Chapter 192

Chapter 192. Interlude – The First Night (2)

That evening.

After the candidates returned from the exhibition tour, they scattered to their respective lodgings to spend the last night of the school trip.

“…What?”

I turned to Iris with wide eyes.

“Professor Elisha prepared an empty room for us?”

“Yes. Originally, it was supposed to be Albert’s room, but since Albert had to go to the main building, there’s one room left.”

“Hmm… So we can use that room as we please?”

“P-Professor said it’s okay!”

Iris clenched her fists and shouted.

“Tomorrow marks the end of the school trip, so let’s have a light drink to celebrate!”

Normally, drinking among candidates during a school trip is prohibited.

But since we’re not minors and are all adults, the school doesn’t actively enforce the rule.

‘The problem is, I’ve already caused some trouble during this trip.’

Given that I’m already on the school’s radar, breaking the rules feels a bit risky, but since Professor Elisha gave her permission, it should be fine.

“Should we call the others?”

“N-No! Let’s just drink together!”

“…Just the two of us?”

“Yes!”

Iris swallowed hard, her face tense with nervousness.

‘Come to think of it, we haven’t had much time alone lately.’

When the Monster Legion attacked, I was with Professor Elisha, and during the trip, I had some alone time with Yurina, but with Iris, there hasn’t been much opportunity.

‘Well, there was that one time…’

Thinking back to the incident when I visited her dorm room after her invitation, my face grew hot.

Shaking off the memory, I spoke up.

“Alright. Let’s have a drink together, just the two of us.”

“R-Really?”

“Yeah. Oh, I’ll go grab some drinks from the store.”

“I already have some from Professor Elisha!”

“…Really?”

It seems she prepared for our alone time while I was at the exhibition.

“Then let’s go.”

“…T-This way.”

Iris led me to the room originally meant for Albert.

Click.

“……”

“……”

An awkward silence fell as we entered the room and closed the door.

Iris cleared her throat and walked over to the table, sitting down.

She poured the luxurious wine she received from Professor Elisha, and its fragrant aroma filled the room.

“Seems like a good wine.”

“Ah, yes. Professor said it was hard to get and gave it to me as a gift.”

“She usually goes for cheap drinks. What’s the occasion?”

We clinked glasses and toasted.

The soft moonlight streaming through the window.

The pleasant sound of crickets and the fragrant wine stimulating our senses.

The romantic atmosphere was so perfect it felt like we could get drunk on it alone. Iris spoke up.

“How was the exhibition?”

“Well, it was boring.”

Unless there’s a special event, exhibitions are rarely exciting.

“*Giggle*. But you got to meet Grace in person, right? That must have been special.”

Iris elegantly sipped her wine and continued.

“By the way, what was Grace like?”

“Well…”

“I’ve only seen her in paintings… She must have had a gentle, kind demeanor like Pope Marian, right?”

“……”

I had mentioned meeting Grace in the tomb, but I didn’t elaborate on her personality.

To Iris, who grew up in the Holy Kingdom, Grace was the embodiment of boundless mercy and maternal love—a ‘holy mother.’

“Uh… yeah, something like that.”

“I knew it.”

Iris’s eyes sparkled as she nodded.

“I wish I could have met her too… It’s a shame she’s gone.”

“Well, she was only a fragment of her soul. But still…”

“Hmm?”

“Ah, sorry. It’s nothing.”

“Come on, don’t leave me hanging.”

I briefly considered telling her about the relic Grace left behind, but I thought it would be better to show it to Professor Jade first and turn it into an artifact before giving it to her.

“By the way, what did you do at the lodge?”

“Well… we all ate together, went to the hot springs… and then…”

“And then?”

“*Cough*. I don’t know.”

Iris suddenly blushed and averted her gaze, as if remembering something.

She took a deep breath, placing a hand on her chest, and cautiously spoke.

“Um… Dale.”

“Yeah?”

“Today, I talked with Professor Elisha… and Yurina and Lanes.”

“……!”

I flinched at the names she mentioned.

“You know how they feel about you, right?”

“Well…”

“*Giggle*. You don’t need to look so guilty. I’ve told you before, haven’t I? Others might find it strange, but I don’t think this kind of relationship is so bad.”

“……”

“But…”

Iris set down her glass and slowly stood up, walking over to me.

Sliding onto my lap, she sat down carefully.

