We left the guild and headed straight to the marquis of Endlord’s estate. Ivy and I rode on Sanshita, while behind us, Rey was flying through the air, accompanied by Icicle soaring alongside her.

Although we had already obtained permission for Icicle to accompany us, it was better to be thorough. It’s only polite to inform the marquis, who has the town’s welfare in mind, before we leave.

Besides, we might end up causing trouble for them again. It seemed best to speak with them once more to ensure everything was in order.

"Naturally, I will go as well."

"Yes, we’re counting on you."

Rey and I exchanged nods. We had trained together, traveled together, and shared countless conversations. Knowing her strength made her presence all the more reassuring.

The monsters were reportedly wreaking havoc in various locations. No matter how hard Ivy and I tried, the two of us couldn’t possibly cover everything alone. We needed all the help we could get, and having Rey join us was a welcome boost to our forces.

"Just to confirm, is it really okay for you to be in the public eye, Rey?"

After all, Rey is a hero. From what she told me, the hero’s identity is classified information that only a select few in the kingdom are privy to. It seemed like something that shouldn’t be openly revealed.

"Oh, it’s fine. I’ve received prior authorization for the deployment itself. Besides..."

Rey fixed her gaze on me before shifting it to Ivy perched on my shoulder. Ivy let out a cheerful "Mii!" and gave a little shiver. While I scratched under her chin and played with her, Rey, wearing the natural smile she had recently begun showing more often, said:

"I’m sure even if my identity is revealed, it won’t cause any problems."

At her words, Ivy puffed out her chest dramatically. It was as if she were saying, "Leave the attention-grabbing to me!" She had been timid before, but lately, she seemed to have found her courage, becoming much more confident. Almost... manly—ouch!

Don’t bite me! I was joking! Ivy is a fine lady!

As Rey pointed out, if Ivy gave it her all, she would undoubtedly attract the most attention during the mission. Ivy in combat mode tends to be quite the spectacle, for better or worse...

"But is it okay for Icicle to come along as well?"

Standing beside Rey was the haughty "Insect Queen" Icicle. To my surprise, she had voluntarily expressed her desire to fight alongside us this time. I had planned to insist she come along due to our lack of manpower, so her offer caught me off guard.

Still, wasn’t she, as one of the Demon King’s Ten Fingers, technically part of the same side as the invading monsters? Wouldn’t this be some sort of infighting or cannibalism?

"I’ve simply been tamed by Ivy and Bruno. I’m nothing more than one of many monsters, no different from Sanshita..."

"A kindred spirit, yessir!"

Sanshita cried out enthusiastically for some reason. Now that I thought about it, he had been hostile toward Rey from the start but got along well with Icicle. Maybe his animosity had something to do with Rey being a hero.

"I used to think humans were savages who slaughtered us monsters and stripped our bodies for materials... but after spending time with you, I’ve come to realize not all of you are so contemptible."

...So that’s how we appear from a monster’s perspective? It’s true; humans are rather barbaric in some ways.

Icicle had mellowed considerably lately. Wearing a sun visor and diligently working on beekeeping made her seem less like a high-handed queen and more like a refined lady who had married into a farming family. She’d even become quite popular among the men, with rumors suggesting some farmers were seriously vying for her affection.

"Alright, then let’s all—protect this kingdom together."

"Oh!"

"We’ll protect it, yessir!"

Rey and Icicle had both changed significantly compared to when we first met them. Then again, Ivy, Sanshita, and I had likely changed as well.

Nothing in this world remains the same. Every living being must undergo change eventually.

While I can’t fully grasp my own transformation, I’m sure I’ve changed too. But change isn’t inherently bad.

Whether change becomes something good or bad depends on our actions. That’s what I believe.

We made our way to the noble district and arrived at the marquis of Endlord’s residence to greet him. That’s when we heard an unexpected voice.

"Take me with you as well!"

"Sounds like fun. Mind if I join in?"

It turned out that Katya and Shannon, who had come to visit, were also volunteering to accompany us—