“- So they suddenly made me duel, you know?”
“I see.”
Inside the bustling sikdang.
I was chatting about trivial things with Iris.
As a result of our conversations, I had dropped the honorifics when talking to her.
Of course, Iris still addressed me with respect.
“By the way, are you taking good care of your familiar?”
In response to my question, Iris answered confidently with twinkling eyes.
“Yes!! It’s so cute. I even gave it a name.”
“A name? What is it?”
This was the crow I had handed over to Iris.
It was one of the familiars inherited from Sephir.
In fact, it was almost like I had taken it from her…
While there were many other familiars, I thought a flying creature would be more convenient, so I had trained it.
In reality, I could do a variety of things with this crow.
Sharing sight from a distance, relaying information.
It also had many combat-friendly abilities.
I thought it would be good to pass it on to Iris, who had no way to contact me.
But seeing that she had even named it, it seemed she had become quite close to her familiar.
Shyly scratching her head, Iris mumbled in a small voice.
“I combined Hera’s name with mine… and named it Helis…”
“…Ah.”
Helis.
Hmm. It didn’t seem like a bad name.
At least it was definitely better than the naming sense of Sephir.
While we were having more small talk, Iris carefully spoke up with her arms crossed.
“Hera, there’s something I want to ask.”
“Huh? What is it?”
“Hera, you are a unique ability user, right?”
“….Ah.”
Priests could feel unique abilities.
I looked at Iris and replied.
“Yes, that’s right.”
It didn’t particularly matter that Iris knew.
Actually, I was going to ask Iris something myself.
I hadn’t really cared before, but I still didn’t know what my ability really was.
I had thought it was just physical enhancement, but thinking about it, it fell far short of a unique ability.
The healing magic of Iris, which could perfectly heal even a severed arm.
Robin’s indomitable will that allowed him to draw forth infinite power.
And the other amazing abilities of different people.
In comparison, simple physical enhancement seemed flimsy.
Moreover, it wasn’t just an enhancement, but it even had the restriction of only activating against hostile beings…
However, since there hadn’t been any significant problems so far, I hadn’t paid much attention.
But lately, I’ve been curious.
“Y-You’re amazing! To be chosen by the goddess! Truly, you are Hera.”
“Ahaha… What are you saying? Iris, that’s the same for you, isn’t it? Are you bragging?”
“Uh…? Ah… Um… That’s not it…”
Iris flushed red and waved her hands.
I decided to tease her a little, and she reacted quite adorably.
“Heh… I’m just joking. By the way, Iris, since we’re on the topic.”
“…What is it?”
Iris, with a face as red as a beet, pouted her lips and slowly looked up at me again.
“I have a vague idea, but I don’t know for sure. Is there any way to know what my ability is?”
If I could properly grasp the power of my ability, it would make fighting easier in the future.
And that would be very advantageous for my plans.
Iris thought for a moment and said, appearing somewhat troubled.
“Umm… I can do it, but it will take quite a while. You might need about half a day.”
“Umm… Is that so?”
Half a day, huh.
I never imagined it would take that long.
In the novel, it only mentioned that priests could find it out. It didn’t say how or how long it would take.
“If it’s half a day… that might be tough. I can’t just stay up all night.”
Well, a couple of hours would be fine.
But half a day would mean I’d have to throw away an entire day, so it couldn’t be helped.
“I-I can do it!!”
“Huh?”
Just as I was about to give up, Iris suddenly ran towards me, excitedly raising her voice.
When I looked at her with confusion, she grabbed my hand, her cheeks flushed, and said,
“I can do it… No, I want to! I will find out Hera’s ability for you!”
“But if it takes half a day, I think that might not be enough time?”
Even if we started right away, it would be quite late.
That wouldn’t be good for Iris, who is still a student.
“It’s okay..! Tomorrow is the weekend, so it doesn’t matter!”
“No, Iris. The night streets are dangerous. Even in the empire, you need to be careful.”
Moreover, if something happened to a pretty girl like Iris, it would be a concern.
At least, it would be right to send her back before sunset.
“…But we can stay together, can’t we?”
Iris mumbled in a voice barely audible.
“Huh?”
“I mean I want to be with you….”
