Several days after Arisuin and Shizuku traveled to their destinations.
Ikki and Stella departed towards the Empire of Vermillion.
They headed to connect trains from the school to the airport, and after various procedures, they were guided to the VIP chartered airplane.
They received the welcome of the crew, went up the stairs covered with a dark red carpet then got inside the plane. Ikki was astonished by the interior.
Anyhow, the plane was fully equipped with a bar, a salon, a theater room, a bedroom that had a king size double bed and all sorts of things were in the bathroom.
Like a luxury hotel. He didn't think this was the interior of an airplane at all.
It seemed that Stella had never been on an airplane of this class as one would expect, and like Ikki, she wasn't able to believe it, she looked everywhere with great interest.
Because this was all prepared by Tsukikage as an apology for the impoliteness regarding the matter of "Black Knight" the other day.
Well, it was that sly old fox Tsukikage. Maybe he had ulterior motives to deepen the friendship between Japan and Vermillion by providing a pleasant and romantic air trip to Stella and Ikki and have them deepen their relationship.
However, the ulterior motives of such Tsukikage were an unrelated story to them.
Stella wasn't just enjoying what was expressly prepared for them, she was fully enjoying the air trip by watching a movie accompanied by an aroma massage in the Jacuzzi.
However, on the other hand, Ikki wasn't enjoying this trip at all.
The movie watched by them didn't get in his head, the splendorous Kyoto-style traditional Japanese meal brought in courses as dinner seemed to be certainly good, but he didn't experience the taste.
His thoughts were filled with just one trouble.
...The greetings with Stella's parents, it was finally going to happen tomorrow.
It was just the trouble of what to do in that scenario.
According to Stella, her mother respected Stella's decision, so in reality the story was about how to persuade her father, the King of Vermillion.
'…How should I break the ice?'
Ikki racked his brain as he sat down deeply on the sofa of the salon.
At any rate, his amount of experience was completely zero.
He didn't know but...
'For the time being, the plan I came up with when I was arrested by the former League branch is discarded.'
It was a plan to express aloud as he showed sincerity by prostrating himself, saying「Please allow me to marry your daughter」without using even the small ounce of masculinity.
At that time, he was rejected by his father who appeared inopportunely saying「I'm not going to leave Shizuku to you」with a serious face. That was an ill augur.
In addition, to convey his good faith without adorning it.
'In the end, if I immediately prostrate myself, then that would be a bad move, huh.'
Everything had something called procedures.
Rather, his true feelings were far away from it when only his feelings were suddenly thrown at the other and that other was not in the mood to listen to his true feelings.
One may say that was just self-satisfaction. And that was no good.
'In any case, I don't think it should be enough to get Stella's parents to listen to my true feelings first.'
The first was from there on.
And from there on was the start.
So, the question was what to do to get to the start line,
Then, at that moment.
"Fuuuh."
Ikki shuddered when he felt a breath that went into the hole of his ear without any previous notice.
Naturally, it was Stella who breathed into his ear.
"S-Stella!? Eh, w-what are you doing so suddenly!?"
Stella inflated her cheeks as if pouting discontentedly and returned a protest.
"Don't come with "what are you doing"! You were absent-minded all this time since I started talking to you a while ago, or perhaps I should say, you just gave absentminded responses. Why are you acting so weird, Ikki!?"
Ikki turned an awkward expression before this.
Because he had no memories of being addressed by her.
Maybe he was unconsciously ignoring her.
"I-I'm sorry… I was just thinking a little about something."
"Are you perhaps nervous because you'll meet my parents tomorrow?"
Ikki returned a nod to Stella who asked while sitting next to him.
"…y-yeah. I was thinking about more and more about the moment when I'll have to come down this plane…"
"Well, you're getting nervous. …When I met Ikki's father I also got frozen. Just remembering it makes me feel embarrassed…"
"Haha. That thing also happened to you."
With those words, Ikki showed a smile as he reminisced that such behavior was exactly the same as to what happened to them before, and that was Stella's behavior when she met Father Itsuki, the father of Ikki, in the medical office by coincidence during the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.
"Since Stella did her best at that time, now it's my turn, but I'm worried about in what way I should bring up the topic."
"It would be better to pass on doing a dogeza."
"I know that much."
The problem was that no alternative plan came to mind.
At any rate, Ikki had no experience doing greetings like this and had no information about the other party.
However, Ikki realized something there.
Information could be gathered regardless of having experience or not.
If he asked Stella about what her father liked, then he would be able to get a starting point in one way or another.
"Hey, Stella. I was wondering, what are the things that your father likes?"
"My father?"
"Yeah. Going straight to the issue at hand all of a sudden is… a little frightening as you can see, so if there's something to warm up the situation or information to initiate a chat like a jab to grab the pace, that would really save me.'
Stella responded to the question of Ikki after she thought for a short while.
"…hmm. Me?"
"How you say that with a straight face…"
Ikki hung her head, his hopes were gone.
Stella spoke words of encouragement to Ikki.
"It's alright, you don't have to think too hardly. In the first place, Oka-sama and Onee-sama aren't against you, and Otou-sama who is against you is a bit unwilling to let her children go, an obstinate person if you will, who's not so skilled and irritating."
'The amount of discontent is quite high, huh'
"Even so, Otou-sama is someone who thinks and cares a lot about me. It's impossible to not understand the charm of Ikki I fell in love with. He will definitely… get it if you talk. Because… nothing is impossible for my strongest and beloved Ikki. We'll persuade him together and we'll do our best together."
Stella tapped her thigh and only said「come」 with a bright voice.
Maybe she was trying to cheer him up in preparation for the crucial encounter.
"…thank you."
Ikki thanked her and depended on Stella's kindness.
He put his body horizontally on the sofa and left the back of his head on the plump and tensed white thighs of Stella.
The thighs of Stella loaded with flexible muscles and feminine soft fat were very comfortable to sleep on.
Ikki closed his eyelids and put himself in that comfort.
Stella tenderly caressed Ikki's head and played with his bangs with her fingers.
His cheeks became less tense, he had a happy face that he could only show when they were alone.
Only falling affection was swaying in her deep crimson pupils.
Ikki felt it was irresistible when he thought that he monopolized that.
It was already unimaginable for Ikki to miss this gaze.
He couldn't imagine a future where Stella wasn't next to him.
So, and certainly as Stella said, this greeting was「A conversation where we have no choice but to make it go smoothly」.
