"Where did you go?" she asked after a pause.
"I went for a walk."
"What's her name?"
"I don't have a girlfriend."
"What's his name?"
"That's an insult."
"Hehehe!"
"Get some sleep. Tomorrow we have Doe and her damn assignment, so we'll be in the library in the evening."
"And this is called a day off?"
"This is called Harsh, Cruel Reality."
"How impractical. How long will the propaganda continue?"
"All six years — unless we pass early."
"Abyss, I can't stand so many deer."
"Learn to sleep with your eyes open."
"A very useful skill."
"I agree."
"Have a peaceful morning," she said, pulling the blanket up.
"You too."
I fell asleep quickly. Unfortunately, I didn't get much rest. A few hours later, Hebiko stepped over me and left without saying goodbye. What a funny person.
After she left, I dragged myself into the bed and managed to get a couple more hours of sleep — until my friends came to haul me off to the library.
Well, if I have to, I have to.
I washed, changed, ate, and now I was fresh and ready for action. It's a pity that not for all.
Now I'm sitting in the library with my friends, wondering how history can be interesting without Doe breathing down our necks. It's quiet, calm, and — blessedly — not dreariness.
Reading about the war with the Quincy was actually interesting. Mostly because the local textbooks aren't propaganda. And the one that was recommended to us, we just skimmed through and forgot about it. It was stupid lies, written as if for morons. Probably aimed at brainwashing the commoners. But for 1st Class students, it's laughable.
The other textbook is good. Simply because it doesn't force a particular interpretation onto us — just dry facts. It may seem boring, but after Doe, it's a masterpiece of creativity and clarity.
For example, it directly states what happened and how, without painting anyone in a purely positive light. In class, we were told tales of valor, strength, and noble warriors leading soldiers into battle and miraculously surviving. But in reality, they simply abandoned their men and ran. And the Shinigami themselves were far from white and fluffy — they killed Quincy women and children. All to eliminate them completely and prevent any revival or revenge.
The Quincy weren't better. They killed an ambassador during peace negotiations. And those psychos genuinely believed the ends justified the means. Killing a Hollow while destroying half a city in the process was an acceptable price to them. The main thing was that the monsters died — they didn't care about the cost. No wonder so many people hated them. But it was mostly the mediums — ordinary people with spiritual powers — who suffered the most. And they also had their part in the Inquisition.
That's the story.
But then I stumbled upon something interesting — something I didn't fully understand. During that war, to win and increase the number of soldiers, the command of the Gotei 13 used "substitute Shinigami." What that was and how it worked was not explained. And when I asked, I was told such things were now forbidden. They said transferring Shinigami powers to ordinary souls was prohibited.
But why?
They didn't answer. Very strange.
Maybe I'll find out later.
We sat there until ten o'clock in the evening. Wrote everything we needed, even though it was unbearably tedious. She doesn't even allow us to copy, so we had to agree that everyone would write something different — or at least rephrase it.
I'm starting to see this as another training exercise. Teamwork, finding alternative solutions, cooperation. In any case, our reports on the guy with the unpronounceable surname were finally done.
"Finally," Hebiko stretched. The bandage on her head oddly suited her. It turned out that the head of the women's dormitory had been furious and, in her anger, threw a vase at the door — right as the culprit came in to surrender. Hebiko caught the vase with her head. In the end, еhe head of the dorm decided to forgive the wayward joker, as long as no one charged her with attempted murder of an aristocrat. That's our Snake was so cheerful, even as she kept rubbing her bump. "I'm hungry."
"Let's go eat," I agreed.
Rukia sighed sadly. She clearly would've liked to beat Hebiko herself, but since the girl had already received her punishment, Rukia would have to wait for another chance.
"That was very informative," Kira said with a smile.
"I agree," I nodded. "History becomes interesting when it's presented correctly."
"I'm curious," Rukia said, frowning, "if this text discredits Gotei 13 so much, why was it left here at all?"
"Good question," I agreed. "There are several possibilities. Maybe it was by accident. Or maybe it's meant to show Gotei's 'openness' compared to the Central. Or perhaps it's a deliberate leak. From the very beginning, they teach us to look for double meanings in everything. We are, after all, first Class."