Iris-san defeated Agni-san, and I got my fifth oversized stamp on my
stamp card. This means that I have won the right to challenge Megiddosan…
[Congratulations, Miyama-sama. You now have the right to fight
Megiddo-sama, who's waiting in the Central Tower. Now, I have things I
need to let you know before challenging Megiddo-sama.]
[Things I need to know?]
After stamping my stamp card, Agni-san told me that there were some
things I needed to take note of.
[Yes. In challenging Megiddo-sama…"You won't be able to send a proxy".
This will be a one-on-one match between the one possessing the stamp
card and Megiddo-sama.]
[…E- Errr…]
[But you don't have to worry… I'm sure Miyama-sama is well-aware of
Megiddo-sama's principles, but Megiddo-sama will not play a game that
his opponent has no chance of winning. I'm sure that Miyama-sama will
be presented with a method of victory that even Miyama-sama has a
chance of winning.]
Speaking of which, that would certainly be the case. Whenever
Megiddo-san engages in a match, he always fights in a way that his
opponent has a chance to win. That's also why I was able to win our
previous match… the drinking contest.
In that case, I guess I can be relieved that we won't be having a
fistfight… Unnn, seriously, I'm relieved that wasn't the case.
[Now then, if you will excuse me, I will accept the challenge of another
challenger. Miyama-sama, I wish you good luck.]
[Ah, yes. Thank you very much.]
Bowing to me once, Agni-san moved on to take on the next challenger.
After confirming this, I moved to where Lilia-san and the others were.
[With this, Kaito-san can now challenge War King-sama, right?]
[According to Phantasmal King-sama's guidebook, we can watch the
battle against the War King-sama. What do you think? How about we all
watch Miyama-sama's gallant figure…]
[Lunamaria-san, it seems like you're really having fun huh…]
I feel like Lunamaria-san is very lively after all the things happening.
Does she really want to see me suffer? No, well, it's certainly… just like
Lunamaria-san huh.
[Lu-chan "loves" Miyama-san after all, so she wants to be close by to
cheer you on~]
[Mom!? What the heck are you talking about!?]
[Eh? Am I wrong?]
[I- Isn't that obvious!? W- Why should I be cheering for Miyama-sama…]
[But Lu-chan always actively teases "the one you lov"——– Mghuuu!?]
[Wha! Could you just shut up for a moment!!!?]
Noir-san started to leisurely say something, but Lunamaria-san
flusteredly covered her mouth with her hand and I couldn't catch the
latter half of what she said.
However, unnnn. Let's not tell anyone that I was a little embarrassed by
the contents of the things I heard.
As I was watching their exchange, Iris, who was talking with Alice at a
little distance, approached me.
[Ahh, Iris-san. Thank you very much!]
[Your thanks is unneces——- No, I guess it's polite to accept it huh…
Anyway, Kaito. Can I talk to you for a moment?]
[Eh? Ah, yes. I'm fine with it.]
[It's not something I really want others to hear about, so come with
me…]
After saying that, Iris-san began to move away, and I followed her after
notifying Lilia-san and the others.
Walking a few distance towards the back of the arena, when we reached
an unpopulated area, Iris turned to me and spoke.
[I'd like to introduce myself again. I'm Iris Illuminus.]
[Yes, errr, I'm Miyama Kaito.]
[Umu… Well, in that telepathic conversation, I was the only one
speaking so… I guess there are things you're wondering about?]
Apparently, Iris-san had moved to a place like this where there were no
other people to answer my questions.
She certainly was rushing about explaining things at that time, and
there were also things that she couldn't say because Lilia-san and the
others were nearby.
[…Errr, you're Alice's best friend… right?]
[Ahh, well, yes… Being her best friend certainly brings me some
headache, but you're not wrong.]
Iris-san's voice sounded gentle as she affirmed my words with a
somewhat dumbfounded chuckle, and I could tell that she cared about
Alice.
[Iris-san… Errr, did you come back to life?]
[No, I wouldn't describe it as coming back to life… You could say that
I'm a being of magic power residing in a heart tool. Let's see, if I were to
define myself based on your world, I guess you could say that I'm a
tsukumogami. My body would still be… the Heart Tool ἀποκάλυψις.]
