Episode 53. Dale Han’s Secret Life (2)

“Ah, no, um… what?”

“What do you mean? It’s my chest that you always stare at with those pervy eyes.”

Iris poked my cheek with a mischievous smile.

“Always? That’s not true.”

I feel wronged.

I only glance occasionally.

“Liar. Every time I meet you, I can tell where your eyes are going.”

“No, that’s…”

It’s just a man’s natural instinct… you know… that thing.

“Fufu. It’s fine if it’s you, Dale. You can look all you want.”

Iris smiled brightly and stroked my cheek.

“……”

As expected.

Ever since I saved Iris from Ashtaroth last time, her actions have become much bolder.

‘She must have feelings for me.’

I’m not some outdated rom-com protagonist, and I’ve noticed for a while now that she has romantic feelings for me.

‘Of course, I feel the same way.’

She was my lover in a past life.

Naturally, I also have the desire to be with her again.

‘But.’

Not right now.

‘I don’t have the luxury to leisurely date.’

Even though I defeated Ashtaroth and changed the future.

No, precisely because I changed the future.

There’s too much to prepare for the dangers ahead.

‘It’s not too late to become lovers once things stabilize.’

I’ve waited hundreds, thousands of years. What’s a few more years?

“Ahem.”

I exercised superhuman patience and lowered my hand that was reaching towards Iris’s chest.

‘Yes, I’ll endure.’

Blessings come to those who endure…

“Eek.”

Squish.

The blessing of the seven gods transmitted through my palm.

A soft sensation, unlike anything in this world, numbed my mind.

“Ah, Iris?!”

I looked at Iris in panic, only to see her blushing up to her ears as she cautiously spoke.

“You don’t have to… hold back.”

“What do you mean…”

“You always endure everything, Dale.”

Iris looked at me with sad eyes.

“Even today, you wanted to rest, right?”

“No, I didn’t particularly…”

“Liar. You wanted to rest.”

“……”

How did she know?

“Anyone can tell just by looking at your face now.”

“…What does my face look like now?”

“You look exhausted. Really exhausted.”

“……”

I thought I hid it well.

But it seems my expression gave it away.

“Sorry.”

Feeling like I made her worry for nothing, I tried to lift my head from her lap.

“Stay still.”

Iris gently pressed my forehead and laid me back on her lap.

Whooosh!

A faint white light emanated from her body.

Her blue eyes, like the clear sky, turned into a rainbow of seven colors.

“O seven gods, please watch over your weary child.”

A low incantation echoed.

The white light surrounding Iris’s body flowed through her hands into me.

“Ah.”

A comforting warmth, like soaking in a hot bath.

The fatigue weighing on my body melted away, and a pleasant drowsiness spread throughout.

“How is it? Do you feel less tired now?”

“…Yeah.”

I felt like I was under hypnosis, my mind hazy.

Struggling to hold onto consciousness, I asked.

“Was today’s outing all for this?”

“Yes. If I didn’t do this, you’d never rest.”

Iris pinched my cheek as if scolding me.

“…Thank you.”

“Hmph. If you’re grateful, then rest properly.”

Perhaps her words were the trigger.

An irresistible drowsiness overwhelmed me as I barely held onto consciousness.

“Sweet dreams.”

With the gentle touch of the Saintess stroking my forehead.

My consciousness sank into the depths of dreams.

* * *

A warm sun shone on the park bench.

“Ugh…”

Iris clutched her head and let out a low groan.

‘I must be crazy!’

Even if it was to relieve Dale’s fatigue, her actions were too bold.

‘What if he thinks I’m a shameless woman…?’

Countless thoughts swirled in her head.

But regret always comes too late.

All she could hope for now was that Dale, fast asleep, would forget what happened today.

“Sigh.”

She sighed deeply and looked down at Dale’s face resting on her lap.

Or rather, tried to look down.

“Ugh. I can’t see well.”

Even with the blessing of the seven gods, her overly blessed (?) chest blocked her view of Dale’s face.

‘Why do men love such an inconvenient thing so much?’

Her shoulders ached, her back hurt, finding clothes that fit was hard, and she couldn’t even see her feet. It was nothing but a mass of flesh with no redeeming qualities.

She had never once in her life felt good about having a large chest.

‘But if Dale likes it, then fine.’

