Chapter 7 Part 14
Translator : PolterGlast
After the meal was
over, Victor, Nozomu, and the others moved to the salon and talked among
themselves.
By the way, Mimuru,
who had been knocked unconscious by Nozomu and Shīna, was kept in a separate
room, but had now woken up and was now in the salon.
However, she was so
angry at not being able to enjoy the luxurious meal that she started devouring
the tea confectioneries prepared for others in a fit of frustration.
However, at that
moment, she was met with Shīna's icy glare, and she instantly turned tail and
raised the white flag.
By the way, the
previous remaining Mimuru's meals were all eaten by Feo.
Nozomu, for the time
being, was watching his friends while drinking the tea served to him.
Irisdina and Somia
continued to talk to Victor. Perhaps because they had not seen each other for
several years, they had a lot to talk about.
Mars was talking to
Tima, Tom, and Shīna, and they were beginning to discuss magic.
Judging from the
content of the conversation, it seemed to be about magic control. The words
"magic formation" and "Qi technique" were used
occasionally, which probably meant that the conversation was related to Mars'
combination technique.
Mars and Tom had
talked about magic from time to time, but Nozomu had the feeling that the two
were talking more than usual these days.
Feo was sitting in his
expensive-looking chair, looking up at the ceiling with a truly happy
expression on his face. He must have really enjoyed the meal served today.
He sometimes said
things like, "I have nothing left to regret," and Nozomu worried that
his happiness would be so great that his soul would be liberated.
It had been a long
time since Nozomu had had a moment of peace and quiet like this.
Before he knew it, the
cup of tea in his hand was completely gone.
"Nozomu"
After she put the
empty cup in her hand on the table for the time being, Irisdina approached
Nozomu.
"I-, Iris. Are you done talking to Victor-san?"
"Yes. Father is
going to stay in this city for a while. So I won't have to worry about
parent-child conversations for a while."
Nozomu noticed that
Victor was no longer in the salon. He must have gone back to his room first.
Perhaps he was being
considerate. Thinking about this, Nozomu looked around the salon again.
Although not as large
as the dining room, this salon, which had a size of 20-meter squares, was also
the most magnificent one that Nozomu had ever seen.
There were ornaments
hanging on the walls. The tables and chairs were elaborately carved, and the
seats and backrests were soft and fluffy to the touch as if they were filled
with feathers.
Even Nozomu, who had
never known something like this before, could understand that all the chairs
were made by first-rate craftsmen.
"But this sure is
an amazing mansion. I'm surprised that your family built this mansion just for
you to attend Solminati ..."
"I said that I
could live in a dormitory, but my father won't let me, and the academy had a
lot to say about it. And after Somia and I graduate, the mansion will be
donated to Solminati Academy."
Nozomu was so
surprised when she talked about donating this mansion so easily.
He also felt that
Irisdina, who was willing to give up such a mansion as if she were giving away
old clothes, had lived in a different world than he had.
"Are you sure you
want to give it up so easily?"
"Neither my
father nor I have any reason to stick to this mansion. Also, the number of
students in the school will increase, and the current school facilities will
not be enough. This mansion is spacious, so it's perfect for expanding the
facilities, and it's also a good promotion to the outside world. "
Apparently, it was not
a bad deal for Irisdina and her family.
The mansion was indeed
a grand house, but keeping it without using it just added to the expense and
made no sense.
If that was the case,
it would be more useful to donate it to Solminati to maintain the influence of
the Francilt Household and Foskia within Arcazam and for external publicity. It
seemed they had already discussed this with the school.
"If this mansion
is to be donated to the school, there is a possibility that it will be
demolished. When I first came to this city, I thought of this mansion as a
temporary residence, but now that I think about it, I feel a little
regretful..."
Inwardly, Nozomu was
tempted to retort, "No matter how you look at it, this mansion is nothing
like a temporary residence," but he held it in his heart.
If this mansion was
just a temporary residence, how big would the main Francilt's mansion be?
In Nozomu's mind, he
pictured a white castle surrounded by walls, and he might not be wrong.
"Iris, you said
you were regretful to see this mansion gone, but why?"
