(translation)

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm in good health. ..Yes. The match tomorrow is the last one for the school, I guess. Eh? Assistance from Tokyo is coming? M-Make a banner!? It's too early to do that! And anyway, the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival is being held in Osaka this year. ..Yeah, that's right. Anyway, whether win or lose, once the selection battles end I'll go make a temporary appearance. Yeah. See you later. Thanks for the vegetables. Say thanks to everyone for me too. And Mother, take care of your body, okay? ..Bye bye."

Exchanging words of farewell, Touka switched off the phone function of her student datapad. The liquid crystal display had moisture clinging to it. It was evidence that the telephone conversation had gone out for fifty minutes. It seemed to have been a very long telephone conversation.

"The director was in good health?"

While sitting on the sofa of the student council room and biting into a huge red tomato, Utakata asked about the person who she had been conversing with on the phone. About the circumstances with the director of Wakaba House, the orphanage that the two of them had received favor from.

"It felt like she was as completely full of energy as ever."

The director―the elderly woman who Touka had called "Mother"―had suffered a heart attack last year. At that time, Touka had spent a whole night weeping, and even Utakata who was usually whistling had a pale face, but having heard the voice on the telephone just now, it seemed that her condition was already settled, and her energy had come back. Too much, in fact.

In any case―

"They already made a banner, she said?"

That. Even though victory in the selection battles hadn't been decided, or decisions regarding representatives, it seemed the director and the children of the facility had already made a banner for her taking the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. As expected, even Touka was lost for words.

"Because everyone is hasty.. they really are."

"That's the only thing everyone is hoping for, you know. To the kids of Wakaba House, it's their wish for their hero, Raikiri."

Saying so, Utakata handed to Touka a photo taken from inside the cardboard box filled with vegetables delivered from Wakaba House. On that photo was the smiling mud-covered faces of the children who harvested the vegetables, and at the bottom were encouragement written with letters that they had memorized with utmost effort.

Indeed, there was no doubt that for the children of Wakaba House, Touka was a hero. Orphaned like them, graduating from the same facility, fighting grandly at the forefront of the world. Fighting, and continuing to win. That figure was what the children of Wakaba House admired.

Someday Utakata also wanted to shine like that girl. With that dream, the courage to face that dream was continuously being given to him by Touka.

And again, Touka herself was aware that she was that existence to others. Therefore, she couldn't lose. To preserve that kind of expectation, she couldn't let her strength bend to pressure. To an extent, it was the strongest part of Touka Toudou, Raikiri.

This, I'll read it slowly later.

Holding the photo to her chest with sweetly for a moment, Touka put it into her bag. Then she turned her attention to the box full of vegetables. Tomatoes to eggplants to cucumbers―it was an assortment of summer vegetables harvested from the facility's vegetable garden. Each and every one was scraggly, giving a warm feeling that couldn't be put into words.

"Wow, look Uta-kun. This eggplant, it's so fat and splendid. If we made eggplant curry or something, it might come out delicious, right?"

"Yep, it's so dark and fat ant and splendid, huh?"

"J-Jeez! Giving such an old-man response!"

"Ha ha ha. But since it'll go bad being left here, we have to take it to the school cafeteria tomorrow, won't we?"

Suddenly, the words Utakata uttered. At those words, Touka's face clouded over slightly. Because she thought of something unpleasant.

"..Tomorrow, huh?"

Some time ago, a message came for her. It had come from Kurono Shinguuji. Its contents―was a change to her opponent for tomorrow. And furthermore, because that opponent was the Worst One, the topic of an upheaval right now―and unavoidably giving the impression that he had committed a crime.

Touka had inquired about that, and Kurono had not concealed it either. The adversity that Ikki was under, which she heard from Kurono, it was undoubtedly beyond description. The malice that surrounded him, that cornered him into the worst condition, and in addition was sending herself as the assassin against him.

However, needless to say Touka was unwilling to be that.

"Touka will be the representative to take up that duel?"

