This chapter was brought to you by the collaboration between PolterGlast and Saekano Translations.
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Volume 2
Chapter 2.2
Off-Street
[Rivalry] Tune Part 2
Translator : PolterGlast
"Thank you."
Mars looked back to
the past and wondered when was the last time he had heard someone else say
those words to him.
Maybe it was the first
time.
Even as a child, he
had always been strong, and no other child his age could beat him in a fight.
Naturally, when he got
into fights, the adults around him would scold him, but as he grew older, the
only ones who scolded him head-on were his family members, Hanna, Dell, and
Ena.
Everyone else, adults
and children alike, cursed Mars behind his back instead of in front of him.
This irritated him
even more.
He didn't like the
people who sneaked around behind his back even though they couldn't say
anything by themselves, the people who sneered at him to get back at him, the
weak people who couldn't say anything back to him.
So he became stronger
and kept taking out his frustration on those around him. He knew it was
inconveniencing Ena, Dell, and Hanna, but he just couldn't and wouldn't accept
their weakness.
Other than that, he
didn't know how to vent his feelings.
Perhaps he had gone
too far, even the meritocratic Solminati Academy lost control of him and
dropped him to the lowest class, but he still did not want to admit the
weakness of those around him.
The reason why he
could not do so was because of the scar that was engraved in his heart. He and
his sister were abandoned by their father, who was weak.
Every time he saw
someone's weakness, he felt an inexhaustible surge of irritation, as if he had
burnt chopsticks shoved into his stomach.
(But why? Just with
those words from this girl, the irritation disappears as if it were a lie. Not
only that, but there's something......)
Mars peeked at the
girl walking next to him with a sideways glance so that Tima would not notice.
She has a small face,
large eyes, a fine nose, and a white nape of the neck peeking out from under
her brown hair, which is neatly trimmed down to her shoulders.
The heat that he
thought had gone away returned.
"B-, by the way,
do you have any siblings?"
He kept having
feelings that he did not understand, and tried to talk to her in an attempt to
do something about it. He wanted to cover up this feeling that he had never
felt before by doing something about it.
"I-, I don't have
a sister, but I do have one younger brother......."
Tima was on board with
Mars's random conversation, but she was also acting strangely.
Her face was strangely
red and her movements were shakier than ever. She looked like a badly made
golem.
"I-, is that
so?"
However, Mars'
appearance was also like a broken golem.
His voice was hoarse,
his gait strange, and his gaze unfocused.
In the end, the two,
like broken golems, forgot all about Irisdina and Nozomu who had strayed from
them, and continued their strange charade from beginning to end until they
parted in front of Tima's house.
◆
While Tima and Mars
were creating a sweet and sour atmosphere, Nozomu, accompanied by Irisdina, was
strolling through the commercial district.
"Say,
Irisdina-san......."
"............."
Nozomu's shoulders
slumped as if in resignation, as Irisdina stared at him silently, not replying.
"I-, Iris
......."
"Good, what is
it? Nozomu."
"You're going to
go home, right? Aren't we straying too far from the main street?"
Arcazam is divided
into four sections, and main streets have been built through the center of each
section.
From the main streets,
small paths spread out as if extending their branches. But now Nozomu and
Irisdina were moving further and further away from the main street and onto a
small one.
"This is a
shortcut. Besides, the security in Arcazam is much better than in other cities.
Even the streets don't smell bad. So we will be fine."
Even though Arcazam is
a relatively safe place, there will still be people who will think of doing
something bad.
Especially, since she
is the daughter of a leading figure in the Kingdom of Forsina, the biggest
supporter of Arcazam. The value of her life is immeasurable to a commoner like
Nozomu.
Perhaps sensing
Nozomu's concern, Irisdina smiled and tapped her fingertips on the hilt of the
[Silver Wings of the Evening Star], the rapier at her waist.
She is one of the most
talented students in Solminati Academy, and is a talented young woman who has
been recognized as being worthy of the A rank.
