The World After the Bad Ending

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 281

The night of the year came to an end, and time moved on.

Before long, everyone had grown accustomed 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 embodiment 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 timeline where Lucas was still alive?

Surely, so much would’ve been different.

Perhaps we would’ve become 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 time and time 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 remember 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 Flame of Resolve.

Through the path Lucas walked, I gained clarity.

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

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

The flame of resolve undoubtedly vanished with Lucas.

But it had also taken root in me.

He was the protagonist of “The Flame 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 memory in my heart forever.

* * *

“Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats and stop chatting. The Headmaster will now give his commencement 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 seemed reluctant to part from their students.

This scene—so uniquely part of every graduation—somehow 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 someone’s.

She had red hair tied up, revealing her forehead, and the moment she saw me, 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 moment—I confessed to five different people.

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

But at the time, I was overwhelmed 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 seemed to be hinting that Seron should be careful with her movements.

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 me 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 me 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 me, she naturally smiled.

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

But next to her, Hania glared at me.

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 me as much as she pretended to.

“Senior, distracted looking at your girls again?”

A whisper came from beside me.

Just hearing that voice instantly lifted my spirits.

Standing there was a girl much shorter than me.

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

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

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

A teaching assistant in the Department 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 me 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 some 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 me like this.

So like her.

As I mentioned earlier, there were five women carrying my children.

All of them.

All on the same 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 women I love can be.

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

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

Their collective agreement, in their own way.

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

And the lustful me who responded to that?

Still shameful.

“Thinking about that time again?”

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

Now’s not the time 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 same day?

I really was a beast.

I basically broke through probability with sheer repetition.

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

Nikita looked up at me softly.

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

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

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 meant—

“Vikamon Niflheim.”

The headmaster suddenly called out my name.

Naturally, all eyes turned to me.

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

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 name wherever she went.

Vikamon Niflheim.

Somehow, that name had become 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 achievements.”

As he said this, he handed me 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—beamed at me 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 me genuinely smiled and congratulated me.

For some reason, it made me 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 times than I can count… but I’ll never forget your kindness.”

“Expelled or not, you were still our student. I merely 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 me among the third-years.

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

Still going on about that?

I chuckled briefly as the memory of me once carrying her chair came to mind, then I sat down.

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

This time, it was the vice headmaster who came 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 time 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 flame would no longer be snuffed out—it would soar high and burn brightly.

Like a flame-winged butterfly.

The world after the happy ending.

The World After the Bad Ending – [The End]

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]