After Laneige’s rampage had come to an end, we did our best to clean up the mess around us before returning to the academy. Fortunately, since the area we had chosen for our walk was in the quiet, secluded forest behind the academy, there hadn’t been much commotion.

Laneige bowed deeply toward Iris and Yurina, who had put her pendant back on.

She said, “Um, I-I’m really sorry about today. Like I said before, I never had any bad intentions toward either of you.”

Her voice was small, her expression timid. “Just like how Dale is important to me, I know he is precious to both of you, too. I would never try to take Dale away from either of you. That’s not what I want. I just... want to stay by the side of the first person who ever showed me warmth.”

Her voice was trembling but steady, each word clear and firm.

“I know full well that this must be a burden to you both, but...” Laneige bowed even deeper. “Please. Allow me to stay by Dale’s side.”

Iris, who had been listening with a stiff expression, finally let out a long sigh. “I don’t think this is something we can decide right away.”

“Y-yeah.”

“But if you truly want to stay by Dale’s side, there’s one thing you must never forget.” Her blue eyes, clear as the summer sky, fixed sharply on Laneige. “Don’t ever hurt Dale again. If you ever make him suffer, even once more, I’ll never forgive you, no matter what it takes.”

“I-I understand,” Laneige replied.

Under Iris’s quiet but overwhelming pressure, Laneige seemed to shrink in on herself. With her small frame and frail build, she looked like a nervous underclassman being scolded by a fierce senior, even though she was the older one. I couldn’t help but stifle a bitter laugh as I glanced at her. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

When our eyes met, Laneige’s face brightened, and she scurried over to me. She said, “I’ll never hurt you again, Dale! I swear!”

Her tiny fists clenched tight as she made her vow. I had to suppress a chuckle.

However, I was curious about one thing. “How did you come to your senses back there?”

“Oh, that. Right.” Laneige frowned slightly, recalling what had happened during her rampage. “I’m not really sure. I felt so cold, but then this warm energy washed over me, and suddenly, I could think again.”

“I see. Warm energy, huh.”

Could it have been the Ashen Flame? I wondered.

In our previous mentoring session, when she had been shivering from the cold, she said she felt warm after I brought the Ashen Flame closer to her. At the time, I couldn’t tell if that “warmth” she felt was just emotional, coming from someone finally helping her after she had endured a lifetime of scorn, or something caused by the Ashen Flame itself.

Since it had happened again this time, it could likely be that the Ashen Flame was affecting her Blessing of Frost somehow. But that wasn’t something I could verify right now.

With a soft smile, Laneige hugged my hand like it was some kind of treasure. “Thank you. Really. This is all thanks to you, Dale.”

A strange tension started to fill the air between us, until Iris’s gentle voice cut through the moment. “Dale?”

I quickly pulled my hand away.

Iris approached me with her usual composed smile. “You seem to be in a good mood.”

Why did that sound so threatening coming from someone so polite? For some reason, her tone made my brain translate her words into something like “Enjoying yourself, huh?”

She continued smoothly, “Well, anyway, I’m just glad no one got seriously hurt. And Yurina, your frostbite, it’s all healed now, right?”

Yurina lifted her hand, showing that it was completely fine. “Yeah, thanks, Iris.”

“Good. Then everyone should go and rest for today. Oh, and Laneige, before you go, please give me your Hero Watch contact.”

“Y-yes! Of course!”

“I’ll head back too.”

Laneige and Yurina headed off toward their respective dorms.

I was just about to turn and leave as well when Iris called out to me.

“Dale.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you have time this evening?”

“Hmm, I guess I don’t have anything planned.”

Iris’s face flushed slightly as she said, “Then would you come to my room for a bit?”

“Your room?”

“I’ve been craving your cooking, especially your ramen. It’s been a while.”

“Ramen, huh? Sure. I’ll come by tonight.”

That made me realize even I hadn’t eaten ramen in quite some time.

“I’ll submit a visitor request in advance. You can come straight in,” Iris said.

I nodded. “Got it.”

I headed off toward the dorms.

***

The Hero Academy had many dormitories, but only those with immense influence or wealth could live in the prestigious Building A. Inside one of those spacious single rooms, far too large for a mere cadet, Iris exhaled deeply, pressing a hand to her chest, her face tense with nerves.

“Phew!”

She glanced at the clock on the wall and swallowed hard, thinking, It’s about time Dale gets here.

The ramen was just an excuse. The real reason she had invited Dale to her room was something else entirely. Lately, there had been too many women around him. There was Yurina, of course; Professor Baldwin; and now, even Laneige. All of them had clear feelings for Dale.

