Blazers. Special beings capable of manifesting their own souls as armaments called Devices and controlling supernatural abilities with their magical power. Once upon a time, these people, wielding power beyond rational explanation, were called witches and wizards. The strongest among them could influence even the movement of time, while the weakest were still capable of performing godlike feats. Incapable of defeat at the hands of mortals and their weapons, Blazers were vital to the success of militaries. Their miraculous power made these humans more than human.

With great power came great responsibility, however. One such responsibility was adherence to the Mage-Knight System. Under the Mage-Knight System, one had to graduate from an internationally-designated academy before they would receive a license recognizing them as part of the chivalry—as a Mage-Knight—and allowing them to use their powers.

Hagun Academy, one of seven schools in Japan that could award such licenses, boasted a campus larger than the combined area of ten Tokyo Domes. There, young Blazers devoted themselves to honing their skills.

“Mm-hmm. So you thought that if you stripped as well, it’d balance out her embarrassment?” The suit-wearing, cigarette-smoking woman who spoke to him from her leather chair was the director of Hagun Academy, Kurono Shinguuji. Ikki Kurogane had been brought to her office after being apprehended for sexual harassment, and had just finished telling his side of the story.

“Are you stupid?” she asked, exasperated.

“I believe equality is the most gentlemanly concept there is,” he replied.

“There was certainly something gentlemanly about it.”

“I’m not a perv or anything, I just didn’t know what to do! I panicked.”

“Hmm, so seeing her supple young body caused you to lose your mind, your only thought being to strip.”

“I guess, but please don’t say it like that. It makes me sound like a crazy person.”

“You made yourself sound like a crazy person, Kurogane. Think about it from her perspective: you’re changing clothes in an empty dorm room in the middle of summer when a man you’ve never seen before suddenly barges in and tears off his clothes. How would you react?”

“Wow. I really am a crazy person.” Ikki shuddered as he put himself in her shoes.

“Great. It’s Miss Stella’s first day abroad and I’ve already done something terrible to her. I hope she doesn’t wind up hating Japan because of this.”

“Oh, you already know about Ms. Vermillion?”

“I only just remembered. I was so shocked that I completely forgot.”

That girl was Stella Vermillion, the second imperial princess of the Vermillion Empire, a small European nation. When it was announced that she would enroll at Hagun Academy, it was all over the news. A Once-in-a-Decade Genius! The Second Imperial Princess of the Vermillion Empire, Age 15, Enters Hagun Academy with Record-Breaking Grades!

I remember those headlines like I saw them yesterday, Ikki thought, amazed. “Not only is she a princess, but she’s top of the class as well. That’s incredible.”

“That’s part of being the undisputed number one. All of her abilities far exceed the average, and her all-around magical power—a Blazer’s most valuable ability—surpasses the new students’ average thirty times over. She’s a Rank A monster of a knight. The gap between her abilities and those of, say, a Rank F who had to repeat a year is massive. Wouldn’t you agree, Worst One?”

“Please stop talking about that.” Ikki protested Kurono’s prodding, but he didn’t deny the truth. He couldn’t. After all, Ikki Kurogane’s all-around magical power was a measly ten percent of the average student’s.

“But now it’s become a problem. Dealing with transfer students requires so much paperwork that I asked her to come prior to the entrance ceremony, which led to this fiasco. If we aren’t careful about this, it could become an international incident. I know it’s not really your fault, Kurogane, but you’ll just have to take the hit. Show us your kind, manly side, even if you got screwed on this one.”

“People really like to play the ‘manly’ card as soon as it’s convenient for them, don’t they?” Ikki sighed, mulling over the circumstances.

“Excuse me.” The door to the director’s office opened, and the woman they were discussing, Stella Vermillion, entered. Unlike last time, she had clothes on; she wore a tasteful, dark gray blazer that served as Hagun Academy’s uniform. Its modest color only emphasized her crimson hair. Her most eye-catching feature, however, was her breasts. They pushed up on her ribbon as if to signify their grandeur. Ikki began to remember the sight of her in her underwear, but when he saw her expression, he held his tongue. She seemed to have been crying; despite her snide glare, there was a damp redness to her eyes.

“Sorry.” The word naturally escaped his lips.

Men weren’t supposed to make girls cry. Even if it wasn’t his fault, the fear she felt was real. “That was an accident. I wasn’t trying to peep on you, I swear. But what’s done is done, so I have to make things right. Bake me, broil me, do whatever you want as punishment.”

“How noble of you. That must be your samurai spirit.”

“Or my way of stumbling through an apology.” Ikki smiled wryly in response to Stella’s pleasant voice, to which she forced a stiff smile of her own.

