"This girl's flying!"
Liltotto soared through the air, feet gliding over a glowing board of Reishi.
"That's right. Keep your eyes open," said Nanatsuki calmly. "Don't focus only on your feet. You don't stare at your toes while walking, do you?"
Liltotto was impressively talented—she'd mastered Hiryūkyaku in just one morning.
Nanatsuki noticed someone outside the store and turned to look. A squad of patrolling gendarmes was approaching.
"You there—who are you?"
The squad leader seemed to recognize the shop owner and was immediately suspicious of this unfamiliar face sitting by the front.
"I'm just helping watch the place today," Nanatsuki replied, sitting calmly by the garden gate where he could oversee both the shop and Liltotto's flight.
"What's your name?"
The leader glanced into the shop with a frown and pulled out a notepad.
"Kurosaki Haren," Nanatsuki answered smoothly.
"Liltotto's up in the air," one of the gendarmes with long, grass-green hair pointed out, her eyes already on the skies.
The leader's expression eased slightly. His suspicion faded.
"New around here?"
He scribbled down the name, unfamiliar with it—understandable. This squad was stationed in the district and knew most residents.
"Yeah. From the World of the Living. Just got assigned here."
Nanatsuki nodded.
"From the World of the Living, huh... Don't cause any trouble. But if anyone hassles you, come find us at the Gendarmerie."
The patrol moved on. Nanatsuki barely gave them a second thought—but that grass-haired gendarme lingered in his mind.
She'd noticed Liltotto flying—despite how high she was and her weak Reiatsu.
Most Quincy wouldn't sense someone like that unless they focused. But she'd picked it up before even her squad leader did.
'That girl's spiritual perception is... sharp.'
Her face also stirred a vague familiarity in Nanatsuki's memory. Curious, he accessed her status interface:
[Name: Candice Catnipp]
[Potential: S-Rank]
[Reishi Convergence: |v50]
[Reputation Level: Stranger]
'Three S-Rank seeds in just a few days without even trying... I'm on a lucky streak.'
He hadn't guessed wrong—another golden S-card.
That grass-haired girl was none other than Candice Catnipp, a future member of the girl group.
Given her talent, if she spent eight or ten years in the military, she'd probably reach power levels comparable to a seated Shinigami.
According to the interface, her situation mirrored Meninas'. Both were likely fresh recruits.
'Liltotto is young and easy to win over. Candice will be harder to approach... but since she's stationed here, I'll just have to frequent the area more.'
Nanatsuki was already contemplating how to bring her under his wing.
In Soul Society, countless Shinigami would've killed for the chance to be his disciple.
But here in the Wandenreich, as a no-name Quincy, he'd have to create opportunities to show his strength.
"I've learned it!"
Liltotto came gliding down from the sky, bright-eyed. "Did the gendarmes give you any trouble?"
She'd seen them leaving just as she landed.
"Not really. Just standard questioning," Nanatsuki replied.
"Our district's close to Silbern. It's pretty safe. The gendarmes around here are actually decent," Liltotto glanced at the shop's clock. "It's getting late. Stay for lunch?"
"Sure," he smiled.
"Come on in."
Liltotto flipped the sign to "On Break" and shut the door behind them.
"You guys have opening hour requirements?" Nanatsuki asked curiously.
If a patrolling gendarme caught a shop closed during working hours, it would be recorded as 'not open.' Enough of those, and the store would be reclaimed.
"That's how it works," Liltotto shrugged. "The shops are technically owned by the military. I'm just working for them, really."
They headed into the house behind the shop. It wasn't large, but the three-floor layout made it feel spacious.
"Fair warning—my cooking's so-so. I only know how to make bread."
Liltotto walked into the kitchen and began prepping ingredients.
Nanatsuki watched for a bit, eyebrows gradually knitting together.
"You normally eat like this?"
From her method, he could already tell the bread would come out hard enough to double as a club.
"What's wrong with it?" she asked, confused. "It tastes good to me."
"You've got some strong teeth, then."
Nanatsuki rolled up his sleeves. "Let me take over and show you something better."
"Oh—uh—are you sure?" she said politely, already stepping aside.
Her cooking may be average, but she was a notorious foodie. Just hearing that he was good in the kitchen made her eager for a taste.
Some time later…
Nanatsuki served up apple pie and pudding, using only what ingredients they had.
The aroma alone had Liltotto salivating.
One bite in, and she was in another world.
"Well?"
Nanatsuki grinned, glancing at his interface.
[Liltotto Lamperd's Reputation Level has increased: Now Friendly]
From what he remembered, Liltotto had a lot of scenes involving food. Like Azashiro Kana, she was a glutton.
Even her ability codename was "Glutton."
"How is this so good?!" she gasped.
In the Wandenreich, everything was military-first. Good chefs were confined to military canteens—so Liltotto rarely ate anything this delicious.
"Eat as much as you like," Nanatsuki said, biting into a slice of pie himself.
He synced his senses with the Artificial Body through his Quincy powers—he could even taste through it.
"Not bad," he murmured. Limited ingredients meant limited results, but still...
"Not bad?!"
Liltotto's cheeks puffed as she stuffed her mouth again.
