The World After the Bad Ending Chapter 281

[Translator - Night]

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Chapter 281

The night of the year ca to an end, and ti moved on.

Before long, everyone had grown accustod to the era without the Demon Sovereign.

At last, the graduation ceremony of Zerion Academy began.

I, too, made my way there to attend.

This year's ceremony felt very different from those before.

Of course it did.

This was the graduation of the glorious generation that defeated the Demon Sovereign—once the embodint of dread and the ultimate goal of the Academy.

Their ceremony shone brighter than ever before.

The faces of the gathered students were filled with joy.

Now twenty years old, they would each go on to spread out into the world and draw radiant futures for themselves.

And that fact alone brought a smile to my face.

After all, this future was one I had helped create.

Still, deep within my heart, there was a trace of regret.

If only one more person could have been here.

‘Lucas.’

He was the companion who had always charged ahead in every regression scenario.

What if I had returned to a tiline where Lucas was still alive?

Surely, so much would’ve been different.

Perhaps we would’ve beco good friends once again.

Why had regression always centered around Lucas?

It was because even the Demon Sovereign saw him as dangerous.

Lucas thwarted the Demon Sovereign’s descent ti and ti again through countless regressions.

If Lucas had been here, everything might have gone far more smoothly.

And if I had been added to the equation, the Demon Sovereign would’ve stood no chance.

That’s why the Demon Sovereign triggered the regressions.

Even if he couldn’t rember them himself, he desperately clung to regression to prevent the worst-case scenario.

A worldline where Lucas died.

A worldline where I was possessed—his only chance to descend.

The final and best possible worldline without regression. He had to force it.

The Fla of Resolve.

Through the path Lucas walked, I gained clarity.

That fla—trampled again and again by the Demon Sovereign through regression.

But not a single spark Lucas kindled until the end was in vain.

The fla of resolve undoubtedly vanished with Lucas.

But it had also taken root in .

He was the protagonist of “The Fla Butterfly Arc.”

A person so dazzling that I couldn't help but see him as the main character.

A wind blew.

It was the early spring breeze of a new era.

‘Lucas, at the very least—I protected it.’

I defeated the Demon Sovereign and protected the world from the Bad Ending.

I saved the world you tried to protect, over and over again.

Thanks to your unwavering struggle throughout every regression, we were able to protect this world.

And I decided—I will carry your mory in my heart forever.

* * *

“Ladies and gentlen, please take your seats and stop chatting. The Headmaster will now give his comncent address for Zerion Academy’s graduation ceremony.”

The top second-year student in Literature, who was set to be the new student council president, spoke up.

At her words, everyone quieted down, and soon the Headmaster stepped onto the podium.

While he began his speech, I slowly swept my gaze across the auditorium.

Dimly lit due to the spotlight focused on the stage.

Students looking both excited and wistful.

Professors with weary faces, as if just barely making it through.

Assistant professors and teaching assistants who still seed reluctant to part from their students.

This scene—so uniquely part of every graduation—sohow stirred the heart.

The final chapter of the scenario.

The end of Zerion Academy.

I was grateful to have lived to see it with my own eyes.

As my eyes continued to wander, they locked with soone’s.

She had red hair tied up, revealing her forehead, and the mont she saw , she stuck her tongue out.

I honestly considered running over and pulling that tongue.

That’s how mischievous Seron still was.

She was twenty now.

You’d think she’d have matured a little.

The thought made my head spin slightly.

In a world where graduation from the Academy was now certain—

In a world no longer threatened by the Demon Sovereign—

There was a man and a woman who had exchanged their feelings for one another.

It wasn’t hard to guess where that would lead.

The problem was—I wasn’t exactly in a normal situation.

That day, at that mont—I confessed to five different people.

Even now, I think I might’ve been crazy.

But at the ti, I was overwheld by emotion.

I simply couldn’t hold back.

And frankly, not much has changed since then.

Thunk—

Seron, still sticking out her tongue, got scolded by Eve, who sat next to her.

Eve was telling her to behave, at least during the ceremony.

She also seed to be hinting that Seron should be careful with her movents.

Beside them, Card was laughing until he got smacked by Seron.

Honestly, I should’ve been sitting there too—but it was fine.

Just watching from afar filled my heart with warmth.

Then, I locked eyes with Isabel.

We had a brief staring contest before she curved her lips into a smile.

Then mouthed the words: “Tonight again?”

That sly expression made want to run over and hug her.

Next to Isabel was Sharin, fast asleep with her head resting on Isabel’s shoulder.

Why she overdid it yesterday, I’ll never know.

And yet, she was protectively cradling her belly—just thinking about it made dizzy.

Turning my gaze away from them, I spotted black hair.

A woman standing straight with a proud posture—yet carrying an air of decadence.

‘Iris.’

She had previously dropped out of Zerion Academy, but Vega had personally rescinded that decision.

Thanks to that, Iris had been able to return and safely attend the graduation.

The shadow in her eyes was gone.

She was sleeping well these days.

The familial love she had longed for her entire life—

Now resting within her belly—gave her peace, allowing her to sleep deeply.

When she saw , she naturally smiled.

The fact that I was the one who brought that smile back—it made happy.

But next to her, Hania glared at .

As if I had stolen the woman she adored with all her heart.

