After the duel, Ikki slept for a full week. With the fatigue from the inquiry, the poisoning from Akaza’s drug, and the effect of Ittou Rasetsu on top of it all, it wasn’t such a far-fetched outcome.

While the man himself slept soundly, the series of events that started the scandal was settled. That was a result of Stella’s father, Emperor Vermillion, learning of the results of Ikki’s duel and everything leading up to it. He declared his immense displeasure with the Ethics Committee and their tool, the mass media. Once the emperor had directly stated his displeasure with them, the news could do nothing but quiet down.

Finally, he announced that he would put off his decision regarding Ikki and Stella’s relationship, demanding that Ikki come to the Vermillion Empire to meet him after the Seven Stars Battle Festival. Between those declarations and Akaza’s subsequent fall from power, there was nobody left to doubt Ikki’s qualifications as a knight.

With everything having reached its conclusion, the entire student body gathered in the usually rarely-used gymnasium for the formal swearing-in ceremony of the six students who would represent Hagun Academy after the long, long line of selection battles.

“We will now begin the ceremony. When your name is called, please come up to the stage,” Kurono said, her voice projecting through the gymnasium. Then, she began reading the names of each student. “Year 1, Rank A: Stella Vermillion. Year 3, Rank D: Botan Hagure. Year 3, Rank B: Kanata Toutokubara. Year 3, Rank C: Kikyou Hagure. Year 1, Rank D: Nagi Alisuin… is unable to be here, it seems. Year 1, Rank F: Ikki Kurogane.”

“Ma’am.”

Ikki replied quickly and stood when his name was called, climbing the stairs next to him to go onstage. Then, like the four before him, he walked in front of Director Kurono Shinguuji to receive a certificate and a medal.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you very much.”

He bowed, and the five representatives lined up together in front of the entire school body as the school’s representatives. Once Kurono saw that Ikki was lined up with them, she continued.

“The five you see before you all—six, including Nagi Alisuin—are now officially recognized as Hagun Academy’s representatives for the Seven Stars Battle Festival!”

The audience welcomed the five people onstage with roaring applause. Everyone was looking right at Ikki and the other representatives.

In battle, he didn’t care about other people looking at him. He wasn’t in battle, however, and was anything but used to being the center of attention to receive positive recognition, so he felt especially awkward. He was the type of person who didn’t especially care about other people’s opinions of him or his social status, so he was unsure of how to handle himself during such ceremonies. He really just wanted to get off the stage.

“Next, I will announce the team captain. When I call your name, step forward. The leader will be Year 1, Rank F Ikki Kurogane.”

As if acting specifically against Ikki’s desires, Kurono once again called his name.

“…Huh?” Ikki was shocked beyond belief that he was named captain, unintentionally turning toward Kurono. He had expected that the more experienced student council member, Kanata, or the talk of the town, Stella, would be chosen as captain. “I’m the leader? Wh-Why?”

“Obviously, yes,” Kurono said, giving him an annoyed look. “The Hunter, Runner’s High, even Raikiri; you defeated all of the school’s Seven Stars frontrunners one after another. Who else here would be more fitting to be the captain of Hagun’s representatives? Now step forward, would you?”

“O-Oh, uh, yes, ma’am.”

Ikki still wasn’t convinced. As he had lived his life outside of the spotlight, the role of leader was one he had never played before. He was left unable to do anything but panic, until Kurono’s harsh tone forced him to reflexively step forward. She then continued the ceremony.

“Now, the team captain will be given the school’s flag.” With that, a single female student carried the flag to Ikki from offstage. It was the girl he had beaten in his final battle. “Student council president, Touka Toudou.”

“I haven’t seen you since the match. I’m glad you’re doing better.” Touka smiled slightly and lifted the school’s flag. “This is the flag I was given as last year’s team captain. I was planning to carry it again this year, but then I lost to you, Kurogane. I asked the faculty to let me give this to you personally.”

When he heard that, Ikki was at a loss for words. Touka must have already sorted out her feelings about the match, because she looked completely fine.

As for Ikki, who had just woken up, he still felt like their battle was just the day before. He had no idea what he should say to the person he had knocked out of the running. However, despite his lack of a suitable response, he at least knew that he wanted to thank her.

Despite the filth and evil that had permeated their fight, she still fought him unreservedly, like a proud knight. It was because she was there that he had been able to draw so much strength from within.

