All right.
We both paid our enrollment fees, so that means...
I guess our new lives here at the Hero Academy are about to begin.
Yeah!
Noir, you need to bow!
Huh?
R-Right.
Is she a student, too?
You don't remember?
She was there during the exams. Maria Fianna Albert.
She's the daughter of the famous Duke Albert.
A duke... So she's one of the highest-ranking nobles.
I'll sneak a peek with my Discerning Eye to see what she's like.
Noir? Is something wrong?
There's...
There's a curse on her.
A curse that will cause her to die on her sixteenth birthday.
#03 "The Troubled Classmate"
A-Alice... You sure like to be close.
Well, today's your first day of school.
I know you'll do wonderfully at the Hero Academy.
I don't care if I have to cough up blood! I'm going to get into that school next year!
Th-There'll be no need to cough up blood, but thanks.
Here, Brother Dearest.
A-Alice?
I feel that if I let you go, you'll go somewhere far away.
I'm just going to school.
Good morning, my elite academy student!
It's time... for...
What's a father to do about this?!
Morning, Noir!
Morning, Emma.
You seem chipper this morning.
Well, it's our first day of school!
My job as a librarian was whatever, but I'm going to do my best with this!
Yeah, we're in the same S Class.
So, uh... Shall we do our morning greeting?
S-Sure.
This is to help stockpile your LP, too... right?
Noir Stardia
Good morning.
I-I'm kinda nervous.
Yeah...
We have to wear these badges that show our ranks just for the first day of school.
Although the school says your status doesn't matter...
G-Good morning.
The guy's a baronet.
So he's a low-class noble.
Guess we can ignore him.
Nice to meet you!
I'm Allen, the eldest son of the Milanos family.
I'm sure you've heard of the Milanos family. We are trusted advisers to the king.
H-Hello...
I'm Hjorth from the Boyle family!
Sweet! You're totally my type!
I'm Kent Proix!
My family ranks as the fourth-richest family!
She's beautiful.
How lovely.
Totally different from that guy.
They're huge...
Everyone thinks I defeated the Dead Reaper,
so don't even think about casually talking to me.
S-Sure.
Baronets are just commoners who served the kingdom
and were allowed to enter noble society.
Most of the nobles don't accept us.
It's nice to meet you. I'm from the Siphon family...
Whoops. I guess my glasses were fogged up.
Hello, everyone.
It's quite warm today, isn't it, Amane?
Yes. It's rather nice.
Miss Maria is someone completely beyond my reach.
Oh!
It's a pleasure to meet you, Noir Stardia.
Huh?
L-Lady Maria spoke to him?
Why? He's just a baronet!
I'm honored to meet you.
I do hope that you'll be kind.
L-Likewise...
Good day to you, too, Emma Brightness.
G-G-Good day!
When did you become friends with Miss Maria?
What? That's my line!
Huh?
What's going on?
Miss Maria doesn't seem like a bad person, but...
I wonder why she has a curse that'll kill her at sixteen...
Let's talk some other time. Do excuse us.
Pardon. Please let us through.
Hey, maybe I misjudged you!
I didn't know you knew Lady Maria.
I'm from the Siphon family. MyвЂ”
Not interested.
But I'm from the Siphon family...
I was a mercenary before I was a teacher, from when I was 7 until I was 24.
The name's Elna Stongs.
If any of you want me to whip you into shape, let me know.
I'll see you through to the end.
Though I'm not letting any of you leave until I'm satisfied.
She's a teacher? Are we going to be okay?
Outside the royal capital,
there are monsters, bandits, and villains everywhere.
Depending on your luck, you could be gone in an instant in this world.
So... we'll be doing some self-defense training today.
Let's see...
Noir Stardia. Step forward.
Y-Yes, ma'am!
Come at me with that sword as if you intend to kill me.
Huh? But what if I...
Don't worry. You won't even be able to scratch me.
She's so confident. Is she really that strong?
Elna Stongs Lv.232
Age: 24 Occupation: Academy Instructor Skills: [Stamina Up] [Martial Arts (Grade A)] Skills: [One-handed Swordsman] [Piercing] Skills: [Earthen Wall] [Earthen Bullet] [Heal]
Sh-She's insanely strong!
I'm only level 35!
Well? What are you waiting for?
I won't be able to hold back!
I have to give it my all and strike with every ounce of my strength!
The Back Step. This is what you'll be learning today.
Sh-She's so fast!
Now you'll be on defense. Try doing what I just did.
Th-That's probably not as easy as you think...
But it is. You just draw me in, then take a step back.
All right, here I come!
I-I'll be fine!
I've fought in a hidden dungeon plenty of times! I've gotвЂ”
this?!
Noir!
Are you okay, Noir?
Don't worry. I'll use Heal to fix him right up.
Now we can try that one more time.
Sh-She's no demon instructor...
She's just a demon.
Hmm, let's see...
If you can successfully do a Back Step, I'll give you a prize.
A prize?
If you manage to evade even one of my attacks,
I'll do something you're sure to enjoy.
Fail, damn it!
I'm gonna get that prize!
I get to go next!
Boys are just so... pathetic.
I've had enough pain...
Maybe I can use Get Creative to create Martial Arts C?
Martial Arts C
LP needed to Get Creative
LP.1000
Damn, that's a lot!
Remaining
LP.830
Then how about improving Back Step?
Improving Back Step
LP.200
LP needed to Get Creative
Remaining
LP.1630
Yes! This is much more cost-effective!
Hey, wait
Don't zone out on me!
So the agreement was that if I managed to use Back Step...
I'd get a prize from you, right, Ms. Elna?
The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter.
Ms. Elna.
She has trained as a mercenary ever since she was young.
