Hell Teacher Nube 40

Can the power of the supernatural be used to manipulate emotions and feelings, including love? When a legend of Doumori Elementary gets in the hands of a certain mischief-maker, hearts and emotions may rumble in unexpected ways!

#40: The Hiyoku Crows
(TN: The title of the chapter based on the kanji is that of the expression “Hiyoku no Tori”, which literally translates into “birds with wings abreast”, but is also an expression for “a happily married couple”. (In fact, a combination of two other kanji also reading “hiyoku” is “fertility”) However, instead of using “tori”, the kanji used for this chapter is “karasu” or “crow”, which will become apparent why with what happens. In this chapter, I will refer to them as “Hiyoku Birds” or “Hiyoku Crows”. Another crucial meaning regarding the title of this chapter will be further explained in the Encyclopedia)

152.
“Narrator”: In a corner of the campus of Doumori Elementary is a large cedar tree. In this tree, two single-wing crows occasionally have been seen residing in there.
(TN: The “Japanese Cedar” is the only tree in the “Cryptomeria” genus, known likewise as “Joumon Sugi” [or just “Sugi”] or “Cryptomeria Japonica”. Though not a cedar, the tree is a large evergreen related to the Giant Sequoia. While notable in Japan as their national tree, the tree is also found in China and India and used as an ornamental tree in other societies in Europe and the Americas)
“Narrator”: They are intimately joined crow spirits who fly like they’re cuddled close together since they lost one of their wings in an accident several decades ago.
“Narrator”: Since then, it is said that couples who confess their love under this tree will certainly become linked.

153.
Miki: This romantic legend shouldn’t be ignored by me, Miki, the most maiden-like of Nube’s class.
(TN: Miki really doesn’t use “maiden-like” here: she actually uses “otomechikku”, which parallels the “romancchiku” (romantic) used prior in the sentence. Since there really isn’t a “maiden-tic” expression to use in English (with “otome”, obviously as “maiden”), I ended up going with “maiden-like” here for similar connotation…though with all Miki has pulled so far, I can’t see her as a maiden at all…now if it were some other girls…)
Miki: Aaah, I want to test this, I want to test this. It should be fun even just thinking of manipulating a man’s heart with spiritual power~~~
SFX: MUZU MUZU MUZU
Caption: Real Motive
Miki: It may be fun somehow. N!?
SFX: WAKU WAKU WAKU
Hiroshi: At the end, it’s Zico to Alcindo~~
(TN: Hiroshi is actually referring here to two notable Brazilian soccer players, both of whom actually made notable marks in the evolution of the sport in Japan:
-Zico, born “Arthur Antunes Coimbra”, is notable as one of the most important Brazilian players of the 70s and 80s outside Pele, notable for his free-kicking skill and in leading the national team during Brazil’s greatest era of soccer at the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups. (none of them they won) However, his knowledge to the Japanese was from joining and ultimately leading the Kashima Antlers to the very first J-League championship in 1993 and later becoming the coach of the Japanese national team that both won the Asian tournament in 2004 and went to the World Cup in 2006.
-Alcindo, born Alcindo Sartori, was another Brazillian player who, while not having the massive and notable career as Zico, was the key player on the Kashima Antlers in 1993 allowing for their victory in the first J-League championship)
SFX: TATATA
Miki: What, Hiroshi—well, anyone would be good for now.
Miki: Hiroshi-kun, Hiroshi-kun!
Miki: Ufufu…um, well, uh, well.
SFX: MOJIMOJI
Hiroshi: Wh…what? (this feels bad…)

154.
Miki: I’ve loved you, Hiroshi-kun, since a long time ago…
SFX: PO
Miki: What is it, what is it—that reaction---!!
Hiroshi: I’m thinking you’re up to something that isn’t good again some~~how because it’s you~~.
Miki: Why~~are you treating a maiden’s pure confession so coldly—

155.
Hiroshi: Hurry, we have to get to the classroom. We’re late!
SFX: GOGOGOGOGO
Miki: Hold on a moment. You’re the worst—don’t you believe me?
Voices: GOOD—MOR—NING!
Nube: Stand—up; thank—you!!
(TN: The expression here regarding “stand up; thank you”, is in Japanese “kiritsu rei”; the “kiritsu” is for someone to stand up in attention, where as the “rei” is an expression of gratitude for what they’ve done)
Nube: Ehe…what’s that?
(TN: “Ehe” in Japanese was “Kusu”, which is a type of laugh used when someone is tickled)
SFX: ZU | KU—KU—

