Final Chapter B: Standing Side by Side

After collapsing on the ring in the finals, Ikki and Stella were quickly
transferred to recovery capsules in the sickbay.

There, they were treated.

“...”

It was around midnight when Ikki regained consciousness.

“This is…”

It was a familiar square patterned ceiling.

He quickly recognized it as the sickbay he was in last night.

He also noticed the silver haired girl sitting next to his bed.

“Good evening, Onii-sama.”

“Shizuku… I see, I lost consciousness in the ring at the end…”

“How are you feeling? Does it hurt anywhere?”

Once asked, Ikki turned his focus to his body.

Sure enough, he still felt as heavy as lead.

Yet, at the same time there was a sense of fulfillment.

“I see… I beat Stella…”

He’d beaten that terrifyingly powerful knight.

Sure that it wasn’t just a dream, Ikki clenched his fist.

“By the way, where’s Stella?”

“She’s here.”
The voice came across from where Shizuku was sitting.

He turned his neck to see. Sitting on a folding chair was Arisuin, while lying
on a bed like him was Stella.

“No surprise that Stella is fast asleep even now.”

“Stella…”

Ikki focused his gaze on her sleeping figure.

Her breathing was steady, and her complexion was good.

There didn’t seem to be any significant damage remaining.

“That’s good.”

“You’re the one who cut her down though.”

“Oh don’t put it like that…”

“Ufufu. Sorry.”

After apologizing, Arisuin stood from his chair.

He then addressed Shizuku.

“Well, now that Ikki has awoken, I think it’s about time for us to return to the
hotel. It’s already pretty late.”

Shizuku nodded at that.

She had also been waiting for Ikki to wake up before leaving.

“Yeah… Big brother. I left you a change of clothes next to the bed.
Tomorrow morning, I’ll come to wake you up before the awards ceremony,
so please take this time to rest.”

“I will.”

“Also-”
Shizuku grasped Ikki’s gnarled hand in her small hands and broke out in a
smile.

“Congratulations, big brother. You were the coolest you’ve ever been
today.”

She blessed his victory.

“Yeah… Thanks.”

“Let’s celebrate another day, after we return to Tokyo. I’ll show you a nice
restaurant.”

“I look forward to it.”

“Leave it to me. Later!”

“Please take it easy today.”

The two left the sickbay.

Only Ikki and Stella remained in the sickbay, dimly lit by moonlight.

The only sounds echoing in the stillness of the night were the clock’s
needle and Stella’s breathing.

Ikki’s gaze naturally wandered to Stella in the bed next to him.

“...Ik...ki…”

“...!”

His named suddenly escaped from her lips.

Had she awoken?

Curious, Ikki got out of bed and went to the one on which Stella lay, but her
breathing was still regular and she seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

It was just sleep talk.

Slightly jilted, Ikki sat down in the folding chair Arisuin had used.
What was she dreaming about, he wondered.

Even as he watched her sleeping face, he couldn’t guess.

Except-

“...”

There was a feeling he couldn’t get out of his chest.

It was the satisfaction of that day.

Her expression as they resolutely battled to surpass all limits.

Her burning eyes.

Her ferocious grin.

Ikki recalled her brilliant presence.

*Dokun, dokun.*

Each time he thought about it, his chest throbbed. The throbbing grew
faster.

It was because she had been there for him that he had been able to get so
strong.

Because she had faced him so earnestly to such a degree.

“Stella…”

When he thought of her, he felt like the love overflowing from his chest
would drown him.

As if stirred by those emotions, Ikki began to stand.

He hovered over Stella and gently touched her cheek with his hand.

That might have been a mistake.

“Ah, Ik...ki, funyu~”

Even though she was asleep, she knew it was Ikki’s hand.

Stella smiled and nuzzled her cheek against his hand like a cat.

“~~~”

Stella’s actions made something explode in Ikki’s head.

So incredibly cute.

His heart was beating out of his chest, boiling his blood.

His body felt hot, and his throat parched.

His gazed naturally drifted to the moist…

It was drawn in by her lips, softly shining in the moonlight.

He wanted to embrace her right then and there. He wanted to kiss her.

...He couldn’t wait for her to wake up.

It’s only natural to want to kiss the one you love.

No matter, Stella would forgive him for that.

With this convenient excuse, he knocked out any guilt he had over stealing
a sleeping girl’s lips, and like a bee tempted by a flower, he was drawn to
Stella’s lips.

“Itadakimasu…”

“Eh? Food?”

Her eyes snapped open to reveal her scarlet pupils, and their gazes
crossed.

They were so close that a sigh could bridge the gap.

“...~~~!?!?”

She awoke to Ikki’s face in front of her.

This situation was easily enough to excite Stella’s head.

“Uh, morning, Stella.”

“KYAAAAAAAAAA~~~!!!”

“Doof!?!?”

Like a flash of light she kneed Ikki in the solar plexus.

◆◇◆◇◆

“I, I’m sorry Ikki! I know I just kicked your stomach super hard, but are you
okay?”

Stella asked Ikki, who was doubled over and shaking in pain on the floor,
while stroking his back.

Ikki replied,

“Y-yeah, I’m fine, I’m fine.”

