The Demon King’s army headquarters is located in the Demon Realm. In these lands, the Demon race originally thrived under the Demon King’s dominion.

 

Now that the Demon King is dead and the number of demons has drastically diminished, the territory of the Demon Realm has naturally shrunk. However, a considerable area of land still remains undeveloped.

 

Today’s meeting is taking place in this very territory.

 

“So, what is the specific plan?”

 

“Refrain from engaging in direct combat. We are already a minority group, and we cannot suffer further losses here.”

 

“Huh? Then what are you going to do?”

 

“I’m thinking of unleashing monsters. A considerable number of them.”

 

At the demon’s words, the expression of the one next to him changed.

 

Because she understood the hidden meaning of those words. She asked with an evil smile.

 

“Ah, you’re going to use that?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The demon was holding several gold pieces in his hand. A familiar object to some, and some were seeing it for the first time.

 

Lark, the de facto leader of the current Demon King’s army, spoke for those who might not know.

 

“This is the power source of the former Demon King, Echidna. Now scattered into countless fragments, when a monster consumes one, it undergoes an evolutionary process into a new form. Humans refer to it as the Demon King’s fragment.”

 

“Does that mean you directly receive a part of the Demon King’s power when you eat it?”

 

“If you’re considering consuming it yourself, I advise against it. You’ll end up becoming a monster that can’t control itself. While it’s beneficial for originally unintelligent monsters to evolve, losing your sanity can actually lead to a decrease in power.”

 

“So? You’re going to unleash those monsters on the Empire? Can a few monsters really do it?”

 

Lark slowly nodded his head.

 

It wasn’t that he was underestimating humanity’s power, but the influence of the previous Demon King was greater than he thought.

 

He smiled.

 

“If only Sertia, that monster, doesn’t move. She’s a force that can annihilate them and still have some strength left over.”

 

Most of the Empire’s forces are concentrated on the academy or the knight order. If either one of them collapses, it will be fatal for them.

 

When choosing the first target, Lark determined that striking the academy would be more efficient than targeting the knight order.

 

This approach would not only eliminate the main forces but also uproot the seeds of the future. Despite being the Empire’s top educational institution, the academy was ultimately composed of students.

 

The professors would be forced to fight while protecting the relatively weaker students, and those who couldn’t exert their strength in this way would quickly fall.

 

On that day, all humans within the academy would be slaughtered, regardless of their status as professors or students.

 

The sooner this plan was executed, the better. They couldn’t afford to let Sertia, who had sensed the impending danger, make the first move.

 

The night was deep in the Demon Realm.
***

 

It had been about two weeks since Iria had her match with Sera.

 

After classes ended, Iria headed straight to meet Ariel and Sera. It was surprising how close the three of them had become.

 

Rumors spread rapidly throughout the academy of the three of them gathering. Whispers circulated that the top-tier powerhouses of the academy had assembled in one place.

 

There was no need to mention Ariel, who was already well-known. Sera and Iria’s recent match also significantly elevated their status.
Even the high-ranking senior students felt a sense of inferiority after witnessing the match between the two.

 

It was no exaggeration to say that the academy was experiencing an unprecedented event, with junior students dominating the scene.

 

Was this the kind of recognition one received within the school for possessing overwhelming power, even as a first-year student?

 

Even those who had been jealous of Iria and had tried to undermine her now acknowledged her prowess.

 

Jealousy can only flourish to a certain extent; envy fades away when someone stands so far above that it feels embarrassing to even look up to them.

 

At that point, Rena genuinely felt fortunate to witness the reversal in people’s reactions.

 

‘Until just a while ago, wasn’t Iria’s treatment at rock bottom?’

 

Iria was not someone who deserved to be underestimated just because she had a small amount of mana in her body.

 

Still, Rena believed she had at least contributed a small part to Iria’s victory over Sera in the recent match. After all, they had trained together for a week.

 

She felt a sense of pride as her friend rose to such heights.

 

To be honest, she wanted to brag about Iria being her friend.

 

However, lately, her busy schedule has kept them apart.
Just then, she spotted Iria walking by in the distance.

 

“Ah! Iria!”

