Volume 7
Chapter 14
After dinner was finished, Victor, Nozomu, and the others moved to the salon and chatted as they pleased.
By the way, Mimuru,
who was knocked out by Nozomu and Shina, had been put to sleep in a separate
room, but she had now recovered and had come to the salon.
However, she was
fuming at having missed most of the luxurious meal, and in her irritation, she
began to greedily devour the tea cakes that had been prepared, even the
portions belonging to others.
Of course, the moment
she did so, she was met with Shina's icy gaze and was forced to tuck her tail
between her legs and raise the white flag in an instant.
Incidentally, Feo had
dutifully finished off Mimuru's remaining cooking.
Nozomu, for the time
being, was drinking the tea he had been served while observing his comrades.
Irisdina and Somia
were continuing to talk with Victor. Perhaps because they hadn't seen him for
several years, they probably had a mountain of things they wanted to talk
about.
Mars was talking to
Tima, Tom, and Shina, and had started a discussion about magic.
Judging from the
content of the conversation, it seemed to be about the control of magic. From
time to time, words like "formation magic" and "ki
techniques" were flying around, so it was probably about Mars's Magic-Ki
Combination Technique.
Mars and Tom had
occasionally talked about magic-related things, but Nozomu felt that the two of
them had been talking more than usual recently.
Feo was sitting on an
expensive chair, looking up at the ceiling with a truly happy face. The meal
served today must be that delicious.
However, he was
occasionally murmuring words like, "I have no more regrets," and
there was a concern that his soul might achieve enlightenment from the sheer
bliss.
A calm time that had
not been experienced in a long time.
Before Nozomu knew it,
the tea in the cup he was holding was completely gone.
"Nozomu."
Just as he had placed
the empty cup on a nearby table, Irisdina called out to him.
"Ah, Iris. Are
you done talking with Victor-san?"
"Yes, it seems my
father will be staying in this city for a while. We won't be short of
parent-child conversation for a while."
Before he knew it,
Victor's figure was no longer in the salon. He must have returned to his room
first.
Perhaps he was considerate.
While thinking about that, Nozomu looked around the salon again.
Although not as large
as the dining room, this salon, which was divided into a 20-meter square, was
also a magnificent thing that Nozomu had never seen before.
Pictures decorating
the walls, and tables with intricate carvings.
The chairs also had
intricate carvings, and the seats and backrests were perhaps filled with
feathers, as they returned a soft, fluffy sensation.
Even Nozomu, who had
no connection to such places, could somehow understand that they were all works
of a first-class craftsman.
"But still, it's
an amazing mansion. It's surprising to hear that this mansion was built for you
and Somia to attend Solminati..."
"I said that
dormitory life would be fine, but my father had his own intentions, and I was
also told various things by the academy.
And when Somia and I
graduate, this mansion is scheduled to be donated to Solminati Academy."
Nozomu's eyes widened
at the story of them donating this mansion so easily.
And at Irisdina, who
was letting go of such a luxurious mansion as if she were just replacing old
clothes, he once again felt that she had lived in a different world from them.
"Is it okay to
let it go so easily?"
"Neither my father
nor I have any reason to be attached to this mansion.
And as the number of
students at the academy increases, the current academy facilities will no
longer be sufficient. This mansion is large, so it's perfect for expanding the
facilities, and it's also good publicity."
It seemed that for
Irisdina and the others, it was not a bad story.
It was certainly a
luxurious mansion, but just keeping it without using it was pointless and would
only increase expenses.
So, it was more useful
to donate it to Solminati for maintaining the influence of the Francilt family
and the country of Foschia within Arcazam, and for external publicity. It
seemed that this matter had already been coordinated with the academy.
"If it's donated
to the academy, this mansion might be demolished. When I first came to this
city, I thought of it as just a temporary lodging, but now that I think about
it, I feel a little sad..."
Nozomu inwardly wanted
to retort, "No, no matter how you look at it, this mansion is not just a
temporary lodging," but he held it in.
If this luxurious
mansion was considered a temporary lodging, just how grand was the main
Francilt family mansion?
A chalk-white castle
surrounded by a castle wall floated in Nozomu's mind, and it might not have
been far from the truth.
"Iris, you said
you were sad about this mansion disappearing, but why?"