She hesitated for a moment, fidgeting with her mouth.
Then, looking up at me with earnest eyes, she held onto my hand tightly.
“There are many inns here…”
“Can we sleep together tonight?”
*
*
*
“Hah…”
I let out a short sigh.
“Hehe…”
Despite my complicated feelings, Iris lay on the inn’s bed, rubbing her face against it and happily laughing.
Her appearance pierced through me with a strange guilt.
‘..How did I end up bringing a minor to an inn…?’
Since it was just girls, it didn’t matter…
No, wait.
Isn’t that even more dangerous for Iris?
….How did it come to this?
I initially refused.
I didn’t want to let a student stay out, and I felt cautious since it was Iris.
But Iris was much more tenacious than I expected.
Despite my refusals, she kept clinging to me, not wanting to part.
Eventually, it wasn’t until she started to tear up that I reluctantly gave in to her request.
“This bed is really soft.”
Not knowing my complicated feelings, Iris just smiled sweetly.
In the end, I had no choice but to sigh and accept the situation.
“Iris, don’t have any strange thoughts, alright?”
“Wh-What?! Wh-What do you mean?! I’m not thinking anything! I’m definitely not thinking about kissing or… touching your chest! I’m not thinking that at all!”
“…..”
‘…This is fine, right?’
She seemed to be greatly flustered by my words, spilling out even unnecessary things in a frenzied state, making me feel a bit wary.
…I need to be careful.
I thought I absolutely had to put Iris to sleep first.
While making that resolution, Iris cautiously approached my side.
“Shall we find out about your ability right away?”
“….Please do.”
Putting my uneasy feelings aside, I asked her.
It would be better for both of us to start quickly and finish faster.
If we start now, I should be able to sleep before the next day rolls over.
“Yes! Then please lie down on the bed.”
“Uh… Okay.”
Is this something we have to do lying down?
Well, it will take half a day. If I had to sit or stand, that would be quite uncomfortable.
As I lay flat on the bed, Iris pulled me toward her and placed my head on her lap.
“To be honest, I said I would find out, but it’s a bit different.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“The role of a priest is only to take you to the source of the power of your unique abilities. You, Hera, will be the one to directly face the goddess’s grace.”
“Uh… Okay?”
Her words sounded quite complicated, causing my head to tilt in confusion.
“Don’t worry. There will be absolutely no harm to you from Hera.”
She assured me while stroking my head.
I guess that means I have to find out what my unique ability is on my own?
Well, it should work out somehow.
Iris directly said nothing would happen, and with the abilities of Sephir and Mari, I shouldn’t have to worry.
“…I’ll count on you, Iris.”
“Hehe… Of course. Now please close your eyes.”
Following her instruction, I slowly closed my eyes. I felt a warm hand placed on my forehead.
“You have to let me know what your ability is as well.”
And for a moment.
A bright light, visible even with my closed eyes, shone brilliantly, and then I lost consciousness.
“…..I guess I’m asleep now?”
I couldn’t hear Iris’s last words, which were filled with mysterious meaning.
*
*
*
“Ugh….”
With a dizzy feeling, I opened my eyes.
Overcoming the hazy sensation in my head and rising to my feet, a different scenery came into my view.
“….Is this a dream?”
My last clear memory was lying with Iris in the inn.
However, the sight before me was definitely not any inn.
A calm pond ringing softly with a large moon floating in its midst.
Straight bamboo swaying proudly, and a pleasantly breezy wind ruffling my hair.
It was like a picturesque riverside scene straight out of a martial arts novel.
‘Where on earth am I?’
As far as I remembered, the novel didn’t describe a place like this.
According to Iris, it seemed like I had come to the source of my ability, but I couldn’t figure it out at all.
“Finally, you’ve arrived?”
While I was bewildered by the unfamiliar scenery, a beautiful voice that seemed to enchant anyone touched my ears.
As I turned my head toward the direction of the voice, an otherworldly figure appeared before me.
A woman with an enigmatic and beautiful appearance, radiating a peculiar aura.
She looked like someone out of a mythological tale, with a captivating figure.
“Welcome, my descendant.”
Behind her fluttered nine tails like wings.
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