I got into school for nothing-115
I got into school for nothing (115)
Lesson 24. Who Else is a Freshman Like You? - 3
“I heard about the sub channel you're running, junior. Honestly, it's sailing remarkably smoothly.”
“It's only been four days since I created the channel?”
“That's precisely why it's amazing – to see results in just four days.”
At Ketra's words, Ban Yuwon subtly checked on Mira.
The sub channel, "Ban Yuwon's Boot Camp" (the channel name was decided solely by Ban Yuwon's discretion and prejudice, and no objections were accepted), had already surpassed 10 million subscribers.
While it might seem slow compared to reaching 5 million on the day it was created, it was still expanding at an astonishing rate, and more importantly, not only the introductory video but all videos uploaded to the channel were seeing their view counts grow at a fairly rapid pace, which was a positive sign.
......Though, most were probably reeled in by Aire's or Mira's faces.
“Well, with your ability, that should be entirely possible... Seeing the growth of that sub channel, there's something the Student Council would like to request from you.”
I turned my gaze to Mira, only for Mira, who had already detached herself from his embrace, to pull Rucell, still clinging to Ban Yuwon's back, away while shaking her head.
“I haven't heard a thing.”
“Because the president only brought it up to me just today.”
“I see.”
What was that? Ban Yuwon narrowed his eyes.
He felt as though Ketra had subtly glanced at Mira while saying that.
Mira, however, seemed oblivious to it, merely nodding her head.
“So, what is it? I highly doubt it's some brazen request like asking me to create a second sub channel for the Student Council, but...”
“......”
“No, really?”
Should I just overturn the entire Student Council? If I ran to Yumina and tattled, she would gladly obliterate the Student Council for him.
Ban Yuwon asserted to Ketra, who awkwardly avoided his gaze.
“There will be no filming without Tikke. This guy can't use clone jutsu, so one sub channel is the limit.”
—Whirrr
As if agreeing with Ban Yuwon, Tikke made the sound of its aperture closing.
In truth, if he borrowed Eve's concept through resonance, he might be able to manage it.
It wasn't even strictly necessary; Ban Yuwon could simply create a new camera as an artifact.
Ban Yuwon was acutely aware of how incredible—and how dangerous—a camera operating in mana-rich environments like dungeons and the Tower could be, so he had no intention of rashly creating another device like Tikke.
*Ahem*, Ketra cleared his throat once, then faced him and spoke.
“Your resolve seems firm. The president will like that.”
“The president?”
“Yes. In truth, acquiring a third channel would be best, but the president also anticipated you would flatly refuse.”
No, who *wouldn't* anticipate that, on the contrary?
Unless they had absolutely no conscience, shouldn't they naturally expect such a response?!
Ban Yuwon internally lowered his appraisal of Ketra by five points.
“Anyway, if you refuse, he asked me to convey that he would like you to meet with him at least once.”
“With the president directly... what do you think?”
Instead of answering Ketra immediately, he turned to Mira and asked her. She replied without much hesitation.
“She's not one to be unreasonable. You should meet her.”
“Really...?”
He had heard the Student Council president was a third-year, but hearing Mira's words made it feel real.
As Ban Yuwon watched Rucell squirming, held captive by Mira (Mira was harassing Rucell, saying things like, "You're so soft, you're nice to touch."), he fell into thought for a moment.
“......”
Again.
He felt Ketra's gaze.
By now, Ban Yuwon was starting to wonder what Ketra was thinking.
‘I thought he might still suspect I'd made a move on Mira... but it feels like this isn't just pure doubt and concern.'
He narrowed his eyes and met Ketra's gaze.
Ketra continued speaking nonchalantly, whether he noticed his significant gaze or not.
“It doesn't have to be immediately. If you suggest a suitable time within this week, we'll accommodate it.”
“Yes, well. As long as I'm collaborating with the Student Council members, I figured I'd have to talk to the president at least once.”
“Alright, then that matter is settled...”
*Ahem*, Ketra cleared his throat, took a step closer to Ban Yuwon, and spoke in a slightly lowered voice.
“Junior Ban Yuwon, could we speak privately for a moment? It won't be long.”
“Ah, ah... Yes, alright.”
