'I know Alpha wanted to talk to you, but can I ask you a lot of questions first?'
'Yes, that's fine. It's one of my goals to convince Mr. Rayne of that.
Thank you.

　It may be premature, but he doesn't seem like a bad person.
　She has a friendly personality and she's very easy to talk to.

　Well she's the one who created this situation, and she's not someone I can let my heart go to.

''Then let me ask you straight up.......why are you doing this?''
'You're really straightforward. Huh, I don't hate people like that.

　Mr. Alpha laughs gently.

　It's extremely difficult to do things when you're shown such an attitude.
　The opponents I've confronted so far have almost always been hostile to me.
　Iris next to me has also been hostile when I've confronted her.

　However, that was not the case with Alpha-san.
　

'Don't you think the world is full of unreasonable things?　Sickness, accidents, crime, malice - they come at us in unexpected ways with their fangs. Only a handful of people are able to resist them. Most people are swallowed up, hurt and unhappy.
Well, there's no denying it.

　While there is a bit of exaggeration, it doesn't mean that Alpha is wrong in what he is saying.

'I want to save people who are unhappy. No, I want to get rid of the misery itself. For that reason........
Did you create this situation?
Yes, that's right.
How on earth did you do that?
'Using my abilities as the strongest species, and with the help of Mr. Iris there,'

　I saw Iris look away awkwardly.
　She seemed to be remorseful.

'What exactly is the method...'
''I'm sorry, but that's a secret. At the moment, we don't know how Rain and the others will work so we can't add to the uncertainty as much as possible.

　You're right, I'm not naive enough to blurt out important information.

Why would you want to save the unfortunate?
'There's someone in need right in front of me. Reaching out to that person ... that's all it takes.
"Reaching out...

　I wouldn't care deeply if I was merely lending a helping hand or helping out.
　But to let them dream happy dreams and escape reality...

"Do you think my dreams are an escape from reality?
How could you...
Miss Lane has a tendency to show her face.

　Iris said with a slightly nasty look on her face.
　As if that was no doubt, Alpha-san also nodded with a slightly troubled look on her face.

　Am I that much in your face...?
　I don't intend to do it, but I'd better not get involved in any betting.

'You know what I mean, Mr. Lane and Mr. Iris, because you've been through it at least once.　My dream is both a dream and a reality. They can be there as certainties.
But it's only a dream, right?　You'll wake up one day.
'No, it won't be. It's still precarious at the moment but once the procedure is fully completed, the dream will become a reality.

　I mean....
　Does that mean you can rewrite reality the way you want it to be rewritten?
　That's just like God.

'You'll just have to believe me, sir, but I have no ill will. Showing people dreams and hurting them I don't think about such things. The only thing I'm thinking about is. I just want to create a happy world.
Is that why you kept my people and the people of Kagne in your dreams?
I swear, you can't force it. Those who don't have scars in their hearts are unaffected. Only the wounded will respond to my dreams and accept them for what they are. Did you find my dream compelling?
It's...

　I don't think so.
　The dreams that Alpha-san showed me were full of happiness, to the point that I naturally accepted them.

　But that didn't mean it was....

Can't you accept my dream?

　Seeming to have seen through our hesitation, Alpha-san asks quietly.

''I wanted to ask you something as well.......why are Rain-san and Iris-san awake?　Why do you reject your dreams?
You know what to do.

　Iris replies firmly for me.

'A dream is just a dream. A dream is just a dream. There is no point in clinging to them. We are living in the present. That's why we have to move forward. Dreaming is nothing but a meaningless, foolish escape from reality.
What's wrong with escaping reality?
... what?
'The reality is full of hard things. Who decided that you have to confront it?　Running away is evil, is that what you're saying?
It's...
'Maybe you can say that because you're strong, Iris,' he said, 'but not everyone in the world is like that. But not everyone is like that. Some people are weak. They can be overwhelmed by a painful reality. That's why I decided to show them my dream. To help those people.
....

　Iris stopped speaking.
　She listened to Alpha's words.

　Maybe she herself is lost somewhere.
　...like me.

"I woke up....

　Maybe the world Alpha is trying to create is very kind.
　Everyone can be happy and never get hurt.

　That's why I felt lost.
　Maybe Alpha-san is right?　What a thought.

　But.

　After what Iris said earlier, I can make up my mind.
　I'm alive now.
　Those words hit me hard in my chest and broke through my doubts.

"Because I'm alive.
'Cause you're alive?　As Mr. Iris said, what do you mean by that?
I mean it just the way it is. If you're alive, there are times when you're happy and times when you're not. That's the nature of life, that's what it means to be alive.
....
'And yet, to cut out the good and eliminate all the bad is just too convenient. You can't say you're alive then. You have to take it all in, the good and the bad, and move on. If you don't do that, you will never grow.
I'm sorry.

　Alpha-san, who was quietly listening to the conversation, let out a small sigh.
　The emotion in her eyes........is resignation.

'I don't mean to deny the words of Rain-san and Iris-san, but..................after all, those are the words of the strong. They don't think of the weak as if they were the weak. Don't think that everyone can live like you guys. One small wound can be fatal to some people.
But that's...!
''It seems that the conversation has broken down. That doesn't mean I'm not going to act like I'm going to get rid of you or attack you right now, but at least get out of my way. If you're going to walk away from Kagne, I'll swear that I won't do anything.
Well....

　I tried to keep him back, but before I could, a white fog enveloped Alpha-san.
　Soon the fog would disappear, but....
　Alpha-san is already gone.

'He got away, didn't he?
...or should I say, missed.

　It's not quite so easy to judge.

'Dear Rayne. What do you plan to do now?　From the way Alpha was talking, though, it seemed like if you didn't walk away, you could use your powers if you got in the way.
I'm going to stop the Alpha.

　Partly because my friends and Chiffon and the others are trapped in a dream...
　More than that, I can't accept a world like this.

　If you dream, you will be happy.
　Sure, you may be right.

　But what do I do when the dream comes to an end?
　Mr. Alpha, who creates dreams, is not immortal.
　One day the dream will end.
　And there will come a time when you will have to face reality.

　If you're dreaming, you won't grow, you'll degenerate in reverse.
　And when you wake up the first thing you will definitely be crushed by reality.

　Like Iris said, it's seriously just an escape from reality...
　We are only depriving them of the opportunity to grow and, conversely, to degenerate and make their ruin definite.
　That's how I see it.

　Which argument is correct?
　That's for people to judge later on....
　I'm living in the present, I just have to believe in what I think is right and push forward.

"Hmph, it's just like you, Rain. I was hoping you would say that.

　Iris smiled very happily when she heard my thoughts.

'About the future but first I want to wake up everyone.
''That's right. We're short on hands, and without those girls, we're pretty much down to our strength.
Just before that...
"Before that?
'Can you tell me a story about Iris?　That was the deal, wasn't it?
...You remembered.

　Iris sighed, feeling like a child whose mischief had been discovered.