A beam of sunlight fell on the two people horsing around, while a summer breeze carrying a faint floral fragrance lingered around us.
I had two guns stuffed into my pockets. One was the gun Osamu Dazai used for self-defense; the other was a cursed tool given to me by a classmate. I had thought I would never need it, but now, I figured there was no harm in using it.
Time passed fairly quickly. The clouds stopped shielding us from the sun, the red scarf around my neck began to feel stifling, and even the breeze turned warm. Occasionally, it brushed lightly over the sweat on my neck before disappearing beneath my heavy coat along with it.
"Ahem."
The teacher finally arrived. He was a middle-aged man I didn't recognize, serious and dependable. If I had to compare him to someone, he was probably the Kunikida type.
Still wearing a faint smile, I gave the middle-aged man before me a warm, polite bow.
"I'm Dazai, Osamu Dazai. It's an honor to meet you."
"Sato Ichima. Just call me Teacher Sato."
The middle-aged man nodded back, then beckoned Sōsuke Mizukawa and Nozomu Sakai over.
And so began what could only be called an easy lesson and training session.
He seemed to be deliberately taking my physical condition into account. For most of the session, Sōsuke Mizukawa and Nozomu Sakai sparred with each other.
Only during a few group activities did I join the two of them for a couple of laps.
Perhaps Teacher Yaga had warned him, because Sato Ichima paid particular attention to my mental health. More than once, he explained that someone who had just entered Jujutsu Society shouldn't rush into sparring.
It was probably because I looked so frail, with that sickly pale complexion.
Still, whatever the reason, perhaps he was a good teacher.
I glanced at Sato Ichima again, then stood with him beneath the shade of a tree, watching the two sparring on the field.
More precisely, I watched Sōsuke Mizukawa absolutely destroy Nozomu Sakai. As though determined to vent all his earlier frustration, Sōsuke Mizukawa spent practically the entire session chasing Nozomu Sakai down and beating him.
Only when Sato Ichima waved and called a halt did the two stop their chase and stand obediently before him.
"All right, time's up. Class dismissed."
Teacher Sato stood before the three of us and waved a hand with a solemn expression. Just as the other two tried to make a run for it, I finally heard the words I had expected.
"But..."
"I knew it!"
Sōsuke Mizukawa hung his head, looking as though his soul were escaping through his mouth, and leaned against Nozomu Sakai. He looked utterly miserable.
"What's wrong?"
Looking somewhat puzzled, I tilted my head at them, then paused and turned my attention back to Teacher Sato.
"Every time Teacher Sato says class is dismissed, he follows it with a 'but.' That means we're probably going to have to work overtime."
Nozomu Sakai kept his head lowered as he spoke, looking no better than Sōsuke Mizukawa. The pair's earlier exuberance had swiftly given way to lifeless gloom.
"What, do you have a problem with that?"
Sato Ichima shot his two students a piercing look, successfully making both of them shudder and instinctively straighten their backs.
"I wouldn't dare."
"No."
"Pfft... ahem. Sorry."
Watching the two of them looking half-dead, I seemed to catch some strange emotions from them, and even became easier to amuse. Although I stifled my laugh quickly, it still earned me some resentment.
"One day, you'll understand just how terrifying the word 'but' can be."
Sōsuke Mizukawa flung out those words indignantly, but still had no choice but to fix his gaze on Sato Ichima.
Seeing the three young men ready to go, Sato Ichima fell silent for a moment before directing his attention toward me.
"I'll send you the mission details shortly. This is an individual assignment for Dazai. Sōsuke and Nozomu will only be providing support."
"Also, Dazai, your uniform is ready. You can collect it later. If anything needs altering, you can report it or make the adjustments yourself. An assistant supervisor will come this afternoon to take you there. That is all."
Sato Ichima delivered this entire announcement solemnly, then gave me a long look before turning and leaving.
"Why does Dazai have a mission when he only just got here? That doesn't make sense."
Sōsuke Mizukawa gave me a suspicious glance, then looked toward Nozomu Sakai in bewilderment.
"It's probably a grade assessment mission. But people who've only just entered Jujutsu Society generally start at Grade 4."
At that, even Nozomu Sakai looked at me in confusion.
I had a pretty good idea why this mission had been assigned. In all likelihood, it was because of Nullification.
Teacher Yaga had probably concealed some details about my situation, but however much he hid, my ability would still be unusual to the higher-ups. That was why this was happening.
As for what came next, Masamichi Yaga would probably contact me himself. All I had to do was wait and see.
