The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 50



49 – Sharin’s Friend

Rumors spread fast.

It took less than half a day for everyone to know that I had caused a commotion in the Magic Studies department.

Even among the Martial Arts students, no one considered me to be sane.

I already had a poor reputation in the Martial Arts department.

The students who didn’t want to get on the bad side of the Magic Studies students took this opportunity to badmouth me enthusiastically.

I had been disappointed that only the Martial Arts students were badmouthing me.

Now that the Magic Studies students could join in, they seemed thrilled.

“Wow, lightning sweet potato, that’s amazing. Why did you do that?”

Seron, who had heard about it somewhere, looked at me with curious eyes.

“Do you have some hormone that makes you unable to stand not being cursed at?”

“That’s right. So I’m thinking about what to do to make you curse at me right now, Seron.”

“Don’t worry. Even if you don’t do anything, I can curse at you.”

Seron snorted.

He’s a consistent guy.

“So what happened?”

Seron looked at me, resting his chin on his hand.

“I know you’re a weirdo, but you’re not the type to do something like this without a reason.”

Surprisingly, Seron had a good opinion of me.

“Looking at what you do to Isabel, it doesn’t seem like you have a reason?”

“Come on, who do you take me for? I have eyes too, you know?”

“Didn’t you?”

Seron lunged at me as if to kill me.

But realizing that I wouldn’t tell him the reason, he grumbled.

“If you don’t want to talk, then don’t. I only asked because you went to get a confession and came back like this.”

“Confession, my foot.”

Even thinking about it again made me want to punch Dorara in the face.

Time passed, and before I knew it, it was time to leave school. I stood up from my seat.

I should go back to the dormitory and prepare for the next act while training and studying.

“You.”

At that moment, I met Isabel’s eyes.

“I heard you caused some trouble in the Department of Magic again.”

Isabel stared at me intently.

I shrugged my shoulders, having earned my notoriety.

“I just showed those guys in the Department of Magic a lesson.”

“For Lin’s sake.”

Did she notice?

As I put on a face that said I didn’t know what she was talking about, Isabel sighed once.

“Rumors about Lin were spreading.”

It seemed Isabel had heard the rumors about Sharin.

“So I was going to step in.”

Isabel looked at me blankly.

It seemed that I had unintentionally stepped in at the timing she was about to move.

“When you stepped in, those rumors disappeared.”

“It must be a coincidence.”

Isabel’s gaze was very piercing.

Moreover, I sensed hesitation from Isabel.

Isabel has been changing a lot recently through various events.

As I waited for her to say something, Isabel continued.

“…You know, I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Did you perhaps insult Lucas?”

The conversation started to flow in an unexpected direction.

My heart sank for a moment.

She couldn’t finish her sentence and bit her lip.

“Sorry, it’s nothing.”

With that, Isabel turned and left.

Could it be that after seeing Sharin’s situation this time, she looked back at herself objectively?

It’s not a good trend.

Isabel has changed a lot recently, but she still had some insecurities.

‘I hope she doesn’t dig herself into a hole again.’

She was a main heroine who worried me in many ways.

But for now, there’s nothing I can do.

Isabel needs some time, and I have to keep an eye on her steadily.

After finishing my conversation with Isabel, I started walking back to the dormitory again.

Whish, whish-

And before I knew it, I was stumbling in mid-air.

I stopped in mid-air and slowly turned my head.

Between the buildings.

Hair that seemed to capture the Milky Way shone in the shadows.

A girl standing there was staring at me with languid eyes.

The problem was that the light in those eyes was far from kind.

Here it comes.

“Hanon, do you have something to say?”

“I have never done anything in my life to be ashamed of.”

“Alright, then.”

My body started floating higher and higher.

I felt like a balloon.

“I’m sorry. I acted out of anger.”

As I hurriedly apologized, Sharin brought me back to the ground.

I thought I was going to become a star in the sky.

As I sighed in relief, Sharin walked out of the alley.

“Why did you do that?”

And she asked for the reason.

