Hell Teacher Nube 3

Private information is not for distribution, no matter how gossipy you are. But for one of Nube's students who loves weird rumors, her code may be put to the test when bad news just starts spreading around...

#3: The Rumor-Chafing Shadow…

75.
Caption: STAFF OFFICE
Boy: Ritsuko-sensei, goo-d morn—ing!
Ritsuko: Morning everyone!
SFX: DOKI DOKI DOKI DOKI DOKI
Nube: Hm—m, class 2’s Ritsuko-sensei is so beautiful! I’ve fallen for her! Today I’m resolved to invite her to dinner.
Ticket: Invitation Card
Nube: Hm—m, but how am I going to greet her…
Caption: In truth he’s extremely shy.
Man: Takahashi-sensei, you have rubbish on your back.
Ritsuko: Ara, thank you very much.
Nube: Takahashi-sensei.
Ritsuko: Yes?

76.
Nube: YOU HAVE A HAIGOREI ON YOUR BACK. (Here we go)
(TN: A “Haigorei”, which literally translates into “Back Spirit”, is a type of “protective spirit” akin to a “Shugourei” or a “Guardian Spirit”; we’ll be getting a bit more into that next chapter)
Ritsuko: KYAAAAAA!!
Ritsuko: Please stop, I hate being scared; just hearing of “spirits” seems to stop my heart.
Nube: Eh! That’s how you are, I’m sorry!
Ritsuko: Nueno-sensei is a spiritualist but…please don’t do any really scary stories in front of me.
Nube: Ah…yeah.
Nube: Actually, well~~I was going to invite you to a lovely dinner tonight…
Ritsuko: Well, how so…?
Nube: Well, it’s a restaurant that seems like a graveyard where I’ve heard stories of companion lover ghosts’ show their hearts for romance in the midst of dancing hitodama while we eat strange cuisine.
(TN: “Hitodama” are “disembodied spirits who seem like floating fireballs”)
Ritsuko: NOOOOO~~~~!

77.
Ritsuko: I told you to stop that and yet…you’re ill-natured! I hate you!
Nube: Th…that was the plan…
Nube: Takahashi-sensei~~
Nube: Heh, she’s scared because I’m that—sort—of character.
SFX: KI—N KO—N KA—N KO—N
SFX: PAN PAN PAPAN
Flag: Congrats
Nube: AH~~~!
Blackboard:
REJECTED~~
HE CAN’T READ A WOMAN’S HEART
NUBE’S SPECIAL
BACHELOR JUTSU
(TN: I know I probably should translate it into “Art of the Bachelor” but somehow with “jutsu” well known with series like Naruto, I’m sort of used to that term, it should be read in the way you consider it correctly)
“Ritsuko”: I HATE SCARY PEOPLE---!!
Hiroshi: You invited her to a cemetery restaurant?
Kyouko: You don’t know your place~~Ritsuko-sensei is our school Madonna!
(TN: The “Madonna” that the students refer to Ritsuko as refers to “a pure woman akin to the Virgin Mary”…not the pop musician.)
Boy: Your love-killing words were that she had a Haigorei!
(TN: “Love-killing words” is actually in Japanese “koroshimonku”, or “killing/loving words…since it sort of did both, I kept both definitions since he was trying to be a heart breaker…but had his heart broken)
Nube: WH…WHO SPREAD THIS RUMOR! OF A PERSON’S FAILURE!
Students: Gyahahahaha

78.
Nube: N?
“Hairband”: In general that man doesn’t have a thing called “delicacy”! How could he think she’d be delighted in being invited to a cemetery!?
SFX: PERA PERA PERA PERA
Students: Wahahahaha
Nube: Hey, won’t you stop?
SFX: PERA PERA PERA PERA
“Hairband”: And yet with Nube, his eyes were serious about it.
SFX: BU~RA BU~RA
“Hairband”: It’s impossible for those two. It’s a spiritualist and a cowardly woman…
SFX: PERA PERA PERA PERA
“Hairband”: Now GLUB GLUB she hates him GULP GULP like a cockroach.
Nube: I TOLD YOU TO STOP!!
Nube: Why would you gossip about that!! You’ll come to not have friends now! (Really~~!)
“Hairband”: Sor—ry, teacher: I really love to gossip…but I just intend for it to not bother my friends at all.
Hiroshi: Right—right—Miki’s stories are amusing.
(TN: Well, it’s about time I can get to “her”: Miki, like Akira last chapter, is another reference to Go Nagai’s “Devilman”, though in her case is the connection to the main female character, Miki Makamura. A neat bit of trivia about that: both Miki have the same hairstyle, but have the exact opposite in colors between hair and hairband: “Devilman”’s Miki has black hair and a light (white) hair color, while “Nube”’s Miki has a light (blond) hair color with a black hairband)
Kyouko: She would never make a rumor that would hurt a person’s feelings!

