Chapter 3.6

Nozomu’s POV

Nozomu and Irisdina were walking down the streets again. In their hands is a candy that the owner of the candy store gave them as gratitude. When they try it, the sweetness melts in their tongue and the sweet scent spreads in their mouth.

“This candy is wonderfully crafted, and it tastes good.”

“Yes, If you bring it for Somia-chan, she will be happy too. “

“Yea, but she doesn’t have an eye for sweets. She is worried about cavities.”

While showing her appearance as an older sister instead of a mother, she looks strangely cute as she holds the candy and smiles, and Nozomu’s cheeks loosen like hers. At first, Nozomu was nervous, but now his nervousness has been released, albeit a little.

“But was that okay? Irisdina-san’s candy over there is…”

The candy she was licking was an ill-shaped candy that I made, and it couldn’t even be called a craft.

“Yup. Isn’t this your first work? Rather, was it okay for me to eat it? “

“Yes, of course, it’s okay. The taste will probably not change, and it’s a waste to throw it away just because it didn’t work.”

“That’s right! In that case, I might as well enjoy it!”

After being convinced, Irisdina chewed the ugly candy. Nozomu continues walking on the road, which is gradually becoming more crowded while looking sideways at her eating candy deliciously. 

“Oh! The beautiful lady over there! If it’s alright, Would you like me to forecast your fortune?”

“Hmm, what?”

“Well, a fortune-teller?”

When we turned our eyes to the person who was suddenly called us out, there was a small store on the side of the road, and the signboard of the store said “Fortune-telling”. There is a white-haired old man with a white beard inside the store, and he smiles at us …

“Um, I’m called Zonne, as you can see, I’m a fortune-teller.”

“Hmm, fortune-telling…………”

(Is he really a fortune teller?)

Nozomu had doubts about the appearance of the store. There are many strange things inside the small store.

A jar full of crystals, cards, and thin wooden sticks, which are supposed to be used for fortune-telling, is randomly placed on the desk. On the wall of the store, talismans that seem to be from the East and things that seem to be amulet accessories are hung without gaps, and for some reason, there is even a skull of a ram. It’s no longer a fortune teller, but a suspicious magical organization or a recruitment place for religious groups. Besides, the atmosphere of the old man is also strange. From the old man’s presence, Nozomu felt familiar with the same presence as the one he known.

“Oldman. What can you foresee?”

“Anything. I’ll show you everything, your future, tomorrow’s weather, tonight’s dinner, and your lover’s affair!”

(The content of the fortune-telling is too crazy !! Or rather, can you really tell by fortune-telling that we have an affair!??  It can’t be helped to be branded on for something like an affair)

Nozomu doesn’t know where to start, but Irisdina, who is surprisingly curious, seems to be enthusiastic.

“Come on, young lady. Why don’t you try it?”

The old man persistently invites Irisdina since earlier.

(This old man obviously ignoring me !!)

The old man’s gaze is completely fixed to Irisdina, and he doesn’t care about Nozomu as much as his hair.

“Well, it looks interesting, so let’s do it. What about you, Nozomu-kun?”

“Aah, I’m…..”

“Come on! Let’s get started!”

“… I’ll refrain from doing it … “

(… I’m convinced. He’s the same kind of person as Shishō …)

Nozomu, who felt that the old man have the same presence as his master Shino, swallowed the complaint against the old man. This kind of old man doesn’t listen to what he says, his words will only flowing from right to left, he’s such a wild person. Nozomu thought that wasn’t the case, but looks like, the world is just a small place.

“Then show me your palm.”

Taking Irisdina’s hand, the old man takes out a magnifying glass and begins to stare intently at her palm, but he obviously has a grin on his face, and his touch is strangely nasty.

“… So, old man, what’s the result?”

“Hmm~, it takes a little longer~” 

An old man caressing Irisdina’s hand with a grinning face. Nozomu’s anger gauge goes up to the old man’s behavior.

“Hmm, it’s hard to see. This time, the other hand…”

“Divine Punishment ​​!!!’

“Gehaa !!”

