Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan - Volume Zero - Chapter 3

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Chapter 3: Deathmatch!? Crimson Princess VS Lorelei

Part 1

The Crimson Princess and the Worst One were in a relationship. During the latter half of the school selection battles, the schemes of the Ethics Committee created a public scandal and an uproar, but after the Worst One's victory and a statement from the king of the Vermillion Empire, the tide shifted just as quickly. And yet—not all of the problems were solved. One such problem was the subject of worry for the tall and fair-faced young man named Nagi Arisuin.

Standing before the door of his dormitory room, Arisuin let out a small sigh.

"…Haa. What am I going to do? Well, just worrying won't solve it."

Arisuin turned the doorknob and stepped inside, to see the scene he was expecting arrayed before him. Though it was noon, the curtains were drawn closed and the room was in total darkness. Clothes were scattered wildly about, and books were strewn all over. On the bed was a junk pile of plastic bottles and candy wrappers. And… in the middle of the rubbish scattered so thoroughly that there was nowhere to walk….

I love you, Shizuku. Even if I go to Venice, I want you by my side, attached to my heart like velcro.?

"Hehehe… yes, of course Issei-san. You horrid copy of Onii-sama."

Hovering near the television screen's pale and ghostly radiance, Shizuku sat in a track jersey, muttering to herself.

"Shizuku, are you still playing Private Prince Academy?"

"…Oh, you're back. …Hehe. This game's very interesting. It's not good, but it has its merits, right? Though honestly, it should just disappear."

Shizuku's eyes looking back toward Arisuin were so dull that he could hardly tell whether she was actually seeing him. Arisuin could only give a stiff smile.

"But you're not going on any route besides Issei's…?"

"…Of course not? None of the other worms resemble Onii-sama. Well, this Issei only has Onii-sama's appearance too, but… for a worthless little sister who Onii-sama didn't choose, it all works out, don't you think? Hehehehehe…."

This is terrible.

Arisuin drew back slightly at Shizuku lifeless smile and speech, and the way her head creaked as it turned. This was the leftover problem that Arisuin was fretting about. The shock of Ikki and Stella declaring their love for everyone to hear had sent Shizuku off the rails. In concrete terms… she no longer maintained her personal grooming or kept the room clean, and now she was cutting class to play a video game. To his knowledge, she had played the same character route twenty times. For Arisuin, this was more than an extreme annoyance as her roomate, because the aura of defeat radiating from Shizuku's whole body was wrecking her physical condition too.

"Didn't you already know all about their relationship?"

"Yes… I was aware."

"But in the end, you can't endure hearing it from their own mouths?"

"That's not true. If it makes Onii-sama happy, I don't mind if Stella-san is at his side instead of me."

"Your words and your behavior don't match at all."

"Leave me alone. Even if I become a dried fish while Onii-sama and Stella-san happily go off to do this and that, it doesn't matter to you, right?"

Shizuku looked away from Arisuin pointedly, and went back to her game. Her bowed back showed how deeply her heart was wounded.

…Well, that's natural.

Arisuin was always watching Shizuku, so he knew how wholeheartedly the girl loved Ikki. Of course she must have been ready for the revelation that her brother and Stella had become a couple without anyone else knowing. She had always tolerated the two of them being together. But now that the day had come, the sudden feeling of emptiness, defeat, and jealousy… the weight of loss must have overwhelmed her resignation… it must be a heavy truth to accept. But lacking any choice, Shizuku had convinced herself that this was the result her brother chose. Making her brother Ikki happy was Shizuku's desire, and if Shizuku loved him unconditionally, she would not find fault in this.

But no. Two emotions ran through Shizuku's mind. The more important was Ikki's happiness. The partner he chose… was someone she had to accept. Yet… affection had grown stronger and stronger in her heart over the years, and no matter how hopeless it was, she could not simply discard it. She could not reconcile these two feelings, and the reality of it was crushing her.

Maybe… you could call that strength.

Maybe she could be happier if she forgot these emotions, but Arisuin knew as he gazed at Shizuku's back that she could not do so. Or more accurately, even knowing they would never be requited, Shizuku had no intention of abandoning her feelings for her brother. And so she was now suffering.

Arisuin loved Shizuku for this. Shizuku, who loved Ikki wholeheartedly no matter what happened, was someone he respected. But even so.

Leaving her alone is a bit pitiful, isn't it?

It was hard to see Shizuku like this. And coming back to a room hit by a typhoon was displeasing.

I have to lift her mood a little.

But there was no point in consoling her. No one could match Ikki in her heart, so Arisuin did not think there were any words he could say to fill the hole there. Instead of comfort, Arisuin—gave Shizuku a small provocation.

"Well, I'll leave you alone if that's what you'd like, but… all things considered, I'm a bit surprised you're accepting Stella-san so easily."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're fine with Stella-san as your precious brother's spouse."

"…Onii-sama chose her."

At Arisuin's somewhat mocking tone, Shizuku replied with a voice that did not hide her sullenness. Whether she herself acknowledged the partner her brother chose was irrelevant. But to Shizuku's response, Arisuin smiled with ill-hidden guile.

"Oh my? I wonder if that's enough?"

Shizuku did not seem to understand, so he continued.

"If mutual love always ends in happy marriages, then would there be divorces?"

"What're you saying?"

Was Arisuin's deeply meaningful tone pointing out something curious? Shizuku turned her entire body around to ask Arisuin, and he answered.

