The World After the Bad Ending

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Chapter 86: A Tired Body Sleeps Well

Iris, tormented by insomnia caused by nightmares, was dragged by me the next day to training with Aisha.

Last Night.

Iris, though puzzled by my words, had already become someone who couldn’t sleep without my warmth.

Though she didn’t fully understand what I said, she clung to me and fell asleep.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The next morning, I forcibly woke the drowsy Iris.

By now, I had mastered the art of waking her up precisely.

Iris had a particularly sensitive spot on her sides, a discovery I had stumbled upon while pondering escape strategies.

As I glanced back, I saw Iris gently rubbing her side.

“How does the morning air feel, Iris?”

Hearing my question, Iris scanned her surroundings.

“It’s refreshing.”

The autumn air, crisp after summer’s end, brought a sense of freshness.

Iris seemed to appreciate it, her expression relaxing slightly.

Thanks to my presence, Iris had fallen asleep early last night, and her mood seemed remarkably better today.

“We’re almost there.”

I guided her to our destination, where Aisha stood waiting.

Aisha, now in a slightly longer workout outfit than before, stood tall with her impressive, long limbs.

If this were the real world, Aisha would undoubtedly possess the stature of a model.

Fortunately, Isabel wasn’t present.

After the recent boycott incident, Isabel had stopped participating in our morning training sessions.

“Aisha.”

“Oh, senior...”

Aisha started to respond to my call but froze when she saw Iris beside me.

Her eyes widened in shock.

Bringing one of the nation’s treasures, the third princess, was bound to provoke such a reaction.

“Aisha, this is Lady Iris. She’ll be training with us starting today.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Iris.”

When Aisha showed formal courtesy, Iris waved it off lightly.

“This is the Zerion Academy. Treat me as you would a fellow senior like Hannon.”

“Understood. I will do so.”

Aisha wasn’t inflexible.

If Iris asked for such treatment, Aisha would gladly oblige.

“I was thinking of adjusting today’s training a bit for Lady Iris. Would that be alright?”

“Yes, of course. Training should be varied to keep the body from adapting and to ensure continuous improvement. I’d actually welcome it.”

That was a very Aisha-like response.

“Let’s get started, Lady Iris.”

“Mm.”

Still looking a bit puzzled, Iris joined us as our training began.

The training method was simple.

Iris, like Ban, had awakened her aura at a young age.

However, while Ban’s mastery of aura was a step above, allowing him to wield it with flair, Iris’s ability to use aura at all was significant in itself.

Throughout the training, I instructed Iris to continuously release her aura.

Initially, she was confused, but perhaps because I had built enough trust with her, she complied.

Thus, Iris spent the entire morning expending her aura.

When she reached her limit, unable to produce any more, the training session ended.

“Phew, do you do this every day?”

As Iris caught her breath and asked, I smiled.

“Lady Iris, endurance is national strength.”

“I think I understand a bit why Hannon never seems to get tired.”

Even during the perilous Demon Dungeon incident, I had survived purely on stamina.

Through this training, Iris seemed to gain some insight into that.

“How do you feel physically?”

“Physically?”

Hearing my question, Iris lifted the edge of her workout clothes slightly.

For a brief moment, her pale stomach came into view, making me momentarily dizzy.

I felt like I might be accused of blasphemy.

“I think I’ve lost weight.”

“Lady Iris, if Hania were here, she would have fainted.”

Likely out of joy.

I adjusted Iris’s clothes properly.

“More importantly, Lady Iris, focus on your inner self.”

Blinking her large eyes, Iris turned her attention inward.

As someone who wielded aura, she was capable of self-reflection.

Soon, her eyes slowly opened, a hint of surprise in them as she looked at me.

“...The murky energy is completely gone.”

What had been within her was the power of the Demon Sovereign.

This power was replenished through nightmares.

Thus, exhausting it completely was the solution.

By making her continuously release her aura during training, the Demon Sovereign’s power, too, was consumed.

As a result, the oppressive force that had weighed on her disappeared, leaving her feeling refreshed.

Iris’s face brightened noticeably, freed from the burden pressing on her body.

As befitting the final villainess, Iris possessed unparalleled power.

However, people instinctively accumulate their strength, and Iris hadn’t often experienced completely exhausting herself like she did today.

“Tonight, I’ll stay with you again. Let’s see how you sleep.”

Even so, Iris’s insomnia was a deeper issue.

Her body had developed the habit of avoiding sleep due to the torment of nightmares.

While the influence of the Demon Sovereign had lessened, breaking the habit would take time.

Until then, I resolved to stay by her side.

“...Alright.”

Iris gazed at me with an unreadable expression.

While I couldn’t decipher its meaning, thus began the project to ensure Iris’s peaceful sleep.

* * *

Two Weeks Later.

Time marched on as always.

Two weeks into the peaceful sleep project, Iris’s face had noticeably brightened.

“Hannon, good morning.”

She even started waking up earlier than me to prepare for morning training.