He knew that.
But...
'…maybe it's not going to be easy to convince Stella's father.'
Stella said that it was fine, but Ikki was going to tread on something that didn't have any smooth on it.
Because there was a very absolute difference stuffed between Ikki and Stella.
On one hand, she was the second Princess of a country.
On the other hand, he was born in a distinguished family though he was a wanderer with half broken relations.
On one hand, she was an Rank knight with anticipated prospects from the world.
On the other hand, he was an F-Rank who was still far from E-Rank even when going through"Brute Soul".
When he was preparing for the decisive match aka the greetings with her parents, when he thought about it again, they weren't balanced at all.
Stella would say that this wasn't related with things like talent or family.
But that was only for Stella.
The father of Stella would want more from her partner because he truly cared about Stella.
And so the wanderer called Kurogane Ikki didn't own a single one of those things that could meet those demands.
These facts were extremely heavy.
'Can… can I meet the expectations of Stella's father…?'
Could he show something that was enough to receive Stella, his treasure, from her father?
Because she was important...
Because he couldn't think of handing her over...
His anxiety didn't disappear no matter what.
However, the plane flew in the night of the continent and directly headed towards the Empire of Vermillion.
And also, Ikki didn't know yet.
In the foreign country he was heading to, the reality that awaited him was far beyond he assumed.
◆◇◆◇◆
The next day. Around the time when Ikki and Stella finished eating somewhat late in the morning.
The plane finally reached the skies of the Empire of Vermillion.
"Ikki! Look. This is my country. The Vermillion Empire!"
Stella raised a happy voice to the hometown she hadn't seen in a long time.
Ikki chased her eyes and also overlooked the territory of Vermillion from the airplane.
What was in his field of vision was the plain Vermillion and almost all of its territory, it was a vivid green carpet that spread gently everywhere.
Windmills stood in lines here and there, and a settlement where enumerated small private houses were seen along the river.
It was a complete different view from Japan that had a little jumbled up impression with all its mountains and buildings.
Ikki recalled the information about the Empire of Vermillion while looking at such idyllic view.
The Vermillion Empire.
It was a rare, absolute monarchical country in the present day that existed along the gulf, facing the northern sea in a corner of Europe.
It was originally a part of the neighboring country of Kledelland, but it got its independence several hundred years ago and that is how it was now.
The main occupation was the animal husbandry by making the best use of the vast open fields. The exportation of cut flowers.
The tourism made use of the beautiful nature. Exportation of natural gas and the like.
Up to this point, it could be said that it was quite an ordinary nation which wasn't unusual in Europe.
However, the Empire of Vermillion had a big feature that no other country had.
And that was the height of the loyalty towards the nation's imperial family.
There was a famous episode.
The World War II that yielded many tragedies.
Due to the rise of the Nazi Germany, Europe became a sea of fire.
The war also reached the Empire of Vermillion, and the imperial capital Hraesvelgr fell.
The Empire of Vermillion had lost its shape as a nation for a moment.
In that occasion, the Nazi Germany, that was naturally under the government of the Empire of Vermillion, set out to eradicate the Vermillion imperial family―but that didn't turn out well.
That was because the people of the Empire of Vermillion continued giving refuge to the imperial family with whom they had become one.
When the trend changed and until the Nazi Germany completely withdrew from Vermillion, they didn't yield to any kind of unjust torture.
And when World War II ended, the citizens disregarded completely the flow of democratization of politics that had spread at an accelerated pace all over the world and Vermillion imperial family stood up once again as the only and absolute ruler.
This episode, the strong and hard as iron loyalty, was greatly associated with the history of the founding of the Empire of Vermillion.
The War of Independence of Vermillion was a war in which the people who couldn't stand the Kingdom of Kledelland began to be led by the Duke of Vermillion who was the aristocrat leader of the moderate faction of Kledelland… during this period, the relatives of the influential nobles took the form of a marriage to the public in the capital city and were kept as hostages.
The Duke of Vermillion wasn't the exception and the Kingdom of Kledelland used the life of his family as shields and forced the Duke of Vermillion to stop the insurrection.
However, the Duke of Vermillion didn't stop the war.
He didn't give in to a nightmare situation in which a part of the body of his beloved family was sent to him every week, he was going to do to completion the War of Independence in exchange for the lives of all his own family members.
For the weak citizens that had asked for his help.
The people never forget even now the dedication of the Duke of Vermillion―also named the First Emperor of the Empire of Vermillion.
That was widely transmitted as a children's story and as history, and raised the strong and hard as iron loyalty.
『We are one nation, we are one family』
When did that happen?
During a casual conversation in the dorm, and when Vermillion became a topic, Stella had confessed that that was the relationship between the royal family and the people.
All the people loved the royal family and the royal family also loved such people by spreading out a good government.
The strong wishes regarding Stella's national defense were probably also the foundation of those feelings.
Ikki also was capable of even knowing that as general knowledge.
He understood that the royal family and the citizens were closer than any ordinary nation.
However...
Notwithstanding, he was overwhelmed by the sight that jumped in the moment he got off the airplane.
The very instant he took a step and walked under the sunlight of summer and his eyes were dazzled by it from inside the airplane.
Ikki was kind of surprised for a moment, then looked towards the point where the shock had soared.
And there,
『Stella-sama! Welcome home…!』
『Your combat training is much appreciated…!』
『Kyaa! Stella-chan! Your matches were very cooool!』
There were people.
Hundreds of people were just filling altogether the site of the government-dedicated airport.
The shock just now was their cheers.
"Everyone…! I'm ba…!"
Stella shook her hand and returned those words while showing a lot of surprise to the beyond-the-norm cheers.
The excitement of the people gathered here skyrocketed.
The cheers that pretty much shook the earth raised.
And then, the interest of the crowd reached Ikki who stood next to Stella.
『Ah! That's the boy I saw on TV!』
『That's the guy who defeated Stella-hime!』
『That means he's Stella-chan's fiancée, right!?』
『No way, he's quite attractive, isn't he?』
『He looks amiable, completely different from the time of the match』
『He came to greet the King as he promised!』
『Welcome to the Empire of Vermillion!』
『『『Welcome…!』』』
Hundreds of thousands of cheers and gazes leapt at him.
He experienced a big stage like the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, but this wasn't the case.
Ikki didn't know what to do, so he waved his hand, imitating Stella for now.
And then.
The crowd returned cheers and applauses in response to what Ikki returned.
