Chapter 8 Part 11
Translator : PolterGlast
Nozomu
left Victor's office while holding an indescribable feeling of discomfort in
his heart. His steps were heavy as if he were carrying a stone statue on his
back.
He
was told about Irisdina's past. She was a young girl, but she was moving
forward with firm determination in her heart.
He
had thought he understood her somehow, but he realized that he had not really
understood her determination, and he was filled with a sense of shame.
"Hm?
That's..."
At
that moment, he noticed a light leaking from the hall of the mansion.
The
light was leaking through the slightly opened door. Nozomu peeked through the
doorway to see what was inside.
"Iris?"
"Nozomu?
What are you doing at this hour?
In
the hall was Irisdina, dressed in silk clothes that seemed to be easy to move
around in. Beads of sweat were sticking on her forehead, and her clothes were
damp and wet.
In
front of her, a large full-length mirror was placed, candlelight illuminating
her alluring limbs through her sweat-stained clothing.
"Well,
I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk ....... So you're up this late
practicing your dance moves?"
"Yeah.
As the daughter of the Francilt family, I can't afford to be seen embarrassing
myself at the opening party."
“…………”
Nozomu
felt a tingle in his chest as he watched Irisdina working so hard to practice
until this late at night, determined not to show any signs of weakness.
For
Irisdina, ballroom dancing should be something she is used to. She should be
able to handle it with a light wave of her hand.
Even
so, she never cut corners. Perhaps it was because she carried something
tremendous on her back.
"Ah,
right. Nozomu, let's practice a little. We didn't get to practice together much
today, so this is our chance, right?"
In
today's practice, Nozomu stumbled through the preliminary stages of the dance
and barely practiced the dance itself.
He
had a little time to practice, but it was more like a frog dance. It was not
the kind of dance that could be performed at a social event.
Nozomu
was taken aback by Irisdina's sudden suggestion but decided to take the
opportunity to practice the dance again.
"Y-yeah,
sure."
"Well
then, Nozomu, please take care of me..."
Nozomu
gently supported Irisdina's hand from below.
Slender
and beautiful hands. But in those hands, Nozomu could clearly feel the hard
calluses which were the proof of her hard work.
He
felt a slight pain in his chest.
"Umm,
from here..."
While
suppressing the tingling sensation in his chest, Nozomu tried to escort
Irisdina as he was taught today. However, the fact that he was doing it while
remembering and his body was shaking from the tension must have made his
movements awkward.
On
the other hand, Irisdina was looking at Nozomu, who was stiff, and her eyes
were relaxed as if she was watching something interesting.
"You
don't have to be so nervous. Remember what Madam Parline said. A good dance
only works if you relax, you know."
"E-,
even if you say so..."
Irisdina's
expression was happy all the time as she talked to Nozomu in a lighthearted
tone.
On
the other hand, Nozomu's hands were stiff with nervousness. He put his hands
around Irisdina's waist and began to dance, but he seemed to be struggling and
his steps were unsteady.
With
a smile on her face, the ashen-haired girl let out a sigh as if to say it
couldn't be helped, and she put some strength into the hand that was resting on
Nozomu's shoulder.
"You're
still a little stiff... Nozomu, I'm going to lean in a little closer."
"Eh?"
Irisdina
leaned in towards Nozomu, and the distance between the two of them shortened at
once.
The
distance between them was less than five centimeters. But that was all it took
for Nozomu's heart to start beating fast and wildly.
Her
sweet fragrance and body heat sent a strong jolt to his head.
At
the same time, the heat of his whole body rose at once, and his brain became
disorganized, unable to think straight.
"Hmm,
that's just right. Nozomu, let's get started."
"Ue~!
Ah, yes!"
Oblivious
to Nozomu's confusion, Irisdina started moving her body.
Nozomu
began to move his feet in a hurry as Irisdina suddenly raised the tempo.
However,
by forcing his feet forward while out of tempo, he nearly lost his balance.
"Oops
..."
"Nozomu,
your feet are slow. It's already half a beat faster."
