Chapter - 10

It was evening on the final day of the combined training camp. In order to greet the students who were about to return, Hagun Academy instructor Yuuri Oreki was sweeping outside the main gate with a bamboo broom.

At that time, a female student in a jersey called out to her.

"Good evening, Oreki-sensei."

The voice coming over her shoulder, though it didn't startle her, had her remembering a third-year girl. It was a student from a selection battle that Oreki had supervised some time ago. Oreki dug up the girl's name from her memories, and returned the greeting.

"Oh my, good evening, Ayatsuji-san. *cough*"

"Thank you again for your help back then."

Ayatsuji gave her gratitude with her head bowed, speaking of that matter with the selection battle against Ikki Kurogane.

"I didn't do anything, you know? It was all Kurogane-kun doing his best."

"But Oreki-sensei, if you hadn't looked the other way while I was breaking the rules, I probably wouldn't be able to stand here now."

"That's also because Kurogane-kun spoke to me about it before hand. *cough* Since there was the matter about your father, I thought you'd definitely return home for the summer."

"I also intended to be with Father during his rehabilitation, but he kicked me out. 'Don't skip out on training during your growth period. I'll manage on my own.'—he said."

"Ha ha, he's the Last Samurai after all… right?"

"Well, he's been sleeping for two years. After waking up, he's been very energetic. I won't lose to him, so I've been out running just now."

"Yes, it's good dedication. I think your other teacher is working hard right now too, Ayatsuji-san."

Saying that, Oreki looked toward the clear sky to the north. Ayase also said "that's true" in a small voice, and stared at the same sky.

"Kurogane-kun is really amazing, huh? He even defeated the student council president in those circumstances."

"Indeed, right? Even I was a little bit surprised~"

"I heard gossip, but is it true that you were the one in charge of Kurogane-kun's entrance exam?"

"*Cough*… yes, it's true."

"Then Sensei, you had a really good eye, huh?"

Looking only at Ikki Kurogane's attributes, he was an F-rank. He didn't reach the eligibility cutoff for Hagun Academy. The fact that Ikki was in this school must have been due to Oreki's judgment. Thinking this way, Ayase praised Oreki.

However, Oreki shook her head with a somewhat apologetic expression.

"No, no, that's not it at all. The reality is I also rejected him."

"Is that so?"

Oreki nodded.

—It was rare for a person to lack talent to that degree. When Oreki took in her first impression Ikki, she had no hesitation in deciding she wasn't going to let him pass. So intending to stick to the rules, she had boasted of her own merits as a Blazer.

"But what do you think that boy said to my boast?"

"What… did he say?"

"'I can defeat you.'—just like that."

A child who wasn't even a first-year, to an established C-rank mage-knight instructor.

"I was so surprised I couldn't believe my ears!"

"…A-Amazing self-confidence, right?"

"*Cough* …And even more than that, he was going to win until he was accepted. Even if it wasn't against me."

"I see. So something like that happened…?"

Hearing the details of his school entrance, Ayase nodded in admiration. Perhaps Ikki understood it himself. He couldn't succeed with the usual examination. For that reason, he had stirred Oreki up with a provocation, and created a chance to show off his own strength.

Ayase thought about it. Lacking power, insufficient attributes, in compensation for his negative factors, he had to detect any means of surviving no matter how inferior he was.

In truth, it was very much like Ikki—no doubt even now, and into the future, he would continue like that.

Thinking of him, Ayase asked Oreki.

"Oreki-sensei, do you think Kurogane-kun can become the Seven Stars Sword King?"

In response, Oreki said—

"That boy is fated to become all kinds of things, so I may see him in a rather favorable light. I think he has enough strength to get that far. …But…."

"But?"

"This year, there's not just the class of people who have the strength to become the Seven Stars Sword King. He might not be able go farther than that, right?"

She gave a somewhat pessimistic answer.

"You mean the A-rank knight who's Kurogane-kun's older brother?"

At Ayase's words, Oreki cleared up a bit and nodded.

"There's him too, but more than that… there are many kids this year who I don't know well. Nameless first-years whose abilities are ill-understood are representing almost every one of the schools. What kind of power do those kids have? The Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival will evolve greatly, I think."

"Uh huh… like with Stella-san, this year is very fruitful."

At Ayase's unconcerned words, Oreki sank a bit into silence.

Fruitful. That was certainly true. In most years, only one or two new representatives would enter. It wasn't unusual for no new people to show up for a year either. Thinking of it that way, a year in which ten people from across the schools entered was undoubtedly a great harvest.

