Despite experiencing several changes of heart afterward, the conclusion didn’t change.

 

Iria still had to kill Ariel.

 

She didn’t have ill feelings toward him; she just wanted to return to her original world.

 

She didn’t want to become a monster.

 

If this world was a novel and the protagonist was Ariel,

 

“……”

 

Iria had to become the villain obstructing the protagonist’s path.

 

***

 

A day passed, and Iria came to the academy as usual.

 

The academy had the same atmosphere as always. It was bustling with busy students and noisy in many ways.

 

However, the atmosphere was a bit different from usual.

 

It was common for the academy to be noisy, but most of the conversation topics were about Iria.

 

Wherever she went, gazes were pulled towards her, and she could see groups of students whispering while looking at her.

 

It was probably about her defeating Sera. The reaction was similar when she had a match with Lucia.

 

Iria decided not to mind it. Rena greeted Iria in the usual lecture room.

 

“Iria! Are you okay?!”

 

“Didn’t you watch the match?”

 

“No, I did watch it…… But you were carried off somewhere after it ended, so I was worried……”

 

“Sera said this much can be endured with willpower.”

 

In fact, all Iria sustained were minor burns and bruises. If anything, the one whose physical condition should be worried about was Sera.

 

“You were really cool yesterday. I knew Iria was strong, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”

 

“What Rena taught me was helpful.”

 

It actually helped considerably in the match. If Iria hadn’t learned from her, she wouldn’t have been able to respond to the flames Sera released.

 

Perhaps Iria would have sustained even bigger burns. Her clothes might have gotten burnt more.

 

Come to think of it, Iria owed Rena a lot in many ways. She was the one who first taught Iria magic after all.

 

Iria wanted to do something for her in return for what she received, but there wasn’t really anything suitable she could give.

 

If there was someone Rena disliked, Iria could make them have nightmares for about a week, but it would be a bit much to do it again after already doing it to Wendy.

 

So, Iria decided to at least express her gratitude.

 

“Thanks always.”

 

“Huh? It’s fine. That’s what friends do for each other.”

 

“I like Rena.”

 

Because Rena was one of the few people who were favorable to Iria.

 

Iria spoke what she felt as is. Then Rena’s face turned red. Iria didn’t know why.

 

“I-Iria? I, I mean……”

 

“……?”

 

“S-Sorry! See you later!”

 

Unable to make eye contact with Iria, Rena turned her head and left.

 

Iria thought she was too weak to words of gratitude.

 

***

 

After that day, Iria frequently began skipping lectures, as there were more important things to her than attending class.

 

Iria had entered the academy to find the novel’s protagonist. Now that she had found someone she suspected to be the protagonist, investigating him was more important than attending lectures.

 

In fact, Iria didn’t really care about her grades anyway. Rather, if this attendance point deduction made her fall from the top, it would be good since she could avoid unnecessary troubles.

 

She was in front of the lecture room for the second-year combat magic department. Normally, Iria would have gone toward the swordsmanship department where Ariel was, but today was a bit different.

 

It was to meet Sera.

 

“Oh, if it isn’t Iria.”

 

Sera greeted Iria cheerfully as soon as she saw her.

 

Putting her arm around Iria’s shoulder and clinging to her felt a bit excessive, but Iria liked that level of friendliness.

 

Iria also greeted her appropriately.

 

“Is your body a bit better now?”

 

“Huh? Of course. I’m completely healed.”

 

Even though Sera used three bottles of high-quality holy water, it wasn’t an injury that would heal in a day.

 

Iria tried poking Sera’s body with her finger as a test.

 

“Eek?! D-Don’t do that!”

 

“……”

 

It seemed Sera wasn’t completely healed yet. In fact, it was surprising she had managed to come to school at all in her condition.

 

According to the doctor, Sera should have been lying in the infirmary for about a week. Iria felt once again that Sera’s mental strength and recovery ability were amazing.

 

Even so, Sera probably wouldn’t be able to participate in the matches for a while.

 

Perhaps embarrassed by her earlier scream, Sera fake coughed a few times before speaking.

 

“Ahem, so what brings you here? Is it about Ariel?”

 

Iria nodded.

 

There was a limit to the information she could obtain by just aimlessly following Ariel around like usual.

 

It seemed better to be formally introduced through Sera and then wait for an opportunity.