But his face was breaking out in a cold sweat, and he looked anything but
fine.

His expression made Stella feel increasingly apologetic and a guilty look
showed on her face.

“Err… I’m really sorry okay? But It’s because you were hovering above
me…”

“Yeah. I was 200% wrong there. So, you don’t have to worry about it.”

After reminding Stella of that, she finally stopped apologizing.

Then she finally had the chance to realize where she was.

“Speaking of which, where are we?”

“This is the Wangan Dome sickbay. After the match, we were carried here.”

“Ah, since I haven’t been taken to the sickbay during this tournament, I
didn’t know.”

Stella grumbled and sighed.

“...I see, so I lost.”

Ikki felt discomforted by those words.

Just as he had felt the satisfaction of winning when he had woken up,
frustration must be welling up in Stella’s chest again.

With those thoughts, he felt that he shouldn’t be around at the moment.

“Um, I think I’ll step out for a bit?”

“Hm? Why?”

“Well… I just thought that since we just had our match, it might be awkward
for me to be here.”

“Not at all!”

Stella shot down Ikki’s suggestion without hesitation.

“Ikki, are you perhaps thinking that I was going to cry? I wouldn’t do
something so pointless.”

“Pointless?”

“Yup. Sure, there is frustration seething in my chest, but I wouldn’t do

something pointless like trying to cry it out. This frustration will make me
stronger. I’ll foment it, cultivate it, and next year, I’ll send it back at you,
Ikki.”

After that declaration, Stella flashed a white, toothy grin.

It was a powerful smile. She was serious.

She was already turning her emotions towards revenge next year.
Her optimism reaffirmed his thoughts. She was truly strong.

“...No less from Stella.”

“Also, It’s not just frustration.”

“Eh?”

“I know now that my hunch wasn’t wrong.”

The hunch Stella was referring to was the feeling that nothing was too far
for Ikki to try and aim for.

Considering their difference in talent, it was a heavy expectation for Ikki.

But he answered her expectations perfectly.

Now they could go anywhere together.

Nothing could bring her more happiness than the strongest man and her
most loved being one.

So she reached out a hand to Ikki, who was still on his knees on the floor.

“Ikki. Now and forever, continue being my Number One,”

She announced with some bashfulness.

That was… Not a good idea.

It was a very bad idea.

Those words reignited Ikki’s heart, which had just calmed down after the
earlier trouble.

There was no going back now.

“Eh- Kya!?”

In the next instant, Ikki ignored Stella’s outstretched hand, took her by the
shoulder, and pushed her down onto the bed.
◆◇◆◇◆

“...”

“I- Ikki…?”

Stella, taken aback by the sudden move, looked up at Ikki with a surprised
expression.

The Ikki she saw... Was blushing even redder than her eyes.

It was embarrassment.

Just thinking about putting it to words made his face seem to spout fire.

But even so, this feeling rising from his chest could not be resealed.

So Ikki forced his tight throat to put together words.

“Um, Ste… Stella. Do you remember what I said in that mountain cabin
when we went to Okutama with the student council? That we couldn’t do…
erotic things before I met your parents.”

“Yeah… I remember… I was very happy.”

She had been very happy.

Ikki groaned a little at that.

He had said something really inconvenient.

No, he was confident that those had been his completely genuine feelings
at the time.

But now he couldn’t hold back.

“After showing off like that, it’s really hard to say this, but…”

He said as if apologizing.

“Please let me take that back!”

“...Wut?”

Stella didn’t immediately understand what he meant.

However, what with being pinned down by Ikki, and seeing his face being
red all the way to his ears, after making the connection to his earlier words
in her head; before long she understood what he was trying to say.

Ikki’s fever was instantly transmitted to Stella.

The heat spread from her cheeks to her ears, and her voice jumped up half
an octave.

“That’s, tha, that is, m-m-m-might you mean~~~!?”

“Well, that is, just that.”

“~~~~!!! Ho-ho-hold on! Wait! What are you saying so suddenly Ikki!? Are
you serious!? For real!? Where is the Ikki that was strong enough to not
succumb to my immodest figure?”

“He died”

“DIED!?”

It was a very rough way to put it, but Ikki couldn’t think of any other way to
put it.

After all, with such an attractive lover before him, could he really manage to
put the brakes on his feelings and understand how he felt that day?

“Today, after fighting you, when I arrived at my limit, I couldn’t help but
think to myself, ‘If I stop here, Stella will rise alone.

Then… She’ll find someone else to be her strongest, to compete with.’

However… As soon as I imagined that, I felt jealous from the bottom of my

heart.

I hated that ‘someone’ so much my head almost rang.

I don’t want to yield any part of you. I want to keep it all to myself.
That was the feeling that spurred me in that moment.

Those feelings… They set fire to my empty heart.

That fire still hasn’t gone out…!”

Ikki wouldn’t be stopping.

He knew what he was about to say would advance their relationship, but he
was ready to say it anyway.

He wasn’t trying to look cool.

It was more like pleading, begging even.

He put his sincere thoughts into words.

“Stella, I want to make love to you now…!”

The image reflected in Ikki’s gray eyes wavered.

There was surprise, confusion, unrest, but also…

“Is that… Okay?”

“You idiot…”

Overflowing joy.

