Iris vaguely understood what the Overseer was doing, though not necessarily what he was planning. At first, Iris thought she could save Oriente, for that was why the destiny spell guided her to the inner world, but it was not the case. Oriente still died.

Even if she had passed on her legacy to Iris, she still died, and Iris used her death as an opportunity.

She felt bitter. It was the best for both, but Iris hated it. She hated that the situation had gotten so desperate, she had to take advantage of a dying Monster Girl.

Wait, it is too coincidental, isn't it? We can save Noviscar and Kurion because the Overseer didn't know what we were trying to do; once he figured it out, he trapped the weak Monster Girls inside the imperial treasury and hastened to eliminate the strong ones.

But why didn't he kill all the Monster Girls if he wanted us dead? Why left the weak for me to redeem? Is it a warning, a preventive measure?

What does he want from me?

Iris contemplated the questions as she and her friends entered the imperial treasury once more. This time, they didn't take any more artefacts and quickly exchanged them for exotic materials.

Though the artefacts were powerful, the Monster Girls didn't have the time to find compatible ones. The exotic materials were more convenient and practical. Unlike the artefacts, the Monster Girls could absorb the exotic materials and strengthen their innate talents. External treasures weren't as reliable as oneself.

Like Iris predicted, the inner section of the imperial treasury had two more Transformation Phase Monster Girls in the crystal cylinders. There were likely more, but Iris didn't dare to imagine how many there were, for she might give up saving them. Once again, she spent her two chances and held their delicate bodies in her arms.

At least we didn't have to fight the Floor Guardians to save them. We'll gather all Monster Girls quicker this way.

"Thankfully, I have the Puppeteer Token," Iris said, looking at the Puppeteer Token inside her body. It had four symbols now, with the symbol of the doll Floor Guardian as the biggest one, indicating how it was the strongest among all. "Lady Oriente, you're amazing. Even Greenwood Swordmaster couldn't compare to the Floor Guardian you fought, but you could almost kill her."

If the Floor Guardian hadn't sustained significant injuries from battling Oriente, Iris and her friends wouldn't have emerged victorious so smoothly.

"The more symbols I have, the more rewards I can redeem," Iris said, smiling. "Overseer, let's see what you're going to do when I redeem all Monster Girls you've captured."

The fourth symbol didn't increase her redeem chance, but it gave her a vague sense of perception of the inner world. Iris could sense the condition of the inner worlds, determining their environments and tests. If she carefully felt them, she could choose the most suitable test for herself, giving her a better chance to succeed.

"Is this partial ownership of the Puppeteer Legacy Ground? Is this the type of monitorisation the Overseer had?" Iris shivered, feeling an unseen gaze staring at her exposed figure. "As I thought, the sooner we get out, the better. This body isn't a model for anyone to see."

Iris blushed and rushed back to her friends.

After this would be a full-on battle against the Overseer, a war of attrition.

...

At Amplicia's mansion, Iris stood in front of a large window, staring into the garden around her. Though the mansion was in the city, its architect had planted multiple tall, lush trees around it, adding the atmosphere of a forest into the landscape.

The feeling of solitude permeated Iris, but it failed to calm her down.

Lately, she felt that something was off. She didn't know what happened, but the main body had grown stronger again, both body and soul. With this increase in strength, her mind became much more acute.

Despite how she tried to eliminate it, the fleeting restlessness in her heart still grew. She could sense that she, the clone, wasn't in danger, but her main body was.

What could it be? How can I warn my main body?

Iris frowned. She suddenly realised she had done many reckless things, all of which could have been the cause of this trouble. She was sliding down the abyss; there was no stopping.

"Sister Iris, what are you thinking?" Reta said. "Even though you're a Slime Girl, your frown looks so humane. Your charm is magical indeed."

Iris turned to Reta, who was playing with her webs, lying on the bed. Because of her spider lower body, she looked clumsy and careless. Cute.

"Reta, you've been staying close to me a lot these days." Iris smirked. "Varda will be angry if you don't put your talent to work."

"You’re much more important, Sister Iris." Reta snapped her fingers. The spiderwebs in her hand disappeared. There was an illusionary spiderweb pattern behind her, extending outwards, covering the rooms and the hallway. "You might try to sneak out again. I don't want that. We are family, and family stays together."

"How can I prove to you that I won't do it?" Iris sighed and turned to Pallorn, who was sitting beside Reta. "Sister Pallorn, are you also suspecting me? I'm not someone who would go out without any reason. My main body didn't escape to fool around. She went out because she had to!"

Pallorn shook her head.

"That is more dangerous. You have a reason to leave us, but we don't want you to leave. We can't even punish you." Pallorn lightly flapped her wings. "You promise to tell us everything, right? Then tell us, what are you thinking?"

