[69] How Could I Possibly Say It Out Loud?

"If you encounter Touka or Ikki Kurogane and others in the selection battle, I will help you reselect your opponents so you won't have to face them."

After engaging in intimate actions for a moment, Kanata left these words behind, touching her slightly red lips, and walked away with a satisfied expression.

Although it was her first time, it was quite a pleasant experience.

This made her look forward to having more intimate moments with Eiji in the future.

"Senior Sister, my first kiss wasn't given to you but was taken by Kanata!"

Eiji lay on the bed, his mind in turmoil.

The first kiss of his two lifetimes had finally been given away. He felt a bit nervous but also somewhat excited.

Although Senior Sister had firsthand knowledge of him and he had personally measured her "fate," his first kiss had indeed remained intact.

However, the fact that his first kiss wasn't given to Senior Sister but to her best friend made him worry about whether he might face a "kitchen knife" in the future.

"Me from one minute ago, how could you be such a scumbag!"

Eiji righteously scolded himself from one minute ago.

Huh?

Wait a minute!

Eiji suddenly realized something.

Just because my first kiss was gone one minute ago doesn't mean my current first kiss is gone too!

"In other words, my first kiss is still here! I can still give it to Senior Sister!"

After clarifying the logical relationship, Eiji had an epiphany.

The me from one minute ago was a scumbag, but what does that have to do with the me one minute later?

Great!

Having figured this out, Eiji immediately felt justified.

Moreover, after getting into a secret relationship with Kanata, with her taking care of him, he no longer had to worry about encountering Senior Sister in the selection battle.

As the chairman of the selection battle executive committee, Kanata had full authority over the selection battles. Adjusting opponents was a trivial matter for her.

Incidentally, Eiji also no longer had to worry about running into Ikki and Stella.

After all, those two were among his few friends. If they were to meet at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, it would be best not to face each other in the selection battle. Kanata readily agreed to help after learning about this.

Is this the joy of being pampered by a rich girl?

Give me more!

"Eiji, I heard you're already awake?"

"Congratulations on winning your first selection battle!"

Just as he was thinking this, the door to the infirmary opened again, and Ikki and the others walked in, their faces filled with joy.

Ikki and Nagi congratulated him profusely, while Shizuku stayed at the back of the group, silent.

This battle had indeed been hard-won for Eiji, and it was worth their trip to visit him.

"You don't know this, but Ikki also had a tough time winning."

Stella put on a thoughtful expression, but her face was full of pride, as if she really wanted to talk about how Ikki had dominated the battlefield yesterday.

"I know."

"Huh? Did you hear about it?"

"No, I went to the fifth arena yesterday."

"...Then why didn't we see you?"

Stella was stunned.

"I arrived after the match had already started, so I didn't look for you. I watched from a corner."

In reality, Eiji had been under multiple gravity forces at the time, having trained all morning and exhausted a lot of energy. He was resting and didn't feel like looking for them.

However, Eiji had indeed watched the match between Ikki and his opponent.

"Do you want proof?"

Eiji picked up his student handbook from the bedside. Senior Sister had brought it to him when she visited, as he had left it in the preparation room during the match.

"An F-rank knight can't beat an A-rank knight? That's just a level you set on your own! You think it's impossible to beat us geniuses just to find an excuse for giving up. It's your freedom to give up, but don't use your reasons to deny Ikki's strength!"

The student handbook began playing a recording of a certain "dragon lady" angrily mocking the entire audience.

Stella's expression immediately turned strange.

She looked like she wanted to kill someone, her hands unconsciously searching for a suitable weapon.

"Talent is only a small part of a person. Those of you who cling to it are nothing more than losers. How could you possibly understand? How could you insult my favorite knight—"

"Delete that right now!!!!"

Stella grabbed a nearby stool and swung it at Eiji with a fierce expression.

Her face was red, as if she had been publicly humiliated.

The others, hearing the words played from the student handbook, also began to look at her strangely, making Stella feel even more embarrassed.

That was from yesterday when Ikki was in a dangerous situation and being mocked by the entire audience. Stella couldn't hold back and jumped up, scolding the audience and cheering Ikki on, which helped him regain his composure under his opponent's attacks.

At the time, she had acted purely on instinct, driven by indignation. Looking back now, it was unbearably cringe-worthy, and having it played out loud in public was the ultimate humiliation.

"Stop it, Stella!"

"Do you want to get expelled?"

After much persuasion, they finally managed to calm Stella down from her agitiated state.

"Please send me a copy of this recording!"

Shizuku walked up to the bedside with admiration, respectfully making the request to Eiji.

"I misunderstood you before, and I apologize. You truly are an outstanding friend of my brother!"

Huh?

What did you misunderstand?

"Sure, I support you. Don't worry about tradition or prejudice! You must keep going, I believe you can do it!"

Although Eiji didn't know what Shizuku had misunderstood about him, it didn't stop him from having some fun.

Shizuku's gaze toward him instantly became friendly, and her previously cold attitude vanished without a trace.

"Enough already!"

Ikki couldn't hold back and shouted loudly.

He was beginning to understand why Stella always looked so exhausted when dealing with Eiji.

That night.

After recovering and regaining most of his physical strength, Eiji left the infirmary and returned to his dorm.

"Senior Sister, are you there?"

"I-I'm taking a shower!"

Eiji paused for a moment, quickly took out his keys, and opened the door.

"Senior Sister, you forgot your clothes again, right? I'll get them for you!"

"N-No, that's not it! Don't come in!"

"?"

Eiji was utterly confused.

This was the first time he had seen Senior Sister so resistant, and she seemed very nervous, even slipping into dialect... Well, since Senior Sister was so insistent, he couldn't force her.

In the bathroom.

Not hearing her junior brother's footsteps approaching, Touka finally let out a sigh of relief, then couldn't help but cover her flushed face.

Because the atmosphere between her and her junior brother during the day had been so good, she couldn't help but let her imagination run wild after returning, leading to some self-indulgence. And then, of all times, her junior brother had to walk in on her.

How could I possibly say it out loud!

***

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