"Many people love blindly, and those who do aren't usually clear-headed about their partners' faults, right? Especially Ikki, who's had a hard enough life that his common sense is warped and he's too trusting of others? I wonder if Stella-chan is fitting as his spouse. Can she clean and keep house? Can she make meals properly? To judge matters like these… rather than the person himself, wouldn't the role be better taken by someone more objective, like a mother-in-law… or a blood relative?"

Arisuin's words were half sincere, half deceptive. What he personally thought was that like and dislike were issues for the people in question. He was not keen on nettlesome words from bystanders, and besides, Ikki and Stella's situation was one where Stella had the greater ability to choose. After all, the Kurogane clan was a famous family in Japan, but she was a princess. But Arisuin deliberately avoided saying this for Shizuku's sake. The role he suggested was all she could do for her most beloved brother, and he felt she needed it to cling to at this moment.

"…That's true."

Shizuku's heart ignited at Arisuin's words. The haze over her eyes cleared, replaced by an emerald gleam.

"That's right, that's right! You're completely right!"

This was indeed a blood relative's duty, and only Shizuku who loved Ikki from the bottom of her heart could fulfill it. Her capricious other brother and her scornful father were both out of the question. She herself… if she herself didn't do it…! For her brother!

"I have the make sure Stella-san can make Onii-sama happy!"

Shizuku shot up like she was about to fly. Her eyes shined with strength, and her face glowed with vitality. Not only did she not have to give up on her brother, she could act for his benefit.

"Thanks, Alice! Now I know what to do!"

"You're in good spirits, and that's most important."

Arisuin smiled in relief. Well, it was a temporary restoration, since the fact that those two were a couple now would not change, but if Shizuku could do this and find acceptance for Stella… her heart might lighten a little. Arisuin prayed for something like that to happen. Sure, it might put quite some trouble on Stella, but it was for the girl who would be her future sister-in-law, so she should be willing to pitch in and help.

Part 2

Despite having been full of heavy feelings and not moving around much for the last few days, Shizuku acted quickly after getting back up. She immediately changed clothes, then left the room to find Stella and confirm whether Stella was suitable as her brother's sweetheart. Arisuin, following along, spoke in astonishment at this vigor.

"I said there's no time like the present, but I didn't think you would start so suddenly."

"It'd be better to finish something like this while Onii-sama is asleep, wouldn't you say?"

"That's true… but have you thought about how you would test Stella-san?"

Shizuku nodded grandly at Arisuin's question.

"Yes, that's for certain. I knew what I would do instantly."

"Oh? And what did you come up with?"

"As you'd said, whether she can clean and keep house. She's a princess, so I'm sure she's been brought up living an easy life. If I don't check for myself, Onii-sama might end up living in trash. And cooking too, can she do it? I'll never accept a wife who can't even hand-make a delicious meal for her husband!"

"Certainly, those two points are vital."

Especially cooking. A beloved wife's cooking was not the sort of thing that can be done by a servant or compensated for by housekeeping skill.

Mmm, speaking of which….

Suddenly, Arisuin asked Shizuku about a troubling matter.

"By the way, can you cook, Shizuku?"

"Of course. Maybe not to the extent of Stella-san's family, but ours is also famous. I've learned from our staff."

"Oh. Then they're quite high quality, as far as that goes?"

"Yes. The reputation of the people of the house is superb. One review said, 'It was so delicious I was like in a trance. Moreover, just by eating I managed to lose thirty kilos. I'm so blessed!'"

She was this pampered growing up!?

"Did you say something?"

"Th-The food must have been very healthy if one can lose weight eating it!"

"Hehe, isn't it? I'll treat you next time."

"Wow…."

"Anyway, I'd like to have the room to myself for today. Is that okay?"

"That's fine. I suppose I'll trouble Kagamin to let me stay in her room."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I was the one who brought it up in the first place."

And with that, the two decided their separate destinations. At the moment, they had reached where they believed Stella was at, one of the hospital rooms established for the academy. It was four days after the final decisive battle with Raikiri. Due to the consequences from using Ittou Rasetsu during that battle, and the cowardly interference from the Ethics Committee before it, Ikki's physical condition had collapsed and he had not yet woken up. Stella was definitely watching over him today as well.

"Well then, let's call Stella out?"

"Wait."

Suddenly, Shizuku held back Arisuin who had one hand on the door.

"What's wrong?"

"This doesn't happen often, so I wanted to see whether Stella-san is watching over Onii-sama properly."

"Ahh, that's certainly important too."

Stella was no professional caretaker, but if she could not nurse Ikki as a family member would, her suitability as wife was nil. A mother-in-law would consider this something that must be confirmed. Though having said that, Stella had also nursed Ikki devotedly after the battle with the Hunter, so she probably already passes. Thinking this, the two of them stealthily opened the door to Ikki's hospital room, and there—

"Thanks for the feast…."

—with cheeks dyed red, Stella appeared to be pressing her lips onto the unconscious Ikki's own.

In an instant, Arisuin felt the temperature around him plunging below freezing, and he turned toward Shizuku… but it was already too late. With a reflex speed that rivaled Marginal Counter, Shizuku formed bullets of ice—

"Die."

"YAAAAA!? W-What, an assassin!?"

Giving Arisuin no chance to restrain her, Shizuku began to shoot through the door at Stella like a machine gun.

