The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 104



Reunion with Nikita

On the way to the finals of the international solo exhibition.

I was in a daze the whole time because of Seron’s sudden action.

I already knew that Seron liked Vikamon.

But I never expected to be touched like this.

Even when I tried to forget, I kept thinking about Seron’s soft lips that had touched my cheek.

‘Is this okay?’

My mind became unnecessarily complicated.

It was while I was heading to the finals conference hall with such thoughts.

Since it was still morning, there was no one around.

Soon, this path would be bustling with people.

The autumn morning breeze felt quite pleasant.

Click-

At that moment, for some reason, I saw a familiar figure walking towards me.

My gaze naturally followed.

Soon, my eyes began to widen.

Inside the robe revealed by the morning sunlight.

I saw dark brown hair that had been artificially changed using tools.

But I knew exactly who the face inside the robe belonged to.

“…Nikita?”

I called out that name.

It was a name I hadn’t called in a long time.

Before I knew it, she ran towards me.

My arm unconsciously stretched forward.

Thud-

She threw herself into my arms.

She was still a small, light body.

Why is Nikita here?

I don’t know.

I thought I would never see her again for the rest of my life.

Nikita tried to assassinate Iris.

Given that, she could no longer appear in public.

So I thought I wouldn’t be able to see her, but I didn’t expect her to appear in front of me again.

“……Junior.”

Her voice trembled.

It was a voice that had endured a lot.

“I missed you.”

The moment I heard those words, I realized it too.

“Indeed.”

A smile had already formed on my lips.

This smile was probably one that only Nikita could bring out.

“I missed you too.”

Someone who never faltered and always moved forward resolutely.

Watching that gave me a lot of comfort.

But Nikita could never escape her fate of death.

In the scenario, she was a character who had to die.

I didn’t like that.

So I struggled against it.

Because I wanted to see her live beyond the scenario.

And now, Nikita is in front of me.

That fact makes me happier than ever before.

So I missed Nikita.

Nikita widened her eyes, then hesitated slightly, lowering her gaze.

Then she glanced up at me.

What is this, this cuteness.

Nikita looked at me with a face full of things she wanted to say.

But soon, as if it wasn’t time yet, she bit her lip.

“Actually, I shouldn’t have come like this, but it was hard to endure.”

Nikita cautiously opened her mouth, her ears turning red.

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“B-because I missed you a lot.”

It seemed she was embarrassed by the unfamiliar words she uttered.

The image of the disaster dragon was no longer visible in her.

I felt relieved by that fact.

“Junior, no, Vikamon, I want to tell you this.”

At that moment, she grabbed my collar tightly.

“You must not use the shroud bandage anymore. You will lose all three of your emotions.”

I could feel the burning concern in Nikita’s eyes.

Her tightly clenched lips trembled, showing how much she had worried.

To think she had found out that much.

It must be the information power of the first prince.

“…You knew.”

She noticed the meaning behind my bitter smile.

She must have also realized that I couldn’t take off the shroud bandage.

“It’s okay.”

Nikita’s eyes shone firmly.

“I will retrieve all the emotions you lost.”

At that moment, footsteps were heard from behind us.

It was the time when people started to appear.

Nikita took a step back from me.

I felt a sense of regret as her warmth dispersed, but it was okay.

It was enough to see that Nikita was safe and well.

“Nikita, is magic fun?”

Nikita slowly smiled at my question.

“Yes, it’s more fun than ever before.”

That bright smile was enough to reward my efforts.

“So, Vikamon, wait for me.”

With that, Nikita turned her body.

“I will come back next year.”

Next year.

How exactly will she return?

I don’t know.

But I hoped that she would continue to live doing what she wanted.

Having lived a life bound without freedom, I didn’t want to hinder her freedom.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Doing everything she wants.

That is the freedom I gifted to Nikita.

Nikita looked at my face as if to imprint it in her eyes for a long time, then shook her head.

It seemed like she had something to say but held back.

“See you next year.”

With that, Nikita left quickly.

Her movements were still the same.

I look forward to next year.

For the sake of next year, I should improve the scenario even more.

‘I have gained strength.’

And it’s a very reassuring strength.

＊＊＊

In front of the main entrance.

“Senior, is there something wrong?”

I looked up at the familiar voice.

There was Aisha, with a worried face.

Aisha, the iron sword wielder.

She, who has always trained with me, passed the individual match as the top student of the first-year martial arts class.

