The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 209

Carrying the unconscious Prince Maron, we immediately began moving toward the Demon Palace.

Among us were still some injured, but the situation was urgent.

We had to move before the Demon Palace closed today.

“Please take care.”

After exchanging farewells with Sir Krama, who had decided to remain at Aquiline Academy, we left the academy.

All academies are built relatively close to their respective Demon Palaces.

Thus, Aquiline Academy’s Demon Palace wasn’t too far away.

“Ugh, ugh…”

Just then, Hannon woke up.

He had been carried around while unconscious.

Dazed, Hannon looked around from Ban’s back.

When his eyes met mine, a glimmer of recognition slowly returned to them.

“Oh, it’s the Hero.”

Still calling me that, huh?

“How does it feel to survive having a hole blown through your body?”

At my question, Hannon propped his chin on his hand and pondered seriously.

“Given how much of a hero I am, do you think she’d reconsider if I confessed again?”

The fact that he’s spouting nonsense the moment he wakes up means he’s fine.

Hannon lightly hopped off Ban’s back.

He still staggered a bit, so he wasn’t fully recovered.

Yet, oblivious to the situation, he trailed after us like a lost puppy.

“A hero like me should be worth another chance, right?”

“What exactly do you see in Professor Veganorn?”

“Her maturity.”

Every martial arts student behind me fell into a silent pause.

It was only natural—mentioning “maturity” to the person least associated with it.

Just look at Veganorn’s usual demeanor.

Her sloppily worn clothes, the overwhelming stench of alcohol, and her perpetually exhausted face.

She was the living embodiment of “what not to become.”

But those who knew Veganorn’s true self would tell a different story.

She was someone who carried the weight of her past more than anyone and still fought against the Demon Palace.

“Give it another shot if you’re serious.”

If Hannon truly meant it, I wouldn’t mind supporting him.

Before long, the entrance to the Demon Palace came into view.

Thanks to our swift movement, no one had arrived at the Demon Palace yet.

BOOM!

At that moment, a commotion erupted from Aquiline Academy’s direction.

“The main force has arrived.”

Card stared toward the academy as he spoke.

The noble faction’s main army had finally reached Aquiline Academy.

Simultaneously, sounds came from the forest.

Pursuers.

“Information must’ve leaked from the inside.”

Card clicked his tongue.

We couldn’t trust everyone there.

From the servants who remained at Aquiline Academy to the knights who had stayed by Prince Maron’s side until the end—

Someone among them might’ve already sided with the noble faction.

That’s why we moved so quickly.

“Let’s go in.”

Without hesitation, I stepped into the Demon Palace.

A brief sensation of spatial distortion followed, and soon, the first floor of the Demon Palace unfolded before us.

A few newly spawned demon beasts were visible.

Fortunately, no apostles were present, as they had all descended underground.

However, the presence of demon beasts meant we’d inevitably lose time clearing the path.

We swiftly broke through the first floor and advanced.

Then, I sensed spatial movement near the entrance.

Someone was coming in.

By the time we reached the stairs leading to the second floor—

“Go ahead.”

I stopped in my tracks.

“You?”

Isabel turned to me with a look that said, What nonsense are you spouting now?

But my expression remained unchanged.

“The pursuers are coming. Now that they know we’re heading to the Demon Palace, they’ve likely sent people capable of entering it.

Or maybe even Aquiline Academy students. Someone needs to hold them off.”

“But why does it have to be you?!”

“Because I’m the only one here who can handle both close combat and magic.”

My body is equipped to counter both magic and melee attacks.

Moreover, I’m the best at dealing with the arcane.

“More importantly—”

I glanced behind me.

“They’re coming to kill us. Isabel, can you kill people?”

That was the most pressing question.

Were the teenagers following the noble faction’s orders evil?

I didn’t know.

Judging people as good or evil based on arbitrary standards was meaningless.

But if they were evil, I wouldn’t hesitate to kill them.

However, the moment you realize these kids are being manipulated by adults’ selfishness—

You hesitate.

Isabel couldn’t answer immediately.

Answering lightly to the act of killing was never the right thing.

“I can kill.”

At that moment, Sharin answered with a languid expression.

There wasn’t a trace of hesitation in her voice.

“If they’re trying to kill me, hesitating isn’t cost-effective.”

A very Sharin-like response.

“Without you, Sharin, the team would struggle to handle emergencies.”

None of the current team members have fully recovered their stamina.

We’ve only had a few hours of rest since leaving the Demon Palace.

The vanguard is exhausted, and the two who summoned spirits earlier are completely drained.

They need at least a full day to recover.

If Sharin isn’t here, something will definitely go wrong.

“There’s no guarantee all the apostles on our way up have been dealt with. Sharin, you need to stay with the team.”

Sharin pouted but didn’t argue.

“I can kill too.”

Isabel widened her eyes as she spoke.

That determination was enough.

“Don’t worry. I’ll just buy time and catch up.”

I don’t plan on dying here either.

As if reading my thoughts, Isabel bit her lip and turned away.

“If you don’t come back, I’ll really lock you up this time.”

So that threat still stands, huh?

“Solvas, take care of His Highness Prince Maron.”

“Yes, I’ll protect him with my life.”

Prince Maron was on Solvas’s back, so Solvas spoke with unwavering resolve.

Having already boarded the same ship, his determination to fight to the end was palpable.