"A-,
alright... Owaa!"
"Now
you're going too fast. Relax your shoulders a little more."
"O-,
okay..."
"When
you swing your katana, you don't swing it with just your arm, do you? It's the
same thing. Use your stomach and back muscles. The rest is your
breathing."
"Stomach
and back muscles, and then, breathing..."
"That's
right. Nozomu, look at me."
Irisdina
leaned her body against Nozomu and looked into his eyes.
Jet-black
eyes gazed gently at him. Nozomu's body naturally relaxed. At the same time,
the tingling sensation in his chest faded.
"Fuh~..."
While
exhaling loudly, Nozomu moved Irisdina's body in a flowing motion as he
received her weight.
Their
feet, flowing naturally, began to trace the exact same movement with perfect
timing.
Using
the foot as a pivot, Irisdina now decided to make a spinning turn. Her body
drew beautiful curves as she changed her body position.
"Oh,
it's better now. Let's go a little faster."
"Alright."
Irisdina
moved even faster to get closer to the original tempo of the song.
*Tap,
tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap!*
And
with a lilting rhythm, their bodies continued to glide smoothly across the hall
like the flow of a river.
"Is
it like this?"
"Good!
Just like this..."
Nozomu
found himself naturally following her lead.
The
tension that had been making his whole body tense somehow disappeared before he
knew it, and instead, the excitement that welled up in him became a heat that
ran through his whole body.
Their
breaths were already in perfect synchronization.
Sweat
beads clinging to their bodies danced like drops, and the scenery of the hall
was flowing like a line. In the midst of all this, the eyes of Nozomu and
Irisdina crossed each other.
Irisdina's
smile deepened as she saw the heat in Nozomu's eyes, and she accelerated her
movements even more.
"I'm
going as fast as the real thing. Follow me."
"Okay!"
The
tempo reached its peak here.
However,
just as the two of them put their strength on their feet to accelerate, the
foot on which their weight was being supported suddenly slipped.
""Ah~""
Perhaps
their feet slipped due to the sweat that was flying around them.
They
tried to regain their posture, but Nozomu and Irisdina, who were in close
proximity to each other, had no time to do so, and their bodies were thrown
with a mighty thud onto the marble floor.
The
quiet nighttime hall was interrupted by a *thud! sound and their voices echoed
through the quiet hall.
"Ouch...
Iris, are you okay?"
"Y-,
yeah. You're under me, so I don't feel any pain."
Irisdina,
who was resting her body on Nozomu's chest, replied somewhat in confusion.
Nozomu
had his hands around Irisdina's waist so that his body was naturally protecting
her.
The
ashen-haired girl gulped as she looked up at Nozomu, who was frowning in pain.
"Iris,
is something wrong?"
"N-,
no, it's nothing..."
With
a nervous expression on her face, Irisdina moved her body off of Nozomu and sat
down on her butt next to him.
As
Nozomu fell to the ground, he glanced to the side and saw her looking down at
him with a mischievous smile on her face.
"Fufu.
Aren't you actually can dance too, Nozomu?"
"Though
I did have a big fall at the end."
Ha-ha-ha!
They both laughed at each other.
It
was strangely funny considering themselves dancing so vigorously, but slipped
down like a joke at the end.
"Iris,
you really are amazing..."
"Hm?
What are you saying all of a sudden?
"That
dance earlier, you were leading me the whole time, weren't you? And you've also
helped me so many times..."
Having
said that much, Nozomu gulped his spit down.
The
lump in his chest, which he had forgotten about when he was dancing just now,
reappeared as if strangling his neck.
"...
Nozomu?"
While
looking at Irisdina, who had a dubious look on her face, Nozomu recalled what
Mazarinette had told him before.
"I
heard. About Iris's mother... And the real reason why Iris is trying to join
the Silver Rainbow Knight Order."
"I
see……"
Irisdina's
reason for wanting to join the Silver Rainbow Knight Order. Her vow to her late
mother and to protect Somia by becoming the head of the Francilt family.
