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I got into school for nothing - Chapter 209

I got into school for nothing (209)

Lesson 41. Paper Please - 4

In the end, Oculus Ruber's activities remained largely unchanged from before the meteor shower (an Orc Wave disguised as such).

To enhance the members' abilities, they had to enter high-difficulty dungeons, and these were scattered all over the world.

It was a hunt they had to do anyway, and now they were even getting paid for it – a truly advantageous, 'killing two birds with one stone' situation.

Initially, in the United Kingdom, they made a fuss about maintaining decorum, taking slow flights and even holding a welcome ceremony. But after that, to prevent wasted time, Ban Yuwon utilized his spatial movement ability, which he had mastered, traveling through several countries in a single day.

And that wasn't all.

Between training sessions, Ban Yuwon met with the guild's regular members, gifting them armaments imbued with concepts tailored to each individual's abilities and characteristics.

It was the perfect way to appease the anger of the guild members who had already been protesting, asking the guild master's younger brother, who had finally joined the guild, to show his face to them instead of only associating with the executives.

However, Ban Yumi, displeased by the sight of the guild members clinging to Ban Yuwon and acting cute, decided that while she was on Earth, she would put them through the wringer as well.

"You've received such good weapons, so you should develop your abilities, right? It's a waste of time to be fawning over a man, isn't it?"

"Yumi is so jealous, how has she gotten along with Rucell all this time?"

"Rucell is stronger, you know, unnie."

"Aha... *Hic*!"

While Lee Hyunji and Yu Jina were being disciplined by Ban Yumi, Ban Yuwon appropriately grouped the Oculus Ruber members and distributed one Stormrain Sword to each of them.

"Mr. Yuwon, what is this?"

A sword floating upright in the air would have been a rather mystical sight before Earth's dimensional evolution.

To the guild members, whose eyes sparkled as they closely examined each individual rain streak emanating a powerful aura, Ban Yuwon replied with a refreshing smile.

"They're your bodyguards."

"Huh?"

One guild member, whose mouth had been agape with joy just from talking to Ban Yuwon, failed to grasp his words for a moment and let out a foolish sound.

On behalf of his busy sister, Ban Yuwon declared to the guild members.

"As my sister said, you'll all begin training now. I've thoroughly assessed your skill levels. You usually enter C-rank dungeons, don't you?"

"Oh, yes!"

"And sometimes D-rank dungeons... though an executive must always accompany you."

Excluding the executives, the average level of Oculus Ruber guild members was precisely 30, no more, no less.

This was an incredibly impressive level, considering it hadn't even been half a year since Earth underwent dimensional evolution...

Since the maximum level of monsters appearing in C-rank dungeons was 30, taking a safety margin into account, it was actually appropriate to enter C-rank dungeons only after thorough preparation.

However, the fact that they regularly entered C-rank dungeons, and even D-rank dungeons (albeit with the condition of an executive accompanying them), clearly indicated that Oculus Ruber members' skills were exceptional, exceeding their mere levels.

"You will go to E-rank dungeons."

"No, wait a minute!"

The guild members all gasped in shock and jumped at the sudden increase in difficulty, but Ban Yuwon had no intention of backing down from the condition.

"Even if you just properly utilize the armaments I've given you, you can easily hunt monsters at least 10 levels higher than your current level. And with bodyguards accompanying you, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to clear E-rank dungeons."

"Bodyguards...? They're just swords!"

"They are Level 80 swords."

"..."

Of course, the Stormrain Swords weren't this high-level from the start.

When first created, their 'Life' was around 80, which, by level, would have been about 8.

But as Ban Yuwon's own level increased, and the enemies he fought grew stronger, just like his other dependents, the 'Life' he couldn't fully absorb himself was equally distributed. Eventually, each of the twenty-five rain streaks reached a 'Life' of 800.

'Anyway, absorption efficiency for 'Life' drops sharply once it surpasses a certain point, so ultimately, distributing it equally among all my dependents, including myself, is the most efficient method.'

