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Chapter 140: The Shadow Behind

Chapter 140: The Shadow Behind

Thomas looked on with a bit of despair. In the distance, Candace said something to Dora, and when he responded, she and Iris laughed lightly.

He then snapped his fingers, and each emissary who fought was covered in a green and yellow aura and healed instantly.

Thomas observed the young girl’s eyes shining with a different light.

A few more days had passed since that day. Thomas was walking in the street, thoughtful.

Hands in his pockets, he remembered the event after Dora’s last feats.

When they had to return to the city, Dora decided to give the Beast stones to the emissaries of Iris’s group, despite Candace’s insistence that, as a last hope, he had to be as strong as possible.

Iris never left his side, and when they passed by them, they ignored them.

The feeling of shame and embarrassment was piercing for Thomas as he recollected the events of the day. He had watched Iris and Candace congratulate Dora on the report without acknowledging the efforts of his comrades.

The memory was still fresh in his mind as he found himself standing in front of the hospital, lost in thought.

Suddenly, he was jolted out of his thoughts by the sight of Iris rushing out of the hospital, looking panicked. She passed by him without noticing his presence, and he watched her disappear into an intersection.

Thomas remained still for a moment, taking in the details of Iris’s appearance.

Her hair was styled differently than before, elegantly tied into a long ponytail with a white ribbon that matched the color of her sweater. Speaking of which, she wore a bright blue and white sweater with a heart-shaped cutout at the chest, which revealed a hint of her white dress underneath.

Her face was made up, with a hint of pink on her lips and a light blush on her cheeks. She smelled of fruity perfume, which added to her overall charm.

As she walked, he noticed a cute pink handbag in her arms, completing her look.

The image of Iris was now vivid and detailed in his mind.

The details that had long been buried in his soul struck him like a bolt out of the blue. They were something that he had forgotten for a long time, but they suddenly resurfaced and awakened something deep inside him.

As he looked at Iris, he couldn’t help but marvel at her beauty and power. He had never seen her use her girlish charm before, and it was a sight that left him hypnotized.

He followed her without a word, his eyes fixed on her every move. The pursuit lasted for a few minutes, during which he was lost in a trance-like state. Finally, she slowed down, and he was getting closer, but was so focused on her that he didn’t notice where she was heading.

And then, when she reached Dora, his heart skipped a beat.

Dora and Iris were engrossed in a personal conversation, their voices low and intimate. Iris seemed hesitant and shy, avoiding Dora’s gaze and playing with the ground beneath her feet.

She nervously explained that she had little experience with what they were trying and begged Dora not to make fun of her.

Dora’s eyes lit up as he admired Iris.

"Ah, I was only happy because it looks good on you," he said. "You must have put in a lot of effort to look this good."

Iris scratched her elbow, no longer embarrassed.

"A... ah? Beautiful? It’s surprising... I wasn’t... thank you," she stuttered, blushing deeply.

Dora couldn’t resist teasing her.

"Hm? You’re blushing. It’s 1-0!" he said with a satisfied smirk.

"Eh?! N-no! I wasn’t...you cheated!" Iris protested.

Dora put his hands on his hips, still grinning.

"Hm, I was right to bet on that," he said. "Remember, every time you blush, I win a fight. So, if I surpass the number of times you’ve beaten me, my losing streak is canceled."

Iris rolled her eyes but couldn’t help laughing.

"Kuh... then good luck doing that 471 times!" she said, elbowing Dora playfully.

The couple walked arm in arm, smiling and laughing as they made their way to a cozy café. They were completely engrossed in each other’s company, blissfully unaware of the world around them.

Once they reached the café, they settled down at a small table, enjoying the warm ambiance.

However, all of that bliss came to an abrupt end outside when the couple entered, leaving Thomas alone.

He sat there, staring blankly at the empty street, feeling devastated. The person who had once made him so happy was now gone, and he was all alone. The weight of his loneliness and despair was so heavy that he collapsed to the ground.

As he lay there, he looked at the palms of his hands, remembering Hope’s words before the Twilight of Gods. At that moment, he realized that this situation was of his own making. He had made a mistake, and now he had lost everything that mattered to him. Tears streamed down his face as he whispered to himself.

"Why... What did I do to deserve this? Isn’t it enough?"

***

Later that night, Dora and Iris arrived in front of the hospital. They stopped and observed the building, Iris showing a little bit of sadness.

"Well... I guess it’s over now..."

"Yup, until next time."

She turned to him, her eyes suddenly filled with life.

"Really? There will be another time?"

"Yeah, I got you only 371 times. I am getting close."

"Kuh... I-it’s only because I don’t have any experience!... You’re mean..." She said that with a smile on her lips.

