Volume 8 Finale
3
Irisdina
Epilogue
The Guest House. One of the academy's facilities, used during the Opening Festival. And now, it was where Nozomu lived. Returning to the Guest House, Nozomu entered through the main gate and headed straight for the section serving as his living quarters. When he opened the door to the room used as a dining hall, an appetizing aroma wafted out.
"Welcome home,
Nozomu. You're late."
"Yeah, I'm home,
Iris."
The black-haired girl
welcomed him back. Had she been cooking? Irisdina stood in the kitchen attached
to the dining hall, wearing an apron over her casual clothes. The bell on her
hair ornament chimed with a clear, refreshing chiming sound.
"Dinner will be
ready in a little bit, so you should go wash up first."
"Ah, yeah,
thanks. I'll take you up on that..."
Nozomu and Irisdina
were currently living together in this Guest House. Given their unique
circumstances, it was a natural measure. Of course, they weren't alone; two
teachers lived with them as supervisors. Living with them were Inda, who was
essentially Jihad's assistant, and Anri, Nozomu's homeroom teacher. However,
according to Irisdina, the two hadn't returned from the academy yet.
Incidentally, the other members of the Francilt family were staying at Madam
Parline's mansion. Since the place where the Francilt mansion stood had been
literally leveled, the Lady had been considerate enough to take them in. Nozomu
washed off the day's grime in the provided makeshift bathroom, changed his
clothes, and then returned straight to the dining hall.
"Sorry for the
wait."
"Ah, perfect
timing. It's just ready, so let's eat."
Dinner was already
laid out on the table. Bread, stew, and salad. And roasted wurst. It was a
typical commoner's dinner. Taking his seat, Nozomu first dipped his spoon into
the stew. Meat simmered with animal milk and various vegetables danced in the
bowl. The scent of milk and melted vegetables stimulated his nostrils,
naturally causing his mouth to water and his stomach to growl. Soothing his
protesting stomach, Nozomu gently brought the spoon to his mouth.
"...Delicious."
His spoon moved
naturally. The savory flavor spreading in his mouth made the word slip out
unintentionally. Seeing Nozomu's reaction, Irisdina smiled happily.
"Thank you. I was
worried, as I've hardly ever done any home cooking."
According to Irisdina,
while she had learned about this kind of cooking, she had rarely put it into
practice. Despite that, it had turned out quite delicious. The vegetables, melting
in his mouth, went well with the rich stew. Above all, the comforting warmth
naturally seeped into his body.
"Thanks for the
meal. I'll wash the dishes."
"Ah, thank you.
I'll leave it to you then."
After finishing the
meal, Nozomu began to clear the dishes. Meanwhile, Irisdina headed to the
bathroom. Watching her leave the dining hall from the corner of his eye, he
wiped the dirt off the dishes and rinsed them with water. Then, using the
provided soap, he cleaned them again and wiped away the remaining moisture with
a dry cloth. The soap wasn't the soft kind used on the continent, but a rough,
hard block. It seemed to be something recently made in Arcazam's craftsman
district; it had little of the distinct smell of soap made from animal fat and lime,
making it easy to use. He covered the remaining stew and salad so Anri and Inda
could eat when they returned.
"Okay,
done..."
"Good work. What
are you going to do now, Nozomu?"
A while after he
finished cleaning up, Irisdina came out of the bathroom. Her wet black hair and
nightwear were alluring, and her gesture of brushing back her hair pierced his
chest. His heart gave a large thump. Since they started living together, Nozomu
found his heart pounding like this often.
"U-Uhm, I don't
have anything else to do today. But I'm not sleepy either... I think I'll walk
in the garden a bit to digest."
"Then I'll go
with you."
"Won't you get
cold?"
"It's fine, we
won't be out that long."
"Good
grief..."
Nozomu took a stole
from a nearby coat rack and draped it over Irisdina's shoulders. Even if she
had just taken a bath, he thought catching a chill would be bad for her health.
"Fufu, thank
you."
Wearing their jackets,
the two stepped out of the Guest House. The garden, which had been crowded
during the Opening Festival, was deserted, with snow piled up here and there.
