“Sit down.”

Yuto answered after looking up at Aizen for a moment. Aizen took a seat without hesitation.

The looks around them changed. Students who had merely been stealing glances from a distance now craned their necks to stare. House Carte of the Kingdom of Ristal was a martial family renowned for three generations. Its legitimate heir had asked a pauper’s permission to sit at his table. Their reaction was only natural.

“You passed too. What place?”

“Second,” Aizen replied. Ignoring the menu on the table entirely, he stared straight at Yuto’s face. “I came out about an hour after you passed.”

“That took longer than I expected.”

“Everyone kept avoiding me,” Aizen said with a frown. “If I’d been the one being hunted, like you, I could have gotten out sooner.”

Yuto had meant nothing of the sort, but apparently his remark had wounded Aizen’s pride.

‘He hasn’t changed.’

Yuto smiled. He had known Aizen Carte in his previous life as well. They had seen each other in every class at Maria Academy. Even then, Aizen had been proud, his competitive spirit flaring whenever he lost the top spot in their year.

Their connection had continued after graduation. Aizen had become a general of the Kingdom of Ristal and led the vanguard in the war against Eclipse.

‘We drifted quite far apart after graduating.’

In truth, they had never been close friends even at the academy. Yuto had been the king of Belkain then, and his only friend had been Shiro, the king of Ristal. Aizen was a marquess of Ristal, so there had been a difference in their stations.

Yuto himself had not cared about such things, but Aizen had. At least at the academy they had exchanged casual conversation and enjoyed a friendly rivalry. After graduating and returning to their respective stations, however, they had spoken only of official matters at war councils.

Yet their lack of intimacy had not meant a lack of trust or respect. Aizen had respected Yuto as the king of a nation, and Yuto had trusted Aizen as a courageous general.

In his previous life, Aizen had died in the war against the Eclipse member Crimson Ringmistress.

“I wasn’t trying to hurt your pride.”

Setting aside the grief and sense of loss he had felt then, Yuto spoke.

“I just thought someone with your skills would get out sooner.”

“Did it never occur to you that I might fail?”

“Not once. You’re strong.”

The furrow between Aizen’s brows disappeared. In the end, the boy before Yuto was only fifteen, and his emotions showed quite plainly.

“It’s because you went too far.” Aizen shrugged. “You wiped out twenty students by yourself. Everyone underestimated you because they were so focused on the fact that you had no constellation.”

Yet even Yuto, whom they had dismissed, had swept aside twenty students and become the first to pass the entrance exam.

“That made the students cautious. Instead of hunting the top candidates, they switched to hunting other students to build up their scores.”

The fact that Yuto had passed with an overwhelming score despite having no constellation had led the students to conclude that hunting the highest-ranked candidates was impossible.

Aizen, moreover, was a noble contracted to a constellation, and he had ostentatiously projected a powerful one in the auditorium. To the other students, he was an immense force of violence to be avoided, and the sky of the virtual space even displayed his location. With so many students deliberately keeping away from him, it was inevitable that passing had taken longer than he expected.

“Ah, I’ve neglected to introduce myself.”

Aizen turned his gaze to Levian.

“My name is Aizen Carte.”

This was the academy, where Aizen was a first-year and Levian a second-year. As befitted a noble from a distinguished family, he placed great importance on etiquette.

“I’m Levian Marigold.”

Levian accepted his greeting with a gentle smile. Then Aizen looked toward Elun, who sat beside Yuto.

“Is that girl... your younger sister, the one who enrolled as Princess Shirin’s attendant?”

“That’s right. Her name is Elun.”

Yuto introduced her on her behalf. Elun regarded Aizen with an indifferent expression, and his eyes narrowed under her gaze. A stickler for etiquette, he clearly did not much like her attitude.

“My sister is very shy around strangers. She doesn’t like nobles, either.”

“Why does she dislike nobles?”

“Do you know any paupers who like them?”

“Hmm.”

Aizen’s brows twitched again.

“You said you came from the slums of the Kingdom of Ristal. I don’t know which nobles mistreated you, but I am not like those who neglect their duties.”

“Duties?”

“Those of noble blood must always prove the nobility of that blood.” Conviction filled Aizen’s voice. “We must share the gold in our hands, lend our strength to the weak, and protect them. That is a noble’s duty.”

“A fine statement of principle,” Yuto said with a chuckle.

“It isn’t a statement of principle. It’s my creed. For three generations, Carte’s swords have served to protect the weak. My grandfather did so, as did my father, and so will I.”

Those were no empty words. Aizen’s eyes were earnest, and Yuto knew that earnestness was genuine. In his previous life, too, Aizen had been a man who proved a noble’s duty through his conduct and his sword rather than merely reciting it.

That was why Aizen had always led the vanguard. He always stood where the danger was greatest, and more often than not, that place was at Yuto and Shiro’s side.

And that was how Aizen had died on the battlefield.

“It’s an admirable creed.”

Yuto meant it. He even tempered his tone lest Aizen mistake it for sarcasm.

“But I’m not one of the weak you need to protect as a noble. I was when I lived in the slums, but not anymore.”

“I know that. You’re strong. Strong enough to make differences in status irrelevant.”

Aizen glanced at Elun.

“But your sister’s rudeness needs correcting. Now that she is Princess Shirin’s attendant, her disrespect reflects directly on Her Highness’s honor.”

“She’ll improve in time.”

