Chapter 17 Heart to Heart

The forest was dense, its canopy blocking most of the fading sunlight. The group ran in a straight line, Rhogan’s heavy steps leading the way as the girls and Iryoku stumbled behind him. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, and their feet barely lifted off the ground with each step.

Yumi, already struggling, tripped over a bush and fell forward. She landed with a soft thud, her body too tired to react. “I... can’t,” she panted, rolling onto her back.

Reika collapsed nearby, her legs giving out as she sat heavily on the ground. Alessandra dropped to her knees, using her shield as support. “We can’t keep running like this,” she muttered, her voice laced with exhaustion.

Iryoku stopped ahead of them, blood staining his leather armor and dripping from his daggers. He turned and glanced back at the path they had come from. They had been running for almost an hour, and the silence of the forest only amplified the pounding of his heart.

He took a shaky step forward, away from the group. His legs wobbled, his vision blurred, and his daggers slipped from his trembling hands. Staring at his bloodied palms, he felt his stomach churn violently.

Falling to his knees, he vomited, his body convulsing as he coughed and gasped for air.

“Iryoku!” Alessandra’s voice cut through the stillness. She rushed to his side, gripping his shoulder. “What’s happening? Iryoku, calm down!”

Reika and Yumi scrambled toward him, their faces pale with worry.

“Iryoku! What’s wrong?” Yumi cried, her voice shaking.

Iryoku’s trembling only worsened, his body convulsing uncontrollably. Alessandra quickly removed his upper armor and the blood-soaked undershirt, letting him breathe more freely.

“Reika, try with your magic!” Alessandra urged, her voice desperate.

Reika stepped forward, her hands trembling as she placed them on Iryoku’s bare chest. She closed her eyes and began to chant softly, her voice steady despite her fear. “Heal.”

Her hands glowed with a soft green light, and the energy flowed into Iryoku’s body. Sweat dripped down her face as she concentrated, whispering, “Please work, please work.”

Gradually, Iryoku’s breathing steadied, and his convulsions subsided. After a few minutes, Reika stopped, her strength nearly gone. She slumped back, gasping for air.

“He’s calmer now,” Alessandra said, though her voice carried little relief. “We need to find some water.”

Yumi wiped her tears and stood shakily. “I’ll find it, Sensei.”

Before anyone could argue, she climbed a nearby tree, her movements clumsy and sluggish. Reaching the top, she scanned the forest with her keen eyesight. Spotting a glimmer of water in the distance, she called down, “There’s a river! That way!”

They moved slowly in the direction Yumi pointed, dragging themselves through the forest. By the time they reached the river, the sun had set, and darkness enveloped them.

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A small fire crackled in the clearing near the riverbank. The group huddled around it, Rhogan lying protectively nearby while the girls tended to Iryoku. His unconscious body lay wrapped in Reika's robe, his wounds cleaned and bandaged with improvised rags.

Hours passed, and the fire’s warmth brought a semblance of comfort.

Iryoku’s eyes fluttered open. His gaze darted around, disoriented, before settling on the three girls. They were close, their tired faces illuminated by the firelight.

He exhaled deeply, muttering, “Everything seems fine.”

Yumi’s ears perked, and she immediately sat up. “Sensei! Reika, he’s awake!”

Reika rushed over, her face lighting up with relief. “Iryoku, you’re okay! What happened back there?”

Alessandra joined them, kneeling beside Iryoku. “You had us worried sick,” she said sternly, though her tone softened with concern.

Iryoku pushed himself upright, his upper body leaning forward while his legs remained stretched out. His hands trembled as he stared at them, the memory of his earlier actions flooding his mind.

Images of Léon’s henchmen flashed before him—the ease with which he had ended their lives, their faces frozen in fear. His stomach churned; it was the first time he had killed someone.

Without warning, he turned to the side and almost vomited again.

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The girls flinched, their worry deepening.

“I’m fine,” Iryoku managed, waving them off weakly. “Don’t worry.” He wiped his mouth and tried to steady his breathing. “It’s just...” He looked up at them, his eyes haunted. “I’m just tired...”

Iryoku looked up at the girls, still sitting on the ground, his usual grin faltering. “Stop looking so sad,” he said with a weak smile. “I’m okay. Everything’s okay.” He glanced down at his bare chest and added with a teasing smirk, “I see you had your way with my body while I was out. Oh no, my purity!” He covered his torso dramatically, pretending to look scandalized.

The three girls blinked, their faces turning slightly red. Alessandra rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide a small smile. “It looks to me like you’re already fine.”

Yumi huffed. “Yeah, back to being a jerk.”

Reika sighed but smiled faintly. “Just stop, Iryoku.”

Iryoku didn’t notice at first, but the three girls had moved closer, surrounding him while he was still seated. They stood above him, casting shadows over his tired form. Slowly, he realized the shift in their demeanor.

“Ah... girls?” he asked cautiously, looking up at them.

The expressions on their faces weren’t the friendly ones he’d been hoping for. Alessandra was cracking her knuckles, her eyes glinting with menace. Reika stood with her hands on her hips, her brow furrowed in frustration. Yumi had her arms crossed in front of her chest, looking both annoyed and flustered.

