The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 129



The Scenario Doesn’t Stop

A dramatic escape from the Reverse World.

I breathed a sigh of relief, finally returned alive.

‘Lucas.’

Feeling the knot remaining in my heart, I stared at the closed door of the Reverse World.

It’s not yet time to stand proudly before him.

That’s something I can do after protecting the world completely.

As I buried that in my heart, I felt a hand tap-tapping my cheek.

There, Sharin was tilting her head.

“Hubby, why the face?”

“Just, I can’t quite believe I’m back alive.”

“Shall I show you?”

Sharin said that and raised her hand, pinching my cheek just like that.

Then, she gave a languid smile.

“How’s that?”

“It hurts.”

“I saved you.”

Why is she gloating.

Having cast the Sharin, I turned, and everyone shared my exhaustion.

But Act Four, Scene Five, wasn’t quite done yet.

My eyes landed on Vinesha and Grantoni.

They still hadn’t exchanged much of a word.

The fate of Mushika remained uncertain.

‘The air feels… resolved, somehow, though.’

Impossible to know for sure.

“Vinesha, noona.”

Then, Grantoni called out to her.

Hearing his summons, Vinesha just stood there, meeting his gaze.

After a moment, she slowly nodded.

In that instant, Vinesha gripped her pendant hard.

Light began to seep from it, soft but warm.

And when that ray completely filled her,

Vinesha’s violet eyes shone with a cerulean light, like a stretch of blue sky.

I noticed how different the atmosphere around her had become, so markedly changed from before.

Everyone held their breath, waiting to see what would happen.

Finally, Vinesha’s lips slowly parted as she raised both her arms.

“Ughhh!”

Vinesha abruptly started to stretch.

Then, she placed her hands on her hips and smiled faintly.

“Grantoni, you’ve aged something fierce.”

In an instant, Grantoni had leaped forward.

He clutched Vinesha to him, swallowing sobs inside his skull.

Mushika, recovered from the Kwejon.

She had possessed Vinesha’s body.

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Mushika wrapped her arms around Grantoni’s back, patting him gently.

“Grantoni, was it so hard, being alone without me?”

At Mushika’s playful words, Grantoni only fought back the tears.

But Grantoni wasn’t the only one weeping.

Tears were streaming down Vinesh’s face, too.

Vinesh was crying because Musica had returned safe and sound.

A hazy figure lingered beside the three.

Presently, she pulled all three into an embrace.

Before they knew it, light was seeping in from beyond the sky.

Dawn was ending, the sun beginning its ascent.

A new sun was rising.

A bright light unraveling the tangled threads of four souls who had suffered tragedy at Gwoejon’s hand.

“Hanon Airey.”

Just then, Eve approached beside me.

As disheveled as I was, she sighed once, then held out her hand and gave my arm a soft thwack.

“You, you owe me one.”

Eve’s help had been particularly significant this time.

And so, I willingly agreed to take on the debt.

“But I won’t let it linger.”

That was unexpected.

“That’s enough for me.”

Eve gazed at the four with a faint smile.

Just like an extra story protagonist should be, dripping with romance.

“Eve, if you smile like that, the kids won’t be scared of you anymore.”

Eve’s shoulders twitched.

Eve was still sad that children ran away when they saw her.

“And while we’re at it. There’s one more person who needs your help.”

“You’re awfully brazen.”

Take away the brazenness, and I’m a corpse, so there’s no way around it.

“I’d help if it wasn’t for you.”

And I was excluded from that help.

Thank goodness.

“It’s fine. I’m doing just fine without any help, you know.”

When I grinned like a fool, Eve glared at me, displeased.

“Someone who needs help more than anyone shouldn’t be talking nonsense.”

Eve still treated me like I was a bomb about to go off.

She said she needed to rest and left first, ending it at that.

Even so, she told me to tell her who that person was next time.

In the end, she was, one way or another, the type to help others for nothing.

‘I should go back and rest too.’

Act 4, Scene 5, was completed safely.

The problem was, Act 4, Scene 4, hadn’t happened yet.

And an even bigger problem was that it was almost time for school.

“Grantoni, Vinesha. You guys have to go to school and work, right? You should get going.”

“Heheh, that’s right.”

Grantoni was the first to react when I called out to them.

“You were the one who helped me get myself back the most.”

Just then, Mushika, possessing Vinesha’s body, spoke to me.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, both my sister and Grantoni are safe.”

She said it with a confident smile.

Hearing those words, I found myself smiling too.

Because I had worked hard wanting to hear those words.

This was the most valuable reward for my efforts.

“I have something I want to talk to you about a little.”

I felt like I vaguely knew what that story was.

And it would have a significant impact on the next scenario.

“Let’s talk tomorrow after the academy ends, with Vinesha-unni.”

With that, she returned Vinesha’s body to her.

Soon after, Vinesha’s eyes turned back to their purple hue.

It seemed like I would have to talk to Mushika again tomorrow.

“Hubby.”

Then, I heard Sharin’s voice next to me.

She was slumped on the ground, both arms outstretched towards me.

“Carry me.”

Sharin spoke, her face utterly exhausted.

Adapting to magic in the otherworld, facing down the Twisted Ones directly.

No matter how strong Sharin was, she’d used a lot of mana.

It was only natural she’d be drained.

