The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 15

Inside the magic classroom,

Sharin, who had finally finished off the red bean bread, was holding her forehead.

“You really hit me.”

“You deserved it.”

I had actually hit Sharin.

She had played too much, so that was her consequence.

Sniffling, Sharin rubbed her forehead and glanced at me.

“You want me to keep it a secret.”

Now we’re on the same page.

“Yeah.”

Hearing my answer, Sharin slumped lazily onto the desk.

“So, who are you?”

Here it comes.

Her eyes, which seemed to hold the Milky Way, stared at me.

Those languid eyes revealed no trace of what she was thinking.

One thing was clear—it wasn’t kindness.

‘Sharin is Isabel’s best friend.’

Sharin had been friends with Isabel for a long time.

And I am the person Isabel hates the most.

Sharin probably doesn’t like me either.

“Recently, Isabel’s been talking about you all the time.”

“Talking behind my back, huh? What a bad hobby.”

“Well, to be exact, it’s more like she’s been getting mad at you nonstop.”

Sharin began twirling a lock of her hair around her index finger.

“Ever since Lucas died, Isabel’s always looked so down. And it’s only gotten worse as time goes by.”

Isabel was falling apart.

Lucas’s death had left her with an irreparable void and sorrow.

In a world without Lucas, Isabel couldn’t find meaning in her life.

“She regretted everything, cried every day, barely slept. At some point, she even stopped talking to me.”

I realized once again how serious Isabel’s state had become.

“She seemed to lose interest in everything around her.”

Recalling that day, sadness flickered in Sharin’s eyes.

It seemed she was pained by the fact that she couldn’t do anything to help her friend.

“But then you showed up, and Isabel started to change a little.”

Sharin’s gaze turned back to me.

“Every day, she gets mad and says she’ll never let you insult Lucas. She’s doing whatever it takes to make sure of that.”

Anger consumes a lot of energy.

To stay angry, you need to eat three meals, sleep, and move your body.

Without those things, the body cannot maintain proper anger.

Right now, Isabel is living just to direct her anger at me.

In her meaningless life, I have become the embodiment of her rage.

“That’s something I couldn’t do.”

No matter the form it took.

Sharin hadn’t been able to give Isabel meaning in life.

“But you did.”

Now I understand why Sharin called me here alone.

“It wasn’t intentional. All I did was badmouth Lucas.”

“Yeah, and that’s what’s keeping Isabel alive.”

Sharin stood up from her seat.

“To be honest, I don’t really care who you are.”

She stepped forward until she was right in front of me.

“Isabel was slowly sinking because she couldn’t find new meaning in life. But with you here, Isabel is starting to rise again.”

Sharin moved even closer, her jasmine scent tickling my nose.

At some point, her soft, pale hand had overlapped with mine.

“I want you to stay in that position until Isabel finds another meaning in life.”

“…Anger doesn’t last forever.”

“I know. That’s why I’m asking you until then. If you do this for me, I’ll do anything for you.”

I silently looked at Sharin.

She wasn’t much shorter than me in this form of Hanon.

That’s why her small face appeared even clearer.

Her overall features were beautifully shaped, with a hint of languidness in her eyes.

I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

But her gaze held a subtle, feminine allure.

Unfortunately for her, I had recently faced someone with an even more intense allure up close.

“That favor you’re asking—it’s the price for keeping my secret, right?”

I had already figured that out.

“…Ah.”

A sound escaped Sharin’s lips at that moment.

Her eyes shifted as if realizing something she hadn’t considered.

“…Were you really willing to do anything?”

Sharin backed away from me.

As the jasmine scent faded, I found myself regretting its absence.

A woman who knows she’s beautiful and uses it is dangerous.

I made a mental note of that.

“A promise?”

Sharin, seemingly embarrassed, lifted her pinky.

I looked at it for a moment before speaking.

“Sharin, I need to get top marks in the upcoming mock exam.”

Sharin tilted her head, unsure why I was suddenly bringing this up.

“If Isabel’s anger is going to stay alive, I have to score higher than her to keep the fire burning, right?”

Sharin’s eyes widened.

Seeing that, the corners of my mouth lifted.

Finally, I had gained the upper hand with Sharin.

“You’re pretty good at magic, right?”

“Yeah, the best.”

How arrogant.

But it’s true.

Sharin’s unique eyes and her special talent—Mirinae.

Her eyes, which glimmer like the Milky Way under the light.

She has the talent to see and understand the principles of magic.

Thanks to this, Sharin holds the top spot in the second year of the magic academy.

So, I was hopeful.

“Then what about magical engraving?”

Sharin blinked.

Her head slowly tilted.

“…That’s an incredibly ancient, long-abandoned magical technique.”

She was right.

Magical engraving was a technique from before the concept of magicians even existed.

It’s found occasionally in artifacts from within the magic labyrinth.

“So, can you do it or not?”

Sharin slowly crossed her arms, emphasizing her upper body a bit as she raised her eyebrows.

“I can do it.”

That absolute confidence in her magic is just like her.

As expected, I thought Sharin could pull it off.