With a small smile she reached her hand out to Ikki’s cheek and pinched it
playfully.

“How long do you think I’ve waited to hear those words?”

She had been waiting for a long time.

Showing how much he treasured their relationship and saying that he

couldn’t do such a thing without at least meeting her parents had certainly
made her happy.

But that joy didn’t change what a girl like her wanted of the man she loved.
If Ikki so wished, then anytime-

That’s what she’d thought.

“So now… I’m really happy.”

Warm tears streamed from her crimson eyes.

Ikki’s courage, that brilliance that affirmed him, now pressed him onwards.

“Stella…”

“Ah, but wait!”

Stella forced the impatient Ikki off with all her might.

“Stella?”

The unexpected occurrence had Ikki looking quite perplexed.

Stella looked at Ikki curiously.

“Ikki, you say that, but have you prepared that?”

“That…?”

Stella answered his parroted question with a hesitant “Y-You know…”

“Well, it’s true that I’ve been waiting for you to say that, but we’re still
students, and we haven’t met each other’s parents… Also, I intend to battle
you next year too, so… It would be a problem if I got pregnant, you know?”

“...ah.”

Even the confused Ikki understood after she said that much.

But of course, he hadn’t prepared such a thing.

Ikki was abashed at his own thoughtlessness.

“S-Sorry! This idiot only thought of his feelings!”

“...I figured. You are pretty impulsive.”

“Ugh…”

Ikki moaned regretfully after receiving Stella's reproachful stare.

Of course Stella was cross.

It was something he needed to consider as a man.

Forgetting such a thing, and running only on lust.

He wanted to hide in a hole.

If there wasn’t a hole, he’d dig one up.

His own pathetic self made him want to cry.

Whatever he did, he couldn’t just force things as they were.

“Uh, okay, I’ll go buy some real quick right now…!”

After his rather awkward declaration, Ikki stood up to leave.

“H- Hold on!”

Stella grabbed his arm.

“You lose points if you leave after making a girl feel like this! Lots of points!
You don’t need to go buy them now!”

“There’s no way that’s okay.”

“It’s fine! Just wait a moment!”

With an embarrassed look, Stella reached for a cosmetics pouch stored

next to the bed with her clothes and opened it. After fiddling around inside
for a bit, she found what she was looking for, and after gathering her
resolve for a moment, spoke up quietly.

“...Here, use these.”

She pulled some square plastic packets with things sealed in them, and
handed them to Ikki.

“!?!”

Ikki had never used them, but he knew what they were.

It was, without a doubt, that.

But the fact that she was pulling them out now meant…

“S-Stella, could it be that you always have these ready?”

“~~~”

Stella blushed like she was about to spout fire.

“It’s not like I’ve always been hoping for this, that’s not it at all! That’s not it,
okay?!? It’s just that, you know, as your l-lover I wanted to be prepared for
your requests! Yeah, this is just expected manners for a princess!”

(E-expected… Princesses are amazing…)

“Co...Could it be you’re thinking that I’m a shameful girl?”

“I think nothing of the sort.”

Ikki quickly assured the uneasy looking Stella.

If anything, he was grateful that her concern had covered for his oversight.

“Thank you. time I’ll make sure to take care.”

“Please do… Going to buy these was extremely embarrassing.”

With this promise, Ikki nodded and took the packets from Stella.

(Huh, they’re somewhat heavier than I expected.)

Suddenly, with a lot of crackling, the folded packets were pulled down by
gravity and stretched out tenfold.
(What kind of bout is she expecting us to have!?)

It turned out to be ten connected packets.

Well, it’s not like they had to use them all just because they were
connected, he decided. As if that would happen.

Telling that to his trembling heart, Ikki tore one off along the perforation.

The plastic crackled as it ripped open.

That was the sound of all their preparations being in order.

“...We’re really going to do it… Right now?”

“...Y-yeah…”

Now that they were ready, their embarrassment welled up again.

Ikki was unable to look straight at Stella.

Similarly, even while she stole glances through blurry eyes, Stella turned
away whenever their gazes met.

This pattern continued silently for three minutes.

(What the heck are we doing…)

They couldn’t keep that up.

He needed to find the courage to face her normally.

(In times like these the guy needs to remain level-headed…!)

So Ikki took a deep breath to clear his mind, and faced Stella on the bed.

“Stella!”

“Y-yes!”

“I may be incompetent, but please bear with me.”

“Ah, me too, please take care of me.”

And so, despite having some worries, they began their first night together.

◆◇◆◇◆

Pale moonlight shone dimly on Stella, who was stretched out on the clean
white bed, her upper body resting on the rolled up sheets.

The faint glow outlined the uneven curves of Stella’s bright white dress and
body in shadow.

Even that alone was making him feel hot headed.

An odd prospect.

He had seen more immodest sights, after all.

But this time, they weren’t stopping there.

He traced her body with his palms, fingers, and lips.

The sensation filled him with nervousness and exhilaration, sending his
heart on an unstoppable rampage.

It was no wonder.

He had longed for this day ever since he fell in love with this girl.

“This is embarrassing…”

Stella felt the same.

