-1274- Could you please shut up?

"Hey! I'm telling you..."

"How dare you say that...!"

The anger in Stella and Shizuku's hearts was successfully ignited, and both stepped forward, ready to confront Kirihara Shizuya and the group of superficial girls behind him.

However, seeing Stella and Shizuku like this, Ikki once again intervened to stop them.

"Shizuku, Stella, calm down."

Ikki extended his hand to stop Stella and Shizuku from moving forward, shaking his head at them.

This made Stella and Shizuku dissatisfied.

"They're talking about you like that, and you're not angry at all?"

"There's no need to show kindness to people like them, Onii-sama. Just give me a moment, and I'll make them all suffocate."

Both Stella and Shizuku made such statements, especially Shizuku, whose words were filled with a dangerous tone, completely serious about her intentions.

So, if Ikki didn't intervene, everyone, including Kirihara Shizuya, would be within Shizuku's attack range, and they would all be thrown into the water and suffocate without any luck, right?

Even when facing Rozen, Shizuku only gave a warning before immediately launching an attack. It can be seen that when it comes to Ikki, Shizuku's tolerance is very low. Regardless of who it is, she might directly strike.

This made Ikki have to stop them.

He had no choice.

"Although you could fight Kirihara if it's just you two, this is just a private conflict. We can't cause more trouble for the chairman."

"Besides..."

Ikki turned his gaze to Kirihara Shizuya, who was watching them with great interest, and said,

"Kirihara wasn't planning on fighting you two here. If you started a fight, Kirihara would run away immediately and complain to the school board, accusing us of attacking him unprovoked. Isn't that your plan?"

Ikki's words made Kirihara Shizuya raise an eyebrow, and his smile began to fade.

"...You're as cautious as ever, Kurogane." Kirihara Shizuya said mockingly, "You've always avoided fights, even refusing my challenges and running away in the end. If you're so scared, why stay at this academy? Can you even call yourself a knight?"

Kirihara Shizuya said this, causing reactions from Stella and Shizuku.

"Avoiding fights?"

Stella looked at Ikki in surprise.

"Impossible! My brother wouldn't be afraid of someone like you!"

Shizuku directly stated.

But Ikki remained silent, seemingly admitting it.

Until...

"Are you all brainless?"

Rozen, who had been silent, spoke up in exasperation.

"Think about Ikki's situation at this academy last year, and you can guess why he had to avoid fights."

Hearing Rozen's words, Stella and Shizuku remembered.

Last year, since Shinguji Kurono hadn't taken office yet, the previous chairman colluded with the Kurogane family to suppress Ikki. They didn't let him participate in practical courses or the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival and even tried to expel him to keep his existence hidden and protect the Kurogane family's reputation.

Given this, the unfair treatment and harsh environment Ikki endured at this academy last year were evident.

If Ikki casually accepted challenges and fought with students like Kirihara Shizuya, the former chairman could use this as an excuse to expel Ikki.

Since students were not allowed to summon their Devices outside of recognized events or situations, doing so would violate school rules, leading to punishment or expulsion. If Ikki fought privately, the academy could easily expel him.

To prevent this, Ikki had to avoid fights, enduring mockery from Kirihara Shizuya and others in silence.

"I guess this Kirihara guy had a good relationship with the former chairman. As the top freshman last year, he was given the task of provoking Ikki, trying to get him expelled."

Rozen glanced at Kirihara Shizuya.

"But, great Kirihara, your biggest supporter, the former chairman, is gone. All the teachers who supported him have been cleared out by the current chairman. Yet you still provoke Ikki. You must really dislike his existence."

"Or..."

Rozen spoke with a mocking smile.

"Did the Kurogane family promise you something, asking you to keep harassing Ikki? Did they tell you that if you could provoke him into attacking, they would pressure the school board to punish him, which is why you're still relentless against an F-Rank knight?"

Rozen's words, though not as harsh as Kirihara Shizuya's, were equally piercing to his ears.

"...!"

Kirihara Shizuya's expression froze and then twisted slightly.

That reaction was of someone who had been hit where it hurt, showing anger and shame.

Stella and Shizuku looked at Kirihara Shizuya with disdain.

"How pathetic. This kind of person was the top freshman last year? No wonder Hagun Academy's results weren't great."

Stella gave her opinion.

"So it turns out someone else is trying to climb the social ladder. But the Kurogane family is indeed worth climbing up to. You're both the same type, so it's only natural you'd conspire together. No need to be ashamed, senpai."

Shizuku's blunt and venomous tongue lashed out, even cursing her own Kurogane family. This showed just how much resentment she had towards them.

This, however, infuriated the group of girls around Kirihara Shizuya.

"What are you talking about?"

"Kirihara-senpai came here for your own good, to tell you the true nature of that 'Worst One'!"

"How can you be so ungrateful?"

"That's just too much!"

A group of shallow girls started chattering noisily all at once.

One had to admit, the loud noise was truly annoying.

So...

"Excuse me, dear seniors."

Rozen looked at those shallow girls, showing the perfect smile he usually had at Saikai Academy.

Then...

"Your voices are both unpleasant and noisy, so — 'Could you please shut up?'"

As Rozen's words left his mouth, a subtle power was embedded in them and spread out.

"————"

The group of girls immediately went silent, as if they had their mouths sewn shut.

However, their faces were filled with expressions of terror.

"What... what's wrong with you all?"

Kirihara Shizuya spoke uneasily, but received no response from the girls, who only looked even more terrified.

Everyone's gaze then focused entirely on Rozen.