 

“Okay, good. Ariel should be at the swordsmanship training ground about now. He only goes there during his free time.”

 

It was information Iria already knew.

 

However, it was her first time entering the swordsmanship training ground.

 

Iria moved her steps to follow Sera. It wasn’t that far away. The training ground was inside the academy after all.

 

When they reached their destination, Sera pushed open the large door with her hand and said,

 

“Here it is. More atmospheric than you thought, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The swordsmanship training ground was filled with students swinging their swords.

 

As a place known for intense physical activity, it had a strong scent of sweat and exertion. This overwhelming odor made Iria, whose sense of smell was more sensitive than humans’, unable to help but frown.

 

Sera walked ahead inside the training ground and spoke.

 

“From what I heard, the swordsmanship department spends several hours teaching, even just swinging a sword once. They have them master the basic posture as accurately as possible and overlay the sword style on top of that foundation.”

 

“……”

 

“In the case of children from famous noble families, they learn the swordsmanship passed down in their household. I heard those who haven’t properly learned swordsmanship by the time they become 4th years are taught the Imperial Sword Style by the professors in charge. Other than that, I don’t know much about swords.”

 

As Iria walked while listening to Sera’s explanation, Ariel came into view in the distance.

 

As expected, he was here. Swinging his sword in the empty air, polishing his sword techniques.

 

He swung his sword silently, then stopped moving because Sera had entered his line of sight.

 

Putting down his sword, he wiped his forehead with a wet towel. He seemed to think greeting guests while drenched in sweat wasn’t polite.

 

“It’s been a while, Sera. If your purpose for coming here is to challenge me to a match, I can’t do it today.”

 

“Hmm…… Well, I didn’t come for that today, I should say. There’s a guest here who wants to meet you.”

 

Sera lifted up Iria’s body and showed her to Ariel. High up in the air, Iria felt like a doll.

 

It wasn’t a very good feeling, so Iria poked Sera’s injury with her finger.

 

Then, making a cute “eek” sound, Sera put Iria down. Only then could Iria face Ariel head-on.

 

Although Iria had been following him for quite a while, this was only the second time facing him directly like this.

 

Iria stared at Ariel’s eyes for a while.

 

“……”

 

As expected, due to external stimuli, Iria couldn’t read his memories.

 

It was clearly different from when she looked at Sera or Albert. For those two, it was due to strong resistance from the thickness of their total mana, but Iria couldn’t feel any mana from Ariel.

 

It wasn’t impossible to read the memories of the two people mentioned before.

 

If Iria used magical energy, narrowed the distance, or made eye contact in a state where it was difficult to resist, she could manipulate their memories like a normal person.

 

However, for some reason, it seemed like no matter what method she used, she wouldn’t be able to read Ariel’s memories.

 

If she tried more, she might even be attacked instead. Iria averted her gaze from Ariel’s eyes.

 

“Iria, right? We meet often recently.”

 

Iria nodded.

 

She stayed still, unsure of what to say, but Sera, who was watching, spoke on her behalf.

 

“She’s a close junior of mine, and she says she wants to get close to you.”

 

“To me?”

 

“Yeah, she’s also very interested in swords like you. Right?”

 

Iria nodded again.

 

Rather than being interested in swords, she was interested in him. But she couldn’t say that honestly, so Sera spoke well for her.

 

“Why don’t you be her sparring partner for practice? It’d be nice for two people who like swords to become friends.”

 

“Hmm……”

 

Ariel scratched his cheek while alternately looking at Iria and Sera. His black hair fluttered with the movement.

 

Then, after gripping a wooden sword in his hand, he asked Iria,

 

“Want to?”

 

It seemed he also wanted to stretch his body.

 

Those who walk the path of the sword do not speak unnecessary words because the sword itself is their way of conversation.

 

What kind of person the opponent is can be known by clashing swords. The same goes for what kind of path they have walked until now.

 

At least that’s what Ariel thought.

 

That’s why he handed Iria a wooden sword and asked for her intentions.

 

Iria quietly accepted the wooden sword.

 

Ariel was the undisputed strongest student in the academy. He was stronger than Sera, with whom Iria had a match last time.

 

Then, Iria suddenly became curious about the extent of his strength.

 

After receiving the wooden sword, Iria slightly nodded. It meant she would accept the match.

 

Thus, the two took their stances inside the swordsmanship training ground.