It has become spring.
'The story continues from the time we treated Hisana-dono last time. It is not the spring of a hundred years later, so please rest assured.'
Since it's spring, new students are coming to the Spiritual Arts Academy this year too.
'It means more female students will fall prey to my Liege's poison fangs! Guhehehehe, indeed!!'
You say rude things...
I'm guiding them properly! In recent years, Kanisawa-san is especially amazing!! There's a girl with such good grades that her peers comment "She's an Academy student but her enlistment is certain." She's working hard because she doesn't want to lose to that girl.
So, inadvertently... I put too much effort into guidance...
'You put effort into massages too!!'
W-Well yeah...
Besides, that rival girl's fashion sense is also amazing.
She has a tattoo saying "69" on her face... isn't that too aggressive even for fashion!?
Why did she put such a lewd number...?
'Now now, indeed. There was a Captain in the past who put such a number too, right!'
Ah, that person... eh, then that girl admires Captain Muguruma!?
...Maybe I should explain 69 to her instead of idle talk during the next World of the Living studies class?
'By the way, World of the Living studies is a discipline to learn knowledge to fill the gap because the lifestyle in the World of the Living has changed too much! It is a discipline to ensure that Shinigami performing stationed duties in the World of the Living do not get into trouble!!'
Because there were frequent mistakes in the fine details of the textbook, I kept interfering, and for some reason, I was made to teach World of the Living studies too... I was told "If you know so much, you do it."
I wonder why...
Oops, the story went off track.
Spring has come and new students have entered, so the lecture to discipline newcomers is held at the very beginning as usual.
Wearing glasses, I'm beating up the unruly brats and breaking their pride.
"Now... is this all of them?"
I turned the tables on all the spirited kids.
Now, only the kids groaning in pain in a state of piled corpses on the ground, and the students who watched that and are keeping their distance in horror remain—
"I request a match!"
—Oh my, this year is a little different.
One of the students watching from a distance picked up a wooden sword and came... to me... wait, whaaat!?
"Eh...?"
"I judged your swordsmanship just now to be truly magnificent! I have no plans to join Squad 11, but it would be rude not to challenge such an opponent!! By all means, I ask you to be my opponent!!"
"Eh...!? !?"
Having a "voice like Hisana-san," a "face like Hisana-san," and a "hairstyle like Hisana-san," could this be...!!
Ku-Ku-Ku-Ku-Kuchiki Rukia!?!?
Why why!? I thought she would enter the Academy, but was it this year!?
I told you I don't remember the exact years!!
Since I'm part-time and don't have an individual class, handing over the roster of new students is put off!! In the first place, I only remember the faces of new students during this event to discipline them!!
"Um, you are..."
That was close! I was about to call her by name normally.
I know she's Rukia Kuchiki—ah, not the Kuchiki surname yet—but calling her by name here is strange no matter how you think about it.
So looking at the roster for the name... eh????
"Ru, Rukia... san?"
"Yes!"
In the name column of the roster, there was only the entry "Rukia."
Isn't that too bold? You did well to pass the paperwork with this...
"...Um, your family name?"
"I do not have a family name yet!!"
"Idiot Rukia!! The teacher is troubled, isn't she!! That's why I told you to decide on something random!!"
"Mu!? But even without a family name, I haven't been particularly troubled until now, you know?"
"You're troubling her right now in the present progressive form!!"
Retorting to Rukia-san, who proudly declares "I have no family name," is a boy with a sturdy build and tall stature. Red hair and wild features stand out.
...Ah, right... if she's here, he's here too.
"You are, um... Abarai-kun, right?"
"Y-Yes! New student Renji Abarai, ssu!!"
"You don't have to be so stiff. So, is Abarai-kun friends with Rukia-san?"
"Rather than friends, precious comrades... maybe...? Since we grew up together..."
Oh, he's a little shy.
Right, right, he had those feelings.
"Then, is 'Rukia Abarai' okay as a tentative name?"
""Whaaa!?""
They raised their voices simultaneously.
...Though the meanings contained in their voices are totally different.
"A, Aaaaaaa um Teacher!? That is!! It would cause trouble for Rukia, or rather um, no I don't dislike it particularly!! How should I say this!"
"That is right! I cannot accept Renji's family name!!"
"Rukia!! What the hell does that mean!!"
A lovers' quarrel? How heartwarming.
"Calm down, both of you. It might have been fine until now, but without a family name, there will be many inconveniences. So think carefully and decide. Also, regarding the match, there is no problem. After this, I planned to give lessons to all the kids watching over there."
"Is that true!! Thank you very much!!"
...This child, hasn't she already forgotten the first half? Think of a family name, even a tentative one.
Well, actually there's no need to worry strangely and decide on a family name.
She probably doesn't know, but her family name should be decided in a few days.
Becoming the Kuchiki surname.
So for now, I did what I had to do—gave sword lessons to Rukia-san and the others.