Part 3

"What were you doing all of a sudden!? Anyone else would be dead, you know!?"

After the battle, physical calm fell back over Ikki's hospital room, disturbed only by Stella's roars of rage while she pulled needles of ice from her forehead and Shizuku's answers in a wild voice while her eyebrows stood raised.

"And you, what were you doing to Onii-sama!? What part of that was proper nursing!?"

"N-No, that was… I mean I was just checking his fever! By his forehead!"

"Don't make such a lame excuse! This is a sickroom! There are thermometers, right!?"

"That's right, Shizuku. This is a sickroom, so be a bit quieter, okay?"

"Ah, grr…."

Arisuin pointed at the door, which was punched full of holes. Past the holes, the bloodshot eyes of a school nurse stared at the three of them. Shizuku and Stella had damaged school property on their first school day and got suspended, so of course they would best not repeat that. Shizuku lowered her voice glumly, and turned a resentful gaze toward Stella.

"…Tch, now I've been shamed because of a certain lewd person."

"D-Don't call me lewd!"

"What else would you call a woman who does obscene things to Onii-sama while he's unconscious?"

"O-Obscene? Ikki and I are… umm… a couple, so kissing's expected. That's right, like a greeting. Yeah."

"Who's a couple? Who?"

"Huh? Didn't you already accept us?"

Stella's face showed surprise. She was probably thinking of their previous talk in the dining room. Back when Ikki was apprehended by the Ethics Committee, Shizuku had heard from Stella directly about the two having a relationship, but Shizuku said she had long known and did not complain. Yet Shizuku now shook her head.

"I only said that I knew you two had that relationship. I haven't said a single word about accepting it, and I haven't the slightest intent on doing so either."

"Th-That's not fair!"

"Not true."

Flatly denying Stella's accusation, Shizuku decided now was the time to broach the topic of her business today.

"But since I'm an adult, not debauched like a certain someone, I'll conduct a test for whether you, Stella-san, can truly make Onii-sama happy, and whether you deserve to be his spouse."

"T-Test?"

"Yes. Unless you can produce results that satisfy me, I'll absolutely never recognize you as Onii-sama's lover."

Stella did not get on board with Shizuku's proposal.

"What a joke. Why do I have to do something like this? Ikki and I have already decided our feelings. It has nothing to do with whether you accept me or not!"

It was probably an unnecessary bother for a girl in her position, but… these words were not well chosen. To claim that Shizuku had nothing to do with issues that involve Ikki—that was pressing a button indeed.

"Ohh…? Stealing away my Onii-sama, and you say it has nothing to do with me?"

The temperature of the room plunged yet again, but even colder was Shizuku's voice.

"Even though I'm Onii-sama's sister that always thinks of him and loves him more than anyone else… you say it has nothing to do with me?"

Hers was a voice devoid of life's warmth, like that of a spectre speaking from the chthonian depths. Even Stella was pressed back.

"Err… th-that's right! What's most important is the feelings of the people in question!"

She rallied, and replied so without backing down, but—that bluff only lasted a moment.

"I see… if you're confident then so be it. Pay no mind to me, and continuing insisting on being Onii-sama's lover. But now… I'll definitely destroy your relationship with him. No matter where you flee on this Earth, no matter what I have to do, I'll absolutely tear your happiness to shreds. And not just your current happiness either. After all… if you're going to to carry off Onii-sama without my consent, wouldn't it be better to just kill me here and now, Stella-san?"

"U…Ugh…."

Shizuku's tone was dispassionate and certain, as if laying out a simple truth, as if passing down a death penalty. At the unmistakably true hatred there, Stella folded.

"F-Fine! I get it! It's fine if you do your test, right!?"

A sweet, forced smile appeared on Shizuku's face.

"I think that's a wise choice."

But Stella did not simply capitulate to Shizuku's demand. She pointed at Shizuku and made a single counter-demand.

"Then if I pass this test, you'll accept me and Ikki being together. Promise you won't hover over us anymore."

Shizuku went quiet. If she agreed, and by some chance Stella succeeded, she would have no choice but to accept Stella as a suitable partner for her brother. But if she did not agree, Stella would likely not take the test. After all, Stella had no reason to accept a match that could only conclude in defeat or the status quo.

"Very well. I doubt I'll be made to accept a lecher who can't even nurse a patient properly."

Having no choice, Stella agreed to Stella's condition with a calm and composed voice, but hostility raged, for no other reason than the previous spectacle she saw of the woman stealing her brother's lips. Unforgivable—

"I really can't leave Onii-sama to a girl like this.

And in response, Stella's eyes burned with confidence as she declared—

"You said it! I'll have you regret taking the Vermillion Empire's second princess lightly!"

In this manner, the battle between these two in-laws, the Crimson Princess and Lorelei, sparked off.

Part 4

Afterwards, Stella and Shizuku parted from Arisuin, going toward the arena of Shizuku's dormitory room. During the walk, Stella asked a natural question.

"By the way, what exactly is your test going to be? A fight?"

"Why should it be that? Are you a barbarian?"

Shizuku's response was so disgusted that Stella's face reddened.

"At least call me a knight!"

"This is a test of whether you're suitable to be Onii-sama's spouse. It only makes sense that I'm looking for skill in homemaking, right?"

"Huh. But once we return to the imperial palace, the maids will take care of all that."