But the problem was, Sharin wasn’t the only one here.

My eyes, filled with a sense of unease, turned to Vinesha.

She merely blinked, offering no other response.

Normally, her excessive need for affection would be running wild, acting like she’d kill Sharin right then and there.

But now, I felt none of that emotion from her.

Just a listless, ‘whatever’ reaction.

Then, Vinesha herself seemed to realize this, letting out an ‘Ah.’

She wore a thoughtful expression for a moment.

And then, slowly, she turned to look at me.

“Esteemed Master.”

Vinesha clutched her pendant tightly.

She smiled at me apologetically.

“It seems this girl has been using Esteemed Master as she pleased all this time. This girl simply needed a place to pour out her emotions, vaguely.”

Hearing those words, I understood.

Vinesha had regained her memories.

And in the process, she had also rediscovered what was most precious to her.

Mushika and Master, even Grantoni.

She had finally regained what was most important to her.

She no longer needed to cling to me.

Because what was precious to her was elsewhere.

What Vinesha felt for me wasn’t love.

Just, a temporary refuge.

“I’m sorry. You suffered being tossed around by this girl’s selfishness.”

Vinesha’s face looked more at peace than I had ever seen it.

Finally, rest had found its way into her heart.

“Vinesha, just as you used me, I simply used you too.”

Gazing at her like that, I smiled instead.

Vinesha mirrored me, smiling back.

“Thank you.”

It wasn’t an apology she needed, but gratitude.

From now on, she wouldn’t need to spill her emotions on others.

Scars, after all, eventually heal with time.

Vinesha would no longer cling to the past, but live brightly.

I believed this without a shred of doubt.

“Sharin, hop on.”

Thanks to this, I could now carry Sharin without needing to read anyone’s eyes.

As I lowered myself in front of her, Sharin stretched out her arms and wrapped them around my neck.

Then, resting her chin on my shoulder, she spoke.

“You got dumped.”

So that’s what this is.

Just like with Nikita, I didn’t even confess, and yet I seem to have been rejected again.

“Husband-y.”

Carrying Sharin on my back, she whined.

“What is love?”

A random thing to say.

I couldn’t see her face in this position, but I could sense she was more pensive than usual today.

“I wonder.”

Sadly, I don’t really know either.

Because love has vanished from me.

Sharin, hearing my answer, buried her face in my shoulder.

Then she quietly inhaled and exhaled.

“…Comfortable.”

That last part, truly, was a meaningless thing to say.

* * *

We returned safely that way.

The commotion in the otherworld, it made headlines thanks to the soul-shamans who noticed, but our story wasn’t in there.

Only, Iris, she glared daggers, face all pinched.

“Why didn’t you come last night? And you skipped morning drills too.”

I live as Iris’s cherished plushie, every single day, just to soothe her nightmares.

So much so, Hania was starting to get used to strolling around wearing my face.

“I thought, maybe Iris-nim needed some time alone.”

“I’ve had more than enough of that already.”

That stung a little.

Iris didn’t have many close friends besides Hania and me, after all.

Only after promising to visit today did Iris’s scolding finally cease.

“Come to think of it, Iris-nim, it seems one more person should be visiting with me soon.”

Moreover, this time I wasn’t planning on visiting alone.

Now there’s Eve.

The time had come to truly banish Iris’s nightmares.

Iris looked puzzled but gave her permission.

She knew well that I genuinely cared for her.

“You, you were hurt.”

My time with Iris done, next Isabel spoke.

I’d made sure to stop by the infirmary for treatment before coming to school today.

To the nurse, I’d fibbed, saying I’d overdone it in morning drills, but just now Iris mentioned I hadn’t been there.

“What, Prince Sweet Potato got hurt?”

Then Seron joined in, staring a hole right through me.

“Why do you keep getting hurt! It’s upsetting!”

“Don’t you know you’re using your body even more recklessly these days?”

Kids, people can get hurt, why so much fuss?

“He definitely seems to be pushing himself harder lately.”

Then Hania joined the fray too.

“Shouldn’t we get him a mental health checkup?”

“No way. Then, it’ll be obvious Prince Sweet Potato’s an idiot.”

“I think we should.”

Guess there’s one guy here who’s actually worried about me?

I reached out and stretched Seron’s cheek out, way out.

Meanwhile, Hania and Isabel were having a serious-looking talk, all eyes.

Those two were seriously about to send me for a mental health check-up, I swear.

“Hey, chill out, both of you. I’m fine.”

They listened, then went right back to their hushed whispers.

When did those two even get so close?

*Creak-*

Right then, Professor Veganon walked in.

The kids finally stopped talking too, and went back to their seats.

Veganon, being the alcoholic she is, always had that tired look. Normal.

But today she was different.

She walked in, her face set hard.

The kids all knew as soon as they saw it.

“Sorry to hit you with this first thing, but it’s news from the Demon Palace.”

The moment she said “Demon Palace,” everyone’s face changed.

Everyone here was gathered to protect the world from the Demon Palace, after all.

Of course, the Demon Palace took top priority, above anything.

“The Demon Palace is showing signs of opening sooner than expected. We’re deploying tomorrow morning, so today’s class will prioritize team formation.”

Looks like Act 4, Scene 4 is starting right after we finished Act 4, Scene 5.