Oh, Iyer! Iyerpol! – Chapter 51

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Knock, knock

She stood at the door and knocked twice.

Footsteps approached from within, and the door opened.

Guinness smiled softly at the young man who greeted her.

“Iyer.”

“Welcome, Guinness.”

Today was a rare day off for Iyer.

Having finished her own work early, Guinness had come to visit him at home.

Seeing him in casual clothes, rather than his usual leather armor, was a refreshing change.

She had seen him dressed like this a few times before, but mostly during… those times.

“Want something to drink? I only have cheap tea, though.”

“If you’re making it, anything is fine.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Guinness couldn’t help but smile at his friendly expression.

But her smile faded quickly, replaced by the dark cloud of a recent event that weighed heavily on her mind.

Though a smile lingered on her lips, her eyes held a deep shadow.

After a short while, the water Iyer had put on began to boil.

Each with a cup of the freshly brewed tea, they sat side-by-side on the sofa, engaging in casual conversation.

The cheap tea had a bitter aftertaste.

The sofa was old and worn, its cushions sagging.

The floorboards creaked underfoot.

It wasn’t a comfortable setting by any stretch of the imagination, but these moments spent with him, side-by-side, were precious to her.

The bitter tea tasted sweet as they chatted, and the sinking sofa cushions only seemed to bring them closer.

This warm time together, bathed in the sunlight streaming through the window, had become a moment she never wanted to lose.

And that’s why the worry in her heart grew deeper.

“……Is something wrong?”

“Oh.”

Guinness was startled by his sudden question.

It had struck a nerve.

“No, it’s nothing. Just…”

Had he already sensed her unease?

She quickly composed herself, but Iyer continued to look at her intently.

Realizing she couldn’t hide it any longer, Guinness offered a wry smile and confessed what had happened a few days ago.

The Royal summons.

Her initial refusal.

And… Wolf Who Chases the Wind’s intervention on her behalf.

Iyer listened quietly.

“So… that’s what happened.”

“…….”

“That guy is definitely annoying, but he doesn’t seem like a bad person.”

She already owed Wolf a debt.

He was the one who had orchestrated her relationship with Iyer.

She felt grateful to him.

Those summons, too, was clearly an act of consideration on Wolf’s part.

She didn’t understand why the wolf, who usually only teased her, was being so kind, but she knew she was the recipient of his goodwill.

“From what I heard, it’s not a dangerous mission. I’m going as an advisor, not a combatant. It’s not a burden, but I hate the feeling of being at the beck and call of the nobles again.”

“Guinness…”

“……But at the same time, I feel bad that he took on this burden for me.”

“…….”

Guinness had always disliked being indebted to others.

Just as she had tried to repay Wagner’s favor by fulfilling his request, she didn’t want to owe anyone anything.

But… this time, it felt different.

It wasn’t about disliking the debt to Wolf, but feeling sorry for burdening him.

That feeling continued to gnaw at her.

“……What should I do, Iyer?”

Hesitantly, Guinness looked up at him.

Iyer, who had been listening quietly, smiled gently at her anxious gaze.

“You should do what you want to do, Guinness.”

“What I want…?”

“If you don’t want to burden Wolf, you can go.”

“But then I’ll be away from you…”

“If you’re worried about being separated from me, then I’ll go with you.”

“What?”

Surprised by his unexpected words, Guinness asked again.

He spoke casually, but his words held sincerity.

“If you don’t like the idea of the summons, I’ll go with you.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“If refusing the summons means leaving Tillasden, then I’ll just go with you.”

Smiling, Iyer scratched his head.

He gently stroked Guinness’s shoulder.

“Don’t overthink it. It might not be such a big deal.”

“I don’t want to cause you any trouble, Iyer…”

Guinness’s trembling gaze met Iyer’s.

Her vulnerable emotions, hidden beneath her tough exterior, were evident in her anxious eyes.

She didn’t want to burden the person she cherished.

“It’s not trouble at all.”

Iyer said.

“It’s just leaving Tillasden for a while. It’s a good city, so I’d like to come back eventually.”

“Then…”

“We’ll earn some money elsewhere, and when it’s time to retire from adventuring, we’ll come back. Buy a small house, and live a comfortable life with our retirement funds.”

Not bad, right?

Iyer smiled.

Looking at his smile, Guinness couldn’t help but smile back.

The worries that had plagued her suddenly seemed foolish.

Finally, she could make a decision.

About what she wanted to do.

About what she should do.

Still embracing him, Guinness lifted her head and slowly leaned towards Iyer.

Their lips met in a quiet kiss.

“I love you, Iyer…”

The soft sounds of their kiss filled the room.

Guinness’s arms, wrapped around his back, tightened around his neck.

Iyer’s hand slipped between them, resting on her chest.

“Mmm…”

Guinness moaned softly as Iyer gently caressed her breast through the thin fabric of her shirt.

Pressed close together, lost in their kiss, Guinness’s body began to flush with warmth.

“Shall we go to bed?”

Iyer asked, their foreheads touching.

Guinness, her face flushed crimson, shook her head and tightened her embrace.

“Here?”

