The World After the Bad Ending

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Disaster Dragon Maiden.

Nikita Cynthia is the final boss who exits in Act 3.

Thus, for a dramatic exit, encompassing Acts 1, 2, and 3.

Nikita is also the character with the highest weight in the narrative.

The game’s scenario focuses intensely on the early stages.

This character leads to a shocking tragic narrative based on the complacent judgment that she would be the heroine.

Due to the developer’s obsessive desire to plunge users solely into despair.

Nikita’s character is maximized in the early stages.

So, who am I here?

I am a veteran who cleared episode 29 of the Fire Butterfly chapter.

In fact, counting the times I’ve deliberately checked out the bad endings, my playthroughs are far more than this.

In other words, I know everything from the trivialities of Nikita to her life and achievements.

I possess countless routes to praise her from various angles.

So now I am a Nikita praise machine.

“I commend Senior Nikita for personally carrying an injured examinee to the infirmary during the entrance exam!”

“Ahem, that’s just the duty of a senior.”

“I commend Senior Nikita for often wanting snacks but choosing to eat tofu cookies instead due to concerns about gaining weight.”

“Well, that, uh, tofu cookie is just really tasty!”

“I commend Senior Nikita for accidentally dozing off in the student council room and subsequently taking over the remaining duties because the keys got locked.”

“W- wait, how do you know that?!”

“Senior Nikita….”

“Enough!”

Nikita is a delicate child.

She needs to be praised.

With my barrage of compliments, Nikita looked dazed and confused.

“Why? It’s not over yet.”

“Please, I beg you, stop it.”

She gazed at me with a serious expression while holding her forehead.

“… Junior, knowing me this well is a bit creepy.”

Maybe I overdid it.

Once I got carried away from the middle by just having fun teasing her, I acknowledged my mistake.

“The truth is, I sincerely respect Senior Nikita. As I mentioned earlier, she has worked harder than anyone else.”

Indeed, that’s the truth.

Nikita is weak to praise but strong against criticism.

Putting all that aside, the most prominent aspect is her diligence.

And this is why I particularly remember Nikita with fondness.

“Nikita is tragically talentless.”

Disaster Dragon Maiden, Nikita Cynthia.

Despite being born into the famed magical noble family of the Cynthias, she possesses no magical talent whatsoever.

The magical power she holds within her is close to zero.

Perhaps that’s why she received rather poor evaluations from her family since her childhood.

On the other hand, Nikita’s older brother, Nia Cynthia, was gifted with exceptional magical talents.

Because of that, from the moment she was born, Nikita lived a life constantly compared to him.

“Nikita, you can’t hold a candle to your brother.”

“That’s alright. Luckily, Nikita is a girl. It doesn’t matter if she has no magical talent.”

“Nikita, take care of your appearance. That’s your only strength.”

Her family held no expectations for her at all.

They merely thought of her as a means for a political marriage using her natural beauty.

They didn’t listen to her opinions at all.

Usually, she might have been disheartened.

No, in fact, Nikita was indeed disheartened.

However, Nikita did not stop at despair.

If one lacks talent, one needs to find talent in other places.

She made countless efforts to discover where her talents lay.

And she faced numerous disappointments.

Nikita Cynthia is an average person.

She has no magical talent.

She doesn’t possess any outstanding intelligence compared to others.

Her naturally small stature became an obstacle even in martial arts.

Nothing special to speak of.

Just a pretty doll.

The background of being a prominent marquess and the reputation of being from a magical noble family are merely burdensome environments for average Nikita.

Yet, despite that, Nikita did not give up.

She acknowledged that she had no talents.

Thus, she redirected her focus.

If there is no talent, she would cultivate the talent she lacks.

She would sow the seed of talent in barren land.

Magic is a problem that cannot be solved without innate magical power.

So, setting that aside, she poured all her efforts into studying and swordsmanship.

No matter what her family would say, she did what she could.

This is precisely why she could be strong in the face of criticism.

Moreover, because she worked harder than anyone else, she nurtured a desire to prove her efforts.

She worked hard.

With her sheer effort, she rose to the position of vice president at Jerion Academy, where geniuses and prodigies gather.

At the academy, she maintains a top tier position despite the odds.

Her body, not particularly strong, suffers from nosebleeds every night from studying.

Every time she swings her sword, her hands burst, and she endures extreme muscle pain.

Yet each day is hard, she did not spare her efforts.

Perhaps because life is this way.

She is particularly susceptible to praise.

Her family treats her like a pretty doll.

At the academy, others think her high grades are due to her noble background.

She always strives diligently.

Even if no one acknowledges her, she always puts in the effort.

I quite like Nikita.

Thus, I wanted to tell her.

“Senior Nikita deserves respect and praise.”

The present her is entirely a product of her perseverance in life without yielding.

Nikita smiled faintly.

She stared at me blankly.

Seeing her slightly flushed ears, it seemed my sincere compliments reached her.

“… Thank you.”

Nikita uttered her words of gratitude.

Instead of her haughty expression from when we first met.

A subtle smile that only Nikita Cynthia could produce played on her lips.

