The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 69



68 – On the Frozen Ancient Dragon

Near the forest by the Aron Sea beach.

I used Sharin to corner Hanon and barely managed to catch him.

This evasive master couldn’t be caught any other way.

‘To him, I must seem like the one in the wrong.’

I had stolen his identity and rampaged through Jerion Academy.

To Hanon, I was the one who ruined his reputation.

I felt sorry for Hanon.

But regardless, it was troublesome if he kept acting out like this.

I had to live as Hanon until I graduated from Jerion Academy.

So I wanted to compromise with him as much as possible.

“Is that your real face?”

“Fake.”

Hanon, still restrained, laughed and asked the same thing as Sharin.

My face was that of someone who didn’t exist in this world.

So it was fake.

“That’s a shame.”

Hanon didn’t seem to care at all that I had used his identity.

He looked like someone who had thrown away worldly concerns and chased relics and legends across the world.

“I’m sorry for using your identity without permission. But our goals aren’t that different.”

I sighed, pressing down on Hanon.

“So, let’s talk.”

“In this state?”

Hanon flailed his arms as if protesting my restraint.

“Sorry, but you’d run away immediately.”

“Wow, you’re quick-witted.”

He’s even more unpredictable than I am.

“I can’t catch you again. I know no one can if you run at full speed.”

I pulled the bandage of the veil.

Then my appearance changed to Hanon.

There was no need to maintain another appearance once I had caught Hanon.

Hanon looked at me with a face that still found it fascinating.

“The First Prince sent you, didn’t he?”

At my question, Hanon gave a wry smile.

“Interesting. Considering I’m a relative of Lady Iris, wouldn’t it make more sense to think I was sent by the Third Princess’s faction?”

“You’re not even affiliated with the Duke of Roblia. Why would there be a reason for that?”

Hanon’s surname, Airey, belongs to a small noble family on the outskirts.

He only inherited the bloodline of the Duke of Roblia.

He was unrelated to Roblia.

Hanon was originally used as a spy for the First Prince.

As such, Hanon was fundamentally a person with many secrets.

But who am I?

I’m a veteran who has cleared the Flame Butterfly route 23 times.

No matter how hidden a character Hanon is.

I know everything about the character Hanon.

“Rather.”

So I also know what would make Hanon react sensitively.

“You resent the Duke of Roblia, don’t you?”

Hanon’s face changed to an expression I had never seen before.

The guy who had been acting leisurely all along stopped struggling and stared at me.

“Who are you, really?”

Instead, it was Hanon who asked the question.

In an instant, the situation was reversed.

Now it was Hanon who had to interrogate me.

“I am.”

Here, I take control.

Hanon’s existence is nothing short of a weakness for me.

If he runs out and reveals my identity right now, my position will be in serious trouble.

I might get expelled from the academy and even end up in prison for impersonation.

If that happens, it’s the end for me too.

‘It’s the end of this world as well.’

After all the hardships, I barely managed to set the world on the right path.

The factions of the First Prince and the Third Princess were just starting to catch fire.

No matter the process, the scenario is moving towards the right path.

Hanon’s past and incidents do not change.

“I can be your ally or your enemy, depending on how you act.”

To Hanon, I am an unknown entity that copied his appearance.

Hanon must also be very suspicious of me.

‘The character trait of keeping secrets right now is.’

It’s not Hanon, but me.

The more suspicion grows in Hanon’s mind, the more I can take control.

“Hanon, you want revenge on the Duke of Roblia, don’t you?”

The only reason he joined hands with the First Prince’s faction was because of his grudge against the Duke of Roblia.

That’s why Hanon also hates his daughter, Iris, very much.

‘Hanon is a character who unravels the story of how the Duke of Roblia joined hands with the villain.’

He is also the main culprit in raising the overall difficulty of the game.

Because of Hanon’s appearance, clearing the episodes becomes difficult.

So I must prevent the real Hanon from appearing in the right path.