Though she was short, her bust was huge in comparison. Her chest
restlessly strained up and sank down as if she was nervous, but her blurry
eyes, looking up at Ikki, glowed with anticipation.

It was anxiety, from not knowing what would happen to her.

It was excitement, from not knowing what would happen to her.

They mixed, forming a charming, sensual glow.

Ikki had to answer it.

Quelling his hesitation and embarrassment, he climbed over her, and

reached his hand to her dress.

“W-wait…”

When Ikki’s finger reached her top button, a small voice called for restraint.

“H-hey… Right now, I’m not wearing a bra… It’s embarrassing if you start
there so suddenly, so… Please come from below…”

“Oh, sorry…”

He unconsciously apologized upon hearing her request.

It wasn’t like he particularly felt like he needed to apologize.

He had no idea what was going on.

Regardless, if Stella didn’t like it, he wouldn’t approach from above.

It would end the same whether he started from above or below.

Whatever stressed Stella out less.

Thus Ikki moved his hand to her knee, and began undoing buttons from
there.

He took great care to not hurt the precious gift inside while unwrapping.

One by one-

With each one undone, Stella’s white skin was slowly revealed.

Round knees.

Thick, well-built thighs.

Her crotch, protected by just simple hospital underwear, even with her
thighs swung shut.
And, above her fair belly, a small dent, wriggling with her breath like it had
something to say.

(Uwa… This is dangerous…)

Ikki realized that he was so excited that his pores might go from perspiring
just sweat to blood as well.

He was walking among some dangerous landmines.

Frankly, starting from the top would have been somewhat predictable.

He’d had a similar experience at the mountain shack.

He’d been prepared.

But he wasn’t prepared for this.

You would think that it was the same result, but changing the sequence
completely changed the impact.

So he couldn’t prepare himself, and as more and more was revealed, the
visuals overwhelmed his sense of reason.

He wanted to pry open her trembling thighs, which were closed from
embarrassment.

He wanted to rub her fair belly, and tickle her pristine belly button with his
fingertips.

Those crass desires blazed up in his chest, inflaming his whole body.

Then- Once he released the button covering her belly button, sparks went
off in his head.

As Stella’s breath made her chest rise again, her dress began to part from
the next button at the peak of her breasts, and the lower half became
exposed, quivering like the dress had been constricting them.

“!!!”
His gaze was immediately drawn to that flesh which was like squashed
white mochi.

...Just how supple were they?

His boiling lust and curiosity tempted his fingers.

Stella trembled when his middle finger touched her breast.

Her eyelids snapped shut, and she pressed her lips together as if to muffle
a squeal.

But she offered no resistance.

He interpreted that as an ok and increased the strength in his finger.

His finger sank easily into her flesh.

This sensation from the opposite sex, found nowhere on his entire body,
sent a shiver down his spine.

Ikki then added his index finger as well.

It crept over to the line drawn by the bottom of those squashed mochi
breasts, and then sank right in.

“Hyu.”

Her breasts were being felt from the inside.

This new sensation made Stella’s ruby eyes snap open with bewilderment.

Still, she raised no objection.

Thus, Ikki continued.

He left the sunken fingers as they were.

Her skin was so smooth that they might not even retain his fingerprints.

Pressing on his fingers, was a certain mass, however supple it was.

It was warm. It felt like his fingertips would melt.

“~~~~Ah…”

Stella’s body reacted to the sensation of having her breasts rubbed from
within.

An adorable sound leaked out from her lips.

Ikki wanted to hear it more.

He curled the fingers in her breasts into hooks and raised them slightly.

The effect was immediate.

“Fu; Kuu!”

Stella’s body jumped, and the last button popped off.

Her compressed breasts sprang up like jelly and opened the dress.

But it wasn’t fully open.

The dress had actually been stopped by the top of her breasts.

It had gotten caught, but only just barely.

Although the peak wasn’t visible, there was clearly a differently colored
area now half visible-

Open for biting.

Suddenly Ikki remembered what Stella had said earlier in a similar

situation.

Right, she had already told him.

It was basically a promise.

It was a mutual agreement.

Then there was no need to hold back.

Time for a bite.

“W-Wait!”

He wasn’t waiting.

This is what Stella had given him permission to do.

No waiting.

Ikki had moved to clear off what had gotten stuck on her breasts when-

“...I’m so embarrassed I feel like my chest will burst…”

Her voice, which sounded like a suppressed shriek, stopped him.

His gaze shifted from her chest to her face, where her eyes were tearing up
as she drew short, restless breaths.

There weren’t enough tears to overflow, but he saw her apprehension.

She’d said she’d be okay, but there were some things she would just be
afraid of.

...Hadn’t Stella always worked hard despite that?

She had mustered her courage and showed herself.

To make their bond stronger, deeper.

“How long do you think I’ve waited to hear those words?”

She’d really been waiting for a long time.

When he thought about her devotion, the wild lust that had ignited him
faded.

What took its place in driving him was powerful affection.

He wanted to treat her gently.

He didn’t want her to have memories of fear on this day she’d been waiting
for.

“Stella…”

“...!?”

Ikki took his hands away from her dress and leaned forward, pressing his
lips to hers.

It wasn’t a lust fueled, bitey kiss, but more like their usual messy kisses.

“...”

