Vol-07 Ch 1 – Sweet Practice

Part 1

──It's been a few days since I defeated Quarro, one of the Evil. As Master Usagi had said, my training had become more severe than before.

"──[One Thousand Spear Piercing]!"

(Hmph.)

I transformed to the Evil and unleashed the Spear Saint technique that I had acquired during the battle with the Fallen Saint.

I had awakened a new power during that battle… Thanks to the [Evil Den's Eye], I was able to use some of the Spear Saint's technique. But neither the [Evil Den's Eye] nor the Spear Saint technique were reflected in my status. It seemed that I had acquired them as my own unique skills.

With my new skills, countless spear attacks were directed at Master Usagi. However, Master Usagi didn't seem to be overwhelmed by the number of attacks and just brushed them off with his legs.

"S-seriously?"

(Do you think that your attacks which aren't equipped with the [Magic Attire] would hit me? Here, do not let your mind wander…!)

"Whoa!"

After Master Usagi parried away my attack lightly, he accelerated straight at me and mercilessly directed a kick at my face. I managed to avoid it by turning my upper body. Then I countered by kicking Master Usagi while upside down.

"Oh?"

Master Usagi seemed a little impressed by my action, but he casually used my kick as a foothold and moved away from me.

(You used to be too preoccupied to avoid it, but now you're fighting back… It looks like you're growing up, at least.)

"I-I wonder if that's true…"

I'm not confident at all.

After all, my attacks were all deflected, so I didn't feel like I was growing up at all.

I know that if I don't use [Magic Attire], I won't be able to land an attack, but this training also has the purpose of raising my natural strength, so I didn't use it on purpose.

(Well, that's fine. But if you only attack with your spear and kicks, it won't be any different than before, right?)

"…I know that."

I put away my [Absolute Spear] and took out my [Omni-Sword].

And then──.

"[Single Sword Flash]!"

(!)

By applying the kicking technique that was handed down by Master Usagi to attack, I was able to approach Master Usagi with tremendous momentum, and then I was able to swing the whole sword that was in my hand to the side.

This technique was a Sword Saint technique which was taught by Iris-san. The strike contained my full power, and for the first time in today's training, Master Usagi took evasive actions instead of just brushing aside my attack.

But my attack was not over yet.

"───[Heavenly Rotation]!"

(What?)

One of the Sword Saint techniques was the [Heavenly Rotation], which was an attack that launches a tornado of slashes by slashing the sword upward from the bottom. I learned this technique from Iris-san, but I am not yet able to create a tornado as large as hers.

Even so, if I unleashed it at close range, even Master Usagi wouldn't be able to avoid it.

(Hmph… interesting…!)

"Huh?"

However, facing my new technique, Master Usagi smiled ferociously, which was completely uncharacteristic of a rabbit, and he dispelled the oncoming tornado of slashes with his foot.

(Unfortunately, you're not quite there yet.)

"I guess…?"

(Mmm?)

Master Usagi thought my attack was over, but my focus was on my next attack. This was one of the most powerful techniques that Iris-san taught me.

It is───.

"[Heavenly Saint Slash]──!"

While Master Usagi dealt with the tornado of slashes I've unleashed, I adjusted my stance and took a big step forward as I did with the [Single Sword Flash].

The preliminary movement of the attack was so large that if I were to unleash it normally, Master Usagi would have easily avoided it. But right now, Master Usagi was in the middle of dealing with another of my techniques. There was no way he could prevent it.

"Haaaaaaah!"

As I stepped forward with all my might, I poured my magic power into the [Omni-Sword], causing it to glow pale blue and it transformed into a giant light sword. The light sword was swung down with great force at Master Usagi.

(Kuhahahahaha! That's good, that's good! [Breaking Flash Kick]!)

However, Master Usagi, who had managed to deal with the tornado of slashes that I had unleashed, pulled his foot back to the extreme and then released it in one fell swoop to unleash a kick.

The power of the kick was so great that it pierced the slash of extreme magical power that I had unleashed! It was as if he had focused all his strength to break through at a single point, and his technique easily surpassed the results of my training.

I'm not a true Holy, so I used the magic power I inherited from Sage-san as a substitute. However, the power was close to that of the actual [Heavenly Saint Slash]… and even my full power version of the [Heavenly Saint Slash] still could not reach Master Usagi in the end.