When
Nozomu told her that he had heard about this, Irisdina exhaled heavily, for
some reason with a melancholy look on her face.
"Are
you disappointed?"
"Eh?
Why?"
"I
am saying that I am joining the Silver Rainbow Knight Order for the sake of
everyone, but in reality, all I am thinking about is Somia. I only think about
my own family."
Irisdina's
tone of voice was somewhat sad. Her face was tense as if she had been cut by a
cutter.
Nozomu
was surprised by Irisdina's sudden change in expression, but continued to
listen to her next words.
"Actually,
I invited Madam Parline here today not only to practice dancing but also to use
her name and be one of your backers. I'm not as honorable as you think."
"It's
normal to want to protect your family, isn't it? I don't think it's strange at
all. I respect it. When I was about six years old, I don't think I had the same
sense of responsibility as you..."
While
affirming Irisdina's self-deprecating words, Nozomu said that it was normal.
He
was sad to see Irisdina calling herself foul, and he did not want her to
belittle herself like that.
"If
I had confronted Ken and Lisa, we wouldn't have ended up like this. Unlike
Iris, I kept running away from myself, from looking at the others, and that's
why we all ended up going separate ways."
Nozomu
talked while reflecting on the mistakes he had made in the past.
If
he had faced Lisa and Ken from the beginning like Irisdina did, Ken might not
have met such a tragic end, and he might have had a better outcome.
"But
you overcame your hatred of being betrayed and saved Lisa. That's what's
amazing about you, Nozomu..."
"……Eh?"
“You are a person who can forgive
others. You can swallow the hatred in your heart and become strong, even if you
hate the person who betrayed you. I won't be able to do that. I won't be able
to forgive someone if they betray me. If someone hurts someone I care about, I
won't be able to stop my desire to kill. If I were to snap, I don't think I
could recover."
That
was definitely Irisdina's true feelings.
It
was a fear of herself that she held in her heart as she continued to move
forward in a straight line toward her goal.
Nozomu
took a breath and closed his eyes.
He
needed to show his own sincerity to answer the girl's true feelings.
"I
want to stand next to you ....... I don't want to waste everyone's feelings ...
"
Nozomu
Bountis admired Irisdina Francilt.
The
strength to not run away from one's responsibility.
It
was different from him who had run away before.
"You
look so dazzling to me. Even with that monster in your heart. Even though
you've been betrayed. You have the power to swallow your hatred and to hold
yourself together..."
Irisdina
Francilt admired Nozomu Bountis.
The
way he overcame his hatred and tried to move forward.
Even
if he was broken, he would stand up again.
"Nozomu
..."
A
person who has the strength that she does not have. That's why Irisdina is
attracted to Nozomu.
(I'm
in love with him...)
In
her mind, Irisdina ruminated on her own feelings.
The
feelings that sprouted after her beloved sister was rescued by him, and have
been nurtured through the continuous overcoming of difficulties.
The
love that had already filled her heart to the brim reached its limit the moment
she heard of Nozomu's feelings.
The
love that leaked out like water overflowing from a bowl was about to reach the
person next to her.
"I'm..."
But
just as she was about to put her feelings into words, her eyes fell on the
wound on Nozomu's right hand.
The
freshly dried blood, the brand-new wound, and above all, the faint residue of
magic power in the wound dammed up Irisdina's feelings that had leaked out.
"Nozomu,...
what's that wound?"
"N-,
no. Shina was helping me a little with my training. That's when I got this
wound."
Nozomu
told her that Shina had just helped him with Tiamat's control training.
A
powerful contract through blood. That it allowed him to sense the spirits.
Of
course, there were various details that he was afraid to talk about, so he did
not say anything about them.
However,
when Irisdina heard what Nozomu had to say, her mind raged like a storm.
"So
... what are you going to do about it, Nozomu?"
Irisdina
did her best to suppress her inner turmoil.
But
when she asked this question, her voice was clearly trembling.
For
elves, whose society is built on contracts with spirits, the blood-covenant
ceremony, in which they directly connect their own souls, is the most stringent
act of all and is tantamount to entrusting one's half body to one's partner.
