Beast Tamer Who Got Kicked Out From the Hero’s Party Chapter 159 Part 2

CHAPTER 159 PART 2

「The humans were really quick to blame us for losing our former power and not being able to fulfill our duty as we used to. “Why don’t you save us?”　”Do you actually enjoy seeing us in pain?”　”You don’t really mean to protect us at all, do you?”　…… This is but a fraction of the things that humans would say to us at the time.」

To be treated like a mere traitor by someone who used to trust you so deeply……

I wonder how much despair and disappointment the Celestial Tribe must have felt at that time?

I’m sure it was something that I can’t even begin to imagine.

Is that why Iris has given up on humans in general?

But what actually made her hate and detest humans so much?

No…… I still think that there is even more to it than that.

That fact alone shouldn’t be enough to have such a strong on someone, to create a hatred and madness this strong and lasting.

But if that’s the case here, then what more could have pushed her right past the point of no return……?

「We were told many different things in that time period, some of them less painful, and some of them really bad. But even so, we foolishly believed that we could pull it off, being the guardians of humanity. For us, there was simply no other way of life that we knew, but there were some of us who naively believed that there will come a day when the Celestial Tribe and humans would be able to come to a mutual understanding once more. We hoped and believed that we would be able to communicate with each other, and we did what we could to make that wishful thinking into a reality.」

「…… And I suppose I am to soon learn about the results of that wishful thinking?」

「Yes, that’s right.」

At that moment, any form of expression disappeared from Iris’s face.

With a face that doesn’t reflect any emotion on it, she murmured a small, single word.

「…… trayed. We have been betrayed.」

What does that mean?

What kind of thing have people done in the past to the members of the Celestial Tribe?

I’m actually too afraid to ask.

I’m afraid to face the sins of other people.

But if I back down here, I will never be able to face Iris ever again.

So I braced myself and got ready to hear more of Iris’s story.

「Can you…… Can you tell me what happened?」

「At that time, it was not only the Celestial Tribe that was on the verge of going extinct. Humans were in the exact same situation. Everything had been devastated by the long-running war with the Demon Lord…… So there was something that needed to be done in regards to that. And so the humans came up with a certain conclusion. Since the human body was way too fragile to live in this desolate world…….then what should we do?　What answer do you think the humans came up with, Rein-sama?」

I had an incredibly bad feeling about what was about to come.

「Oh, the answer is a very simple one, Rein-sama. I mean, if you don’t have the power yourself, then it just means that you have to take it away from someone who has it, right? Yes….. It’s a very simple answer indeed, wouldn’t you think?」

「No way……」

「The humans came to the Celestial Tribe with an offer. They said: “’We’re sorry for all the terrible things we have said. We were the ones who were in the wrong. We would like to make it up to you somehow. There will be a feast in your name that we are about to organize. Would you like to come as well?”」

「……………」

「Of course, the Celestial Tribe was delighted to hear those words. At last our thoughts were understood…… Or so we thought. And so we were invited to go to the city of humans where instead of being revered and celebrated, we were taken prisoners and detained.」

Iris’s face, which had been expressionless up until now, was dotted with hatred.

There was no other emotion on her face besides that one right now.

Just that strong, unadulterated hatred……

Just barely.

I clenched my fists so tightly that I felt like they were going to bleed at any moment now.

「As for those of us who were captured by humans…… Well, let’s just skip this part. It’s not a pleasant story for either the listener or the speaker. Anyway, we were captured by the humans and turned into experimental subjects. What is the source of the Celestial Tribe’s power?　Can’t humans get that power of the Celestial Tribe? Can’t we harness the power of the Celestial Tribe?　One by one my people died, one by one, as they were subjected to various experiments for that very purpose.」

What could I possibly say to Iris when I was confronted with such monstrous revelations?

I tried to think about it, but I just couldn’t.

I just couldn’t find the right words.