(T/N: Tsukumogami are tools that have acquired a kami or spirit. So, just
like Yotsugi Ononoki. Yay~~ Peace peace~~)
[I- I see… But you should be able to act like a normal human like this…]
[Actually, there's still a problem regarding that~~]
[Alice?]
As Iris-san gave me a brief explanation, Alice appeared and shook her
head with a sigh.
[…A problem?]
[Hmmm. Well, I still have some assignments to research… Iris, I guess
it's still no good huh?]
[Yeah, it's no good. "I really won't be able to recover my magic power"…I
can certainly treat the magic power used to prepare this vessel as my
own, but I can't seem to generate new magic power.]
[Ahh~~ I knew it huh. Even if you're using that clone as your vessel
now, that body is still considered as mine huh… I guess that's my
assignment from now on.]
Apparently, Iris-san hasn't completely resurrected yet. From what I
heard from the two of them, Iris-san is unable to generate her own
magic power. As she consumes magic power, the lesser the magic power
in her body is, and when her magic power runs out, she will not be able
to maintain her body.
In other words, they're looking for a way to charge her body.
[Yeah, I'm fine with just swapping out bodies though…]
[But in that case, it was just being patient with something of a lesser
quality… It's not very efficient in terms of magic power conservation,
and if we're going with that method, I think it would be better if we just
pseudo-convert the magic particles in the air…]
[But then, along with the consumption needed to convert magic power,
the amount that can be recovered is actually very small, isn't it? What
about absorbing it instead? However, would that be too much for the
vessel…]
[Well, particle substitution… No, super generation is…]
[...]
I don't have any idea what the heck they're talking about. At any rate, I
kind of understand that it will take some time for Iris-san to be
completely resurrected.
[I mean, I know that you're actually smart… but hearing Alice talking
like a smart person feels kind of weird.]
[Wait, Kaito-san!? You're speaking out your thoughts, you know!?]
It seems like I had unintentionally said what I was thinking, and Alice
reacted very quickly.
[I'll be saying this for your information, but Alice-chan is super smart
and is totally an intellectual! When I wear my glasses, it would be quite
a disaster, you know? I won't be able to stop my intelligence from
overflowing!]
[…You're acting like an idiot now.]
[Like an idiot!?]
[That's because she is an idiot.]
[Shut it there, flattie.]
[Do you seriously think you're one to talk about that!?]
She's acting like the usual Alice… Maybe it's because Iris was here, but
she somehow seems to be enjoying herself more than usual. I guess
that's really because they've been best friends for so long after all.
[…By the way, Alice. There's something I need to ask you.]
[Unnn? What is it?]
[…Why did you hide about me from Kaito?]
[Ahh, I'm wondering about that too.]
Alice had mentioned the word "experiment" at the opening ceremony,
so I guess she has already decided to give Iris-san a physical body by
that point.
If that was the case, she should have told me beforehand so I wouldn't
have been so surprised.
[After all… This way is far more interesting! Also, to be honest, "I'm the
one who instigated Pandora" !]
[...]
[...]
[Well~~ Kaito-san's surprised face really is the best———-
Fugyaaahhh!?]
I see, unnn. Alice really is the same as always… In that case, a scolding it
is.
[K- Kaito-san. Y- Your eyes look scary, you know? L- Look~~ It's your
cute lover~~]
[So you're the reason why Pandora-san is like that huh…]
[Kaito, let me help you with that… This idiot's character needs a good
beating.]
[Thank you, Iris-san.]
[Eh? What is that sense of solidarity… N- No way~~ It's just a bit of
mischievousness——- Migyaaahhh!?]
As Iris-san joined in on scolding her, Alice clearly began to break out in
cold sweat.
Thus, having gained the common goal of scolding Alice, I felt an
inexplicable sense of friendship between us as Iris-san and I began to
lecture the idiot.
Dear Mom, Dad—— Lots of things have happened, but I've successfully
won the right to challenge Megiddo-san. I still don't know what
Megiddo-san's goal is, but since I've finally come this far—— I'm just
going to do my best.