Hell Teacher Nube 20

Blessings and good fortune can be nice, but sometimes things can become better than you really desire! When Nube encounters a small helpful youkai who can change luck around her, are things about to get a little...too good?

#20: The Girl Who Brings Good Fortune

88.
Caption: SUNDAY
Nube: Yaw~~~n
Nube: Oh brother, without even a lover, there’s nothing I can do about this free time on a Sunday. So then, what—to do to waste time?
Nube: N?

89.
SFX: CHI—N JARA JARA JARA JARA
Sign: PACHINKO ACE
(TN: A bit of a cultural guide: pachinko, similar to pinball in the distribution of balls through pins but using a knob to control the rate of the falling balls instead of a recoiling flipper like in pinball, is considered the equivalent of slot machines in Japan, complete with lavish parlors where men and women sit around and play and the winning of “prizes” as opposed to cash (due to the illegal nature of gambling for cash in Japan))
Announcer: Seat 105, there are no more balls, complete your playing.
(TN: The announcer uses two “ends” here: the first being “uchidome”, which is “the end of entertainment or match”, probably in conjunction with Nube running the machine out of balls and, thus, the pachinko stand is dry and he can play at it no longer; the second, “shuuryou”, is “end” or “terminate”, which is due to them wanting him to stop playing that stand due to no longer having the balls to play)
SFX: CHI—N, JARA JARA JARA JARA
Caption: Nube can understand how to complete continuous seats with his spiritual power.
Announcer: Seat 94, there are no more balls, complete…
SFX: JARA JARA JARA
Man: Amazing, that’s his 5th machine.
Nube: I’ve caught a whopper today. Well, I won’t be punished even if I use my spiritual power for myself once in a while.
(TN: When Nube says “I”ve caught a whopper”, it’s actually Nube repeating “tairyou” twice in Japanese, which is “big catch”)
Technician: Ah, sorry.
SFX: GOKIN
Caption: Divine punishment is certain.
(TN: The expression in Japanese here is “Tenbatsu Tekimen”, which is “the certainty of divine punishment” or “Swift is Heaven’s Vengance”)

90.
Nube: Ugugugugu….
“Girl”: Giggle giggle…
Nube: Well this is unusual. Isn’t that Zashiki Warashi?
(TN: There won’t be an “encyclopedia” entry for Zashiki Warashi at this time (not for a while I am sad to say), but you’ll for the most part see what you need in this chapter. Though I can say this: “zashiki warashi” literally translates as “The laughing child of the tatami room”)
Nube: Come here, come here.
SFX: NIKO

91.
Nube: Right: this is because Zashiki Warashi can’t be seen by normal human eyes. Is it surprised that it has met with a human that can see it?
SFX: GASA GASA
Nube: Here, here, would you like a shiosenbei?
(TN: “Shiosenbei” is a rice cracker seasoned with soy sauce; it can probably also be done as “soy rice cracker” or “soy senbei” when scanslated)
Nube: Zashiki Warashi is a youkai that wanders from house to house, blessing those humans. Since they’re mostly inside houses, it’s rare to meet with it in the midst of their migration; hahaha, she is cute!
Girl: What is that guy talking to facing the wall? (sca~~ry)
Nube: Are you a stray Zashiki Warashi?
Man: It’s…best to not approach him.
Nube: See ya; you’ll catch cold if you don’t find your next house and settle down quickly. Ah, youkai don’t catch cold, ahaha…

92.
Nube: My heart is still warm seeing that nice thing yesterday. Since I’m just always with atrocious youkai, my heart softens seeing one like that.
Student: Here he comes—
SFX: GATA GATA GATA
Ichimatsu Doll: A rival, a rival.

93.
Nube: Hahaha…what, you’ve followed me? This here is a school, this isn’t a place you should come to.
Zashiki Warashi: ?
Kyouko: What are you grumbling about?
Nube: Eh? It’s nothing; so then, we’ll be having a pop quiz today.
(TN: The term Nube actually uses is “nukuchi tesuto” or “a test without warning” but “pop quiz” works better in English)
“Grubby”: GEGE
Katsuya: I did—n’t hear tha~~t!
Students: EEH~~
Nube: That’s because it’s pop. So, I’ll distribute the test papers.
Students: Hi—what misfortune~~
SFX: PAAAAA…
Hiroshi: Huh? Suddenly my head has cleared.
SFX: SARA SARA
Miki: What, this is easy.
SFX: SUI SUI
Makoto: I may be a genius.

94.
Nube: Oh well, it’s completely attached to me. Well, it’s doing no harm, so it can be here for a while…
Nube: WHAT~~!?
Nube: In spite of it being “pop”! There’s a parade of 100s! Even Hiroshi got an 80…that dummy!?
Nube: By no means this was done by Zashiki Warashi? No no, it isn’t good to suspect the students. However…
SFX: BAN!

95.
Nube: Next is Makoto—
Makoto: No—if I hit that, I’ll die~~
Hiroshi: You don’t hit it, you jump.
Nube: Makoto! It’s important to challenge everything! That is youth!
SFX: KIRA KIRA KIRA
Makoto: Hi—
Hiroshi: Now, jump!
SFX: DON
Nube: Yes, you will fail at first. However, by having effort that can’t be broken…HUH?
SFX; BAN! (KURU KURU KURU SUTA)
Hiroshi: Makoto, you were ama—zing!!
Makoto: No~~doing it was simple.
Katsuya: What’s going on now: the way he jumped ignored all laws of physics.
Nube: ……

96.
Principal: Ah—this is sudden, but Yamaguchi Akira-kun of class 5-3 has been given the the gold prize in the Prefectural Art Exhibition.
Akira: Eh~~really, this drawing was drawn suitably since I didn’t have time. I may be a genius after all.
Nube: It’s as I thought: she has the power to invite good fortune to people and increase results above their ability.
Hiroshi: He—y, the soccer club got their 3rd straight victory now!
Kyouko: Hehehe—I got top prize in the “Good Teeth Contest”!
Miki: Somehow the voltage for the entire class here has increased.
Katsuya: Yep, we have easy victories on our tests even without studying.
Nube: What are you saying; how can you get good grades without studying!?
Miki: Don’t go assuming, here, here.

