Whether it was intentional on the Alliance's part or not, all of Akatsuki Academy's participants, aside from Kurogane Ouma, Amano Shinomiya, and Sharalabud Lily, had been clustered into B Block.

Charles ended up watching an internal Akatsuki match, but just as Kurono had predicted, they opted to conserve strength by having one fighter forfeit.

Kazematsuri Rinne conceded, allowing Hiraga Reizen to advance to the next round.

The matches continued, and soon it was Ikki Kurogane's turn.

As if cursed by fate, his first-round opponent was none other than last year's Seven Star Sword King, Moroboshi Yūdai.

Even Toudou Touka admitted this matchup was a 60-40 split, with Ikki slightly disadvantaged.

But that was just objective analysis. In the end, Touka told the others:

"Who knows? Maybe the reigning Sword King will be eliminated in the very first round."

Sure enough, Touka's instincts were spot-on—Ikki won.

Moroboshi's Blazer Technique, Tiger Devourer, could consume and negate elemental attacks, making him a natural counter to most Blazers.

Unfortunately for him, Ikki was one of the rare Blazers who didn't rely on magic, so the match turned into a pure physical clash.

Still, Moroboshi's spear technique was no joke—it was on par with Ikki's swordsmanship. And like Ikki, he was cunning in combat.

At one point, he even had Ikki cornered and on the ropes.

But at the critical moment, Ikki succeeded in mastering the sword technique he had copied from Edelweiss.

Charles even glanced over at Edelweiss, wondering how she felt seeing her own technique used in battle.

But knowing the pure-white Valkyrie's personality, she probably wouldn't be the least bit bothered.

With that blindingly fast technique, Ikki secured a well-earned victory.

And just like that, all three of Hagun Academy's seeded players advanced. Meanwhile, the tournament favorite, Moroboshi, suffered a shocking first-round defeat.

The first day of the tournament ended, and everyone returned to their rooms to prepare for the next day.

Charles also went back to his room. Having memorized Edelweiss's aura, he planned to find a time to spar with her again.

But unexpectedly, there was a knock at his door.

When Charles opened it, he saw Stella standing outside.

He stepped aside to let her in, closing the door behind her as he asked, "You've got a match tomorrow—shouldn't you be getting some rest?"

Stella replied, "You sound just like my dad, you know? Don't worry—my opponent tomorrow is Todoroki Yui. I'm definitely going to teach her a lesson."

Charles nodded and took her offered hand. "Yeah, I believe in you. You're going to win."

Stella suddenly blushed, her eyes glistening as she looked at him. "Um… I wanted to ask… after the Seven Star Sword Art Festival ends, do you have any plans?"

Charles shook his head. "No plans yet. But what's going on? You're being way too hesitant—not like you at all."

Taking a deep breath, Stella looked into his eyes and said, "Once the tournament's over, it'll be break. I'm planning to go home for a bit. Would you… like to come with me?"

Charles instinctively replied, "Of course, I—"

Then he froze, realizing what she really meant. His expression shifted slightly as he looked into her eyes.

"Wait… isn't this… meeting the parents?"

No matter the country, one of the biggest milestones in a romantic relationship was the infamous "meet the parents."

Because no matter who you were, you always wanted your love to be acknowledged and blessed by your family.

But across two lifetimes, Charles had no experience with this kind of thing—and it was showing.

Still, he knew he couldn't hesitate now. The girl he loved had mustered the courage to invite him—how could he back down?

For once, Charles truly felt nervous and uneasy. He spoke, "Alright. I'm a little scared… but I really do want to go meet your family."

Stella burst out laughing. "I can't believe you're scared! Are my parents some kind of demons?"

Charles wanted to say, If they were demons, I wouldn't be this nervous.

But just as he opened his mouth, Stella placed a finger against his lips.

"I get it. It's just because you care about me, right? Don't worry—my mother and sister are both very open-minded and kind.

And while my father tends to do some… baffling things, he's absolutely a good person.

Most importantly, I'll be there. I'll make sure everything goes smoothly."

Charles took her hand from his lips and smiled. "That really is reassuring. That's why I always feel so lucky to have met you."

Tears welled up in Stella's gem-like eyes. Then she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

It was a clumsy yet incredibly passionate kiss. To Charles, it felt like drinking the richest, most intoxicating wine. He lost himself completely in the moment.

Before they realized it, the two had drifted closer and closer to the bed in the room.

Just then, a knock on the door jolted them back to reality.

They quickly separated. Stella immediately remembered the "study material" Shizuku had shown her before and realized what would've happened next if they hadn't been interrupted.

Blushing furiously and not even bothering to fix her slightly disheveled clothes, she flung open the door and bolted out.

Ikki, standing just outside, barely managed to dodge the sudden door swing. He looked after the red-faced Stella with confusion.

Behind him, Shizuku's eyes darted around, clearly realizing that they had come at exactly the wrong time and interrupted something… important.

Ikki, of course, remained completely oblivious. He walked in, scratching his head. "Charles, I wanted to talk to you about the upcoming match… Uh, why do you have that weird smile on your face? Did something happen?"

Charles cleared his throat and forced his expression back to neutral. "Oh, it's you two. What's going on?"

The Kurogane siblings stepped into the room. Behind Ikki, Shizuku twitched her nose like she was sniffing something.

Charles couldn't help but grimace—he'd forgotten that the petite girl was a veteran in this field.

Ikki's density was truly impressive—he didn't notice a thing and got straight to the point. "Like I said, it's about the next match. Specifically, Shizuku's opponent."

Charles nodded thoughtfully. "Shinomiya Tamane, huh? Yeah… she's a tricky one."

Of all four blocks, the first three were full of titans clashing. Only Block D had generally average participants—Shizuku was easily one of the top contenders there.

Her only real threat was Shinomiya Tamane.

Charles suspected that was due to Shinomiya's ability—and it was possible that Shizuku being matched against her was no coincidence, but rather part of Shinomiya's own plans.

They'd seen her powers firsthand during the Akatsuki Academy's attack on Hagun, so nothing about this felt out of reach.

Which was why Ikki, worried for his sister, had come to Charles for advice.

------------------

If you're enjoying this novel, please check out my new work: I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS ⚡

Your support means a lot! Reading, commenting, or voting with Power Stones helps the story grow and reach more readers. 🙌

------------------

Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!

Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter

You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.

Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)

I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)

Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)

Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)

Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)

Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)

American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)

American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)

I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)

Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)

[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]