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"Haah?! Iris?! Wh-What is this?!"

Squelch- Squelch-

"Hnng? P-please… S-stop… Haaang?!"

Smooch- Smooch-

"♡…?!?! I-I'm going to get mad!! If you keep going, I swear I'll get mad!!"

Smoooch~!!

"Hohhh♡♡?!?!!"

Iris.

Who was she?

She was the incredibly popular character who managed to surpass even Hayley, the High Elf and so-called main heroine, securing the honor of second place in the popularity polls of the Indomitable Hero novel.

With her pure white hair and sparkling blue sapphire eyes that shone like the ocean, she had an appearance that made one think, This must be what an angel descending to earth looks like.

But it wasn't just her looks that captivated people.

Her self-sacrificing personality, always putting others before herself, made her unforgettable.

Of course, beyond her angelic traits, there was another reason why she was so beloved.

An unattainable love.

A heartbreaking, unrequited affection that pulled at the readers' sympathy.

Iris, who devoted herself to others, bore the torment of her inner struggles all alone.

The reason for her anguish?

It wasn't anything ordinary—it was her feelings of love for another woman.

The only character in Indomitable Hero written with a love for the same gender, Iris had harbored feelings for one girl from the very beginning of the story.

That girl was someone I knew all too well.

Someone I love and cherish: my precious younger sister, Lily.

Iris fell for Lily at first sight and remained by her side, gazing at her with a tender and affectionate look.

But there was a problem: the temple strictly forbade same-sex relationships.

Not wanting to disappoint those around her, Iris suppressed her feelings during her youthful, love-filled school days, forcing herself to endure.

By the latter part of the novel, she had resigned herself to her unfulfilled love and took the position of the protagonist's friend, quietly following the party, bearing her bittersweet fate alone.

Many fans pitied her, with countless readers begging for a heroine made exclusively for Iris.

I was one of those readers who felt deep sympathy for Iris.

I secretly hoped for a twist where Lily and Iris could be together.

A girl who sacrificed her happiness for others' sake, yet never found her own happiness.

Who could dislike such a tragic, innocent soul?

Yes, that was who Iris was.

A girl too pure and kind, unable to express her desires.

But…

If that's the case…

"Haaah… Chest… Chest…"

Smooch-

"Whaaa♡♡?!"

Panting, clutching my chest, was this woman really Iris?

.

.

"Truly, I'm so sorry!!!"

Kneeling on the ground, the pure white-haired girl clasped her hands together in desperate apology.

Her face, flushed as if set aflame, quivered as she teared up, her voice trembling.

"I-I think I lost my mind… I couldn't think clearly…"

By then, I had already distanced myself far away from her, retreating toward the window. Using the torn curtain to cover myself, I glared at her.

"I-I didn't mean to… My hands just moved on their own…"

"Why… Why me… No, I…"

Iris stammered and hesitated, tears brimming in her eyes.

When I gave her no response, she collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

For a long moment, silence blanketed the empty classroom.

Finally, fed up with her behavior, I muttered a single word.

"Perverted saint."

"Ugh…!!"

Her head shot up, her face flushed with indignation, and she began shouting as if in a fit.

"It's all… because of you…!"

"…What?"

"You were the one who seduced me first!!"

"When did I ever do that?!"

I retorted incredulously.

Iris glared at me, her voice rising in pitch.

"You were shaking your bare chest right in front of me!! If that's not seduction, what is?!"

"What?! That was…!"

"You clearly wanted me to touch you, didn't you?! You're the lewd one here!!"

"W-What…?"

"I held back until now!! But because of you, the goddess found out everything!!!"

"…"

"Idiot! Pervert! Bitch! Shameless woman!!"

I stared at her, utterly bewildered. After venting at me for what felt like an eternity, Iris suddenly hung her head and began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Sniff… I'm sorry… It wasn't your fault… but I blamed you anyway…"

"Ah, no…"

"Sniffle… I'm just trash… A pervert… I don't deserve to be a saint…"

Her erratic mood swings left me utterly at a loss. It was as if she had plunged into the depths of despair in an instant.

