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I got into school for nothing - Chapter 233

I got into school for nothing (233)

Lesson 45. Preparing for the Founding Festival - 8

As the second semester began, time seemed to accelerate, flowing even faster.

Although the team had its share of friction, Rebellion's explorations continued to lead the vanguard, and the second-semester curriculum, now free from the blatant obstruction of Lyu Cheolmyeong, was nothing short of pleasant.

Excluding the fact that Ulrike was still suffering from a severe delusion, sending Ban Yuwon gazes like a girl experiencing her first love;

That Cantone, who was just as malicious, if not more so, than Lyu Cheolmyeong, had been remarkably quiet lately for some reason;

And that even greater discord was brewing among the team members, who hadn't adapted to Ban Yuwon's somewhat changed relationship with Dokgo Yeon—everything else was perfect.

[This is all because you're so careless with your lower body. You just go around seducing women as easily as breathing.]

In the 3D video call projected above the mirror, Ban Yuwon countered the woman who brazenly pointed a finger at him with an utterly contemptuous gesture.

[Ugh, disgusting! Why are there only such loose women there?!]

The woman recoiled in disgust, expressing her revulsion... Ban Yuwon chuckled, looking at his sister, then asked,

"How are things on your end?"

[Wh-what is it? Why do you care about something like that? Do you think I'm like you? I don't just meet *any* man, you know?]

"Ah, so that's how you understood it."

Ban Yuwon shook his head with a regretful expression and added,

"Not that, you fool. I meant, how's the mercenary work?"

[...I'm seriously going to kill you, you bastard.]

It took a moment for Ban Yumi, who had been glaring at him from beyond the screen as if to kill him, to calm down.

[It's going smoothly. ...Though it's annoying, the things you prepared are helpful too. For a new mercenary group, we're quite successful. ...Anneri said so.]

"Didn't you run into any dimension pirates?"

[There were a few minor skirmishes. You might not know this, but Exodus and Crimson Spear aren't the only dimension pirates out there. There are quite a few small-scale dimension pirates, like us. Well, most of those guys are one-shots if they cross me.]

The world is truly full of surprises.

To think the day would come when he'd have such cosmic conversations with his own sister.

Wait, she wasn't even his biological sister, was she.

Ban Yuwon held onto his wavering mind and continued,

"As long as you're doing well, that's enough. I'll contact you again."

[Hey, hey, wait! You bastard, you were just about to hang up!]

"I am, though?"

[Wait up!]

She shouted angrily, then, with a nervous expression, scrutinized his face before sighing and muttering softly.

[I miss you.]

"What?"

[Huh? What?]

Realizing what she had unconsciously said, Ban Yumi's expression suddenly turned serious.

It was truly astonishing that she believed she could fool him by suddenly acting serious now.

"Just now, Sis, you—"

[I didn't say anything?]

"Is that so. Then I'll hang up."

[Is 'hang up' the only thing you know how to say?!]

After that, Ban Yuwon, who had been teasing his sister throughout the call, finally greeted his mother and Anneri before ending the call.

Lilyth, who had been eavesdropping nearby, spoke in an incredulous tone.

[Is it fun to tease her like that?]

"After being bossed around by my sister my whole life, I've finally gained the upper hand. You want me to just hold back?"

[That's different, though. This is a matter of a woman's pure affection!]

"Yes, that's precisely the problem."

Lilyth would probably never understand how difficult it was to treat his sister like a woman.

[Can't you just hug her tightly and kiss her?]

"Things in the world don't always work out so simply. ...Probably."

Ban Yuwon let out a deep sigh and turned his head, revealing the figure of a young girl floating in the air, staff in hand.

Her black hair, a rare sight at Union Academy, was neatly braided and draped over her chest, giving her a very serene appearance, but her two eyes, sparkling as if embedded with the Milky Way, exuded such an intimidating presence that she hardly seemed like an ordinary human.

What she was wearing was a Union Academy uniform.

It suited her perfectly, as if she had been wearing it for years.

"How are you, Cellon?"

"Probably fine."

She nodded gently in response, then floated through the air to his side.

From her texture and weight to her vivid aura and even her scent, Ban Yuwon was rather impressed by her transformation into a perfect human form, even when observed with his All-Seeing Eye.

"Shhh, shrrk."

"Right. Thanks, Eve."

She confessed that she had received a little help from Eve, but even taking that into account, the reality of an artifact transforming into a human was so absurd that at this point, he couldn't tell if Omnimorphism was special, or Eve was special, or Cellon was special.

Probably all three.

"Have you gotten used to moving?"

"Yes. I can move as I wish now, to a certain extent."

Cellon, having obtained Omnimorphism, had researched it in her own way and succeeded in humanizing herself.

However, due to the long years she had been sealed within the staff, and moreover, because the concepts like her soul that constituted her were insufficient, it took quite a long time for her human form to stabilize and for her to move properly.

And now, two weeks before the Union Academy Founding Festival — she had finally revealed her complete form.

"But did you *have* to transform into a human form?"

"What?"

At Ban Yuwon's question, which secretly revealed his expectation of a magic artillery based on her staff form, Cellon half-opened her galaxy-like eyes and glared at him.

Now that he looked, her eyes felt similar to Professor Yumina's gem-like, shining eyes.

"Magic is bound by form and habit more than you can imagine. In fact, I'd rather you praise me for having used magic in my staff form all this time."

"But you weren't originally human; you were a Constellation."

"Constellations have bodies too, you know?!"

He had thought from the beginning that if she had a separate main body and could descend, she wouldn't be a mere thought-form.

So where exactly was that main body?

Where had she been originally, that Cellon could be sealed within the Tower, even if she had been betrayed?

