Chapter 9 - 8th Circle Grand Wizard

"Leo... It hurts..."

The moment Iris's moist voice pierced his ear, he regained his senses that had run far away. Only then was he able to take his hand off Iris's chest, surprised at how excited he was.

"Crazy, crazy, crazy."

Unlike just now when all the blood was rushing to his head, Iris's voice made his head cool down, and he recalled his own excited self.

The sight of a pervert rubbing her chest with bloodshot eyes without any consideration.

Of course, Leo didn't regret touching her chest. Even now that his head has cooled down, he can confidently say that the moment he touched her chest was the best moment of his life.

The problem was that he was so excited that he almost crossed the line.

"...I'm sorry. I got too excited."

The only thing Leo allowed was touching her chest.

He should have carefully checked her reaction and touched it gently, but he didn't care about that and just grabbed and kneaded it as he pleased.

'I've heard that chests are one of a woman's vital points. I grabbed it so hard that Iris's eyes turned red, and there was no excuse for that.'

"Ah, no... you don't need to apologize…"

"Still, I was very inconsiderate."

Iris's voice, which was now more trembling than before, made Leo feel guilty.

"I'm really okay. So... you don't have to worry too much."

Iris smiled brightly and looked at Leo.

The moment their gazes met in the air, Leo felt a wave of emotion wash over him.

'She's an angel. There's an angel here.'

Iris hugged her throbbing chest. She couldn't say that there was no pain at all, but it wasn't just pain that she felt. It felt like some other emotion, not a sensation of pain, was rushing into her chest. It was similar to pain in that it throbbed, but it didn't feel like it was just painful… That was the feeling.

Quietly embracing the unfamiliar emotion that had come back to her, Iris continued.

"D-Did you like touching my chest...?"

With a face that was red as if it was going to burst.

"Yes! Of course! It was so soft."

"Ah...!"

Iris smiled brightly as she was relieved by the honest review. It was truly an ironic sight, but since the people involved seemed satisfied, no one pointed it out.

Recalling the ecstatic feeling, Leo fell into deep thought that didn't suit him.

'What can I do for my first love, who was so beautiful that I can't describe it with my own words and who let touch her big chest?'

In fact, strictly speaking, it wasn't his first love, but anyway, that wasn't what was important right now.

'I guess I should her escape this prison, right?'

Leo had never been in a prison, but after spending 200 years alone in a dark and damp place like this, there's no way he wouldn't want to get out.

"Do I just need to resolve the barrier to get out of here?"

"I'm not sure, but I think so. They can't have guards in the holy place where the World Tree resides. The same goes for magic and magical tools."

A prison without guards, guards, or even CCTVs. I wondered if there was such a shabby prison in the world, but then I realized how great the barrier protecting this place must be to make it so shabby.

Then, suddenly, I wanted to ask Iris something.

"Excuse me, Iris? Can I ask you something?"

"Oh, feel free to ask."

It might have been the most important question when planning an escape.

"How many mana circles do you have, Iris?"

Since I was interested in magicians, I also knew about mana circles. If a hunter or hero's influence was determined by the rank set by the association or country, a magician's influence and skill were determined by the number of mana circles.

Naturally, the more circles a person had, the stronger and more excellent they were. If they had two or fewer mana circles, they were called apprentice magicians, and if they had three or more, they were recognized as somewhat skilled magicians.

Leo heard that if they had four or more, they were welcomed in any country. Leo heard that some countries even treated them as semi-nobles.

However, since magicians with more than six mana circles were not people that ordinary people could easily meet, Leo couldn't say for sure. But there was a joke that the country gave them immunity from murder.

They were a very small number of people, and they were very valuable personnel.

If Iris was a high-ranking magician, he wouldn't have to dig around to remove the barrier. He had his phone right next to him, who would guide him.

"...Eight."

"8th Circle Grand Wizard..."

The way she muttered absentmindedly and the way she suddenly looked at Leo's earnest actions made her believe that he was truly impressed and surprised. She couldn't help but feel proud for no reason.

"Heh, heh..."

A hearty laugh was a bonus.

While Iris was lost in her own world and smiling, Leo was deep in thought.

'8th Circle. There are only three grand wizards on Earth.'

Even Iris, who had reached that realm, was unable to do anything about the barrier for 200 years.

'Could they really be of any help?'

He eagerly offered to help, but he gradually lost confidence.

'There's a limit to the things I can bring back from Earth.'

There was a clear limit to what he could help as a poor college student, not a wealthy person.

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like he had thought too lightly.

'Did I offer to help too hastily...?'

What could be more shameful and disappointing than offering to help at first as if it would work, and then now saying it probably wouldn't?

Before Leo knew it, his back was soaked with cold sweat.

"Leo...? Are you okay?"

At that moment, Leo met Iris's eyes, who was looking at him with worried eyes.

'Yes, if a man draws a sword, he should at least cut the radish. If he gives up before even starting and remains discouraged, he is the epitome of a man who dares not be called a man.'

Clap!

"Leo?"

A sharp pain rose up from both cheeks.

"Iris, let's start."

"Yes, yes...? What do you mean...?"

Leo said with a determined look in his eyes that was completely different from before.

"We have to escape from here."