Chapter 50

“Bad ending.”

Ice Dragon.

Summer Magung Palace.

Having mastered the Magic of the Ice Dragon, Nikita kills the 3rd Princess Iris with her own hands at the Magung.

And at that moment, an unexpected situation unfolds.

The power of the Evil Zone residing within Iris reaches out to Nikita, consuming her.

Nikita’s hatred for the world and the temptations of the Evil Zone.

As the two intertwine, Nikita ultimately falls into the hands of the Evil Zone.

With the power of the Ice Dragon and the strength of the Evil Zone.

Embracing these two forces, Nikita completely devastates the world.

That’s the bad ending.

Ice Dragon.

“Lucas, I wanted to live freely… To do what I want and marry the person I love.”

In the bad ending of the Butterfly of Flames, Nikita’s tear-stained cries came to mind.

“I hated my life, the life bound to the Cynthia family, so much that I would throw it away so easily.”

Nikita Cynthia, born without a single ounce of magical talent in the prestigious Cynthia Marquis family.

She spent her entire life shackled by her family, with her future entirely dictated by them.

The Cynthias wouldn’t even allow her to hold a sword honestly.

They simply used her as a pawn in a convenient arranged marriage.

The title of Marquis of the Empire is immense.

This is not a modern society.

No matter how hard a daughter tries, she can’t shake off her family’s shackles.

Her brother Nia was the only escape route that could change Nikita’s life.

“This is my sin for mindlessly relying on Brother Nia. I should carve out my own path. When Brother died, I despaired over my unchanging life more than I did over his death.”

Nikita shed tears frozen by the Ice Dragon’s magic.

After witnessing that scene, I played the Butterfly of Flames route countless times, wishing to change Nikita’s life.

However, there was no way to save Nikita in the Butterfly of Flames route.

To be precise, there was, but as Lucas at that time, it was impossible.

A colossal fate.

Nikita was destined to die there.

“Everything in the world has a limit to what it can bear.”

Sharine’s advice came to mind.

To break a colossal fate, one must be truly reckless.

So I waited and waited.

A single way for Nikita to escape the Cynthia family and live freely.

The only method to extract her from the immense inevitability of a legitimate marriage.

My gaze landed on the current Nikita.

She no longer bore any trace of her old tender self.

Consumed by anger and vengeance, she had become a mere avenger.

“Nikita, you don’t look well. Are you okay?”

“Huh? I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Nikita responded with the brightest demeanor she had shown recently.

The flames ignite.

The fire blazed without leaving even a speck of itself behind.

Her eyes no longer held any attachments to the world.

“Hey, junior.”

“Yes, Nikita-sempai.”

“You’re coming to this summer’s Magung, right?”

“I suppose so.”

Unless it’s a special class for 1st years.

All 2nd years must participate unless their condition is severely poor.

“Then don’t go too deep this time in the Magung.”

Nikita said that and turned away.

“Just a word of advice from a senior.”

She left like that.

Watching her back quietly, I realized my fists were clenched.

＊＊＊

After that, I earnestly assisted as a member of the Student Council.

After preparing for the students to enjoy themselves with the Magung Palace right in front of us.

Before long, students with full bellies began to relax.

And among them.

There were still people eating.

‘Where’s Nikita?’

Fortunately, she was chatting with the professors.

She likely wouldn’t have time to worry about this side.

I quietly moved my feet.

Then I stood next to someone who was still eating.

She had a mountain of plates piled next to her.

Even so, she continued to eat, seemingly unfazed by her full stomach.

Even the bulky boys had passed out.

What an impressive appetite.

“3rd Princess.”

Quietly, I called out her name as I stood beside her.

Through her pitch-black hair, those ruby-like eyes turned this way.

Those eyes, laden with seductive allure, were filled with curiosity.

As if she had never expected me to approach her.

“I’m still eating, so mind if I join you?”

It’s not often you get to eat alongside royalty.

But this is Jerion Academy.

It’s a place that somewhat seeks equality.

Moreover, Iris was not someone to fuss over such things.

“Go ahead.”

True to her name, Iris didn’t particularly resist.

Instead, she slightly shifted her bottom, making space for me.

“Looks like you have something to say.”

I had hardly ever spoken with Iris.

More precisely, I thought it was too early for me to get involved with her.

The colossal currents surrounding her.

If I intervened now, I’d be ripped apart.

So even if I were to walk alongside her someday.

For now, I avoided her.

Yet facing the bad ending, Ice Dragon, right before me,

I couldn’t keep evading her forever.

Just in time, with the group battle, I had made a notable impression.

I decided to convey my intentions to her.

“For this Magung, would you let me join your team?”

In the original work, Lucas reaches Iris’s team just in time when she is in crisis.

But with Lucas absent now.

No one among the students could reach where Iris was.

So there’s only one way.

To be by Iris’s side from the very beginning.

An ice chunk of meat was bit off by Iris’s gaze.

She’s smart.

She would surely realize that I didn’t say this without reason.

“That’s troublesome.”

And thus she hesitated even more to easily agree.

“But if you explain the situation clearly, I might cooperate.”

Her diligence was what characterized her.

“There’s someone targeting the 3rd Princess in the Magung.”

Iris halted her spoon’s movement.

Targeting royalty is one of the gravest crimes in the Empire.

It could annihilate not just a family member but could destroy everything related to that family.

Three generations erased.

That was the most fitting punishment.

“So you want to stop that.”

“Yes, I will definitely stop it.”

Iris resumed moving her spoon again.

The words I had just spoken bore a degree of risk for me as well.

Even though I mentioned someone targeting the princess, I didn’t relay it explicitly and simply circled around the conversation.