"Why, you ask,
well, that's..."
At the suddenly silent
Irisdina, Nozomu tilted his head.
While furtively
peeking at Nozomu from the side, she shook her head slightly and put on a grave
face.
"Hey, Nozomu.
After you graduate from this academy, what will you do?"
"...Who knows. To
be honest, I feel like I still don't really know. As for you, Iris, you were
going to join the Silver Rainbow Knights, right?"
"Yes, I still
want to join the Silver Rainbow Knights and help many people. And also..."
Irisdina glanced
sideways, a look of bewilderment on her face.
For her, who was
usually calm, to make such a face. Nozomu immediately had an idea.
"Somia-chan?"
"Y-Yeah. Well,
that's part of it. I want to be a sister that Somia can be proud of in front
of."
Irisdina, who had said
Somia's name with some hesitation.
Her usual transcendent
elegance had faded, and there was the figure of a normal girl who loved her
family.
"Do you have any
siblings, Nozomu?"
"No, I was an
only child."
"Your parents
allowed you to come to Solminati so easily."
"Actually, my old
man was strongly against it. We even ended up in a fistfight."
With a wry smile,
Nozomu remembered his father.
He was a stubborn
father who had supported him and his mother while tilling the fields.
Although he had
eventually allowed him to attend Solminati, he remembered him making a face as
if he had bitten into a hundred bitter bugs.
"Iris's father
seems like a very nice person, but to be honest, I get quite nervous facing
him..."
"He’s often told
that because of his stern appearance. My father, despite how he looks, is
actually a straightforward and mischievous person at heart. Well, he can be a
bit of a handful at times, though..."
"St-Straightforward...
huh."
At those words, Nozomu
couldn't help but feel a sense of wrongness.
He had felt that he
was not as strict as he looked, but to apply the word
"straightforward" to him was just too much, given his dignified
presence.
A person who exuded so
much presence that an ordinary person would naturally bow their head.
Perhaps Irisdina's
sense was just off, Nozomu forcibly convinced himself.
The same went for
calling this luxurious mansion a "temporary lodging." People do not
feel a sense of wrongness about the environment they grew up in.
"...Nozomu, are
you thinking something rude?"
"...No, not at
all."
As if she had read
Nozomu's thoughts, Irisdina directed a suspicious gaze at him.
"You're not much
better yourself, Nozomu, when it comes to being clueless in certain
fields..."
"Huh?"
Irisdina was aware
that her own environment was somewhat removed from the world. But she had
always felt that when it came to swordsmanship and survival skills, Nozomu was
in a league of his own.
A ki technique that
could cut through both offense and defense in a single stroke, and a
swordsmanship that could hold its own against Jihad.
For Irisdina, who had
been watching his battles up close until now, she didn't feel like she could
win if she were to fight him to the death head-on.
Even if she
overwhelmed him from a distance with a barrage of magic, he would surely find
some kind of breakthrough. She now had a premonition that was close to a
conviction.
Once he found a
breakthrough, Nozomu would not hesitate. He would instantly pour all his
strength into that breakthrough and tear through her strategy like a gale.
And once he got close,
it would be her turn to see hell.
The fact that all his
attacks could be a one-hit kill, she really wished he would cut it out.
If she were to counter
Nozomu's "Phantom" in close combat, Irisdina had no choice but to use
her trump card, "Lunar Eclipse Night."
But she couldn't forge
a blade in an instant like Nozomu, and if she used Lunar Eclipse Night, she
would have no room to focus on other magic.
And in the case of
pure swordsmanship, Nozomu had a complete advantage. In other words, if he got
close, Irisdina would have practically no means of resistance.
Victory was certain
once he got close. When she thought about it like that, something like ability
suppression seemed truly trivial, which was strange.
"Honestly, what
kind of training did your master put you through..."
"...Don't make me
remember."
At the sight of Nozomu,
who was holding his head with a pale face, Irisdina let out a small sigh.
In the end, whether
one could become strong or not probably depended on one's own state of mind.
Irisdina thought so while looking at the young man who was holding his head
next to her.
"However,
although your surroundings have completely changed recently, you yourself
haven't changed at all..."
"Master, finger
joints don't bend that way. Please don't hit me in the gaps between my joints
in the name of training. Are you that angry that dinner was just one fish?
