"Illness and Confession"
Two more matches were successfully completed. The weekend arrived, the day Drake and the Student Council executives were to go to Okutama.
They traveled in a van driven by Ikazuchi Saijou, arriving in Okutama after a morning's drive.
Upon arrival, they split into two groups; Kanata Toutokubara and Ikazuchi Saijou went to question the administrator, while the others began… preparing lunch.
Okutama was vast and complex; the investigation wouldn't be quick. After the long journey, they needed to replenish their energy.
…
Turning work into a camping trip seemed excessive! Not only had they borrowed cooking equipment, but Touka Toudou had also brought a lot of ingredients.
As someone asked for help, Drake knew refusing Touka Toudou's hospitality would be difficult, so he only helped with the preparation.
Drake used a kitchen knife to chop onions, potatoes, and carrots into bite-sized pieces.
While not a skilled cook, his muscle control made chopping easy.
Stella didn't help; her absence was a blessing. The princess was exceptionally inept at cooking and posed a significant risk of setting the kitchen on fire.
She was playing badminton with Renren Tomaru in a clearing.
Stella's homeland in Northern Europe had a dry, cool climate; Japan's humid, sweltering summer was difficult for her.
Okutama's mountain air was more comfortable; she was very energetic.
Drake was relieved… or not! She was too energetic!
Playing badminton like tennis was one thing, but playing it like a deadly game of killer tennis? Weren't they worried about copyright infringement?
Ignoring the game with its unclear rules, Drake's gaze drifted to Touka Toudou by the stove.
Surprisingly, Utakata Misogi wasn't causing trouble with Renren Tomaru; she was helping cook.
Drake noticed their excellent coordination; they completed the cooking steps smoothly, communicating with just glances.
Drake had long noticed the close bond between Kanata Toutokubara, Utakata Misogi, and Touka Toudou. They seemed to have known each other for a long time, using first names instead of honorifics.
But Drake was drawn to Touka Toudou's current demeanor.
She was making country-style curry, adding the ingredients Drake had chopped.
This Touka Toudou was completely different from the Raikiri on the battlefield or the slightly dazed girl he'd first met.
Stella had previously compared Touka Toudou to a mother, referring to her concern for the troublesome Student Council members.
But now, Drake sensed a gentle, kind maternal aura from Touka Toudou.
Touka Toudou clearly carried unseen burdens. She'd become strong for others; that's why she'd reached this point.
However, this might be hindering her further growth. To break fate and become a demon, one needs unwavering will and self-awareness.
Living solely for others could easily lead to self-loss.
Drake didn't have time to worry about others; he could only silently wish this girl well.
Touka Toudou's cooking was excellent; Drake ate several large bowls.
Stella, however, didn't seem to have much of an appetite.
After lunch, once everyone had mostly finished digesting, Touka Toudou divided them into pairs. For mutual support and to prevent accidents, they would search the mountain area in pairs.
Drake and Stella were naturally paired; after tidying up, they set off to climb the mountain.
They entered their assigned area. Because Okutama was built as a training facility for sword masters, the mountain paths were unlike ordinary ones, exceptionally steep and rugged.
But challenging paths alone weren't enough to train sword masters; in addition to the difficult terrain, there were unexpected attacks.
Drake caught a venomous snake that dropped from a tree branch and threw it far away.
Several venomous snakes had appeared along the way, prompting Drake to warn, "Stella, be careful. There seem to be quite a few venomous snakes here; a bite would be very troublesome."
He heard Stella's weak response and stopped, turning around.
Stella had been eagerly anticipating this investigation; Drake had expected her to be enthusiastically leading the way, but she seemed unusually listless.
"What's wrong? Still upset about losing to Renren-senpai earlier?" Drake pondered; there seemed to be no other reason for Stella's low spirits.
Stella denied it, "It's not that!"
Her tone, however, lacked conviction, suggesting she herself wasn't sure why she felt so unwell.
Drake didn't press further, simply advising Stella to be extra cautious.
But many things were beyond Drake's expectations, such as the weather.
The clear blue sky of the morning had become gray; a damp wind began to blow through the forest.
Mountain weather was notoriously fickle, but Drake hadn't anticipated such a rapid change. And worst of all was Stella's current condition.
