055 Their Respective Feelings

Rumors of the second Calamity incident whipped across the world like wildfire.

However, thanks in part to the incredible students who happened to be on the scene, there wasn't a single casualty, despite the high number of injuries.

As someone who actually knew the original game's script, this was a massive achievement—even if the Demon Race hadn't technically joined the fray yet.

The star of the show was undoubtedly Cecil Antwerp.

She had claimed that she was simply acting as a spokesperson for Headmaster Gilles’s orders in a split-second judgment. Surprisingly, I heard she wasn't even summoned for questioning afterward.

That old man really is as eccentric as they come. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but still...

On the surface, everything was framed as Gilles’s brilliance. Cecil was relieved, but in truth, I was the one most likely to have a heart attack from the stress.

As for the Teleportation Magic, it seemed Teacher Chloe had put in quite a bit of legwork. Apparently, she persuaded the authorities by suggesting the threat of nearby monsters or the outbreak of war. That kind of tactical maneuvering really showed off Cecil's natural wit.

In the aftermath, my father was a nervous wreck. He kept checking me for any pain or hidden injuries. Once he finally confirmed I was in one piece, he started muttering about how he needed to get back into training. I thought he was plenty strong already, but apparently, he was a total beast in his younger days.

I don't remember seeing any lore about that in the game, so I’ll have to grill him for the details one of these days.

Then there was Eva, who seemed genuinely delighted. She was in such a good mood that her laughter reportedly echoed through the school halls for days. Since her room is in the middle-grade wing, I can't say for sure, but I haven't heard a peep about that "favor" she owes me yet.

On the other hand, Teacher Milk looked absolutely miserable. She kept beating herself up, saying she was pathetic for not lifting a finger against the Demon Race out of fear of collateral damage. She claimed that if it had been her younger self, she would have torn those demons to shreds on the spot.

Honestly... I think it’s better she didn't. She's another one whose "eccentricity" borders on terrifying.

Unfortunately, a shocking truth came to light.

Teleportation Magic normally requires a pre-set mark. The Demon Race is no exception to this rule, which fueled rumors that there must have been a collaborator within our walls during the first Calamity. This was a detail never revealed in the original game.

Worse yet, traces of a similar mark were found right here at the Nobless Sword and Magic Cup.

With representatives from every nation present, the place was in an uproar over who the traitor might be. We were spiraling toward a nightmare scenario where no one—not even allied nations—could be trusted.

And then there were the words whispered to me by Beefa, the one who called himself one of the Seven Calamity Sins.

I had been trying so hard to avoid my destruction. Everything should have been going smoothly.

But in that moment, I felt as if the Darkness itself had its hands wrapped around my throat.

"Weiss, is that really all you're eating?"

"Yeah. Just fruit is fine."

The day after our victory, the matches for the middle and upper-grade students were cancelled as a precaution. A week had passed since then. Nobless Academy had shut down for three days, but we were back in session by the fourth. There was even talk of hiring a specialist in countermeasure magic to join the faculty.

This is a branching path that never existed in the original game.

The campus was already overflowing with smiles again. This is a world where vicious monsters are a daily reality, so perhaps everyone is just naturally better at adapting. If anything, the incident had lit a fire under them. They all had the same look in their eyes: Next time, I'll be the one to step up.

Surprisingly, the person most depressed was Lilith. She felt like she had been a burden during the Calamity since she wasn't chosen as a tournament representative.

I mean, her primary job is being my maid. I think she’s doing a fantastic job, but she clearly isn't satisfied with that.

Well, as her master, I suppose it’s my job to set a proper example.

"On second thought... I’ll eat. Lilith, you eat too. The only thing we can do right now is get strong enough to handle whatever comes next. Right?"

Lilith had been staring at the floor, but she snapped her head up and stood.

"...I'll eat! I'm going to go grab two of the daily specials!"

She shouted at her usual deafening volume and stomped off toward the counter.

Wait, I actually wanted something else... oh well.

"Weiss, there's something I've wanted to ask you for a while."

"What's on your mind?"

