The World After the Bad Ending

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Magung, 4th floor.

Ice Art Museum.

A pure white chill erupted in all directions centered around Nikita, swallowed by the magic of the Ancient Dragon.

However, amidst that chill, a different kind of intense heat mixed in.

Confusion hovered in the cold.

Fwaaaaar!

Inside Nikita’s body, the hidden chill bared its teeth at me.

Fear.

The biological overwhelming presence of the Ancient Dragon.

Even I, who had expected it, was struck by a rough fear.

But the heat of the flames forcibly awakened my senses.

Finally, the remnants of that wretched Ancient Dragon revealed its true nature.

Another reason I had left Nikita alone until she meddled with the Ancient Dragon’s magic was due to the bloodline flowing through the Cynthia family.

Throughout generations, in the Cynthia family, children without significant talents are born.

So much so that there’s a saying: “Always give birth to at least two when having a child.”

The reason is simple.

Long ago, even before the unification war of the Empire, the Cynthia family originally served the Ancient Dragon.

The secret passage of the Ancient Dragon’s magic to them is thanks to this as well.

However, for some reason, the Cynthia family betrayed the Ancient Dragon. The Dragon, in its rage, did not annihilate them outright but laid a curse instead.

When the most outstanding child of a generation is born, the curse steals away that child’s talent.

Remnants of the Ancient Dragon

The only talent a child marked by the remnants can possess is controlling the Ancient Dragon’s magic.

The Cynthia family kept this fact hidden for a long time.

Even the current heir, Nia Cynthia, was unaware of this truth.

At present, it could safely be said that only the head of the Cynthia family knew of this curse.

They couldn’t afford to let it be known outside.

If that were to happen, the family might be stamped with the disgrace of having been cursed and cast aside.

Moreover, it was a curse laid by the Ancient Dragon. Finding a way to erase it wouldn’t be easy.

Thus, the head of the Cynthia family thoroughly concealed this fact.

Above all, the Cynthias had become accustomed to the birth of talentless children.

For generations, they’ve dealt with talentless kids through political marriages.

They were accustomed to handling a talentless child.

And so, the remnants of the Ancient Dragon continued to be passed on as children of the Cynthia family.

In modern times, the second child of the Cynthia family, Nikita, was born without any talents.

Originally, Nikita should have spread her wings and soared, but due to the curse passed down in the family, she was robbed of her wings and forced to crawl on the ground.

However, Nikita never gave up throughout her life.

She lifted her sword, worked tirelessly, and finally reached the position of vice president at Jerion Academy.

Yet, in this world, there exists the immense wheel of fate.

Perhaps, even if it weren’t today, Nikita was destined to eventually wield the Ancient Dragon’s magic.

At least from what I know from the Fire Butterfly route…

Nikita touched the Ancient Dragon’s magic in some way.

Of course, that’s a story I’m unaware of.

Had I blocked her from meddling with the Ancient Dragon’s magic, Nikita might have never dealt with it in her lifetime.

However, I lacked confidence in a future I knew nothing about.

The current situation at my feet was barely keeping up.

How could I possibly envision an entirely new future?

Above all…

Even if Nikita did not meddle with the Ancient Dragon’s magic…

The remnants would continue to dwell within her.

And someday, when she marries happily and has a child…

That child might once again bear the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

I didn’t want to imagine what kind of sad expression Nikita would have when she saw her talentless child.

And so, I prepared.

There was no way to eliminate the remnants before they fully manifested in Nikita.

But now, as Nikita finally began to use the Ancient Dragon’s magic, the heavy remnants began to surface.

“Go ahead, thrash around inside there all you want.”

Desperate attempts to cast out the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

“I’ll set you ablaze!”

Mystique from the Steel Empress, steel-like skin.

The Spirit Sovereign of Fire now possessed the power to confront the chill imbued by the Ancient Dragon.

The Steel Empress desires heat more than anyone.

Her steel-like skin harbored that feature in its own right.

However, separate from that characteristic, the power of mystique expels heat.

This is the dilemma.

The Steel Empress desires heat but…

If she were to embrace the heat, the steel would surely melt.

Thus, instinctively, her steel-like skin repels the heat.

Here, the unique characteristics of the Spirit Sovereign of Fire also come into play.

The Spirit Sovereign of Fire is the remnant of a spirit born of flames.

To ensure that her last flicker of flame could burn brilliantly, the Spirit Sovereign strives to incinerate everything trying to extinguish her.

Currently, the greatest threat to the Spirit Sovereign of Fire is the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

As a result, the steel skin pushed away the Spirit Sovereign, and the Spirit began to cling to the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

Every time my hand, holding the Spirit Sovereign of Fire, collided with Nikita, the Spirit was drawn further toward the remnants.