"Why, you say...
That's ..."
Nozomu tilted his head
at Irisdina, who suddenly fell silent.
Irisdina glanced at
Nozomu with a sideways glance and shook her head a little, then put on a
mysterious expression on her face.
"Hey, Nozomu,
what are you going to do after you graduate from this school?"
"... Who knows.
Honestly, I don't really know yet. Iris, you're going to join the Silver
Rainbow Chivalric Order, right?"
"Yeah, I still
want to join the Silver Rainbow Chivalric Order, help a lot of people, and
..."
Irisdina glanced to
the side. She has some sort of puzzled expression on her face.
Normally, she was so
calm and composed, but she was now putting on such a face. Nozomu immediately
understood.
"Somia-chan?"
"Y-, yeah. Well,
there is that, too. I want to be a sister she can be proud of."
Irisdina mentioned
Somia's name with some hesitation.
Her usual elegance was
gone, and she was just an ordinary girl who loved her family.
"Does Nozomu have
any siblings?"
"No, I'm an only
child."
"How could your
parents allow you to come to Solminati?."
"Actually, my
father was very much against it. We even ended up in a fistfight."
With a wry smile,
Nozomu remembered about his father.
He was a stubborn
father who supported the family by plowing the fields.
Although he eventually
allowed Nozomu to attend Solminati, Nozomu remembered his father looking as if
he had chewed about a hundred bitter bugs.
"Iris's father
seems like a pretty nice person, but to be honest, I'd be pretty nervous facing
him face to face..."
"People often say
that about him because of his tough outward appearance. My father looks like
that, but he is straightforward and mischievous at heart. Well, he can get into
a lot of trouble because of that......"
"S-,
Straightforward, is it? ..."
Nozomu couldn't help
but feel a sense of discomfort when he heard those words.
Iris' father was
certainly not as strict as he appeared to be, but he had too much dignity to
apply the word "straightforward" to him.
He was a person who
exuded such a presence that could make ordinary people naturally bow their heads.
Nozomu forcibly
convinced himself that perhaps Irisdina's senses were off.
The same was true
about the "temporary lodging" in such a grand mansion. People do not
feel any discomfort with the environment in which they grew up.
"... Nozomu, are
you thinking of something rude?"
"... No, that's
not true"
As if reading Nozomu's
thoughts, Irisdina looked at him with suspicion.
"In a particular
field, you're not much different, Nozomu."
"Ha?"
Irisdina was well
aware that her environment was different. However, she had always felt that
Nozomu was also beyond the standard in terms of swordsmanship and survival
skills.
He possessed Qi
techniques that could cut down both attackers and defenders in one fell swoop,
and katana techniques that can cross swords with Jihad.
Irisdina, who had
watched his fight up close, didn't think she could win if she fought head-on
against Nozomu.
Even if she
overwhelmed him with magic from a distance, he would always find some way to
break through. She had such a hunch.
Once he found a
breakthrough, Nozomu wouldn't hesitate. He would instantly pour out all his
strength and he would devour her strategy as if it were nothing.
And once he got close,
she would have to face hell.
Every of Nozomu's
attacks could be a one-hit kill.
If she wanted to
counter Nozomu's [Phantom] in close combat, Irisdina would have no choice but
to use [Lunar Eclipse] as a countermeasure.
However, she couldn't
activate her technique in an instant like Nozomu, and if she were to use [Lunar
Eclipse], she wouldn't have time to focus on other magic.
And in the case of
pure swordsmanship, Nozomu was completely superior. In other words, once Nozomu
got close, Irisdina would practically have no countermeasures at all.
Once he got close,
victory was assured. It was strange because, when she thought about it, Ability
Suppression really didn't seem like such a trivial thing.
"Good grief, what
kind of training did your master give you?"
"... Please don't
remind me"
Irisdina let out a
small sigh as she saw Nozomu holding his head and looking pale.
In the end, whether or
not someone can be strong depends on their own mindset. Irisdina thought so as
she looked at the young man holding his head next to her.
"But recently,
while your surroundings have changed so much, you yourself haven't changed at
all..."
