The Last-Seat Hero Has Returned

19. Interlude – Seven Eyes

The place Iris headed to was her dorm room.

Unlike the shabby dormitory where candidates like me, who receive government support, stay, her dormitory had an exterior so clean and antique that even a decent luxury hotel couldn’t compare.

“This is my room.”

Click.

She carefully opened the door with her Hero Watch.

‘Iris’s dorm room.’

A mysterious realm that I had never seen in my previous life unfolded before my eyes.

“Oh….”

The first thought that came to mind as I entered her room was ‘It’s spacious.’

Unlike my room, where there was no space left after placing a bed and a desk, her room was spacious enough for a family of four to live comfortably.

“It’s incredibly tidy.”

The second thought was that it was very well-organized.

The furniture in the room was arranged at neat angles as if they were about to undergo a military inspection, and it was polished to the point where not a speck of dust could be seen.

“It’s the first time I’m showing my room to someone other than Camilla.”

Iris headed towards the dining table with a shy smile.

As she said, the table was already filled with dishes, as if the cooking preparations were complete.

“Please, have a seat.”

“Where are the chefs?”

“After setting up the meal, they stay outside until the meal is over.”

“Aha.”

So, it meant that I was really alone with Iris in this spacious room.

‘It feels kind of strange.’

Eating alone with her like this was something that rarely happened even in my previous life.

Since I became her lover after forming a party with Yuren, Berald, and Sophia, we usually ate together.

“Well then….”

I scanned the dishes spread out on the table.

As expected, since the dishes were made in the Holy Kingdom, they were mostly vegetable-based.

“Ugh….”

It’s not that I particularly dislike vegetables.

But seeing this much greenery gathered made me involuntarily sigh.

“These are all good for your health, so stop complaining and eat.”

“Ugh. Fine.”

A diet made entirely of vegetables isn’t actually good for you, contrary to its image, because the nutritional balance is a mess.

‘But Seongguk cuisine is a bit different.’

I don’t know what kind of magic these guys have done to the vegetables, but they’ve managed to pack all sorts of nutrients into just greens.

Of course.

They’ve sacrificed taste for the sake of nutrients.

‘Well… I need to pay attention to physical training too.’

At least it’s better for my health than the bread and milk from the convenience store.

“Thanks for the meal.”

As I was diligently stuffing my mouth with the bowl full of greens in the name of health, I noticed Iris looking at me with hesitant eyes.

“Why?”

“Um… I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Uh-hum. Just a moment.”

Iris carefully took something out from the kitchen shelf.

What she held in her hand was….

“…Ramen?”

“I… I really want to eat the ramen you made, Mr. Dale.”

“…….”

Wait a minute.

So the reason she was humming happily earlier was because of this?

“You give me these greens and you’re going to eat ramen?”

“I-I’m fine because I usually eat a lot!”

“That’s too much, really. I didn’t expect this from our saint….”

“…So, are you not going to make it for me?”

Iris looked at me with a face full of dejection, like a puppy abandoned by its owner, and my heart skipped a beat.

‘This is cheating.’

Whether she’s my lover from a past life or whatever, is there any man here who wouldn’t make her ramen?

“Alright. I’ll cook it for you.”

“Yay!”

Iris, who had been sulking just moments ago, clenched her fists and cheered.

“Do we have eggs here?”

“Yes, we do… but why eggs?”

“Hehe. Just wait a bit.”

I’ll show you a taste from heaven.

-Bubbling.

I first put the soup and noodles into the boiling water, and when the noodles were almost cooked, I added an egg.

In just five minutes, I had a delicious-looking ramen ready and brought the pot to Iris.

“Wow.”

Iris’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the bubbling ramen.

“Try it. It’s different from what you had before.”

“Okay.”

Iris picked up some noodles and the half-cooked egg together and slurped them up.

And then.

“Mmmmmm!!!”

Iris made a happy nasal sound and flapped her legs like a duck under the table.

“How is it? Delicious, right?”

“What is this?! Just adding an egg makes it taste so different!”

Seeing Iris excitedly devouring the ramen brought a smile to my face.

‘Watching Iris eat makes me crave ramen too.’

After all, nothing looks as delicious as someone else’s ramen.

“Then, let me have a bite too…”

“No.”

As I reached out with my chopsticks, Iris quickly pulled the pot away as if hiding a treasure.

“Mr. Dale, you should finish your ‘healthy food.'”

“No.”

“Hehe. It’s your fault for always eating junk food from the convenience store, Mr. Dale.”

Seeing Iris point at the greens with a smile, the image of the gentle saint overlapped with that of a wicked demon.

“Phuh.”

Did my sulky face look that funny?

Iris covered her mouth and burst into a giggle.

