101 Goodwill Event

In Noblesse Oblige, the game wasn't just known for its massive cast of characters and its heavy, gripping plot; it was also packed with events.

One of those was the Goodwill Event.

The idea was for elite students to travel to other academies to proactively exchange magic and culture. Of course, sometimes groups would come to Noblesse instead. While the Point System itself remained a closely guarded secret, the administration believed that interaction between the different student bodies was essential.

In the Original Story, the protagonist, Allen, should have been leading this mission alongside the seniors and their supervisor, Teacher Chloe. But at this point, we were so far off-script it was an alteration of an alteration.

This time around...

"You’re slow, Weiss."

"Oh my, you’re certainly giving it your all, aren't you?"

"Just say the word if you get tired. I’ll carry you on my back."

Milk Abitus—who was never supposed to be a teacher.

Eva Avery—who was supposed to have dropped out of school.

Sierra Witch—who was supposed to avoid anything remotely troublesome like the plague.

The following report is brought to you by those three plus one (me, Weiss).

Currently, we were in the middle of our journey, sprinting across the land using high-speed movement magic. We stopped for a brief moment, and then—

"Break's over. Let’s move."

"Wa—Wait!"

I was barely managing to keep pace with their literal "other-dimensional" speed. Eventually, I just hit my limit and gave up. I mean, I could have kept up if I really pushed myself, but it would be mortifying to arrive at a Goodwill Event with my hair a mess and my clothes in total disarray.

Yeah, let’s go with that. This is purely a matter of dignity.

As a result, we ended up flagging down a carriage halfway through, and I spent the rest of the trip being hauled toward our destination like a head of cattle.

Hey, this is fine by me...

"I don't recall raising such a weakling," Milk sighed.

"Going slow isn't so bad once in a while, is it?" Eva added.

"Vai, I brought some water. Here, drink."

Sierra handed me a canteen.

Ah, today of all days, Senior Sierra looks like a literal angel.

And the water... it was delicious.

"I have sweets too, so just ask if you want any. I even have fruit."

"Thank you, Senior Sierra."

I think I actually felt my heart skip a beat for the first time in ages.

---

Noblesse Magic Academy is the most famous school in this world. Everyone wants to get in, and its brand recognition among the nobility is top-class.

However, there is a very solid number two right on its heels.

Depending on who you ask, some people actually want to attend this school more than Noblesse. In terms of raw ability, they're practically neck-and-neck (if you ignore the "exceptions" like the people I was traveling with).

They were also the school that gave me the hardest time during the Sword-Magic Cup. Even in the Original Story, they were a group of students so cool and powerful that fans used to say they had "too many of the Strongest."

The Duran Swordsmanship and Magic School.

"Whoa..."

A gasp of genuine admiration escaped my lips. This was for two reasons.

The first was the gate looming before me; it was even larger than the one at Noblesse. The school was located in a bit of a remote area, but that was likely for the same reason Noblesse was—they needed plenty of space for training grounds. Bronze statues that looked exactly like samurai stood guard on either side of the entrance. They were massive.

By the way, it seemed the students here used everything from Western-style blades to "old-fashioned" ones. Just like at Noblesse, as the students grew older, the school placed a heavy emphasis on developing individual styles.

The second reason I was so surprised was because the school looked exactly like it did in the Original Story. Since I’d been stuck at Noblesse all this time, that environment had become my "normal." But stepping into a different, extraordinary academy made me feel like my senses were being reset.

It felt just like the day I first arrived in this world.

"Please make sure to behave in a manner befitting of Noblesse today," Milk warned.

"Okaay. So, just acting like usual is fine, right?" Eva chirped.

"I understand. Vai, if you’re ever feeling troubled, you can ask me for help anytime."

"I’ll do that."

Is it just me being suspicious, or did that sound like a threat?

Just then, I overheard a few passing Duran students whispering to each other.

"Whoa, those are Noblesse uniforms. Oh yeah, the Goodwill Event is today—wait, isn't that Eva!?"

"No way... and Sierra too! And hey, isn't that guy the rumored Weiss?"

"That's a terrifying lineup. Hey, don't stare too much."

It seemed Eva and Sierra heard them too. Eva didn't seem to care one way or the other, but Sierra looked a little proud of herself. Teacher Milk, on the other hand, looked slightly miffed. Probably because they hadn't mentioned her. I mean, you’re the teacher, you know?

"...Should I just kill them?" Milk muttered.

No. No, absolutely not.

Man, with this lineup, being the straight man was going to be exhausting. Damn it, I’ve never missed the Muscle-Brain (Duke) and the Impetuous Idiot (Allen) this much. I wish those guys could have come too.

As we waited at the entrance, a few familiar faces approached us. While our uniforms were white, Duran’s students wore jet-black uniforms with the Knight’s Oath—crossed twin swords—stitched onto the shoulders. It looked a bit "Darkness-coded" and actually pretty cool.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I am Michael Thomas, a second-year."

The student who opened the gate had blond hair a shade lighter than mine and a tall build. He was... well, reasonably strong. Come to think of it, Duran is a four-year school, so I guess he's technically my senior. Well, whatever.

A Duran faculty member was with him as well. It felt surreal watching Teacher Milk use polite language to greet them.

And then...

"Long time no see, Weiss."

"Yeah. Doing okay, Runner-up?"

"Same as ever, I see. But I’m stronger than I was back then. At the next tournament, I won't lose again."

"Hah. I'll be waiting—though I won't hold my breath."

Standing behind him was Lugi Strauss, Michael's partner from the tournament. He looked as lanky as ever with his glasses, but his build was definitely more solid than before. These guys were survivors of the Calamity, too. They must have been training like hell.

