The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 130



The Date Promise

Act 4, Scene 4: The Autumn Demon Palace War.

Somehow, I ended up dealing with Act 4, Scene 5 first, and now I’m facing an unexpected situation.

‘The Demon Palace is showing signs of opening earlier than expected, huh.’

Originally, there was still some time left before the Autumn Demon Palace War.

But something must have happened at the Demon Palace that we didn’t expect.

And I could guess pretty quickly why it happened.

‘It’s because of the Anomaly.’

The Anomaly risked even his own harm to wield the power of the Reverse World.

As a result, it affected the Evil God inside the Demon Palace.

The Evil Dream’s movements, they provoked the Nightmare Dream, and the Magic Palace opened a touch too soon.

‘That 4th Act, 5th Scene, pushed forward… didn’t expect it to ripple like this.’

An unforeseen situation, unfurling.

This was why, as much as possible, I’d wanted the scenario to stay untouched.

But this time, the situation was too pressing, no way around it.

“Prince Sweet Potato, how are you divvying up teams this time?”

Just then, Seron’s question about team composition sliced through the air.

Right on cue, I locked eyes with Isabel and Iris.

They stared, searched my face, then turned away without a word.

Why the longing looks from people who could descend the Magic Palace without me? I don’t get it.

More pressing: the Fall Magic Palace team roster.

‘There’s a layer in the Fall Magic Palace we absolutely need to reach.’

A piece of equipment resides there, crucial for the next scenario.

‘Not entirely essential anymore, I suppose.’

Still, it’d be a blessing.

So, this time, I need the perfect team, including all the indispensable members.

But before that, I needed to address someone wrestling with this very situation.

From noble mtl dot com

“Eve.”

At my summons, Eve looked over.

Eve, who had just entered the Jerion Academy.

She was still in the thick of settling in.

Now, the Fall Magic Palace was pushed forward, making her team a problem.

By second year, students usually have their teams sorted.

Now, there’s not even time to test team synergy before heading into the Magic Palace tomorrow.

So, to preserve existing team balance, no one would willingly bring in a new person.

Everyone knows Eve’s skill is considerable.

But in the Magic Palace, individual skill isn’t everything.

How well she’ll mesh with a team is anyone’s guess.

And so, no one had approached Eve yet.

Except me.

“Still don’t have a team, huh?”

“…If I joined your team, I’d die of bottled rage.”

Well then, just don’t get angry.

Of course, saying that would only make Eve explode, so I kept it to myself.

“I’m not saying you should join my team.”

Saying that, I sidled closer to Eve, lowering my voice.

“I’d like you to join Lady Iris’s team.”

Eve’s eyes narrowed, squinting.

It was a thing she hadn’t foreseen.

But Eve had long known that Lady Iris emanated a… unsettling aura.

That was why she’d transferred to Jerion Academy – to solve this very problem.

So there was no reason for her to reject my proposal.

“It wouldn’t be such a bad deal for you either.”

Being on Lady Iris’s team practically guaranteed good grades.

And Eve’s own reputation would rise right alongside.

Even if she didn’t care much for reputations, Eve was scrupulous about her grades.

Like I said, it was a proposal with nothing bad in it for her.

Eve glanced at the other kids, then lowered her voice so they wouldn’t hear.

“Hanon Irey, the ‘other person’ you want to save… is it the Third Princess?”

I nodded instead of answering.

The main reason I’d brought Eve to Jerion Academy was for Lady Iris’s sake.

Eve stared at me for a moment, then sighed.

“Like I’ve said before, I really don’t know what you’re thinking.”

“World peace.”

“That’s precisely why it’s like that even more.”

My heartfelt words don’t reach Eve.

“So, because of that, let’s go visit Lady Iris tonight, you and me.”

“…Tonight?”

“Yeah, I go to Lady Iris’s chambers every day, after all.”

It’s a face I’ll have to show Eve sooner or later, anyway.

Eve’s eyes flickered, hearing my honest words.

“Wha-what.”

“I’m helping Iris-nim fall asleep easier. We train together, see? She sleeps soundly when she’s tired.”

Eve’s lips wobbled.

“So, take care of me tonight.”

“Hanon Irae, wai-wait!”

Eve tried to grab me, but I was in a hurry.

My team, the ones I needed, weren’t really in the martial arts department anyway.

So, when I stepped out halfway, Seron, who’d been watching, trotted after me.

I looked at Seron questioningly.

“Seron, why are you following me?”

“You’re making a team for the Autumn Magic Palace battle, aren’t you? I gotta see who’s who beforehand.”

“So, why are *you* following me?”

Seron narrowed her eyes.

“You’re trying to tease me again, aren’t you? Think it’ll work?”

“Didn’t you see me talking to Eve just now?”

She gave me a look like I was spouting nonsense.

Then Seron’s lips moved soundlessly, and she stared blankly at me.

“I already promised Aisha about the Autumn Magic Palace battle, so we don’t really need any more vanguards.”

“Wa-wait a sec, re-really?”

“Seron, when have you ever seen me lie?”

“You always do.”

This kid turns a person into a liar in a heartbeat.

“I’m not lying this time.”

“Lies!”

“I’m telling the truth. Go ask Eve if you want.”

Then, she’ll find out the truth and come try to kill me.