Moreover, with her
[Immediate Deployment] ability, she could activate her magic without chanting.
A thug would not even
have a chance, and if she used magic to strengthen her body, even a
well-trained soldier would be literally knocked out beneath the armor.
Isildina kept moving
forward. Nozomu could tell from her lack of hesitation that she was familiar
with these alleys.
"You seem to be
familiar with these alleys. Whereas I didn't even know about this
shortcut......"
"Well, sometimes
I go to the commercial and civic districts with Somia, you see."
Despite the atmosphere
of an always exemplary honor student and a sharpened blade, this girl has a
surprisingly innocent side to her. In this regard, she was very similar to her
younger sister.
"But because of
the matter with the Waziart family, there would be a chaperone coming in the
near future, so it would be more difficult for me to go there......"
"A
chaperone?"
"After the
incident at the mansion, my father says he's going to send one of his trusted
subordinates to me. And that person has been my personal chaperone since I was
a little girl. ."
That incident seemed
to be taken very seriously by the Francilte family.
"She's a very
nice person, but she's very strict about a lot of things. Maybe she will keep
an eye on you, Nozomu."
"That's
......."
Irisdina is the next
head of the Francilte family. As a noblewoman, she is naturally expected to
have a high standard of friendships.
In contrast, Nozomu is
just a commoner. In his imagination, he could picture himself being stabbed
from behind on a moonless night.
Nozomu's face paled as
he recalled the difference in status between him and Irisdina.
"Are you scared
now? Fufu~, it's okay. You are a benefactor of mine and Somia's. I won't even
let my father do something strange to you."
"I'm begging you,
really ......."
Irisdina giggled,
perhaps amused by Nozomu's reaction
But on the other hand,
she was still very curious about the power he had shown her at the Francilt
mansion.
(I'd be lying if I
said I wasn't curious. I'm sure Mars-kun would feel the same way......)
His incredible Qi
control and refined swordsmanship. She came to know these things when she first
met him in the Spasim forest.
When she saw Nozomu's
Qi-jutsu [Phantom], she was indeed awestruck by the brilliance of his
technique. For if Irisdina had tried to create an equivalent blade, she would
have needed ten seconds.
However, the
"power" he showed in the fight against Rugato was clearly of a
different caliber. A vampire with abilities far superior to those of humans.
And yet, he had the amount of Qi and physical ability capable of overpowering
it head-on.
Although the
conversation about it was cut short, it did not mean that her curiosity was
gone.
(It was almost like
Jihad-sensei......)
Irisdina's mind
pictured the most powerful swordsman in the Solminati Academy.
He is the pinnacle
figure in the academy and the hero of the Great Invasion of twenty years ago.
As a first-class
student, she had experienced a combat lesson with this man in class.
At that time, she was
still in the middle of her second year of school. Although she was more
inexperienced than she is now, she remembered that she and Tima had been
knocked down without the slightest chance of victory.
It was the same when
she fought against Rugato. There was a gap between A-rank and S-rank that could
not be described in a single word.
A wall of that
magnitude. There would be no easy way to overcome it.
(He said it was a
"release" of [Ability Suppression]. In other words, it was his true
ability.)
That was the root of
her discomfort.
(I want to hear, I
want to know. The secret of his power. So that this time I will be able to
protect Somia......)
After the incident
with Rugato, Irisdina's curiosity about Nozomu had grown even stronger.
His outstanding
swordsmanship, his formidable strength. However, contrary to that, he seemed to
be just like any other young boy of his age.
I want to know more
about him.
These feelings filled
her up like pouring water into a glass.
(Nozomu, why don't you
show your power more aggressively?)
Such words came up to
her throat. However, she swallowed them down with a gulp. What came back to her
mind was how he had looked when she had asked him about the "power"
behind defeating Rugato. His fear and anxiety made her hesitate to ask him any
further questions.
At that moment, a loud
voice echoed in the quiet alley.