「Maybe it was us, the Celestial Tribe, who were stupid. We only indulged them and never tried to be true equals with humans to begin with. All we did was to move forward foolishly, and then we blindly believed that one day we would understand each other just like that. Because we were so naive and stupid, there is no other way but to call us stupid, but…… But….. BUT STILL……!!!」

Iris’s tone was really rough and coarse.

Maybe it was because she was remembering what happened at that time.

Her clenched fists were clearly shaking……

She even bit her lip, revealing her anger.

「To have to suffer such a betrayal from someone we trusted so deeply……. Such a cruel fate!　We might have been stupid, but we have done nothing wrong! We didn’t do anything wrong! And yet, my friends and comrades were treated badly, worse than animals and trash, and all of them were killed in the end! How could I ever forgive humans for doing something like that!?

「…… Iris……」

「I was eventually lucky enough to be able to escape our captivity, and when I did, it was like that thing you humans would call a wake-up call. Guardians of humanity? The mission of the Celestial Tribe? To hell with all that! I was the only one of us who was left. And as the last surviving member of the Celestial Tribe, it is my duty to avenge my family and friends. I will kill and kill and kill and kill and kill as long as I have the strength to do so, all so that I can finally get my revenge!」

「…… But…… What if the people who live in the present have nothing to do with the events of the past?」

「Yes, you might be right about that, Rein-sama. But still, that doesn’t matter to me. I will keep on killing humans all the same. I already hate, detest and regard the human race itself as my mortal enemy. After what they did to us, do you really think I can just forget those events and move on from them? I, unfortunately, being the immature child that I am, cannot do that.」

「Yes…… I guess that you are right. If you were able to put your past well behind you, you wouldn’t have to struggle with it so much right now.」

「Fufufu, I’m glad that you are able to understand that so fast, Rein-sama.」

I was finally able to understand why Iris hates people so much.

And … I honestly couldn’t help myself but to sympathize with her circumstances.

I, too, have lost my family once.

I’ve lost my father, my mother, my friends…… I have lost everyone that I was holding dear to my heart.

Naturally, it’s not like the thought of revenge never crossed my mind.

But maybe it was because I was so busy living my life that I did not have time to think about it, but……

I was sure that if I was able to afford it, I would do everything in my power to get revenge for those events.

But that’s not all there was to it.

What if I was to lose everything and everyone I had right now?

Losing Kanade, Tanya, Sora, Luna, Nina, Tina……

What if they were all killed inexcusably right in front of my eyes?

I don’t think I would ever be able to keep my cool if it would come to that.
.
I would definitely think about getting revenge.

So I…… I couldn’t help it but to sympathize with Iris’s situation.

I even felt pity for her to some extent.

「Fufufu…… Please excuse me. It seems that I have become a little bit distraught there.」

When she finished telling me everything, Iris smiled her usual smile at me.

But I knew.

Behind that smile, there is a tremendous amount of hatred and despair that brewed inside of her for all those years.

An incredible amount of sadness and powerlessness that could never possibly be healed.

「And that is all I can tell you, Rein-sama. Oh, I might as well add a little more detail to my story. You see, after I was freed, I was on the run for a while, but then I managed to obtain the Power necessary for me to exact my revenge on humans. For a while I was just going from one place to another, killing people indiscriminately, until I was eventually branded as the Devil and sealed away inside of that shrine. And the rest of the story is something that you should be familiar with. And that brings us to the present moment.」

「…… Thank you. For telling me something like that, even though it must have been so hard for you to be forced to remember it all.」

「Oh, please don’t worry about it, Rein-sama. After all, it was something that you have obtained for yourself, fair and square. Not to mention that the reason why I did tell you all this is so that you could realize that there is no way for you to actually make peace with me.」

「T-This is……」

「That being said, I do have a question for you, Rein-sama. If you don’t mind me asking, that is.」

Iris then looked at me.

And while still looking me in the eyes, she came closer to me, the two of us being practically face to face right now.

「After listening to my story…… Getting to know me…… Getting to know the truth…… Tell me: what do you intend to do about it, Rain-sama?」