Chivalry of a Failed Knight Vol. 1

He felt something soft and warm on his cheek.

Huh? Ikki opened his eyes in surprise. Stella’s cheeks, right in front of him, were as red as an apple.

“S-Stella? What…?”

Even someone as oblivious as Ikki didn’t need to hear the answer to know what had happened. Stella had kissed him on the cheek. The fact that she would even do something like that was unbelievable, though. All he could do was stare at her wordlessly, dumbfounded. Her eyes were wet as she looked back at him.

“D-Don’t get me wrong, that master-servant stuff has nothing to do with this. I just did that because I wanted to. Just so you know, I wouldn’t do something like that if I was ordered to.”

“Does this mean we’re dating, then?”

Stella lowered her wet eyes, her face still red. Barely, ever so slightly, she nodded.

“B-But, um, I’ve… never dated a boy before, so I might disappoint you or something.”

“A-Absolutely not! I’ve never dated a girl, either.”

Ikki had never been in love before. His little sister stole his first kiss, but his experience with girls was close to nothing.

“So I’m your first girlfriend, Ikki?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Stella closed her eyes and relaxed, obviously happy.

“Wow. Ehehe, it’s kinda fun to think—”

“Sorry, Stella. You’re just so cute, I can’t help myself.”

“Eep?!”

There was no stopping him. He didn’t even wait for her to stop speaking before pulling her into a hug.

“Thank you for that. I’m really happy.”

“Jeez. You can’t be this pushy all the time. From now on, you’d better be gentle, or I might bite.”

Stella sighed and wrapped her arms around Ikki’s back, returning his embrace. Her body was so warm and soft, yet with the ferocity of a great flame within. That heat was so unbearably dear to him.

“Hey, Stella?”

“What is it?”

“Earlier, you said we could aim higher than ever together, right?”

“…Mm-hmm.”

“I agree. I think I can get stronger and stronger as long as you’re here with me. So let’s go, together, to the peak of knighthood. And in the final battle for the top spot, I want to be up against you.” He looked Stella straight in her ruby eyes as he spoke.

To walk together, to better each other, and to one day meet in battle again. At first, her eyes opened wide, as she was startled by his statement, but before long, they flickered with the flame of her fighting spirit.

“That’s just what I wanted to hear. I’m not gonna lose again.”

Stella wished for the same thing as Ikki. Because she loved him more than anyone else, because she respected him more than anyone else, and because she wanted to fight him again, it was only natural. Just like Ikki, she was always looking to improve as a knight. There was only room for one at the top—room for her.

Thus, the two of them made their vow under the moonlight, in the deafening silence of the infirmary. Both of them would go on to fight enemies stronger than any they had ever seen, but they would never lose, until one day, in the final battle to become the Seven Stars King, these two greatest rivals—these two greatest lovers—would meet in battle once again.

With that promise in their hearts, they both declared:

“I swear.”