97.
Voices: We’re on an uptrend now, I’m sure of it! We’ve been hit by the goddess of good luck! Effort and such is stupid, we don’t have to do that.
Nube: Don’t give too good an influence.
Ritsuko: Nueno-sensei.
Ritsuko: I’ve got tickets for the movies, but wouldn’t you like to go together?
Nube: Is…is this for real? Ritsuko-sensei, who has seemed like an iron woman while just being like a mountain that had to be moved, like a mouse who runs from place to place and like ice that is coldly treated no matter how many times I’ve invited her, is…
Ritsuko: I should quit this after all~~
Ritsuko: I’m fi—ne if you say no
Nube: Ah! I’ll go, I’ll be delighted!

98.
Nube: Lucky, lucky, lun lun lun. I’ve got a date with Ritsuko-sensei. (external) Hehe—y, I may have it after all.
Teacher: What’s with him…
Nube: Possibly…this too was…?
SFX: KOKU KOKU
SFX: RIP RIP RIP
Nube: Well, Zashiki Warashi.

99.
Nube: Your ability to bring good fortune to people is wonderful. But if people are overblessed with too much good luck, they’ll become no-good people who don’t have effort.
Bag: SHIOSENBEI
Nube: Even with how I’ve seen it, my class is has plenty of happiness even until now. Any further is a pressuring sale for good fortune. Therefore…well…
(TN: “Pressuring sale” is in Japanese “oshiuri” or “high-pressure salesmanship”)
Nube: Well…can’t you go to some other place?
Nube: Ah, no, this isn’t for a bad reason. Merely to somewhere with people that need you…

100.
Nube: Ah!
SFX: BA!
Nube: I’m sorry…
Narrator: Because Zashiki Warashi can’t be seen by human eyes…it had been alone for a long time…though it had met a person it could play together with after a long time…
Students: Goodbye—bye-by—e!
Kyouko: Hey hey! Want to go to the new game center in front of the station?
Hiroshi: Yep! I was thinking of going there today.
Hiroshi: I’m going ahead! Take my bag!
Kyouko: Ah!
SFX: TA!

101.
SFX: PAAAAAA
Hiroshi: Eh?
Nube: HIRORSHI---!
SFX: DA
SFX: KATSU
SFX: KIKIKIKI

102.
Hiroshi: GUA! (!)
SFX: FUWA FUWA FUWA
SFX: GASHAA | DOGA
SFX: GASHAA

103.
Kyouko: HIROSHI!!
SFX: HYOI
Hiroshi: Ah—that was a surprise.
Kyouko: I don’t believe it! You don’t have even a bruise in that big accident.
Katsuya: It’s a miracle!
Hiroshi: No, it was an overlap of chance on chance…

104.
Nube: Zashiki Warashi!
Nube: Did you overrelease your spiritual power? Hold on, I’ll divide my power now…
SFX: NIKO | SUU
Policeman: Really, while was with a teacher…
Hiroshi: I’m sorry.
Policeman: Blessedly its fine since there weren’t anyone hurt…

105.
Hiroshi: Sorry, teacher…from here on, I’ll exactly cross at the crosswalk…
Kyouko: Really! This is because you were caught in a moment!
Kyouko: Idiot, stupid, clumsy, strong dummy!
Miki: It’s snow.
Makoto: Ya—y, the first snow—
(TN: “Hatsuyuki” = “the first snow of the season”)
Hiroshi: PU
Kyouko: What’s so funny?
Hiroshi: No, I thought I really would die. And with this, it’s gotten lively now.
Hiroshi: It’s this faint snow. Well, somehow it’s unusually strange. (Ahahaha…)
Kyouko: What’s with saying that stupid thing?
Katsuya: He really is an idiot!
Makoto: Ahahahaha.

106.
Nube: That isn’t that: this snow is somehow warm…
Voice: Ahahaha, stop that laughter you’re attracting, stupid.
SFX: GASA
Bag: SHIOSENBEI
Nube: It’s her…!
Hiroshi: Somehow it’s strangely become fun.
Makoto: Ahahahaha
Kyouko: I can’t stop laughing.
Nube: Al—right, tonight is my treat; let’s go quickly, quickly!
Man: Those people se—em happy!

TN: After a long period of manga where we have matters of the scary, the tragic and the misunderstood (and oh yeah, Tamamo who is probably all three at the same time dependant on his moment), we finally get a nice youkai who is good and helpful from the start. And yeah...she's a cute one too. Zashiki Warashi is just one of those nice youkai whom you sort of wish to see more of after this...but of course, good things can't always be too often or else...it just seems rather coincidental and unfair. In fact, that's probably one of the great lessons that I like about this chapter: the youkai offered Nube to give him and his class whatever he wanted, but he rather have his students and even himself (yeah, that's probably the only time he'll ever get...anything from Ritsuko-sensei) earn it instead of just randomly given it by a spiritual power. Then again, with Hiroshi's test scores (80 is high for him...who knows how he usually performs), maybe a bit of spirtual help is needed sometimes. (well it's him or having Makoto defy the laws of physics) Let's leave out a senbei out in case she is needed again...