"Am I really growing up…?"

A weak voice unintentionally leaked out of my mouth, but please forgive me. As I was sighing heavily, Master Usagi broke through my [Heavenly Saint Slash]; he kept his distance and released his fighting stance.

(Hmm, do you want to leave it at that for today? Even so, being able to easily absorb not only my technique but also the Sword Saint technique makes me more and more curious about what you are.)

"A-ahahaha…"

"──It looks like it's over."

A female voice called out to me after I finished my training with Master Usagi. When I turned my gaze towards the voice, I saw Iris-san standing there with a towel in her hand.

"Yes, here's the towel."

"Ah… sorry, thank you."

"And here's your water. So, are you hurt or something? Are you okay?"

"Eh? I-I'm fine!"

"Are you sure? You're not lying, are you? If there's anything that's bothering you, don't hesitate to tell your Onee-san, okay?"

Iris-san was taking such good care of me that I'm afraid I'm going to shrink, but since Master Usagi has never cared for me like this before in my training, I'm somewhat confused. However, I was grateful that she was concerned about me, so I thanked her honestly.

"T-thank you very much. Thank you so much for doing this for me…"

"It's okay. …I want to be with you as much as possible like this."

"Eh?"

"It's nothing."

"H-huh…"

As you may have guessed from Iris-san's presence here, after Quarro's attack, not only did the intensity of my training with Master Usagi increase, but Iris-san also began training me.

As a result, I was able to use the Sword Saint techniques, like the [Single Sword Flash] that I just unleashed on Master Usagi.

…The control was still not as good as it should be, and it was not as powerful nor fast as Iris-san's, so I need to continue training well…

However, just like the Spear Saint technique, the Sword Saint techniques were not reflected in my status for some reason.

When I let out a sigh again, Iris-san looked around.

"Even so… I never thought that Yuuya-kun is living in the Great Devil's Nest… and this house seems to be protected by magic that even I don't understand… No wonder that Usagi is learning magic from Yuuya-kun. I wonder if I should learn it too?"

Yes, Iris-san had come to my house in the Great Devil's Nest, just like Master Usagi, to train me.

"That's just… I'm not that good enough to teach you…"

"You say this is not good enough…? No matter how I look at it, I think you're a better magician than the Magic Saint…"

(I agree with you. The self-enhancement provided by the [Magic Attire] is also powerful. You're still a little lacking when it comes to combat techniques, Yuuya, but when it comes to magic, there's a lot to learn from you.)

Both Master Usagi and Iris-san gave me such praise, but this was all just something that I inherited from Sage-san, or rather, something that was simply given to me. It's not that I'm amazing, but it's Sage-san that was too amazing.

…The only thing I can do was to become a person worthy of the power I inherited from Sage-san, even if only a little. I have to work hard.

As I was thinking about this, Yuti came over from the house.

"Suggestion. Yuuya, it's time for dinner."

"Oh, it's already that time, huh…?"

"Affirmative. Both Ouma-san and I are looking forward to it."

"Yes, yes."

I couldn't help but let out a wry smile at Yuti's honest words. Well, Ouma-san could not go out of the house on Earth, so I understood that the only thing he could enjoy was eating.

The training with Master Usagi and Iris-san was so intense that I lost track of time, but it was already time to eat. Then Iris-san stared at Yuti and muttered in some dissatisfaction.

"…I still don't agree with it."

"Eh?"

"Why are you living with a woman other than me…?"

"…..What?"

Iris-san shouted as if she was crying tears of blood.

"You're living under the same roof with a beautiful young girl…! I don't see how I can win! I mean, no matter what, i-it's just so shameful!"

"Hmm? Problem. I have nowhere else to go. Yuuya invited me to live with him. That's why I'm here."

"H-h-he invited you…?"

Iris-san shouted, her face growing redder and redder. W-well, if I left Yuti alone, she would have continued to live in the wild forever…

"I-I wonder if young people these days are too liberal…? Or am I just too far behind?"

"Um, Iris-san?"

Iris-san was cool and sharp when she was training, but sometimes she said strange things and acted weird. It could be said that this was the reason behind the familiarity.

