Editing/Standardisation: Medicine Melancholy
Original Translation: Medicine Melancholy
Iris
For the sake of Reiji-san and others, who’d always saved me, I’ll do anything within my power.
The determination I had earlier was genuine, and I thought my resolve could help me overcome this ordeal, but…
“…I shouldn’t have accepted that request.”
“Again with that, nya…”
Milly-san, who had been helping me change, sighed in response to what felt like the umpteenth time today I’d whined.
As I tried to stall in vain, we reached the door where everyone was waiting, and my fate was sealed.
There was no retreat now. I braced myself and opened the door.
“Um, I’ve changed now… Eek?!”
The moment I stepped out after finishing changing and opened the door, I felt all the gazes from everyone inside pierce right through me. My body flinched, and I involuntarily took a step back.
“Heh… Doesn’t that look nice? Miriam, did you pick that for her?”
“Nya-ah, it was actually that old cyclops who prepared it while anticipating Iris-chan’s arrival, nya.”
The first to speak was Nii-sama, who had just come back from outside. Milly-san answered his question right after.
What had been prepared for me, quite thoroughly, was a cute swimsuit decorated with blue ribbons and babydoll-style decorations.
Yes, it was definitely cute. I had no complaints about that; I even got a bit excited in front of the mirror myself.
But the problem was the amount of exposed skin. The swimsuit, a bikini-type, barely covered my chest and waist, leaving my now slightly budding chest, my belly button that’s never exposed to the air, and even the tops of my thighs completely bare. Compared to my usual clothing, this felt shockingly vulnerable.
The fabric over the essential areas was firm and secure. However, it still felt barely different from being in my underwear. And now, everyone was looking at me in this outfit…
“Ugh… I want to jump inside a hole and hide…”
Especially recently, I’d been receiving training to act like a princess and had been repeatedly told not to expose my bare skin in public, so I felt even more averse toward having to wear such an outfit.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. You look super cute, really!”
Milly-san, who was behind me, pushed me forward toward the center of the room.
“Come on, isn’t there someone you want to show off to, nya?”
“Someone… I want to show off to…”
It wasn’t for any specific reason connected to what she had just said, but my gaze wandered.
…Huh?
Someone who should have been there wasn’t. As I wondered where he was, I looked around the room.
Reiji
My thinking had been too naive.
Seeing her in a swimsuit? Lucky. I silently cursed the version of myself from a few minutes ago who had let his guard down so much.
For as long as I’d lived, I’ve lived without a trace of female companionship. I’ve been nursing a one-sided crush for seven years now, and lately, the girl who I’d been crushing on had been getting increasingly touchy-feely. Every time she made contact, I was forced to push down the overwhelming emotions stirred by the softness I feel.
…When I think about it, I’ve been holding up pretty well. I deserve some credit, don’t I?
But seeing that girl in an actual swimsuit was too much for me to handle.
You might think I’m overreacting like some stereotypical virgin, but hear me out.
Iris doesn’t normally show her skin to the opposite sex.
Since we came to this island, I’d had the occasional rare chance to see her in lighter summer clothing, but even then, I’d only caught brief glimpses of her thighs, as her guard is usually ironclad.
And now, this girl was baring her pale skin without hesitation. Her small, delicate frame was lightly blushing all over from embarrassment, and she was shrinking into herself, trying to hide from everyone’s stares. Her eyes were tearing up, and she looked like she doesn’t know where to place herself… She might not realize it, but this whole situation feels incredibly forbidden and sensual.
To begin with… Iris often criticizes her own body as being too thin and underdeveloped, but is that really the case?
Like sure, her overall appearance could be considered youthful.
But her chest, though small, has a gentle, soft curve that’s clearly there.
Her slim waist forms a delicate, feminine curve, and her pelvis is slightly wider than a man’s, giving her hips a subtle roundness. It’s a healthy, alluring figure, far more so than she probably thinks.
This is the body of a girl in the middle of adolescence, transitioning into womanhood, with the youthful and mature sides forming a delicate balance.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this a living work of art, shaped with the finest detail to depict a “young girl”, whose cuteness is worthy of the nickname “Northern Princess” she’d been known for in the game.
Moreover, I’d gazed upon that body several times… and once, even though it was an accident when it was dubious whether Iris was conscious, I directly stared at her, at very close range, with absolutely nothing blocking my view.
For a virgin who had just finished puberty and had no experience with women like me, it was practically impossible to forget that image that had been vividly burned into my mind.
And now, as I saw her nearly bare body before me, the thin fabric barely covering her chest and hips, I couldn’t stop myself from flashing back to the sight of those soft pinks at the peak of her gentle white hills, or the innocent place no one was ever supposed to see… No, I couldn’t stop the flashbacks any longer.
The desire to push her down onto the bed—no, the sofa right over there, was overwhelming.
To remove the delicate straps holding up her small outfit, to strip her down and expose her completely, to turn her trembling embarrassment into something even deeper… the dark urge is boiling up inside me, threatening to overtake my reason.
