The World After the Bad Ending

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After I opened my eyes, what I saw was a familiar ceiling.

The smell of disinfectant tickled my nostrils.

It was the medical room set up at Jerion Academy.

‘Did Poara bring me here?’

I must have been discovered after collapsing when I saw Steel disappear.

She really got her money’s worth.

I should thank her next time.

I immediately attempted to rise from my bed.

At that moment, a slight pain coursed through my body.

As if I had just used a healing potion.

While all my wounds were healed somehow, my body remembered the pain.

Moreover, there was a cost to the healing potion.

Healing potions forcibly draw out the healing power still lingering in the body.

So, in exchange for that, an intense fatigue filled my entire body.

‘Still, I achieved something.’

I had gained steel skin.

With this, I could manage to get through mock battles.

Just then—

Creak—

The door to the medical room opened.

I peeked out, thinking it might be the nurse who came in.

To my surprise, it was an unexpected person.

“Nikita-senpai?”

“Ah? You’re awake, junior.”

She was somehow holding a sandwich in her arms.

As my gaze shifted towards the sandwich, Nikita flashed a brief smile.

“I had a lot to do. It’s still dinner time, so I thought we could eat together once you’re up.”

Ah, so she came to repay the lunch she bought me earlier.

Anyway, it’s quite human to dislike being in debt.

A quiet chuckle escaped me.

“Another sandwich after lunch?”

“Hmm, it’s different from earlier. It’s a tuna and chicken sandwich.”

“I’ll eat well.”

I can’t resist chicken.

Nikita moved next to me and pulled out a chair.

She then unwrapped the paper from the chicken sandwich and handed it to me.

…Tenshan family?

“Thank you.”

“It’s I who should be thanking you. I truly appreciate what you did in the Spirit Great Forest. And I was quite surprised.”

Considering I was carried in while fainted, she must have been startled.

Naturally, since I had acted as if I could easily handle everything.

It was a completely expected reaction.

I felt a bit sorry.

If I am to be blamed, then Nikita, who had tasked me, would also be in a tough spot.

“Mystic.”

The moment that word slipped from Nikita’s lips, my body flinched.

So she figured it out in the end.

“If I had known such a thing existed, I wouldn’t have sent you, junior.”

Mystics can sometimes be beneficial, but most of them are dangerous.

In the Spirit Great Forest, there exists a higher entity known as the Spirit Sovereign.

I thought no mystic would have the opportunity to enter.

The absence of the Spirit Sovereign is a story the spirit mages didn’t mention either.

As a result, the assistant professor of spirit studies had not realized until now that the forest had become steel due to the mystic.

‘Of course, they would eventually find out in a relatively short time.’

If the existence of the mystic had been known, I would not have been involved.

“By the way, has the rumor…?”

“It hasn’t spread. The resolution of this incident has been attributed to Poara, not you.”

That’s a relief.

I’m not yet in a position to emerge from the surface.

I should make my debut during the mock battle.

‘I must make my opponent as complacent as possible.’

The students I have to face have been training for over six months, going over Magung.

In contrast, I have the strength of an extra character, Bickamon, who exits in Act 2.

To raise my chances of winning even slightly, I have to actively utilize the edge I hold.

A transfer student suddenly in the second year.

Hanon’s uniquely small stature.

And the provocative remarks I made as soon as I transferred.

I don’t know who my opponent will be, but I’m sure they think I’m just an arrogant brat.

So, I wanted to hide my full strength until right before the mock battle.

Then, I suddenly looked back at Nikita.

She was staring at me intently, her eyes swirling.

…Busted.

“Sorry, junior. The student council hasn’t made any announcements about this incident yet. The students don’t even know if the issue has been solved.”

What a sly one Nikita is.

I got completely played.

Fainting and waking up without my head catching up was my downfall.

From my recent reaction, Nikita seemed to notice that I had a desire for something.

I was worried about how she might interpret it.

“Junior, I believe everyone has their own reasons and goals.”

Nikita continued speaking as she unwrapped the paper from the tuna sandwich.

“So if you’d like, let’s just say it was Poara who resolved it. This incident was helped by you, junior.”

“…Thank you.”

I awkwardly replied.

Then, feeling awkward, I picked up the chicken sandwich.

Just as I took a bite, I felt my hand tremble.

It was a sign that my body hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Thanks to that, some of the sandwich filling spilled and fell onto the blanket.

Nikita hurriedly gathered the leftover ingredients with her hands and cleaned it up.

Then she smiled kindly at me.

“Still, I hope you give me a heads-up next time. I won’t oppose it blindly.”

Really, Tenshan family?

“Honestly, if you were to announce that you resolved the mystic business, the chances of the rumor being buried would be much higher anyway.”

“Really?”

Did something happen?

I didn’t think there would be any event that could trigger something at this time.

If it somehow relates to political affairs, it would be a big deal.

“Poara has contracted a new Spirit Sovereign in the Spirit Great Forest.”

“…What?”

What kind of crazy talk is this?

“Of course, it’s a temporary contract. It’s just to borrow power, but because of that, the academy has been thrown into chaos.”

My mind went blank.

Poara has contracted the Spirit Sovereign?

That’s a story even in the political realm that has never occurred.

‘Originally, Lucas had been blessed as a thank-you from the Spirit Sovereign.’

