I got into school for nothing-195
I got into school for nothing (195)
Lesson 38. Ban Yuwon's Words Come True - 5
The next day, the atmosphere inside the vehicle heading to the dungeon was extremely uncomfortable.
The members of Oculus Ruber, led by Ban Yumi, were overtly wary of the Phoenix Knights—or, to be precise, their leader, Captain Kiira.
Seeing them glance alternately at Kiira and Ban Yuwon, it seemed this damned older sister had told them all about what he did on the school trip two years ago.
Normally, she wouldn't have brought up such private matters, but how could she have known that the woman Ban Yuwon supposedly charmed two years ago would appear as the UK's No. 1 ranker?
In a daze, when her companions questioned her, she must have spilled everything before she even had a chance to hide it.
"Ban Yumi, you really..."
"Ah, I didn't say anything?"
Regardless of what the others were doing, Kiira, who had been teasing the group by pretending not to know Korean yesterday, was so happy today that she greeted them first in Korean as soon as they met.
Such was she now, approaching Rucell as if to recognize her and getting her autograph.
"Thanks for the autograph! Rucell, you're even prettier in person!"
"No, thank you for your continuous support."
Only by loving not just one's favorite, but all members of Rebellion, can one truly claim to be a true fan.
Even Rucell, who had initially been somewhat wary of her, smiled brightly and even gave Kiira an autograph when Kiira revealed her donation history and platinum card.
"Whoa, she's no joke. She immediately drew Rucell to her side!"
"No, but Rucell's ideology leans that way, doesn't it? So is it that? Is it okay even if she's a concubine?"
"As expected, Westerners have such vulgar minds..."
"You all apologize to the West right now."
Kiira stated her position as a fan, saying that it would be an honor to have a deep relationship with Ban Yuwon, but it would also be a lie to say she felt nothing for him.
They had met by chance two years ago, and now they had reunited like this. Furthermore, though Kiira herself didn't know it, there was actually another point of connection (Ban Yumi) between them, so even Ban Yuwon couldn't help but feel a connection with her.
"Hahahaha, I'm just a fan, really? Though I must admit, our first meeting left quite an impression--"
"...Shotacon."
"No, I'm not?!"
"Look at Ban Yumi using her ultimate move!"
"Isn't that a suicide attack?"
But revealing such inner thoughts so openly was something only love-challenged individuals, like the Oculus Ruber members, who couldn't even live up to their looks, would do.
As Kiira was in a position of asking Ban Yuwon for a big favor, she didn't reveal her feelings, and Ban Yuwon, had it not been for his unique perception, would have probably missed it.
"Of course, I wouldn't mind a night together... Yuwon, what do you say? After we clear the dungeon, just the two of us, at that place we couldn't go to last time, hmm?"
"A, a night..."
The Oculus Ruber members stiffened and froze, as if struck by a mass petrification spell.
As Rucell narrowed her eyes and watched, Kiira suddenly burst into roaring laughter.
"Ahahahahaha, I'm just kidding! I just played along for a moment because you all seemed to think I was too easy. Even though I look like this, I'm the UK's No. 1 ranker; there's no way I'd go around carelessly causing scandals, is there?"
"A joke... was that a joke?!"
"Ah, even Miyeon unnie is broken."
Seeing even Kang Miyeon, who was arguably the most mature among the group, being overwhelmed by Kiira, Ban Yuwon felt a pang of anxiety that they might all grow old and die virgins.
Why did his sister gather such people and create a guild where men are forbidden? Could it be a "water ghost strategy" because she couldn't die an old maid alone?
"Hehe, now that the tension's eased, let's talk about the dungeon."
"Now there's tension where there wasn't any before!"
"The dungeon? Is there anything to talk about? There won't be any inside information anyway."
"I want to hear about the dungeon Oculus Ruber entered. Because it's a G-rank dungeon, too."
"That's true."
There wasn't just one G-rank dungeon in the UK. But the one Oculus Ruber had stepped up to clear this time was the dungeon located in the heart of London, which posed the highest threat level among them.
"Just like the one in Seoul, these things always appear where people are swarming."
"Some aren't, but most of them are like that."
"The dungeon we went into... what was it like? I remember Yu Jina and I suffered a lot."
