y 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?"

"Hey Ikki.. do you want to.. do it with me?"

For an instant, Ikki couldn't understand what he had just been asked. But the confusion from the surprise attack only lasted that instant. He immediately understood how lethal the inquiry was.

"EEEEEHHHHH!?"

He screamed from astonishment.

"W-Wait, Stella, do you know what you just said to me!?"

"Yes.. I understand it."

"Erk."

Ikki was reflected in earnest scarlet eyes. Those eyes were slightly clouded in fever, but gave an extremely serious gaze. It wasn't a joke, she definitely wasn't saying it because she was delirious from fever. Stella was seriously asking Ikki. Ikki recognized it at that moment.

"..*gulp*"

But even if he recognized it, what should he do? Should he say what he really thought?

Ikki didn't deny the answer to that question one bit. Of course he wanted to. Not just today. Whenever he kissed her, whenever he held her hands, whenever he hugged her. At various times, Ikki felt that impulse in himself. It was right on target. Because Ikki was a boy, and Stella was a girl. There was no way he could deceive himself. It was the natural progression in how a person thinks of his sweetheart.

Nevertheless. There was a special meaning in those words. Humans were creatures who confirmed their intentions with words. Those confirmed intentions decided the distance between two people. If Ikki returned an honest answer here, if Stella answered as well―

..The things that came out of our mouths can't be taken back..!

He wasn't confident enough to finish it. If he finished it in this place, after going back to the dorm, after Stella's cold got better, those things would be settled but there would be other effects he couldn't suppress.

But he must not do that. Ikki thought so. He couldn't make a mistake in this procedure. Therefore―

"Sorry... That question, I can't answer it yet."

Gazing straight back at those scarlet eyes, Ikki gave his response.

"Stella, I love you, and I want to say so proudly in front of everyone. Shizuku and Alice of course, and even people we don't know.. even Stella's parents. I think these feelings inside me are the most wonderful emotions. But.. if our relationship changes like this right now, I think I would feel guilty in front of your parents. I think I should stand proudly in front of them."

Both Stella and Ikki had mature bodies. It wasn't like there was any fear of what others might think. But still―Ikki thought there was a proper procedure for such important things. Stella was a precious treasure raised by her parents. If he would get involved, he had to at least greet them. He thought that was rather expected of a man.

"That's why, sorry."

He couldn't answer Stella's question, so Ikki apologized again. Saying so honestly, Ikki grasped even the rest of the current of the current situation. He really wanted to announce the relationship between him and Stella. If he did so, he could stand proud in front of anyone and say that he loved Stella. But he couldn't do that, in the end. If he announced it, there would be a scandal. Stella, who was a public figure, would suffer under the burden whether she's willing or not. He wanted to protect her from that during the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. For that reason, he had to respect that limit during that time.

That was what Ikki thought. It was a stubborn way to think, but this was something he couldn't compromise. Even if she thought he was a loser for it. Ikki explained this to Stella.

"No, that's not it."

Suddenly, Stella entwined her fingers with Ikki's. She gave a firm smile with her feverish expression.

"I said something strange, and bothered you to think about it so seriously. Sorry."

She apologized to Ikki. That expression was feverish and hot, but it wasn't just from illness.

「I love you, and I want to say so proudly in front of everyone.」

..He thought of me that importantly...

In truth, Stella hadn't been thinking of Ikki as much as he had been thinking of her. Stella had only been looking only at Ikki in front of her, but Ikki had been looking toward the people in her background, as well as keeping the relationship between them going into the future in mind as well.

It―made her very happy. Because he was thinking so seriously about their relationship, treating it as something important.

I say that, but.. what was I doing!?

Just by taking off her clothes a little, from getting a little excited, she had forgotten her chastity. Not just today. It kept happening recently. A unicorn would shun such a maiden.

Ikki is more like a maiden, isn't he?

She became ashamed after realizing her intentional thoughtlessness from before.

"..I must've become strange from the fever. I'll take a little rest."

Blaming her shame on her illness, Stella settled herself sideways on the blanket.

"Yeah. I'll keep an eye on the fire."

Ikki didn't keep going with the current topic either. Rather than talk about it with a girl, he held off. He probably thought he was embarrassing Stella as well. Setting aside those thoughts, Stella wanted to curl up.

But―

Stella, who was happy that Ikki thought so seriously about their relationship―

I really want him to say it properly after all.

Examining Ikki's words, even the feverish and befuddled Stella could understand his clumsy answer. What kind of answer was "I can't answer"? Examining the context made it simple to understand. However―she didn't want to just imagine it. She wanted to hear it from his own mouth, with his own voice.

