Chapter 25: First Night
Sunset gave way to approaching night.
The dormitory supervisor stood before the new students, unhurriedly reading through the various regulations of the dormitory district.
From curfew hours to item placement, from courtyard sweeping to lamp control, rule after rule flowed forth like water.
Suoh stood at the front of the crowd, listening with focused attention.
He'd never intended to observe this world from an elevated perspective.
Having transmigrated to become a member of this world, he wouldn't let his knowledge of it make him arrogant or careless.
At the end of the day, the memories in his mind only showed him one corner of this world.
The Soul Society was vast. Even in West District Three, he was only familiar with two or three streets in the surrounding area, let alone this Seireitei or the Shinoreijutsuin.
"...Please keep all the above regulations in mind."
"There are still many detailed rules I haven't been able to fully explain at this moment. You'll need to carefully read the student handbook daily and commit them to memory."
The dormitory supervisor's voice was steady and authoritative. Finishing his speech, his gaze swept across the new students before him as he issued his instructions.
The Shinoreijutsuin had been created a thousand years ago after the war with the Quincy ended, when the Soul Society entered a period of stable development. The Head Captain of the Gotei 13 and founder of the "Original Style," Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni, had renamed his "Original Private School" to form the academy.
Since that renaming, though a thousand years had passed, the school's atmosphere had basically continued the founder's serious and upright style.
As the Soul Society's core Shinigami training institution, the academy also trained students for the Kidou Corps and Stealth Force.
From enrollment to graduation, students' entire training and daily lives revolved around clearly defined combat capabilities, with strict discipline.
This fundamental purpose determined that the academy followed a highly goal-oriented militaristic management system.
"Yes, sir."
Suoh and the others bowed in acknowledgment together.
"Very good."
"Next, I'll arrange dormitory assignments. If anyone has objections, feel free to raise them."
"I'll do my best to coordinate for you."
Nodding in satisfaction at their response, the dormitory supervisor immediately pulled out a roster from within his robes.
He looked toward Hitsugaya Toshiro and Suoh at the front of the group, seeking their opinions.
"You two students are both from West Rukongai, and your district numbers are quite close."
"Assigning you to the same courtyard—no objections, I assume?"
As an experienced supervisor, he had his own allocation method that had been used for years and proven effective.
People in the same courtyard could not only train team awareness but also mutually promote each other's growth.
Even if they competed with one another, under strict school rules it would mostly remain healthy competition.
Secondary was background and status. Middle-ranking nobles could never be assigned to the same courtyard as commoners, whether from the Seireitei or Rukongai.
"That's fine."
"Mm."
Suoh and Hitsugaya Toshiro responded in turn.
"Good. These are the keys to your room cabinets. Keep them safe."
Having smoothly assigned two equally outstanding individuals to the same courtyard as friendly neighbors, the dormitory supervisor handed over two keys marked "Sakura One" and "Sakura Two" respectively, revealing a satisfied smile.
In past years, allocating dormitories for exceptional students always required considerable thought and consideration.
Particularly that time he'd arranged a middle-ranking noble with a lower-ranking noble in the same courtyard—the undisguised disgust and resulting turmoil that followed, just thinking about that scene made his head ache.
By comparison, this year both exceptional students were actually commoners from Rukongai, which surprised him while also saving him considerable trouble.
Taking their keys, the two passed through the courtyard's moon-viewing gate.
The instant their feet touched down on the small path, the gravel underfoot released fine crunching sounds, welcoming the courtyard's new masters.
Stepping into the courtyard, the view before them opened up expansively.
An old pine stood in the corner with a vigorous form, its leaves flourishing like clouds, casting a quiet silhouette in the twilight.
At the other end of the courtyard, a small pond lay clear as a mirror.
A green bamboo water fountain beside the pond silently bowed its head after filling with water, pouring its full measure of clear spring water with a "thunk" against a round stone, accentuating the courtyard's serene atmosphere.
The independent courtyard with its peaceful environment formed a stark contrast to the crowded long-houses of the Aoba Dormitory across the way.
"A very nice courtyard."
"Indeed."
"I look forward to working with you, Hitsugaya-san."
"Likewise, Suoh-san."
This was their first formal greeting after several encounters, and also the most they'd spoken.
The brief conversation dissolved into the twilight and the clear sound of the bamboo fountain. At the fork in the path, each turned and walked into their own small dwelling.
Click—
Pushing open the wooden door, the layout revealed one room and one bathroom. The clean, spacious interior emanated a fresh fragrance.
His gaze swept across every detail of the room—writing desk, tea table, storage cabinet, and the bathroom area partitioned off by a fine bamboo curtain along the wall.
"Oh, a pleasant surprise."
When his sight crossed beyond the bamboo curtain and fell upon the white ceramic object in the bathroom, Suoh couldn't help feeling delighted.
The room maintained a classical Japanese style while incorporating some slightly advanced elements—a toilet.
He genuinely hadn't expected that in this Shinoreijutsuin that had maintained ancient traditions for thousands of years, the dormitories would actually be equipped with such a good thing. It created a sense of temporal displacement.
"Ah, if only the Department of Research and Development would put more effort into civilian appliances."
Suoh couldn't help thinking with some regret.
Human desires were endless. After this long-missed encounter with an old friend, he couldn't help reminiscing about those practical household appliances.
The Department of Research and Development was under the jurisdiction of the Twelfth Division, controlling the Soul Society's most advanced technological forces.
Unfortunately, influenced by Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri's personal tendencies, the entire organization's research direction leaned toward various bizarre and unpredictable fields. No one put their minds toward these civilian appliances.
He placed the asauchi from his back onto the sword rack beside the bed, then untied his bundle on the table and organized its contents properly.
Though the academy would uniformly provide living supplies and uniforms, they didn't prohibit students from bringing personal items.
Besides the wooden sword Hazy Night, Suoh had only brought spare clothing and several white porcelain bottles in his bundle for enrollment.
The porcelain bottles contained Suoh's training resources.
The Shinoreijutsuin was different from Rukongai's freedom. His personal habit of five meals daily would naturally be difficult to maintain.
His individual training couldn't possibly stagnate because of this, so he'd devised a backup plan.
Picking up a porcelain bottle, he pulled out the wooden stopper and poured out a lustrous black pill, swallowing it.
This was the "Three Elements Pill" that Suoh had refined after numerous attempts and adjustments.
True to its name, it was meant to supplement a person's fundamental essence. Though it lacked the miraculous properties found in cultivation novels, it was more than sufficient for satisfying hunger and nourishing blood and qi.
With astragalus, ginseng, and angelica as main ingredients, supplemented with red dates and honey for balance, the formula seemed ordinary but already represented the utmost he could achieve with Rukongai's limited resources.
Feeling the warm current rising within his body, Suoh once again thanked the treasures stored in his memory.
He sat cross-legged in quiet meditation at the room's center, beginning his unwavering daily evening practice.
The moonlight outside the window gradually brightened, then at some unknown moment was quietly obscured by drifting clouds.
Between brightness and dimness, time slipped silently away in focused concentration.
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