Cultural Festival

"Kasumi Oji, this is the first event our student council has ever organized. You don't want it to look too shabby, do you? After all, it reflects on our council's reputation, and the Spirit Training Academy teachers have been so supportive. If we pull it off well, it'll definitely bring us a lot of credit."

As the Student Council Vice President, Kasumi Oji Gorō stared expressionlessly at Tachikawa Shin, who was pleading poverty before him.

"If the Spirit Training Academy supports us, why don't they allocate more funds?"

"I fought for it, but they keep saying the academy's budget is tight. I'm just an ordinary student—I have no sway there. What can I do?"

Gorō sat there frowning in silence, as if lost in thought.

"This 'Campus Culture Festival' you mentioned—what exactly is it?"

Shin explained again: "In short, it's a campus entertainment festival. The student council takes the lead in organizing it. Not only will the academy's teachers and students participate, but we can also invite Soul Reapers from the Thirteenth Division and the Kido Corps to join. If it goes well, it could become a tradition. Kasumi Oji, if you just sponsor it a bit, you'll be the biggest contributor to this event! You'll definitely leave your name in the academy's history!"

Those words stirred something in Kasumi Oji Gorō. He pondered for a moment, then asked, "How much more is needed?"

Shin gestured with his hand. "Just this much."

"Five million?"

Shin's heart leaped at that—it was an extra zero more than he'd expected. He hadn't realized this noble was so generous.

He didn't correct him, instead asking cautiously, "Is that okay?"

Kasumi Oji Gorō didn't agree right away. Instead, he asked, "Do you have a detailed plan?"

"Yes!"

Shin immediately went to his desk, rummaged through some papers, and respectfully handed over a stack. "I prepared it long ago. Please take a look."

Gorō took it and began reading page by page. The document was very detailed, covering every step of the process—clearly a labor of love.

"The academy's leadership has seen this too, right?" he asked.

"Principal Suzumebachi has expressed strong support. The academy has never had anything like this before, and it will help enrich the campus culture."

Gorō stared at the papers for a while, thinking it over, before finally saying, "I'll bring the money tomorrow."

Shin was overjoyed and couldn't help but grab him in a tight hug.

"Thank you so much, Gorō! You're a real blessing to the student council!"

Gorō, however, pushed him away with clear disgust.

"You've never been this eager before. And we're not close enough for you to use my first name, Tachikawa."

Shin chuckled. "I'll call you whatever you want. Kasumi Oji? Lord Kasumi Oji? Master Kasumi Oji?"

"..."

Gorō shuddered at the cringe, stood up, and said, "Just use the normal address. I'm leaving now."

He still needed to inform his family about this. Five million wasn't much to him, though—the Kasumi Oji clan was wealthy and influential. While the head of the family was a woman, the men handled most of the affairs, and his own standing in the clan was decent.

Shin waved at him with a broad smile. "Take care."

He knew Gorō had money, but he hadn't expected such generosity. The academy had only given them five hundred thousand—worth less than ten thousand in his previous life's currency—and Gorō had just multiplied that by ten.

With that much money, they wouldn't even use it all, since the event was student-led. But with such funds, they could go all out, and the leftover could serve as the student council's future budget.

Who said nobles were bad? These nobles were amazing!

The real reason Gorō agreed wasn't just the benefits Shin had mentioned. An important factor was that he valued Tachikawa Shin himself.

When his clan first told him about the student council, he never imagined it would come from an ordinary student's idea.

Moreover, Tachikawa Shin's talent was exceptional—he was bound to go far in the future.

With Kasumi Oji Gorō's sponsorship, Shin called a full student council meeting that same day, assigning detailed tasks to everyone.

After that, he coordinated with every grade, every class's teacher and class representative at the Spirit Training Academy.

By the next day, the entire student body knew the academy was hosting a Culture Festival, set for two weeks later. A huge announcement board had been erected on campus.

Life at the Spirit Training Academy was pretty dull—aside from classes, it was all training, with hardly any entertainment.

The Culture Festival's arrival excited most people.

Just as the students began frantically preparing for the festival, Vice-Captain Shiba Kaien of the Thirteenth Division suddenly showed up.

At the student council's main office, Shin entered with Rukia to find Shiba Kaien sitting in his chair, flipping through some documents on the desk.

