The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 206

Hanon has been kidnapped.

As soon as I heard this news, I was already outside, tracking them.

"Solvas, you said it was shadow magic a moment ago."

"...Yes, it was definitely shadow magic."

Shadow magic is exclusive to the Umbra barony.

They were made to learn shadow magic in order to plant spies in various parts of the world.

So, dealing with shadow magic means they are from the Umbra barony.

"Ban, did you see the kidnapper's face?"

"I couldn't see his face because he was wearing a magic robe. But I know his build. He's quite tall and has a sturdy build."

Wizards, by their nature, don't have very sturdy physiques.

But in order to carry out the role of a spy smoothly, hand-to-hand combat must also be considered.

It seems that this is indeed a spy operated by Umbra.

My eyes reached Solvas.

Solvas was chasing after the kidnapper with Isabel, Ban, and me.

But, thinking that it was something done by the Umbra barony, he seems to have complicated feelings.

Who kidnapped Hanon and for what reason?

The reason was easier to notice than expected.

'Baekmokgong.'

Among those helping the aristocratic faction that caused the recent rebellion, there are those with mysteries.

They are those who should have originally belonged to mysticism.

Baekmokgong jumps into anything mystical anywhere in the world.

In fact, in other kingdoms, they consult Baekmokgong first when it comes to things related to mysticism.

She is clearly a duchess representing the empire.

But when it comes to mysticism, she has walked a more heroic path than anyone else.

All kingdoms respect this, and her entry is specially permitted when it comes to mysticism.

Panisis' aristocratic faction must have kept this in mind from the moment they used the mystic user.

They would have been most afraid of the royalist faction asking Baekmokgong for help.

'So, they targeted Hanon Airei, who Baekmokgong has been taking the most care of recently.'

During the time I was acting as Hanon, Baekmokgong took me directly by her side.

Just looking at that, you can see how much Baekmokgong cherishes him.

At that time, Hanon happened to be in Panisis to provide support.

The aristocratic faction has no better opportunity than this.

Their goal is only the success of the rebellion.

So, it is enough to kidnap Hanon only for that time to tie up Baekmokgong's movements.

After that, if they return Hanon under the guise of protection, there will be no clash with Baekmokgong.

A clicking sound flowed from my mouth.

This incident happened because of the actions I have taken in the form of Hanon.

I would rather be kidnapped.

Hanon, who has nothing to do with this, has been kidnapped.

Moreover, Hanon was seriously injured this time.

He is still in the midst of recovery.

There was a risk that the wound that had been recovered with great effort might open up.

"You."

At that time, Isabel quietly approached me and spoke to me.

"This incident, it feels a bit intentional, doesn't it?"

As expected, Isabel was also thinking that way.

Isabel has been with me, glimpsing the flow of the world.

In particular, she even heard about the Advent of Akjon during Vulcan.

That's why she also spotted a few artificial things in the flow of this incident.

"Cheonhyegong is involved in this."

Who requested Hanon's support to Aquilin Academy?

That person was Cheonhyegong.

In addition, Cheonhyegong was originally closely related to mysticism.

He was the one who sponsored Vulcan from behind.

So now, how did the aristocratic faction of Panisis get a mystic user?

And why did the leaping apostle try to leap in the direction of Panisis of all places?

Several points of suspicion gather and gather, and suspicion gradually turns into certainty.

Everything is circumstantial and coincidental.

However, the person who intentionally made such coincidences clearly came to mind.

I’m even suspicious that he may have been involved in the Panisis rebellion itself from the beginning.

Isabel's face hardened.

Just one person at best.

That one person drove one kingdom into rebellion.

Even though the person himself did not reveal any traces.

It is a story that only Isabel and I, who know the truth, can barely guess.

Before I knew it, the sky was setting and night fell.

The kidnapper is a shadow magic user.

Night is his domain.

At this rate, there is a high possibility that we will not be able to get Hanon back.

"Solvas."

So, I had to persuade Solvas, who was following behind us.

Only he could chase after the kidnapper, who is also a shadow magic user.

But Solvas is from the Umbra barony.

The fact that the Umbra barony ordered Hanon to be kidnapped means that they sided with the aristocratic faction.

Will he betray such the Umbra barony and help us?