“I’ve never received so much praise in my life as I have today.

Junior, I will live a life that befits your compliments and respect from here on.”

Nikita wore quite a proud smile.

Just by someone recognizing her efforts made her a resilient person who can go on living.

“You mentioned you wanted to join the student council, right? As third year students are graduating, a few mundane tasks just opened up.

Initially, I was thinking of selecting first-year applicants.”

“I’ll apply. Please just let me in and I will work with all my heart.”

“Hmm, we need someone who will work hard. I will consider it positively.”

I successfully managed to insert myself into the student council.

“Well then, I have some business with the martial arts department. Junior, see you next time.”

Nikita finished her words and passed by.

I quietly watched her departing figure.

Nikita Cynthia is a hard worker.

I sincerely hoped her efforts would not go to waste until the very end.

Perhaps because of that.

As someone who must lead the world towards the truth, I reflected many thoughts while gazing at her back.

Nikita Cynthia is the Disaster Dragon Maiden.

She is the boss in Act 3 who must be defeated in the scenario.

＊ ＊ ＊

After various twists and turns, finally, the day has ended.

I have made enemies with Isabel.

I have garnered goodwill from Nikita.

‘Is it really okay to live such an extreme life?’

Given the circumstances, I acted without thinking, but it surely was a difficult process.

More than anything, Nikita has a complicated relationship with Lucas, harboring some grudges now.

Lucas’s death wouldn’t likely be a happy situation for her.

If she discovers that I have brought Lucas down, her goodwill may diminish.

‘At least Nikita is somewhat dull about news within the academy.’

With her daily student council work, studying, and swinging swords.

Nikita has a rather narrow social circle.

As such, she is less aware of events in the academy compared to others.

Unless it’s something that happened among the third years.

It may take time for her to hear of the disturbances in the second year.

Moreover, knowing that the Cynthia family has sided with the 1st Prince.

Her attention must be diverted, making her busy.

So, I need to build my goodwill swiftly.

‘Act 1 of Chapter 3 has already begun.’

Nikita’s older brother, Nia Cynthia, has already sided with the 1st Prince, marking the beginning.

There will be many tasks ahead to prepare in place of Lucas.

‘Let’s do this. Me.’

Self-comforting, I stood still.

I pondered where I currently was.

Right here, in the male dormitory of Jerion Academy.

However, the building I saw before me didn’t fit the term “dormitory.”

This building was more akin to a luxury hotel.

Jerion Academy is a prestigious academy.

Thus, with many noble offspring, the families provide substantial support.

As a means to ensure their sons and daughters are well taken care of.

Thanks to this, Jerion Academy, overflowing with funds, has devoted great care to the dormitories.

“Hanon Irey young master, we’ve been waiting for you. I am Marie Emeris.”

As soon as I entered the entrance, a servant bowed and greeted me.

A middle-aged woman in a long black skirt and apron.

She is the head maid of Jerion Academy’s dormitory.

Marie Emeris.

“My belongings have already been moved to the assigned room.”

“Thank you.”

“Young Master Irey, we are just mere servants so there’s no need to speak formally.”

As a South Korean, it’s not easy to speak informally to an elder.

But I need to adapt.

“Got it. Let’s work well together for the next two years, Head Maid.”

“Yes, we will do our utmost to assist you in focusing on your studies.”

She said that and immediately started the tour.

As I was being shown around, I realized again.

‘This dormitory puts five-star hotels to shame.’

Why does the dormitory have both a swimming pool and an onsen, along with a massage room?

I expressed my serious doubt, amid the wonder, but said nothing further.

After all, I’ve seen this in the game before.

It wasn’t particularly new.

‘Wasn’t there a horrifying water ghost event here?’

Instead, I checked all the events that might occur in the dormitory.

‘I have to obtain everything I can.’

I am not Lucas.

Of course, I don’t have Lucas’s unique trait, the flame of will.

‘The flame of will is an essential element for advancing the game into the truth.’

But there’s nothing I can do about not having it.

So, I need to find another solution.

‘This is the main problem.’

I have thought of a few possibilities.

The real issue is that the most viable candidate is at another academy.

‘If I want to transfer them here.’

I will have to think up another plan.

Let’s try it as we go.

If all else fails, there’s the “secret friend of the dean who grants any whim!” event.

“This is the room where Young Master Irey will stay.”

Room 316.

After looking at the room, I thought for a moment.

‘Room 316 for second-year students.’

Could it be that there are a lot of non-essential common characters in the Fire Butterfly chapter?

I wondered who might be there when suddenly.

Marie the maid knocked.

“Card? Are you there?”

Card.

As that name popped into my mind, I blinked.

‘Ah.’

And just as that name popped into my head.

Creeeak –

As the door opened, a guy with short blonde hair flew out.

At the same time, tan skin and a rather rude-looking face appeared.

So much for quietly living in the dormitory.

“Marie, if you want to visit, feel free to come alone.”

A man with a mischievous grin shamelessly flirting even with the middle-aged Marie.

Card Velik.

The blonde punk who annoys the main heroine and eventually gets wrecked by the protagonist.