The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet
The first word Lin understood wasn't the usual "Papa" or "Mama"—it was "Fireball"… a spell.
She was two years old at the time.
Of course, at that age, she had barely any magical power.
Though she managed to cast the spell, all that appeared was a tiny fireball, no larger than the tip of her finger.
And even that disappeared almost instantly.
However, from the perspective of human history, this was an impossible feat.
A mere two-year-old child, with no knowledge or training, casting magic—it was unheard of.
Lin possessed an extraordinary talent for magic.
Her parents, convinced of this, subjected her to rigorous magical training.
Ordinarily, a young child would make friends and play freely.
But Lin’s parents didn’t care about such things—they made her study magic relentlessly.
As a result, by the time she was just six, she had mastered advanced magic.
Her parents were ecstatic, almost delirious with joy.
Lin’s parents were minor nobles, entrusted with managing a small territory.
Far from the western continent, where the demons resided, their land held no real significance.
They spent their days overseeing it, bored with their routine lives.
Yet they harbored ambitions.
One day, they would rise to power, move to the capital.
They would prove wrong those who mocked them as mere frontier nobility.
That was their dream, their motivation.
And then, their daughter Lin was born—with an unprecedented talent for magic.
She was useful.
A perfect tool.
That was how they saw her.
How they allowed themselves to see her.
And so—
Lin grew exactly as they had hoped.
She became a powerful mage.
But she was never given what truly mattered—she grew up knowing nothing of love.
However, in the end, Lin achieved a remarkable feat: she became a member of the Hero’s Party.
Her parents, in turn, gained significant status.
They showered her with praise.
“You’re amazing.”
“You’re our pride and joy.”
“You’re incredible.”
They threw every compliment they could at her.
But—
Whether Lin found that pleasant was another matter entirely.
Annoying.
Annoying.
Annoying.
That was how she truly felt.
She had long realized that her parents only saw her as a means to advance their status.
She had known since she was eight.
At that age, she couldn’t survive without their protection.
So she played along.
She became the perfect tool.
She honed her magic.
But it was never because she wanted to.
If she were honest, she was sick of being dragged into their pathetic ambitions.
Pathetic.
To be so obsessed with climbing the social ladder—it was ridiculous.
Her parents were fools.
That was what she thought.
Then, when she finally became part of the Hero’s Party…
She realized something.
Wasn’t she now in a higher position than her parents?
The moment that thought crossed her mind, a smile crept onto her lips.
A deep, intoxicating satisfaction filled her.
Her parents, who had used even their own daughter in their pursuit of status.
Yet now, the tables had turned.
Now, it was Lin who held their fate in her hands.
When she reached that realization—
She developed a new ambition.
She would rise even higher.
Far beyond their reach.
She would become someone they could only look up to in awe.
And when that day came—her parents would surely grovel at her feet.
Beg her for scraps.
Like fools, they would smile and cling to her.
Idiots.
As if she cared about them.
Lin planned to trample them underfoot.
After using people so freely, did they really think they could enjoy the rewards now?
How convenient for them.
Just as they had used her as they pleased, she would do the same.
She would seize ultimate power, rise to the top, and make them regret everything.
That was the conclusion she reached.
To an outsider, her thoughts might seem nothing more than childish rebellion.
A child, hurt by the lack of parental love, seeking revenge.
But Lin believed she was right.
Absolutely right.
Making those fools regret their choices—that was her purpose.
To do that, she would grow stronger.
Seize power.
Take everything.
That was the plan.
And yet…
――――――――――
"Ah, aaaaaah!? Why, why, why, why, whyyyyyyy!?"
Lin's screams echoed as she extended her black tendrils.
Even though she was the one being consumed, she still tried to drag us down with her.
What an obsession.
No, perhaps "fixation" was the better word.
She couldn't accept that she alone would perish.
If that were the case, she would drag everything around her down with her.
She truly believed that was only natural, scattering "destruction and chaos" in her wake.
Her soul should have been shattered.
Her life should have ended.
Yet, through sheer obsession alone, "she clung to existence," reaching out to take us with her.
She refused to go alone.
"I... I... aaaaaahhh!?"
Lin’s scream tore through the air.
"Ugh... persistent! Everyone!"
"Yeah, let's hit her all at once!"
"I'll... support you!"
"Let's go!"
Everyone braced themselves.
Finia and Elfin took their stances.
Shigure and Sakura did the same.
But I—
"Wait."
"Rain?"
"Leave this to me."
With those words, I stepped forward.
The black tendrils sprouting from Lin’s body writhed like a raging storm.
Everything they touched was swallowed, consumed, and thrashed violently.
Facing that monstrous sight, I raised my palm—
And spoke.
"Stop."
"—!?"
Lin froze.
Just as I commanded, she stopped.
Lin had completely transcended humanity at this point.
Then, could she be placed under my control?
It was a sudden thought, but—it seemed to work.
"Guh... gah... if only... if only you weren’t here!"
"…Hey, Lin. Let’s stop this."
"What…?"
"This fight to the death—this isn’t really what you wanted, is it? We traveled together, fought together… We were comrades, weren’t we?"
"…"
"I don’t think you’re a good person. I’m not saying I’ll forgive you for everything you’ve done. But… this? Is this really what you wanted?"
"…"
"Let’s end this. Let’s stop. I don’t know what you’re thinking, or what you wanted… but right now, you look like you're suffering. To me, it looks like you're crying for help."
"…Hmph."
The black tendrils halted.
And then—
"What is this? You think you understand me? That’s beyond annoying."
"Hah. Now that sounds more like you."
"Shut up... You’re seriously the most irritating person."
"That’s fine, right?"
"…Do what you want."
"Then... sleep."
I issued the command.
And then—
Lin slowly closed her eyes.
Her entire body, along with the black tendrils, "crumbled into dust."
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