The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 219

In front of the Imperial Palace.

A carriage with the emblem of the Blue Magic Tower Lord arrived.

Maids rushed out at the visit of an imperial guest, and even a dedicated guide came to greet them.

Two figures got out of the carriage.

One was Idella Howl, one of the direct disciples of the Blue Magic Tower Lord.

And the other was me.

The Blue Magic Tower reported to the First Prince and Third Princess respectively about the recent movements of the ancient dragon.

It was said that the Cheonhye Duke intended the ancient dragon's rampage, but it was impossible to reveal it.

It was not difficult to get an audience with the Third Princess.

The Blue Magic Tower Lord moving directly draws attention in many ways.

A direct disciple can do enough reporting.

So, Idella decided to move in his place.

I was a bodyguard for such a disciple.

By now, the Blue Magic Tower Lord would have begun researching the ancient dragon's magic with Sharin.

Judging from the desire that filled the Blue Magic Tower Lord's eyes, it will be completed in a short time.

"Ugh, why do I have to do such troublesome things? There are tons of magic I want to research."

I heard Idella grumbling next to me.

She sighed deeply, glanced at me, and sighed again.

It seemed she was in a very bad mood because I took away her magic research time.

"I'm sorry. It was urgent."

As it happened, Idella was the only one in the Blue Magic Tower, so there was no other way.

We couldn't send an ambiguous person to meet the First Prince and Third Princess.

So, his direct disciple had no choice but to step forward.

She had freckles all over her nose and glanced at me over her glasses before turning her body as if to say it was okay.

"I can't help you with anything, so I'll just listen quietly."

"Yes, that's enough."

This audience was only to meet the First Prince and Third Princess while avoiding the Cheonhye Duke's eyes.

There was nothing she could do.

"The Third Princess is waiting for you first."

According to the guide's explanation, the person we would meet first was Iris.

The First Prince was in the middle of urgent business.

So, we decided to meet Iris first, who had relatively more time.

That was good.

I was more concerned about Iris.

I could check this opportunity to see why she didn't reply to Hania's letter.

Following the guide, we arrived at the guest room prepared in the Imperial Palace.

'The Imperial Palace atmosphere is heavy.'

Rumors that the Emperor was about to pass away were circulating throughout the empire.

Perhaps that's why the atmosphere in the Imperial Palace was so heavy.

Maybe Iris couldn't easily exchange letters with Hania because of this.

As we arrived, a maid who had been waiting beforehand knocked on the door twice.

"Iris, the guests from the Blue Magic Tower have arrived."

Then, she asked Iris inside for permission.

"Come in."

When Iris's answer was heard, the maid politely opened the door.

As I entered with Idella, I saw Iris for the first time in a while.

Deep black hair that looked like ink had been poured out.

Eyes reminiscent of red rubies.

A strange decadent beauty emanated from her white jade-like skin and slender body, causing people's desires to boil.

Iris still had a captivating beauty.

But I noticed a change in her.

Dark circles were under Iris's eyes again.

My eyes widened.

Even though life in the Imperial Palace was difficult, it meant that Iris had fallen into insomnia again.

"I greet the Third Princess, Iris."

When Idella greeted her first, Iris's eyes turned to me.

At that moment, the door closed behind her.

I turned to Iris and opened my lips.

"Iris, are you not sleeping again?"

Next to me, Idella's eyes widened at the next question.

It was natural to be shocked that she was speaking informally to the Third Princess.

She may have heard a rough hint about me from the Blue Magic Tower Lord, but she wouldn't have expected this.

Iris also stared blankly at me at my words.

And soon her lips opened.

"...Vikamon oppa?"

I smiled faintly at her question.

"It's been a while. How have you been?"

Idella quietly stepped back.

She realized that the relationship between me and Iris was deeper than she thought.

"I'm going to cover my ears."

She quickly cast a sound suppression spell on her body.

The fact that the Blue Magic Tower Lord had put her on the job meant that her mouth was heavy.

She was not the type of person to talk recklessly.

'To be precise, she's obsessed with magic.'

In order to continue researching magic at the Blue Magic Tower in the future, she can't recklessly make comments.

Iris looked at me and tried to open her lips, but soon closed them.

The delight that had flashed in her eyes scattered and disappeared.

Before I could question it, Iris's voice continued.

"I heard you died in the civil war."