“I will help you with your revenge. If you help me, I can give you a more certain revenge than the First Prince.”

Hanon stared at me blankly.

There was a mix of suspicion and incredulity in his gaze.

“…The Duke of Roblia is not someone who can be easily dealt with. An individual can’t do anything about him.”

“Yes, that’s why you sided with the First Prince.”

Knowing that the Duke of Roblia was someone beyond his own power.

Hanon willingly joined hands with the First Prince.

An ally with the strongest power among individuals.

But he is not the only one who can become such an ally.

“You don’t completely trust the First Prince either, do you? Wouldn’t it be better to take this opportunity to open a new path?”

I am also someone who can achieve what Hanon desires the most.

Though he might be in the stage of doubt now.

I can prove it more than anyone else.

“Ha.”

At that moment, a ridiculous laugh escaped from Hanon’s mouth.

He shook off his laughter once and then stared straight at me.

“As you said, I was ordered by the First Prince to find out your identity.”

I saved Nia and Nikita, who were by the First Prince’s side.

Nikita knows my identity.

But given her personality of repaying debts, she wouldn’t have revealed it to Nia.

‘From the First Prince’s perspective, who already knows Hanon, he must be wondering what kind of person I am.’

The First Prince is someone who values the present.

Naturally, he didn’t want unexpected variables to appear.

To such a person, I would be an unwelcome figure.

‘Even so, I saved Nia. It would have been difficult to eliminate me.’

So he threw Hanon at me.

If I don’t reveal who I am, he would use Hanon to uncover my identity.

It was an act filled with the First Prince’s warning.

“But after talking to you, I realized you’re an even more troublesome friend than I thought.”

Hanon tilted his head and looked at me.

Then he let out a hollow laugh.

“But I’m not the type to trust people easily.”

As expected, this much wasn’t enough to convince him.

“Well then, since my business is done, I’ll be leaving.”

At the same time, Hanon’s body began to disperse.

He used one of the tools he had collected while wandering around the ruins.

Hanon’s unique tool.

The Wind of Concealment.

A tool imbued with mystery that allows him to escape to any desired location at any time.

This was why Hanon had been so relaxed all along.

I had anticipated this as well.

So, just as I was about to react.

Thud!

A sudden sharp pain struck my right eye.

I realized who the owner of the pain was and quickly pressed my eye with my hand.

But it was too late.

Whoosh!

A stream of cold air burst out from me and spread rapidly through the forest.

The bushes froze, and the trees also froze.

The problem was Hanon, who was beneath me.

“Ugh?”

Hanon, frozen solid by the cold, mumbled with his lips.

The remnants of the ancient dragon suddenly struggled.

‘Did it react to the mystery?’

Just as I was about to awaken the flame of fire in response to the unexpected struggle, Sharin landed in front of me.

She had been watching the situation from above and came down.

“Bad child.”

Sharin took out her staff and twirled it around.

“You need to be punished.”

Sharin’s eyes were filled with the light of the Milky Way, and the light shot into my eyes from the tip of her staff.

The presence of the ancient dragon that had been constricting my eye was struck by the light and, startled, fled inward.

The chilling aura of the ancient dragon that had been swirling around us dissipated.

The ice scales that had sprouted on parts of my face shattered and vanished.

“It seems to be reacting to the mystery.”

Sharin seemed to think that the sudden reaction of the ancient dragon’s remnants was the same as mine.

The bigger problem was Hanon, who was lying beneath me.

He had taken the full brunt of the ancient dragon’s chill and was frozen solid, unconscious.

He’s not usually this reckless.

I’m sorry.

…Why do I keep finding myself apologizing to Hanon?

Having a conversation with him is never easy.

“Sharin, could you take this guy to a warmer place?”

“Sure, I’ll do that.”

Sharin erased the traces left by the ancient dragon’s remnants and lifted the unconscious Hanon.

“Hanon, I want to eat ice cream.”

