Ikki quickly approved, and Stella also consented, but―
"W-Wha!?"
―but Stella turned her eyes toward him, and her voice flipped in tone.
"Eh? You still don't like it?"
"N-No, it's not about like or dislike…. Y-You… do you understand what you're saying?"
"…Did I say something strange?"
"An F-Rank! A 'Failed Knight' who can't even pass grade levels in school! There's no way you can win against an A-Rank knight like me, right!?"
Ikki understood what Stella was trying to say. Indeed, if a failure like him―who couldn't even satisfy the school's advancement criteria―were to say "Let's settle it with a mock battle" to an authentic, promising, once-in-a-decade prodigy, such a challenge would step far past mere recklessness.
But… Ikki smiled.
"But you know, it won't be clear if we don't fight it out."
Stella wasn't willing to concede, and Ikki couldn't drop out either. He also had his reasons for becoming a mage-knight. Since that was the case, this obstacle probably couldn't be resolved no matter how much they discussed it, which left no choice but to try something else.
That was why Ikki told Stella that they should fight. At those words… Stella snapped.
"Nmounyaa~! I can't hold it back anymore~! This commoner! Not only did he commit the crime of peeking and exposing himself to a princess like me, but this Failed Knight said he could win against me too! I… I haven't been disgraced like this even once in my life! What kind of wretched country is this!?"
Stella faced Ikki with murderous eyes and made her declaration.
"Okay, I get it. I understand. I'll have a fight with you. But after making such a fool out of me, you won't get away with just betting the right to make rules for living together! Whoever loses will submit to the winner for life, becoming a slave that obeys his master's demands like a dog no matter how humiliating they are! How's that!?"
"E-Eeeehh? Th-That's, isn't that going a bit far…."
"Losing your nerve is useless at this point. If you want to curse something, curse your thoughtlessness that made me so serious. This is no longer a mock battle, but a duel!"
"Sounds pretty heavy. Since you're doing it, use training arena three. I'll submit the authorization."
"C-Chairman! Please don't wrap this up for your own convenience!"
But Ikki's protest arrived too late, and Stella gave a "Prepare yourself! Hmph!" before stalking out of the room, leaving him behind. She was probably heading towards the third arena already.
"…Haa. It turned into something dreadful, didn't it? This kind of thing is really troublesome, Chairman…."
"Ha ha ha. You really don't want to become a slave?"
"Of course not. Win or lose, I don't want to do either one."
"Win or lose, you say…. You just saw that girl's power, didn't you? A red scorching flame is waiting when you approach, a threat to her opponents just by being there. Not many people in the world have abilities so focused on violence, and none of her public reviews are fabrications either. But even after seeing that, you still intend to win? …What an interesting man."
"She's someone I'll fight eventually. You should know that best, since you were the one who said, 'If you become champion in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, I'll let you graduate even with bad attribute scores.' Stella-san will definitely appear in the Festival. It's just a question of facing her sooner or later."
"Then there's no need to hesitate, right? If you win and set the terms you want, you can toss out the talk about being a slave. Settle everything that way."
Slapping Ikki's shoulder with a *pah!*, Kurono also exited the office. Ikki, who was left in the room, let out another of who knows how many sighs that day.
Well, certainly… all I have to do is win.
Of course, he knew it would be hard. His opponent was strong among the most strong, formidable among the most formidable. Ikki understood that, despite witnessing her strength for only a moment. Stella's talent was overwhelming. Her power acted in concert with her emotions, an overwhelming aura that leaked out even without her noticing, and Ikki's magic was nonexistent in comparison, like an ant facing an elephant. There was no need to guess what the outcome would be; even putting them on the same scale would be outrageous. And yet….
No matter how hopeless the situation may be, a fight I can neither lose nor avoid will surely come.
He had resolved himself long ago. On the day he saw that man's smile, he had decided he would walk this path.
"So I have to do this, right?"
Muttering that, Ikki also left the board chairman's office. To head to the stage of his duel, to shape his own destiny with the blade of his soul.