156.
Nube: Those two have crows on their head. They’re silly animal spirits. I’ll let that go.
Kyouko: Nube, today is seat-change day.
Nube: N, aah: that’s right. I’ve prepared the lottery for everyone.
SFX: ZAWA ZAWA ZAWA
(TN: The “lottery” seen here is a typical style of Japanese lottery involving the creation of a chart going from top to bottom. A person looks up their name or number, then follow the chart, moving by every line they come across in whatever direction their path goes until they reach the bottom, determining whatever the chart was set up for)
Crows: Ku—
Miki: Kya—unbelivable. The love crow legend was true after all.
Hiroshi: Chi, that’s annoyin—I’ve come to be next to her.
Nub: Hee…those crows profited in pairing up?

157.
Nube: Um—with that, next we’ll be the lottery for the new officials.
Hiroshi: Eeh!?
Blackboard:
NOTICE DUTY:
TATENO HIROSHI
HOSOKAWA MIKI

Miki: UNBELIEVABLE!
Nube: Next, for grade committee—
Blackboard:
BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE
TATENO HIROSHI
HOSOKAWA MI
Miki: Ho~~hoho, now we’re in a state as close as sea anemone~~
Kyouko: What is this: isn’t it randomly coupling Hiroshi and Miki?
Nube: Ha ha ha, no—those two are possessed by crow spirits of good partner relations.
Kyouko: Eh: so then it’s the love crows that attach couples together!?
Nube: N, what’s that? Well, they’re weak animal spirits at most. That—sort of chance can be caused by having them, but I think it doesn’t influence feelings.

158.
Kyouko: Hold on, Miki!!
Kyouko: Did you do something again!? For example, under the tree on campus…
Miki: Ara—isn’t that a fine concern of Kyouko-san, Hiroshi’s “former” sweetheart?
Miki: Right—I confessed to Hiroshi under the legendary tree of the two crows—
Students: Eh—
Kyouko: So…you really—you’re serious about Hiroshi…?
Miki: You’re mean; you doubt my feelings?
SFX: YOYOYO
Miki: Well—how many days will it take for Hiroshi to fall for me!? It’s a pool that’s 100 yen per vote!!
Students: 10 DAYS! THREE DAYS!
Kyouko: Sh…she’s amusing herself~~
Kyouko: Well…well fine: I don’t think Hiroshi’s taking this seriously either…its useless just to get worthlessly angry!!

159.
Narrator: However
Miki: Uhu~~h. Aha~~h.
Page: NOTICE
SFX: GYUUU
Kyouko: Wh…what are you doing?
Miki: You’ll know if you see it: it’s th-e-wo-rk for notice duty.
Kyouko: I…in that outfit…!! And further that close… (You’re a grade schooler)
Miki: It’s—fine. The two of us are destined to be linked anyway.
SFX: MUNI (SQUISH)
Kyouko: Hmph, Hiroshi doesn’t have reason to fall for sex appeal
Hiroshi: No, but these D-cups area bit fine~~well…
(TN: Yeah…a 5th grader with D-cups…and let's not forget that usually 5th graders are 10-11 years in age...hold on tight, folks, because this is only the beginning)

160.
Kyouko: HEY~~YOU~~she brought out her breasts, is that fine~~for anyone~~!?
SFX: BAKII
Katsuya: That is the saga of a man. (Yep)
Miki: NO~~O, MY HIROSHI-KUN IS~~~
Miki: Hey---Da—rli—ng, a~~h.
Kyouko: Now she’s a burikko--…
(TN: A “burikko” is an older female who acts younger and girlish intentionally. (Usually in a situation like a teenager or young woman who acts like a little girl) While becoming huge and notable with the emergence and popularity of idol Seiko Matsuda in 1980, the word actually had origin from a Jump series: Hisashi Eguchi’s late 1970s sports-comedy series “Susume! Pirates”)
Hiroshi: St…stop this. You’re ending up clingy.
Miki: Now—it’s Hiroshi-kun’s beloved fruit yogurt. Eat—it all up.
SFX: POKU
Kyouko: Don’t be lured by food—
SFX: BAKI BAKI BAKI
Miki: Kya—the former woman is half-crazed—