Stella thought so no matter what. He would say it in due time. Believing that, it would probably be a mistake if she hurried him.

She didn't understand it, but she was certain of one thing.

..I'm kind of naughty...

The girl right now was clearly self-aware about that.

Soon after the question that was a little dangerous, Stella fell asleep wrapped in her blanket. However, she only did so for thirty minutes. When she woke up again, Stella's condition had become alarmingly stable. Her sweat that was flowing like a waterfall had stopped, and she spoke more without painful breaths, so with her body already revitalized she sat next to Ikki. Her cheeks were still flushed from fever, but if it was to that extent, she probably wouldn't develop pneumonia. Ikki was relieved that Stella had gotten back a bit of her vigor.

If it's like this, it might be okay to have a little talk.

Ikki thought it would be okay for her to sleep until the rescuers came, but whether Stella was bad at staying still and enjoying leisure, or whether her embarrassment at the conversation before had already come back, she was going on and on about various school topics with an unusual talkativeness. It was fun to listen to her, but Ikki only wanted to hear one thing.

So Ikki confirmed that Stella had enough energy to converse, and opened a topic himself.

"Hey, Stella."

"Hmm? What?"

"What kind of people are your parents?"

"Why.. do you want to know?"

"Well you see, since we're together, we'll have to announce it sometime, right? Because of that, we have to greet them, after all. I want to know what kind of people they are before I meet them."

Meeting Stella's parents. It was unavoidable. In other words, it was a first step. At the latest, it would happen after the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. But as far as Ikki was concerned, he had to avoid confronting Stella's parents without having any information. At least, what kind of people they were. He had to know that much.

So he asked Stella, but―

"Oh, s-so that's why... In order to announce it, huh.. ooh."

To that question, Stella's face became noticeably pale. It was an expression that plainly rejected his inquiry as disagreeable. In the end―

"Hey Ikki. I have a suggestion, but.. can't we hide the marriage until the last minute?"

As one would expect, Ikki couldn't hide his bewilderment.

"No, of course there's no way we could do that... It might be good to not announce it to the world, but if we don't tell your parents at the very least..."

"About that, a daughter can just tell her father 'Surprise~☆' one way or another."

"That kind of 'Surprise~☆' isn't cute, you know. If we're not careful, he'll have a heart attack."

At least Ikki was confident that if his sister invited their father to her wedding one day over the morning newspaper, it wouldn't end with just spitting out coffee.

"But, but..."

"Umm.. do you not want me to meet your parents that much?"

Having been taken to the heart of the matter, Stella nodded with a bit, though she was divided on the issue.

"Ooh.. Mother is a commoner, you know? But Father is a very eccentric person, and really dotes on me, so.. if he hears that you and I are together..."

"He might oppose our relationship?"

"No. I don't think he'd oppose it."

"Then wouldn't it be fine―"

"But before deciding whether to approve it or object to it, I think he'll bury you when you come to Vermillion to greet him."

That would be absolutely not fine.

"So you're saying that since he's a genuine king, I'm not refined enough..."

"No, it's not about being refined."

Ikki had huge headache, though not from something like Stella's cold. Definitely not. But in order to properly love Stella, it was necessary to follow this procedure. That was absolute. This was a situation he wouldn't be allowed to escape. What kind of existence was his opponent? Ikki had no choice but to face him. Therefore he would do his best, and give the king of Vermillion a favorable impression.

"..W-Well, he at least treasures his daughter, right? Then he's a good father, isn't he?"

"He can't let go of his children, you know. He opposed it weeping when I decided to study abroad."

"No, anybody would try to stop it if his daughter went to study abroad because 'I'm going in order to find someone stronger than me'."

"At that time, Mother saved me by putting Father in prison, some way or another."

"'Some way or another'!? She put a king in prison 'some way or another'!? Your mother doesn't really sound like a commoner!"

"Oh, that's right. If Mother put Father in prison this time too..."

"No no no! It's fine! We'll meet them normally!"

"Eh? But you'll die?"

"Did you just say something staggering like it was natural?"

Ikki recoiled a bit at the words Stella gave with such a serious look. But for him, he was resolved for the sake of associating with Stella.

"..I'm happy that Stella is worried for me, and though the explanation ended really strangely, but I won't run away from this. I'll meet Stella's father properly, and fight for his approval. That's something I have to do as a man."

Ikki's voice was colored by a strong determination. A strong determination that would never be shaken. Understanding that, Stella took a single breath.

"..I get it. Then let's go to Vermillion and meet them."

And after that.. her expression became happy, and spoke while leaning on Ikki's shoulder.

"I want to boast about my sweetheart, right?"

