December Double Drop!
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The morning sunlight was kept at bay by thick curtains, with only a few thin strands of light slipping through the gaps and falling onto the floor.Okita Souji hadn't been woken by her alarm. Instead, the first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was a face of serene beauty, Edelweiss's sleeping visage, inches from her own.
She instinctively quieted her breathing and reached over to turn off her alarm, careful not to disturb that peaceful expression.
With a few measured breaths to shake off the remnants of sleep, Souji attempted to get up—only to find her movement restricted.
Her arm and legs were entangled in Edelweiss's gentle but firm grip.
Looking at her trapped arm, Souji's vision was suddenly flooded by Edelweiss's snowy white skin.
Edelweiss's nightgown was loose, and with her restless sleeping posture, one of the straps had slipped down to her elbow, exposing a generous amount of her soft curves, which pressed up against Souji's arm.
It was a sight that could cause any ordinary man to lose control, yet all Souji felt was a familiar sense of resignation.
After finally managing to extricate herself from Edelweiss's octopus-like hold, she sat up and slipped on her slippers. But before she could even exhale in relief, a pair of white, slender arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
"Souji… Souji…"
The honeyed sound of Edelweiss's drowsy murmur reached her ears. Even in her dreams, Edelweiss became restless the moment Souji's presence drifted from her embrace, and, still half-asleep, she reached out to pull her back in.
Souji was torn between exasperation and affection.
"Sister, I still have school…"
Looking down at Edelweiss, who had now climbed onto her lap, Souji smoothed the messy strands of her long hair, gently brushing them back into place.
"Then… don't go to school. Just stay here with your big sister… I'll take good care of you…"
Edelweiss's voice, usually as refined as a song, now took on a sweet, childlike tone. As Souji continued stroking her head, she even made soft, purring noises like a contented kitten, making Souji laugh softly.
"Who's taking care of who here?"
Edelweiss's apartment was a fair distance from Hagun Academy, but that wasn't an issue. The academy's schedule was light, especially with the upcoming Seven Stars Sword Art Festival selection tournament. Even if Souji arrived late, it wouldn't be a big deal.
At least, she wasn't about to get scolded and made to stand in the hallway for it.
After changing into her school uniform, Souji went to the entryway to grab her shoes from the rack.
"Souji…"
Her name was called softly, the voice as ethereal as a flute, laced with the faintest hint of apprehension.
Souji's hand paused mid-reach, and without turning back, she spoke gently.
"Sister Ai, I made some porridge and left it in the kitchen. Try to have something light for breakfast instead of starting the day with high-calorie sweets."
She opened the door, her silhouette illuminated by the morning light spilling in from outside. Her caring words echoed in the apartment as she stepped out.
"I'm heading out. Let's have dinner together when I get back."
In that brief moment, Edelweiss felt a pang of emptiness as the door clicked shut.
It was as if she were alone once more, as if silence and solitude would flood in to envelop her.
And yet…
"Yes, I'll wait for you to come home."
Edelweiss placed her hands over her heart, a radiant smile blooming on her face—a smile that even the sun outside couldn't rival.
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Hagun Academy's course structure was unlike any other school Souji had attended.
While it included academic and physical education, the emphasis here was on physical training, with academics playing a secondary role. So there was no chance of a culture teacher showing up to replace an absent PE teacher.
The academic courses focused on the history of Blazers and understanding different types of supernatural abilities, while physical education was centered on stamina training and live combat practice.
But these were just foundational courses. They weren't especially crucial, and students could even skip them to take electives or train independently.
The academy offered a broad range of electives, including classes on magic control, combat techniques, and martial arts.
However, while the rest of the class was engaged in intensive training, Ikki Kurogane quietly slipped away.
Hagun Academy required students to meet certain skill benchmarks to participate in combat courses, and with his stats all graded at F, Ikki was barred from these practical courses.
…But that was just the official explanation.
In truth, when Ikki had first joined, these courses had no "minimum ability requirements."
Anyone paying attention could tell these restrictions had been tailored specifically to exclude Ikki.
Denied participation in the academy's courses, Ikki was forced to train on his own. Yet, he remained undeterred.
The fire burning in his chest was proof he hadn't given up.
What others saw as insurmountable obstacles were simply routine for him by now.
The same people had been trying to trip him up with the same tactics since he'd arrived.
They'd excluded him from combat practice? No problem. He'd walked this path alone before.
Even if he had to "steal" opportunities, he wouldn't waste a single chance to learn, to improve.
So, no matter what… even if it was just him…
"Hey! What are you up to?"
A hand landed on his shoulder, startling Ikki into a swift turn, only to find his cheek gently poked by a slender finger.
"Souji… you scared me."
Now that he thought about it, aside from Okita Souji, he hadn't met anyone else who could approach him this closely without him noticing.
But…
"Souji, seriously, Stella and the others told me you vanished without a word. Ayatsuji-senpai even said you didn't return to the dorms last night."
"Ahaha… sorry about that. I didn't mean to worry you."
Souji lowered her head, scratching her cheek in embarrassment.
"Remember what I told you? I actually ran away from home to get here without telling my sister."
"You did mention that. Ayatsuji-senpai told us too. And then, last night, your sister ended up calling in your place."
"Exactly! So my sister tracked me down."
Souji gave a playful wink and stuck out her tongue with a cheeky smile.
"As for why I disappeared back there, I apologize for not giving you a heads-up. I was feeling pretty confident in my concealment skills, so I thought I'd scope out the area, get a read on the enemy's numbers, and maybe find you guys to explain the situation. But before I could track you down, all the thugs were already taken out. And then, guess what? My sister was nearby and caught me off guard."
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Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
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