Johann froze up as soon as he saw her.
I contacted him with telepathy.
"I didn't invite her, if that's what you're thinking. How do you want to handle this?"
"Eh...don't tell her it's me. Please...I can't bear it..."
I severed contact and waved at Iris.
"Oh, hey Mizik! Sorry to intrude, but I heard there was a new Oracle. I needed to make sure they were an ally. Also, since we'll be working together, I wanted to get to know them better," Iris said.
"Yeah. That might be a good idea, Iris. Since you're an ally of ours, the Oracle should get to know you better. Right, new Oracle?" I said.
I could tell he was glaring at me.
"Eh...y-yeah...I'm the new Oracle. Please to...meet you. Umm...Iris..." Johann said.
"Hm? You seem kind of familiar. Have we met before?" Iris said.
"N-no! I mean of course we haven't. I was only just selected to be the...umm...Oracle. We probably haven't met before!"
For a moment Iris seemed sad.
"Something about you reminds me of a really good friend I had before. Well anyway, I'm in your care, Oracle," Iris said as she bowed her head.
"Th-there's no need for that, now!"
"I see. Thank you for your kindness, your Majesty. I already like you a lot more than the previous Oracle."
"I'm glad, but...you don't have to call me Oracle...or your Majesty..." Johann said.
"Really? Then what should I call you? Do you have a real name?"
"It's...umm..."
I contacted him through telepathy again.
"Really? If you're going to tell her, then just tell her!"
"Hang on, I'll think of something!"
"My name is...Roux," Johann said.
"Roux? Your name is Roux? What is that, a soup!? Why not just tell her the truth?"
"My full name is Johannes Crizellia Roux. But I never told her that. She only knew me as Johann."
"Whatever floats your boat..."
"So your name is Roux? Very well. I'll call you that, then. Please take good care of us, Roux," Iris said with a smile.
Once again, Roux seemed to shake slightly.
I rolled my eyes as I contacted him again.
"You okay, 'Roux'?"
"SHE'S TOO CUTE! I CAN'T HELP IT!"
"JUST TELL HER THE TRUTH, DAMMIT!"
"I can't! It would be against the rules. I'm not Johann anymore... Even if this is agonizing..."
"Whatever you say, 'Roux'."
I could tell he was getting angry, but Iris simply stepped forward.
"Is something wrong, Roux?" Iris asked.
"N-no! Nothing's wrong!"
"Well...I hope we can get along. But if you don't mind...I have a request for you. Please..." Iris said.
"YES, OF COURSE!!"
"Ahem..." I cleared my throat as I looked over at him.
He seemed to ignore me.
"You see, I-I have this friend... Someone that I've cherished for as long as I can remember. He...seems to have gone missing. Is there any way you could help me find him? Please...just to know that he's safe would put me at ease...his name is Johann. He's a dragon god... I beg of you...please help me... I'm terrified that something may have happened to him..." Iris said.
His breathing seemed somewhat shaky for a moment. He reached below his veil again, likely to wipe away tears.
None of us could see past the veil over his eyes.
"I-I'll...do my best... I...ah, screw it. This isn't worth it... Hey, can I ask you a few questions about him?" Johann said.
"Yes, of course. Anything as long as it'll help!" Iris said.
I decided to contact Johann again immediately.
"What are you doing?"
"I can't just watch her suffer... All I'm going to do is a simple test. That's all. She deserves at least that much. Please don't tell the Artificer..."
"I don't really trust him that much anyway. Fine. Do whatever you want."
I broke the communication and resigned myself to just sit back and watch.
"First...who is Johann to you?" Roux asked.
"H-huh...? Well...Johann is my best friend. Never in all my life have I had someone as wonderful as him. Johann found me when I was all alone and crying because of a god named Novak invading my world. He helped me to my feet and made it possible to fight back. He's always been there for me whenever I needed him. There's...there's no one more important to me in all of creation!" Iris said with tears in her eyes.
"Truly...? What are your real feelings for him? It sounds like you might love him a lot..." Roux said.
"I...n-no... I can't... Johann is really handsome...I have to admit. I'm really lucky to have him...but he gets bothered so much by other girls. Why it is he chooses to hang out with someone as plain as me, I don't know... But I could never impose something like that on him. He gets angry when someone flirts with or hits on him..." Iris said.
She looked down as she spoke the words sadly.
"You aren't plain, Iris. I'm sure he found you to be quite beautiful, actually."
"Your words are kind...but I'm not worthy of someone like that... I'm plain and weak...always have been. I'm hopelessly sentimental with mortals and-"
"That's enough!" Roux said angrily.
Iris seemed to shrink back and kept her head down.
"Sorry...I won't continue..."
"You're worth more than you think you are. Having a heart isn't a crime, Iris. I know that you loved your world. And that its people were like family to you. Eh...Mizik told me."
Liar...but I won't interrupt.
"Ignitus was special to me...but not because it was home. It was special because Johann helped me build it up and protect it. He was weird at times...but he was everything to me. Ah...I miss him so much... Please...please help me find Johann!" Iris said with tears streaming down her face.
"Do you love Johann?" Roux asked simply.
"Of course I do! He's special to me! He's my bestest friend in all of creation! How could I not love him!?" Iris said.
"I mean...in the romantic way."
"Why do you care about that? Why should I tell you how I feel? Do you just want to see me suffer?"
"I'm curious. I'm just a sentimental old fool... Will you indulge me?" Roux said.
"I...ah...I love him... I love Johann! I love him more than anything! I always have, but I can never have him! I didn't want to be like everyone else, so I kept it hidden... I even tried to go after someone else to take my mind off of it...and got rejected over and over by him, too... And now he's gone!! Johann is gone and I can never tell him that I love him!!! I'm in love with someone I can never have!!!" Iris cried.