The worst enemy for cold is, naturally, heat.

Each increase in warmth caused the power of the remnants to weaken rapidly.

Gugugugugu!

The chill raged as the remnants of the Ancient Dragon revealed their fury.

Nikita’s feet slid back.

The remnants, sensing danger, attempted to escape from this place.

Crash!

But I couldn’t just watch that happen.

I stretched my palm out toward Nikita, who was closely pressing against me.

Then, her sword quickly blocked my strike.

The remnants of the Ancient Dragon also realized that my attack was dangerous if it made direct contact.

The moment it touched even once, flames would flood in massively.

Knowing this, the remnants couldn’t afford to ignore me.

“Trying to run away?”

My crimson eyes gleamed ominously.

“If it were you, Nikita, you wouldn’t run.”

Red streaks twisted through the chill.

Kaboom! Bang! Kaboom!

The outstretched hand of heat relentlessly struck at the remnants.

“If you’re going to flee…”

I deeply ingrained fear into the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

“Then go ahead and run away alone.”

The remnants of the Ancient Dragon writhed.

At that moment, Nikita’s mouth opened, and a pure white flash surged in.

As soon as I saw it, I turned my body sharply.

The flash zoomed past me.

Quaaaang!

The ceiling of the Ice Art Museum shattered from the direct hit by the flash.

As the shards fell, they began to rain down atop us.

I evaded the falling shards.

Nikita also pulled back to dodge the debris.

Amidst the fragments, Nikita was being urged to flee by the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

Thud—

My foot pressed down on the ground.

With the leap posture, I pulled my hand back with all my strength.

I inhaled deeply.

At the moment when Nikita’s figure vanished between the fragments…

The magic inscription inscribed beneath my feet activated.

The activated magic was an explosion.

In this moment…

The synergy of the mystique and the magic inscription created a powerful reaction.

Quaaaang!

With an explosive force that felt like my feet were being torn apart, my body shot out like a projectile.

My hand shot straight towards the debris obscuring my vision.

Crack!

My palm dug into the ceiling’s shards, causing fractures to spread throughout the debris.

Crash!

Finally, after shattering the fragments, I charged at Nikita.

However, this was a prediction made even by the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

Nikita swiftly readied her sword, now compacted with cold.

Her eyes, transformed by the magic, gleamed fiercely.

I felt the intent to kill directed at me.

Watching this unfold…

I palm a ring while maintaining the posture I struck in.

Come forth, Bring Thunder.

Crackle—

A white-hot flash filled the ground.

Without regard for the rules of the magic academy, the descending lightning swept everything away.

The Ancient Dragon, caught in the storm of my power, roared with magic.

Raising my hand towards the sky.

The current flowing through the steel skin was forcibly drawn into my grasp.

Magic Inscription · Lightning Conductor

The swirling lightning bolts coalesced into my hand in an instant.

With the spear of lightning in hand, I stomped the ground.

Kaboom!

An explosion erupted from my elbow as my body bent backward.

The spear of lightning left my hand.

Razaazaaza!

The staff of lightning struck Nikita.

Both she and the remnants of the Ancient Dragon screamed in unison.

In that moment, as her body floated into the air…

Without hesitation, I hurled myself forward.

The Spirit of Fire was once again firmly grasped in my hand.

I slammed the Spirit of Fire into her with all my might.

“Niki-ta!”

I cried out as I tightly clenched my fist.

“It’s time to wake up.”

My empowered fist crashed down upon Nikita.

Her body slammed into the ground, sending the Spirit of Fire into a frenzy.

The remnants of the Ancient Dragon would not give in easily to survive, unleashing their chill madly.

With the collision between both forces, my body felt like it might shatter.

Such was the extent that my clothes tore, and parts of the shroud began to unravel.

Inside the veil, my true face was revealed.

White hair danced in the chaotic wind, and bright yellow pumpkin-like eyes shone.

My skin had partially transformed into steel.

It seemed the heat was melting the steel skin, flowing inward.

‘The heat of the Spirit Sovereign is akin to a blaze of determination.’

Just like with Lucas, I was absorbing steel and becoming a body of steel.

Moreover, after being struck by lightning twice…

My body bore scars from the lightning strike.

I was in utter disarray.

I could only wonder what kind of face others might make upon seeing me.

However, at this point, it mattered little.

I poured all my flames into Nikita.

The roaring fire engulfed the chill entirely.

Chiiiiiick!

The scream of the remnants echoed loud.

On the contrary, my body was deprived of heat, instead harboring the chill.

However, my eyes did not lose their will.

Rather, they brimmed with determination, shining brighter than ever.

‘You know too, right?’

I addressed the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

‘If you continue to absorb heat, you’ll be the one to disappear.’

