Chapter - 10

It was a small distance to the mountain shack, and by the time they finally managed to arrive there, both Ikki and Stella were completely soaked.

There, Ikki raised a fire in the shack's sunken fireplace in order to dry their clothes. And while he fed the fire with the stored firewood, he used the student datapad's telephone function to get in touch with Kanata who was standing by at the training camp lodge.

「Stella-san collapsed?」

"Yes. At the moment, I've carried her to a shack nearby to take shelter."

「Oh my…. How bad is it?」

"I think it's probably just a bad cold, but a doctor should still examine her."

"I understand. I'll send for a rescue immediately."

"That'll really help. Also, about the giant we were looking for, we found footprints that look to come from such a thing. What's more, there were signs that something gigantic came out of the earth. It might be that the giant is underground."

"Underground… is it? We're suddenly talking about something unbelievable like a gigantic creature underground, but… alright, I understand. We'll take over investigating those traces. The two of you should stay in the mountain shack, and please rest and wait for the rescue personnel. I believe they will arrive in an hour or two. The outside is becoming extremely cold, so please don't forget to dry off."

"Yes. Please take care of the investigation for us."

Ending the telephone call, Ikki threw the last of the firewood onto the fire. Because he did so, the inside of the room became much warmer.

"Great. Now our clothes can dry."

Ikki stripped off his dripping clothes, leaving only his trousers, and spread them near the sunken fireplace. After that, he turned his back to the partition with difficulty, and called out to Stella who was still breathing poorly.

"Stella, you should undress too. You might think it's embarrassing, but if you stay like that your cold will get worse."

"…Alright."

Stella and Ikki were a couple, but that relationship had only just recently reached the level of kissing. For Stella, she was certainly reluctant to reveal her bare skin to her sweetheart. But she didn't complain. She meekly took off her soaked jacket, and reached for the clasp of her skirt.

Stella understood. This wasn't the time to be obstinate. She had to make sure her physical condition didn't get worse. For both Ikki and Stella, it was a critical stage. They were fighting in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival selection battles that were limited to only six winners. If her cold worsened due to her spirit going down, the cherished promise between them would be finished.

That vow to meet in the Sword-Art Festival finals. That was the most important thing. Stella wasn't a girl who'd confuse that priority.

But….

"Ah."

"Stella!"

When she tried to step out of her skirt, Stella's body tumbled down. With her body in such poor shape for the first time in her life, Stella didn't know how much it had worsened, didn't know that the effects were so huge, she didn't even have the strength left to remove her own clothes. Ikki, who caught her on his chest before she fell to the ground, also recognized that.

The temperature he felt through her clothes, it had grown higher since the last time. Stella's condition was worsening by the moment. He didn't want her to do anything unreasonable, any more than this. Therefore Ikki boldly suggested something to Stella.

"Stella, those clothes, should I help you out of them?"

To that suggestion, Stella opened her scarlet eyes wide. Of course she did. Even though she was already embarrassed by the idea of showing her skin, to have Ikki take off her clothes? That kind of thing was absolutely out of the question.

―But Stella….

"…Sure… please do."

She instantly nodded her head just a little. Ikki was just as embarrassed, but he forced himself to make the suggestion. He was earnestly worried about Stella's body. It wasn't like Stella didn't understand that. That was why she decided to entrust her body to Ikki.

And Ikki also realized again that Stella was setting aside her own concern, and strongly cautioned himself.

I have to hold it together.

Stella was setting aside her own concern, suppressing her own embarrassment, and accepting his suggestion. In that case, it was out of the question for him to be strangely conscious of the situation and stir up her own shame. Right now, he was the only one who could help Stella. So that she wouldn't experience any embarrassment, he'd strip her clothes off quickly and professionally. Having any guilty thoughts was forbidden.

Okay.

After warning himself strongly, Ikki steeled his resolution and reached out for Stella's clothes. He'd start with the stockings that were clinging to her skin. Having them glued to the skin like that, the wetness was probably unpleasant. Thinking that, Ikki unfastened the garter belt that the stockings were attached to, inserted a finger into the space between one stocking and Stella's thigh, and slowly rolled the stocking down.

Under the rolled-down black cloth, a dazzling white bare foot came into view. A calf with muscle developed by extensive exercise, from thigh to toe it was unlike the gourd shape of the Japanese who did agriculture, but a thin and straight form characteristic of a people who did hunting. Seeing this shape in Stella's long and supple legs, Ikki couldn't avoid having bad thoughts about the beauty of those legs even though he tried to gulp down the saliva in his mouth.

Moreover, those white and lovely feet being exposed were at his own fingertips. There was no way he could avoid being conscious of that. And since Stella's beautifully polished toenails were lined up with his fingers, at the time he rolled the wet stockings, Ikki felt an intense numbness running between his brain and spine, and realized the naivete of his own intentions.

…There's no way I can stay professional about this kind of thing.

If it was some other girl, Ikki might've been been able to stay disciplined. But this was the girl he loved most. That beloved girl's clothing, he was taking them off piece by piece with his own hands. It's not like he did something so sensual very often. Moreover, every time he exposed Stella's skin a little, a sweet fragrance rose up from her naked body and tickled his nose. Only by removing the stockings from both legs, Ikki's heart was already thumping so strongly that it was about to explode. With him like this already, would he be able to take off her shirt?

"But….

Ikki peeked a fleeting glance of Stella's expression. The color of Stella's face was so red that it could burst into flame at any moment. Her eyes were wet, and undoubtedly not just because her body was risking a fever.

