Chapter 51

I was walking behind Iris, feeling more tense than I ever had in my life.

And it’s no wonder, considering I was cross-dressing and heading into the girls’ dormitory.

The moment my identity got revealed, it wouldn’t be surprising if I got thrown in jail right on the spot—what a crazy situation.

Maybe due to the anxiety, I kept swallowing hard, my throat feeling all blocked up.

I don’t think I had ever been this nervous even during team competitions before.

This was practically the scariest moment of my life.

‘There was originally a scenario where Lucas sneaks into the girls’ dorm, but…’

I never imagined I would be the one doing it.

“Hania, we’re almost there.”

Here we go.

As I looked up, there it was—the entrance to the girls’ dormitory.

Just in time, I noticed the girls returning from school, heading inside.

Feeling unwelcome glances, I discreetly moved closer to Iris.

At least going in with Iris would reduce any suspicion.

It was a defensive move.

Iris looked at me and kept smiling the whole time.

It might be the first time I’ve seen Iris smile this much in my life.

“Iris, you’re smiling too much.”

“Sorry, it just feels like I’m watching something fun for the first time in a while.”

Iris didn’t deny that she was enjoying herself at the moment.

For me, it was a life-or-death situation.

But I had to endure it, for the sake of the scenario.

“Let’s go inside.”

In the end, I stepped into the dormitory alongside Iris.

Almost immediately, the atmosphere changed from the boys’ dormitory to something different.

The structure was the same; it was merely a mirror image of the other building.

Yet, somehow, the vibe felt pleasantly warm.

‘Is it the scent?’

Unlike the boys’ dormitory, there was a distinct smell of women’s perfume wafting through the air.

“Iris, welcome back.”

From time to time, the maidservants of the girls’ dorm recognized Iris and greeted her.

Iris warmly returned their greetings.

“Hania, do you notice anything different about yourself?” one maid asked.

At that moment, Iris asked an astonishing question.

When I turned to Iris with a bewildered expression, one of the maids glanced our way.

Then she smiled brightly and said, “Your hairstyle is a little different from usual. That style suits you well, Hania.”

“Ah, thank you for noticing.”

As I forced a smile, Iris behind the maid couldn’t hold back her giggles.

She really was enjoying this at my expense.

The maid finished chatting and left.

As soon as she was gone, I rushed over to Iris.

“Uh, Iris?”

“You’re quite the actress.”

“Do you really want me to be caught and land in trouble?”

“Hania doesn’t talk like that, remember?”

The 3rd Princess is being bratty.

Tears almost welled up in my eyes.

“You won against me in the team competition, after all.”

Iris then explained her mischievous behavior.

“It’s revenge for that.”

A good enough reason for her, apparently.

But as she said it, Iris was grinning playfully.

Iris, who suffers from nightmares every night due to the Evil Zone, rarely shows her emotions.

Even the act of expressing herself seems to wear her out.

But for her to be smiling this much must mean she truly enjoys this situation.

‘…Well, if she at least finds it funny, that’s a plus.’

Since I owed this to Iris, if it could make her laugh, I could sacrifice myself for it.

“But please don’t do it like this.”

“Okay, I promise.”

Getting caught wouldn’t just complicate my life; it would cause trouble for Iris as well.

So I asked her to back off a bit, and she readily agreed.

“Iris, hello!”

Just then, a passing student greeted Iris.

As the 3rd Princess of the empire, Iris often received greetings from those passing by.

The issue was that the voice of the student sounded oddly familiar.

Cascading honey-blonde hair seemed to catch the sunlight.

Beneath it, bright maroon eyes sparkled.

Isabel Luna.

Upon seeing a familiar face, my instincts kicked in, and I froze.

“Hey there.”

After exchanging greetings with Iris, Isabel turned to me next.

“Hania, hope you’re having a good evening too.”

Isabel was quite sociable.

Among the 2nd-year Martial Arts class, it was rare for someone not to be friends with her.

She was pretty familiar with Hania as well.

“Yeah, you too, Isabel.”

I casually returned the sentiment, and Isabel cocked her head.

“Hania, is something going on?”

“Nothing at all.”

“Really? But you seem quieter than usual today.”

As she said this, Isabel switched her gaze between Iris and me.

What’s going on? We haven’t done anything that could give us away.

At that moment, Iris caught my eye and subtly raised her arm.

That made me realize what I hadn’t done.

Hania was sticking closely to Iris throughout.

Having been friends since childhood, Hania always walked around linked to Iris’s arm.

Noticing that, Isabel came closer and asked quietly, “…Did something happen with Iris?”

Predictably, Isabel brought it up.

Iris continued to look at me intently while still holding up her arm.

Damn it.

I rushed over and wrapped my arm around Iris’s.