After several kisses, Stella’s body loosened up again.

It seemed the sensation of their usual kisses reassured her.

But- That wasn’t enough.

Today they weren’t stopping where they always had.

Thus Ikki deepened the kiss.

“...!”

His tongue, wet with saliva, split Stella’s lips and intruded within.

The sudden, sensual stimulus made Stella’s body jump a bit.

But even this deep kiss was not their first.

Stella showed no fear.

In order to meet Ikki’s tongue, she mobilized her own.

Just as she always did.

But this was the last thing they would be accustomed to.
“...”

Stella finally realized.

The deed was the same, but the timing differed.

Normally, even when it came time to separate, Ikki wouldn’t stop, wouldn’t
separate their lips.

Wouldn’t let her go.

As if licking at sweet candy, his tongue would melt away her sense of
reason.

A tiny bit a time.

And it would melt before his persistence.

“~~~”

*Smack, slurp.*

The wet sound of viscous liquid echoed in the sickbay.

Their saliva was mixing into a froth, and spilling from their lips.

However, Ikki would not permit any to spill.

He raised her chin, pouring it all back in.

*Gulp gulp*

As he did so, Stella drank it down, the liquid made by their arousal.

It carried the heat from her throat and warmed her marrow.

At the same time, Ikki’s finger slid to Stella’s inner thigh, still closed by her
knees.

Still, he did not touch her crotch.

He traced her inner thigh, letting her relish the thrill of uncertainty.

He started beside her knee. Slowly, moving back and forth, his finger
approached her crotch.

Finally, his finger was next to her underwear.

He could feel the minute spasms of her thigh muscles begin through his
fingertips.

Looking into her eyes, he saw that fear was already melting into arousal,
and her focus was growing fuzzy. Her white body, stimulated from outside
and within, was tinged pink with heat, and her arousal made her sweat give
off a sweet odor.

It was proof that her heart and body were prepared.

“Are you ready?”

“...Yeah…”

“You said you were afraid. I’ll do this as long as it takes to help you calm
down.”

“...I’m ready.”

She couldn’t put any strength in her words.

Her smile was feeble.

Even though her eyes showed such infatuation they lost focus, they did
their best to keep Ikki in sight.

That courage was unbearably lovable, and Ikki gave Stella three tender
kisses on the lip.

As he parted from the last kiss, he put his hands on her shoulders and
disrobed her.

Her body, slightly flushed pink, was laid bare before the moonlight.

The base of her neck was lovely.

Her arms were feminine and slender.

Even though she was partly lying down, her hanging breasts were still
springy, and the disrobing sent them and her peach colored nipples
jiggling.

Her beauty made Ikki forget to breathe.

“So beautiful…”

His fried brain could only produce such a trite phrase.

He immediately wanted to grapple with them.

His own lower half was already raging painfully in his pants.

Still, Ikki admonished himself.

Even when he forgot to breathe, he wouldn’t forget his concern for Stella.

He held firm, and make one final check.

He scooped up some of the saliva that had spilled from their mouths onto
her collarbone and smeared it into her right breast, as if rubbing cream with
his finger.

“Ahhhh…nn”

It was the first time he’d heard such a seductive voice from Stella.

If he teased that nipple with his hand, it would look clearly different from the
other.

Her untouched left, and the right, slick from saliva.

The lascivious imbalance assaulted Ikki’s sense of reason.

It hurt.

His breath became ragged.

His temples pained him.

Holding back any longer was too difficult.

-But was it okay now? Could he really begin now?

He was inexperienced after all. And because he was inexperienced, he

wasn’t sure.

She said she was ready, but if he started now, would she be hurt?

As Ikki worried, Stella raised her arms and gently placed her hands on the
nape of his neck.

She smiled up at him and said,

“Thanks… For being so gentle with me. I really am ready.”

So, you don’t have to hold back anymore-

“Ikki, do everything you want to do to me…”

“---”

Those words became a trigger.

No more wavering. No turning back.

Below the moonlight, their forms melted into one.

Immersed in passion, atop one another.

They embraced so deeply, that it became unclear where one ended and
the other began.

Their voices lost meaning, their lips only desperately seeking their beloved.

Within all that, Ikki swore.

He would never let this girl be unhappy.

Ikki would not make her regret choosing him.

Upon his soul, he swore.

◆◇◆◇◆

Ikki came to hear the chirps of unseen birds.

As if calling for him, they woke him up.

The morning sun flowed into his open eyes.

The sky visible through the window was delightfully clear.

It was a good morning.

Yet, his body felt completely sluggish.

Like lead, he sank heavily into the bed, unmoving.

His consciousness too, sank far below the surface of awareness, even as
his eyes received the sunlight.

Deciding he couldn’t stay like that, Ikki inhaled once to guide him towards
awakening.

Just as he did, a flowery scent gently tickled his nose.

Ikki knew that scent well.

He turned his head there to see her still there, of course.

Her pale body was sunk into the futon to her shoulders and she wore a
gentle smile.

And when their eyes met, Stella’s scarlet pupils narrowed bashfully.

“Morning, dear.”

“...!”

“Ehehe, I wanted to try saying that once.”

Those words made his heart skip a beat and his face flush red.

