Meet Beast Tamer, the mightiest species of cat ear girl banished from the brave party

"It's..."

Unexpectedly lose words.

In the battle with the Demon King, the majority of the Heavenly Nation has died.

It is no longer the way it has been before, and instead of protecting humans, even the survival of species is at stake.

Even though they say they're in that state, they want you to protect them as you've always done...

There's no way I can.

It's too unscrupulous a demand.

What were they thinking at the time?

Heavenly clan the unscrupulous demands...

Did you think that would go through?

I suppose you thought that would be allowed?

And what would Iris have thought when he heard that?

What would the Heavenly Clan have thought?

"What do you think happened to us?

"... Did you say no?

"No, you don't. I tried to be the guardian of people, just like before, unchanged."

An unexpected word popped up.

"Why?"

"Do you wonder? Well, I wonder, too. Maybe we were crazy at the time. Even though the survival of the species is at stake, nevertheless, I still can't believe you continue to be the protector of humans..."

"Maybe... that's the existential significance of the Heavenly Nation... is that why?

"Heh, you're right."

Illis laughs.

That was some self-derisive grin.

"We, the Heavenly Nation, were created to protect man. I don't know any other way of life."

I don't know any other way of life.

That seemed like a very sad word.

There seems to be freedom, no freedom at all.

It's like a bird in a bird cage.

I just can't believe I can only do the role I've been given...

I don't know what to say, but maybe it's broken somewhere.

"You look bitter"

"Well......"

"What did you think? Why don't you let me know your honest thoughts?

"... strange, I felt. You mean you don't have your own will... bad way of saying it, but I think you depend on others for your way of life"

"Dependence... heh, you're right"

Again, he spilled a grin that Iris mocked himself with.

Watching that lonely grin makes my chest hurt so tight.

"We, the Heavenly Nation, were a race that carried out the mission given to the gods. Someone has given me a mission to make it my way of life to do it. That's why I couldn't choose my own path."

"That's... lonely"

"Right, it's a lonely way of life...... but we acted at the time believing it was the best. Well, sometimes I don't know how else to live..."

"By saying that, I mean, you've accepted what people say, you want me to keep it, right?

"Yeah, I accepted. We tried to reduce the number of individuals and remain the protectors of mankind. As a result...... what do you think happened?

They threw that question at me.

What happened......

If you think normally, you can't be the guardian of people...... right?

The number of individuals has dropped dramatically, and the remaining heavenly tribes are full of women and children.

I can't exert the power I've always had.

"... I can't protect you anymore, can I?

Even though I was lost, I gave such an answer.

"Hmm... half correct, let's just say"

"No?

"You're half right. We, the surviving Heavenly Nation, were left with no great power. Even if you are the guardian of man, you are overwhelmingly powerless. As before, we can no longer protect humans from demons or eliminate demons."

"Think normally, you will..."

If so, what does the word half-correct mean?

The other half of the truth, what the hell...?

"The correct answer is… we are no longer able to protect humans, and we, the Heavenly Nation, will be disputed,"

"Nah..."

Not much of a development when it comes to words.

"Humans blamed us for losing power and not being able to move as before. How could you not help me? Are you enjoying watching us suffer? You're not really going to protect me, are you?... I've been told so many things."

I can't believe I was treated like a traitor by what I believed...

How much was the despair and disappointment of the Heavenly Nation then?

I can't even imagine.

Is that why Illis has limited himself to humans?

Why did you start hating humans?

No... I still felt like there was something.

That shouldn't be enough to have a strong hatred so far.

If so, what more...?

"I've been told so many things... but we tried to be human protectors by the time we were foolish. Sometimes I don't know the other way around, but... one day, there's where I believed my thoughts would arrive. I hope we can get through, believe me, and do what we can."

"... can I ask you how that turned out?

"Yes."

The expression disappears from the face of Illis.

With a face that doesn't show any emotions, it's small, just snap one word.

"You betrayed me."

What does that mean?

What the hell did humans do in the past?

I'm afraid to ask.

I'm afraid to face people's sins.