For reference, among his other dependents, Eve had 920, Livi 930, Tikke 850, and the Gig-armor mech series, including Frost Fortress, also averaged 850... Lilyth, who had devoured the most unique concepts due to her innate characteristics, even surpassing her "older sister" Eve, recorded 1,250 on her own.

Moreover, she was currently even digesting the unique concept of 'meteor,' so there was no telling how much higher her level would rise once she successfully completed its absorption.

But while this one was an anomaly, the levels of his other dependents were also sufficiently high.

"Level 80... but it's still just a sword."

"There's no need to worry; they move according to my will, no matter how far away they are from me."

It had been quite some time since he became capable of controlling all twenty-five rain streaks, but moving them all, scattered far and wide, was still a considerable drain on Ban Yuwon's mental energy.

However, to utilize the Stormrain Swords to their fullest potential, he needed to control each one as freely as if it were alive, so it also served as appropriate training for him.

"How about we try some group sparring? Each group I've assigned would face one rain streak. It doesn't matter if you choose your own sparring locations..."

"No, it's fine! We'll trust you! We'll go to the E-rank dungeon!"

The guild members, who had been pondering how they could possibly entice Ban Yuwon himself, using the excuse of being uneasy with just the Stormrain Swords, abandoned all such thoughts upon seeing the (former) guild master's adorable smile quietly appear from behind Ban Yuwon.

The group training of Oculus Ruber, accompanied by the swords, yielded astonishingly excellent results.

The fact that they grew by an average of 1 level per day during the first week said it all.

However, once they successfully completed their training, everyone, having heard it from somewhere, began pestering Ban Yuwon for a "one-day date pass," which only resulted in them having to add an extra set of hellish training with Ban Yumi.

Lee Hyunji was also forcibly dragged into that hellish training, and the reason for that probably goes without saying.

* * *

"Hmph."

One night, with about twenty days left until the start of the new semester.

As Ban Yuwon emerged onto the balcony after finishing his shower, he suddenly noticed the face of a man pitching a tent outside the mansion.

It was 'Seldon,' the newcomer whom Anneri had arbitrarily dragged all the way to Earth.

"Oh."

Seldon, who suddenly raised his head, met his gaze.

No, it was probably his perception of energy that had made him aware of Ban Yuwon.

Although Seldon was in a position to be nagged daily by Anneri, that was only from Anneri's perspective; in Ban Yuwon's eyes, he was someone whose skill might be similar to his own, or even stronger.

...Certainly, before the start of vacation, Ban Yuwon would have been decidedly outmatched.

"What are you doing out there?"

"Can't you tell just by looking? I'm pitching a tent."

"I'm asking whose permission you got to pitch a tent in our garden."

"Sister Seira... your mother."

Ah, right.

In that case, there was nothing he could do.

For the record, Seira was his mother's true name.

Seira Dion Prominence.

Even if she was a distant branch with diluted blood, the blood of Prominence clearly flowed in his mother's veins. So, all things considered, Ban Yuwon could also be broadly considered a member of the Prominence Family.

"Where have you been sleeping until now?"

"Roughing it."

"...Didn't you have any money?"

"What am I supposed to do when this damned backwater dimension doesn't even accept Ronica's currency! Besides that, Anneri confiscated all my other valuables! And when I try to find work, she tells me not to move on my own! It's not like they're even letting me into the mansion!"

"Uh... sorry. We were a bit thoughtless..."

Seldon, who suddenly burst into anger and shouted, was so pitiful that even Ban Yuwon couldn't help but feel sympathy.

Ban Yuwon leaped over the balcony and landed lightly in the garden.

As he approached Seldon, the man raised both hands in a strange pose, wary of his advance.

"What is it? You wanna go? Just because you killed Ketra, do I look like an easy target, huh?"

"What warrior race are you from, killing people just because they're easy? More importantly, you..."

Up close, Seldon was indeed quite handsome, but there was something artificial about him.

Ban Yuwon tilted his head and asked.

"Where did you get that nose?"