"Tell Allen for me," Michael added. "Tell him I’m definitely going to win next time."

"He's probably the only one you could beat. You’ve still got zero chance against me, though."

Michael gave a faint smirk at my banter. Hah. I guess he’s grown up on the inside, too.

In this world, people don't usually like showing their hand, but students are an exception. That’s why top-tier schools allow these visits. The only reason we were even here was that we’d won the Sword-Magic Cup. In that sense, it’s a bit of a unique worldview.

Once we stepped inside, the atmosphere was completely different from Noblesse. If I had to describe it, it was like a Western fantasy world with a distinct Japanese flair. One moment you were walking on cobblestones, the next you were passing wooden buildings and serene gardens. Watching the cultures mix was actually pretty fun.

Just then, a girl wearing a navy-blue hakama—looking every bit the Samurai—passed by my side. She had black hair tied back in a simple ponytail. Everyone else was too busy chatting to notice her.

But I knew who she was.

Seriously... it really is exactly like the original story.

Well, it wasn't like I was ever going to get involved with her.

Duran’s campus was filled with massive wings, living up to its reputation as the second-best school after Noblesse. The way the Western and traditional buildings alternated was visually fascinating. Unlike Noblesse, which treats magic and swordsmanship as equal pillars, Duran—true to its name—views magic as a tool to enhance swordsmanship.

To be honest, I’m probably that type of fighter myself. That’s why I figured I’d have plenty to gain today.

The schedule for the Goodwill Event involved observing Duran’s classes and training sessions, followed by a small demonstration match. In the original story, this was a very short scene, but we were scheduled to stay the whole day.

Glancing at the courtyard, I saw a class in progress.

"Stance!"

"""YES!"""

They looked like first-years. They gripped their wooden swords and swung them down from the overhead position in perfect unison. They still looked a bit green, but their centers were solid. When I checked them with my Dark Eye, their mana flow was surprisingly clean.

The most important thing when fighting a mage is getting inside their guard. To do that, you need mana, sure, but you also need to train your legs and hips. That isn't all there is to it, of course, but it’s the absolute foundation at Duran.

While I was watching them, Michael spoke up.

"See something interesting?"

"Yeah, actually. So, how are you doing here at Duran? Are you near the top of the rankings?"

"Don't mock me. I'm at the very top, obviously."

"Oh. So the top of the school is 'no big deal,' then?"

"I'm going to kill you."

Hah. He really is fun to tease.

While we were exchanging barbs, we continued through the campus, receiving explanations about the various buildings while observing the drills. Once the basic practice ended, it looked like they were moving on to mock combat.

"Yaaawn... it's too early to be awake," Sierra complained. She looked like she couldn't care less. Given her personality, she probably wasn't interested at all. Wait, then why did she even come?

Eva, on the other hand, was watching much more intently than I expected.

"Hmm. Those kids have decent physiques."

She’s surprisingly into this. That’s a new discovery.

At that moment, Teacher Milk—who had been talking to a Duran instructor in the distance—suddenly called my name. I had nothing but a bad feeling about this, but I hurried over anyway.

"Is something—"

"We've decided to hold a single practice match. Get ready."

"Huh? What do you mean—"

"It's a Goodwill Event. It's only fair that we show a bit of our hand as well. Eva would be too much for anyone here to handle, and Sierra would just half-ass it anyway. That makes you the best fit, Weiss."

Wow, Teacher Milk actually put some thought into this for once. She was right, though. But still...

"I'm just a lowerclassman. It feels weird to go ahead of my seniors..."

"Don't worry about that. Look." Milk gestured toward the other two.

"Good luck, Junior-kun!" Eva cheered.

"Vai, beat them to a pulp!" Sierra added.

Right. So the decision is unanimous.

"So, am I fighting a fellow lowerclassman?" I asked. It would probably be Michael. That worked for me; he’d be a perfect benchmark to see how much I’d improved.

"No. I'm told it’s a first-year."

"I see... Wait. You mean a freshman? Someone a year younger than me?"

"What? Are you scared?"

"No—not at all. If anything, I’m looking forward to it."

I genuinely welcomed the surprise. You can learn a lot from a fight, and Duran was packed with powerful warriors. Even if they were a first-year, they wouldn't pick a weakling to represent the school against me.

If it's a first-year from the original story... is it Rugia of the Three Blades? Or Valdes of the Flash?

Well, whoever it was, I was ready. I was actually getting excited—

"...Excuse me."

A voice came from behind me. I spun around in surprise, but for a split second, I didn't see anyone. They had just walked right past me.

But I hadn't sensed a thing. No presence at all. Even though I’d seen her just a moment ago, I had completely... forgotten she was there.

Oh right. She was here.

"I am Tura Enitsi. Please, go easy on me."

She gave a polite bow, her movements carrying the disciplined grace of a warrior. Yet, her appearance and voice were undeniably cute.

In Noblesse Oblige, every character is brimming with personality. Because of that, characters are often given specific "concepts." Like "Carta, the timid flying girl."

In her case, the concept was obvious: "Samurai."

As far as I could remember, she was originally from the Country of Wa. Her fighting style was specialized entirely for the "One-Hit Kill." The blade at her waist wasn't a Western sword; it was a Japanese sword—a katana.

Between her design and her role in the story, fans used to say that by the latter half of the game, she was the character closest to being the strongest.

However, there was one problem...

"Are you Weiss Fancent? I have heard the rumors. I do not care for lawless individuals. Even though this is a Goodwill Event, I will not be holding back."

Man, she is just absolutely overflowing with a sense of justice, isn't she?