"Hey, beautiful
young lady over there. Would you like to stop by?"
"Hmm?"
Nozomu and Irisdina
were startled by the sudden words, and their bodies jerked in surprise.
When they turned their
eyes in the direction of the voice, they saw a small, cramped stall at the end
of a small alley.
The sign on the stall
read "Fortune Telling" in bold letters, and on the table were
randomly placed crystals, cards, and a jar filled with thin wooden sticks.
On the wall, there
hung a number of cards that seemed to be from the East, accessories in the
shape of a goat's skull for some reason, and other things that were either to
ward off evil or to curse.
"My name is
Zonne, and as you can see, I'm a humble fortune teller."
"Hmm, fortune
teller, huh?"
"No, no matter
how one looks at it, it doesn't seem to have the atmosphere of a
fortune-telling store......"
To put it bluntly, it
was not a fortune teller, but rather a recruiting center for a suspicious
witchcraft organization or even a cult.
Moreover, Nozomu felt
something disturbing in the atmosphere the old man was exuding. It was the same
as someone he knew very well.
"Old man. What
can you fortune tell me?"
"Anything. I can
tell you everything, from the future to tomorrow's weather, from tonight's
dinner to your lover's affair!"
(Aren't the contents
of the fortune-telling too random!? How can you tell if someone is cheating on
you just by reading their fortune? I can't stand it when people assume I'm
cheating on my partner because of something like that!)
Nozomu was suddenly at
a loss as to where to begin, but Irisdina, who was surprisingly curious, seemed
to be on board.
"Well, sure. It
looks interesting, so let's give it a try. What about you, Nozomu-kun?"
"Eh, are you
serious? I'll pass......"
"All right! Then,
missy, let's get started!"
Nozomu couldn't help
but look at the old man who ignored him and kept his eyes fixed only on
Irisdina.
The old man's
inability to listen to others was akin to that of his own mentor.
At the same time,
Nozomu swallowed the complaint that was rising in his throat. He knew that this
kind of person would simply ignore what he had to say and not listen.
He had thought that
there were not so many people who were that free-spirited, but it seemed that
the world was a small place.
"Well then, let
me see the palm of your hand."
After taking Irisdina's
hand, Zonne pulled out a magnifying glass and began to examine her hand.
But the old man's
cheeks turned loose and relaxed, and his hands were strangely lecherous.
"So ......, old
man, what are the results?"
"Hmm~, it might
take a little longer~."
The old man, with a
grin on his face, kept caressing Irisdina's hand. Upon seeing this act,
Nozomu's anger gauge was rising rapidly.
"Hmm~. I can't
quite see it~. Let's try the other hand this time......"
"Heavenly
punishment!"
Just as he was about to
take the other hand as well, Nozomu's patience ran out.
Having seen the figure
of Shino overlapping with Zonne, he slammed his katana down on the old man's
head with all his might.
(Oh, no, I forgot to
hold back......)
"W-, what the
hell are you doing to an old man!"
Jumping up due to the
pain, Zonne yelled out while holding his head where he had been hit.
The fact that he could
complain even though he was clearly the one who had been doing sexual
harassment spoke volumes about the old man's character.
"What are you
talking about, you ero-geezer? You haven't been fortune-telling since a while
ago!"
"What are you
saying, young man!? It's man's nature to want to touch such a gorgeous
flower!"
The old man readily
admitted that he was not doing fortune-telling, and reaffirmed what Nozomu had
said.
"And a true man
will do whatever it takes to get that flower! A wimp like you can't do anything
about it anyway. You may go now, it's too precious for a brat like you!"
"Who are you to
call me a wimp, you walking obscenity!? That kind of character should be thrown
in the toilet along with your dentures!"
Nozomu, on the other
hand, had already completely discarded any sense of restraint toward the old
man.
The two were cursing
each other. But then a cold, icy voice interrupted their quarrel.
