Chapter 39

Chapter 39. Interlude – It’s a Relief.

The treatment center located within the grounds of the Hero School.

Inside the treatment center, which is mainly used by candidates who were injured during training or fell ill, there was a private recovery room that could only be used by paying a certain “donation.”

Although it was called a donation, it was essentially a usage fee, so not many candidates used the private recovery room.

And now.

I was lying in that “private recovery room,” wearing a patient gown.

‘I never imagined that I would ever use a private recovery room in my life.’

An immortal monster that revives even after death and a private recovery room.

Is there any combination more mismatched than this?

“Haah.”

I let out a deep sigh and turned my head toward the woman sitting on the chair next to the bed, humming a tune while peeling fruit.

Pink hair, a straight nose, a slender jawline, and delicate eyes.

And above all else.

The overwhelmingly large “Blessing Pouch” that covered half of my field of vision as I lay there looking up.

The Saintess, who looked as if she had received the blessings of the seven gods, seemed to sense my gaze and stopped peeling the fruit.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“The Blessing Pouch.”

“…Huh?”

“Ah, sorry. I was staring at Iris’s chest.”

“W-What did you say?”

Iris, startled, quickly covered her chest with both arms.

She glared at me with narrowed eyes.

“…You pervert.”

“No.”

How can I not look when it’s covering half my field of vision?

Unless you talk to the back of my head, I have no choice but to look.

“Hehe. Anyway~ You pretended not to be, but you’re just a boy after all, huh?”

After being startled and covering her chest for a moment.

Iris, with a smug expression, subtly pushed out her chest, which she had been covering with both arms.

Once again, my vision darkened.

I slowly turned my gaze away from Iris’s chest, which seemed to overflow with the blessings of the seven gods, and sat up on the bed.

“Where are you going?”

“I should get going. I’m all healed now.”

To be precise, my body had been fine since Iris forcibly pushed me into the recovery room.

“Sigh. I told you to rest, didn’t I?”

“That’s why I’ve been lying here quietly for the past few days.”

“No. You need to stay a bit longer.”

Iris shook her head firmly.

I let out a deep sigh and opened my mouth.

“You saw it back then, so you know what kind of blessing I have, right?”

“That’s…”

The ‘Blessing of Resurrection’ that revives me instantly even if I die.

Iris had witnessed me reviving several times… no, dozens of times during my battle with Ashtaroth.

“Ha, but you were in so much pain back then!”

“That’s because I died too many times in a short period.”

Even if my body revived with the Blessing of Resurrection.

It didn’t mean my expended magic power or mental strength would return.

Even with my countless experiences of death, enduring over a hundred deaths in less than ten minutes would leave anyone sprawled out like I was back then.

“That’s why you need to rest even more!”

“I’ve rested enough.”

“B-But…”

Iris, trailing off, tugged at the collar of my patient gown and continued.

“Just one more day. Can’t you rest for just one more day?”

“Hmm…”

Honestly, there was no need to rest more.

But seeing Iris on the verge of tears, I couldn’t bring myself to shake off her hand and leave the recovery room.

“Haah. Fine. I’ll rest until tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you, huh? By the way, how much was the recovery room fee… I mean, the donation?”

“I paid for it all, so don’t worry about it.”

“Still…”

“Tsk. Just focus on recovering like a good patient.”

“Ugh.”

There’s nothing left to recover, though.

“By the way… will it be okay?”

“What?”

“Hiding Professor Morpheus’s true identity.”

After killing Ashtaroth.

I asked her not to tell anyone about what happened there.

That Professor Morpheus was the Grand Archbishop of Dreaming, and that I had killed Ashtaroth.

‘That’s why the school was told that Professor Morpheus fled outside the school right after the incident.’

Thanks to the Dreaming Veil that Ashtaroth had spread, there were no other witnesses.

And because Camila, Priest Antonio, and the children from the orphanage who were inside the veil had lost most of their memories due to the illusion magic Ashtaroth had cast, it was possible.

