episode_0118

“- So you suddenly started sparring?”

“I see.”

Inside a noisy restaurant.

I was having a small talk with Iris.

As a result of talking to her about this and that, I was able to open up to her.

Of course, Iris still called me respectfully.

“Oh, right. Are you taking good care of your servant horse?”

Iris answered my question confidently with sparkling eyes.

“Yes!! How cute. I even gave it a name.”

“Name? What is it?”

The crow I gave to Iris.

It was one of the servant horses inherited from Sephir.

Actually, it was almost like it was stolen…

There were many other servant horses, but I tamed one that could fly because I thought it would be much easier to use.

Actually, you can do a lot of different things with this crow.

Sharing a view from a distance, or conveying information.

There were also many other abilities that were useful in battle.

I thought it would be a good idea to give it to Iris, since I had no way of contacting her, so I gave it to her.

But judging by the fact that he even gave it a name, it looks like he’s become quite close with his servant horse.

Iris scratched her head as if embarrassed, then mumbled in a small voice.

“They combined Hera and my name…and named me Harris..”

“…Aha.”

Harris.

Hmm. It didn’t seem like a bad name.

At least it was clear that he had a better naming sense than Sephir.

While we were chatting about small things like that, Iris linked arms with me and spoke to me cautiously.

“Hera, I have something I want to ask you.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Hera is a unique ability user, right?”

“….Ah.”

The priests could sense the unique abilities.

I looked at Iris and answered.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

It didn’t really matter if Iris knew.

Rather, I wanted to ask Iris once.

I haven’t really cared about it since before. I still don’t know exactly what my ability is.

I thought it was simply an improvement in physical ability, but when I thought about it that way, it was far from being a unique ability.

Iris’ healing power that even heals a severed arm.

Robin’s unyielding will allows him to harness infinite power.

And other unique abilities that demonstrate fraudulent abilities.

In comparison, simple physical ability enhancement felt somewhat sloppy.

Moreover, it wasn’t just about increasing abilities. It also had a restriction that it would only be activated against hostile beings.

But since there haven’t been any particular problems so far, I haven’t paid much attention to it.

But I’ve been curious lately.

“Wow…Wow! To be chosen by the goddess. As expected, it’s Hera.”

“Phew…what is it? Iris, you too. Are you bragging about yourself?”

“Huh..? Oh..ah..that..that’s not it…”

Iris blushes and waves her hands.

I got playful and tried teasing her, and she reacted quite cutely.

“Pfft..I’m joking. By the way, Iris. Since we’re on the subject, I’m saying this.”

“…What is it?”

Iris, who had lowered her face, which had turned as red as a beet, pouted and slowly looked up at me again.

“I have a vague idea, but I don’t know exactly. Do you know what my ability is?”

If I could properly grasp the power of my ability, I would be able to fight more easily in the future.

And that was very beneficial to my plans.

Iris thought about it for a moment, then said, seeming a little troubled.

“Hmm.. I can do it.. but it will take quite some time. It will probably take half a day.”

“Uhm… Really?”

Half a day?

I never imagined it would take that long.

In the novel, it was only written that the priests could find out. It was not said how they would find out or how long it would take.

“Half a day…it’ll be hard. I can’t stay up all night.”

Maybe an hour or two.

If it’s half a day, I have no choice but to waste the whole day.

“Ha..you can do it!!”

“Huh?”

Just as I was about to give up, Iris suddenly came running towards me with a loud voice and excitement.

As I looked at her curiously, Iris blushed and grabbed my hand, saying:

“I can…no, I want to!! I will find out Hera’s ability!”

“But wouldn’t half a day be too short?”

Even if you start right now, it will be quite late.

This wouldn’t be a good thing for Iris, who is still a student.

“It’s okay..! It doesn’t matter anyway since tomorrow is the weekend!”

“No, Iris. The night road is so dangerous. Even if it’s the Empire, you have to be careful. ”

Besides, if she was a pretty girl like Iris, something could have happened.

At least it would be right to send it back before the sun sets.

“…You can just be with Hera.”

Iris mumbled in a voice that was barely audible.

“Huh?”

“I want to stay with you forever….”

