The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 100



This is How You Provoke

Preliminary Round Injury Treatment Center.

The treatment center was crowded with people, as the students’ enthusiasm was burning.

Still, the turnover rate was incredibly fast.

This was because the professors and instructors from the Holy Studies departments of each academy, along with the Holy Studies students, were out for practice.

Except for the students who lost consciousness, everyone was quickly leaving the treatment center.

I visited such a treatment center.

In my hands were two lunch boxes I had asked Card to get for me.

“I’m here to pick up a hospitalized friend.”

“Oh, yes, please tell me the name.”

A student answered while taking out a register.

The clinic was extremely busy.

However, since this was also training for them, the students were treating patients without a word of complaint.

“I’m Seron Parmia from Jerion Academy.”

“Go to room J-21.”

The student who answered quickly left.

I felt a sense of urgency as well.

After walking for a while, I arrived at the J-21 ward that the student had mentioned.

Even after knocking twice, there was no response.

Creak-

So, I opened the door and went inside.

Just because there was no answer didn’t mean I wouldn’t go in.

Inside the ward.

On the only occupied bed, a small girl was lying down.

All her wounds had been treated, but she still hadn’t regained consciousness and was breathing heavily in her sleep.

I pulled out a chair and sat down in front of her.

Then, I placed the lunchbox next to her so as not to wake her up.

“…Prince Sweet Potato.”

Had she woken up already?

“You’re awake. You must be hungry. I brought you a lunchbox.”

“…I don’t get hungry as soon as I wake up, you know? Do you think I’m a pig?”

Seron grumbled as usual.

But she looked somehow weak.

It didn’t suit Seron.

“I watched the preliminaries.”

Seron’s shoulders flinched.

She looked around in a flustered manner.

“When did you watch? You were in the preliminaries too.”

“Our group finished quickly because of my performance.”

“Wow, look at you bragging. So annoying.”

“Get it right. I’m just that good.”

Seron made a disgusted face.

“Oh?”

Seeing that, I put my hand on my neck.

Then, as I slightly pulled and loosened the bandage of the veil, the original face of Vickerman was revealed.

Seron’s body froze in place.

A faint smile appeared.

Seron was blinded.

“Seron, why don’t you try saying ‘unlucky’ one more time?”

“Hic, th-that’s cheating, cheating!”

Seron flailed and pulled the blanket up to her face.

Her forehead was flushed red.

Before I knew it, her tone had become more demure.

“You said all sorts of embarrassing things like ‘real prince’ and whatnot.”

“Why did you hear that, why did you hear that…”

Seron trembled.

Seeing that, I let out a hollow laugh.

“Looks can be deceiving.”

At that, Seron’s shoulders flinched.

Seron bit her lip and tightly gripped the blanket.

“…I don’t like you because of your looks.”

Seron slowly lowered the blanket she was holding.

Her face was flushed with embarrassment, but she looked straight at me.

“It’s just that I’m not immune to your princely appearance. I like you because you’re Vickerman-senpai, because you’re Hanon.”

Her earnest eyes shone.

Even I, who was listening to her, felt embarrassed by her sincere attitude.

How do I, facing such a Seron, feel?

Unfortunately, my emotions were already being ruined by the bandage of the veil.

I was losing not only love but also anger.

But when I look at Seron, I vaguely feel it.

This is what it means to like someone.

At that moment, Seron’s face flushed as if it were about to explode.

Smoke even appeared above his forehead as he crumbled.

“Huh, puh, b-but not now. D-don’t smile like that.”

Seron weakly waved his arms, covering his eyes.

Yet, he still glanced sideways, wanting to see me more.

I realized belatedly that I had been smiling all along.

If I continued to look like Bicammon, Seron would break.

I wrapped the bandages of the curtain again and returned to Hanon.

Then I stood up and lightly tapped Seron’s head.

“Seron, this is my personal decision. I’m going to get an apology from Ergo.”

“Ugh.”

Seron flinched, recalling what had happened with Ergo.

Ergo, unable to contain his anger, attacked even after the preliminary round was over.

As a result, he was disqualified from the preliminaries after a meeting.

There was no way they would let someone who didn’t follow the rules into the finals.

This revenge was originally Seron’s to take.

“I’m a petty guy who can’t just let it go when my friend gets treated like that.”

I’d rather live petty than do nothing.

“So eat your lunch and get your energy back. You’re the prettiest when you’re throwing a fit.”

“…Is that a compliment or an insult?”

“Interpret it as you wish.”

Though he pouted, his lips slightly curled up, perhaps because he was called pretty.

Anyway, he’s a consistent guy.

“So what are you going to do? Are you really going to get an apology? I’m fine.”

His slightly anxious eyes met mine.

He was happy that I thought of him that way.

But he didn’t want this to cause me any trouble.

Sensing that she was trying to stop me, I grinned.

“Don’t worry. It’s just a little conversation.”

“Telling me not to worry makes me more anxious.”

“What do you take me for? I may look like this, but I’m a gentleman.”

Seron’s face grew more uneasy.

Why do they see me as such a troublemaker?

I don’t understand.

“I’ll just go and apologize, really.”

“Really, really?”

“Really.”

Reassuring them until the end, I left the hospital room.

As I walked out of the room, I habitually cracked my neck.

It was a warm-up ingrained in my body before a fight.

Ergo is set to be repatriated to his home country after being eliminated in the preliminaries.

So, there’s not much time left.

Of course, I don’t intend to fight recklessly either.

It’s not an official match, and attacking royalty could lead to unknown punishments.

