We Are Insufficient to Each Other
Iris chewed her lip, lost in thought. We are insufficient to each other. This isn't enough. This alone has its limits.
The ring from the ancient kingdom—she had begged and pleaded until she finally obtained it. An object capable of showing others the things stored inside. If she added her own ability to share memories on top of that, it would become a vital weapon for overcoming every trial that lay ahead.
The only problem was that her ability wasn't particularly fast. Even if she condensed only the crucial parts into the ring, she had no idea how long it would take. Nor could she show her master every single addition the moment she made it. After all, the ring could only be used once.
I need to find another way. If this ring is meant for later, then I need something else to inform him about everything that comes before it. Simply circling around the truth forever isn't enough!
Iris had no intention of overcoming all these ordeals alone. Her master, her senior sisters, and senior brothers were all exceptional. It was a fight she could never win without their help. In the first place, hadn't they all fought together during the time she had lived through before?
Therefore, the highest priority was to inform her master—who stood at the center of everything—about the situations to come and seek his assistance and cooperation.
The matter right in front of us is the Royal Capital incident. The Enemy's Will will arise in the Royal Capital. I need to get there quickly before it's too late, but I need a more certain way to convey this to Master…
What came to Iris's mind was none other than the western journey. More precisely, the trap of the Mirror Kingdom they would encounter at its end, and the cape that lay beyond it. The cape that allowed travel to the space of severance.
She remembered her master sighing deeply, asking what in the world such an item was even for. At first, she had genuinely believed it was completely useless. Severance from reality—and in that severed place, no change could be made. Anyone could see it was worthless just from that.
What could you even do by going to a world outside of reality? Since you couldn't bring about any change anyway, was it just to go there and kill time? Or to huddle and hide in a completely divided beyond?
But when she thought about it carefully, her master had definitely said this: he had tried to use it for training, but even that was impossible. He had clearly mentioned that physical changes could not be made.
The moment Iris recalled that, she had bolted upright in bed with the thought, This is it!
If it only prevents physical changes… If I can convey the scope of perception, even briefly!
Her ability was to pass her memories and experiences on to others. Regression had sealed that away; using it in reality would cause the memories to disappear immediately. However, the space of severance was clearly described as another world separate from reality. And it only prevented physical changes.
If she used those points well, she could find a definite opening—even if it wouldn't last long.
Iris made up her mind to act immediately. Worrying and thinking alone wouldn't change anything. It was better to try, to collide with it head-on, and only then consider the next step if it failed.
"Master. I'm coming in."
Without waiting for permission, Iris entered her master's room. Her master frowned and slightly raised his hand. Iris knew all too well what that gesture meant for the immediate future. If things didn't go as planned, she would have nothing to say about getting a knuckle to the forehead. But she didn't want to get hit before she had even started.
"I'm sorry, Master."
With those words, she spread the cape wide. In the next instant, all her senses cut off with a snap. Realizing this was the cape's ability—space of severance—Iris quickly grabbed her master's hand and activated her power. She prayed it would work exactly as she hoped. She prayed that breaking the restriction placed on her wouldn't cause her memories to vanish again. She intended to show him the maximum she could within the time allowed here.
…
All sensation disappeared, then slowly returned. Iris hurriedly looked around. No matter how many times she checked, it was clearly the same room she had just entered—her master's room. Then what about him, who had entered the space of severance with her?
With an urgent expression, Iris called out to her still-dazed master.
"Master. Master. Can you see me?"
…
Light gradually returned to the man's previously vacant eyes. He slowly began to move his hand, testing it. The time had been brief, but perhaps he was shocked at being completely severed as well.
…
The man tensed his arm and clenched his fist. Then he drove that fist straight into Iris, who could only let out a startled "Huh?"
"Kyak!"
Countless stars exploded across Iris's vision. The knuckle had always hurt, but this time it had come at a completely unexpected moment. She never imagined he would hit her the instant they left the space of severance!
"Kyaaaaaaaak!!"
"You. What did you just do?"
Even while whimpering from the pain that felt like her head was on fire, Iris let out a sigh of relief the moment she heard those words. It seemed her idea had worked perfectly, just as she had envisioned.
After finishing my conversation with Iris, one worry took root in my mind. The moment I thought of it, every trace of sleepiness vanished. I tossed and turned on the bed before finally jumping up and sitting down on the grassy field inside the castle grounds.
…
There really were a lot of stars tonight.
"You look like you have something on your mind."
"You've arrived, Master."