79.
Nube: What ab—out me? My feelings are really being hurt with the revelation of my failures.
Hiroshi: Well…your blunders haven’t been hidden now, right?
Kyouko: Right right! Instead may have to change the watching eyes of Ritsuko-sensei regarding your image as an “interesting teacher”!
Nube: For Takahashi-sensei? Hm—m, I guess—in that case, I’m delighted—(if she speaks about that, then that will…)
Miki: Ah! Then, it’s fine to speak much more!?
Miki: I thought this would be bad and I’d be silenced by teacher but…the other day, teacher sat on top of dog poo in the park! Before that, he made a lap around the shopping district with his “window of society” fully open…yesterday; somehow, he was loud about losing 30 yen for a 50 yen taiyaki…(HAHAHAHAHA)
(TN: “Window of society” is slang for “a crotch zipper”)
SFX: PERA PERA PERA PERA
Nube: UWA—PUT THAT ASIDE, PUT THAT ASIDE! (What is this girl, really…)
Caption: The next day—
Miki: Yesterday was fun--! Well, what sort of rumors will come down today!?
Voice 1: She jumped to suicide!
Voice 2: What was the cause of her neurosis?
Voice: It’s because she loved to gossip…
Miki: Eh?

80.
Voice: She spread rumors here and there of people’s secrets…she had been hated by the people within the neighborhood! She paid for her mistakes--…
SFX: PURURU
Miki: Oh my god. This has left a deep impression.
Miki: I’ll absolutely stop these rumors that will buy resentment from people. But I can’t stop gossiping, it’s my life.
SFX: ZU…
SFX: ZURUZURUZURU…ZUZUZU…
“Shadow”: Oh my god. This has left a deep impression. I’ll absolutely stop these rumors that will buy resentment from people.

81.
Youkai: But I can’t stop gossiping, it’s my life.
“Shadow”: But I can’t stop gossiping, it’s my life.
Youkai: Shadow copy, tell me about you with the memories possessed by that person.
“Shadow”: My name is Hosokawa Miki, class 5-3 of Doumori Elementary School.
Youkai: Hosokawa Miki…I really love people who gossip. Hihi…next I shall have your soul…

82.
Voice: Fu—
Hiroshi: I have to go—I had to do this so suddenly—but I just use the bathroom of the gym, where I can go poop without being noticed by anyone.
Hiroshi: Puripuri, N, this is a bit…hard.
Large Boy: Well well, I’m the first here today. N…no—one can see me.
Large Boy: Yo…Yoshie-chan’s recorder~~(haa haa haa)
SFX: Lick lick
Voice 1: Hey—tell me, who do you really like—
Voice 2: Eh~
Girl: Nothing I can do~~since you’re my friend, I’ll tell you. Ki…Kiyoshi-kun…
Kyouko: Eh~~surprising~! How is that guy good~~!?
SFX: Su
SFX: SHAKA SHAKA SHAKA

83.
Youkai: Fue fue fue: I saw them, I heard them: everyone’s secrets…I’ll make a “shadow” immediately and spread these rumors…
“Shadow”: Hey hey, listen, listen everyone.
Kyouko: Ara, that voice is Miki.
“Shadow”: It’s about Hiroshi—this morning he made a poop in the gym bathroom—puripuripu~~! I saw it! The adversity of the school: a giant poop in the gym bathroom!
(TN: “Puripuri” is an onomatopoeia for “smelling strongly”, usually used for farts)
Hiroshi: WHA!?
Girl: Eww—
“Shadow”: After that~~Futoshi-kun licked Yoshie’s flue! Terrible! The introverted flute-licking boy! His greasy tongue li—cked your flute.
Futoshi: Gege~~!

