December Double Drop!
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"Ah... so that's what happened?"
Under the soft, warm glow of the overhead lamp, the room was brightly lit.
Edelweiss, dressed in an adorable nightgown, popped a pink macaron into her mouth, not forgetting to savor the taste by licking her fingers afterward. She sighed, "That guy named Ikki Kurogane... If I ever get the chance, I'd love to meet him."
"In what capacity? As Edelweiss, or as my big sister?"
Okita Souji lay lazily sprawled across the sofa. Despite the TV in front of her playing a show, neither Okita Souji nor Edelweiss was watching.
Edelweiss seemed quite interested in what Okita Souji had been up to at school—reminiscent of how Souji's parents used to be.
Their excuse was, "We never went to college, so we're curious about what it's like," and Edelweiss's reasoning wasn't much different.
"Is anyone bullying you? If they are, you have to let me know, alright?" Still with a mouthful of dessert, Edelweiss raised her sleeves in a cutesy way and said, "Your big sister here is really strong, you know."
"Get real, sis—who'd dare bully me? Have you forgotten who my sister is?" Okita Souji chuckled. "Even though they don't know your identity, the headmistress certainly does. If anyone even thought about giving me trouble, she'd be the first to shut them down."
"True, can't argue with that."
With her mouth now empty, Edelweiss reached out with her "criminal" little hand toward the next pastry.
"Who'd have thought that the 'World Clock' would be a school's headmistress—and my sister's, no less."
"At least she's the headmistress; she's got power, status, and money. But you? The world's top swordswoman working as a pastry chef? Sis, I'd say you're the one really squandering your potential."
"Hm? Are you looking down on pastry chefs, Souji? Apologize to every pastry chef in the world!"
With a puffed-up face, Edelweiss pounced, squishing Souji's cheeks like she was kneading dough, her hands still scented with sweets.
"Ow—okay, okay, I'm sorry, now let go..."
"No way! Souji, have you lost weight? Your cheeks don't feel as squishy as before."
Souji was left struggling to keep up with her sister's sudden topic shift.
Her face was molded into all sorts of shapes under Edelweiss's squishing, kneading, and pinching.
After all, as Edelweiss would say...
"Bullying little sisters is a big sister's privilege!"
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Daily selection matches were held regularly.
Students had the option to either participate in the matches, watch them, or train on their own.
Because of this, class schedules were far less strict, and the rules were loosened considerably.
Since Ikki Kurogane's victory over Shizuya Kirihara, several days had passed, and several matches had taken place.
The selection tournament aimed to identify the top six students who would represent Hagun Academy at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.
Losing a single match would mean elimination.
Up to this point, Okita Souji, Ikki Kurogane, Stella Vermillion, Shizuka Kurogane, Arisuin Nagi, and Ayase Ayatsuji had all maintained perfect winning records.
In fact, both Ikki and Stella had faced members of the student council and emerged victorious.
Stella winning was to be expected, but Ikki's victory over the student council's Touka Toudou led everyone to reconsider their view of this "Failed Knight."
No, actually, Ikki Kurogane couldn't even be called a "Failed Knight" anymore—now he had a new title.
"The Crownless Sword King."
Everyone was curious as to why this F-ranked Blazer was able to keep winning. If he had relied on underhanded tricks, like Shizuya Kirihara, he wouldn't have earned any respect. But instead, he showed undeniable, unshakable strength in every match, leaving no room for doubt.
Gradually, Ikki started becoming popular, attracting many students who wanted to ask him for tips on getting stronger.
As they got to know him, his gentle, friendly personality only increased his charm. No matter who sought his advice, he would offer his help sincerely.
Naturally, not everyone admired Ikki. Occasionally, someone would try to pick a fight, but each time, they would walk away respecting his raw, undeniable power.
The result? More and more people began gathering around Ikki, eager to learn from him.
Stella complained to Okita Souji more than once, saying that because of Ikki's popularity, he barely had any time left to spend with her.
Oh, right—something important I nearly forgot to mention—Stella and Ikki had finally made their relationship official.
In the original story, it happened after Ikki's fight against Shizuya Kirihara. Ikki was pushed to the brink, with Kirihara egging on the crowd to mock him. Stella, in an uncharacteristically non-tsundere moment, expressed her feelings openly, giving Ikki the strength to get back up and win the fight.
Only after the match did Souji remember that part of the plot. She had been worried that her interference might keep them from reaching that moment, but somehow, even without her knowledge, they still ended up together!
It's true—love and fate really don't play by the rules.
Ikki even invited Souji to help him train the others, which caught her by surprise.
But Souji declined.
"I'm not much of a teacher. Now, if they want to learn how to fight for real, that's another story."
When she said that, Ikki's face clearly twitched, his old wounds flaring up in phantom pain.
"Besides, they're here for you." Souji tilted her head with a soft smile. "If it were me, they'd probably end up hating me, wouldn't they?"
While Ikki's reputation had been redeemed, Souji's hadn't changed.
Ikki's battles were thrilling to watch; his strength was palpable. Souji, on the other hand, ended her matches in an instant, leaving most people unsure of what had even happened. Those who did understand could only be in awe and keep their distance, finding her power simply terrifying.
Most of the students seeking advice were the ones who couldn't grasp the true skill behind Souji's swift, subtle moves. Naturally, they gravitated toward Ikki's more dynamic and visually impressive style.
"Fighting isn't about putting on a show. Honestly, I don't understand why we're even holding matches for all to see."
"No, it's not exactly a bloodbath..."
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✧ New Story Announcement! ✧
Introducing: The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact! ⚔️ This isn't like the misunderstanding fun of Unreliable Harbinger or the calm, slow-paced journey of Incense Burner. Oh no, this one is action-packed, laugh-out-loud funny, and full of feel-good moments that'll leave you grinning like (๑>ᴗ<๑).
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]