The Ambush
It seemed like things had gotten strangely twisted, but for now, the primary objective had been achieved. The fool who had hidden behind Garam and constantly sabotaged everything. The stupid woman who had extracted travel routes and other information before leaking it all to the Demon God Worshippers. Thanks to her, Garam’s northern expedition—which should have taken less than a month—had dragged on for over two months.
During that delay, the first Fragment of the Demon God to appear rampaged near the royal capital. Garam’s absence had been deeply felt, and while they had barely managed to bring one fragment down, the heroes suffered injuries. It possessed an extreme poison that even Lady Lily’s abilities couldn’t properly heal. That deadly venom continued to torment the wounded heroes until the very end. Healing wasn’t impossible, but the process was agonizingly slow. As a result, it inevitably held them back at every decisive battle that followed.
Garam had to finish the northern subjugation within a month and return to the center. Then, alongside another hero who—though their relationship was far from friendly—knew each other better than anyone, she would have to defeat the Fragment of the Demon God. That hero was Jenia Violet.
The Magic Hero, Daisy Blossom—Master’s third disciple—was already near the royal capital. The Holy Hero, Lily Hyacinth, who had sensed the unusual presence, would join them as well. Originally it had been the three of them—Jenia, Daisy, and Lily—who faced the fragment. This time, with Garam added to their number, four heroes would confront it.
The difference between three and four was like night and day. What might have caused someone a serious injury could be erased entirely, as if it had never happened. Back then she herself had still been weak, but her seniors were strong. If only the damage hadn’t kept piling up through the successive battles, they would have stood a chance.
And Master and Sir Gerard, who went to rescue Lady Iris, will definitely lose their way and wander there. That damned ancient kingdom. Of all places, it had to be the worst possible location.
With Gerard, who was responsible for the vanguard, absent, and Iris—who could have filled that role—also gone, it was only natural that the remaining heroes would suffer injuries both large and small. Before the tragedies of the past could repeat, she had to pull them out quickly. To do that, she needed to follow right behind Master as he headed there and reveal the truth of that place.
Why not just tell him now? No. Not yet. Even if she spoke right now, no one would understand. Only when they stood before that world with their own eyes would her advice finally function as true guidance. Until then, it would be nothing more than nonsense.
This might be the first and last opportunity. I can’t waste it. Absolutely not.
She had no way of knowing why she had returned to the past, or how it had even been possible. Everything about the current situation still felt unfamiliar, so she kept making small mistakes. There were moments when she grew confused about how to use this impossible situation more effectively. But in the end, she wanted only one thing: a future where everyone survived together. Not walking alone in loneliness while staring at the empty spaces left behind by others, but moving forward together—laughing, chatting, and saying how hard it had been. That was the path she truly desired.
Yet within that resolve, if there was one emotion that kept subtly rising to the surface…
“Just when is he planning to come back?”
To the point where her inner thoughts nearly spilled from her lips, the current Iris was in a thoroughly foul mood. It was infuriating and irritating enough that he had left her behind, but the fact that more than an hour had passed without any sign of his return made it even worse.
She definitely disliked the immature version of herself from this era. At the same time, however, she liked how that very immaturity had let her stick closely to Master’s side.
If someone asked what feelings she held toward him, Iris would pause for a moment before answering that it was a mixture of admiration and affection. If they asked whether she liked him as a man, she wouldn’t be able to say no.
He was the person who had saved her when she had been on the verge of fading away without meaning. He was the master who had tried to teach her with an almost excessive degree of care even when she possessed no ability at all. During her immature childhood, she had even resented him at times. No matter how much he taught her, nothing improved. He had planted absurd dreams in the head of a girl who used to rummage through garbage, claiming she could become a hero, and made her undergo training that felt like it was melting her bones day after day.
It was only later that she came to understand why Master had driven her so relentlessly and why that man had valued her so highly. She, who had been at a level too embarrassing to even call a hero. How she had managed to reach this very moment while being called a hero by him.
She was a hero who existed for this exact moment.
“You’re running a little late.”
“I thought you would return within the hour.”
“Shouldn’t we take a look around the city, brothers?”
“Now, now. Don’t speak such foolishness. The Saintess said she trusts that person. If we, his faithful servants, fail to trust the man, it would be a grave disservice to the Saintess.”
Listening to the church members, Iris gave a small nod. The person who had followed the Saintess they all spoke of was none other than the one who had taught the heroes the world so revered. Though his existence had remained a secret to them until now, that would not last much longer now that Master had chosen to step forward into the world.
But why isn’t he coming back?
She was starting to grow sulky. He always called her his lacking disciple, yet had stayed by her side almost constantly except when she was sleeping or bathing. Even if it was a disciple he hadn’t seen in a long time, this was taking far too long.
“Miss. May I ask you something?”
A paladin from the church approached Iris. She already had a good idea what he wanted to ask. He was obviously going to inquire about the man who had left with the Saintess earlier. Since she and that man appeared to be traveling companions, it was only natural.