“I told you. If this gets out, we’re the ones who’ll suffer.”

If it became known that Ashtaroth had caused this commotion to target Iris’s ‘Seven Eyes,’ it was only natural that the entire continent’s attention would focus on her.

And more than that.

‘Ashtaroth said that Iris’s eyes were an obstacle to breaking the seal of the Devil God.’

In other words.

Conversely, it meant that with Iris’s ‘Seven Eyes,’ we could put a brake on the demons’ desire for the Devil God’s return.

‘If this gets out among the demons, Iris will be in danger.’

For her safety, it was right to keep this hidden.

‘Of course, if it gets out that I killed Ashtaroth, it’ll be a headache too.’

Imagine if it became known that a mere candidate had killed one of the six demons who reign over thousands, tens of thousands of demons.

‘The entire continent would be turned upside down.’

This wasn’t just about hiding my power.

The moment this got out, it was clear that all attention would be on me to the point where normal school life would become impossible.

‘From others’ perspective, it’s like a baby who just learned to walk killed a grown adult with bare hands.’

No.

Considering how much terror the title ‘Grand Archbishop’ holds for the people of the continent, it would have an even greater impact.

‘Anyway.’

For Iris’s sake, and for mine, it was better not to let this get out.

“Haah. Alright. I’ll do as you say, Dale.”

“Thanks.”

“Thank you? I should be the one thanking you. You… risked your life to protect me.”

“It’s a cheap life that revives even if I die.”

“No.”

Iris shook her head with a stern look.

“Even if you have a blessing that revives you after death, that doesn’t make your life any less valuable.”

“…….”

“Don’t ever say it’s a cheap life again.”

Iris carefully reached out and stroked my cheek.

“To me… your life is more precious than any other.”

“…….”

A precious life.

I’ve never heard that before.

Because my life has never been ‘precious.’

Of course not.

No matter how many times I die and come back, the word ‘precious’ doesn’t fit.

‘But, why.’

How can she say my life is ‘precious’?

“Back then, when you were fighting Ashtaroth… you asked me why I didn’t just stay put, didn’t you?”

“…I did.”

“Well, honestly, I thought the same thing. I don’t know exactly what blessing you have, but seeing you revive so quickly after dying, I thought at least you wouldn’t die.”

Right.

As she said, I wouldn’t have died.

“Then why did you step in?”

“I don’t know. Seeing you in pain, my body just moved on its own.”

“…….”

It wasn’t a wise choice.

It wasn’t a smart decision.

It wasn’t a logical action.

But.

“If the same situation happens again. I’d step in to protect you just the same.”

“…Even knowing I won’t die?”

“Yes.”

“……Why?”

A tangled mess of questions filled my head.

Why, why, why, why.

Did she risk her life to save mine?

“When Ashtaroth stopped attacking you and came after me… do you know what I thought?”

“…No.”

Iris, who had been stroking my cheek, lowered her hand and tightly held mine.

“I’m glad.”

Wrapping both hands around mine.

She continued in a trembling voice.

“I’m glad… you’re alive. That’s what I thought.”

“…….”

“Hehe. Doesn’t that sound familiar?”

“What do you mean?”

Tilting my head, I asked.

“Oh, why are you acting like you’ve never heard it before?”

Iris playfully smiled and poked my nose.

“Isn’t that what you said to me when you first talked to me?”

“…Ah.”

I coughed awkwardly at the memory of that embarrassing moment from the first day I regressed.

‘Now that I think about it, I ran up to her and said “I’m glad” first.’

Looking back, it’s quite an embarrassing memory.

“Alright, enough chit-chat. I’ll peel some fruit for you, so lie down.”

“Ugh.”

I swallowed my sigh and lay back down on the bed.

Suddenly.

The memory of that day flashed through my mind again.

The day the sky turned red.

The day I heard her last words.

‘Was Iris thinking the same thing as the Iris now back then?’

I don’t know.

Maybe I’ll never know the reason.

But.

Even if I don’t know, what does it matter?