At that thought, I gently shook my head, acting as though I didn't know either, my eyes full of confusion.
"Then maybe it's for some other reason."
Seeing that I was just as confused, Nozomu Sakai decided to stop dwelling on it. The grade and mission details would reach them soon enough.
There was no need to guess. The facts would settle everything.
Since it was noon and we would be leaving on a mission that afternoon, I told Nozomu Sakai and Sōsuke Mizukawa ahead of time that I needed to return to my dorm room and rest.
Then I headed back to the dormitory beneath the blazing sun.
"When will Teacher Yaga come?"
I murmured softly, looking at the spotless, lifeless room. I didn't want to stay here at all.
Osamu Dazai's habits wouldn't allow me to leave even the slightest trace of information in this place.
The curtains were drawn tightly, with only a little sunlight seeping in around the curtain rod above the window.
I curled my entire body up on the chair, picked up my phone, and began reviewing the information I needed.
But as I read, my gaze involuntarily drifted toward the dossier on the person I had investigated.
The Sorcerer Killer, the pinnacle of combat power in the early stages, renowned for his extraordinary physical prowess and fighting skills. He had already chosen to retire, yet now he was willing to return to the fray for his wife?
"What a good husband... no, perhaps I can't quite call him that."
My voice was so faint and soft that even I could barely hear it. I didn't know where Osamu Dazai had picked up that habit, but it was useful.
Osamu Dazai was someone with caution ingrained in his bones, and right now, his caution was exactly what I sorely lacked.
The faint sunlight beyond the curtains gradually shifted, while the hands of the clock ticked away. In the dark room, only my phone gave off a strong glow.
That should about do it. More importantly, someone should be arriving.
I slowly got up and opened the curtains. The sudden glare of sunlight dazzled me so badly that I couldn't keep my eyes open.
Below the window, Masamichi Yaga happened to look up just as I drew the curtains aside.
I gave Masamichi Yaga a faint smile, then watched him enter the dormitory from below. Before long, he reached my door.
"Teacher Yaga."
I dipped my head and warmly invited him inside, considering that enough of a greeting.
The moment I had opened the curtains, sunlight had spilled across the whole room, bathing the bed, desk, and chairs in spreading gold.
"Your uniform. Also, technique Nullification will... in any case, I listed it as suppression. Keep that in mind, and try to rein in your cursed technique."
Masamichi Yaga said this as he handed me the uniform. I understood what he had left unsaid.
Nullification was an absolutely game-breaking ability. It made me immune to any attack involving cursed techniques or jujutsu, and touching any cursed spirit could kill it instantly.
If an ability this useful wasn't kept under wraps, certain higher-ups probably wouldn't be able to sit still.
What a good teacher. If the teacher I met had also been... ah, no. I'm not Osamu Dazai. I'm not Osamu Dazai...
I seemed to freeze for an instant before immediately regaining my composure. Unfortunately, Masamichi Yaga had clearly noticed that brief lapse.
But since he didn't ask, naturally, I wouldn't say anything. Of course, even if he asked, I still wouldn't tell him.
"Thank you, Teacher Yaga."
I put on a masklike smile and tightened my grip on the uniform in my arms, watching Masamichi Yaga nod in acknowledgment before turning to leave.
Before I could close my door, however, two people came rushing up.
"Dazai."
"Dazai."
The two stopped at my doorway one after the other, then stacked their heads above each other as though building a tower.
Finally, Nozomu Sakai glanced in confusion at the uniform in my hands, then nodded in understanding. He grabbed Sōsuke Mizukawa by his short hair and hauled him outside, closing the door for me while he was at it.
While I changed, the sounds of their bickering and horseplay kept coming from outside.
Naturally, all of that stopped abruptly once I stepped out of my room.
Come to think of it, I looked a little strange now, wearing a Jujutsu High uniform, leather boots, and a long red scarf around my neck.
On anyone else, the combination might have been painful to look at. On me, unfortunately, none of it seemed out of place.
It suddenly reminded me of an old joke online: the eye makeup and hair you tried so hard to copy were just how I looked naturally.
Every time I remembered it, I felt suffocated and utterly defeated. Today was a little different, though. After all, even my bare face was handsome now. With Osamu Dazai's looks, I could absolutely become a host.
But my thoughts had only wandered for a few seconds before someone called me back.
"Speaking of which, Dazai, we still haven't asked about your cursed technique. If we're going to coordinate, mine controls wind to form tornadoes around us. I pin the cursed spirit down completely, then we just beat it to death.
