130 My Former Self

Belk, better known as the "Hype Kid," had managed to make a name for himself despite only being at the academy for a short while.

Sure, the kid was genuinely strong, but his fame probably had more to do with the way he constantly trailed after me like a lost puppy.

"I'm telling you, Belk is basically Weiss-senpai’s lapdog at this point."

"Seriously. He’s not even trying to hide it."

"Seems like he’s only interested in people with power."

The other lowerclassmen clearly had him figured out; I overheard them gossiping about him every time they passed by. I wouldn't go as far as to say he was a social pariah, but at Noblesse, the strong are usually met with a healthy dose of resentment.

It was a common enough sight in the early stages of the year, especially before the first wave of expulsions hit. Not that I’m one to talk. I went through the exact same thing.

Then there was Meryl. She’d taken to following Cynthia around in much the same way. I didn't know what went on in the Girls' Dormitory, but based on what I saw in the Common Building, it was a similar dynamic.

"Weiss-senpai! What are your plans for summer break in Estarm?!"

"Various things."

"You’re so secretive! Gah, that mysterious vibe is just too cool!"

Belk wasn't a bad kid, but he had one major flaw: he didn't listen to a word anyone said. Is that supposed to be charming? I have no idea. Honestly, he just feels a bit dangerous. It’s like looking at a younger, more hyperactive version of my former self.

"Weiss-senpai, do you want to head out somewhere on our next day off?"

"I refuse."

...Actually, never mind. I wasn't that annoying.

◇

When I headed to the cafeteria as usual, I found a massive crowd gathered near the entrance. My heart skipped a beat—did they finally release a new seasonal menu?—but the atmosphere was all wrong for a food launch.

Then, a familiar voice cut through the noise.

"You bastard! I’ll freaking kill you!"

"Stop it, Belk!"

"But Meryl, this guy—!"

"I said stop it!"

I shoved my way through the crowd. Or rather, the crowd practically evaporated the moment they saw me coming.

In the center of the clearing stood Belk. His right fist was stained with blood, and a fellow lowerclassman was crumpled on the floor, clutching his face. He wasn't unconscious, but he looked terrified. Meryl was standing between them, trying to shield the victim.

Since Cynthia and the others were already on the scene, I hurried over to them.

"What happened?"

"……Well," Cynthia started, looking hesitant.

Belk beat her to the punch, screaming at the top of his lungs. "This piece of trash was badmouthing you, Weiss-senpai! He called you arrogant!"

The boy on the ground looked up at me, trembling.

...I see.

In the heavy, suffocating silence that followed, I——

Reached out a hand and pulled the kid to his feet.

"Watch your mouth from now on."

"……Y-Yes, sir!"

I gave the surrounding crowd a single, sharp glare, and they scattered like leaves in the wind. I’d been worried something like this would happen, and here it was. Because Belk was strong, he had zero interest in anyone he deemed "weak," and he tended to snap at anyone who even tried to talk to him.

I’d noticed it before. Meryl had tried to warn him a dozen times, but he’d just ignored her. I appreciated the sentiment of him wanting to "purge" anyone who insulted me, but this was overkill.

"I'm sorry, Senpai. I won't let anyone talk trash about you ever again," Belk muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Even if they are just pathetic small fry."

The tone, the look in his eyes... he was the spitting image of my old self.

No, that’s not quite right. Even now, my fundamental outlook hasn't changed. I still think the weak and the useless are destined to be culled.

However, over the past year, I’d realized something.

Everyone has the potential to grow.

Cecil, Carta, Olynn, Allen, Duke, Shari, Lilith, Tura, Cynthia... and even the "Protagonist" Allen. I’d seen things that weren't in the Original Story—things I could never have imagined.

But as for Belk——

"Meet me at City Area B after school, Belk."

"For real?! Whoa, I can't wait!"

Good grief. Being a senior is way more work than I signed up for.

◇

As evening rolled around, I finished my classes and headed to City Area B. Belk was already there, doing calisthenics and looking like he was about to explode with excitement.

The moment he spotted me, he let out a jubilant shout.

"Weiss-senpaaaaai! Oh? Wait, the other seniors are here too...?"

I had called in Cecil, Shari, Carta, and Olynn. It wasn't that I was specifically picking girls—I had my own internal logic for this lineup.

"Today, your opponents will be these ladies—well, and Olynn as well."

"H-Huh? Are you serious?"

Naturally, Belk looked completely bewildered.

"——Shari, you’re up."

"Consider the debt I owe you for saving me officially settled. ——Alright, Belk-kun. You don't need to hold back."

"Eh? Uh, okay..."

They were both already in their Training Uniforms. In terms of raw mana, Shari wasn't anything special. But I knew better. I knew exactly how terrifying she could be.

"——If I beat everyone, you’ll fight me yourself, right Weiss-senpai?"

"Sure. If you can take down even one of them."

Belk looked insulted by that condition. The match began, and though they started at a distance, Belk tore across the Earth at a ridiculous speed. He clearly wanted to end this instantly so he could get to me.

"Sorry, nothing personal!"

He threw a casual quip as he swung his blade at Shari——only for her body to burst into a spray of water the moment the sword connected.