"Don't lie, unnie. We didn't even have a chance to step in."
While the group chatted, Ban Yuwon, looking at the panoramic view of the River Thames outside the car window, remembered London from his high school days and was lost in strange contemplation.
Back then, they just sat around with friends on the bus, exchanging trivial chatter and taking souvenir photos everywhere, but in just two years, things had changed too much.
Even if he wanted to meet his friends from back then, he didn't think he could meet them with a pure heart right now, so he just felt regretful...
"By the way, this time, don't you think we can handle it without Yuwon's help?"
"Mobs might be possible, but I'm not sure about the boss. Yoomingming, can you do it?"
"Huh? Well, from the start, with full power--"
"Unnie."
Ban Yuwon naturally cut her off.
Then, tapping the seat beside him, he said briefly.
"Come here."
"Do you want to die?"
"I said come."
"Oh, Yuwon's such a patriarch."
"?"
As soon as his sister sat down next to him, wearing an expression like a serial killer, Ban Yuwon infused Won-gi into the character [Barrier (結界)] he had previously written on the seat, activating the Authority.
His ability to manipulate language was constantly evolving. Now, even without having to string together long sentences, he could instantly imbue a single barrier with sub-concepts like soundproofing, blocking, and interference.
While the effects were powerful, the disadvantage of Language Magic, which required him to move his hand every time to write precisely meaningful characters, had been very easily resolved.
"Hey, you're going too far these days, aren't you? How dare you tell your heavenly older sister to 'come here' and 'go there'..."
"Unnie, didn't you hear anything from Mom?"
Ban Yumi had braced herself, thinking it was time to firmly re-establish her position as an older sister, but at her brother's serious voice, she forgot her anger and stared blankly at him.
"Uh, Mom?"
"About the unique Authority you possess."
"Don't tell me you're going to talk nonsense too? This isn't a dangerous power. I told you, it's completely mine?"
It seemed their mother had indeed warned his sister.
However, judging by her tone, it seemed she couldn't be straightforward and had chosen a roundabout way... and that was making things even more complicated.
"It's my Authority, so I know it well. This is a qualitatively different power from what those famous Constellations or whatever are giving these days. It's a power that completely surged from within me. So what's dangerous about it?"
"That's right, it's your power. But Unnie. There's no guarantee that just because it's yours, someone else can't take it away."
"...What?"
Ban Yuwon felt the need to clearly convey the danger of her Authority to his sister, even if it meant slightly distorting the truth.
"You know I've had a lot of interactions with other dimensions, right?"
"I also know you go around charming one woman in each of those dimensions."
"Yeah, well, let's just say that."
She was annoyed by Ban Yuwon not denying her words and was about to argue further, but he spoke with a sterner expression.
"There are all sorts of powerful individuals in the world. Just look at my own power, for example. Specifically, those who wield fire are after your power."
"...Even so, it's just other dimensions. No, don't tell me they're on Earth?"
"Among the people moving with us today, there's someone who wields fire, isn't there?"
Only now, finally realizing what Ban Yuwon wanted to say, Ban Yumi's eyes widened.
Surprisingly, she was happy.
"Kiira McBride is an enemy?"
"She doesn't seem to want that herself, but yes."
"Right... an enemy. How did you figure that out?"
"...Why do you seem happy about this?"
Ban Yuwon, who could instantly read the concepts of all emotions rising within her, asked uncomfortably.
She's not, by any chance, happy that she can now legitimately beat up Kiira, whom she disliked, is she?
"Just in case I haven't made it clear, Kiira doesn't even know that you're the person she's looking for. Don't needlessly act hostile towards her."
"With a heart so weak, how will you survive this harsh world?"
"So you're going to kill her?"
At Ban Yuwon's sharp retort, Ban Yumi's mouth snapped shut.
He snorted.
Who, exactly, was weak-hearted?
"If you can't kill them, don't attack clumsily. If you attack, at least kill them definitively."
"Then what do you propose?"
"Don't use it."
Ban Yuwon declared firmly.
"Restrain yourself. You're strong enough even without your Authority, aren't you?"
"Whatever it is, I can't stand it for long."
I know.