It was actually for the best. Ban Yuwon checked his watch, then separated from his companions and moved with him.
Mira tried to follow, as if it were obvious, but he refused, reasoning that her presence might prevent him from hearing Ketra's true intentions.
In the end, she could only settle for an annoyed expression and a warning to Ketra.
“As I said last time, if you lay a hand on Yuwon...”
“I told you, I have no such intention. Don't worry, Mira.”
Ketra, who had assured Mira with a rather bitter tone, led Ban Yuwon to stand side-by-side against a secluded corridor wall.
Only after Ban Yuwon, just in case, sealed off their surroundings with various Language Magic spells, did Ketra open his mouth, as if relieved.
“As you might expect... it's about Mira.”
“I figured. As I told you last time, I didn't really do anything to Mira. I just lifted her curse, same as I did for you, senior.”
“That... yes, I believe you now. Thank you again for that time. For helping me, and for Mira too.”
He had secretly been bracing himself in case Ketra tried to put a dagger to his throat again, but it seemed Ketra wasn't entirely obstinate.
Ketra, perhaps reading his strange expression, gave a wry smile and said,
“I'm not completely foolish, you know. Unless you're manipulating people's minds, how could I possibly misunderstand after seeing Mira treat you so familiarly?”
Ban Yuwon finally relaxed and replied,
“Then what is it you want to say? Are you suggesting we go pick up girls in Ronica together?”
He hadn't actually expected such a remark to pop out.
It was merely said to imply that if he was alright with it, then Ban Yuwon had no reason to be wary of him.
Ketra, meeting Ban Yuwon's straightforward gaze, hesitated for a moment before finally letting his shoulders slump.
“To be honest, I also wanted to hear in detail why things ended up that way between you and Mira.”
“That's private.”
For the record, Ban Yuwon himself didn't know how things had come to this.
Henceforth, ambiguous words are absolutely forbidden when making contracts – that was the biggest lesson he had learned from this incident.
He certainly didn't dislike Mira, but Ban Yuwon, who hadn't yet entirely shed his Earthling sensibilities, even broke out in a cold sweat at the situation just now, with two people clinging to him at once.
However, knowing that Mira's psyche was somewhat askew, and knowing that what she wanted from him wasn't simple love, he was accepting her.
He had already braced himself long ago. The resolve to go through to the very end together.
“......It seems I was more dependent on Mira than I thought.”
“......”
*Mmm*, he'd pretty much expected something like that to be said.
A "youth alarm" began to blare in Ban Yuwon's mind.
A youth alarm, he mused, was the warning that blared when bothersome individuals approached him while he was busy training, ascending the Tower, and powering up, idly demanding, ‘Forget all that right now, listen to my bittersweet worries and help me ponder them!’
Most of these were astonishingly meaningless, would raise his blood pressure just by listening, and occasionally even annoyingly demanded his cooperation, so it was wise to flee without looking back the moment a youth alarm sounded.
But now, he couldn't run!
“After hearing Mira say she... disliked me, I started thinking about many things. Especially the reason she acted so drastically. To be honest, a few reasons came to mind, but once the incident had already happened, I felt there was no point dwelling on them.”
“*Ahem*... And then?”
“I'm reflecting on the cause and trying to do better going forward. Honestly, it's hard like this. I need her.”
“In what sense?”
Ban Yuwon asked directly.
Perhaps he hadn't expected such a question in return; Ketra's eyes widened slightly.
“That's... well, it's hard to express precisely. The word 'family' resonates most, but... having been apart for a few days this time, I've realized it might not just be that, a little.”
"Well, isn't that an early realization," Ban Yuwon scoffed inwardly.
To Ban Yuwon, who remembered him bragging about burning a night away with a woman he'd picked up, only one thought came to mind: "What the hell is this guy talking about now?"
Ketra, seeing that expression, showed a somewhat disappointed look.
“Right, I understand from that look. It seems I won't be able to ask for your cooperation.”
“Cooperation? You were going to ask for my help? To reconcile with Mira? Isn't your mind a little too peaceful, senior?”
That was less an act of ignoring Ban Yuwon and more an act of ignoring Mira's feelings.
