Ember Reborn: The Flame That Defied Fate-Chapter 56: The Photo Disaster -

"What... what is this...?"

Iris stared at the hologram screen as if it had turned into a cursed relic.

Her hands trembled.

The image didn’t change no matter how many times she blinked.

Juliet Kang.

Wearing women’s clothing.

Posing dramatically like he was trying far too hard.

It wasn’t just embarrassing.

It was suspicious.

And the worst part—

It was in Dale’s photo album.

’Why... why does Dale have this?’

Iris’s thoughts crashed into each other like panicked birds.

Her mind tried to build a "reasonable explanation."

Failed.

Tried again.

Failed harder.

Then it began spiraling into worse and worse conclusions.

’Did Dale... ask for this?’

No.

That made no sense.

Dale wasn’t the type to collect weird photos for fun.

He was the type to collect training injuries and near-death experiences.

So why—

Her gaze flicked back to the message she’d seen earlier.

[When should we meet today?]

The words "meet today" suddenly sounded extremely dangerous.

Iris’s throat tightened.

Her ears burned.

Her chest felt heavy—like a hand was squeezing the air out of her.

’Calm down.’

She forced herself to breathe.

There had to be another explanation.

Maybe Dale had saved it by accident.

Maybe Juliet had sent it as a prank.

Maybe—

Maybe Dale was being blackmailed.

That thought struck like lightning.

’Yes... that’s possible.’

Dale had enemies.

Dale had people who resented him.

And Juliet Kang, from what Iris vaguely knew, wasn’t exactly famous for being sincere.

Her eyes narrowed.

Her hands moved on instinct.

She was about to close the folder when—

"Mmm..."

Dale stirred on her lap.

Iris froze.

His eyelids fluttered.

If he woke up and saw what she’d opened...

If he thought she’d been snooping...

No. No. No.

With the speed of someone saving their life, Iris flicked the hologram off.

The light vanished.

Dale slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"...How long did I sleep?"

His voice was rough with drowsiness.

Iris’s heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

"D-Dale!"

Dale blinked at her.

"Huh? What’s wrong?"

"N-nothing," Iris said too quickly.

Nothing?

Her face said otherwise.

Dale stared at her stiff posture, her flushed ears, her hands locked together like she was holding back a confession.

A sense of dread crawled up his spine.

’Did I do something while I was asleep?’

He’d been resting on her lap.

What if his body moved on instinct?

What if he... hugged her?

Or mumbled something weird?

Or—

Dale swallowed.

"...Did I do something wrong?"

"N-no!" Iris shook her head so fast her hair swayed. "You didn’t do anything wrong! Not at all!"

That was a suspicious level of denial.

Dale’s dread deepened.

’Damn it. I definitely did something.’

But no matter how hard he tried to remember, the last thing he recalled was warmth and sunlight... then darkness.

Nothing else.

Iris suddenly stood up, grabbing her bag like she was escaping a crime scene.

"W-would you like to head back now?"

Dale blinked.

"...Sure."

And so, in awkward silence, the two of them walked back toward the academy.

Not too close.

Not too far.

Like two people trying to pretend the air wasn’t filled with landmines.

Halfway back, Iris finally spoke.

"Um... Dale?"

"What?"

Iris hesitated, then blurted out with the seriousness of a saint delivering a doctrine.

"Do you think it’s... okay for people to have unusual hobbies?"

"...Unusual hobbies?"

"Yes," Iris pressed, cheeks turning red. "Like—like... for example... someone doing something embarrassing and sending photos of it."

Dale’s brain paused.

Then he slowly replied.

"I mean... if it doesn’t hurt anyone, it’s their life."

Iris’s eyes widened.

"That means—!"

"What does that mean?" Dale asked, alarmed.

Iris swallowed hard and forced herself to continue.

"And, um... if someone is very close to another person... and they trust them... they might send them photos like that."

"...Why are we talking about this?"

"J-just answer!" Iris said, flustered.

Dale sighed.

"Okay, okay."

Then he looked at her, genuinely confused.

"...Did something happen?"

Iris nearly screamed.

Yes!

Something happened!

A disaster happened!

But she couldn’t say it.

Not without exposing that she’d opened his watch.

So she clenched her fists and decided on a safer angle.

"Dale," Iris said carefully, "you’re... not hiding anything from me, right?"

Dale stared at her.

"...Like what?"

Iris’s voice dropped to a whisper.

"Like... meeting someone secretly."

Dale’s first thought was Juliet.

His second thought was: Oh no.

Iris had impeccable instincts.

Sometimes frighteningly so.

He cleared his throat.

"It’s not like that."

"Then why did someone message you asking when you should meet today?" Iris demanded, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

Dale froze.

"...You saw that?"

Iris went stiff.

Dale’s eyes narrowed.

"...Iris."

"...I can explain."

Dale exhaled.

"Let’s just go back."

Iris’s shoulders slumped slightly.

"...Okay."