“Teehee. To be quite honest, being attacked by a pervert on my first day in Japan made me wonder if this country was worth the soil it inhabits. I considered escalating this to an international incident, but thanks to you, I may have changed my mind. Royalty such as myself must know when to be noble and generous.”

Stella’s friendly expression, less hostile than before, changed Ikki’s perception of her. He had expected her to be difficult and arrogant, but she was actually understanding.

“For being so gallant, Ikki, I’ll be lenient. All you have to do is fall on your sword.”

Or not.

“Whoa, what?! You think suicide is lenient?!”

“Even if it’s accidental, committing such a sin against a princess can only be atoned for through death. My first thought was to impale you on a stick and let eager citizens pelt you with rocks. I’m majorly reducing your sentence!”

“It almost sounds like you’re preparing a meal rather than doling out punishment.”

“You get to die an honorable death! No need to thank me for being such a bleeding heart.”

“It’s my heart that’ll be bleeding here!”

“Hahaha! Very clever, Kurogane.” Kurono couldn’t help but laugh.

“Director, please! Aren’t you supposed to stop people from dying inside your school?!”

“This is our only chance to trade a single life—yours—for eternal peace with the Vermillion Empire. Sounds like a steal to me.”

“How can you use human life as a bargaining chip?!” It seemed more like a scam to Ikki. “E-Excuse me, Miss Stella. Isn’t there some other way we can resolve this?”

“What’s the problem? I thought you Japanese men loved that thing where you kill yourselves to defend your honor.”

“Not me; I’m more of an easygoing millennial. I don’t do the samurai thing. Hip-hop is life, yo!”

“That sounds like a very ham-fisted character trait.”

“If you’re not gonna stop her, Director, at least stop talking!” Ikki yelled at Kurono, tired of her remarks. But Stella, watching Ikki panic, doubled down.

“Come on! You said I could bake or broil you, so be a man of your word and accept your punishment!”

“N-No, that’s just an expression! I didn’t really mean it that way!”

“You’re full of excuses today, Kurogane,” Kurono teased. “Weren’t you going to make things right?”

Shut up, will you?! This is my life we’re talking about here!

“Y-You expect me to pay with my life just because I saw you in your underwear? Who cares?!”

“‘Wh-Who cares’? H-H-How dare you say such a thing, you lecherous commoner?! This is how you respond after defiling an unmarried princess?! Not even my own father has ever seen me like that!” A fiery rage built up in Stella’s eyes. Actually, her eyes weren’t all that caught fire. Even the air around her crackled with flames, brightening the room.

Oh, that’s right, Ikki recalled. The newspapers said her power was—

“That does it! You disrespectful, creepy, crude, perverted little commoner. I’ll turn you into ashes myself! Serve my will, Lævateinn!” The flaming aurora that filled the room shone all at once, revealing a burning broadsword in her hands. It was her Device, her Blazer soul manifested.

Holy Swords, Demon Bows, Cursed Tools, and Blessed Tools. These items, like the magic wand that was all too common in legends and oral traditions, served as mediums for Blazers to activate their Noble Arts. In the Crimson Princess’ case, her special ability was scorching flames!

“Prepare yourself, lecher!” Stella was furious. “You’ll be nothing but a pile of ash when I’m done with you!”

“S-Seriously?!” Ikki cried.

“Don’t waste your breath!”

“Come to me, Intetsu!” He tried to defend himself from the swing of her flaming sword. A katana appeared, black as a raven, and the Rank F knight blocked the swing of her flaming sword with his own unique Device, Intetsu. But—

“Resistance is futile!”

“Hot, hot, hot!”

“Of course it’s hot! My Noble Art, Dragon Breath, covers Lævateinn in five-thousand-degree flames! Even if you avoid her claws, the dragon princess burns all who dare oppose her!”

“What ridiculous power!” Clenching his teeth, Ikki moved to distance himself from Stella’s attack.

“Hohoho… Foolish man. You can’t escape me in such a tiny room. I’ll end your existence and erase my premarital loss of innocence!”

“Hey, hold your horses! Let’s just calm down and talk! What do you mean, ‘loss of innocence’? I didn’t even touch you!”

“Liar! You soiled me with your l-l-l-lascivious gaze!”

“Yeah, I saw you, but I—Uh… I wasn’t thinking of anything bad! I just, umm… I was just stunned by how beautiful you are, Miss Stella!”

“Wha—?!” The seething rage visible on Stella’s face instantly changed into a deep-red blush. Ikki broke into a cold sweat, afraid of angering her further.

“Wh-Wh-What did you just say, fool?! H-How can you call an unmarried woman b-beautiful? You c-commoners certainly have no tact!”