“Iryoku,” Alessandra said in a firm tone. “Yumi told us about the plan you made with her to stay back so she could follow us after.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Alessandra demanded, stepping closer.

“And why did you drag us into the forest with those guys in the first place?” Reika added, leaning forward. “That was such a stupid idea!”

Iryoku opened his mouth to respond, but Reika wasn’t done. “If you knew Léon had bad intentions, why didn’t you warn us properly?”

He tried again, lifting his hands as if to defend himself, but this time Yumi cut him off. “And stop ogling our bodies, dummy!” she snapped, crossing her arms tighter while her cheeks flushed red.

Alessandra leaned closer, towering over him. “Explain yourself,” she said, her voice low and commanding.

Iryoku looked up at them, his usual humor failing him for once. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. He glanced down at his hands like a child caught doing something wrong, the weight of their scolding pressing on him.

Iryoku sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Okay, okay,” he muttered. “You’re right. I messed up.” He then lifted his head with a more serious expression and pointed a finger straight at Reika. “First of all, you!”

Reika blinked in surprise, stepping back slightly.

“You were so easily enchanted by that shitface Léon that anything I said at the time would’ve been ignored.”

Reika’s face turned red with indignation. “That’s not true!” she retorted, but Iryoku was already turning to Alessandra.

“And you!” He crouched on the balls of his feet, pointing at her with his other hand. “If I had told you from the beginning, I know for a fact you wouldn’t have been able to act normal or pretend. Those assholes would’ve caught on immediately!”

Alessandra crossed her arms, glaring down at him. “I’m not an idiot, Iryoku. I could’ve handled it!”

Ignoring her protest, Iryoku twisted again, this time pointing both hands directly at Yumi. His fingers landed—intentionally—pointing toward her boobs.

“And you! You were in on this with me! So why am I the only one getting chewed out right now?”

Yumi’s face turned crimson, and she immediately crossed her arms over her chest. “B-Because it was your idea, genius! Plus, you didn’t even give me that much information to work with!”

Reika interjected, “If you had just told me everything, I would’ve believed you!”

Alessandra nodded firmly. “And I’m your teacher, Iryoku. Do you really think I can’t handle situations like this?”

This time, Iryoku had his arms crossed, his right hand open near the side of his face, and his left hand touching the side of his right shoulder. "Also, I knew that guy was very powerful, and I wasn’t sure what he might do to us even inside the city if we hadn’t agreed to follow him. I needed him to stay overconfident so I could catch him off guard."

The argument escalated, with voices overlapping and frustration mounting. Rhogan, lying off to the side, lifted his head and let out a low, rumbling growl.

Iryoku immediately pointed to the spirit rhino. “See? Even Rhogan agrees with me!”

The girls turned to Rhogan, who, upon feeling their gazes, blinked lazily and promptly lowered his head back onto his hooves, pretending to sleep.

Reika’s face turned even redder, and she finally snapped, “And who told you we were your women, anyway?!”

Alessandra and Yumi, equally crimson, turned their flustered glares on him.

Iryoku straightened up, holding his head high with a shameless grin. “Isn’t it obvious? A guy living with three cute girls... having a harem! That’s every guy’s dream!”

His hand rose dramatically, palm open, as if declaring the ultimate truth of the universe.

The three girls stared at him, utterly Stunned.

“You’re a perverted jerk!” they shouted in unison.

Iryoku shrugged, glancing off to the side with an exaggerated sigh. “Well, it’s not my first time being rejected.”

The mood shifted slightly. Alessandra's eyes wavered as she looked down.

Iryoku, oblivious to their reactions, smirked. “Don’t worry. You’ll all come around eventually. You’ll see.”

Suddenly, his bravado faltered. He winced, clutching his side as a sharp pain shot through his body. He staggered slightly, his movements betraying the strain he was under.

The girls immediately rushed to him, their worry overriding their frustration.

“Iryoku, sit down!” Alessandra ordered, guiding him back to the ground.

“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” Reika added, kneeling beside him.

“Seriously, Iryoku, you’re hopeless,” Yumi muttered, but her tone was filled with concern.

Iryoku groaned but didn’t resist, letting them help him lie back down near the fire. For once, he didn’t argue, his cocky grin replaced by a tired but grateful smile.

As Iryoku settled back against the ground, he glanced over at Alessandra, his voice soft. “Weren’t you hurt as well?”

Alessandra’s face visibly brightened at his concern, and she offered a small smile. “I’m okay. My body’s already healed itself. Don’t worry about me.”

Iryoku sighed in relief, his tension easing slightly. “I’m sorry, girls. It’s only been a few days, but it feels like we’re speedrunning this place.”

Yumi, sitting cross-legged near the fire, fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve, her voice soft. “Well, we don’t have that many options. If we don’t keep moving, this place will eat us alive.”

Reika nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “True, but we need to be more careful. Rushing like this isn’t going to do us any favors.”

Alessandra chimed in, her tone firm yet thoughtful. “We should coordinate better, too. Better communication could have saved us a lot of trouble today.”

The group fell into a brief silence, the fire crackling softly as they reflected on the day’s chaos.

Iryoku’s eyelids grew heavy, and he murmured quietly, “You’re right... Let’s try to do better tomorrow.”