"More importantly! I heard that you're the disciple of… Bow Saint?"

"Affirmative. I'm Yuti, the disciple of the Bow Saint."

"Yes, Yuti-chan. I want to ask you one question, why are you asking Yuuya to prepare the food for you? If you're the Bow Saint's apprentice, I'm sure she's taught you well, including household chores, but…"

"Hmm? Negative. The only thing I learned from my master was the Bow Saint techniques. My master did everything else."

"Eh? Ah, no… her caring nature may have backfired… rather than being overprotective, I think it is beyond that…"

Iris-san was taken aback by Yuti's words. No, I was surprised too. She said she couldn't even take off her clothes by herself. It's not a problem now, though. Kaori taught her a lot of things about that, so she was really helpful.

Then Iris-san, who had been looking dumbfounded, seemed to notice something, and her face brightened.

"Sigh! That's right; if I show off my household skills here, I'll have a chance…!? Yuuya-kun!"

"Y-yes."

"Onee-san will be the one cooking for you today."

"Eh?"

I opened my eyes at the unexpected words.

"Since this is a great opportunity, Yuuya-kun… Um, I think I'll cook for you today to deepen our friendship… H-how about it?"

"N-no, I mean… I appreciate the thought of deepening our friendship, but if that's the case, I'd rather be the one to cook…"

"It's okay! Please leave this to Onee-san! I've been doing bridal training for a while now, so I'm pretty good at housework… though I've never had anyone to show it off to."

In the end, Iris-san muttered something quietly and gave a distant look.

"Um… Is that okay?"

"Of course. I'd rather you leave it to me."

"I-if you say so, then… please."

"Expectations. Let's see what the Sword Saint can do."

"Why is Yuti looking so high and mighty about this…?"

Yuti, you couldn't do housework… I wanted to say that again, but I held back.

Then, Master Usagi, who was watching our exchange, turned his back on us.

(Hmph. The training for today is over. Do what you want with the rest.)

"Ah, Master Usagi, aren't you going to eat with us?"

(It's okay. It's more troublesome to get caught up in the fight between those two women.)

"Eh, a fight?"

When I turned my gaze to Iris-san and Yuti, I couldn't help but notice that although they were quietly looking at each other, there seemed to be sparks flying between their gazes. W-what is it?

(Well, you'll just have to do your best.)

After saying that much, Master Usagi walked out of the barrier of Sage-san's house, jumped up into the air from there, and flew away somewhere using the air as a foothold.

"Eeeh…?"

As I looked over at Master Usagi, who had left after saying something disturbingly, Iris-san also turned her gaze in the same direction.

"Usagi is the same as ever… Now then, I'd like to cook quickly, may I borrow your kitchen?"

"Ah, c-come this way, please!"

In this manner, I entered Sage-san's house together with Iris-san and Yuti.

Part 2

It's not often that I invite someone to Sage-san's house, so it was somewhat refreshing to see Iris-san in Sage-san's house. Until recently, Lexia-san used to come over for whatever reason, but lately, her visits had been decreasing. Well, it's strange for a princess to visit such a dangerous place so often, isn't it?

But Master Usagi, who I trained with every day, had actually never entered Sage-san's house. He's always just training with me in the garden.

By the way, once there was a time when Lexia-san tried to cook in Sage-san's kitchen… No, that can't be considered cooking…? The only thing I remembered was that it was very dangerous…

I was shuddering as I remembered that moment, and Iris-san was looking around the kitchen.

"Ara… it's so well maintained. As Yuti-chan said, you are usually the one who does the cooking, aren't you?"

"Yes, well…"

"Woof?"

"Fugo?"

"Hey, it's time to eat. Hurry up."

As I explained the cooking utensils' places to Iris-san, Night, Akatsuki, and Ouma-san also came to the kitchen.

When Iris-san saw Night and the others, she widened her eyes.

"C-come to think of it… I've been wondering about this since we met at the Regal Kingdom…"

"Oh, I haven't introduced them to you, by the way. This is my family, Night, Akatsuki, and Ouma-san."

"Woof."

"Fugo."

"Hmph."

Night sat up neatly and let out a single bark, while Akatsuki responded at his own pace as his usual self, raising his right paw in a carefree manner. And Ouma-san, needless to say, showed no interest in Iris-san and laid down comfortably on the floor.