Sharin is smart.

She must have had some idea why I acted impulsively.

But she asked again to confirm.

Hiding it from Sharin, the person involved, would only make her feel worse.

That wouldn’t be considerate.

“As I said earlier, half because I was angry, and half because I didn’t want my useful ally to be in a difficult situation.”

When I confessed honestly, Sharin stared at me.

As if she was trying to uncover my truth.

But I was confident.

“Did you choose to take the blame for me with that kind of heart?”

And Sharin’s eyebrows turned into a figure-eight shape, as if my confidence made her even angrier.

It was the first time I saw Sharin so angry.

“As you know, I’ve always been criticized in martial arts. Now that I’ve increased my magic studies, it won’t cause any problems.”

“How can that not be a problem? Now, Hanon, you won’t even be able to talk to the magic studies kids.”

Sharin asked how I would handle team issues and such in the future.

In the magic palace, cooperation is the most important thing.

If you don’t get along with the long-range dealers, you’re doomed.

“It’s okay. Sharin, you’re here.”

Sharin blinked.

“…Who said I’d team up with you?”

“Wow, this is a big deal. I did this thinking you’d team up with me in the future.”

“You’re terrible at acting.”

Was it obvious?

I smiled brightly.

“Even if the entire magic studies group criticizes me, wouldn’t it be worth it if I could gain the trust of the top student in magic studies?”

Absolutely, I can say.

No one in magic studies is a better asset than Sharin.

Sharin’s lips moved slightly.

She seemed to have a lot to say, but soon she let out a long sigh.

“I knew you were reckless, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”

“Keep that in mind for the future.”

We’ll see each other a lot.

“Honestly, even if you say that, I still don’t understand why you went so far. It’s meddling.”

Sharin is the type to take care of her own path.

Even if she’s ostracized in magic studies, she’d only find it a bit annoying.

She didn’t place much significance on being ostracized itself.

To someone like Sharin, my actions were too risky.

“But thank you.”

Nevertheless, Sharin expressed her gratitude.

“I don’t like it when people curse at my mom either.”

Sharin closed her eyes for a moment as if reminiscing about the past.

She is smart.

And she has a good memory.

She always acts as if she forgets everything quickly.

But her sharp mind remembers everything clearly.

Even if it’s something painful enough to want to forget.

She remembers everything without forgetting a single thing.

So she meddled.

With her good memory, she will remember the experience of being ostracized by rumors for the rest of her life.

Such memories are more than enough.

“Hanun, can I ask you one thing?”

Sharin asked a question.

Her face, shining in the falling sunset light, looked somewhat lonely.

“What is it?”

“Your name.”

Through her eyes, Mirinae, Sharin knows that I am hiding my appearance with the bandages of the veil.

“Can you tell me your real name?”

Even so, Sharin has never asked for my real name until now.

Sharin and I were in a vague position, distant from a friendship.

Sharin and I were bound by a transactional relationship centered around Isabel.

But now.

She asked for my name.

I don’t know what kind of change occurred in her heart.

For the first time, she was curious about my name.

“No.”

So I answered immediately.

It can’t be revealed that I am Vickerman yet.

Sharin looked at me with a bewildered face.

He had a look on his face that suggested he never expected to be refused here.

“When you graduate from the academy.”

Instead, I set a condition.

“I’ll tell you then.”

A world where the bad ending has concluded.

If that world comes, I wouldn’t have to hide my identity anymore.

Sharin, who had been staring at me intently, turned away without saying anything more.

“Do as you please.”

Was she slightly sulking?

It must be because we’ve become so close that she shows her emotions like this.

I gave a faint smile.

Sharin, passing through the sunset, didn’t look so lonely today.

* * *

Time passed slowly, and before I knew it, midsummer had arrived.

Everyone was fanning themselves, and the clothes people wore had become thinner.

The time for the next labyrinth battle was approaching.

“Everyone’s just lazing around because it’s summer.”

Professor Beganon, who was conducting the morning class as usual, said this while looking at the exhausted students.