"...... By the
way, old man, how long do you intend to hold my hand?"
The voice was so clear
that everyone could hear it, yet it was accompanied by an intimidating force
that made one cower, and Nozomu felt a cold sweat break out on his spine.
When he looked at
Irisdina's face, he saw that her cheeks were twitching with anger.
"Ah....... N-,
no, it's over now. Hahahaha ......."
The old man, who had
faced her intimidating force head-on, tried to leave the place quickly with his
face pale. However, he was unable to escape because she was holding his hand.
"Well, I did
consent to it. So I was going to laugh it off and let a bit of your rudeness
slide ......, but what you did was somewhat aggravating."
"Fu~oo!"
A creaking sound of
bones could be heard from Zonne's hand in Irisdina's grip.
"Ouch, ouch-ouch.
M-, miss, it's kinda hurt ......"
The creaking and
clenching sounds continued as if the bones were being clamped in a vise. The
already pale face of the old man began to turn purple. If one were to look
closely, Irisdina's hand was shining faintly due to the light of her magic
power.
"Wait, I'm sorry!
It was impulsive of me! Please, miss, don't go any further! My hand will
shatter!"
But Irisdina did not
respond to the old man's plea. With an icy smile on her face, she further
exerted more force on her clenched hand.
*Creak-creak-creak!*
*Crack!*
"Ah ......."
"Fuooo~!"
Zonne's body shook as
if struck by lightning, and he collapsed on the spot, foaming.
The old man's eyes
were completely rolled back in his head, and from the side, he looked like he
was about to go straight into a coffin.
(But this old man, I'm
sure he'll never learn from this......)
Nozomu recalled his
mentor, Shino. She was definitely the best in katana-jutsu, but in everyday
life, she was strangely childish and would not listen to others.
She was a
self-centered person and threw tantrums when anyone disobeyed her, just like an
old man who was dying in front of him. In Nozomu's case, however, he was the
one who suffered the ultimate damage.
(Shisho. Even in the
name of training, you shouldn't just take away my katana and leave me in the
forest......)
Remembering his past
punishment, Nozomu's shoulders slumped.
He had once had his
weapon taken away from him when he and Shino got into an argument and left him
for the night in the Spasim forest.
Night is the time for
demonic beasts. Under such circumstances, Nozomu was in the bushes, desperately
trying to hold his breath.
If he were attacked,
he would have no way to defend himself, he had no choice but to run for his
life. In fact, he had once been attacked by a demonic beast in the middle of
the night and had narrowly escaped with his life.
"Now that we've
finished punishing this old mischief maker., let's get going."
"Ah, y-,
yes......"
Although Nozomu had
sunk into the trauma of the past, Irisdina's voice brought him back to his
senses, and they went back into the city.
All that was left
behind was a pathetic ............ old man who had lost himself in lust.
◆
Nozomu left Zonne the
fortune teller's shop, but he was now embarrassed.
The reason went
without saying. He was embarrassed because Irisdina saw him having a silly
argument with the ero-geezer.
Irisdina's eyes were
like those of a child who has come up with a prank.
"Fufu~, but it
was unexpected. I never thought you'd be yelling like that......"
"Ah, no. That old
man resembled my mentor a lot. Perhaps because of that, I find it unnecessary
to be so reserved, or perhaps I would be beaten if I were to do so...... Iris.,
you too. I never thought you'd willingly walk into that shady store."
"Well,
umm......"
Not to be outdone,
Nozomu also counterattacked. Even he had not imagined that Irisdina would
voluntarily enter such a suspicious store. At the very least, it would not be
the behavior of an ordinary noblewoman.
Irisdina seemed to be
aware of it as well, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as her gaze wandered
about.
"You're kinda
mean, you know, for teasing a woman."
"Eh?"
Irisdina's cheeks
puffed out in a fit of embarrassment, and she glared at Nozomu.
Her face was more cute
than scary, much like her sister's.