"Thanks, Stella."

Saying so, Ikki caressed Stella's brilliant red hair, and she narrowed her eyes happily and rubbed her cheek against Ikki's shoulder. But suddenly her expression clouded over as if she abruptly thought of something.

"..Hey Ikki, about what we just said."

With a meek face, she asked Ikki.

"Me too, I wonder if I should greet your parents?"

Stella's expression was self-conscious as she asked that. It was reasonable. She knew that outside of Shizuku, Ikki didn't have a good relationship with his family.

And the truth was, Ikki's own expression clouded over at the question. He didn't know. Whether or not it was necessary.

―Really, was he considered a child of that family anymore? He who defied their commands, ran away from home―no, whether his father even considered them family. Ikki thought of this while recalling his own father's face.

And after thinking for a while...

"You're right. I think it's important, so when the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival is over, shall we go to the Kurogane house together once?"

Ikki answered that way. At least Ikki.. thought of his father as family. His father didn't want to deal with Ikki as his son even once, but he was still Ikki's irreplaceable parent. In Ikki's heart, he wanted the day that they understood each other to come. Therefore he believed that there were still family bonds.

"..Okay. I understand."

Stella nodded at Ikki's answer.

―Honestly speaking, Stella had been uneasy about Ikki's reply at that time. Stella knew how Ikki was treated by the Kurogane family from Kurono, from Shizuku, and from Ikki himself.

「You can't do anything, so don't try.」

Were those words that a father would tell his real child? Giving up on a child's potential arbitrarily, and not just doing that, but further crushing him. That kind of parental relationship, if Stella who was brought up by loving parents saw it, it was frankly abnormal. It wasn't something parents would do. That was why she was uneasy.

「There were still family bonds.」

Thinking of the situation that way―wasn't that too na?ve? And that na?ve thinking, someday.. wouldn't Ikki's heart be decisively wounded?

But she couldn't say so. Of course not. Your father doesn't think of you as his child anymore. There was no way she could say something so wretched.

So Stella could only believe it herself. That Ikki's faint hope wouldn't be betrayed.

―And like that, the time came for silence between the two to break.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, Ikki and Stella raised their heads.

They noticed it. The earth was shaking slightly.

Stella spoke.

"I wonder what it is? An earthquake?"

But an earthquake wouldn't feel so little. Because the shaking that two of them felt, it felt more like numbness than shaking. And it wasn't just once. At a constant interval, thud. Thud. It was as if the ground was being struck by something with gigantic mass.

"..Could it be, these are the footsteps of a giant?"

What went through Ikki's mind was the scene that he had witnessed thirty minutes ago. The gouged-out earth, the trees that had been uprooted and thrown about. The huge footprints that had been carved into the ground. If it was the creator of the huge footprints, it wouldn't be weird for the earth to tremble every time it walked. Ikki wasn't one who talked about believing in UMAs[3], but certainly after seeing evidence with his own eyes, he thought it was highly likely that it was responsible.

So Ikki stood up.

"I'll go and take a look. Since it's the reason we came here today."

"I'll go too!"

Stella stood up along with him, but...

"Nope."

*pow*?Ikki flicked her on the forehead. With only that, Stella was beaten, and she fell on her back.

"W-Why not!? I want to see the giant too..!"

"There's a one-in-ten-thousand chance that this is a giant, but it's a ferocious animal instead, you might not be able to fight it. So please stay docile, Miss-Person-With-A-Cold."

"Uu..."

Stella puffed up her cheeks and booed like a spoiled child, but she reluctantly abided by the command Ikki made with a serious expression.

Ikki left Stella behind, facing the entrance to the mountain shack. And pressing his ear to the thin wooden door, he tried to guess what was happening outside.

Thud, thud. The sound was quite close. He could tell that the center of the vibrations that followed the steps was also near.

"..Come forth,?Intetsu."

Speaking words tinged with magic power, Ikki manifested his beloved raven-black sword into his right hand. After that, he took a deep breath and calmed his mind and body―then rammed the door vigorously, leaping outside.

In front of his eyes was―the uninhabited forest, with rain continuing to fall. That scene was the same as when Ikki carried Stella here.

What does this mean?

The sound, the vibration, both certainly existed. But the mass that had to create them was nowhere to be found. And when he took notice, the sound and vibration had disappeared the moment Ikki leaped outside.

..What is going on?"

Feeling completely confused, Ikki turned back.

And then...

"―Eh?"

He saw saw a rock giant standing in front of the mountain shack at a height of around of five meters.

Ikki had come out from between the legs of that too-huge giant.

N-No way..!

At that excessively unrealistic spectacle, -->>

next page