The distance between Rena and Iria grew.

 

Iria, being a monster, couldn’t understand Rena’s feelings as a human. She couldn’t lie, either, not because of any moral stance, but because she was simply clumsy in dealing with people.

 

Should she have said they were friends, even if they were just empty words?

 

A relationship with a human was difficult. Humans and monsters had different ways of thinking, different lifestyles, and even different eating habits.

 

When Iria read Rena’s memories, she finally understood the emotions behind Rena’s question. It stemmed from the subtle sense of distance that had formed between them.

 

However, that slight distance was Iria’s consideration for Rena.

 

Iria deliberately kept her distance from Rena. She feared that if they became too close, she might harm her with her own hands.

 

Rena had a constitution that drove monsters wild. Her high mana density and natural talent made her, to put it bluntly, irresistibly appealing as her blood tasted good.

 

Iria dreaded what might happen if she encountered Rena when her hunger took over.

 

That’s how the misunderstanding began.

 

“…”

 

Should she apologize first?

 

Unlike with other people, Iria felt she owed Rena a lot. She didn’t want to grow distant from her. If they met again, she would explain everything clearly and tell Rena that it had all been a misunderstanding.

 

“Iria? What are you thinking so hard about?”

 

Sera’s voice pulled Iria out of her thoughts. She was standing beside her now.

 

They had a similar presence, but they weren’t the same person. It made Iria realize again that she hadn’t seen Rena recently.

 

Perhaps she was confused because the two felt so alike.

 

It was a complicated feeling for Iria, one she hadn’t experienced before. She had never cared about what others thought of her until now.

 

This was the first time she found herself worrying about it.

 

For a brief moment, she considered asking Sera for advice on how to handle it but decided against it. Sera, being human, wouldn’t understand the thoughts of someone like Iria, a monster.

 

“Nothing much, I wasn’t thinking about anything,” Iria said dismissively.

 

“Really? You looked a bit gloomy for that,” Sera responded.

 

“I always look like this.”

 

“Aha.”

 

The three of them were now seated in the academy’s internal park, having just come from the swordsmanship training hall.

 

If you ask why Sera, a mage, was in the swordsmanship training hall, it’s because she’s a battle maniac. Since mages have limited means of close-range attacks, she had also expressed an interest in learning swordsmanship.

 

Of course, she had no real expertise in swordsmanship, so Ariel beat her down all day long during training.

 

It was that kind of afternoon.

 

Today, Iria simply watched the two spar, sitting still and gazing at the sky.

 

As always, there was no particular reason for it—it was just a habit.

 

By now, she had become so accustomed to looking at the sky that she could notice even the smallest changes that others might miss.

 

And that was exactly what happened. A swirling blackness appeared in the blue sky, faint yet unmistakably ominous. Something was wrong.

 

“…?”

 

Is it usual for the sky to turn black in a fantasy world?

 

No way.

 

Iria tilted her head and glanced to the side. Ariel and Sera were equally stunned.

 

The blackness, which had first appeared like a small stain in the sky, grew rapidly.

 

It didn’t take long for the stain to engulf the entire sky. What had been a bright afternoon at the academy was now as dark as midnight.

 

“Doesn’t something seem strange?” Iria was the first to break the silence.

 

The two beside her were speechless, staring at the sky in disbelief.

 

Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t that the sky had turned black, but rather a dark barrier had enveloped the academy, forming a boundary.

 

It seemed to be deliberately set, likely to prevent anyone from escaping.

 

“What on earth is happening…?” Ariel gasped, his voice tense as he looked up at the sky, his expression hardening.

 

As the three stood there, momentarily stunned and frozen, the eerie silence was shattered by screams erupting from all corners of the academy.

 

It wasn’t just the screams that filled the air. The ground trembled violently, as though some massive being had stirred, accompanied by the deafening sound of a building collapsing in the distance. The situation was far worse than they had anticipated.

 

“R-Run away!!” a voice cried out from nearby, filled with panic.

 

“What’s happening?! What’s going on?!” Ariel shouted, grabbing a passing student by the arm.

 

The student’s face was drained of color, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Clutching Ariel’s shoulder for support, he struggled to speak, his panic evident in his eyes.

 

They decided to calm the student down before extracting more information from him.

 

After a few moments, Ariel leaned closer and pressed him again, “What’s going on?”

 

“Monsters! Monsters! In the academy!” the student gasped, his eyes wide with fear.