The remnants thrashed wildly.

Eventually, they recognized my intent.

The only way for the remnants to survive was…

To jump hosts.

Originally, the flame of determination that filled Lucas wouldn’t allow even a crack of opportunity for the remnants to enter.

Thus, the remnants of the Ancient Dragon chose to perish alongside Nikita without any chance to flee.

This was the main reason Lucas couldn’t save Nikita.

But now, all I had borrowed was the Spirit of Fire.

Inside me, there existed ample gaps for the remnants to slip in.

This was the difference between Lucas and me.

And also the only difference that allowed me to save Nikita.

Lucas, as the protagonist, couldn’t save her.

But I was a third-rate villain, specifically, Bickamon Niflheim who walked away from the main story.

This was something only I could do.

‘I never had any talent to begin with.’

Bickamon originally had no magical talent, which was what Nikita had wished for so dearly.

So I had compensated for that through magic inscriptions, activating spells one by one.

Now, even if the remnants, which consumed talents, entered…

I had nothing to lose.

This was the real difference between me and Lucas.

With such abundant talent, there was no space for the remnants to enter, unlike Lucas.

I was completely empty!

Within Nikita, the remnants of the Ancient Dragon constantly fought.

However, that conflict didn’t last long.

The remnants could no longer withstand the flames rushing towards them from her.

Thus, they chose to shift hosts.

The thrashing remnants climbed up from my punch that connected with Nikita.

At that moment, a thick chill crept into my body.

The scales that clung to every inch of Nikita melted away, disappearing.

Her horns and tail also dissolved like snow.

However, her fangs and eyes retained their presence.

In contrast, scales began to sprout on my skin.

An overwhelming chill washed over me, to the point it felt like my consciousness was flying away.

It was an incredibly chilling sensation that felt like it would freeze my brain.

Nikita had been handling such chills to wield the magic of the Ancient Dragon.

Creeeak!

Yet, there remained a portion of the Spirit of Fire within me.

The heat and chill collided, gradually neutralizing one another.

The remnants of the Ancient Dragon, having shifted hosts, struggled to gain control over me.

But I wasn’t about to let that happen.

Having been hit repeatedly by the Spirit of Fire, the remnants had grown so weak they couldn’t muster the strength to seize me.

Swoosh—

In the end, the weakened remnants were finally driven into a corner.

The scales that had sprouted on my face fell away.

In exchange, my right eye morphed into one that recalled a lizard.

As if the remnants of the Ancient Dragon had completely exhausted themselves, one side of my eye simply closed shut.

Thanks to that, my gaze returned smoothly.

The heat from the Spirit of Fire also began to gradually fade.

With the heat and chill dissipating, only warmth remained.

Drip drip—

Melted snow fell from the sky, turning into a light rain.

Thanks to the warm rain, I felt a bit at ease.

My head bowed low.

I had no strength left to move even a bit.

Barely, all I could do was breathe.

But not yet.

Nikita had to be declared dead in this place.

‘To protect the main story and save Nikita.’

Nikita also had to be excluded from the main story.

It was her death that would allow the plot to move forward.

And so, I reached out my trembling hands.

Gently cradling Nikita’s unconscious head, I lifted her legs.

My body swayed as I stood up.

The remnants of the Ancient Dragon fell asleep, and everything around began to melt away.

I wandered aimlessly.

The direction I was heading was to the 5th floor of the magical academy.

There lied a secret passage largely unknown to most.

A secret passage that allows immediate return to the surface.

In reality, it was a passage prepared for user convenience.

Yet, it was also a route Lucas would accidentally discover.

I pressed on toward it.

I descended the stairs leading to the 5th floor.

Several times, I nearly staggered but somehow managed to maintain my balance.

Before I knew it, one of my legs had broken.

It seemed to have happened during the shock of the previous collision.

If I fell here, I’d never rise again.

Knowing this, I grit my teeth and persevered.

“Phew, Nii-chan.”

At that moment, I heard Nikita’s voice.

She was beginning to regain her senses.

This was problematic.

Since I hadn’t arranged the shroud properly, my appearance was that of Bickamon.

It was an error I had made due to my inability to organize my thoughts.

With no choice, I pulled Nikita closer.

I hugged her face into my chest.

Fortunately, unlike Hania, Bickamon has a solid physique.

With this, my face should remain hidden.

Besides, Nikita would surely be dazed by the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

There was no way she’d recognize me in her dazed state.

Perhaps it was because I held her a bit too tightly…

I felt Nikita stir in my embrace.

Holding her like this made me realize just how small she truly was.

With such a small body, she had been striving on her own all this time.

But from now on, things would be different.

The remnants of the Ancient Dragon that had feasted on Nikita’s talents and the pressure from the head of the Cynthia family would be gone.