161.
Nube: HUH!?
Sign: STAFF OFFICE
Nube: Exorcise the crows possessing Hiroshi and Miki!?
Kyouko: Yes…
Kyouko: Miki wants to do what she said in being possessed by those crows as much as she wants to. So then it can’t be that love can be born by spirits…I…I think that’s unbelievable but…
Nube: Haha—h, you’re worried about it.
Nube: No, I don’t know. The character of a Shugorei is known well to influence the person himself. Together with that, a Haigorei can come more or less to influence a person. A Haigorei is a being around the area of an animal spirit or wandering spirit that attaches and releases at will without being limited to a human. Those crows too have a thorough influence as Haigorei beyond possessing Hiroshi and Miki. (Seriously)
(TN: As I mentioned in another chapter, a “Haigorei” merely translates into a “Back Spirit” compared to the fully-influencing Shugorei)
Kyouko: So…so then~~
Nube: Woofie.
(TN: Nube randomly says “no wanchi tte” here; “wanchi” is an alternate version of “woof”, so I alternated it into a cuter version to go with Nube’s weird joke)

162.
Nube: No—I’m joking, joking; they’re silly animal spirits. In spite of that, they can’t control feelings.
Kyouko: We…well that’s fine but…
Kyouko: I forgot something in the classroom.
Voice: Ahaha.
Miki: Fufu, its fun working in the beautification committee for us two—
(TN: It was hard figuring out what exactly the committee Hiroshi and Miki were in charge of, but in Japanese it was “seimi”, which literally was “organizing beauty”. Thus I inferred it was the “beautification” committee)
Hiroshi: That’s stupid—this isn’t fun—we’re being slow; it’s past leaving time—but

163.
Hiroshi: Hey, get me the pincers over there.
Miki: Ah, ye~~s.
Miki: …Uh…uh, uh
SFX: GAKU
Hiroshi: Hey dummy, be care…
SFX: BISHI
Hiroshi: Wh…what?
SFX: DOKI
Miki: Wh…what?
SFX: DOKI
Miki: Th…this feeling, it can’t be: I really…
SFX: DOKI DOKI DOKI DOKI DOKI

164.
Kyouko: THAT LIAR NUBE!! AREN’T THOSE TWO CROW SPIRITS STEADILY INFLUENCING THE HEARTS OF THOSE TWO!!
Kyouko: Today I’ll listen to Nakajima Miyuki and cry.
(TN: Miyuki Nakajima is a notable singer-songwriter who has found success in each decade she has been active since the 1970s. Those her major active period was in the 1980s, she was still notable by this period in 1994, particularly with the release of “Between the Sky and You” [Sora to Kimi no Aida ni], one of her biggest singles due to it being the theme for the NTV drama "Ienakiko")
SFX: TOBO TOBO…
Kyouko: ?
SFX: KUN KUN
Kyouko: A gas smell.
SFX: PACHI
Kyouko: From the direction of the science lab.
SFX: SHUUUU…
SFX: PACHI PACHI

165.
SFX: DOON! (BOOM)
Hiroshi: !?
Miki: Wh…what!?
Hiroshi: Ge, what is this! There’s a fire in the science lab!
Voice: SAVE ME—
Hiroshi: Geho geho, there’s so much smoke and I can’t see any—thing!! KYOUKO!?
Hiroshi: It’s Kyouko’s voice! Is she in there!?
Miki: Eh!? I don’t hear her—didn’t you mishear it?
Hiroshi: No…it is.

166.
Hiroshi: There’s no reason I can mishear that voice!
SFX: GABA
Miki: Hiroshi!!
Hiroshi: Kyouko—hold on—I’m going now—
Miki: Hiroshi!!
Nube: A gas explosion!?
Ootsuki: Was it plasma!?
SFX: JIRIRIRIRIRIRI
Miki: Hiroshi…Hiroshi…went into the smoke where Kyouko is--!!
Nube: Hiroshi—Kyouko—
Nube: This terrible smoke, cough cough. It’s burning the chemicals in the preparation room!! If I don’t…save them quickly!!