As I smiled at the three of them, Iris-san froze.

"Hmm, what's wrong, Iris-san?"

"B-Black Fenrir…?"

"Ah, Night, is it? Apparently, he's from such a race. I heard they're rare and very strong…"

"A Black Fenrir is not something that can be described in such simple terms as rare and very strong, you know!"

"Eh?"

"Affirmative. Yuuya, your perception is a little odd."

"T-that's…"

I've been told the same thing by Yuti, but did I say something so strange? Ouma-san said that if it's only about strength, it's a race that is comparable to himself, but I don't really feel that way about it either.

More importantly, when I see Night in his daily life, he doesn't seem to be as unpredictable as Ouma-san, and he's very smart, so I don't really understand such a statement.

Well, whatever it is, Night is Night, right?

When I stroked Night with this in mind, he narrowed his eyes and rubbed his body against my hand. Mmm, as I thought, he's cute.

Then, perhaps envying Night, Akatsuki slipped under my other free hand and pressed his head against it.

"Buhi. Fugo~."

"Yes, yes, I'll stroke you too."

"…By the way, what's that red pig?"

"Akatsuki? I heard that Akatsuki's race is called… [Mouju], but I don't know much about them. Master Usagi said that they are one of this planet's self-purification mechanisms, and they play a similar role to those of the Holy such as Iris-san and Master Usagi…"

"…..Then, what about the little dragon?"

"Ouma-san is an existence from the legend called the [Genesis Dragon]. I don't know much about the details, but I heard that he is incredibly strong…"

Well, I've never seen him fight. Considering how intimidating he was when I first met him, there was no way he was weak. In fact, it's hard to believe that an existence that has been alive since the time this planet was created would be considered weak.

More than that, when I introduced Night and the others again like this, it made me realize that I still don't know much about these three at all. However, they are still an important part of my family.

When I finished introducing everyone, I looked at Iris-san again, and she had a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"U-um… Iris-san?"

"…Sigh! I am really surprised at how crazy it is… wait, no, no, no! It's just strange!"

"Eh?"

"How can you be so calm? It's Black Fenrir, you know? It's a race that all of us Holy, and even our enemy, the Evil, would be no match for even if we all joined together. In addition, there is also a holy beast that is born with a special power to fight against Evil. And to top it all off, the Genesis Dragon, you say… it's really unbelievable…!"

"Affirmative. Your reaction is just right."

In response to Iris-san's exclamation, Yuti nodded quietly. W-well, Ouma-san is surely an extraordinary existence, but are Night and Akatsuki really that much of a cause for concern? They're just cute and dependable family members of mine.

Then Ouma-san, who seemed to have been listening to Iris-san's words, opened one eye from his prone position and turned his sharp gaze on Iris-san.

"Ho? Little girl. You don't believe that I'm the Genesis Dragon, do you?"

"Huh?"

It does not affect me, but I could tell that Ouma-san was intimidating Iris-san because her complexion instantly turned white, and she began to sweat profusely.

Seeing this, I hurriedly warned Ouma-san.

"Hey, Ouma-san! Don't be so quick to threaten people like that!"

"W-what is it? Yuuya, you say that, but…"

"It would be nice if someone can just accept that Ouma-san is the Genesis Dragon. But, it is a problem if you had to react every time like this happened."

"M-mm… You're right, but…"

"And today's meal will be made by Iris-san. If Ouma-san intimidates her, she won't be able to cook."

"What? I-it would be bad! I'm hungry already! The food must be prepared as soon as possible!"

Ouma-san seemed to have stopped intimidating Iris-san when he replied in a panic to my words, and Iris-san was gasping for air over and over again.

"Hah! Hah! Hah!"

"Iris-san! Are you okay?"

"Hah… Hah… Y-yeah… T-thank you…"

"No problem! I'm sorry, too…"

"It's okay. I also made a rude remark… Ouma-sama… right? Please forgive my rudeness."

Iris-san said and bowed to Ouma-san. Then, Ouma-san snorted.

"Hmph. Just remember that. And there is no need to address me as such. It's annoying."

"…Yes. I understand. Thank you very much."

"The one who can speak strongly against Ouma-san is only Yuuya."