She challenged me with tremendous motivation.
After that, I gave lessons to Abarai-kun and the others one by one in order.
In the middle of giving lessons, I realized that Momo Hinamori-san and Izuru Kira-kun were also in the same year.
Kira-kun, the roster really helped. Because I only remembered the line "Wabisuke" (Apology) about him.
Since I knew these two, I gave them lessons a little enthusiastically.
Just instructing ignorant new students makes them respect me.
When everyone's lessons were over, I healed the lot I beat up first with Kaido, lightly provoked them, and—
—Today's work at the Academy ends with this.
That's a lie.
Detailed paperwork and such still remain, and above all, there is something I have to do first and foremost.
Mr. Denreishinki, Mr. Denreishinki. Please connect a call for a moment.
Let's see... ah, this number.
Hello, is this Captain Kuchiki? Actually, I have a slightly important consultation... Yes, for the time being, could you trouble yourself to come to the Academy around tomorrow? Hisana-san too—...
-----
As usual—though saying that sums it up, after the ruffians aspiring for Squad 11 were kicked about in an instant, sword practice for the remaining ones began.
If it were as usual, the first two or so would be terrified of Yukawa from the bottom of their hearts and unable to demonstrate even half their ability, but this year was different.
Rukia, who challenged in high spirits, was first, and Abarai, as her chaperone, was swept along to challenge second, and both of them showed wonderful movements surprisingly.
Especially the influence of Rukia, who challenged without flinching, was significant.
The figure of Rukia moving boldly and Yukawa instructing her kindly and carefully wiped away the fear from the remaining students at once.
In that sense, it can be said that this year had a slightly different result from usual.
"I wondered what would happen for a moment."
"Yeah... I thought my heart would stop when Rukia went forward."
"That was amazing, wasn't it."
"Mu, is that so? But just as I thought, the teacher was amazing, right?"
After the special lecture ended, the four of them—Abarai, Kira, Hinamori, and Rukia—were having such a conversation.
Excluding Hinamori, the three had met through a somewhat strange connection a little before entering the Academy, and Hinamori joined there, forming a connection and becoming friends.
Enough to exchange more words than with other peers like this.
"Certainly, well, she taught us incredibly practically and carefully."
"Because she told us the good points and bad points every time we swung the sword... It conveyed that she was thinking about us seriously."
"Even with that, Squad 4—it's a squad not skilled in combat, right? Becoming a Shinigami is indeed a high wall!!"
"She was cool, wasn't she..."
Naturally, the topic centers on the previous special lecture—and by extension, Yukawa.
"Slender! Even though she's a woman, she knocked down people who looked strong bishibashi in the blink of an eye! I admire her..."
"Ooh, Hinamori thinks so too?"
"Rukia-san too!?"
Being women, she must have become an easy-to-understand goal.
The two of them voice their impressions while squealing happily.
"Hm... what's wrong, Kira? You're spacing out? Do you have a fever?"
"N-No, that's not it... I was recalling the sword instruction just now."
On the other hand, among the two men, Kira seemed somewhat absent-minded.
"That was about drawing out the best strike we can do right now and telling us to work hard aiming for that, right? In other words, seeing through each of our abilities and then giving impromptu instruction individually... She's an incredibly amazing person, that teacher..."
"Yeah, plus she's a fine woman."
"Wha!! A, Abarai-kun!?"
He involuntarily blushes.
However, that point was more or less on the mark.
"Oh, that reaction... hit the bullseye, huh?"
"S-Such a thing is..."
"Don't be shy, don't be shy! Here, look. The guys in our year are ogling too, right? If you're aiming for her, do your best!!"
"I... It's impure!"
Setting aside Abarai who is devoted to Rukia—though his feelings don't quite reach her—other students seem to have harbored vulgar feelings toward Yukawa to a greater or lesser extent.
Kira was also one of "as expected."
The ghastly sword skill shown at first, the figure instructing seriously, the smile shown when he managed to unleash a full-power strike.
It seems he fell for her.
Ah, also the chest swaying during practice.
...He's a boy, so it can't be helped with an opponent with big breasts.
Besides, he can only see the appearance yet, so it can't be helped if he falls easily.
He was supposed to be a little interested in his peer Hinamori, but this is the state. Already crazy about new breasts, you bastard.
Your parents are crying in the shadows of the grass, you bastard.
Don't settle everything with the sad instincts of men, you bastard.
Aren't you ashamed when the women are seriously trying to make her a goal, you bastard.
But rest assured, that is a path many male students including Hisagi passed through.
"W-Well, but... I don't think she's a bad person..."
"She was a wonderful person, wasn't she..."
"To not disappoint the teacher, and to become a splendid Shinigami, I will..."
"For me too, to become like the teacher someday..."
""Do my best.""
Hinamori and Kira, the two's words harmonized a little distance apart.
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