"I thought it would be better than maintaining Vikamon's identity any longer."

"That's like you."

Judging from Iris's reaction, it seemed she had already noticed.

She may have been worried, but she must have trusted me.

"I heard you're not replying to Hania's letters. Are you refraining from doing so because you're worried that the Imperial Palace's situation might spread to the outside?"

Hania is very worried.

Iris, who has built a long relationship with Hania, must also know this well.

"...It's not that I can't, it's that I'm not doing it."

Doubt was revealed in my eyes.

Why would she not even contact Hania?

"Vikamon oppa."

Iris's red eyes stared straight at me.

"I will be the Emperor."

Emperor.

The moment I heard the next words, my eyes slowly began to widen.

Because I realized what she was talking about.

"...Is that, Iris, your own will?"

Iris becoming the Emperor meant that she would become a puppet of the Cheonhye Duke.

Clearly, Iris did not place great significance on becoming the Emperor.

It was more the Cheonhye Duke's will than her own.

She just did it because she had to.

The position of Emperor had no great meaning to Iris.

Iris is a responsible person.

If the First Prince was lacking, she would have gladly become the Emperor.

But in Iris's eyes, the First Prince was a person who could lead the Empire well enough.

So, there was even less reason for Iris to be obsessed with the Emperor.

Such Iris suddenly declared that she would become the Emperor.

I couldn't help but ask about this.

"It's my will."

Iris looked straight at me.

I could see sincerity in her eyes.

"...Iris, I always respect your will."

If Iris wants to be the Emperor, I am willing to support her.

But if it is the Cheonhye Duke's will, I cannot support her.

"Is it really your will?"

That's why I asked one more time.

As a friend of Iris, I hoped that she would not make the wrong choice.

Iris was silent for a moment.

In that silence, various emotions flashed across her face.

"...Yes, it's my will."

The same conclusion came back from Iris.

The emotion on her face.

If I could empathize with that emotion, could I hold onto Iris a little more?

I couldn't fully understand Iris's emotions with only a faint anger that had sprung up.

A short silence continued between Iris and me.

"Okay."

Iris said with her own mouth that it was her will.

Then I will not oppose her becoming the Emperor.

"But the Cheonhye Duke is a person who should never hold the power of the Emperor."

He is a person who will surely lead this world to destruction.

"The Cheonhye Duke is our maternal grandfather."

A strange smile appeared on Iris's lips.

The smile seemed to contain tears.

"That is an unchanging fact. So, I must be so greedy."

Iris's gaze reaches me.

Like a moth chasing fire, she craved warmth.

But she did not come to me.

It was the responsibility of her own choice.

Iris made up her mind.

I didn't think I could change her mind right now.

"What are you going to do about the academy?"

"I'm going to quit."

Next year, Iris was scheduled to become the student council president.

But the situation changed as the Emperor's death was brought forward.

Iris could no longer stay at Jerion Academy.

Because the position of Emperor is more important than academy life.

"Okay."

Instead of saying more, I turned around.

Iris's gaze followed me, but her steps did not stop.

I gestured to Idella, who had stepped back.

Idella released the magic and quietly followed.

The atmosphere was heavy, so she became very quiet, unlike before.

"Iris, just remember this."

I said to Iris as I stood in front of the door.

"If you ask for help, I will gladly help you with anything."

The day I became friends with Iris.

I made it clear to her that family was not the only human relationship.

"So, act on your own, not being swayed by others."

Don't be swayed by the Cheonhye Duke.

Iris's eyes wavered, and she soon lowered her head.

With that, I turned my body.

"See you again."

Iris chose to become the Emperor.

But so what?

I didn't intend to leave Iris alone anyway.

It may have seemed to her that I was letting go, but I have no intention of doing so.

Because I must protect Iris in order to protect this damn world, no matter what happens.

The ultimate villainess.

I have no intention of letting her meet a bad ending.

'Cheonhye Duke.'

Crack-

My teeth quietly grinded.

I don't know what conditions the Cheonhye Duke offered Iris to change her.

But I could never forgive a guy who even uses his granddaughter's pain as he pleases.

I'm grateful for the faint anger that bloomed through Seron.

Because now I can fully know how to be angry.

The circumstances surrounding Iris.

More information is needed to find out these circumstances.

So, I stretched out my steps to face the next person.

The First Prince, Luke Rizeon Highsirion.

He will surely hold the key.