"Looks like it…"

"Eeeh?"

I don't think that's the case… but I do believe that Ouma-san would understand if I explained it properly.

When I thought about that, Iris-san turned her gaze to me once again.

"…As expected, your family's fighting force is crazy. It feels strange for us to be worrying about Evil…"

"W-well, isn't that okay? However, Ouma-san said that he wouldn't participate in the battle against Evil…"

"…Is that so? When it comes to the Genesis Dragon, he probably won't be interested in our fight… But will the Black Fenrir Night be participating?"

"Yes. Night will fight with us. He's still a kid, though, so he's still growing up, just like me."

"No, even though he's still growing up, it's very reassuring to have the legendary Black Fenrir as a companion. Night-chan, please take care of me, okay?"

"Woof!"

Iris-san bends down and gently pets Night. In response to Iris-san, Night barked cheerfully. It's as if he was saying, "Leave it to me!"

"Buhi, buhi, buhi~!"

"Oh, you're going to help too, right, Akatsuki-chan?"

"Buhi…"

When Akatsuki, annoyed by the fact that Iris-san petted only Night, squealed as if to assert himself, Iris-san stroked Akatsuki as well. Then Iris-san, who had petted both of them for a while, stood up and said with a cheerful expression.

"Now, let's make some food to eat. Can I use the ingredients from this house?"

"Yes, please."

I've got many ingredients, from the outrageous vegetables from Sage-san's garden to the monster materials I've acquired from training with Master Usagi and from my personal explorations of the Great Devil's Nest.

When Iris-san got the ingredients, she started cooking, and I decided to watch Iris-san cook for a while.

…No, it's not that I don't trust her, but there are precedents, like Lexia-san. A knife flew into the air at that time, after all…

When I thought about that, Iris-san picked up one of the ingredients I had prepared, the [Godspeed Potato], and threw it lightly into the air.

And then──.

Kiiiiiiin.

"Whoa!"

The potatoes that were thrown into the air were instantly chopped up and fell slowly onto the cutting board. No way, did she use the Sword Saint technique for cooking? Is that okay? That technique is a power to defeat Evil, right?

"───[Thousand Swords]!"

"Not shredded!"

After that, Iris-san took out a cabbage, which, similarly to the potato, she threw into the air and sliced it into strips in an instant. I don't know if it's a good idea to use the Holy technique for mere slicing!

"[Spiral Rotation Slash]! [Unparalleled War Dance]! [Twilight Slash]!"

Peeling, chopping, and slicing thinly… such casual knife work were all done with the Sword Saint techniques. And at the same time, with the effect of my [Evil Den's Eye], I also mastered each of those techniques.

However, I couldn't exactly be happy about it. After all, it was not something that I acquired through training; it was something acquired just by watching a part of the cooking process…!

As I rolled my eyes at the unexpected cooking method, Kuro, who was inside me, woke up with a yawn.

"Fuwahhhh. Did you finish your training? …Ah? Why is the Sword Saint cooking in this house?"

"N-no, um… after the training was over, Yuti told me it was time to eat. Then, in order to deepen the friendship, Iris-san decided to cook for us…"

"Heh? That Sword Saint is going to cook for you…"

Kuro seemed to be somewhat impressed, and he turned his attention to Iris-san's cooking as well as mine.

"…Hey, Yuuya. Did my eyes go crazy? That Sword Saint is using Holy technique for cooking?"

"…It's not a mistake; she's really using it."

"The technique of the strongest of the Holy, the Sword Saint, is used for cooking… and from the perspective of the Evil, this is a complicated feeling…"

I guess so…

Kuro was now a part of my life, but originally he was a part of the Evil's power. The fact that the techniques of the Sword Saint were used in cooking must be an indescribable feeling.

While Kuro and I were talking about this, Iris-san's cooking proceeded, throwing ingredients one after another and chopping them up in an instant. But she wasn't just cutting them up randomly. Each of the ingredients was cut to a specific size.

"This is the way it is prepared… and all the ingredients have a certain extraordinary vibe, and the seasonings are only of the highest quality. How can this be…?"

Iris-san was astonished when she saw the seasonings in the kitchen. W-well, as for the seasonings, they're all from Earth. I've moved them to glass jars from this world so that people won't know they're from Earth though.