All of this flashed through my mind in about ten seconds.
Now, what I needed to do…
I made the decision in less than a second, and without hesitation, I acted—.
Iris
“UUUUUUUooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!”
THUD!
Suddenly, a roar echoed through the room, followed by a dull thud as the room shook.
“What on earth are you doing, Reiji-san!?”
I looked toward the source of the sound to find Reiji-san, gasping for breath and with his head covered in blood. Pieces of plaster from the wall were crumbling to the floor, suggesting that the sound had come from Reiji-san headbutting the wall.
…Wait a minute! The amount of blood on his head is seriously bad!
“…I’m fine. I just needed to cool off my head.”
“What part of your head is cool right now?! You’re going to pass out!”
Reiji-san, with vacant eyes, calmly replied.
The steady stream of red blood pouring down was alarming, even considering that head injuries tend to bleed more.
“No need to worry about me, I’ve never felt such clarity in a long time.”
“Now’s not the time for that nonsense! Argh, please stay still, I’m going to heal you, okay?!”
I hurriedly made him bend down so his head was at chest level, then examined the wound, purifying it with Purification before covering the injury with my hands to heal it.
“…The gap… the cleavage… No, I must not look, I must stay cool… I can do it…!”
He was muttering something nonsensical again. He must have hit his head harder than I thought.
Despite my panic, I finished healing him, cleaned away the blood with another Purification, and finally, I could relax a bit and sit down.
I’m so exhausted…
“Seriously… What were you thinking?!”
“S-Sorry…”
Now that he had calmed down, Reiji-san refused to look my way, keeping his face turned stubbornly to the side.
I shrugged at his behavior and stood up. When I lifted my head, I noticed everyone watching us with strangely warm smiles, which puzzled me.
“W-What’s the matter…?”
“Nothing, it’s just… You’re such a sinful girl, Princess.”
“…??”
Ouka-san said with an exasperated smile, while Kirsche-san, standing beside her, nodded in agreement.
After that commotion, I was bombarded with compliments like “So cute,” and I…
“…I can’t do this anymore…”
Unable to bear the embarrassment, I crossed my arms over my chest and crouched down behind the back of the sofa to hide from everyone’s stares. If I could, I’d shrink into a ball and disappear right there.
When I used to be “Yanagi”, I never minded being shirtless. Yet now, despite having my chest covered, which meant technically showing less skin than a male swimsuit, I felt incredibly embarrassed just from being seen.
“It can’t be helped, nya… Here, put this on, nya.”
“Thank you very much…”
Milly-san handed me a hoodie, which I gratefully accepted.
I quickly put it on while hiding behind the sofa. For the sake of the photo session, I zipped it up just above my navel, making sure the bottom of my swimsuit was mostly hidden under the hoodie.
Finally feeling comfortable, I stepped out from behind the sofa.
“…Now the fact that the swimsuit is only peeking out from under the hoodie makes it even more… nevermind, she probably hasn’t noticed…”
“For the love of… Reiji, keep that observation to yourself.”
I tilted my head when Nii-sama and Reiji-san were whispering something I couldn’t make out to each other.
One way or another, after a while, I got somewhat used to the situation.
I occasionally struck a pose when asked, sipped tea that the others kindly prepared, and let time flow in a relaxed manner for about half an hour.
“Hmm…”
“Milly-san, what’s wrong?”
Milly-san had a serious expression as she looked into the camera, staring at the image displayed. Curious about what she was so focused on, I peeked over at the screen.
It was a picture taken just as I was about to drink tea from a glass, about to put my lips to the straw when someone called my name from behind, and I turned around.
“…Something feels off, nya…”
Milly-san cocked her head in confusion, but from my perspective, it was a cute picture. My expression was blank as I turned around, making me look younger and more adorable. But…
“…Is it because of the background?”
The swimsuit gave off a light and free feeling, but the dark, indoor cave setting clashed badly with it.
“That’s it, nya! Iris-chan, how about we go outside and take some photos?!”
“W-wait, I don’t think that’s a good idea…”
“There are still onlookers outside from this morning’s commotion. It’s better not to,” Nii-sama, who had recently returned from outside, offered helpfully.
“Oh… right… In that case, I guess we can’t,” Milly-san said reluctantly, backing down.
“If I’m not wrong… you lot are staying in the VIP area at the grand arena, right?”
Master Nephilim suddenly asked.
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“I heard there’s a private beach for guests. Why not use that for your photos? You can keep that swimsuit too.”
“T-That’s just what I need to hear, nya! Let’s go there as soon as we get back, Iris-chan!”
“Eeeeeeeh?”
“About that… Can you give me some of the photos when it’s done?”
Everyone turned to glare at Master Nephilim, whose soft and pleading expression completely betrayed his rough demeanor.
“Nephilim, my man, just leave it to me! I’ll get the best shot for you, nya!”
