The World After the Bad Ending

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Chapter 144: I’ve Become Popular

Two Young Heroes Who Returned Alive from the Ninth Floor of the Demon Dungeon!

This was the major headline in this morning’s newspaper.

Is this really something worth such a big headline?

It seems like the imperial family has been in turmoil lately.

This is probably just a distraction.

I even talked about this with Professor Vega.

Since I survived the ninth floor of the Demon Dungeon, I needed information about the environment there.

During our discussion, I informed her that there were traces of a door opening on the ninth floor.

"There’s a possibility that an Apostle emerged."

Vega pondered deeply over my words before nodding.

"The fact that the Demon Dungeon opened so quickly this time might be related. You did well finding out."

She praised me for gathering this information.

"There's someone in my generation who has studied the Demon Dungeon in detail. I’ll consult them."

"Please do."

If Vega trusts them, then it should be fine to leave it to them.

I just hope that nothing serious comes of it.

Regardless, thanks to this event, I’ve become a well-known figure at the academy.

Even the first-year students all remember my name.

I suppose I’ve been making a name for myself recently, but I never expected to find myself in this kind of situation.

I blinked at the female student standing in front of me.

For the record, this was my first time seeing her.

She was a year below me, and she handed me a love letter with her head bowed.

"Uh… why are you giving me this?"

As I took the letter, she quickly blurted out the words she had been preparing.

"I was drawn to you after watching your incredible performance in the individual match! But when I heard that you might not return, my heart sank… That’s when I realized I have feelings for you!"

She really put effort into this.

I couldn't be too harsh on someone who was confessing their feelings.

But that didn’t mean I could accept it.

"Sorry, I have a fiancée."

I decided to use my pre-prepared excuse.

"That’s okay!"

However, she didn’t back down.

"An engagement is just something arranged by adults!"

The students at Zerion Academy sure are bold.

Even so, I couldn’t just let this slide.

"I’m really sorry, but I don’t have any interest in dating anyone right now."

I gently placed the letter back into her hands and walked away, leaving the heartbroken girl behind.

‘I never expected to be called out just to receive a confession.’

Life sure has its surprises.

Back when I was actively competing, I was popular among the guys, but never among the girls.

I guess you never really know how life will turn out.

‘My reputation has skyrocketed too much.’

The scale of the events I’ve been involved in recently has been massive.

My name was already spreading by word of mouth, and with the individual tournament and now this major headline, everything escalated rapidly.

At that moment, I noticed a familiar red head peeking out from behind a wall.

She pouted her lips.

"Must be nice, huh? Getting confessions now and all."

Seron Parmia.

As always, her forehead was gleaming.

"It’s nice to be liked by someone."

"Hmph, you look way too happy about it."

"You’d feel the same."

Seron flinched slightly and averted her gaze, then hesitantly tugged at my sleeve.

"Well, if… if you’d like, I could love you even more."

If she had a tail, it would be wagging furiously.

But then, her expression suddenly darkened.

"Now that I think about it, this is ridiculous. Why is everyone making such a fuss all of a sudden? You usually just call me ‘Prince Sweet Potato’ and complain."

Seron had always been by my side.

But even her ears had picked up how noisy the academy had become about me.

Not to mention Isabel—she had always been famous at the academy.

"Isn’t it a good thing that people see you in a better light?"

"I just don’t like how quickly they change their tune."

To be fair, Seron didn’t like me at first either.

But after spending so much time together, we naturally ended up where we are now.

If I accepted her feelings, we could start dating immediately.

But I don’t know what love is. I couldn’t do that.

If I were to date someone, I’d want it to be serious.

I don’t want to enter a shallow relationship that disrespects the other person’s feelings.

"Yeah, not many people recognized my good points as early as you did, Seron."

"That’s right. So treat me well. Appreciate me more. Be grateful that such a pretty girl likes you!"

Hearing me compliment her made her puff up with pride, spouting whatever came to her mind.

She really is consistent.

"By the way, Seron, I was thinking of going out today."

Seron and I had made a promise.

Right now, we were in a short three-day break after the Autumn Demon Dungeon Battle.

It was just enough time to go out for a bit.

The moment I brought up our planned outing, Seron’s expression shifted instantly.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Finally! I need to get ready, so meet me in front of the dorm in an hour and a half!"

"You need an hour and a half just to get ready?"

"You really don’t understand anything, do you? Girls take time to prepare!"

"Girls?"

Before she could pounce on me, I quickly made my escape.

Which left me with an hour and a half of free time.

I didn’t have many clothes besides my uniform.

Hannon’s wardrobe consisted mostly of casual clothes, and nothing particularly fancy.

So, I was just aimlessly heading toward the boys' dormitory when I spotted another familiar figure.

Messy hair that looked like a broom, round glasses, and a small frame.

Foara was peeking around the entrance of the boys' dormitory, scanning the surroundings suspiciously.

