Chapter : 16
I’ll Save You in the Bad Ending Route
The Armory and the Crescent Moon
I spent the whole day waiting for 5 p.m. Before I knew it, the school bells rang four times, announcing the end of the day’s last class.
“Just tidy up those swords and you’re done. The door’s broken and doesn’t close right, so be careful! That’s all!”
Professor Rivender gave instructions about organizing the armory’s swords and hobbled away with his cane. Apparently he cracked his shinbone during the Damian incident.
Serves him right.
The armory was lined with swords of every kind.
Wow, an actual sword.
I picked up an iron blade.
During the Orion Exam, I’ll really get to cut down monsters, won’t I?
I imagined taking the exam with Damian.
I’ll hand him “Laotis’s Tear.” Then he’ll figure out the potion’s effect right away.
He’d study it, learn how to control his dark magic, and naturally join me in the Orion Exam.
Once, I only wanted him as a partner because it gave me an advantage…
But now—more than that—I really wanted to take the exam with him. And I even looked forward to the day when everyone’s opinion of him would change.
Everyone would be blown away when they saw his magic.
He’d instantly become the school’s new star, and maybe—finally—escape his father’s abuse.
And I would get to graduate peacefully!
The plan felt even sweeter than when I first thought of it. Humming to myself, I quickly sorted the remaining weapons.
A sharp winter wind blew through the storage room.
THUD!
Suddenly the door slammed shut, plunging the room into darkness. I also realized the draft had stopped.
No… don’t tell me…
I swallowed and slowly turned around as Professor Rivender’s final warning echoed in my mind:
“Just tidy up those swords. The door’s broken, so be careful!”
I lunged for the door and grabbed the handle. I pushed, pulled, yanked with all my strength—but nothing budged.
My worst fear came true. The door had slammed shut in the wind and jammed.
“Wait—am I actually trapped in here?!”
That can’t be real!
“HELLO? ANYONE OUT THERE⁈”
I screamed until my throat burned and pounded the metal door until my fists stung, but there wasn’t a hint of a response.
Surely this place isn’t soundproof, right?! If you idiots were going to fix something, insulation would’ve been better than soundproofing!
Somebody help! HELP!
I clung to the door and screamed myself hoarse. No answer. It was a holiday today—no students would be passing the armory at this hour.
“So what do I do? Just sit here like this?”
My hands shook. Calm down. Calm down.
In one hour it would be five. Damian would come. I’d ask him to open the door. No problem.
Right. Just… finish organizing.
The bell rang for five o’clock. Damian didn’t come.
Despair washed over me.
Why didn’t he show up?
My knees gave out. I couldn’t stand the cold anymore, so I crouched in a corner and wrapped whatever cloth I could find around myself.
“Was… was I too much for him?”
My stomach twisted at the thought that Damian simply didn’t believe me.
“The Orion Exam? No way. Why would I take something like that? How could I trust her? I’m trash. 5 p.m. at the armory? Is this a joke? I’m not going!”
I imagined him thinking terrible things until his affection rating plummeted to –100, refusing to come within ten meters of me.
Terrified, I shook my head and forced positive thoughts.
In-game Damian never broke promises. He must have just—just—gotten held up. I had to believe that.
Even so, I couldn’t help feeling crushed.
This was bad. No matter what, I had to focus on surviving.
I buried my face in the fabric to block the freezing air.
If I went missing, Pina, Freya, and Aron would report it. Worst case, I’d be out tomorrow.
But still…
Does that mean the partner plan with Damian really fails?
My heart ached. But if something can’t be changed even after my best effort, then there’s nothing left but to let it go.
Then who would I partner with?
There was no one left in this school who would take the Orion Exam with me. And grabbing someone random would just end with them mocking me.
“Should I beg Freya?”
I groaned and held my head—when Damian’s face suddenly floated up again. That thin boy shaking as tears dripped down.
No. I’m going with Damian. There’s no one else.
All I needed was to get out. Just get out.
After that, I’d find him, ask what happened, hand him the potion, and explain everything.
Then we’d be partners…
I lifted my head toward the rapidly freezing ceiling. My breath came out white.
A game scene surfaced—Damian’s childhood.
“F-father! I’m sorry! Please let me out!”