And please stop making
me do a hundred matches against you because I can't do a hundred-man kumite,
I'll die..."
While looking at
Nozomu, who was sinking into a vortex of trauma, Irisdina was thinking about
his recent situation.
The rumor about Nozomu
that Ken Notice had spread throughout the academy had completely disappeared.
Furthermore, with his mock battle with Jihad in the Martial Arts Garden,
Nozomu's reputation was now soaring.
Especially his
popularity with the underclassmen was tremendous, and he had recently been in
high demand as a reliable senior.
Despite that, Nozomu
himself didn't seem to care about what others thought of his skills or
swordsmanship. Without becoming arrogant, he was living his days as usual.
What he cared about
were the safety of his comrades and the underclassmen who came to him for
advice. And the matter of his broken childhood friends.
It was true that the
current Nozomu did not have the luxury of paying attention to status or honor.
But even if he were to
notice the position that was prepared before him, she felt that he himself
would not change.
She felt that he would
just give a listless reply, "Oh, is that so?"
Irisdina, who had
continued to see the hidden side of people. That's why she could understand
just how precious his unchanging essence was.
And she was
irresistibly drawn to it.
Her feelings for
Nozomu, which were growing stronger day by day. The person she wished to be by
her side from the bottom of her heart.
But at the sight of
Nozomu, who was tilting his head with a look of genuine confusion, Irisdina
also couldn't help but feel unbearable.
"Nozomu, you,
about me..."
What do you think of
me?
About to say such
words, Irisdina hurriedly swallowed the words that had come up to her throat.
When she timidly
peeked at Nozomu's state from the side, Nozomu, perhaps having finally escaped
from the vortex of trauma, was panting with a frustrated expression.
"Hah, hah...
Iris, did you say something?"
It seemed her words
that had leaked out had not been heard by Nozomu.
But at the same time,
realizing the meaning of the words she had almost let slip, a heat like magma
rushed through Irisdina's body at once.
Desperately
suppressing her twitching cheeks, Irisdina feigned composure.
"...Ah, I said
that you are dense, Nozomu."
"After pushing a
person into the hell of trauma, isn't it cruel to attack them further!?"
While suppressing the
feelings of unease in her heart, Irisdina spoke spitefully as if to cover up
her blushing cheeks.
The lamenting Nozomu
was raising his voice in protest to Irisdina, but as always, he was natural.
At his appearance, the
magma-like heat quickly subsided, and in its place, a soft warmth similar to
the light of a fireplace enveloped her entire body.
Eventually, the two of
them, as if they had looked at each other, smiled, and let out a soft laugh.
"Phew, it's a
nice night..."
"If only you
hadn't dug up a person's trauma, Iris, I could honestly feel that way."
"Muu..."
While looking at the
moonlit night that floated in the starry sky, the two of them enjoyed a moment
of silence for a while.
Eventually, Irisdina
quietly moved closer to Nozomu and gently hugged his arm.
The soft sensation of
a maiden spread throughout his arm, and Nozomu couldn't help but let out a
voice.
"I-Iris!?"
"It's fine, just
like this..."
Nozomu was taken aback
by Irisdina's sudden action.
However, Irisdina's
expression had her eyes downcast, and she was wearing a pensive look.
"Hey Nozomu. Do
you remember, the words from that time?"
"Eh?"
"Umm, that is, I
mean..."
The words she had said
in the heat of the moment, trying to stop him when he had gone berserk. But
they were, without a doubt, her true feelings.
Wanting to carve them
more into his heart, Irisdina pressed her body closer to Nozomu as if in a
fever.
More, more... closer
to him...
"Excuse me, you
two."
"Uhyau!"
However, a voice that
threw cold water on her passion echoed.
Irisdina jumped away
as if she had been shot and turned her gaze to the owner of the voice.
"M-Me-Mena. What
in the world is the matter?"
The one who had called
out was Victor's personal maid, Mena. She looked at the flustered Irisdina and,
without any particular concern, began to state her business nonchalantly.
"I have been ordered
by my master to call for Nozomu-sama. I am sorry to interrupt, but could you
please come with me?"
"Father
did?"
"Yes, regarding
the recent incident with the Wajiart family, he would like to express his
gratitude in various ways..."
