"Well then, Master, I'm off."
"Umu, take care on the way."
The Seireimon is lifted by Master's hands like a shutter or something, and beyond it, buildings far more magnificent than those in Rukongai line the streets.
The scenery I could only look at until now—I can finally step foot into it.
It has been about half a year since Master gave me his stamp of approval, saying, "You may take the Spiritual Arts Academy entrance exam." After waiting for the right time, I started the entrance exam procedures and entry permit procedures, which took various amounts of time, but finally today! Finally, I am departing!
"Everyone, thank you for seeing me off."
"Do your best out there."
"Airi-chan will surely be fine."
"You spent all that time, so you'll probably pass."
"If you fail, treat everyone here to a drink."
"Ahahahaha! That sounds good!!"
Around the gate, the owner and landlady who took care of me until now, and the regulars of the shop have come. At the lighthearted remark of one regular, I instinctively smile too.
It feels kind of like "I've already become a Soul Reaper!", but I'm still just going to take the Academy exam.
Apparently, it is somewhat rare for someone from District 1 to aim to become a Soul Reaper. I haven't heard of anyone in these fifty years either. Thanks to that, there seem to be some people watching out of curiosity.
"I will definitely become an Academy student and come back."
Once more, for confirmation, I look at the furoshiki bundle in my hand.
Inside are the documents for the Academy entrance procedure and a map. The pass, of course, and also simple changes of clothes, a bamboo water flask, and light snacks for the road.
They say the Seireitei is vast, after all. Thinking I might eat or rest on the way, or in the worst case, stay for a night or two, I also received money as a farewell gift.
How to put it, I feel like a student going to Tokyo from the countryside.
"Well then, everyone, I'm off."
Saying that, I passed through the gate.
My back continues to receive cheers from everyone. Something like this is nice. The feeling that I will definitely pass wells up strongly.
...But, what if I fail the exam with this? I might be too embarrassed to ever come back...
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"Umm... this street, right?"
While checking the map and asking passersby, I am proceeding through the Seireitei aiming for the Academy.
As expected, the Seireitei is vast—so vast that words cannot express it. Apparently, if you walk from end to end, it takes several days.
About the size of the 23 wards of Tokyo? Since I was prepared for that degree, I was about to lose to the distance.
I see, no wonder the entry permit clearly states the start and end dates of the permit.
Well, I trained under Master for fifty years. I am not a soft woman who would collapse just from walking. While walking, I activate Blut as a load, using it as a substitute for training.
That said, it is already the second day of walking. Even I am getting a little tired. The slightly chilly autumn air feels pleasant on my flushed body.
"I never thought lodging fees would really be necessary."
I recall the cheap inn I stayed at yesterday.
The Seireitei is a single city built for nobles and Soul Reapers, but it's not like everyone acts like "arrogant nobles."
The building structures are far more magnificent than Rukongai, but there are also proper popular liquor shops and diners.
This area seems to be influenced by each division of the Gotei 13. Each block is like the turf of each division, and the cityscape reflects the characteristics of the unit.
Since people who admire that unit gather there, it is natural, I suppose.
—Does that mean near the 11th Division, a combat group, there are heaps of arenas and boxing gyms...? L-Let's not think about it for now!
"If I become a Soul Reaper, do I have to memorize the roads of this incredibly vast Seireitei?"
At the very least, I will probably have to remember the locations of each division's barracks. And accompanying that, the surrounding facilities too. Is it a sensation like remembering the locations of the city hall, post office, and public facilities of a place you moved to?
"...Ah! That's it, right?"
After wandering for a while while thinking such things. I finally discovered the destination.
Looking only at the exterior, it should be called a large mansion, or perhaps a small castle. A structure that rivals the surrounding buildings.
Near the entrance stands a person who appears to be a guard, and on the gate, there is a signboard with "Shino Academy" written in large letters.
"Is there something you need?"
He must have noticed me. The guard called out.
"I am a person who came to take the Academy entrance exam. I have the documents here."
Saying that, I open the furoshiki and hand the documents used for the entrance procedure to the guard. He takes them, looks through the contents for a moment, and then looks up.
"I see, confirmed. Then I will guide you, so please come this way."
Thank goodness, I wondered what I would do if he said something like "There is a defect in the documents, so please come again" here.
As guided, I entered the Academy.
"Please wait here."
"Thank you."
After that, the guard passed word to the staff inside the Academy, and I was guided by that staff member to a certain room within the school. The structure of the room itself is simple, with desks and cushions lined up on the tatami-matted floor.
"...A waiting room? Or will the exam also be held here?"
Since there is no one else in the room but me, wondering what to do, I sit and wait for a while.
Eventually, a man who seems to be an examiner arrives and says, "The exam will be held in the courtyard," so we move again.
"However, it is rare for someone to come take the exam at this time of year."
"Eh? Is that so?"
During the move, I was told such a thing.
Hearing the story, apparently, most people come to take the exam at the beginning of the opening period or just before the end.
Those who come on the first or second day are mostly those with confidence, and conversely, those who come just before the deadline are those who want to raise their ability even a little.
