150: A Sight Never Seen Before

The reason Noblesse Oblige was so popular was the existence of countless events that made absolutely no sense.

Battles, tears, friendship, Victory, defeat, and hardship.

And then, there was this.

"Hyo—! Looking good, looking good! As I thought, summer is all about the sea!"

"Duke... aren't your muscles even more massive than before?"

"Hah! That’s because I train every single day!"

"...Hmph."

Muscles. Everywhere I looked, there were well-trained abs, pectorals, lats, deltoids, and biceps.

Allen and I had been pushing our bodies to the absolute limit, too. We’d been utilizing the latest Noblesse facilities, eating meals with a perfect nutritional Balance, and undergoing rigorous mana training.

Even so, Duke was a size—no, two sizes—beefier than us. Standing there against the backdrop of the summer sun, the sea, and the sand, his physique was undeniably beautiful.

Dammit. I really don't want to admit defeat here.

"Well, your grades are still lower than mine, though," I shot back.

"What was that, you bastard Weiss!?"

"Haha, well, he’s got a point there," Allen added.

...Good. That should do it.

Physical maintenance is one thing, but mental care is even more important.

Right, Weiss? You agree with me, don't you?

"Sorry to keep you waiting—!"

At that moment, a bright voice that seemed like it could carry across the entire ocean echoed from behind us. I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was: Shari Elias.

Swimming in the sea is a hassle, but food always tastes better when your body is exhausted. That was the only reason I came. It definitely wasn't because I wanted to see everyone in their swimsuits.

...Well, as a fan of the Original Story, I was a little curious.

I turned around languidly, only to find the girls lined up side-by-side like a classic fan-service scene from a game.

Shari wore a pure white frilled swimsuit. Her waist looked elegant, and combined with her radiant smile, her skin seemed firm and healthy.

"Weiss? Are you mesmerized?"

"Ehehe! It’s a new one, Lord Weiss!"

Cynthia was in a black one-piece. While it covered more of her body than the others, her bountiful proportions made a very clear statement.

Lilith wore a Bruno One-shoulder Bikini. One shoulder was exposed, and the effect was... well, it was quite something.

"Sir Weiss, look at ours as well!"

"Tu-Tura-san!? Wh-What are you doing!?"

"My, Carta is such a shy one."

Tura was wearing a "monokini." From the front, it looked like a one-piece, but from the back, it looked like a bikini. I didn't know much about the specifics, but the "soft fullness" of the look was incredible.

Carta was, predictably, in a school swimsuit. I have no idea why she always sticks to that style. I wasn't going to mention it, but her... assets... looked like they were about to spill out. Wait, were they already spilling?

Cecil was wearing a surprisingly orthodox pink bikini. Since her proportions were so good, her legs looked incredibly long. It provided a nice contrast to her intellectual glasses.

I didn't actually know that much about swimsuits, so being presented with all this at once was honestly a bit overwhelming...

"H-How do I look?"

Then, a voice came from a total blind spot—completely outside my expectations.

It was Olynn.

Weiss, Duke, and Allen all jerked our heads toward him simultaneously. The question Which one is it?! almost burst out of my throat.

However, just like before, Olynn was wearing a Rash Guard over his suit. Even so, I could see that his thighs were pale and soft, looking like they didn't have a lick of muscle on them.

Wait, why did he come out later than the others? Where was he even changing?

"Weiss, what are you staring at?"

"It’s just your imagination. —Well, I guess everyone looks... fine?"

For some reason, my blunt comment made everyone there break into cheers. Good grief, they were really letting the vacation get to their heads.

"Allen... what do you think?"

"I think... it looks good on you."

Nearby, Shari and Allen were having a "moment."

I felt a sudden surge of annoyance, so I prepared to hurl the ball I was holding (which I had brought for training purposes, definitely not for play) at Allen—but someone beat me to the punch.

"Ow!? Duke, what was that for!?"

"Shut up! Be grateful I'm stopping at just that!"

"W-What does that even mean!?"

Seriously, what a dense, over-positive protagonist.

"Come on, Weiss, let's go!"

"Lord Weiss, hurry, hurry!"

"...Fine."

Well, water is good for relaxing the muscles. I might as well enjoy myself a little.

After that, we spent our time training with the ball, splashing each other to cool off, and doing drills to ensure we didn't lose to the sun's UV rays.

At one point, Olynn started fluttering his Rash Guard, muttering, "Man, it’s hot. Maybe I should take this off..." while casting sidelong glances our way. It’s a secret that I accidentally stared a little too long.