"Come to think of
it, I remember you gave Somia a bracelet as a present."
Nozomu tilted his head
at Irisdina, who glanced at him with a meaningful look.
"...... Umm, what
about it?"
"You're not very
perceptive, are you? Even though we're on a date right now."
While wondering about
the meaning of her words, Nozomu finally understood upon hearing the word
"date.
(I guess she wants
something like that bracelet I gave to Somia-chan, but it's just so
sudden......)
While slumping his
shoulders, Nozomu once again looked at Irisdina's figure.
Her slender limbs and
slim waist. She has the appearance of an exquisite doll. And her hair is glossy
and pitch-black like the darkest night. To be honest, her quality is so strong
that no matter what he chooses, all he can envision is the sight of the present
being completely outshined.
At that moment,
Nozomu's eyes fell on Irisdina's glossy hair.
(Come to think of it,
she's not wearing any hair clips or something similar......)
Nozomu thought so
while admiring her beautiful black hair, fluttering gracefully in the breeze.
Hair has the property
of storing magic power. For this reason, magic users, especially women, tended
to grow their hair long.
"What do you
think of this one?"
Nozomu picked a
thumb-sized ornament from a stall that sold a variety of miscellaneous items.
It was a hair clip
decorated with white glass beads. The light-colored beads glinted under the
flickering flames of the lantern.
"A hair clip,
huh? Not bad."
Irisdiina's tone of
voice went up slightly. Nozomu was relieved to hear that she seemed to like it
more than he had expected. He paid for the hair clip and presented it to her.
Irisdina smiled at the
hair clip he handed her, lightly combed her bangs by hand, and put the clip on.
Irisdina's hair was
lifted up, revealing her face, with its well-defined features and eyes.
Nozomu felt that her
usual dignified yet unapproachable atmosphere had lessened, and she was more
approachable.
"How is it?"
"It suits you
......, or rather, the hair clip completely lost its shine compared to
you."
"Fufu~, thank
you."
Irisdina's smile grew
brighter upon hearing Nozomu's words. The two left the commercial district as
it was.
The vermilion light
shining through the store window gently illuminated Irisdina, who was wearing a
white hair clip.
After leaving the
commercial district, they passed the central park and entered the
administrative district.
The chaotic hustle and
bustle of the city subsided, and the atmosphere of the town changed to one of
quiet and serenity.
That was how they
arrived at the Francilt mansion. In front of the main gate stood a maid.
She had a straight
back and sharp eyes. She was probably in her late thirties or early forties.
She wore a powerful
atmosphere that betrayed her age and combined with the maid's uniform she wore,
she left a strong impression on Nozomu and made him feel a sense of unease.
"Welcome back,
Irisdina-ojōsama. It's been a while."
"Mena ....... So
you're already here."
Irisdina's expression
turned surprised as she confirmed the maid's appearance.
"Iris, who is
she?"
"Oh, I told you
before remember? She's the confidant sent by my father."
"Nice to meet
you, Nozomu Bountis-sama. My name is Mena Manat, and I am a personal attendant
of Victor-sama, the current head of the Francilt family."
As Irisdina introduced
her, the mature woman called Mena bowed deeply.
"You have truly
been of great help to us on the recent incident. On behalf of my Lord, I thank
you from the bottom of my heart."
The mature maid
expressed her gratitude once again, while implicitly hinting at the incident
involving Rugato.
Her voice was filled
with a tone of gratitude and relief that could not be hidden. This alone showed
how worried she was about Irisdina and Somia.
"Normally, we
would have organized the whole household to express our gratitude. However,
since this matter is quite serious, please forgive us for expressing our
gratitude in such a manner."
"N-, no, it's
fine. I'm just glad I was able to save Somia-chan. Besides, it just so happens
that I was there when it happened......"
However, being
respected like this was somewhat troubling for Nozomu. This is because he has
never received this kind of treatment from an older person before.
Nozomu had avoided
contact with other people ever since he was dumped by Lisa.
