbook.
This book, which I saw at the Academy some time ago, contains Kido with large numbers—in other words, powerful and difficult to handle ones.
It is also a book that is strictly controlled so that only seated officers can see it because it is dangerous.
"...Huh? Not here...??"
I look around the bookshelf briefly, but I can't find it.
In times like this, ask the librarian—Yes, the Advanced Kido Textbook—Eh? Is that so!?
—According to the librarian, such books are managed in a separate location so that new recruits cannot see them without permission.
I've come here many times before, but I had never seen it. I see, that was the reason.
I had assumed someone was borrowing it every time and I just couldn't see it.
But the current me is a seated officer! I can borrow it proudly with my chest held high!!
"Then, I would like to request to borrow the Advanced Kido Textbook. Also, there is another book I want to read separately, so could you wait a moment?"
"Of course, I don't mind. Please take your time."
Telling the librarian so in the special stack room where only Soul Reapers of seated officer rank or higher can enter, I search for the book I'm looking for.
It is about a method to easily release Kido, which I have been searching for for years and years.
I thought I had confirmed that there were no such books already, but I didn't know there was such an annex.
This is starting the search over from zero.
"Kido-related books, Kido-related books..."
To state the conclusion, I couldn't find it in the end. As expected, is there no one who has tried it, let alone such information?
In the end, two other books besides the Advanced Kido Textbook on this day.
I borrowed an entertainment novel and a book related to Kaido. Because death is really becoming visible in the training with Captain Unohana.
It happened when I was looking for any good books.
"This is..."
What was on the bookshelf was a so-called erotic book, called Shunga or Makura-e.
It's full color with luxurious binding.
...Why is there even a book like this here!?
Ah, about the content of the erotic book; when I read it, it was rather interesting than practical.
It seems I no longer feel eroticism from this level.
...This is what they call a difference in sensibility.
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