Chapter 19

Shuu, having organized his thoughts on his evolved self, spoke to Iris.

"So, Iris. What do you intend to do?"

"What do I... intend to do?"

"You know I was a monster, right? I'm asking what you intend to do about it."

In response to this question, Iris slightly lowered her head.

To be honest, she was still confused about it. She had always been taught that monsters were evil and had to be destroyed. However, Shuu, whom she had interacted with without knowing he was a monster, didn't seem like something that needed to be destroyed. Even if he was a monster, Shuu was different.

But it was also a fact that Shuu had killed her fellow paladins.

Regardless of the lecherous looks from her colleagues and seniors, she had also had close female paladins. The fact that they were killed made her genuinely sad, and it made her feel ambivalent towards Shuu.

"I... will return to Ildana once. Then I will report to the bishop."

"I see."

"Shuu, you said you won't do anything unless we make the first move. So, that's... what I mean."

Iris's intention was clear.

This was the compromise she had found.

Shuu nodded in response.

"I don't intend to needlessly antagonize humans. To be honest, I do want to destroy a city or two."

"Eh...?"

"This village had a special place in my heart. Elemental-type monsters don't show much emotion, but I'm quite angry."

"That... makes sense."

Shuu had managed this village. He had hunted rogue monsters to protect the village and kept the monsters from fighting each other. All of that was destroyed by the paladins.

Though he didn't show it, he was so angry that he wanted to destroy a human city in retaliation.

However, Iris was different.

She had seen Shuu as an individual, not just as a monster. If she had known he managed the village, she would have opposed the investigation and extermination operation. Therefore, if she wished it, he thought he could calm his anger.

"Iris, as long as you're around, I won't attack humans needlessly. It's a way to thank you for seeing me as Shuu, even though you're human."

"Yes..."

Iris blushed at his words.

She probably remembered the affection she had expressed during the battle.

Of course, Shuu had no intention of letting it end there. The girl had acknowledged her feelings and spoken them aloud. Shuu needed to respond with a similar level of sincerity.

"And there's one more thing. I promise you, Iris."

"A promise...?"

"I've lost everything. So, you are the only connection I have. If you see me as a person, not a dangerous monster... I will protect you. Even if it means going against all of humanity."

Well, monsters are already enemies of all humanity, Shuu thought, averting his eyes. He was aware that he had said something embarrassing.

He couldn't return Iris's affection at the moment.

He had the knowledge, but he didn't understand what those feelings actually meant.

Most importantly, he was still a bit of a klutz and couldn't see Iris as a romantic interest. She was more like a foolish disciple or a cute little sister.

Moreover, he was still overwhelmed by anger.

Without Iris, he would have been driven to release his death magic and destroy everything around him.

Shuu had no love at the moment.

So, he responded with reason.

"Iris, as long as you're around, I won't attack humans needlessly. It's a way to thank you for seeing me as Shuu, even though you're human."

"Yes..."

Iris blushed at his words.

She probably remembered the affection she had expressed during the battle.

Of course, Shuu had no intention of letting it end there. The girl had acknowledged her feelings and spoken them aloud. Shuu needed to respond with a similar level of sincerity.

"And there's one more thing. I promise you, Iris."

"A promise...?"

"I've lost everything. So, you are the only connection I have. If you see me as a person, not a dangerous monster... I will protect you. Even if it means going against all of humanity."

Well, monsters are already enemies of all humanity, Shuu thought, averting his eyes. He was aware that he had said something embarrassing.

He couldn't return Iris's affection at the moment.

He had the knowledge, but he didn't understand what those feelings actually meant.

Most importantly, he was still a bit of a klutz and couldn't see Iris as a romantic interest. She was more like a foolish disciple or a cute little sister.

Moreover, he was still overwhelmed by anger.

Without Iris, he would have been driven to release his death magic and destroy everything around him.

Shuu had no love at the moment.

So, he responded with reason.

"Iris, as long as you're around, I won't attack humans needlessly. It's a way to thank you for seeing me as Shuu, even though you're human."

