The Author's POV Chapter Epilogue — Effort's Never Betray You [1]

Epilogue — Effort's never betray you [1]

"The Multiverse Theory, can anyone explain it to me?"

Students packed the classroom, their attention glued to the front where a pair of enchanting amethyst eyes held them spellbound.

The subject for today's lesson was [Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics], among the various theoretical courses offered to Lock students.

A fresh topic was being explored in this session.

The Multiverse Theory.

"Does anyone here have a clue?"

Donna swept her gaze across the hushed classroom, feeling the weight of many stares on her. Disappointingly, no one seemed eager to respond.

'This year's shaping up to be tough...'

It was far from an ideal beginning.

Every year brought the same issue... No matter the grade she instructed, practical training always overshadowed theory. Over her teaching career, she could count on one hand the students who stayed alert during her theoretical lectures.

"Hmmm."

Donna scanned the room once again, her eyes narrowing as they stopped at a specific spot.

Locking onto a certain pair of eyes, she noticed her chosen student visibly recoil, trying to duck out of sight by hunching over their arms.

Too bad for them—it was already too late.

Her sights were firmly locked on the target.

'Right... I nearly overlooked your presence here.'

A sly smile tugged at Donna's lips as she opened her mouth.

"Rank 1, Nola Dover. Got any thoughts on this?"

A name that rang familiar.

One she'd known well a few years prior.

That single call was enough to swivel every head in class away from Donna—an achievement once thought impossible.

"Ugh."

Nola's groan reached Donna's ears clearly, soft as it was, thanks to her sharp senses.

Her eyebrow arched.

"Oh? Something wrong?"

"Ah... Ugh... No..."

Nola's expression shifted through various emotions until she finally bowed her head in defeat.

Donna grinned inwardly.

'She takes after him in so many ways... Wonder if that's good or bad.'

"Good. So..." she pressed her lips together, "would you mind sharing with the class your knowledge of the multiverse theory?"

As she slowly rose from her chair, tousling her hair lightly, Nola felt every eye in the room on her and grumbled inwardly.

'All because of him...'

The culprit was her brother, Ren.

Having saved the world alone and defeated the Demon King, he rose to the top of human society, hailed as the supreme ranker and legendary hero.

Titles that embarrassed them both. But the true issue was him enrolling her in the Lock without any cover identity—and broadcasting to all that she was his sister.

Thinking back to the day he left her at the academy...

A shiver ran through her.

"Nola, we don't have all day."

"Ah, yes."

Startled, Nola pulled herself together and began speaking promptly.

"The multiverse theory proposes that there are countless other universes out there, each with its own set of physical laws, constants, and conditions. These universes may have different histories, different versions of ourselves, and even different laws of physics governing them."

Though not her strongest subject, her top rank wasn't just from family ties.

She possessed real intelligence and talent. Sure, genetics from him might play a part, but her achievements came from genuine hard work.

The idea of being seen as a nepotism case grated on her.

"Naturally, it is possible that they share an identical history, engage in the same actions, and abide by the same laws of physics as our reality..."

She aimed to show she matched her brother's talent without any favoritism.

Envy festered commonly among her lower-ranked peers.

Anyway, to counter those looks, she just needed to demonstrate her spot was earned through merit alone.

Delivering her knowledge on the Multiverse Theory showed her dedication hadn't been wasted. Those all-nighters paid off.

"However, they may exist within an alternative timeline, progressing at a different pace from our own. This divergence could range from mere minutes, hours, or days to more substantial gaps such as weeks, months, years, or even decades ahead of our current state."

'Yeah... this is how it should be...'

As Nola recited the lessons from the previous day, the passionate stares from her classmates caused her ego to swell dramatically.

'That's right, keep looking at me like that.'

Nola soaked in the faint blushes from the boys and the jealous glances from the girls... She etched this scene deep into her memory.

This scene assured her of her perfection... that she embodied everyone's envy. That her hard work hadn't been wasted... and that... she truly was flawless.

Except for one thing...

'Status.'

Secretly clenching her fist, Nola watched a holographic panel materialize before her eyes, her attention locking onto a specific line. Gradually, her words began to stumble, her tone fading.

"Various... haaa...versions of the multiverse theory exist, including the inflationary multiverse, the string theory landscape, and... and... the quantum multiverse..."

===Status===

Name : Nola Dover

Rank : D

Strength : D

Agility : D+

Stamina : D-

Intelligence : D

Mana capacity : D-

Luck : B

Charm : G-

--> Profession : [Magician lvl.1]

==========

"These different interpretations provide different mechanisms for the existence of multiple universes within the overarching multiverse framework―Damn it!"