"Shishō, the
joints of my fingers do not bend that way. Please don't even put blows into the
gap between the joints and call it training. Are you so angry that your dinner
was a fish? And, I can't do 100 kumite, so please Shishō, stop telling me to do
100 kumite with you. I'll die... "
As she watched Nozomu
sink into the vortex of trauma, Irisdina pondered his recent situation.
The rumors about
Nozomu that Ken Notis had spread throughout the school had all but disappeared.
The combat training with Jihad at the martial arts garden had also helped to
boost Nozomu's reputation.
He was especially
popular among his underclassmen and was sought after as a dependable
upperclassman.
Despite this, Nozomu
himself didn't seem to be concerned about what others thought of his skills or
swordsmanship. He was not proud of it and went about his daily life as usual.
What he cared about
was the safety of his friends and the underclassmen who asked him for advice, and
about his childhood friends who have become broken.
Certainly, Nozomu had
no time to worry about status or honor.
But even if he were to
realize the position that was set before him, Irisdina had a feeling that
Nozomu himself would not change.
He would simply reply
with a curt, "Is that so."
Irisdina had always
seen the other side of people. That was why she understood how precious his
unchanging nature was.
And she couldn't help
but be attracted to him.
Her feelings for
Nozomu grew stronger day by day. He was the only person Irisdina sincerely
wanted to be by her side.
But at the same time,
such Nozomu made Irisdina feel uneasy from the bottom of her heart.
"Nozomu ... about
me ..."
How do you feel about
me?
In a panic, Irisdina
swallowed the words that were almost in her throat.
Fearfully peeking
sideways at Nozomu, she saw that he had finally emerged from the vortex of
trauma and was breathing roughly with a frustrated expression on his face.
"Haa, haa ...
Iris, did you say something?"
Her words, which had
escaped her mouth, did not seem to have been heard by Nozomu.
At the same time,
however, a magma-like heat rushed through Irisdina's body as she realized the
meaning of the words she almost let slip out.
Irisdina desperately
suppressed her cheeks, which were about to pull back, and pretended to be
normal.
"... Ah-, I said
Nozomu was a dullard."
"Isn't it
terrible to send someone down into a traumatic hell and then pursue them up
with more!"
The feelings that raging
deep in her heart. While forcibly covering it up, Irisdina spoke to cover up
her blazing cheeks.
The lamenting Nozomu
was raising his voice in protest against Irisdina, but she remained as natural
as ever.
At the sight of him,
the magma-like heat instantly subsided, and instead, a soft warmth resembling
the light of a fireplace enveloped her entire body.
Eventually, the two of
them looked at each other and smiled.
"Phew, it's a
good night ..."
"I would honestly
feel that way if Iris didn't dig up someone else's traumas."
"Muu ..."
For a while, the two
enjoyed a moment of silence as they gazed at the moonlit night floating in the
starry sky.
Irisdina quickly
leaned in close to Nozomu and gently embraced his arm.
The soft-touch of the
maiden spread across his arm, and Nozomu involuntarily raised his voice.
"I-, Iris
!?"
"Let me stay like
this ..."
Nozomu was overwhelmed
by Irisdina's sudden action.
However, Irisdina's
eyes were downcast and she looked as if she had something on her mind.
"Hey, Nozomu. Do
you remember what I said to you at that time?"
"Eh?"
"Umm, that is,
like I said..."
At that time, she said
something in a hasty attempt to stop him from going out of control. But there
was no mistaking it was her true feelings.
Irisdina, wanting to
engrave it even more on her heart, pulled her body even closer to Nozomu as if
she were floating in the heat of the moment.
More, and more .......
Closer to him .......
"Excuse me, both
of you."
"Uhyau~!"
However, a voice
resounded as if it were trying to put off her passion.
Irisdina involuntarily
jerked away and turned her gaze to the owner of the voice that called out to
her.
"Me-, Me-me-,
Mena. What was that for?"
It was Mena, Victor's
maid, who called her. She looked at Irisdina, who was panicking, and without
seeming to be bothered, began to explain her business in an indifferent manner.
"I have been told
by my lord to pick up Nozomu-sama. I'm sorry, but will you come with me?"
"Father
did?"