That special word was full of her love.

As soon as he heard it, his sleepiness scattered away, and Ikki

remembered everything that had occurred last night.

(I see, that explains why I feel so heavy.)

As he realized this, Ikki noticed that beyond his gaze was a mess of plastic.

(I can’t believe we actually used all of them…!)

Where had the trepidation and fear from the beginning gone?

It all disappeared after the first time.

-Stella’s love switch had been flipped.

After he climbed atop her, the fear had slowly disappeared.

Well, he’d also forgotten himself, so it wasn’t just Stella who’d flipped a
switch.

Nevertheless, there needed to be a limit.

It seemed the ascetic life he’d pursued since the opening ceremony had
haunted him.

If he went that hard he’d be left unable to move properly the day after.

(I need to be careful from now on…)

Neglecting his training to indulge in Stella’s body would be totally

counterproductive.

Warning himself thusly, Ikki directed his attention at Stella, who almost
certainly took more damage.

“How’s your body?”

“It still hurts quite a bit. It might even be hard to walk. You’re quite a fiend,
despite this being your first time making a girl a woman.”

“You can’t pin all the blame on me for that. Clearly.”

“W-well, I guess.”

She was well aware that she went too far too.

Stella averted her gaze in embarrassment.

“Can you heal with the dragon’s regeneration?”

“It’s not that I can’t… But I’d like to stay like this for now.”

Ikki tilted his head at that reply.

Wasn’t it better to heal herself if she could?

For Ikki, the constant pain was also a constant reminder of his guilt.

“After all, it’s proof that Ikki loved me.”

“~~~”

Saying such a thing with such a happy face left Ikki speechless.

Even after all the lovemaking they did last night, he loved her so much his
chest hurt.

What a terrible, unfair girl.

He needed to control himself, to not overly indulge.

To do such a thing just as he decided that.

He had to express this affection.

He had to let her know how much he loved her.

With such thoughts, Ikki’s hand spontaneously made its way to Stella’s
cheek.

Stella did not resist.

She felt his emotions through the heat of his palms, closed her eyes, and
prepared her lips.

Just as they were going to intertwine-

“Onii-sama. Stella. Are you awake yet?”

Along with knocks, Shizuku’s voice echoed from outside.

“”Hii!?!?””

Both of them let out a strange shriek at the sudden event.

Not only Shizuku, but also Arisuin, had arrived.

“Seems like they’re awake.”

(I-Ikki! Hurry and get back to the other bed!)

(Ah, Stella, your robes…)

(There’s no time to put it on! Just hide it! I’ll hide the trash on the bed!)

(Got it…!)

Ikki grabbed Stella’s robes from the floor, dived onto his own bed, and hid it
in the futon.

At the same time, the door to the sickbay opened and Stella and Arisuin
walked in.

“Good morning. Onii-sama. Stella.”

“Did you two sleep well? ...Oh?”

Arisuin paused as soon as he stepped in the room.

“Hmm. Ehh. I see.”

A suggestive smile appeared on his face.

Seeing that knowing expression made Stella sweat buckets.

“W-What are you grinning about Alice!?”

“Hm? Nothing~ I just thought, you two must have had fun last night.”

“W-w-w-we didn’t do anything though!?”

Shizuku interjected with a “What, where?” at this response.

“But the two of you had such a fun battle.”

“Ah- So it’s that.”

“That?”

“N-nothing!”

“...?”

(Stella… You’re acting too weird.)

This was getting bad.

Ikki addressed Shizuku, pulling her attention away from Shizuku.

“Shizuku, thanks. You came all this way to wake us up.”

“No, this much isn’t worth thanking me for… I’d actually prefer if you rested
more after trying so hard, but with the award ceremony in mind, I thought it
best to come get you for breakfast.”

“I see. Then, I’ll change and get ready, so could I get you to wait outside?”

Suppressing a sense of guilt at taking advantage of his sister’s concern for

him, Ikki asked Shizuku to leave the room. Shizuku didn’t doubt him at all.
“Okay. I’ll be waiting outside them. Let’s go, Alice,” she said before turning
back.

But first-

“By the way, Stella. I’ve been wondering since earlier, what are all those
rubber balloon looking things under your bed?”

“EHH? No way! I thought I picked all of those up- Ah.”

It was all over.

Stella saw nothing when she peered below the bed, but her careless words
gave it away.

“Stella…”

“Ahhhhhhh”

The boys let out a sigh of defeat, while the girls paled.

One paled from being flustered, while the other paled from such indignation
that their blood drained from their face.

“I see, I see. So it was that all along. I thought you two were acting rather
funny.”

While feigning a smile, Shizuku’s eyes let up with a demonic green flame,
and instantly dropped the temperature in the room below freezing.

The window panes crackled as ice formed despite it being midsummer.

“Sh, Shizuku… Um, hey, about this…”

In the middle of it, Stella tried to somehow appeal to Shizuku.

“No no, you don’t need to say it. Simply put, it’s that. Last night, after
competing so seriously with each other, you earnestly thought about how
to express your gratitude, and so you two must have been Dragon Fanging
the night’s Ittou Shura.”

“H-hey!? I was going to find a better time to talk to you Shizuku…!”

“About your will?”

