Book 5: Volume 4 Chapter 10, Handling Information

Translator: Kazumi

Editor: Silavin

 

Iris was required to report everything she observed directly to Machie, the Shadow Leader.

 

That alone conveyed how seriously the Shadow Leaders regarded Peach and her companions’ movements.

 

The moment Iris entered the Leader’s presence, she relayed what she had seen. Naturally, it was the signs of Peach’s pregnancy.

 

“Hmm. I see…”

 

To Iris, the Leader’s expression seemed entirely unchanged. She had expected as much. As head of the Clan, it was only natural that Machie would not allow her emotions to surface in front of a subordinate.

 

Or so Iris had assumed. She appeared to be the only one.

 

A quiet ripple of laughter passed through the other executives. Some made no effort to hide their amusement.

 

“Machie, you’re too old to be making that face. Don’t look so envious.”

 

One of the female executives said it with easy familiarity, and the laughter grew warmer, far more unrestrained.

 

“Sh-shut up! Don’t say things like that in front of Iris!”

 

Machie’s protest came quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly. Iris watched the exchange in quiet surprise, something loosening in her chest. She had spent years in the shadows, trained to keep her own face still and unreadable. Letting emotion show before an opponent was considered a fatal mistake.

 

And yet, watching these executives tease their leader with such open fondness, Iris felt herself smile before she could stop it.

 

Machie naturally noticed. she cleared her throat, straightened, and redirected the conversation with practiced composure.

 

“So? What will the Amamiya people do now?”

 

“They’ll proceed with the plan as before. But, they said another woman will take Peach’s place.”

 

“Another woman?” Machie’s tone shifted slightly. “Are there still people capable of replacing her?”

 

The question wasn’t idle. Machie had met Peach directly and understood what lay behind that calm exterior of hers. It was a strength that ran deep and quiet, the kind that did not announce itself. She could not measure the full extent of Peach’s strength, but she knew finding someone comparable would not be simple.

 

If Amamiya’s Succubus truly had such a replacement ready, then the organization was more formidable than even Machie had estimated.

 

They were in an alliance-like arrangement for now, but the future was never certain. Vigilance, for someone in her position, was not optional. It was simply part of what she was.

 

Iris nodded as the Leader’s thoughts settled.

 

“Apparently, Millie, the one who stayed close to Peach, will be taking charge of combat.”

 

Millie, of course, was Mitsuki’s alias. Using her real name openly wasn’t something they could afford.

 

The reaction among the executives was immediate. Several faces shifted in ways Iris hadn’t seen before. Machie was first among them.

 

“What!?”

 

Iris found herself puzzled. She wasn’t alone. The executives who had not reacted wore expressions that mirrored her own confusion. It was a quiet acknowledgment between them that something had just passed beyond the boundary of what they were permitted to know. That, in itself, told Iris something.

 

The surprise had come from within the top three. Whatever the restricted information was, she could not begin to guess.

 

Machie took a breath, visibly steadying herself. This was a rare thing for the Shadow Leader, and looked at Iris with an uncharacteristic directness.

 

“That was said by Millie, not Peach, wasn’t it?”

 

There was weight behind the question. Iris recognized it and took care with her answer, letting the memory of the conversation play through once more before she nodded.

 

“Yes. That’s correct. And now that I think about it…” She paused.

 

“Go on. Even something small, tell me everything.”

 

“When Millie said she would handle it, she said she would only do what Peach was capable of.”

 

Something eased in Machie’s expression. The executives who shared the restricted knowledge seemed to exhale in a similar manner. It was not loud, not dramatic, but it was still obvious.

 

Machie and the others had not truly believed Mitsuki would begin doing something irreversible. But belief and certainty were different things, and the space between them had apparently been enough to make them take a deep breath. If the matter could be kept within reasonable limits, that was the best they could hope for.

 

Even so, not knowing the true extent of Peach’s abilities meant some unease remained.

 

“Um… well?”

 

Iris tilted her head slightly, uncertain what to make of their reactions. Machie caught the look and shook her head.

 

“I’m sorry. Regarding Lady Millie… it’s classified to the point it is top secret. Even the executives don’t have clearance to share information about her.”

 

Iris absorbed this quietly. She understood that within any organization, access to information was rarely uniform, even among those who held rank. She accepted that without any resentment.

 

What gave her pause was something else.

 

The realization settled over her slowly: the person she had been dealing with was someone the head of the Shadows herself handled with care. Iris had held a respectable position within the Smith Kingdom’s shadow network, and yet she had never encountered anything quite like this. She gulped once, and said nothing.

 

“You can continue treating me exactly as you always have.”

 

Machie spoke before Iris had even found the words to ask what came next. It was a small kindness, delivered plainly.

 

Iris steadied herself. Whatever Millie was, it did not change the work. Iris had enough experience to hold that line.

 

*Nothing will change.* She told herself this, and found she believed it.

 

“Understood. That concludes my report. Is there anything further?”

 

“No. If we proceed according to plan, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Iris bowed and left.

 

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While Iris was making her report, Peach found herself on the receiving end of a question from one of her fellow Succubus.

 

“Peach, are you going to tell Kousuke-sama about this?”

 

The Succubus who had come to Smith Kingdom for this mission were women Peach had grown up alongside. Perhaps because of those shared years, those of her generation carried themselves with ease around her, and when no outsiders were present, conversations came naturally without ceremony.

 

Peach’s expression grew troubled at the question. She glanced quietly toward Mitsuki before answering.

 

“What should we do? It’s still too uncertain to say anything definitive…”

 

Mitsuki, sensing the unspoken appeal in that glance, responded with a small nod.

 

“For now, given how things stand, we can’t afford to lower our guard. Telling him would only raise hopes when we have yet to confirm it.”

 

“Right…”

 

Peach nodded, the word soft and measured.

 

The Succubus who had asked tilted her head again.

 

“What if Kousuke-sama asks us directly?”

 

Mitsuki and Peach looked at one another. The smile that passed between them arrived at almost exactly the same moment.

 

“That’s unlikely.”

 

“He really doesn’t notice these kinds of things.”

 

“True. Even if he does pick up on something, it’ll probably be after this is all over. In all likelihood.”

 

They were not being unkind about it. They were just being honest, brutally honest. The mission was aimed at a swift resolution, and if it dragged on beyond what was manageable, the personnel involved would be reconsidered.

 

As things stood, the current arrangement was only meant to last about a month.

 

“Besides, with Collete, his attention is already elsewhere, isn’t it?”

 

“That’s true.”

 

Collete was approaching her due date. Kousuke’s focus, as far as babies were concerned, had naturally settled there. It was unlikely he would think to look in Peach’s direction at all.

 

“And besides,” Peach added, “if someone asks directly, you can answer honestly. There’s no need to force yourself to hide anything.”

 

Mitsuki agreed with a nod. “If anything, if they press too hard, it’s better to simply tell them. Kousuke has a habit of picking up on things in unexpected ways when it matters.”

 

“That’s true,” came the chorus of quiet agreement.

 

The Succubus who had asked, and those nearby who had been listening, all seemed to settle at this. There had been a particular tension in their expressions, Peach noticed. The quiet worry of not knowing whether silence was required when speaking to Kousuke. Knowing it was not seem to lift something from their shoulders.

 

In the end, they agreed to stay quiet about Peach’s condition for now, and to simply wait and see.