Chapter 42

Wow… What’S With This Reaction? It’S So Cute.

“Ian.”
“…What? You calling me a pervert?”

I can’t know exactly what Irian is thinking, but if I put myself in her shoes, it’s simple.
I was giving her a lap pillow, and I kept touching her sensitive spot, so she ended up leaking a little. And she got caught by the other person. …She must be so embarrassed.

Being embarrassed is one thing. What’s important is the other person’s reaction. Depending on how the other person reacts, the atmosphere can swing between a crime drama and a romance. Especially in this case, it’d be a steamy 19+ romance.

“Why are you calling me a pervert over something like that? I told you, it’s natural. I got hard too, you know?”
“Stop talking about it! You’ve been like that since you were little! Don’t you… have any shame?”
“I have a lot?”
“Don’t lie. Someone who’s so brazen since childhood saying they have a lot.”

Well, that’s because I might look like a kid on the outside, but inside I’m a 30-year-old man.

“You were watching it all too, weren’t you?”
“I, I couldn’t help it! In the first place, you were doing it right where I was, how could I not watch!”

Hmm.
This is the first time in 16 years I’ve seen Irian open up like this. Her true feelings aren’t exactly cute, and she’s foul-mouthed… but I’m still happy that she’s finally letting out what she’s been holding in for 16 years.

She’s always been so frustratingly walled off. I’ve finally been able to reach the feelings she’s been hiding behind that thick wall. Now that she’s revealing her true self after 16 years, I can’t be fake. …Well, I’ve always been honest with Diana and Irian anyway.

“You idiot. It’s because it’s you. Only you and Diana. Have you ever seen me act like this with anyone else?”
“……No. You’re a fake.”
“Accurate. You know it too, right? How much of a fake I am. But I’m not like that with you.”

The head that was buried moves slightly up and down. She answers well.

“So, you should be a little more honest with me too. We’ve been living together for 16 years. At this point, aren’t we practically married?”
“Get lost. I don’t want to be married to you.”

Such a tsundere.
I moved my butt next to her. I leaned my back against the wall and sat close to her, and she slowly moved her butt away from me. Of course, I sat close again, and she moved away again.

After repeating this a few times, she finally gave up and froze in a position hugging her knees. Hmm… should I ask her? I think she’d answer me now.

“What’s your real name? Ian can’t be a girl’s name.”
“…Irian. Irian Light.”
“Oh. Irian. It’s similar to mine. Yurian, Irian. It’s a pretty name.”
“What are you talking about? You’re saying it’s pretty because it’s similar to your name, right?”
“Oh! Smart. You’ve improved?”

I ruffled Irian’s hair roughly, and she shook her head to avoid it. But she must have realized it was impossible to avoid my touch by just moving her head while sitting, because she buried her face in her knees again and didn’t move.

“You’re just messing up your hair by avoiding me. Just stay still.”
“No, leave me alone.”

Despite her prickly words, she obediently lets me touch her hair. As I gently stroke and tidy her messed-up hair, she asks in a brusque voice.

“Why do you keep touching my hair?”
“Because it feels good?”
“What’s so good about it.”
“I know, right? Why does it feel good? I’ve liked your hair since I was little. Isn’t that weird?”

I’ve always felt good touching Irian’s hair. Why? Is it because her hair is so soft? The feeling of her red hair flowing through my fingers. Hmm… I don’t know why it feels good, but if it feels good, that’s all that matters.

“Hehe. Because you’re an idiot.”
“Who’s calling who an idiot? You’re going around with such an obvious disguise. Hey, Idiot 2. Why were you disguising yourself as a boy?”
“…Only daughters were born in this generation. Our family has produced paladins for generations, and only men can be paladins.”
“I see. That must have been tough.”

Well… I already knew all that, but what’s important is that Irian told me herself.
After 16 years, she’s finally told me all her secrets. Actually, there were many opportunities. Through threats, or sweet-talking, we’re always together, so how could there not be opportunities? I just didn’t want to.

I don’t know when it started. 16 years is a longer time than I thought.
I stopped calling Diana and Irian NPCs. Except when I look at their status window sometimes, I’ve been trying to ignore the fact that they’re different from me.

Falling into a strange game world without any clues isn’t as good as it sounds. It would have been different if I had at least one person to rely on… but Cha Hyewon came too late. She appeared way too late.

I don’t blame her, and I don’t want to be pessimistic about my situation. I’ve adapted well enough to get this far.

“This is so annoying.”
“Hmm? What’s so annoying, our Irian Knight?”

I was lost in thought and silent, and Irian suddenly spoke first. But why does she have to start with annoyance? That’s so her.

“…That attitude is annoying. You’re always doing dirty things with the Saintess. You treat me like a kid, and you make me look like an idiot. It’s so annoying.”

Unlike how she’s been hiding her feelings so frustratingly, once the lock on her heart is opened, she’s in no man’s land.

“My attitude is annoying… I can see that. I did tease you sometimes, to be honest. I admit that. Doing dirty things with Diana? I can’t argue with that either. I admit that too. Treating you like a kid… well, I am a bit more mature, right? Admit it?”
“I want to punch you.”

I ignored Irian’s grumbling.

“I can’t agree with you saying I made you look like an idiot. When did I ever make you look like an idiot?”
“You always make me stand outside when you’re doing dirty things, so I can hear it. Do you think I’m an idiot?”
“That’s because you’re the only one I can trust. Who else would I trust besides you and Diana? Oh, and Karsilla too.”

