The World After the Bad Ending

---

The scent of dawn tickled my nose.

As I slowly opened my eyes, dark surroundings came into view.

‘What time is it?’

As I attempted to sit up, I felt something constricting around me.

As expected, Iris was tightly hugging me.

Deep in sleep, she was making colorful noises.

On the opposite side of the bed, Hania was sleeping.

She was wearing a silk sleep cap, sleeping perfectly upright.

Truly a textbook example of deep sleep.

My girlfriend’s sleeping face is impressive.

‘Now that I think about it…’

I wondered if my contractual relationship with Hania was nearing its end.

With that thought, I quietly twisted my body.

After multiple nights of being hugged by Iris, I had managed to develop an escape technique.

I skillfully slipped away from Iris and quietly made my way outside.

Cured of the stiffness caused by Iris’s grip, I realized this was an inn.

‘I must have passed out for quite a while.’

I seemed to have accumulated fatigue without realizing it.

Before coming here, I had been training almost every day.

It was clear that I had slept soundly.

‘More importantly, where is the original room I’m supposed to stay in?’

I had no idea since Iris had brought me here without warning.

‘Whatever.’

Since it was dawn anyway, the sun should be rising soon.

In fact, it’s a good thing.

It was about time to check on that person.

‘I’m glad my body woke up by habit.’

I decided to go for a morning run as part of my training.

Once outside, the crisp autumn air hit me.

Thanks to that, I felt pretty good.

I felt like I could live powerfully today as well.

I started running at a moderate pace.

Near the Sanctuary of the Great Hero Olfram, there was a cathedral dedicated to him and the gods.

As I approached the cathedral, I noticed Holy Studies students had already risen early in the morning.

Not just students from Jerion Academy, but several from other academies were also present.

They didn’t seem to look at me strangely.

After all, there were plenty of regular students who offered morning prayers.

However, today’s morning prayers were different from usual.

Two figures began walking towards this place, escorted.

The gathered students gasped and put their hands together in prayer.

These two figures were symbols of the Holy Order.

The noble saint.

Saint Nareah of Acred.

The saint.

Saint Eden of SirMiel.

The symbols of the Holy Order had walked into the cathedral simultaneously.

Among them, my eyes landed on the saint, Saint Nareah of Acred.

With her platinum-white hair.

Eyes shining with transparency.

She smiled kindly, standing at a slightly shorter height than the average woman.

I couldn’t help but admire her inwardly.

‘Even after seeing her again, she hides that sinister nature well.’

Her ability to conceal such a wicked side was impressive every time.

Inside that white dress, screams were surely echoing.

But she couldn’t help it.

What was required of her as a saint was nobility.

However, what she possessed was a symbol of desire far removed from nobility.

She had to hide it as well.

Fearing that the faithful would look only at her and not the divine.

At that moment, I met eyes with SirMiel.

He greeted me with a kind smile as he entered the cathedral.

I followed the crowd of students inside.

The small cathedral was bustling with people eager to see the saint and the saintess.

The two prayed before a statue of the goddess bestowing blessings upon Olfram.

Under their prayers, the cathedral was instantly filled with a holy blessing.

But my gaze quietly scanned the area.

Earlier, I had mentioned someone’s death during this international individual competition.

The main story of Act 4, Chapter 2, where Lucas’s prowess became known around the world.

Lucas, who was mentally shaken after killing Nikita with his own hands.

This was also the event that would lead to his resurgence.

【Act 4, Chapter 3: Saintess Assassination】

The main objective of this episode was to prevent the assassination of the saintess.

And there was a perpetrator aiming for the saintess’s assassination here.

Today, I came to confirm that person’s face.

My eyes landed on someone’s back.

Standing there was a cardinal.

I stared blankly at him before turning away.

After all, it wasn’t the right time yet.

The saintess’s assassination would occur right after the preliminary rounds ended.

‘In Jerion Academy, things might have changed, but the other academies continue as usual.’

With Lucas absent, Jerion Academy was significantly shaken.

Thus, the other academies had passed time unchanged.

So, there was no reason for the saintess’s assassination to change its schedule.

After the attempted assassination of the saintess, the Holy Order would be completely overturned.

This was necessary for future plans.

A stepping stone to bring the Duke of Robliju, who has a contract with the Evil Zone, to the surface.

In order to draw him onto the scenario, the assassination of the saintess had to occur.

