"Kasakurōji-san, this is the very first event our student council is organizing. You don't want it to look too shabby, right? It's a matter of face—for the council and for the Academy. The instructors are fully backing us. If we pull it off well, we'll really make a name for ourselves."
As student council vice-president, Kasakurōji Mitsugorō stared expressionlessly at Nobu, who was trying his best to win sympathy.
"If the Academy supports it so much," Kasakurōji asked flatly, "why don't they increase the funding?"
"I tried! But they keep saying the Academy's budget is already tight. I'm just a regular student—I have no real status with them. What could I possibly do?"
Mitsugorō sat there, frowning, as if thinking something over.
"This 'cultural festival' of yours—what exactly is it supposed to be?"
Nobu launched into an explanation again. "In simple terms, it's a student-led campus celebration. Our student council will handle planning and organizing, and the participants won't just be Academy teachers and students—we'll invite Shinigami from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Kidō Corps, too. If it goes well, it could become a tradition. And if you, Kasakurōji-san, contribute a little more to help us pull it off, you'll be the festival's greatest benefactor! Your name will be etched in the history of Shin'ō Academy!"
That line made Kasakurōji pause. He looked tempted.
"How much more do you need?"
Nobu held up his fingers in a gesture. "Just this much."
"Five million?"
Nobu nearly choked—that was a zero more than he expected. He hadn't thought the noble would be so generous.
But he didn't correct him. Instead, he asked carefully, "Would that be… okay?"
Kasakurōji didn't agree immediately. Instead, he asked, "Do you have a detailed plan?"
"Yes!" Nobu rushed to his desk, pulled out a thick stack of documents, and presented them with both hands. "All prepared. Please take a look."
Mitsugorō took the files and began reading them page by page. The contents were meticulously written, detailing every stage of the festival's execution. It was clear a lot of effort had gone into it.
"The Academy leadership has seen this too?" he asked.
"Principal Shakubō has expressed full support," Nobu said. "He said this kind of event is unprecedented for Shin'ō Academy and would help enrich campus life."
Kasakurōji mulled over the proposal in silence for a long moment, then finally said, "I'll bring the money tomorrow."
Nobu was elated. He couldn't help but throw his arms around him in a tight hug.
"Thank you, Mitsugorō! You're a true blessing to the student council!"
Mitsugorō pushed him off in distaste.
"You've never been this friendly before. And we're not close enough for you to call me by my first name so casually, Tachikawa-san."
Nobu grinned. "I'll call you whatever you prefer—Kasakurōji-san? Lord Kasakurōji? Honorable Kasakurōji?"
"..."
Kasakurōji shuddered. "Just use the normal form. I'm leaving."
He still needed to notify his family about this decision. But five million wasn't a large sum to him. The Kasakurōji clan was vast and powerful—matriarchal in name, but largely run by male advisors, and Mitsugorō held no small amount of influence among them.
Nobu waved cheerfully as he left. "Take care!"
He'd known Mitsugorō was rich, but he hadn't expected this level of generosity. The Academy had only given them five hundred thousand kan—barely the equivalent of ten thousand modern yen in Nobu's previous life. Kasakurōji had just multiplied that tenfold in a single breath.
Truthfully, it was more than they needed. The event was student-led, and most things would be simple. But now that they had this funding, they could go big. The leftover budget could be saved as reserve funds for future student council projects.
Who says nobles are all bad?
These nobles are amazing!
Of course, Kasuōji hadn't been swayed just by the promised recognition. A big part of his decision came down to Nobu himself.
When his clan had first told him about the Academy's student council initiative, he hadn't expected it to come from an ordinary student.
And Tachikawa Nobu wasn't just anyone—his talent was exceptional, his future bright.
With Kasuōji's support secured, Nobu immediately convened a meeting of the entire student council that very afternoon, assigning tasks to each member in detail.
He then made arrangements with instructors and class leaders from every year group.
By the next day, word had spread throughout the Academy: a cultural festival was coming in two weeks.
Massive announcement boards were erected across campus.
Life at the Academy was generally dull. Aside from classes and training, there was little in the way of entertainment.