BANG―!

Her patience snapping, Nola pounded her fist on the desk and let out a curse.

"How is this even possible!?"

With all those stares directed at her, this couldn't possibly be accurate! It fueled her deep-seated inferiority complex, gnawing at her relentlessly. She just couldn't endure it any longer!

Why in the world was her charm rank so ridiculously low!?

"I swear... Someone must've d—"

"Nola Dover!"

"Hiii!?"

A commanding voice boomed from the front, making Nola jolt as she whipped her head forward. Her eyes locked with Donna's, sending chills through her body.

Donna's piercing look conveyed volumes, and spotting her classmates' stunned faces, Nola realized she'd blown it badly.

'Oh, fuck...'

Gulping hard, she tentatively parted her lips. "W... would you believe me if I told you I had a good reason for my outburst?"

*

"Aigh..."

With a vexed sigh, Nola scratched her ear with her pinky finger. Glancing back at the sturdy wooden door, she frowned deeply.

'I understand her anger, but did she have to lecture me for more than an hour...?'

Truth be told, her brother had warned her about Donna's strict side, yet she never imagined it ran this deep. Her earlier view of Donna as a kind, attractive big sister figure shattered completely in a single day.

"Still... It's not entirely my fault..."

Moping, Nola pulled up her status interface again. Her gaze inevitably returned to the charm stat.

A headache pulsed in her forehead as she rubbed it.

"For real... why isn't it going up even a little?"

It baffled her completely. Every other stat of hers skyrocketed impressively. Strength, agility, and the rest—all surged at an alarming pace. She dominated her year group, even outpacing some second-years in power...

Thus...

How come only her charm refused to budge while everything else climbed?

It defied all logic to her.

"Ugh," Frustrated, Nola tousled her hair before striding toward the building's exit. "I'm telling you, some plot must be at work here. No chance my charm is genuinely that pathetic... I just know it..."

Pausing briefly, she eyed a passing student.

"Hey, you."

She hailed him.

"Me?"

He halted abruptly and looked her way. The instant their eyes connected, he averted his gaze, trembling slightly.

"Y... yes?"

"Hmm."

Narrowing her eyes, Nola scrutinized the boy closely.

'Looks like he's just shy?'

She wasn't certain, but his eye avoidance and jitters suggested otherwise. Maybe fear, yet...

'He's sneaking peeks at me...'

Those furtive glances revealed everything.

Clearly, she had him captivated.

"You can go."

With a wave, Nola dismissed him and headed outdoors. A gust of wind greeted her, tousling her locks in the air.

In Section B under the sun, crowds of students filled the space, unable to resist quick looks as she walked by. Humans, elves, dwarves, demons—every race cast surreptitious glances her direction.

Following the war's end, Earth experienced sweeping transformations. The barriers that once divided the four races vanished completely, allowing everyone to register at the Lock.

Many had anticipated the demons' total extermination or exile due to their atrocities, yet her brother's directives spared them and even wove them into society.

Tensions undoubtedly lingered between demons and the other races. The demons had slain loved ones and brought deep suffering to countless families, fostering a natural well of bitterness.

Nevertheless, people recognized that not every demon was evil, so under tight oversight, some relocated to Earth and Immorra while others were dispatched elsewhere. True harmony remained a distant goal.

That aside, it wasn't the main issue.

"This feels off," Nola whispered, resting her hand beneath her chin.

Their stares convinced her she wasn't imagining it. Was it because she was 'his' sister? Might that explain the odd looks?

Maybe, yet...

The boys' gazes...

"Hmmm," Nola narrowed her eyes. "No way it's just chance, huh? Is somebody tampering with me?"

But how could that happen?

Influencing the system would require god-like power.

'Is brother behind this?'

"Nah, pfft."

She dismissed it with a shake of her head, nearly chuckling. Why would her brother waste time on such nonsense?

'Perhaps it's in the genes.'

She remembered her brother griping about his charm before. Amanda loved ribbing him over it whenever possible.

It escalated so much that Han Yufei, Amanda, and her brother couldn't share a room without him exploding in threats.

"Sigh, yeah... guess it's genetic after all."

Her brother wasn't unattractive—quite handsome, really. Somehow, their family seemed doomed to minimal charm.

Even so...

Deep down, she suspected foul play. Her charm felt deliberately minimized, done out of pure malice, though she couldn't pinpoint why.

'Not brother, surely?'

A fresh idea struck her.

"Impossible."

She brushed it off fast.

Her brother was powerful, but altering her status window? That demanded divine authority. And why lower her charm anyway?

'Not to avoid having the family's lowest charm, right?'

"Pftt," Nola giggled. "No chance."

