The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned

Chapter 158: Oh, Youth (3)

Boom!

“Kyahhh!?”

“W-what? What\'s happening?”

“Did a bomb go off?!”

The candidates, who were leisurely enjoying their post-meal tea time, screamed at the loud explosion that resounded throughout the café.

And then.

“Guh! Guh! Ack!”

Berald struggled with his mouth covered.

“…What are you doing?”

Senior Sophia narrowed her eyes at me, who was holding Berald’s mouth shut.

She probably thought the date, which had been going so well, was interrupted.

The look in Senior Sophia’s eyes was icy beyond belief.

“Well... um, you see.”

Our eyes met.

The air grew cold.

With an awkward smile on my lips, I spoke.

“Would you mind if I join you?”

“No.”

“Haha. Thank you, senior.”

Ignoring Senior Sophia’s cold answer, I took a seat.

“Pwah! Wh-why are you here all of a sudden, brother? You said you wouldn’t come earlier!”

“Shut up.”

I glared fiercely at Berald and turned back to Senior Sophia.

“So, what were you talking about?”

“We were discussing microcosmic magic.”

“Ah, I see. Unfortunately, Berald doesn’t know much about microcosmic magic. No, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he knows nothing about it at all.”

“Hey, brother. I like micro… Guh!”

I stomped hard on Berald’s foot as he tried to butt in cluelessly.

‘Please, just stay quiet.’

This is all for your sake, you idiot.

“Ugh…”

Whether he understood or was just intimidated by my harsh expression, Berald fell silent with a sullen look.

Senior Sophia glanced at Berald and continued.

“He said he was very interested, though.”

“Being interested and being knowledgeable are two different things.”

“Huh.”

Senior Sophia crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

“But how do you know Berald doesn’t know much about microcosmic magic?”

“Because I’m the one who taught him magic.”

“…You taught him?”

Senior Sophia looked at Berald in surprise.

Berald nodded and replied.

“That’s right. Brother taught me magic. And the ‘Berald Martial Arts’ I mentioned earlier—I learned that from him too.”

“So, you named the martial arts after yourself even though you learned it from him?”

Sophia let out a small, incredulous laugh.

“B-brother told me to do that! I’m innocent!”

“I see. Now I understand.”

Senior Sophia nodded slightly, then shot me a piercing glare.

“You were worried your secret techniques would be leaked, weren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry. I know your magic skills are exceptional, but I’m not going to steal someone else’s secret techniques without permission.”

“…….”

That was way off, but…

Sure, let’s go with that.

Anything’s better than having Berald’s tastes exposed here.

“By the way, does this perfect timing mean you were secretly following us?”

“Hmm? Is that true, brother?”

Just as I was at a loss for words to Senior Sophia’s sharp accusation.

“No. I invited Dale here for coffee, and we happened to overhear your conversation.”

Iris appeared at just the right moment.

“…The Saint of the Holy Nation.”

“Please, just call me Iris.”

Iris gave a gentle smile and bowed slightly.

Senior Sophia, propping her chin with her hand, narrowed her eyes.

“Is it okay for the saint to be wandering around alone with a man like this?”

“The Seven Gods said, ‘Whoever does not love does not know God.’”

“Huh. Is that so?”

Sophia’s eyes roamed up and down Iris before stopping at a certain point.

The curves visible even through the cadet uniform.

Tsk.

A short click of the tongue escaped Sophia’s lips.

She glanced uneasily at Berald and spoke bluntly.

“You definitely have a body that makes it easy to ‘know love.’ Is that a blessing from the gods too?”

Though her tone was openly confrontational, Iris just smiled brightly and sat beside Sophia.

“Well, I think Senior Sophia is actually better suited to know love.”

“What?”

“Those ruby-like eyes… Your skin is so clear, and you’re really beautiful.”

“Wh-why are you saying that all of a sudden? It’s not like that…”

“Don’t you agree, Berald?”

Iris turned to Berald and asked.

“I do agree. Sister Sophia is very beautiful.”

“Ugh…!”

Sophia’s shoulders flinched as she tightly grabbed the hem of her uniform skirt.

Her ears, visible as she bowed her head, turned as red as her hair.

“See? Berald agrees too.”

“You…”

Sophia glared at the cheerful Iris, who seemed to be enjoying herself.