The cultural festival became something for everyone to look forward to.
Just as preparations were ramping up, Thirteenth Division Vice-Captain Shiba Kaien made a sudden appearance.
Back at the student council office, Nobu and Rukia had just returned when they found Kaien already sitting at Nobu's desk, flipping through papers.
"Vice-Captain Shiba—what an unexpected visit," Nobu said with a grin.
"You've got it wrong," Kaien replied with a laugh. "As the honorary chair of the student council, I'm not a guest."
He glanced toward Rukia. "And this is?"
"Rukia, my assistant. Rukia, this is Shiba Kaien, vice-captain of the Thirteenth Division."
Nobu made the introductions.
"Nice to meet you!" Rukia bowed deeply, heart pounding. How does the president always end up talking to such high-ranking people?
Kaien teased, "You've got quite the setup here—living the easy life with a cute girl as your assistant. Are all the girls in the student council this pretty?"
His words made Rukia blush slightly. She didn't think of herself as "cute"—someone like Hinamori Momo fit that label better.
"You haven't shown your face once as honorary chair. You are a guest," Nobu retorted. "Anyway, I was just about to look for you."
"Oh? What for?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? What brings you here all of a sudden?"
"I'm subbing a class for the first-years. But I also heard your student council is planning something, so I came to check it out."
"A campus cultural festival," Nobu said. "We'll be inviting Shinigami from the Thirteen Divisions. I'm hoping you'll help us spread the word—especially if you can bring a few captains. That'd really liven things up."
Kaien laughed. "You've got guts. Trying to rope in captains? You think you've got that kind of pull?"
"I sure don't," Nobu said quickly. "But you do, Vice-Captain Shiba. Everyone in the Gotei 13 knows your name. Honestly, you're practically a captain already, aren't you?"
Kaien clearly enjoyed the praise but didn't agree right away.
"Captains are busy, you know."
"I understand," Nobu said. "But Principal Shakubō has already said he'd be happy to welcome back any Gotei 13 members for the festival. And since this is a student council event, I know our honorary chair would love to help out."
Kaien considered it. It wasn't a difficult ask. A lighthearted event like this was exactly the kind of thing many Shinigami would enjoy, especially his own captain.
"I'll see what I can do."
Then his tone shifted, and he gave Nobu a half-smile.
"So. What's the story with your Zanpakutō?"
"You heard about that too?" Nobu feigned surprise. "Honestly, I was lucky—it just awakened all of a sudden."
Kaien scoffed. "Awakened out of nowhere, huh? You forget what you promised me, kid?"
Nobu looked confused. "What promise?"
Kaien narrowed his eyes. "My uncle already agreed to give you the third seat in our division. Then you go and reveal a Kaidō-type Zanpakutō? You're making things difficult for me."
Rukia's eyes widened as she listened.
Third seat?
The president?!
Nobu gave an apologetic smile. "I meant to go to the Tenth Division, really. But Zanpakutōs don't exactly ask for our opinion."
Kaien fixed him with a long look. "Be honest with me—your Zanpakutō really is Kaidō-type?"
"Would I lie about something like that?" Nobu replied, puzzled.
"It's not unheard of for Shinigami to hide their Zanpakutō's true ability. Plenty of officers in the Gotei 13 keep the specifics of their powers to themselves."
"Really?" Nobu looked thoughtful. "I didn't know that."
His Zanpakutō had awakened while he was still in the Academy, which made it a rarer case—so the school had asked him to report and document its ability.
If a Zanpakutō manifested after joining the Gotei 13, the regulations were more relaxed. You could choose whether or not to report it.
He drew the asauchi at his side and held it out. "Would you like to inspect it, Vice-Captain Shiba?"
Kaien stared at the plain, unremarkable blade.
Then he shook his head. "Forget it. If it really is Kaidō-type, then I guess the Tenth Division just isn't in the cards."
"Thank you for understanding," Nobu said with a sigh. "I really did want to join the Tenth Division."
I mean, who wouldn't want to see Rangiku every day?
Kaien, inwardly, rolled his eyes.
This kid is full of crap.