84.
“Shadow”: Shocking confession! Masae loves Kiyoshi! My nether-realms will be throbbing tonight thinking of that person~~! (Ah ah ah)
(TN: “nether-realms” is “kokan” in Japanese, which is “that thing between the legs”)
Hiroshi: OOH~~!!
Kyouko: Hey…Miki, even with how you are, now you’re too…
SFX: TA!
Kyouko: Um....huh?
Nube: N?
SFX: WA—WA—
Miki: I didn’t know those: I didn’t say those things! I know to not make rumors that hurt people.
Futoshi: Liar! There were many witnesses!
Students: Ri—ght! Ri—ght!
Hiroshi: Searching for your friend’s secrets and rumoring about them is the lowes—t!
Students: Never again! We won’t be listening to your words!
Miki: Ah…that’s…
Students: Perfect! We’ll ignore her!

85.
Miki: Teacher! I’m saying this to everyone! I’m innocent…
Nube: Miki…
Nube: Understand now? These amusing stories to you are secrets that the original people don’t want known! (Meh!)
Nube: Te…teacher…
Students: WHAT A TREACHOROUS GIRL! SHE’S MEAN!! THE LOWEST RACE! DIE! DU—MMY!
Miki: WAA—
Nube: Miki!
Nube: Hmm…?
Nube: So mean, I didn’t say anything and yet…at this rate, I’ll be like that woman who committed suicide.

86.
Miki: Someone’s appearing as me and floating these cruel rumors. Somehow the criminal hasn’t been detected!
Miki: And I can’t prove my innocence…!
Hiroshi: I’m really disappointed in Miki! I thought she was an amusing person and yet…!
Kyouko: Don’t think about that mean girl!
Girl: Ignore her until she’s reconsider—ed!
Hiroshi: RIGHT—RIGHT—
“Shadow”: A moment, just a moment.
“Shadow”: Ja—n! The latest scoop! It’s about Noriko—earlier she forgot to put down the toilet seat and put her butt in the urinal--! That girl is really slow, ahaha—

87.
Hiroshi: Chi…she can’t be redeemed…your stories won’t be heard by anyone anymore!
Kyouko: Talk to yourself! Du—mmy!
Voice: Hold on!
Miki: I’m Miki, who are you!?
SFX: BA!
Hiroshi: !?
Kyouko: Eh!? The criminal wasn’t Miki!?
Hiroshi: So…so then, who is that!?
“Shadow”: Fuefuefue
“Shadow”: You were a good being I could tease quietly. Fine, I’ll show my true form…
SFX: NUUU~~

88.
Youkai: Fuefuefue…
SFX: PERO~N
Hiroshi & Miki: UWAAAA
Kageguchi: I am the Youkai Kageguchi. I’m a youkai who possesses gossiping girls like you and loves to strike with people’s malicious gossip…
(TN: A bit of a weird pun here about the youkai here: Kageguchi uses the kanji to translate into “Shadow Grumbler” here, but also uses the term “kageguchi” when explaining what it does, which is the “malicious gossip” in it’s explanation)
Miki: Ah…ah…
Kageguchi: I was planning to corner you into a hell of isolation and have you commit suicide, but…there’s nothing I can do being exposed…
Kageguchi: I’ll eat EVERY ONE OF YOU!
SFX: NUME
Miki: Kyaa—
SFX: BACHII
Voice: GUEEE!!

89.
Nube: I’m in time!
Hiroshi: Teacher--!
Kageguchi: Gege!?
Miki: Teacher…
Nube: Since your state had been strange, I followed behind. Sure enough, this was the act of a youkai!
Kyouko: Boys turn over here!
Kageguchi: Gege…shadow, isn’t that teacher a bogus spiritualist…?
“Shadow”: Yes: I possess Miki’s memories. According to them, Nube is a bogus, lewd, dimwitted spiritualist.
Nube: ……
Miki: I’m sorry…
Nube: But they’re simply rumors…you suffer pain believing in rumors.
Kageguchi: Fuefue—the rumors that I speak aren’t merely rumors! It’s peerless true information that is based on detailed data collection.

