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"If you end up facing Touka, Kurogane Ikki, or anyone else too troublesome during the battle selection, I'll make sure your matchups are adjusted. You won't have to fight them."
After pressing a kiss to his lips, Totokubara Kanata left behind those words, her lips still slightly flushed, a satisfied smile playing on her face as she walked away.
For Ryoji, it had been his first kiss, and surprisingly, the experience wasn't unpleasant at all.
That thought left Kanata anticipating more moments like this in the future.
"Senior Sister... my first kiss wasn't given to you— it was stolen by the rich lady Kanata!"
Lying on the infirmary bed, Ryoji's thoughts were in complete disarray.
His first kiss, from two whole lifetimes, had finally been taken. The mix of anxiety and excitement was overwhelming.
Even though he had always been close to Senior Sister and had even glimpsed her "fate," his lips had remained untouched— until now.
And the one who took it wasn't Senior Sister, but her best friend. That fact alone made him uneasy about what lay ahead.
"How could I have acted like such a scoundrel just a moment ago?" Ryoji groaned, berating himself.
Wait a second—
Hold on!
Just because my first kiss was taken a minute ago… doesn't mean my current first kiss is gone, right?
"In other words, my first kiss is still mine! I can still give it to Senior Sister!"
As soon as the thought clicked, Ryoji's mood did a complete 180.
The me from a minute ago might have been a scoundrel, but what does that have to do with me right now?
Brilliant!
Having successfully convinced himself, he felt a sense of relief wash over him.
Besides, with Kanata pulling strings for him, he didn't have to worry about running into Senior Sister during the battle selection.
As the president of the selection committee, she had the authority to modify matchups. For her, it was as easy as flipping a switch.
Coincidentally, this also meant he didn't have to face Kurogane Ikki and Stella anytime soon.
The two of them were among the few people he considered friends, so if they were going to clash, it might as well be at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, not here.
Kanata had readily agreed to help him after hearing his request.
Is this what it feels like to be spoiled by a rich lady?
I could get used to this!
"Ryoji, I heard you were awake!"
"Congratulations on winning your first battle selection match!"
Lost in his thoughts, Ryoji was snapped back to reality as the infirmary door swung open.
Kurogane Ikki and the others walked in, their expressions full of excitement.
Ikki and Arisuin Nagi both offered their congratulations, while Kurogane Shizuku remained toward the back, silent.
This battle had been a tough one for Ryoji, making their visit feel all the more meaningful.
"You don't know this, but Ikki had quite the struggle in his match too."
Stella wore a thoughtful look, her face brimming with pride. She was practically itching to boast about Kurogane Ikki's performance the previous day.
"I know."
"Eh? Did you hear the rumors?"
"No, I was at the fifth arena yesterday."
"…Then why didn't we see you?"
Stella looked genuinely surprised.
"I arrived after the match had already started, so I didn't bother looking for you. I just watched from a corner."
In truth, Ryoji had spent his morning training under several times normal gravity, which had drained his stamina. He was too exhausted to go searching for them.
But he had, without a doubt, watched Kurogane Ikki's match against Kirihara Shizuya to the very end.
"Want proof?"
He reached for his student handbook, which Senior Sister had retrieved for him. It had been left in the preparation room during the match.
"F-Rank knights can't defeat A-Rank knights? That's just a limit you've imposed on yourselves! Do you think it's impossible for so-called 'geniuses' to lose? That's nothing but an excuse for your own surrender! If you want to give up, fine! But don't you dare use your own weakness to undermine Ikki's strength!"
From the student handbook, a certain fiery "dragon princess" could be heard berating the audience with righteous fury.
Stella's expression froze.
Then it twisted into absolute horror.
Her hands instinctively reached for a weapon.
"Talent is just one small factor in a person's potential! Those who rely on it blindly are nothing but losers! How could you possibly understand? How could you dare insult my favorite knight—"
"DELETE IT RIGHT NOW, AAAAAHHH!!!"
Stella lunged for Ryoji, grabbing the nearest chair and swinging it at him, her face bright red with humiliation.
The others, hearing the recording, exchanged glances, their expressions growing increasingly amused.
That moment had been when Kurogane Ikki was backed into a corner, mocked by the entire arena. Stella had, without hesitation, leaped to his defense, cursing the audience and rallying his resolve.
Back then, she had acted purely on emotion. But hearing it played back now?
It was beyond mortifying.
"Stop it, Stella!"
"Do you want to get expelled?!"
The entire group scrambled to calm her down before she completely lost control.
"I want a copy of that recording!"
Kurogane Shizuku stepped forward, looking at Ryoji with newfound admiration.
"I misjudged you before, and I owe you an apology. You are indeed an excellent friend of my brother!"
Huh?
What misunderstanding?
"Sure! I support you! Forget about tradition and prejudice! Give it your all—I believe in you!"
Ryoji had no idea what Kurogane Shizuku had misunderstood, but he wasn't about to complain.
Her once-cold attitude toward him had completely vanished, replaced by something much friendlier.
"Enough already!"
Kurogane Ikki finally spoke up, exasperation in his voice.
He was starting to understand why Stella always seemed so exhausted when dealing with Ryoji.
—
That night.
After recovering enough of his strength, Ryoji left the infirmary and returned to his dormitory.
"Senior Sister, are you here?"
"Uh, I'm taking a shower!"
Ryoji paused for a moment, then quickly pulled out his key and opened the door.
"Senior Sister, you forgot your clothes again, right? I'll grab them for you."
"No, no, no! That's not it! Don't come in!"
"…?"
Ryoji was puzzled.
It was rare to hear Senior Sister sound so flustered. She even slipped into her dialect…
Well, since she was that insistent, he wouldn't push the issue.
Inside the bathroom, Touka exhaled in relief, her face burning as she covered her cheeks with her hands.
The way she and Ryoji had interacted earlier that day had been far too intimate. The moment she got back, she couldn't stop replaying everything in her head—only for him to show up again at such a vulnerable moment.
How could I possibly say it out loud?!
(End of Chapter)