'U-uwaa… this is really embarrassing…'
Although he was born in a distinguished family, Ikki, who was treated rudely, was hopelessly bad at this kind of situations.
He showed his gratitude to others.
I'm probably not such praiseworthy person, he eventually ended up thinking so.
"Stella-sama. Kurogane-sama. A welcoming car has come below here. Please be careful of your feet when descending."
"Thank you. It was a very enjoyable trip."
They thanked the crew members that saw them off and descended the stairs covered with the same deep red carpet when the two had departed.
Below the stairs a pure-white luxury car stood there.
The car was appreciated as Ikki wanted to escape from the gazes' concentrated fire quickly.
Then, at that moment.
Without waiting for the two to arrive, the passenger seat's door of the courtesy car was opened.
Thereupon, a petite, long waved, peach blonde woman got out of the car and looked upward,
"Welcome back. Stella-chan."
She welcomed Stella's return home with a gentle smile on her childish shaped face.
"Eh…! You came to pick me up!?"
Stella, next to him, raised a surprised voice and ran down the stairs in one go, stood in front of her and held her hands.
Reacting to this, the woman grasped back the hands of Stella.
"Of course. Now that I can see Stella-chan after several months〜."
"Thank you! I also wanted to see you!!"
They were delightedly meeting again, and smiled together.
The pigment of that little girl's hair was slightly light, but the smile that made her cheeks became softer with『bonya』was exactly like Stella's smile when she was off guard.
'She looked very young, but… was she the first princess or something?'
When Ikki stood idly while thinking about the figures of the two intimate girls, Stella guessed the left-behind state of Ikki and said to him.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Ikki! I'll introduce her to you! She's my mother!"
"Eh!? Your mother!?"
Is she the same type of monster as Saikyou-sensei?
When he thought such rude thing in his mind,
"You are Ikki Kurogane-san, yes? Nice to meet you〜. I'm Astraea Vermillion, mother of Stella Vermillion〜. I hope we can get along〜."
When Astraea finished her self-introduction with a calm tone of voice, she bowed facing Ikki.
Before she finished her bowing, and while he felt it was an oversight of his, Ikki also bowed, panicking a lot.
"Ah, I appreciate your politeness…! I am Ikki Kurogane! Thank you for inviting me today…! I will be indebted to you during summer vacation…!"
"Fufufu, you're a very polite boy, so different from the powerful image I saw on TV〜. Your aunt like those kind of boys〜."
"Oka-sama also watched the broadcast?"
"But of course. I also ended up watching the finals of the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival on TV〜. To be honest, I was surprised because I didn't think that Stella-chan would lose. You're veeery strong〜."
"No, that's… it was very, very close. That match."
"Whether it's a complete victory or a narrow victory, it was your win, no?"
Astraea said so and firmly grabbed the hand of Ikki.
And then, she put nothing but her thanks in her voice,
"Ikki-san. Thank you very much. For competing to that level with Stella-chan. It was the first time that Stellchan fought with so much fun. …There was no one in Vermillion or in the neighboring country Kledelland who could keep up with Stella-chan's strength. …I was a little worried about sending my daughter alone to a foreign country, but she was able to find such a wonderful boyfriend so it was right to make her go to Japan."
The hand that grasped him, her expression, her voice. From all of them, it was transmitted to Ikki that Astraea's thanks weren't on the surface but they were indeed from the bottom from her heart.
As Stella said, it seemed that her mother supported her actions and decisions.
Ikki was relieved in regard to this, and he also returned his thanks with a tense-free smile.
"Thank you very much. Since I also got the chance to meet Stella, fell in love with her and could fight to that extent."
"Fufu. You pass, and more than twice*."
'It came here, the strong distinctive body odor of a middle-aged person…!'
"Hey, Okasama. Did Oka-sama watch the match together with Otou-sama?"
"Of course. Luna-chan too, the whole family was rooting for you〜"
"I'm glad! Then Otou-sama also knows that Ikki is strong! That's a good thing, Ikki. With this, your rank shouldn't be an obstacle."
But to these few words of Stella,
"Ah〜… I woo〜nder about thaat…"
Astraea displayed a skeptical opinion, looking troubled.
"I wonder? What do you mean?"
"Because papa didn't see that match till the end〜."
"W-why!? His job got in the way or something?"
"That's not it〜, he saw till the middle of it, I think? Right when Ikki-san slashed the abdomen of Stella-chan〜. He was foaming when he saw that and remained fainted for three days or so〜. Since he was going to move the army to declare war on Japan as soon as he woke up, both mama and Dandalion-san calmed him down〜."
"…"
Ikki lost his words and complexion due to the excessively convincing reasons.
"What's with that? How can he be so exaggerated, when I was barely cut?"
Stella was incensed while saying so next to him, but that response wasn't to the degree that she was barely cut.
It was a fatal wound, a "break up match" would have been set if wasn't due to Stella being capable of having a high level self-regeneration.
If he were looking at his own daughter in such state, then fainting would be a natural reaction.
"Ah, come to think of it, I just remembered with papa's story just now, but papa said he wants to have a family meeting with everyone for a moment before meeting Ikki-san."
"Huuh? And why?"
"Because he wants to hear all about Ikki-san from Stellchan〜. If he were to look at his face without knowing anything about him now, then a proper decision can't be made. …I wonder though. I think it's not a bad conversation for Ikki-san. Though he will have to wait in the guest room for a while〜."
"Sure. I am fine with it."
Ikki returned an immediate reply.
He decided there was no reason to refuse.
He didn't want to die young in the lands of a foreign country.
"Sorry, Ikki. Otou-sama came up with a selfish thing."
"Don't worry. I mean, he would feel at ease when some things about me are conveyed by Stella rather than me facing him all of a sudden."
–"Got it! I'll embellish, or perhaps I should say that I'll rapidly convince him like a jet engine about the wonderful things of Ikki!"
"D-don't raise his expectations too much, alright…?"
Thus, when the conversation was settled, Astraea recommended the two to seat in the back seats.
A middle-aged woman with a good physique appeared from the crowd that kept silent to not disturb their conversation until now and proposed to the three of them.
"Hey, hey. I've been hearing your conversation from a while ago. If groom-san is going to be free, then would you like us to show the imperial capital to groom-san in the meanwhile? What do you say? In fact, we've been preparing for their homecoming and we wanted to teach a lot of things about the city and the country to Stella-chan's darling. Of course, if you don't feel like it, then we won't insist…"
At the suggestion of the middle-aged woman, the crowd behind her showed interesting reactions such as『It sounds good, isn't it!?』and『Say yes!』.
