Skip to content 
𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧
“Welcome back~.”
ㅤ
“I’m back, master.”
ㅤ
Luke smiles at Iris who jumps into his arms.
ㅤ
Iris beams a bright smile at Luke.
ㅤ
“It seems like you’ve finally touched the origin, haven’t you?”
ㅤ
“Did you notice?”
ㅤ
“I felt the vibrations of the source magic all the way here. I knew right away it was Luke’s doing. Now that we’re alone, let’s take our time to talk about it tonight.”
ㅤ
“Hey, I’m here too!”
ㅤ
“Oh, you were here?”
ㅤ
“What do you mean, ‘you were here’!”
ㅤ
Alma sighs and readjusts her luggage.
ㅤ
“Well, that’s fine. Let’s head to the mansion before it gets dark. We can talk after that.”
ㅤ
“Right, let’s go home together, master. We still have plenty of time.”
ㅤ
“…?”
ㅤ
Iris stares intently at Luke and Alma.
ㅤ
“You two, something happened, right?”
ㅤ
The two freeze at Iris’s words.
ㅤ
“No, not really~”
ㅤ
“That’s a lie.”
ㅤ
Iris grabs Alma’s face forcefully.
ㅤ
“Ouch! It’s crushing! It’s crushing!”
ㅤ
“Talk honestly. Then you won’t have to hurt.”
ㅤ
“Alright! Alright, I got it!”
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
“Hmm, so that’s what happened.”
ㅤ
Iris sighs deeply.
ㅤ
The two explain in detail to Iris at her mansion what happened during the large-scale hunt.
ㅤ
“Fighting Behemoth, huh? Well, it’s only natural for Luke to manage it.”
ㅤ
“No, I couldn’t have done it alone. It was thanks to everyone’s cooperation.”
ㅤ
“That guy is tough, honestly, I wouldn’t want to face him either.”
ㅤ
Iris leans her elbows on her knees, looking at Luke.
ㅤ
“So, you managed to realize the origin magic.”
ㅤ
“Yes.”
ㅤ
Luke nods.
ㅤ
“It was probably only a second, but I felt it clearly. My hand touched the origin magic.”
ㅤ
It still feels like a dream.
ㅤ
It’s like a dream that I, a human, reached something long pursued yet unattainable. I almost expect to wake up and find it was all a dream.
ㅤ
Yet, this hand tells me that it was undoubtedly real.
ㅤ
“But it was only for a moment. I need to make it more concrete.”
ㅤ
“That’s true. We’re just at the door now. There’s still a lot to refine before we can grasp what’s inside. But I’m sure Luke can do it. I guarantee it. Now, about you two…”
ㅤ
Iris, resting her chin on her hand, looks at the two.
ㅤ
“Why don’t you tell me what happened between you two?”
ㅤ
“We… that is…”
ㅤ
Alma nervously twiddles her intertwined fingers.
ㅤ
“You confessed, didn’t you?”
ㅤ
“…Yes.”
ㅤ
Luke nods strongly, his cheeks flushed.
ㅤ
“Alma is an important woman to me. This incident made it very clear.”
ㅤ
“Luke…”
ㅤ
Alma looked at Luke with teary eyes.
ㅤ
“Well, it’s fine though…”
ㅤ
Iris leaned back on the sofa.
ㅤ
“Isn’t it okay? Luke has been wanting to meet Alma the whole time he’s been here, right? It’s not for me to say, right? That’s the feeling?”
ㅤ
“…Hey, what are you sulking about?”
ㅤ
Iris turned away as Alma raised her voice in protest.
ㅤ
“It’s nothing, just thought they make a good match, being humans. After all, I’m always going to be a demon.”
ㅤ
“Hey.”
ㅤ
Alma grabbed Iris’s face.
ㅤ
“You, you don’t think I came here to brag about Luke, do you? That we’ll be good friends from now on and you’re no longer needed, is that what you’re saying?”
ㅤ
“Ouch, ouch, ouch!”
ㅤ
Iris’s skull creaked.
ㅤ
“Don’t underestimate! I know the five years Luke spent with you are irreplaceable! That’s true for Iris too, right? I can’t just ignore that!”
ㅤ
“Y, Yes, master! You are more important to me than anything!”
ㅤ
Luke stood up.
ㅤ
“Sure, we are human and demon. But what does that matter! I want to be with master more, but not because you are my master, but because I like you.”
“Really?”
ㅤ
“Really.”
ㅤ
Luke took Iris’s hand.
ㅤ
“That’s why I came here. I could learn magic anywhere, but I wanted to see you, be with you.”
ㅤ
“But…”
ㅤ
Iris looked at Alma.
ㅤ
“It’s okay, really.”
ㅤ
Alma quickly turned away.
ㅤ
“We promised, didn’t we? In the mountains, you come first. I’m not insensitive. Why don’t I take a walk around while you two enjoy your time?”
ㅤ
Alma stood up to leave, but Iris forcefully hugged her shoulder.
ㅤ
Then she hugged Luke with her other arm.
ㅤ
“Luke, Alma, you guys are the best. Meeting you makes me feel like my 800 years in the mountains weren’t wasted.”
ㅤ
“Master…”
ㅤ
“Okay, okay, let go! It’s tight!”
ㅤ
Despite Alma’s embarrassed struggling, Iris didn’t let go.
ㅤ
“No way, I won’t let go. Tonight, the three of us will have a great time!”
ㅤ
“Hey, wait a minute!”