107 Altering the Original Story

Tura was the one fighting closest to me.

Her specialty was Iaijutsu—the art of the quick-draw.

The Original Story had labeled her the strongest, but that mostly referred to one-on-one duels. Since this had started as a game, it wasn't surprising for characters to have built-in weaknesses. We were in reality now, but for some reason, the world seemed to have inherited those mechanics. I suppose there was no point in complaining about it.

In the distance, I saw a soldier lying on the ground, his upper and lower halves completely severed.

Merciless. But I suppose that’s just how the residents of this world are.

However, she must have been swarmed immediately after that kill. Tura was currently facing off against three opponents. All of them appeared to be swordsmen, and they were cornering her with an overwhelming flurry of strikes.

She was stuck entirely on the defensive. Honestly, the fact that she hadn't been cut down yet was a testament to her skill.

I was currently using Time Lapse.

Aside from the benefit of the world appearing to move in slow motion, it allowed me to think clearly while time crawled by. The only reason I'd been able to take down so many powerful enemies until now was undoubtedly thanks to this.

I could have jumped in to help right then, but Tura and the enemies were too close. If she noticed me, even the slightest bit of agitation or distraction could lead to a worst-case scenario. I had to be careful.

—Debi.

I formed an image in my mind. Olynn had told me that a summoned creature was like another version of oneself.

—Imagine it.

"—Haaaah!"

Tura parried a blow and counter-swung, creating a tiny sliver of distance between her and the enemy.

In that heartbeat, I—or rather, Debi—descended from the sky and covered her entire body with a Shield.

"—!?"

I didn't call out to the startled Tura yet. Instead, I pressed my hand against the earth. Even if I didn't use them as my primary weapons, I never neglected my basic practice for other elemental attributes. Besides, I’d just seen Shari perform this recently.

If it’s me... I can do this.

"Muddy."

I flooded the ground with earth-attribute mana. The dirt surged like a wave, gradually liquefying until the entire area was transformed into a bottomless swamp.

"W-what is this!?" "Stay calm! It’s magic!"

The soldiers shrieked, their feet sinking into the muck as they lost their balance. I quickly placed an Unnatural—an invisible wall—on the patch of ground where Tura stood to keep her stable.

Then, I deactivated her Shield.

It was a subtle assist, but she seemed to catch on immediately. She returned her blade to its sheath and focused her spirit, centering herself.

"H-hey! Here she comes!" "Dammit! Shield!" "Curse it, my legs—!"

The soldiers frantically began to chant. Even though they had been turned into Pseudo-Demons, they clearly retained their egos. I didn't know the reason for it, but their ability to adapt was on a completely different level than mindless monsters.

Still, that wasn't enough to stop Tura.

"—Haaaaah!"

Tura’s sheath flashed with a faint light.

In the next instant, invisible slashes tore through the air toward the soldiers. Their bodies seemed to "shift" for a second before their torsos slid off their waists and hit the mud with a wet thud.

What terrifying power. I really needed to take a page out of her book.

Tura wiped the sweat from her forehead, but I noticed blood dripping from her arm. She’d been wounded. I rushed over to her side.

"Are you okay?"

"You have my thanks for the assistance," she said. "My apologies. I was immature."

"Don't worry about it. Is the wound deep?"

"I’d like to say it’s fine, but that last attack burned through a considerable amount of my mana. I’ll focus on recovery now, but... I’m afraid I’ll be a hindrance for a while."

The truly strong are always the fastest to analyze their own limits. It was much better for her to be honest than to act tough and put the team at risk.

"Understood. Stay here until you've recovered a bit. I’m going to follow the mana signatures. Don't push yourself."

"Right. Thank you, Weiss."

I hurried away from the spot. Even if they were just "soldiers," any enemy capable of wounding Tura was a threat I couldn't take lightly.

However, it was Sierra who ended up dispelling my anxieties.

"—Goodbye."

"D-damn itttttt—!"

I arrived just in time to see her swing her Death Scythe in a wide arc, claiming a soldier's head. The sheer density of her mana felt far more oppressive than it had when she fought me.

I already knew this, but this world was utterly ruthless when it came to death. Noblesse Oblige, I suppose.

"Phew... Vai! You’re safe. Where are the others?"

"I've only found Tura so far. She’s injured, but she’ll be fine."

"I see. I can't sense the mana of the other two at all."

Using my Dark Eye, I could only pick up Sierra and Tura as well. They had either been teleported much further away, or they were being suppressed by Barrier Magic. It was exactly like the time I’d subjugated Debi.

Characters who excelled in that kind of niche magic did show up in the Original Story. If it was that woman Mika, it was entirely possible.

"I don't think they were sent far. They’re likely nearby. Let’s head back to the cliff first. Vai, if we run into a powerful enemy, I want you to run—even if you have to use me as bait."

"I’m not doing th—"

"That’s an order from your senior."