Day by day, she increased the intensity of her training, determined to shake off even the lingering traces of her nightmares.

Thanks to this, Iris had started to look forward to the night, treasuring the peace of sleep she hadn’t experienced in so long.

“Hannon, come here.”

As always, Iris called me over, pulling me into her embrace as she fell asleep.

By now, even I had grown accustomed to this.

Still, the root cause of her nightmares remained unresolved.

‘It’s time to prepare for the real solution.’

Thus, I spent my days focused on alleviating Iris’s nightmares.

In the meantime, new faces began appearing at the academy.

They were the newly appointed teaching assistants and professors, replacing those expelled after the recent boycott incident.

Many of them greeted Iris shortly after arriving at the Zerion Academy, a clear sign that they were affiliated with the Third Princess.

The new assistants and professors were incredibly diligent individuals.

Having been thoroughly trained by the Duke of Robliage, they fully utilized their abilities to guide the students.

Thanks to their efforts, the atmosphere at Zerion Academy underwent a significant transformation.

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The previous assistants and professors involved in corruption had left a poor impression on the students.

The replacements diligently conducted classes, which positively influenced the students as well.

"At least it wasn’t all for nothing."

Seron lightly tapped my arm as we observed the changed atmosphere of the academy.

It was during lunchtime, and Iris and Hania, who usually accompanied us, happened to be absent.

So today, it was just Seron and me having lunch together.

Card has been busy lately, running around everywhere, so the number of times we eat lunch together has decreased.

That’s how I ended up dining with Seron today.

Indeed, Seron was right.

Even Rojamin, the former boycott leader, would likely feel that his one-month suspension was worth it when he returned.

"But more importantly, Prince Sweet Potato."

She called me and lowered her posture.

I followed suit, crouching down to match her.

"What?"

"…Why do you keep sneaking into the girls’ dormitory as Hania?"

So, she found out.

"Seron, have you been stalking me?"

"Did you think I wouldn’t investigate after what you said last time? If there’s a pervert sneaking into the girls’ dorm, of course, I’d look into it."

Why is the stalker acting so confident?

"You’ve been going in and out of Iris’s room. What on earth are you doing? What if you get caught?"

Iris knows me as Hannon.

If she were to find out I’m Vikamon, I’d be executed immediately for trespassing into the princess’s quarters.

"I’m just helping Iris sleep better, that’s all."

In truth, I’m merely fulfilling the role of a comfort doll.

I swear I’ve never done anything shameful.

Besides, any primal desires have been forcibly suppressed, making such actions impossible for me.

"As long as you keep your mouth shut, there’s no way I’ll get caught."

"I don’t want to see you get executed, so I’ll keep quiet, but…"

Seron grumbled as she glanced at me.

"…It still feels unfair to me."

"What’s unfair about it?"

"I can’t sleep well either."

I blinked at her.

What is she talking about when she was dozing off during class this morning?

"Because I keep thinking about you."

Oh, my god.

Seron’s face flushed bright red, and she fidgeted nervously.

She had turned into a tomato after boldly confessing.

I didn’t expect her to come at me head-on like this.

"…Aren’t you embarrassed saying something like that?"

"I am embarrassed! But what can I do? It’s the truth!"

Apparently, it was true.

Seron bit her lips and covered her face with both hands.

"Don’t look at my face."

Even I felt embarrassed watching her.

"No, look at my face properly. Remember how serious I am!"

I looked at Seron quietly before glancing around.

Luckily, there was no one else around.

Since we had chosen a secluded path for our stroll, it was only natural.

It seemed Seron had deliberately brought me to a private spot to say this.

She’s quite cunning.

I slightly loosened the Veil Bandages, revealing my Vikamon form.

"Ah, ah, ah…"

As soon as I turned into Vikamon, Seron froze on the spot.

"Seron, say it again."

Her eyes darted around nervously, and she began fidgeting like a helpless girl.

"Hiyaa…"

Then, making a strange noise, she turned around and ran away.

Recently, I’ve discovered a new way to deal with Seron.

When I’m in Hannon’s form, she acts cheeky as usual, but the moment I become Vikamon, she can’t handle it and flees immediately.

It seems she just can’t get used to Vikamon’s face.

‘Well, she did spend nearly her entire life harboring feelings for him.’

Seron still needed time to prepare her heart.

After seeing Seron off safely, I rewrapped the veil over my face.

Seron is growing bolder by the day, and it’s becoming a concern.

‘More importantly, the time has come.’

Looking at the vividly colored autumn leaves, I realized that Act 4, Scene 2, was beginning.

Act 4, Scene 2.

The International Tournament.

It’s a tri-annual event where academy students from various kingdoms and empires compete as a form of friendly rivalry.

And in this event, there’s someone I must transfer to Zerion Academy.

‘I poured everything into preparing for this over the summer vacation.’

Clenching my fists tightly, I steeled my resolve.

For Iris’s nightmares and the future ahead, this individual was essential.

Someone with a power akin to the Flame of Resolve.

I had to bring them to Zerion Academy.

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