I’ve been playing with her hair since a while ago, but surprisingly, she hasn’t said anything. Has she given up? Or is she addicted to my fancy hand movements?
Hmm, it’s soft. Feels good.
Anyway, it’s frustrating that I can’t see her expression because she’s buried her face. I wonder what she’s thinking.

I wanted to look at her status window, but I held back. I don’t want to go that far. Even if she’s just an NPC, I don’t want to treat her like that.

“Did you really… know from the beginning?”
“Yeah. From when you knelt in front of Diana.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because it seemed like you didn’t want to be found out?”
“……What’s that? Are you saying you kept my secret?”
“Hey. How bad is my image? Do I look like someone who can’t keep their mouth shut?”

I’m speechless. I ruffled her hair roughly again, making it messy, and she slightly lifted her face from where it was buried and glared at me.

“It’s not like that. I just… was asking if you’d really keep my secret.”
“I will, okay? I’ll act normal in front of the others.”
“……Then, there’s something.”
“Yeah. I’m here.”
“Ugh, seriously!”

Ahem. Suddenly, an old man joke comes out here. Irian glared at me once more, then buried her face again, and a mumbling voice came out.

“Then, there’s something. That… you know.”
“That?”
“Th, that thing that’s standing up right now.”
“Ah~ my dick? It’s gone down now?”
“Can’t you be a little more subtle!?”
“Why? We said we’d be honest.”

There’s no need to be this honest, but it’s my choice.
Originally, the moment when a man and a woman open up about sex is when they get closest. It might be different if it’s a sex-only relationship with no emotional exchange, but Irian isn’t a sex partner. Hmm… if I had to categorize her, she’s a potential harem member 2? …That’s stupid, I should stop.

“That… dick. Why did it get hard?”
“I said it went down.”
“Ugh! This is so annoying!”
“It’s because of you.”
“Me, me, me because of me?”
“Yeah, because of our cute Irian.”

She’s silent again.
Is she dead? Did she die of shame from my cheesy lines?

“…That thing you do with the Saintess.”
“Dirty things?”
“……”

The head that was buried in her knees moves up and down.

“Th, that. I want to… try it too.”
“Sure.”
“Ugh, seriously! What kind of answer is that!”
“What’s wrong with my answer?”
“No… I mean… what do I say? You know, something like that! A cool answer!”

I watched her face as she lifted her head and chattered, and then I suddenly kissed her. Her eyes widened. Irian’s face, which was already flushed, turned so red that I thought it would explode.

“H, how can you do that so suddenly!”
“You’re so cute, I couldn’t help it.”
“……”

She’s so shy. Her eyes are darting everywhere, and she’s fidgeting. It’s the first time I’ve seen her like this in 16 years. I didn’t know she was this shy.

“Irian.”
“…Yeah.”
“I’ll keep it a secret if you want. So… you can be a girl in front of me. I’ll help you.”
“……It’s a secret. You’re the only one who can know.”
“Promise.”

I ignored her extending her pinky finger and kissed her lips again, and her eyes widened again.

“A promise is replaced by this. Is that okay?”
“N, not bad.”

Then, this time, Irian kissed me. After enduring her clumsy lip bump once, I lightly bit her lower lip and sucked it, and she flinched and pulled away.

“Wh, what was that?”
“Did you like it?”
“Of course not! I, I was just surprised because you bit my lip.”
“Irian. You don’t have to lie to me. Show me the real you, as a woman. At least when we’re alone. Okay?”
“U, uh. …Okay.”

Still, she’s embarrassed, so she answers in a small voice with her head down. I lightly bit her ear, and she lifted her head as if nothing had happened.

“Kya! E, ear!”
“Did you like it this time?”
“…Uhm. A little?”
“Oh~ a little? Then I’ll have to make you like it a lot.”
“W, wait a minute!”

I thought she was just being stubborn, so I didn’t care and moved my face closer, but she actually pushed me away. Of course, because her physical abilities are far superior, I had no choice but to be pushed back.

Ugh. Is she going to act like this here?
Honestly, any man would be annoyed and embarrassed in this situation.

But that doesn’t mean I’m going to take it out on Irian. I clicked my tongue in disappointment and moved away, and Irian had a determined expression on her face, even though it was still red.
What is it?

“Let’s make one thing clear.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
“You know… I like the Saintess, right?”
“You fell in love at first sight.”
“…Why do you know everything!”
“What have you been doing for 16 years? Tsk tsk.”

She stomps her feet on the floor for no reason.

“So what? What’s wrong with liking Diana?”
“…Isn’t it weird? I, I’m a girl.”
“So what? It’s not like homosexuality is weird.”

As long as she doesn’t like a man who likes me. …No, maybe it’d be good to see beautiful women together. Diana and Irian. ……That’s a sight to behold?

“R, really? Ahem. Anyway. Let’s make this clear. I like the Saintess. Not you.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you liked me too?”
“…No. There’s no way I’ll ever like you. Got it?”
“Hmm. Then shall we make a bet?”
“What kind of bet are you making at a time like this.”

I had a good idea.
I put my nose against Irian’s and smiled as I looked into her eyes. She looked embarrassed and kept avoiding my gaze.

“What if you say you like me?”
“……I, I might… say it.”
“Then, what if you say you like me more than Diana?”
“That’ll never happen. Never.”
“You shouldn’t say ‘never’ so easily. How about it? A bet. Deal?”
“……Deal.”