She's a cool, mature woman.
And her prize happened to be...
Well, how do you like that?
I got plenty of compliments about my ass when I was a mercenary.
I can't believe he's the only one who did a successful Back Step!
Hey, you actually get to enjoy that prize!
At least sound happier!
You're all fools.
Noir...
Go on. Tell me how you feel.
I-I can't breathe...
What? You've got the hots for me?
N-No, it's just... your ass is heave
Excuse me?!
Right. Break and prize time is over.
Hey, how was it?
Was it soft? How'd it smell?
I'm so jealous.
I want to experience that, too...
Can it over there.
Noir, are you okay?!
You're not going to suddenly have a thing for butts, are you?
O-Of course not...
I definitely don't need to do that again.
Yet my LP went up 400.
I might have to ask her to sit on me again.
All right, time for the next lesson.
Divide up into pairs.
Noir, let's pair up!
Sure.
Hey, you two.
You two can't pair up.
What? But why?
You're dating, aren't you?
That gives you an unfair advantage.
No, we aren't dating, ma'am.
What? Really?
Correct. Not yet.
For now, we're just very close friends who've known each other forever.
Well, I'm still going to say no.
Maria and Amane, you two can't pair up, either.
You're Maria's attendant, aren't you?
Yes...
Glare at me all you want. The answer's still no.
In that case, Maria...
Let us team up.
Both of our fathers are dukes.
Let us work together as proud nobles of the same rank.
I humbly decline.
What
My fellow students, it is mere luck that I was born the daughter of a duke.
So I am very aware of how hard I must work to be worthy of my status every day.
I truly respect baronets because,
despite the fact that they were once commoners,
they are warriors who put their lives on the line for this kingdom.
Instead of a higher noble who will likely throw around their title,
I'd rather be with a sincere baronet.
Noir, may I have a round with you?
I would be absolutely honored.
Th-They're, uh...
They're getting really close!
Another new girl?!
So
Sorry.
Right, then. Next, you'll be practicing Passive Defense.
Throw your partner around a few times, then switch.
You can throw me first.
Yes, all right.
For the Passive Defense skill...
Skill Passive Defense
LP needed to Get Creative:
It's so cheap!
Maybe it's because I was always so passive to begin with...
Here I go.
All right, that worked.
I-If nof whaf youf fink!
I-I'mf immofent fere!
Please don't move, Noir.
Huh?
Maria?
I-I'm all right. I was just a bit short of breath.
I told you not to push yourself.
Wait, is this because of her curse?
Rest for a while.
I'll come check on you once the lesson is over.
Y-Yes, ma'am.
The Sixteenth Year Death Curse
causes one's entire body to be racked with intense pain at regular intervals.
A curse skill that brings death at the age of sixteen.
If I used Editor to remove it...
Sixteenth Year Death Curse
LP needed to Remove:
Crap... I don't have nearly enough.
Then I'll just use my Great Sage skill.
Answer me, Great Sage.
What's the most efficient way to earn LP right now?
The answer is...
Line up all the girls here.
Next, run by them as your hand touches their breasts.
If you're able to touch all of them, you'll gain 2,000 LP.
Like I could actually do that!
And that's not enough LP anyway!
Damn it, my head hurts now!
B-But I have the Headache Immunity skill... So why...
Noir, what's wrong? You look pale.
Emma... Let's do...
Let's do the morning greeting.
Huh? Right here?! Th-That's embarrassing, though...
I can't hold back. Sorry!
That calmed it down.
You do realize we're in class right now?
I-It was an emergency...
Fifteen laps around the school! You'd better get runnin', boy!
Yes, ma'am!
Hello, Lola.
N-N-N-N-Noir?!
What are you doing here at this hour?
I started school today.
You need to let me know ahead of time!
Give me ten... no, five minutes!
She's fixing her makeup.
She went light on it today since she didn't think you'd show up.
I guess she did look a bit different.
But she's pretty enough without any...
Noir, let's ditch Cake Face and leave.
I can't. She's in charge of me.
Noir, you doofus.
The Sixteenth Year Death Curse...
A powerful curse skill that brings death.
And you say a duke's daughter has it?
People always think nobility live such carefree lives.
She may not show it, but she's probably been through a lot.
If we don't break the curse in the next week, she'll...
Oh, no...
I need 8,000 LP to remove the skill with Editor.
I won't be able to get that much in a week.
You know all about skills and adventurers, Lola,
so you're the only one I can count on.
Isn't there anything we can do?
I believe there is.
If we find a cleric who can exorcise evil...
A cleric?
The cleric Luna. She's my friend, and I trust her skills.
She's so popular that her schedule is full for the next three months.
Noir, maybe she'll be able to help!
Yeah! She sounds perfect.
But she rarely takes on jobs to remove curse-based skills.
What? Why not?
I don't know the details.
There may be some reason behind it,
but I'm her best friend, and she won't even tell me.
What should we do, Noir?
If I can use my skills to get rid of whatever the cleric's issue is...
If I don't do it, who will?
She helped me out back there.
This time, I'm going to be the one who saves her.
Lola!
Please introduce me to this cleric.
Ms. Elna, are your shoulders bothering you?
Yes. I wonder if I can find a gentleman anywhere who'll rub my shoulders...
I'll rub your shoulders if you'll sit on me again.
All right... if you can satisfy me, that is.
Get Creative and create the Shoulder Rub skill!
Skill Shoulder Rub
LP needed to Get Creative:
How's that?
Is this it? Is this the spot?
Y-Yes! Right there!
Meeting in progress, do not enter!
You're too good! Harder!
After that, she sat on me a bunch, and I gained a ton of LP.
Next time, "The Untainted Cleric."
#04 "The Untainted Cleric"