"Nozomu's cursed technique predicts the worst possible outcome after we encounter a cursed spirit."
As Sōsuke Mizukawa spoke, he casually pointed at Nozomu Sakai beside him, then looked at Osamu Dazai questioningly.
"Mine? Nullification."
I answered while considering their cursed techniques.
And just like that, I acquired two walking question marks along the way.
They looked utterly bewildered, their eyes holding the same blank expression old Mr. Hirotsu would sometimes wear.
"W-wait, Dazai. Is that the Nullification I'm thinking of?"
Sōsuke Mizukawa's eyes were filled with enormous confusion, and he looked ready to start poking me at any moment.
"Yes."
I nodded. As we walked out of the classroom building, the two flanked me as though I were some rare animal.
"That's practically cheating! Doesn't that mean you could kill even a special grade cursed spirit in one hit?"
"Theoretically, yes. But there aren't that many special grade cursed spirits."
"Then couldn't Dazai become a Special Grade Sorcerer just like that?"
Sōsuke Mizukawa looked indignant, his envy plain to see.
"What I reported was suppression. Suppressing cursed spirits and jujutsu, weakening them until they can be killed."
"..."
"...Right. Dazai, stay away from those higher-ups. As far away as possible. Don't let them run into you."
Nozomu Sakai and Sōsuke Mizukawa both fell silent. Only after a long while did Nozomu Sakai seem to recover his voice enough to offer that warning.
"Some things can't stay hidden forever."
My smile remained faint. But from the reflection of my eyes in theirs, what they saw in them was probably nothing but grief and pain.
"Anyway! Dazai, keep it hidden for as long as you can."
Even the usually carefree Sōsuke Mizukawa had caught on by then, his whole demeanor turning serious.
"All right."
I nodded gently, allowing a trace of a bitter smile to show, then slowly left the campus with the two of them.
The sunlight was dazzling now, and as the three of us walked across campus, it felt as though we were being roasted. Yet the once relaxed, friendly atmosphere had grown heavy, making even the sunlight feel oppressive.
"Oh, Dazai, speaking of which, why do you always wear that red scarf?"
Suddenly, that question came from beside me.
It was a terribly clumsy attempt to change the subject, but I didn't particularly want to keep discussing the Jujutsu Society Higher-Ups with them either.
I had thoroughly analyzed them from the moment I arrived in this world. At least for now, most of their personal histories were already etched into my mind.
But why did I always carry the red scarf with me?
"It belonged to my teacher. He left it behind when he died."
My body seemed to tremble once again, my eyes filling with grief as I looked at the red scarf.
That prompted Nozomu Sakai to pinch Sōsuke Mizukawa hard, while Sōsuke Mizukawa fell completely silent after my answer.
"Ah, it's all right. It doesn't bother me anymore."
As I spoke, that faint, inscrutable smile remained on my face. Yet the shadow in my eyes couldn't be concealed, and together with my slightly hoarse voice, it successfully prompted Nozomu Sakai to pinch Sōsuke Mizukawa hard once again.
We finally climbed into the car, and with the assistant supervisor joining us, our rather stiff atmosphere slowly began to ease.
"Um, well, Dazai, let's take a look at the mission."
Nozomu Sakai tried to smooth things over. Then the two of them opened the mission report in their hands and froze in unison.
"Wait, Grade 1? Was the person who assigned this mission serious? Who sends someone after a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit right off the bat? Have we not had enough students die at Jujutsu High?"
Sōsuke Mizukawa exclaimed with a string of curses, the cursed energy spilling from him seeming ready to shred the entire sheet of paper.
"Sōsuke!"
At that instant, Nozomu Sakai seized Sōsuke Mizukawa's hand and refused to let him pull free. Only after his partner intervened did Sōsuke Mizukawa release the paper, quietly apologize, and sink his entire body into the padded backrest.
"Sorry, Dazai. Sōsuke... we've been through something like this before.
"Sōsuke's older brother died on a mission. He was a really good upperclassman at Jujutsu High, one year ahead of us. When we were first-years, we also received a mission involving a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit. He led the team. In the end, he sacrificed himself to get us out."
"But afterward, the higher-ups never explained why a Grade 3 Jujutsu Sorcerer and a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer had been given that kind of mission."
Nozomu Sakai spoke those last words so softly that I could barely hear him. Yet he couldn't stop the sobs catching in his voice.
"It's all right. That must have hurt you deeply too, Nozomu."
"Ah, I'm okay. But... he was the last family Sōsuke had."
Before you continue