“……That was kind of suggestive.”

“Silly.”

Chuckling softly, they lay down on the sofa.

Though their experience with intimacy was still new, their desire for each other was strong.

The window closed.

The room filled with the creaks of the old furniture and the sounds of their lovemaking.

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Marcel’s reinforcements seemed to have been already assembled, as they were ready to depart within a few days.

Wolf, also drafted, received the Feiler family’s summons and, after making his preparations, headed to their estate.

Upon arriving, he frowned at the unexpected presence of someone he hadn’t anticipated.

“Lizard girl?”

“…….”

Guinness, whom he had expected to stay behind, was already there, fully equipped for travel.

It was clear she intended to join the reinforcements.

“Why are you here?”

“What.”

“We agreed you wouldn’t go. Don’t tell me the lord forced you.”

“That’s not it.”

Guinness leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her reply curt.

She was usually far more defiant.

It didn’t seem like she had been coerced.

“I decided to go.”

“……You wanted to stay with Iyerpol, didn’t you?”

“Even if I don’t go on this mission, as long as I stay in Kalak I’ll just be summoned somewhere else. So I decided to go.”

“…….”

“And Iyer is…”

A soft smile touched Guinness’s lips as she thought of the one she loved.

It was an unconscious, genuine smile that came from deep within her heart.

She remembered his words, his promise to go with her, no matter her decision.

She couldn’t impose her desires on someone so devoted.

She loved him as much as he loved her.

“It’s not a dangerous mission anyway.”

“……True, we’re not going as combatants, and the destination isn’t particularly dangerous, but…”

“Then it’s just a short separation.”

Though she hadn’t said it aloud, Wolf somehow understood her thoughts.

She didn’t want to burden Wolf, and she didn’t want to inconvenience Iyer.

The Guinness who usually acted on impulse had bent her will for the sake of these two men.

It was highly unusual.

“……You’re a troublesome woman.”

“What?”

Wolf lowered his head, rubbing his forehead with a sigh.

Why couldn’t she just do as she pleased?

But… strangely, he didn’t feel annoyed.

“Well, it’s fine. At least the journey won’t be boring.”

“Just keep your mouth shut and be grateful.”

“I’m curious, though. Tell me about it. I’m personally interested in the differences between… you know… Dragonewts and humans.”

“I’ll kill you!”

Wolf dodged Guinness’s furious punch, laughing as she chased after him.

Everyone watching thought the reinforcement group was in for a lively time.

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Two days after the Kalak reinforcements left Tillasden, I was already feeling the pangs of loneliness.

“……I miss Guinness.”

I had acted all nonchalant when she decided to join the reinforcements, but I hadn’t expected to miss her this much after only two days.

Lately, we had been sleeping together almost every night, and eating together whenever possible.

Sleeping alone and eating alone for two days made her absence acutely felt.

It hadn’t been long since we became intimate, but I had grown attached to her.

I missed burying my face in her chest and feeling her warmth.

I wondered what Guinness would think if she saw me like this, so mopey after acting so tough.

But loneliness was loneliness.

“Ugh… I don’t want to work…”

I opened the guild doors with less enthusiasm than usual.

As always, the guild was quiet at this hour, and there was only one person at the reception desk.

The problem was, that one person was Rigati.

I had wanted to greet her, but now I wasn’t sure.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I’m sorry, but…”

As I passed by, I saw Rigati’s troubled expression.

Rigati, a professional at customer service, was rarely flustered.

Was she dealing with a difficult client?

I glanced at the person she was attending to… and saw a young girl.

She looked barely mid-teens.

Her vibrant red hair, reaching down to her back, was striking.

Her confident voice suggested a lively personality.

She seemed polite enough, but she was stubbornly bowing her head before the exasperated Rigati.

I picked up my pre-selected requests from a nearby desk, and Rigati noticed me.

“Oh, Mr. Iyerpol…”

She couldn’t greet me properly while attending to a client.

I simply waved in acknowledgment.

Thank you, Rigati.

As always.

With a brief, silent farewell, I left the guild.

“Iyerpol…?”

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“Excuse me! Sir, wait!”

Someone called out behind me as I left the guild.

There was no one else around, so I turned to see who was calling.

The red-haired girl from the guild was running towards me.

“Were you calling me?”

“Yes, yes! Just a moment…!”

The girl, panting, caught her breath.

What was so urgent? I didn’t recognize her.

“Are you, by any chance, Iyerpol?”

I knew of no other Iyerpol in Tillasden.

I nodded, and the girl’s face lit up.

Her vibrant red hair and energetic demeanor gave her a lively appearance, and her personality seemed to match.

The problem was, her energy was so overwhelming, it was draining mine.

The girl bowed deeply.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you! My name is Belle!”

“The pleasure is all mine. I’m Iyerpol.”

But what brings you here?

I returned her greeting, and the girl, straightening up, beamed.

Like a red flower blooming, she smiled brightly and declared something I hadn’t expected at all.

“Please take me as your disciple!”

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[Ill say this every time if i need to. GUINESS IS BEST GIRL (AND A SHIT BEAR. FIGHT ME)]