They arrived at the academy gate.

And there, like fate itself was determined to make things worse—

"Dale!"

A familiar voice called out.

Juliet Kang stood near the entrance, shifting nervously.

The moment Iris saw him, her expression sharpened like a drawn blade.

Juliet noticed Iris and almost tripped over his own feet.

"S-Saint...!"

Iris stepped forward, calm and terrifying.

"Juliet Kang," she said politely.

Juliet swallowed.

"Yes?"

"What is your relationship with Dale?"

Juliet’s soul nearly left his body.

Relationship?

With Dale?

In front of the Saint?

Why is the Saint asking?

Why is the Saint looking like she might smite him?

Juliet flicked a desperate glance toward Dale.

Dale stepped in quickly.

"We’re classmates," Dale said smoothly. "We have something to discuss."

Juliet nodded so hard it looked painful.

"Y-yeah! Classmates! Discussion!"

Iris’s eyes narrowed further.

"Discussion."

"Yes," Dale repeated, forcing a casual tone. "That’s all."

Juliet, in a panic, thrust a box toward Dale.

"Ah—um—here! This is... a gift."

Dale blinked.

"A gift?"

Juliet nodded rapidly.

"My family sent me premium Holy Kingdom tea and some sweets. I thought... maybe... you’d like them."

Dale stared at the box.

It was expensive.

The kind of box you gave to nobles.

The kind of box you gave to someone you wanted to appease.

Dale’s mouth twitched.

’A bribe.’

He couldn’t have made it more obvious if he tried.

Juliet’s eyes screamed: Please delete the photos.

Dale didn’t take it immediately.

He just smiled.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"No reason!" Juliet blurted. "No special meaning! Just—just gratitude! Friendship!"

"Friendship," Iris repeated.

Her tone was so calm it was frightening.

Juliet began sweating.

Then Iris stepped closer.

Her smile was still polite.

But her eyes were not.

"Juliet," she said, "did you send Dale any... photos?"

Juliet choked.

"PH-PH-photos?!"

Dale’s spine went cold.

’Iris saw it.’

Of course she did.

Dale stepped forward instantly.

"Iris," he said quickly, "it’s not what you think."

Iris’s stare didn’t soften.

"Then explain," she said.

Dale sighed, then spoke carefully.

"Juliet has... a problem."

Juliet looked like he was about to faint.

Dale continued.

"He got tricked into taking those photos a while ago."

Juliet’s eyes widened.

Wait—tricked?

Dale wasn’t going to say "blackmail."

He was going to make it sound gentler.

He was trying to save Juliet’s dignity.

Unfortunately, Juliet didn’t realize that.

And his panic made him say the worst possible thing.

"I—It’s not what you think!" Juliet shouted at Iris. "I’m not— I mean— I didn’t— It’s complicated!"

Iris’s eye twitched.

Dale rubbed his forehead.

"Juliet," he muttered, "stop talking."

Juliet stopped.

Immediately.

Because Dale’s voice sounded like a guillotine.

Iris stared at the two of them, then slowly looked away as if she were collecting herself.

"Dale," she said quietly.

"Yes?"

"...Are you being threatened?"

Dale blinked.

Then gave her a small, grateful smile.

"Yeah," he admitted. "Something like that."

Juliet flinched.

Iris inhaled slowly.

Then, instead of exploding—

Her shoulders relaxed.

Her expression softened.

Just a little.

"...So you kept it because you needed proof."

"Exactly," Dale said quickly.

Iris looked down.

Then back up.

"...Then why were you meeting him today?"

Dale lifted the fancy box slightly.

"To settle it. Cleanly."

Iris stared at Juliet.

Juliet nodded like his life depended on it.

"Y-yeah! Cleanly! Very clean!"

Iris’s gaze remained sharp for another second.

Then she exhaled, as if letting go of a storm.

"...I see."

Relief washed through Dale.

But then Iris took one step closer and poked Dale’s chest with a finger.

"Still," she said, voice low, "you should have told me."

Dale didn’t argue.

"...Fair."

Iris looked away with a huff.

Then, with forced dignity, she turned back to Juliet.

"Ahem."

Juliet stiffened.

"I..." Iris began, then hesitated, cheeks faintly pink.

"...I apologize for misunderstanding."

Juliet blinked.

Then bowed so hard he nearly snapped in half.

"N-no! It’s my fault! Please don’t apologize! Please don’t—!"

Iris took a step back, as if increasing distance would restore her holiness.

"Good."

Then she grabbed Dale’s sleeve.

"Come on."

Dale blinked.

"...Where?"

"To dinner," Iris said quickly, as if that was the only way to end the humiliation. "We’re eating."

"Okay," Dale said, letting himself be dragged.

Juliet stood at the gate, holding his breath as they walked away.

Then he finally exhaled.

"...I’m going to die."

He looked down at his own watch.

Then whispered like a prayer.

"Please... Dale... delete them."

Spring really was cruel.