I, Yukawa Airi, have officially become a student at Shin’ō Academy!
Go on, have a look at my student hakama!
They’re dyed red, and the kimono I wear over them has matching red trim.
…Why do they remind me a little of the PE kit I wore back in my school days?
Now, I did just say I’d become an Academy student, but strictly speaking, that’s not quite true yet.
Remember how I explained that the Academy holds its entrance examinations during the second half of the year, and that as long as you apply during the examination period, you can take the test whenever you like?
Well, that means someone could end up in a ridiculous situation like this: ‘I took the exam on the very first day and passed!
But I’m from the Rukon District, so my entry pass expired.
By the time I’d applied for another one, I’d missed the opening ceremony.’
Presumably to prevent that sort of nonsense, there’s a rule allowing anyone who’s passed the entrance exam to move into the student dormitory.
If you’re living in the dorms, you won’t get kicked out of Seireitei when your pass expires.
And moving in early means you can start getting to know your future classmates sooner.
It’s basically like a student moving into university accommodation in March, before the academic year starts.
Though I suppose there’s also an element of keeping promising young recruits close so they can’t get away.
Anyway, I’ve spent far too long explaining something very simple: the entrance ceremony hasn’t happened, lessons haven’t started, and I’m currently living in the dormitory.
Even so, I’m treated as a student, so I’m allowed to use the Academy’s facilities.
I can train on the practice grounds to improve my skills, or head to the library if I’m after knowledge.
They also provide the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter, so daily life isn’t a struggle.
If there’s anything else you need, you can apply to have it supplied.
Pretty generous, isn’t it?
To someone from the Rukon District—especially one of the higher-numbered districts—this place might seem like paradise.
As a rule, Academy students live in the dormitory throughout their studies.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re from the Rukon District, Seireitei or even a noble family.
…That’s the rule, anyway.
Apparently, some nobles commute from their family homes, while others rent houses nearby and live there with servants.
…Oh, so you’re too good to live in a cramped little dorm with the common rabble, are you!?
That was more or less my first reaction when I heard about it.
I was getting rather bitter.
But that’s a separate matter.
Once I listened to the full story, I found out there’s quite a bit of variety among the nobility.
For one thing, there are different ranks, from lower to higher nobility.
Lower-ranking noble families apparently can’t defy the more powerful houses, and sometimes they’re treated no differently from people from the Rukon District.
Maybe that’s part of the reason, but a lot of the nobles I’ve met are perfectly friendly, regardless of where someone comes from.
And of course, there are good people among the high-ranking nobles too.
“Oh, Airi-san.
Hello!”
“A pleasant day to you, Yukawa-san.”
—And speak of the devil.
Here come two of them now.
“Hello, Renjōji-san.
Ayase-san.”
I returned the greetings of my two fellow students.
These two are Kosuzu Renjōji and Sachie Ayase.
The dormitory has something called residential groups.
Students are assigned to them regardless of which class they’re in.
Members of the same group live together and help one another out.
And these two happen to be in the same group as me.
Naturally, that means we see each other quite often, so we’ve got to know one another.
A wonderful system for preventing people from ending up friendless, really.
(Heh.)
Oh, and by the way—
Ayase-san comes from a lower-ranking noble family.
She’s short and petite, with a rather cute, girlish look.
Short hair suits her beautifully, and she’s a cheerful girl who’s always smiling.
Renjōji-san, on the other hand, comes from a high-ranking noble family.
She’s tall for a woman, and she’s the sort of person who takes rules and discipline very seriously.
Her long hair and sharp, composed expression suit her perfectly.
You’d think they’d be an odd couple who’d constantly clash, but they seem to get on surprisingly well.
I often see them together.
“Are you two here for breakfast as well?”
Oh, I forgot to mention: we’re in the dormitory dining hall.
It’s like a school canteen, except the food is free!
Granted, the menu is more or less ‘Set Meal A or Set Meal B’, with no other choices.
Still, it’s lovely to have someone cook for you.
And the food’s good, too.
I suppose that’s only natural when even students from noble families come here to eat.
They can’t exactly serve rubbish.
So there I was, eating breakfast all by myself, when the two of them came over to say hello.
…N-no!
I’m not a loner!!
It just happened to be more convenient for me to sit alone today so I could explain the dormitory to you!!
“Yes!
I’m absolutely starving already!”
“Ayase-san, could you please keep your voice down a little…?”
“You’re full of energy this morning, Ayase-san.”
Ayase-san’s enthusiastic reply drew looks from all around the dining hall.
Noticing the attention, Renjōji-san quietly admonished her, while I smiled at the other students to show that everything was perfectly fine.
Ever since the three of us started spending time together, we’d naturally fallen into roles like these.
“What are you planning to do today, Airi-san?”
“I’m going to the library.
I want to learn more about the theory behind Kidō and how spiritual power works.
What about you two?”
“We haven’t decided yet!
All we’d planned was to have breakfast together, Kosuzu-san and me.
Oh, I know!
Could we come with you, Airi-san?”
“Ayase-san, you really shouldn’t spring things like that on people…”
“I don’t mind at all.
Besides, Renjōji-san knows so much about all sorts of things.
I hardly know anything, so if anything, I’d be the one asking her to come along.”
“R-really?
Well, if you’re happy with that too, then…”
Classes at Shin’ō Academy haven’t even begun yet.
But I think I’m going to enjoy myself here.
Author’s Note
● School Friends
It’s not as though any of the canon characters are going to show up at this point in the timeline.
So why not have a few classmates?