Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 4 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 4===

Since the plans had to be made depending on the dragon mark's color change, Mitsuki kept Firill in her room and ordered us to rest until further instructions.

In order for everyone else to fight at full strength when Hraesvelgr attacked, Mitsuki looked like she did not intend to wake them up until battle plans were decided.

Kili and I went to the corridor. I started walking back to my room and Kili followed me.

"—Since you still have an ace up your sleeve, why didn't you use it when I was in a crisis?"

I heard Kili's voice by my ear when I stopped in front of my room.

The bitter sense of guilt in my heart was awakened once more.

"To me, it's a last resort that I'd avoid as much as possible. But I was immobilized before I realized there was no other way... Even if I wanted to use it, I couldn't."

I felt like I was looking for excuses, answering while avoiding eye contact with Kili.

"I see, and what's the reason for avoiding it?"

"Because I'll probably ''become even less like myself than now''."

"......"

Hearing my brief answer, Kili fell silent.

"Sorry, I'm not trying to deceive you. It's just that I can't give any details."

"...Very well, I believe you. It's just that if that's the case—You don't have to force yourself, right?"

"Huh?"

Kili's suggestion was unexpected.

"I'm not saying this just because it no longer matters to me. If your final resort is of that nature, then it's only natural you won't use it to protect me, because what everyone should protect most is themselves."

"Well..."

"You people seem to think that the only two options are to either defeat Hraesvelgr or kill the girl, but I believe there is also the path of living as a dragon. At least, I don't think it's a bad option."

"Unlike you, rather than become a dragon, we—"

"You prefer to die? Really? Is there anything in this world more tragic than dying?"

Kili's words stabbed me in the chest.

"...Perhaps not, but we're the ones to decide what's important to us."

"I suppose that's a kind of truth too. Sorry for saying something malicious. I guess I'm still a bit miffed. That 'I'll still find a solution' from you—If possible, I really wished I'd heard it from you during my crisis."

Kili smiled wryly then her tone turned gentle.

"Move forward in the manner of your liking. Because no matter what path you take, no matter what you lose... In the end, I believe you'll surely turn into the existence I hope for."

Kili smiled seductively then left, leaving what sounded like a riddle to me.

"What are you expecting from my existence?"

Watching her as she left, I muttered quietly to myself.

If she was using us to protect her from Hraesvelgr's attack, then there was no point for her to stay here anymore. Or was this her intention, to go to Midgard despite knowing her freedom would be taken away?

Her true intentions were unreadable. I pondered while waiting for her to disappear from the far end of the corridor. Then instead of returning to my room, I went to Iris' room next door.

If the battle against Hraesvelgr required using the last resort, then there were things I must first tell Iris and no one else.

"Iris."

I knocked while calling her name but no one answered. Left without a choice, I tried opening the door but it was locked from inside. She was probably sleeping soundly from exhaustion.

But if I made too much noise, others would notice.

I thought for a while then went back to my room in the end.

Without turning on the light, I went straight to the large window on the far end and entered the balcony from there.

Standing on the balcony's edge, I confirmed the distance to the adjacent balcony. As expected, it was not far. Just as we tested out yesterday, the gap was small enough for our fingertips to touch by stretching our hands out.

Hence, I backed away, took a running start then stepped on the balcony's railing.

I jumped to the adjacent balcony without any difficulty. Checking that the window was not locked, I entered the room. Even if I called to her from outside, Iris was probably not going to wake up.

A dim lightbulb was lit in the room. Iris was sound asleep in her bed.

I approached and peered at her face. She seemed to be having a good dream. Her face looked especially relaxed. Placed on the sideboard next to the bed was the hairpin I had given her.

"Mmmm... Fufu..."

I felt bad about waking her up because she really looked like she was enjoying her sleep. But time was limited, so I resolved myself and shook Iris by the shoulder.

"Iris, please wake up. Iris—"

"Huah...?"

Iris opened her eyes slightly and made a sleepy noise.

"Sorry for forcing you to wake up."