The soft touch of her skin against mine and her sweet scent filled my senses.

“A-Ah, Iris…?”

“But… sometimes… I want to be greedy too.”

Iris’s eyes were hazy, as if drunk, as she gently touched my lips with her fingertips.

“You haven’t forgotten our promise, have you? That I would be your ‘first.'”

Our lips slowly met.

The sweet taste of fruit wine and the soft touch of her tongue filled my mouth.

“…Iris.”

“*Giggle*.”

Iris playfully stuck out her tongue.

“By the way, we made another promise, didn’t we?”

“Another promise?”

“Don’t play dumb now. You promised to grant me one wish if I won the treasure hunt.”

“Ah.”

Now that I think about it, we did make that promise.

“My wish is…”

Iris’s voice trailed off as her face turned red.

Without waiting for her to finish, I kissed her again.

“Mm…”

I didn’t need to hear her wish out loud—I already knew what it was.

“D-Dale…”

“…Should we shower first?”

“N-No, it’s fine.”

Iris looked at me with eyes that could no longer hold back.

“Dale… I have to ask.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you… also… a virgin?”

“……”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t my ‘first time.’

‘But in my past life, Iris was the only one I had experience with.’

I slowly nodded.

“Yeah, it’s my first time.”

“*Giggle*. I-I see.”

Iris let out a relieved sigh and smiled brightly.

I held her in my arms and carried her to the bed.

Iris lay on the bed, gripping my hand tightly with a nervous expression.

“Being here, where Grace’s tomb is… feels like I’m committing a sin.”

“Should we stop then?”

I teased her, and Iris pouted.

“If you stop now, I’ll get mad.”

“Just kidding.”

I chuckled and gently stroked Iris’s head as she lay there, tense.

A faint tremor ran through my fingertips.

Thinking about how much courage she must have mustered for this moment, I couldn’t help but sigh.

‘I should have made the first move.’

I had known what she wanted for a long time.

I knew, but I deliberately avoided it.

I used the excuse of not being ready to keep her at a distance.

‘Because I was scared.’

Yeah.

I was scared.

Scared that the happiness I had worked so hard to attain would crumble like sand.

Just like in my past life.

Scared that I would lose everything again.

Even though I knew her feelings, I ran away like a coward.

‘Pathetic.’

I had traveled back in time, determined to change the future.

I had sworn to protect everyone this time.

Yet here I was, running away because I was afraid of losing.

“…Dale?”

Iris reached out her hand to me as I stood still.

“*Giggle*. What are you so scared of that you’re trembling?”

Seeing me shivering, Iris’s tension seemed to ease a bit as she smiled mischievously.

“Are you worried you won’t do well?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“It’s okay. I heard that people usually make mistakes the first time.”

“……”

Seeing her pat my back to comfort me, a surge of emotion welled up inside me.

‘No, seriously, that’s not it.’

I was just caught up in old memories, and now I’m being misunderstood like this.

Feeling both wronged and oddly competitive, I thought,

‘Alright, I’ll show you just how good I am.’

Even though, including my past life, Iris was the only one I had experience with.

I still knew a lot about her.

From her weak points to the positions she liked.

Everything.

Sliding her clothes off carefully.

“D-Dale…”

The relaxed expression she had while patting my back was gone, replaced by a nervous gaze.

I smiled as I caressed her body.

“Don’t worry.”

I’ll make you feel so good you won’t be able to think straight.

* * *

Six hours later, the room was so hot it could melt the cold winter wind.

Thanks to the experience (?) from my past life, the first night was a success.

Crash!

A wine glass shattered against the wall.

“You… you jerk!”

Iris, furious, grabbed my neck.

“Gah! A-Ah, Iris…”

“You s-said it was your first time! You liar!”

“It was my first time…”

“First time? First time?”

Iris’s face twisted in anger.

“H-How can you be so good if it’s your first time?!”

“Well… there’s a story behind that…”

Slam!

“You… you jerk! I trusted you… I trusted you!”

Iris swung her fist, tears streaming down her face.

“Who was it?! Huh?! Who did you do it with, you jerk?!”

“W-Wait! Calm down, Iris!”

“Calm down?! Do I look calm to you?!”

Iris bit her lip, crying bitterly.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“You… you!”

Without thinking, I blurted out.

“It’s because I’ve done it with you before!”

“…Huh?”

Iris froze mid-swing, staring at me.

“W-What do you mean?”