Chapter 135: Iris’s Dream

The Day Before the Demonic Palace Match.
I had something I needed to take care of first.
That was, tonight, finding Iris with Eve.

“Okay, it’s time to switch.”
“Thanks for the hard work.”
As usual, I switched places with Hania.
Hania, now used to this routine, calmly transformed into my appearance.

“Lady Iris hasn’t been in a good mood lately.”
“It’s because the struggle for the throne has intensified, right?”
Hania nodded at my words.

Lately, the battle for succession had been escalating rapidly.
The factions of the First Prince and the Third Princess were in a deadlock.
But the situation wasn’t looking good for the Third Princess’s side.
The assassination attempt on Nia had played in the First Prince’s favor.
The First Prince’s camp had planned meticulously and began pressing down hard on the Third Princess’s forces.
Although they cut ties quickly in response, recent incidents at the academy complicated things.
And all that pressure fell directly onto Iris.

It was Iris who was doing her best because of the Duke of Robliaju’s imperial ambitions.
Naturally, the stress was piling up on her.

“She’s been unable to sleep more frequently lately.”
I had been steadily working to reduce Iris’s nightmares.
But the stress she was under, along with the growing influence of dark energy, only made things worse.
It was clear that her nightmares had increased drastically.

“It’s alright.”
I told Hania not to worry.
“I’ve already prepared something to deal with that.”

Hania stared at my confident face for a moment, then sighed.
“Right. If it’s Hanon, I guess I can trust you.”

My ex-girlfriend seemed to have a lot of faith in me.
I suppose everything I’d done up to now had scored me quite a few points with her.

“Except for the part where you’re apparently into a lot of women.”
But what she said next caught me completely off guard.

“…Me?”
“I heard you’re rumored to be a playboy. Sneaky type.”

Maybe it was because of what happened earlier today with Seron and Sharin, but I couldn’t even form a proper response.
Why do I always seem to be more loved when I can’t return the feeling, rather than when I genuinely try to show it?
I felt a bit sorry for myself.

“I was joking, but you look way more down than I expected. Don’t worry. I know you’re not that kind of person.”
Hania tried to comfort me.

“Though, lately I’ve been wondering… maybe you actually like guys?”
“Absolutely not. I like women.”

Hania stared intently at my face, sensing my sincerity.
For some reason, her silence scared me more than her words.

“Okay, let’s go with that.”
“Wait—wasn’t that pause a little too long?”
“But it’s not like I’ve seen you have any… physiological male reactions.”

Her gaze slowly drifted downward.
My expression froze.

“Honestly, Hanon, you’re surrounded by a lot of assertive women.”
Hania looked at me with a hint of pity in her eyes.

There was no other choice.
It looked like I’d have to bring out my hidden ace.
Once I did, Hania would be in for a shock.

“If there’s something wrong, just tell me. I’ll help you.”

What exactly does she mean by “help”…?
Hania gave a cryptic smile, then walked away without another word.
Worryingly, her ‘foxiness’ only seemed to be growing stronger with time.

Thanks to her, I dragged my complicated thoughts with me into the girls’ dormitory.
I walked with familiar steps.
Even if I sensed someone approaching from the other direction, I didn’t panic anymore.
On the contrary, I could now even greet them with a calm smile.

“Hey there.”
“Hello, Isabel.”
Like just now.

…Wait, no. This shouldn’t be something normal, right?

When I turned around, Isabel walked off, her honey-blonde hair fluttering behind her.
Just moments ago, she had clearly recognized me and said hello before walking away.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world for me to be in the girls’ dorm.

‘Is this… okay?’
More importantly, how does she recognize me every time?
I was starting to seriously doubt the effectiveness of the veil bandages I used as a disguise.

Despite the mixed emotions, I decided to focus on the task at hand.
I didn’t knock on Iris’s door, but another one instead.
From inside, someone responded, ‘Yes?’ and then stepped out.

There stood a woman dressed in light training clothes.
Maybe because it was still autumn, the room felt warm enough for such attire.
When she tilted her head at me, her blue hair flowed gently with the movement.

“…Ah, what was it—Hania, right?”

Eve, the Unyielding Azure Flame.
She barely recalled the name as she spoke.

“We’re going to be working as a team starting today, so I should at least remember your name. Yeah.”
“Ah, right. Sorry about that.”
“And actually, I’m Hanon right now.”

I came clean about my identity to Eve, who had apologized sincerely.
She blinked in confusion, like I had just said something completely absurd.

“Remember I told you before? That we’re going to see Lady Iris tonight.”
“Uh—huh?”
She was clearly too caught off guard to process anything.

But I didn’t let that stop me.
“Eve, I’m going to see Lady Iris now. Come with me.”
“W-Wait, you’re serious?”
“Lady Iris needs your help.”

My serious tone made Eve falter.
Iris really was in danger.
If we didn’t have Eve’s help, she’d eventually be consumed by her nightmares.
Even I wouldn’t be able to stop it alone.

Eve could feel the sincerity in me.
She knew that when it came to saving someone, I never held back.
With a deep breath, she followed after me.

“Let’s head out, then.”
“I already told the head maid that we’re spending the night planning for the upcoming Autumn Demonic Palace Match.”
“…You really thought this through.”
“It’s my specialty.”

It wasn’t just for show—I really did prepare every little step of the plan.
At this point, it was second nature.

Together, Eve and I went straight to Iris’s room.
After two knocks, I opened the door.
And there she was again, sitting by the window—just like always.

