Iris and the Date (4)
The imperial palace of the Elvenheim Empire.
The palace built beside the World Tree was gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight.
But no matter how brightly the sun shone, darkness still existed.
And that place was the underground prison.
“Guh-!!”
“Speak properly, you bastard!! Who put you up to it?”
“Call… a… lawyer…”
“No can do. Let’s brand him one more time.”
Only criminals deemed a major threat to the empire were brought to the underground prison.
And Damon was one such criminal.
The charge: terrorism against the state.
A well-heated branding iron pressed against the criminal’s body.
Sssssss!!
The sound of burning flesh spread alongside a savory stench.
“Gaaaah-!! You crazy bastards!!”
“As expected of a B-Class hunter. Looks like this level of pain doesn’t even register.”
“Talk already!! You piece of shit! Who’s behind this?!”
“Behind what?! Bleeegh!!”
Damon couldn’t hold it in anymore. The countless hot brands covering his body made him vomit.
Thud!!
Luna, captain of the Elven Mobile Strike Force, watched and swung her fist.
“Talk, you terrorist scum! Stop making a mess!”
“Guh…”
“He seems pretty tough. Even after all this, he still won’t reveal his backer.”
Damon felt wronged by the strike force member’s words.
What terrorism? All he’d done was harass one insignificant orc.
He hadn’t known the orc worked for one of the mere ten ducal houses in the entire massive Elvenheim Empire, but this was still far too much.
The violence being done to him right now was unjust.
“What the hell did I even do wrooong…!!!”
Damon expressed his grievance with a crushed pronunciation caused by the brutal torture.
“He still doesn’t realize his own fault.”
“Guhhh…!!”
But the Elven Mobile Strike Force didn’t listen to Damon.
Beating an orc in front of so many people.
And in a luxury department store that only nobles could enter, no less!
Considering that most noble families were elves, this was practically a declaration of war against the elves.
“Gaaaah-!!!”
How could a man who had only recently become a noble know any of that?
He knew elves liked orcs, but he had no idea they were under the protection of elf nobles.
The help they gave was always done in secret so as not to burden the orcs.
There was no way a commoner like Damon could have known.
And he never would.
Because his life ended here.
*
Thump. Thump.
‘Heart, calm down…!’
What mages needed was composure.
A mage must always be ready to cast magic while maintaining a cool head, no matter the situation.
Even if Iris’s specialty—flame magic—was known for its explosive power and passion.
That was simply how mages were.
Even when she’d burned Damon’s face, one corner of her mind had stayed coldly rational despite the near-mad rage.
But right now, Iris simply couldn’t calm down.
Her heart was pounding so wildly she didn’t know what to do.
Crunch. Crunch!
Because Rascal was sitting right beside her, eating popcorn!
In a dark movie theater where they were the only two people present.
—Why are you like this!!
—Cough… Because I love you….
And the movie they were watching was a sweet romance.
A romance film depicting the sugary love between an orc and an elf.
Other races might not understand, but among elves it was considered an immortal masterpiece. To watch it together with an orc…
It was quite literally a dream come true in an elf’s life.
Squeeze…
Their hands were even intertwined on the armrest.
Slurp—!!
To top it all off, the cola came in a massive couple’s cup with a heart-shaped straw—something only lovers would share!
The staff member had been so blatantly obvious that Iris nearly threw a fit, but Rascal had said it was fine and accepted it, allowing them to share the couple’s cola.
Slurp. Slurp…
She didn’t even particularly want cola, yet her mouth kept going to the straw.
It was a situation every elf could only dream of.
Thump. Thump—!!
How could her heart not race?!
Thump♡♡
‘I-I’m going to burst…♡’
When they both leaned in to drink at the same time and their foreheads bumped, steam began rising from Iris’s head.
What a blessed elf life this was.
Was it really okay to be this happy?
“S-sorry…”
“Apologies…?”
Rascal looked flustered at the sight of Iris unable to hide her happy smile as she apologized, yet he simply focused on the movie.
*
‘Must be nice to have money.’
To have an entire massive theater to themselves.
And they could even make propaganda films like this.
‘Orcs really can get rich.’
A ridiculous movie about the love between an orc and an elf.
The director was definitely an orc.
A film depicting the life of an orc beloved by elves.
The orc acted slightly domineering as he met various elves.