His one-sided life
spent entirely on the sword had robbed him of most of his ability to
communicate.
Besides, Nozomu was
originally a commoner. He himself is aware that he is not a person to be
respected.
"Ah, right. If
you don't mind, would you like to stay the night?"
"Eh?"
However, contrary to
Nozomu's inner thoughts, Irisdina made a series of statements that troubled
Nozomu even further.
"N-, no. I'll be
going back to my dorm today......"
"I see. That's
too bad. Fufu~, I was hoping to hear more of your story."
Even after hearing
Nozomu's refusal, Irisdina kept on smiling. Nozomu smiled wryly upon seeing her
teasing him to the very end.
"A-, hahaha
....... Well then, that's it for today."
"Ah, thanks for
helping me out today......."
As Nozomu left with a
wry smile on his face, Irisdina called out to him as if she had just remembered
something.
"If you want to
improve your grades at the academy, you can make good use of the Adventurers'
Guild, which is one of the few organizations outside the academy that has a
direct influence on your grades."
"...... I'll
think about it."
"Yeah, that'd be
great. Good night."
"Good
night."
Irisdina let out a
small sigh as she watched Nozomu return to the dormitory, this time with a small
bow of her head, and then turned back to the maid who was watching over her.
"Once again, it's
been a while, Mena. Is Father doing well?"
"Yes, well enough
to be nagging about seeing his daughter."
"Your attitude
toward Father is the same as always."
The words that Mena
uttered with a thin smile on her face were not something that would normally be
uttered by a maid. However, Irisdina, seemingly accustomed to it, merely
shrugged her shoulders.
"Is he the one
who helped you in your fight against Rugato? I see. He seems to be quite a
capable man."
"You could
tell?"
"Yes. Despite how
I look, I am also a bit of a swordsman myself. I can tell how good he is with a
sword based on the way he stands. He seems to have more delicate and precise
swordsmanship than you, miss."
"If Mena is
merely a bit of a swordsman, then most swordsmen would be less than a bit of a
swordsman......"
Mena Manat is an
excellent maid, but at the same time, she was also Irisdina's mentor in
swordsmanship. In terms of simple swordsmanship, she still surpasses Irisdina,
and is a swordsman equivalent to an A rank.
She is also an old
friend of Irisdina's late mother, a loyal servant of the Francilt family for a
long time, and to Irisdina, she is a woman who served as a replacement for her late
mother. Therefore, there is a distance between them that is different from that
of ordinary servants.
"By the way,
Mena, what is that thing you have in your pocket?"
"This one? It is
a document about your prospective partners. The first one is Gruzer-sama of the
Glasheim family, the second one is Bayne-sama of the Patton family, and the
third one is- ......."
What Mena took out was
a thick bundle of papers. It contained profiles, with portraits, of the nobles
she had selected as Irisdina's future suitors.
"Haa...... that's
enough. I'm going back to the mansion."
Irisdina, on the other
hand, turned her heel in response to Mena's push for an arranged marriage, as
if going in one ear and out the other.
Seeing her like this,
Mena looked up at the sky in dismay.
"Gosh, young
lady, ...... do you have any awareness that you are the next head of the
family?"
"I am doing well
at parties, aren't I?"
"The problem is
that you have not been in a relationship with a man at your age. It's time for
you to start looking for a partner, you know?"
"You are too
persistent. If push comes to shove, we could just adopt a child, couldn't
we?"
"You don't even
have any intention of adopting a child in the first place, do you? Because as
soon as Somiriana-ojōsama becomes a full-fledged woman, you intend to give
everything to that child and her partner."
As if she had been hit
where it hurts, Irisdina's expression turned sour, and without another word,
she returned to the mansion. At that time, Mena's gaze caught the hair clip
shining in Irisdina's black hair.
"Hm? Miss, is
that a hair clip?"
"Yeah, I found it
on my way home and was interested in it. So I bought it."