Sierra’s eyes and voice were more serious than I’d ever heard them. In that moment, the tragic backstory of the Witch Sisters flashed through my mind.

Knowing the Original Story wasn't always a blessing. Seeing Sierra and Eleanor smiling and talking together now felt like a genuine miracle. At the same time, knowing their secrets without their permission made me feel like a bit of a creep.

"...Fine. But only if I’m absolutely sure we can't win."

We took off running. I’d been worried about how we’d find the others, but it turned out to be a needless concern. We had indeed been teleported to the forest at the top of the cliff, and right at the base of it, I spotted Eva. The reason I hadn't sensed her mana was because the magical energy around the entire cliffside was in total disarray.

"Is that the last of you?"

"S-s-st-st-stop! Please!"

The ground was littered with chunks of meat that used to be soldiers. The lone survivor was trembling so hard his teeth were chattering. His legs had clearly given out; he couldn't even stand.

Eva walked toward him with slow, deliberate steps.

"Goodbye. Though... I suppose that was reasonably fun."

A black mass suddenly poured down from the sky. With a sickening, wet crunch, the man vanished from the world, leaving behind nothing but a massive spray of blood. A circular crater remained in the dirt, looking as if a giant iron ball had crushed the earth.

Was that Eva’s magic? The game never even revealed what she used...

"Stop staring and get down here."

Following Sierra’s lead, I jumped off the cliff. By constantly fighting gravity with Flight Magic, I managed to soften the impact of the landing.

"Oh, welcome back. How was it on your end?" Eva asked.

"So-so," Sierra replied. "Where’s Teacher Milk?"

Eva pointed. A cubical, transparent distortion had formed in the air. It was massive.

There was no doubt about it—it was a Subspace.

"Is Teacher Milk in there?" I asked.

"Most likely. I could force it open, but that’s a bit dangerous, isn't it?"

Eva was right. Deactivating a barrier is a nightmare if you don't follow the proper procedure. I could probably cut it with Time Lapse, but a forced breach could cause the entire spell formula to detonate.

That was supposed to be end-game stuff in the Original Story. There was no way an early-game protagonist should be dealing with incomprehensible, cheat-like magic like this. And yet, Eva knew about it, and the enemy was using it.

The biggest issue was the lack of mana feedback. Sometimes you can see into these things, but right now, the space was completely rejected. I stood there, torn between waiting it out or trying to cut through.

"It’s okay."

Just as Eva noticed my concern, Tura descended from above. She clearly wasn't great at Flight Magic; she hit the ground with a heavy thud, though she’d reinforced herself with mana just in case.

"Where is the teacher?"

"Right there."

Almost the moment I explained it to her, a crack spider-webbed across the barrier. Sierra readied her scythe, and Tura and I reflexively drew our weapons.

The air crackled with static, and Teacher Milk and Bull suddenly materialized. The woman called Mika was lying on the ground. No... she was definitely dead.

Bull was still alive, desperately lunging at Teacher Milk with twin daggers. Even to my eyes, his speed was incredible, yet she dodged every strike at the very last possible millisecond. She was drenched in blood, but it clearly wasn't hers.

"Dammit! Why won't I hit you, you bitch!?"

"—You simply lack practice."

In a blur of movement, Teacher Milk’s blade pierced his heart. But Bull didn't go down immediately.

"...Shit... I was... so close..."

As he prepared to self-destruct, Eva casually held out a hand. With a disgusting squelch, he was flattened into the dirt and erased from existence.

"Eva, that was a bit much," Milk sighed.

"Ufufu, just being thorough, Teacher."

"Teacher Milk, are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, no problems here. So... these are the Pseudo-Demons."

Milk muttered as she looked at the bloodstain that used to be Bull. Come to think of it, was this her first time seeing one up close?

While I was relieved she was safe, I couldn't help but feel a knot in my stomach. The plot was moving forward.

"How was it, Teacher?" Eva asked with her usual airy composure. "I wanted a turn, too."

"...It was a nuisance. My attacks wouldn't land on the man inside the barrier. Some kind of special formula."

Teacher Milk flicked her sword to the side, shaking off the gore. Since that doesn't get everything, she flared her mana slightly to let the rest slide off the blade.

"—The dead... coming back to life, huh."

She muttered those ominous words as a final thought.

A group of late-arriving adventurers eventually showed up, and we filled them in on what had happened. It turned out the fallen men were all part of the vanguard party. Fortunately, one of the women from their group had been busy evacuating the people from Aria Magic Academy, so none of the students or faculty were hurt.

"I see. They’re all... gone. But thank you. It’s thanks to you that the mission was finally finished."

The woman looked devastated when we told her the rest of her party was dead. I only really knew Noblesse Academy, but this reminded me that there were countless other lives at stake in this world.

Since we’d taken down the Pseudo-Demons, we were told that a bounty and a rank assessment would be handled at a later date. Not that anyone in our group seemed particularly interested in the money.