On every crescent-moon night when his magic raged, Damian was locked inside a storage shed. With a sturdy lock, his father would stand outside and shout joyfully,
“Listen well, Damian! Dark magic is born from agony! Endure the pain of the curse—endure the cold—and the magic will come forth! Show me your magic! Like the massacre incident!”
Damian screamed inside the freezing shed.
He always manifested dark magic—but in a berserk state, mind completely gone. When the shed finally exploded from his outburst, all that remained was an exhausted, broken boy.
And his father watched the wreckage with satisfaction.
Right. That’s how Damian grew up. Locked in a freezing shed once every month.
My heart throbbed painfully.
How horrific must that have been? I couldn’t begin to imagine.
I found myself wishing—
If only Damian had a way to take revenge on that father.
Soon, the bell announced 9 p.m.—curfew.
Pina must have told the teachers I didn’t come back, right?
Just a bit longer. Just a bit. But my hands were freezing numb, and my neck stiffened. Curled up tightly, I drifted into sleep.
Thud…
Thud…
THUD—
What was that?
Something slammed repeatedly—hard enough to shake the walls. I jolted awake.
Someone? Did someone finally come?!
Tears welled up—until the voice outside made my heart stop.
“Airan! You in there⁈”
Damian.
Damian had come.
I tried to answer, but my throat was frozen stiff.
Thud—thud—THUD. He struck the door again.
“You’re in there, right⁈”
It was Damian. Damian had come for me. I forced out a cracked voice:
“Y-yeah… I’m h-here…!”
“Oh thank god…! S-step away from the door!”
Shadows swallowed the room. Magic surged, and the shadows coiled like living snakes—disturbingly alive.
“I can do this… just use it right…”
He muttered, steeling himself.
The shadows massed into a ball, then split apart, hooking onto the metal door like claws—and tore.
Screeeee—ee—ee—
In moments, shadows crushed the steel like a soda can, ripping it away.
Dark magic. He had saved me with dark magic—perfectly.
The door fell. And there stood Damian, panting hard.
“Damian…!”
I tried to run—but my legs buckled. Shadows shot forward and steadied me.
“You came… thank you…”
“…No… I was too late… I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”
Relief flooded me—and I collapsed into his arms as consciousness faded, wrapped in his warmth.
When I woke, I was in the infirmary.
The medicinal scent stung my nose, and the ceiling swam above me. Warm stones infused with heat magic surrounded me.
Professor Sophia, with her long brown hair, approached.
“Thank goodness—your life’s not in danger. Being trapped for hours must have been awful. Here, drink this.”
She handed me a strawberry-scented potion.
“Thank you.”
Warmth spread through my core as I drank. I felt alive again… I really thought I’d die.
Sophia glanced toward the curtain.
“Damian, she’s awake.”
“R-really?”
Damian pulled the curtain open and stood beside me—face drenched in cold sweat. I stared at him.
“Damian…”
“A-are you okay? Your body?”
“I’m fine now.”
But he didn’t calm—his face turned paler. He slumped into a chair like someone who hadn’t slept all night.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Damian trembled violently.
“I-I’m sorry… I… I actually came to the armory at 5…”
Oh. He had come.
“But the d-door was locked… and I… I thought you were making fun of me. So I left. I should’ve checked harder! I’m sorry!”
Veins bulged on his hand. He clutched his chest, fighting for air. Tears welled up.
“It’s okay. You still came and saved me.”
“N-no… you… ugh… how h-horrible that must’ve been—hrrk—haa…”
Something was wrong.
Did being trapped trigger Damian’s trauma?
“Damian, I’m okay. Breathe.”
I rubbed his back. His breathing wouldn’t settle.
I racked my brain.
“You saved me because of your dark magic, Damian. Okay?”
He shook his head—no.
I smiled gently, meaning every word.
“You’re exactly who I believed you were. You’re a good person.”
“….”
He couldn’t speak—only gasped. His panic rattled me.
This could get bad. What do I do?
How do you calm someone in a panic attack?
“Damian… I’m safe… so breathe…”
A soft green breeze unfurled from my hand. It wrapped around his back.
Wait… Airan’s skill?
I had just used my first skill.
Damian’s breathing steadied. The wind soothed him.
Soon, he lifted his head and we met eyes.
“H-how… did you do that? That was your magic…?”
His eyes—usually hidden behind navy hair—stared wide.