"That may be true, but a slovenly woman who leaves everything to others and has no skills of her own is one I'll never accept as Onii-sama's spouse."

"Grr…."

Stella made an bluntly discontented face at Shizuku's words, but not because she was a slovenly woman. Shizuku would probably not understand, but Stella's circumstances was born from the imperial family's own. Doing everything by themselves would deprive jobs to those who serve the palace, an act that would even offend the public. As one who employed those workers, Stella was not enthusiastic about it. But… she did understand Shizuku's point. A woman should be able to do some bit of housework.

After all, "wife" is written as "woman" plus "home", right? [1]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. If this country's custom was for women to do such work, then she would follow along. Just as Stella settled her emotions—the two of them arrived at Shizuku's room.

"Now, let's begin the test immediately."

Saying this, Shizuku opened the door—

"Wow, what happened here…?"

Books had been flung from their shelves like in the aftermath of an earthquake, and clothes were scattered from dressers like a volcano had erupted. A layer of junk food wrappers and plastic water bottles topped everything in a disaster zone that made onlookers want to shield their eyes.

"Do you and Alice always live like this?"

"Such rudeness. I scattered things about for your test on purpose, that's all. First, show me your skill in cleaning by tidying this place up."

"You're just using this test as an excuse to have me clean up for you, right?"

"How. Could. That. Be. True."

"Look me in the eye."

Seeing Shizuku's face remained turned toward the distant future, Stella was convinced her hunch was correct.

"Well, fine. So I should just gather up the garbage, put away the clothes and books, and make the room nice, right?"

"Yes. But not just making it nice in an ordinary sense."

"What do you mean?"

"There's time limit of twenty minutes."

"W-Wha? You want me to clean up this room in twenty!?"

"Yes. Tidying up and removing the trash of course, and also vacuuming and wiping everything down."

Stella looked over Shizuku's room again, a room so cluttered she could not see the beds.

Just putting the clothes and books away will take that long.

"You're not giving me enough time to do vacuuming or wiping."

But Shizuku spurned this protest.

"It takes skill to solve this problem, and speed and quality is where that skill comes in. Otherwise cleaning is something even children do, so of course you'll get it done."

"I have a feeling you're not one of the children who can do it."

"You can keep making tedious comments if you like, but the timer's already started, so you should get going."

Shizuku took out her student datapad from her skirt pocket. Displayed on it was the stopwatch with twenty minutes already set, and was now moving.

"Guh!"

Though Stella knew that this country's ideal involved bearing one's burdens and pushing one's way through difficulty, she had not expected to experience it like this.

Is this the rumored Japanese tradition, the in-laws picking on the new wife?

But it was a duel she accepted, and to back down would be a blot on the name of the Vermillion royal family.

"Fine. I'll do it!"

Saying so in a confident voice, Stella began to clean the room.

Part 5

Stella chose to start by tidying up the books and clothes scattered about. After all, she would not be able to vacuum without doing that first. She quickly placed the books back on the shelves in volume order, and folded the clothes neatly and put them away. Her skilled movements were fast, and very thorough. However—

Is this kind of thoroughness good enough?

Twenty minutes. That was the problem. Furthermore, Shizuku wanted Stella to fail at the test, so… there were traps, and Stella stumbled into one.

"Hmm? Is this yours?"

She fell for it—

Stella looked at the green cover of the photo album she had picked up, and Shizuku snickered.

"Oh my, what could that be? Was I so irresponsible that I dropped something this important under the bed?"

"You did. Take better care of a childhood album."

"No, that's not mine. It's Onii-sama's, from his elementary school years."

Stella's body jolted as if she had been pierced by lightning.

"Such a precious photo collection, the only one of its kind. I was going to keep it as a treasure for me alone, but… ahh, what a blunder."

"I-Ikki's pictures as a child…."

"Yes, of Onii-sama in his gym uniform and swimming trunks, of him sleeping at noon with his belly button exposed, and many other pictures of my cute Onii-sama. Alas, you found it, so I guess I can let you look inside this once."

"I-I can!?"

"Yes. Go ahead, go ahead… but the timer won't stop."

Yes, this was Shizuku's trap. Inside this album were images of the young Ikki that Stella did not know. She could not escape her interest. She wanted it desperately. But… that was why the trap was effective.

"Oh, but if you're not going to look, please give it to me instead of putting it on the bookshelf. It's my treasure, so I have to hide it where no one else can find it again."

"Uuuuuu…!"

Stella let out a moan at her weakness being so perfectly targeted.

Guh! That Shizuku, she's really shooting for my loss here, isn't she…!

After all, the twenty minute limit was harsh. Even with Stella's plan, her pace would only let her finish just in time. She could not squeeze in an extra second. But Ikki as a child in gym uniform, swimsuit… belly button….

'I wanna… I wanna see wanna see wanna see!

She wanted it desperately. Ikki was not the sort to bring his childhood photos to the dormitory, so she had never known such things. What kind of child had he been? A cute boy with an adult air? Or would he be a rascal with bandages stuck on his face? Her imagination veered just from the suggestion, but…

But…!

"Y-You fiend!"

Forcing back the magma-like desire rising from the depths of her heart, Stella threw the album at Shizuku. Shizuku caught it deftly, and gave a bullying smile.

"Oho… are you sure? You don't want to look inside? You won't have another chance."

"No thanks! An able wife won't be distracted from her cleaning!"

"That's quite a lot of drooling there."

"This is sweat!"