“I-I’m leaving now!”

Sophia turned and hurriedly ran out of the café.

“Hmm? Leaving already?”

Even as he watched Sophia walk away, Berald just sipped his coffee without moving.

“What are you doing?”

“Surely you’re not thinking of not going after her, right?”

“…Was I supposed to chase after her?”

Berald looked at me and Iris blankly, as if he didn\'t understand what was happening.

Iris, with an exasperated expression, slammed the table and stood up.

"What nonsense are you spouting, you dense idiot? Are you not going to run out before I crush what\'s between your legs?!"

"Ah, I got it! Calm down!"

At Iris\'s fierce outburst, Berald hurriedly ran out of the café.

As she confirmed that Berald had gone after Sophia, Iris let out a deep sigh and sat back down.

"Phew, watching them is really frustrating. Hm? Why do you look like that, Dale?"

"…It\'s nothing."

I unfolded my previously crossed legs and shifted my gaze out the window.

In the distance, I could see Berald chasing after senior Sophia.

‘The future has changed, but….’

It would still take some time for their "youth" to bloom fully.

"Still… I kind of like this, you know?"

Iris looked at the coffee cups left behind by Sophia and Berald and smiled faintly.

"What\'s to like?"

"Doesn\'t just seeing them together make your heart flutter?"

"It feels more exasperating than anything."

Mostly because of that idiot Berald.

"That\'s how it always is at first."

Iris chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Awkward, clumsy, anxious… but despite it all, wanting to convey your feelings…."

Her gaze settled on me.

"Just like you did, Dale."

"Ugh."

I didn\'t expect her to turn the focus onto me so suddenly.

I swallowed nervously and looked away to avoid her eyes.

"About what you said on the beach before, I never got to give you an answer, did I?"

"……."

It had already been weeks since I confessed that I didn\'t want to lose either Iris or Yurina.

During that time, neither Iris nor Yurina had brought up what happened that day.

As if the memory of that day had been neatly cut out and life had gone on as usual.

"I\'ve been thinking about it ever since."

For the first time, Iris brought up the topic again.

"I can\'t speak for Yurina\'s feelings, so I\'ll start with my own."

Iris looked at me steadily, her eyes as deep as the blue sky.

"Honestly, when I first heard it, I was a little angry."

"……."

"I even wondered how you would answer if the situation were reversed."

A reversed situation.

Imagining Iris telling me she loved two men at once flashed through my mind.

A suffocating feeling washed over me, and a chill ran down my spine.

"……."

An indescribable sense of guilt and sin pressed heavily on my chest.

"Oh, don\'t make that face. I was only angry for a moment. Now, I\'m even a bit relieved."

"Relieved?"

"Well… at least I won\'t have to worry about being rejected by you."

She smiled bashfully as she said that.

"If I had to choose between staying by your side with someone else or being alone, I would choose to stay by your side."

Even if that love wasn\'t entirely directed at her.

Just being able to stay by his side felt like a blessing from the gods.

She had fallen so deeply for him that she entertained such unreasonable thoughts.

"I think Yurina would feel the same way."

"…Iris."

"Oh, and here\'s another possibility. If you had chosen me and coldly rejected Yurina… hmm."

Iris paused, lost in thought.

She recalled the story Yurina once told her.

The tale of a woman who had lived her life crushed under the light of the sun.

"Yeah, that wouldn\'t be good either."

Iris shook her head, a gentle smile on her lips.

"You can call it cheap sympathy if you want. But… to me, Yurina is like family. No one wants to see a family member in pain, right?"

Come to think of it, Iris had mentioned growing up in an orphanage.

Having grown up without family, she must have clung more tightly to the idea of "companions."

Just as I did.

"Well, in any case. This is the answer I\'ve come to after thinking about it."

Iris slowly reached out and took my hand.

"Even if you\'re selfish, irresponsible, and only think about yourself."

The warmth of her touch traveled through my skin.

"I love you."

So deeply, she couldn\'t help it.

"……."

I looked at Iris with trembling eyes.

My mind was tangled, unable to find the right words.

"And, don\'t forget that I\'m \'first,\' okay?"

Iris gently caressed my hand and continued.

"If you neglect me even a little or get distracted by another woman…."

With a bright smile, she winked playfully.

"I\'ll crush it, got it?"