She hesitated for a while, her mouth hanging open.

Soon, he grabbed my hand tightly and looked up at me with an earnest expression.

“There are a lot of inns here..”

“Can we sleep together today?”

*

*

*

“Sigh…”

I let out a short sigh.

“Hehehe…”

Contrary to my complicated feelings, Iris is happily smiling while rubbing her face on the inn bed, wondering what’s so good about it.

A strange sense of guilt kept pricking me at the sight of her like that.

‘..Bringing a minor to the inn..’

It doesn’t really matter since it’s just between women…

No.

That would actually be more dangerous for Iris.

….How did it end up like this?

At first I refused.

I didn’t feel like letting a student stay out overnight. And since the person I was talking to was Iris, I felt like I had to be careful.

But Iris was much more persistent than I expected.

Despite my rejection, she kept holding on to me, saying she didn’t want to break up with me.

It was only after she had started to cry and talk that I reluctantly gave in to her request.

“The bed here is so soft.”

Iris just smiled faintly, unaware of my complicated feelings.

I finally had no choice but to sigh and accept the situation.

“Iris. You shouldn’t have strange thoughts?”

“Huh?! What…what are you talking about..! I’m not thinking about anything? I’m not thinking about kissing you or touching your chest…I’m not thinking about that!”

“…..”

‘…Is that okay?’

I felt a little wary of her, as she was greatly embarrassed by my words and was pouring out everything she didn’t need to say while very excited.

…I have to be careful.

I felt like I had to put Iris to sleep first.

While I was making that decision, Iris cautiously approached me.

“Then shall I find out your ability right away?”

“….Please.”

I asked her, leaving behind my uneasy feeling.

It’s better to start quickly and finish quickly. It’s better for both of us.

If you start now, you’ll probably be able to sleep before the next day.

“Yes! Then please lie down on the bed.”

“Uh..yeah.”

Is this a process that has to be done lying down?

It would take half a day, and it would be quite uncomfortable if I had to sit or stand.

As I lay down on the bed, Iris pulled my body towards her and placed my head on her lap.

“Actually, I said I would find out, but it’s a little different.”

“Huh? What?”

“The role of the priest is simply to take you to the source of power that contains your unique abilities. The one who will directly face the grace of the goddess will be Hera.”

“Uh..huh?”

I tilted my head at her words, which sounded quite complicated.

“Don’t worry. Nothing will ever harm Hera.”

Iris, who strokes my head and reassures me.

I don’t know exactly what it is, but doesn’t that mean I have to figure out what my unique ability is?

Well, it’ll work out somehow.

Iris herself said that nothing would happen.

Since we had Sephir’s power and Mari’s mana, it didn’t seem like there would be any danger.

“..Please take good care of me, Iris.”

“Hehehe…Okay. Then close your eyes.”

I slowly closed my eyes as she said. I felt a warm hand resting on my forehead.

“You must tell me what kind of ability it is.”

And for a moment.

A bright light that could be seen even with closed eyes shone brilliantly.

I just lost consciousness.

“…..Are you asleep?”

Iris’s last words, which had no meaning, were not heard.

.

.

.

“Ugh….”

I opened my eyes feeling dizzy.

I overcame the hazy feeling in my head and got up. A different scenery than before came into view.

“….is this a dream?”

Clearly, my last memory was lying in the inn with Iris.

But the sight before my eyes was definitely not like an inn.

A pond quietly echoing and a large moon floating between them.

Bamboo growing straight up. And a pleasant breeze blowing through the hair.

It was a charming riverside that seemed like it came straight out of a martial arts world.

‘Where on earth is it?’

As far as I remember, there was no description of such a place in the novel.

According to Iris, it seems to be the source of the ability, but I have no idea where it is.

“You’re finally here?”

While I was bewildered by the unfamiliar sight, a beautiful voice that seemed to captivate people tickled my ears.

I raised my head in the direction of the voice.

A heterogeneous entity that I had never seen before appeared before my eyes.

A woman with a mysterious and beautiful appearance and a strange aura.

It was a fascinating sight, as if it came straight out of a myth.

“Welcome, my descendant.”

Behind her back.

The nine tails were fluttering like wings.