But there was something heavy in Oreki's stomach.

It would be fine if it was one year. But would it end with just the nameless ones?

…It's as if something has been working covertly all along, right?

If Board Chairman Shiguuji and Saikyou both came back from Osaka, she should get their opinions? As Oreki was thinking that…

"Oh? Oreki-sensei, it seems like a lot of people are coming this way?"

Ayase informed Oreki of this while pointing at the main gate. When she said it, Oreki also looked that way. Indeed, from outside the main gate, the figures of seven people were approaching Hagun Academy in a line.

It was an unusual scene to from the student dormitories to the academy. To say nothing of it being summer break, it was very seldom for this many people to come in a single group this way.

But of the seven people, two were riding an enormous, savage beast that looked like a lion. It was odd.

Wondering who these people were, Oreki narrowed her eyes.

"Eh, isn't that…."

Her narrowed eyes widened in surprise. Among the seven people, there was a face she knew from the past.

"The A-rank knight from Bukyoku Academy, Ouma Kurogane…!?"

Why was someone from Bukyoku coming to Hagun? That question rose in Oreki's mind, but it quickly fell away from her thoughts, because she noticed something in her field of vision that left no room for trivial concerns in her mind.

It was everyone other than Ouma. Oreki had seen their faces in the data distributed to the staff of this year's Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.

It's not just Ouma-kun. Bunkyoku, Donrou, Rentei, and even the others…!

They were various representatives of the seven schools who had all entered the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival this year.

The nameless first-years that Oreki had just been wondering about were all lined up here. In an instant, Oreki felt an unspeakable chill on the nape of her neck.

Why had representatives of all the schools gathered?

Why had they gathered and marched to Hagun?

Why was she remembering an unpleasant premonition?

And more than anything else—why had they manifested their Devices!?

In that moment, the questions swirled through Oreki's mind, and—

"Ayatsuji-san! Run away right now!"

In that moment—it began.

One of the seven people. Even though it was summer, a girl was heavily dressed as if against cold weather. The representative of Donrou, Yui Tatara, suddenly shortened the distance between herself and Ayase with the speed of a gale.

And she swung a chainsaw-shaped Device she was carrying with both hands at the defenseless Ayase.

"Eh?"

A brutal malice that was simply too unexpected. Ayase stood stock still, unable to respond. The roaring blade descended, and—

"Haa!"

Just before the blade sheared through Ayase's neck, Oreki repelled it with a cutlass-shaped Device. Knocked back smoothly, Tatara's body lurched. Oreki didn't miss that opportunity.

First, I have to take control of this…

Why had she suddenly made the assault was something Oreki could ask once she woke up. Deciding this, Oreki spun her wrist, and with the slightest motion turned her blade. She aimed with illusionary form at Tatara's carotid artery. Once that was cut, her consciousness would fade. Slashing with the smallest motion would let her avoid any gaps in her defense. And as Oreki planned, her cutlass sliced toward Tatara's artery—

"Total Reflect."

—In that instant, Tatara's mouth drew a crooked arc, and a mysterious impact smashed into Oreki's slash.

It was evening, and the sky was dyed in red.

Ikki and the team of Hagun's representative contenders for the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival that he was leading, as well as Shizuku and the entire student council who were assisting them, were on a bus slowing coming down from the mountains. They were finally on their way back to Hagun Academy. In the bus, the close companions were sitting together and having sweet snacks, chatting peacefully.

But in the middle of that, only Stella was dropping her shoulders with a disappointed face.

"…Haa~"

"Cheer up, Stella."

Though Ikki who was sitting next to her was worried about her, she didn't recover her liveliness.

"But it's frustrating…."

Suddenly, two female students called to her. Two girls with the same face, her fellow Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representatives, Kikyou and Botan Hagure.

"What's wrong, Stella-chan?"

"Are you carsick, your Highness?"

Ikki gestured to the two of them as if saying not to worry about it.

"She just seems annoyed with her sparring record against Toudou-san."

He explained the reason for Stella's depression.

"Now that you mention it, they fought quite a few matches, huh? By the way, what the results come out as?"

"…Three wins, three losses."

To the question, Stella herself answered with a low voice.

Yes. Stella's goal for the training camp was to have more wins than losses against Raikiri. But one way or another, it had ended in a tie, and that goal wasn't achieved. Stella had become disappointed in herself.

"But I think it's already amazing enough with the student president as your opponent."