“What kind of trouble could I possibly have with Iris? No way! If that were the case, I might just die from the humiliation.”

At my over-the-top response, Isabel reacted with a ‘well, that makes sense’ look.

Naturally, Iris turned her head away from me, stifling her laughter.

Her ears flushed red.

Something in my heart shattered.

“Glad to hear it. Well, I’ll be on my way. I have training to get to.”

So that’s why she’s in sportswear.

Isabel was focusing on training yet again today.

Even with tomorrow’s summer academy on the horizon, she was training without fail.

I could feel just how serious Isabel’s dedication was.

“That devotion of hers is all thanks to you.”

As I watched Isabel’s back disappear, Iris said nonchalantly.

Thanks to me?

If that’s the case, it felt a bit rewarding.

“Thanks to me? I’ve only ever fought with Isabel.”

Of course, I couldn’t reveal that satisfaction.

“Yeah, I guess that’s it.”

How much is Iris really observing?

In the twenty-nine clears, Iris served as both the final boss and the heroine.

Yet, despite that, she remained an enigma to the players.

An undeniably charming character due to her mysteries.

The creators really knew how to utilize Iris’s mysterious traits well.

However, one thing was for sure.

“How have you been sleeping lately?”

She suffers from severe insomnia.

“It’s been alright.”

Yet, shadows of insomnia still lingered under her eyes.

“There’s a music box with the mysterious sound of Argol.”

Since she had advised me a few times on how to help with sleep, Iris perked up with interest.

“It’s a rare item, but once you play it, it can help you sleep. Rumor has it it even consumes nightmares.”

Iris’s eyes widened.

The primary reason for her insomnia stems from her nightmares.

A tool that supposedly swallows such nightmares would surely have an unimaginable effect on her.

‘Of course, the true cure is probably the Flame of Will.’

But still, it could serve as a temporary solution.

Though even that would lose its effectiveness over time.

As long as the root cause of her nightmares remains unresolved,

Iris’s nightmares won’t end.

‘Once this chaos is over,’

I’d need to prepare for that too.

“…How do you know all this?”

Iris asked me, clearly intrigued.

The information I provided wasn’t common knowledge.

So it was odd to her that I knew about it.

“I did a bit of studying.”

“For what?”

“For you, of course, Iris.”

I used Hania’s voice and smiled sweetly.

Iris blinked her big eyes, then lowered her head and gently tapped my head with hers.

Her ruby-colored, enchanting eyes approached mine.

For a brief moment, the rose fragrance wafting from her hair filled my senses.

My heart sank for just an instant.

Iris whispered into my ear with a sultry tone.

“Don’t tease me too much.”

Who started the teasing in the first place?

Iris drifted away gently.

‘Someone should tell her that her unique trait is seduction.’

She instinctively knows how to make hearts race.

But despite that, I realized my emotions weren’t as stirred as I had thought.

‘…Is this.’

Is the shroud’s wrapping affecting me?

I had a vague idea of what emotions it was erasing.

“So now it’s bath time.”

“I’ll manage in my room.”

But that’s still not alright.

＊ ＊ ＊

After I returned to my room,

I stayed quietly inside, not stepping out.

Of course, Hania’s roommate is Iris.

So I could rest easy in our room.

“Ahh.”

Maybe it was because I had such a rough day today.

Leaning against the window, I let out a deep sigh.

Iris had left to take a bath without any worries.

Wasn’t she at all concerned about what I might do in her room?

‘Come on, who would dare do something to the 3rd Princess?’

If I wanted to live, there’s no way I’d even think of it.

Grumble—

But the problem was that, due to my tension, my stomach began growling.

I rotated my body in the chair I was sitting on.

Suddenly, a soft, feminine scent wafted around the room.

Hania’s bed was filled with pink colors to the point of dizziness.

In contrast, Iris’s bed was meticulously neat.

This was a clear reflection of their personalities.

‘If I had known, I would have brought something to eat.’

I was so frazzled that I hadn’t thought of it.

Honestly, I wanted to ask Iris to get me something.

But asking the 3rd Princess for such a favor wasn’t happening.

‘Should I just go out with Iris?’

After some contemplation, I shook my head.

Iris was being extra mischievous today.

I had no idea what else she might do.

Instead of facing an embarrassing situation, it’d be better to quickly head to the dining hall and request a sandwich.

‘Dinner time is over, so everyone should be in their rooms.’

I subtly opened the door.

The hallway was quiet.

I decided to make a quick trip.

Just as I resolved to take a step out,

“Huh?”

I just happened to run into someone walking down the hall.

Upon seeing her, my face slowly stiffened.

Because she was—

“…Hanon?”

She possessed the unique ability to see through the shroud.

Sharine Sazarith.

Of all the times to run into her, it had to be now.