“Toudou, I… I could only fight at full power because you were my opponent, because I wanted to win against you specifically. If I hadn’t been up against you, then I’m sure—”

“Kurogane.” She interrupted him, and gave him a gentle look. “Ikki Kurogane, to be victorious is to carry a burden. You’re carrying the aspirations of the people who failed against you. This flag is a symbol of the hopes and dreams of so many students who wanted to represent the school, but couldn’t. I’m not telling you to fight for us, but please, take this flag so that we can be there the moment you take the Seven Stars.”

Touka held the flag out to Ikki. Hearing her words and seeing that flag, he finally understood that he didn’t need words; there was only one way to repay the girl in front of him and all the other knights who fought only to have their dreams crushed. He would bear the burden of their hopes through his victory.

What did Ikki have to do, then, as the victor? He wasn’t one to not recognize what was required of him, so he firmly grasped the black flagpole that was offered to him.

“…I promise that I will.”

The moment he said that, the gymnasium erupted into applause.

“You can do it, Captaaain!”

“We’ll definitely come cheer you on!”

“You beat the president! That makes you our representative!”

“We know you can take the top, Ikkiii!”

“Don’t you dare lose, Another One!”

Voices of support, cheers of blessing, cries of encouragement. So many different voices were mixed into the applause, slamming into Ikki. The shock of it sent a shiver down his spine. He tightened his lips, stiffening his face. It was the only thing he could do to stop himself from crying.

With his face still stiffened, Ikki raised the flag in response to their cheers and returned to his own spot in line. He then whispered to Stella, standing next to him.

“…Stella.”

“Yeah?”

“To be honest… I’ve never really cared about anyone else’s opinions. Nobody’s ever thought anything positive of me, so I figured it was just impossible. I always thought I just needed to get to the point where I could accept myself. But being accepted by others like this is… surprisingly nice.”

Ikki could no longer tell if he was smiling or crying. But when Stella looked at him, she smiled happily, so he knew that he must have been making some sort of cheerful face.

Thus, Hagun Academy, situated in the southern area of Japan’s Kanto region, had its Seven Stars Battle Festival representatives.

Following them, northern Kanto’s Donrou Academy, Tohoku’s Kyomon Academy, Hokkaido’s Rokuzon Academy, Kyushu and Okinawa’s Bunkyoku Academy, Chugoku and Shigoku’s Rentei Academy, and finally, the strongest school in Japan and a leading powerhouse worldwide, having reached the finals at the Seven Stars for the past twenty years and with a monopoly on the top spot for each of the past five, Kinki and Chubu’s Bukyoku Academy, all announced their own representatives one after another.

The actors were all taking the stage: Kyomon’s Icy Sneer, Mikoto Tsuruya; Rokuzon’s Grizzly Panther, Renji Kaga; Donrou’s Sword Eater, Kuraudo Kurashiki; the current champion of the Festival, the Seven Stars King, Yuudai Moroboshi.

Every one of those knights was famous throughout Japan, and Ikki Kurogane was headed to the Festival, where they awaited him. There, he would fight for the opportunity to stand at the pinnacle of the Seven Stars, and where he would fulfill the vow he made to his strongest rival of all, the Crimson Princess.

His story had progressed to the national stage.

※ ※ ※

Meanwhile, while Hagun Academy’s swearing-in ceremony was underway, something else was taking place beneath a desolate expressway.

“Heheheh. Looks like Hagun’s order has been solidified as well. Quite surprising that neither Raikiri, Runner’s High, nor Lorelei made it into the lineup.”

“Hardly their fault. Two of them simply fell victim to bad luck.”

“Well, luck is another part of skill. If the luck of the draw is enough to make you lose, that just shows what kind of knight you are. Doesn’t that sound like something Ouma would say to you?”

“I don’t especially care.”

“Wow, cold. Well, whatever. I suppose your preparations are complete?”

“Yes, without issue. Lorelei’s fall was unexpected, but it won’t interfere with the plan. I can dispose of her at any time.”

“Heheheh. You really are the master of masters when it comes to assassination. Your skill is on another level. But what else would I expect from the Black Assassin, who cleared the Killing House with a record-breaking high score? Or I suppose you’re the Black Rose now, Comrade Alisuin?”

“…”

Alisuin’s cold expression bore no resemblance to the kind one she wore around Ikki and his group. She hardly appeared to be a human with emotions, more closely resembling glasswork; one might have even mistaken her for a different person. That in itself gave her a certain dangerous beauty that one might even describe as lurid.