A Date with Iris (3)
Damon was the kind of thug you could find anywhere.
Only this one happened to have an A-rank hunter license.
From A-rank hunter onward they were little more than barons, but the title still granted them noble rank. To a man who already went around picking fights and stirring up every kind of trouble, the baronetcy was like strapping wings on a tiger.
Having gained control of even a small village, he continued acting exactly as he always had despite his new noble status—taking any woman who caught his fancy and tormenting anyone who didn’t.
“Damon, do as you like within your own lands, but outside them you will always conduct yourself with humility.”
His behavior was so unbecoming of a noble that even Count Wellington—the great noble whose domain included the village he ruled—had been forced to issue a warning.
“Understood.”
Apparently the warning had no effect.
Whenever Damon left the village he ruled, he did not live quietly at all. Just as the saying goes, a habit formed at three lasts until eighty. The moment he confirmed someone was weaker than him and lacked any powerful backers, he would harass them like a vengeful spirit.
He glanced around.
Today was no different.
In a department store where even VIPs from other venues were reduced to ordinary customer number one, his behavior might have looked ridiculous.
But Damon waited like a wolf concealed in the forest, biding its time. On the contrary, this kind of department store was overflowing with exactly the sort of weak prey he loved to torment—people who brought hired porters just to flaunt their wealth.
Damon prowled for the moment when those hired hands were left alone.
Why bother with any of this?
Because only then could he fill the gaping void in his own pathetic self-esteem.
‘An orc…?’
And at last, prey appeared in Damon’s sights.
An orc.
The most harmless race one could imagine.
These creatures would even apologize and try to slip away at the slightest provocation, like cowards.
Orcs whose male instincts seemed castrated were, to Damon, irresistibly attractive game. Most of them would apologize the moment he started trouble, conveniently feeding his fragile ego.
“Do not touch the orcs in the village you rule.”
Forgetting the Count’s warning entirely, he boldly picked a fight with the orc right there inside the store.
For Iris, today felt like heaven itself.
He had allowed her to have him pour wine at her side right up until they reached the department store.
He had even permitted her to hold his hand while they walked around—!!
The way the other elves stared with open envy at her walking hand-in-hand with an orc who wasn’t even wearing a hijab…!!
“Look at that orc…”
“His collarbones are insane.”
“I want to lick them.”
But soon those envious gazes shifted entirely onto Rascal.
An elf’s ears were not long for nothing. Even without enhancing her magic or senses, Iris could clearly hear the voices of the elves around them.
Countless voices lusting after the orc Rascal.
It was unpleasant.
These were shameless remarks directed at Rascal, who had agreed to a date without even wearing a hijab for her sake.
She had wanted to show him off, true, but not like this.
He was not a trophy.
That was why she immediately entered a shop, bought a hijab, and made him wear it.
It cost three hundred million, yet she didn’t feel the slightest regret.
On the contrary, the fact that he had simply accepted such an expensive gift made Iris’s heart pound.
Orcs only accepted gifts this extravagant from people they felt some affection for—!!
“Ahem… Duchess? Don’t you have a VIP room or something?”
And then he had been the one to suggest going to the VIP room first…
‘This is definitely him trying to seduce me…’
She knew perfectly well that this was all part of the Orc Delivery service.
But a girl could dream, couldn’t she?
‘Maybe… just maybe…’
Perhaps he really did have feelings for her—!!
“I’m sorry, customer. Today several other VVIP guests have arrived, so only one tablet remains. We would be grateful if you could generously understand.”
Not to mention the quick-witted staff member.
Claiming there weren’t enough tablets for VVIPs? As if that were possible. If that were true, this department store would go bankrupt on the spot.
She liked the employee so much that a cheerful hum and a generous tip came naturally.
Swish—! Swish—!
“How about this one?”
“Mm… it looks good.”
Sitting side by side on the sofa sharing a single tablet and shopping together—wasn’t this the very dream of every elf—!!
She froze.
In the middle of it all, one item caught Iris’s eye and instantly soured her mood.
Cute Cat Cosplay for Your Orc Boyfriend
The title was blatantly vulgar, and the accompanying outfit was equally cheap and lewd.
Of course Iris wanted to wear something like that and be scolded by Rascal.
But orcs hated such overt sexual appeals.
Providing the sleep service that elves dreamed of every night was, after all, just a job.
And if that job became too distasteful, he might simply quit.
“Wait here… I’ll be right back.”
Iris couldn’t stand it. She slipped out the back door, found the waiting staff member, and immediately laid into her.
“Are you kidding me right now? Is this how VVIPs are treated here?!”
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
The tablets provided to VVIPs were, of course, preset to display only the products the guest desired.
Yet somehow that perverted outfit had appeared in front of an orc?
“It seems the new employee configured it incorrectly.”
“You’re blaming the newbie? Shouldn’t you, the senior, have checked it first?!”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
After venting her fury at the staff member who kept apologizing on repeat, Iris returned to the room.
“Did I make you wait—”
Rascal was gone. Iris’s pupils trembled violently.
Why had he suddenly disappeared?
Had seeing that perverted outfit pushed Rascal past his limit?
Was the Orc Delivery service over just like that?
‘No. That can’t be… The atmosphere was good, wasn’t it?’
Iris immediately set out to find him.
She located Rascal without difficulty.
For a grand mage like her, detecting individual mana signatures was hardly a challenge.
“Phew… Huh?”
He was still inside the department store—still inside the actual shop. The realization that he had no intention of ending the Orc Delivery service brought a moment of relief.
Until she saw it.