So, it is rare and few for someone to come take it during the valley period like me—to put it bluntly, halfway through.
Could it be that choosing this time was also Master's consideration? If so, I truly cannot thank him enough.
The exam started in the courtyard, and the standard is first the measurement of spiritual power.
Whether the examinee has spiritual power is obvious, but how much spiritual power they possess also becomes a criterion for judgment.
When that ends, how much can they move? Put simply, it is like a physical fitness test.
In extreme terms, even if you know absolutely nothing about swordsmanship or Kido, you can learn at the Academy, but even so, if your basic motor nerves are in shreds, they have to shun you. After all, Soul Reapers engage in life-or-death battles with Hollows.
By the way, I was able to properly pass both the spiritual power exam and the physical ability exam.
I was told things like "It is rare for someone from Rukongai to be able to move this much" or "You have a promising future."
...Ahahaha. That is the crystal of fifty years of effort.
The Academy—although skipping grades is possible—basically takes six years to graduate. I used nearly eight times that amount of time to get this result.
Sorry for making you expect too much.
Anyhow, the exam ends with this.
Just when I thought I was returned to the waiting room from earlier, actually, there was still more.
A written exam.
The contents are only basic things that even someone from Rukongai would know or general common sense.
I see, after all, they cannot pass someone who doesn't know the "abc" of manners.
Just when I thought I finished the written exam easily, the examiner handed me another paper asking, "Would you like to try this too?"
Looking at it... what is this? It is full of questions I don't know at all.
I lived in modern society in my previous life, so I received higher education, but the contents are things I have never heard of in the first place...
"Ah, as I thought, you don't know. Actually, that is an exam for nobles."
"Eh?"
"It is a special exam conducted only for those who wish to take it among the noble applicants."
"Special exam...?"
...Wow, I kind of figured it out.
In other words, this is probably an exam to give them a leg up. To pull up nobles whose scores are just barely insufficient, or to give famous nobles a foil like graduating at the top of the class.
As expected, nobles are a privileged class.
"That is correct. Well, Yukawa-san has no problems passing with the exams so far, so please do not worry."
Not knowing my inner thoughts, the examiner says such things while looking at the answer sheet.
"Eh!? I passed?"
"Yes, no problem. Spiritual power, physical ability, and written exam are all extremely normal."
I was told so easily.
Passed, huh... somehow being told so quickly, it doesn't feel real...
"When there are many people, we don't convey it this simply. But this time it is an exam for just one person."
"I-I see..."
"Then next, we will move to the procedures for successful applicants."
It seems those who fail are told "The exit is that way," but successful applicants fill out necessary documents. Since the Academy also has student dormitories, if one wishes, they also do dormitory entry procedures.
If you are from Rukongai, you don't have a house in the Seireitei, and even those from the Seireitei might wish to enter the dormitory if their house is far.
When those are finished, finally, it is body measurement.
Those who become Academy students are obliged to wear Academy Hakama, like a school uniform.
However, since student sizes differ individually, it is necessary to adjust to fit each body size.
For that, body measurement becomes necessary.
If it is big and baggy, that is one thing, but if it is too small to wear, that would be foolish.
Much less, since my body is large, if things go poorly, even male sizes might not fit.
When I measured it fearfully, what a surprise. I was told my height is 185cm (6 shaku 1 sun).
I see, no wonder I was bigger than the men in Rukongai.
Ah, by the way, I was shown the design of the Academy Hakama. Men wear navy blue and women wear red hakama; it felt quite cute.
When everything was over, finally, I received a tally (warifu).
This tally is apparently the proof of a successful applicant. I was told I could live in the student dormitory until classes start as is, or it is OK to return once and prepare my belongings again.
Let's see... then I will...
...Eh? You know my height but what is my bust size? ...That is a secret.
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"Well then, Master, I'm off."
"Umu, stay well."
The Seireimon is lifted by Master's hands like a shutter or something, and beyond it, buildings far more magnificent than those in Rukongai line the streets.
A scene I saw just a few days ago, like a rehash. But what is decisively different is that I have passed the Academy exam, and the number of people seeing me off is incomparably larger than that time.
After that, I decided to return to Rukongai once to report my success to everyone.
Since I pass through the gate, I report to Master first. And when I returned to the liquor shop and told the landlady and others that I passed, it became a huge uproar like poking a beehive.
That day, a crazy party called a celebration of passing continued until late at night, full of voices celebrating the success and voices grieving the parting. Since we should all enjoy it, we carried sake barrels and food near the Black Ridge Gate and had a grand banquet including Master.
I was offered sake many times too, but I continued to refuse politely. Since I am leaving District 1 again tomorrow, I cannot get drunk, and I am weak to alcohol.
I finished my farewells to the owner and landlady, and dodging attempts to touch my body many times, the night deepened.
And the next day.
Seen off just like when I challenged the Academy exam, while being thrown words of encouragement, I advance my steps toward the Seireitei again.
However, my chest was full of new expectations that I did not feel at that time.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]