Ban Yuwon was genuinely puzzled about what kind of thoughts resided in the mind of this senior, who had initially seemed so friendly.
“Just think of it as me being that desperate. ......Anyway, that's enough talk. I apologize for wasting your time.”
Ketra turned away.
Ban Yuwon posed one short question.
“So, what do you intend to do next?”
“Reconcile with Mira. If possible, I'd like to first regain our previous relationship.”
“What does Mira herself think about that?”
“Well, she might dislike it right now, but she and I have known each other deeply for two years. Ending all ties like this would certainly not be good.”
“......Indeed. So you're just deciding that, senior.”
There was no need for further questions.
Ketra's character finally seemed to come into clear focus.
His various impressions of him at last converged into a single conclusion.
“I hope you won't interfere. Even if Mira is serious, I'm honestly not too pleased with how suddenly you two became close. A relationship that deepens too abruptly will surely fall apart.”
“Yet you're fond of one-night stands?”
“That's just mutual enjoyment. You know I'm not talking about that now, don't you? For a more mature and deeper relationship between a man and a woman, I believe there's a need to know each other over a longer period, to approach slowly.”
“That's certainly true... two years, slowly?”
“It seems all has been said, so I'll be going.”
Ketra left the spot as if fleeing.
Ban Yuwon watched his retreating figure and realized he had completely misjudged him.
What ideal strong person? That's just...
‘He lives in his own world.’
A self-confident person, even if there are others with superior abilities, doesn't waste time on jealousy or disparagement but focuses on self-cultivation.
Ban Yuwon had rated him highly because he had seen such qualities in Ketra, but he was mistaken.
He simply hadn't seen other people from the start.
Therefore, there was no question of jealousy or anything of the sort.
Only when someone stood in his way and bothered him did he finally acknowledge them, and then, he became hostile.
That was the conclusion Ban Yuwon had just reached.
There had been signs.
Taking an excessively friendly attitude toward a stranger is, in fact, difficult without the thought, 'This person couldn't possibly dislike me.'
Both the requests for support to the Student Council and this sub channel matter had been unilaterally demanded by them; they had never asked about Ban Yuwon's circumstances or shown any curiosity.
They simply assumed he would naturally grant their requests and help them, no matter what his own situation was.
Ban Yuwon finally realized that his attitude had been consistently like that from the moment they first met until now.
‘No matter what he does, his own position, his own feelings are the most important. That's why he never noticed Mira's feelings until now, and yet, after losing Mira, he wants to win her back, planning to push forward without a thought for her emotions. Naturally, he wouldn't have considered my feelings caught in the middle either.'
He doesn't consider how others might think about his actions.
Or he interprets things however is convenient for himself.
Everyone has such facets, but Ketra's were particularly extreme.
If he reached a conclusion, it became everyone's conclusion.
In that regard, he was remarkably similar to Mira.
‘At this point, is it a racial trait of fairies? It's understandable why they're a rare species. Preserving the race must have been incredibly difficult.'
Ban Yuwon scoffed and turned away.
He wasn't a bad person.
He was merely the type who became incredibly tiring and bothersome if you got entangled with him incorrectly.
If they were only involved to the extent of mutually using each other, there wouldn't be much of a problem, but it was already too late for that.
Honestly, if it were someone else, he would have just watched, thinking, 'He tried to emotionally kill her, but instead of revenge, he's asking for reconciliation first. What's the problem?' But Mira wasn't just anyone, and Ban Yuwon's arm bent inwards.
Mira would probably deal with him herself, but it might be necessary to act preemptively to prevent any unnecessary trouble for her, and for himself.
There were usually two good ways to deal with someone who thought and acted so self-centeredly, causing trouble for those around them.
The first method was to borrow the power of state authority, but coincidentally, Union Academy was the community furthest from judicial power.
Then there was no choice but to opt for the second method.
That was to contact someone who could control that person.
......Which, in other words, was a superior.
* * *
Flamboyant crimson membranous wings sprouted from her back.
Thick, curling red horns extended above both her temples.
Long, crimson hair, cultivated to reach the floor, faintly flickered with contained flames.
Snake-like eyes, with black sclera similar to Dokgo Yeon's, but unlike her, whose pupils were cross-shaped, these featured floating red pupils.
