Chapter Six: A New Rival Appears

The next day, Kazuki woke up early feeling refreshed and ready to face the day. He had made up his mind that he needed to make a choice between Yui and the demon king. However, he soon realized that his decision might not be as easy as he thought.

As he made his way to his first class, Kazuki noticed a new student who had just arrived at the academy. She was a beautiful girl with long, curly red hair and bright blue eyes. Kazuki couldn't help but feel drawn to her, and he quickly realized that he was not the only one.

All of the boys in the academy were staring at the new girl, and even some of the girls seemed interested in her. Kazuki felt a pang of jealousy in his chest, and he knew that he needed to act fast if he wanted to win Yui's heart.

During his first class, Kazuki found himself unable to concentrate. He kept thinking about the new girl and how she might steal Yui away from him. He knew that he needed to talk to Yui and figure out where they stood.

After his class, Kazuki rushed to find Yui. He found her in the courtyard, studying a spellbook.

"Hey, Yui," he said, trying to sound casual.

Yui looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Kazuki. What's up?" she asked.

Kazuki took a deep breath and decided to be honest with her.

"I've been thinking a lot lately, Yui. I really like you, but I'm not sure if I can compete with the other guys in the academy. Especially the new girl," he said, nodding towards the red-haired girl.

Yui looked at him, surprised.

"Kazuki, I had no idea you felt that way. I like you too, but I don't want to be in a competition with anyone else. I want you to choose me because you want to, not because you're trying to win me over," she said, looking at him with a serious expression.

Kazuki felt a wave of relief wash over him. He knew that he needed to focus on Yui and not let the other girls distract him.

"I understand, Yui. I'm sorry if I made it seem like it was a competition. I just don't want to lose you," he said, looking at her with a determined expression.

Yui smiled and leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"You won't lose me, Kazuki. Just remember that I'm here for you, no matter what," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.

Kazuki felt his heart swell with happiness. He knew that he had made the right choice. He turned to leave, feeling a sense of purpose and direction.

As he walked away, he noticed the red-haired girl staring at him from across the courtyard. He felt a twinge of attraction towards her, but he quickly shook his head and focused on Yui. He knew that he had made the right choice, and he was not going to let anyone else distract him from his goals.

As he was walking towards his next class, he heard the headmaster's voice calling out to him.

"Kazuki, wait up!"

Kazuki turned around to see the headmaster running towards him.

"What's going on?" Kazuki asked, looking at the headmaster with confusion.

"The king of this kingdom is here to meet you," the headmaster said, panting slightly. "He wants to talk to you about something important."

Kazuki was taken aback. Why would the king want to meet him?

He followed the headmaster to a large hall, where the king was waiting for him. The king was a tall, imposing figure with a regal air about him. He was dressed in fine silks and his long, black hair was tied back in a ponytail.

"Kazuki, it's an honor to meet you," the king said, bowing deeply.

"Uh, thank you," Kazuki said, feeling intimidated by the king's presence.

The king introduced his daughter, Princess Akane, who was the same age as Kazuki. She was a beautiful young woman with long, flowing black hair and sparkling blue eyes.

Kazuki felt his heart skip a beat as soon as he saw her. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was.

They talked for a while, and Kazuki found that he was completely drawn to her. She was smart, kind, and had a wicked sense of humor.

As they were talking, Yui walked into the hall. Kazuki saw her, but his attention was completely on the princess. He didn't notice the look of hurt that crossed Yui's face.

After the meeting was over, Kazuki walked the princess back to her carriage. They exchanged numbers, and she promised to call him later.

As he walked away, he felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He knew that he was hurting Yui, but he couldn't help his feelings for the princess.

Later that day, Yui came to see Kazuki in his room.

"Kazuki, what's going on?" Yui asked, her voice full of hurt.

"I don't know what you mean," Kazuki said, trying to avoid her gaze.

"Don't play dumb with me," Yui said, her eyes filling with tears. "You've been acting strange all day. What's going on?"

Kazuki took a deep breath and explained everything to her. He told her about his encounter with the demon king, his feelings for the princess, and his confusion about his feelings for her.

Yui listened to him patiently, and when he was finished, she took his hand.

"Kazuki, I understand that you're confused," she said, her voice gentle. "But you can't just lead me on like this. I care about you, and I thought that you cared about me too."

Kazuki felt terrible. He knew that he had hurt Yui, and he didn't know how to fix it.

"I'm sorry, Yui," he said, feeling the weight of his words. "I don't know what to do."

Yui looked at him for a long moment, her eyes softening.

"Kazuki, I'll always be here for you," she said, her voice full of love. "But I won't wait forever. You need to make a decision about what you want."

Kazuki watched her leave, feeling the weight of her words. He knew that he had a decision to make, and he didn't know if he was ready to make it.