She dropped to her knees and cried bitterly.
Even my heart, which had been hardened to such a degree, still hurt to see her this way.
And at that moment, Roux stood up and approached Iris.
He stopped in front of her as she continued crying her eyes out and took the veil off of his face.
"I...I just want to see him again... I want to tell him how I really feel... I'm so stupid... I don't care if it destroys our friendship... I want him to know! Johann! Where did you go!? Why did you disappear!?" Iris cried.
"I hear you loud and clear. You don't have to look for him anymore, Iris," Johann said softly.
She slowly looked up and stopped as soon as she saw his face.
"H-huh...? Jo...hann...?" She said weakly.
"Sorry I was gone so long. They said I could't tell anyone, but...I can't bear to see you this way."
"JOHANN!!!!" Iris shouted.
She jumped up and hugged him tightly as she continued crying on his robe.
"It's alright, I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere, okay?" He said.
"Idiot...IDIOT!!! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!? WHEN DID YOU BECOME THE ORACLE!?" Iris sobbed.
I felt Isabella and Cassandra each grab my hands as they smiled at the scene before us.
I couldn't lie...it was touching.
It made me happy to see it. Even if deep down I felt like telling then to hurry it up. I had things to do...
"The Artificer said I couldn't tell anyone. Mizik forced me to tell him, but he kept his mouth shut the whole time for the same reason. Sorry I made you worry... But hey...you like me a lot, don't you?" Johann said with a smile.
Iris immediately jumped back.
Her fact turned bright red.
"N-no...I...umm..."
"Don't lie. You said it a lot there. I couldn't unhear it even if I wanted to."
"No fair... That was dirty, Johann! I'm sorry... Look, I'll pretend this never happened, okay? We can go back to just being friends! Please don't abandon me... I-"
Suddenly, Johann lunged forward and kissed Iris on the lips.
Her eyes went wide, but she made no efforts to resist.
When he finally pulled away, he smiled at her.
"I've waited a long time to do that. Out of all of the girls I've met, you're the only one I'd ever want to spend my life with. I love you too, Iris," Johann said.
"H-hang on...that's really not fair! I-I mean...ah...umm... Wait...I-I need time to process this! Y-you feel that way about me? Me? Of all people...you're in love with ME? Iris...the goddess of balance. With my lackluster proportions and my stupid sentimentality...my plain looks... My love for games and comics... You could have any girl you want! And...you picked me...?" she said.
Johann nodded.
"I love everything about you. Who cares about how small your chest is? You're still beautiful to me. I have lots of fun gaming with you even if you beat me every time. The comics are fun to read and I look forward to listening to you talk about them. I think you're wonderfully kind and loving people is a good thing," he said.
He still had a huge smile on his face.
"N-no way... I'm dreaming... I have to be. Th-this is a dream. Uh-huh. Definitely a dream! Right, Mizik?" Iris said.
"Ugh...he's telling the truth, Iris," I said.
She went silent.
A minute passed and she sighed.
"Fine...but you have to promise me something, Johann," she said.
"Anything. Just say the word and I'll do it," he said.
"Idiot... You're an idiot for doing this to me, you know? But I really do love you... You will promise me NEVER to pull a stunt like this ever again! If you do, I'll hate you forever! And...s-since you went and kissed me without permission, we have to get married. That's the only way I'll be satisfied. You have to promise-"
"Absolutely. I promise to never do this to you ever again and marry you as soon as possible."
"Y-you weren't supposed to agree so quickly!!!" Iris said angrily.
"You asked me to promise that I'd do something I've always dreamed of doing. Why wouldn't I agree quickly?" Johann said.
"Gah...you're impossible... How's this even supposed to work, anyway? You're the Oracle and I'm a nobody goddess..." She said.
Johann walked up and hugged her tightly.
"I guess...I don't mind this at all..." She said.
"If I'm the Oracle, that makes me the ruler of a divine realm, right? Like a King. If I'm a King, then I should at least be allowed to choose my Queen. And I pick you, Iris," Johann said.
"Dummy...idiot... You're a piece of work, you know that? Making a girl worry so much and letting her cry like that all so you can force a confession... What do you have to say for yourself!?" Iris said angrily.
"Not sorry."
"And you can't even apologize properly! Gah!"
Johann just continued smiling. Not even flinching at her words in the slightest.
"Alright, you two...are you finished?" I said.
Johann let go of Iris and turned to us.
"Yeah, I think that's enough for now. Did you need anything?" He said.
"An invitation to the wedding, for starters. But other than that, some directions for our next mission."
"Of course you're getting an invitation! I also wanted you there for security reasons. No one's likely to try anything with the Destroyer hanging around, right? Anyway, the Artificer said we should start by investigating a cluster world called Tanavol. He thinks something there might help you out."
"Hm...good point. And Tanavol...? I could swear I heard that name somewhere before..." I said.
"You should have. The Artificer said one of your crew members is from there. That guy named Aldaril."
"...Oh by the gods...this is going to be a rough job..." I said.
The multi-world cluster of Tanavol was something Aldaril had told me about in the past twenty or so years.
Not to mention...my own memories of the place.
One of the previous me's lived there for a time before getting killed by a Demon King.
Nevermind the other Avatars...
They were FAR stronger than the version of Aldaril we met in the past.
All of their powers were highly boosted by something connected to every 'realm' in the multi-world cluster.
An artifact called 'The Elder Core'.
If we were going to Tanavol, we were going to have to fight.
And I dreaded it...
With the news we had just obtained, we decided it would be best if we rested for a few days. Since Iris and Johann would likely be getting married soon, we wanted to at least stay long enough to attend.
And so, with that in mind, we went back to the ship.