Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
Sena Nagayama had arrived at Sakura Kyu Academy when Kazuki was speaking to Kubo Yuki in the student council’s office during lunch break. She parked her car somewhere near and went toward the academy’s entrance.
A glimpse of melancholy was seen in Sena Nagayama’s eyes as she muttered the academy’s name.
“Hey, madam, you cannot enter.”
Iwai Taifu stopped Sena Nagayama from the security room when she was stepping into the campus. Despite being shaken by Sena Nagayama’s beauty, Taifu was already a middle-aged man after all. Besides, there were tons of attractive young girls in the academy, so his perception of aesthetic had improved tremendously.
Sena Nagayama was not irritated by the interruption. She smiled tenderly and replied, “I am not a reporter. I just want to look around Sakura Kyu Academy.”
“You still cannot enter the school compound even if you’re not a reporter.” Iwai Taifu shook his head, “Since you are neither a teacher nor a student, according to the academy’s rules, you are not allowed to enter.”
Back then, when Sakura Kyu Academy was the gathering spot for delinquents, many reporters came and waited at the academy to report about the ethos of the academy. Hence, Sakura Kyu Academy forbade reporters from entering the school.
However, this rule was practically obeyed by no one. There were even some delinquents who took the chance to earn some cash by telling reporters that they need to pay an entrance fee to enter the academy. Then, the delinquents would take them into the compound by claiming that the reporters were their friends.
When Kazuki conquered Sakura Kyu Academy, he did not interfere with this matter. The reporters’ curiosity to investigate the academy was a good thing. The school director would only pay attention to the disciplinary issues once related reports bloomed. In addition to his reverence and influence, the academy’s ethos might be rectified, and the academy could start again after things returned to the correct order.
However, because of this, one of the members from Sword Believers’ Club was beaten up. He got both his legs broken by a delinquent from the outside. He was admitted to the hospital immediately.
That incident caused Kazuki to lose his temper. He found those who were involved in the fight and sent them to the hospital. He had beaten the delinquent until he was half-paralyzed, the guilt remained after all this time.
Even though the original members of Sword Believers’ Club were once delinquents, Kazuki inspected and tested them himself. These people were delinquents because they had no other options. Taking Eguchi Keisuke as an example, he enrolled in Sakura Kyu Academy because his family was poor and he could only afford the academy fee. However, although he wanted to study hard after getting into the academy, the academy’s ethos forced him to be a delinquent.
If he did not assimilate into society, then the community would shun him. Sakura Kyu Academy’s gang might even beat him up.
Since Kazuki entered the academy, the original members of Sword Believers’ Club started to change for the better gradually. All of them abided by and defended the rules set by Kazuki because they did not want to see their school from becoming a gathering spot for delinquents.
Kazuki forbade outsiders from stepping into the campus after that incident. He declared that he would not let anyone aside from the academy’s students and teachers from entering or he would beat that person up.
This rule had been going on until this day. So, Iwai Taifu would not let anyone break it.
“How about this... Can you make a call to the principal, Endo Etomi to notify him that Sena Nagayama came to visit? He would agree to it.” Sena Nagayama did not make it difficult for Iwai Taifu’s position. She could not help but admire his diligence in doing his job.
Sena Nagayama heard from Furuhashi Harashin that the academy was a concentration for delinquents. Even though its ethos had improved tremendously, the director still could not get used to it due to his deeply-rooted impression previously.
She came to observe the academy’s ethos for this reason besides inspecting Kazuki.
“Alright,” He agreed as they had the phone number of the principal’s office in the security room.
Two minutes later, Sena Nagayama entered Sakura Kyu Academy officially.
Once she stepped in, Sena Nagayama reveled in nostalgia as she stared at the students. The student era will always be one of the best times in one’s life.
Sena Nagayama did not go to meet the principal, Kazuki, nor her four cute nieces immediately after she entered the campus.
The first place she headed to was Kinshin Lake.
Kinshin Lake was one of the unique sceneries in Sakura Kyu Academy. It was located on the right side of the classroom building. The lake was oval-shaped, and there was a large pine tree sitting right in the middle, surrounded by the lake.
There was a rumor that one would surely succeed if one confessed at this place during the graduation ceremony.
Sena Nagayama arrived at the Kinshin Lake. She could see the pine tree rooted uprightly at the center of the lake, giving out a sense of vibrancy from afar.
When she took over Sakura Kyu Academy, she suggested planting some cherry blossom trees. Her sister, Furuhashi Sakurakyu, on the other hand, said that the blooming period for cherry blossoms was not long. Its beauty wilted fast. Therefore, Furuhashi Sakurakyu planted a pine tree in hopes that the students would carry the spirit of persistence and perseverance like a pine tree.
She had a nostalgic expression. When she was getting nearer to the lake, she was shocked to discover many students sitting along the border of Kinshin Lake, and they were all male students.
These guys were wearing Sakura Kyu Academy’s uniform, and they formed groups of four. Most of them were carrying textbooks and stationeries. They were frowning and murmuring.
Kudo Ichiro was sitting on the grass near the lake at that exact moment. He was wearing a clean and tidy freshman uniform. He dyed his yellow hair into black and trimmed his hair into a much shorter length to reach the requirement as members of Sword Believers’ Club.
The current Kudo Ichiro looked like an ordinary Sakura Kyu Academy student. His friends from junior high would not believe their eyes and would be surprised to see him like this.
Kudo Ichiro at present, was holding a set of practice exam papers while showing a lifeless expression.
After reading the questions for almost half a day, he still could not understand them. He patted Haruki Koike and Kato Yoshina awkwardly and passed the paper to them. He asked with a low tone, “How do you solve this question?”
Both Haruki Koike and Kato Yoshina bore resentment toward Kudo Ichiro initially. They were implicated by each other, which then they joined the Sword Believers’ Club. It had been miserable for them.
Nonetheless, they put the past behind them. They had to join the club, unless if they dropped out of the academy.
As students who would go home immediately after school, they had to spend their lunch break and time after class to join the activities of Sword Believers’ Club now.
The activity during the lunch break was studying. They were forced to join the study group formed by the club. One senior with excellent grades would tutor three other students who did not do well in their studies.
The activity after class was to revise for an hour. After that, the members had to run around the sports field until all their energy was drained. Only then they were allowed to go home. All members, regardless of seniority, were required to join these two activities.
According to Kazuki, current high school students were too energetic, but they had poor self-control. Because of that, in addition to the impetuous ethos of the school, fights in school became a norm. Hence, they needed to release that energy some way.
Naturally, the members of Sword Believers’ Club dared not defy the orders from the Head of Department because Kazuki would check the sports field from time to time. If there were members who did not join the activities, they would be punished severely, or in other words, they would be hung and got beaten up.
The punishment was as mentioned. Kazuki had done that to several members last year. Those who were punished were those who did not have the perseverance to keep up. This year, many of the members who had stayed for long were looking forward to seeing freshies to be hung and beaten.
Eguchi Keisuke had asked Kazuki personally in the past whether he was afraid to be hated by the members. Kazuki’s answer was simple, “They will thank me in the future.”
Nobody could predict what would happen in the future.
All Kudo Ichiro wanted to know at that moment was how to solve the question in front of him.
Damn it! Why is mathematics so difficult?
Note: In Japan, unless if it is an uxorilocal marriage, women who are married to men will have to change their surname into the man’s surname. That is why Sena Nagayama and Furuhashi Sakurakyu have different surnames.
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