That was the same for Stella.
"Yana-san, that's a very good idea! Please accept it, Ikki!"
Yana seemed to be the name of the middle-aged woman.
Once her name came out, they began to talk, he was able to see that they had a close relationship.
In that case, there was no problem in trusting in her.
Ikki concluded so.
"Yeah. Then I accept your offer, I will be under your care."
He accepted Yana's proposal.
For Ikki, it felt more significant to look around the city where his lover was born rather than just waiting in the castle.
"Well then〜 You'll be contacted by Stella-chan once the family meeting is over〜, so until then, please enjoy sightseeing in Vermillion, Ikki-san〜."
"Everyone! I entrust Ikki to you!"
『『『Yes…!』』』
Thus, the Princess and the Empress of Vermillion entrusted Ikki to the crowd and headed to the castle first.
Ikki gave his thanks to Yana and the crowd again once they saw off the car.
"Err, Yana-san, was it? Thank you for your kind suggestion. It really helped me because I wouldn't able to calm myself down while waiting alone in an unknown castle."
Towards that, Yana and the crowd showed a grin on their whole face,
"No, no, don't give your thanks. We don't want to hear it."
"Eh?"
The warmth in Yana's voice vanished abruptly.
And then, in front of Ikki who was bewildered by her change of tone, the crowd jostling in the runway of the government airport suddenly out of nowhere and at the same time took out things with nails nailed on top of rectangular lumber, spades, hoes and takaedakiris.
'…huh?'
The understanding of Ikki couldn't naturally keep up with their actions.
He stood still, dumbfounded, without knowing at all what they intended to do with those things.
"Well then, we'll be rapidly guiding groom-san. …To the deep sea of the German Sea!"
"Uwaaaaaaa!?!?"
When a metal bat was swooped down above his head, Ikki finally took an evasive action and got aware of the malicious intent that was directed at him as well as his own critical situation.
*Clank*!
The metal bat that made a sound broke the runway.
'W-w-whaaaaaaat!?!?'
…They were serious.
He didn't know the reason why, but they seriously attacked him, there was no doubt.
'But, why on earth!?'
"Wai, eh, wait a moment! Why are you doing this!?"
When Ikki threw that question.
『Don't make fun of us! You playboy bastard!』
『A guy acting as if he was her boyfriend appears shamelessly! Were you thinking that such information wasn't going to be transmitted to this rural country!?』
『You're well known in the news for being an infamous rascal in Japan!』
『You're just pretending, you enticed the innocent Stellchan to love you with just a fight!』
『Don't you dare to disgrace our precious and important Ohime-sama!』
『You fucker, don't you dare to think you can escape alive from Vermillionnnnnn!!!!!』
The crowd made their eyes became bloodshot and attacked Ikki from all directions to crush him to death.
Ikki realized their words and their actions.
'D-don't tell me that that misunderstanding hasn't been solved yet…!?'
That was, of course, the false rumor about Ikki that Akaza circulated at that time, his previous scandal with Stella.
That Ikki played with Stella or something like that, that he was a long infamous rascal since a while ago.
Ikki also remembered that he had become a man that led a very rose-colored school life and that he had multiple relationships with female students other than Stella.
This misunderstanding had been solved at least in Japan thanks to the cooperation of the ones surrounding him and his own personality.
However, in Vermillion, which was half an orbit around the earth, it seemed that it wasn't the case based on everyone's reactions.
Well, that was an understandable argument.
Basically, the mass media made humorous fusses and stirred them up, but they hardly followed them when it was a mistake. Because that would make them admit they were wrong.
Shocking information was transmitted to every corner, but the truth almost never reached the same level.
If so, he had no choice but to solve the misunderstanding. If not...
'Everyone's eyes are dangerous! They aren't in a state where they'll talk a lot!'
Then a way of escaping from here was the right answer.
Ikki decided so and brought down his body while looking for an escape route.
Yana noticed the expression of Ikki who recovered his composure for an instant and peeked at his surroundings to try to escape from this place then raised her voice.
"Don't let him get away, you guys!"
『『『OOOoOoOoOooooooOooo…ッッッ!!!!』』』
The crowd put much more motivation in their war cry and brandished the specialized weapons in each of their hands.
But...
"Fuh."
『『『Huh!?』』』
Immediately after, the crowd that attacked the overbearing Ikki lost sight of his figure.
The brandished specialized weapons grazed the emptiness and hit hard the ground.
...He disappeared.
From before their eyes, all of a sudden. The human.
In that situation, everyone showed confusion and bewilderment, they weren't able to conceal those,
『Kyaaa!?』
『Uwaa, w-why was he here!?』
Screams were heard from behind, they turned their heads to the people that attacked Ikki.
And they saw him.
Ikki, who had brought down his body and almost touched the ground, ran through the narrow gaps in the jostling crowd with an agility like he was a cat.
That's right, Ikki hadn't disappeared.
The process called acceleration was skipped, he left behind the dynamic vision of all the crowd that were attacking him thanks to his body that went at maximum speed from the start.
The crowd that was comprised of amateurs of this art couldn't keep up with his speed.
The special movement of Ikki was one of the reasons, but because they were too cramped, there were many restrictions to their visual field and their movements.
They were just a few good-for-nothing.
No matter how crowded it was, they didn't become an obstacle for Ikki.
Ikki went through the gaps of them that became flustered like gliding without losing speed at all.
And when he escaped from that enclosure, he got in a car that someone of the crowd drove,
...He stole it and ran away from the airport.
『I-I can't believe it. The hell's that guy?』
『How could he run so fast in this crowd of people…!?』
Yana clicked her tongue while in the stunned group of people,
"So he's not the man that defeated Stella-chan just for show, huh…!? However, something of this degree was calculated and handled it!"
She took out an old foldable cell phone and got in touch with a certain person.
"Signard! Groom-san stole a car and escaped to the city! I'll tell you the license plate!"
...Meanwhile, Ikki, who had gone through the enclosure of the people of Vermillion without difficulty, drove along the empty road due to the majority of the citizens living in the imperial capital gathering at the airport.
He was going towards the huge castle seen far beyond the townscape of the imperial capital Hraesvelgr.
Even if he explained something from his own point of view, it wasn't going to enter their ears.
He thought that he had no choice but to rely on Stella from here on.