90.
Kageguchi: Take this! My special 5 tongues!! Die, dimwit.
SFX: BUWAAAA
Nube: Namu!
Kageguchi: GUE!!
Miki: Aah!!
Hiroshi: Hehe! This wasn’t known even by news-connoisseur Miki! Nube’s Oni no Te can cut spirits!
Nube: Youkai Kageguchi! You were fortunate to possess my student…I’m sending you back to hell…prepare yourself!

91.
Kageguchi: Ho…hold on! I’m not good at mayhem! If we talk you’ll understand! Peacefully--…
SFX: GOOOOOO
Nube: I CAN’T HEAR YOU!

92.
Hiroshi: Teacher!
Nube: Are you scared? Of this hand…
Miki: Nope! It’s cool…!
Nube: If you’ve learned from this, then moderate your gossip. (Hahaha)
Miki: Ye—s.
Miki: How can I--! Gossiping is my life. I can’t stop it no matter what befalls my eyes. However…
Miki: This would be good gossip…I thought but…
Nube: It’s great weather, Takahashi-sensei. Ah, over there is a floating spirit.
Ritsuko: Kya—
Hiroshi: His usual self is 99% stupid.

93.
NUBE-SENSEI’S GREAT YOUKAI ENCYCLOPEDIA

3. Phenomenon and Existence

Long long ago, when science was still underdeveloped, people thought that all natural phenomenons were the acts of spirits. (This is called animism) There were things that were invented by people, due to their explanations of mysterious occurrences as happening around them by the existence of youkai. Therefore, what we can see and hear thoroughly are ghostly “phenomenon”, without having the “existence” of youkai.

However, due to this, there isn’t a reason that we can connect it to a denial of existence.

For example, it’s been said that Newton (the pioneer of modern science) saw an apple fall to the ground, discovering universal gravitation.

But he didn’t have a reason to see this thing as universal gravitation. It didn’t pass the assumption of the youkai named “universal gravitation”, in the shadows of the phenomenon “an apple is falling to the ground”. This basic idea called “science” isn’t any kind of replacement for animism. (The connection of science and spirits, from vol. 2 on, will further be delved into deeper) In recent quantum mechanics, universal gravitation, further, has been assumed as a wire-pulling youkai with the name of “graviton”, hunting for it’s height and weight and throwing the great cost of tens of billions for it. (Then again, there isn’t a reason to call this bad.)
In short, you shouldn’t care about thinking of various mysterious phenomenons which normally occur as entirely the act of youkai. “Kageguchi” is a youkai that was born from the phenomenon of walking by yourself with a rumor and selfishly spreading it.

If all of you think of something as “mysterious”, then it’s fine to see it as a creation of a youkai from there. And thus, if you hit upon an interesting youkai, tell the authors.

TN: Did we really need to see a shadow pooping? There are some really weird, graphic and sick moments...and I get why the shadow was pooping...but yeah, that was...eww. Anyway, this chapter finally introduces us to two more characters of the series...though unlike Akira, both of which remain crucial throughout the series run. First of all is Miki...oh boy, Miki. She's a bundle of trouble from the very beginning, as you can see with that insane "gossiping sequence" where Nube tries to shut her up...then makes a deal with her...then is forced to listen to more crappy stories about his life. She may be trouble now...but this is just the beginning of her infamous rise. (and yeah...be lucky she hasn't started taking advantage of certain...attributes she'll really be flaunting later) The other is the introduction of the main "love-interest" in the series (is seriously tempted to add in "for now" or "at this point"...but lets put it like this: she's the love interest), Ritsuko-sensei. I know some probably won't like the comedy of "the spiritualist teacher and the hyper-scared teacher of opposite sex", but I think it works due to how the chemistry flows between Nube and Ritsuko-sensei. (one thing I didn't mention: I've heard rumors she was actually sort of based on some designs for heroines from 70s giant robot manga/anime...but I didn't add the note cause it isn't that confirmed) Nube and Ritsuko-sensei will be having their ups and downs from here on...and it is interesting to see how they develop as the series goes along...whether or not anyone else gets in their way. (oops, I said it, ignore anything past the last ellipses)

Oh...and there is one more crucial note: you know how we have all these random kids and random names for students aside from the "main group"? Well...try to remember the name "Noriko"...it will come in handy later.