“No-”

“I see, so you don’t need a will.”

There was never any point in trying to persuade the inflamed Shizuku.

In the next instant, the magical green glow on the Shizuku had summoned
onto the windows disappeared.

“Then, now dieeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!”

“Kyaaaaaa!”

“Hey, Shizuku! Calm do-”

“Shaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

“Sorry! It’s nothing!”

“Ikkiiii! Why are you just hiding there!”

“I don’t know!”

“Hasshaaaaaaaa!!!!!”

And that is why a blizzard of blood blew through the sick bay.

◆◇◆◇◆

It was finally time to meet the end of the long Seven Stars Sword Art
Festival.

「32 warriors, the elite of Japan’s 8 schools, fought here around the summit.

Those battles ended in yesterday’s finals.

26 fierce battles.

I will remember how amazing every one of them was-」

Yuuzou Kaieda of the Organizing Committee's speech resonated with the
excitement still lingering from yesterday’s battle.

The audience was not looking at Kaieda, but was instead concentrated on
the victor’s podium in front of him.

More accurately, they were focused on the fighters who were about to
climb onto it.

They eagerly awaited them.

There, they would receive laurels from the tournament organizers.

Because one of the top three, Amane Shinomiya, committed foul play after
his match, he was automatically disqualified, leaving third place to Ouma
Kurogane. Ouma had already returned to Osaka, leaving only Ikki
Kurogane and Stella Vermillion in the waiting room.

“Seriously,” she wheezed.

“Baka Shizuku got way too serious…! Anyone other than me would be
dead, for real..!”

“Are you okay, Stella?”

Ikki patted Stella on the back as she slumped in a chair and breathed
heavily.

Shizuku had been chasing Stella for a while.

“To be honest, even though I managed to get away for now, I’m still afraid
about later.”

“I’ll explain properly then too.”

But after a deep breath to fix her breathing, Stella replied, “It’s fine.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s my job to get Shizuku’s understanding.”

“Not at all. This is for both-”

Stella shook her head at his words.

“Sorry. I know that. I know, but I want to do it myself.”

Stella had decided that long ago.

She had stolen Ikki away from a girl who loved him to bits.

She had to do this herself.

“If I don’t do this, I’ll never be able to face Shizuku head on. That’s why,
just for this, I can’t accept your help, Ikki.”

Ikki understood, which he expressed.

It was a girly sense of responsibility.

But Ikki loved it, so he couldn’t help it.

“...I understand. Do your best.”

“Why are you speaking like it’s someone else’s problem?”

“Eh?”

Ikki was understandably confused, seeing as she just said she wanted to
do it alone.

But Stella had a reason for saying that.

“Don’t you remember? After your battle with Touka, he told you, right? My
father.”

“...Ah.”

Now that it was mentioned, Ikki remembered it.

The scandal that started because of the ethics committee’s recklessness.

At the end, the King of Vermillion, Stella’s father, sent Ikki a message
through Stella saying “After the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, come
meet me in the Vermillion Kingdom.”
“Now that you mention it, that was a thing…”

It was definitely not someone else’s problem.

It would be a critical moment.

“By the way, we have a flight in a week.”

“Eeeeeeeeh!?!?”

“Hasn’t this been decided for a while?”

“It’s not that, that’s true, but… I need to prepare myself. Can’t I get an extra
week?”

“If this country’s army can do their best for a week.”

Was that a threat to go to war if he didn’t go on time!?!?

“You wouldn’t run away after deflowering an entire country’s second

princess, right?”

“Oh…”

“Father is just as scary as Shizuku~. Do your best, dar-ling ♡.”

All obstacles had already been dealt with.

He could but accept his fate.

“I- I’ll do my best…”

As Ikki nodded, he suddenly felt a cold sweat break out.

「Ladies and Gentlemen, let us commence the Sixty Second Seven Stars Sword Art
Festival Awards Ceremony. A round of applause for our winners! 」

Just as their conversation wound down, Kaieda called out.

Stella hopped out of her chair and faced Ikki.

“Let’s go then, Ikki.”

She reached out a hand to him.

As winner and runner-up, they would be awarded separately.

She wanted at least their entrance to be heralded together.

“...Yeah.”

Sensing her feelings, Ikki took her hands.

So the two entered, hand in hand, through the same gate.

Immediately-

「「「WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!」」」

Applause and cheers rained upon them.

「Ikki-kun! Congratulations!」

「Ah, look! They’re holding hands!」

「Wew! Looking good together!」

「Stella, Your Highness! I’ll get my revenge next year! 」

「You were both amazing!」

Within the praise, the two continued down the path together.

When at last they reached Kaieda and the podium, the voices quieted
down, giving way to a dignified silence from tens of thousands.

Having waited for that, Kaieda called the name of the runner-up.

「Hagun Academy first year. Stella Vermillion.」

“Yes.”
Stella released Ikki’s hand and approached Kaieda.

「You achieved second at the sixty-second Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, a
magnificent achievement. That is henceforth acknowledged here.
Congratulations.」

Stella accepted the certificate he presented with both hands and bowed.

Then, she pivoted on her heel and bowed to the audience.

The audience wordlessly applauded in response.

Stella then stepped up to her place on the podium on the second highest
tier.

