Arriving at the academy

Ok this is a problem'.

I hadn't noticed his appearance due to the mountain of food that didn't let me see much, and because of the heat of the competition I just concentrated on eating.

While Noah was in a daze Samantha's voice brought him back to reality.

"Emm are you okay?"

"Y-yeah... sorry I was just... digesting the food, yeah that's it."

After giving that excuse he squeezed the outstretched hand and introduced himself.

"I'm Noah."

Well, let's just wing it as the situation progresses, just because I talk to her once doesn't mean I automatically get sucked into the main story right....right?

"Hmm, your grip is firm do you use the sword?"

"Yes, I practice a sword technique."

Samantha Lionheart, one of the main heroines of the novel, her family has the number 8 ranked guild in the human realm, a skilled melee fighter, with a cheerful personality that exudes youth.

Just by touching a person's hand she can tell if they use daggers, swords, spears or bows, she can also measure the strength of an individual when she touches their hand, the problem is....

"You are strong, how about if-"

"I refuse."

"Huh?"

That she is a fight addict that when she meets someone strong she immediately asks for a duel. In fact she ended up falling in love with the protagonist after repeatedly losing to him.

"But you didn't listen to what I was going to ask."

"You were going to ask for a duel, weren't you?"

"Yes, do you accept..."

"I refuse."

Samantha was clearly surprised, no one had ever refused a duel against her so directly, when she asked for a duel the person usually accepted to try to impress her or to show their skill to the Lionheart guild and earn a place among their ranks.

"Can you at least tell me the reason?"

"I just ate too much, if I participate in a duel I might throw up."

"Then when you finish digesting your food you can-"

"After eating I get sleepy so I'll be sleeping."

"So when you wake up-"

"When I wake up I get hungry so I'm going to eat again."

"...Then after-"

"After that I'll go back to sleep."

"Arghhhh!"

Samantha was getting frustrated by the excuses Noah was spouting, which weren't really excuses but his actual routine, but when he came into this world he had to change it drastically so he could get into A class and continue lounging around without a care in the world. But she had no way of knowing that.

"Why are you so hell-bent on avoiding a duel with me!!!?"

"I already told you the-"

"There's no way a person with those hands would have such a deplorable lifestyle!"

Samantha had already met more people on the cruise, and of all the people Noah was the strongest by far. And from his hands with a firm grip she could confirm that he trained regularly and intensely.

He couldn't understand why such a person would act that way.

"Heh, are you afraid I'll hit you too hard?"

As a desperate measure, she tried to provoke him to accept the duel, but Noah with the same lethargic face and calm tone answered without hesitation.

"Yes, that's why."

"Uh..?"

"I mean, you're Samantha Lionheart, daughter of the owner of guild number 8 of the human realm, someone who from a young age has been able to defeat active heroes in combat, one of the geniuses of this generation and future S-rank, who wouldn't be afraid of such an opponent?"

"Eh, well yes, but-"

"Then bye."

Like a snake Noah slithered through the crowd at high speed and went to his bedroom.

Samantha was left alone and stunned at what had just happened.

'Was she really afraid of me?'

No, impossible.

When it came to analyzing the opponent's movements no one had a sharper eye than Samantha, the person who just left now had no sign of being afraid as she spoke.

"It was more like the situation was annoying him and he wanted to leave as soon as possible."

A smile appeared on Samantha's face and the air around her changed.

"Noah, I will definitely get him to agree to a duel with me."

Noah had unknowingly piqued the interest of one of the heroines by trying to avoid her, but he couldn't be aware of this as he was sound asleep.

.

.

After that encounter Samantha always looked for Noah to challenge him to a duel and would not leave his side until he accepted, but Noah either made an excuse or simply ignored her and let her follow him.

This went on for 2 days before they knew it they had become friends.

"Noah, have a duel with me!"

"I can't now, I'm eating!"

Samantha yelled at the top of her lungs but Noah just ignored her and continued eating his candy.

"...What flavor are they?"

"Orange!"

She said popping another candy into her mouth.

"...Can I have some?"

Samantha asked with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Only if you stop asking me to duel for the rest of the day."

"Sigh~ okay."

Samantha sat down next to Noah and he handed her a piece of candy.

"We're going to make it to the academy today."

Samanta said as she held the candy in her mouth.

"It took a lot longer than I thought it would."

In the novel it was never detailed how long the trip took, it only said that the students were transported by cruise ship to the academy.

"Well the academy is practically in the center of all the kingdoms so that was to be expected."

The academy is located on an artificial island that was created by the headmaster of the academy 700 years ago, its location is perfect, it is close to all the realms but far away from the land of demons, that's why the other races have no problem sending their greatest talents to the Norva academy.

No kingdom has the authority to interfere in the academy, and even if they tried the director would not allow it, but of course, this is a novel. Even if that academy is literally the safest place in the world, it will be the center of many misfortunes caused by demons and their allies.

"What class are you aiming for Noah? I plan to enter class A, surely there will be super strong people gathered in that place?"

"I'm aiming for A class too."

"Really? But I thought you didn't like getting into trouble and well, doing things in general?"

"In the academy the law of the strongest rules, if I get into class A the others will know that I'm strong, then they won't bother me and I can sleep as much as I want, besides, the rooms of class A students are the best, so the beds must be super comfy."

"...Does your brain only work to figure out how to sleep better?"

"You were with me for 2 days and now you figured it out?"

"No actually I already had a slight feeling."

During the 2 days that Samantha has been after Noah to ask him for a duel, she always found him sleeping in strange places, on the floor, on top of a table, inside a closet and his body is so small and flexible that once she found him sleeping inside a drawer where only a 5 year old child could fit.

While they were talking, a message from the academy staff was heard.

-We are near Norva Island, please pack your things and get ready to leave shortly.

"Looks like we're here."

"Yes."

Samantha got up and headed to her room but turned to me and said.

"You'd better get into A class."

"What do you take me for?"

"Hahahaha, I hope I can meet you at the test".

With those last words Samantha went to her room.

"It's about time eh"

The test that will decide the fate of thousands of students, where the main characters meet and the beginning of the novel, is about to begin