After encountering Nikita on the way out of the dormitory.

I met Aisha and headed to the main venue together like this.

By the way, Seron hasn’t shown up since then.

“No, sorry, it’s nothing.”

The main match will be held soon.

I couldn’t stay dazed like this forever, so I pulled myself together.

“Ah, Hannon-senpai!”

“Oh, Hannon-senpai, you passed as well.”

Soon, two more familiar faces appeared.

From the student council, the first-year spirit lord contractor, Poara Silin.

And the first-year martial arts second-in-command, Midra Penin, also from the student council.

It seems the first-year students who passed the preliminaries came together.

“The first-year magic students.”

“Hehe, none of them passed.”

Midra let out a sinister laugh.

Magic and martial arts have been known as rivals since ancient times.

So, he had a smug look on his face because the first-year magic students failed.

‘Well, this year’s first-year magic students don’t have any outstanding individuals compared to the martial arts students.’

Of course, that will change when next year’s first-year students arrive.

Next year’s first-year magic students will be overwhelmingly superior to the martial arts students.

‘As for the current second-years, there’s no need to mention it.’

Just then, a familiar face was walking towards the entrance of the finals.

One was a woman with decadent black hair.

The third princess, Iris Hyserion.

The other was a languid woman with hair that seemed to contain the Milky Way.

The daughter of the Blue Tower Lord, Sharin Sazarith.

Different groups were gathered around the two.

As always, Iris’s team members were gathered around her.

Among them, when her eyes met with the second-in-command of the magic department, Dorara, she looked disgusted.

On the other hand, when she turned her head towards Sharin, she saw the usual members around her.

The so-called classic protagonist team.

Although Lucas was not there, there were still decent members with them.

Among them, she saw Isabel.

The moment her eyes met Isabel’s.

Whoosh-

Isabel suddenly avoided her gaze.

I tilted my head with a puzzled look.

What is this, did I get hated without knowing?

Recently, Isabel had been following me around so much.

It’s a bit embarrassing to be avoided like this.

It feels like I’ve gone back to when Isabel hated me.

‘Well, that was originally the case.’

I feel strangely uneasy.

“Hanun.”

“Hello.”

In the meantime, Iris and Sharin stopped in front of me.

Iris greeted me with a familiar smile.

Sharin had her usual languid expression.

But for some reason, her eyes contained a bit of trouble today.

I don’t know why both of them stopped right in front of me.

There are spectators as well as participants in this martial arts competition.

Because of that, those who recognized Iris and Sharin looked at us curiously.

Because both Iris and Sharin’s gazes were directed only at me.

The gaze of the public trying to scrutinize me is stinging.

Don’t try to explore me.

“Wow, popular guy.”

Card, who appeared out of nowhere, whistled beside me and was punished with a punch.

“Greetings to the 3rd Princess.”

“Gr-Greetings to the 3rd Princess!”

In the meantime, the first-year students greeted Iris with courtesy.

Unlike the second-year students, the first-year students don’t have many chances to encounter Iris.

So Iris waved her hand at them.

“Since I’m a student at the academy now, don’t be too formal.”

“Understood.”

The spirited Aisha was the first to respond to Iris’s words.

Aisha was always reliable.

“Han-non, I’m going to keep climbing.”

In the meantime, the lazy genius Ban spoke to me.

I smiled along with Ban’s words.

This is an extension of the last mock battle.

“Ha, all the first-year magic students have failed. These shameful guys.”

Then Dorara muttered with full dissatisfaction.

“Dorara, they tried their best. It’s just unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate, my foot.”

Joachim, the combat priest of the Iris team, scolded, and Dorara snorted.

I watched it quietly and then smiled.

“Yeah, even a guy like you passed.”

“What, you!”

As Dorara tried to rush in, Hania blocked the way.

“Dorara, don’t cause trouble before the finals.”

“Ugh.”

When Hania glared, Dorara lowered the hand that had moved to the staff.

It’s a pity.

I could have made it to the round of 63.

“And Han-non, don’t provoke before the match. There are no lovers in the match.”

So strict.

Hania looked at me with a slightly stern face.

I think we need to talk about the contract relationship soon.

I’m wondering when to do it.

“Poara Silin!”

At that moment, a voice rang out from the Isabel team.

When I turned my gaze there, a woman with chestnut hair was pointing at Poara.

Beakiring Monem, who contracted with the highest-ranking spirit.