Gazing into her eyes, I apologized to her.

"...Mononobe? Eh? W-Why... Isn't this my room? No way, is this a... n-night visit?"

Iris frantically looked around the room, her face going bright red.

"Wawa, what should I do? I-I'm not ready yet—"

Seeing Iris' reaction, I could not help but feel my heart race. But of course, I was not here for a night visit.

"N-No, that's not it. Calm down, will you?"

"Oh—Right, I promised... The kiss, right? A-Are you that impatient?"

Iris spoke with a look of realization but that guess was wrong too. However, Iris was watching me with endearing eyes and blushing cheeks. Mesmerized by her appearance, I could not answer immediately.

"Sorry for making you wait, Mononobe. Come—you can kiss me now."

Sitting up in bed, Iris closed her eyes and pointed her lips upward.

I gulped and almost subconsciously drew near Iris' face, then I suddenly came to my senses.

"N-No, like I said, that's not it. I came here to tell you something important, Iris."

I spoke in a serious voice. Iris opened her eyes with a dumbfounded  expression.

"Something important?"

"Yeah, actually—"

I told her about Firill's dragon mark changing color and how Mitsuki was racking her brain for a plan. Iris' face, originally red, instantly turned pale.

"No way... Firill-chan—"

"Hraesvelgr will surely come when the dragon mark finishes changing in color. Mitsuki is definitely trying hard, but I think it's very difficult to come with countermeasures before time's up."

"T-Then what do we do? Will it turn out like with me last time? I don't want to see you and Mitsuki-chan fight again."

"Don't worry, I told her I still have a solution. As long as there are other ways, Mitsuki won't choose the worst option."

In response to my answer, Iris showed uneasiness on her face.

"Mononobe... What are you planning to do?"

Iris asked me in a trembling voice. Most likely, she already had some idea.

Because there was no other option under these circumstances.

"I'll borrow Yggdrasil's power one more time."

"N-No! If you do that, Mononobe, you'll again—"

Iris grabbed my arm in extreme panic.

"I know, but that's the only thing left that I can do. I don't want to give up on Firill."

"I-I feel the same way about this... But even if you go that far, there's no guarantee you'll defeat Hraesvelgr."

However, I shook my head. Yggdrasil's words, from when we contracted, flashed through my mind.

'Offer is, power. Demand is, extermination.'

Then when I asked the extermination of what, Yggdrasil's answer was:

—All dragon species, apart from myself.

"Yggdrasil asked me to exterminate all other dragons. Then it's very likely that the data it intended to send to my brain contains a weapon that works on Hraesvelgr."

The knowledge of power that Yggdrasil transmitted to me—data on weapons from a lost civilization—was too vast in volume. I halted the transmission halfway. The materialization of the anti-dragon armament Marduk was also in a pitiful state with incomplete equipment. Hence, if I downloaded again to supplement Marduk's data, I might be able to find a breakthrough.

"But, but..."

Iris' eyes were overflowing with tears.

"H-Hey—"

Seeing her tears fall like rain, I could not help but get flustered.

"You're clearly in pain from forgetting memories shared with Mitsuki-chan, but now... You can't forget more. Mononobe, what you clearly need to do is remember... not forget..."

She was crying purely for my sake.

The fact that I might break her heart if I lose my memories was only secondary to her—

"...!"

Unable to watch Iris' crying face any longer, I hugged her tightly. Smelling Iris' sweet scent, my heart raced. Through the flimsy pajamas, I could feel her warmth. Strong feelings of love surged from my heart.

"Mononobe...?"

"—Sorry."

I stroked her head and apologized to her.

For telling her about my memories, adding to her burden; for making her feel apologetic to Mitsuki; for being unable to respond to her feelings directly; for being unable to stop, despite her worrying so much about me—

I entrusted all of my feelings of apology to this one word.

"Mononobe, you've already decided, right?"

Iris asked while crying.

"Yeah."

"You'll... forget many things, and won't be the same Mononobe, right?"

"Probably—That will happen."