It seemed some of the magma had emerged. Wiping it off with a forearm, Stella went back to the cleaning. She discerned the trap just now, and that Shizuku had seriously tried to make her fail. She could not fall again.

I can't be doing as you want!

Stella, burning with inner fire, began cleaning the room even more efficiently than before. And at last, she finished tidying up the scattered books and clothing that left nowhere in the room to stand. Seeing this efficiency, even Shizuku the judge groaned a little.

Or rather, she's more capable than I expected, I guess?

Stella's efficiency and love of cleanliness was no different from Shizuku's roommate Arisuin. Shizuku had seen Stella as someone crude, so this was a surprise. That Stella did not look in the album was also something Shizuku had to reassess.

But… she can't finish in twenty minutes.

"Twenty seconds left. No matter what you do, it looks like game over. You finished putting away the clothes and books, but you haven't done any of the vacuuming and wiping. We can't call this success."

But that was inevitable. When she asked Arisuin, who held cleaning as a specialty, about how long tidying up the room would take, he said no less than thirty minutes. Shizuku had originally intended to set the time limit at thirty minutes, but she could not forget that attempt at a kiss. The crime had stoked the recently cooled fire within Shizuku. Stealing the lips of her beloved brother? There would be no easy forgiveness. Only Shizuku alone could do such a thing. Minus ten points right off. Stella never had a chance.

"Don't I still have twenty seconds?"

Stella, still not giving up, went toward the vacuum cleaner standing by the window. But…

"Not any more. Five, four, three, two—"

Shizuku counted down heartlessly. And at that moment….

Huh…!?

Stella moved in a surprising way. Without taking the vacuum cleaner, she opened the window. And….

"HAAAAA!"

"Eeeeekkk!"

A fiery wind erupted from her body, and burned away the room in an instant. Well, only the dust and trash inside. The thin ash of the burned garbage turned to flame that flew out the window Stella had opened, scattering into the wind and vanishing. The stopwatch alarm sounded at the same time, and Stella turned to Shizuku with a proud expression.

"…Well? There's not a bit of rubbish or germs left in the room. You don't any complaints, right?"

"Kuh…."

"T-To think she'd burn away the trash and dust with her flame…! How preposterous!

Shizuku had not thought of this display of power, and she made a bitter face. Yes, clearing away the trash and dust all at once meant no need for vacuuming and wiping. But…

"T-To call this skill in cleaning would be—"

"For Blazers, mundane skill and mundane use of power is the same. How is it different from vacuuming by hand?"

"M…Mrgh…."

She had no answer. She should have started off by ruling that no powers would be used. Feeling the pain of causing her own downfall, Shizuku nodded sourly.

"…W-Well, let's call it a passing mark."

Hmph, fine. She only made it through one test.

Stella had not attained total victory. There would be other, more essential and difficult tests, after all.

Part 6

Without allowing for even time to take a breath, Shizuku spoke to Stella.

"Well, since the room's been cleaned up, the next test."

"Did you say anything about more tests?"

"The next topic is cooking, the most important of skills. Meals filled with a wife's love are special, and the work of others are no substitute. Nothing needs to be said about women who can't cook—yes, cleaning ability is nothing to boast about. It can be left to a maid."

"That's not what you said before!?"

"What do you mean? …Anyway, cooking is the most vital, so I'll have you make dinner."

Stella was burning with complaints at Shizuku's shameless pretense of ignorance, but she held it in. There was no point, and anyway it was already dinnertime so her stomach was feeling empty.

"Fine, but what are the ingredients?"

"You may use whatever's in the refrigerator. We have many kinds of seasonings, so employ them as you like."

Seasonings were already lined up in the kitchen Shizuku pointed to. Salt and pepper, soy sauce and mirin, salad oil and so on. The popular flavorings were well represented.

"You're stocked up on that, but do you have any requirements?"

"None. Think over what to use on your own. It's part of the assessment."

Okay, that's how it is.

"Then let's check the ingredients. Do you have meat?"

"Of course."

"Let me see, let me see~?"

First, what meat was available? Chicken? Pork? Beef? Without knowing that, one could not put together a meal, so Stella looked at the top shelf of the refrigerator first. She opened the chilled compartment, but… there was only a single pack of fish paste cake, placed as if it was an offering in some shrine.

"Shizukuuu!"

"What is it?"

"Don't what-is-it me! There's nothing in here except a tube of fish paste!"

"Fish is meat."

"Isn't the use for it too limited!?"

"In exchange, the vegetable section is quite full, so you'll be fine. Healthy eating is important."

Ugh, I can't bring out my strength without meat….

Stella's body required vast fuel consumption. She could not exert strength without food high in calories, protein, and fat. For her, this was healthy, so this was frankly a task that damped her spirit. But she had no choice except work with the fish paste cake, so Stella glumly reached for the vegetable drawer.

"Urgh, it's heavy. You really do have a lot in here, huh?"

She pulled out the drawer with a bit more force. It was certainly overflowing to the point of being stuck. And it was nothing but potatoes.

"Shizukuuuuu!"

"What's wrong? It should be full."

"It is! But only with potatoes!?"

"Thinking up a wonderful menu on a limited selection of ingredients is also a wife's job."

"Too limited! How many menus are you saying you can make with only fish paste and potato!? And you have sprouting ones in here!"

"Well done, seeing through that trap."

"Do you think I'm an idiot!?"

