081 Achievements

"Weiss Fancent, step forward."

A few days after the massive monster outbreak—the Stampede—we found ourselves at the Royal Castle. We were there to receive some "gracious words" from His Majesty, the King of Bruno.

Since I didn’t actually own any formal wear, I’d had to scramble to buy some at the last minute. I hated it. It felt stiff, it felt pretentious, and I looked like a complete tool.

"—Actually, it looks pretty good on you, doesn't it?"

"Shh! You're going to get us in trouble."

The outfit was a black suit embroidered with gold patterns, practically screaming I am a wealthy aristocrat. I could hear Allen and that bastard Duke whispering behind my back. I made a mental note to kill them both later.

"As expected of House Fanscent," the King declared. "Your victory in the Adventurer Tournament was truly magnificent."

"I am honored, Your Majesty," I replied, keeping my voice level.

This whole song and dance was a massive pain in the ass, but a necessary evil.

The next one to be called was her.

"Cecil Antwerp. Your contributions to the defense of this realm were exemplary. Therefore, you are hereby promoted to B-rank adventurer."

"I am deeply grateful."

Cecil jumped straight to B-rank. For the King himself to deliver a promotion, bypassing the Adventurers' Guild entirely, was practically unheard of. It was a clear signal to the world: this girl was going places. She’d likely rise to a position higher than anyone else in the kingdom eventually.

The rest of the group was called up one by one. We were nobles and students of Noblesse, so the King showing us this much favor was, at its core, politically expected.

But then, something actually surprising happened.

"Allen."

The King addressed Allen—a commoner. I’d expected him to be present, of course, but for a commoner to receive personal, direct praise from the crown was a statistical impossibility in this world. Normally, they’d just toss a letter of commendation his way and call it a day.

Being a student at Noblesse probably helped bridge the gap, but I knew the real reason: this was a situation Allen had forced into existence through sheer, stubborn will.

"You have done well to protect Bruno."

"...No, Your Majesty. The honor is mine."

Allen looked conflicted, but also genuinely happy. He’d probably spent his whole life being kicked around for his status. In a world where even being from an orphanage was enough to earn you a lifetime of discrimination, this was a monumental step forward for him.

That said, he looked like he was about to collapse. He was dragging his feet, and his mana levels were clearly nowhere near recovered.

That’s the side effect of his Gift.

I’d always thought that "Complete Copy" regardless of attributes sounded too good to be true. Turns out, it’s the definition of a double-edged sword. My own abilities were fundamentally different; I’d refined my techniques using unique formulas and the interplay of Light and Darkness. Still, looking at the results he got, I suppose the price he paid was worth it.

By the way, Eva was nowhere to be seen.

Her achievement in single-handedly wiping out high-level monsters was immeasurable, but when the summons came, she’d just said, "Sounds like a pain," and refused. She was probably the only person on the planet who could snub a royal summons and get away with it.

But Eva was famous. More importantly, no one in power was stupid enough to make an enemy of her. The mere fact that she had protected Bruno was enough to boost the country’s prestige. This nation was about to get a lot bigger.

After Cynthia and the other Noblesse students were acknowledged, it was the turn of the professional adventurers.

"You have defended us well."

"We are unworthy of such praise!"

Boldic was among them, looking as boisterous as ever.

However, the cat-eared rain-woman who should have been there—Nell—was gone. She had vanished without a trace.

I didn't know why. There was no reason for a rank-and-file adventurer to turn down royal rewards and glory. But there was no point dwelling on it. Everyone has secrets they can't share. Even me. Especially me.

When the ceremony finally ended and we stepped outside the castle gates, a staggering sight was waiting for us.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"We owe you our lives!"

"Thank you, big brother! Big sister!"

A crowd of people from the slums—the very people we had fought to protect—were being held back by guards while they shouted their gratitude. To be honest, if we hadn't stepped in, their situation would have been hopeless.

The monsters were bad enough, but the Pseudo-Demon would have been impossible for anyone but me and Allen to stop. The soldiers seemed to realize that too; my name was already circulating through the ranks. In terms of making a reputation for myself, I’d succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.

Out of all of us, Shari looked the happiest. She was wearing a smile I’d never seen before. For someone like her, who dreamed of an equal society just like Allen did, this moment was probably everything.

I didn't feel bad about it, but a strange, unidentifiable emotion swirled in my chest.

Everyone is getting stronger. Everyone is moving forward.

Which meant the "Main Story" was progressing... exactly as planned. The Pseudo-Demon was the ultimate proof of that.

The original Noblesse Oblige game was a masterpiece. People called it the ultimate "death game" and the ultimate "tear-jerker."

I looked at my classmates. In the original story, most of them would be dead before the credits rolled. The enemies in this world were just that overwhelmingly powerful. On the community forums, the players used to argue constantly: "If you save this person, that person dies. If you choose this path, everyone dies." There were no easy wins.

That was the reality of the world I was in.

But... I’m going to smash that future to pieces.

I guess I really do love this game. Or maybe... maybe I’ve actually started to like these people.

...Well, I’d rather die than say that out loud.