“Nikita-senpai.”

As I descended the stairs, I continued speaking.

“As I’ve always said, I respect you.”

There was once a time when I was striving hard.

I worked so hard that I was called a promising talent.

But after one mistake, I was injured and retired from athletics.

Having given my all to sports, once that was gone, I had nothing left.

So I fell into gaming.

And there, I saw Nikita.

Unyielding in any situation, steadfastly preserving her beliefs.

She brought me an inexplicable comfort.

No matter how much others belittled her efforts, she remained resolute.

Even when everything seemed destined to be meaningless due to her arranged marriage.

I felt happy watching her defy her fate.

But ultimately, Nikita couldn’t escape her destiny and died.

Every time I witnessed it, I swallowed my rage.

But now…

I had finally found a way to keep her from facing the same fate.

“And it will always be the same from now on.”

Regardless of the path Nikita takes in the future…

I will respect and support her.

This is the repayment for the solace I found in watching her in the game.

“There’s a chance your brother is waiting outside for you. I’m sorry for keeping it hidden until now.”

I had contacted Nia separately today.

It had been a promise made during the time I rescued Nia.

Since it involved Nikita, I am certain he would have hurried over.

I had no idea how Nikita would react upon seeing that Nia was alive.

I couldn’t check that.

As long as she was involved with the Ancient Dragon’s magic, she couldn’t appear before the world.

Nia would surely take care of that part appropriately.

“You hated your life, being used in an arranged marriage, not being expected to live.”

I gently stroked Nikita’s head.

The bad ending ‘Ancient Dragon’.

Those were the words she cried out multiple times.

“I hated my life, bound by the Lady Cynthia, this much to simply throw it away.”

Now she could live without throwing away that life.

“Let’s live freely and do everything you want.”

Before long, my feet stopped at the secret location on the 5th floor.

Pushing aside the thick stone, a strange passage appeared.

Seeing this, I slowly urged Nikita into the passage.

This passage does not lead to the entrance of the magic academy, it connects to elsewhere.

Since I had called Nia that way, she should be waiting there well.

This would be my last moment with Nikita.

As I prepared to say goodbye, I opened my mouth.

Tap-

Nikita grabbed my arm.

Had she regained full consciousness in between?

I had no clue what kind of state her mind was in.

More importantly, this was problematic.

I still hadn’t arranged the shroud properly.

“Nii-chan, no.”

Nikita’s hand that gripped my arm trembled.

“Bickamon.”

…Had I already been found out?

There wasn’t even a chance to hide it anymore.

As I forced a smile, Nikita looked up at me, lips pressed together.

She had a face filled with many things to say.

But she seemed unsure of what to say.

Only then did I realize, for some reason, she was struggling with her emotions.

Tears were welling up in her eyes.

“I…always turned away from your heart…”

I belatedly understood why Nikita reacted this way.

Bickamon loved Nikita.

And Nikita was aware of it.

She simply had no intention of accepting it.

After all, she was meant to be used in an arranged marriage.

There was no opportunity for her to date anyone.

Thus, she had no one to like.

Bickamon also knew this and never confessed.

“Why are you going this far for me…”

It was as if everything I had shown her up to now perfectly aligned.

Nikita poured out her feelings.

“It’s okay.”

It’s true that Bickamon liked Nikita.

Now, I was Bickamon.

This couldn’t be denied.

“Nikita being safe is enough.”

Although it was a regret that I could no longer call her senpai…

“Nikita.”

I smiled widely at her.

“Be happy.”

A dismal end does not suit someone as resilient as her.

So, I released her hand and pushed her into the passage.

“Bickamon, wait!”

It seemed Nikita had something to say one last time, but I couldn’t listen any longer.

From afar, the demons and apostles had noticed me and were approaching.

“Don’t…!”

With Nikita’s final voice, she slipped into the passage.

Thud—

Finally, the passage closed completely.

I couldn’t follow her through this passage.

Doing so would leave me with no way to explain my disappearance from the academy.

I staggered as I rose to my feet.

Then, I did my best to pull up the veil so that I looked somewhat presentable.

Soon, I transformed back into Hania.

I swiftly moved towards the stairs on the 4th floor, evading the pursuing demons.

The stairway passage was safe from demons.

I stepped into the passage and began to ascend the stairs when I suddenly slipped.

Thud—

I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.

Damn, I’m really at my limit.

‘Just a bit more.’

Just a little break.

I softly closed my eyes in the fading consciousness.

【 Act 3, Chapter 6: Disaster Dragon Maiden 】

【 CLEAR 】

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【 The 3rd Act has concluded. 】

【 Soon, the supplementary story of the 3rd Act will begin. 】