Side Story : Irisdina Helping Out
A
certain holiday afternoon. Irisdina Francilt was walking around the city alone.
She
is a beautiful girl of extraordinary beauty who walked the streets dashingly.
A
gentle spring breeze caressed her long, shiny hair, and the sunlight made her
jet-black eyes stand out.
The
dignified aura she wore around her, made her seem like she was from another
world.
The
people on the street were mesmerized by her appearance but could not approach
her, and the surroundings became silent. It was like a painting out from the
picture frame.
"N~
... What a nice day. Such a beautiful sky, maybe I should have invited Somia as
well"
She
usually didn't miss training even on holidays, but today she did the minimum
training and went to the city to take a break from it.
She
thought she should have invited her sister, but her sister seemed to be busy at
home, so she refrained and decided to take a walk in the city alone.
She
was just walking around the city of Arcazam.
From
the northern part where the Francilt household is located, go out to the
central park in the center of the city, and continue to the commercial district
in the south.
After
exploring the commercial district while looking at the rare products and items
gathered from all over the continent, this time she headed to the artisan district on the west side.
In
the artisan district, various craftsmen who
support the city of Arcazam are working hard every day.
There
are various types of craftsmanship, from masonry craftsmen, carpenters, bakers,
tailors, and other craftsmen who are directly connected to their daily life, to
jeweler and glass craftsmen who handle luxury products.
The
many items that they put their lives to produce were something that made
Irisdina's eyes opened especially when she had seen those items since an early
age.
Sometimes
she came across unexpected bargains. For Irisdina, walking around this area can
be a lot of fun.
While
trying not to stop, Irisdina's eyes caught an unexpected figure as she was
looking at the many items lined up on the side of the road.
"He……"
Beyond
her line of sight was the back of a person walking with large luggage on its
back.
The
person was carrying enough luggage to cover its height, so it is not sure what
the person looked like, but as far as one could see its feet under the luggage,
it looked like a man's.
Irisdina
gently approached from behind the man carrying the luggage and called him out.
"...
Nozomu?"
"Eh,
Iris? Why are you in such a place?"
Nozomu
looked back with a surprised expression when an unexpected person called out to
him.
Nozomu
never thought he would meet Irisdina in this place.
Nozomu
wonders if Irisdina came to buy goods made in this artisan district.
She
was the daughter of the Francilt Family, she might want to buy some goods from
this artisan district, but ordering and delivering goods was the craftsman's or
maid's job. So Nozomu was a little surprised because he thought Irisdina
wouldn't go there in person.
"I'm
taking a walk because I have free time. The craftsmen here are of higher
quality than in my country. I can enjoy it just by sightseeing."
She
answered Nozomu's question with a smile on her mouth. Her smile never fueled
discomfort, rather made her look more attractive.
As
usual, Irisdina attracted people around her. Like the students in the school,
the surrounding craftsmen were also fascinated by her. Not to mention Nozomu.
"I-is
that so ..."
Nozomu
gave a sloppy reply.
Whether
or not she was paying attention to what was happening around her, Irisdina
asked him the question she had just felt.
"What
are you doing here?"
"It's
a job. I've received a miscellaneous request from the guild."
"Ah
right, you were making your own living expenses ..."
With
that said, Irisdina looked at the luggage on Nozomu's back. There was still a
large amount of red grass in the sack he was carrying.
"...
Nozomu, what on earth are you using this grass for?"
"This
is for dyeing clothes. I just got a request from a tailor. The tailor wants me
to help dye the clothes."
Clothes
are dyed by soaking them in the essence extracted from certain plants.
A
large amount of dye is required to dye a large amount of fabric, and Nozomu is
in the process of bringing in plants to make the dye.
Irisdina,
who was listening to his situation, made a contemplative gesture for a while.
"...
Nozomu. Can I help you with that job?"
"Eh?
W-why?"
Irisdina
told him that she would help him with his job. Nozomu tilted his head wondering
what she was thinking.
"I've
never done this kind of work before, but as the Francilt Family, I may become
less directly involved in people's lives in the future. That's why I want to
know a lot of things about the people who support us now."
When
Nozomu was wondering what Irisdina was really thinking, She answered his
question.
It
was obvious that she would be forced into political affairs if she officially
became the head of the household. She didn't worry about it while his father
was alive, but she didn't know how long it would last, or what the future would
hold.
Besides,
one of her goals was to join the Silver Rainbow Chivalric Order.
If
she were to belong to the most famous chivalric order on the continent, she
would be forced to carry out missions without having to become the head of the
Francilt Family.
That
was why she wanted to cherish her current time as a student, even a minute or
even a second.
"...
