After three rounds of tea, Arata asked about the teacher training seminar.
Until now, he only knew such a thing existed, but he didn't understand the details behind it.
Now that two vice-captains who had applied for it were here, of course he had to seize the opportunity to question them.
"It's nothing complicated. Actually, it's similar to what you're doing now with the Kendo Club." Rangiku gently parted her red lips, leaned back casually on the sofa, and every one of her movements radiated the charm of a mature woman.
Her wide shihakushō was slightly open, revealing a glimpse of snowy-white curves, which disrupted Arata's concentration and made it hard for him to stay composed.
"Just as Rangiku-neesan said. The training is actually lectures given by Gotei 13 members to the instructors at the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy, but the content is quite diverse," explained Kotetsu Isane.
"In addition to kendo, which Saito-san just taught, it includes important fields like Kidō, Hakuda, and Shunpō. I'm one of the two instructors for Kidō in that training. The other instructor is Yakumo Kadori from our Fourth Division. You should have already met her, Saito-san."
Arata nodded. Wasn't that the old lady he met when he first visited the Fourth Division?
Her sentence about an old friend still echoed clearly in his mind.
Like a true riddle, Arata had yet to clarify the relationship between Yakumo Kadori and his family.
"And what about Miss Rangiku? What subject are you teaching?" he asked purely out of curiosity.
"The Kidō department. I'm one of the two instructors there. You probably don't even know the other one, so I won't bother mentioning him." Rangiku smiled. "But I've heard a captain might also come, though we don't know which one yet."
Unnoticed, she pulled a pack of flower cakes from a nearby wooden cabinet, opened it, and began eating them in front of Arata without a trace of discomfort.
Since they were already here and had tea, surely having a little cake wouldn't be a problem either.
Rangiku munched, stuffing her mouth with flower cakes, occasionally letting out chewing and satisfied sounds, with no intention of preserving an elegant image.
Hmm, they're really tasty, comparable to the persimmon cakes I usually like to eat.
She would definitely have to buy a few more boxes before leaving. She had just noticed the cabinet was still quite well-stocked.
"Rangiku-neesan!" Isane couldn't take it anymore and quickly covered her mouth, preventing her from continuing to make strange sounds.
"Mmmmm…"
Isane lowered her head in shame. Why had she ever agreed to come to the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy together?
All of this was happening in front of younger colleagues, and Rangiku had nearly destroyed Gotei 13's image!
Watching the scene, Arata had a strange expression on his face, as if he wanted to laugh but was holding back.
He generously waved his hand. "Vice-Captain Kotetsu, we bought the snacks to serve our guests anyway. Miss Rangiku's behavior is just honest and natural. That's human nature, let's not take it too seriously."
After this little farce, the three of them stayed a while longer in the lounge until the two girls remembered they still had to check the classroom schedule for the seminar. Then, somewhat reluctantly, they stood up and got ready to leave.
Before she left, Rangiku restrained herself from actually taking the snacks from the cabinet.
She might've acted familiar earlier, but she couldn't go so far as to literally snatch her junior's treats.
However, the thoughtful Arata had already prepared four elegant gift boxes for them in advance, each filled with tea and flower cakes, enough to last half a year.
"This is a small gift from me for you and your captains. Please accept it."
Arata didn't have an excess of everything, except money.
Do you understand the value of a noble family with only one male heir?
All the family money was in his hands!
Moreover, in his previous life, Arata had been deeply influenced by culture and thoroughly understood social finesse.
Reciprocating kindness is a good habit. You don't necessarily have to respond to attention with a gift, but a gift almost always brings a better response.
Today you send tea and snacks, tomorrow you might receive a favor or a connection.
A small effort, a great return, why not?
Besides, he hadn't visited the Fourth Division for training in over a week since his last trip. It was very likely that Unohana had already formed a certain opinion of him.
This time, by sending a gift through Isane, he could at least soften her dissatisfaction a bit.
"Eh? This… isn't this a bit too much?" Isane's face turned red, and she suddenly became completely flustered.
Since joining the Fourth Division, she had mostly stayed in the squad, healing the wounded and quietly studying behind closed doors. She had very little social experience and had practically never received a gift from a man before.
"These are just ordinary tea and snacks, nothing special. Vice-Captain Kotetsu, you really don't need to worry." Arata smiled casually, gently pushed the two boxes into her hands, and wore an expression that didn't allow for refusal.
Isane felt the weight of the gift in her palm, then remembered the sweet and refreshing tea she had just drunk. It didn't feel ordinary at all.
"Isane, just accept it without worry. This guy is a spendthrift noble. The only thing he lacks is ways to spend money." Rangiku, without a shred of guilt, accepted her box and relaxed. "He blew hundreds of thousands of ryo just to establish this Kendo Club. This is nothing to him."
"Miss Rangiku is right. Vice-Captain Kotetsu, please feel free to accept it."
Faced with both of them, Isane finally gave in.
She accepted the gift and, blushing, added, "Anyway, Saito-san, you don't have to be so formal in the future. You can call me Isane, just like you call Rangiku."
"All right, Isane-san." Arata naturally adjusted.
"See you next time."
"Take care, both of you."
---
After seeing the two off, the Kendo Club returned to its usual peace.
Arata closed the door and quietly began reviewing today's gains.
Especially because, just earlier, the system's fate judgment for the first time displayed the words great change, and the awarded destiny value was abnormally high, 108 points.
Previously, for fate changes, the system had always only displayed [Change], and the highest reward he had received was 65 points. Interestingly, both times the judgment had been related to Matsumoto Rangiku.
The first was when he verbally advised her to drink less, and the second, today.
Arata carefully organized his thoughts and identified the key point.
It was that Matsumoto Rangiku herself had said the words "I'm quitting drinking" and also made a promise to "come to the Kendo Club for tea from now on."
It was reasonable to suspect that this was the decisive trigger.
That meant that Arata had, completely unintentionally, changed a small part of her life trajectory by encouraging her to quit drinking, which earned him 108 destiny points this time.
Alcohol and debauchery harm a person. Even though Rangiku had the body of a Shinigami, drinking would sooner or later have some effect on her body and emotions, and eventually on the growth of her power.
When he thought of that, Arata's mind wandered off.
If the illness of the frail Ukitake could be cured… how many destiny points would the system give for something like that?
He immediately opened the system mall. If he hadn't looked, it would've been fine, but as soon as he checked, he actually found it.
[A-Rank Item: Soul King's Heart (Defective)]
[Effect: After fusion, all negative conditions such as injuries, disabilities, etc., are immediately restored to normal, and the user gains strong and vibrant life force.]
[Note: Can be given to others, cannot be enhanced]
[Exchange requirement: 8,848 Destiny Points]
Arata's lips trembled.
You know what, Ukitake, you'd better stay sick.