“Dale, say ‘Ah~’.”

I looked at Iris holding out a fork with fruit and smiled faintly.

‘I’m glad.’

That you’re alive.

* * *

“…You’re going back?”

“Yes.”

Under the reddened sky.

Golden eyes flashed fiercely.

“Iris. Do you know what you’re saying?”

“I know.”

“You know, and you’re saying you’re going back now?”

Yuren gritted his teeth and glared at Iris.

“Dale risked his life to give us this chance. If we don’t escape now, we’ll all die.”

“Yes, so I’ll go back alone.”

“That’s why! If you go back now, you’ll die too!”

“…….”

Iris touched her black eyepatch and spoke softly.

“Then… what about Dale?”

“Dale is…”

A brief silence.

Yuren clenched his fist tightly and spoke with difficulty.

“Dale… won’t die.”

“Of course. He has the Blessing of Resurrection.”

“That’s why…”

“But if he’s captured by the demons, he’ll suffer unimaginable pain. Enough to make death seem preferable.”

“That’s…”

“I can’t leave Dale behind.”

“You…!”

Yuren roughly grabbed Iris by the collar.

“Do you think…! Do you think I want to run away and leave Dale behind? Huh?”

He screamed as if in agony.

“But you know it too! If we die here…!”

“The hope of humanity will disappear, right?”

“…Yes.”

Yuren bit his lip so hard it bled.

“If you don’t come, I’ll drag you away by force.”

“Ha.”

A cold sneer escaped Iris’s lips.

“You know what?”

“…What.”

“I’ve… never once used healing magic on Dale.”

“…….”

“No matter how badly he was hurt, he’d recover anyway. No matter how much he suffered, he wouldn’t die.”

Using healing magic on Dale.

It was ‘wiser’ to use it on others.

“Even if he dies! He’ll just come back to life!!!”

Never once.

Did I use healing magic for him.

“While he died hundreds, thousands of times… I just watched.”

That’s why.

I could never dare to tell Dale that his life was precious.

Because his life shouldn’t be precious.

If his death could save even one more life.

That was the right thing to do.

“You know…? Dale always says something when he saves others, right?”

“…….”

“Huh? You know, right? He’s saved your life so many times.”

“I’m glad… you’re alive, he says.”

“Haha, right. He always says that, doesn’t he?”

Even though he’s died dozens, hundreds of times.

Even though he’s screamed in agony countless times.

He always says, ‘I’m glad you’re alive.’

Words he’ll never hear.

He says them with a bright smile.

“I’ll die in a month.”

“…Wait. What do you mean you’ll die in a month? What are you talking about?”

“I’ve been overusing the divine blessings without the ‘Seven Eyes.’ I’ve lasted longer than I should have.”

“…….”

“I was hiding it because I didn’t want Dale to worry, but now there’s no need.”

Iris continued with a sad smile.

“Even if I die in a month, if I escape and heal people, I can save many lives. Many must have been injured in this war.”

“…….”

“Hundreds… no, thousands could be saved.”

But.

“I… want to go back to where Dale is.”

“…….”

“I’ve worked hard until now… right? I’ve turned a blind eye to him dying in front of me so many times… I’ve saved so many people. I became the hope of humanity… one of the last five heroes.”

So.

“Just once… before I die… I want to save him. I want to tell him.”

That your life is precious.

More than anything.

Incomparable to anything else.

“…….”

Yuren silently let go of Iris’s collar.

“…Yuren?”

“Go.”

Yuren turned his back on Iris after saying just that one word.

Gripping the hilt of his sword so tightly it might break, Yuren walked away alone.

“…….”

Iris nodded silently and turned around.

Toward where the demon army was approaching like a black cloud.

And.

“Why… why did you do it! Why did you come back!”

She carefully stroked his cheek as he screamed.

“He, hehe.”

Why is it?

Even though I know he won’t die, why does my heart feel so at ease?

“I’m glad…”

That you’re alive.

“Really… I’m glad.”