Even Utakata understood the matter. Therefore he, to Touka whose expression had clouded over, asked with a worried tone of voice. In response, Touka lowered her eyes.

"I don't have the right to decide. Madam Director also said so, but for me it's the absolute final selection battle match."

Indeed, It was a duel for Ikki, but for Touka it was an absolute selection battle. It was only changing the opponent, and she could not risk anything for the sake of the outcome. And even though there had not been alterations this sudden, changing situations had happened many so far. Therefore even Touka could not protest strongly. However―

"But you feel that this shouldn't happen, right?"

"Yeah..."

Because of that, there was no way this unpleasant feeling of shock would go away. All the more for a girl as kind-hearted as Touka.

..Therefore, she had taken one measure.

*knock knock*

Right on time, a visitor knocked on the student council room door.

"Who would that be at this hour?"

"I called her. Please come in."

"Forgive my intrusion."

The person who opened the door and entered was a petite young girl who looked like a bisque doll. She was the one who had fought with Touka with all of her strength, Shizuku Kurogane, the Lorelei.

"This is an unexpected guest, isn't it?"

"..I didn't think that I would be called here by the person who gave me a such a black mark on my record this late at night either."

"Ha ha. That's quite natural. Oh, that's right, do you want a tomato? It's very sweet and delicious, you know."

"..I've already brushed my teeth, so no thank you. Besides, I probably wasn't called here to eat tomatoes. ―Student President. What is it you want from me?"

Shizuku urged Touka toward the main point.

..She was being childish. Shizuku herself thought so. But meeting and speaking with the person who destroyed her dream, her goal of heading in front of the entire country with her brother, was making her uncomfortable after all.

Touka had the same exact feeling. Therefore she got right to the point, and spoke her reason for calling Shizuku here.

"The truth is, Madam Director sent a message a while ago.. and because you're not unrelated, Shizuku-san, I wanted to convey it―"

What Touka was saying was that the competition schedule for tomorrow had been suddenly revised. And that Ikki was wagering his entire future in that fight, and had to make a challenge. Little by little, as Shizuku listened to the spiteful reality, her expression became full of wrath. And soon after she was done hearing all of it,

"..Lowlife..!"

With green eyes shining furiously, she spat a curse at someone who wasn't here. And after that, she asked Touka.

"..President, will you fight? Against Onii-sama, whose physical condition is disturbed?"

"The student council president is nothing more than an ordinary student. Even if I cry objections, I have no power to change who I'm matched against."

Even if it was Touka, who was reluctant to fight, she could not do enough. However―even though it couldn't be helped and was she was unable to convince Shizuku, Touka had still called Shizuku here.

"Therefore Shizuku-san, I have a request for you who is Kurogane-kun's family."

"For me..?

"Yes. ..Shizuku-san, can you advise Kurogane-kun not to do this?"

"..Eh?"

"Kurogane-kun's physical condition seems to be considerably bad. At worst, pneumonia. ..I heard that it might be even worse than that. Speaking plainly, he very much cannot fight with his body like that. ..However, it has been only a few days of interaction, but I've seen the kind of knight that Ikki Kurogane is. Speaking from that impression, I think he would drag himself to the fight even with his entire body full of wounds. Not in desperation, but in order to fight me seriously. He will definitely hold prospects of victory and resolution."

And―

"And I too, I am a girl who won't let the opponent I'm facing escape. If he comes to the fight, I will face him as his opponent with all my soul. As a result, even if a disastrous accident occurs..."

In that instant, a shiver ran through Shizuku's whole body.

This person.. is serious.

Behind the glasses, she could clearly see the glint in Touka's eyes, and Shizuku was convinced. Touka was not exaggerating. Indeed, she was even thinking of the possibility of killing Ikki. And seeing the worst possible future, she had called Shizuku here.

"I beg of you. Please stop Kurogane-kun. The only one who could do that is you who are his family, I think."

Shizuku didn't respond immediately.

What should she do? What would be the correct thing? Without knowing that...

"..One night, please give me one night to think about it..."

The best she could do was squeeze out those words.