'Perhaps there was a major event in the Tower, significant enough for Cellon's main body to directly descend?'

Ban Yuwon, tilting his head, met Cellon's steady gaze, hesitated for a moment, then carefully asked.

"Do you remember your contractor?"

"..."

Cellon closed her mouth.

Ban Yuwon had recently heard directly that Professor Yumina was Cellon's contractor.

Even if she hadn't physically emerged at the time... Cellon must have heard it too.

Cellon remained silent for a moment, then finally shook her head.

"I don't know. There are still many memories I haven't recovered..."

"But she'll recognize you."

"I'm scared."

Cellon muttered briefly, then hugged the staff with both hands, gripping it tightly.

"As I thought, not yet. Once I recover... a bit more. I should be able to find it in the Tower."

"...Really?"

"Besides, simply meeting her isn't enough. Not unless I thoroughly seek out and punish everyone involved in my sealing."

Revenge, or perhaps obsession.

Though they had always been playful with each other, now that Cellon had gained a human form, her emotions were clearer, making it impossible for him to respond casually.

In the end, Ban Yuwon said nothing more and closed his mouth.

He had a feeling that the situation with both Cellon and Professor Yumina seemed to be going in circles when it could be easily resolved if they just met... but ultimately, their feelings and choices were important, so he decided to leave things as they were for now.

"Alright... So what do you want to do now? I heard you were very interested in solo exploration, shall we go?"

"No, it's fine."

Cellon firmly shook her head at Ban Yuwon's suggestion.

Though she hadn't been able to have a proper conversation with Ban Yuwon while focusing on her humanization, she was mostly aware of what had happened to him over the past month.

The masked ball entangled with the Prominence family, the special club competition involving various clubs.

Not only that, but there were too many issues before him, even the problem of As Light whose reason had been eroded.

But Ban Yuwon merely shrugged and replied.

"Well, isn't regular college life usually a chaotic whirlwind of assignments, friendships, romance, clubs, practicals, and part-time jobs, all piled on top of each other?"

"I clearly understand that the 'college' you're talking about is a concept akin to a unicorn."

Cellon, scoffing in response, stopped floating and settled into the seat beside him.

For reference, they were currently in their dorm room, which Ban Yuwon had almost entirely to himself lately, as As Light had started moving more independently and didn't even come into the room until it was time to sleep.

"You haven't been putting it off for nothing. Let's tackle it once this current matter is settled. If you get tangled up with solo exploration right now, your small head will probably explode."

"Your thoughtfulness almost brings tears to my eyes."

"More importantly, Starlight Magic."

Starlight Magic, why?

She said to Ban Yuwon, who tilted his head in confusion.

"It seems you'll have more occasions to antagonize Constellations in the future, so I intend to pass on more Starlight Magic to you."

"But you said I couldn't learn Starlight myself, didn't you?"

"Until now, I thought so too. But seeing you so nonchalantly tear out unique concepts even from Constellations made me change my mind a bit."

"Hmm... I see."

In truth, Ban Yuwon had long harbored the thought that if he truly put his mind to it, he might be able to directly wield Starlight himself.

Even if the Prominence family's Crimson Flame could be said to have awakened because a branch family's blood flowed in his own veins, considering he held a Constellation's Stigma, a concept unique to Constellations and their contractors, and also previously tore the Divine Wind from the Benevolent North Wind, his Authority, which manipulated concepts themselves, transcended all sorts of limitations, didn't it?

No matter how special Starlight Magic was, it didn't seem like it would be an exception to that...

'Perhaps Cellon had simply made excuses, unable to fully trust and support me enough to entrust me with true Starlight?'

However, the Starlight he mimicked just by observing Cellon was already quite powerful, and it was also true that Cellon relied on him in many ways, so he hadn't bothered to point it out.

But for Cellon to bring up such a topic now, rather than her trust in him suddenly increasing, it was more like...

"It's because of Professor Yumina, isn't it?"

When he delivered a sharp jab to Cellon, who couldn't meet his gaze, her hand clutching the staff trembled.

As expected, it was clear that her feelings had shifted after learning Ban Yuwon had formed a master-disciple relationship with her contractor.

To Ban Yuwon, who seemed certain, Cellon shrieked in a shrill voice.

"If you're perceptive enough to realize that, can't you just learn quietly instead of needlessly saying it?"

"No, I specifically wanted to say it to see how you'd react."

"You, you villain...!"

"Perhaps learning Starlight from you and then passing it on to Professor Yumina is part of the package? Ah, it seems that's the case."

"Uuugh...!"

Ban Yuwon, having thoroughly exposed Cellon's inner thoughts, shook his head and tapped the table.

"I'll do as you wish, so let's begin. Though it seems I'll be taking a bit of your concept."

"Hmph, I was already prepared for that. ...You'll cultivate it well and then give a part of it back to her."

"It's something I've done a lot."

Ban Yuwon scoffed in reply, then paused mid-sentence.

He had indeed done a lot of sharing the concepts he'd cultivated with his familiars, but not so much with others.

And the method for injecting concepts into others...

"...Hey."

"I saw you being dismissive towards her last time. You shouldn't do that."

Cellon averted Ban Yuwon's disbelieving gaze and continued.

Somehow, she seemed a little embarrassed.

"Hey?"

"Be good to her. She's a child who needs a lot of love."

"Hey!"

"Then let's begin. I'll thoroughly drill it into you, so be prepared."

[As expected.]

Lilyth, who had been watching the farce, nodded with a look of certainty and said.

[It really is just a matter of hugging her tightly and kissing her.]

Another two weeks passed after that.

Ban Yuwon, having completely mastered his secret weapon, greeted the Union Founding Festival.