I understand. I will ask the person in charge, so please follow me. I believe
they need manpower, so I will also help you ask."
"Yup,
thank you, Nozomu"
Irisdina
smiled at Nozomu's answer.
Nozomu
didn't want to turn down Irisdina's sincere request.
Rather,
Nozomu, who liked her straightforwardness, was willing to help her and
accompany her.
===================================
The
two who arrived at the dyeing workshop were greeted by a well-physique man and an old lady who were the owner of the workshop. At the workshop,
the neighborhood housewives have come to help and are currently working.
The
old lady who was the owner of the workshop was willing to accept Irisdina's
request. She needed more manpower, and she had no reason to refuse Irisdina's
sincere request.
"First
of all, pluck the leaves of this grass. Then you grind the leaves that have
been plucked here."
Irisdina's
job was simple. Plucking red grass leaves that were piled up like mountains in
front of her. Nozomu's job was to grind plucked grass leaves.
The
housewives separated the stems and leaves of the grass one by one with their
experienced hands. Irisdina also started plucking red grass leaves by learning
from them.
“Being in this city at your age. Could it be
that the young lady is a student of the Solminati Academy?”
"Yeah,
that's true. Even though I'm still inexperienced, I learned a lot of things at
that school."
"Is
that so! That boy seems to be also a student at Solminati Academy ..."
With
those words, Irisdina turned her gaze towards Nozomu, who was behind the
workshop.
He
was crushing the red grass leaves with a large mortar and a long pestle that
one person could fit inside.
It
might not be easy to stir a pot containing a large amount of grass, Nozomu used
the strength of his whole body and stirred the contents of the large mortar
with the long pestle.
However,
Nozomu didn't stop his hand even if new grass was added one after another.
Making good use of his body weight, he grinded the grass that was constantly
being thrown in and extracted the red juice which became the dye.
Nozomu
didn't stop stirring while sweating on his forehead. Looking to the side as
Nozomu worked seriously, Irisdina was inspired by him and concentrated on her
own work.
She
carefully plucked the red grass leaves one by one and sorted them out. Maybe
she's getting used to it, her work speed was gradually increasing.
She
was still slow compared to the housewives around her, but in 10 minutes she
could finish her work at a reasonable pace.
"Hee,
you're quick to catch on. This grass has stiff muscles, so it's a little tricky
to pluck it off."
The
old lady was impressed with Irisdina's dexterity. Even in such a place,
Irisdina was demonstrating her talent.
"And
you have a very beautiful face. I've never seen such a beautiful girl. Why
don't you become my daughter-in-law?"
"What
are you talking about? If she comes to your place and becomes your
daughter-in-law, then I can't make my own son happy!"
A
housewife who worked seriously told the old lady that it was a ridiculous thing
to say to Irisdina.
Perhaps
inspired by their conversation, the other housewives around them tried to
introduce their sons to Irisdina one after another.
"I'm
sorry. I'm happy with your offer, but I'm not ready to get married yet, so I
will have to refuse it. Everyone is already so reliable this way, and you don't
have to worry about your son."
While
conveying her intention firmly so as not to make the other party uncomfortable,
Irisdina clearly refused the housewife's offer.
"Ara-ra.
I got rejected. Well, such a good girl better find someone better than my
son..."
"That's
true. By the way, even if you think that marriage is still too early, there is
still a boy that you care about, right?"
"Right!
There should be someone right~!? I wonder if you'll tell us."
The
housewives withdrew after hearing Irisdina's reply. It was probably just a joke
in the first place.
However,
this time it developed into Irisdina's love story.
Perhaps
they were rumor-loving housewives. Their behavior, when discovered a material
to be collected in their usual peaceful and boring daily life, was like an ant
swarming in sugar.
"Fufu...
Well, what do you think?"
But
Irisdina won't lose either.
With
her poker face and tongue trained at social gatherings, she dodged the pursuit
of the housewives who flock to her.
"Oh,
I know! It's the boy over there! You're willing to help with his work and go
with him today!"
"That's
right! I'm sure that's the case!"
When
one of the housewives pointed at Nozomu and rushed over to Irisdina, the other
housewives followed confidently.
However,
Irisdina herself was very calm.
"I'm
certainly indebted to him, but right now I don't have any feelings towards
him."
Full
throttle fierce attacks from the housewives who were full of interests and
desires. The rain of questions like a group of arrows pouring down from all
directions kept coming without stopping.
However,
Irisdina continued to brilliantly dodge the fierce attacks of the housewives,
without changing the smile on her mouth at all.
Her
appearance was like that of a hero on horseback galloping on the battlefield
against a myriad of armies.
"...
Oi, kid"
"Chief,
please put in the next grass. Quickly, this instant, as soon as possible."