I can't show any unreliablity right now.

"Stella, relax a little more."

Ikki, so that the he wouldn't agitate Stella's shame, spoke while smiling.

"O-Okay…."

In giving that reply, Stella wasn't very firm. Well, that was natural. She must've been at least this embarrassed with Ikki being so close to take off her clothing. It would be unreasonable to tell her to relax. In that case, there was little he could do but quickly release Stella from this situation.

Realizing this, Ikki took the button of Stella's shirt in his hand. And starting from the bottom of her neck, he undid the buttons one by one without touching her skin. It was hard to pinch the buttons of the shirt that had become damp from soaking up rainwater and were now clinging tightly to the distinctly plump shapes of Stella's breasts, but to avoid being in any way rough, he made sure to stay careful. Deliberate. And so he unwrapped Stella's chest.

After he unfastened the bottom button, Ikki took the shirt collar in his hands. And somehow opened the shirt. He pulled off the damp shirt that resisted the motion, exposing Stella's shoulder as if pulling away a veil that concealed her skin.

Her breath and throat moved together alluringly. Her lace brassiere held her large breasts tightly. A young woman's softness above a white belly squirmed greedily and contracted a little with each breath, despite how well-trained her body was.

From the slippery rain and the cold sweat of her fever, Stella's entire body glistened. That sensual brilliance….

*Foom* Something in Ikki's brain became charred. His throat became dry in an instant. Ikki was immediately compelled to kiss that sweetly fragrant flesh, to touch it with his tongue, to nibble it gently, to quench his thirst on that fresh moisture.

But Ikki suppressed all of that compulsion with his reason. What was he thinking while his precious Stella was suffering? He struck down those intentions that were bubbling up, and mustered his self control. If he didn't do that, his emotions would erupt. But despite that….

"Umm, Ikki… undo the bra…."

Stella, who was in her underwear, said something unthinkable.

"Eh…!? What did you just say?"

"It's really hard to breathe…. Just unfasten the hook…."

She complained with rough breaths, and Stella's chest rose and fell heavily. Certainly, the brassiere that held her chest down might be painful for Stella. It was expected for a girl with big breasts. But….

Me, undo it?

He was strongly perplexed.

But Stella said that she was in pain, and he couldn't reply with reluctance. Since she asked him to do it, she had brought forth her intention.

"Y-Yeah… got it. Leave it to me."

Feigning as much calm as possible, Ikki nodded.

Stella's brassiere had a front hook. It was a model with a shoulder strap, so there was no way to remove the brassiere without unhooking the front.

In that case, it's fine. I won't look. It's fine. It's absolutely fine.

Ikki suggested that to himself, and inserted his finger into the hook, and unfastened it with a snap.

In an instant, Stella's breasts that had been held back literally sprang out.

The two massive orbs that rose up from below his hands bounced almost with a *boing*. It was a temptation more than enough to deal a fatal blow to Ikki's tattered reasoning.

But Ikki, anticipating it, had taken measures. In the instant he unhooked the front of the brassiere, he bit his own tongue so that he wouldn't look at Stella. That sharp pain blew away any wicked emotions, and successfully held his tattered reasoning together. And he, who got through the predicament….

What am I even fighting with here…?

His mood became somewhat miserable. He, who was putting on airs after desperately stifling himself at a girl's naked body. If he had more experience with girls, he'd probably behave with more dignity.

Even if I say that, it's too late for it.

Well anyway, he had to fulfill a man's minimum duty. Even while losing a grip on his innermost thoughts, he kept his self control, and without changing his expression, he calmly finished removing Stella's clothes. The shame he had inflicted on Stella, it surely ended up at the minimum level.

"N-Now, get under this blanket quickly. Since we're high in the mountains, it'll be cold."

Saying so, Ikki put a blanket included in the cabin's emergency supplies on Stella's shoulders. When he did so, Stella thanked him with a weak voice.

"Sorry… Ikki. For troubling you."

"It can't be helped if it's just a cold. Especially since it's your first time dealing with summer in Japan."

"It's also true, but… you looked like you were having a hard time…."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

Ikki became flustered. He must've kept his face from showing anything.

But Stella's gaze wasn't on Ikki's face. She was surprised, staring lower on his body with astonished eyes―exactly on Ikki's waist.

―He had a horribly unpleasant hunch.

"It… it became amazing.…"

Ikki, who presently laid his eyes on his own waist, realized that one section of his own body had not been calm.

"…oh."

This is bad….

It wasn't at the level that he could hide with a distraction. While the lower part of his body was in that condition, his face was quite ashamed. He wanted to die.

"A-Ahaha…. how do I explain this? It's something that happens to men, a part that moves unintentionally, and it would be a big help if you could overlook this happening right now."

As he expected, things became awkward, and Ikki mumbled his explanation while avoiding Stella's eyes. But to Ikki―

"Nn… don't apologize…."

Stella gently smiled with her face bathed in sweat.

"…It's… certainly embarrassing, but… but like I said at the pool, if it's you, I don't hate it…. Rather, I know you got excited because of me, and it makes me happy."

W-Wha….

Left dizzy and shaking wildly, Ikki fell prostrate on the spot.

It was probably her fever talking. Stella's state was different from the usual. Her eyebrows dropping from lack of strength and her damp eyes, they looked meek and fragile. He couldn't help but tell this girl how cute she was, hug her immediately, and kiss her.

But Stella turned her eyes to peek at him, and…

"Hey Ikki…"

…said something outrageous.

"…do you want to… do it with me?"