Yuto glanced at Elun as he answered. She was pouting, plainly displeased with Aizen’s scolding, while Levian nodded as though he could not have been more right.

“In any case... my point is that I’m different from the nobles you know. I would rather you didn’t let prejudice make you dislike me.”

“Sounds like you want to be friends.”

“To be honest, I do.”

“Even though I’m a pauper, not a noble?”

It was a somewhat teasing question, but Aizen’s expression did not waver.

“Being born a pauper doesn’t mean you must remain one forever. You’ve already missed your chance to contract with a constellation, but with your abilities, you will surely become a noble someday. Then your descendants, unlike you, will be born into nobility.”

Aizen looked steadily at Yuto as he spoke.

“You know the suffering of the poor and despise nobles who fail to live up to their station. Someday, you’ll make an excellent noble—one who fulfills his duties and knows how to use his strength for others.”

“Is that why you want to be friends with me?”

“Because you’re strong.”

Aizen’s eyes stirred.

“So strong that it’s hard to believe you haven’t contracted with a constellation. I don’t just mean your score. I felt it when I saw the place where you fought. To be honest... I almost regret backing away without fighting you.”

In the virtual space, Aizen had avoided fighting Yuto. He had held little confidence in victory, and his first priority there had been passing the exam.

“Where did you learn swordsmanship?”

“I never had any special instruction. I struggled to make a living, then struggled to survive. Somewhere along the way, all that struggling made me strong.”

“Impressive...”

Murmuring under his breath, Aizen clenched and unclenched his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked:

“I’d like to cross swords with you.”

“That would be a problem.”

Aizen’s brows twitched at the reply.

“Why? Do you not want to spar with me?”

“I’m hungry right now.”

Yuto chuckled. Aizen went blank. After blinking several times, he belatedly remembered that they were in the middle of the communal dining hall, and that it was dinnertime.

“We don’t have to do it today.”

Yuto looked down at the menu again as he continued. Rather than keeping it to himself, he slid it sideways so Elun and Flokiro could see as well.

“We’ve both enrolled as first-years. We’ll end up sparring whether you want to or not, in the academy’s practical classes.”

“That’s... true.”

His eagerness to compete had apparently made him impatient. Thinking he had been rude, Aizen composed himself. Glancing at him, Yuto asked:

“What about you? Don’t you want something to eat?”

“Not particularly, at the moment.”

Aizen shook his head with a wry smile.

“Even if it was a virtual space, killing dozens of people has left me without an appetite.”

“You make me sound strange for being hungry.”

But he really was hungry, and there was nothing to be done about that. Yuto selected several dishes from the menu and placed his order before asking:

“Why did you kill your partner?”

“Before meeting me, he was killing another student.”

Aizen clicked his tongue.

“The fight was already decided, but instead of finishing his opponent off, he was tormenting them. Stabbing them with his sword, over and over.”

“...”

“The exam’s format might have been suitable for assessing ability... but personally, I found it repulsive. What did you think?”

“I agree it was repulsive. But it was what our illustrious constellations wanted, wasn’t it?”

Yuto twisted his lips in a sneer.

“The constellations took control of the students who attacked me. They came at me screaming for me to kill them. Did nothing like that happen to you?”

“It... didn’t.”

“What do you think of that?”

Aizen considered the question in silence for a moment before speaking.

“Not every constellation is good and righteous. Among the countless stars in the sky, there must be some that care nothing for humans, put their own pleasure first... and trample and mock frail human beings.”

“Perhaps so.”

“As I said, Carte’s swords have served to protect the weak. If what you say about the constellations’ interference is true... then by my standards, that is evil. It is wrong.”

“If you truly believe that, you’ll have to turn your sword on the constellations.”

Yuto watched Aizen as though testing him. Though he had posed the question, he already knew how Aizen would answer.

“If evil stands before me, I must cut it down.”

Aizen’s expression was firm as he answered. Even here, in the middle of a dining hall watched by countless students, with the constellations’ gazes so close, he did not bend his convictions. Smiling, Yuto offered him his hand.

“You really are different from the nobles I know.”

Aizen looked at Yuto’s hand for a moment, then gave a small smile and shook it. Before long, the dishes Yuto had ordered arrived. At the sight of them, Aizen stood.

“I’ve said what I came to say, so I’ll be going. I don’t want to interrupt your meal.”

“Aizen.”

Picking up his utensils, Yuto looked up at him.

“I like your creed.” He smiled. “Nobles who prove it through their actions instead of merely reciting it are rare.”

Aizen’s stiff expression softened, and he shrugged.

“I merely spoke of my rightful duties.”

With that, Aizen turned and left the dining hall in long strides, utterly unconcerned by the eyes upon him. Yuto smiled as he watched him go.

‘I think Aizen and I will be closer in this life.’

In his previous life, they had never had a conversation like this at such a young age. As Yuto watched Aizen’s retreating back, Elun grumbled beside him.

“I don’t like him. How dare he order me about and lecture me as though I need educating?”

“He wasn’t wrong about anything, though.”

Levian giggled.

“But honestly, I am surprised. Nobles ought to fulfill their duties, of course, but few proclaim them quite so boldly. He’s impressive.”

“Shall I call him back if you want to get to know him better? Even if he doesn’t eat with us, you could talk some more.”

“There’s... there’s no need to go that far.”

Clearing her throat, Levian tucked a napkin around her neck.

“I made plans to eat with you, Yuto, not with Aizen.”

The truth was that she did not want this time together interrupted.