The
chief and Nozomu shrunk at the edge of such a battlefield.
Nozomu
sent a message with his eyes to the chief, saying "Please do something
about it!"
With
his gaze, the chief replied with an irresponsible answer, saying "My wife is scary, so just do it yourself!"
He
is such a pitiful man.
However,
it can't be helped either. The housewives who were talking about rumors were
just like demon beasts rivaling that of dragons.
Once
he was disobedient to his wife, finally his wallet was detained so that he
completely depended on his wife. He was sentenced to no allowance for a while.
For
every working husband, it was equivalent to cutting off their supply lines in a
fierce battlefield.
The
mighty demon beasts didn't notice the ants hanging around their feet.
In
some cases, demon beasts accidentally crushed the ants...
While
trying not to pay attention to that noise as much as possible. Nozomu
innocently continued to grind the grass, and the chief kept throwing grass into
the mortar.
In
the end, he sent his gaze over them, he could see that they were doing as they
please with Irisdina.
While
earnestly wishing that the tip of their spear would not turn to him, Nozomu
erased his presence and continued to stir the mortar.
On
such a broad day inside the city, he erased his presence more than he was in
the forest.
=======================================
The
job is done. After Nozomu and Irisdina received confirmation of the cleared
request, they came to the central park. All he had to do now was send this
confirmation to the guild and his request would be completed.
"Thank
you Nozomu, I learned a lot today."
"I-is
that so..."
The
appearance of Irisdina, who brilliantly handled the flocking housewives
returned to Nozomu's mind.
What
on earth did she learn...
"Even
so, is it okay for me to get something like this?"
Nozomu
tried not to think the things that came back to his mind, and looked at the bag
in his hands.
Nozomu
was carrying a bag in his arms. Inside it was a cloth dyed with coloring dye.
It was a piece of cloth that cannot be used at the tailor.
"What
would you use it
for?"
"I will get a reasonable price even if I sell it to a second-hand clothing store. I think it is possible to
repair clothes with it. And there
are many other uses."
Not
to mention repairing damaged clothes, even repairing armor also used cloth and
strings to connect metal plates.
In
fact, needles, strings and threads to tie, a knife to cut, and cloth were
necessities for life in the forest.
All
of them were indispensable tools.
Even
Nozomu sometimes used threads as warning lines.
"I
see ... Nozomu sure is amazing. You can do various things by yourself. You can
even enter that forest alone."
"Is
that so? But I can't use magic like Irisdina, and also..."
Her
figure going straight ahead and walking on her own path. To be honest, Irisdina
looked dazzling to Nozomu. He understood that it was something he didn't have
at the moment. Silence flowed between them for a while.
"……Hmm!?"
"Is
there something wrong?"
The
two were silent, but suddenly Irisdina made a gasping voice.
When
Nozomu asked what happened, Irisdina offered her hands. Her both hands were
swollen red.
"Somehow
... my hands are itchy ..."
"It's
swollen ... Ah~, maybe the juice got on your hand when you plucked the grass
leaves."
According
to Nozomu, the grass juice can be used as a dye, but it seemed to cause a rash
on the skin. It's okay if some time has passed, but it seemed that freshly
extracted juice wasn't very good for the skin.
The
housewives who were used to it might be able to prevent the juice from getting
into their hands, Irisdina wouldn't be able to do her job like housewives up to
that point.
"The
juice makes your skin swell quickly, but it will also subside quickly. I think
that the swelling will soon disappear if you leave it for a while. If you are
still worried, just apply the ointment sold at the tool store, and right away
it will be... hmm? What is this? "
While
explaining things to Irisdina, Nozomu's hand, which was holding a bag, touched
something hard.
Nozomu
tried to take something from the bag, a small bottle came out. There is a milky
white jelly-like substance inside of it.
"...
This is an ointment"
What
Nozomu got was an ointment that was effective for treating the swelling of
Irisdina's hands.
Probably
the one who put it in was the old lady. She knew Irisdina didn't know about
juice that could cause swelling, so she kept it in the bag as a thank you. It's
a smart measure.
"Iris.
I think applying this will reduce swelling."
Nozomu
presented a bottle of ointment, but for some reason, Irisdina didn't take the
bottle.
As
Nozomu tilted his head, wondering what she was thinking, Irisdina stretched out
her red and swollen hand.
"Nozomu,
I'm sorry, but can you apply the ointment to my hands?"
"……Eh?"
Actually,
Irisdina's hands were so itchy that she couldn't touch anything. She asked
Nozomu to help her and apply the ointment, but a question was dancing inside
Nozomu's head.
Wondering
what she was saying, Nozomu felt the heat in his head rising all at once.