But I was serious as could be now, saying it was really true, and Seron’s fists trembled.

Then, gripping her skirt tightly, she started to purse her lips.

“Re-really-oo?”

I didn’t answer further.

Then, in Seron’s eyes, which had been silent, tears suddenly began to well up.

Uh, I teased her too much.

“I, I trained so hard. Hicc, to, to help Master Sweet Potato, I even bought a new, a new axe…”

“Se, Seron, just a minute.”

Before I knew it, Seron’s eyes were brimming with tears, and they began to fall, drop by drop.

I thought she would just end up getting angry like usual, but I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.

I hurriedly rummaged through my pockets.

Luckily, I had a handkerchief, so I wiped away her tears.

“Seron, I was wrong. It was a joke. Why wouldn’t I take you? I just recommended Iris-nim’s team to Eve too.”

Seron looked at me with a sobbing face.

“Hicc, really, really?”

“Yeah, really. How long have we been together? Why would I tell you to go somewhere else.”

I didn’t expect her to cry so sincerely, so I was genuinely flustered for the first time in a while.

It seemed Seron’s feelings for me were deeper than I thought.

Did she get scared and cry because I said I wouldn’t take her?

I felt sorry.

“You’re so mean. Always teasing me.”

Seron’s crying barely stopped.

Instead, her face was now filled with sullenness.

“Sorry, I was wrong.”

This time, I honestly apologized since it was my fault.

Then, Seron glanced at me sideways, and tightly grabbed my sleeve.

“You’re really sorry, right?”

“Yeah, I’ll apologize.”

“Really, really sorry?”

“I said I am.”

Seron rolled her eyes this way and that.

And then, this time, she spoke with a slightly passive attitude.

“Then, you know. Since you were wrong, shouldn’t you apologize and, like, make up for it?”

Should I, maybe, buy her some bread?

Thinking that, Seron slowly looked up at me, then her eyes slid shut.

And then she just poked her lips out, a little *whoosh*.

For a moment, I just stared at those lips.

Then Seron slyly cracked one eye open, halfway.

“…Prince Sweet Potato, what’re you doin’.”

“I was watchin’ you, wondering what *you* were doin’.”

“You gonna repay me, or what?”

“I don’t listen to the words of those weaker than me.”

The next instant, Seron’s fist came flying.

She thumped my chest, thump-thump, with her fist.

Seron’s face was filled with spite.

“You said you were sorry!”

“And I am sorry.”

“Then repaying me is the right thing to do!”

“Shameless, aren’t you. I don’t give in to malicious acts that covet my body.”

Seron just stared at me, dazed.

It was the look of someone wondering, *Is this really a man?*

I grabbed the wrist of Seron’s flailing hand.

“Seron, after the Autumn Magic Tournament ends, let’s go somewhere to play.”

“Eh, eh?”

“Will that count as repayment?”

Seron’s lips twitched into a grin.

Then, her face flushed crimson, she timidly lowered her arm.

“Uuung.”

Seron turned docile.

That’s a relief.

“Then, I’ll go gather the team and come back.”

“G-go ahead.”

Seron flinched, seeing me off.

Then, she cradled her face in her hands, lost in thought, muttering, “Clothes, what to wear?”

Seron was growing more honest with her own feelings, little by little.

After seeing Seron off, I looked for the first-year building.

“That person.”

“That’s Hanon Irei, senior.”

“The one who wields dragon magic?”

A different kind of murmuring rippled through the students than before.

Seemed my reputation among them had shifted quite a bit, likely thanks to recent events.

Passing through those students, one person suddenly came to mind.

‘Midra.’

First-year runner-up, Midra Penin.

His recent actions resurfaced in my mind.

That time Midra showed me the way.

‘Back then, what was that about?’

I didn’t have much information on Midra.

There were quite a few first-years drawing attention, but Midra wasn’t one of them.

The runner-up in unarmed combat, yet other than student council activities, there were no particular incidents involving him.

That was Midra.

‘Is there something I don’t know?’

Something I didn’t know about in Jerion Academy? That was a rather intriguing notion, even for me.

‘I should look into this soon.’

Might have to show off my information-gathering skills from those twenty-nine game playthroughs back in the day.

It was then, as I was searching for the training room where Aisha would be,

*KWAhhh!*

A tremendous noise suddenly erupted from inside the training room.

The sound was so loud it felt like the training room had been smashed to pieces, startling me into throwing the door open.

And there, Aisha was collapsed against the wall, gripping a greatsword.

A faint groan escaped Aisha’s lips.

“Aisha, look at this! You are far too weak! At this level, you still mustn’t enter the Demon Palace!”

Immediately following, a voice filled with immense scolding thundered.

“Tell Aisha, the top martial arts student in the first year, not to enter the Demon Palace?”

I peered inside, thinking this had to be some kind of mad joke.

Then, a man stood there, his hair the same sea-blue as Aisha’s, gleaming in the light.

But this man was far too large.

An absurd giant, to the point where you’d almost think his head would touch the ceiling.

Looking at him, my biological instinct screamed.

To flee, right here, right now.

‘This person.’

I knew who he was.

Aisha Vizbel’s cousin.

Lexaron Vizbel.

The new assistant professor of martial arts, just joined this year.