The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 134



The Promise to Seron

Vulcan Zebra, the boss of Act 5, the leader of Mysticism.

Act 5 focused on toppling Vulcan alongside other Reincarnates.

And here, the Bandage of the Veil found its utility.

Precisely because it allowed infiltration of Mysticism, led by Vulcan himself.

Lucas, after hearing Vinesha’s tales of Mysticism, grew aware of their danger.

Thus, during the winter break, he infiltrated them with the Bandage of the Veil she gifted.

That was the usual, orthodox scenario.

Musika, mentioning this Vulcan, offered a bitter smile.

Because she knew, if only a little, why Vulcan had become who he was.

“I apologize that these so-called ancient heroes are dragging their problems into the modern era.”

Before he was Vulcan, Rozly was undoubtedly a lauded hero.

But even they possessed a personal history.

Rozly was broken down through several ordeals, eventually latching onto Vulcan’s unfortunate life, and exploding.

And so, Mysticism was reborn anew.

Vinesha, possessed by Musika, had belonged to Mysticism.

Therefore, she also knew the stories intertwined with Vulcan.

“But I believe I have to stop him.”

Musika wanted to stop Vulcan.

His actions, leading Mysticism, brought him no happiness.

Only the release of a grudge held against the world.

Musika did not wish for Vulcan to end that way.

“So, is that why you’re asking me this favor?”

“That’s right. You knew from the beginning that I was the reincarnation of Aquillin, didn’t you? And furthermore, you likely know much, much more.”

To Musika, I must have seemed like a profoundly strange being.

I knew countless of this world’s unrevealed secrets.

This was absolutely not ordinary.

“Frankly, I don’t quite know what you are.”

She knew I was a Vikaman.

And yet, she said she didn’t know what I was.

“I, too, was once called a Guardian of Souls.

I see the structure of the soul with perfect clarity.

But your soul’s connection to your body is so faint.

As if… you were possessed.”

My shoulders twitched.

Could she see even that far?

I couldn’t rashly speak about this matter either.

Because I knew nothing about it myself.

That said, I couldn’t exactly declare that I had stolen the body of Vikaman.

This was a story that would absolutely be better left untold.

“Even I cannot see through you entirely. But even with such a faint connection to your flesh, you are stable.”

Stable as if the original owner of the body had accepted a new soul.

“And I can clearly see the soul, imprinted with your mission and your resolve.”

Musika came closer to me, tapping my chest with her index finger.

“You wish to protect the world, don’t you? That feeling, at least, I can still clearly sense.

I have seen someone with the same heart as yours before.”

She could see even that?

She was, without a doubt, the greatest Soul Weaver.

“Who is that, and where do they live?”

If possible, I’d like to receive some help in protecting the world.

“Olfram.”

The Great Hero.

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He who led the five heroes was spoken of.

“Mushika, do you perchance know who Olfram’s reincarnation is?”

I knew the reincarnations of the other five heroes.

But Olfram alone remained shrouded in mist.

Perhaps she, the guardian of souls, would know.

As I placed my hopes on her, Mushika chuckled softly.

“Regrettably, I know not either. From long ago, that person spoke in tongues I could never understand.

And so, he was an elusive figure.”

She revealed a longing for the past.

“And so it was that he was prone to actions beyond common sense, possessing a disposition that particularly loved to trouble people.”

Mushika shrugged, distancing herself from me thus.

“Still, I believe he is reborn somewhere. He is that kind of person.”

Her eyes held a distant past.

Long ago, beneath the blinding sun, heroes who protected the world.

She herself, who stood shoulder to shoulder with them.

“Ah, I was quite the big shot back then!”

Lost in the past, she let out a ‘Kheuueh.’ like an old man.

Even heroes cannot resist reminiscing about their prime, it seems.

“Anyway, that is why I shamelessly ask this favor. Though I suspect you will stop it regardless, why I know not.”

She sees through people far too well.

“That’s right.”

I affirmed without hesitation.

“I must keep rolling diligently until this world returns to its proper course.”

I know my fate best.

Lately, that thought has been growing.

That perhaps someone called me to save this world, destined to a bad ending.

If so, it was a good thing.

I intend, without fail, to guide this world away from its bad ending and towards a happy one.

“However, that is only until I graduate from the academy.”

The world I know stretches only until Lucas graduates safely from Jerion Academy.

The world beyond that, even I cannot fathom.

Therefore, I wish to say to her:

“That world beyond, I hope everyone, including you, Mushika, will lead it forward.”

For my role, I will pour all my strength until the very end.

Even if it means I am broken, I will complete it without fail.

So, to those who will live in the world that follows, I wish to say:

Please, lead the world we protected well, without letting it crumble.

“That’s… a very leave-taking kind of tone.”

Mushika tilted her head and looked at me.

“It’s strange. The person you just mentioned used to speak in a similar way.”

Is she talking about Wolfram?

My eyes widened slightly.

Could it be that Wolfram, like me, was also someone who had transmigrated?

For a fleeting moment, that thought brushed past me.

However, I do not know where Wolfram is.

It was a truth I could not confirm.

“But, regrettably, that is not my share. I have already become like this, you see.”

Mushika reached out and placed her hand on Grantoni’s shoulder.

“That is the share of the children who live in this present day.”