‘I’ve confirmed that the incident will happen, so that’s done.’

Just as I stepped out of the cathedral, I unexpectedly ran into a person I had many ties with.

“…Hanon Irey.”

She quietly called my name—Eve, the unyielding Blue Flame.

I had seen her face quite often lately.

“Eve, good morning. Are you here for morning worship or something?”

As I smiled brightly, she glanced towards the cathedral.

“Something like that.”

Eve’s gaze had a hint of suspicion.

Why does she see me as someone who wouldn’t participate in morning worship at all?

Sadly, she’s correct.

I don’t really align with religion.

The problem is that Eve is also quite distant from religion.

What she believes in is herself, not a god.

For her to come here means she sensed something ominous.

‘Even the unyielding Blue Flame must hold the power to eradicate evil.’

She must have subconsciously felt the source of the ominous energy creeping around the saintess.

“I see.”

For some reason, Eve’s gaze was quite piercing.

So, trying to slip away, Eve suddenly called out to me.

“Wait a second.”

As I stopped and turned back at her call, she slightly frowned.

“Do you have some sort of connection to the Holy Order?”

“No, not at all.”

I genuinely had no relation.

Even with my truthful answer, Eve only frowned further, saying nothing.

She clearly didn’t believe me.

“Well, I’ll be off then; I need to get ready for the morning.”

Though Eve kept her eyes on my back, I quickly left her behind.

＊＊＊

After returning to my lodging and reaching my original room, I put on my Jerion Academy uniform.

The Jerion Academy uniform is not only made of quality material but also has recovery magic cast on it.

It works decently as battle attire.

Outside, the commotion had already begun.

With guests from all over the world gathering to see this international individual competition, it was expected.

The results of the preliminary rounds must have already been announced worldwide.

With the news of the first prince, Ergo Paradon, being eliminated, the world must have gone into an uproar.

Of course, his elimination was merely due to rule-breaking.

There was no way Ergo’s skills were being devalued.

‘It sounds like Paradon wants to make an announcement post the international individual competition.’

If announced now, it’ll only be overshadowed by the prestige of the international individual competition.

So, it seems he returned home quietly.

I can only hope he sincerely apologized to Seron as I opened the door.

“Clang!”

At that moment, someone standing at the door got hit by the opened door.

I was just as surprised, not having anticipated anyone being there.

Hastily checking who got hit, I found a familiar face.

Seron Parmia.

She stood there, slightly cradling her forehead where she got hit.

“Seron?”

When did she memorize my room?

Upon hearing her name, Seron slowly rubbed her forehead.

“Geez, you need to check if someone’s in front of you before opening a door.”

“Maybe you were just too short to see.”

“Hey, our height difference isn’t even that big.”

I chuckled at her statement.

Seron flinched a little and bit her lip.

She knew just how much I was taller than her.

But soon enough, she relaxed her lip.

Then, she scanned the surroundings.

With everyone busy preparing for breakfast, the early birds had mostly gone to morning prayers.

The students’ rooms were entirely closed off with no signs of life.

Seeing that, Seron let out a light sigh.

When I looked at her with curiosity, she suddenly beckoned with her finger.

“Hey, Prince Sweet Potato, come here.”

“What is it?”

“I need to speak on behalf of Prince Ergo.”

Had she gone to apologize?

Well, at least it’s reassuring she keeps her promises.

‘Is she angry that I did such a thing because of her?’

I thought Seron might be the type to think like that, so I willingly complied.

Before I knew it, I felt a warm sensation on my cheek.

Having never experienced such a sensation before, I momentarily lost my grasp of the situation.

Slowly turning my head, I found Seron pulling her lips away from my cheek.

Her face was flushed bright red as she gripped her clothing tightly, shivering.

She looked as if she wanted to die from embarrassment.

I gazed at her in a daze.

Then, Seron forcibly poked her trembling lips out.

“I-I-I told you before that I’d k-k-kiss you.”

“You did.”

Seron trembled further.

If she was going to be embarrassed, she shouldn’t have acted on it in the first place.

It was getting embarrassing just watching her.

“I-I’ll do something worse next time! So, keep tempting me like that!”

With that, Seron screamed and fled, her short legs hurrying away clumsily.

She waddled like a penguin.

I stood there, my hand covering my cheek.

I found myself chuckling uncontrollably.

I wasn’t quite sure what that laughter meant for me.

 

---