“What the hell do you pathetic bastards even like about this… Let me show you what a real man looks like.”
Some human man was threatening Rascal.
Whoosh—!
What shocked her even more was that the orc Rascal had swung his thick green arm in genuine anger.
When one considered that most orcs refused to resort to violence even with a blade at their throats, this was an astonishing sight.
She didn’t need to be told what vile thing the man named Damon had done to provoke it.
There was nothing more to see.
Iris instantly unleashed the power of a grand mage.
Sizzle—!!!
The sprinklers, sensing the flames, sprayed water everywhere, but the fire blazing across Iris’s body refused to die.
Bang—!
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Gyaaaaah—!!”
Like a phoenix, Iris shot forward and seized Damon’s face in her grip.
Sizzle—!
The stench of burning flesh rose with acrid smoke.
Sizzle—!!
Whoosh! Whoosh!!
The store’s sprinklers spun like mad, yet they only fed Iris’s rage.
“This is the Elven Mobile Strike Force! Terrorist, surrender immediately—!!”
The Elven Mobile Strike Force arrived at that exact moment.
“Duchess Iris! We will take over from here.”
“…”
“Gyaaah… Y-you crazy bitch… I-I’m a baronet!! Combat between nobles is forbidden—!!”
The Elven Mobile Strike Force operated above the law.
They demanded custody of Damon, but the enraged Iris only poured out even greater flames.
“Duchess Iris! Stand down!!”
“D-Duchess! Please, stop this??”
What finally calmed Iris’s fury was Rascal’s voice.
A voice filled with concern for her.
How sweet it was.
“All right.”
Iris released the hand that had been melting Damon’s face and stepped back.
“Move in! Apprehend the terrorist!”
“You bastard! You have no right to a lawyer or to remain silent—!!”
“W-wait… I-I didn’t do anything wrong—”
Thud—!
“Shut your mouth, you insane terrorist!”
The Elven Mobile Strike Force bound Damon on the spot and vanished via teleportation the same way they had arrived.
Whew… What the hell was that guy’s problem?
The frustration still hadn’t faded.
“Are you all right?”
“Ah… Yes. Thanks to you, Duchess.”
By the way, I got to see Iris again.
To think she would get so furious at the sight of me being bullied by that thug that she’d come charging in.
Honestly, I was moved.
Grabbing both my shoulders and asking if I was okay…!
Soft…
When I leaned into her embrace as if feeling a little pitiful, she even patted my back soothingly.
Aah—! The grace of Duchess Iris is as vast as the sky~
I felt like breaking into song.
Still, this situation wasn’t acceptable.
I needed to learn magic or swordsmanship.
I’d forgotten amid all the modern conveniences, but this was a fantasy world ruled by class and magic.
A world where gates could open at any time and monsters could pop out without warning.
Though what I’d encountered today was just a thug, he wasn’t all that different from a monster.
Both appeared out of nowhere trying to ruin my life.
If I had power, I wouldn’t have to suffer such absurdities.
“It’s all right now. Calm down…”
“Duchess Iris?”
Iris had been patting my back for quite a while when an elf with striking blue hair and a single streak of white approached us.
‘Whoa… That camel toe is fucking hot.’
Her figure in that white suit was pure art.
And what was even more artistic was the suit itself.
It clung to every curve, accentuating her body, while the open buttons revealed the swell of her upper breasts.
But what truly captured my gaze were those white pants.
The seams stood out in a slightly darker shade against the pure white fabric, making the line impossible to miss.
The way the fabric traced the exact shape of her pussy was unbearably arousing.
It was the first thing I always checked whenever I saw a woman in pants.
Black suits never showed it this clearly, which was always disappointing…
“Duchess Iris. May I ask why you suddenly used magic and caused damage to the store?”
“Countess Elicia. Before you lecture me, shouldn’t you first improve the quality of the customers this department store allows in?”
Iris shot back angrily at Countess Elicia’s accusatory tone.
“Ha… Our department store only accepts the highest caliber of clientele.”
“Highest caliber my ass. Uh…”
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
“Ahem! I’m terribly sorry, customer. Were you perhaps inconvenienced in some way?”
“??”
Unlike the way she had spoken to Iris, Countess Elicia bowed her head politely and asked what had troubled me.
Maybe she was actually a good person?
I began explaining in detail exactly what had just happened to me.
Elicia’s face gradually twisted in disgust.
She clearly found the situation absurd as well—the fact that a supposedly cultured noble had picked a fight with me for no reason whatsoever.
“I am truly sorry! As an apology, allow me to treat both Duchess Iris and our honored customer to the finest meal and service. Would that be acceptable?”
Oh… This elf really seemed decent.
At the very least, as someone who appeared to be in charge of the department store, she wasn’t trying to intimidate or threaten a mere commoner like me to sweep the incident under the rug. Instead she was offering a genuine apology and proper compensation.
“That’s enough, Countess Elicia. Any more would be crossing the line.”
“…Understood. I apologize for my rudeness toward you as well, Duchess. Since there was a legitimate reason… we will handle all damages to the store ourselves.”
Apparently that had wounded her pride.
Iris stepped in front of me with a deeply displeased expression.
Elicia obediently withdrew.
“Sigh… Let’s go to a different restaurant. I’m sorry.”
“Yes.”
Chomp chomp—!!
The food at the restaurant Iris took me to was unbelievably delicious.
Sob sob—! Duchess Iris!! I’m sorry for misunderstanding you all this time!
I apologized to her in my heart while stuffing my face with one delicious bite after another.
Priority customer request received.
