On that day, I accepted a request to defeat the Minotaur that had appeared on the plains near the city.
　Since I had some family business to attend to, Kanade and Tania decided to take down the minotaur.

　The Minotaur is a monster that looks like a ravenous bull walking on two legs and carrying a weapon.
　It is categorized as a B-rank and is known to be quite a powerful enemy.

　It's just........

Hey, Kanade, he's coming your way!
I got it!

　The minotaur swung his huge axe down, but it did not hit Kanade.
　Kanade's figure became an afterimage and the axe passed through nothing.

''Unyang!''

　As if in a flash, Kanade came around behind the minotaur.
　He struck a powerful blow to the back of the knee.

　Maybe it's because it's walking on two legs, but the minotaur's kryptonite is the same as a person's.
　The minotaur screamed and fell to its knees.

''Now........''
It's over!

　Tania kicked the ground and jumped up.
　As it was, she crushed the minotaur's jaw with her knee.

　He also spun around in the air.
　She cleaves her tail and strikes the minotaur's face painfully.
　With a gurgling sound of a neck bone breaking, the minotaur sinks to the ground.
　Soon after, its body disappears and turns into a magical stone.

"Hmmm. That's what you get for me.
'Oh!　I was going to top it off!
The sooner the better.

　Even the B-ranked Minotaur was like a baby when it came to Kanade and Tania.
　They would have struggled more before...
　We've all grown up a lot, probably because we've had a lot of experience.
　I don't think I'm going to let them beat me.

　It's just....

"Hey, hey, Rain. Say something to Tania. You're going to take all the credit for this.
'Lane would understand, wouldn't he?　He said it wasn't my fault, it was that troubled cat's fault.
A troglodyte!

　They were talking to me, but I was thinking about something else now.

'Rain?'
...What?
What's up, you just wandered off but you're thinking?
'Oh, no I think I might have been a bit distracted by the fact that we finished defeating them without any problems. I'm sorry.
You've got to get your head out of your ass. You can't let your guard down, that's what Lane said before.
Yeah, that's bad.

　While I apologize, I still think about another and a certain thing.

　........The story that Al-san told me the other day in the village of the spirit race was actually not two, but three.
　Because the third one was uncertain... and because it wasn't a matter of immediate concern, I had to put it off for now.

　The third one was.....

"...Iris...

　Once, we were the strongest species that ever opposed each other.
　I thought I could finally understand you after making your words reach them so many times, but....
　That's where the end came.

　That's what I thought....
　It's now possible that this may not actually be the case.

　I've been wondering about one thing about Al-san's case.
　How did Mr. Al and his team know that Kanade and the others were about to be executed?

　Mr. Milua and others dote on Tania, but they don't watch over her 24 hours a day.
　As the story spreads, Al and the others will eventually find out....
　It was fast moving for that.

　When I asked him about it, Al-san said
　'A girl from the Celestial Race came in contact with those in the village, and that's where the information came from'.......

　The Celestial Race is extinct and there should be no survivors.
　Was there a surviving Celestial Race that I just didn't grasp, or was there a surviving Celestial Race?
　Or ... or maybe ... Iris is alive.

　If it was possible, I'd like to see Iris again.
　And .....

...I'd like to be in a relationship where we can laugh together this time.



----------



I'm back.
Welcome back.

　When Iris returned to the mansion, she moved straight into the living room.
　Then, as if she had expected Iris to return, tea and sweets were prepared for her.

'Have you been keeping an eye on me?
'No, sir. I just thought that you would be back by now........ It was later than I expected, and the tea has gone cold.
'This will be fine. I'm tired and I'm in the mood for a cup of cold tea.

　Iris traced the air with her fingertips.
　Then a small piece of ice was summoned and plopped into the teacup.
　She stirred it with a teaspoon and made an iced tea.

'Phew, that's calming.'
'It was just an errand but are you that tired?'
It's no wonder that you're mentally exhausted to go to the place where the person who sealed me off in the past is there, even if it's only to deliver a message. The content of the message would only stir the other party up. What was the point of doing that?
Of course. If things go well, an all-out war between the most powerful species and humans... isn't that pretty fun?
I'm afraid that wasn't the plan, though.
'What?　Is that so?
I was curious, and I was watching you for a bit but Master Lane intervened and put it away.
Well, I'm sorry to hear that.

　He says it's a shame, but he doesn't seem discouraged by Reese.
　It's as if he knew he was going to fail.

　Iris asks suspiciously.

'Were you expecting this too?'
To some extent.

　Reese replied with a cool face.

'I'm not convinced. If you expected it, why didn't you take action?'
I don't expect much, and if I fail, I'll be fine with it.
What do you want?
Of course, it's to destroy the humans. The mission of the demon race is to fulfill the will and wish of the demon king, right?
And yet, there's not much to do about it, is there?
''We can't be serious yet, you know. As I've said before, if we do too much while the Demon Lord is in a dormant period, he'll get angry with us. If you implement a plan that doesn't have a high success rate.......and it works, well, that's fine. If it doesn't, you can still stir them up. That's how we're in the process of planting seeds all over the place right now.
How can you go so far?

　Reese said, as if playing a game.
　Iris felt threatened by his attitude.

　Reese looked like he was enjoying a risky game.
　If I were to compare it to walking a tightrope on a cliff without a lifeline with a blindfold on.......
　The danger, the thrill, the ecstasy.
　The destination can't be anything but ruin.

　It's out of the question to go along with that kind of Rhys.
　The Iris of old was trapped in a doomsday mindset, but....
　I met Rayne and I started to look forward.

　How do we live?　I haven't decided that yet, but...
　At least I'm not going to take life for granted.

　What should we do?
　Iris is lost.
　Even if there is no place to go, it would be right to leave Rhys now.
　Never mind the debt of gratitude for your help.
　They are enemies to begin with.

　

　I've been invited by Reese to join me in my pocket.
　How about getting everything you can get?
　For example, Reese's future moves, and the trends of the demon race as a whole.
　

　As for Iris, she would like to see Rain again.
　However, I don't know how I should look at him.
　I think it's too late for that.
　Then why not take the information about the demon race as a souvenir?

　I suddenly think about that.

'What's going on?'
No, it's nothing.

　I've stopped taking revenge against humans.
　However, I don't intend to take the side of the humans like I did in the past.
　But.........I feel like I could be on Rain's personal side.

　Although it's not yet a definite decision, Iris decided a little bit on the path she would take.

''So... is this the end of my work?
Hello. Are you ready to join us, by any chance?
'No, I'm not sure about that yet. I just thought I could help you out a bit more, to see what you'd do.
'You are welcome. I won't be relying on Mr. Iris's help for a while but I'll ask you to help me when you do. It's just me and I'm busy with other things.
What's your new trick?
''Yes. I thought I'd have the brave man completely corrupted and become an ally of our demon race.