(About four days later…)
I never expected my body to be completely recovered by now. Just yesterday, I was already able to move wherever I wanted.
Going to the bathroom, or eating together in the dining room—everything was something I could do again.
Although my left hand hasn't fully recovered yet, at the very least it's far better than not being able to move it at all.
Oh right, I remember what happened yesterday afternoon. All of a sudden, while I was alone in my room, wiping my sword to keep it in good condition—
Someone knocked on my door, and I could tell who it was just from the way they knocked.
I stood up and walked toward the door, then opened it, and sure enough, it was Iris standing there.
When I opened it, Iris looked as if she was just about to knock again.
"Yuusha, you really can move properly again, huh? I thought you were asleep earlier," she said.
"Of course. My body has completely recovered. Did you come to my room just to ask that?" I asked back.
Well, even if checking on my condition alone was already a good enough reason, I still felt like she wanted to talk about something else with me.
That was why I asked her, since lately I hadn't been spending much time with her.
Even though my original task was to awaken her power, it ended up not happening because we won that battle.
"About the barrier, there are a few things I'd like to talk to you about. Would you be able to spare some time this afternoon?"
"I want to take you somewhere to talk about it," she said, lowering her gaze.
I didn't know why she was looking down—was she trying to avoid looking at me? Well, probably not.
This afternoon, huh? If I were asked whether I had something else to do or not, wasn't there only one possible answer?
"Of course. I'll be with you this afternoon," I replied.
Then Iris looked at me for a moment before walking away. I figured she was heading back to her room, or maybe to the kitchen.
Click.
What does Iris want to talk to me about? The battle is already over, but judging from the condition of the barrier itself…
I suppose it's only natural that she'd want to strengthen it again.
——
(That afternoon)
After lunch, Hime went into the kitchen to help Forn-san wash the dishes.
"Yukito-sama, are you heading out?" Yuu-chan asked, who had been sitting beside me earlier.
"Yeah, I have a bit of business with Iris," I replied.
"Let Hime know that I'm with Iris, okay?" I said as I left the dining room.
Earlier, Iris had been the first one to finish eating, and she hurried out as if she had something to do. Why was she acting so strangely?
Luke didn't join us for lunch, even though Loki-san had managed to come back.
According to him, Luke had already taken care of about half of Loki-san's work, which allowed him to return earlier than Luke himself.
Ahaha, Luke really is amazing when it comes to managing things. No wonder Loki-san reacted as if he had just witnessed a miracle.
When I stepped outside, I saw Iris waiting while gazing at the Yggdrasil tree.
Her expression looked happy and incredibly calm. She truly seemed at ease as she admired the tree.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Iris," I said as I jogged lightly toward her. It seemed she had been waiting for a few minutes already.
"Well then, since Yuusha is here, shall we go now?" she said.
——
Honestly, at first I thought Iris was going to take me sightseeing again, but what she did afterward genuinely confused me.
I kept wondering what she was thinking. Even though she was right beside me, I couldn't understand her actions at all.
Since I didn't know where Iris was taking me, I simply followed her in silence—just like she did.
She didn't start a conversation at all, and because I felt she might be serious about something, I didn't try to speak to her either.
I just behaved myself and stayed behind Iris, continuing to follow wherever her steps led.
But… I couldn't hold it in anymore. I really didn't understand her intentions.
"Iris, where exactly are we going? Isn't this quite far? Is the place really this distant?" I asked.
Iris remained silent and didn't answer my question, and my hope of hearing her response faded away.
We passed through a narrow dirt path lined with tall, dense trees, making the air here feel incredibly cool.
Is the place she's heading to inside the forest? Honestly, I don't like this feeling.
It feels like something is going to happen, and I have a bad feeling about it.
No, no, I shouldn't think like that. At the very least, this is Iris, so I should trust her.
"We're here," she said.
We arrived at the edge of a lake, where a large stone stood.
The stone was wrapped with thick rope, as if marking that it wasn't an ordinary rock.
Directly beneath it, a lantern was planted into the ground, with a faint light glowing inside.
What kind of place is this? The scenery is beautiful, but is that really the only reason Iris brought me here?
"How is it, Yuusha? This place is very beautiful, right? There should be more people who know about this place," she said while looking toward the lake—no, I think it was the large stone.
"Then why not bring the others as well? That way, your wish would come true, wouldn't it?" I asked.
What exactly is she talking about? Something about Iris feels strange, but I don't know what it is.
She said that herself, which is why it feels odd. If she only wanted to share this scenery with me, then why would she say something like that?
"You don't know about this yet, right? The lantern embedded in the ground here is the key to forming the barrier that protects Riruyo."
"You must be wondering why there's no barrier here, right? That's because its power has weakened and doesn't reach this far."
"That's why now is the perfect time for you to help me awaken my power and create a barrier that can protect the elves for hundreds of years," she continued.
Hearing that did make me a little happy, since my task would finally be fulfilled. But at the same time, everything felt a little too planned.
It was as if Iris had anticipated everything, which was why she seemed so unfazed by it all.
"Wait a second! Iris, is there something you're hiding from me? If so, then as the Yuusha, I want to use my status to ask the elven princess to tell me the truth," I said as I stared straight at her.