"Sniff… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

But watching her cry so miserably, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

'…Right. It's not entirely her fault…'

Even though I hadn't realized it, I had been standing in front of her with my chest exposed.

And Iris… well, she liked women. A young girl her age, full of raging hormones, finding herself in such a situation? It was a recipe for disaster.

In Korean terms, it was like dangling a once-in-a-lifetime beauty in front of a hormonal teenage boy. For Iris, who had likely suppressed her desires for so long, my actions must have been nothing short of an explosion.

This mess was ultimately my carelessness.

With a deep sigh, I slowly approached her and gently patted her trembling back.

"…?"

She looked up at me with tear-filled eyes, her sapphire blue gaze shimmering more brightly than ever.

"Iris. I understand."

"…What?"

Her wide, surprised eyes stared at me in disbelief.

'…She's apologizing this much. I should accept it.'

"I forgive you. So, please stand up now."

"Really? You mean it?"

"Yes."

Her face lit up with a radiant smile, warming my heart in a way I hadn't expected.

Yes, seeing her safe was a relief in itself.

I still remember how I felt when I first saw her—her body covered in blood, as if death was just around the corner. It had been utterly terrifying.

And the fact that she'd ended up in such a state? That was all my fault.

I knew this event was going to happen. After all, it had been in the novel.

The Academy Raid.

The first calamity and the demons' declaration of war after centuries of silence.

What they ultimately aimed for was the saintess's death.

If I hadn't appeared this time, Iris would have lost her life in vain.

But in the original story, Iris managed to remain unscathed, not even shedding a drop of blood.

At the beginning of the story, Robin would always approach Iris to gain her favor.

As a result, during the attack, Robin, who stayed by Iris's side, was able to protect her without much trouble.

This led to an event where their bond grew, and Iris eventually joined the hero's party.

But now, the original story has twisted beyond recognition.

And the reason for it… could only be me.

Ultimately, Iris getting hurt like this was all because of me.

The very reason I came here in the first place was due to a ridiculous rumor—something that would have been unthinkable in the original.

Still, I couldn't ignore it, so I came to verify it with my own eyes, hoping the absurd rumor was false.

Thud—

"Eh? I.. Iris?"

A warm sensation against me.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I looked ahead to see Iris, holding me tightly, tears welling in her eyes.

Startled by the sudden physical contact, I tried to gently push her away.

But her desperate grip held me firmly, making it impossible to let her go.

"Sniff… Really… thank you… for accepting me… I've been struggling so much all this time…"

Tears streaming down her face, Iris began to confess to me.

"I had no one to confide in… I had to endure it all alone…"

"…But now that you've accepted me… Sniff… I'm so happy…"

Her sorrowful confession tugged at my heart.

'…Just like in the novel.'

Someone who longed to share love more than anyone else.

Yet, someone who had to endure more bitterness than anyone else.

A pitiful and tragic character.

Feeling pity, I gently patted her back.

Iris responded by hugging me even tighter.

"…Stay strong, Iris."

"But it's okay now… because I've found someone who will accept me."

"That's a relief."

"Even though we just met today, I look forward to being with you."

"Yeah, I'm looking forw—"

"…?"

Something about the flow of this conversation felt off.

I looked at Iris, confused, and she looked back at me with her flushed face, smiling brightly.

"I'm so happy. To think someone as beautiful as you feels the same way about me."

"Uh, what?"

"I'll dedicate my life to you… So please, love me in return…"

"W-What?!"

"For our first date, where would you like to go? Since it's our first meeting, getting to know each other sounds nice, right? How about a nearby café to chat—"

"W-Wait a minute!"

Something was seriously off.

Could it be…

Did she misunderstand "accepting" as a confession of love?

N-No, I meant I accepted her forgiveness!

"Hehe… Anything is fine as long as you choose."

Looking at Iris's love-struck expression as she smiled and gazed at me, I couldn't help but feel dumbfounded.

Hey.

Don't you like Lily?