Still, that "Explosion Bastard" Pseudo-Demon taught me one thing: this world won't be easy to beat. It’s a game designed to drop you into despair the moment you find hope. There’s no telling what’s coming next.

Even so, the only way is forward.

Allen and the others were already chatting about throwing a party to celebrate. Honestly, students and their obsession with "gatherings." I took that as my cue to leave.

Cynthia and Lilith followed me immediately. My leave of absence was almost over. Once we returned to Noblesse, a new chapter of our lives would begin. Until then, I wanted to get even a little bit stronger.

"I heard there's a powerful monster nesting to the west," I said. "We'll head there after we rest. You two coming?"

They both beamed at me.

"Wherever you go, Lord Weiss."

"I shall follow you anywhere."

Yeah. No matter what happens, I'm going to protect these two.

That’s a promise.

---

The Great Clock Tower of Bruno.

It was the symbol of the nation, standing tall in the heart of the city. Its height dwarfed every other building in the world, and the diameter of the clock face itself was as large as a giant monster.

At the very peak, a cat-eared girl stood looking down at the capital.

"Humans never change, do they? Even a country that looks this pretty is rotten to the core, nyan."

Beside her, a man with a heavy build, short hair, and sharp, upturned eyes stared down at the people below.

"Tell me about it. Just a bunch of trash at the top sucking the life out of the bottom. Anyway, how long are you going to stay in that form? And stop with the voice. It's annoying."

"Is it not cute, nyan?"

"Not at all. Your original self is way better."

"If you're going to flatter me, I suppose I should change back."

"I wasn't flattering you."

Nell deactivated her transformation magic. Her form shifted and flowed, returning to what it truly was: a girl with straight white hair, skin as pale as milk, and refined, doll-like features.

"Phew. Well? Am I beautiful?"

"You look like the same person I’ve been looking at for years."

"Hehe, thank you. Seeing it up close confirmed it—the Singularity really is interesting."

"Why didn't you just kill him? You want me to go do it now?"

"My, aren't we confident? But that boy... he's quite strong, you know."

"Hah! As if I'd lose to a human."

"You were a human once too, weren't you?"

"Was I? I forget."

"We won't fight him yet," the girl said, her gaze turning cold. "We need to get stronger. Strong enough that we never lose again."

Their eyes were gentle, yet at the same time, they were filled with a darkness that suggested a deep, burning hatred.

"But what if that guy becomes our enemy? Are we really going to fight him? It’s been a while since I saw him, and he’s gotten ridiculously strong."

"...That won't happen. That boy knows exactly how rotten this world is. He's just like us. Once the preparations are complete, I'll go get him. He’ll listen to me."

"I hope you're right. So, what about the Pseudo-Demons? You going to make more?"

"Yes. But losing their ego makes them hard to use. It seems like a primitive form of Demon Magic. I’ll need to improve the formula."

A terrifying amount of mana began to radiate from the two of them. With a grace that surpassed even Carta’s mana manipulation, they drifted off the ground and took to the sky.

"Shall we go then, Mr. King of Pride?"

"Yeah. Oh, by the way... did you know? It seems that boy is using our names. Isn't that right, Eva?"

The girl smiled sadly. "...It’s devoted of him. Very cute. But I’ve discarded that name. Call me Nell."

"The Sin of Sloth from the Seven Calamity Sins... so 'Nell' because you like to sleep (neru)? That’s a bit on the nose, don't you think?"

"Is it? I think it’s cute. I’m sure that boy would understand."

"Hah, maybe. Let's move. If things are going the way you say, we’ve got to put in the effort to stay ahead."

"Exactly. All for the sake of making this rotten world a better place."

With affectionate smiles on their faces, the two vanished into the horizon.

---

[Author’s Note]

And with that, Part Three is officially complete!

From the school trip to subjugation, the tournament, and the monster invasion, things have been incredibly busy for our cast. I was actually a bit nervous because it seemed like some of you had already figured out Nell's true identity! lol. Moving forward, it would help my peace of mind if you could keep spoilers out of the comments as much as possible, haha!

But then again, maybe guessing is part of the fun? ('_')

In Part Four, I plan to dive a little deeper into the Demon Race. Well, that's the plan, anyway. I wonder what’s going to happen next!

Also, I should have more detailed news regarding the physical book release soon. For now, I can say that everything is moving along smoothly! (^^)/

Next up is an [Interlude], and then we jump into [Part Four]. Last time we saw Eva's past, but this time, will someone else's past be revealed?!

And in Part Four, the Noblesse upperclassmen will finally make their appearance. One of them is a beautiful senior girl who, in many ways, wraps Weiss around her little finger?!

Thank you as always for the supportive comments, likes, and reviews! I’ll do my best to make sure you keep enjoying the story, so please continue to support the series! (^^)/

And one last request! I know many of you have already done this, but if you haven't, please head back to the top of the page to follow the series and leave a ☆☆☆ rating! (^^)/

If you're feeling inspired, I'd also love to read your reviews! To my readers, thank you for everything. Even the shortest comments make my day! (^^)/