The reunion with Albert was far from pleasant, even as a formality.

 

Iria’s breathing was heavy, her heart racing faster than ever before.

 

After all, they met after she had cast aside all her masks.

 

Now, she stood exposed before someone who knew the ugly side she had been hiding.

 

It was more than just a bad situation; it was the worst feeling imaginable.

 

He met not Iria, the first-year student, but the back-alley monster.

 

She pointed the red sword in her hand at Albert’s neck, and threatened,

 

“If you’re thinking of fighting, don’t. You’ll only hasten your already short life.”

 

After all, she had defeated him twice before.

 

In fact, regardless of their record, she was simply stronger than Albert.

 

He was difficult to deal with without using magical energy, as she had done in the underground.

 

Now, it was different.

 

The academy was now swarming with monsters, so magical energy was everywhere.

 

In a situation already teeming with it, was there any reason to hide it?

 

Most humans could only sense the presence or absence of magical energy, not whose it is.

 

So today was one of the rare occasions when she could spread her magical energy, and as a bonus, it was raining.

 

Even if blood were to flow, the falling rain would wash it away.

 

The atmosphere was already tense when Albert called her by name.

 

“Before that, I have a few questions. May I ask them, Iria?”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

As she had suspected, he knew more than she had thought.

 

For her, Albert was too great a risk factor.

 

It would be wise to eliminate him here and now.

 

Still, they had exchanged words several times.

 

She wasn’t heartless enough to ignore his last words.

 

So what did he want to say?

 

She waited, standing in the rain.

 

“Are you the alley monster?” he asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Are you the one responsible for countless casualties? The one who raided the Empire’s underground and killed the chief knight, Eve?”

 

“That’s me.”

 

Albert’s expression shifted, as though conflicted.

 

It was understandable.

 

Part of his memory was missing.

 

To help him understand, she offered a bit of explanation.

 

“I’m the one who erased your memories. The ones from the underground and the garden. Does that make sense now?”

 

“……”

 

“You can ask more if you want. I was also behind the atrocities a year ago. As for this monster incident… Well, I didn’t cause this one.”

 

She met his gaze, answering the questions he hadn’t asked yet.

 

Honestly, and without any lies.

 

But soon after, something felt off, and a strange feeling crept over her.

 

She was oddly emotional dealing with him.

 

Was it the Demon King’s emotions seeping into hers?

 

Or maybe it was because, for the first time, she was facing a human with her bare face, without the mask.

 

But at this point, it hardly mattered.

 

“Do you understand now? I’m not as good a person- no, not as good a monster as you think. I’m just a monster hiding among humans.”

 

Not a student,

 

But a monster.

 

A monster that had killed humans.

 

A monster that desperately wanted to keep killing humans but was too afraid of being hated, so it wore a mask.

 

That was who she was.

 

If he was disillusioned, she was sorry.

 

She hadn’t wanted to have this conversation.

 

But her mask had crumbled.

 

She had shown him her bare face, the one she never wanted anyone to see.

 

Did she seem desperate?

 

It was then that Albert spoke,

 

“Calm down. You can speak slowly. I won’t run away or anything.”

 

“……”

 

His words snapped her back to reality, and she noticed something flowing down her cheeks.

 

It couldn’t be tears at this point, so it must be the rain.

 

The rain was so heavy that it was hard to tell whether the water dripping from her eyes was from tears or just rain.

 

Holding the red sword, she took one step closer to Albert.

 

“… I’m holding your lifeline.”

 

“I know.”

 

“The only reason you’re still alive in front of me… It’s because of my simple whim. If I had wanted to, you would have already died, either in the underground or in the garden.”

 

“I know that too.”

 

“Then why?!!”

 

She shouted.

 

Maybe it was the rain, but it made her feel even more miserable.

 

Without realizing it, she tightened her grip on the sword, causing a shallow cut on Albert’s neck.

 

She had tasted his blood before. It wasn’t good.

 

The faint scent of his murky blood mixed with the rain.

 

“Why aren’t you angry at me? Don’t you hate me?”

 

She had killed Albert’s junior.

 

She had slaughtered knights of the Order, invaded the Empire’s underground, and erased his memories.

 

Yet, he showed no anger toward her.

 

Instead of fury, his face reflected confusion, directed at her.

 

Even though his life was as fragile as a candle in the wind, he looked at her with sympathy.

 

At the monster poised to take his life.

 

Her expression twisted.

 

“… Don’t look at me with those eyes.”

 

Maybe she should just kill him now.

 

This could all be some kind of trick.

 

Maybe he was trying to deceive her, playing the helpless victim to avoid death.

 

It might be better to end it before she gets more agitated.

 

She didn’t expect that she would end up killing Albert too.

 

She pulled back the red sword, preparing to finish him off.

 

She took her stance, ready to swing.

 

Up until the very last moment, she couldn’t read Albert’s expression.

 

From the first time they met until now, he was a human whose true intentions she could never fully grasp.

 

There wouldn’t be another chance to figure him out.

 

“May I ask one last question? Why did you have to kill people?”

 

Albert’s voice was calm, his face unreadable.

 

He seemed more at peace than one would expect from someone on the brink of death.

 

Maybe he was just naturally calm.

 

The reason…

 

Honestly, she didn’t fully know either.

 

It was true, she hadn’t wanted to kill anyone.

 

If there had been another way, a way to survive without taking lives, she would’ve chosen it without hesitation.

 

But she had to kill.