As she said, the students were all tired.

Even though there was cooling magic in the classroom, it couldn’t be helped since it was hot outside.

“Just endure until the labyrinth battle. After that, there’s a short vacation.”

After the summer labyrinth battle, the students are given about ten days of vacation.

What they do during that time is up to them.

But her words of encouragement didn’t really uplift the students.

Beganon clicked her tongue once and put down the book she was holding.

“I was going to tell you later because I thought you wouldn’t be able to concentrate, but there’s going to be a barbecue party outside today.”

The children’s eyes changed in an instant.

There’s no time they enjoy eating as much as this time of year.

Especially, as martial arts students who move their bodies vigorously, they couldn’t dislike eating.

The children cheered at the mention of a barbecue from all around.

The student council was already helping with the barbecue preparations.

I already knew about it.

“So everyone, focus on your classes. It will all be beneficial for you.”

Professor Beganon said that and resumed the class.

The children eagerly awaited the barbecue party.

“It’s over!”

“Barbecue!”

Finally, as the afternoon classes ended, the children burst into enthusiastic cheers.

The children eagerly ran towards the barbecue party location.

Since this barbecue party was held separately by each department.

First-year, second-year, and third-year martial arts students gathered in large numbers.

“I’m going to help the student council.”

“What? Then where will I eat!”

As I was about to go fulfill my duties for the student council, Seron screamed.

Seron, who didn’t get along with anyone in the martial arts class except me.

It was a bit pitiful to leave him alone.

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“Then, help with the student council work.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to do that.”

The thought of pity disappeared instantly.

At that moment, a familiar face passed by.

“Ban.”

When I called that name, Ban turned this way with a relaxed face.

“Why?”

“Can you take Seron with you? I have to go to the student council.”

Ban looked at Seron.

Recently, Seron hadn’t been getting along with anyone except me.

Seron hesitated and patted my back vigorously.

“Bu, what about the lightning sweet potato!”

“If you follow Ban, Isabel will be there too. Isabel will accept it.”

“That’s true.”

Seron hesitated for a moment.

Then, deciding that it was better than eating alone, he decided to follow Ban.

I, who saw off Seron with a look of discomfort, headed straight to where the student council was gathered.

The student council of the Martial Arts Department consists of five members in total.

Two third-year students, two second-year students, and one first-year student.

Nikita spends a lot of time in the student council, but other students also regularly check in.

“Hanon.”

When I arrived, Hamel, a second-year student and fellow student council member, greeted me.

We are neither particularly close nor distant.

He is the most neutral among the Martial Arts students.

So, we got along without any issues.

“Wow, Senior Hanon is here.”

And next to him was a boy who welcomed me.

A boy with blue hair and a yellow first-year name tag smiled brightly as soon as he saw me.

This boy, who smiles a lot, is Midra Penin, a member of the student council like me.

He is the second seat in the first-year Martial Arts Department.

Although we haven’t had much experience being close.

He tended to be particularly friendly towards me.

“I heard about what you did in the Magic Department. You gave those wizards a hard time, didn’t you?”

“Don’t speak lightly of the Magic Department kids. It will be troublesome when forming teams later.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Maybe because he wasn’t a significant character in the Fire Butterfly arc.

I have no idea what he’s thinking.

“Where are the third-year seniors?”

“They are over there helping the assistants.”

When Hamel pointed, I saw two third-year seniors talking with the assistants.

One of them was Nikita, the vice president.

“Nikita-senpai.”

As I approached and called out to Nikita, she turned to look at me.

Isabel looked at me and smiled faintly.

“Junior, you came.”

My body stiffened.

That smile was different from before.

It was clearly a smile that seemed broken somewhere.

Her eyes no longer held me.

Instead, I felt an inexplicable sense of oppression.

Moreover, there was a chilling coldness that I couldn’t quite place.

I realized.

‘Ancient Dragon.’

She had finally touched it.

【 Act 3, Scene 6 】

【 ‘The Dragon Maiden of Disaster’ has begun. 】