After finishing my early morning training and washing off a light sweat, Weiss and I headed to the dining hall attached to the dormitory. Perhaps because it was still early even after training, the dining hall was only moderately busy, making it a comfortable place to have breakfast.

"Uh, Claym-kun. This is…?"

"Food, obviously."

"All of this?"

"Yeah."

The Hero looked at the breakfast spread crammed onto the table and was left speechless. Even a conservative estimate would peg it at six servings. The dining hall staff had been equally surprised when I ordered it.

"Isn’t this too much?"

"You think so?"

As I prepared to start eating in high spirits, Weiss looked perplexed, so I decided to explain further.

"I’ve mentioned before that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You need to eat a lot to recharge. Plus, recovering magic power requires proper nutrition. The more you eat, the faster you recover, and the more your magic reserves grow."

"Even so, this amount is…"

Weiss looked pale just from staring at the array of dishes. I could sympathize. Asking someone to suddenly eat three servings for breakfast would be impossible for most people. But still, I needed him to eat as much as possible.

"Take your time, eat what you can. If you leave anything, I’ll finish it. Just don’t throw up—it’d be a waste."

"O-okay…"

Taking my words to heart, the Hero timidly began eating. It might be tough at first, but he’d get used to it eventually. Once this amount became normal for him, his growth rate would skyrocket.

"Urgh…"

"Endure it. This will become your strength, your very essence."

Encouraging him as he ate, I watched as Weiss gradually regained his color and began eating faster. Before I knew it, the mountain of dishes had dwindled down to empty plates.

--- He’s got incredible adaptability, I’ll give him that.

Even though it was just the first day, he was already adjusting. A typical person would never manage this. It had taken me a week to get used to this routine. As expected, the Hero’s potential is exceptional—my judgment was spot-on.

While I marveled at this internally, Weiss spoke up hesitantly.

"I… I don’t want to go to class."

His murmured words carried a clear trace of anxiety.

Given what happened yesterday, it was unlikely those guys would mess with Weiss again so soon. But you never know. Those typical nobles might try something again. It was only natural for him to feel uneasy, especially since he’d just started training and wasn’t yet confident in his self-defense abilities.

--- If that’s the case, he just needs to stay away from them.

"Then don’t go to class."

"That’s easy for you to say, but… skipping class isn’t that simple…"

Weiss seemed confused by my suggestion. Being a new student, he wasn’t the type to skip class casually. In that case…

"I’ll skip class with you. If you’re nervous about being alone, I’ll stay with you. I told you I’d help you as much as possible, didn’t I?"

If I skip as well, problem solved. He won’t feel guilty or anxious about skipping if we’re doing it together. But being the diligent Hero, Weiss naturally objected.

"Y-you can’t do that! I can’t drag you into this!"

"Relax, Weiss. Honestly, I just don’t want to attend class myself—I’d rather focus on training."

"That’s selfish!"

When I bluntly admitted my motives, Weiss gave a great reaction. It was amusing. Still, I issued him clear instructions.

"That’s the plan, so don’t worry about it. Just say you’re not feeling well and skip class. I’ll tell our homeroom teacher directly."

"Is it really okay to declare your intention to skip like that…?"

"Don’t worry. The advanced class is pretty lenient about this sort of thing."

The advanced class consists of students with exceptional abilities. While there are structured lessons, attendance is mostly optional, allowing students to pursue their areas of interest freely.

--- Well, most of my classmates are still diligently attending, given that the term just started.

Even for Weiss’s general class, skipping for a week wouldn’t be a big deal. He’d catch up easily—his growth would more than make up for any lost time. With that, I stood up and headed for the classroom. Before leaving, I added:

"Take a break until I get back. After that, we’ll train again."

"U-understood…"

Leaving those words behind, I exited the dining hall.

"So, I’m planning to skip class for a week."

"Sure, do as you like."

After parting ways with Weiss in the dining hall, I made my bold announcement to Volt-sensei in the morning homeroom. I expected some pushback but got an immediate, casual approval instead. The odd exchange caused a stir among the other students.

"Skipping for a week? What’s the deal, Clay?"

"That’s sudden, Clay."

"What’s going on, boss? If you’re skipping, then I’m skipping too!"

That was Freesia, His Highness, and Gaian chiming in. I ignored Gaian’s worsening way of addressing me—it felt best not to comment. Addressing their barrage of questions, I explained:

"You remember what happened yesterday, right?"

"Of course."

"Yes."

"My friend—the one they ganged up on? I’m going to train him. That’s why I’m skipping for a week."

"Why a week?" His Highness inquired.

"That’s the minimum time needed to develop basic self-defense skills."

"Fair enough…"

My brief explanation satisfied His Highness. It’s always helpful when someone smart catches on quickly. Freesia raised her hand next.

"If it’s training, I want to—"

"Sorry, not this time. I need to focus entirely on this, so I’ll pass for now."

"I see…"

I knew she’d insist on joining, being the battle maniac she is. While I wouldn’t mind her participation under normal circumstances, I had to set boundaries this time.

That should keep Gaian in check too. Having finished my explanation, I turned to leave the classroom, only for Volt-sensei to call out one last time.

"Do whatever you want, but don’t forget what I mentioned earlier. This applies to everyone."

"Got it."

I nodded earnestly at Volt-sensei’s reminder. Apparently, in a week, there’d be a joint training session for all first-year students. Not only that, but an impressive guest would be attending. It reminded me of a similar event from my first go-around at this time of year.

--- What perfect timing…

It was almost too good to be true. A perfect setup for revenge. I couldn’t help but feel this way.