"From the sound of it, you knew I was coming."
"If I couldn't notice you when you're deliberately making that much noise, I'd deserve to be scolded."
Master let out a small chuckle. In the past, I couldn't detect even that much presence, which meant I always paid for the surprise attack with a knuckle to the head. Now that his disciple spoke as if she knew everything, it was only natural for the master—who remembered those days—to smile.
If Iris were to say something like that later on, I would surely wear the same smile, thinking back on old times.
"May I sit?"
"Hm? Ah, just a moment…"
The spot where I sat was simply the grass. I had been staring blankly up at the night sky, so I tried to lay something down for Master to sit on.
"It's fine. I'll sit before you do anything unnecessary."
But Master simply plopped down right beside me.
"You know you still haven't answered."
"You asked if I had any worries."
"Indeed."
"…If I say I don't, you probably won't believe me."
"If you say you don't, then I'll believe you."
At Master's reply, I turned to look at him without thinking. He would let it slide even though the lie was obvious? Not anyone else, but Master—the Heavenly Demon—saying such a thing?
"…What wind brings you here?"
"Just call it a whim. So answer me. The reason my disciple is out here in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. Whether you truly have worries, or if you're simply taking in the night air."
I struggled with how to respond. The reason I was out here brooding like this was because the opponent appearing in the Royal Capital wasn't merely a Demonic Human. From what Iris had shown me, both Jenia and Daisy had been injured. Even with Lily present—the Saintess, the Divine Hero—two Heroes had still been hurt.
For that to happen, a mere Demonic Human wouldn't suffice. It required something greater. And when it came to something greater, there was only one answer. The damned Fragment of the Demon God—that cursed thing—would appear. And not on the outskirts of the continent or at the headquarters of the Demon God Worshippers, but right in the center of the continent, in the most heavily guarded Royal Capital of all places!
"Master. Do you remember that unidentified entity from before?"
"…You mean the one you couldn't properly damage."
"Yes."
"I remember. It was such an incredible being that even I tensed for a moment."
Master had secretly followed behind me. Naturally, he must have encountered the Fragment of the Demon God that had been collecting the Demonic Humans at the time.
"It seems that thing will appear again somewhere."
"Hoo."
Master's eyes narrowed slightly at my words—a habit he showed whenever something piqued his interest.
"Where? Tell me the place where it will appear."
"…Master. Actually, there's something important I must tell you regarding that."
It was a decision I had reached after long deliberation. Hiding it wouldn't do any good. If I couldn't explain the full reason, I could at least explain what I was able to. After all, Master didn't believe my ability was mere foresight.
"When I clashed with that entity last time, it felt as if my sword couldn't reach it."
"…What are you saying?"
"Exactly what I said. It was the sword I learned from your teachings and honed through my own efforts. Yet strangely, it wouldn't reach that entity. As if something were blocking it."
Master's face twisted fiercely at my words. He wasn't angry with me; that was the expression he made when flustered.
"Both you and I are not beings of this world. Isn't that right?"
"It is."
"I believe that's the reason. It should have been a distance my sword would have reached without fail. As you know, I'm no longer a weak existence, correct?"
"Indeed. If it were the past, perhaps not, but now you are clearly strong. Strong enough that the name of a man isn't wasted on you."
"Yet my sword still didn't reach. I've been pondering that point."
"And the conclusion you arrived at is that neither you nor I can cut it because we are not existences of this world. Is that it?"
"For now, yes."
Master let out a disbelieving "Ha!"
"Disciple. If you were not my disciple, I would have punished you for such nonsense."
"…"
"However, knowing that my disciple is not the sort to speak such things to his master, and knowing that the insight you possess surpasses even mine, I sit here doing nothing."
"…How could I not understand your intentions, Master?"
There were ironclad rules that could not be overcome no matter how hard one tried. Not mere social regulations, but the absolute laws that formed this world itself. Only a Hero could inflict any damage on a Fragment of the Demon God. I knew that better than anyone, which was why my chest felt so stifled.
But Master, unaware of my inner turmoil—the man who had established an entire world with a single sword—spoke in a stern voice.
"I told you. There is nothing that cannot be reached. It is only you who thinks so. If you wish to reach it, then strive to reach it. If you still cannot reach it, strive again. And once you have finally taken a single step forward, squeeze out even the last ounce of your strength. If you do that tens of thousands of times…"
With the same voice and the same eyes he had when he first spoke to me about the sword, Master finished.
"You will reach it. To the place you wish to reach."