"My nose? Ah, yes. Ketra. He changed it arbitrarily, saying I'd be retaliated against if I kept my original face."

"Senior Ketra? The possibilities of Changeling are truly limitless."

Even though he was a fairy who grew up among humans, Ban Yuwon realized anew that Ketra's ability to utilize Changeling was truly unparalleled.

Indeed, that must have been how he was able to continuously conceal his identity while attending Union Academy.

And precisely that crystallization of Changeling left by Ketra, a Concept Conversion with a depth of 100, lay dormant within Ban Yuwon's Code Core.

He had initially intended to give it to Mira, but she had flatly refused, so he had yet to find a use for it.

As he was deeply pondering what to do with this concept, which he had no idea how to utilize, much like 'Death,' he suddenly felt a gaze.

He looked up to see Seldon staring intently at him.

"..."

After silently enduring Seldon's piercing gaze, an expression that was difficult to describe, for only a few seconds, Seldon suddenly sighed.

"I'm sorry. I know it's not actually your fault, but..."

"You two must have been close."

"That guy... well, he joined around the same time as me. It would be a lie to say we didn't have common ground."

Seldon excused himself to Ban Yuwon and put a cigarette in his mouth.

Seeing this, Ban Yuwon thought it strange that Seldon was so polite. As he harbored such idle thoughts, he spontaneously created a barrier that only blocked the smell and enveloped himself in it.

Seldon, who had lit his cigarette, saw it, then exhaled smoke with a "Hmph—" and let out an exclamation of admiration.

"Anyone would think you're a barrier master. You're as versatile as Ketra, you know."

"It's nothing much."

"Words that can only be said now that it's all over, but..."

"Hmm?"

"Ketra... he thought too much needlessly, and tried to do too many things needlessly."

Seldon exhaled another puff of cigarette smoke, then turned to resume his tent work and spoke.

"He must have known himself, actually. That greed unfitting one's station brings ruin. It's common sense that all dimension pirates have ingrained in their heads."

"Right."

"But because of petty emotions like his inferiority complex and obstinacy, he ended up ruining everything. That bastard, he screwed over everyone, regardless of friend or foe, then just died alone."

Whether the direction was positive or negative, it was clear that Seldon harbored intense emotions for Ketra.

Since he had already come down to the garden, Ban Yuwon decided to humor Seldon's rambling, which held little meaning. As he pondered how to respond, the conversation unexpectedly shifted in direction.

"Even if he was that kind of guy, he was still my friend. Ketra changed my face, telling me to live a new life... but I just can't bring myself to let everything go as if it never happened."

"So that's why you're cooperating with Anneri?"

"I didn't expect Anneri to get this deeply involved in the matter, but yes. By the time she started asking me about Prominence, I had already made up my mind."

Seldon took one last deep drag, then exhaled the smoke in a single breath, flicking the cigarette from his fingers.

Ban Yuwon targeted it with a laser created by photon magic and cleanly incinerated it.

"Right before he died, Ketra barely managed to admit he was a fairy. And Crimson Spear, instigated by Prominence, intends to attack the fairies. These two reasons are enough."

Seldon said in a firm voice.

"I will help Anneri crush Crimson Spear and Prominence, and protect the fairy race. That is the last act of loyalty I can show Ketra."

"You're a real man."

"Now I even have this thought: that my meeting with the exiled princess of Prominence like this might also have been part of Ketra's plan... Well, of course not. That bastard isn't a god."

As if he found his own thoughts absurd, Seldon, having finished speaking, scratched his head and chuckled.

It would have been better if he had stopped there.

"And to be honest, Anneri is also my type. I just can't refuse a request from a woman I like..."

"...So perhaps you were glaring at me from the beginning not just because of Senior Ketra."

"That means you're my enemy. If you wake up with a hole in your head, you'll know it was me."

Ban Yuwon, concluding that a hierarchy needed to be established between himself and Seldon, drew and gripped the Executioner's Longsword as his heart commanded.

For reference, the core concept of the Executioner's Longsword, the Demonic Sword, had a depth of 990.