I got into school for nothing - Chapter 103
I got into school for nothing (103)
Lesson 22. Creating a Club for Nothing - 3
"I want to join the club too."
It was afternoon, during Magical Combat class.
Aire, who was sitting next to Ban Yuwon, suddenly said this after hearing about what happened in the student cafeteria that morning.
"Didn't you hear me properly just now? I said it's for teaching people who are lacking in skill."
"So I'll participate as an assistant. I'm good at handling magic for teaching, too."
Of course, there was nothing she couldn't do.
The problem lay elsewhere.
"Pay me in food for my participation. And Professor Yumina..."
"The Union Tour Club was originally a gourmet club, but wait, you want Professor Yumina?"
"Huh? Oh, I just heard everything."
Just as a girl's voice suddenly came from behind, Misty popped her head out.
"Hm?"
"..."
"C-cough. You, Ban Yuwon!"
Aire looked at her with a look that seemed to ask, "What kind of bug is this?", but Ban Yuwon quickly discerned that Misty had intervened with considerable resolve.
"Are you really allowed to create a club for such personal reasons?"
"Yeah. Because Professor Yumina is our backing."
Misty at least managed to open a conversation with Ban Yuwon.
Ban Yuwon played along with her desperate wink.
If Aire took an interest in her, the plan would be a success!
"Someone else is wasting their precious after-school hours playing a cello they don't even want to learn..."
"You guys really live a tough life, huh."
"Misty is a great noble lady from the top-tier dimension 'Melodia,' so she has no choice but to attend noble gatherings! Do you even know where Melodia is? It's one of the Ten Great Dimensions, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ketiuses, Lusein Ortima's birth dimension!"
Misty's friend chimed in, kindly explaining.
The Ten Great Dimensions. He definitely remembered hearing that there were ten dimensions immediately below Union in hierarchy.
And also that the families ruling those dimensions (it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them royal families, or even imperial families) were referred to as the Ten Great Families.
Misty, originating from such a top-tier dimension and considered a great noble, even if not one of the Ten Great Families, certainly held a prestigious status by Union Academy standards.
"You're very kind, thank you for the explanation."
"O-oh?! This is just, well, natural...! My, my name is Leixu. From Melodia..."
"I'm Ban Yuwon from Earth. Nice to meet you, Leixu."
"Yes. Well, nice to meet you, Ban Yuwon."
At Ban Yuwon's words of gratitude, perhaps the venom suddenly drained from her, and Misty's friend introduced herself.
To think that the day would come when he'd exchange greetings with a girl who had once contemplated killing him, Ban Yuwon felt a slight surge of emotion.
But Misty seemed to think differently, narrowing her eyes and glaring at her friend.
"Leixu?"
"H-hot, no, no! I'm not colluding, Misty! I just thought he was a little decent, that's all...!"
"Leixu...?"
"So, can I join? The club."
Just as the newly acquainted friends were creating a rare, fresh scene of youth, Aire's chilling voice shattered the atmosphere.
Looks like today's a bust, after all, Ban Yuwon replied with a wry smile.
"Are you really joining?"
"I thought it was limited to Class 11 members until now, but if not, I'll definitely join."
Indeed. Since he had already accepted special admissions students, he no longer had any grounds to refuse Aire.
If she genuinely offered to help, there was no reason to dislike it, and since she frequently appeared in Rebellion channel videos anyway, Ban Yuwon readily nodded.
But then.
"Everyone has to participate in at least one club, don't they? Which club were you originally in?"
"A strange instrument club. I never attended, so I'm dropping out completely this time."
"Oh..."
"Ah..."
At Aire's words, for some reason, Misty and Leixu let out wistful murmurs.
Ban Yuwon had a feeling he knew what that "strange instrument club" Aire had been in was.
"...Ban Yuwon, we want to join that one too."
"Misty?! It's crawling with special admissions students!"
"If we say we're following the princess, it'll probably be fine."
Misty and Leixu were already discussing it with serious tones, even though Ban Yuwon hadn't even said he'd accept them yet.
Ban Yuwon watched the two of them for a moment, then a thought struck him, and he asked Aire.
"Aire, what dimension are you from?"
"Melodia."
"Right, of course..."
Aire herself had never said it, and others didn't go around spreading it, but.
Aire was clearly a literal princess, born with a formidable bloodline comparable to the Ten Great Families.
This also explained why Misty was such an ardent follower of Aire.
'Wait, so all three people in front of me are from Melodia, and they're all mages?'
Perhaps just as Dokgo Yeon's home, Murim, was a world focused on martial arts, Melodia might be a world focused on magic.
...All three of them from Melodia?
All from top-tier dimensions?
"Are all Special Class students from the Ten Great Dimensions?"
"It's strictly based on skill. ...That's what the Academy says, anyway."
Misty replied with a nuanced expression.
It seemed Ban Yuwon's conjecture was correct.
He'd always wondered why Cantone and Lyu Cheolmyeong treated the Special Class so exceptionally; it turned out they were discriminating based on their dimensions of origin!
Of course, the amount of mana and talent one was born with varied depending on their dimension, so it wasn't generally wrong, but it was that elitist mindset that irked him.
"These people here are really consistent. It's admirable, truly admirable."
"In that sense, perhaps I'm fortunate. Thanks to a monster like you appearing in the same generation, my prejudices were completely shattered."
"Misty..."
"..."
At Misty's self-deprecating murmur, Leixu wore a regretful expression.
However, a flicker of interest now visible in Aire's expression that hadn't been there before, so in a way, it could be called quite successful.
* * *
"So, our membership has increased by three. Everyone, a round of applause!"
"Why are they all girls?!"
"Pebble Senior, let's keep it down a bit."
"K-hack?!"
