The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 187

Sharin’s bombshell.

With that statement, the once-warm party atmosphere grew deathly quiet.

“……Magic Fox, who said you could just decide things on your own?”

Seron was the first to break the silence, her voice sharp.

Despite Seron’s hostile tone, Sharin remained utterly unfazed, resting her cheek against the table.

Then, with a languid smile, she parted her lips.

“The one who asks first gets the date, y’know~.”

“Huh?”

Sharin had casually dropped the word “date” without hesitation.

Her shameless confidence left Seron momentarily deflated.

This time, it was Isabel who chastised Sharin.

“Lin, he’s a teaching assistant. That’s why we’re holding this party in the first place.”

As Isabel said, my official status was that of a teaching assistant.

The reason they had prepared this party was precisely because of that position.

But Sharin didn’t care.

“If we just change it to ‘one of the students,’ no one will know.”

I was already someone who had recklessly abused the Bandages of the Veil.

I had no room to argue on that front.

Sharin stood up and then—pat pat pat—dashed straight toward me.

Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around one of mine.

“Hubby, you’ll go with me, right~?”

“I can’t allow that.”

Before I could answer, another voice cut in.

When Sharin turned her gaze, she found Iris sitting in a chair with her arms crossed.

Her slightly narrowed eyes were fixed on me.

“Vicarman oppa has to help me sleep at night.”

Iris, who was fully intent on using me as her emotional support plushie even on Christmas Eve.

Her crimson eyes gleamed ominously.

“Ahem.”

Eve, seemingly uncomfortable with the topic, stifled a cough.

Sharin’s eyes narrowed to slits.

As if declaring everyone in the room her enemy.

“You. You should stop Lin. She’s acting up because you indulge her.”

Even if you tell me to stop her, do you really think Sharin would listen?

“A-And if you’re going, it’d be better with me. It’s a day blessed by the goddess, after all.”

Ironically, Isabel herself seemed the least inclined to actually stop her.

“Why is everyone butting in?! If you’re going, you’re going with me!”

Seron, cutting through all reasoning, resorted to sheer force of will.

Pure, unadulterated chaos.

I looked down at Sharin, the instigator of this mess.

In response, she clung tightly to my arm and whispered conspiratorially.

“Hubby~, statistics say babies are more likely to be conceived on Christmas~.”

Where does she even learn this stuff?

I raised my free hand and flicked her forehead. Tap.

Sharin clutched her forehead with a pout.

“Alright, everyone, stop. I’m not going to any party.”

“Then… you’re sleeping with me?”

Iris, ever the opportunist, slid in smoothly.

“You all went through the trouble of preparing this party. There’s no need to go anywhere else—we can just celebrate Christmas here and call it a night.”

The fact that they had all prepared this party here meant none of them had plans to go elsewhere.

In that case, we could just spend Christmas together right here.

Then, Hania—who had been the quietest until now—finally spoke up.

“Wow. Trash-tier statement. You’re basically saying you’ll enjoy a Christmas party with all of us here.”

Oh. So that’s how it sounds.

Rustle—

“My apologies. Training ran late.”

Just then, Aisha, wrapped in a scarf, made her entrance.

Her nose slightly red from the cold, she tilted her head at the atmosphere.

“Lucky you, Vicarman. Another one joins the ranks. Funny how it’s only girls, isn’t it?”

Hania grinned, pointing out the obvious.

Unintentional as it was, every person I had revealed my identity to so far had been female.

Though Flaming Butterfly was a harem-style game, back in Lucas’s arc, there had been plenty of male allies like Ban and Card.

There were also quite a few guys in the martial arts department.

But Ban still didn’t know my true identity, and Card and Grantoni had left the academy.

Thus, my already narrow social circle had ended up like this.

“……Was I trash all along?”

Trash who only forms relationships with women.

“U-Um, Senior… I don’t really get it, but… stay strong.”

Aisha, the only one who hadn’t grasped the situation, offered me awkward encouragement.

＊＊＊

The party atmosphere quickly returned.

Being treated like trash wasn’t exactly new to me—I was used to it by now.

So I just enjoyed the party with everyone.

Considering the upcoming Winter Demon Palace and the scenario waiting beyond, this was our last chance to relax.

Might as well enjoy it while we can.

In the Empire, anyone over 15 was legally considered an adult.

Even so, in the eyes of actual adults, we were still just kids—but legally, drinking was fine.

Thanks to that, everyone eagerly shared the bottles of wine Hania had specially procured.

One thing I learned: Eve was terrible with alcohol.

“……I want to make more friends too…”

Eve sniffled quietly in a corner where cushions had been piled for her to rest.

I should probably help her find more friends later.

On the other hand, Aisha was completely unfazed by alcohol.

“In the north, drinking is part of daily life. No one from House Bizbel can’t hold their liquor.”

With Bizbel blood running through her veins, Aisha was invincible when it came to alcohol.

So she treated the wine like any other beverage, showing no signs of intoxication.

The party grew livelier.

The alcohol loosened everyone up more than usual.

Even Iris, who normally kept her distance from others, engaged in conversation today.