 

She couldn’t live otherwise.

 

If she didn’t kill humans, she would end up killing even more in the end.

 

She couldn’t die.

 

When her body was injured, it regenerated; the energy used for that regeneration came from consuming humans.

 

And if she was hurt beyond a certain point, she would lose control, killing even more humans.

 

She was a creature that could only exist by killing humans.

 

There was never any other way.

 

“There is no reason.”

 

Her body simply craved it.

 

“I’m a monster.”

 

A monster that loses control at the sight of human blood.

 

“Is that answer enough?”

 

This time, she asked Albert.

 

She asked if her answer satisfied him.

 

For a long time, no response came from his lips.

 

At that moment, she decided the conversation had gone on long enough.

 

She thought she had waited long enough.

 

She closed her eyes.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

She swung the red sword.

 

The sharp sound of the blade cutting through human flesh echoed softly.

 

Blood sprayed into the air, and she felt the sensation of tearing through flesh at her fingertips.

 

Albert quietly knelt down on the spot.

 

Blood trickled from his mouth as he looked up at her.

 

But the gaze was different from before.

 

This time, she was looking down at him.

 

It seems one swing wasn’t enough to kill him.

 

As expected, he had earned his reputation as one of the Empire’s top warriors.

 

Albert, now truly facing death, touched his wound.

 

It was still uncomfortable, killing someone she had come to know with her own hands.

 

As the red magical energy washed away in the rain, her hair, once dyed red, returned to its original color.

 

That familiar silver.

 

At first, it had felt strange, but now that color had become too familiar, even haunting.

 

She raised the red sword once more.

 

This time, to finish him off.

 

But she couldn’t swing it.

 

An unexpected voice interrupted her.

 

“Iria!”

 

At the call of her name, she immediately withdrew her magical power and turned her head.

 

There, running toward her, was Rena, her injuries somewhat healed.

 

‘Why is she here?’

 

“Thank goodness! You’re safe! I’ve been looking for you ever since my leg healed… I was worried something might have happened to you, Iria!”

 

Rena reacted intensely, letting out a sigh of relief as soon as she saw her.

 

Honestly, she didn’t know how to react, so it was a bit awkward.

 

She didn’t want Rena to see her murderous side, without the mask.

 

So she avoided Rena’s gaze and froze, unable to move.

 

If the situation went in the wrong direction, she might have to kill Rena too.

 

She just stood still, hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

 

“But what’s going on here? Why are the professors collapsed?”

 

“…I was nursing them. Both of them were badly injured in the battle with monsters.”

 

It wasn’t a complete lie.

 

Though she had inflicted the injuries, she was a monster, after all.

 

Fortunately, a large monster collapsed near Albert, so she directed Rena’s attention to it.

 

The real problem was Albert’s reaction.

 

Iria shot him a sharp glance, and he closed his mouth.

 

She was ready to silence him immediately if he had tried to speak out.

 

But he stayed quiet, sensing the danger.

 

He was a quick-witted human.

 

“Are you alright, Rena? You fell from the third floor.”

 

“I’m fine, thanks to the treatment I received. I think you or the professors need it more than I do.”

 

“……”

 

This wasn’t good.

 

Albert knows the secret Iria was trying to hide.

 

She had no intention of letting him live here.

 

‘Should I send Rena away for a moment and kill Albert?’

 

No, that would be the same as confessing to Rena when she finds his body.

 

Then should she erase Rena’s memory?
No, erasing the memory of someone she knows is accompanied by considerable risk.

 

Just like with Albert.

 

Her mind raced, weighing the options.

 

What to do with him… and with Rena.

 

For quite a long time, Iria couldn’t find a solution.

 

She only felt Rena’s hand gently pulling hers.

 

“Let’s not stay in such a dangerous place, okay? I was really scared… when you took the risk instead of me.”

 

“……”

 

“I’m sorry, Iria. You saved me, but I wasn’t strong enough to help you. I’m so grateful. If you hadn’t come, I probably would’ve died back there.”

 

“……”

 

“But honestly, I don’t know where you’re looking right now. Sometimes, it feels like you’re right beside me, but other times… it feels like you’re miles away. Like right now.”

 

Rena’s words made Iria pause and look at herself.

 

Her body was covered in blood—hers, and a lot of others’.

 

Her own wounds had healed, but blood from other beings stained her skin and clothes.

 

Iria felt a surge of disillusionment.

 

Was what she was doing right?

 

Murder was wrong.

 

She had committed so many sins she couldn’t undo. But did she have to drown in blood to survive?

 

For what reason?

 

Come to think of it, hadn’t Albert asked something similar?

 

‘I don’t know anymore.’

 

It was so difficult to understand her own emotions since becoming a monster.

 

The deeper she thought, the thicker the blood seemed to weigh her down. The more she felt… none of it mattered anymore.

 

Iria wanted to stop analyzing the situation so deeply.

 

“If you reveal anything about me, I’ll kill all your acquaintances. I still have parts of your memories, you know.”

 

She whispered the threat quietly to Albert, making sure Rena couldn’t hear.

 

He’s a smart human.

 

Iria was certain he understood what she was saying.

 

She took the two fragments Albert had and put them in her pocket.

 

Then, as if nothing had happened, she casually lifted Albert’s body and shouldered the unconscious Lena.

 

Though she didn’t want to, it was necessary to take them both to a treatment facility.

 

She couldn’t kill them now anyway.

 

‘I’ll drop them off quickly and be on my way.’