And yet, the way she stood protectively around Iris’s belly—

It showed she didn’t hate as much as she pretended to.

“Senior, distracted looking at your girls again?”

A whisper ca from beside .

Just hearing that voice instantly lifted my spirits.

Standing there was a girl much shorter than .

Without her veil for once—it was Nikita, in her true form.

She now worked at Zerion Academy as a teaching assistant, just like .

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

A teaching assistant in the Departnt of Magic.

Her attempted assassination of Iris had been forgiven, as it had targeted the Demon Sovereign’s host.

This was thanks in large part to the efforts of the First Prince—now Emperor—and Nia.

Just thinking about Nia gave a headache again.

I really wish he'd stop writing those nasty letters to my assistant office every day.

And yet, he cherishes the child in Nikita’s belly like it’s the most precious thing in the world.

We made that child together, so why does he act like I’m so outsider?

“Oh, senior, I think I just felt a kick.”

“Really?”

“Kidding. It’s not that far along yet.”

Lately, Nikita had taken a liking to teasing like this.

So like her.

As I ntioned earlier, there were five won carrying my children.

All of them.

All on the sa day.

Regained love and unleashed desire.

Do you know how terrifying that can be?

At the very least—I do.

And I also know how dangerously tempting the won I love can be.

Even now, the mory of that day makes my head spin.

Each one of them, in nothing but their underwear, standing in front of and saying the most outrageous things.

Their collective agreent, in their own way.

It was clearly a devastating situation born from my own greed.

And the lustful who responded to that?

Still shaful.

“Thinking about that ti again?”

Nikita noticed where my thoughts had wandered and leaned her shoulder against mine.

Now’s not the ti to be clingy.

I just wanted to watch the graduation ceremony with a clear and proper mind.

“I was just reminded again of how monstrous I am.”

“Yeah. You were totally a beast back then.”

A beast—no better word for it.

There are many barriers to pregnancy in humans.

But for all five to conceive on the sa day?

I really was a beast.

I basically broke through probability with sheer repetition.

That morning, all five won lying beside , their skin still carrying the scent of the night—weighed heavily on my mory.

Nikita looked up at softly.

“Still… I liked that side of you too. Feeling that you wanted so desperately—it made feel so special.”

She blushed as she smiled.

Graduation ceremony or not, was there really anything else worth seeing?

Then, I felt a sharp, electric gaze piercing through .

Turning my head quickly, I saw Seron, Isabel, Iris, and even Sharin, who had just gotten up, all glaring at .

I’d been caught flirting with Nikita while leaving the rest of them out.

Their eyes were cold enough to know I’d be hearing about it later.

“With that, we conclude the graduation ceremony.”

Just then, the headmaster finished his speech and formally ended the ceremony.

“However, it seems there’s still one more person who should graduate.”

He followed up with an unexpected remark.

Before I could even comprehend what he ant—

“Vikamon Niflheim.”

The headmaster suddenly called out my na.

Naturally, all eyes turned to .

There wasn’t a person in Zerion Academy who didn’t know my na.

No—hardly anyone in the entire world didn’t know it.

The whole world had broadcast the defeat of the Demon Sovereign.

And the hero they chose to promote?

Already decided.

All because Duke of Whitewood had been loudly proclaiming my na wherever she went.

Vikamon Niflheim.

Sohow, that na had beco known across the world.

Flustered by the headmaster’s call but unable to ignore his gesture, I stepped up onto the stage.

The headmaster cleared his throat, then lifted a diploma.

“Vikamon Niflheim—Zerion Academy hereby revokes your expulsion and officially recognizes your graduation in light of your exceptional abilities and heroic achievents.”

As he said this, he handed the diploma.

I accepted it in a daze.

Then, one by one, applause began to ring out from behind.

The clapping grew louder, and soon even noise from outside filtered in.

Among them were first- and second-year students as well.

Many of whom I had gotten to know.

One of them—Xenia—bead at as she watched.

A proud younger sister celebrating her family’s graduation.

“Senior Vikamon, thank you for everything!”

“Congratulations on graduating, senior!”

Their voices echoed out.

Those who knew genuinely smiled and congratulated .

For so reason, it made clench my fists tightly.

Graduation.

I had graduated from Zerion Academy, just like them.

“Congratulations.”

The headmaster spoke again, and I bowed my head.

“Thank you. I’ve acted selfishly more tis than I can count… but I’ll never forget your kindness.”

“Expelled or not, you were still our student. I rely did what was right.”

Well said.

The headmaster’s hobbies would remain a secret forever.

As I stepped down, I noticed that Vega had prepared a chair for among the third-years.

“Hey, graduate. Hurry up and take over after , will you?”

Still going on about that?

I chuckled briefly as the mory of once carrying her chair ca to mind, then I sat down.

“Finally, we’ll conclude with the school anthem.”

This ti, it was the vice headmaster who ca forward to speak.

All the students stood.

Soon, everyone began singing the anthem together.

Even the gathered first- and second-year students joined in.

It was the last ti I’d ever sing this song.

The school anthem echoed powerfully across Zerion Academy.

And within my heart as well.

A world I had wanted to protect with my entire being.

There would be no more bad endings in this world.

The fla would no longer be snuffed out—it would soar high and burn brightly.

Like a fla-winged butterfly.

The world after the happy ending.

The World After the Bad Ending – [The End]

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