It seemed making her first real friend had broadened her social horizons.

I felt a little proud of that.

I’d had quite a bit to drink myself, and my face was slightly flushed.

The pleasant warmth spreading through my body felt nice.

“I’m gonna get some air.”

I stood up to clear my head a little.

Stepping out of the classroom, I took a light stroll on the first floor, letting the cool night breeze wash over me.

Under the night sky, the brightly lit auditorium stood out.

They were probably having their own Christmas party in there too.

“You.”

As I gazed at the auditorium, Isabel approached.

She must have followed me out.

Isabel’s face was also flushed—she’d had her fair share of drinks.

She stopped beside me and let out a soft, sweet sigh.

Then, covering her mouth, she giggled quietly.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. Just… remembering summer.”

Summer.

Right, back then, the two of us had looked at the ocean like this.

The differences now were that I was Vicarman and that I’d been drinking tonight.

“The year’s already ending.”

Isabel gazed up at the night sky with slightly unfocused eyes.

This year had been eventful for her.

From being driven to the brink of suicide after Lucas’s death—

To recovering and finally awakening the Wings of the Goddess.

Her struggles and hardships were etched deeply into this year.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

When I praised her efforts, Isabel’s eyes widened.

Then, she looked at me and smiled brightly.

“Who are you to say that?”

“Anyone could say it.”

“I guess so.”

Isabel took a small step closer.

After a brief hesitation, she stiffened slightly—then abruptly rested her head against my shoulder.

The faint citrus scent unique to Isabel lingered around me.

Her cheeks, slightly flushed from the alcohol, looked even redder than usual tonight.

“You weren’t shy about stealing a kiss before.”

“Hehe, but I do get embarrassed. I wish I could be as bold as Sharin or Seron.”

Isabel had confessed her feelings to me.

Yet, compared to the others, she was less assertive—likely because of her shyness.

Though I get the feeling she’s the most jealous of them all.

Sometimes, the look in her eyes was downright terrifying.

“……How about you? How are your emotions lately?”

The fading emotions.

At her mention of it, my gaze met hers.

“Isabel, how do you think I am?”

Lately, I’d noticed subtle reactions from others more than once.

The way they looked at me—like I was someone drifting away from humanity.

I was undeniably moving further from what was “normal.”

“……Honestly, I think it’s dangerous. It feels like the moral line you used to uphold is gone.”

Isabel bit her lip as she stared at me.

As she said, my sense of “good” was crumbling.

Emotions amplify people, but they can also act as restraints.

I was gradually losing that restraint.

“But your eyes are still the same. The same as the day I first met you. You’re still you.”

Isabel’s sunflower-like eyes held mine.

Isabel had been a sunflower once.

But now, having bloomed, she had become a sun herself—capable of shining on her own.

The reflection of me in her eyes looked murky.

Her radiant light couldn’t penetrate the darkness in my pupils.

“Can I ask just one thing of you?”

“What, you want a Christmas present?”

“Yeah. I’m greedy like that.”

Isabel carefully gripped the hem of my clothes.

“Can you promise to only use the Bandages of the Veil when we enter the Demon Palace?”

Only use them for the Demon Palace.

My gaze drifted to the bandages.

I had been wearing them constantly, even in daily life.

Ever since my time as Hanon, I’d never seen a reason to take them off.

My emotions were already fading anyway.

Since I’d keep using the bandages, removing them felt pointless.

Not to mention the scars and remnants of the Ancient Dragon still lingered.

Hiding those would require another disguise.

But at least that wouldn’t erase my emotions.

“Now that you’re here as yourself, you can stay in Jerion Academy as you are.”

I opened my mouth to retort—then stopped.

Why was I about to argue?

Isabel’s point was valid.

I was the one who had asked others to help me regain my emotions.

Yet, I hadn’t made any real effort to reclaim them myself.

The excuses in my mind slowly settled.

The scars, the Demon Palace—

In the end, they were just that: excuses.

…Ah.

I finally understood.

The true nature of the Bandages of the Veil.

“…….”

After a moment of silence, I turned to Isabel.

“Isabel.”

Hearing me call her name, Isabel’s eyes gradually widened.

I couldn’t tell how my face looked in her eyes.

Her pupils trembled violently—then she pulled me into a tight embrace.

Her body shook.

And yet, my emotions showed no sign of stirring.

“Sorry. I’ve been trying to be more aware, but… I think I’m more broken than I realized.”

The Bandages of the Veil were a curse.

A cruel curse that, in the end, made it impossible to remove them yourself.

“It’s okay!”

That’s why Isabel shouted.

“I’ll—I’ll bring them back! There’s nothing wrong with you! I will return you to how you were!”

Her voice was desperate as she hugged me with all her strength.

She poured everything she had into making sure her emotions reached me.

“Just like you saved me, I’ll save you too. So—”

Isabel showed me the one emotion I still recognized, etched across her entire face.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she smiled brightly regardless.

“Let’s get them back. All of them.”

A silent night.

Isabel made that promise to me.

From that day on, I decided to stop wearing the Bandages of the Veil in daily life.

Because that was my promise to Isabel.