After school.
In a classroom with no door, twenty-four people had gathered: the four Rebellion members, Yumina, Mira, Aire, Misty, Leixu, and fifteen special admissions students from second to fourth year.
To be precise, there were five second-years, six third-years, and four fourth-years, including Pebble Senior.
"Now that I think about it, our grade has four, but the other grades generally have more special admissions students?"
"These are just the ones left after some were expelled or died. That's also why they can't properly climb the Tower."
"Ah, thanks for the information I didn't want to hear."
So students really did die.
It might seem odd coming from someone who personally killed Irekto, but hearing that such things happened so casually didn't make Ban Yuwon feel very good.
'Honestly, I thought it wasn't my business if someone died where I didn't know... but I just hope the people connected to me don't die, if possible.'
He was thinking that accepting this matter had been a good decision in many ways, when Mira, as if sensing his thoughts, subtly took his hand.
Seeing this, Rucell, not to be outdone, grabbed his other hand, and Ban Yuwon laughed, a 'haha' sound, and shook off both their hands.
He was certain that these two absolutely could not be left alone together.
"Alright, then, let's discuss our future schedule."
"I heard you were practically at goblin level when you first enrolled, but now you're ranked 8th in the comprehensive evaluation sparring."
Pebble Senior said.
It was a somewhat rude question, but it was true, so Ban Yuwon nodded readily. The senior then thrust out both hands and exclaimed.
"You must have gotten strong so fast thanks to artifacts and elixirs! I want those too!"
"Can I hit him?"
—Wham!
Ban Yuwon blurted out the question, then, before hearing an answer, punched the senior in the face.
Thanks to his unconscious use of Hyunsingong while punching, it was a perfect, clean hit.
The senior collapsed, nose bleeding.
"Y-you can hit me, just give me an artifact...! *Cough*!"
"Where should I even start with this? Are you all thinking the same thing?"
Ban Yuwon asked the others, stepping on the senior.
No one was foolish enough to nod.
"By the way, is there a reason why this person is our representative?"
"It's because of his unique ability."
Another fourth-year senior kindly explained.
"It boosts group decision-making power and subtly enhances all allies' abilities. That's why he became the leader of our fourth-year party, and somehow ended up representing all special admissions students."
"I see."
Could it be a more advanced form of the 'Leadership' concept he possesses?
Hearing this, it certainly seemed that special admissions students each possessed intense individualities that differed from simple magic or martial arts.
Though somewhat humble to be called an Authority, it's a unique trait with infinite potential for development.
"Indeed... if he just polishes it up..."
"*Cough, choke*..."
Ban Yuwon polished up Pebble Senior until he felt satisfied, then let him go.
Then he clapped his hands to gather everyone's attention.
"Before joining the club, I will first make a contract with all of you. Confidentiality and no betrayal are basic requirements, and as long as I am a student of this Academy, you must fundamentally obey my words."
"W-woah..."
Misty, who was participating as an assistant, wore a disgusted expression.
"In return, I will do my utmost to protect all of you seniors and ensure your graduation. In fact, if you want to grow, obeying my words is practically a prerequisite, so you don't really need to worry too much."
It was a scam contract that would make even a ruthless insurance agent weep.
Hearing those words, Mira wore a hazy expression, recalling the contract she had made with Ban Yuwon not long ago.
"Wow, so this is what coercion feels like."
"This is that, isn't it? You can't leave the room until you sign the contract, right? No wonder there was no door."
Though there were murmurs, no student dared to argue with Ban Yuwon in this place.
Firstly, because the power in his words grew stronger day by day, robbing those who heard him of any desire to defy him.
Secondly, because at the point they gathered here, the special admissions students were already in a predicament akin to hanging from a cliff.
"If you agree to the contract, you will become a community of shared destiny with me. At the very least, I will certainly provide you with the opportunities you've been seeking."
"H-hold on, what if there are... lewd commands?"
"You're out."
"I'll do it! Lewd commands included!"
"I said no!"
It didn't take long to 'contract' with all fifteen students, including Pebble Senior.
All of Ban Yuwon's words were intertwined with his authority, and as his power to manipulate language grew, a mere verbal promise was enough to engrave the contract's string of characters within the bodies of all fifteen individuals.
As the duration was limited, it wasn't as deep as the contract made with Mira, but the binding force was no less solid than that contract.
"It was simpler than I thought..."
"Didn't you bring them here because you thought it would be simple?"
"You're the only ability user in the world who can casually forge such a strongly binding contract."
Mira, whose mind had been clouded by pain when she underwent her own contract, and thus couldn't properly grasp the situation, only now realized the potential of Ban Yuwon's authority and wore a dumbfounded expression.
"You, if you focus on mastering curses, you'll undoubtedly become the strongest curse-wielder since antiquity."
"I'm already practicing them little by little."
Ban Yuwon smiled, satisfied, after confirming that the contract with all fifteen students was properly established.
The special admissions students only started to wonder if they had been too rash upon seeing his ominous smile... But it was already too late.
While they would certainly not incur any losses, Ban Yuwon, however, would undoubtedly reap far greater benefits.
"Alright, let's start with Pebble Senior for introductions. Your name, grade, specialty, and ability, in detail."
"It's Cartro, Cartro El Fassis! Not Pebble!"
"Alright, Pebble Senior. I know your grade, so tell me your specialty and ability in detail."
"Uh, yes, sir..."
It was at this point that Cartro El Fassis, the representative of the special admissions students, finally realized that Ban Yuwon was neither an easygoing junior nor a kind Santa Claus. He instinctively understood that his life would become dramatically more exhausting for the next two years, and his face crumpled into a frown.
For Pebble to be reborn as a chipped stone tool, a long time was still needed.
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