"I will track him immediately."

And Solvas gave an answer without a second's hesitation.

I was a little surprised.

I never thought that Solvas would betray his family so easily.

"Hanon saved my life."

Solvas also knew well that this action was against Umbra.

"Abandoning the person who saved my life is not noble."

Solvas' eyes shone brightly.

Seeing that, I looked straight ahead instead of saying more.

"Please."

"Yes."

The shadow stretched out from under Solvas' feet.

The shadow, which passed through the curtain of night, passed through the forest path.

As Solvas began to show a clear path, we also gained speed.

The speed of running through the forest is getting faster and faster.

After running like that for a while, at the far end of the forest before I knew it.

A man was seen running with Hanon tied with shadows and tucked under his arm.

Solvas' shadow magic is far superior.

So, he seems to have been trying to escape by sprinting rather than using shadow magic.

But he underestimated our speed too much.

"Isabel."

The wings of the goddess unfolded behind Isabel's back.

The shape of the wings was smaller than before.

However, the power condensed there was extraordinary.

Goddess's Wings · Acceleration

Isabel sprinted through the forest with jumping power.

The light of the goddess penetrated and spread throughout the forest.

She instantly broke through the forest and cut off the shadow connected to Hanon.

Then, she wrapped Hanon as it was and escaped from the kidnapper.

The kidnapper tried to resist, but Isabel was too fast.

The kidnapper eventually gave up Hanon and decided to run away.

But that was an act of underestimating us too much.

Now that we have saved Hanon, there is no reason for us to let him go.

Ban and I jumped out of the forest at the same time.

Ban's sword and my hand blades intersected and pierced the kidnapper.

The kidnapper barely managed to surround himself with shadows and moved a short distance.

As soon as the two of us were about to chase after him, he raised his hand high.

"Surrender, surrender!"

The voice I heard at that moment was familiar to our ears.

My eyes slowly widened.

"Card?"

As I called his name, the guy pulled and took off his robe.

Inside the robe, there was Card for real.

"Card?"

Isabel, who didn't know that Card was a spy planted by Panisis, showed a puzzled reaction.

Ban had a nonchalant look on his face as if he didn't have Card in his memory.

Then Card greeted me with an awkward smile.

"Hello, Ban, Isabel, and that person over there."

Card and my eyes met.

Card still doesn't know my identity.

But he is a guy with good ears while doing spy activities.

A guy who is smart enough to notice that I was deliberately provoking Isabel on the first day.

If it's such a guy, he could easily notice that I'm Hanon.

"You're Vikaman-senpai, right?"

But Card pretended not to know.

How to interpret that word is up to me.

"Card, why were you trying to kidnap Hanon?"

Ban and I were still aiming our hand blades at Card.

There is definitely a past relationship with Card.

But now his identity is a kidnapper.

He was the enemy.

Card was silent for a moment after hearing the question.

Then he raised both hands and smiled brightly.

"Haha, well, that's because I was directly ordered by the Umbra barony."

He revealed the truth without a second thought.

But, considering that he revealed the truth so easily, Card's eyes didn't seem to have given up.

“Rather, I want to ask you. Solvas-doryeonnim, why are you helping these people right now?”

Instead, Card turned the direction of the conversation to Solvas.

Card mentioned not an individual decision but the Umbra barony in order to escape this situation.

It was an inevitable thing because it was an order by a group, not an individual's intention.

This is how he excused himself.

It is a clever play of tongue.

Solvas was also silent for a moment.

"...Even so."

Solvas had already made a decision from the moment he chased Card.

"I cannot tolerate the fact that someone who saved my life is being used by the family."

Even if it is a family matter, he will keep his morality.

Solvas declared that.

Card looked at Solvas.

And soon a hollow laugh hung on his mouth.

"Wow, well, that's true. Doryeonnim has a choice."

Card said that, slowly covering the back of his head with both hands.

Then he carelessly put his head against the tree.

"Guys like me, a mere spy, don't have such choices."

A destiny that must have been raised as a spy from birth.

The Umbra barony chose the aristocratic faction.

At that point, Card had no choice.

"I have to prioritize this work above friendship and everything else. That's great."

Card's eyes changed savagely.

"Card."