“You mentioned he was a mercenary. Exactly which region did he operate in? Ah, please don’t take offense or misunderstand. Since he possesses skill worthy of the Saintess’s recognition, I was simply curious which mercenary group he belongs to.”
Like knights, strong mercenaries also made their names known. They became known as so-and-so from such-and-such band, or the warrior from this or that city. In the mercenary world, the quality of one’s requests directly reflected one’s ability. Therefore, it was perfectly natural for anyone even slightly talented to spread their name—not merely out of vanity, but to secure better commissions.
In that sense, the paladin’s curiosity was understandable.
“He operated a very long time ago. And he has never been particularly interested in making his name known.”
“Ah… I see. Then the young lady before me is…”
“His disciple. I am that person’s disciple.”
And to someone else, I am also called a hero. Iris swallowed those additional words.
There were still far too many shortcomings for her to confidently call herself a hero. Of course, that was only according to her own standards. The paladin standing before her simply nodded in open admiration.
“That gentleman must possess truly remarkable skill. Even his disciple gives off a completely different aura. You feel more restrained than most apprentice knights.”
“…Thank you.”
If Master had been standing beside her, he probably would have shouted, ‘What’s gotten into you?! Someone is praising you and you react so calmly?!’ Or perhaps he would have thrown his hands up and declared, ‘It seems our disciple is finally developing some maturity!’ Iris found herself imagining both possibilities.
“Well then, if you have the time, would you perhaps like to—”
Just as the paladin’s words continued, the chapel doors opened and two figures stepped inside. The church members, assuming it was naturally the Saintess returning from her earlier outing, rose from their seats to greet them without hesitation.
“…Ah.”
The only one who tilted her head in confusion as she watched them was Iris.
At first she thought she had sensed wrongly. She assumed it was a mistake, that her nerves were simply sharper because Master had left her behind alone.
“Everyone, get down!”
It was only right before she saw the pitch-black light surging from the intruders’ hands and exploding outward in every direction that she realized the truth.
KWAAAAAANG—!
With a deafening roar, her body tilted, then floated into the air. The world spun wildly before she plummeted straight down.
THUD!
“Ugh!”
Agonizing pain flooded her entire body—pain her current frame could not endure. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes, enough to make her want to scream. But her future—or rather, her past—self had not been this weak. This level of pain did not even register as pain to her.
So she bit down on her lip until it bled and fought desperately to regain her senses.
“Cough, cough!”
She had felt someone grab her while she was flying through the air. Thanks to that, she hadn’t been sent any farther. When she looked to the side, she saw the paladin who had spoken to her earlier coughing violently.
“Cough, cough!”
It wasn’t a simple cough. Blood flowed from between his lips. Blood that should have remained inside his body had no reason to be outside. He was injured—and seriously, internally.
“…What? Is that all? Where’s the Saintess?”
“She doesn’t appear to be here. I sense no defenses, no barriers. Nothing at all.”
“What? You moron. You definitely said she was here! How much preparation did we pour into this single strike today? What do you mean it seems the Saintess isn’t here? You really just run your mouth, don’t you?”
“Shut up. What do you want me to do? It’s not like I placed a tracking spell on her.”
One male voice. One female voice. As Iris listened to the pair, she frantically searched her memories. Where had she heard those voices? She was certain she had heard them at least once before.
“Ah.”
She remembered. She remembered exactly who the man and woman were. What kind of beings they were. The legendary insane twins known as the Complete Destruction Duo among the Demon God Worshippers. The apostles of death who would annihilate entire villages and cities the moment they appeared.
Originally, their first encounter should have taken place on the road leading to the ancient kingdom. And it was supposed to be nothing more than a pure coincidence, not something either side had intended. They had never met like this—with the twins fully armed and preparations completed in advance.
The moment her thoughts reached that point, Iris couldn’t stop a groan from escaping. Things were already beginning to diverge from what she remembered. She had only removed the spy planted among Garam’s followers. That was all. Yet that single action had created a domino effect, summoning enemies her current self could not handle.
“Hey. That girl over there… something’s weird about her.”
“…Indeed. She’s extremely irritating.”
“What should we do?”
“Kill her.”
“As expected from my little sister.”
“I’m the older brother.”
“Bullshit.”
Watching the twins approach wrapped in dark energy, Iris bit down on her lip again until it bled. Could she win? Absolutely impossible. Could she resist? Perhaps for three seconds. If it had been her old self, maybe. With her current body, it was out of the question.
The twins suddenly halted right before reaching Iris. With coldly sunken eyes, they looked past her—at someone standing beyond.
“Iris.”
Her heart, which had been pounding as if it would burst, steadied in an instant. She couldn’t believe how much relief a single voice could bring.
“Stay down just like that.”
Slowly drawing the sword from his waist, the man who had taught both her and the other heroes stepped forward.
“You’ll get swept away.”