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 Megiddo-san……


  [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 ?ποκ?λυψι?.]

  (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.

  **********