The night walk with Sera felt a bit strange to Iria.

 

First, it was odd that someone who should be bedridden for a week was moving around so freely.

 

Second, the overall atmosphere was just strange.

 

Sera was an unusual person.

 

Although obsessed with matches, Sera didn’t tie her self-worth to the results. Regardless of how previous matches went, Sera didn’t mind and held no particular feelings towards Iria either.

 

Sera had no prejudice when dealing with people, almost to a fault. Sera was treating Iria as just another person too.

 

That’s how it should be normally, but Iria wasn’t used to receiving that normal treatment.

 

-D-Don’t touch me!

 

-You monster-like bitch.

 

Not monster-like, but an actual monster.

 

Iria erased the past illusions that popped up in her head.

 

It’s not like Iria couldn’t feel emotions at all. They were just fainter than others.

 

Recalling the past made Iria a bit depressed. She walked silently next to Sera.

 

At first, Iria thought Sera was just acting, but upon making eye contact, that didn’t seem to be the case.

 

If there was one thing Iria could tell, it was that Sera wasn’t a bad person.

 

Not a bad person, just a bit of an oddball.

 

“How long did it take you?”

 

Walking ahead, Sera asked Iria.

 

It was a rather difficult question to answer right away. Iria maintained her silence and tried to grasp the meaning of the words.

 

However, Sera quickly added on.

 

“I mean the time it took to rise to the top. No, to be more precise, the time it took for you to become this strong.”

 

“……”

 

“It took me about 14 years to get to where I am now. In this world, power is everything, so I was in a rush to become even a little bit stronger.”

 

Sera was right.

 

In this world, power is everything.

 

Only the strong survive, and the weak are simply devoured by those stronger than them.

 

As someone who was born stronger than others and preyed on the weak in this world, Iria could sympathize with those words.

 

The reason Iria was still alive was solely because she was stronger than others.

 

On the other hand, Amy, a monster like Iria who had harmed humans, suffered cruelly and died because she was weaker than them.

 

Iria listened attentively to Sera’s words. She was curious about what Sera would say next.

 

“When I was young, my parents were killed by monsters. At the time, my parents were quite famous mages in the village, but they were killed while trying to exterminate the invading monsters.”

 

“Because they lacked strength?”

 

“I suppose so. It wouldn’t have happened if I had been strong, right?”

 

Sera was clearly smiling while walking the night path, but it wasn’t a complete smile.

 

It was a smile that looked somewhat bitter.

 

“I was seven years old then, and after that, I went to an orphanage…… Hmm. Roughly speaking, I devoted myself solely to studying magic since then and became who I am now.”

 

“……”

 

“Still, it wasn’t too bad. There was a friend at the orphanage who worked hard together with me. No, maybe they worked even harder than me.”

 

Sera said that while looking at the sky.

 

The night sky, where stars rose, was good to gaze at, even without meaning. It was perfect for reminiscing about memories of the past.

 

She recalled someone while looking at the sky. Iria didn’t know who it was. Sera, who had stood in the hospital room and regained her mana, blocked Iria’s attempt to read memories.

 

Seeing that it couldn’t be read even in that physical condition, mental defense mechanisms seemed to indeed come from mana.

 

Since Iria couldn’t read Sera’s memories, she had to ask directly.

 

“Are you still close with that person?”

 

Sera wasn’t the only one who had someone she was close with in the past.

 

Iria had Riana, and Rena had Wendy and Celine.

 

And they didn’t have good endings.

 

Riana disappeared, and Rena’s relationship with Wendy became strained due to Celine’s death.

 

In this dangerous world, one will never know when a friend might disappear. Even if they were close, they could vanish in an instant.

 

Then what about Sera?

 

Iria suddenly became curious, so she asked.

 

If they had been close before, were they still in contact?

 

Sera scratched her cheek with a dumbfounded expression as if silently questioning the strange things Iria was curious about.

 

“Huh? Of course we’re close. We’re at the same school.”

 

“……?”

 

“You didn’t know? Ariel and I are from the same orphanage.”

 

Iria had no idea.

 

“What, you really didn’t know?”

 

Iria nodded.

 

And just like that, the night passed with Iria and Sera engaging in small talk.
***

 

Sera and Ariel were childhood friends.

 

They had been close since long ago, and although they couldn’t see each other often now that they were in different classes, they occasionally had matches and such.

 

There was a bit of a misunderstanding there.

 

Sera thought the reason Iria was following Ariel around was because she liked him.