However, in such Ikki's path...
"Hmm?"
Something moved towards him from the opposite direction of the heat haze that waved in the summer sunlight.
It ignored all the road lanes and spread across the width of the highway.
Just like a flood.
A fleet of vehicles that he had only seen in worlds of movies and animations...
It was a large army of tanks and their cannons turned towards him.
"You must be kidding…"
Immediately after, thunderous roars and impacts reverberated loudly in the sky of Vermillion.
◆◇◆◇◆
"Ara〜, what was that sound〜?"
Astraea inclined her head to the side in doubt due to the sound of something that burst open in the distance.
It was the sound of countless tank cannons that blasted away the car Ikki was in, but,
"Yana-san told they had lots of things prepared, but to think they are launching welcoming fireworks for Ikki!"
"Ufufu. I'll have to give my thanks to everyone later〜."
The two people who didn't know anything were completely in harmony.
◆◇◆◇◆
On the other hand, Kurogane Ikki made full use of his natural physical ability.
Right before the tank cannons fired, he manifested"Intetsu".
He immediately escaped once he cut off the roof of the car.
At the moment of the impact, he took in his hands the roof he had cut off and let it take the direct hit of the blast like a shield then jumped using the momentum of the blast that struck the shield.
He jumped over the buildings lined along the highway and escaped danger.
But...
"Y-y-you want to kill me!?"
"Killing you would be fantastic. We don't intend to leave Stella-sama to a man who dies to something of this level. That's the consensus of the people of Vermillion."
The people who wore red military uniforms and were waiting on the roofs of the buildings returned cold words to the relatively serious protest of Ikki.
They deployed on the roofs of the nearby buildings to surround Ikki who escaped, going to the roofs.
They aimed their guns at Ikki.
And then, a person among them.
A young woman with a shoulder strap threw a sharp gaze from behind her glasses and pronounced to Ikki.
"My name is Signard Iruon. I'm the person that was entrusted to be the General of the Imperial Army of Vermillion. Ikki Kurogane. You are already surrounded by the Imperial Army of Vermillion."
"They even moved the army…?"
He had heard of the level of loyalty of the people of the Empire of Vermillion, but to think it was this much.
But this too was completely like the sown seed of their family.
"Please listen to what I have to say for a moment, I'm not going to run away or go wild. Everything is a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
Luckily, the woman that introduced herself as Signard was an experienced soldier, and she looked to be much more relaxed when comparing her to the people at the airport.
So that was why Ikki tried to persuade her by talking to her somehow.
"I think that a lot of information about me that circulated widely during that scandal are false rumors. That "I'm on bad terms with my family", it's irresponsible that people who don't think well about me spread such things!"
"Hou. Then you're saying that the things about you exhibiting violence poorly and that you got in a family that was carrying its days calmly and without any sort of crimes were all lies?"
"…of cour, se… huh?"
He tried to answer quickly but he was at a loss for words.
...In this case, what kind of treatment did he have when he visited another middle school kendo?
"Is it also a lie that you abruptly stepped in the room when Stella-sama was changing clothes and that you even reached the pervert act of taking off your clothes too?"
"…Th-that's, well."
"That you presented an unreasonable condition to Stellsama in which the loser must be obedient to the winner forever and that you enslaved Stellsama who lost the duel and you make her listen to what you say!?"
"…"
'W-what do I do…!? I can't answer back because everything is completely true!'
And finally, the speechless Ikki.
He realized Akaza's cleverness.
They were 100% not a lie, he wasn't able to deny them.
She really used in a skillful manner the serious personality of Ikki.
He was finally able to squeeze out some words with a cramped smile.
"Well, the nuances are scary, aren't they?"
"You piece of shit."
She spat out like she was looking at waste.
He could see that the soldiers around him put their strength into the finger to pull the trigger.
However―Signard controlled with a finger the frenzied soldiers and said something unexpected.
"…well, the information surely reflects the arbitrariness of the third party. It is also a fact that it was distorted when it reached the other side of the world. Stella-sama seems to like and trust you, and based on what we saw at the finals, we know that you aren't just a waste of human being. It doesn't matter how accurate the information about you is, that's already indifferent for us. You don't have the guts for that."
"What do you mean?"
"If you are Stella-sama's boyfriend, then you should know, right? The kind of hardships that Stella-sama had to overcome to be able to control her power."
"…well, yes."
That was a story he heard from Stella herself.
At first, when her ability revealed, Stella was unable to control the power of the dragon's flame, he was told that she burned herself with her own power.
However, Stella understood at a young age how valuable her ability was for the small country of Vermillion. A strong Blazer was an irreplaceable asset for a country.
She shook free from the opposition of her surroundings and acquired control of her own ability, being prepared for death.
For all the people of this country.
…When Stella was still 5 years old.
"I was overwhelmed by the pride of Stella's imperial family."
"You're a kind person…"
Signard muttered like digesting that,
"However, in the same way as Stella-sama thinks so, we also want to protect Stella-sama!"
"…!"
"Everyone in this place loves Stella-sama like a daughter, like an older sister, like a younger sister, like a family member. Because we think of her with great care. …That's why this relationship won't be allowed or consolidated without consulting it with us! In no way it will be allowed!"
When she scowled at Ikki for a second time, she raised a loud voice.
"Ikki Kurogane! The people of the Empire of Vermillion challenge you to a duel! If you want to marry Stella-sama, then show us with your sword that you are worthy of a knight! That you are the appropriate man to be the spouse of our beloved girl who is beautiful, noble and kinder than anyone else!"
『『『That's right…!!!!』』』
『『『If not, we'll never recognize you!!!!』』』
Aligned with Signard, the soldiers on the roof and the soldiers and citizens that crammed below the buildings before he knew raised their voices all at once.
When he saw that scene, Ikki realized at last the situation he was placed in.
They were beyond help.
To sum up, this country was――
'All the people of this country are her doting parents…!?'
He thought that the obstacle was one of Stella's parents, but he was overoptimistic.
But that couldn't be helped.
One wouldn't usually consider that.
Even if Stella told him that her family was one with the country, her existence wasn't just the royal family for the Japanese Ikki. The royal family married him and so forth, they virtually watched it become news and after a while, everything was decided.
It was unthinkable for them to determine him as a marriage partner of the royal family.
But...
"I see. That sure has logic."
◆◇◆◇◆
"…!"
In an instant, Ikki saw Signard facing him on behalf of the people.