"Yes..."

Iris blushed at his words.

She probably remembered the affection she had expressed during the battle.

Of course, Shuu had no intention of letting it end there. The girl had acknowledged her feelings and spoken them aloud. Shuu needed to respond with a similar level of sincerity.

"And there's one more thing. I promise you, Iris."

"A promise...?"

"I've lost everything. So, you are the only connection I have. If you see me as a person, not a dangerous monster... I will protect you. Even if it means going against all of humanity."

Well, monsters are already enemies of all humanity, Shuu thought, averting his eyes. He was aware that he had said something embarrassing.

He couldn't return Iris's affection at the moment.

He had the knowledge, but he didn't understand what those feelings actually meant.

Most importantly, he was still a bit of a klutz and couldn't see Iris as a romantic interest. She was more like a foolish disciple or a cute little sister.

Moreover, he was still overwhelmed by anger.

Without Iris, he would have been driven to release his death magic and destroy everything around him.

Shuu had no love at the moment.

So, he responded with reason.

"Iris, as long as you're around, I won't attack humans needlessly. It's a way to thank you for seeing me as Shuu, even though you're human."

"Yes..."

Iris blushed at his words.

She probably remembered the affection she had expressed during the battle.

Of course, Shuu had no intention of letting it end there. The girl had acknowledged her feelings and spoken them aloud. Shuu needed to respond with a similar level of sincerity.

"And there's one more thing. I promise you, Iris."

"A promise...?"

"I've lost everything. So, you are the only connection I have. If you see me as a person, not a dangerous monster... I will protect you. Even if it means going against all of humanity."

Well, monsters are already enemies of all humanity, Shuu thought, averting his eyes. He was aware that he had said something embarrassing.

He couldn't return Iris's affection at the moment.

He had the knowledge, but he didn't understand what those feelings actually meant.

Most importantly, he was still a bit of a klutz and couldn't see Iris as a romantic interest. She was more like a foolish disciple or a cute little sister.

Moreover, he was still overwhelmed by anger.

Without Iris, he would have been driven to release his death magic and destroy everything around him.

Shuu had no love at the moment.

So, he responded with reason.

"Iris, as long as you're around, I won't attack humans needlessly. It's a way to thank you for seeing me as Shuu, even though you're human."

"Yes..."

Iris blushed at his words.

She probably remembered the affection she had expressed during the battle.

Of course, Shuu had no intention of letting it end there. The girl had acknowledged her feelings and spoken them aloud. Shuu needed to respond with a similar level of sincerity.

"And there's one more thing. I promise you, Iris."

"A promise...?"

"I've lost everything. So, you are the only connection I have. If you see me as a person, not a dangerous monster... I will protect you. Even if it means going against all of humanity."

---

The priests of the Ildana Cathedral were shocked.

Despite deploying twenty paladins, a significant force, only one returned. Moreover, the one who returned was Iris Silverblade, the only one with the unparalleled magic armor of immortality. If she hadn't had that magic armor, they might have all been wiped out.

"Oh... what a tragedy..."

The bishop of Ildana clutched his head in deep sorrow.

The other priests also wore expressions of deep pain.

This was a special meeting room accessible only to priests and bishops, and they were severely shaken by the results of the Eldera Forest investigation. The attempt to slay the prophesied monster before it gained power had resulted in the loss of all but one of the paladins. Paladins were a significant force within the Church of El Magia, and losing nineteen at once was a devastating blow.

"Bishop, where is the one who returned?"

"We let her rest first. She will soon come to report. We need to hear the detailed story from Paladin Iris to understand the situation. However..."

They were devout followers of the Church of El Magia.

Paladins were chosen by the god El Magia, and the thought that they were killed by evil monsters was almost unbearable.

The bishop had torn his clothes when he first heard the report. He spent hours praying to El Magia to regain his composure.

During the time Iris was resting, he gathered the priests of the Ildana Cathedral in this meeting room.