Although Stella insisted she was fine, Drake had been observing her closely and quickly noticed something was amiss.
The mountain temperature had noticeably dropped, yet Stella's face was flushed, her forehead covered in sweat.
The sweat wasn't limited to her forehead; she was sweating profusely all over her body. Seeing her weakened state, Drake instantly understood.
"Stella, are you feeling unwell?" Drake approached Stella, who was leaning against a tree for support, asking with concern.
"Sorry, I've felt heavy since a while ago… nauseous… and dizzy! What's wrong with me? Am I going to die?!"
Stella was unusually vulnerable, appearing almost pitifully fragile.
Drake said, "Don't talk nonsense, you've just caught a common cold. With proper rest, you'll recover quickly, but given your current condition… we need to head down immediately.
Can you still walk on your own?"
Despite the mental fog brought on by illness, Stella replied with surprising clarity, "No, I have absolutely no strength left!"
Drake sighed, turning and crouching down in front of her.
"I'll carry you! It looks like it's about to rain, we absolutely have to get down the mountain quickly."
"Okay!"
Stella agreed, immediately leaning against Drake's back. Her already flushed face became even redder.
The moment Stella leaned against him, Drake felt a surge of something in his chest.
Stella's body temperature was normally higher than average; now, even through her clothing, she felt intensely warm.
Especially the feeling of his hands supporting her legs, it was as if he were touching the finest, warmest jade.
Her sweat also gave off a uniquely moist sensation, and the scent wafting from her constantly stirred Drake's senses.
However, within mere seconds, these romantic thoughts vanished.
Drake could feel Stella's rapid, shallow breathing against his back, her breath on his neck, prompting him to feel a surge of protectiveness towards the ailing girl.
Sword masters of Stella's caliber possessed robust constitutions and rarely fell ill. But precisely because of this, when they did become ill, they tended to be far more vulnerable than others.
This was the case with Stella; she had never experienced this kind of weakness before, which was why she had asked Drake if she was going to die.
Although she knew it was just a cold, the underlying feeling of unease hadn't entirely dissipated.
"If I really am going to die, I can't leave any regrets," with this thought in mind, Stella felt a surge of unusual courage amidst her anxiety.
"Drake, I have something to tell you!"
Drake, hurrying down the mountain path, replied, "I'm listening! Don't worry, we'll be down the mountain very soon."
Stella bit her lip, "We first met at the airport, right?"
It didn't sound like a question. Stella continued, "Even then, I felt like there was some kind of connection between us!
And then the Principal said we'd be sharing a dorm, but you rejected me so quickly, I was really quite unhappy about that."
Drake felt as if Stella had reverted to being a child; her voice had a distinctly coquettish quality.
"After that, I saw your strength, so I set you, Drake, as my goal, the person I want to surpass.
Unknowingly, my eyes just couldn't be pulled away from you."
Drake slowed his pace; even he, despite his usual lack of romantic awareness, could sense what Stella was about to say.
"And then, on the shopping street, you protected me. You were really cool back then!
But you, Drake, spend more time with Ikki Kurogane than with me, and losing to a man in matters of the heart is something I absolutely cannot accept!"
A bead of sweat trickled down Drake's forehead; was Stella delirious from the fever, speaking such strange words?
Stella, as if summoning every ounce of her strength, declared firmly, "So, Drake, I'm telling you now! I like you, I like you an awful lot.
No matter what your answer is, my feelings will not change."
Drake stopped completely; his mind flooded with memories of his daily life with the girl.
Drake was, after all, a man; it was impossible to say he felt absolutely nothing for a girl like Stella.
But upon reflection, Stella attracted him for far more than just her appearance.
Her kindness, enduring humiliation for the sake of others, and her unwavering strength, training even until vomiting, the girl who was like a flame had unknowingly left such a deep impression on him.
Even her occasional bouts of absentmindedness had become endearing quirks.
"Stella, you may not understand me well enough yet! If, after knowing everything about me, you still haven't changed your mind… then we'll become a couple!" Drake said calmly.
He could feel Stella's face pressed firmly against his back, and he heard her slightly muffled voice.
"I'm very stubborn, I'll absolutely never easily change my mind! But, I'll listen to everything you have to tell me, Drake."
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