126 Prologue

Beltony was a demon I recognized from the Original Story.

Technically, he was one of the characters who never should have appeared during the Calamity. In the game, he was a mid-game boss—an opponent who required the sacrifice of several characters before you could finally scrape out a victory.

His ability wasn't "Restriction" via a "Declaration"—it was stepping on a target’s shadow to rob them of movement. It was a simple power, but because it didn’t require a complex magic formula, it was incredibly potent.

Not long ago, I’d agonized over whether I should tell them everything. Cynthia, Lilith... and Allen.

But the world is built on uncertain variables. I know all too well that the slightest rift can cause everything to fall apart. Up until now, I’ve fought through Calamities, a Large-scale Invasion, and Pseudo-Demons, but looking at the big picture, I managed to Clear every hurdle on the first try.

Logically, I know that maintaining the status quo is the right call, but it’s an incredibly self-centered way of thinking. Then again, I’m not the protagonist. To be blunt, I’m not even a pawn in the script. I’m just an "irregular" existing purely to nudge Allen’s path from the sidelines.

Could someone like me really lead this story to a happy ending? Or would it be better to just quietly hoard power and prepare for even greater threats?

Before I could reach a definitive answer, I—no, we—officially became Noblesse Intermediate-year Students.

"That look on your face... it's exactly the same as the entrance ceremony," Cynthia noted.

"Even the great Weiss-sama gets the jitters, I see!" Lilith added with a giggle.

"You two never change, do you?" I sighed.

I was wearing a pure white haori, my shoulders adorned with the emblem of Nobless Academy and gold embroidery. My pants were black, and while my shoes looked like standard leather, they were elastic and surprisingly comfortable.

The girls, naturally, were in skirts, which only served to emphasize their beautiful silhouettes. It was the same as before, with one clear distinction: their shoulders now featured Navy Blue Embroidery, the mark of an Intermediate-year Student.

In my case, I had also been given the Golden Sword Embroidery as proof that I was the top-ranked student among the Lowerclassmen. It was a little embarrassing, honestly, but in the Original Story, this was the ultimate title. It was something everyone craved, yet no one could ever quite grasp.

I really am a coward. I know everything, yet I keep it all hidden.

I watched the two of them chat happily inside the carriage and let my thoughts drift.

I'm a villain. I only decided to enroll in Noblesse to avoid the destruction of the world—and, by extension, my own death. It’s a bit late to start acting "cool" by turning over a new leaf now. I don’t need to be a hypocritical saint. I’m a bad guy. I just need to stick to that path.

—Don't forget. Don't forget how I felt that day I flipped the coin.

And think. Everything is going perfectly. This is the right answer.

"Cynthia, Lilith," I said, my voice steady. "My feelings haven't changed any more than my expression has. I’m going to crush every obstacle in our way. —Follow me to the very end."

The two of them turned to me, offering the same smiles they had a year ago.

""Yes!""

My name is Weiss Fancent. I am a lazy, villainous noble. There’s no need to go out of my way to share what I know.

—At least, not yet.

When we stepped out of the carriage, the school's massive, heavy gates stood there as if to welcome us home. Zebis was the one to open the door.

"Thank you, Zebis. It was a short stay, but I actually managed to relax for once."

"The pleasure was mine, Weiss-sama. Please, continue to enjoy your time here."

Zebis gave his usual, steady reply. He was a vital presence, someone who constantly watched over the House Fanscent mansion.

"Lady Cynthia, do have a safe journey."

"Thank you, Zebis."

"Lilith, I look forward to seeing your progress. —Perhaps you might even surpass Weiss-sama one of these days."

"E-Eh?! M-Me?! I could never do something like that!" Lilith squeaked, flustered.

To my surprise, Lilith had undergone a dramatic evolution after defeating Beltony. Or rather, it’s more accurate to say she finally reclaimed her original strength. We’d sparred once after the battle, and her speed and power were absolutely terrifying. I won the match, but it was by the skin of my teeth.

There’s a fundamental difference in instinct between Lilith, who spent her childhood fighting for her life, and us, who only recently learned how to buckle down and train. She only started learning formal magic around the same time I did, yet she’s already at the top of the Academy. Her talent is monstrous.