As they stepped out, the frozen snow crunched underfoot. The cold winter air
caressed their bodies, flushed from the bath and meal. Yielding to the pleasant
sensation, the two walked side-by-side along the garden path for a while.
"Iris, how's your
body?"
"No problems at
all. In fact, I feel better than before. My hair's back to normal, too."
Nozomu asked about
Irisdina's condition as a Dhampir,
and she smiled energetically, flexing her arms to show off her 'muscles.'
Nozomu was relieved by her vitality, but seeing her eyes, dyed a violet-blue,
his expression clouded involuntarily.
"But, your eye
color..."
Irisdina's hair had
returned from white to black, but her eye color hadn't completely reverted. It
was likely because she had transformed into a completely different race. That
fact weighed a little on Nozomu's mind.
"Well, it can't
be helped. Besides, I think it turned out well. Thanks to this power, I didn't
lose a single precious person."
Irisdina, on the other
hand, seemed nonchalant, not particularly bothered by it. Kicking the snow at
her feet like a child—kick, kick!—she
wore an unchanging smile.
"Of course, now
that I've changed like this, it's true I can't stay as I was."
"Did something
happen?"
"Officially, I am
no longer the next head of the Francilt family. In short, I've been
disinherited."
"..."
According to Irisdina,
since she was no longer human, she had lost the qualification to succeed the
Francilt family. At her words, Nozomu was speechless.
"Wait. There's
more to the story."
"Eh?"
Seeing Nozomu's
serious expression, Irisdina continued somewhat hurriedly.
"Somia will
become the next head. Along with that, I intend to serve the Francilt family as
an advisor and regent."
"Somia-chan
will..."
"Yes, and Somia
herself suggested it. Fufu, surprising, isn't it?"
"...No, not
really. It's not strange for Somia-chan to think of succeeding you
herself."
Watching Irisdina
smile and play with the snow again, the tension around Nozomu's eyes naturally
relaxed. This time, he was able to properly accept her words.
"Mu, you look
like you want to say you understand Somia better than I do. I can't let that
slide!"
"You're getting
competitive about that...?"
Even as a Dhampir, Irisdina was as much of a
sis-con as ever. At her unchanging demeanor, Nozomu couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well, that's how
it is. To tell the truth, when I heard this, strangely enough, I didn't feel
sad or frustrated. Instead, I felt happy about Somia's growth."
Breaking away from
being merely someone to be protected—this was the beginning. This incident had brought
about a significant change to the two girls, Irisdina and Somia. Nozomu was
genuinely happy about the change—the growth—in these two people so dear to him.
The Francilt family would undoubtedly face difficult times ahead, but hope was
properly connected. That's what he felt.
"Well, Father was
thoroughly flustered, and ended up getting smacked by Mena and Madam Parline..."
"Victor-san..."
"When he had to
tell me again that I was disinherited, he looked like he was crying tears of
blood and about to bite his tongue off. He choked on his words over and over,
and even after saying it, he tried to retract his statement. Good grief, Somia
seems more reliable..."
"A-Ahahaha..."
Of course, there were
those who hadn't changed. Even though it should have been a good story, the
strength drained from Nozomu's body all at once. Victor would also be
criticized in various ways for this incident, and his responsibility must be
heavy, but his love for his daughters seemed unchanged.
"Well, that's
that, so things wrapped up nicely on our end. So, I have nothing but gratitude
for you. Thank you for coming to save us back then."
Illuminated by the
moonlight, Irisdina looked up at the sky.
"It's a beautiful
moonlit night. It's cold, but that makes the moon even clearer."
Following her lead,
Nozomu also looked up at the moon. The moon shining in the sky illuminated the
night along with the starlight. Perhaps affected by the moonlight, cold yet
gently enveloping, Irisdina spoke somewhat excitedly.
"That's right,
since we're here, shall we dance?"
"Eh?"
"It's such a nice
night. Wouldn't it be a waste not to dance?"
At the sudden
invitation to dance, Nozomu blinked, looking up at the sky once more. Indeed,
it was a nice night. Quiet, yet a moonlit night that made one want to return to
childhood. As if invited, Nozomu gently held out his hand to Irisdina.