And aside from the apology to Seron, there was something I wanted to get from Ergo.

I had originally planned to make a deal with Ergo once.

This was a perfect opportunity.

So, I decided to challenge him very justly.

I quickly moved my feet to find someone.

Then, I immediately bowed my head to the person I found.

“Lady Iris, please help me just this once.”

“Hmm?”

A card higher than royalty, the imperial family.

* * *

The Sky Kingdom, with the longest history in the world.

Moreover, a kingdom that inherited the bloodline of the great royal family Parazon, who stood with the great hero Wolfram.

The overwhelming heir to the throne of such Parazon.

The only prince, Ergo Parazon.

He, who even painted his golden attire with gold, now had a very displeased face.

The reason was simple.

Daringly, he was disqualified from the preliminaries for punishing the girl who dared to speak against him.

“Disqualify me? These outrageous fools.”

His teeth ground together in anger.

Ergo, with his high self-esteem, believed that everything he did was justified.

Apart from his innate talent, he had a strong tendency to be a tyrant.

However, it was true that he was capable.

Even though he was a tyrant, he had already shown outstanding prominence in the political world.

Therefore.

“Your Highness Ergo, Princess Iris Hyserion the Third has come to see you.”

Ergo could not simply ignore a meeting with the Third Princess.

The anger in his eyes vanished as if it had been washed away.

The Third Princess was one of the people closest to the throne in the Hyserion Empire.

There was no reason to refuse her visit.

“Let her in.”

Ergo adjusted his attire and sat down in his chair.

Creak-

In the meantime, the door opened, and two people walked in.

Seeing this, Ergo’s eyes filled with curiosity.

One was the Third Princess, Iris Hyserion.

She had a beauty so renowned that it was famous even in foreign lands.

Beside her was a boy who resembled her in many ways.

Black hair and red eyes.

A small boy.

“Lady Iris, is he your brother?”

“Yes, he is.”

Iris, who usually did not speak formally, did not lower her speech to Ergo.

This was because he was the confirmed heir to the throne and the future king of Parazon.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Hanon Aire. I am Lady Iris’s cousin.”

Cousin.

Hearing those words, Ergo smiled faintly.

The fact that Iris had brought him personally meant that he was a cherished younger brother.

Naturally, he would not behave rudely.

“I see. Nice to meet you. I am Ergo Parazon.”

He knew well that Hanon had not inherited the name of the Duke of Roblia.

Still, he did not bother to point it out.

In this world, the value of a family name is not everything.

“I apologize, but the reason I came to see you today, Lord Ergo, is because of my business.”

“Business? Speak.”

It was awkward that it was Hanon’s business, not Iris’s.

But he decided to grant Hanon special favor and listen to his story.

“Lord Ergo, you possess the Sword of White Dreams, do you not?”

“I do.”

The moment the Sword of Nightmares was mentioned, Iris glanced at Hanon for some reason.

Ergo found it curious but did not bother to ask.

“Would you be willing to exchange that sword with the one I have?”

“The Sword of White Dreams?”

Ergo’s eyes widened slightly.

Ergo had a deep attachment to his sword.

Therefore, the sudden proposal to exchange swords could not help but be displeasing.

Even if it were Iris, let alone his cousin asking for the sword.

The tyrant’s tendency was about to surface, but he held it back.

“It doesn’t look like you have a sword.”

“Yes, not at the moment.”

As Hanon’s vague answer began to irritate Ergo’s face.

Hanon untied something from his neck.

What he held in his hand was a pendant.

As soon as Hanon lightly tapped the pendant, a sword was formed.

It was an old sword, but it felt like a very good one.

But other than that, it didn’t seem to have any special meaning.

Just as Ergo’s interest was waning.

“The sword used by the ancient hero, Parazon.”

As soon as Hannon spoke, his eyes widened.

“What?”

“The sword used by the ancient hero, Parazon.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Ergo looked confused.

Iris, too, seemed taken aback and stared at Hannon with wide eyes.

But Hannon’s expression remained unchanged.

“If you recall the paintings of the Parazon dynasty, you’ll see the resemblance. You can verify its authenticity if you wish.”

“Wait a moment.”

Ergo felt a sudden headache from the unexpected news.

He rubbed his forehead and stared blankly at Hannon’s sword through his fingers.

In his mind, the image of the Parazon royal family was vividly etched.

Of course, he remembered clearly, having grown up always looking at the portrait of the hero Parazon.

‘It’s certain.’

That sword definitely matched the appearance of Parazon’s sword.

But countless imitation swords of Parazon had appeared until now.

There was a possibility that this sword was one of them.

‘However.’

The fact that he came with Iris bothered him.

Would someone guaranteed by Iris really try to deceive him, a descendant of Parazon?

On the other hand, another thought crossed his mind.

‘The Sword of Baekmong is a good sword, but.’

Is it worth exchanging for Parazon’s sword?

Parazon’s sword is the one the Parazon royal family has been searching for.

They hadn’t made much effort to find it, thinking it had been lost long ago.

But if they found it, it would be something they would empty the royal treasury to obtain.

Parazon’s sword itself has no special abilities.

But its name alone was enough to move the Parazon royal family.

He couldn’t understand why they wanted to exchange it for the Sword of Baekmong.

“`

“Ah, and in addition to this, there is one more thing I would like to request.”

Paragon’s face soon turned into one of understanding.

He naturally thought there would be something more desired.

And the next words disrupted Paragon’s expression.

“Fake prince, would you like to have a duel with the real prince?”

Hanon smiled faintly.

Fake prince, let’s have a match.