The
weight of this contract may be heavier than that of a marriage between human
beings since their souls are connected by a direct contract.
Nozomu
and Shina performed the blood covenant ceremony. That is to say, from the
elves' perspective, it meant that they had more than just gotten married.
"Eh?
What do you mean?"
However,
contrary to Irisdina's agitation, Nozomu only tilted his head.
It
was clear that he had not been told anything about the meaning of the blood
covenant ceremony.
"I
see..."
"Iris?"
Understanding
that much, Irisdina understood Shina's true intentions.
She
was trying her best to support Nozomu without regard to her own circumstances
and without asking for anything in return.
She
understood the meaning of the contract and swallowed it all up inside herself.
Nozomu's
current situation was not one where one could be careless. He has
uncontrollable power and a calamity that he carries with him everywhere.
And
Nozomu himself was still repeating doing things recklessly because of his
remorse for turning his blade on Irisdina and the others in the previous
incident. The fact that he was still training despite Zonne's advice to take a
rest is proof of this.
(To
such him, what the hell was I going to tell him just now……)
She
tried to hit him with her one-sided feelings of love. When she thought of this,
a fierce sense of defeat and disaster welled up in Irisdina's heart.
She
was reminded of Shina's figure who was trying to support Nozomu while
swallowing all her thoughts and feelings, and of her own current circumstances.
"No,
it's nothing. We have to go back soon. Tomorrow will be tough too, you
know."
Irisdina
stood up and turned on her heel while doing her best to cover up her feelings
of love for Nozomu, which had leaked out.
She
didn't know what would happen to her if she stayed next to Nozomu any longer.
"Ah-,
right! Nozomu, you owe me more for this dance practice. No, if you include what
you've been owing me so far, it'll be quite a lot. I'll be collecting them
soon, so be prepared."
"...
Please don't ask for expensive jewelry or some kind of gem. I'll be broke if
you do."
"Well,
let's decide it at that time. I'm still thinking about it right now..."
Seeing
the implied smile on Irisdina's mouth, Nozomu looked worried.
"But
it's not jewelry or anything similar, is it?"
"...
Well, who knows..."
Irisdina,
desperately trying to hold back the tears that were about to overflow, tried
her best to act cheerful.
For
a moment, Nozomu could see her smile through her back, and it looked as if she
was crying.
But
before Nozomu could ask, Irisdina slid into the back of the door.
"~
!"
As
soon as she was out of Nozomu's vision, Irisdina bit her lip in a fit of rage
that burst forth from deep within her chest.
Emotions
flowed out one after another like a muddy stream. Irisdina suppressed the dull
ache in her chest with the pain of biting her lip as she disappeared down the
cold corridor. A single tear dripped from her eye.
Even
if they confirmed each other's feelings, they still diverged at the fundamental
point.
The
boy still didn't have a true pillar in his heart.
The
elf girl felt guilty for her own actions, and the ashen-haired girl felt guilty
for her own feelings.
All
three of them had become too accustomed to "enduring", and their
paths had diverged.
But from this moment on, their relationship
changed like a ripple spreading across the surface of a lake.
===============================
A
group of horse-drawn wagons arrived at Arcazam as snow began to fall.
The
knights who were supposed to be escorting them were hardly decorated with
excessive ornaments, and only the dull gleam of their armors adorned their
appearance.
The
carriage escorted by the knights was also unglamorous.
There
was one bewitching woman who walked towards the carriage.
She
stood in front of the carriage and bent down deeply.
"I
have been waiting for you. Egrod-sama."
"Umu
..."
A
tall man, nearly two meters, also of military build, stepped out of the
carriage. His eyes were sharp and intimidating as he glanced at Mekria, who was
kneeling in front of him.
Egrod
Fabran.
Combined
with his tall stature, he exuded a certain dignity. He looked up at the mansion
prepared for him with sharp eyes and disappeared into the mansion with the
women under his command.
The
season of trials and tribulations begins.