085.5 Noblesse's Peaceful Daily Life

I completely botched the scheduled post and ended up updating twice in a single day.

As an apology to everyone who looks forward to their morning dose of the story, I’ve put together this little SS. Think of it as a non-canonical "if" scenario that doesn't have much to do with the main plot. I hope you enjoy it! (^^)/

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"Has everyone been served?"

The Noblesse Magic Academy Girls' Dormitory.

It was a secret flower garden—a wing of the building that remained a total mystery to the male students. For instance, the Girls' Dormitory featured a sprawling powder room that the Boys' Dormitory lacked, lined with every perfume and grooming product imaginable.

Beyond the full-length mirrors, there were even instructional sheets on magical theory for skin care, specifically for those tragic days when a girl might wake up to a breakout.

Yes, this was a girls' party, held in a Free Room within the girls' wing. It was an event Weiss knew nothing about, Allen knew nothing about, and the walking pile of muscles known as Duke definitely knew nothing about.

The room was a literal explosion of pink—the most vibrantly colored space in all of Noblesse.

Stuffed animals and fluffy cushions were scattered everywhere, and the decor was so lavish it felt out of place for this era. It was a beautiful, wonderfully scented sanctuary. Any student from any of the three years could reserve it, and today, a group of Noblesse lowerclassmen were occupying the massive table.

Shari stood up, her natural radiance on full display as she hoisted a glass of orange juice in her right hand.

"Well then... Nobleeese!"

That was the standard toast here at Noblesse Academy.

The table was overflowing with sugary treats, decadent cakes, and various fruits and juices specially prepared by the Noblesse Cafeteria.

Cynthia, Lilith, Cecil, Carta, and Shari had all gathered. Olynn, however, was—predictably—nowhere to be found.

"It has been quite some time since we last gathered like this," Cynthia remarked, her mind drifting back to her days of high-society tea parties.

She had become somewhat distant from such social gatherings since enrolling at Noblesse Academy, but she truly did enjoy the company of others.

"Mm! Lady Cynthia, these sweets are incredible!"

"Oh, thank you, Lilith."

In this room, there was no trace of the usual deep, masculine grunts or the scent of sweat. The only things to be heard were sweet, melodic voices.

"Gulp, gulp... Pwah..."

Carta gripped her glass with both hands, her heart fluttering as she sipped the juice. She wasn't particularly accustomed to large social gatherings.

Noticing her tension, Shari spoke up with a bright smile.

"Carta, you have to try this cake! It’s delicious! I actually had it specially ordered from a shop I'm obsessed with."

"A-Ah, thank you very much!"

"Why are you being so formal?" Shari teased.

"I... I don't know, I just..."

"We're all classmates here. I don't think there's any need for such restraint," Cecil added gently.

She maintained her usual composed aura, though she was sporting a pair of floral earrings she didn't typically wear. This party was clearly a highlight for Cecil as well.

The conversation naturally drifted toward their daily lives at the Academy. They complained about wanting people to be a bit more gentle, or how they wished the school would schedule designated bath times in the middle of the day.

Once the excitement hit its peak, Lilith raised her hand.

"By the way... does everyone have someone they like?"

The air in the room instantly turned static. Most of the girls froze, stealing glances at one another as their cheeks flushed a deep crimson.

Cynthia was the first to find her voice.

"Weiss, of course. A man who is the Strongest while possessing such refined features... is there anything better?"

"W-Well, if we're going there, Allen is cool too! He’s always looking forward and giving it his all! He’s just as impressive as Weiss!"

"Oh? Does that mean Shari-san has feelings for Allen-san?"

At Cynthia's calm inquiry, Shari's voice died in her throat, her face turning as red as a tomato.

"W-What about you, Carta?!"

"M-Me?! Uh, well...!"

Carta stole a quick glance at Cynthia. She looked like she was struggling to find the words.

"Carta-san," Cynthia said, "if you fancy Weiss, feel free to say so clearly. I believe it is a wonderful thing for Weiss to be admired by many women."

"Eh?! E-Eeeeh?! T-To be sure, Weiss-kun is very handsome, isn't he?! Wait, what am I saying?! C-Cecil! Help!"

Carta turned to the usually cool and collected Cecil, hoping for a lifeline to settle the atmosphere. Instead, she found Cecil's ears turning a brilliant shade of red.

"...W-What are you talking about? I-I don't... I mean, I was j-just playing Battle Universe with him! There's nothing improper about my feelings for Fansent-kun!"

The entire room went silent as they looked at her. Carta had only asked for her opinion; she hadn't even mentioned Weiss's name.

"...Ah."

Realizing her blunder a second too late, Cecil looked down, her ears burning. Seeing her so flustered and losing her usual poise caused everyone to break into giggles.

Then—

"Alright, alright! I’ll say it! I think Weiss-sama is amazing! I like him too!"

Lilith shouted with gusto. Carta, Cecil, and finally Cynthia all gave a quiet, knowing nod.

"But I do think Allen-san is quite remarkable as well," Cynthia added. "To enter Noblesse without any specialized training and maintain such high grades is no small feat."

"Exactly! Allen is always working so hard, he's really something!"

Cynthia and the others shared a laugh, watching the devoted Shari. Every face in the room was glowing with happiness.

"Duke-san is cool too, in his own way. He’s always so manly. And Olynn-san is incredible at Subjugation!"

"You're right, Lilith. I agree."

"Fufu. Duke would probably be over the moon if he heard that. And I agree, Olynn-san is quite wonderful."

"Everyone... is so cool, aren't they?"

At Carta’s soft murmur, the room was filled with smiles.

The girls' party continued long into the afternoon.

---

Meanwhile, in the Boys' Dormitory, an unusual quartet was gathered around a table in the cafeteria. Their expressions were the polar opposite of the girls'.

"What's the matter? What are you so afraid of?"

I glared at Duke, provoking him with a sneer.

Duke hesitated before finally snatching the one card that was sticking out further than the rest. The moment his fingers touched it, a smirk spread across my face.

"Hah! Simpleton. I win!"

"Guaaaaaaaaah! Again?! How?!"

In a place like Noblesse with so little entertainment, "play" usually meant either Battle Universe or card games. When you had a group, the options were even more limited.

Allen and Olynn sat beside us, watching the chaos.

"Duke, you wear your heart on your sleeve. And you're way too loud," Allen noted.

"Allen-kun is right," Olynn chimed in. "But Weiss-kun is actually... pretty easy to read too."

"Hah! Don't lie to me, Olynn. I'm a master at hiding my emotions."

"...Is that so? Then, do you want to play me?"

A few dozen minutes later...

"I won!"

Why? Why can't I beat Olynn at anything?

I had been utterly crushed. To make matters worse, Duke had somehow managed to lose to Allen in the meantime.

"Damn it! Fine! Let's eat the Daily A Lunch and then go again!"

"You're eating again?!" Allen cried. "You were just eating a minute ago!"

"That was a snack," Duke grunted. "This is the main event."

"...Actually, for once, the muscle has a point. I need to replenish my nutrients with some fruit. Then we have a rematch."

"You both eat so much... well, I guess I'll have something too."

"I'm gonna get ice cream!" Olynn cheered.

Noblesse Oblige was a world of swords and magic. It was a "death game," a "crying game," and arguably the worst—yet best—game ever made.

But naturally, even in a world like that, peaceful days existed.

That night, it was said that every corner of the Academy remained lively until the very last bells tolled.