That is indeed true.

The countless students enrolled in all the academies, including Jerion Academy.

They are truly the future stars who will lead this era.

Mushika, as Aquillin, became the brightest star, leading countless people.

Therefore, she now desired that other students, not herself, would continue to carry that starlight forward.

“And Hannon, that includes you too.”

Mushika pointed at me.

“Do not exclude yourself from that. You, too, are living in this era, are you not?”

She smiled, her eyes filled with a hint of sorrow.

“The bandage of the curtain… you know the effects it creates, don’t you? It causes you to lose love, anger, and sadness.”

Thanks to the glimpse into Vinesha’s memories, Mushika was also privy to this truth.

Thus, she reminded me of it.

Love, and rage, and sorrow.

I had nearly lost love.

Rage, too, now dwindled within my heart, little remaining.

All that remained was sorrow.

To be honest, I did not understand sorrow well.

For I had often thought, is it not better if one is not sorrowful?

However, I recall a story told by a doctor when I was healing from facial paralysis.

An answer born from my question of whether I needed to practice a sorrowful expression.

“Sorrow is the most human of emotions. To empathize and ache alongside one’s own pain and suffering, and furthermore, the pain of others. That is what sorrow is.”

If rage is an explosion, then sorrow is composure.

One who knows sorrow can empathize and comfort others.

But one who knows not sorrow becomes incapable of even this.

Human emotion is ambiguous.

Thus, if even a single emotion is lost, the balance of emotions is lost, and it crumbles.

‘Perhaps the Veil’s bandages…’

They may be dulling these sensations within me more and more.

Unlike before, I have become increasingly unconcerned with using the Veil’s bandages.

That is, perhaps, because rage is dying.

Rage is an emotion that erupts when one’s own interests and rights are infringed upon, when loss is forced upon you.

The Veil’s bandages are stealing away my emotions.

I felt no particular rage towards this situation, and did not react.

“Protecting the world is certainly a good thing.”

Mushika whispered to me, urging me to promise.

“But you are also a part of that same world. Cherish yourself. Hanon, you are an benefactor to me, Vinesha-unni, and Grantoni.”

“I promise.”

I resolved to keep Mushika’s words firmly in mind.

“Well, that concludes my conversation. Grantoni will be able to reach the Magic Palace without issue.”

Grantoni flashed a V-sign from behind Mushika.

“Soulmates, see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, let’s both do our best tomorrow.”

The conversation concluded without a hitch.

Now, I suppose I need to go find the last one.

It was the instant I grabbed my chair and slid the door open with a *dreeurk*.

“Ah!”

A startled cry erupted from outside, and someone collapsed in a heap.

My eyes widened slowly as I took in the scene.

Because standing there was a familiar shock of red hair.

A forehead that gleamed under the light filtering through the window.

“Seron?”

At the sound of her name, Seron scrambled to her feet, looking flustered.

“W-well, you see, I heard that Prince Sweet Potato was up to something on the first-year floor, so I… I followed you.”

So she had been asking around, tracing my steps.

“And then I thought I’d wait out front and… surprise you…”

Even in all this, Seron had been overcome by her mischievous side and waited by the door.

The problem was, in the process, Seron had overheard something she shouldn’t have.

“…Prince Sweet Potato, what’s this about losing love, anger, and sadness?”

After speaking, Seron bit down hard on her lip and looked up at me.

It was a question, asking if what she’d just heard was the truth.

I remained silent, studying Seron for a moment.

Then, Seron stepped closer.

“Take it off, right now.”

Seron reached out to unwrap my bandages.

“Take that thing off, this instant!”

I hastily grabbed Seron’s wrist.

“Seron, calm down for a second.”

“Calm down?!”

Her voice was sharp and shrill.

“How can I calm down when the person who taught me about love is about to lose it?!”

She certainly spins a tale that makes one’s face burn.

But seeing Seron’s tear-streaked face, I knew it was the truth.

“I don’t like it.”

Seron tightened her grip on the wrist I held.

“Wangja Goguma, I don’t know what you’re trying to do. But I don’t like you doing it to that extent.”

She shed a beaded tear.

Watching her like that, I slowly released Seron’s wrist.

Really, she seems so fierce, but is such a tender thing.

And a dear one who truly worries for me.

“Seron.”

Seron slowly looked up at me.

I raised a hand and wiped away her tears.

“If you cry twice in one day, your eyes will swell.”

“Whose fault is that?”

“True. So, you should make me cry like this later, too.”

I cannot tell Seron I won’t use the Veil Bandage.

Bikammon will come of age next year.

Bikammon, which is I, will not be allowed to enter the Demon Palace from next year onwards.

So, I need the Veil Bandage until next year.

I couldn’t bring myself to say I would remove the Veil Bandage here.

So, I decided to ask this ‘forehead’ who worries about me.

“Make me weep buckets.”

To awaken the sorrow I haven’t yet lost.

“And make me a little angry, too.”

To awaken the slowly fading fury.

“Lastly, let me know the love you’ve come to know.”

To awaken the lost love.

I asked Seron.

Hearing those words, Seron reached out and embraced my back, burying my face against her chest.

“Alright. I’ll do it a hundred, a thousand times.”

Perhaps, it was the first promise I made, for the me of the future.

That promise, I made to Seron.