I had no way of predicting what I was going to lose this time. Perhaps like earlier, I might not even notice what I had forgotten.

However—I won't be my current self, that was for sure.

"Then...... Tell me."

Iris clutched my clothing tightly and barely managed to squeeze out a hoarse voice.

"Huh?"

I felt my clothing gradually getting wet from tears.

"Tell me the precious memories you don't want to forget, Mononobe. Then it's fine if you forget, because I will remember them carefully!"

Iris looked up with tears flowing, crying out while her slender shoulders shook. Her firm gaze stared into my eyes, expressing her determination.

"You'll remember them, Iris?"

I felt my heart pound hard. The long suppressed feelings in the bottom of my heart were shaken.

"Yes, I... absolutely won't forget the current Mononobe."

Iris' words moved my heart strongly.

"I also won't forget what you don't want to forget."

I felt fiery emotions surge in my heart. Her words made me both happy and incredibly conflicted. My heart struggled nonstop.

"Because—Those are the memories of the one I love!"

My heart felt like it was about to stop. My chest was hurting badly. Feelings of love were overflowing. I hugged Iris even more tightly.

"......Thank you, Iris."

Apart from that, I could not find any other words to reply.

"Yeah—So, can you tell them to me?"

Iris stroked my back gently and asked me.

"Okay."

Then as much as time permitted, I recounted my memories to Iris.

Sitting side by side with her on the bed's edge, I conveyed to her the precious memories I did not want to forget.

There was no need to mention in particular what had happened after arriving in Midgard. As for the NIFL days, there were no memories I wanted to keep. Hence, what I told her was necessarily things from three years ago or earlier.

But within that range, what I definitely remembered were all things related to Mitsuki. No, more precisely, they were memories with Mitsuki after we became family.

For example, what games we played together, what places we often went to play, trivial reasons leading to arguments—I recounted all of these insignificant yet incomparably precious memories that I could remember.

Even I felt surprised that I could still remember such things.

There was a summer festival that we went together every year. One year, we won a cat plushie from shooting a target. Another year, we scooped up lots of goldfish and had to buy an aquarium.

Showing off the presents by our pillows during Christmas. Putting our New Year's money from our parents together and discussing seriously what game to buy. Sometimes, we had arguments.

I still remember these things. I still had this many—memories that I had not lost yet.

The more I talked, the happier I got. The memories kept pouring out.

Scolded by parents, I got Mitsuki caught up and we ran away from home together. Wanting to see a meteor shower, I sneaked out in the middle of the night and forced Mitsuki to come along.

There was far more than I could possibly talk about.

Iris only nodded from time to time then listened silently.

But compared to the memories that had accumulated for so long, there was too little time remaining.

Before I could finish, our time was up.

"—Iris-san, please get up."

There was knocking at the door. Mitsuki's voice came from the other side.

Most likely, the color change in Firill's dragon mark was nearing completion. Mitsuki was going to tell everyone the situation.

"Then I'll get back to my room through the balcony."

Although I had more memories to tell, I still got up from the bed.

"...Okay, I've remembered all of it. Mononobe, don't worry."

Iris smiled gently and nodded.

"Great, that reassures me a lot. Thank you."

After thanking her, I walked to the balcony.

But just before I opened the window, Iris grabbed my right hand from behind.

"Wait—One last thing."

"Huh?"

I turned my head back, only to find a gentle sensation pressed on my lips. Iris' face was right before my eyes.

What made contact was—Iris' lips.

Although things happened suddenly, the emotions surging in my heart as a result were neither surprise nor confusion. Instead, they were intense love and feelings of warmth and tranquility.

After a kiss that lasted much longer than last time, Iris blushed and smiled with melancholy.

"...I'll be very happy if you could remember this kiss, Mononobe."

Only then did Iris finally speak her wish.

It was just a tiny willful request.

"I promise you—No matter what happens, this kiss is the one thing I absolutely won't forget."

Thus I vowed for the sake of the girl I loved.

I engraved my vow deeply into my heart.
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