Chapter - 18

There, Oreki heard all about the incident between Ayase and Ikki, which occurred last night. That Ayase called Ikki out. After calling him out, how she jumped down from the roof to reduce Ikki's strength. About how he broke the school building using his ability to save her.

"Su-Such a thing happened…?"

If this story was true then it would be a red card. Expulsion would be bit far-fetched, but this act would definitely remove her from matches.

"Bu-But how do you know that she will cheat in the match?"

"…When she severed the fence she was not doing anything, but I definitely heard the sound of a long sword in that moment. By deducing from that, though I don't know the exact mechanism behind it, I think Ayatsuji-san's ability is positioning slashes at various places, which can be fired off randomly. If she has that kind of ability then it won't be a mistake to assume that she has probably placed traps all over the sixth training ground where the match is going to take place today. After all, she tried to fake a suicide to kill my trump card, and for sure, she will use any means necessary to defeat me in the match."

"Well of course, for someone who did such a thing, I don't think she will use fair play in the essential match…. Mu mu mu~ but attempted suicide and obstruction… those are, in fact, big problems you know."

"But, with just my testimony it won't count as proof, right?"

"Yeah. Sensei trusts Kurogane-kun, but due to my own circumstances I won't be able to move with just a testimony. But, I got the big picture. Sensei will be on the lookout, too. If I find any signs of foul play I'll stop the match immediately. So you can relax now, Kurogane-kun."

"No, please don't call off the match for foul play."

Blood gushed out from Oreki's nose again. Oreki, while feeling anemic and extremely dizzy, blocked her nose with tissue and asked Ikki.

"Eh? What, what do you mean? I completely don't understand what you're saying!? Then, why did you tell me about this here and now?"

"If you asked me about the reason why I broke the school building, I'd have no choice but to tell you. Furthermore, even if Oreki-sensei didn't hear this from me you would have probably noticed Ayatsuji-san's foul play, and when you did, you would stop the match immediately. But… I don't want you to stop the match."

"Why!? If foul play really does occur, then Kurogane-kun will win by default due to Ayatsuji-san's forfeit. You do understand how important it is to win just a single match in this representative selection contest, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. If I don't remain undefeated, I probably won't be selected as a representative."

"Yes, to be blunt, from your current development, if you don't attain a complete victory you won't be selected as the representative. You understand that, and yet you wish for me not to call off the match for foul play?"

"Yes, please don't, Sensei."

Oreki couldn't comprehend it, because Ikki should be craving for victory more than anyone. Oreki knew Ikki from the time when he took his entrance exam, since she was the one responsible for his entrance exam. She had never seen a student with as strong a determination and sense of purpose as Ikki's.

Oreki was greatly saddened because someone like him had wasted an entire year because of the irrationality of the world of adults. Then, the school system had changed and he had finally gotten an equal chance this year. He should want to win even if he had to use underhanded methods. Despite that, why was he lowering his head for someone who broke the ultimate taboo as a knight against him?

"…Won't you tell me the reason?"

"Because I want to believe."

"…You want to believe?"

"Yes…. I had always been thinking from the time I met her during midnight. As a friend told me, if I cut my ties with her here and now, I'll surely win the match due to her foul play. But would that really be alright? I thought again and again but I couldn't find an answer… but I understood one thing clearly."

"What is it?"

"My feeling that I don't want to cut ties with her…. That is why I thought I will believe until the very end that Ayatsuji-san has been cornered by something and due to that she has lost sight of herself."

Ikki knew. Whenever she got closer to her father's sword by a slight margin she would merry around happily like a small child. Ikki knew that smile of Ayase. Ayase's words from her saying how she loved his hands which had roughened from wielding a shinai. He could not believe all of that was a lie.

"That's why I've decided. I would believe the usual Ayatsuji-san and not the one I saw last night."

When people are desperate they become blinder than they think, to the point where they lose sight of themselves. Ikki knew that because he had experienced it himself. And the only thing that could save people like that were words from someone they held dear.

That was why, if Ayase was like him who, at the time, was not able to hear the cries of his own heart due to being too desperate, then―

"I want to help her. That's why, Sensei, please allow me this last chance to confirm her true intentions."

…Good grief, there is no knight who will be able to refuse after hearing something like that.

Always be with justice. Be honest even against your enemy. An ideal self that everyone aiming to be knights dream about.

Oreki was the same, that is why she accepted Ikki's request. Of course she saw through Ayase's foul play at the first glance but she didn't call off the match., because she had decided to leave the match and the heart of the lone girl to him.

She would not interfere. Oreki silently watched over Ikki.

Do help her, your precious friend―

To be frank, everything was in the palm of Ikki's hand from the start. He already knew there were traps set all over the ring. He had already seen through the fact that she did not want to prolong this battle. That was the reason Ikki jumped towards the slashes of his own free will to make her go on the offensive, aiming for a decisive battle.

All of that… was to talk with Ayase through clashing their swords.

I should have done this from the start.

Ikki smiled bitterly at his own foolishness.

Ah yes, that's right, there is no way a man like him, who couldn't even recognize the feelings of the one closest to him, his lover, for an entire month, could ever understand Ayase with words alone. In the end, he only had the sword. He could only understand the true feelings of other people through the sword.

But, now, with certainty, Ikki saw Ayase's true feelings.

"I am glad…. As I expected, Ayatsuji-san is how I imagined you to be."

"…What do you mean?"

"I meant, Ayatsuji-san was not someone who could act like nothing happened after doing something wrong."

"…I was wondering what you'd say… ahahaha. After being beaten to a pulp, you sure have some nerve to say such nonsense. Isn't this a bit too much? No matter what, aren't you being too much of a nice guy?"

Ayase glared into Ikki's eyes, talking and scorning in the same manner as she did last night on the rooftop. But―

"It's not nonsense."

Ikki wouldn't be deceived by that false expression anymore, because swords didn't lie.

"Your sword play, steps, rhythm, breathing, every single thing is messed up. Forget about what I taught you, you aren't even able to perform what you already knew from before. Even the execution of a counter, which is your specialty, is shaky. That's why it was parried with such ease. You can't deceive your soul no matter how much you try to make yourself look bad in your head. Swordsmanship is made up of heart, technique, and body. There won't be any real power in a sword if your heart wavers…. Ayatsuji-san, you're a proud person, more so than you think yourself."

"I-It's nothing like that!"

Upon Ikki's deduction, Ayase suddenly raised the volume in her voice.

"I am not wavering! I experienced it two years ago! It doesn't matter how proudly you fight. If you lose, everything will be over! There is no meaning in mere pretty words that won't bring any results! Because you can't protect if you don't win! That's why I'll use any means necessary to win! No matter what methods I have to use I'll win, and take everything back!"

Rather than being a rebuttal against Ikki, those were words meant to persuade herself. Ikki understood that. By becoming that desperate she was closing her ears to the scream of her heart. Just like his past self.

"…Then, there is only one thing left for me to do."

That was to let her hear the scream of her own heart. That was the only thing to do now. That's why Ikki pointed the tip of Intetsu towards Ayase.

"With my weakest I'll make you regain your pride."

So he declared.