A thin smile was shown on the mouth of Ikki.
And then.
"Stella also said it before. "We're one family with the country". In that case, your indignation is completely natural. I won't be allowed to marry Stella without making you consent to it. …There's no reason to refuse you to a duel."
The man who came to take their Princess from a foreign country elevated the tip of the black sword he had in his hands and accepted their challenge without hesitating.
"…! How vigorous! In that case…"
"However!"
But, Ikki said the moment when Signard tried to wave her hand that was controlling the soldiers.
"However, I have just one condition."
"A condition?"
"I'm not going to defeat all of you, it will be my victory if I can reach to where Stella is by breaking off from all of you."
"Isn't the victory condition too weak?"
Ikki just replied「No」 .
"Your beloved girl and I don't want you to get hurt."
"…!"
Signard was at a loss for words against that.
Because Ikki showed a deep understanding towards the girl named Stella.
'I get it. Certainly, the people that rejected the proposal weren't qualified to show their love to Stella.'
If so...
"…I accept. If you can get away, then show you can get away!"
Signard accepted Ikki's proposal and swung her right hand controlling the soldiers.
A sound like a waterfall sprayed, hundreds of lead-rain sudden showers were aimed at Ikki in an instant.
But at that time, Ikki had already finished his action.
The moment he had raised"Intetsu" and accepted the challenge of Signard and company.
In the instant that couldn't be followed by the eyes of ordinary people.
...He cut the roof under his feet.
When Ikki hit lightly the roof with his heels, the roof that was cut off collapsed easily.
It ended up swallowing Ikki into the perfect circular hole.
As a matter of course, he wasn't hit by the shooting.
『That guy! He cut the roof and ran away by going down!』
"Kuh! Look at the doors and windows of the building! Don't let him get away when he comes out!"
Signard immediately ordered the vigilance of the entrances of the building.
This was a big mistake.
Because Ikki didn't go into the building from the hole just like that―he was just grabbing the edge of it with his fingers.
"Heave-ho!"
Ikki made sure that the watching on the roof was removed under the instruction of Signard then threw up his body with his fingers and jumped out from the hole.
Then...
『General Signard! There!』
He rushed out of the castle before the soldiers noticed him.
Signard had a disgusted look on her face, looking at his retreating figure.
"D-dammit…! He feigned it! Don't let him escape!"
『『『Yes ma'aaaaaaaaaaaam!!!!』』』
The soldiers fired the rifle they had in their hands while chasing the distant Ikki.
However, he was able to let all the bullets fired go past him by stepping to the left and right.
He checked with his sense of hearing the location of the shooting sounds.
He predicted the arrival time of the bullet speed, he didn't look back not even a single time.
His movement was extremely quick despite the unstable footing.
Even when compared when he was running on the level-ground airport.
That was because Ikki Kurogane's mind and body conditions had recently reached their climax.
Everything was thanks to them, the people of Vermillion.
Ikki was able to notice them because they were facing him seriously.
『To get them recognize him as Stella's companion』
『To get them to hand over Stella』
If they truly loved her, if they thought about her wellness more than anything else.
...Was she something that they should and could hand over?
As if he couldn't hand over Stella.
Ikki was aware of the serious attitude so far of the people of Vermillion.
They were just like him.
In that case, there was no way they could coexist.
Trying to coexist was the great mistake itself.
Fellows that loved the same girl from the bottom of their hearts.
If he wanted to get the girl, there was only one thing to do.
That was to pull Stella's hand, hold it tightly and take her away.
With stronger feelings―and physical strength than the others!
'If it's the strength of my feelings, then I won't lose to anyone…!'
Never, to them―or to Stella's father.
Other than that, there was no way to make them agree.
The moment he arrived at that mental state, Ikki was finally able to determine his feelings.
...He may not get them to recognize him.
Such weak idea, that was filling the head of Ikki until just now, dissipated, and he stared straight at the castle with burning eyes.
He didn't think that he'll get them to accept him and hand her over again.
He would take her away and made them recognize him…!
Because―that's was Kurogane Ikki's way of life and the Ikki that Stella loved.
『T-that man…! Does he have eyes on his back or something!?』
『And with this unstable footing, how can he run so damn fast…!?』
『General! It's useless! We can't catch up with him! 』
"Tsk."
The heavy burden of his heart vanished, the soldiers couldn't catch up with Ikki that became more agile.
Ikki jumped between the roofs and separated from his pursuers in the blink of an eye.
The soldiers fired bullets at Ikki with the rifles they had in their hands, but none of them hit him.
The soldiers weren't unskilled.
Ikki stepped to the left and right to evade the bullets with precision.
...He never looked back, not even once.
He had already assessed the speed of the bullets. And remembered them.
If so, the timing at which the bullets came flying from the angle and position of the firing sound could be roughly calculated.
It was possible to avoid them, including the calculation error if he had to evade it with a bit more room.
Signard clicked her tongue.
Although she knew about the level of his physical ability, what Signard saw was just Ikki on top of a flat ring.
It was nothing but the skillfulness of his main sword technique that caught her attention.
The impression of his Noble Arts"Ittōu Shura"was also combined with it, she thought "he was a strong knight specialized in matches".
But that wasn't it.
Signard realized it.
The fundamentals, the foundation that sustained that sword technique.
The sharpened physical ability and concentration ability of Ikki weren't common. And his ability to grasp space.
Ikki wasn't bothered at all by the terrain or the surprise attacks.
He constantly turned his head and selected the best movement at the very instant, he understood the art to break the battle.
This tenacity, this determination to use everything he noticed...
'…this guy's the type that exists for war rather than for regular matches…!'
The non-Blazer forces weren't opponents for him.
It should be possible for Ikki to return and take the head of the enemy general by himself.
He wasn't flashy so as to blow up the large army in one hit like Stella, but he had the penetrating ability to deeply pierce through the enemy like a sharp needle.
He was making light of them.
They couldn't stop that by themselves.
However...
'Still, I can't break off from those girls…!'
◆◇◆◇◆
'It's weird.'
Ikki felt an uncomfortable feeling as he rode fast the roofs of the buildings of Vermillion alone, he completely got separated from Signard and company.
Even though he broke off from his pursuers and didn't see their figures anymore,
'There are two gazes that were able to stick to me this whole time.'
Moreover, one of them was so close he could hear their breathing.
Where were they?
They weren't to the right.
They weren't to the left.