But if you run away here, you'll never be able to face Illis again.

I'll be ready to continue the conversation.

"Can you tell me what happened?

"... at the time, we were not the only Heavenly Nation, but also human beings in danger of doom. Everything was devastating in the battle against the Demon King that lasted for years...... so I needed to hit something. The humans at the time thought. The human body is too fragile to live in this desolate world...... then what can we do? What answers do you think the humans have come up with?

I had a very bad feeling about it.

"The answer is very simple. If you have no power, take it from the powerful. Hey... that's a very simple answer, isn't it?

"No way......"

"The humans said. I'm sorry I said something terrible before. We were wrong. As an apology at least, I'd like to entertain you. Wouldn't you come?

……

"We rejoiced in that word. I finally got my thoughts right...... that's how I got it wrong. And we went to the city of man as we were invited... and we were held captive."

On the face of Iris, who was faceless, the colour of hatred lit.

I don't see any other emotions.

Just have a strong hatred...

Critical.

He was gripping his fist so hard that he was about to bleed out.

"We were captured by humans... well, let's skip this place. Because neither listening nor speaking is a pleasant story. Anyway... we, the Heavenly Nation, were captured by humans and turned into experiments. What is the source of heavenly power? Can't humans gain the power of the Heavenly Nation? Can't we use the power of the Heavenly Clan? For that purpose, with all sorts of experiments… one, and one more, my people are dying."

What words should I say to Iris?

Though I think...... no.

I can't find a word for anything.

"Maybe we were stupid. I just spoiled the other person and didn't try to be a true reciprocal relationship. I only stupidly moved on, and so, I was blindly convinced that I could figure it out one day. I can't help it if they say it's stupid...... But!"

Iris' tone gets rough.

Maybe he remembers that time.

Shake the fist you gripped...

He bites his lips and reveals his anger.

"I can't believe I have to be betrayed like that...... is there such a cruel fate!? We didn't do anything, even if we were stupid. I didn't do anything wrong. And yet, my people have been treated badly, and they've killed everything. There's no way I can forgive you."

"... Illis..."

"... I was lucky enough to escape, I finally woke up. A human guardian? The mission of the Heavenly Nation is to protect man? Everything like that is a lie. My mission, one of the last of the Heavenly tribes, is… to avenge my family and fellow citizens. Kill people, kill them, kill them... and kill them as long as you have the power."

"... who lives in the present, even though it has nothing to do with the past?

"Yeah, I'll kill you, even if it doesn't matter. For I am already averse, hateful, and hostile to the very species of man. They do that...... can the past be divided from the past? I, unfortunately, am a child, cannot do that."

"Well... if you can break it off, you won't have a hard time"

"Pfft, I'm glad you understand."

I finally understand why Illis hates people.

And... I empathize.

I've lost my family, too.

My father, my mother, my friends... I've lost everything.

I never meant I didn't think about revenge then.

Sometimes I was desperate to live and not quite there...

If I could afford it, I would have thought of revenge.

That's not all.

What if everyone was lost?

Canade, Tania, Sola, Luna, Nina, Tina......

What if everyone was killed irrationally?

You won't be able to stay calm.

I think I'll definitely think of revenge.

So... I'm sympathetic to what Iris thinks.

I felt sorry for him.

"Pfft... excuse me. I'm a little disturbed."

Having finished telling the whole story, Illis had the usual grin.

But I do.

Beyond that laugh is hidden the uninterrupted despair and hatred.

... that there are hidden sorrows that can never be healed.

"This is all I can tell you. Oh, if you can follow me...... I was liberated, and then I was called the devil while I was around wearing my powers for revenge, killing humans...... and then sealed. So, it connects now."

"... thanks. Tell me something that's hard to talk about."

"No, Rayne, it's your favor. Well, as you know, it's impossible to reconcile with me."

"It's..."

"Well... one thing, I'd like to ask you, are you sure?

Ilis saw this one.

Still, peeking into my eyes, I come face-to-face.

"Listen to me... know me... on top of that, what are you going to do, Laine?