 

Rena greeted her happily as soon as she saw her.

 

However, perhaps because of the distance, Rena’s greeting did not reach Iria.

 

“Ah…”

 

There was someone else by Iria’s side today.

 

Ariel, the strongest student in the academy, and Sera, the pinnacle of the combat magic department.

 

Rena stopped in her tracks as she was about to call out to Iria. Because for some reason, she felt that the two suited Iria’s side better than herself.

 

That day, Rena couldn’t talk to Iria.

 

She didn’t know why.

 

Just.

 

She felt a little lacking to stand by Iria’s side right now.

 

***

 

Recently, Rena had been feeling a strange sense of distance from Iria.

 

Actually, it was a feeling she’s had for a while, but now, it has gotten worse.

 

Since when was it?

 

If she had to pinpoint it, it would have been after the match with Sera.

 

To be a little honest, Rena didn’t think Iria would win that match.

 

Because Sera was at the pinnacle of the combat magic department and a genius in combat. No matter how strong Iria was, she didn’t think she was enough to compare with Sera.

 

But Iria won.

 

As always, she built up a myth of being undefeated in the arena. Around that point, Rena’s view of Iria seemed to have changed.

 

She considers Iria to be a person living in a completely different world from her own.

 

Iria was a genius, and her world was different from hers. They were clearly classmates in the same class and took the same courses, but now she felt that Iria was way too far away.

 

Recently, she only hung out with second-year seniors, so they seldom ran into each other.

 

Maybe that was why.

 

“Iria.”

 

“…?”

 

“What is our relationship?”

 

It was a question that Iria couldn’t understand the meaning of.

 

It was a remark that even Rena herself couldn’t fully understand. So Iria couldn’t answer for a while.

 

She just looked as if she didn’t know anything, tilting her head as if nothing was different from usual.

 

Iria met Rena’s eyes to grasp the intention of the question.

 

But even after reading Rena’s memory, she couldn’t understand. It was something that even Rena herself didn’t know, something closer to a slip of the tongue, if anything.

 

Iria decided not to give much meaning to Rena’s question. She took it at face value and answered.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

What kind of relationship? It was too difficult a question for Iria, who had lost most of her emotions.

 

Even if she thought about it all day, she wouldn’t find an answer. Iria knew that, too, so she didn’t bother to think about it.

 

They wouldn’t be friends. Because Iria couldn’t be sure if she could resist eating Rena when she was extremely hungry.

 

A friend is not a being that can be eaten when hungry.

 

Iria was reluctant to use the term friend because she couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t harm Rena with her hands.

 

If she had to say, wouldn’t they be something like classmates?

 

“We are friends, right?”

 

“…”

 

Rena asked hesitantly, her voice soft but uncertain.

 

Iria met her gaze, her red eyes reflecting the intention behind the question. After a moment of silence, Iria’s answer came, cold and distant.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

It wasn’t the answer Rena had hoped for, nor was it a proper one. But it was something only Iria could say, blunt and detached, without a hint of falsehood.

 

She turned her gaze away as if the exchange held no weight, incapable of lying and understanding the depth of what she’d said.

 

Iria, awkward in human relationships, unknowingly drove a nail into Rena’s heart.

 

Rena bit her lip, feeling a sting she hadn’t anticipated.

 

The two of them stood there, trapped in an uncomfortable silence, unable to bridge the gap between them. There was a wall between them, an insurmountable barrier called species.

 

Rena, being human, couldn’t truly understand Iria. And Iria, being a monster, couldn’t grasp Rena’s emotions or the nuances of friendship.

 

For a while, neither spoke. Their gazes briefly connected, but they couldn’t hold it. Rena looked away first, breaking the fragile connection.

 

She wasn’t angry at Iria. She knew Iria lacked something fundamental when it came to human interaction.

 

Her words likely showed no malice; Iria was clumsy in expressing herself. And Rena understood that, even if it hurt.

 

But,

 

“…Sorry, I’ll get going.”

 

Even so, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of distance from her.

 

Maybe it was only herself who thought they were close.

 

It was a moment when Iria, whom she always thought would be by her side, felt so far away.