His behavior was so shady that I instinctively approached him quietly.

Then, just as he turned to look the other way, I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Gotcha, you little rascal."

"Gyaaah!"

Foara shrieked and tumbled to the ground.

I wasn’t expecting such an intense reaction.

"Foara, why do you look so guilty?"

"Ah, senior Hannon."

Foara sighed in relief and slowly got up, then glanced around cautiously before letting out another sigh.

"It’s just… Senior Beaquirin has been acting really strange lately."

"Beaquirin?"

Beaquirin Monem.

The top spirit mage.

Before Foara came along, she was the number one student in the Special Magic Department’s Spirit Studies division.

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But after Foara contracted a Spirit King, Beaquirin was pushed to second place.

For her, Foara was a bitter rival.

"Did something happen?"

Hearing the question, Foara let out a sigh.

It seemed like he had been through quite a bit.

"Even before the individual match, she didn’t really like me. But after I won, she follows me wherever I go and keeps spying on me with spirits."

Spying with spirits.

Hearing that, my gaze turned peculiar.

"She also keeps saying I’m too thin and small, so she brings me lunchboxes every day, insisting that I need to eat. But the seasoning is really strange. And every time, she asks me if it tastes good. I think she’s trying to torment me."

"……."

I couldn’t say anything.

Because all of this was an event that occurred when Beaquirin's affection level reached a certain point.

"Why does senior Beaquirin dislike me so much? She’s already amazing—so much so that I respect her. If I did something wrong, I’d like to know."

Foara looked dejected.

Was this how Card felt when he looked at me?

Now, I understood why he always looked at me with such a disappointed face.

"Foara, what do you think of Beaquirin?"

Foara raised his head and gave a sheepish smile.

"She’s the most impressive spirit scholar senior I know. Even with her talent, she never stops working hard."

A character who is not only talented but also puts in effort.

That was Beaquirin.

"Compared to her, the only thing special about me is my contract with the Spirit Lord. Other than that, I’m nothing noteworthy. Maybe she dislikes me because of that."

"Because you defeated her in the individual match?"

During the international individual match, it was Foara who defeated Beaquirin.

It hadn’t been a one-sided battle—rather, it had been a close match.

That fight had clearly been a battle of perseverance.

Which one of them had more endurance?

And in the end, the one who had just a bit more was Foara.

"To be honest, the only reason I won was thanks to you, senior Hannon."

"I wasn’t even there."

"Haha, right before I was about to collapse, I remembered how you always stand your ground against your enemies."

Foara clenched his fists tightly.

As a spirit mage, he didn’t have much physical strength, but the determination in his grip was real.

"You always show unwavering will, Senior."

I hadn’t expected this.

"If I hadn’t thought of you at that moment, I would’ve lost."

I never imagined that my actions would influence others this much.

"I won because of you, Senior."

Foara looked at me with eyes shining brightly.

It was the complete opposite of what I had seen long ago, during the boycott.

Back then, there had been no light in his eyes.

Just like how many people connected to me had changed, so had Foara.

For some reason, that fact made me happy.

Because it made me feel like I could change even more people in the future.

"Foara."

So, I decided to tell him.

"Run."

Before I even finished speaking, Beaquirin had already lunged at Foara.

"Aaaah!"

"Foara, my dear junior, say that again if you dare?"

Beaquirin pinned Foara down and mercilessly squished his cheeks.

She must have been secretly eavesdropping through her spirit, even though Foara was contracted to a Spirit Lord.

That was some serious determination.

"You really don’t understand people’s feelings at all!"

"I-I’m sorry!"

I agreed.

Watching Foara repeatedly apologize, I felt a bit sorry for him.

But in the end, love isn’t one-sided—it has to be mutual.

This was something Beaquirin had to resolve herself.

"Good luck."

I just hoped Foara wouldn’t break under the pressure as I quietly stepped back.

If I got involved now, it might get troublesome.

‘I should get ready to meet Seron.’

That’s what I was thinking as I backed away.

"Hannon."

Then, suddenly, my name was called.

I turned toward the familiar voice and saw navy-blue hair.

A girl with a rather sulky expression was staring at me.

"Sharin?"

Before I could even question her sudden appearance, she walked up to me and raised her fist.

Thump!

Sharin lightly thumped my chest with a displeased expression.

"What’s wrong?"

Even as I asked, she silently threw a few more soft punches.

With my body as tough as steel, they felt like nothing more than featherlight taps.

But after a few more punches, she seemed satisfied.

She looked proud, as if she had just scolded a wrongdoer.

"Husband, stop charming people left and right."

I had no idea what I had done wrong.

"You’re going on a date with Seron, right?"

"Yeah, I was just getting ready to head out."

I couldn’t lie, so I answered truthfully.

Sharin immediately swung another soft punch at me.

"Take me with you."

What was this now?

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