"No, Stella-chan is an A-rank knight. She'd want to win against a lower-ranked opponent, right?"

"…I don't think Touka-san is lower rank than me, though."

Stella spoke those words in response to Kikyou's argument. She didn't think Touka was lower ranked. The opposite, in fact. Stella thought she was inferior to Touka at the present time. For that reason—she was trying to win during this training camp, for the sake of having confidence in the coming Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. But—the outcome wasn't as Stella wanted.

"Oooooh! Frustrating! It's so frustrating I can't calm down! If it's like this, I should just run all the way back instead of taking the bus!"

"That's just nonsense…."

Ikki let out a wry smile. Well, this was how Stella was.

"…At a time like this, I'd better distracting myself with food."

Saying so, Stella took out three Snic●ers bars from her travel bag, and curling up, she started eating them restlessly.

Seeing Stella like this, the Hagure sisters screamed.

"You had three bowls each of udon and ramen during lunch at the service station, and now you're eating again!?"

"You'll get fat, you know—"

In response, as if it was no concern, Stella gave—

"It's fine. I can't gain weight no matter how much I eat."

—that brief explanation.

Indeed, it was mysterious, but although Stella was a preposterous glutton, her body was beautifully toned and had no useless flab. Even for Ikki who considered his own body special, this was a mystery. He could only consider it unfair.

Well, even though Ikki also felt a bit peevish about it—

"Huh!?"

It seemed to be devastating to the two upperclassmen who had learned about it for the first time during the training camp. The two's expressions froze over, and…

"…Botan-chan. The udon bowls were… kitsune, curry, and kakiage. The ramen were shouyu, miso, and tonkotsu. Is it possible to not get fat after eating those at lunch and then adding Snic●kers on top?"

"There's no such black magic. She must have a potbelly under her clothes."

"N-No way do I have something like that. How rude. It seems my constitution just collects all the weight into my chest, so I've never had too much fat ever since I was born."

Stella answered so while eating the super thick candy bars noisily, and when she did—Ikki, who was sitting next to her, definitely heard a sound like something was being ripped in half.

"Don't lie to us!!!"

And the Hagure sisters who had emitted that sound grew enraged faces that looked like demonic masks, swooping down on Stella.

"Whoa!?"

Dragging Stella from her bus seat by the shoulders, the two held her firm.

"Wh-What are you two doing!?"

"Don't give us that! We know you're hiding blubber under there! Confess!"

"I said all the fat goes to my chest, didn't I!?"

"How can something so outrageous be truuuuueee!?"

"We'll definitely have you prove it!"

"Don't lie to us!!!"

The Hagure sisters grew enraged faces that looked like demonic masks, swooping down on Stella.

"I said all the fat goes to my chest, didn't I!?"

Turning the shoulders they were holding Stella by, the two began to grope her body. To this, Stella flushed and screamed.

"Hey! Stop! Where do you think you're touching me!? Ikki don't just sit there, help me!"

"Ah, yes, right! Calm down, you two!"

The moment Ikki tried to intervene—Flash! Two pairs of savage, bloodshot eyes turned toward Ikki—

"This is a girls' crusade, which we won't concede."

"Boys should just sit there and eat Pocky."

"O-Okay. Please forgive me."

"Ikki—!?"

Sorry, they're really scary.

Pinned down by the overwhelming intensity of the two sisters, Ikki averted his eyes from the scene that might lead to an international problem.

And in the empty seat that Stella had been dragged out of, a petite silver-haired girl sat down. It was Ikki's younger sister, Shizuku Kurogane.

Shizuku turned her green eyes toward the three people struggling onstage, and spoke in jest.

"It's a scene that would have Kusakabe-san happy clicking her shutter if she was here, isn't it?"

"Ah, ha ha…. That's certainly true. I'm sure she'll be regretful when she finds out about it later."

Ikki also agreed with her view. Rather, Kagami would also join in.

"Kagami san went to Hokkaido by herself?"

Ikki's question was to Arisuin, who was sitting on the other side of the bus aisle at the window. To his inquiry, Arisuin returned a nod.

"Yes. She went to cover Rokuzon's training camp that started three days ago, and she left early this morning."

It was a lie, of course. In truth, she was tied up and imprisoned in an out-of-sight place within Kyomon's traning camp facility.

But at the moment, Ikki had no way to see through this lie.

"She should've come back with us, though."

He believed the lie without any doubt. And it wasn't just Ikki. Shizuku also believed Arisuin's lie, and it left him breathing a tiny sigh in relief.

