Chapter 2: Appearances First

Everything starts with looking the part.

Case in point: I was currently wearing a headband with the word "Effort" emblazoned across the front.

I’d actually asked Lilith to make it for me. When she asked, "Master, what does this say?" I told her it meant I was going to work so hard I might actually die. She just laughed.

Well, she did say I’ve changed for the better, so I suppose I’m heading in the right direction.

"Weiss! Are you actually focusing, or just daydreaming?"

"I-I’m focusing! I’m working!"

I wasn't above using a little bit of my noble leverage. I had pulled some strings to hire a personal tutor: Milk Abista, a former S-rank adventurer and the swordsman hailed as the strongest in the Fanscent Territory.

She was a gorgeous older-sister type with flaming red hair and a phenomenal, curvaceous body—but she was also a terrifying, top-tier sadist.

In the game, she doesn't even show up until the final acts, so I felt like I was getting some kind of premium early-access bonus just by seeing her now.

While Noblesse Oblige is primarily set within the academy, the story involves a lot of world-scale conflict. To survive the entrance exam and whatever madness follows, I had to prioritize learning both swordsmanship and magic.

Of course, that meant building up my basic physical fitness first.

Back in my old world, I had never exercised a day in my life. Naturally, the original Weiss had been a total couch potato too. Everything I did was utterly exhausting.

"Haa... haa... I... I can’t move another inch..."

"Is that so? Then by all means, feel free to rest. Just know that you’ll be branded a 'loser' the moment you step foot in that academy."

When I hired her, I told her to forget I was a noble and train me without mercy. Milk-sensei was certainly living up to her end of the bargain. Honestly, I felt like she might be taking it a bit too far...

"I-I get it! I'm moving!"

"Lower your knees, wrists up! Fix your stance!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

From dawn until dusk, it was form practice. Over and over and over and over again. Once that was done, I had to run and do strength training until my muscles screamed, all to boost my base stats.

I’d initially hoped that a training montage might be fun, but reality was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Master Weiss, let me wipe away your sweat."

"…Thanks, Lilith."

Lilith stayed by my side constantly to support me, likely because she couldn't bear to watch me suffer alone. I was incredibly grateful, but I was also certain no such scene existed in the original game.

It worries me a little that I’m deviating from the script, but having her here is a huge boost to my morale.

And then there was the other guy.

"Young Master, I have prepared a meal featuring an abundance of that 'protein' you requested."

"Thanks, Zebis."

My butler, Zebis, handled my meals and provided various types of logistical support. If I remembered correctly, he was a highly skilled former knight. My father had hired him, and he’d been stuck looking after me ever since.

I also happened to know—from my meta-knowledge of future events—that Zebis harbored a deep loathing for Weiss's villainy. Eventually, he was supposed to team up with the Hero to bring about the total destruction of House Fanscent.

Weiss obviously deserved it, but I’d really like to stay on his good side so I don’t end up on the business end of his sword later.

"I know you're always busy, Zebis. I appreciate the help."

"…You really have changed, Young Master."

He didn't seem to trust me quite as implicitly as Lilith did, but seeing the "entranced" expression on the face of a rugged, bearded man was still an experience with terrifying destructive power.

Regardless, I used my knowledge from my previous life to select protein-rich ingredients for my diet. I knew nutrition was just as important as the training itself.

The results were already starting to show in my status window.

[ STATUS ] Name: Weiss Fancent Race: Human (Male) Age: 15 Occupation: Noble Level: 2 Stamina: 60 Magic Power: 20 Inherent Skills: [Challenge Play Lv1], [Heal Light (Small) Lv1] Titles: [Master of Boneless Ham], NEW! [Butler Charmer]

My stamina had grown quite a bit. My magic power hadn't changed much yet, since I hadn't started that part of my training.

I have no idea what the 'Butler Charmer' title is supposed to mean, though...

A few weeks later, my body had finally adjusted to the workload, so I decided it was time to bring in a magic tutor.

However, I was getting burnt out on the Spartan lifestyle. I told Zebis I wanted someone who would be gentle with me—but they still had to be powerful.

When the day finally came, for some reason, Milk Abista was the one who showed up.

"Morning, Weiss."

"Um, Sensei... I believe I asked for a magic teacher today?"

"I know. I can use magic too."

To demonstrate, she produced a flicker of flame magic in one hand and a swirl of water in the other. Two of the four great elements. Usually, a person can only manifest one attribute, but she was a freak of nature who could handle two.

I knew that already, but I had specifically asked for a gentle teacher!

Zebis, why?! Did you not understand the assignment? Isn't a butler supposed to provide intuitive support?!

"U-Um, Sensei... are you going to teach me magic 'gently'?"

"Oh, you want the 'gentle' course? Don't worry, I'm a professional. Leave it to me."

Thank god! As expected of Sensei! I guess she does have a soft side!

"Put more mana into it! Keep your eyes open! Don't you dare fall asleep on me!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

What is this? Some kind of cruel cliché?

Reality was not sweet. If anything, this was even more brutal than the sword training.

"Good. Now hold that flow for two hours."

"H-Heh... Yes, ma'am..."

I had assumed she would teach me actual spells, but according to Milk-sensei, "The one with the most mana wins."

She was right, of course. I knew that for a fact. The game's design documents explicitly stated that higher mana capacity equaled more power. Even if two people used a Level 1 Fireball, the one with the larger mana pool would produce a significantly larger explosion.

It was hard to perceive that through the game's graphics, but it seemed Milk-sensei understood the mechanics of this world perfectly.

And so, my daily routine became a cycle of surging my mana to its absolute limit until I blacked out. I'm sure she didn't actually expect me to faint every time, but if I was going to do this, I might as well push myself to the brink.

"Master Weiss, please keep it up! You can do it!"

"Yeah... thanks, Lilith."

Lilith was always there. On top of her regular maid duties, she even spent her days off watching over me. I had to work hard for her sake, too... ah...

"Fainted again? You lasted longer than yesterday. ——Alright, here’s your reward."

As my consciousness faded into darkness, I felt Milk-sensei reach out. She gently stroked my head as I lay collapsed on the floor.

"Good boy. You’re working very hard."

...So this was her 'gentle' course.

The carrot-to-stick ratio was definitely skewed, but I couldn't deny that I was starting to look forward to it.

I decided not to overthink it. I just kept at it—the sword drills, the physical conditioning, and the mana expansion.

Before I knew it, three months had passed.