I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [96]
The drug-laced meals hadn't stopped, but Ikki continued eating them, feigning ignorance.
He had little choice; even if he spoke up, no one would listen. And refusing to eat would only make things worse.
The silver apples Okita left him, however, were a small blessing.
The selection matches continued, and every few days, Professor Oregiri would bring Ikki's next opponent to a special venue arranged by Akaza Mamoru.
Now, Ikki was just one match away from securing his spot in the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.
Inside the Interrogation Room...
"Here to inform you of your next opponent."
The room was dark and bare, with Ikki standing in the center like a convicted criminal. Perched high above him, Akaza Mamoru, fat as a pig but sly as a fox, sat in judgment.
Around Akaza floated a series of holographic screens, each one displaying shadowy, unrecognizable figures. These were the Ethics Committee members overseeing every interrogation, each a relentless attempt to trap Ikki into admitting wrongdoing.
Ikki had no chair. Every day, he was forced to stand at attention in the center, reprimanded at the slightest movement or for speaking out of turn.
Their goal was clear—to wear him down until he confessed to a fabricated crime.
But Ikki stubbornly insisted on the truth of his love for Stella, giving them no openings.
The scene grew tense…
Akaza was about to announce Ikki's next opponent.
And this was to be Ikki's final match.
"The Flash, Okita Souji."
"She will be your next, and final, opponent."
Hearing that familiar name, Ikki, whose head had been bowed, finally stirred.
But… that was all.
Okita… was it?
But… it didn't matter anymore…
Akaza didn't seem surprised by Ikki's lackluster response.
Just a few days ago, for reasons unknown, Ikki had suddenly seemed revitalized, his spirit reawakened. It had been unsettling, even to Akaza.
Then, Ikki had requested a meeting with his father, the head of the Kurogane family, Kurogane Gen.
Naturally, Akaza denied it. But to his surprise, Gen had personally insisted on the meeting.
Akaza had watched the entire exchange between father and son.
He hadn't realized until then just how much Ikki cared about his father.
So much so that when Gen coldly dismissed all of Ikki's years of effort, the boy had crumbled into what he was now—a shell of a person.
"Those who possess talent should fulfill their roles. Those without should do nothing. That's all I ever expected of you."
"A failure like you, whenever you succeed, only encourages other failures to hope for the same, ultimately harming society and the organization."
Like a man who'd lost everything, Ikki's spirit seemed broken, his body nothing more than a lifeless husk.
Akaza felt almost gleeful at how easy it had been to destroy Ikki's will. Had he known it would take only a few cruel words from his father, he wouldn't have bothered with the drugs and torment.
"The Ethics Committee has decided not to waste time on this matter. If you want to prove yourself as a knight, do so in the arena."
"Go on and win—if you can."
Even with all this, Ikki barely reacted.
Seeing Ikki so defeated brought a triumphant smile to Akaza's face.
"You'll be facing The Flash, Okita Souji—an opponent who even defeated Raikiri, Touka Toudou. If you manage to win, we may even drop our charges. But if you lose, abandon your dream of becoming a Mage Knight."
---
In the School Cafeteria
"Congratulations! Stella and Alice have qualified for the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival!"
Okita Souji, Ayase Ayatsuji, Shizuku Kurogane, Arisuin Nagi, and Stella sat around a table, holding a small, modest celebration.
Alcohol was off-limits for students, especially under Japan's strict regulations, so they raised glasses of juice instead.
"Thank you, everyone!"
"Honestly, I just got lucky," Alice said modestly. "Most of my opponents weren't that strong."
Earlier that day, both Stella and Arisuin had won their final selection matches, earning their spots as Hagun Academy's representatives in the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.
Stella's victory was no surprise—she was an A-ranked knight, and some of her opponents had lost their nerve just from witnessing her unmatched magical power.
Alice's undefeated streak, on the other hand, took Ayase and Stella by surprise, as he'd always kept a low profile among them.
Okita gave Alice a knowing look before turning her attention back to Stella.
But she couldn't actually see Stella—there was a small mountain of food between them.
For this, Okita had only one comment…
"As expected of a princess. That's quite a 'regal appetite' you've got there!"
It was a sight fit for royalty.
Though it wasn't the first time she'd seen it, it was no less impressive.
Shizuku chimed in, "Stella, I swear you're eating more than usual. No wonder you've got so much… extra padding."
"Huh?! And who's calling who names, you flat, deflated hot water bottle?" Stella shot back, "My figure is perfect!"
"Yeah, right," Shizuku retorted. "Besides, you just finished a match. Isn't all this a bit excessive?"
"Well, I need to replenish my energy after that match!" Stella insisted.
"You're still eating too much, you over-inflated Antarctica balloon!"
"Plank!"
"Hot-air balloon!"
"Sea level zero!"
"Mount Everest!"
Okita sighed, hiding her face in her hands. "Here they go again…"
"Oh, it just means they're close," Arisuin said with a smile. "Sometimes, a little bickering is good for the soul."
Just as Okita finished her own meal, she opened her student manual and noticed that her next opponent had been announced.
The moment she saw her opponent's information, her expression grew serious.
Ayase, sitting nearest to her, noticed Okita's reaction and leaned in to take a look. She quickly clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.
"This is…!"
The commotion caught everyone's attention, and each of them glanced at Okita's screen.
When they read the name of her next opponent, they couldn't believe their eyes.
"Why…"
"Brother…"
Seeing "Ikki Kurogane" listed as her next opponent, Okita Souji's brows knitted tightly.
---
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