And the story of the elves who followed him as if they liked it.
It was an absurd movie.
An orc meeting four different elves? Come on.
Of course the orc was played by a human in makeup.
Still, it was undeniable that the film was filled with the dark, filthy desires of orcs.
Did that make any sense?
What elf would date an orc who was already seeing other elves…!!
And four of them at that!
It was a ridiculous premise, yet…
Maybe because he was an orc himself.
The movie that stimulated the longing for things one could not have felt incredibly appealing.
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes. Thank you for even showing me a movie.”
“No, no. I’m the one who should be grateful. Mm… hehe.”
Was her bipolar disorder acting up again?
She’d been giggling nonstop ever since they entered the theater. Maybe she really needed to get diagnosed at a proper hospital and take medication.
‘Let’s not butt in.’
She might get angry again.
After leaving the theater, they naturally climbed into the luxury sedan that had been waiting as if it were time to head home.
Vroooom~
The car departed with a clean engine purr.
“Hehe. Did you have fun today?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, Duchess.”
Slurp—!!
Iris naturally came to his side and poured him wine.
Maybe he had misunderstood her until now.
She was treating him so well today.
‘No.’
Could this be the fruit of his training?
Had she unconsciously come to like him?
His imagination ran wild with the thought.
“Drink up.”
“Uh… well… I drank too much today…”
He had consumed far too many drinks throughout the day.
No matter how expensive the wine was, it wasn’t easy to drink more.
“I-I see. D-does it make you uncomfortable?”
Squish…
Wasn’t the one who should feel uncomfortable him? Or was it Iris, who kept pressing her enormous breasts against his arm?
“No. It’s fine.”
“Then… just like this for a moment…”
Contrary to his thoughts, Iris clung tightly to his arm.
The sensation felt so good…
He wanted to push her down right then and there—!!
—Gaaaah—!!!
But the scream of the scumbag echoing in his head brought him back to his senses.
If he pushed her down now, he’d end up like that scumbag whose face had melted at the department store.
‘Let’s wait.’
No matter how horny he got, he had to endure.
Once they returned to the mansion, he could do whatever he wanted.
“Guh…!!”
“Wake up.”
“Huh…?! Ah! S-sorry.”
What the… He had only closed his eyes for a moment…
Yet they had already arrived at the mansion.
Unlike the first day, Iris didn’t get angry at the sleeping Rascal. Instead, she gently woke him.
For someone with bipolar disorder to react like this…
This had to be the result of something deeply imprinted in her subconscious!
If he pushed just a little further, he might be able to do as he pleased.
“What would you like for dinner?”
“The usual.”
He immediately began preparing dinner.
It was already late at night, and they had eaten all kinds of food while wandering around during the day, so he thought she might skip it.
But it seemed Iris was still hungry.
Thankfully.
Sizzle—!!
He smiled as he began grilling a large steak.
“Do you always smile like that when you cook?”
What was she dissatisfied about?
Normally Iris never came into the kitchen until he finished cooking.
“Uh… yes. That’s right. Honestly, it’s also fun to grill steak for you, Duchess.”
His tongue, polished through years of part-time work, danced smoothly.
It was a bit obvious flattery, but—
“I-I see… hehe… You enjoy making food for me… hehe…”
Iris headed to the dining table with a bright smile on her face.
‘Well, it is genuinely fun, though?’
Grilling steak for Iris was quite enjoyable.
Because the special sauce dripping onto the steak—drip, drip—would soon grant him a very pleasurable experience—!!
Clink.
“Aren’t you eating?”
“Ahaha… I’m quite full after everything you fed me today, Duchess.”
“I see. Hehe.”
For some reason, Iris kept smiling as she cut the steak and brought it to her mouth.
Without knowing what was inside.
“Haaam… I’m quite tired today. I should sleep early.”
‘Oh…!’
After eating the steak, Iris stretched and yawned.
Her delicate hand gracefully covering her mouth was so beautiful.
The night suddenly felt worth waiting for.
*
Click.
At the sound of the door opening, his ears perked up.
Had there ever been a time he waited for night so eagerly?
Absolutely not.
Thump—!
And the reason he had waited for night began whispering into his ear.
Grabbing his chest like a man—no, like an orc.
“I had a pretty good time today. And since you helped me… I’ll give you a ‘reward.’”
He was incredibly excited for the ‘reward.’