Since Shizuku left the room, Touka muttered a few words of her heart's unease.

"Even if Kurogane-kun abstains from fighting tomorrow, even if I fight and win―I.. can I be proud of going out before the entire country after such a fight?"

Remembering the smiles on the photo that came with the vegetables, and the message of support. Would she be able to have a fight worthy of their honest hopes and admiration?

It was an inescapable anxiety.

"Touka."

Suddenly, the hand of that uneasy Touka was wrapped by a small warmth. It was Utakata's hand. He grasped Touka's hand, and looked up at her from his always shorter vantage.

"Certainly, various things have been made ridiculous by adults pushing circumstances for their own convenience, but even so, you're you. You should fight the battle that you yourself will be proud of. We love you because you're like that. ..And Kouhai-kun probably hopes for that too."

Naturally, he told Touka a truth that carried his conviction. What other people were thinking didn't matter. If Touka did as she thought was right, that was enough.

To those words.. Touka gradually smiled. She could do it.

"Yeah. Thanks, Uta-kun."

That's right. From the beginning, that was all I could do.

She should just do the best she could.

"Alright!"

Touka shouted, and clapped her hnds together. The sharp pain, it drove away her hesitation and confusion―she wasn't wavering anymore.

Tomorrow, if he drags himself to battle in order to face me, I won't show any mercy.

Without mercy, she would accompany him in battle with all her strength as a knight. And she would win. She would win without fail!

I'll win―and I'll go to the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival proudly!

In this way, the night before the decisive battle grew late―and Hagun Academy greeted the morning of the final representative selection battles for the fated Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.

"Well well. Even though it's only the start of summer. It looks like this year will be hot too."

On the morning of the final day of selection battles. At the station closest to Hagun Academy, the station master wiped the sweat from his forehead while sweeping up.

The sky was clear. It was a heat that poured down with uninterrupted sunlight. In this kind of season, the snug navy blue uniform was a little bit enduring.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of an approaching electric train, and raised his face. The train that stopped at every station was arriving at this one. It slowed to a stop in front of the station, and its door opened. The station master had no choice but to retreat three steps before the descending visitor.

Well, there aren't anybody who'd come here at this time, but..."

At any rate, Hagun Academy was the reasonable place to go from this station. Setting aside the students who were departing to go have fun on holidays, on time-slots for weekdays, there were no people stopping by the station near Hagun Academy, which had a residential dorm system. That was what he expected, but―

Hmm?

From the train's open door, a man slowly exited. His back was bent limply. It was an old man.

How unusual. Someone came on a weekday.

What kind of person was this? From such curiosity, the station master turned his eyes toward the old man who had descended.

And he became speechless.

It wasn't an old man who had descended. He was a young man―no, a boy. A boy who should be in the peak of health, but he was creeping out of the electric train with his back bent.

But the reason the station master became speechless wasn't because of the boy's age. The surprise was because of his―Ikki Kurogane's physical condition.

"Haa.. haa..."

Hoarse breaths were coming out wildly, and his face was a pallid white. The eyes visible from behind disarrayed forelocks were murky, and no vitality could be felt. And more than anything else―exuded from that image, the perspiration dripping from his chin was unusual. Even with the fierce heat, the electric train had an air conditioner inside. A healthy person would not have such overflowing perspiration.

"Y-You, are you okay?"

"Wh.. oh, yes, I'm.. fine."

"No, you obviously don't look fine! I'll call an ambulance..!"

Then, the station master looked at Ikki's face in surprise. Although Ikki was in front of his eyes, only now did he recognize the boy described in the news as having played around with the princess of Vermillion. And at that moment, the station master's expression showed obvious disgust. Ikki didn't fail to notice that.

"Thank you for.. worrying about me. But.. I'm sorry. ..I'm in a hurry."

Towards the station master, Ikki bowed his head quickly, and passed by on one side. And like that, he left the station.

"Ah..."

That back was becoming more distant with unsteady, shaky steps. Seeing that back, the station master remembered in bewilderment. Ikki was the child who the media had claimed was notoriously difficult to deal with during his time in his parents' home.