…Correction. Everyone except Milly-san.
“Well… much as I’d love to keep having fun, we’re running short on time. Let’s get down to business.”
“……You mean you’re finally serious at long last?”
“Let’s get down to business.”
Completely ignoring my comment, Master Nephilim continued in a dignified voice.
If he always acted this composed, I would respect him so much more.
“First up… Lady Iris’ request. This one’s a past work of mine. Since you have an abundance of magical power, it would be better to prioritize sturdiness and lightness to a certain degree.”
Master Nephilim placed a package on the nearby table as he explained.
“That reminds me… Iris-chan, are you feeling alright? You gave me a fair amount of magical power earlier…”
“Yes, I’m perfectly fine. This much isn’t an issue at all.”
I gave Kirsche-san, who was concerned about me, a reassuring smile.
…In fact, my magical power had grown surprisingly much in the past month. Kirsche-san was a reincarnated player in the rearguard like me, who by all means should possess considerable magical power, and even so, I still had plenty of magical power left after restoring her mana from its near-depleted state.
Soon enough, the package was unwrapped, revealing a staff that was taller than I was, with a ring and cross design at the top.
“Is it heavy? Can you wield it?”
“Yes, there’s no problem… It’s lighter than my previous one, actually.”
I gave it a few light swings and shared my honest impression.
“Wait, this isn’t just an ordinary staff, is it?”
I noticed some strange features, like the emitter attached to the cross-shaped part and small wings on the ring’s side, with slits underneath that resembled exhaust ports.
“Ah, well, I tend to make things like that out of habit as a weapon smith. If it bothers you, I can make a more normal one.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s reassuring to have something like this in case of emergencies…”
“Good. But don’t get overconfident. Ideally, you should never need to swing something like that on the front lines.”
Hearing his words, I calmed down the excitement that was building up from getting my hands on a new staff and nodded.
“Next… Saul, I’ve kept you waiting. Take these, they’re yours.”
Saying so, Master Nephilim placed two packages on the table. The larger one was unwrapped, revealing a sleek, black-sheathed longsword.
“Huh? This shape…”
Nii-sama let out a puzzled sound as he examined the sword.
Looking closely, I noticed something—there was a slot in the guard that seemed designed to hold a spherical object. It… looked familiar to us.
“This… Could it be the same as Reiji’s Ars Ray or Walter-san’s Ars Nova?”
“No, it’s an improved model. After realizing those two were a bit over the top, I changed the way the energy field is deployed for this prototype. The output is lower, but it works as a normal sword even without a Dragon’s Core powering it.”
“A normal sword… No, isn’t it already incredible as is?”
Nii-sama was stunned by what he saw, and I nodded in agreement.
A superior sword has an air that can be sensed even to the untrained eye, but this sword exuded a presence that was far superior to any I had seen so far.
“But of course. This sword was made to slay even dragon, after all. You need something powerful enough to withstand such power.”
When Master Nephilim said so casually… I couldn’t help but feel that he’s truly one of the finest craftsmen in the world.
“The name is Ars Lada. Go ahead and take it. There’s no Dragon Core in it yet, but it’ll serve you well. Of course, if you find one later, bring it to me, and I’ll install it.”
“…Thank you. I’ll use it with care.”
Nii-sama respectfully accepted the sword… Ars Lada, and gently removed it from its sheath.
He examined the blade closely and gently ran his finger along its edge. Then he took out a piece of thin paper and placed it over the blade.
“Wow…”
He murmured in admiration.
The next moment, the white paper fluttered to the floor, cleanly sliced in two.
Unlike Reiji-san’s Ars Ray, this sword had a slender, shining blade with a razor-sharp edge. Nii-sama tested its balance with a few swings, then executed a few rapid thrusts too fast for my eyes to follow. Satisfied, he nodded and smiled.
“Both the length and weight are perfect. You have my utmost thanks. And this other package is…”
“Open it and you’ll see.”
“…Hmm?”
Master Nephilim said with a playful glint in his eyes.
Although he was suspicious, Nii-sama opened the package.
Inside it was…
“Woah?!”
“No way…”
Reiji-san and I both let out cries of shock. Meanwhile, Nii-sama, who opened the package, was frozen speechless.
Inside was a short, curved sword about the length of my arm from wrist to elbow, with a knuckle guard like a small shield.
The entire blade, from hilt to tip, appeared to be carved from a single piece of black obsidian, without any seams.
“Could it be…?”
“Oh, so you recognized it too, Lady Iris? It’s thanks to this being passed down to me and the research I did on it that I knew how to repair that white sword earlier. Yes, its name is…”
Before Master Nephilim could finish, I already realized the sword’s true identity.
A memory that wasn’t entirely mine whispered the answer.
“The Jet-Black Inferno… Artorius…?!”
This was no ordinary sword. It was the same as Reiji’s Arventia. Undoubtedly, it was one of the Save the Queen series of blades…
APM - Translation 