He wouldn't stoop that low...

Would he?

***

Meanwhile, a key event unfolded elsewhere in Ashton City.

"You all set?"

"This... feels like a step down, doesn't it?"

"Compared to what?"

"I mean... we were this secretive powerhouse before, and―"

"War's over. Why keep a mercenary guild?"

Angelica's sharp retort sliced through Ryan's protest.

"..."

Ryan pressed his lips together, disappointment clear in his voice.

"Fair point."

Post-war, Earth underwent vast changes. No more demon assaults meant dungeons across the globe slowly shut down. With the Monolith gone, guilds and mercenary groups started dissolving.

No monsters or portals left to battle made them obsolete. The Union endured, maintaining planetary order.

Not all major guilds collapsed into ruin.

Dungeon-less, interdimensional commerce boomed, and former Earth-dominant guilds swiftly pivoted to trade.

"Hey..." Ryan scratched under his nose, eyeing the sign above the building. Squinting, he added, "Must we go through with this? Why not mimic the other gui―"

"Shut up."

A fresh voice interrupted, and turning, Ryan's eyes widened.

"You!" He jabbed a finger at Smallsnake. "That ain't how we roll here!"

"Huh?"

Smallsnake eyed Ryan skeptically.

"Then how do th―"

"Shut up."

Ryan cut Smallsnake off mid-sentence. Noting the stunned look on Smallsnake's face, Ryan grinned.

"Yes, that's more like it. Perfect."

A peculiar satisfaction surged through him every time he managed to say those words to Smallsnake. Was this the reason Ren had been so hooked on uttering them back then?

"Wait, wh―"

"Shut up."

Angelica took her turn now, and Smallsnake's mouth clamped shut right away as he whipped around to gape at her in utter bewilderment.

"Not you too..."

He appeared deeply wronged. What misdeed had he committed?

Angelica shot him a quick sidelong glance before looking away. Her posture suggested she was merely trying to halt the bickering between the pair. Yet, the subtle upward twitch at the corner of her lips betrayed her true feelings.

Not that anyone noticed.

"Quit the arguing and prepare everything. No longer being a mercenary group means we need to find new ways to make money."

"Ugh."

Ryan let out a groan, his shoulders slumping forward. Lifting his gaze, he jabbed a finger toward the sign overhead.

"I understand that, but really? A bar? Out of everything, why choose to open a bar? That's sooo dull―actually, on second thought, it's a brilliant scheme. The mastermind behind it has to be a true genius."

His voice shifted sharply upon catching Angelica's piercing glare. Rubbing his palms eagerly, he began showering her with endless flattery.

"Lord, Madam, all-powerful demoness, I'm utterly captivated by your visio―"

"Can you stop?"

Even Smallsnake started to wince at the display. What on earth had happened to Ryan during his absence?

Having returned a year ago, Smallsnake still struggled to adjust to this transformed Ryan.

"You wouldn't get it," Ryan shook his head, fixing Smallsnake with a look of disapproval. "If you find me bad, just wait till you meet the rest... We've all endured tremendous hardships in your absence..."

"Uh?"

Surprise deepened for Smallsnake, and he couldn't resist glancing at Angelica ahead. Precisely what had she subjected them to while he was away? Hadn't she been in the demon realm?

"Are you two done whispering behind my back, or are you joining me?"

"Coming."

"Coming."

In perfect unison, both straightened up and hurried over to Angelica.

Clank―! Pushing the door open, a warm and inviting vibe enveloped them at once. The cafe's interior radiated charm and coziness, blending rustic elements with an alluring feel.

As they entered, the soothing scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the gentle radiance of subdued, warm lights welcomed them.

Various seating choices abounded, from snug booths and padded chairs to tall tables.

The furnishings boasted an antique allure, featuring weathered wood and plush cushions. In the background, mellow jazz tunes drifted, fostering a laid-back and personal mood.

*Puff*

A soft puff shattered the serene air. Smallsnake's head snapped instinctively, his eyes locking onto Leopold, who casually propped both legs on the table.

Gazing at the swirling smoke in the air, he knitted his brows.

"I thought you stopped smoking..."

"I did," Leopold replied indifferently, eyes still on the drifting smoke above. "I quit because you died; with you back now, there's no need to stop."

*Puff*

Inhaling deeply once more, Leopold's features lit up with bliss. He had longed for this sensation intensely.

"Well," Smallsnake started to retort but held back. "Nevermind." Shaking his head, his eyes dropped to Leopold's absent right hand.

Though they fought desperately to rescue him amid the war, the cost was steep: his arm.

They had explored every conceivable method to regenerate his lost limb,