This is her way of demanding payment for her help.

“I’ll buy you two.”

“Three.”

“You’ll get a stomachache.”

“One is for Hanon.”

I’ll buy you four.

“I’ll go ahead.”

Sharin waved her hand languidly and floated into the air.

Just as I was about to follow her out of the forest.

I sensed a presence beyond the woods.

At the same time, I instinctively reacted to the killing intent directed at me and pulled my body back.

Whoosh!

In that instant, a sword swung in front of me.

Honey blonde hair fluttered.

It was none other than Isabel.

Isabel drew back her foot and immediately continued her attack.

I frowned as I looked at Isabel.

“Isabel, what are you doing?”

“Huh?”

Isabel, who was swinging her sword, widened her eyes in surprise.

Then, as she hurriedly tried to retract the sword she was swinging, her posture faltered.

“Oops.”

Isabel twisted her ankle and her body lurched forward.

At this rate, she would fall flat on the ground.

I quickly reached out and caught Isabel with both arms.

Thud!

I caught Isabel and barely managed to stay on my feet, taking a deep breath.

Then I looked down at Isabel with a disapproving face.

“Are you trying to knock me down by surprise now?”

At my question, Isabel flinched in my arms.

“N-no, it’s not that! Someone who looked like you appeared. So, I mean.”

That guy, Hanon, did he go to see Isabel after all?

I didn’t know what he said, but it clearly got on Isabel’s nerves.

‘It would be troublesome if he gave her any clues about me.’

There’s nothing more troublesome than Isabel suspecting my identity.

Isabel was already in a very complicated state recently.

It wasn’t good to shake her up.

“What kind of nonsense is that? Didn’t you see something wrong?”

So I denied it for now.

“Something wrong? I’m serious.”

Then Isabel protested with an angry face.

She was upset that I didn’t believe her.

“I followed his trail all the way here, and you were here.”

“So how long are you going to stay like this?”

As Isabel showed a slightly sulky reaction, I shrugged the shoulders of the arms that were holding her.

Isabel was startled and quickly lifted her head, then stood up with a flustered face.

Her face was flushed red up to her ears.

“Th-thank you for accepting, ugh!”

At the same time, Isabel flinched as if she felt pain in her ankle.

It was the price of twisting her body excessively while swinging her sword.

Isabel sat down and clutched her ankle.

Watching her, I sighed.

I felt sorry for Sharin, but I couldn’t leave Isabel like this.

“Get on my back.”

“I-I’m fine. I can walk.”

“What are you going to do if you make the injury worse, being a member of the martial arts department?”

It seemed like a light sprain, but it wouldn’t be good to push it.

“Isabel, would you just leave me if I sprained my ankle?”

“…Of course, I would support or carry you.”

When I told Isabel that I would do the same for her, she understood.

Isabel was light.

It was amazing that she was so light despite training and building muscles every day.

I could smell a citrus scent from Isabel on my back.

Moreover, I couldn’t help but realize that her physique was quite good.

I shook off that thought and started walking.

Isabel remained silent after getting on my back.

Since she was on my back, I couldn’t see her face and had no idea what she was thinking.

“…Why did you enroll in Jerion Academy?”

Then, Isabel suddenly asked me a question.

From noble mtl dot com

It was a rather unexpected question.

Was there some change in her feelings?

I was a bit worried, but I answered honestly.

“I told you on the first day, didn’t I? I wanted to correct the disgrace of Jerion Academy.”

I reminded her of the day I criticized Lucas.

But Isabel remained unusually silent despite my words.

“`

“……Did you come because of Lucas?”

The words that followed were different from usual.

“It wouldn’t be without influence.”

What kind of change of heart is this?

I couldn’t know, but I answered to avoid unnecessary suspicion.

“Yeah, I see…….”

Isabel didn’t ask further and buried her face in my shoulder.

The summer wind blew past the two of us.

What answer Isabel found in that moment,

I couldn’t know.