I got into school for nothing-Chapter 259
I got into school for nothing (259)
Lesson 51. A Firm Alliance - 1
—You: Yuwon, is that you?
—Dummy♡: What?
Asha immediately understood from the simple, swift reply.
The sudden contact from her hometown, from which communication had been severed after a huge fight due to an incident during the last Union Academy's Founding Festival—this man was the cause of it.
—You: It is you.
—Dummy♡: Haven't your instincts gotten strangely sharp?
—You: They were always good, you dummy.
—You: That doesn't hurt me at all!
She chuckled as she sent her reply. A moment later, another message arrived from him.
—Dummy♡: Yeah. Anyway, sorry. Just went to your dimension without asking.
—You: I know you went there because of me.
—Dummy♡: Well, yeah, I guess so.
—You: It's not exactly a pleasant place. I'm worried.
—Dummy♡: I'll wrap things up quickly and come back, so don't worry.
He grinned.
A smile unconsciously bloomed on her lips.
It made sense why Dokgo Yeon had been smiling so uncharacteristically widely yesterday.
To think that Ban Yuwon, of all people, was putting in such effort for her.
Her chest felt ticklish, as if a soft flower had blossomed within her.
—You: Yuwon, thank you... Last time, and this time too. I haven't done anything for you.
—Dummy♡: Nah, I just took it without asking.
—You: ...What did you take?
—Dummy♡: I'll tell you when I get back. Anyway, I got something huge, so don't worry about it.
Asha lifted her head at that.
She didn't need a mirror to know her face was burning crimson.
What was it?
Something huge?
What was it?
What did I give him!
What was it?!
Could this be a confession?
Was it finally her turn to step into the kind of romantic relationship with Yuwon that Rucell and Mira boasted so much about... no, not the 'night with Yuwon,' but the relationship itself?
'What on earth did he get? Was it my heart? No, but I only caused trouble all semester... Aha!'
As she puzzled over the message, a miraculous realization struck her like lightning.
Of course, she had no scores accumulated in the second semester.
But what about the first semester?
The beginning of the semester... well, it was too stressful to recall, so she'd skip that part.
The latter half of the first semester, when she had realized her identity as a Dragonoid with Aire's help, performed admirably after learning martial arts from Dokgo Yeon, and even had quite honest conversations with Yuwon.
She had become friends with him, and even invited him to visit during the break.
And Yuwon had readily accepted!
'That's right, there was that!'
What if Yuwon had been genuinely looking forward to it?
What if he had been looking for a chance to develop their relationship during the summer break?!
Of course, at the time, Asha still considered Yuwon a friend, but she herself thought there was a high possibility she would have gone along with it if he had pushed.
No, actually, she even suspected whether the feelings she'd harbored for him back then were simply friendship...
But as everyone knew, their vacation had turned to foam, and Yuwon must have felt deeply frustrated.
To make matters worse, she had appeared in the second semester in the guise of a man!
'Ever since then, Yuwon had tried so hard. In a situation where anyone else would have been annoyed countless times and simply kicked her off the team, he worked to turn her back to her original self...'
Even now, just thinking about it filled her with a mix of pride, embarrassment, gratitude, apology, and various other emotions that left her at a loss.
But stronger than all of that, like this—
When she thought about it seriously, the blood in her whole body boiled, making it impossible to explain calmly, but to put it broadly—she felt an impulse to just hug him tightly.
In truth, many more impulses assailed her, but she was too embarrassed to explain in detail.
Thanks to the anecdotes she occasionally heard from Rucell and Mira, her fantasies only grew day by day...
'Anyway! Yuwon's initiative was almost suspicious! If it wasn't just simple camaraderie... but... love, that it stemmed from.'
Wouldn't that explain everything?
How he tried to turn Asha, who had become a man, back into a woman.
How he tried to eliminate her ancestor who was attempting to usurp her identity.
How he even secretly flew all the way to the D-13 Dimension to solve her family's problems!
'Oh, what should I do? It really seems that way, doesn't it? Like he's going to confess?!'
Asha finally felt certain.
Yuwon was going to confess to her!
She was incredibly happy—so happy she wanted to scream and jump around!
And while she had no intention of refusing him, there was something she was worried about.
What if Yuwon intended to keep it a secret?
Wouldn't it be awkward if she reacted as if she already knew when he confessed?
Should she practice acting completely surprised and overjoyed, as if she had no idea?
—Hummmm
As Asha indulged in her quite vivid fantasies, wringing her hands, her communication device vibrated again.
Slightly nervous, she peered at the screen. It was another message from Ban Yuwon.
—Dummy♡: Which do you prefer, a cross or a heart?
Exactly!
This is totally a confession!
A ring? Or a necklace?
Whatever it was, he was asking because he was preparing a proposal gift!
—You: Right now, I prefer a heart.
—Dummy♡: Okay, heart.
—Dummy♡: Okay.
Okay...
I'm totally okay with it too!
