Iris's POV

While Ike and his companions were battling the Hydra, Iris waited beside the bed where Leen lay sleeping, longing for their safe return.

"…Mother."

Iris gently clasped Leen’s hand between her own. Closing her eyes, she let memories of their past flow through her, almost like a prayer.

For Iris, her mother Leen had always been an idol—a noblewoman who, despite her status, embarked on countless adventures as the mightiest hero. Iris cherished the stories Leen shared of her adventures more than anything.

Each time she heard one of those tales, Iris would respond with the same eager determination:

"That's amazing, Mother! I want to go on adventures with you too! Just wait and see; once I have my class, I'll catch up to you in no time!"
"Is that so? Then I suppose I'll have to work hard too, so you don't leave me behind," Leen would reply.

To Iris, that shared future was undeniable, destined. But that future was shattered with cruel ease.

It happened shortly after Iris turned nine.

As always, Iris eagerly awaited her mother’s return from an adventure. Instead, two of Leen's party members appeared at the estate, carrying a grievously injured Leen.

They explained that their puppeteer companion had betrayed them, and Leen had been struck by the Hydra’s deadly poison because of it. Iris struggled to comprehend their words.

Why did my mother have to sacrifice herself?
Why won’t she wake up?
Why would that puppeteer betray her?

There were no answers. Only anguish.
Confusion and despair churned within Iris’s mind until one conclusion emerged:

My mother suffered because of the puppeteer. If the puppeteer class didn’t exist, none of this would have happened.

It was a desperate, irrational conclusion, but to her wounded heart, it provided a fleeting sense of closure.

Yet, Iris's despair deepened.

When she turned ten, the class she was given was... puppeteer.

The daughter of a noble family, burdened with what many considered a useless class. She faced whispers of pity and ridicule, and in her heart, she despised the very profession she had been forced into.

There was another reason she hated being a puppeteer.

Among the gifts her mother had given her, Iris cherished two above all else: a protective charm necklace and a plush white dog.

The thought of sacrificing something precious—like a puppeteer uses their dolls as decoys—was unbearable to Iris. She couldn’t bring herself to accept such a way of fighting.

Even if she tried to explain her feelings, no one would understand.

"You’re wrong," they’d say.
"It’s pitiable that you ended up with such a class," they’d murmur.

No one truly saw her pain. The whirlwind of her emotions left her feeling trapped, lost, and unable to move forward.

And then, she met him.

The puppeteer who called himself Ike said something that changed her life.

He told her that the feelings she harbored for her dolls weren’t wrong. That they were precious.
To prove it, he promised to defeat the Hydra and save her mother.

And, with a warm smile, he said:

"When that time comes, I want you to love yourself as a puppeteer."

That smile, those words—they pierced through her darkness.

For the first time in years, Iris felt like she could breathe.

She dreamed of her family again—her father, her mother, and herself—all together, smiling as they had before.

But this time, the vision was different. Among her family stood the people she had come to trust most.

"...Mmm, hmm…"

When she awoke, she found herself still holding Leen’s hand.

"…Huh?"

Something felt off. She had been holding her mother’s hand, but now Leen was gripping hers back.

"Good morning, Iris."
"—Huh?"

A familiar, gentle voice broke through her confusion.

Slowly, hesitantly, Iris lifted her gaze, afraid of the disappointment she might feel if it wasn’t real.

But it was.

Leen was there, smiling as tenderly as she had three years ago.

"Mother!"

Unable to hold back her tears, Iris threw herself into Leen’s arms.

Leen embraced her tightly, stroking her hair.

"My, my. You’ve grown so much while I’ve been asleep. But you’re still quite the little sweetheart, aren’t you?"

"Mm!"

At that moment, nothing else mattered.

"I always heard you, Iris," Leen said softly.
"Huh?"
"While I was sleeping, your voice kept reaching me. Even when purging the Hydra's poison felt impossible, your voice gave me strength."

"Really? Did I really help you?"
"You did. You deserve a first-place ribbon for it."

For the first time, Iris felt her efforts had meant something.

Her happiness was interrupted by the door slamming open.

"Leen! The flow of magic changed, and I had to see for myself—you're awake!"

The man who entered was Leen’s husband, Alto. His face was a mix of relief and joy, tears forming in his eyes.

Amid the tearful reunion, Iris felt something was missing.

"No," she whispered, "this isn’t complete yet."

She thought of the promise they had made—to smile and laugh together as a family. All of them.

The chime of the doorbell echoed through the house.

Iris knew who it had to be.

"I’ll get it!"

"Iris?!"
"My, such a cheerful smile you’re wearing," Leen remarked.

Iris dashed to the entrance, her heart racing.

When she opened the door, there they stood.

They were battered, their bodies bearing the marks of a fierce battle. But they smiled at her, and when they saw her, their faces lit up with joy.

Iris hesitated only briefly before speaking.

There was only one thing she wanted to say.

With a radiant smile, she called out:

"Welcome home!"

To the puppeteer and his puppets—her heroes.