Honestly, I feel a bit pathetic for not noticing it sooner.

"See you later, Zebis. Give my regards to my father."

"As you wish, my lord."

With that, we began walking through the Noblesse courtyard. Since it was the start of the term, the path was lined with cherry blossoms in full bloom. It was quite a pleasant walk.

Come to think of it, this is where I first met Allen...

Speak of the devil—the "Three Idiots" appeared.

"Yo, Weiss! Dammit, I’m so jealous of that sword! I wish they’d put a fist on my shoulder embroidery too!"

"Hmph. There is no such thing as 'custom' embroidery," I shot back.

"For real? But it’s Noblesse, right? Don't you think they'd do it if I asked?"

"...Actually, knowing this place, probably."

"Cynthia-san," Allen said, turning to her. "Thank you again. My hand's basically back to normal now."

Allen flexed his right wrist nimbly. Between Cynthia’s rapid first aid, Allen’s freakish natural recovery, and Teacher Coco’s perfect follow-up treatment, there weren't any lingering aftereffects at all.

Well, I hadn't been that worried. It’s narratively impossible for a protagonist to lose an arm this early in the story.

...Wait, is 'losing a limb' actually a very protagonist-like thing to happen?

Regardless, Cynthia was incredible. She hadn't just learned how to patch up wounds; she’d mastered Healing Magic at a level comparable to a professional doctor. She’d clearly been putting in a life-threatening amount of effort behind the scenes. She was like a swan—always graceful on the surface, never letting me see her paddling desperately underwater. I really needed to follow her lead.

"I should thank you too, Cynthia-san," Shari added.

"Oh, not at all. It’s no exaggeration to say we were all saved by Shari-san’s traps."

"I don't know about that. I just wish I’d been stronger. But let’s give it our all this year! Especially since our list of 'people to watch out for' just got longer. Right, Lilith-san?"

"W-Who, me?!" Lilith stammered.

As we walked, a familiar woman joined our group. She was dressed in the uniform of an Upperclassman. It was a rare sight—extraordinarily rare, actually.

"My, look at you all gathered together."

Beaming with her usual cheerful energy was the resident "cheat" character, Eva Avery. Word on the street was that she’d been shut inside a Training Room lately developing some kind of "New Technique." She was supposed to be our ally, but she had an aura that made me fear she could turn into a final boss at any moment.

Behind her, I heard another familiar voice.

"Ugh, I'm so tiiiiired. So sleepy. Commuting from home is way too far."

"Onee-chan, please. This is technically everyone’s big departure..."

"That has nothing to do with m— Oh, Vai! Look at you! It actually suits you!"

"You're as energetic as ever, Senior Sierra—and Senior Eleanor."

The two of them were still wearing their student uniforms. Normally, there’s no system for repeating a year at Noblesse, but when they learned of Beltony’s appearance, they withdrew from their Graduation Exam to stay with us on the ship.

Under normal circumstances, they would have been expelled. However, after Teacher Milk, Darius, Teacher Coco, and Chloe appealed directly to the Headmaster, a compromise was reached. In an unprecedented move, they were allowed to commute from home once every few months to take specific exams, which would grant them the equivalent of a graduation.

Surprisingly, no one criticized the decision. I suppose that’s the power of the reputation Senior Sierra and Senior Eleanor built. They were Sword-Magic Cup winners and top-ranked students with perfect grades.

Besides, I'd be in trouble if they faded out of the story completely. I still haven't managed to copy Eleanor’s ability yet.

"Right, Debi?"

"Debibi!"

I called out to Debi, who was bobbing along in the air above us. Lately, it seemed like the range he could act independently had increased. I’m actually a little worried he might just fly off for good one day. Maybe I should put him on a leash?

"Debi...?"

The fact that he can read my mind is a bit of a problem.

"I'm joking. You just focus on getting stronger too."

"Debibi!"

Finally, the prologue of this story has come to an end. The true "Noblesse Oblige" starts now.

—Hey, Weiss.

You had a good time too, didn't you?

Don't worry. I'm going to make things even more interesting from here on out.

Come on, answer me already.

Good grief. What a shy guy.