**Iris Midgar:** First Princess of the Midgar Kingdom and leader of the Crimson Order knight organization. She possesses fiery red hair and red eyes. Her attire evolved from a royal dark violet knight uniform with black shoulder straps and white gloves to a professional gray uniform featuring black trims, crimson lining, and a detachable black cloak after the Black Rose incident; she also began adding braids and small jewelry to her hair.
Her personality blends bravery, diligence, and pride as a swordswoman committed to protecting the kingdom. A childhood prodigy in swordsmanship who defeated instructors early, she earned acclaim as the Midgar Kingdom's strongest magic swordswoman, becoming a symbol of national pride driven to meet expectations as a beacon of hope and strength. However, she lacks political acumen and organizational leadership skills, openly acknowledging her younger sister Alexia's superior intellect in these areas, hinting at an underlying inferiority complex. This is compounded by her stubbornness and difficulty accepting beings stronger than herself.
Key events shaped her development. Following Alexia's kidnapping by the Cult of Diablos and subsequent rescue by Shadow Garden, Iris established the Crimson Order to investigate both the cult and Shadow Garden. During the capital attack, she confronted a regenerating monster only to be effortlessly outmatched by Shadow Garden's Alpha, leaving her feeling powerless and cementing her view of Shadow Garden as the kingdom's primary threat.
Her psychological decline accelerated during the Bushin Festival. Initially confident, she suffered a humiliating defeat to Mundane Mann (later revealed as Shadow), who overwhelmed her with psychological feints and a single physical strike. Later, alongside Beatrix against Shadow, she was easily subdued. Adaptation differences note her reaction: the light novel and manga depict her puzzled by Shadow's warning about "true enemies," while the anime emphasizes visceral frustration and helplessness. This defeat shattered her self-worth, igniting an obsessive thirst for revenge and a fixation on surpassing Shadow.
Post-festival, her mental state deteriorated into instability and depression. She grew increasingly antagonistic, dismissing evidence of the Cult of Diablos' influence and misinterpreting all threats as Shadow Garden's false flag operations. This mindset alienated Alexia, who pursued independent investigations; Iris threatened her sister during clashes over the academy disappearances case, prioritizing her vendetta over familial bonds. Recognizing Iris's manipulation by the cult, the king strategically assigned her to the cult's sphere while directing Alexia toward Shadow Garden, aiming to ensure the royal family's survival regardless of factional outcomes.
Privately, Iris displays traits contrasting her public persona: she sleeps with a teddy bear, wears bunny- or kitten-print underwear, and exhibits innocence regarding everyday activities like eating at food stalls. She becomes flustered by romantic topics and maintains a genuine, unpretentious demeanor outside official duties. Despite overprotectiveness toward Alexia, their divergent crisis approaches—Iris favoring force, Alexia emphasizing study—widened their rift.
In combat, Iris wields a longsword (depicted as a broadsword in the anime) and leverages the immense magical reserves inherent in the Midgar royal lineage. Her style prioritizes raw power over finesse, enabling body reinforcement and high-speed movement. Physical capabilities include keeping pace with Beatrix and Shadow in skirmishes, though she faltered at critical moments. Her tenure as Midgar Academy's top Dark Knight student solidified her reputation, though she acknowledged falling short of legends like Beatrix.