Chapter 9

Ikki was dumbfounded as he was pulled in front of Stella, feeling a bit awkward but deciding to just go with it.

"Um, hello, Stella-san."

Stella looked at Ikki before her, recalling what had just happened. The blush on her now calm face deepened slightly.

"Just call me Stella..."

Stella averted her eyes and said in a low voice.

"Then... Stella."

Ikki looked at the shy expression on Stella's beautiful face and felt a stir in his heart.

He then shyly lowered his head.

Luo Mio, watching the two from the side, felt like he was witnessing something special.

"Being a shipper feels pretty good."

"Gulp..."

Hearing the sound, Luo Mio looked at Stella.

Ikki awkwardly scratched his head.

"Are you hungry?"

Luo Mio coughed, looking at Stella who was about to die of embarrassment, and walked towards the kitchen. "I'll go make something to eat then."

Standing in front of the kitchenware, Luo Mio thought to himself, 'Glad I learned a few dishes from my sister back then.'

Stella looked at Luo Mio by the kitchenware and said to Ikki, "After I woke up today, the Chairperson came to visit me and told me about you."

"...About my family matters?"

"Mhm..."

"Aunt Kuro..."

Well, it wasn't something that needed to be deliberately hidden.

"After hearing what the Chairperson said, I was actually very curious."

"Curious?"

"Yeah, why is it that even though your Magic Power is pitifully scarce, your abilities are very poor, and you have no talent at all..."

"You're still so persistent and hardworking in wanting to become a Knight?"

Stella voiced her question.

Upon hearing Stella's words, Ikki's gaze shifted to Luo Mio, who was cooking.

"Since the Chairperson, Aunt Kuro, told you everything, you must understand."

"My family, the Kurogane family, has considerable influence in the entire Knight world. And it was within such a family that..."

"I was born. I had no talent as a Blazer, and my parents and relatives treated me as a burden to the family."

"I couldn't participate in any classes. Even the children from branch families could participate, but I couldn't. I could only stay in my room even during the annual family gatherings."

"Because of this, my parents and the people in my family gradually started treating me as if I didn't exist. This was my life as Kurogane Ikki of the Kurogane family before the age of six."

"But the following year, my life was saved by my grandfather, Kurogane Ryoma."

"And by Miohua."

Upon hearing Luo Mio's name, Stella looked in shock at Luo Mio, who was chopping vegetables in front of the kitchenware.

"You must be shocked."

"I remember that day vividly. It was the annual gathering, and people from the main family and branch families were gathered at home."

"For me, such gatherings were excruciating. Listening to the laughter of children my age playing happily outside my room, outside the window, made me feel incredibly lonely."

"I ran away. I fled from my room."

"Once I left my room, I was seen by people from the family."

"I could clearly feel the disdain and disgust in the eyes of those who saw me at the time. It was in such a situation that Miohua appeared."

"He was invited to the Kurogane family's gathering. He saw me and, ignoring the adults' attempts to stop him, came up to me and extended his hand with a smile."

"Saying, 'Want to play together?'"

"But then he was stopped by the adults who came to intervene, and I was also driven out of the banquet hall."

"I was heartbroken, in so much pain. I gritted my teeth and left the house, running to the back of the mountain. But then, the sun set in the west, the temperature on the mountain gradually dropped, and the light snow gradually turned into a blizzard."

"Someone like me, who had no existence, how could anyone possibly come to save me? For them, perhaps it didn't matter whether I existed or not."

"Just as I thought I was going to die, when I felt immense unwillingness, my grandfather, Kurogane Ryoma, appeared."

"He looked at my unwilling tears and smiled, saying, 'Listen up, kid. Never forget this unwillingness. This unwillingness proves that you haven't given up on yourself.'"

"And so, he took me back. As we were walking halfway back, Miohua appeared!"

"Because I disappeared, he came out looking for me, worried."

"Seeing me on his grandfather's back, he smiled. Then, just like at the banquet, he reached out his hand to me."

"'Shall we be friends?' he said, a different phrase from the banquet."

"I was so happy! It was the first time in my life someone had reached out to me and asked to be friends."

"I reached out my hand, and we both laughed as we shook hands. That was also the first time in my life I had smiled happily."