After the ingredients were prepared, she started cooking using the frying pan in the kitchen, and the food was finally ready.

Iris-san's cooking skills were nothing to worry about. Although I was surprised that she used the Sword Saint technique at first, I could tell that she was used to cooking regularly.

"I-it's done."

"Hmm. Let's see how good it is."

"Affirmative. Let's see what she can do."

I couldn't understand why Ouma-san and Yuti were acting so high…

While amazed at their behavior, I helped Iris-san carry the food to the table.

"Let me help you."

"T-thank you ─ eh, t-t-this feels just like a newlywed couple…!"

"Eh?"

"I-it's nothing! Come on, let's eat quickly!"

While tilting my head against the suddenly excited Iris-san, each of us took a seat.

"Well then… Itadakimasu…"

I immediately took a bite of Iris-san's food and was surprised by its taste.

"Hmm! It's so delicious!"

"R-really? It's the first time I've served it to someone… but I'm glad it turned out well."

It seemed that we were the first ones to try Iris-san's home cooking.

As Iris-san's cheeks reddened slightly at my words, Ouma-san, who had looked up to me just now, gobbled up the food.

"Ouma-san also seems to find Iris-san's cooking suitable for his taste."

"Ugh… W-w-well, it's not bad!"

Why couldn't he just honestly say it's delicious there…? No matter how I looked at it, it looked as if he enjoyed Iris-san's cooking. Then Yuti, who was also acting high and mighty, distorted her face in frustration and took a bite of the food.

"Defeat. The Sword Saint's food is delicious…"

"No, what were you competing in…?"

I couldn't help but smile bitterly at Ouma-san and Yuti's words and actions. By the way, Night and Akatsuki did not particularly complain from the beginning, and they ate Iris-san's food with relish. These two were so cute and honest.

Iris-san, who was looking at us with some happiness, suddenly opened her mouth.

"That's right. As one of your masters, I'm going to continue to teach you many things… And whenever you train with me, I'll cook for you."

"Eh?"

"If you want, I can do your cleaning and laundry too."

"No, no, no! I can't ask you to do that! I'm your apprentice, after all…"

"That's why. If I do the housework for you, you can use that time to train yourself, right?"

"N-no, that may be true, but…!"

"It's okay. You can leave it to Onee-san! Yuuya-kun should train without worry!"

What should I do? Iris-san is spoiling me so much…!

I've been training with Iris-san for a while now, and I've found that she's been more lenient with me than I expected. Of course, the training was tough, but she didn't push me as hard as Master Usagi; she suggested many breaks and tried to take care of me.

That's very helpful, but if she spoils me too much, I'll become a good-for-nothing…

When I was confused by Iris-san's words, she was somewhat taken aback by the euphoria.

"Oh… my efforts are paying off…! If it keeps going like this… we're going to get married…!"

As I looked at Iris-san, who occasionally departed to some distant world, I pondered how I should persuade her.

Part 3

"So, Yuuya-kun, I'm going to give you a massage."

"What's the reason for that?"

After we finished eating, Iris-san suddenly said that with a lovely smile. And then she tilted her head in wonder.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Um… how did you come up with that idea?"

"Ara, it's quite simple. I'm your master, and taking care of my apprentice's body is one of the most important things a master can do. That's why I'm going to help you relax your tired body."

"Huh? B-but, Master Usagi has never done that for me before."

"Well, it can't be helped. It's Usagi, after all. But, I'm not Usagi! Therefore, please leave it to me!"

I was pushed over the edge and ended up accepting a massage from Iris-san.

However…

"Hmm? What are you doing? Take off your clothes first."

"Take off my clothes? Why?"

"Of course, because I'm going to use this."

What Iris-san showed me was a thick orange liquid in a clear bottle.

"W-what's that?"

"It's an oil that I have formulated myself. It can be used to heal your muscles effectively. By infusing my Holy power into it, your body will be healed even more effectively. So come on, take it off!"

"U-ugh… Y-yes…"

Fortunately, I had a swimsuit thanks to my trip to the beach with Kaori and the others some time ago, so I changed into that swimsuit. And Iris-san, who had finished her preparations, looked back at me.

"Now, we are… rea… dy…"

"Huh? I-Iris-san?"