"It was a joke. There are other vegetables underneath."

After some digging, Stella found that indeed there were carrots and onions, peas and other things.

"…Just show me these from the start."

"Psychological attacks are fundamental."

"…Sheesh, I'm exhausted before I even start cooking."

Fed up with Shizuku's plain if futile harassment, Stella took out the ingredients and lined them up.

"Well, with this, I could make a standard meat and potato stew, I guess. Even if I only have fish paste instead of meat."

Since there was miso among the seasonings, making miso soup and thus going one-dish-one-soup would probably not draw complaints. Stella immediately decided on this meal and began working. She skillfully peeled the skins from the potatoes and carrots, then cut them to bite-size pieces. Seeing her skill, Shizuku muttered darkly.

"So you're not just good at cutting people, hmm?"

"Don't say things that give people the wrong impression!"

"It's hard to believe, but are you good at cooking?"

At the question, Stella's lips twitched.

"How long have you thought that I was bad at it?"

"What… are you saying?"

"For the second imperial princess, being married is like a job. I've been training to be a bride since childhood. Cooking is one of my strongest points! Both Eastern and Western cooking!"

"Ugh…!"

As if proving those words, Stella finished prepping the vegetables in the blink of an eye, and began cooking the potatoes and miso soup. Shizuku scowled at this display of Stella's high feminine skill.

But…

But this is within my expectations.

The previous test had already opened Shizuku's eyes, and she was already thinking of countermoves.

"I see. I understand that cooking is a forte of yours. But… it's not enough, is it?"

Stella frowned at the sudden comment.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not doing enough. As a new wife, I'll have you change into appropriate attire. That's part of the task."

"Attire?"

"This."

Saying so, Shizuku took something out. It was a cute, fluttery apron, and upon seeing it Stella realized that she was not wearing an apron herself.

"Oh, an apron. True, I don't want to get my school uniform dirty. Thanks."

Stella reached for the apron in Shizuku's hand, but Shizuku pulled it back with a swish.

"What kind of misunderstanding are you having?"

"Huh?"

"Where in the world would a new wife put on a normal apron!? For them, there's only the naked apron! That's common sense!"

"W-Whaaa!?"

Stella screamed at this, as one would expect.

"Does Vermillion's bridal education not teach this?"

"Of course not!? And I've never heard of this as common sense in Japan either!"

Stella roared back with face red as if spitting fire, but Shizuku expected this reaction, and she calmly activated her student datapad to show Stella the display.

Gooooogle: Naked apron

About 925,000 results

"Th—!"

"It's common enough sense that Gooooogle says so all over the world."

"S-Something so stupid is…!"

"That being the case, I don't intend to acknowledge a woman who's unwilling to even wear the naked apron and make Onii-sama happy. If you can't do this, you may as well bow out."

"Uuu…."

Seeing the apron being thrust out at her, Stella's face cramped up.

How could a culture expect someone to wear this bit of cloth in the kitchen….!

Stella shuddered in realization of humanity's depravity. Her front would be fine, but her rear would have a fatal lack of concealment. And while she was cooking in the kitchen, Shizuku would be facing her back and definitely see all of it. The prideful imperial princess of Vermillion could not show such a thing to others.

But—this was a one-strike battle. She would regret giving up. With cooking in her realm of expertise, she had confidence in making a meal beyond Shizuku's reproach. Since Shizuku would clash with her no matter what she did, she wanted to prove her superiority here.

That's right…! Ikki would go this far for me!

Against the Ethics Committee, he had stood strong to proclaim his love for her. Remembering this, Stella steeled her resolve.

"Fine! I'll put it on! We're both girls, so there's nothing embarrassing about it!"

Part 7

Stripping off her clothes forcefully, Stella started cooking wearing nothing but the apron. This state of affairs was as embarrassing as expected, leaving Stella to move her body with intense concentration so she did not have to think about the situation. Had she looked back, she would have seen that Shizuku behind her was also red in the cheeks.

https://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=File:Rakudai_V0_077.jpg

Th-This is more amazing than I imagined?

After all, Shizuku saw all of Stella's back, the part that the apron was not hiding. Stella's physique was clearly different from a Japanese person's, with standoffishly and audaciously firm buttocks. They were the same sex, but the sight was so sensual that it gave Shizuku vertigo.

I think this is going a bit far, but the point is I made her uncomfortable, right?

Shizuku's tactic was not to disqualify Stella by demanding the naked apron. Stella would obviously not be ashamed to the point of abandoning the match. This harassment was a smokescreen, a means to divert her concentration. Her performance was good, but she was clearly not focused on cooking. In that case….

She'll definite fall into my trap…."

So Shizuku waited, and the moment came. Stella was flavoring the potatoes. In making something equivalent to meat and potato stew, she added sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Seeing this, Shizuku thought—

Got her…!

She was sure that Stella would fail this test. After adding the seasoning, Stella covered the pot and let it stew for five minutes.

"Okay. Well, there's no way I made a mistake, but I should sample a bit, I guess…!?"

Stella also noticed her error. In the instant that the ladle of stew she raised to her mouth touched taste buds, her eyes widened. A strange saltiness had exploded on her tongue.

"Pthhh! W-What is this!? Why's it salty!?"

The question erupted from her mouth unintentionally, but there was only one imaginable reason. Meat and potato stew was a recipe in which the saltiness from the soy sauce was balanced against the sweetness of the sugar. What would make the saltiness this extreme was—

"Impossible, did I confuse the salt and sugar!?