“Don’t make that face, it was just a joke. Here, I’ll share it in a bowl for you.”

“As expected of our saint.”

I never doubted Iris for a moment.

“But you have to take care of your health too, so make sure to eat your vegetables, okay?”

“Got it.”

Good grief.

‘Iris is Iris.’

Seeing her trying to take care of me brought back memories of my past life.

As Iris and I continued our cozy lunch together.

“By the way, Iris, were you okay?”

“Huh? With what?”

“That horribly looking tentacle monster.”

“Oh….”

Iris gave an awkward smile and twirled her light pink hair with her fingertips.

“Actually, I didn’t see it, that horribly looking tentacle monster.”

“You didn’t see it?”

“Yes. My eyes have a special power, so illusions don’t work on me.”

“…Special power?”

“Just a moment.”

Her beautiful blue eyes, like the clear sky, turned towards me.

And then, in an instant.

Iris’s eyes changed to a rainbow color.

“That is….”

“The elders of the Holy Kingdom… no, the old folks call it the ‘Seven Eyes’.”

The Seven Eyes.

Proof of the blessing of the seven gods, and the reason she is revered as the ‘Saint’ of the Holy Kingdom.

“Thanks to these eyes, I was able to pass the test without being affected by the illusion. Professor Morpheus didn’t say much even after the illusion magic failed.”

“…….”

Looking into her eyes, sparkling with a beautiful rainbow hue, I firmly shut my mouth.

Suddenly.

A conversation from our past life came to mind.

-How did your eyes end up like that?

-Ah, my eyes?

According to her.

During her fourth year at Hero School, her vision gradually began to blur over several months, and one day, she could no longer see.

-It was a curse.

-…A curse? Who on earth?

Who would dare to curse the saintess of the Seven Stars Church?

-The Archbishop of Dreams, Ashtaroth.

The Demon Church.

A religion that stands in opposition to the Seven Stars Church, created by demons blessed by the Demon God.

Among them, one of the six demons with the greatest power and authority was the Archbishop of Dreams, Ashtaroth.

-He… cast a curse on the entire school, targeting the power within my eyes.

-Wait, he cursed the entire school?

-You probably didn’t know, Mr. Dale. No, not just you, everyone was unaware.

No matter how powerful the opponent, even if they were an ‘Archbishop’ level demon.

Who could have predicted that someone would scatter a curse over the entire Hero School?

-It was a curse that only affected those with the ‘Seven Eyes,’ leaving others untouched.

That’s why no one noticed.

That’s why no one realized.

-Even as my vision blurred day by day… foolishly, I thought I had incurred the wrath of the Seven Gods.

Iris, with a self-mocking smile, adjusted the black eye patch covering her eyes.

-By the time I realized that it was not the wrath of the gods but a demon’s curse that took my sight, I had already lost everything.

The ‘Seven Eyes’ blessed by the Seven Gods.

The life revered as a saintess.

And.

-My… most precious friend.

I couldn’t understand how she, who had lost seven eyes and was half-exiled from the Holy Kingdom, managed to rise again to the position of ‘Saintess’.

At that time, I was just a bottom-rung mercenary struggling to survive day by day.

‘But.’

There was one thing I could be sure of.

‘For Iris to return to the position of Saintess… she must have lost a lot.’

The playful smile that I had never seen in her previous life was probably one of those things.

“Mr. Dale?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Hehe… Isn’t it strange to have eyes that shine like a rainbow?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

I shook my head and looked into Iris’s eyes, which sparkled with rainbow colors.

“Beautiful.”

To the point where I wanted to protect her, even if it meant giving up everything.

“Ugh…!”

Iris hurriedly turned her head.

Before I knew it, her eyes had returned to their usual blue color, not the rainbow hue.

“Even if you compliment me like that, I can’t show it for long. I still can’t properly handle the ‘seven eyes’.”

Iris stood up, as if to hide her blushing cheeks.

“It’s almost time for the cooks to come and clean up.”

“Ah, yes.”

“There’s no class this afternoon, so would you like to have a cup of coffee outside?”

“Sorry. I have some work to do, so I think I should go.”

“…Is that so?”

Iris poked the floor with her toes, as if disappointed.

“Let’s have lunch together again next week.”

“Ah… yes! Of course!”

“You won’t ditch Camilla again, right?”

“Hmm~ I don’t know what you’re talking about~?”

Iris pretended not to know, with a playful smile on her face.

“…….”

A smile I had never seen in her previous life.

Childlike, mischievous.

A side of you I didn’t know.

-Click.

I closed the door and leaned against it, firmly shut.

“It’s okay.”

A vow that cannot be heard, a promise that will not reach.

I whisper to her beyond the door.

“This time, I won’t lose anything.”

I will make sure of it.