For some reason, Iris-san froze at the sight of me. Then, gradually, her face turned red, and she turned away from me with great force.

"W-wait! After thinking about it, it's the first time that I will touch… a naked man! W-w-w-what should I do?"

"I-Iris-san?"

"Huh? I-I'm sorry. W-well then… can you lie down there?"

I was asked to lie face down on the bed. Then, oil dripped on my back. Ugh… it's a little cold…

I was surprised at the oil's coldness for a moment, but then Iris-san's hand joined in.

"Ugh!"

At first, it was very ticklish and embarrassing because of the feeling of the thick oil and the fact that someone was touching my body, but… Iris-san's massage was very pleasant. What can I say…? Iris-san was right; I could feel that she was rubbing and healing my muscles that I had overworked during my training.

Of course, there were no wounds on my body. Still, as Iris-san massaged me with the power of the Holy, I felt the fatigue that had built up in my body disappear, and I was healed from the core of my body.

This was… going to be addictive… But rather than that, I was starting to feel sleepy…

A message suddenly appeared in front of my eyes as I began to doze off over the pleasant feeling.

You have acquired the skill [Holy Soul].

Eeehh…? Ho-Holy Soul?

Why did I suddenly acquire this skill, and what are its effects?

Although I would usually check right away, I was too sleepy to do so right now. At first, I tried to fight the drowsiness, but in the end, I succumbed and fell asleep without checking the new skill I had acquired.

＊＊＊

"….."

When the massage caused Yuuya to fall asleep, Iris's mind was in serious trouble.

(Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! I-I'm now… touching the skin of a man!)

While desperately trying to calm her inner turmoil, Iris continued her massage. The only person who had ever given this massage to Iris was her master, the previous generation of Sword Saint.

This was the first time she had given a massage to a man, and she was confused. She had never been in any relationship with the opposite sex before. The only man she was close to was her father, so she had never had the opportunity to get this close to a man, much less touch their skin.

But Iris wasn't the only one getting flustered.

"Aaaarrggh! S-Stop it…! H-hey, Yuuya! Wake up! Wake up and stop this woman!"

While Iris continued her massage, Kuro, who was inside Yuuya, was screaming. This was because the massage that Iris was giving used the Holy's power, and by pouring it into Yuuya's body, combined with the effects of the oil, it was healing Yuuya's body.

That's why this massage was nothing but torture for the Evil Kuro, who was originally an enemy of the Holy.

"Hey, Sword Saint! Stop that hand right now! If it continues… I will be gone!"

(W-whoa… A-as expected… M-men are very strong…)

"N-no, my eyes are completely turned off…!"

Kuro's cry did not reach Iris. Instead, Kuro's voice can only reach Yuuya, so it could be said that it was a futile resistance.

(More than that, Yuuya-kun, he's sleeping… right? It's really a beautiful face when I look at him like this…).

Iris, who was able to look at Yuuya's face more closely than usual, was naturally drawn to his face.

(When I think about it, this boy saved me from Quarro's attack… I never thought of having a man save me before…)

Iris blushed again as she remembered how Yuuya had held her and saved her when Quarro attacked.

Even though Iris didn't seem to be concentrating on the massage, her hands were precisely taking care of Yuuya's body without the slightest hesitation.

"Damn it! This woman doesn't look like she's concentrating at all, but she's pouring the power of the Holy into Yuuya's body…! She shouldn't use her skill as Sword Saint here!"

Kuro's cry was plausible. If Usagi had seen this scene or had witnessed Iris's cooking, he would have been just as appalled as Kuro.

Iris used her power as the Sword Saint for her daily life.

However, as a result, Iris was able to effectively use her power as the Sword Saint in any situation, which was probably why she was called the strongest among the Holy.

In the meantime, Yuuya's lips suddenly entered Iris's field of vision.

"…Hey! Sword Saint? What the hell are you thinking? Your eyes are getting scarier…!"

(…Huh? Y-you can't do that, Iris! Yuuya-kun is much younger than you! To do that to such a boy… moreover, he is unconscious…!)

Iris contemplated this, but her gaze remained fixed on Yuuya's lips. And she naturally swallowed her saliva.

"T-this woman, could it be…! She wants to kiss Yuuya?"

