Protagonist Drift? (2)
Iriel nodded.
"I see. Got it. Take off your clothes...?"
What?
She froze for a moment, then whipped her head around and let out a snicker.
"...Zeke? I think I just misheard something. What did you say?"
"Mm. I said you need to take off your clothes."
"...?"
Iriel forgot to even react, her body going rigid.
It wasn't a mishearing—she'd heard it right.
Has this guy really lost his mind!?
He was brazenly saying he wanted to see the bare body of a duke's lady.
Iriel wondered if losing his memories had actually broken something in his head.
A heavy silence settled between Zeke and Iriel.
His usual impassive face.
Iriel's mind raced.
This is sexual harassment, right?
Maybe she'd been too casual with him.
The joy of reuniting after ten years,
And hearing he'd lost his memories,
Praising her beauty over and over—it had made him cross every line without end.
This had nothing to do with how much she valued him.
...This is a situation where I should be getting angry, right? Yeah?
Normally, she would've lashed out without a second thought, but this was the first time she'd heard something like this, leaving her flustered.
"You bastard!!"
Iriel pointed at Zeke, her face flushed beet red.
"Do you even know what just came out of your mouth!!!"
"Mm...?"
Zeke twitched an eyebrow, tilting his head as if wondering what the problem was.
A vein bulged on Iriel's forehead.
"H-how dare you! You said you want to see this lady's naked body!!"
She bellowed it out, but even saying it herself was so embarrassing that her words stumbled.
Zeke shook his head.
"No. You just need to remove your top."
"Uh... No? Is that so...? Then...?"
His words were so matter-of-fact that Iriel nearly bought it for a second before glaring at him harder.
What kind of wyvern-munching bullshit is this!
"That's not the point right now!!"
Then Serena smirked from the side and spoke to Zeke.
"Instructor. Iriel's saying she really doesn't want to. Isn't it fine to skip one?"
Zeke furrowed his brow.
"...Still, it'd be better if she did."
"Even so, I think we should respect the student's opinion, Instructor."
"Hmmm... Still..."
"There are women in this world for whom shame matters more than life itself, Instructor. Not me, of course—swords come first. But not for Iriel?"
With Iriel's fierce opposition and Serena earnestly intervening,
Zeke realized that inspecting mana roads could be more irresponsible than he'd thought, depending on the person.
Zeke pondered. Iriel, the new candidate for heroine who'd suddenly burst in.
Checking her mana roads and teaching her a suitable sword style was a pretty important task for him.
Can I skip inspecting the mana roads...? No, but a fitting training method... Just general training? Didn't expect her to hate it this much. Hmm. They said assassin captain level is pretty strong here. If I push harder... I could probably toy with an assassin captain...
After a long moment sorting his thoughts, Zeke admitted he'd been careless.
"Alright, I see. Sorry, Iriel. I was thinking too much from my perspective. We'll skip you."
"...?"
Serena clenched her fist inwardly.
Yes, Instructor! That's it! Exactly! Hehe, that cliff's worthless body isn't worth your hands or eyes!
Thanks to Serena's help, Iriel avoided having to strip.
She was flustered by Zeke's quick concession but nodded awkwardly.
Of course... that's normal. So why does it feel off...? And he's just brushing it off with an apology?
Serena grabbed Zeke's arm, pressing her chest against it subtly as she said,
"Come on, Instructor! You must be hungry. Let's have something delicious for dinner tonight!"
"Yeah, thanks."
Leaving Iriel behind, Serena and Zeke vanished from the parlor.
Creeeak—thud.
Clink clink.
Iriel pouted as she ate her dinner.
She hated to admit it, but the Yohayden food was pretty good.
Even for her refined palate, the dishes were perfectly balanced—stimulating yet smooth.
But her mood didn't improve, thanks to the sight before her as she ate.
"Instructor, try this."
"Mm."
Serena placed meat and vegetables from her plate onto Zeke's.
"I specially prepared things that go great on baguette today."
"Is that so. Thanks."
With his expressionless face, Zeke used a small fork to eat the bread.
It wasn't particularly affectionate, but Serena grinned nonstop just watching him eat.
Iriel slammed her fork down with a clack.
Serena turned to her with an annoyed look.
"Hey, flowerbed."
"What, cliff."
"You still haven't told me how to keep attending the academy."
"Oh, right."
Serena nodded as if she'd just remembered, then gathered her thoughts before speaking.
"I said to hold a banquet at Yustia, right? The sooner, the better."
"Yeah."
"And announce Instructor Zeke as my benefactor there."
"...?"
Iriel's lips pursed even more.
She felt sour, like Serena planned to use her as a prop at the Yustia banquet.
"That'll put Yustia in a tough spot. They wanted to deal with the Instructor, but suddenly Yohayden steps in to protect him. So they'll want info on him anyway, but approaching rashly risks exposing he's Yohayden's benefactor, making open contact tricky."
"...Yeah."
"But the Instructor's on the academy faculty."
Serena explained to Iriel like she was a slow child.
"So who's the easiest way for Yustia to approach? A Lamieli Academy student taking his class."
Serena pointed her knife at Iriel.
"You."
"...?"
"Plus, you have 'some' past connection with Instructor Zeke, right?"
A vein throbbed on Iriel's forehead.
Nothing about her gestures or tone sat right.