They weren't in front or above him―in that case,
"…from below!"
A water sound and a splash rose in an instant, a three-pronged lance popped out of the roof right below Ikki.
Ikki barely blocked it with"Intetsu".
But his movement was stopped,
"Heh, now, Miriallia!"
The barley-skinned girl that appeared from inside the roof with lance in hand shouted,
"Or rather, I know what to do even if you don't tell me〜."
Immediately after, the ears of Ikki made a dry, bursting sound.
Together with that, he felt like a lightning running in his femur.
'She's sniping…!'
"Fuh!"
"Whoah!?"
The intuition that was sharpened to be out of danger many times moved the body of Ikki like drifting.
He launched a kick loaded with his weight on the long handle of the lance and pulled away one of the assailants,
"Haaaa!"
A black, circular bullet that flew and broke through the wind was cut in two, it was chopped.
The divided, severed bullet slid on the blade of"Intetsu"and passed to the left and right of Ikki...
"Ahhaaah ☆."
"…!?"
At that moment, the hemispherical bullet took a sharp turn and thrust into both feet of Ikki from the left and right.
Ikki dodged them by jumping to the back right away.
It was an evasion that owed everything to Ikki's power of concentration who had always won through disadvantageous fights, and to not being careless because he let the attacks of the enemies go past.
The semi-circular bullets lost their target, sunk into the roof and stopped their movement.
"Not gooood, this guy's super faaast. They were dodged with such a timing, this'll be a serious booooothersooome."
"Hehe. It's not that much though, he's kind of worth being our opponent, don't you see?"
The girl kicked by Ikki rotated in the air and landed on the red tiled roof.
Next to her there was a girl having a small musket at the ready.
She suddenly appeared as if jumping out from the water's surface without destroying the roof.
The bullets that followed him here had an almost impossible trajectory.
Ikki realized.
Without a doubt, these two girls were...
"…Blazers, huh."
"Nice to meet you, Stella's boyfriend! I'm Tilmitt Gracie, I'm in first year of the National Black Magic Institute of Vermillion! Your reaction just now was very good, you know!?"
"Huh〜? Are we self-introducing us now? Then I also have to do so? Hello, I'm Milliaria Régie, I'm in first year of the National Black Magic Institute of Vermillion. It seems you're a close friend of Stella-chan since not too long ago, yes?"
"I'm Ikki Kurogane. …Are you also going to test me for the sake of Stella?"
When he asked, the girl named Tilmitt laughed.
"Ah, no, no. We don't care who marries Stella. That girl is free to decide who she likes."
"Our goal is thi〜s."
Milliaria said so and showed a rough paper to Ikki.
There was a photo of Ikki in it and...
The characters DEAD OR ALIVE.
"I've become a wanted!?"
"Yup. We'll get a bonus from the army if we defeat you. That's 1,000,000"EL"Yulis!"
"Milly-chan found a super cute bag last week, but she's totally troubled, she's running out of money〜. Can this be then a lifesaver without a doubt?"
It appeared that the wanted poster was scattered throughout the whole town by the Imperial Army.
By the way, 1M Yulis were 100M Japanese yen.
It was an extraordinary amount.
Ikki understood that amount of money.
The degree of seriousness of his opponents. And the presence of those behind the army and Tilmitt.
'I thought it wasn't an arbitrary decision of the people because they're even moving the army, but…'
Only one person could withdraw this amount from the national treasure from the absolute monarchy that was Vermillion.
The king of Vermillion was also involved in this mess.
He didn't know if he was leading it or if he was cooperating, but either way, he approved it.
'Their murderous intent is high!'
That perhaps was natural when looking at the match.
And, when Ikki wryly smiled at the level of hate directed at him,
『This is it! 1M Yulis!』
『Damn! Another problem child combination is already coming into contact with the enemy!』
『Those girls, they barely work with honesty at times like this!』
『Don't let the two have a favorable moment! Let's go!』
Besides Tilmitt, those who were dazzled by the prize money rushed along the roof.
Tilmitt and Milliaria who were seeing this,
"Oops, the hyenas have gathered."
"Let's take care of this very quickly."
They took a combat stance again.
Tilmitt activated the ability of her Device"Triaina".
Then again, the material called roof changed to sea for her, she jumped without hesitation and got inside.
At the same time, Milliaria, her partner, fell to her knees there,
""Calamity Barrett"Triple rapid-fire!"
Three bullets were fired from the musket-type Device.
Its shape was of a musket, but there was no concept of reloading in her Device.
And so, these bullets weren't ordinary bullets that flew straight into the sky.
Ikki, who understood that with the hit earlier, started running immediately without trying to avoid it at the very limit.
Then, and not surprisingly, the bullets curved sharply and started chasing the escaping Ikki.
This was the ability of Milliaria's Device"Casper"that had the concept of absolute hit.
No matter how many times a bullet was repelled or bisected, the magic bullet would continue chasing the enemy to pierce them.
It was a very annoying ability. But...
The capture method was already identified.
Ikki aimed at a certain place on the roof while struggling to barely dodge the bullets that attacked him while turning around him.
There was a chimney.
'Just like before, she sunk into the attracting wall.'
But...
"Here I come!"
Because she was waiting for the moment he approached the chimney, Triaina came outside from the side of the chimney.
Ikki poorly twisted his body and evaded it by millimeters.
He rapidly separated from the chimney.
'If I get near the wall then I'll be attacked by Tilmitt-san…!'
"Here we go again!"
"Kuh."
Moreover, Triaina appeared in succession at his escaping steps first.
From this, Ikki couldn't stay in a place and he couldn't use a guided standard attack principle to attract and get into it.
It covered the weakness of"Calamity Barrett"very well.
"That's a nice combination…!"
"Of course! After all, Milly and I are C-Rank knights, 2 of the 3 C-Rank knights of this country!"
"I mean, you praise us, but we're not going to miss."
Milliaria said so and abandoned control of the speed-decreasing"Calamity Barrett".
She fired three more"Calamity Barrett"again to replace the bullets and went after Ikki mercilessly.
In addition to that, Triaina stuck out irregularly from below his feet like if it was pestering him.
Even the genius Ikki was just defending against the gapless attacks from every direction.
At this rate, then he would be caught sooner or later.
That was why Ikki greatly jumped to the edge of the roof with all his strength.
When he moved to another building, he peeked at Tilmitt that was"Travelling in disguise".
The two that chased Ikki understood such way of doing things.