"What a hard-working person, Kusakabe-san. I'm a little bit tired myself."

"You've done a lot, Shizuku. Thanks to you being here, we were saved in many ways."

Although iPS capsules were convenient, it was necessary for injecting anesthesia, and the burden on the body was great. With an excellent healer like Shizuku in reserve, the difference in training efficiency was huge. For that reason, Ikki had brought her to the mountains even though she wasn't a representative, and appreciated her work in tending to the minor injuries. Shizuku responded with words and a smile that blossomed like a flower, which she would never show anyone else.

"It's only for you, Onii-sama."

And she held out a box of Pocky.

"Would you like some?"

"I'll take just one."

Ikki didn't like sweet things much, but it was different if his little sister was offering. He extended his hand for the Pocky she was offering, and moved to pull out a stick from the box.

But—the moment before Ikki's finger touched the Pocky, the characteristic red box was moved away.

Eh?

Ikki was perplexed. On the other side, Shizuku pulled out a Pocky with an innocent face, and put it between her pale pink lips, she faced Ikki with it in her mouth between them as if requesting a kiss.

"Nnn~"

"Wh-What are you having me do!?"

Ikki faltered beneath the sudden attack.

But there was no way his sweetheart was going to take this scene silently.

"H-Hey you! Shizuku, what you trying to do to Ikki!?"

"Whoa!"

"Eek!"

As if being held until now had been an illusion, Stella shook the Hagure sisters off easily and came closer.

"It's just sexual harassment. What about it?"

"Don't do it so boldly! So seriously! Don't you think it's immodest!?"

"A person in such a state shouldn't be talking about modesty."

"Eh?"

Having a finger pointed at herself, Stella shifted her attention to her own situation. And she became lost for words. Because the Hagure sisters had groped her, her bra was completely visible, and her skirt had fallen almost completely off.

"E-Eeeeekkk!"

She lost all other thoughts. As her consideration of reality caught up with all of the other matters, Stella crouched down with her face ablaze.

At that figure, Utakata who was watching from the side muttered.

"…She's really acting like someone without experience who just got raped."

"Uta-kuuuun. Once we get back to school, I hope you'll be prepared for punishment—"

"Hiiii! I stirred up a hornet nest! Kanata, save me!"

"You plunged into that thicket by yourself, so I'm not helping you."

But Stella was also a lady of character. She did not shrink away from something of this degree. She promptly put her outfit back in order, and pressed Shizuku once again.

"Hey Shizuku, the thing between Ikki and me, didn't you accept it already?"

"You mean you two becoming a couple?"

"Yes!"

"Of course I accepted that."

"I-In that case, please stop doing this kind of thing!"

Raising her voice, Stella expressed her dissatisfaction. In response, Shizuku—just laughed.

"Goodness. I'd really like you to think about this more carefully."

"Wh-What are you talking about!?"

"I've certainly accepted that you're the one Onii-sama loves, you know? Yes. But that is all I will concede to you, Stella-san. I will adore Onii-sama as a sister, care for him as a mother, follow him as a friend, and love him as a lover."

"Umm, Shizuku, something out of the blue was mixed in toward the end there…"

Ikki protested, but Shizuku ignored it magnificently. Holding up four fingers in front of Stella, she declared.

"In other words, I love Onii-sama four times as much as you do! Do you understand this incontrovertible truth?"

"How can I understand that—!?"

It was natural for Stella to respond so. What an irrational argument.

"Stop nitpicking with such frivolous statements and get away from Ikki! That's my seat!"

"I decline!"

Stella finally pried Shizuku up with sheer force, but Shizuku refused Stella by wrapping herself around Ikki. In that situation, Ikki who couldn't watch anymore spoke up to Stella.

"W-Well look, Stella. Let's not kick up too much fuss in the vehicle. It's dangerous."

"But…."

"Isn't it fine if we leave it like this? At any rate, we'll reach the academy very soon, so…."

Saying so, Ikki turned his eyes toward the scene outside the bus window. The bus had already reached the end of the mountain road, and the familiar trees and asphalt of the metropolitan area were visible. It was the course that Ikki and Stella ran every day. At this point, they would soon be at Hagun Academy.

"Muu… I guess there's no choice. I'll have you make amends once we get back!"

At any rate, if they arrive at Hagun Academy in the next few minutes, there was no need to go back to arguing right now, so Stella withdrew—and at that moment.

The bus screeched to a halt.