Chapter 103: A Premonition

"I don't mind. Come at me whenever you’re ready."

In the Duran Training Room—a facility that looked suspiciously like a high school kendo gym—Eva stood ready with a wooden sword in hand.

Her stance was... well, it was utterly nonchalant.

The floor was covered in tatami mats, and the scent of Japanese cypress drifting through the air filled me with a strange sense of nostalgia.

"We’re coming at you with everything we've got!"

The "we" in question consisted of Michael and Lugi—the guys I’d fought earlier—and they weren't alone.

They were joined by the full roster: Milica, the flame-user who had fought Cynthia; Isaac, who had faced Duke; and Logan, the one who had neutralized Shari’s magic. It was the complete five-man squad from the previous encounter.

This match had started on one of Eva’s whims.

Since I, her junior, had put on such a good show, she’d decided she wanted to move her body a bit too. Michael and his crew had been all too eager to volunteer. However, Eva had claimed that going one-on-one would take too much time and told them all to just jump her at once.

Michael and the others were prideful, but they weren't stupid; they knew exactly how strong Eva was. Looking thoroughly frustrated, the five of them raised their swords.

This was the first time I was actually getting to see Eva fight someone else. On top of that, it was a sword match. I wonder what kind of crazy techniques she’s going to pull out...

"Begin!"

With Teacher Milk, Sierra, and the rest of us watching intently, the match kicked off.

Michael was the first to charge head-on. He was several times faster than when he’d fought me. Man, this guy’s been putting in the work.

But Eva...

"Number one."

In the blink of an eye—so fast I nearly missed it—she evaded Michael’s strike and drove her wooden sword into his solar plexus.

To my absolute horror, Michael immediately collapsed, writhing in agony. He couldn't even stand back up. Wait, even Michael? The guy whose only redeeming quality was his sheer resilience?

"Dammit, let's go!"

Seeing their leader fall, Lugi and the others launched a coordinated assault.

I’d sparred with Eva myself, but she hadn't been using a sword back then. As I watched, she calmly muttered "two... three..." as she systematically dismantled them. She took down every single one of them with a single blow.

The Duran students stood there, jaws hitting the floor.

That wasn't "swordsmanship" in the traditional sense. It was just overwhelming power and speed achieved by channeling a minuscule amount of mana into a wooden stick.

Hah... seriously. If I had a status window, I’d pay good money to see her parameters right now.

"M-Match over!" the Duran referee finally managed to shout, his voice trailing off.

Not a single Duran student cheered. The gap in power was so vast that they’d been stunned into silence. It wasn't a question of whether they could have won or lost; she was simply existing in a different dimension.

"That was fun. You were all very strong," Eva said as she strolled over and handed me her wooden sword. She didn't look the least bit apologetic, but knowing her, she probably meant it as a sincere compliment. She isn't the type to lie, after all.

"...Senior Eva, you’re way too strong."

"That’s not true. You were quite strong yourself earlier, weren't you?"

"W-Well, you were alright! I suppose I'll give you a little praise!" Sierra chimed in, though I noticed she was sweating a bit as she crossed her arms.

When I glanced over at Teacher Milk, I could feel a faint ripple of mana radiating from her. She’s itching for a fight. I know it. But since she was here as a faculty member, she had to behave herself.

The person most frustrated by this display was probably Milk herself. Milk Abitus vs. Eva Avery... damn. That’s a main-event match that would sell out an arena in seconds.

"Weiss."

"Yes!"

My body gave a pathetic little twitch when Teacher Milk suddenly called my name.

Behind her, it looked like Sierra was up next. She was stepping forward, refusing to be outdone. Her competitive streak is way too similar to mine. Since she’d claimed she wasn't good with swords, she was currently in the process of wrecking four opponents with a wooden scythe. Duran really did have a weapon for everything.

Actually, wait. Sierra was also way too strong.

I pulled my attention back to find Tura standing next to Teacher Milk. She still had that intense samurai vibe, though up close, she was a peerless beauty. As expected of the game’s character designs—well, she’s a Duran student now, but still. The Developers really went all out on her.

"Weiss, have Tura show you around the Academy."

"Huh? A tour?"

Apparently, Milk had duties as a teacher, and Sierra and Eva had to go greet the other visiting schools as senior representatives. As a lowerclassman, I was exempt from those responsibilities for the time being.

"Leave it to me! I shall guide Master Weiss with the utmost sincerity!" Tura declared.

I appreciated the sentiment, but this felt like it was going to be a massive pain in its own way. Maybe I should have just lost the duel? No, my pride wouldn't let me throw a fight. Besides, standing around here doing nothing is a waste of time.

"...Alright then. I'll be in your care."

"Yes!"

With that, I took my leave of the "Absolute Monsters" for a while.

"Hehehe, what do you think, Vai? Is my skill—wait, Vai?! Vai!?"

I thought I heard Sierra’s voice drifting from the training room, but I decided it was best to ignore it.

The two of us walked down the hallway. It was a bizarre school that mashed together Eastern and Western aesthetics, but in a way, it felt very much like a video game. I glanced out the window at the garden. Green foliage swayed in the wind, and vibrant flowers were in full bloom. A gentle stream bubbled along, crossed by a small, arched bridge.

This was the kind of scenery you’d never find at Noblesse Academy. I'll definitely have to incorporate a garden like this into the Fanscent estate one day.

"This is the students' relaxation area," Tura explained, leading me to a rest stop in a corner of the garden.

There were bamboo chairs that looked like they belonged in a traditional tea house, and I could hear the rhythmic clack of water. Sitting down, I felt a strange sense of relief wash over me.

"It’s a nice place."

"It is! At night, th-that is... men and women sometimes come here to talk... alone!"

She blurted this out while her face turned a deep shade of crimson. Right, I forgot she was the "deadly serious" type. She probably felt it was her duty to provide me with every bit of pertinent information about the location. Still, if it’s that embarrassing, you really don't have to say it.

"I see."

"Master Weiss... do you, um... have someone you adore?"

"I do."

I answered instinctively since she’d caught me off guard, but the look that crossed Tura’s face made it seem like she was witnessing the end of the world. Her facial muscles were surprisingly expressive. Honestly, a beauty like her was a rare find.

"I-I suppose that makes sense... F-For someone as powerful as Master Weiss, it’s only natural... No, but if I don't give up... there might still be... a glimmer of light..."

Tura began muttering to herself. I was starting to feel a bit sorry for her, but there was no way I was going to betray Cynthia.

Still, since the player couldn't move freely through the Academy in the Original Story, this was all very fascinating. I wanted to see more.

"Are you okay?"

"Ah! S-Sorry! My apologies!"

"...You don't have to be so formal. We’re from different schools, after all. It’d be easier for me to talk if you just used casual speech."

"I-I understand. I shall... try my best to do so."

"Hah, that’s better."

"Th-Thank you... Then, next, I shall... show you the cafeteria."

"Sure."

I felt a little bad for Allen, but it really didn't look like Tura would be transferring to Noblesse Academy in this timeline. She seemed to have taken a liking to me, but I’d already made it clear I had a fiancée.

Welp. Looks like I’ve gone and derailed the plot yet again.