“So...”
—She, who was otherworldly yet remarkably beautiful, as Ketra had said, the president of Union Academy's Student Council, looked at Ban Yuwon and Mira and spoke.
“You two came, hand-in-hand, to report a troublesome stalker.”
Her voice was bright and lively, feeling somewhat unbalanced with her outward appearance.
Ban Yuwon honestly suppressed the urge to exclaim that this was no time to be talking about stalkers, and replied to her.
“That's right. ...You are the president, correct?”
“Mhm. Surprised, right? Everyone's surprised at first. They wonder why someone who looks like she'd lead a million-strong monster army to invade dimensions is at Union Academy.”
Yes, that's what he wanted to ask.
After all, wasn't she a demon, straight out of a painting?!
“Not a mutated Draconian without a tail or scales, but a unique species, an Evil One. To be precise, I'm a variant even among Evil Ones, so unlike others who dominate monsters, I'm hated by all monsters—ah, would it be faster if I just showed you?”
Ban Yuwon hastily stopped the Student Council president, who had proudly declared, "I can't control monsters, but I can summon them—" and started drawing a summoning circle in the air.
“That's enough. If you were a dangerous person, there's no way you'd be the Student Council president at the Academy, and there are plenty of people at the Academy worse than monsters, so I have no intention of meticulously differentiating between human and monster.”
“Hahahaha! You're right, that's absolutely right. I always thought Mira had terrible taste in men, but it turns out I was wrong, huh?”
“*Hmph*, I'm a woman who definitely learns from her mistakes.”
The Student Council president teased Mira with a mischievous laugh, but Mira calmly retorted and smiled.
She was greatly surprised by that response.
“Mira, you've changed. Is it because of love, or because of a Constellation?”
“We can talk about that when we're alone, but for now, listen to what this person has to say.”
“Wow...”
The Student Council president gaped, an astonished expression on her face.
With her now quiet, Ban Yuwon continued.
“To be frank, as I said earlier, I want to preemptively cut off Senior Ketra before he causes any trouble. I would appreciate it if you, Madam President, could do something about it.”
“Actually, I don't particularly like him either, you know? He does his work well if you praise him appropriately. Still, to talk about cutting him off when no problem has even arisen yet...”
“Shatie.”
“Ugh.”
So the Student Council president's name must be Shatie.
Or perhaps it was a nickname.
At Mira's call, the Student Council president closed her mouth.
“Honestly, I don't care what happens to Senior Ketra now, but I absolutely hate having our time—mine and this person's—interfered with. You need to control him.”
“If you go that far...”
"Alright," the Student Council president said, a look of great determination on her face.
“First, Mira, you're on external assignment for now. Quit your Student Council duties and just stick with your current projects, and your boyfriend.”
“But, that's.”
“And I'll hand over all your tasks to the vice president. While I'm at it, I'll give him a firm warning too. To consider the honor of the Student Council, that is.”
Setting aside the warning, handing over Mira's tasks seemed like a harsh measure, he thought, when suddenly.
“However.”
The Student Council president twisted her lips into a smile.
“I'd like to ask for a small favor. After all, wouldn't you agree we need a suitable excuse for offloading your work onto someone else and sending Mira on assignment?”
“I'm not making a sub channel for you, though.”
“I never even dreamed of that from the start. I just hope you two, you and Mira, could film and upload about one Student Council-related video per week to the main channel.”
The moment Mira heard that, her eyes sparkled.
It was truly nothing new, but it was a task perfectly suited for her as the Head of Public Relations.
“It's an excellent pretext for the assignment.”
“You can even date while working.”
Handling multiple tasks at once.
It was the method Mira had previously demonstrated.
As that much wouldn't be a burden at all, Ban Yuwon also readily nodded.
“Deal.”
“Deal! Don't even worry about the vice president's business from now on; if he even *thinks* about approaching Mira, I'll obliterate him!”
The negotiation was concluded.
Ban Yuwon's creed was to deal with troublesome people when he could, rather than letting them cause problems later.
Thus, Ban Yuwon succeeded in removing Senior Ketra, who had so kindly warned him that he would be a nuisance in the future, from his sight.
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