 

And Sera too, while pretending otherwise, wanted a slightly deeper relationship with Ariel. The innocent love a girl had fostered since childhood–one couldn’t dare fathom its depth.

 

That’s why Sera seemed to think that Iria, the top student of the first years and a silver-haired beauty (though Iria wasn’t convinced about that part), was a strong rival.

 

So, Sera proposed a match.

 

She was clumsy in many ways and had no means to express herself other than matches.

 

“I don’t like him.”

 

“Huh? Really?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then why were you following him around?”

 

‘What would be a good answer?’

 

It was a somewhat complicated story, so Iria couldn’t be fully honest. Even if she said she was investigating someone who might be the protagonist of this world, it would only raise unnecessary suspicion.

 

So Iria decided to make something up.

 

Sera’s personality somewhat resembled Rena’s. Apart from their strength, they both had a girlishness befitting their age.

 

Then would their way of thinking be similar too?

 

Iria recalled when she had made an excuse to Rena before.

 

“I like girls.”

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

“……”

 

That was a bit different from the expected reaction.

 

Perhaps it was because Sera held no prejudice, or maybe Iria had misjudged her.

 

So, Iria brought up a topic she thought Sera would like.

 

“And I like matches too.”

 

Sera’s eyes lit up.

 

Sera, who had been walking ahead, immediately turned her head and grabbed Iria’s wrist.

 

“Ah! So that’s why! It makes sense. There have been so many rumors about you being the academy’s strongest. I think I know how it feels! Don’t you want to fight someone at least once if they’re called strong?”

 

“……”

 

“Actually, I’m the same! Ah, how cute. So you followed him around for a while without being able to talk to him?”

 

It seemed to have been taken in a different meaning, but for now, Iria nodded. She couldn’t think of any other excuses anyway.

 

“That’s really fascinating. To think someone so strong would have such a timid personality.”

 

“…… Shtop ith.”

 

Sera giggled while pinching Iria’s cheek. Iria couldn’t speak properly with her cheek being pinched.

 

So Iria first told Sera to let go.

 

It was fortunate that after this conversation, Iria was able to clear up the misunderstanding with Sera.

 

Iria clearly stated that she was just a bit interested in Ariel and had no intention of interfering with their relationship.

 

Then Sera’s gaze softened as she looked at Iria.

 

If before she looked at her like an acquaintance, now it was as though she were seeing a long-time friend.

 

They continued walking for a while longer, following a path near the academy’s internal infirmary.

 

“You must have gone through a lot too. To become that strong, I mean. In the end, nothing can be achieved with just talent.”

 

“……”

 

“This place is the continent’s top educational institution. It’s full of talented people. Maybe in a small place, it wouldn’t matter, but in the Imperial Academy, you can’t take the top spot with just talent. I think the people who have been at the top until now all showed the results of their hard work behind the scenes.”

 

Sera was also constantly called a genius by those around her. With her exceptional talent, she had accumulated tremendous skill for her age.

 

But she didn’t really like the word ‘talent.’

 

Sera hadn’t risen with just talent; rather, it was a position she had risen to by working harder than anyone else.

 

It was a skill she had honed through daily, relentless effort. The results became increasingly evident as Sera continued to improve her skills and demonstrate her abilities in matches.

 

People weren’t very interested in the efforts someone had made.

 

People admired and envied outstanding and exceptional talent. That’s why they criticized the efforts of others. If they couldn’t rise themselves, they found mental solace in tearing the other person down just as much.

 

Spouting things like how they were born with good luck and exceptional talent and lived an easy life.

 

“You’re the same, right?”

 

Sera asked Iria, and Iria didn’t answer for a while.

 

Because Iria wasn’t as amazing as Sera. She had just happened to fall into this world by chance and possessed a strong body by chance.

 

Sera thought Iria was as amazing as she was since Iria had defeated her in a fight.

 

But that wasn’t the case.

 

Iria had been too focused on merely surviving to put in any real effort. As a result, she couldn’t fully relate to Sera’s words in the present moment.

 

Was that why?

 

“Yes.”

 

A somewhat discordant conversation passed between Iria and Sera. Iria felt a slight sense of discomfort then.

 

Was the reason Iria couldn’t sympathize with Sera’s words now because she was a monster?

 

Because Iria was born strong as a monster from the beginning, could she not understand the feelings of Sera who had risen through proper effort?

 

“……”

 

Iria didn’t know.

 

Today too, Iria’s deep thoughts consumed her alone.