But Stella immediately doubted that.

No, there's no way! I used the container that had sugar written on it!

Then why? Stella was bewildered.

"Oh my oh my, Stella-san. What's wrong?

From behind her, Shizuku's voice rang out. Her voice somehow seemed to contain a smile, and Stella realized the truth.

Did she…!

Stella dipped into the jar of seasoning that had "sugar" written in marker on the side, and tasted what came out.

I knew it. There's salt in the jar with sugar written on it."

Indeed, Stella had not mistaken one jar for the other. The content had been wrongly labeled from the beginning.

"Shizuku, you put something else in this on purpose, didn't you!?"

"Not at all, not at all. How could I do that?"

"You're lying!"

"No, no, I wouldn't. But was it really mixed up somehow? If that's all, you could've noticed the difference if you payed proper attention, right? We can only say that this happened because you weren't being careful, I guess?"

This girl….

She had not thought Shizuku would go so far. Stella knew how much Shizuku loved Ikki. Shizuku was never going to acknowledge someone else as Ikki's partner.

"If I was in her place, I'd definitely….

So this much was expected, and in order to make Shizuku approve of her… she had to accept all Shizuku's obstructions, to ensure Shizuku could not refuse to give that approval!

"…Shizuku. This is a test of cooking, so all I need to do is make something delicious, right?"

"Of course. And… a meat and potato soup that has both salt and soy sauce, salty enough to make the eater pop a blood vessel, would very, very much not pass."

"Hehe, sure. But as long as it ends up good, that's all that matters, right?"

She smiled meaningfully. She would still recover!

"Then, I'll do this!"

Stella took out the soba noodles from the pot and threw away everything else, including the soup.

"Tossing the soup? What're you trying to do?"

"Hmph. Just keep watching."

Dropping the remaining ingredients into the pot, Stella crushed them with full strength. She also retrieved a large number of potatoes from the refrigerator, and under hot water she crushed them the same way, making pulpy mashed potatoes. Seeing this process, Shizuku also figured out her plan.

"I-It can't be, this is…! Croquettes!?"

"Yep. If I change the recipe to croquettes that use more potatoes, it'll take away from the saltiness."

Even though the existing potatoes and other vegetables had absorbed too much salt, rendering them to a pulpy paste and increasing the number of potatoes would dilute the salinity. By changing the recipe on the fly, Stella had torn through Shizuku's trap.

"Your claws aren't sharp enough, Shizuku. You would've been better off using poison."

Th-There was an escape…!

Shizuku had not imagined such quick-wittedness. Seeing this difference in skill that left her with no excuses to make, even she was at a loss for words.

Part 8

Having broken out of Shizuku's trap, Stella lined up her handmade vegetable croquette meal on the dining table.

"There, it's done! Why don't you go ahead and judge it!"

"K-Kuh…."

Shizuku groaned at Stella's brimming confidence. The croquettes before her eyes had an appearance no one would think was once the failed result of a different recipe. But even so….

It came from a failure, so there's no way it could be tasty!

*Munch!*

Thinking so, she held onto that sliver of hope and put a croquette in her mouth.

"…Urgh."

Not only had Stella presented it with confidence, it was so delicious that none could judge it poorly. By thinning out those over-salted potatoes with unseasoned ones and reducing the saltiness with mixing, a perfectly balanced taste emerged. Newly added sugar and oil that soaked into the coating delighted the tongue. Having no meat was sad, but that was because Shizuku prepared none except for fish paste cake, so she had no cause for complaint.

"It looks like that's that for the test!"

Shizuku was silent for a short while in the face of Stella's boast of victory, but—

"…Not yet."

—she squeezed out those words.

"Mgh, hey now. You're being a sore loser. I passed all these tests of yours, so don't throw a tantrum, okay?"

"I'm doing no such thing. This is the last one. Only one test left, the most important one."

Indeed, this was not a tantrum. Cleaning, cooking… there was one crucial thing that was still not confirmed. But… Shizuku was pained that it reached this stage, because… if Stella answered her expectations here, everything would be decided. She would have no choice but to accept the girl in front of her.

"…Well, since we've gone this far, I'll play along. What's next? Do I have to wash your back or something?"

"No, it's nothing troublesome. All you have to do is answer a question."

But there were no tests left, so Shizuku stifled her inner distress.

"…Stella-san."

Letting out a sigh, she looked toward Stella sitting on the other side of the table with a frightening earnestness entirely different from the slightly mocking expression she held during the tests, emitting enough force that Stella unconsciously sucked in a breath and put up her guard.

"W-What? Such a scary face."

"Stella-san, do you love Onii-sama more than I do? Can you make him happier than I can?"

Shizuku…!

At the question, Stella lost her voice. She knew how deeply Shizuku loved Ikki. That boy was kind and diligent, and by all rights should be loved, but the world did not do so. Shizuku was the one who defied this outrage. She was the one who filled her brother Ikki with affection in place of all those people, as a father, a mother, a brother, a sister, a friend… and a lover.

Stella knew this. And now Shizuku was asking… whether she loved Ikki more Shizuku did. Stella had no choice but to comprehend how conclusive a question this was. She could imagine the responsibility implied in answering. But… understanding all of that, Stella had only a single answer. Sitting up straight, squaring her shoulders, she gazed into Shizuku's earnest eyes.