Her movements were dignified, as if she was walking within a temple.

It would seem she was used to the stage.

Once again, silence fell.

「Hagun Academy first year. Kurogane Ikki.」

It was finally Ikki’s turn.

“Yes.”

His voice carried clearly in the silence, and he stepped forward.

He wasn’t as used to the stage as Stella, but he carried himself well.

His posture was every bit as dignified.

Once Ikki arrived before Kaieda, Kaieda began the conferral.

「Through a series of fierce battles, you have ascended to the peak of the sixty-
second Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. In recognition of your achievement, you
are hereby awarded the title of Seven Stars Sword King. Congratulations. 」

Together with his certificate, he received the title of strongest student knight
in the country.
It was what Ikki had always aimed for.

Emotions raced through Ikki’s heart.

His meeting with Kurogane Ryoma.

The days he spent training.

Running around the dojo even as he tasted blood.

A year spent shut up in Hagun Academy.

A chance meeting with his beloved.

This was the answer those days had culminated in.

That the path of shura he’d walked hadn’t been wrong.

“Thank you.”

Ikki accepted the certificate as emotions continued to swirl inside.

But there was no applause.

Everyone there understood.

There was something left for the winner to do.

“Kurogane.”

In order to carry out that duty, he was handed something by the principal of
Hagun Academy, Shinguuji Kurono, who was standing beside Kaieda.

It was something Toudou Touka had entrusted to him as the group leader
of Hagun Academy, the school flag.

Even with no explanation, Ikki understood what to do.

He had already promised.

He passed his certificate to Kurono for safekeeping and accepted the flag.
He took his place next to Stella, on the podium’s highest level, the Seven
Stars Summit, and raised the flag to the sky.

「「「----------!!!!!!!」」」

A deafening torrent of applause struck them like a waterfall.

「Kurogane-kun, you’re the best!」

「Nice! To the new Seven Stars Sword King!」

「I’ll definitely come cheer for you again next year! 」

「Nice job! Ikki-kun!」

It wasn’t just the audience seating. The cheers resounded outside.

Countless strangers sent their blessings.

Of course, it wasn’t just strangers.

People Ikki knew very well also sent their blessings to him on the summit.

“So he finally made it.”

“Mmf-”

Arisuin waved, while next to him, Shizuku clapped reservedly with cheeks
puffed up like a hamster.

“Congrats Kurogane-kun!”

“...Fuu.”

Kurashiki Kuraudo sat with his arms crossed, looking interested. With him
was Ayatsuji Ayase, who’d managed to drag him there, saying she wanted
to attend her benefactor’s award ceremony.

“Thanks, Kurogane-kun!”

“As expected of the man who beat Runner’s High!”

The Hagun Student Council, who had risked their bodies to stop the
Akatsuki Raid, were there too.

“Woo, Kurogane! Get ready, I won’t lose next year!”

“Are you planning to repeat a year?”

“Ah… You’re right. I won’t be here next year. What to do…”

“I’d love to hear if you think there’s anything you could actually do about
that.”

On this stage called the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, only a few could
be considered worthy opponents to compete for the summit with.

Receiving blessings from those made Ikki renew his determination.

He would become strong.

So he wouldn’t betray those blessings or the Seven Stars Sword King title,
or embarrass himself.

Even stronger than he was now.

Constantly more so.

So-

With those blessings, the last program of the Seven Stars Sword Art
Festival came to an end.

Kaieda addressed all present.

「With this, the sixty-second Seven Stars Sword Art Festival ends. 」

But, just then-

「「「Wait a minuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!!!」」」

Dozens of female voices cried out at the same time, from all over the
stadium, and dozens of people could be seen climbing over the fence and
surging into the ring.
Everyone was astonished.

As if it wasn’t surprising enough, the intruders all shared the same face.

「Wh- What’s this!?」

「This many of the same person!?」

Of course, in this situation, the adults began to respond immediately.

Their goal, to apprehend the girl and bring calm back to the situation.

But whenever one was close to getting caught, they would disappear in a
puff of smoke.

It was a clone type noble art.

By scattering her clones, she overwhelmed the adults’ defensive line in a

flash.

She reached Ikki and Stella at the victor’s podium.

They stared, dumbfounded, at the intruder’s face.

But of course. The intruder was-

“You…!”

“Kusakabe-san!?”

It was their friend and classmate.

Kusakabe Kagami from the Hagun Academy Newspaper Club.

What was she doing there?

They wanted to ask her, but the camera in her hands explained everything.

“Stella-chan! Stand next to senpai! Don’t just stand there!”

Stella and Ikki understood what she meant immediately.

“Stella!”

“Ok..!”

As Kagami pointed the lens at them, Stella’s dignified expression bloomed

into a smile and she jumped onto Ikki’s platform.

Ikki caught her in a solid hold and held her there.

His chivalry would continue on.

Now he would continue with his beloved, irreplaceable Stella.

After seeing them standing together, everyone in the stadium reached an

unusual understanding, as if the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle had been
placed.

Like, ‘Ah, I see.’

The results of battle, victory and defeat, are hard to change, recorded as
they are, but the way those two were was meant to be.

From now on, forever.

“Okay! Say cheese!”