I was anxious.

If Iris took it the wrong way, my life could go down the drain.

This was reality.

There’s no restarting like a game.

“Alright. That’s not too difficult.”

In that moment, Iris responded more readily than I had expected.

“But if it’s someone connected to you, they might recognize you.”

“That’s fine. I have measures in place for that. Could you swap one member of your team with ours, starting with someone who normally teams with the 3rd Princess?”

“A trade, huh.”

I took a bite of meat, following Iris’s lead.

Maybe it was because I was tense, but it didn’t taste good.

“Sounds good. I’ll go along with that.”

As her permission was given, I finally relaxed.

Good thing Iris was more generous than I imagined.

‘No, technically…’

What resided in her eyes was indeed curiosity.

Iris was watching me closely.

Starting from knowing that I’m her cousin.

After defeating Iris’s team in the group battle, I had claimed first place.

To her standards, I must seem incredibly odd.

And thus I was the one proposing to her first.

It was only natural for her curiosity to pique.

‘She probably wouldn’t even consider the possibility of her being assassinated.’

That confidence.

It’s no wonder they call her the strongest member of royalty in history.

But even she couldn’t handle what had become the Disaster Dragon Maiden, Nikita.

‘Originally, it was Lucas’s role to stop her, but…’

This time, I had to take on that role myself.

“Speaking of which…”

At that moment, Iris suddenly brought up something different.

“There’s only one member on our side who has a similar physique to you.”

Since I was joining Iris’s team, someone from her team would need to disguise themselves as me.

In my case, since I had the disguise bandage, it didn’t matter who it was.

But not for them.

“If there’s only one, then…”

Ah.

I realized who it was.

“To avoid suspicion, let’s do it a day in advance.”

Iris smiled alluringly.

Suddenly, everything in front of my eyes went dark.

＊＊＊

What is life even about?

What am I doing all this for?

I pondered such thoughts as I passed through a corridor.

Long hair swayed annoyingly behind my neck.

The original black had faded, and a light peach-colored mane flowed.

Perhaps because it was a different physique than usual.

The way I walked felt awkward.

More precisely, my broader hips and heavier upper body made me uncomfortable.

It made me wonder how I could even survive in battle with this body.

‘Damn it.’

As I muttered silently, I slowly turned my head.

Then, a really pretty woman appeared in the window.

Her eyes vaguely reminiscent of a fox and the corners of her mouth slightly turned up.

Her crimson lips held an allure that could shake a man’s heart.

The problem was, this face was me.

I sighed, covering my forehead for a moment.

The identity of this appearance was.

Martial Arts Deputy

Hania Repidia

The daughter of the Empire’s General Commander.

Always assisting Iris, she is another kind of idol for men.

With her stunning beauty, she knows well how to melt people’s hearts.

So after just a few chats with her, most men fell under her spell.

The problem is, it’s not just men who are weak to beautiful looks.

Women too succumb to stunning appearances.

Even as one of the same gender, she had a knack for making them her own.

‘A skill, I guess.’

She actively used her own weapon.

And clearly leveraged it to her advantage.

Hania was also a woman I feared personally.

Women like her had a strangely uncomfortable vibe.

Most importantly.

“I need to part ways with Iris? How on earth am I, Hania, going to manage that?”

I know who she truly loves.

In the distance, someone wiping away tears next to Iris appeared.

She had short black hair instead of her original peach mane.

Her eyes differed from their original shade.

Instead, she had the same red eyes as Iris that shone with light coming through the window gap.

Hanon Irey.

There was Hania, bearing the appearance of Hanon.

Among Iris’s team, the only one resembling me in build was Hania, a woman.

Seeing her like that toward Iris seemed incredibly awkward.

“You’re here.”

Iris spotted me and smiled slightly.

It was clear she laughed at the sight of me fidgeting.

“…Yes, I’m here.”

“Hania doesn’t talk like that.”

“Is that so?”

I had no confidence in mimicking her speech.

I had to keep my mouth shut until we reach the Magung.

“Hanon Irey.”

At that moment, Hania turned her head and called my name.

The gaze that just a moment ago looked affectionately at Iris was gone.

Instead, her cold, steely gaze aimed at me.

“Today, make sure to assist 3rd Princess properly. If you cause any inconvenience to her…”

Hania didn’t finish her sentence.

Just the smile she wore hinted at what it meant.

“Hania, don’t be like that.”

“Yes, yes, if 3rd Princess says so!”

But as soon as Iris spoke, the fierce tension melted away in an instant.

Hania was genuinely devoted to Iris.

Thus, if it was something she said, she could drop dead for it.

It was probably the only reason Hania passed, being in the same bloodline as Iris.

‘If she knew I was actually Bikamon…’

Hania would stop at nothing to prevent that.

This was something I must never let her find out.

I resolved firmly.

“I’ll need to count on you to cover for me.”

“Hmph, you do your part too.”

It seemed she wasn’t too fond of me for defeating Iris’s team in the group battle.

She coldly finished her words and walked away, exchanging fierce greetings with Iris.

Until the last moment, she looked as if she was on the verge of tears, realizing she had to part from Iris.

But it was Iris’s request, and there was no way around it.

“Alright, let’s go.”

In that instant, Iris turned and walked out.

“…Are we really going?”

“Hania doesn’t use that tone. Come on.”

She demanded once more that I correct my speech.

Damn it.

“Are we really going?”

“That’s a bit better.”

Iris said that as she smiled broadly.

“Yeah, we really are.”

Disheartenment settled on my face.

Today.

I must live in the girls’ dormitory.