-1219- It won't take much time

"Duel?"

Upon hearing Stella's declaration, Rozen's first feeling was bewilderment, followed by speechlessness.

Although he didn't know why things had turned out this way, from Stella's eyes burning with determination, Rozen still guessed some of it.

But Rozen wanted to say.

"I say, Princess, do you understand what I'm doing right now?"

Rozen spoke extremely impatiently.

"I'm currently negotiating with the chairman, all for the sake of us having separate rooms to live in. I gain nothing from this, and I could even say that living together benefits me more. All of this is to make things convenient for you. Now that negotiations are finally going well, what's with this sudden playacting?"

Isn't it?

The reason why Rozen negotiated with Shinguji Kurono was not for himself.

Could it be considered a loss for Rozen to live under the same roof as the princess, who has an amazing figure?

Of course not.

But Rozen was still negotiating with Shinguji Kurono here. While it couldn't be said that it was entirely for Stella, there was also the thought of avoiding trouble.

However, for Rozen, the matter itself didn't matter much. Instead, for Stella, truly the biggest problem was living with a man.

As the one who benefited the most, as long as she watched silently, she would definitely get what she wanted. However, this Princess suddenly proposed a duel, which was really confusing.

However, Rozen didn't know...

"Living together with someone, that's also... Although it's not completely irrelevant, but... compared to that, I can't accept your proposal!"

Stella's tone was filled with uncertainty, but in the end, she still spoke out boldly.

"In that case, let's decide who the room belongs to through a duel!"

At Stella's words, Rozen couldn't help but sigh.

"In simple terms, negotiations are too troublesome, so let's just fight. This way, it's much simpler, right?" Rozen smirked and said, "That's quite a crude conclusion. Are you a child?"

"You... You're the same age as me! Why are you talking like an adult?" Stella said indignantly, "Anyway, if you're also a knight, then fight me honorably!"

A proper duel between the two, with the loser obeying the winner, is a method commonly used by knights to resolve disputes.

Although Rozen really wanted to say that he wasn't a knight, just a magus, but even if he said that, Stella probably wouldn't understand, right?

Not to mention...

"That's fine." Shinguji Kurono, watching from the side with a cold gaze, said, "Since you said that your strengths as A-rank knights may not be similar, prove it to me. Then I'll allow you to have separate rooms."

The chairman of Hagun Academy was fanning the flames like this.

Presumably, this chairman also wanted to personally see the strength and abilities of these two genius knights, right?

Especially Rozen, who was mysterious in all aspects, hadn't even clarified his background. If it were another chairman, they definitely wouldn't want to accept such a Blazer with an unknown background into the academy. Although Shinguji Kurono accepted Rozen, she still wanted to see how this sudden genius knight would fare.

And Rozen naturally noticed Shinguji Kurono's intentions.

In that case...

"Well, I don't want things to get even more troublesome."

Rozen sighed again and agreed directly.

"Then it's decided." Shinguji Kurono took out the cigarette butt from her mouth and said, "I'll prepare the stage for your battle now."

As a school specializing in training Blazers, Hagun Academy naturally wouldn't lack training grounds.

Now that the new semester hasn't started yet, there aren't many students using the training grounds. As long as Shinguji Kurono gives the word, Rozen and Stella can get a perfect battlefield at any time.

I believe a duel between A-rank knights will definitely become big news and attract attention, right?

Shinguji Kurono thought so, and prepared to pick up the phone to give orders.

However...

"No, there's no need, it's too troublesome."

Rozen spoke very straightforwardly.

"Right here is fine."

As soon as these words were spoken...

"Here?"

Shinguji Kurono furrowed her brows.

"Are you... are you joking?"

Stella also looked utterly bewildered.

Blazers aren't ordinary people who can just have a duel anywhere.

Like Stella, if she were to use her abilities to the fullest, let alone this office, she could turn even the largest stadium in Tokyo to ashes. Dueling in a place like this would simply cause destruction.

But...

"It's fine, it won't take much time anyway."

Rozen said indifferently to Stella.

"Just give it your all and attack me. As long as you manage to touch me once, I'll consider it my loss. Similarly, if I manage to touch you, it's your loss."

Such careless and indifferent words made Stella furious on the spot.

"Fine!"

Without waiting for Shinguji Kurono to intervene, Stella immediately agreed loudly.

"Don't regret this!"

With that, Stella's whole body seemed to turn into flames, and the Lævateinn in her hand burned with fierce flames.

"Hah!"

The next moment, Stella leaped high into the air, raising the flaming sword in her hand and fiercely slashing towards Rozen's direction.

This strike, Stella showed no mercy at all.

A Blazers' Device is crystallization of magical power, so it can manifest in an imaginary form without causing substantial damage, only draining stamina with magical power. Therefore, even if subjected to attacks that would be fatal, it would only result in loss of consciousness, without danger.

Stella unfolded her Device in its imaginary form and exerted all her strength to launch an attack on Rozen.

And then...

(I must make you acknowledge my strength!)

With this thought in mind, Stella swung down a flame strike that could burn everything to ashes.

"Boom!"

The next moment, the flames expanded like an explosion.

With Stella's Lævateinn as the center of impact, the roaring flames of crimson rushed outwards.

Underneath this fire, the expensive carpet was burned to ashes, the furniture in the office ignited one by one, and the valuable documents on the desk turned into flying ash, leaving nothing behind.

In this situation, the fire suppression system was triggered, causing water to fall from the ceiling in an attempt to extinguish the flames of the crimson.

But it was futile.

The extremely high-temperature flames continued to burn, turning the water into steam and dissipating it.

However...

"What...!?"

Stella, who swung such a strike, exclaimed.

Just because, the giant sword surrounded by flames with a temperature of three thousand degrees Celsius, didn't hit Rozen's body at all.

"Is that all?"

Rozen stood in front of the surging flames and the fierce sword, his expression unchanged.

In front of him, silver chains appeared from nowhere, entwining Stella's Device and stopping the flaming sword just in front of Rozen.

"Snap!"

At this moment, Rozen reached out and snapped his fingers.

Instantly, countless chains silently surged out of the space around Stella, like silver meteors, stirring up dazzling sparks, and swiftly entwined around her limbs before Stella could react.

"Yah!"

Stella only managed to let out a cry of despair before her whole body was dragged away by the chains and suspended on the wall of the office.

In her hand, the flaming sword fell and pierced into the ground.