Chapter 76: Chapter 76 – Wings (6)
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"…Iris."
It happened to be at the moment when I was about to leave the door, there was no avoiding her.
Come to think of it, I had also run into Iris on my way out of the library last time.
I wonder if Iris also enjoyed reading books. Or was she here once again to confront me about something? I certainly didn't want a repeat of what happened with Eugene last time.
Yet, as her eyes widened in surprise, it seemed this encounter was just as unexpected for her as it was for me.
With so many conflicting emotions swirling inside me, facing Iris always took a considerable emotional toll. Right now, my only thought was how to quickly get away from this situation.
But the moment I was about to pass her. Iris moves her feet at the same time as me. We ended up facing each other again just like before.
It could have been a coincidence, so I attempted to pass by her once more, but Iris mirrored my movements yet again.
"..."
So this time, I quietly waited for her to go around, but Iris didn't move either.
The thought that she was deliberately trying to pick a fight did cross my mind, but considering her nature, that seemed unlikely.
Or perhaps my actions have made her personality a bit worse…
Steeling myself, I looked directly at her, meeting her two eyes that were still staring straight at me.
"…What is this supposed to be…"
"...Edwin. How have you been…?"
The question I forced out was cut off by words I never expected to come from Iris' mouth.
"…What did you say?"
"….I asked if you've been well."
I asked back to see if I had heard something wrong, but she repeated the same words.
Was she really just asking after my well-being? From someone who had treated her so poorly…?
The Iris I remembered from the first day seemed engulfed in misery throughout. When we crossed paths in the corridor with Ellie, she glared at us with her usual icy demeanor.
Yet today's Iris showed no signs of distress or coldness. It might have been a misconception, but her expression seemed filled with something akin to pity, melancholy, or wistfulness.
"Tch. I'm fine. If you have no other business, could you move aside and let me pass?"
"…Lies."
"…What?"
Without answering my question, Iris finally steps aside to let me pass.
"…It's a lie…"
At Iris' cryptic parting words from behind me, I realize one truth.
It looks like I won't be getting proper sleep tonight either.
* * * * *
The music that was flowing from the gramophone gradually faded out with a crackling sound until it disappeared completely. The green-haired girl then stepped back, putting some distance between us.
We faced each other and bowed our heads slightly in greeting. As we raised our heads back up, Eugenia and my eyes met simultaneously.
A smile formed on her lips, and I found myself smiling naturally as well. Eugenia, soaked in sweat from hours of dance practice, collapsed onto the spot, seemingly drained of all energy.
"…Time flies so fast…It's already tomorrow, the ball…"
"You seem to be enjoying it. The smile on your face hasn't disappeared."
"Hehe… I am enjoying it. To be honest, I'm looking forward to it… but I'm also a little worried…"
"You don't need to worry so much. You're really good at this now, right? I was a bit concerned at first, but with how well you've done…"
"Th-That's playing dirty, bringing that up…"
As I brought up the topic of our first practice, Eugenia hurriedly stood up and tried to cover my mouth.
"You couldn't even hold hands, you couldn't look me in the eye, and you kept stumbling every time I put my hand on your waist…"
"Eep…eep!"
I dodged her hand as she tried to cover my mouth, and Eugenia stomped her feet on the spot like a child throwing a tantrum.
"B-but you kept stepping on my feet too…! You bragged about how well you could dance and then…!"
"When did I brag? I just said I knew the basics. And that was only the first day, from the second day on I never did that again. But you kept messing up even the day after that, and the day after…"
"D-Don't say anymore…!" Eugenia's face was now full of tears. Her ears were bright red, and she was on the verge of tears as she looked at me, "You're mean… You're really mean…"
"Sorry. I'll stop. But what I said earlier was true. Your dancing has improved a lot considering the amount of time we've practiced."
"…..I don't know… dummy.." Eugenia, who had finally calmed down, glanced at me sideways, "It's so unfair… Why do I always have to be the only one embarrassed like this..."
Muttering to herself, Eugenia approached me closely, standing face to face. And with a determined gaze filled with strength, she looked at me. In those eyes of hers, there was something resembling firm resolve.
"Huh? What?"
But that resolve crumbled in less than five seconds. She subtly averted her gaze and sat down right where she stood; her ears were still flushed red.
"It's unfair… It's really unfair…"
"I said I'm sorry. Let's stop and take a break now."
