Iris (Tainted ver.)/Memories

## Chapter 1

A handful of gold coins.

That was all I was worth to my father.

After using my power to send him flying, I fled home.

And to think, I believed...

I was a child working day and night, trading what I could, even bread, for money.

My father gambled all my earnings away...

but I believed *everything* would be worth it.

And yet, my father smiled as he took those gold coins.

Not at me, but at the nameless Knights who paid him.

All I wanted was for you to appreciate me...

That's it...!

I just ran, and ran, and ran...until I collapsed from exhaustion on an unfamiliar road.

After trading my food for money,

I'm sold off, and now wait for my life to end in the middle of nowhere...

Is this how my life was supposed to be...?

...Why was I even...born?

As my mind grows faint, the footsteps of an approaching horse rumble in my ears...

"...I wasn't born to be that goddamn fool's daughter...!"

With my last ounce of strength, I tumble into the shadows.

A carriage immediately passes by.

I could make out the coat of arms of the Duke on the carriage.

If they found me, would they've killed me?

Or maybe...

As that last thought ran through my mind, everything faded to black.

## Chapter 2

Three days pass.

With rainwater no longer able to keep me from starving, I make my way to a bustling street.

I have no money, of course, so I head towards a garbage can sitting in front of a shop.

Passers-by pierce me with their cold stares as I rummage through the garbage.

I suppress all my emotions, and bring a scrap of bread to my mouth.

One bite sends shivers throughout my body.

The bread's moldy, but as sweet as honey.

"Nnrgh... Nnnnrrggh...!"

I weep as I greedily devour the bread.

"This is so I can live."

Each time I whisper those words, a piece of me goes missing.

## Chapter 3

Theft. Extortion. Burglary.

Since I have the power of a witch, there are plenty of jobs for me to do so long as I'm not picky.

That scrap of bread left me with a heavy heart, but even it gradually got used to this way of life.

And besides, the backstreets were teeming with orphans like me.

"This isn't for me, but for everyone."

Whispering those words made me feel a little better.

I put my life on the line for a meager amount of money, then share tiny pieces of bread with everyone.

Life was hard, but when those innocent smiles said

"Thank you for everything, Iris,"

that alone made everything worth it.

Ahh... This was the life I always wished for.

At last, I found my true family.

## Chapter 4

As time when on, my name and reputation as a witch became infamous.

Because of that, there have been countless attempts on my life, but I hold no regrets.

After all, I live so my family can too.

One day, after taking a number of days to complete a big job, I finally came home.

The job was dangerous, but it paid a great deal of money.

We'll be able to have warm food for a good while.

Everyone'll be so happy.

"Hey, everyone! I'm home!"

As I approach my friends, they gather around me.

But...something feels off.

"What's wrong? ...Nrgh...!"

A sharp pain shoots into my back.

I turn my head to find a blade thrust into me, and a friend holding the hilt.

## Chapter 5

Wh-Why...?

Why...? I don't understand. Why...?

I can't even wrap my head around the pain.

The only word I keep asking myself is, "Why?"

One of those innocent smiles answered me.

"If someone eats a witch's heart, they'll get that witch's power, right?

So if I do that, the next leader will be me."

...You're kidding me, right?

You actually believed that rumor?

*That's* the reason you're going to kill me?

That...that stupid reason...?

...Heh... Hahaha...

I devoted myself to my father, only to be sold off...

Now, the friends I devoted myself to are going to eat me!

Hahaha!

Ah-hahahaha!

Ah-haha... You're right.

How could I've been so wrong?

In the end, we're all filthy beasts greedy for garbage.

It's only fitting that we feed on each other, right?

I pull the blade out of my back, and point it towards my frightened friends.

After whispering, "This is so I can live," my face twists into a smile.

## Chapter 6

I take what I want, and kill who I hate.

After doing that countless times over, no one was left to oppose me.

What's so great about that, though?

Even if I have everything this world has to offer, those cold pieces of bread I shared with everyone are long gone...

The morning sun rises, tinging all I can see.

With the world engulfed in light, everything looks as if it had been destroyed.

I thought it rather beautiful.

If only I, too, could just vanish from here...

After making my wish, I step into the light.

Then, I leave my world...and meet *her*.

## Chapter 7

I see a girl with a soft, tender smile.

The Duke walking at her side looks like a gentleman.

Everything made sense at first glance.

That girl's me, and this is a possible future where I'm happy.

Ah, that's right.

If I was at the side of someone who needed me, and was able to support them,

that would've made me happy.

...What the hell? Don't you even dare...

What's the point in showing all of this to me now?!

I was never going to have a future like this!

There was no way for me to live other than swallowing all that mud and blood!!

It's not like I wanted to become like this...and yet, to realize now that it's all been one huge mistake...

What the hell am I supposed to do...?!

...No, this isn't like me at all.

I take what I want. That's how I live.

Which means...

I look up to the two smiling happily before me, and make my way towards them...