I tried to stop him, guessing this, but it was already too late.

"I only have this to do."

Puhwak!

At that moment, black smoke poured out from Card's entire body.

"Cough, keaek!"

Ban coughed and rubbed his eyes, not knowing what the smoke was made of.

Swaeek!

At the same time, I felt the shadow moving through the gap in the smoke.

But here is Solvas, who is a higher version of Card.

The moment his shadow suppressed Card's shadow.

Hook!

Card appeared in front of Solvas, breaking through the black smoke.

Solvas' eyes widened.

In the black smoke, Card confused the situation by spreading shadows in all directions.

That's why he knew that Solvas would prioritize suppressing shadows.

Card's elbow hit Solvas' chin in an instant.

Solvas also consumed a lot of power fighting against the leaping apostle.

Carelessness and fatigue.

Due to these two things, Solvas could not avoid it and was hit directly.

Flash!

At that moment, Isabel's wings spread out.

The flash of light pouring out from her wings blinded her for a moment.

That means that Card's shadow magic was also neutralized.

Card, who was exposed in the open field.

He looked at Isabel and smiled.

"Isabel, how long are you going to hug him?"

"What?"

The moment Isabel expressed doubt, Hanon suddenly moved his body.

Hanon's hand touched Isabel's side.

"Kyaeuk?!"

Surprised by the momentary contact, Isabel dropped Hanon.

Inside Hanon's clothes.

The shadows that had been secretly planted moved his body.

In that state, Card rushed in and snatched Hanon.

Then, he tried to flee again.

"Card."

Until the gray flames rose in front of him.

I wiped my mouth, burning the poison from the smoke with the ashes of the fire.

I've known since the beginning that Cord's ability to cope is excellent.

But I never thought that he would be able to cope this far against the Jerion Academy's best.

Even if there is a difference in power, he responds with wit and judgment.

That was his specialty.

Although we had the fatigue of the leaping apostle left, it is an excellent improvisation.

"Let's go to Jerion Academy."

Even with my persuasion, Card remained silent, carrying Hanon on his back and staring only ahead.

"You don't have to sacrifice everything for the Umbra barony.

You know it too. In the end, spies are destined to end up as spies."

After being silent for a long time, Card finally let out a long breath.

Then he put Hanon down on the floor with a thud.

"Vikaman, no."

Card looked back at me.

"Wangnon."

He had a smile on his face that he had given up on a long time ago.

"I've been living as a spy all my life, so I know. This civil war is a victory for the aristocratic faction.

The moment I run away from here, Umbra will chase me for the rest of my life.

Unlike a young master who can make mistakes."

He said that and looked down at Hanon.

"And I'm sorry, but it's time."

Kugugugung!

At that moment, an explosion rang out beyond the forest and vibrations spread.

That direction was from Aquilin Academy.

My eyes widened.

At the same time, I realized what Card's true purpose was.

"You!"

Isabel also realized Card's purpose and shouted at me.

Card's real purpose is to draw out the forces that can move from Aquilin Academy to the outside.

During that time, it was to advance aristocratic faction soldiers to the academy.

To catch Maron, the prince of Panisis.

Card smiled.

Spies must deceive until the very end.

He has done his job well as a spy.

I went to his side and lifted Hanon.

Then he handed Hanon over to Solvas, who had barely come to his senses.

"Solvas, order Card to give up Hanon and retreat."

Solvas is one of Card's superiors.

If he received Umbra's order, he can also re-order Solvas, who is a direct descendant.

"Ah, this is Solvas Umbra's order. Card, don't attack Hanon anymore."

"Yes."

Card accepted it without complaint.

It was a face that he didn't care about additional purposes since he had already achieved his purpose.

Just in time, Ban barely stopped coughing and returned.

Since Ban is also here, Card won't be able to do anything anymore.

"Card."

At that moment, the ashes of fire that spread throughout the area burned even more fiercely.

As questions lingered in Card's eyes, I clenched my fist.

After a long time, anger gives me strength.

"The aristocratic faction just needs to fail in the civil war."

"Huh?"

The moment a question that he couldn't understand for the first time was revealed from Card's mouth, a savage smile appeared on my mouth.

"Keep that in mind."

With that, I leaped with the ashes of fire.