Most of those who had been attacked in waves by Tilmitt and Milliaria ended up with that general idea.
Therefore―Milliaria grinned and laughed.
"Ahhaaa ☆ We were waiting for that〜!"
At that second, Milliaria abandoned the speed-decreasing"Calamity Barrett".
Then fired three new"Calamity Barrett"aiming at Ikki who made a jump in the air.
Yes. The creation of this situation was the aim of their wave attacks.
People couldn't move in the air except for the Blazers that had a special ability.
He was completely defenseless.
It wasn't possible to evade the maximum speed of"Calamity Barrett"that were just shot with that momentum.
The three bullets attacked him.
Ikki flipped his body in the air.
Then took an interception stance with sword in hand...
'That's really meaningless〜'
It was insignificant for"Calamity Barrett"whether they were cut or repelled.
If they were cut, the number of balls would increase just like before.
If they were repelled, then they'll attack him many times due to the propulsion of ricochet's momentum.
...That was what she supposed.
That was why both Milliaria and Tilmitt were convinced of their victory, but...
"Haaa!"
At the same time as the three bullets pierced Ikki.
Three slashing lights surrounded Ikki and"Calamity Barrett"lost its ardent driving force, it was attracted by gravity and fell to the ground without force, Ikki was safe, he landed on a building shorter than the one Milliaria and Tilmitt were standing on.
"Huh?"
Milliaria got confused by the unexpected consequences.
The ability of Kurogane Ikki should be physical strengthening.
That was why she was able to invalidate his Noble Arts.
But Tilmitt who had a taijutsu sense greater than Milliaria, comprehended together with shivers the superhuman feat of Ikki just now in the sea of stones.
'They completely cancelled each other out…!'
It was evidently that.
Ikki, in the defense and offense so far, and the bullets that Milliaria replaced twice up to now, he read that her ability is to guarantee nothing else but『Trajectory』, she doesn't have the power to『re-accelerate』the fired bullets. By striking the bullets with the same energy as the energy contained in them, they weren't repelled to the back like before and weren't sliced off either, all their movements were cancelled.
'Milly's ability is just『bullets』, they aren't『missiles』. What we're doing is meaningless.'
"Calamity Barrett"was powerless against enemies that had a technique of such level.
'But still…!'
She had no choice but to do that.
Tilmitt decided so, she strongly kicked the bottom of the water and jumped to the surface.
""Dolphin Crash"!"
She jumped out from the wall of the building.
The distance between the two buildings was indeed 10 meters.
Tilmitt flew that distance without difficulty and drew near Ikki.
She pushed out Triaina and aimed at his head from above and diagonal of Ikki who landed on a short building.
The movements of the opposing Ikki were also fast.
He immediately raised"Intetsu"and took a defensive stance with his blade against the thrusting lance of Tilmitt.
It was easy for him to defend against that attack, like a charge from 10 meters away.
However, ...that was a trap.
'That momentary preparation did it…!'
That was her first strike, Tilmitt was performing a preparation for the moment when"Calamity Barrett"couldn't shoot him down.
That was the first strike that made Ikki defend.
At that moment, Tilmitt had instilled an understanding by purposely making Ikki defend against her thrust.
He was able to block the thrust of"Triaina".
But.
'It's not like I can just hide in buildings!'
The Device of the opponent was no exception.
Now it was the time to move the trump card prepared in case the collaboration with Miriallia didn't go well.
Triaina slipped through Ikki's"Intetsu" that tried to stop the point of the lance with a water sound and hurried to the face of Ikki in a straight line.
'Got you!'
The moment Tilmitt was convinced about it,
"That's too open."
Certainly, "Triaina"supposedly stabbed Ikki's forehead, but it turned away to the side like sliding on the skin of Ikki.
It was the secret technique that warded off the blade with only a slight defensive body movement ―"Flawless".
Ikki dodged the lance attack of Tilmitt with that.
"Fuh."
He slashed Tilmitt who became defenseless in mid-air due to the unexpected protection with the blade of"Illusory Form".
"Kuh, ah."
"It was as if you were saying "please receive the charge from that distance". Given the special characteristics of your ability, it's easy to anticipate and slip through your Device, and so turning the tables. That was quite dangerous now, so it's better to not do it again."
In the real battlefield, if his real enemy was an opponent, then her current careless attack could have cost the life of Tilmitt. So, Ikki scolded her imprudence with severe words.
But soon after she reflected upon those words, a strong sleepiness that resembled a blackout of consciousness attacked Tilmitt and she fell on the roof.
And just like that, she rolled down due to the inclination of the roof.
Ikki took a glance and...
"Alright then, I leave the rest to you!"
With a refreshing smile, he threw violently everything to Milliaria and resumed the escape.
"Kyaah! Til-chan!"
She may be a Blazer, but she was just a human being that needed to protect herself with magic.
It was unpardonable if she fell from the roof of around 10 meters in height in a fainted state.
Milliaria jumped out from the roof by dashing with all her strength and caught Tilmitt in the air and landed on the ground.
Then she looked up on the roof from there but there were no signs of Ikki anymore.
◆◇◆◇◆
When Ikki defeated Tilmitt and Milliaria.
Stella and Astraea arrived at the castle of the Imperial Capital central part.
"Hmm〜 Like I thought, my home is quiet〜."
Stella breathed in a big way while walking through the spacious marble corridor.
Everyday cleaning should be done carefully, but her home had a smell of marvelous and harmonic air.
However, leisure was for later.
Even though the citizens were keeping company with Ikki, it was painful to keep him waiting too much.
"So, where's Otou-sama waiting?"
"He told me to bring you along to the dining hall, so I guess he's still there?"
Then Stella tried to hurry up, she left the luggage to the maid and headed towards the dining hall.
And then, she pushed the large double doors open that lead to the dining hall and...
"SssstellaaaaaaAAAA…! I so wanted to see youu…!"
A middle-aged man with a thick beard flew like a rocket, aiming at the lips of Stella.
"Nooooooooooooo!!!!"
Naturally, she punched him.
A counter with all her might.
Raising a snap and a no sounds, the fist of Stella sunk into the face of the middle-aged man and knocked him off his feet.
The middle-aged man of large build that was knocked off his feet protested against Stella with a shaking voice while holding his nose that was bent in a weird direction.
"W-why did you… I just… wanted to give you a welcome kiss…"
"That's the reason why I did that!"
The exasperated expression of Stella to this middle-aged man...