By the time the sun began to set, we left the beach, as we were supposed to prepare our own dinner. I let Debi stretch its wings for a bit, too.

I have to admit, it was actually pretty fun.

However, as we headed back, Duke looked up at the darkening sky. "Looks like it might rain," he noted.

He was right; it was getting quite cloudy. We could still contact the servants via Messenger Bird for now, but that would become impossible in a heavy storm. It felt like an omen of things to come.

---

"Wow! It’s so big!"

"Hoh, they have a fine selection of cooking utensils here."

After returning to the mansion and changing, we gathered in the kitchen. The plan for tonight was to make Noblesse Curry.

Apparently, curry is a travel staple because it tastes good even if your measurements are a bit off, and simmering it reduces the risk of food poisoning. When I opened the magic refrigerator, I found it stocked to the brim. As expected of Sophia’s villa; every ingredient was top-shelf.

"Hoh, these are some quality potatoes."

"What’s this, Weiss? You actually know how to cook?"

"Of course I do. Who do you think I am?"

"I’m actually quite fond of cooking myself," Allen added.

"Then it’s a contest. Let’s see who can make the best curry."

"You really have a habit of turning everything into a competition, Duke..."

"What, you running away, Duke?"

"Wh-at?! If you’re gonna go that far, then I’ll show you the Billian Family Special Curry!"

"I guess I'll make an original one, too!"

And so, we began our curry battle. Handling blades—whether swords or kitchen knives—is a requirement for any gentleman. To my surprise, both of them were actually quite efficient.

"It’s wonderful, isn't it? So peaceful," Shari remarked.

"It really is, Cynthia-san!"

"Hmm, Weiss is surprisingly handy in the kitchen. Interesting."

"Sir Weiss, are you using magic for that?"

"I-I’m really looking forward to everyone’s cooking!"

"I love taste-testing different dishes!"

"Shall we make the side dishes, then?"

Beside us, the girls were chatting harmoniously.

If this unreleased footage were turned into a fan disk, the sales would be astronomical.

No, stay calm. That doesn't matter right now.

"Carrots—One-Hit Kill!"

"Hey, Weiss, that’s cheating!"

"I see! That’s a great idea!"

Allen immediately started mimicking my technique. This copycat bastard.

Once the food was ready, we moved to the grand dining hall and plated our creations. There were three types of curry to compare: mine was a standard recipe from my old world, Duke’s was a "manly" curry packed with meat, and Allen’s was loaded with vegetables. You could really see the difference between a knightly household and a mountain upbringing.

Once everyone was seated, we gave the signal to eat.

"Mmm! Weiss, this is delicious. It’s the first time I’ve had your home cooking."

"Lord Weiss, this is amazing!"

"Naturally."

"Allen, Duke, not bad! These are both great!"

"Hah! Of course they are!"

"It’s been a while, but curry really hits the spot."

"Indeed, it’s hard to pick a winner!"

"It’s so good. You can really taste everyone’s personality in these."

"I like all of them!"

"They all have such distinct, wonderful flavors."

In the end, it just turned into a session for sharing impressions, and the "competition" was forgotten. But seeing everyone’s smiles, I realized it didn't really matter.

To me, knowing the Original Story as I did, this group of people felt like nothing short of a miracle.

Shari, who was supposed to be dead. Carta, who should have been expelled. Cecil, who shouldn't have trusted anyone at this point. Olynn, who was supposed to be in a different class. Lilith shouldn't even have been at the Noblesse villa, and Tura—while she would have come to the Academy—wasn't supposed to have an interest in anyone but Allen.

Above all, the fact that Cynthia was sitting right next to me was the biggest surprise of all.

"Weiss, you have a bit of curry on your cheek. Wipe-wipe."

"Cynthia-san, you’re saying your sound effects out loud again."

"Sorry, Cynthia."

"No, no, it’s quite alright."

My "thank you" in that moment was probably directed at everything that had led us here.

Later that night, before we could start our Battle Universe tournament, we decided to head to the baths.

"This is bad. That typhoon is massive."

Just then, the storm hit with full force. It was a direct hit; the weather had turned so violent that the Messenger Birds couldn't fly at all.

Granted, the mansion was huge and sturdy, so there shouldn't have been a problem.

There shouldn't have been... and yet, it felt like a precursor to something.

---

"Meryl, it’s a typhoon! Meryl, wake up!"

"Eh? Eeeeeeek?! Wh-What are we going to do!?"

"D-Dammit! I’ll cut through the waves! You cover us with magic!"

"Wait, wha— Waaaah!?"

"Move it or we're dead! Give it everything you've got!"

"I-I get it!"