Although it was a
somewhat understandable reason, Mena's words somehow got stuck in Irisdina's
chest.
The report of the Rugato
attack that Irisdina had sent to Victor did not contain anything that would
lead to Nozomu's secret.
At the time, Irisdina
did not know about the existence of Tiamat, but she had hesitated to pursue her
benefactor too much.
At that time, what
Irisdina had been able to get out of Nozomu was only the point that he could
release his ability suppression.
Therefore, the report
did not contain any description of his ability suppression. Instead, Irisdina
had pushed to the forefront how excellent his swordsmanship was.
The text might have
become a little excessive, but she had immediately understood that Nozomu's
swordsmanship surpassed her own skills, and while emphasizing that point, she
had written in her letter as naturally as possible.
But Victor, who had
seen through people's lies more than she had, might have noticed.
In the first place,
facing an S-rank enemy and repelling them without a single casualty was an
extremely difficult thing in itself.
Then, what Victor
wanted to ask Nozomu was probably about his secret, wasn't it?
No, it wasn't as if
there weren't other possibilities.
The rumor that had
spread throughout the academy before, the commotion caused by the Abyss
Grief-possessed Ken Notice, the mock battle with Jihad-sensei, etc., there was
no shortage of topics concerning Nozomu himself.
Her brilliant brain
came up with several hypotheses in a few seconds.
But whatever the
reason, there was no need to thank him with just the two of them.
The fact that he had
specified only Nozomu was probably because there was something else he wanted
to confirm, Irisdina thought.
"I'll go too. Besides,
if we're going to thank him for that incident, we must also call Mars-kun and
Tima and the others."
"Regarding those
individuals, of course, my master has stated that he will express his gratitude
himself, so please rest assured."
Irisdina checked,
suggesting that if the issue was about the Wajiart family, then other people
should be summoned as well.
However, Irisdina's
check was dismissed by Mena in a single stroke. If the head of the family
himself said that he wanted to express his gratitude, Irisdina had no reason to
stop him.
Irisdina fell silent
with a gulp. But just as she was about to open her mouth to try and get some
information, Nozomu stepped forward and interrupted her.
"Understood.
Mena-san, let's go."
"Nozomu..."
"Sorry for not
finishing our talk. I'll be right back."
Turning his body
sideways, as if prompted by the urging Mena, Nozomu left Irisdina's side.
Irisdina was staring
at his back with wavering eyes.
Just at that moment,
Nozomu turned around as if he had remembered something and smiled at Irisdina.
"...And thank you
for your concern."
It was more than
enough for Nozomu to understand. That Irisdina was worried about him from the
bottom of her heart.
"It's okay. From
what Irisdina said, he doesn't seem to be as strict as he looks, so it's just a
little parent-teacher conference."
Precisely because he
understood that fact, he could reply in a light tone.
Nozomu didn't know
what Victor wanted to talk about, but he didn't feel a swirling anxiety in his
chest.
And as prompted by
Mena, Nozomu left the salon.
The remaining Irisdina
continued to stare at the end of the hallway where he had disappeared, even
after he was gone.
"Nozomu, how do
you feel about me..."
The words she had
almost said before naturally escaped from Irisdina's mouth again.
What came to
Irisdina's mind was the figure of Lisa, nursing Nozomu while being tormented by
guilt.
When Nozomu had been
in a deep comatose state. Irisdina, who had been seized by impatience and
anxiety at Nozomu's condition, who was not waking up at all, had, in a fit of
impatience and jealousy, blurted out heartless words to Lisa.
But those were words
that only Nozomu had the right to say, and not words that she should have said.
When Nozomu had become isolated at the academy, Irisdina had also done nothing.
Words she had no right
to say. Now that Nozomu had woken up and was recovering smoothly, she had been
ashamed of her own foolish actions for a while.
But until now, she had
not been able to say it to Nozomu, nor had she been able to apologize to Lisa.
Although she felt
ashamed of herself, the jealousy towards Lisa was still smoldering in the
depths of Irisdina's heart.
Tormented by her love
for Nozomu, her jealousy towards Lisa, and her self-reproach, Irisdina tightly
hugged her own arms.
The heat of Nozomu
that remained on her arms. The warmth that had been warm until just before was
now tightly squeezing Irisdina's chest.
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