167.
Hiroshi: No—you can’t see in front or back.
Kyouko: I thought I was going to die. (Cough)
Nube: You’ve done well, Hiroshi. Leave the rest to me.
Hiroshi: COUGH COUGH
Miki: …
Nube: Blessedly the science lab and preparation room were half burned and the fire was settled. Probably the gas had forgotten to be shut off.

168.
Hiroshi: What exactly were you doing in that place?
Kyouko: Thank you, Hiroshi…
Nube: N?
Miki: Eh?
SFX: BASA BASA
Nube: The crows are flying.
Kyouko: Eh? To…where?
SFX: BASA BASA BASA
Nube: Well, those animal spirits may be able to shift momentary feelings, but they can’t shift the true heart.
Kyouko: Right.
Hiroshi: ? Crows?

169.
Voice: AHAHAHA…
Miki: Chie, that was regrettable—Hiroshi would have been mine with a bit more but
Kyouko: Hmph, you weren’t for real with that joke confession.
Miki: But those crows seem to work a bit. If you test it with Ritsuko-sensei!
Nub: Du—mmy, did it work?
Miki: Ara, it really did work.
Miki: It really…just a bit.
Nube: Something the matter?
Miki: It…it’s nothing.

170.
NUBE-SENSEI’S GREAT YOUKAI ENCYCLOPEDIA

29. The Hiyoku Bird

In China’s Tang Dynasty, there was a couple with good relation of Emperor Gensou and Youkihi. It can be deduced that the country went into ruin due to being too pleasant, but the legendary bird, which was introduced within “Chougonka”, a song sung about those two is “The Hiyoku Bird”. (The title this time parodies this) This bird were two paired birds, each only had a sole wing and couldn’t fly with one wing. Since they couldn’t fly without those two always being close together, it is used for the good relationships of man and woman.

Aah, it’s an envious story!! I want a partner like that quickly. Really! Grumble grumble…

(With that, that’s all this time)

(TN: A few notes:
1. “Emperor Gensou”, also known as “Xuanzong”, was the 7th emperor of the Tang, ruling between 712 and 756. While the longest-ruling Tang emperor and bringing a pinnacle to their rule, his obsession in later life with his concubines and consorts, in particular “Youkihi” (known as “Yang Guifei” in Chinese) ultimately spelled his doom and his eventual abandonment of the throne during the Anshi Rebellion.
2. “Chougonka”, which translates into “The Song of Eternal Regrets”, is a poem/song written about the fall of Gensou and Youkihi in 806. The “Hiyoku Bird”, is mentioned in the poem as mentioned)

TN: If I were to give this chapter a nickname, it's this: the chapter Miki finally lets it all hang out...in more ways than one! Obviously that comment has a lot to do with her latest spiritual scheme, moving beyond merely controlling the actions of others or giving herself powers (see the Rokurokubi bit) and literally thinking that she can use the supernatural to do whatever she wants...in particular manipulate the hearts and minds of males! It was mere coincidence that Hiroshi would be in the wrong place at the right time, but the way she used it not just for her own self pleasure but to just peeve off Kyouko in more ways than you can imagine shows how far she is willing to take her abilities and her research in spiritual matters. While Hiroshi is the means to which everything happens, most of the chapter feels like the latest round in the war between the cautious Kyouko and the completely gregarious Miki, with Nube trying to let it play it's course until things just get too screwed up. As for Hiroshi and Kyouko: we've known the two of them have been built up and to see Miki as this new third-wheel...well, I can't say how long it will lost but it is something to think about regarding how Kyouko's feelings are honest...and Miki just uses spiritual tactics and the equivalent of bribery.

As for the other means by the "let it all hang out"...well you've probably noticed how Miki has had peculiarly large "curves" for a 5th grader...and it is now that she's starting to really show them off! Personally I think the fanservice and the jokes tied to it give some of Nube the charm, but this essentially is the part I can see people turn away and call this series disturbed. Just because Miki starts getting a tad boob-crazy from here on out (and it sort of spreads a bit as you'll see other characters develop) shouldn't mean you should give up the series...but it is something to keep in mind with her (and other) characters. Though it does make one wonder how a series like this could exist in a shonen magazine...well instead of a seinen one.