'Oh no. My heart's fluttering too much; I won't get any sleep tonight.'
Asha finished her exchange with Ban Yuwon and shot up from her seat.
Originally, she wanted to ask what he was doing in the D-13 Dimension, but that no longer seemed very important.
What mattered was helping him make a magnificent proposal!
Because that was all she, who was waiting for his confession, could do!
—Hummmm
Just then, her communication device vibrated strongly again.
She quickly checked, wondering if it was Yuwon, but it wasn't.
It was a call request from that old geezer back home... from her father, King Yuder Light Camelot.
Despite her already having conveyed her intentions, he hadn't accepted it and had stubbornly initiated a collect video call.
Ronica costs a fortune!
“Tsk... Yes.”
Her good mood was completely ruined, but he was still her father.
Unable to outright ignore him, she pressed the device to accept the call, and a holographic image appeared above it.
Even when she returned to the Academy after the break, he, displeased with her going back, hadn't shown his face once. Now, however, he wore an urgent expression, as if a fire had been lit under his feet.
—As Light, I have formally requested Union Academy.
“It’s Asha.”
—As Light!
“I said Asha.”
She replied with a resolute expression.
“The curse is gone. I have returned to being a woman, Your Majesty. Furthermore, I am an exceptionally powerful Dragonoid. It is an undeniable truth, and there is no need to deny it.”
—You... are you truly going to betray the will of our ancestor?
“If that’s all you have to say, shall I hang up now?”
Talking back so boldly to a man she had never dared to defy in her entire life, Asha even felt a thrill.
Why hadn't she been able to defy him before?
She was the owner of the Holy Sword, stronger than the entire knight order combined in terms of raw power, and even enjoyed high public support.
Why had she only been able to wield her sword as commanded?
She wouldn't do that anymore.
She would not bury herself under the excuse of 'for the nation'.
Strictly speaking, something too precious had come into Asha's life, and she no longer dared to sacrifice her individual self.
—...I understand, Asha Light.
In the end, the King was defeated by his daughter's unwavering gaze.
Perhaps he had known, even if only a little, what her ancestor intended to do to Asha?
Or had he simply neglected her because Asha, wielding the Dragon-Slaying Sword, was easy to manipulate?
What could not be denied was that he had attempted to sacrifice Asha for his own power and the well-being of the kingdom.
Asha would not forget that fact, and she would never—forgive him.
Hiding such thoughts, Asha calmly faced her father and replied.
“Asha is listening. Please speak, Your Majesty.”
—The Academy will send you here. Come as quickly as possible. Another Holy Sword discovered in Galahad is an incident that could threaten Camelot's position as leader of the protectorate alliance. It cannot be overlooked.
“As I already replied in my message, it is merely a rumor that a Holy Sword has been discovered; neither the stability of the protectorate alliance nor the safety of our people has been threatened. There is insufficient justification for me to be dispatched as a special activity.”
—Then shouldn't you apply to the Academy yourself and come immediately!
Facing the King, who could no longer hold back his rising voice, Asha felt a strange, inexplicable emotion.
It suddenly occurred to her that her friends might have felt this same way when dealing with her, and she felt a pang of apology.
It's fine, I'll pay them back from now on.
To Yuwon, too... using the knowledge and skills she learned from Rucell!
Which meant she had no time to be dragged around like a dog on a leash for the nation.
“I am not going, Your Majesty.”
—Prince!
“I’m a princess now. I didn’t dislike my previous nickname, but... perhaps I’ll spread the nickname 'Princess of Stars' when I return this break.”
—Do you even understand that this is a national crisis! If the true owner of the Holy Sword appears, Camelot's position as alliance leader will be jeopardized, and the safety of the very people you care so much about will be at risk!
“If the safety of our people is jeopardized simply by being ousted from the leader's position, then is there truly a need for such an alliance to exist?”
The King was unable to respond to Asha's cold retort.
“If the position of alliance leader can be snatched away by the mere appearance of one person wielding a powerful weapon, is there any meaning in desperately defending that position?”
—Asha... I beg you. That must be stopped.
Finally, the King bowed his head.
It had happened so naturally that she hadn't even noticed.
Now that she thought about it, this was the first time she had ever seen her father like this since being born his daughter.
A thrill came over her, alongside a feeling of pity and wretchedness.
Even anticipating the answer, Asha asked her father.
“If you find him, what will you do?”
—...He must be killed. There can only be one successor to the Holy Sword. We cannot allow someone who brings chaos to our dimension to live.
“Ha...”
Kill him?
Yuwon?
Asha, who was already convinced that Ban Yuwon was the one who possessed this 'Holy Sword' or whatever it was, couldn't help but let out a scoff at the King's words.
Seeing this, the King did not rage, but fell silent.
Because he clearly realized that his son—no, his daughter—
had become completely different from what he had seen during the summer break.
He had seen the Union Academy's Founding Festival video through the Union Net, so he already understood what, and who, had caused his daughter to change so drastically.