"I just want to know how and when Main Body will return." Iris turned to the window and placed her hand on it. Its cold, smooth surface stole her body heat, giving her a slight chill. "Even I started to worry about her. She has a strange tendency to cook up unusual plans."

"Why are you criticising yourself?" Reta giggled. "Sister Iris, you're a strange Monster Girl. No wonder you could make friends with the Ambassador of the Broken Empire. You must have used your gifted tongue to please her."

"I'm not someone who would get into the bed with anyone." Iris retracted her hand and turned around, walking towards the door. "Those acts are for . . . my special ones."

Reta and Pallorn flushed as they glanced at each other, feeling strange. Had Iris always been this bold?

"Where are you going, Sister Iris." Reta's voice was meeker than before.

"I'm going down to Varda. I suddenly crave some dessert."

Reta and Pallorn knew it was a lie, but they allowed Iris to do whatever she wanted. Everyone inside the mansion was looking out for Iris anyway. She couldn't sneak out even if she wanted to.

After leaving the room, Iris sighed. She indeed had a plan to sneak out, but it was impossible now. The security was tight, and she didn't want to disappoint her sisters again. She could only ask Amplicia's subordinates about the general activities of the Labyrinth and the Legacy Ground. Fortunately, Amplicia didn't hide these mundane matters from her.

Walking down the carpeted hallway, Iris quickly found a Monster Girl in the maid uniform, dusting a picture. She was a Ghost Type Monster Girl, her skin pale, translucent, mystical.

"Lady Iris, is there anything I can help?" the maid said. "Lord Ambassador had instructed us to give you everything you want. Please don't hesitate to use us to the fullest, especially me. Lady Iris, I promise to give you the most satisfaction."

She fiddled with her hair, eyeing Iris's naked body. Among the Monster Girls, Slime Girl was the delicate and the wild, a unique experience for those who had tasted them. The maid wanted to confirm this rumour too.

"Be careful of what you wished, Dear." Iris ogled the maid. "Or you might have to wash your soaked clothes and clean the floor again."

The maid shivered and lowered her head. Iris's voice made her turned red, her crotch burning, her saliva turning sticky, dry.

"I'll—I'll take note of my behaviour. Please punish me gently," the maid said. "I'm all yours, Lady Iris."

Iris also shivered. Had something gotten into me? Did I just seduce someone else? What have you done, Main Body? It must be your fault!

"Forget what I just said. I need to know what happened lately." Iris turned away from the maid. "I've been feeling quite bad; my premonition is usually accurate."

The maid quickly recollected her thoughts and bowed, returning to her calm demeanour.

"Your intuition is powerful, Lady Iris. Though there isn’t a problem of major concern, there is indeed a problem." The maid glanced around, making sure that no one was eavesdropping. "More than half of the Labyrinth had gone to strike back against the Crusade, leaving the Labyrinth in its weakest state."

Iris nodded.

"Has something unexpected come up?"

"Please do not worry. One of the two Lords, Undrila, is still here. The Subterranean Creatures won’t be able to do anything. Even if something unpredictable occurs, we can still escort you to the teleportation formation. You and your family will safely arrive at the Broken Empire."

"What about those inside the Puppeteer Legacy Ground? Are they safe?"

"We have established outposts and temporary fortresses around that Layer. It will take an organised army to break through the obstacle to reach the Legacy Ground."

"Thank you for the information," Iris said, frowning. If everything is going smoothly, then what is trepidation? Something that even a Condensation Phase Monster Girl couldn't stop? "I hope Lady Amplicia will return soon."

"The Lady will bring glory to us Monster Girls." The maid smiled. "Is there anything else I can help you, Lady Iris? I can do anything for you, anything."

Iris took a deep breath, feeling the chill air coursing inside her body. It slightly alleviated the heat inside her chest, enough for her to suppress it by force. Something was wrong with her soul. She had a strange yearning that slowly filled her heart with irresistible urges.

I'm changing again. I'm slowly getting used to this pleasure, this freedom.

Iris looked at the maid. Her uniform had many natural gaps that exposed her pale, ethereal skin. They were moist and soft to the eyes, inviting touches and licks. Her voice was modest too, perfect for the kind of moans which aggravated desires. It would feel great to twist that bashful expression under a mind-numbing, body-aching pleasure.

Iris bit her tongue, but she felt no pain. She closed her eyes and turned around, gesturing for the maid to follow.

"Lady Iris, where are we going?" The maid looked down at her feet. "Are we going to your . . ."

"No. I want you to follow me to the study room. I have a letter to write." Iris exhaled. The misty puff of hot air enveloped her face. "Once you deliver it, come to me."

I need to let loose too. I'll hurt myself if I suppress them too much. After all, I'm a Monster Girl now. Having a little fun is something to be expected.

Just once, I promise.