 

“…What?” Ariel’s expression shifted to disbelief.

 

The academy’s security was among the highest in the entire empire. It was a place fortified by barriers established by Headmaster Sertia and staffed by elite personnel. The notion that monsters could breach such a stronghold was almost unthinkable.

 

It was never a place where monsters could breach the defenses.

 

There were two possibilities: either Sertia had become so frail that she could no longer maintain the barrier, or the group attacking the academy comprised beings powerful enough to shatter it.

 

Perhaps it was a combination of both.

 

“Ah.”

 

In the end, faced with an incident that had already unfolded, Iria reacted with an unexpected calmness.

 

Rather than being shocked by the academy’s attack, her response seemed to acknowledge that what was destined to come had finally arrived.

 

She had been anticipating a significant incident would occur soon.

 

In fact, it felt a bit late compared to her expectations. It was unusual for things to have been so peaceful until now.

 

After an incident unfolds, how would the protagonist respond?

 

Iria turned her head to look at Ariel.

 

But Ariel was nowhere to be found. He had dashed out without a second thought.

 

With his sword drawn, he charged toward the academy, his actions filled with determination and no hint of hesitation.

 

“W-Wait! Ariel?!”

 

Sera exclaimed, trying to stop him, but it was too late. Ariel had already ventured too far for her to catch up.

 

“Ah! Really! What am I supposed to do with that idiot?!”

 

Sera exclaimed as she immediately followed him into what appeared to be a dangerous situation.

 

Even as the two dashed off, Iria remained rooted in place.

 

She stood still, reflecting on the stark difference between herself and them.

 

Iria sensed the magical energy emanating from all directions. As she absorbed it slowly, her calculations became quicker than usual.

 

Based on the concentration of magical energy she detected, it was likely a Seed of the Demon King.

 

Not just one, but several. Even with the title of the strongest in the academy, this was far beyond what a student could handle.

 

It’s a perilous place where one might easily meet their end if they’re not cautious.

 

But Iria understood that they weren’t rushing into danger out of stupidity.

 

They were acting as the protagonists in this narrative, after all.

 

Ariel ran to protect others rather than himself. He epitomized the ideal image of a hero—the kind of protagonist that Iria admired.

 

So, should the supporting character step aside at this moment?

 

This incident was merely one of the main episodes within the novel, and Iria was not the protagonist in this world.

 

No matter what transpired here, Ariel and his companions would find a way to resolve it, and she wasn’t meant to be involved in this chaos.

 

In truth, Iria didn’t particularly care how many humans perished.

 

It felt wiser to remain still rather than act impulsively and disrupt the unfolding narrative.

 

‘They’ll figure it out’, she thought; whether it be the professors or Ariel.

 

As she walked through the academy shrouded in darkness, cast by the ominous black figure above, there was no particular destination in mind. In fact, she thought the day had become more pleasant for a stroll, as the sunlight was now obscured.

 

With her superior senses, Iria walked with her eyes closed, picking up on the cacophony of chaos all around her.

 

Today, however, the sounds were more varied than usual.

 

There were screams of terror, the roars of monsters, the crackling of ignited magic, and the clashing sounds of fierce battles.

 

Iria’s brow twitched slightly as she continued her walk with her eyes closed.

 

“Someone! Please help! There’s a person trapped inside!”

 

The desperate cry reached her ears, revealing that someone was trapped in a building and unable to escape. She didn’t know the details of the situation inside, as she hadn’t entered yet.

 

But she could sense that the situation had spiraled out of control.

 

Iria turned her head toward the source of the voice.

 

It’s none of her business. The adversary was a Seed of the Demon King, and Iria still felt uneasy about dealing with monsters.

 

Rather than any logical reasoning, it was more accurate to say she felt a visceral aversion. Living beings instinctively hesitate to harm those similar to themselves, and Iria was no exception.

 

“…”

 

But was it truly unrelated?

 

Rena might still be trapped in that building.

 

What kind of reaction would Iria have if Rena died because of this incident? The thought lingered in her mind.

 

Would she be sad? It didn’t seem likely. Sadness was the first emotion Iria had lost.

 

Still, she didn’t want to witness it.

 

After all, she owed Rena in many ways. To be honest, the thought of Rena potentially dying made her feel uncomfortable.

 

‘Should I at least see the face of the mastermind?’

 

Iria turned on her heel, not stepping outside the academy, but deeper within.