(Ah, crap. I forgot to adjust it …………)

Nozomu knocked his knife-hand strike down on his head, perhaps because he couldn’t stand Zonne’s behavior trying to touch Irisdina. This kind of old man couldn’t be stopped by words, so Nozomu finally went out to exercise his strength. Perhaps, because Shino was in his head, Nozomu dropped his knife-hand strike with all his might ………….

“Wh, what are you doing! To the elderly!”

However, seeing him who could still complain loudly, the old man seems to have no problem at all. Nozomu is convinced in his heart that he doesn’t need to go easy on someone like the old man.

“What are you saying! This ero-geezer !! You’re already old, why don’t you think about it for a moment!!”

“What did you say, young man! If you see such a finest flower, it’s a man’s nature for wanting to touch it! And only the truest man is the one who tries to get that flower no matter what!!! I couldn’t do anything like you, after all, so I just touched it instead! And you can go now, it’s a flower that beyond a runny-nosed kid like you!! “

“You’re crazy! A walking obscene material! That kind of thing, I’ll throw it away in the toilet together with your dentures !!”

Nozomu had already thrown away his refrain and started to quarrel with the old man. Nozomu’s voice is strangely powerful, probably because the old man said the same thing as Shino.

They were swearing at each other, but during the quarrel, a voice like a clear stream came in.

“……… By the way, old man, how long do you intend to hold my hand?”

Irisdina’s voice itself was quiet and clear enough to be heard by everyone, but Nozomu’s body cowering in intimidation, and his back was tingling with cold sweat. She has a smile on her face, but her cheeks were twitching and she was clearly annoyed.

“Ah! N, no, it’s over. Hahahaha …”

Perhaps the old man, who is feeling her intimidation upfront, feels the danger more than Nozomu, his face is pale and his voice is trembling. His gaze wanders around, he seems to be trying to escape, but he can’t escape because he’s still holding her hand.

“That’s right. Let’s fortune-telling one more time.”

“That … I humbly declined ………”

“It’s okay. I’ve already got the result …. The results are…”

“Fu ~o!”

*Crack*

Somehow, a sound was heard from the old man’s hand that was being held by her.

“Hurts, it hurts. M, My lady it hurts a little …”

“…………………………………”

*creak creak, crack!* 

The sound of tightening of the grip gradually became louder, and at the same time, the old man’s face turned purple. Perhaps the old man realized that he could no longer escape on his own, he threw away his own nature and began begging Irisdina.

“Wait, I’m sorry! It was just my sudden impulse! Please, young lady! Don’t make it any stronger! As expected, my hand will break!”

However, Irisdina does not accept the old man’s appeal. With her icy smile, she puts more force on her clenched hands.

*creak creak! snap!*

(Ah!!)

“Fu ~ouoooooo!!” 

Finally, the limit was reached, with the sound the bones seemed to be broken, Zonne collapsed. He was blowing bubbles from his mouth, and when viewed from the side, he seemed to go straight to the casket, but the cause was all due to his own behavior, and Nozomu couldn’t sympathize with him.

(This old man. I’m sure he won’t be disciplined with just this level …………)

Nozomu remembers his teacher, Shino. She was undoubtedly the best in terms of sword skills, but in her daily life, she was strangely childish and didn’t listen to people. She was exactly like the old man dying in front of him, where she was so self-centered and would tantrum when he opposed her.

(But Shishō. No matter how many times my katana was gone inside the forest, to leave me alone is a bit too much…………)

Nozomu drops his shoulders, remembering his past.

When he had a quarrel with Shino, he had previously been left overnight after his weapon was picked up by the demon beast’s rampage in the forest. It was dusk at that time and soon became dark. Nozomu couldn’t see anything in the dark night and be frightened by the howling of the demon beast.

He had no way to protect himself if he was attacked at that time, and he had no choice but to escape. In fact, he has had the experience of being attacked by a demon beast around midnight and escaping from his life. 

“Now, my preaching to the mischievous old man is over, it’s about time for us to go now.”

“A~, yeah, let’s go …”

Nozomu was sunk in his past trauma, but Irisdina’s voice brought him back, and the two returned to the city while Zonne lying down on the desk. All that was left behind was the pitiful old man who had lost himself due to lust.