"Yes, he would
like to thank him for the recent incident with the Waziart Household ..."
In a sense, it was a
convincing reason, but for Irisdina, Mena's words inevitably stuck in the back
of her mind.
The attack report on
Rugato that Irisdina sent to Victor didn't mention anything that would lead to
Nozomu's secret.
It was partly because
Irisdina didn't know of Tiamat's existence at the time, and she was afraid to
pursue her benefactor's matter too deeply.
At the time, all
Irisdina could hear from Nozomu was that he could release his Ability Suppression.
Therefore, she did not
include anything about Ability Suppression in her report. Instead, Irisdina
emphasized how excellent his swordsmanship was.
She knew immediately
that Nozomu's swordsmanship was superior to her own, and she emphasized this point
in her letter in the most natural way possible.
But Victor, who had
seen more lies than she had, might have noticed.
It was quite difficult
to fight back against an S-ranked enemy without losing a single person.
If so, was it about
his secret that Victor wanted to ask Nozomu?
No, it's possible that
it could be something else.
There was no shortage
of topics regarding Nozomu himself, such as the rumors that spread at school in
the past, the commotion caused by Ken Notis who was devoured by the Abyss
Grief, and the combat training with Jihad-sensei.
Her brilliant mind can
come up with a number of hypotheses in seconds.
But whatever the
reason, there was no need for Victor to thank him alone.
Irisdina thought that
the reason why Victor had only asked for Nozomu was that he wanted to be sure
about something else.
"I'll go with
him. Besides, if Father wants to thank him for what he did, we must also invite
Mars-kun, Tima, and the others."
"As for those
people, of course, my lord has said he will also thank them himself. So please
be assured."
Irisdina reconfirmed
that there were other people to call if it was about the case with the Waziart
Household.
However, Irisdina's
words was brushed off by Mena. If the head of the household himself wanted to
thank them, there was no reason for Irisdina to stop him.
Irisdina went silent.
But just as she was about to open her mouth to ask for more information, Nozomu
stepped forward and interrupted her.
"I understand,
Mena-san, let's go."
"Nozomu ..."
"Sorry, we
haven't finished talking yet. But I have to go for a bit."
Nozomu quickly turned
his body and left Irisdina's side as if following Mena's urging.
Irisdina watched his
back with shaken eyes.
Suddenly, Nozomu
turned around and smiled at Irisdina.
"... and thank
you for worrying about me."
Irisdina's feelings
were transmitted to Nozomu more than enough. He could understand that Irisdina
was truly concerned about him.
"I'll be fine.
From what you told me, your father doesn't seem as strict as he looks. It will
be like a small three-way meeting."
Knowing about this
fact, he dared to return the words in a lighter tone.
Nozomu didn't know
what Victor wanted to talk about, but he didn't feel any anxiety swirling in
his chest.
Nozomu then left the
salon, as Mena urged him to do.
Irisdina, who was left
behind, remained in place after Nozomu had left, gazing down the hallway where he
had disappeared.
"Nozomu, how do
you feel about me..."
The words she almost
said before naturally leaked out of Irisdina's mouth again.
What came to
Irisdina's mind was the image of Lisa, who was nursing Nozomu while she was
tormented by guilt.
When Nozomu was still
in a deep coma. Irisdina, driven by impatience and anxiety over Nozomu's
condition, which had not woken up at all, and while being driven by frustration
and jealousy, spoke out heartless words against Lisa.
However, those were
words that only Nozomu was qualified to say, not the words she should have
said. Irisdina felt she was somehow the same, she did nothing when Nozomu was
isolated at the school.
Words that she was not
qualified to say. Now that Nozomu had woken up and was recovering well, she had
always been ashamed of her own foolish actions.
But until now, she
couldn't tell Nozomu or apologize to Lisa.
Despite her shame,
Irisdina's jealousy of Lisa was still buried deep in her heart.
Irisdina, tormented by
her love for Nozomu, her jealousy of Lisa, and her remorse, clutches her arms
tightly.
The remains of
Nozomu's heat in her arms. The warmth that had been there just a few moments
ago now clenched tightly around Irisdina's chest.