“But magical engraving isn’t very efficient.”

As she said, magical engraving isn’t efficient.

Its power is about one-tenth of regular magic.

That’s the most you can get out of magical engravings.

Moreover, the majority of usable spells are low-level magic.

“But in exchange, even beginners can use it. And someone else can engrave it for you.”

I can’t use magic.

Magic is a skill based on knowledge.

Since I have none, there’s no way I can use it.

On top of that, Vikarmern, the body I’m inhabiting, is hopelessly untalented in magic.

Once I realized this, I focused on physical training with Aisha instead.

‘Normally, I would have completely ignored magic too.’

But magical engraving is different.

As long as a beginner knows how to channel and inscribe magic power, they can use it.

Vikarmern has studied magic for a long time.

So, he has at least the bare minimum qualifications to use magical engravings.

‘This world has more variables than you’d think.’

To counter those variables, it’s always good to have at least one usable option.

“Are you planning to learn it yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“Just bring a weapon. I’ll engrave it for you.”

“Sorry, but it’s not a weapon.”

She tilted her head.

Not a weapon? Then what? That’s the look she gave me.

I gave a suspicious smile as I watched her.

“If you’re curious, come see for yourself after the mock exam.”

I’ll show you something you’d never expect.

“Huh? What’s this? Sharin and the ‘Great One’?”

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out.

When I looked toward the door, there stood Card.

He still didn’t look like he belonged in the magic department at all.

“What’s going on? After Isabel, are you here to woo Sharin too?”

“Yeah, I almost had her, but you ruined it.”

I answered casually, and Card whistled.

So frivolous.

“Why do you call him ‘the Great One’?”

Sharin seemed more curious about the nickname Card gave me than my joke.

Card glanced at me for a moment, then grinned.

“Hanon’s got something amazing about him.”

Sharin shot me a quick look.

“What is it? I want to see.”

I’m not showing her anything.

“Sharin, come to the study room after dinner. I’ll learn it there.”

I passed along the message to Sharin and left.

If I stayed any longer, I’d get caught up in Sharin and Card’s pace, so I made a quick exit.

My secret weapons were gradually getting ready.

‘The mock exam.’

Get ready for it.

I’ll cause quite the scene.

* * *

Time flies like an arrow.

After adding the magical engraving session with Sharin to my daily schedule, my life became a bit more hectic than before.

I couldn’t help but give Vikarmern’s stamina another round of praise.

Endurance is power.

In the flow of time, it was a lunch break like any other.

As usual, I was working on documents in the student council office with Nikita.

It made me wonder if it’s normal for the student council to have this much work.

At the start of the year, when the first-years arrive, the student council always has a lot to do.

But Nikita said that after about a month, the workload would decrease.

Then, we’d be able to relax a bit more during student council activities.

“Thanks again for today, junior.”

“Not at all. You’re the one working hard every day, Nikita-senpai. I really respect you.”

“You always say such sweet things.”

Genuine compliments are always well-received.

At that moment, I heard some commotion outside the student council room.

“Are we moving this to Building A?”

“Yeah, and there are a few more things after this. Let’s move quickly before lunch ends.”

The voices were from the assistants and other student council members.

They were helping set up for the mock exam happening after lunch.

Since Nikita tends to work more than the other members, everyone had pushed her into the student council room to take a break.

As for me, I’d won at rock-paper-scissors and got to sit this one out.

Real men always go with rock.

“It’s almost time.”

Nikita looked excited for the mock exam.

The mock exam is a chance to show the results of your hard work.

As the embodiment of effort, it was natural for Nikita to look forward to it.

“This is your first mock exam, right, junior?”

“Yes, it is.”

I transferred here this year.

So, naturally, it would be my first mock exam.

“Have you been preparing hard? It seems like you’ve been doing a lot.”

At her words, I gave a slight smirk.

Nikita let out a small ‘Oh!’ in admiration.

“Looks like you’re pretty confident, huh?”

“Exams always favor those who prepare every day.”

“Exactly. No one knows how hard you work every day better than I do.”

As she said this, Nikita tapped the table with her finger.

It was a habit of hers when she was deep in thought.

“Hmm, effort should always be rewarded. Alright then.”

Nikita gave me a bright smile, as if something had come to mind.

It was a lovely smile.

“If you score in the top ranks this time, I’ll give you a reward.”

What is this? A treasure from a legendary martial family?

“I’ll aim for first place.”

“Haha, I’ll look forward to it.”

“If the reward is marriage, of course I have to get first place.”

“Huh? W-What? That’s not the reward I had in mind.”

“For our honeymoon, let’s go to a southern resort.”

“J-Junior!?”

I enjoyed watching her flustered face for a moment, but she soon put on a slightly pouty expression.

“That joke’s a bit too much.”

“Still, I only make these kinds of jokes with you, Nikita-senpai.”

At my words, Nikita’s pouty expression slowly faded away.

“I’ll win too, so make sure you come out on top as well.”

With Nikita’s solid encouragement, there was no way I could lose.

The highly anticipated mock exam was about to begin.