However, even as the main character, Lucas could only achieve a high-level spirit by following the spirit mage route.

But now, Poara, who was just an extra, is contracting the Spirit Sovereign?

I couldn’t believe it.

‘…No, wait. Thinking about it, Poara had a higher spirit affinity than other spirit mages.’

In contrast, Lucas had only a little spirit affinity.

He wasn’t beloved by spirits to that extent.

‘Could it be that when solving the Steel Empress issue, taking along a companion with high spirit affinity allowed Poara to contract the Spirit Sovereign?’

I don’t know.

The Steel Empress is ultimately a Lucas enhancement event.

Entering the Spirit Great Forest was something Lucas did alone after hearing a weeping voice from somewhere.

‘Now, Poara is contracting the Spirit Sovereign.’

When I had defeated the Steel Empress, the spirits hadn’t shown themselves at all.

They were all on Poara’s side.

It’s no wonder the academy would be turned upside down.

The problem is that this incident will significantly impact the political realm.

As a contractor of the Spirit Sovereign, Poara’s influence will be tremendously strong from now on.

‘If Poara were to boycott the student council now…’

I cannot fathom how many students would rise up.

‘Can I really handle that?’

I never expected that taking in Poara would complicate things this much.

I suddenly felt a chronic headache and stress-induced gastroenteritis looming over me.

‘It’s my responsibility.’

I have no choice but to manage it.

“…I heard that Poara is aiming for the student council.”

“Hmm, yes. Poara’s brother was the student council president of Jerion Academy back in the day.”

Nikita said this with a somewhat bitter smile, as if she felt a bit sorry for it.

“Since her brother was quite impressive, she must be trying to keep up in some way.”

So Poara had such a background.

“Of course, now that she has become a proud younger sister, there shouldn’t be any problem.”

She has become a contractor of the Spirit Sovereign.

There should be no issues.

The problem lies with me, who has to lead the politics.

“…Do you think Poara will continue aiming for the student council, Nikita-senpai?”

My serious expression caused Nikita to tilt her head.

“It seems like she would remain unchanged in that regard.”

I made up my mind.

I must somehow bring Poara into the student council.

She is a contractor of the Spirit Sovereign.

It’s better to manage her by my side.

That way, I could minimize any variables.

“Thank you for the information.”

I finished my sandwich.

I have gained steel skin, and a variable has emerged with the contractor of the Spirit Sovereign.

“By the way, junior, I came to talk about something more important than all this.”

Nikita cleared her throat, sat up straight, and straightened her posture.

Nikita appeared a bit taller in that moment.

She must be trying to look dignified in her own way.

But given her appearance, it only looked adorable.

“Are you about to confess?”

“Unfortunately, junior, I’ve never felt romantic feelings for anyone.”

“I respect and love you, Nikita-senpai.”

“Your respect and love are a bit excessive.”

One confession after another, huh?

“And I’m sorry, junior, but my ideal type is someone tall.”

This was the first time I learned such a thing.

Well, considering that I am in Hanon’s form, I’m only slightly taller than Nikita.

Since it was merely a joke to lighten the mood, I straightened my posture as well.

“About this incident, both the student council and the spirit studies department are very grateful.

Although you may not want to reveal the fact that you solved it yourself, at least I know.”

Nikita said this while looking at my face.

Then she raised the corners of her mouth, wearing a gentle smile.

“You did well. I wish to convey my gratitude.”

“Thank you for the appreciation.”

“And regarding your desire to join the student council, we’ve positively reviewed it and arrived at a conclusion today.”

Nikita handed me a badge.

It was proof that I was part of the student council.

“With the authority of vice president, I will officially recognize Hanon Irey as a member of the student council.”

I never thought I would be accepted right away due to this incident.

I received the student council badge from her, quite surprised.

The badge, featuring both a sword and a book, was distinctly marked with Jerion Academy’s emblem.

Of course, being a member of the student council meant one should possess both martial and scholarly skills.

With steel skin and now a member of the student council.

The Spirit Great Forest event poured out rewards like crazy.

I clenched the badge tightly.

For some reason, it felt like I had achieved something through my own efforts for the first time since arriving in this game.

“I’ll do my best from now on.”

“Hehe, I’ll be looking forward to it. The student council has a lot going on, so I’ll have to work you hard.”

“Please keep it within the bounds that won’t affect my studies.”

“As a member of the student council, there will be extra points to consider, so you won’t have to worry too much about that.”

That was also one of the reasons why I insisted on joining the student council.

Thanks to the extra points, even if I could not focus on my studies due to circumstances, I wouldn’t end up failing.

“Well then, take a rest.”

With the sandwich all finished, Nikita stood up from her seat.

As she was leaving, I tidied up my bedding.

My body had recovered, and dusk was approaching.

I was now thinking it was time to head back to the dorm.

Creak—

At that moment, the hospital door opened.

I wondered if Nikita-senpai had left something behind as I turned my head.

Instead, I discovered someone even more unexpected than Nikita.

“…Hello.”

With long black hair and an exquisitely sculpted face.

With skin that’s unnaturally white and eyes that looked like they had rubies embedded in them.

She resembled an elegant breed of cat.

People around called her the last villainess.

Having swallowed the prince and princess, she climbed to the second place in the imperial succession line.

The 3rd Princess Iris Haishirion.

She had appeared in my hospital room.