"Who would have thought that even Paladin Zamis Shrif would be defeated?"

"Not just Zamis. All the paladins involved in the operation were promising individuals."

"An entire annihilation...?"

"Was it really a 'King'?"

"Indeed, twenty paladins should have been able to slay even a Catastrophe-level monster."

"Wait. Wasn't it said that a powerful monster is born when a choice is wrong? Are you saying the investigation itself was a mistake!?"

Honestly, the near total annihilation of the paladins was hard to believe. One paladin was said to be equivalent to a hundred to a thousand regular soldiers. The strongest among them were beyond the reach of any number of regular soldiers.

An example was Zamis Shrif, a magic armor user who could turn his body into water.

"Should we have waited for S-rank magic armor users, considering the possibility of a Catastrophe or Despair-level monster?"

"There's no point in saying that now."

"If the choice was wrong, the next scenario is hell. That's why we gathered today, isn't it?"

That statement reminded everyone of the original purpose.

The operation began with the prophecy of the divine princess. Depending on the choice, daily life could be maintained, or hell could appear in the world. To eliminate the powerful monster believed to be the source of hell, they dispatched the paladins.

If they failed, a hellish situation would ensue.

"Wasn't the prophecy indicating the annihilation of the paladins?"

"Indeed, losing nineteen paladins is painful, but it doesn't seem to be that level of disaster."

"Such uncertainty is so unsettling..."

As the priests were troubled, there was a knock on the meeting room door. The one called was the only paladin who returned from the operation, Iris.

Finally, they would hear the detailed story, and the bishop and priests tightened their expressions.

"Excuse me."

Iris entered, guided by the priest guarding the door. She wore her white paladin uniform and exuded a different aura from her usual self.

She had been a paladin for five years, and it showed in her demeanor.

"I've been waiting, Paladin Iris Silverblade."

"Yes."

"Please give your report. Be as detailed as possible."

Nodding at the bishop's words, Iris began to recount the details.

The successful advance into the Eldera Forest, the discovery of the monster village as expected, the immediate extermination operation, and the details about the leader of the monster village.

"The village was protected by a spirit."

"A spirit!? Not even a Catastrophe-level monster!?"

"That's correct, Your Excellency."

One of the surprised priests received a calm response from Iris.

Indeed, everyone was shocked to hear that they were destroyed by a high-level spirit. However, Iris continued.

"And the spirit, after being defeated and gaining the paladins' magic, awakened in anger at the death of the monsters."

This was the final blow.

The spirit's awakening... meaning it had become a 'King'.

What was once a special ability had evolved into magic that could affect concepts.

"Shuu Arkwright, the Spirit of Death. His magic is 'Death'. Zamis was killed instantly by his magic."

"Unbelievable..."

The bishop groaned.

It was the worst-case scenario.

A 'King' monster had been born, and its magic was particularly dangerous.

Covering his eyes with his right hand, the bishop whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"We must contact the Holy Grinia. We need to request the dispatch of S-rank paladins. We must destroy it with all our might."

The bishops were so shocked by the news that they didn't notice the inconsistency.

How could Iris have survived against a being that could manipulate the concept of 'Death'?

No matter how immortal, Shuu's death magic could convert all life force into magic in a single strike, and Iris's magic armor only worked as long as her magic power lasted.

Unaware of this, Iris shouted, forgetting her manners.

"Wait! You must not touch Shuu!"

Everyone turned to look at Iris, who had suddenly shouted.

The bishop, representing them, asked in return.

"What do you mean, Paladin Iris?"

"Shuu promised not to attack humans unless we make the first move. So, we must not send forces against him!"

"... A monster would make such a promise?"

"Yes."

"The enemy is an evil monster, and a 'King' at that. It must be destroyed."

"Shuu won't break his promise!"

While Iris, who had known Shuu for five years, could trust him, the bishop and priests could not. They began to look at her with disapproving eyes for defending a monster.

"Paladin Iris, is this Shuu a 'King' spirit? The destruction of a 'King