Some of the buds on the branches, unable to wait any longer, had already begun to bloom into pink flowers.
Before long, the rest of the cherry blossoms would surely burst into bloom as well.
It was March.
Spring.
And today was Shin’ō Academy’s graduation ceremony.
“Congratulations on your graduation, everyone.”
Just like at the entrance ceremony, we were gathered in the Academy’s great auditorium, letting the headmaster’s ever-so-important words go in one ear and straight out the other.
It was all the usual sort of thing anyway—make use of what we’d learned at the Academy, become role models for the next generation of Soul Reapers, grow into people capable of leading a new era, and so on.
You could probably count the graduates who were seriously listening on one hand…
maybe?
The banner overhead said something about the graduating class of 14XX.
So…
around three hundred years before the original story begins?
I’ve decided to stop worrying about it.
“See you around.”
“Next time we meet, we’ll be comrades in the Gotei 13!”
“Must be nice…
I failed the recruitment exam in the end…”
“H-Hey, cheer up!!
There’s always next year!!”
Once the graduation ceremony ended without incident and we were finally released, conversations like that could be heard all around us.
Some people were reluctant to part.
Some were full of hope for their futures as Soul Reapers.
Others were mourning the pit they currently found themselves in.
Joy and sorrow, all mixed together.
Like I’ve said before, the recruitment exam is a fairly narrow gate.
You often hear stories like, “I finally passed on my fourth try.
It wasn’t the division I wanted, but at least I became a Soul Reaper.”
Some things never change, no matter the era.
“Kosuzu-san…
Airi-san…
W-We…”
“Come on, Ayase-san.
Don’t cry.”
“B-But we’ve graduated!
We’re all going to be separated!”
“We are graduating, yes, but from April we’ll all be working together in the Gotei 13, won’t we?
It’s not like we’ll really be that far apart…”
“I know that, but…
Uuu…”
Maybe she’d been swept up in the atmosphere around us, because Ayase-san was sobbing as though this were some heartbreaking farewell.
She really was an emotional one.
In a little while, we’d all be working as Soul Reapers anyway.
“Ayase-san, you’re joining the Eighth Division, and Renjōji-san is joining the Sixth.
You both got into the divisions you wanted while you were still at the Academy.
That’s something to be proud of, and we’ll have plenty of chances to see each other again.”
“You passed while you were still a student too, Yukawa-san.
You have every right to be proud as well.”
“Well, you know…
there aren’t that many people who actually want to join the Fourth Division.
I probably only squeezed through because of that.
Most likely.
Probably.”
Yes.
That’s right.
By some stroke of luck, I’d managed to graduate without repeating a single year.
And after graduation, it had already been decided that I would become a Soul Reaper in the Fourth Division.
My grades were extremely average, though…
The fact that I stayed in Class Two the entire time and never once made it into the advanced class says it all.
For what it’s worth, I was reasonably good at Kidō and Hohō.
But my Zanjutsu and Hakuda—the hand-to-hand combat discipline—weren’t nearly as good.
In Zanjutsu especially, more and more people overtook me with each passing year.
Ugh.
Master drilled that stuff into me so thoroughly.
Why am I still like this?
I took the recruitment exam too, and in terms of what they tested, it wasn’t fundamentally that different from the Shin’ō Academy entrance examination.
The only real difference was that the required standard was much higher.
There wasn’t much else worth mentioning.
Once you’re accepted, though, the division you’re assigned to is decided based on your own preference, your aptitude, and the overall balance of personnel.
Otherwise, the difference in numbers between divisions would get ridiculous.
So just because you want the Fourth Division doesn’t mean you’re required to take Kaidō or first-aid lessons beforehand.
They can teach you after you join too.
Apparently it’s fairly common for some hot-blooded brute aiming for the Eleventh Division to get assigned to the Fourth instead and end up sulking about it.
“So compared with you two, who got assigned to exactly the divisions you wanted, someone like me who feels as though I only scraped in as a reserve—”
“No more putting yourself down!”
Renjōji-san cut me off by force before I could finish.
“I know how hard you studied Kaidō because you wanted to join the Fourth Division.
I know how desperately you worked at Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō and Kidō too.
And your bodywork as well—”
She got that far, then suddenly went bright red and stumbled over her words.
Aha.
You’re remembering what happened the other day, aren’t you?
“A-Ahem!!
Anyway!
You worked hard too!
That’s why you passed!
We may be going to different divisions, but surely our goals are still the same!
Isn’t that enough!?”
“Ehehe…
You’re right!
Then from now on, let’s all work hard and aim to become captains!!”
Ayase-san, back to her usual self, thrust a fist energetically into the air.
But that wasn’t quite the end of it.
There was one more little incident.
“Oh!
That’s right!
There was one thing I wanted to ask both of you!”
“Hm?
What is it…?”
“I think it’s unfair that I’m the only one calling everyone by their first names!
So I want you to call me Sachie too!!”
“Wha—!?
Th-That’s…”
“Sure.
Then…
Sachie-san, Kosuzu-san.
Let’s stay good friends from now on, all right?
Something like that?”
“Ooh!
That’s perfect!
Come on, Kosuzu-san, you too!!”
“W-Wait, what!?
Eeeeeh!?”
After that, with her face bright red and her head bowed, Kosuzu-san finally managed to call us, “Sachie-san…
Airi-san.”
It was absolutely adorable.
“It’s been a long time, Master!!”
When the Seirei Gate—more specifically, the northern Kokuryō Gate—opened, a familiar face appeared in Airi’s field of vision.
Or rather, a familiar gigantic body.
Danzomaru had wondered what was going on when the gate opened from the inside, but the moment he saw a familiar face emerge through it, he relaxed his guard.
“Oh!
It’s you!
I was beginning to worry when you stopped showing your face around here!”
“I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch.
I wanted to come and see you, but I was worried I might end up stranded if I couldn’t get another entry permit issued.”
Airi bowed apologetically at Danzomaru’s words.
Danzomaru knew perfectly well how troublesome that sort of paperwork could be, so he didn’t press the issue any further.
“Well, never mind that.
What brings you here today?”
“Yes!
I graduated from Shin’ō Academy the other day and officially became a Soul Reaper of the Gotei 13, so I came to report the good news.”
“What!
Is that so!?
They do say no news is good news!
This truly is cause for celebration!!”
Danzomaru’s voice rang with delight at the sight of his disciple all grown up and standing proudly before him—a disciple he’d once watched struggle for fifty long years without making much progress.
“And this is to thank you for everything you’ve done for me.
Here, Master.
This is for you!”
“What’s this?”
“A barrel of sake.
I saved up a little at a time to buy it.
With your size, it might not be enough, but…”
As she spoke, Airi set one of the two barrels beside her down near Danzomaru.
Then she hoisted the other barrel onto her shoulder.
“I’m going to visit the proprietress and everyone else next.
I want to tell them the news too and give them a thank-you gift.”
“I see.
We have plenty to talk about, but you’re a Soul Reaper now.
I won’t trouble you over coming and going any longer.
Go and talk with them to your heart’s content.”
“Thank you, Master!”
After bowing once, Airi took off down the main road.
She was moving at a speed that was hard to believe for someone carrying an entire barrel of sake on one shoulder.
“Hm.
To think that girl who struggled so much has grown into someone so fine…
No, perhaps it was precisely because she struggled that she did.”
Watching her disappear into the distance, Danzomaru grabbed the large sake barrel and tipped it back for a drink.
Of all the sake he’d ever tasted, that one somehow tasted especially good.