In the next blink of an eye, Belk was caught in a trap, his limbs bound tight by a web of countless threads. He tried to rip himself free, but the ground beneath him had turned to liquid mud, robbing him of any leverage.

Shari walked up to him with quiet, graceful steps and pressed the tip of her sword against his throat.

Match over.

"There. It's finished."

"……Wait, isn't that totally cowardly?!"

"Is it?" Shari asked innocently.

Belk was fuming, but we moved on. Next was Carta.

The moment the signal was given, Carta soared into the sky. Belk could only stand there and gawk. He tried to use Flight Magic to give chase, but he couldn't even get close to her. To finish it off, she rained down a Mana Cannon imbued with Homing Magic. I’d asked her to dial back the power so he wouldn't get knocked out by mana leakage, but it was still a decisive defeat.

"……Dammit!"

"Next."

Next was Olynn.

Olynn didn't have much mana to work with, but since Cecil had taught him the basics of Flight Magic, he’d developed a style of skimming the ground on his staff to dodge attacks. Belk eventually managed to corner him—or so he thought. It was a trap. Pippin, the squirrel, lunged out of nowhere and delivered a headbutt straight to Belk’s jaw, knocking the wind out of him.

"——Why did I..."

"Finally, Cecil."

Cecil’s mana capacity was laughably low. To a fighter of Belk’s caliber, that should have made her an easy target.

And yet, Belk couldn't touch her. He couldn't land a single blow. He was utterly, overwhelmingly dismantled by Cecil—a girl with almost no elemental affinity at all.

"Phew. I really don't enjoy doing that," Cecil sighed.

"My bad. I'll make it up to you by playing Battle Universe with you all day sometime," I promised.

"I felt kinda bad, hurting a junior like that..." Shari added.

"Yeah, sorry about that..." I muttered.

"I-I didn't mind! I owe Weiss-kun a lot, after all," Carta said, blushing slightly.

"Well, since the little junior is out cold, should we have a girls' night? Oh, Olynn-san... wait, never mind! Let's go get sweets!"

"““Okaaaay!””"

And just like that, they vanished.

Man, Olynn is blending in way too well with that group. Well, whatever.

Eventually, Belk groaned and opened his eyes.

"……I lost. Every single time. ——Wait, Weiss-senpai?"

"Get up. Grab your sword. Or would you rather crawl back to bed and cry?"

Belk wobbled to his feet, slowly raising his blade. He’s strong. Genuinely talented. Honestly, compared to where I was when I first enrolled, he’s in a different league. He’s spent his whole life training and crushing everyone in his path. But there’s one thing he doesn't know.

——The things I’ve learned here.

We sparred for a few minutes before I swung my blade and snapped his sword in two.

"Damn... you're still way too strong..."

"Yeah. I am. But I didn't get this way on my own. All those seniors you just fought? They were all weak at the start. Hell, in some ways, they’re still 'weaker' than you are right now. But they understand their own strengths. They aren't arrogant, and they never stop grinding. Belk, you have talent. That’s a gift. But don't use it as an excuse to look down on others. I’m not saying you have to be everyone’s friend, but don't let your ego stunt your own growth."

I know the Original Story. That’s why I’m not looking at who they are right now—I’m looking at who they’ll become. I believe in that future.

If I hadn't known any better, I would have dismissed Carta as a coward. I would have looked down on Olynn, ignored Cecil, and Shari would be dead. Belk only saw the "now." To me, that felt like a tragic waste of potential.

I wanted him to understand—the same way Teacher Milk believed in my future.

Belk went quiet for a long time, lost in thought.

"……Right. Sorry. I guess I really was getting full of myself. I came to Noblesse because I wanted to beat you, but I also just... I thought I was the Strongest, and I wanted to prove it."

"You are strong. But don't drown in it. Don't lose sight of the world around you. Comparing yourself to others isn't everything."

Though, I suppose I’m talking to myself as much as I am to him.

Belk stood up and gave me a deep, respectful bow.

"I get it now! I'm sorry, Senpai! I'm gonna go apologize to that classmate right now!"

"Wait, you don't have to go this very second—"

"I'M OFF!!!"

And just like that, he vanished into the distance, leaving me standing there.

Well, at least he’s quick to change gears. I should probably take a page out of his book.

"You've certainly learned how to give a speech. Quite the senior, aren't we?"

I spun around, startled. Teacher Milk was standing right behind me.

"……How long were you watching?"

"I thought I told you no fighting outside of class. But I’ll give you points for making sure everyone wore Training Uniforms; that shows growth. More than that, seeing how much you've matured... it's actually a bit emotional."

"I was an adult to begin with," I grumbled.

"Well, as your master, I couldn't be happier. But everyone needs to be humbled occasionally. Since you're already in your gear, this makes things simple——draw your sword. From today, we’re fighting including magic."

"……Are you serious?"

Up until now, our spars had been restricted to pure swordsmanship. This meant she finally acknowledged my level.

I was so shocked I ended up blurting out something that sounded exactly like Belk.

"Just don't go fainting on me immediately. That would be boring."

"——I've grown too, you know. I’m not going down that easy."

Standing there, I felt like I finally understood a fraction of what Teacher Milk felt. What it meant to place your expectations on someone else.

Good grief. The more people I get involved with, the more I have to worry about... but I guess that’s not such a bad thing.