Her jet-black hair spilled down, a striking contrast against her porcelain-white skin.
Maybe it was because of that contrast, but her skin looked so flawlessly pale it stirred an almost wicked desire to taint it.
Upon that snow-like complexion, her ruby-red eyes shimmered in the moonlight.
Those eyes, capable of pulling anyone in, were enough to earn her the title of the Empire’s most beautiful woman without question.
Even Eve, standing nearby, involuntarily sucked in a breath.
Her beauty was overwhelming, even to another woman.

“Hanon, come here.”
Iris lifted her hand and gestured for me.
I walked over to her without hesitation, used to this kind of scene.
Iris offered me her lap.
I sat obediently, and she pulled me into her embrace.

Eve looked on, wide-eyed, with a shocked expression.
She clearly had no idea what was going on.
Iris rested her chin on my shoulder and nuzzled her face into my cheek.

As Hania said, Iris must have really been under a lot of stress lately.
She was being much more physically affectionate than usual.

Naturally, I didn’t feel any particular emotion.
It just felt like a long-haired cat being unusually cuddly today.
Well… maybe that is kind of nice.

“Wh-What is this…”
Eve was still staring at us in disbelief.

“Iris, that’s Eve over there. You know her, right?”
“Mhm.”
Without so much as glancing her way, Iris just hugged me tighter.
It was like she was a child clinging to her favorite plushie, determined never to let it go.

Eve’s face had turned completely red.
Iris had a charm ability.
On top of that, she was wearing light, comfortable clothes that revealed some skin—and being so physically close must’ve been difficult for Eve to witness.

“Eve has the Azure Flame. She can dispel your nightmares, Lady Iris.”

For some reason, Iris tightened her grip on me.
Then her gaze shifted to Eve.

Eve shook her head slightly, trying to shake off Iris’s enchantment, and exhaled.
Then, with clear, steady eyes, she raised her head again.

“Hanon Airei said as much. I don’t know for sure myself, but… that’s the feeling I get.”

At Eve’s words, Iris fell silent for a moment.
Then she glanced at my face.

“Hanon, did you bring this girl here for me?”

She was asking not just about this moment—but about transferring Eve into Zeryon Academy in the first place.
I couldn’t lie to her, not here.

I nodded.
Iris let out a soft ‘hmm’, a nasal hum of acknowledgment.
For some reason, I could almost see a black cat’s tail swishing behind her.

“All right, if it’s something Hanon prepared for me.”

Still holding me, Iris stood up.
I hung limply in her arms like a piece of laundry as she carried me along.
There was no way I could break free from her hold.

Iris walked over to the bed and sat down without a care.

“Go ahead.”
It was a command spoken with the pride befitting the Third Princess.

“Lady Iris, I’ll also need the Blade of White Dreams I gave you before.”

To calm her nightmares, Lucas’s Flame of Determination was the most effective.
Unfortunately, the Azure Flame was a bit lacking in comparison.
That’s why I’d gotten the Blade of White Dreams from Parazon for this purpose.

“Over there.”
Iris pointed, and Eve turned in that direction.

Since I was firmly held in Iris’s arms, Eve was being considerate.
Soon, she brought over the Blade of White Dreams, which had been resting against the wall.
She glanced at me with a slightly troubled expression.

“Lady Iris, if I’m going to use the Azure Flame, you’ll need to let Hanon go.”

I also picked up on Eve’s discomfort and gently spoke to Iris.
Iris raised one eyebrow but soon released me without resistance.
After all, she wasn’t the kind of person to trouble others needlessly.

Eve stepped in front of Iris and summoned a vivid blue flame into her hand.
The Azure Flame blazed along the length of the Blade of White Dreams.

“It’s warm.”
Just as Iris said, the Azure Flame carried a warmth that gently raised the room’s temperature.

“How do you feel?”
“Not bad.”

A sense of calm began to settle over Iris’s expression.
It was clear proof that Eve’s flame was working.

“With this, I suppose it’s okay to turn my back and lie down, isn’t it?”
“I think it’ll be fine either way.”
Eve reassured her as well.

At that, Iris lay down and patted the space beside her.
Understanding her meaning, I reluctantly got on the bed and lay in front of her.
Iris wrapped her arms tightly around my waist.

There was a very soft feeling pressing into my back, but I’d grown somewhat used to it, so it was fine.

“Hanon, thank you.”
Still hugging me, Iris whispered those words.

This was the most at ease I had seen her all day.
And hearing that, I quietly began to think.

Maybe what Iris needed wasn’t just relief from nightmares.
Maybe what she’d longed for all along was the warmth of another person—
something she lost long ago when her mother passed away.

“Lady Iris, what is your dream?”

I felt Iris stir slightly at the question, her eyelids fluttering open.

“A dream…”
I had never asked her about her dreams before.
More accurately, no one ever had.

Everyone simply assumed her dream was to become Emperor.
That’s why no one ever thought to ask what her dream really was.

But I did.
I asked about it.

Iris fell silent for a moment.
Then she buried her face into my shoulder.

“Right… a dream. I’ve never really thought about it deeply.”

A quiet smile spread across her lips.

“I think… I’d like to have a family.”

Family.
The word furthest from her reach.

Before I knew it, I could hear Iris softly breathing, asleep.
Just like Hania had said, she clearly hadn’t been able to sleep well for a long time.

This must be her first peaceful sleep in ages.
If she’s free of nightmares tonight, maybe she’ll sleep happily too.

I wonder—
Will she be able to achieve the dream she just spoke of?

I don’t know.

But I do know this.
Someday, I want to see her smile brightly, when that dream finally comes true.