Before Poara, who contracted with the spirit lord, appeared, she was the pinnacle of the special department of spirit studies.

“Yes, yes?”

Poara, who was being pointed at, looked embarrassed.

Then Beakiring’s eyes twisted violently.

“If you run away from the ring again this time, I won’t let you off.”

Beakiring glared at Poara with a vicious face.

Relatively weak Poara shrank back.

“Answer me!”

“Y-Yes!”

That one, she’s definitely marked.

Beakiring’s unique trait is [Persistence].

It seemed that Poara had become Beakiring’s target this time.

‘Originally, if you take the spirit route, Lucas becomes the target.’

Once again, although the main storyline remains the same,

I feel that many details are changing.

And it’s my job to lead that.

My eyes fell on those present here.

These people here will play major roles in the future.

I sincerely hoped that the scenario could be completed without any issues.

“Is this the end of the Jeryon Academy members?”

“I don’t see any third-year students.”

As they said, unfortunately, all the third-year students were eliminated.

At the point when Nikita left, the weakest generation, the third years, had no outstanding individuals.

They couldn’t survive the fierce preliminaries.

So, those present here were the representatives of Jeryon Academy.

“There’s one more.”

I walked over to the one sneaking through the bushes.

Then I suddenly reached into the bushes and grabbed the person.

“Eek!”

With a strange sound, a short girl was pulled out of the bushes.

Her identity was Seron Parmia.

She was the one who secretly kissed me on the cheek and ran away this morning.

“Where do you think you’re sneaking off to alone?”

“Wow, Prince Sweet Potato, let go, let go of me!”

“Never. After what you did, you think I’ll let you go?”

“Because of what I did, you should let me go even more!”

Seron’s face was flushed red, still embarrassed by what he had done.

Anyway, looking at this guy makes me wonder what I was even worried about.

At that moment, I turned my head, feeling a very sharp gaze.

But as soon as I turned my head, the gaze disappeared as if it had never been there.

Where my gaze landed, Isabel and Sharin were standing.

When Sharin met my eyes, she snorted brazenly as if she hadn’t been looking at me.

Isabel still had her head turned away.

What was that?

It felt like my back was being pierced just now.

I rubbed the back of my head and spoke to Seron.

“Shouldn’t the students of Jerion Academy stick together?

That way, the audience will see Jerion Academy as a good academy without any outcasts.”

I hoped Seron would get along with other friends.

“Take this opportunity to get closer to the others.”

“No thanks. As long as I have you, I’m fine.”

Seron pouted and turned his head.

Why is he acting cute when he’s annoyed?

‘Damn, what did I just think?’

Oh my God!

Even for a moment, I thought Seron was acting cute.

There must be something wrong with my brain.

“Grantoni, open my brain and check it right now!”

“Hehehe, really?”

Grantoni’s eyes gleamed as if he was really going to scan my brain.

“I’m joking.”

“Too bad.”

Seeing that scene gave me goosebumps.

“Hanun Airei.”

At that moment, a voice I had heard in the morning echoed.

A woman with blue hair fluttering in the wind appeared.

It was Eve, the unyielding blue flame.

“Be prepared for today’s match.”

Eve didn’t say much to me.

Just a single declaration to be prepared.

Leaving that declaration behind, Eve walked away confidently.

It meant that was all she had to say.

Her confident stride was quite impressive.

I could strongly feel her determination to teach me a lesson.

‘Honestly, I thought she would have tried to erase the remnants of the ancient dragon by now.’

Yesterday was unusually quiet without any of that.

‘Well, I was with Iris after I fainted.’

Eve probably didn’t have a chance to confront me.

It would be nice if she didn’t have a chance this time either, but unfortunately, that seems impossible.

‘So, she’s saying it’s possible in the finals.’

Eve would definitely try to erase the remnants of the ancient dragon within me.

With Eve’s unyielding blue flame, it would be entirely possible without the audience noticing.

On the other hand, I couldn’t use it because I had to keep the remnants of the ancient dragon hidden from the audience.

Eve was clearly aiming for this.

However, Eve didn’t know one thing.

To compete against Eve, one prerequisite was necessary.

I had to win all the matches and make it to the finals.

I chuckled at the girl with honey-blonde hair standing before me.

“Isabel.”

The first match of the round of 64 in the finals.

My opponent was the main heroine of the Flame Butterfly arc.

Isabel Luna.