For a while after that, the five of us continued exploring the town together.

We indulged in street food beyond just Furu Candy, enjoyed local amusements, and basked in the cheerful atmosphere.

“Hehe, isn’t this fun, Bran?”

Iris hugged a small white plush dog tightly and smiled blissfully.

The plushie’s name was apparently “Bran.” It seemed incredibly precious to her, and walking around town with it made her noticeably happy.

But that joyful time came to an abrupt end.

The explosion erupted without warning.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

“Eek!”

“What the hell was that!?”

Hearing the deafening blast, Iris screamed in alarm.

The rest of us immediately shifted into a state of heightened vigilance.

“That sound came from over there,” Flare said.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Tetra muttered.

“—This presence... no way! Master!” Lycia exclaimed.

“What is it? Did you notice something?” I asked, turning to her.

Among us, Lycia’s reaction stood out.

Her clear blue eyes fixed on mine, and as her soft pink lips opened to explain, a desperate shout echoed through the streets.

“A demon! A demon has appeared!”

The cry came from the same direction as the explosion.

As a priest, Lycia had likely sensed its presence before the others. She met my gaze and gave a firm nod.

Moments later, something soared into the air in the distance.

I recognized that shape immediately.

“—A Lesser Demon! Why is it here again!?”

I couldn’t understand why demons had appeared in this town once more.

The only certainty was that we needed to deal with this threat.

But the situation quickly worsened.

“Run for it, everyone! There’s another demon over here too!”

“What!?”

There wasn’t just one Lesser Demon.

Another had materialized elsewhere, separate from the one in the sky.

What in the world is going on!?

Ordinarily, I would’ve rushed to deal with the threat immediately.

But only Lycia, with her holy magic, could truly banish demons.

And then—

“...Big brother, what should we do?”

“Iris...”

Among us was a young girl who couldn’t fight.

I’d promised Leen to protect Iris. Ensuring her safety was my top priority.

There was no other choice.

I turned to Flare, Tetra, and Lycia.

The three of them were already looking at me, awaiting instructions.

“Flare and Tetra, each of you handle one of the demons. You don’t need to defeat them; just buy us some time.

Lycia, you’ll come with me to escort Iris to safety. After that, we’ll regroup with the others to eliminate the demons one by one. Can you do it?”

“Leave it to me, Ike!” Flare replied confidently.

“Understood. I’ll do my best,” Tetra nodded.

“I will protect Master and Iris with my life!” Lycia declared.

I felt a deep sense of trust in the three of them as they nodded resolutely.

With that, we each set out to fulfill our respective roles.