He had said she was his first, but Iris couldn’t just sit back and relax. She needed to make a move, a decisive strike that would secure her place, undeniably, as the first.

Iris bit her lip, her cheeks reddening as her thoughts spiraled further. “Ugh!”

She swallowed hard and opened her wardrobe. Hidden between her school uniforms and priestly robes was a black negligee, sheer enough to faintly reveal what lay beneath. It was a secret weapon she had secretly bought when she had gone on a trip to Valhalla City.

She had told herself she needed a decisive strike, but the thought of actually putting on that outfit and standing before Dale made her head feel like it could explode from embarrassment.

“M-maybe, I shouldn’t do this after all?”

Still, after a moment of hesitation, Iris groaned, clenched her eyes shut, and pulled the black negligee from its hiding place. If she wanted to capture Dale’s heart tonight, she needed a weapon worthy of that goal.

There’s no victory for those who just sit and wait! she thought.

After changing into the negligee, she stood in front of the mirror. It wasn’t completely see-through, but compared to her usual modest attire, it left far too much skin exposed. Just looking at her reflection made her face burn bright red.

She exhaled, trying to calm her racing heart. “Haaah! Okay. Deep breaths. Alright.”

Once she had gathered her resolve, she dimmed the lights and placed scented candles throughout the room. The sweet fragrance filled the air, and the room took on a warm, sultry glow. Taking a seat on the sofa, she waited for Dale to arrive.

A few minutes later, someone knocked at the door. Iris swallowed nervously and went to open it. “Welcome, Dale—”

Instead of Dale, it was Camilla standing there, staring back at her with a frozen, unreadable expression.

“Milady?”

Camila swept her eyes up and down Iris’s body once, then her brow furrowed. “What exactly are you doing right now?”

Caught completely off guard by Camilla’s sudden appearance, Iris stumbled backward. “W-wait! I-It’s not what it looks like!”

Camilla continued, “Dale? Didn’t you say Dale when you opened the door? Don’t tell me... You invited him here? Dressed like that?”

“T-this is a misunderstanding!”

Camilla’s temper flared, her usual formal tone gone. “Misunderstanding, my foot! Iris, have you lost your mind? A Saintess of the Holy Empire, inviting a man into her room? In that indecent outfit?”

“Ugh!”

Flushed and exasperated, Camilla pressed a hand to her forehead, clearly about to faint. “If the Holy Empire ever finds out about this. Oh heavens!”

She bit her lip hard before continuing, “Iris, I know you have feelings for Dale. I know he’s a good man.”

Iris remained silent.

“But this. This isn’t right! You’re a Saintess! Even if it doesn’t go against the teachings of the Seven Gods, there are certain standards a Saintess must uphold!”

Camilla pointed accusingly at the black negligee Iris was wearing. “Change. Right now.”

Iris stood silent for a moment, gripping the hem of her negligee tightly in her hands, then said, “No.”

Camilla blinked, caught off guard by the refusal. “What? What did you just say?”

Iris lifted her head, jaw clenched tight. Her eyes burned fiercely as she glared back at her. “I said no. Proper conduct as a Saintess? That’s just the nonsense those old fossils in the Holy Empire love to spout! The Seven Gods themselves said there’s no such thing as too much love!”

“That’s not...”

“Do you think I chose to be a Saintess? Huh? When I awakened the Seven Eyes, I was just a random orphan kid. It wasn’t some divine calling!”

Camilla’s lips pressed shut.

Iris, breathing heavily, stepped closer, each word trembling but firm. “Camilla, before I’m a Saintess, I’m a woman. A woman who wants to be loved by the man she loves. Just an ordinary woman.”

“Iris...”

Grabbing Camilla by the shoulders, Iris said, “Is that really so wrong? Tell me! Is it a sin for a grown woman to just want to have sex?”

The cry rang through the room. It was followed by silence, a heavy, suffocating silence. At that moment, the door, which they thought was closed, slowly swung open. Through the gap appeared a young man with ash-gray hair.

“Huh?”

Their eyes met.

Dale stood there, blinking awkwardly, a nervous smile tugging at his lips. “Uh, haha. Sorry. I, uh, heard shouting and thought something happened, so I... yeah. Ahaha!”

He slowly turned around and slammed the door shut. “I-I’ll make ramen another time!”

His hurried footsteps faded down the hall.

Silence fell once more. Camilla shut her eyes tightly, and Iris slumped down to the floor, face buried in her hands.

Iris said, “Camilla...”

“Yes, Milady?”

“Kill me.”

“I can’t.”

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

“That’s not happening either.”

Iris trembled as she began to sob uncontrollably. Camilla quietly stepped forward, gently patting her back.