"You're right.
Then, would you dance with me?"
"I humbly
accept."
Guided by their joined
hands, the two naturally began to dance. In the garden lit by starlight, the
shadows of the two drew beautiful footprints in the piled snow. Nozomu led with
flowing steps, and Irisdina followed. Tap-tap-tap,
tap-tap-tap. With good tempo, yet quietly and elegantly, they continued to
dance. Their movements overlapped without a single deviation. Drawn by that,
their gazes naturally intertwined.
"It's just like
when we were practicing dancing at the Francilt mansion."
"Ah, back then.
Even though it's only your third time, you've gotten much better at dancing,
Nozomu."
"Is that so?
Hearing you say that gives me confidence, Iris."
Before the Opening
Festival. Remembering the crash course at the Francilt mansion, the two smiled.
And for a while, the two continued to dance in silence, surrendering to each
other's breathing. Not even the sound of the wind. Only the sound of stepping
on snow in the Guest House garden and the chiming of the bell on her hair
ornament echoed. Eventually, after repeating the steps a few times, Irisdina
slowly opened her mouth.
"Why did you come
to save us?"
"Because I wanted
to connect them. Everyone's... no, your dream."
"My dream?"
"Back then, when
we practiced dancing at the Francilt mansion, you told me."
"Ah, now that you
mention it. Fufu, it feels like a long time ago."
Irisdina's dream. Her
family, starting with Somia. Protecting the people precious to her. He didn't
want that dream of hers to disappear. Nozomu put it clearly into words again in
front of her.
"In the end, that
was my dream too. I want to support the dreams of those I hold dear. Well, it's
a dream that depends entirely on others, though."
Nozomu's reason for
fighting. His reason for becoming strong. It took a long time to realize, but
that hasn't changed, now or in the past. At his words, Irisdina lifted the
corners of her mouth.
"I see, so that's
how you wooed Lisa-kun."
"Isn't 'wooed' a
bit harsh?"
"It's not harsh. You
really are an oblivious playboy. If I don't say it this sternly, it's obvious
you'll go around saving anyone and everyone, leading to a bloodbath."
Eventually,
you might get stabbed in the back on a moonless night. Adding those words at
the end, Irisdina puffed out her cheeks in a sulk. At her slightly dissatisfied
expression, Nozomu sighed dramatically, "Haaaa~~", showing his
exasperation.
"Unfortunately,
I'm not deft enough to be a playboy."
"I know. I just
said it because I wanted to tease you."
Her dissatisfied
expression vanished. At Irisdina showing a beaming smile, Nozomu let out a
deeper sigh than before.
"You're a terrible
person, Iris..."
"Well, I am a
cold-blooded noble. Formerly, though."
Chuckle... Both let out
chuckles, continuing to dance under the empty winter sky. Eventually, Irisdina
stopped dancing abruptly. Is something wrong? When Nozomu tilted his head and
peered into her face, Irisdina looked up at him, her deep violet eyes wavering
with anxiety.
"Hey, Nozomu.
Why... did you come to save me?"
The same question
repeated. But Nozomu immediately knew what she wanted to hear. He accepted her
gaze looking up at him, closed his eyes once, and slowly opened his mouth.
"Because I love
you. I love you, Iris... There's no other reason."
"...Once
more."
At the words that
reached her ears gently but clearly, Irisdina urged him, her lips trembling.
"Because I love
you. I love you."
Is it true? Is
it not a lie? Nozomu's repeated words dispelled her anxiety. What welled up next was
intense joy. Her whole body grew hot, and she couldn't take her eyes off him.
"Will you let me
hear your answer?"
From her wavering deep
violet eyes, a single tear spilled.
"I... I love you
too."
The small distance
between them slowly shrank, and then closed. On their hands, a white chain
emitting a faint light was gently entwined.
***
Irisdina
She gets disinherited,
but in a sense, she becomes free because of it. Seeing the existence she tried
to protect become strong, she becomes honest with her own feelings and
exchanges feelings with Nozomu.
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