"When we returned home, Miohua announced in front of my father and family members, 'I want to invite Ikki to my place as a guest.'"

"Although there were many objections, I still went to Miohua's home. There, I met Miohua's older sister, Touka-nee; Miohua's guardian, Senpai Saikyō; and Aunt Kuro."

"When Luo Mio was training, he pulled me along to train with him, saying the most important words to me."

"'Ikki, have you heard of the KOK World League? How about we have a match there someday!'"

Stella's expression turned surprised again upon hearing this.

The KOK World League was a place for true world-class Magic Knights.

"It's those words that have supported me until now. If I want to compete there, I have to put in ten thousand, a hundred million times the effort!"

Stella listened quietly to Ikki's story.

She looked at Luo Mio, who was already serving the food, and remained silent.

Ikki's story reminded her of her past self. She was like that back then.

"Dinner's ready!"

Luo Mio placed the dishes on the table and said to Ikki and Stella.

"By the way, what were you two whispering about?"

Ikki shook his head and smiled, "Nothing, just talking about some old stuff."

Luo Mio raised an eyebrow and said, "Heh... really? Then why did I hear you muttering my name just now?"

Watching their friendly conversation, Stella remembered something.

She turned to Ikki with a question.

"You just said the Kurogane family has a strong influence in the entire knight world."

"Is that so?"

Luo Mio looked at the two of them talking, confused.

"Then why did you invite him?"

Stella pointed at Luo Mio and asked.

"Huh?" Luo Mio looked at Stella, who was pointing at him, with a bewildered expression.

"What are these two talking about?"

Ikki realized what was happening and said, "Ah, only a few people know about it."

"Actually, Luo Mio is also an A-Rank Knight."

"Eh..." Stella's eyes widened in disbelief as she heard Ikki's words.

"An A-Rank Knight..." Stella stared blankly at Luo Mio, then pointed at him as if remembering something.

"Ah! I've heard of it. Before me, there was an A-Rank Knight whose name I don't know, but whose age was not much different from mine, and whose total Magic Power surpassed mine! So it was you!"

She hooked a finger on her cheek.

"If you're talking about the world's number one in total Magic Power, then that was indeed me."

"But, why..."

"Ahaha, it's a bit complicated."

Stella looked at Luo Mio with a complicated expression, then back at Ikki.

After a moment of silence, Stella's expression cleared, and she said, "I lost, Ikki!"

"Yeah, facing someone who has put in tens of thousands of times the effort towards the KOK World League, how could someone with my half-hearted attitude possibly win against you."

Ikki listened blankly to Stella's acknowledgment.

"I've decided, Ikki! Although I don't have as grand a goal as you and him, I'll make a promise with you too!"

"I will fight you at the Seven Stars Sword Dance Festival, and I will win back today's defeat."

Stella's face broke into a bright smile as she extended her fist towards Ikki.

"Stella..."

Ikki smiled.

He extended his fist.

As for Luo Mio, he transformed into a professional shipper, watching the two make their vows.

Chapter 7: The Day of the New School Term Arrives.

"Huh, so Miohua, you've already had a match against Touka-nee!"

After dinner, Ikki was flipping through the Student Handbook when he found a video. He then projected it onto the TV.

The video's title read: "Hagun Academy Student Council President's First Battle of the New Semester?!"

Luo Mio, taking a sip of hot honey water, looked at the video title.

"As expected, no matter what world you're in, eye-catching titles always attract attention."

Luo Mio said to Ikki and Stella.

"Well, while you two were fighting, I met my older sister in the audience. After your fight ended, she pulled me into a sparring match."

Stella looked confused and asked, "That Student Council President is Miohua's sister?"

Ikki chimed in, "Toudo Touka, Miohua's sister, and also one of the top four contenders at last year's Seven Stars Sword Dance Festival!"

"Ehh... Ikki, Ikki, hurry up and play it."

Stella urged Ikki to start the video.

After all, one was an A-Rank Knight whose Magic Power once surpassed hers, and the other was the strongest student at Hagun Academy and a top four contender in the Seven Stars Sword Dance Festival.

How could they miss a battle like this?

Watching the video, both parties had already summoned their Devices.

After watching the video, Ikki and Stella fell silent.

Ikki looked at the end of the video with a solemn expression and said, "Touka-nee is indeed very strong."