Chapter 171

Chapter 171. Interlude – The Saintess’s Invitation

After Lanes’s rampage was brought under control, we cleaned up the mess around us and returned to the school. Fortunately, the area we had chosen for our walk was near the school’s back mountain, where there were hardly any people, so no major commotion occurred.

“Um… I-I’m really sorry about today.”

Lanes bowed deeply to Iris and Yuren (who had put the pendant back on).

“Like I said earlier… I absolutely don’t have any ill intentions toward you two.”

Lanes continued with a visibly shrunken expression.

“Just as Dale is precious to me, Iris and Yuren… no, Yurina is also precious to him.”

“I don’t want to forcibly take Dale away from you or anything like that.”

“I just… want to stay by the side of the person who first taught me what warmth feels like.”

Though her voice was trembling with fear, Lanes spoke firmly and clearly.

“I know how much of a nuisance this must be for you two…”

Lanes bowed her head deeply once again.

“Please… allow me to stay by Dale’s side.”

“……”

Iris, who had been listening with a stern expression, let out a deep sigh.

“It doesn’t seem like something we can decide right away.”

“Y-yeah.”

“But if you want to stay by Dale’s side, there’s one thing you must keep in mind.”

Her blue eyes, like the clear sky, stared straight at Lanes.

“Don’t hurt Dale. If you ever hurt him again… I won’t forgive you, no matter what.”

“…I-I’ll keep that in mind.”

Lanes shriveled under the pressure emanating from Iris.

With her small stature and delicate build, Lanes looked exactly like a junior being scolded by a strict senior.

‘Though in reality, Lanes is the older one and the senior.’

I swallowed a bitter smile and glanced at Lanes.

Lanes, who had been shrinking away, met my gaze and quickly scurried over.

“I promise I’ll never hurt Dale again!”

I stifled a laugh as I watched Lanes clench her fists and make her vow.

By the way.

There was one question that remained.

“How did you snap out of it earlier?”

“Ah… that time.”

Lanes recalled the moment she had lost control.

“I… I’m not sure. My body was freezing cold, but then I felt a warm sensation, and I came back to my senses.”

“Hmm.”

A warm sensation, huh?

‘Was it because of Ash Fire?’

Come to think of it, during a mentoring session before, when she was shivering from the cold, she had mentioned feeling warmer when I brought Ash Fire close to her.

At the time, since it was the first time she had ever received help from someone after being constantly scorned and bullied, it was hard to tell whether the “warmth” she felt was due to an emotional change or the influence of Ash Fire.

‘But judging from this incident… it seems likely that Ash Fire itself had an effect on the Blessing of Frost.’

For now, this was something that couldn’t be confirmed immediately.

“Thank you. This is all… thanks to Dale.”

Lanes smiled faintly and clung to my hand as if it were a treasure.

Just as a strange atmosphere was beginning to form between me and Lanes.

“Dale?”

Iris’s soft voice called out, and I quickly pulled my hand away.

Iris approached me with a gentle smile.

“You seem to be doing well?”

For some reason.

Iris’s polite tone somehow translated in my head to a vulgar “You good, punk?”

“Well, anyway. It’s a relief that no one was seriously hurt. Yuren, your frostbitten hand has healed, right?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Iris.”

Yuren showed his fully healed hand.

“Then, since everyone must be tired, let’s head back and rest. Oh, Lanes, before you go, give me your Hero Watch contact info.”

“Y-yeah! Got it!”

“I’ll head back too.”

Lanes and Yuren each headed off toward their dormitories.

I was about to turn and head back to my dorm as well.

“Dale.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you have time tonight?”

“Hmm… nothing in particular.”

“Then, would you like to come to my room for a bit?”

Iris’s face was slightly flushed as she extended the invitation.

“…Your room?”

“I’ve been craving the ramen you make for a while now.”

“Hmm. Alright. I’ll come by tonight.”

Ramen, huh.

Come to think of it, it had been a while since I last had any.

“I’ll submit the entry request in advance, so you can just come straight to my room.”

“Got it.”

I nodded and headed toward the dormitory.

* * *

Among the candidates attending Reynaldo Hero School, only those with immense status and wealth could reside in Dormitory Building A.

Inside the overly spacious room meant for a single candidate.

“Phew.”

Iris was nervously smoothing out her chest.

‘It’s about time Dale should be arriving.’

She glanced at the clock on the wall and swallowed hard.

She had told Dale that she wanted to eat the ramen he made for the first time in a while, but the real reason she had invited him to her room was something else entirely.

‘Lately… there have been too many women around Dale.’

Yurina was a given, but it was also clear that Professor Elisha and Lanes, whom they had met today, had feelings for Dale.