With her hands on her back, she turned the ground with her foot.

"It’s not fair if you’re the only one fighting... so to make it fair... I should also get something if I embarrass you."

She looked away shyly; nothing on her looked like the Iris she had been before. She didn’t say enough, but this Dora was miles ahead and understood the hidden meaning of her sentence.

"Hm? Really? I wonder what it is. I’ve never blushed in my life. Do you think you can pull that off?"

He leaned toward her, embarrassing her even more.

"W-w-what I meant is... uh.... Uhm, to equilibrate... Uh.... w-wait! I need to check the manual again!"

"You really can’t do anything without it, huh?"

"I just don’t want to miss the order! Love is a fight, too, and I’m never losing a fight!"

Dora could have answered in many ways following the mood, especially after her last sentence, but his primal nature kicked back.

"... Beating love? So moving on?"

"What?"

"If you’re in love and you beat that love, then aren’t.... tch... dammit... forget me and my stupid mind."

"... Only if it counts as a win for me."

"Ah, you’re kidding? You got my interest, and I want to see you making me blush."

She faced him, her head a little lower.

"Well... if you insist... but I really don’t know if I’m doing the right thing."

"You can’t know until you try."

"... And you won’t get mad?"

"Nope."

"... Really?"

He leaned forward again, their faces almost touching.

They looked into each other’s eyes, Iris’s face getting redder and Dora smiling. She gathered all her courage and closed her eyes.

"Okay... here goes nothing..."

She advanced on tiptoe, ready to receive the star on the tree that was the kiss on a date.

She remained like that, motionless in the air, but nothing happened.

"..."

She waited, expecting Dora to tease her if she opened her eyes. She knew she had already lost.

Her lips revealed her teeth, and she clenched her fists. She then jumped back, pointing at him.

"HAHA! I got you! I pretended to want... huh?"

But Dora was nowhere, or rather not right in front of her. Lying on the ground at her feet, the young man was unconscious.

"Dora?! Dora!!!"

***

Days after, Dora was still on his bed, unconscious. Freya was sitting by his bedside.

She stayed awake the whole night, watching over him. Only she and her group could approach him, so they didn’t receive any expertise on his condition.

She stroked his hair, a sad expression on her face.

"I just wish I could go back then. Is it too much to ask for just a little respite?"

She sighed and whispered.

"Why don’t you ever appear to me on this side I appreciated?"

She opened her eyes widely and placed her hand on her face, realizing how ridiculous it sounded, considering that each Dora was still Dora, but even this reasoning was too confusing.

"But I can’t ignore what you are. If you even acknowledge yourself as Greed, how could I trust you?"

Freya observed him momentarily and lowered her head, thinking about the time they were raiding together.

"This is so unfair... If I had known that it wouldn’t last, I would..." she said softly, leaning next to the windows.

She lowered her gaze to the hospital entrance, biting her lips. Suddenly, she froze, her eyes widening in shock.

"Oh no..." she murmured under her breath.

"Why are they here now?!" she exclaimed tremblingly as she grabbed the window, trying to get a better view.

At the hospital’s entrance, a group of nymphs had returned along with two familiar figures. The sight of them made her heart race with anxiety.

Shortly after, everyone gathered in Dora’s room, which was filled with tension and unease. The nymphs were accompanied by Agiel, Moonra, and Solaria, who looked just as nervous as everyone else.

Both Moonra and Solaria had been separated from the group since that day two years ago. They were probably impatiently awaiting this reunion, but when they saw the tense glances of their former comrades, they understood that the world was no longer the same.

Candace stood between Dora and Nosfera, with the nymphs standing behind her, creating a barrier that seemed to reflect the tension in the room.

The lead nymph yawned slightly and nodded.

"Yes... That’s certainly what we heard... this body has been using energy lately... and now that he is completely drained by the chains, he went to another nap... I’m just asking, isn’t this a situation you should have warned the Queen about?"

Candace frowned.

"Why? For the last time, we don’t work for her. Stop patronizing us!"

Nosfera closed her eyes and turned to Freya.

"It’s you... you’re not blinded... tell me... have you seen Greed act strange at least once?"

Freya flinched and showed an increasingly tired face.

"What is this? Do you expect me to say something compromising? Don’t waste your time; the only thing this boy is guilty of is being a real pain in one of its forms. Greed hasn’t manifested in a long time, and we won’t let him."

Candace’s group nodded in agreement, their faces reflecting a sense of satisfaction at Freya’s words.

With a heavy sigh, Nosfera scratched her nose before speaking up.

"Alright... then... I suppose that we should take this opportunity to grant this wish."

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