128 Go for it, Junior

Mealtimes at the Noblesse Cafeteria were my only precious moments of respite.

I’d load up on fruit, rest my aching muscles, and let my racing thoughts settle. For someone like me, who spent every waking hour obsessing over training, it was the one place where I could get away with thinking about absolutely nothing at all.

Or so I thought.

"Weiss-senpai!! So this is where you were hiding!"

Everything changed the moment that guy found me, his voice booming with enough volume to rattle the windows and a look of pure joy plastered across his face.

"Cynthia-senpai... so cute..."

And right there beside him, as usual, was another pint-sized brat.

"Cynthia, Lilith, eat up. We’re leaving. Now," I muttered.

"Y-Yes, of course," Cynthia replied.

"Weiss-sama, you really are popular with your juniors!" Lilith added with a giggle.

It was already too late, though.

Plunking themselves down across from me with beaming smiles were the two most famous freshmen currently enrolled at Nobless Academy: Belk and Emma.

"Pardon the intrusion, sir!!" Belk shouted.

He had blond hair just like mine, but he wore it in a short, athletic crop that screamed "sports club vice-captain." Despite his boyish features, his talent for both magic and martial arts was nothing short of terrifying.

"C-Cynthia-senpai, do you mind if we join you?" Emma asked.

"Not at all. Please, help yourselves," Cynthia said.

And then there was Emma. She was a prodigy who had supposedly turned down a personal recommendation to become a court mage just to attend this academy. She looked adorable, sure, but there was absolutely nothing "cute" about the way she used magic.

For reasons I couldn't fathom, she was obsessed with Cynthia. Whether it was sisterly affection or some kind of fanatical worship, I had no idea.

"Senpai, you’re looking as lovely as ever today!"

"Thank you, Emma-chan. You look beautiful yourself."

"E-Ehh?! You really think so?! I’m so happy! Ah, and you too, of course, Lilith-senpai!"

"Fufufu, why thank you!"

Look, I understood why everyone liked Cynthia. She was gorgeous and treated everyone with the same graceful kindness. But then there was my side of the table...

"Weiss-senpai! Once we’re done eating, let’s go a round!"

"Shut up."

"Kuuu! Even that cold shoulder is cool!"

I treated this kid like absolute garbage, yet he didn't seem to care in the slightest. He was a different breed of "annoying" compared to the reckless idiocy of Allen or the meatheadedness of Duke.

"Man, those freshmen are really stuck to Weiss, aren't they?"

"I heard that kid got in on a special recommendation. He's the real deal."

"Figures. A genius just operates on a different level."

I couldn't really blame the background characters for gossiping. Even as freshmen, those two were famous. The reason was simple: they were strong. In fact, they’d been tearing through the upperclassmen during the Tag Tournament. Word on the street was that Belk was "The Second Coming of Weiss Fancent."

"The food at Noblesse is the best, right, Weiss-senpai?!"

"...I suppose."

I don't have the energy for this. Is being a senior always this exhausting? Does everyone have to babysit their juniors like this?

I tried to look back on my own life, but I couldn't be sure. Wait... was I this much of a brat to my seniors? No, impossible. I was a pillar of virtue—a polite, refined gentleman. I always used formal speech with Sierra and Eleanor. I showed them proper respect. I was even nice to Eva. Mostly.

"Weiss-sama, you look like you’re brooding over something," Lilith noted.

"Even a brooding Weiss is quite charming," Cynthia added.

Student life is a minefield.

From that day on, Belk seemed to teleport to my location no matter where I went in the academy.

"Weiss-senpai, please spar with me!" "Weiss-senpai, let’s grab a bite!" "Weiss-senpai, what kind of food does a Debi eat?!"

It got so bad that I started hearing him in my sleep.

"—Weiss-senpai!"

"Gah! Was that Belk?!" I bolted upright in bed.

"Debibi?"

"...Just my imagination? Come here, Debi. It's cold."

"Debibi!"

This was bad. Very bad. Stress is the ultimate enemy of healthy skin, and thanks to that kid, a single, solitary pimple had manifested on my otherwise flawless, supple face.

My charm point... ruined.

I wouldn't forgive him for this.

Later, when I spotted him in the hallway, he called out my name with that same radiant smile. I steeled myself. I was going to tell him, in no uncertain terms, to stay the hell away from me. I didn't care about being a "good senior" anymore.

"Listen, Belk, I've had enough of—"

"Weiss-senpai! Look! It’s a Melo-Melon variety gift box!"

"Eh? A gift box?"

"Yes! I know I'm always being a nuisance, so please take this! I'm really sorry!"

Belk held out a crate filled with Melo-Melons that had clearly been sourced from every corner of the globe. He was a nobleman from a high-ranking house, but even then... The East, West, South, and even the Northern varieties?! The ones you can't even buy on the open market?!

"...This is for me?"

"Yes! You're always looking after me, after all!"

I mean, you're the one stalking me, but...

"Well, if you're going to insist that much, I suppose I can't refuse."

"Yes! If you're up for it, would you mind sparring with me after this?! Ah, but it’s getting late, isn't it..."

"...Fine. One match. Training Room B. And just one."

"Thank you, sir! I'm so hyped!"

Hmph. Well, I suppose he has his cute moments. As his senior, it’s my responsibility to show him the ropes a little.

At the same time, in Cynthia’s room...

Emma had dropped by to pay Cynthia a visit and was currently presenting her with a gift.

"Cynthia-senpai, this is for you. Thank you for always being so kind to me."

"My... what is this?"

"I wanted to show my gratitude in a tangible way. I hoped it might make you happy."

"...C-Cute. So cute. So cute. So incredibly cute."

It was a plush, stylized doll of Weiss Fancent. It was fuzzy from head to toe, held a miniature Dual Sword in its right hand, and even had a tiny Debi doll clinging to its shoulder. It was a high-end import from the Western Region, famous for its exquisite craftsmanship and "fluff factor." Cynthia had tried to order one herself a while back, but they had been sold out for months.

"Emma-san, would you like to stay for tea? I believe I have some wonderful sweets to pair with it."

"Really?! I'd love to!"

Weiss and Cynthia—the two strongest students in the academy—had been thoroughly bribed and conquered at the exact same moment.