Nozomu
wondered if it was really alright, but Irisdina looked the same as usual, and
she extended her hand and asks her to hurry up.
"...
My hands are so itchy that I couldn't touch anything. Nozomu, I'm sorry, but I
need your help."
"I-I
understand ..."
Nozomu
finally understood the situation and looked at her outstretched hand.
Irisdina's
skin, which was normally as white as snow, was now a little red like it was
burning.
Opening
the bottle cap and taking out the ointment, Nozomu gently applied the ointment
to Irisdina's hand.
"Nn~!"
"!
Are you okay?"
"Ah,
it's alright. It was a little cold so I accidentally let out a voice."
Irisdina's
strangely charming voice made Nozomu nervous, but
Nozomu
continued to apply the ointment.
The
surrounding gazes were fixed on Nozomu and Irisdina. The current Nozomu, who
was touching a woman's hand, could be seen from the side as lovers in heat.
Nozomu's
face immediately turned red when he realized his situation. He tried to ignore
the eyes around him and concentrated on Irisdina's hands applying the ointment.
However,
when he focused his mind on Irisdina's hand, he could feel her hand more
clearly.
Her
hands were so soft that he couldn't think of her as someone who practiced
martial arts. Maybe her body temperature was lower than Nozomu's, a cold
sensation spread across Nozomu's hands, and Nozomu's body heated up even more.
On
the other hand, Irisdina was very calm. She is the exact opposite of Nozomu.
Either because she was used to being the center of attention, or because she
was the daughter of a famous family and was usually taken care of by the maids.
After
it was done, Irisdina felt relieved and exhaled. But Nozomu sighed as if he was
tired.
"Umm,
mom. The two of them are very close! Are they lovers!?"
"That's
right. I wonder if they're lovers."
The
voice of a parent and child that seemed to come to the park reached Nozomu's
ears.
Lover…….
Nozomu's
face seemed to turn red due to that word.
However,
that word dug up Nozomu's past. His memories about his best friend's betrayal
and his lover's appearance leaving him behind were passing through his mind,
and his burning face diminished at once.
"Fufu,
lovers ?... such a cute girl."
"Yes
... ."
Irisdina
talked to Nozomu while waving her hand to the parent and child.
She
was calm and doesn't look unusual.
Nozomu
intended to answer with his usual voice, but he had a slightly choked voice
instead.
"Nozomu?"
"...
Let's go."
Due
to his strange behavior, Irisdina called out to Nozomu, but Nozomu began
walking toward the guild and blocking her words.
Nozomu
quickened his legs as an emotion similar to the wicked impulse rose within his
chest.
However,
Irisdina's words could be heard from behind.
"Nozomu.
Thank you for hanging out with me today. If you don't mind, would you please
continue to do this kind of work together with me? I want to learn more."
The
words he heard were gratitude for today and a request that to continue working
together.
Her
words slightly contained the wicked impulse that arose inside his chest. The
momentum of the black vortex in the depths of his chest subsided and became
slightly warmer. Nozomu's heartbeat was beating slowly, sending a warm heat
throughout his body.
"...Well,
I'll go with you when the circumstances allow."
While
looking back, Nozomu smiled at Irisdina.
His
facial expression that had become stiff had returned to its original state
before he knew it.
=====================================
"...
When the circumstances allow, right?"
Irisdina
pondered Nozomu's words as she returned to her house.
"But
today sure was amazing. I wonder if it was a natural thing for every housewife
..."
Irisdina
was a prestigious aristocrat from the country of Foskia, no matter how much she
interacted with ordinary people at school, she is inevitably ignorant of
worldly circumstances due to her birth.
Thinking she couldn't stay like that forever, that's why she tried to help Nozomu with
his job, and today she experienced a series of new things.
To
be honest, she wanted to learn more and try another job, but it couldn't be
helped. She promises him to continue doing his work together in the future.
She
looked at the palm of her hands.
Perhaps
the ointment that Nozomu had applied had worked, the swelling had subsided.
When
the housewives were asking her questions in the tailor.
When
they started asking about him.
When
she had him smeared ointment on her swelled hands.
A
heat that she couldn't even understand was swirling in the depth of Irisdina's
chest. Somehow She felt hotter than when she first dated Nozomu.
It
was especially noticeable when Nozomu was applying the ointment to her hands.
She
seemed calm and composed, but she was only accustomed to fake her facial
expressions due to her past social gatherings experiences.
Her
swollen hand felt warm.
Her
chest was filled with feelings that surpassed interest towards Nozomu. She
wanted to know more about him, at the same time, she also wanted to know about
his ex-girlfriend...
Irisdina
walked down the road to her mansion, gently touching her chest as heat swirled
inside.
*Want
to know more*