After saying so,
Irisdina disappeared into the mansion.
After she left, Mena
smiled meaningfully in front of the main gate.
White, simple hair
clip. Considering Irisdina's good looks, it was obviously an item that would
stand out.
Based on Mena's point
of view, Irisdina did not possess the personality to be excessively dressed up.
At the same time,
however, if she needed to, she would be able to choose the right item for her
appearance and status.
Such a girl was now
wearing a cheap hair clip as if she cherished it. That was enough for Mena, who
had a keen intuition, to understand what was going on.
"I see, so that's
how it is. It seems to be having a more positive effect than I thought ......
I'm looking forward to what comes next."
With the matchmaking
introduction form tucked away in her pocket, she, too, followed her master back
to the Francilt mansion.
As a faithful maid and
swordsman, Mena's mouth was full of a joyful smile upon noticing the change in
the girl.
◆
Returning to her room,
Irisdina let out a big sigh ...... propping her beloved rapier which was at her
waist, on the wall, and then she sat down on her bed.
She had not expected
Mena to arrive so soon. She had assumed it would take another week or so.
"That must be how
worried he was about me......"
Irisdina herself did
not doubt her father's affection for her. Otherwise, there was no way he would
have allowed her to become the next head of the Francilt family, one of the
major aristocratic families in the Forsina Kingdom, as a woman.
But at the same time,
her father is a man who is capable of being a nobleman and a man who stands
above the rest.
"I wonder what
you intend to do about him......"
Regarding Nozomu,
Irisdina only reported that he was an outstanding swordsman and someone who
could release his [Ability Suppression].
The letter only
mentioned that he had defeated Rugato as a result of having cooperated with the
others, and did not mention that he had, in reality, defeated a formidable
S-ranked opponent all on his own.
Originally, she should
have reported it. However, Irisdina did not do so.
The slight agitation
and hesitation he had shown when she had asked him about his overwhelming power
in defeating Rugato had made her reluctant to do so.
"He's hiding
something. Perhaps it has something to do with his [Ability
Suppression]......"
Something that made
Nozomu hesitate to speak. The curiosity about him that swirled inside Irisdina
was further intensified when she became aware of it.
I want to know more
about him. I want to know what he's thinking, what he's dealing with, what's
bothering him.
"That reminds me,
he mentioned that his mentor had passed away. Did something happen to him at
that time?"
His mentor, who was
said to have taught him the katana-jutsu. When he spoke of that person, he had
a faint, sad smile on his mouth.
"Somehow, I don't
like it......"
I want to know more,
but I don't know how. Not knowing is frustrating. It is, without a doubt, a
manifestation of a strong interest in the opposite sex.
But at the same time,
the manifestation of this curiosity also makes her intensely impatient.
The tingle in the
depths of her heart. Irisdina wanted to suppress it and reflexively reached for
her bangs.
The hair clip touched
her fingertips. The hard, cold sensation calmed the throbbing in her chest.
"Maybe this is
the first time. I've never been so happy to receive a present from a man who is
not a member of my family."
She had considerable
experience in receiving presents. However, there was always some kind of hidden
intention behind the present.
Therefore, she never
kept any presents from anyone other than her family.
Irisdina slowly got up
from her bed and went to the dressing room, took off her hair clip, and began
to fiddle with her hair.
She changed her
hairstyle a few times, and when she was satisfied with the way it looked, she
re-fastened it with the hair clip that Nozomu had given her.
"I think it goes
like this?"
The gentle atmosphere
grew even stronger. She naturally smiled as she saw her own reflection in the
mirror.
At the same time, the
tingling sensation that had been calming down came back to her mind.
"That's weird, my
heart's pounding......"
However, the tingling
was different from the previous one.
It was like a tender
heat, reminiscent of a winter fireplace. The warmth and comfort that gradually
seeped into her body, she naturally put her hand on her chest and smiled
cheerfully, the smile on her mouth deepening.