Knowing that he could never stand against that person, he didn't even dare to mention them.
If he knew who was causing such a ruckus in the D-13 Dimension, he would probably faint.
“Your Majesty, I dare to offer you some advice. It would be best not to get involved in this matter.”
Asha, unable to watch the King make such a poor judgment, decided to give him a small hint after all.
—What did you say?
“What Your Majesty fears will not happen. So please, resolve the nation's turmoil and care for your people.”
—How could you know that...
“I am the owner of this sword. Even from far away, I can tell that much.”
Applying the brazenness she had learned from Ban Yuwon, little by little.
Asha spoke with a faint smile.
“That is not a Holy Sword, and its supposed owner will not be targeting something like the protectorate alliance. As long as you don't act rashly, your position as alliance leader will be safe. Please remember my words well.”
—Truly... truly, you will not come?
“I cannot go. At Union Academy, one cannot get what they want simply by throwing a tantrum.”
The time when you could throw tantrums at me is over.
He must have understood that message clearly.
“Then, farewell, Your Majesty. Next time I visit, I will bring my lover.”
—Wha—Wait—
Asha ended the video call and pondered silently in her spot.
'But the real Holy Sword... no, was it the Dragon-Slaying Sword? Aire said it was a miracle that the true Dragon-Slaying Sword was stuck in a D-rank dimension, so surely another one isn't appearing, right? It must be something similar. But even so...'
It's a bit like a couple's item.
As Asha thought this, she wiggled her hands and feet, indulging in her fantasy, then suddenly jumped up from her spot.
“Aire——!”
The unique resonance that only those with dragon blood could unleash—Dragon Tongue—quickly transcended space and pierced through barriers, reaching its intended target.
—I'm in the Tower right now.
“Come out, it’s urgent! Hurry! I’ll buy you dessert!”
—I'll come to where you are.
“Huh? But this is just Yuwon’s and my room...”
—That's enough fantasizing.
The next moment, Aire, who had torn through space to appear, saw Asha sitting on Ban Yuwon's bed, her cheeks flushed, and sighed, shaking her head.
“The Dragon-Slayer looks a mess.”
“I told you I’m not a Dragon-Slayer! More importantly, come here and sit down, quickly.”
Aire sighed but dutifully sat down beside her.
Their pajama parties, which were actually held quite often, had until now taken place in Aire's private dorm room, as she was shunned even by the Special Class, ensuring she had a safe single room. But now, with Ban Yuwon's room vacant, they were taking advantage of the opportunity to hold it in Asha's room.
Aire's help had been instrumental in Asha's rapid transformation into a girl befitting her age after she returned to her female form.
Conversely, Aire also occasionally showed glimpses of a normal girl, exchanging emotions with someone similar to herself.
“What do you think, Aire? This is a proposal, right? Right?”
——For example, now.
Aire, having heard Asha's full explanation of what was happening, was convinced that Ban Yuwon's feelings for Asha were merely goodwill and certainly hadn't reached the level of romantic affection, and so...
“Asha, you’re a queen.”
“Suddenly?”
“The Queen of Cringy History.”
She teased her friend mercilessly.
Naturally, her friend's reaction was intensely fervent.
“Why again?! No, this is definitely real! He went to my home dimension secretly without telling us anything! He even got a sword that matches mine, like a couple's item! He said he received something huge from me! He even asked me if I preferred a cross or a heart! Even if you listen to it, doesn't that sound like he's preparing a proposal?”
“It sounds plausible, but it’s a delusion. Eliminate the impossible, and whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
“Is it that bad?! Is it that impossible for Yuwon to love me?”
“Even if, by some chance, meaningful feelings accumulated in the first semester, there's a 100% chance they were all chipped away by the antics our Dragon-Slayer pulled in the second semester.”
“Nooooo, it’s not true. It’s not! I believe, I believe in Yuwon...!”
Aire gazed with gentle eyes at her friend, who was writhing in agony on the bed from the merciless truth bomb, then suddenly thought.
What if Ban Yuwon truly loved Asha?
What if Ban Yuwon, who had endured Asha's nuisances with extreme patience, defying impossible odds, truly intended to confess his love to her?
She didn't believe for a moment that such a thing would actually happen.
But if it did happen...
She felt she would be a little displeased.
Why?
Aire, pondering the reason, quickly came to a conclusion.
Perhaps it was the humiliation stemming from the perspective of being another Dragonoid woman, feeling that her own charms were inferior to Asha's.
At this moment, Aire's personal feelings for Ban Yuwon were completely irrelevant.
She merely felt sympathy for Ban Yuwon, who possessed such regrettable judgment as to choose Asha over herself.
“You’ll see when Yuwon comes back, he’s going to give me a heart-shaped ring with a pink diamond—Ow!”
Asha, lying on Ban Yuwon's bed and wiggling, suddenly seemed annoying, so Aire slapped her on the butt.
It made a satisfying sound, so she decided to hit her a few more times.
That was all.
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