In the end, we never found out why Aria Magic Academy had been targeted. Every single enemy had died without uttering a single secret. Strangely, the students and teachers had no memory of being attacked at all. That had to be a clue.

When Teacher Milk and the others asked how I’d recognized the Disobey, I lied and told them I’d happened to see their military uniforms in a history book. They looked at me with massive doubt, but they let it slide.

The news that Pseudo-Demons possessed egos and that dead soldiers were being resurrected spread like wildfire. Surprisingly, similar reports were coming in from other countries. However, in every case, the culprits self-destructed before they could be captured.

It was a mountain of mysteries. Unlike a game, reality doesn't give you the answers on a silver platter.

Personally, I suspected this was all an experiment by the Demon Race. Based on what that thing had said to me during the Calamity, they had a specific goal. Indiscriminate malice is a powerful tool because it always holds the initiative. You can't prevent a disaster you don't see coming.

That’s why I had to get stronger.

If Lilith or Cynthia had been the ones teleported away, I might have lost my mind. I couldn't afford to be weak. My power had worked. The only thing to do now was to refine it. That was the shortest path to avoiding my "Ruin Flags."

"See ya, Tura. Take care of yourself."

"...Yeah. Thank you, Weiss. For everything. I... I was happy. This was the first time anyone has ever saved me."

In the Original Story, Tura was a loner at her academy. It was the same for Cecil—in this world, being too strong just breeds envy. I guess it couldn't be helped.

But with one alteration after another, the Noblesse I knew was gone. From here on, I was fighting in an unknown world. I had to be ready for that.

"Goodbye, Tura."

I figured I’d probably never see her again. And honestly, that was for the best. If she followed the game script and came to Noblesse, she’d just get dragged into more trouble.

---

"Before we begin class today, I’d like to introduce a transfer student."

A few weeks after returning to Noblesse, Teacher Chloe made the announcement in her usual flat tone before our lecture. I suddenly felt a massive wave of déjà vu.

Wait. This is wrong. Something is very wrong.

Why do I remember this scene?

At Noblesse Academy, students with exceptional talent could be admitted mid-term as a special exception. Of course, you couldn't get in with just "decent" skills; you had to pass a test that was leagues harder than the entrance exam. Plus, you needed a faculty recommendation.

And then...

"I am Tura Enizi. I’ve transferred from the Duran Swordsmanship and Magic School. I am not particularly skilled with magic, but I hope to devote myself to my studies here."

...Eh?

"Well then, Miss Enizi, please take the seat next to Mr. Weiss. Mr. Weiss, Teacher Milk mentioned that I should ask you to look after her, so please be sure to show her the ropes."

Teacher Chloe moved the conversation along with her usual bluntness. Cynthia was sitting on my other side.

I was too terrified to look at her.

I’d told her about the Pseudo-Demons, sure, but I’d only mentioned Tura in passing. I definitely hadn't mentioned that I’d had a private tour of her school.

"Oh! Lord Weiss! We’re in the same class! I never imagined we’d have such a fateful encounter. Thank you again for everything you did back then."

"A-ah... yeah... don't mention it..."

Why? Why is she here?! Allen didn't even go to the Goodwill Event! This shouldn't be happening!

"Noblesse really is incredible!" Tura continued, beaming. "Duran was nice, but I’m so glad the private rooms here are so spacious. As you know, Weiss, my old room was a bit cramped... but anyway, let’s leave that aside. I look forward to working with you!"

After dropping that absolute tactical nuke of a sentence right in front of Cynthia, Tura sat down to my right with a radiant smile.

Was it my imagination, or was the air to my left getting significantly colder?

"Weiss."

"...Yes?"

I timidly turned my head. Cynthia was wearing a smile that was about a hundred times more "beautiful" than usual. It was terrifying.

"So that’s what the Goodwill Event was like. I thought it was strange that you were being so quiet about it, but it sounds like you were having quite a wonderful time."

"...No, wait, that's not it. There are... reasons."

"Reasons? I see. I'm sure there are."

Dammit! This is all Allen’s fault! If he had just acted like a proper protagonist and gone to the event like he was supposed to...!

"Cynthia, look, I’ll explain everything lat—"

Cynthia cut me off, reaching across me toward Tura. I thought she was going for a punch, but she offered a handshake instead.

"Hello. I am Weiss’s fiancée. It’s a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh! So it’s you! A pleasure! I’m Tura! I had no idea he was engaged to such a stunning woman!"

Why, Cynthia?! Why are you marking your territory like that?!

"...Keep your friends close," I heard Cynthia mutter under her breath, "...and your enemies closer."

In the Original Story, there was a rom-com gag where Allen would constantly get frozen by Cynthia. The narration always joked that he’d normally be dead because you can't breathe at absolute zero.

...This world is reality. ...She wouldn't actually do that, right? ...I’ll literally die!

I spent the entire class feeling a localized blizzard blowing in from my left.