When the two left Zonne and returned to the main street, the sunset sky was gradually darkening and the night curtain was beginning to fall.

“Fufu, but I was surprised. Didn’t expect Nozomu would make such a loud voice … “

Perhaps because he saw the unexpected side of Nozomu, who usually doesn’t shout. While giggling, Irisdina put her hand on her chin and began to laugh. 

“Ah, no. That old man was very much like a nasty old lady that I knew. Maybe that’s why I don’t need to hold back, or rather, I wonder if I can really holding back …”

Nozomu replied sloppily while looking away and scratching his head, perhaps because he remembered his past abomination.

“I never thought you would be so loud.”

“Irisdina-san too. I didn’t think you would go into such a suspicious store.”

“Ah, well ………”

Without losing, Nozomu also counterattacked. He didn’t expect Irisdina to enter such a suspicious store herself. Perhaps she’s embarrassed because of the pursuit of Nozomu, her cheeks are red and her gaze is wandering.

The two turn their eyes away from each other and their faces turned red. A strange silence is flowing between the two.

“Well, I was also able to see the unexpected side of Irisdina-san. By meeting you……”

Nozomu talks to Irisdina to try to manage the strange atmosphere, but when she hears his words, she looks at Nozomu with a frowning face.

“Ermm … Irisdina-san?”

“By the way, I’m curious, why are you always use honorific to me? Why are you talking to Somia normally?” 

Irisdina presses into Nozomu to answer with her imposing eyebrows, but Nozomu doesn’t know what’s wrong.

(Looking at her eyebrows … She’s kind of angry, why?)

“N, no. It’s nothing. It’s just, for some reason…”

She begins to think about Nozomu’s words.

“……… Hmm, it feels like I’m more distant than Somia. You can say that understanding human relationships can be done by the mention of their name, okay! Let’s try to call each other out, I will also call you by name.”

“Ha~a!!”

“Oh yeah, don’t use honorifics. You and I are classmates of the same age, so don’t use honorifics. Aah, my name would be hard to call, so call me by nickname. “

“Eehh!!!” 

She had been thinking for a while with her arms crossed and her hands on her chin, and suddenly she told him to abandon her honorifics. What’s more, she suddenly told him to call her by her nickname.

“H, how should I call you with a nickname?”

“Ai is fine, same as Tima says”

(………… Isn’t that too difficult for me? I feel like I’m skipping a few steps …)

“Let me see…………”

“That’s right! It’s okay for you to think about it. It doesn’t matter which one. Can you try to call me now?”

Irisdina laughs and asks him to call her using a nickname. She also tells him to think of the nickname. When he sees her urging with a smile, she clearly enjoys seeing Nozomu’s reaction.

Unlike the unwavering girl when she was in school, she changes her expression and looks into Nozomu’s face. Her chasing look is a sight to see, but Nozomu’s head was already full.

(Is she really that “black-haired princess”? Well, I recently found out that she’s not the person we thought she was, she’s a girl of my age who laughs, mourns, and gets angry same like us …) 

Nozomu felt the same admiration for her. Same as Lisa, his first love, and Ken who were standing next to him before.

Her dignity to face the other day’s incident, which should be inconvenient for her own household. She has the strength to face Dell and Hannah head-on without deceiving them. Nozomu genuinely respected her strength and liked her as a human being.

“E, ermm … I understand. A, Ai … risu-san …”

As expected, I hesitate to call her “Ai” suddenly, and since my heart is not ready yet, I decided to call her “Iris-san”.

“Aa, please treat me well, Nozomu. And I don’t need the ‘san’.”

It’s just her usual name, but she still laughs happily.

“A, a. Ai … risu………” 

In the end, Nozomu decided to call her without honorifics.

“Fufu! Well then, let’s go find Somia and the others.”

“Wait! E, eeh!”

Irisdina suddenly took Nozomu’s hand and started running. Suddenly feeling the touch of her soft hands, Nozomu panicked and flustered. He is forcefully pulled by her. 

The setting sun sets on the horizon, and the first star begins to shine in the sky. Day and night, the two lights lit up, his hand pulled by her with a big smile and he looks awkward but it is kind of fun.