What If the Strongest Villain from the Original Story Became the Protagonist's Ally?

I didn’t want to eat Iris’s cooking.

If I ate it, I’d die.

My stomach, cells, consciousness, all that stuff.

Thinking that, Nana and I had headed to the castle town, but Iris came to where we were eating at the tavern.

This was bad. We’d been caught.

It was obvious from the various dishes she had on her hands that we’d run away because we didn’t want to eat her cooking.

However, I clung to a ray of hope and attempted to make excuses.

“It’s a misunderstanding, Princess Iris.”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

The reply came back in a bone-chillingly cold voice. My shoulders trembled, but if I lost here, both Nana and I would get beaten up.

So Nana, stop eating already. We’re having a serious conversation.

“But, well, probably, surely, maybe… you’re misunderstanding, right? Let me explain, right?”

“…Fine. Go ahead, I’ll listen.”

Ugh… Iris’s sharp gaze pierced through me. I felt like she could see right through to my heart.

Fearfully, I tried explaining to her.

“Um… actually, I was in the mood for meat dishes today.”

“I have meat prepared. Shall we return to the royal palace?”

“There’s dessert here too!? Nana loves fruit because she’s a child!”

“We have fruit too. Let’s go to the royal palace.”

“And besides… don’t you ever just want to drink in a place like this? You understand, right!?”

“I don’t understand. You’re a minor, aren’t you? Now let’s return to the palace.”

“…Yes ma’am.”

Sorry, Nana.

Papa knew that lies wouldn’t work on Iris. All my words were deflected, and I was grabbed by the collar and dragged away.

The stares around us hurt. They probably couldn’t help but be curious about me being dragged by Princess Iris.

Nana, who had stuffed fruit into her mouth with a munch, chased after me as I was being dragged.

Surrounded by soldiers, we returned to the royal palace…

▼△▼

“Now please, Yuu-san. This is my homemade cooking. Please cry with joy.”

In front of me, chained to a chair, dishes reeking intensely of spices were lined up. Ah, this was bad. My nose might get bent out of shape. She’d used way too many spices. She should have noticed from the smell.

“By the way, Iris.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what tasting is?”

“The head chef did the tasting.”

“Where’s the head chef?”

“He seems to be feeling unwell today and is currently in the medical office.”

“Medicaaaal!!”

That’s terrible! If I ate that, I’d be sentenced to the medical office too!? Who would make someone eat poison just because they had a magic core!? There was one right in front of me.

Probably the magic core’s effect would prevent me from getting sick. There was a good chance I’d suffer mentally, but even so, I was better off than Nana, who was looking pale beside me.

“This cooking is definitely the bad kind. Can you even call this cooking?”

“It’s undoubtedly cooking. It’s a princess’s homemade meal, you know? Please be happy.”

“Then you eat it first.”

“…Please eat quickly.”

“Iris-san!?”

Please look this way!?

My anguished cry was, however, easily ignored by Iris.

…You damn brat. You know this wasn’t cooking but poison, yet you prioritize revenge against me for running away.

Is this what a princess who protects her people does!?

I wanted to show this cooking(?) to the people who called her pure and saint-like. But it was also true that I’d run away.

Being told that made me weak.

So I had no choice but to—

“—Hey! Oi, Iris.”

“? What is it?”

“I can’t eat because I’m chained up. Feed me.”

“!?”

The emotion “I never thought of that!?” appeared on Iris’s face. I didn’t quite understand, but I’d already steeled myself. At least, I’d dispose of this poison as an apology to her.

I closed my eyelids and opened my mouth.

“Now, put me out of my misery! Ahh!”

“Ah, ah, ahh…”

Iris picked up a spoon with a trembling voice and scooped up the red liquid and brought it to my mouth.

Why soup at this point?

She should have gone with something solid. Liquid would definitely affect my throat… As I was thinking that, finally, the poison was thrown into my mouth.

Gulp.

I drank it down.

“—Guh!”

I went down.

I collapsed, slamming my face onto the table.

“Wh-what is this… ugh…”

Awful.

Rather than awful, it only tasted and smelled like spices. It wasn’t a level of being strongly flavored. It was like eating them directly.

I felt like throwing up. On top of that, I told Nana beside me.

“N-Nana… I’ll be waiting in hell…”

“Papa…”

Nana was speechless. But I couldn’t help you. Because I was tied up.