For now, let's end the Iris recruitment story.
　Now we need to figure out how to wake everyone up from their dreams.
　We'll discuss measures to do that.

'By the way........what kind of dreams are you and Kanade and the others having?
'Well...'

　Thinking back to each of them, I put them into words one by one.

'Nina was with your mother, wasn't she? She didn't usually show it, but I think she misses her mother. They were separated a long time ago, and it seems like she's still missing him.
''I see.......I'm sure of it. That child of the divine race is still very young. It wouldn't be unreasonable for her to seek out her mother.
'Tina ... did she come back to life because she had legs?　She seems to have accepted that she's a ghost, but I guess there's still a part of her that wishes she was alive.
That makes sense. We all want to be alive.
'Rifa you were with your brother who was supposed to be dead. Your brother died not long ago, so I guess he hasn't gotten his mind around it yet.
I don't know the person, but if Lady Lane says so, then it must be so.

　
　It's just that the four of them seem to be having the same dream.

'Kanade, Tania, Sora and Luna I'm not sure about them.
Don't you understand?　No discernible change?
'No, there are some, but I don't know why I'm dreaming about it...'
Is that a dream?

　I explain the current situation of Kanade and the others to a dubious Iris.
　The four of them, all four of them together, are dreaming that they are married to me for some reason....

'It's funny. The four of us, all four of us........there's a part of me that doesn't understand why I'm dreaming about that. According to Alpha-san, we're supposed to be having happy dreams.
....................

　For some reason, Iris let out a deep sigh.
　Then, she turned her eyes on us, which were rather sharp and accusing.

''I knew Rain-sama had a dull side, but I didn't expect her to go this far...''
What, Iris?　Um ... why am I being stared at?
Are you an idiot, Master Lane?

　He flinches when he suddenly hits me with curses.

''Even insensitivity can be too much, you know how to hurt them, right?　Please think a little more about your partner. If you behave like Lady Rain, you'll have women crying all over the place.
'Well, um ... why is Iris angry?'

　It's a powerful reflexive way to say sorry, but....
　But there's no point in apologizing with just words.
　We need to find the cause of the problem and understand it properly.

It can't be helped. Normally I shouldn't be the one to say this kind of thing, but unless Rain-sama is aware of it, I don't think we'll be able to move forward with the situation.
Well ... if you can, can you tell me what you can do?
Let me give you a hint. Mr. Kanade and the others are dreaming that they're married to Miss Lane... is there any doubt about that?
'Oh, yeah. That's right.
Then the answer is no other, and it's very simple. To marry Miss Lane is their dream. They are happy.
'Well maybe it's not...'

　After being told this much, I understood indeed.
　I see.
　I can't help but be angry at Iris for being called ridiculously dull.
　Rather, it's natural to be angry.

　............Although I try to analyze it calmly.
　The truth is, I'm so upset that I want to scream, yeah, yeah, yeah.
　My head is spinning and I can't find the right words to say.

　Still, I manage to calm my mind and get the words out.

"Kanade and the others........have.......romantic feelings for me?
Yeah, you're right.
....
What are you doing here, Miss Lane?
....
Miss Lane?　Miss Lane?
....
'You seem to be lightly disorientated by surprise... haha, dear. How in the world can one be so insensitive and yet so pure?

　I had a feeling that Iris was saying something, but I couldn't hear anything now.



----------



I'm sorry, I'm a little... no. I'm quite distraught.

　After five minutes or so, I came back to myself and bowed my head to Iris, who was dumbfounded.

I'm not going to say this at all, but Rain-sama is sloppy. It's hard to believe that he was the one who defeated me.
'No, I'm... sorry. I've never had any experience in that area before, so I didn't know what to do...

　I lost my hometown as a child, and since then I've been struggling to live, and I haven't had time for love...
　After joining Arios' party, I was desperate in a different way and...
　Therefore, it's as if I have no experience.

　I mean, that's an excuse.

　I don't know how long it's been going on, but...
　Kanade and the others have those feelings for me.
　I'm sorry that I didn't realize that, and it's solely my fault for not realizing that.

"What should I look like in the future when dealing with Kanade and the others...
'Miss Lane, you're missing the point. Right now it's not about how to deal with these girls' feelings, but how to wake them up.
'Well, that's right I'm sorry, really, I'm sorry. I guess I'm still confused.
Really, you're not very good at romance, are you?
Don't you dare...
Well, okay. I suppose that gives me a better chance.
What did you say?
'It's nothing. Instead, we need to figure out a way to wake up Mr. Kanade and the others.

　Iris is right.
　We need to make that one a priority and act accordingly.

　If we fail....
　Kanade and the others have been trapped in their dreams for a long time.

'If ... if the girls want to keep dreaming, then what will you do, Lady Rain?

　It wasn't impossible.
　I was trapped in a dream myself at first and...
　It's a very pleasant place to be, more than anything else, and I'm very happy there.
　I want to stay, even if it's just an illusion.

　I denied the dream, but maybe Kanade and the others will accept it.
　If that's the case....

'I'm sorry to say to Kanade and the others, but I'm going to force you to wake up.
''Oh. That's a bit of an unexpected answer... I thought Rain-sama would respect everyone's feelings and say it was inevitable at the time.
'If I could have been truly happy, I would have, but that's not true. I can assure you now. Alpha-san's dream is nothing more than a dream. Just an illusion.

　I talked to Iris, I talked to Mr. Alpha in person...
　Any hesitation I had at first is gone.

　What Alpha-san is doing is wrong.
　I was able to say that.

''Then, shall we move on with the policy of making Kanade-san and the others wake up?
Yeah, I'll do that.
Let's go see her immediately. Just like with Miss Lane, if you take the time to talk to her, she might wake up.
Uh ... sorry. Give me a minute.
What's the matter?
'No, I mean I don't know how to face Kanade and the others now that I know how they feel, but I need some more time to relax.
...a maiden?

　Oh dear, Iris let out a deep sigh.
　I'm sorry.