Chapter - 7

While wondering if it was a mistake to accept the invitation to have tea, Ikki entered the student council room with Stella.

And he was astonished.

The place had become beautiful as if the room had been completely replaced by an entirely different one. The books that had been scattered everywhere were now all put away in the bookshelf, and the floor had been polished to the point that his face was reflecting off of it. The cleanliness and hidden antique style of the refined furnishings, it gave the sense that the space was a room from a Western castle. It was quite admirable that they could clean up this much in just a few minutes.

However, Ikki whose eyes were sharp had noticed it.

Umm, wait a sec. The closet over there looks like it's bulging in a weird way.

And in front of that door, Saijou was planted there looking like a Jizou statue, which might mean―

…Yep, let's pretend I didn't see that.

He gently ignored the lid sealing that hellish pot, and Ikki and Stella accepted that recommendation and sat down on the sofa in the middle of the room, gathering around the same table as the student council members.

After that, Renren with her light brown skin sat toward them and gave a friendly, cheerful smile and spoke.

"Kurogane-kun, it's been a while. It looks like you haven't had any trouble winning continuously after beating me, huh?"

"Yes, I've been pressing on somehow."

Following that exchange, Kanata greeted Stella with a gentle smile. Beneath the brim of her hat, blue eyes peeked out for the first time.

"It's been a while for us too, Stella-san. You met me at the restaurant, yes?"

"Yes. Though I didn't think that the day would come that I'd be called to this room."

"Toutokubara-san. Please serve tea to the both of them."

"Certainly."

"Ah, Kanata, I'd like some too."

"Kanata-sempai! I wanna eat some madeleines!"

"You two bad children will go without afternoon snacks today."

"Wha-What are you saying!"

"You're so mean, Touka! If we don't get afternoon snacks, why would we come to the student council room!?"

"It's because you're student council officers, right!?"

Touka raised her voice in a scream. The student council president's life was summarized by that retort.

To Touka who was wildly gasping for breath from that strain, Saijou who was holding back the closet seemed to give her a grave look and spoke with an admiring voice.

"But it's just like the president. The job was quick, finding helpers for the thing we were talking about. It was a good selection too. If it's these two, their combat ability is nothing to complain about.

Combat ability? Helpers?

Ikki and Stella came to attention and tilted their heads at the words with a suddenly dangerous atmosphere. Those words, they hadn't heard them from Touka even once. They shifted their eyes to Touka to ask what he was saying.

"Yes?"

Touka herself also sported a puzzled face as if asking what this was about.

Saijou looked baffled by this response.

"Umm, was I wrong? I thought that had to be the reason for such unusual guests."

"What's this, Touka? It can't be that you forgot about it? Look, didn't the board chairman make the request?"

"Something Kurono-san requested… ah, aaaaahhh!"

At that moment, Touka screamed with a paled face.

"Oh my, did you really forget about it? Even though I also thought that was surely the reason you brought those two here."

"…Au, yes. I was concentrating on the match with Shizuku-san and forgot…."

"Umm, what are you all talking about?"

Stella, who was sitting next to Ikki, asked that of Touka who was greatly troubled and downhearted. The one who answered wasn't Touka, but Toutokubara while she poured black tea for everyone.

"A few days ago, the student council received a favor from Board Chairman Shinguuji. Although representative contenders usually lodge together before the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival at a training camp in Okutama, recently there has been a suspicious person appearing there."

"It's not quiet, then."

"Yes. Confirming the safety of that place just in case has been left to the student council, because the teachers are currently very busy with administering the Selection Battles. …However, there are high mountains and wide forests at the boarding house grounds, and the student council alone are not at all sufficient to cover it."

"I see. So you're saying you need helpers for the outside areas?"

It seemed that it wasn't just the teachers who were busy with the large-scale Selection Battles.

"Incidentally, what kind of character is that suspicious person? Is there any information?"

"Yes, these is some, but―"

Toutokubara hesitated for a moment, but answered.

"It seems it is a giant with a height of four meters."

"Huh!?"

"G-Giant!?"

"Yes, giant. Not the professional baseball team, you know?"

"I know."

"And also not at all, All Ha●shin-san's partner, you know?"

"I know. I mean, I'm surprised that Toutokubara-san knows of him."

"H-Hey, this thing about a giant, is that true!?"

Suddenly, Stella leaned forward and bit into the abruptly nonsensical topic.

"You're really getting into that, huh Stella."

"B-But! A giant! That's a cryptid, you know! Isn't it intriguing?"

The scarlet pupils of the girl who was speaking were sparkling entirely like a young child. To that response from Stella, Renren agreed as if she had just found a comrade.

"Hey! Stella-chan likes that sort of thing!"

"Since I learned Japanese from Kawag●chi Hiroshi Tankentai DVDs, I love them!"

What a staggering place to get into Japan, this imperial princess…!

Though unlike Ikki who felt a bit conflicted, Renren seemed to have found a kindred spirit in Stella.

"Ooh! Stella-chan, tell me about it!"

"That might be almost―"

"Vice president, we can't go further into that."

"Hey, hey Ikki! Since Touka-san also looks troubled, let's cooperate! I want to see a giant!"

Stella shook Ikki's shoulder while her eyes sparkled.

Frankly, Ikki wasn't curious about some giant, but―he was someone who reaped the benefit of the Selection Battle system that was making the student council busy. So the idea of cooperating with them felt like an obligation. Therefore he acknowledged it immediately.

"If that's what you're talking about, then as a student I'll happily cooperate."

"R-Really!?"

To Ikki and Stella's ready consent, Touka's face that had been troubled and depressed regained its vitality.

"The boarding house is also an institution for students, right? If our help is enough―"

"It's more than enough! Thank you so much, really! You're very much saving us!"

Speaking with a lively voice, Touka offered a handshake that expressed her feelings of gratitude. But―

*Grab!*

The hand that Touka was extending to Ikki was intercepted by Stella. Making up for Ikki, Stella shook Touka's hand enthusiastically.

"Best regards, best regards."

"Eh? Ah, yes, my best regards as well."

Thus Ikki and Stella made plans to go next weekend with the student council members to Okutama.