(…J-just a little… I think it's okay if only a little…)

Kuro finally came to understand what Iris was trying to do to Yuuya. Aside from the panicked Kuro, Iris gradually brought her face closer to Yuuya while her face turned red.

"H-hey! Yuuya! Wake up quickly! If not… you will be kissed by this woman!"

Kuro repeatedly called out to Yuuya, but Yuuya still would not wake up.

And then──.

"Hmm…?"

"〜〜〜〜?"

Just before Iris's lips touched Yuuya's lips, Yuuya finally woke up.

Iris, who instantly sensed his presence, fully displayed her physical abilities as the Sword Saint and distanced herself from Yuuya's face with unstoppable speed.

Yuuya, who had no idea what was happening, rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Ah… I-I'm sorry… I must have fallen asleep because it felt so good…"

Iris then shook her head with all her might to Yuuya, who said that with an apologetic expression.

"I-it's okay! I-it's not a problem! You must be tired from the training! It can't be helped!"

"T-thank you very much. …Um, what's wrong?"

"Huh?"

Iris made a strange voice in response to Yuuya's question. But Iris did her best to maintain her composure as she answered Yuuya.

"I-it's nothing! Yes, nothing!"

"I-is that so? That's fine then…"

For Yuuya, who twisted his head with a somewhat strange expression, Kuro was relieved that the power of the Holy was no longer pouring into Yuuya's body, but he also cursed.

"Nothing, my ass! She afflicted me with a lot of pain, and then she tried to give Yuuya a strange kind of trouble."

"Eh? Strange kind of trouble?"

"Giku!"

While confused as to why Kuro seemed to be in a bad mood, Yuuya recited Kuro's words. Then, Iris froze when she heard it.

"W-w-w-what are you talking about? I just wanted to make sure that Yuuya-kun's body was in good shape. There's nothing else… yes, nothing…!"

Yuuya felt a little uncomfortable with Iris's behavior but realized that the treatment was over and stretched out.

"Hmm…! Aaahh! That was amazing! My body feels so much lighter now!"

"R-really? That's good to hear."

"Yes! Thank you so much!"

"Ugh…!"

In front of Yuuya's innocent smile and his ignorance of this whole event, Iris turned her face away. However, Iris did not intend to end here.

"T-then, for the future training…"

"Yes."

"Whenever you finish your training, I will give you a massage, so keep that in mind, okay?"

"Geehh?"

"Eh? T-this is not the only time?"

Yuuya raised his voice in surprise at Iris's words, and Kuro raised his voice of disgust from the bottom of his heart. However, Kuro's voice could not reach Iris, of course, so Iris continued without any sign of concern.

"It's natural, isn't it? If you don't take care of your body every time you finish your training, it's meaningless. It's not that you dislike it, is it?"

"That's, well…"

"Hey, Yuuya! I don't like it! I almost died while you were sleeping."

"Eeh? Why?"

"Of course it's because she poured the power of the Holy into me! I'm the Evil! The Holy's power is a deadly poison to me!"

"Oh, that's right…"

"What do you mean by that?"

Kuro was speechless when Yuuya's answer was too simple.

"But it's also true that my body felt great…"

"Guh… it's certainly true that the massage itself is painful, but… my body is also more comfortable now than before."

"Is that so?"

Yuuya did not understand, but it was no exaggeration to say that Kuro lived in Yuuya. The condition of Yuuya's body was directly related to Kuro's comfort. Therefore, the healthier Yuuya was, the more comfortable the environment would be for Kuro.

Knowing this, Kuro couldn't argue strongly with Yuuya's words. Thinking that by enduring the pain for a short time, he would be able to be more comfortable in Yuuya's body, Kuro did not say anything more.

Iris tilted her head at Yuuya, who was lost in conversation with Kuro.

"What's wrong?"

"I-it's nothing!"

"Really? Well, anyway! I'm going to keep massaging you, so please keep that in mind, okay?"

"Y-yes. Well then… please take care of me."

Iris made an agreement with Yuuya for massages and inwardly posed a gut pose.

She had the opportunity to touch Yuuya's body legally… This was the result of Iris's persistence, as she had been unlucky with the opposite sex until this age and had missed out on marriage.

──Thus, the strict and lenient training life of Yuuya continues.