"Yes. Absolutely."

Clearly and distinctly, with a voice unclouded by confusion, she made that declaration with pure sincerity. There was none of the usual sparring tone. It was an answer of conviction.

For a moment, Shizuku shut her eyes as if severing something inside of herself, then with a smile she had never shown Stella before, she said—

"Please treat my brother well."

And thus, the match between the Crimson Princess and Lorelei was settled.

Part 9

The day ended at a late hour, so Stella stayed for the night in Shizuku's room.

Softly, softly….

At two in the morning, so deep at night that even plants were slumbering, Stella slipped silently from her lower bunk bed. Straightening up, she peeped at Shizuku above.

Good, she's still asleep…!

Making sure that Shizuku was sleeping soundly, Stella rejoiced. What was she going to do, now that Shizuku's guard was down so deep in the night? That was answered by the item under the bed.

"I was watching you…."

Extending her hands, she drew out what was hidden underneath the bed, the splendid trap that Shizuku had laid during the cleaning test yesterday, Ikki Kurogane's childhood photo album. She had been waiting for her chance all night so that she could steal a glance.

"Haa… haa…."

With her heart pounding, Stella gently opened the album, taking care not to let the pages make any noise. Inside was an uncountable number of photos Shizuku had taken of Ikki Kurogane as a child.

C-Cuteeeee~?

Gentle eyes and slightly unkempt black hair. The ambience around him was entirely the same as the present, but his cheeks were red as apples, and his slender, naked outstretched limbs exuded youth.

Oh no, he's sleeping with his stomach bare~! Such a cute sleeping face~!

Just like any child, his belly and cheeks were tender and relaxed. In sleepiness, his face and muscles could not help but be slack.

But she must not just stare and grin. To enjoy this properly, she had to go back to her own room.

I have to get a copy before Shizuku suspects!

But as Stella tried to work her student datapad's camera function—

"….Nnn."

A sound descended from the upper bunk bed.

No way, did she wake up!?

In a rush, Stella closed the album, and clutching it to her side, she fearfully straightened up and peeked at Shizuku. Fortunately, Shizuku was not awake. But….

…*sob* Onii-sama….

Teardrops were budding out from tightly shut eyelids. Was she having painful dreams? No, Stella doubted that. She opened the album in her hands once again, and what she looked at this time was not the pictures of Ikki inside, but the album itself. The pages throughout were worn, as if they had been flipped over and over again. To Shizuku, Ikki was someone that irreplaceable. No matter how many times Stella demonstrated her qualifications, or her readiness… there was no way the bond could be split. But even so, Shizuku said—

Please treat my brother well.?

She had wrung out those words, all for her brother's happiness. Now she was crying, and shaking as if her body was freezing.

Thinking of Shizuku's feelings, Stella let out a sigh at her own foolishness.

Part 10

Morning came.

"My business has ended, so please go back to watching over Onii-sama."

Shizuku, with a spiteful gaze, bade Stella leave her room with a wave of her hand as soon as she got up. Speaking so brazenly, she had no trace of the crying face from the previous night. Did it vanish so quickly?

No, there's no way that could be true.

Impossible. She must be putting on a front, so Stella did not complain at Shizuku's shamelessness.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'd be depressed too if I had to spend a lot of time with my sister-in-law."

She stood up and opened the door.

"Oh my, Stella-chan. You're heading back?"

"Alice."

Having been driven out last night so that the two girls can have their examination, Arisuin bumped into Stella now.

"How did the test go? Did Stella-chan pass?"

Arisuin, who did not know anything about what had happened, asked this of Shizuku out of boundless interest. Shizuku was rather at a loss for words. After all, it was difficult to openly declare that she acknowledged her brother's lover. She knew this was only being selfish though.

"Alice, I—"

But as Shizuku was about to force out the admission….

”About that. Listen, Alice! You won't believe it!"

Pushing Shizuku's hesitation aside, Stella interrupted loudly.

”Shizuku switched the sugar and salt on purpose in order to set me up! And then she said I failed! I can't go on like this!"

"Wha!?"

Shizuku's eyes widened in shock.

"Oh my! Shizuku, did you really?"

"N-No, I did do… but I didn't…."

She had not said that Stella failed, so Shizuku was greatly bewildered. What was Stella talking about? Did Shizuku dream everything that happened yesterday? But—

"But that's enough of that. If she still wants to refuse me, then whatever! No matter what I do, she'll never accept it, but I won't give up on Ikki either. I'll just take him away whether she lets me or not!"

These words allowed Shizuku to realize why Stella was lying. Stella was saying, behind her complaints, that there was no reason for Shizuku to give up on something hopeless. That it was fine for Shizuku to use all her strength to take Ikki back. That Stella was not going to refuse Shizuku this.

Ahh, this person…."

At the lie and the real intention behind it, Shizuku—

"…Don't joke around."

—gradually recovered a fearless smile that was more like herself.

"I'm the one who can make Onii-sama happiest in the world! I won't hand him over to you!"

"Hmph. Well, do what you want, you stubborn person."

Leaving behind that insult, Stella slipped past Arisuin and went toward Ikki's hospital room. Watching Stella depart, Shizuku mumbled to Arisuin.

"…Hey, Alice."

"What?"

"I understand a little. Why Onii-sama loves her."

Her voice was uneasy.

"Well… even though I don't approve."