‘Dale said I was his first… but I can’t just sit back and relax.’

She needed a decisive move.

A decisive move to firmly secure her position as “the first.”

“Ugh.”

Iris swallowed hard and opened her closet.

Hidden among her school uniform and priestess robes was a sheer black negligee.

A secret weapon she had bought during a trip to Valhalla City.

“Sh-should I just give up for today…?”

Despite all her talk about a decisive move, the thought of standing in front of Dale in that outfit made her head feel like it was about to explode from embarrassment.

“Ugh…!”

Iris, standing in front of the closet, clenched her eyes shut and pulled out the black negligee she had hidden away.

‘Victory doesn’t come to those who just sit still!’

To truly conquer Dale (?) today, she needed the right weapon.

Swish, swish.

After changing into the black negligee, Iris stood in front of the mirror.

Though it wasn’t a completely sheer style, compared to her usual attire, the amount of exposed skin was so much that just looking in the mirror made her face burn red.

“Deep breath. Phew.”

Iris took a deep breath to calm her trembling heart.

“Alright.”

After changing, Iris dimmed the room’s lights and placed scented candles around the room.

The room was filled with a fragrant scent and a seductive atmosphere.

Iris sat on the living room sofa, waiting for Dale to arrive.

Knock, knock.

A few minutes later, a knock echoed through the room.

Iris swallowed hard and opened the door.

“Welcome, Dale…”

“…Saintess?”

Instead of Dale, Camila stood at the door.

Camila’s expression was stiff as she looked Iris up and down.

“What… exactly are you doing right now?”

“Ah, no! I-I mean…!”

Iris, flustered by Camila’s unexpected appearance, took a step back.

“Dale? You just said Dale, right? Are you seriously inviting him to your room right now? In that outfit?”

“N-no, it’s not what you think!”

“Not what I think? What else could it be? Iris, are you out of your mind?!”

Camila, forgetting even to use honorifics, shouted at Iris.

“The Saintess of the Holy Kingdom inviting a man to her room! And in such a shameless outfit!!”

“Eek…!”

“Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? Iris, are you seriously in your right mind?!”

Camila, her face red with anger, staggered as she clutched her forehead.

“If the Holy Kingdom finds out about this… oh.”

Camila bit her lip and continued.

“Iris. I know you have feelings for Dale. I also know that Dale is… a good man.”

“……”

“But… but this is going too far! You’re still the Saintess! Even if it doesn’t go against the teachings of the Seven Gods, there’s a basic decorum you should maintain as the Saintess!!”

Camila pointed at the black negligee Iris was wearing.

“Change your clothes right now!”

“……”

Iris clenched her teeth in response to Camila’s shouting.

Iris tightly gripped the black negligee and spoke.

“…No.”

“What? What did you just say?”

Camila, who hadn’t expected Iris to refuse, was taken aback.

“I said no.”

Iris gritted her teeth and raised her head.

Her eyes, fixed on Camila, grew increasingly fierce.

“Basic decorum as the Saintess? That’s all just nonsense spouted by the old fogeys in the Holy Kingdom! The Seven Gods themselves said that love can never be too much!”

“That’s…”

“Did I choose to become the Saintess? Huh? When I became the Saintess, I was just an orphan kid who happened to awaken the ‘Seven Eyes’!”

“……”

Camila’s lips were tightly sealed.

Iris took a deep breath and stepped closer to her.

“Camila… before I am the Saintess, I am a woman. A woman who wants to be loved by the man she loves… just an ordinary woman like anyone else.”

“…Iris.”

“Is there something wrong with that? Huh?”

Iris grabbed Camila’s shoulders and shouted.

“Is it a crime for a grown adult to want to have s*x?!!!”

Her cry echoed through the room.

Silence fell.

“……”

“……”

As silence settled between Iris and Camila.

Creak.

The door, which they thought was closed, slowly opened.

Through the gap in the door, the face of a young man with dark gray hair appeared.

“…Huh?”

Their eyes met.

Dale, with an awkward smile, looked back and forth between Camila and Iris.

“Uh… what’s going on? Haha. Sorry… I heard arguing inside… so… uh, haha.”

Dale turned around and slammed the door shut.

“I-I’ll make you ramen next time!”

The sound of hurried footsteps faded away beyond the door.

“……”

“……”

Silence fell once again.

Camila tightly closed her eyes, and Iris slumped to the floor.

“…Camila.”

“…Yes, Saintess.”

“Kill me.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Then lend me your sword. I’ll stab myself.”

“…I can’t do that either.”

“Ugh… waaah.”

“……”

Iris’s shoulders shook as she sobbed.

Camila quietly approached and patted her back.