Remembering how he quickly averted his gaze whenever it wandered to her chest, a smile naturally formed on her lips.

“If I prop my head with my hand and lean down a bit… there.”

Changing her position, she finally saw Dale’s sleeping face.

“Ahhh.”

As soon as she saw Dale’s sleeping face, a hot flush spread from the back of her neck throughout her body.

‘Isn’t he just too cute?!’

Dale’s face, even at its best, wouldn’t be described as ‘cute.’

But in the eyes of a woman in love, even a mole looks like a hamster.

‘Ugh. His ash-gray hair, slightly sharp eyes, and strong jawline are all so perfect, I could go crazy!!!’

She knew that as time went on, the presence of ‘Dale Han’ in her heart grew larger.

‘But… not to this extent.’

The decisive moment was the recent monster incident.

After seeing Dale risk his life to protect her that day, the already growing presence of Dale in her heart exploded, filling her mind.

‘Lately, I can’t stop thinking about Dale.’

At first, she tried to shake off Dale, thinking it was an emotion the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom shouldn’t have. But now, she thought, ‘But come to think of it, there’s no rule that says the Saintess can’t fall in love, right?’

No.

Recently, she even thought, ‘The seven gods said, [Love one another as I have loved you], so this is following the gods’ words.’

‘Dale… seems to have feelings for me too.’

There’s no reason to risk your life for someone you don’t have feelings for.

“Ehehe.”

As she painted a pink future with Dale in her mind.

“Ugh.”

Suddenly.

The ‘unfortunate accident’ from a few days ago came to mind.

‘Elisha Baldwin.’

The special professor who joined the school after the monster incident suddenly stole a kiss from Dale during class under the pretext of an investigation.

Grit.

Remembering that day, a mix of sorrow and anger surged within her.

“…Hmm?”

Then, Dale’s lips caught her eye.

“Ahem.”

She coughed awkwardly and poked Dale’s lips with her finger.

The soft sensation transmitted through her fingertips.

An irresistible impulse boiled within her.

“Ahem.”

Looking around, Iris’s gaze fell on the cookie crumbs left from the coffee shop earlier.

Carefully opening the wrapper, she sprinkled the crumbs on Dale’s lips.

“Ah, tsk tsk~ Dale, you’re so clumsy. You’ve got cookie crumbs on your lips.”

In the absence of any onlookers, Iris put on her best (clumsy) acting skills and looked around.

Gulping, Iris slowly lowered her head to press her lips against Dale’s.

Ding!

“Eek?!”

The alarm from Dale’s Hero Watch startled Iris, making her jump like a fish pulled from water.

“Ugh…?”

“Y-you’re awake, Dale?”

Still half-asleep, Dale groggily turned on his Hero Watch, glanced at the message, and then collapsed back onto Iris’s lap.

“I’ll sleep a bit more…”

“Ah, yes, yes. Rest well.”

Iris froze, her heart pounding, afraid he might hear it.

‘D-did he see?’

Worried that her ‘crime’ might have been discovered, she looked down at Dale, but he was sound asleep.

“Phew.”

Finally, she let out a relieved sigh.

“Hmm?”

Then, her gaze fell on Dale’s Hero Watch, left on with its power on.

The hologram screen displayed the name ‘Juliet Kang.’

[When should we meet today?]

Reading the message, Iris’s brow slightly furrowed.

‘He’s… a third-year candidate, right?’

They hadn’t shared classes, but she had seen him a few times in the Main Building Restaurant.

She remembered him as a somewhat unpleasant-looking blond pretty boy.

‘He doesn’t seem like someone Dale would associate with.’

All she knew about Juliet Kang was that he was the heir of a prominent Republic family and had a less-than-stellar reputation.

She couldn’t easily recall any connection between Dale and this candidate.

[You said you had something important to discuss… can I ask what it is? I need to prepare myself mentally.]

Something important?

Mental preparation?

‘What kind of relationship do they have to exchange messages like this?’

Tilting her head, she looked down at the sleeping Dale, but he showed no signs of waking.

“Well… I’ll ask later.”

Saying so, Iris tried to turn off the hologram floating in the air.

But.

Beep.

“Ah.”

She accidentally pressed the wrong button.

The hologram screen changed, revealing a folder labeled ‘Photos.’

Inside was…

“Huh?”

A photo of Juliet Kang in women’s clothing, striking a flirtatious pose.