But somehow.. he was extremely polite, wasn't he?

After meeting the person himself, the station master didn't think that this was very similar to the person that the news described.

Ikki exited the station, and like that he climbed the hill road toward Hagun Academy. It was a road that went on about one kilometer. A course in which he always went over running with Stella each morning. It was a slope that would not bother the usual Ikki, but as he was now, it was an extraordinarily long distance.

With only shallow breaths, his injured lungs could not bring in oxygen properly.

It hurts...

At least, he wanted to breathe. Opening his mouth to gasp, to capture oxygen, but―

"..Ack,?*cough*!?*Cough*!"

At the sharp pain that his irritated lungs brought in, all the oxygen he had gotten was spat out. The oxygen in his blood was getting extremely low, and his lips were becoming blue. Becoming hazy from fever and lack of oxygen, Ikki's consciousness was already basically nonexistent. And in place of the ego of the weakened Ikki, there were only thoughts of weakness from hallucinations due to being drugged.

..I'm challenging Raikiri in this kind of condition..?

That kind of thing, it was impossible. It would just be suicide.

I can't win...

That was already obvious. In the first place, the hollow sword of a hollow person like himself, it could not possibly defeat that girl's sword.

Enough, I want to sleep...

Complaints floated through the mind of Ikki who was climbing the deserted hill under the sunlight of the annual heat wave and the sound of cicadas. Right now, he had almost let go of his consciousness. For Ikki, it was an irresistibly sweet temptation.

At that time.

"Ah..."

A small rock snagged on his foot, and Ikki's body struck the asphalt without any defense.

This.. isn't good...

If he didn't get up.

If he didn't do that, he wouldn't get to the match in time.

If he didn't get to the match in time, he would lose.

If he lost...

Oh, what difference does it.. make?

He sensed his brain melting messily. With his distraction from being drugged and his haziness from fever, what was Ikki doing right now? He couldn't even understand what his goal in doing this was.

And in the midst of his messy consciousness, Ikki grasped something at the edge of his field of view.

..Ah.

It was snow. Before he noticed it, the sky had become dark, and large snowflakes were falling down.

In midsummer? Impossible. But still, it was certainly―

It's.. cold...

With his teeth chattering, his body froze. At that chill.. Ikki remembered.

..Which reminds me, that day was a snowy day too, wasn't it?

That day, when relatives gathered to celebrate the new year. The day he fled the house, not being able to take it. Nobody coming in spite of his calls, nobody caring about him, cowering in the snow by himself.

Compared to that, I.. haven't changed at all.

Really, what was he doing? Without a single expectation, without a single accomplishment, he wasn't able to change a single thing. In the past and in the present, he was cowering in the unending snow. Though even if he said that, becoming as worn out as this, what was he trying to do?

He didn't know. He couldn't remember anything. It's just that he couldn't help his body becoming sluggish, and his eyelids growing heavy―

Ikki's consciousness fell into the cold darkness.

The final matches of the selection battles. The number of matches today was less than usual. For the matches happening, they included only the twelve fighters who were undefeated up to now. Therefore, it didn't need to be said that there were many spectators. In particular, the number of people who came to the first practice arena where the confrontation between Raikiri and the Worst One was dreadfully enormous.

The students who came to watch raised their voices in astonishment here and there and everywhere.

"Wow, so many people, huh?"

"Of course there are. Everyone's here to watch the showdown between Raikiri and that Worst One."

"By the way, is that camera I see inside?"

"Because of the news reporters. You know, that story."

"Right, the scandal about the Worst One and the Crimson Princess. But aren't reporters forbidden inside the school?"

"The League was extremely influential in this matter, so maybe there was an exception?"

"Hey.. you guys, do you believe that story?"

"There's no doubt they were together. Neither of them denied it, and afterward they were getting along incredibly well."

"And after the match with the Hunter, the Crimson Princess was the one who made a confession with all her heart, you know."