"It's the ingredients, really." Nanatsuki shook his head lightly.
"Then—if I bring better ones, could you make even tastier food?"
Her eyes sparkled. "I'll spend my merits on it!"
Nanatsuki pretended to hesitate. "Well... I'm also training my disciples. It'd be a hassle to keep running back and forth."
"Disciples?" Liltotto blinked. "Aren't you from the World of the Living?"
She'd picked up on some basics from their earlier chats, but still didn't get how a newcomer had students here.
"Just took one on. She had talent, I couldn't resist," he said.
"I see..."
Liltotto deflated—but the craving had already rooted itself deep in her mind.
She couldn't stand the idea of more delicious meals just out of reach.
"My talent's great too! I mastered Hiryūkyaku in one morning! That sister across the street took months in the military to do that!"
Liltotto cried out in a flash of genius. "Can I be your disciple too?! Please!"
A teacher who could cook like this? She couldn't let the opportunity slip by.
"Your talent... does meet the bar." Nanatsuki gave a slow nod. "But think carefully. This isn't a game.
Once you become my disciple, there's no turning back. Betray me, and I'll handle you myself. But if you're loyal, I'll teach you everything I know."
It was a warning—Quincy allegiances weren't simple.
"I swear my loyalty to you, Sensei!" Liltotto nodded frantically. "Please take me as your student!"
Food aside, this was a powerful Quincy. She'd be a fool not to grab this chance.
[Liltotto Lamperd requests to become your disciple. Accept as personal student?]
"From this day on, you are my disciple. No slacking in your training."
He recalled how lifeless she looked when they first met—what a difference now.
"If you do well, I'll cook for you again."
"Yes!" Liltotto jumped for joy. "All praise the teacher!"
Nanatsuki glanced at his interface again.
[Liltotto Lamperd's Reputation Level has increased: Now Close]
[New Training Mission Added: Guide Liltotto Lamperd through Basic Training (In Progress)]
The power of food had worked its magic again.
"You've got a nice courtyard. I'll have your senior come train here too—it'll make instruction easier."
"No problem!" Liltotto's eyes lit up. "I'll go buy more ingredients to celebrate this wonderful day!"
"I'll come along," Nanatsuki chuckled.
That evening, Nanatsuki returned to his quarters to check on Meninas' progress.
She had taken leave to prepare for the Sternritter recruitment exams and planned to train at his place the entire time.
The higher-ups were taking the event seriously and had readily approved her leave.
"Sensei! I've mastered the first stage!"
Meninas lit up when she saw him. She opened her palm, and Reishi immediately began to converge there—
moments later, it solidified into a Reishi arrow.
"Not bad at all," Nanatsuki nodded.
"I've got an idea about the second stage too!" she added with a grin.
If he'd returned a little later, she might've cracked the spiritual frequency already.
"Amazing. You figured this out solo?"
He was honestly impressed.
'Patient Guidance works on Quincy too... her learning rate has improved.'
He thought briefly of Yhwach and Haschwalth—both had similar powers to aid others' growth.
Yhwach granted power and could reclaim it later through Auswählen or death.
Haschwalth's "distribution" ability gave power one-way, but at the cost of his own.
Nanatsuki's "Patient Guidance" only worked on disciples—but it was genuine growth.
'With the system's rewards, taking disciples benefits me too. It's mutual growth.'
"Sensei, am I doing this right?"
Meninas took his hand and adjusted her Reiatsu to a specific frequency.
"Hmm... very close," he said, sensing the flow. "But speed up the last part a bit."
As soon as he spoke, she adjusted—and immediately winced.
"Just 20% more seal and it's this much harder?!"
Her wrist device had advanced to the next stage, and it felt like trying to draw water from a frozen lake.
"Give it time," Nanatsuki advised. "Don't take it off when you sleep. Your subconscious will adapt."
"I'm not sleeping tonight!" she declared, full of spirit. "I'll finish this by morning!"
"Balance your effort. This kind of training takes a toll. Let's eat first."
"Food?"
Meninas pulled out dry rations from her bag. "Already prepared!"
She'd been skimping on meals to save up merit points for private lessons, relying solely on military-issue rations.
"You had that for lunch too?" Nanatsuki pinched his brow, now painfully aware of his student's poverty.
"I picked up a new disciple—let's go eat at her place."
"I'm a senior now?!" Meninas lit up with excitement.
Soon after, Nanatsuki brought her to Liltotto's home—just a few hundred meters away.
"Liltotto's your new student?!" Meninas gasped.
"You know her?"
"Not exactly... but her shop says 'Liltotto's General Store' right on it."
She pointed to the sign. "I've bought stuff here before."
Inside, the aroma of food overwhelmed her.
"What's that smell?! It's amazing!"
She suddenly lost all affection for her dry rations.
"She's the senior?"
"Liltotto, what are you doing lying on the floor?"
"Powering down... just now," Liltotto groaned and sat up. "I couldn't take it anymore!"
She hadn't dared eat without Sensei. But with a whole spread waiting, her self-control had nearly snapped.
"Let's eat then," Nanatsuki said, pouring a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
"Sensei forever!" Liltotto lunged at the table like a hungry cub.
"It's delicious!" Meninas was right behind her.