It had been a while since I'd talked to Cynthia. Her family is notoriously overprotective, and there was apparently a heated discussion about whether she should voluntarily withdraw from the Academy. That wasn't in the game either, but I suppose there are exceptions to every rule. In the end, Cynthia’s resolve had been unshakable.

Probably... for my sake.

She hesitated for a moment, then looked me straight in the eye.

"Um... what did that demon, Beefa, say to you back then?"

"...You noticed that?"

"Yes."

My body had completely frozen when he spoke. The others had asked me about it too, but I’d brushed them off, telling them it was just their imagination. I’d even told Teacher Milk the same thing.

What he said was—

『Is someone else’s body fun?』

Even now, I can't make heads or tails of it. That was the first time I’d ever met him. We hadn't exchanged a single word. So why did he sound so absolutely certain?

I just don't know.

"...Cynthia, I don't want to lie to you. But I can't tell you—not yet."

I felt like scum. She’s done so much for me, and yet I can't tell her the truth. In the high-difficulty world of Noblesse, a single wrong move at a branching point can lock in someone’s death. If I talk about the future, it might become the very trigger that kills her.

Or maybe... I’m just a coward. I’m scared she won't believe me. I’m scared she’ll reject me.

But Cynthia just smiled.

"You said 'not yet.' That’s enough for me. If that's how you feel, Weiss, I'll wait for as long as it takes."

God... she really is a heroine who’s too good for the likes of me.

"...Thanks."

"Of course."

"I'm back!"

Lilith slammed two trays onto the table, each piled high with rice and fried chicken. There was a mountain of salad and an extra helping of fruit.

This is way too much food.

"We're just getting started! Next time a demon shows up, we’ll give them a total thrashing!"

"Yeah... you're right. Let's dig in."

Lilith was right. We’re only first-years. The story is just beginning. If I trip up during the prologue, there’s no way I’m going to Clear this game.

"Besides, Weiss-sama and Cynthia-san were amazing! You won the tournament and drove off the Calamity!"

"She's right. Especially you, Weiss. You’re the top-ranked first-year, your point total is the highest in history, and your performance in the tournament is already becoming a legend."

Just as Cynthia said, my name was becoming known across the nations. My past reputation as a scumbag probably wouldn't vanish overnight, but this would likely decrease the threat of things like mansion raids. We won a tournament no one expected us to win and walked away with the prizes. We survived the Calamity.

If I were grading my progress, this was a perfect score.

The training camp was starting soon. I remembered the tagline in the game’s concept art: Laughter, tears, and hell. I never thought I’d be experiencing it firsthand, but I was actually looking forward to it. It had been a while since there were any dropouts. I needed to keep my head in the game.

"Speaking of which, the championship prize is so cool! I wish I had one..."

"We'll just have to enter together next year, Lilith."

"Yes!"

The ceremony had been cut short, but I received the items later. They were exactly like the SS screenshots I’d seen on the message boards. Honestly, I’d nearly shouted "Are you kidding me?" when I saw them.

I touched the sword sheathed at my right hip.

An Artifact that changes shape based on the wielder's magic. That was the championship prize. There were five of them in total. I didn't know what Allen and the others got, but in a way, this just meant the difficulty level of my life had gone up again. It was a bit much for a student tournament prize, but I suppose that's the "Noblesse Oblige" way.

Well, as long as it makes me stronger, I’m not complaining.

Let's get along, partner.

[Eternal Dual Sword (Eternal Dual) — A magic sword possessing the twin powers of Light and Darkness.] Effect: Multiplies the elemental magic of a subordinate several times over. Magic consumption is remarkably low.

▽

"Hah... fuu... HAAAA!"

"Oops! Careful, Allen! I'm not gonna miss an opening like that, ze!"

Ever since the tournament, no matter how hard I swung my sword, Duke managed to dodge everything. Even with his Power Up active, he had become terrifyingly strong. He was even mixing in long-range attacks now. His stamina was leagues beyond mine. I still wasn't even close!

"HAAAA!"

"Nice! That's some sharp form, Allen!"

Just then, a familiar, gentle voice called out from behind us.

"I knew I'd find you two in the training hall. You both need to stop and eat something."