“And Eve.”

I looked at Seron, who was being carried on Eve’s back.

Still unconscious, Seron hadn’t woken up yet.

“When he wakes up, he’ll throw a fit, so keep him in check.”

“……Understood.”

Without another word, Eve adjusted Seron more securely on her back.

If anyone could handle Seron’s antics, it was her.

“Midra.”

Finally, my gaze turned to Midra.

Midra had helped us, but not actively.

She only demonstrated the skill level of a second-ranked first-year martial arts student.

“Well then, see you later.”

One by one, the kids left me behind and entered the second floor.

Isabel and Sharin looked like they had more to say but moved on without delay.

They knew the longer they stayed, the harder it would be for me.

Once they were gone,

I turned to the one person who remained.

“Card, why aren’t you going?”

“Wagnon, I’ve been waiting for this moment—just the two of us.”

Card smiled meaningfully.

I frowned as I stared at him.

“Don’t set the mood just to mess with me.”

“Hahaha, Wagnon, you’re too quick to catch on. Takes all the fun out of it.”

Card stood beside me, staring toward the entrance.

“My friend is fighting for my country’s sake. It’d be shameless to leave first.”

Shadow magic spread beneath his feet.

“And given my line of work, I’ve already killed people. By my own judgment, too.”

His expression made it clear that killing a few more now wouldn’t bother him.

“Some of your comrades might be out there, no?”

“Comrades? More like people I’ve bumped into once or twice. I’ve known you longer, Wagnon.”

“Yeah, you should’ve made better friends.”

“Tell me about it.”

Card and I shared a laugh.

“Card, if things get dangerous, I’m ditching you.”

“Wagnon, we’re on the same wavelength. I was thinking the same.”

“Good. Then don’t get into danger.”

With that, flames of ash bloomed in my grasp.

Without hesitation, I swung them skyward.

WHOOSH!

The incoming arrows burned to cinders upon contact.

Simultaneously, figures our age charged forward, swords drawn.

“There they are!”

“Capture Prince Maron!”

Most were students pushed into this by adults.

Yet their eyes sparkled as if they were about to become heroes.

No doubt some adult had whispered sweet lies to them:

The moment you bring back Prince Maron, you’ll be Phanesis’s heroes.

Not only personal glory, but your families will also bask in honor.

For nobles, reputation was everything.

This was their chance to claim it all at once.

The adults’ honeyed words had deluded these kids into believing they were heroes.

Now, the adults had no qualms about using them.

With their families on the line, they’d throw even their own children into the Demon Palace to retrieve Prince Maron.

Thus, the children were sacrificed.

Their minds were warped until even bloodshed was twisted into heroism.

Behind their eyes, the adults’ greed flickered like a grotesque flame.

These kids had the justification of “heroism.”

Now, they wouldn’t hesitate to raise their swords against people.

“I’ll be first! Move aside!”

And unfortunately—

CRACK!

I plan to shatter that heroism.

My hand pierces through the first boy’s sword.

He must’ve been elated, dreaming of reviving his family and becoming a hero.

Amid the noble faction’s rebellion,

making a name for himself here would bring immense honor.

Especially since they were the pursuers, not the pursued.

Their rested strength was overwhelming, and they outnumbered us.

He never imagined he’d die.

But misguided desires sometimes invite death.

“Huh?”

SHINK!

My hand, having shattered his sword, pierced through his throat.

His severed head shot skyward before falling, not even scattering blood—

The flames of ash on my hand had vaporized it.

THUD.

The boy’s body collapsed to the ground.

I felt not a flicker of emotion.

Sorrow requires empathy.

All I had now was a faint, stoking anger.

I felt no guilt for harming or killing others.

“W-wait!”

As the first boy fell, those behind him froze.

Their faces screamed disbelief—they hadn’t expected someone to die so easily.

The feverish hero-worship in their eyes dimmed slightly as reality set in.

But I felt no pity for their expressions.

To me, they were no different from apostles.

Had I not stopped them here, they would’ve stabbed Prince Maron—

And us—without hesitation.

All for the hollow dream of becoming heroes.

I pushed off the ground and leaned forward.

Seizing the moment of their hesitation—

My hand moved without restraint.

“W-wait!”

“I surrender!”

Before their pleas could finish, heads flew and hearts were pierced.

I killed them instantly, leaving no chance for recovery.

Four bodies hit the ground in an instant.

The greed nurtured by adults’ selfishness was this futile.

The deaths of the first four spread panic among the rest.

Death is primal fear.

Faced with it, their bodies froze, hearts pounding wildly.

Black shadows spread beneath my feet.

The shadows surged toward the petrified kids, mercilessly piercing their legs and groins.

Screams erupted among the panicked crowd.

THUD.

I stepped forward.

In response, they scrambled backward.

Roughly a hundred stood before me—

And more would keep coming.

Yet against just two of us—me and Card—

They retreated, overwhelmed by sheer presence.

No one wants to die.

Especially not young boys with so much life ahead.

I leveled my hand toward them.

The same hand that had pierced four boys.

Let them engrave this primal fear deeply.

Flames of ash roared violently.

The instinctive fear of fire surged.

A vicious grin spread across my face.

The grotesque sight of someone laughing while killing unnerved them further.

Young hero-wannabes.

Today, I’ll teach them just how foolish their choices were.