"That's not true! Look, the Worst One's family were the ones who brought the evidence, weren't they? That the Worst One was an unrepentant and notoriously abusive in the past, and is playing around with girls even now?"

"Oh, that?"

"..I don't believe it."

"Truth is, me neither. My Device is a Japanese sword, and I learned how to swing it and do footwork from that guy during lunch breaks, you know."

"Oh, I saw that too. He was doing that in the courtyard, I think. He began doing that with classmates who were pestering him."

"Right, right. I saw that person there, so I can't believe that what the newspapers wrote is true. After all, during this important selection battle season, he was so polite while teaching people even though he got no benefit. How could someone like that be trying to trick the Crimson Princess?"

"But the evidence comes from his own family. In that case, it has to be true, right? Because what reason would they have to lie? They're his own relatives. They might lie to protect him, but there's no reason to make up lies to harm him, right?"

"Yeah, it's hard to imagine that."

Mixing with the activity of the noisy crowd, questions and suspicions about Ikki were exchanged. From the spectator seats, the best place for grinding out such conversations, Nene Saikyou―the petite woman dressed in a kimono who was staring down at the arena―spoke in admiration to Kurono Shinguuji who standing nearby.

"Hm~ph. It looks like the other kids aren't swallowing the news reports whole, huh?"

"Indeed. The people who've had first-hand acquaintance with Kurogane seem the most likely not to do so."

"You can tell he's harmless at a glance, that kid."

"But the truth of it is already inconsequential."

With a sour expression, Kurono spoke that reality.

Indeed, the chain of events surrounding Ikki, the right and wrong of it or the good and bad, was already entrusted to his victory in this duel. Therefore how much Ikki needed to be reformed, how much Akaza's group was wrong, Ikki's method of verifying his righteousness was already limited to victory.

"Really, they really did it, you know. Those bastards."

Even Kurono hadn't anticipated things unfolding this way. He should've endured until Stella's father came? Kurono groaned at her own naivete. And then...

"He he he. Let me accept your compliments."

A deliberately delighted, cloying voice was heard from beside the two of them. The two of them turned as one toward that voice, and there a sweltering barrel of a man was standing and wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Good afternoon. My, today is certainly hot, isn't it~?"

"Committee Chairman Akaza..."

At Akaza's appearance, both Kurono's and Saikyou's handsome faces grimaced together. Naturally, since this wasn't someone they could possibly welcome.

"What do you want from us, you red tanuki[1]?"

Saikyou asked this bluntly with a barbed tone, and Akaza laughed as if saying "Wait, wait, please don't bare your fangs."

"No, no. I have nothing I want from you, but having met Sensei by chance, I just wanted to lead him here so you could talk, you know? Ahh, over here, Sensei."

A petite old man wearing a kimono decorated with a family crest was brought in front of the two of them.

"Ah, we found you at last. In a place as spacious as this, I wouldn't know where you were or what you were doing, ha?"

"Geh, the geezer!"

Saikyou was the first one to react to this person's appearance. And it was justified.

The old man's name was Torajirou Nangou, the God of War. He was a ninety-two year old mage-knight, the oldest in Japan, and the man who was Saikyou's teacher.

"Ho ho ho. My lovable pupil's mouth is as sharp as ever. Well, that's what's cute about you, isn't it?"

"C-Cu.. don't say disgusting things!"

"Your face is red, Nene. How about accepting it honestly?"

"Y-You dried-up old geezer, hearing stuff like that from you doesn't make me happy!"

Nene's face as she said that, its bashfulness couldn't be hidden by those words.

Sheesh, that girl can't be honest.

Even though it was already known that this old man was the one Nene had known the longest, and the one she respected the most in the world.

"Kurono-kun, it's also been a long time for us, hasn't it? We haven't met since your belly was big, but did your childbirth end without any problems?"

"Yes, thankfully."

"That's good, very good. However, hnn~, after experiencing childbirth, you've become much more voluptuous, Kurono~. Around the hips, especially―"

"Geezer! Did you come over here just to leer at my friend!? I'll kill you!"