————
(Iris's side, answering Yukito's curiosity)
Hah… I thought you would accept my offer right away, but I guess this is how it turned out. It's fine.
I did want to talk to you about this from the start, so I want you to listen carefully.
First, Yuusha, I trapped you in an illusion that I created.
You know, the time loop you experienced was actually my doing. I used one of my abilities to make it feel as if you were repeating time.
On the night we were together on the balcony, I planted that spell on you, causing you to experience the time loop.
That spell ended when we won the final battle.
A-ah, I never intended to make you suffer by watching your comrades die—or watching me die.
I only wanted to directly test the mental resilience of a hero tasked with bringing justice to this world.
Honestly, I didn't want to do it either, because I'm afraid of death myself~
Just seeing blood already terrifies me and makes me imagine all sorts of dangerous things.
The task of placing that illusion on you was something entrusted to me by our elven predecessors.
One day, I had a dream telling me that I had to do it. This really happened, you know—I'm not making it up.
Second, I want to apologize to you, Yuusha.
What I did is indeed difficult to forgive, but no matter what, I feel that it went too far.
I could have restored the barrier immediately after you arrived here, but I remembered the task that had been given to me.
If I wanted to, I might be crying right now over what you saw during that time-loop illusion.
And lastly, there's one more thing I want to ask of you.
Yuusha, after this, please go to Nakuso, the land of the beast-men. You must do something there. I don't know the details myself—this is also a request from my predecessors.
——
(Yukito's side)
My chest felt unbearably tight. My eyes wouldn't stop trembling as I continued to stare at Iris.
My legs and arms felt stiff after just a few minutes of being filled with the truth Iris revealed.
I was completely frozen when I learned that the time loop I experienced was something Iris had done to me.
Still, I couldn't sense any lies in her words, so at the very least, I could forgive her actions.
Even so, I couldn't change the way I saw her—as a "sorceress" who had given me a dark nightmare.
I thought I had met a kind, innocent, and beautiful elf, but it turns out she had another side like this.
"Iris, even though I've forgiven you, I still can't accept what you did."
"But if that's really the case, then I don't mind, since you truly didn't intend any harm."
"And about Nakuso, I'll discuss it with the others. That answer should satisfy you, right?" I asked.
For a moment, I saw a glimmer in her eyes. They looked slightly watery, and her cheeks and the bridge of her nose turned faintly red.
She looked like she was about to cry, but quickly wiped her eyes.
This elf girl… she really does have a kind heart, doesn't she?
"Yuusha… thank you very much. Alright then, let's leave what's already happened behind us. Now, come here," she said, inviting me to stand beside her.
I followed her and stood next to her, still looking at her.
"Let's do it, Iris," I said.
I had already expected this. She was about to release her power and rebuild the barrier over Riruyo.
Plap.
I was startled when I felt my right hand being held by hers. Her soft hand made it impossible for me not to enjoy the sensation.
"Yuusha, are you ready?" Iris asked.
I nodded slowly in response.
I looked forward again, when suddenly Iris leaned her head closer to me.
I didn't turn toward her, thinking she was just looking at my face—but—
In the span of a few seconds, she pressed her soft lips against my right cheek. The sound of the wind felt like the perfect accompaniment to that moment.
It felt as if all the sounds around us were drowned out by the softness of Iris's lips against my cheek.
After only a few seconds, she pulled her lips away.
My cheek immediately turned red from the kiss.
The same happened to her—her face and ears flushed red after kissing me.
But she quickly closed her eyes and began chanting the spell to recreate the barrier.
Even with her face still flushed, she remained completely focused on the magic she was about to cast.
"O spirits of the elves who sleep beyond, creators of Yggdrasil, bringers of blessings to us, the generations born from your lineage."
"Bless us with your tremendous power, guide and protect us who inherit your blood, and keep us far from all forms of evil that exist in this world."
"O elven spirits, I, Iris Valmarich, ask you all—raise a shield around Riruyo, raise it upon the lantern that stands between forest and grassland."
"Special Magic, Unlock Barrier!"
——
After that, our hands parted, and I witnessed a sight I might only ever see once in my lifetime.
The lantern before us slowly generated a layer of magic, forming a barrier that soared high into the sky.
A bright blue light—transparent, yet tangible enough to pass my hand through. Iris really had just created a barrier.
The lanterns in other places did the same, releasing magic and forming a new, stronger barrier.
It was truly incredible. I immediately turned to Iris to tell her how amazing what I had just seen was.
But before I realized it, Iris had already left, her ears still bright red.
I hurried after her and asked why she hadn't waited.
"Iris, are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm not running away or anything. I just didn't want to steal you away from that girl. She really makes me hesitate when it comes to you."
"Hm? Who do you mean?" I asked.
"That girl with short black hair. Because of her, I don't intend to take you away—but… I truly gained a wonderful memory today," she said with a wide smile.
…..
Even though Iris only kissed my cheek, I can still feel its warmth even now.
"B-by the way, that was my first kiss… so don't forget it, okay?" Iris said, her face flushed red like a tomato.
"For someone like me who received a kiss from a girl, how could I possibly forget it?" I replied.