If you were the patient type, you wouldn't be my arch-nemesis.
"Still, you have to endure. Even if you can't stand it... try to hold on a little longer."
"Then what?"
"Once I get stronger, I'll catch everyone who bothers you and beat them all up."
"...Heh."
It probably wouldn't take too long.
Ban Yuwon clearly knew his current standing, and he also roughly knew how powerful those he was hostile towards were.
But more than that, he also knew very well that his growth rate was unbelievably fast.
"So just bear with it for about three years. Anyway, even without your Authority, you're still the No. 1 ranker, aren't you?"
Of course, if she revealed her true power, Kiira would be an overwhelming No. 1 ranker, incomparable to others, but she wasn't originally from Earth...
...Wait, his sister wasn't from Earth either, was she?
"What? You're going to beat someone up? How dare you be so arrogant, a mere younger brother..."
"Where did you memorize a string of such weak-sounding lines?"
"Shut up."
At Ban Yuwon's unilateral demands, an infuriated Ban Yumi gave him a flick on the forehead, but he didn't bother to retaliate and simply took it.
"Ban Yumi."
"What, what. Going to hit me? Come on, this is your chance to really..."
"What if, hypothetically..."
Watching his sister shadowbox on the spot, making "shh-shh" sounds as she cut through the air, Ban Yuwon asked.
"What if you were a princess of some country?"
"Pfft."
"Ugh, seriously, that's disgusting."
At the 'what if' she'd never imagined, Ban Yumi couldn't hold it in and burst out.
To Ban Yuwon, who was grimacing and wiping his face, Ban Yumi yelled.
"I'm twenty-two! Ban Yuwon, snap out of it!"
"No, listen. You're a princess of some country, but you were driven out by a rebellion at a young age, and you disguised yourself as a commoner and came into our home as an adopted daughter."
"Adopted daughter..."
Ban Yumi, who had no intention of properly listening to whatever nonsense he was spouting, seemed particularly bothered by one word and stopped moving.
"So what would you do? Would you be content living in our house? Or... would you reclaim your throne?"
This was an extremely important question.
Ban Yuwon couldn't stand being a victim, and if something happened to his family, it was as good as happening to him.
This involved his mother and sister.
Depending on how they felt about it, his future actions could change.
Whether she knew his resolve or not, Ban Yumi pondered for a moment before asking.
"What happens if I live in our house?"
"What do you mean, 'what happens'? You just live."
"...As your sister?"
This time, it was Ban Yuwon's turn to be speechless.
That wasn't what he intended to ask.
He, momentarily breathless, hesitated for a moment, but soon spoke his thoughts honestly.
"Whether you live like this or reclaim your throne, you'll always be my sister. How could you become a stranger just by going somewhere?"
"But technically, we're still strangers."
"Hey, why are you suddenly getting sentimental? We've lived under the same roof for 20 years, what do you mean 'strangers'!"
"You said 'what if,' you crazy bastard!"
The problem is that it isn't a "what if"...!
Although he somewhat guessed her true feelings, he clenched his teeth and pretended not to know, as he continued speaking.
"Do you hate me that much? Ah, so are you going to be queen or not?"
"Of course I have to."
As if there was no need to think, Ban Yumi declared.
"It's always been my dream since childhood to be the boss and do everything my own way."
"No wonder you've been such a pain in the ass since childhood."
"Ban Yuwon."
"What."
With a sincerity devoid of any pretense, Ban Yumi spoke.
"You just asked me if I hated you, right?"
"You don't have to answer. I already know."
"No, you don't know."
She snorted, placed her hands on both his shoulders, and said with a serious expression.
"I genuinely despise you."
"Is that so..."
Normally, he would have retorted with "Same here."
But since Ban Yumi's true feelings were so obvious to him, he decided not to say anything.
When he didn't retort strongly, perhaps she got scared instead, Ban Yumi pouted and brought the conversation back.
"I'll hold out for just three more years."
"Right, three more years."
In the meantime, the car arrived at the dungeon.
Seeing the two emerge from the barrier, and misunderstanding something, the executives of Oculus Ruber alternately stared at them with extremely tense expressions, but it was too troublesome to clear up the misunderstanding, so they decided to let it be.
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