"Ho ho ho. Nene, you're getting along in years too, so instead of making such shrill noise, you should follow Kurono's example and acquire some knowledge of adult appeal. Otherwise, you'll lose your chance to get married, you know?"

"Nangou-sensei, even if you don't worry about it, surely this girl had lost that chance a long time ago."

"I-I-I can still get married! I'm just having fun with all my might as a single woman! It's just that it would be dumb to be bound to one man! Or rather, why is Kuu-chan on his side!?"

Because Nene is cute whenever Nangou-sensei is around.

It made Kurono want to tease Nene against her better judgment. There were too many moments of Nene not being cute, usually. Well, she wasn't going to tell the person herself that.

"Anyway, Nangou-sensei, why are you here today?"

Disregarding Saikyou's indignant "Don't ignore me!", Kurono asked that of Nangou. Well, this was just being polite. Kurono could guess the main outline of the reason he had come here.

"Of course, I came here to watch Touka's grand performance. ..Well, it would be fine to wait until the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival itself, but I had to show up since her opponent is someone of the Kurogane, don't I?"

Like I thought.

Indeed, Nangou was Touka's teacher at the same time he was Nene's. He saw the quick wits of Touka who followed an ancient style, and afterwards taught her his own sword style. Touka's current signature Raikiri was also an arrangement of the old man's own technique, Otogiri[2], for her use. And the reason even more important than that―

"He he he. And because it's the honorable Nangou-sensei's lifetime rival born in the same era, the great hero Ryouma Kurogane, isn't it? It would only be natural to take an interest."

Nangou was ninety-two years old. He was someone who fought alongside the great hero Ryouma Kurogane in the Second World War, and at the same time they were rivals. Ordinarily, the schedule of selection battles in the school was not shown outside, but the fight this time was given as news outside. If he knew that his own favorite pupil and the blood relative of his rival were fighting against each other, it would only be natural for Nangou would show up to see the outcome with his own eyes.

However―

"..But wait, Nangou-sensei. There's a chance that the match today might not happen."

Suddenly, Akaza pasted a repulsive smile on his face, and said that.

"What?"

Kurono's eyebrows moved suddenly at those words. Because she felt an ill-will that did not match his tone of voice. And at almost the same time―

「A notification for everyone in attendance. Although the time has arrived for the match between contender Touka Toudou and contender Ikki Kurogane, contender Ikki Kurogane has still not arrived in the waiting room. As per the selection battle regulations, in the event that contender Kurogane does not arrive in ten minutes, he will be given a loss by default due to absence, so please give us your understanding.」

That announcement echoed within the venue.

"..If I remember correctly, Kurogane was brought here by Committee Chairman Akaza in the same car so there is no need to fetch him. Wasn't that what I was told?"

Certainly, Akaza had told this to Kurono yesterday, and forestall her from taking Ikki. But despite that talk―

"He he he. No, I'm very sorry. I compleeeeetly forgot. I'm sincerely regretful. However, the distance from the League branch to here is not that far. A single person can use the electric train to get here, can't he? ..Well, his physical condition seemed extremely bad, so I hope he didn't collapse along the way? He he he."

This son of a bitch...

At the discomfort boiling up inside, Kurono clenched her blood-congested fists.

A small hand took that shaking fist. It was Saikyou's hand. She was looking up at Kurono with her eyebrows raised, and admonished Kurono with a small voice, her lips hidden behind her folding fan.

"Don't be short-tempered, Kuu-chan."

Kurono was silent.

"The details don't matter, since Kurobou accepted the duel. What goes on here isn't important. The things that should be done, all of them come afterwards."

Saikyou was equally pissed off. Knowing that, Kurono unclenched her fist quietly.

"Yeah, that's true, huh?"

And so, the two of them resolved themselves. This battle, whether Ikki won or whether Ikki lost, they wouldn't let this red tanuki leave here alive.

Whereas the red tanuki, Akaza, as if not feeling the killing intent from the two of them, happily looked out a-->>

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