I settled down beside Eugenia as she sat on the ground. The night breeze whispered past us, cooling our sweat.
Sitting there quietly, all sorts of thoughts start drifting through my mind on their own. The first to surface is Iris – that incomprehensible encounter from last time sticks to me like lingering grease.
Come to think of it, the last dance I had was with Iris. Back then I wasn't a very good dancer, so I practiced diligently on my own, but it ended up being for naught as I never got another chance after that. Now that I think about it, will Iris attend this ball? She's gotten much closer to that guy now, so perhaps she'll come with him and the other heroines.
I don't really want to see that happen. If I saw it in person, it might just make me sick to my stomach. I can only hope to avoid running into them as much as possible.
"Um…so where should we meet tomorrow…?"
Just as I was drifting deep into thought, Eugenia's voice pulled me back to the surface.
"Edwin…?"
"Sorry. I was thinking about something else for a moment… Just wait for me in front of the dorms. Taking it at a relaxed pace…around 7pm would probably be best to meet up. How's that sound?"
"But won't that be too much trouble for you…?"
"Escorts always do it this way, so don't worry about it. And I'll be the one to spot you first – I'll be wearing those glasses again, so you likely won't recognize me right away. Is it okay if we do it like that?"
"Okay…I'm looking forward to it…Hehe, I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight…"
Eugenia's green hair gently swayed and fluttered in the evening breeze.
* * * * *
"I'll need to verify your identities for a moment. Could you please state your names?"
"Edwin Reed."
"Eu…Eugenia."
In response to the guard's request, Eugenia answered with a strained voice.
"Wait a minute… Your identification has been verified. Please put these bracelets on your wrists before entering. Then have a pleasant evening."
The guard, who had verified our identities, handed each of us a bracelet. As soon as we put the bracelets on our wrists, they tightened automatically and became impossible to remove.
As I was putting on my glasses, which I had taken off while entering the mansion's garden, Eugenia asked, touching her wrist, "What is this bracelet…?"
"It temporarily suppresses the flow of mana. It's to prevent any unpleasant incidents from happening inside. They're used at all kinds of events like this, and they'll fall off on their own after a while, so don't worry."
"I see… There's really something for everything… It's amazing…"
As we walked past the garden and approached the venue, the number of people around us gradually increased. It was not uncommon for male students to be mesmerized by Eugenia, and the female students were not infrequently seen reprimanding them or giving them looks.
Receiving those glances, she spoke in a shy tone, almost like a whisper, "I… It's a bit embarrassing… Uh…"
"Embarrassing? You look stunning. Have some confidence."
While her last dress was certainly striking, today's Eugenia was even more so. With her makeup and upswept hairstyle, she exuded a natural, mature beauty.
"…Thank you…You look really great too…and handsome…" Eugenia spoke as she tried fanning her face to alleviate her bashfulness.
"But what happens when we enter the ballroom…? Do they announce 'Lady Eugenia, entering!' loudly like that…? I think I'd be way too embarrassed if they did…"
"They don't do that for just anyone, only for the hosts or VIPs when they arrive. We don't quite have that status yet…"
"…I see…Phew…"
Hearing my explanation, she let out a big sigh of relief, "Thank goodness…I was worrying for nothing again…So there will be people like that tonight?"
"I'm not sure about previous years, but I heard the crown prince came to give a speech last year. The royal family and academy aren't on bad terms. Especially since the student council president took on additional duties this year, the prince may come again?"
"I'm a little curious…I've never seen such a high-ranking person before. Then…"
"Are you…Eugenia?"
Eugenia's questions, which were filled with curiosity, were cut off by someone speaking from behind. It was a clear and refreshing male voice that rang out pleasantly. But to me, it sounded like a horrible scream from hell.
I turned around and saw a young man with unmistakable blond hair and blue eyes standing there; and accompanying him were three female students.
Patricia Austin with her snow-white hair. Claudia Acelus with her fiery red hair. And Leta with orange hair like the sun.
Although they each had their own unique personality, they also had something in common— they all exuded elegance.
Despite being accompanied by such individuals, Eugene looked absolutely dumbfounded when he saw Eugenia. As if he's having trouble processing the situation before his eyes.
He didn't recognize me, but regardless, his gaze was utterly transfixed on Eugenia.
And as I watched Eugene and his companions, a question naturally arose in my mind.
There seemed to be one person missing from this group.
I wonder where Iris is?
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