It was Shari. She was holding two large lunch boxes. The cafeteria at Nobless Magic Academy is free and has a huge variety, and they’ll even pack you a lunch if you ask. Which meant—

"Nuooh! Food?! Shari, are you a goddess?! You're a goddess, aren't you?!"

Duke stopped mid-swing and looked away. I wasn't going to miss this chance.

"Got you! Hah—yes! A hit!"

I landed a clean blow right on his forehead, but Duke didn't even flinch.

"That's cheap..."

"It’s a serious match, isn't it?"

"Hah, I guess so. Whatever, let's eat! I'm starving!"

"Yeah. Thanks, Shari."

I lowered my sword and walked over to thank her.

"Yes, yes. But you should at least shower first—oh, he's already eating."

"So good... this chicken is so good..."

After the second Calamity, I was disgusted with my own weakness. When that final fireball was launched, Weiss was faster than anyone. He found the flaw in the spell, destroyed the formula, and saved everyone. Rumor had it that he was so close with Cecil-san that they’d prepared the Teleportation Magic in advance just in case.

And then there's me. I couldn't do anything. I did nothing. I was too busy thinking about myself.

Eva-senpai and Teacher Milk had been moving at a level that shouldn't even be possible. Duran’s Michael had been so fast I knew I couldn't win one-on-one.

I have to get stronger.

"Allen, eat up or Duke is going to steal your portion."

"Wait—hey! What are you doing?!"

"Just one piece! Come on!"

"No! You always eat everything!"

"It's free! Just go get more later!"

"Then you go get it!"

I wasn't the only one feeling the pressure, though. Once we finished eating, Shari and Duke spoke up.

"We really need to get stronger, ze."

"You're right... I was the only one who lost my match in the tournament. I really felt like a burden."

We were all thinking the exact same thing. If I stop here, I’ll never catch up to Weiss.

"Alright! Duke, Shari... would you two take me on at the same time?"

"Huh? You're getting a little cocky, aren't you?"

"He's right, Allen. That’s a bit much—wait, do you mean... you're going to use your Gift?"

Until now, I’d been too afraid of the side effects. That’s why I couldn't use it when it really mattered. But that changes now. I have to look toward the future, even if I have to make a sacrifice to get there.

"Yeah. My body might be paralyzed for a few days afterward... but I have to keep pushing. I realized that if I don't practice using the Gifts of others, I’ll never be able to use them in a real fight."

"...Hah! I like it. So you're saying you can keep up with my Power Up? This is gonna be fun."

"Don't push yourself too hard. If anything feels wrong, stop immediately."

"I know."

My Gift... it allows me to mimic the abilities of others. But the drawback is massive. Depending on the magic used, my body becomes immobile afterward, and if I push too hard, I lose consciousness for an unknown amount of time. There are strict time limits on the usage and a long cooldown period. Plus, I have to clear certain conditions before I can even copy a new ability.

After the dragon subjugation, I was out cold for over a week. I asked everyone to keep it a secret from Weiss and the others, though Headmaster Gilles knows. I didn't want to show any weakness, and like Shari said, it’s not exactly a "heroic" ability. A big part of that is because Gifts aren't technically magic—they're more like the Unique Abilities of the Demon Race.

But I don't care about any of that anymore. I'm going to get strong.

"I’ve noticed something. Every time I hit my limit, the usage time increases."

"Seriously? Then we definitely have to do this, ze!"

"Just make sure nobody else sees you. If people find out you're using their abilities, they're going to be furious."

Shari was being kind, but I already knew that. Plenty of people already look down on me because I'm a commoner. If rumors spread that a commoner was "stealing" the abilities of the nobility, I'd have a target on my back instantly.

Besides, there was something I hadn't even told these two yet.

The Second Stage of my ability.

I’ll have to tell them... someday.

"Alright, let's try a combination of Duke's Power Up, Shari's Enchanter, and... Cynthia-san's Ice Magic."

"Oh, nice! That'll be good practice for us, too!"

"Fine. But don't expect me to go easy on you."

Duke looked at us with a grin.

"By the way, what did your Artifacts turn into? Mine is incredible!"

"Not telling~"

"I think I'll keep mine a secret for now, too."

"Che! You guys are no fun! Well, I guess that’s something to look forward to later."

I'll be the one to protect everyone.