But it was convincing enough, so Iriel held back and listened.
"So you'll tell Yustia you'll monitor the Instructor and report back. Would they really waste a pawn that useful on an engagement or convent?"
"Hmmm..."
"Even I'd hesitate to give that up. After that, you prove your worth ongoing. I want you to feed Yustia just enough info while also reporting to Instructor Zeke. Stay a double agent."
Iriel's face hardened coldly.
"So you're telling me to betray Yustia?"
Serena knew Iriel's personality well enough to suggest this.
Above all, Iriel valued herself.
She wasn't the type to sacrifice for her family.
And she'd already betrayed the family's will once.
For Zeke.
Serena had been shocked to learn that.
Iriel knew the risks to herself.
It meant the Instructor held great meaning for her, enough to risk it all.
Anyway, Serena kept her composure.
"Betray? It's protecting the Instructor—and you. Is that betrayal?"
"...?"
"So tomorrow, skip academy, go to Yustia, set the date. Can't send invites openly to Yohayden, so you deliver them personally."
In the end, Iriel had no choice but to nod.
Creeeak—
Zeke's eyes snapped open at the door sound in the dead of night.
Damn, Yustia assassins?
This was Yohayden mansion. Yustia assassins sneaking in at night?
That meant Serena was in danger too.
Should've just crushed Yustia after all.
Zeke slightly regretted his choice.
He'd sliced up bread for dinner—no weapon now.
Efficiency drops, but a romance-fantasy assassin is nothing.
Zeke wrapped his hand in blue mana.
Face grim, he turned toward the door.
Hm?
A familiar figure fidgeted by the door.
Zeke opened his mouth, a bit thrown.
"What brings you here."
"...?"
It was a Yustia attack.
Just not some stinky, murderous guy—but Iriel Yustia.
"...Z-Zeke, I came 'cause I have a question."
"...What?"
"S-Serena. That flowerbed... she did the mana road thing...?"
"Yeah."
Zeke nodded.
"So you saw her whole body...?"
"Yeah, checked it thoroughly."
"Wh-what was it like...?"
Like what? Well...
Zeke recalled Serena's mana roads from before.
"Mm, big... clean... soft..."
He said it casually, the worst possible answer.
Iriel bit her lip hard.
Plump breasts.
Something she lacked.
She'd even stuffed cloth into her chest before coming to hype it up,
But next to Serena, her flatness stood out.
Size is useless anyway!!! Big tits don't look good in clothes! Shoulders ache! Body looks fat! Men are all the same!
What was so great that he made that face?
Iriel glared at Zeke with contempt.
"Serena, that stupidly huge woman... You like 'em big too!?"
"Hm, bigger is generally better. But not just that."
"...Then what else is good...?"
"More importantly, the quality."
Iriel's face turned crimson, and she shrieked.
"Q-quality!? You trash!!!!! Low-quality!!!"
Zeke frowned.
Annoyed that her tirade wasn't over.
Good thing I gave up quick.
Yustia family's got grudges alright. Persistent. Coming at night over daytime words. I get not accepting it... but low-quality?
Still, calling mana quality "low-quality" rubbed him wrong.
"Iriel, don't say that. Mana quality is truly important."
"Uh... m-mana... mana quality. R-right."
Iriel's face burned redder, blending with her hair.
Zeke looked at her, baffled.
She stammered,
"S-Serena's b— no, mana size that big?"
"Yeah, her mana roads were impressively wide and clean."
"Then mine could be that big too...?"
"Mm, can't say without checking."
Iriel squeezed her eyes shut and yelled,
"I'll do it!"
Zeke's eyes widened slightly.
Oh?
Something shifted in her in that instant—she'd accept the mana road work.
Ha, rivalry with Serena? Can't stand hearing someone nearby has better mana. Fair.
They said Yustia and Yohayden were rival houses.
She had that vibe.
Today, this sudden heroine candidate—he'd regretted not passing mana to her.
Her willingness thrilled him.
"Wh-what do I do...?"
"Turn around and take off your top first."
Zeke rose from bed, approaching Iriel.
Thud.
Thud.
Zeke drew near slowly.
Eek!
She still couldn't get used to it.
Only female maids saw her bare during baths.
Exposing skin before a man—Zeke, no less.
After dinner, thinking of Zeke in her room,
It hit her Serena had likely done it, so she rushed here.
Eek. Wh-what do I do!
Just top, he said—but she wore a slip dress.
Serena gave it to her, thinking she wouldn't need it.
Iriel glanced back.
"D-do I take off the bra too?"
"No."
Relief.
If Zeke spotted the cloth stuffed in her bra,
She'd drown herself in shame.
"Th-then I'm taking it off?"
"Yeah."
"F-for real?"
"Yeah."
After dallying, Iriel slipped the straps off her shoulders.
Slither.
Plop.
The thin white dress hit the floor.
Her body trembled with shame and embarrassment.
Just in underwear, fully exposed.
Face scarlet, she buried it in her hands.
Stroke.
A man's thick hand touched her back.
Iriel twisted.
"Eek!"
"Stay still."
Goosebumps from the unfamiliar touch spread from her back.
And suddenly, something entered her.
"Ah, it hurts!!!"
A stinging pain shot through her body.
"Mm. Small."
"D-don't say it's small!!"