"Vice-Captain Shiba, what a rare guest."

Shiba Kaien grinned. "That's not right. I'm the Honorary President of the student council—how could I be a guest?"

He glanced at Rukia behind Shin. "And who's this?"

"Rukia, my assistant. This is Vice-Captain Shiba Kaien of the Thirteenth Division."

Shin made the introductions.

"Hello." Rukia quickly bowed, thinking to herself, How does the president always deal with such important people!

Shiba Kaien teased, "You've got it pretty easy, huh? A beauty like her as your assistant. Does the student council have a lot of girls?"

That made Rukia a bit shy—she didn't consider herself a beauty. Someone like Hinamori Momo would fit that description.

"You're the Honorary President who never shows up, so of course you're a guest. By the way, I was actually planning to find you."

"What's the matter?"

Xin asked first, "Vice-Captain Shiba, is there a reason you've suddenly come to the Student Council?"

"I'm here to substitute teach for the first-year students, and I also heard your Student Council is organizing some event, so I came to check it out."

"The Campus Culture Festival," Xin said. "We'll be inviting Shinigami from the Thirteenth Division to participate as well. I hope Vice-Captain Shiba can help spread the word within the Thirteenth Division. If we could get a few captains to come, it would make things even livelier."

"You've got some nerve," Shiba Kaien said with a laugh. "You want to invite captains to attend? Do you really have that kind of pull?"

Xin immediately flattered him, "Of course, I'm just a nobody, but Vice-Captain Shiba, you have plenty of influence. Everyone in the Thirteenth Division knows the name Shiba Kaien. They call you vice-captain, but you're practically a captain in the Thirteenth Division already!"

These words pleased Shiba Kaien greatly, but he didn't agree right away. Instead, he said, "Captains are usually very busy."

Xin added, "I know. Principal Suzumebachi also said the Thirteenth Division's Shinigami are welcome back to their alma mater. This is a festival organized by the Student Council, and as the Honorary President, I'm sure you'd be willing to help the Student Council with some things."

Shiba Kaien thought it over briefly. It wasn't a difficult request—after all, it was a recreational event, and plenty of people would probably be happy to show up, including his own captain.

"I'll give it a try."

He agreed, then turned his gaze back to Xin, a sly smile creeping onto his face. "What's the deal with your Zanpakutō?"

"I can't believe you've heard about that too," Xin said, feigning surprise. "I got lucky—my Zanpakutō awakened suddenly."

Shiba Kaien let out a light scoff. "Suddenly awakened, huh? Kid, have you forgotten what you promised me before?"

Xin looked confused. "What?"

Shiba Kaien narrowed his eyes. "My uncle had already agreed and offered you the third seat. And then you turn around and reveal a Kidō-type Zanpakutō. You've put me in a tough spot."

Rukia, listening to their exchange, couldn't help but widen her eyes in shock.

A seat... the third seat?!

The President?!

Xin said helplessly, "Vice-Captain Shiba, I really did want to join the Tenth Division, but something like a Zanpakutō isn't something I could have predicted."

Shiba Kaien stared intently at Xin. "Tell me the truth—is your Zanpakutō really a Kidō type?"

"Can you even fake something like that?" Xin asked, looking puzzled.

"Deliberately hiding a Zanpakutō's true abilities—it's not unheard of. There are plenty of soldiers in the Thirteenth Division whose Zanpakutō abilities are unknown to outsiders."

Xin looked thoughtful. "So that's possible."

But he had awakened his Zanpakutō at the Spirit Training Academy, which was a rarer case, so the Academy had specifically approached him to ask about and register its abilities.

If he had awakened it after joining the Thirteenth Division, the management would have been looser, and he could have chosen not to report it.

He drew the Asauchi he carried with him and said, "Would Vice-Captain Shiba like to confirm it?"

Shiba Kaien said nothing, studying the utterly ordinary Asauchi in Xin's hand.

Then he suddenly said, "Forget it. Since it's a Kidō-type Zanpakutō, it just means you and the Tenth Division weren't meant to be."

Xin sighed. "Thank you for understanding, Vice-Captain Shiba. Honestly, I really did want to join the Tenth Division."

After all, which man wouldn't want to see Miss Rangiku every day?

Shiba Kaien sneered inwardly.

This kid is full of lies!

One more chapter.