I got into school for nothing - 268
I got into school for nothing (268)
Lesson 52. The Tower's Hidden Side - 4
If the first half of the second semester had been a period where they ran solely with the Foundation Festival in mind, aiming to tie down Prominence and liberate Asha, then the latter half of the second semester was when the finally perfected Team Rebellion solidified their top ranking in Tower climbing, surpassing not only Ortima but also Aire, who had been the undisputed top of the first-year class.
Of course, Ban Yuwon was also devoted to 'monster creation,' a necessary skill for Solo Exploration—that is, creation training utilizing his Authority.
Zenon's weekly lectures and the Orb's space proved considerably helpful for his training, provided one excluded obstructive elements like Zenon himself or other regular students.
What's more, he spent a considerable amount of time earnestly training with the sword alongside Dokgo Yeon.
Dokgo Yeon, who had mastered countless sword techniques, drew trajectories with her sword, sometimes with her hands, and sometimes with her feet. Each of these was deeply etched into Ban Yuwon's soul, profoundly and positively influencing not only his sword skills but also his ability to read and control the flow of concepts with his Giwon Sword.
Student Council duties were also an indispensable part of the routine he had settled into during the second semester.
He had expected to have more free time after the Foundation Festival, but as Ban Yuwon's achievements visibly began to shrink the Special Class's standing, conversely, the number of arrogant individuals increased, and consequently, the efforts of the Student Council executives to rein them in also increased.
From the beginning, Aire, who had been very interested in Ban Yuwon's magical abilities, often wanted to spar with him in magic...
"Not today, stay with me."
Mira, incensed by the overly intimate interactions between the two in the Student Council office, would sometimes intervene and 'kidnap' him.
Today was exactly one of those days.
As Ban Yuwon was about to leave the Student Council office with Aire after finishing his Student Council duties, Mira, who had quickly approached from behind, hugged him tightly and wouldn't let go.
"We were supposed to have a magic duel."
Aire's expressionless gaze fell upon them, accompanied by her calm resistance, but Mira, burying her face in Ban Yuwon's broad back, snorted dismissively without even looking at her.
"Do you think I don't know that's a duel where only you benefit? I'm overlooking a lot because I'm grateful you took on the Vice President role, but today is my turn, give up."
"Mira, that's a misunderstanding. I'm benefiting too..."
Just as his understanding of the sword deepened through sparring with Dokgo Yeon, he could gain insights into elemental magic utilization and Domination through sparring with Aire.
The duel itself was by no means a loss for Ban Yuwon.
However, to be honest... with his current lifestyle, where it was difficult to find time to rest, inserting a daily duel with her was indeed a bit burdensome.
Mira probably caught on to Ban Yuwon's burden and fatigue, which Aire hadn't quite perceived, and pretended to be petulant to hold him back.
"Give up, you can't go. Stay with me."
"That's Mira for you, she certainly has a knack for charming men."
"President Shatie, please be quiet."
Perhaps she was just whining for him to spend time with her.
"Yuwon."
Aire, giving up on talking with Mira, turned to Ban Yuwon and said.
"Fairies, alongside True Dragons, are a mysterious and noble race that left their names in the age of myths. They are known for being beautiful, rare, and for showering anything upon those they give their hearts to."
"Oh my, even if you flatter me so suddenly, I can't concede Yuwon."
"However, due to their capriciousness, their perversion, and their possessiveness that won't let go of anything they fancy until it's broken, even True Dragons, who could crush fairies like insects, reportedly got fed up with them."
"You...!"
A vein throbbed on Mira's forehead at Aire's rhetoric, which had first pretended to praise before suddenly throwing her down and crushing her.
And what? Crush them like insects?
"So please, be careful."
"I think you should be the one to be careful..."
"Well then, I'm off. I hope we can spar tomorrow."
After shooting Mira a sharp glance, Aire exited the Student Council office.
As the frozen atmosphere barely began to thaw with her departure, Rika and Begun, and even Graham, who was usually as stoic as a stone Buddha, let out quiet sighs of relief.
"Wow, these first-years are no joke..."
"Well, it's precisely because they're 'no joke' first-years that they were promoted to Vice President."
The couple of Rika and Begun, who always claimed they weren't a couple but were still clinging to each other at this very moment, each chimed in.
"Kyah-hat."
Shatie, who had been observing the love triangle battle between the man and women with interest, let out her characteristic laugh and, slitting her Evil One-specific red pupils vertically, said to Ban Yuwon.
"True Dragons are more possessive of their treasures, Planning Director. Just so you know."
"That—I think I understand that a little."
It was a rather flattering expression, comparing Ban Yuwon himself to a treasure, but looking at Aire's attitude, he couldn't help but agree to some extent.
He gave a wry smile and sat on the sofa as Mira wished, whereupon Mira half-forcibly pulled his head onto her lap.
In this reversed dynamic, compared to their usual one, he thought perhaps Rucell's influence might be at play.
"Ah—here they go again. I'm leaving!"
"I'm heading home too."
"Why does it always overlap, it's so annoying!"
"That's what I should be saying, Head of External Affairs."
The executive couple, currently in the throes of a passionate romance, putting on a not-so-funny act, exited the Student Council office together.
Graham also, sensing the atmosphere between Ban Yuwon and Mira, swept up the other remaining people in the Student Council office and left.
But Shatie didn't leave, and seeing Mira say nothing about it, Ban Yuwon caught on.
"So, it wasn't just about the two of us hanging out?"
"As expected, you're quick on the uptake."
If it was an issue involving both of them, then perhaps... an alliance.
Mira, along with Shatie, had been devoted to establishing a fairy alliance centered around her home, the A-1 Dimension, since summer vacation, and its results had been steadily emerging in the second semester.
Thanks to that, the two of them, utilizing special activities carried out in teams, frequently went outside even during the semester and were dedicated to gathering the fairy forces together.
The fairy race, who originally had no idea how to cooperate with each other and despised other races as if they were insects, were uniting at a remarkably fast pace to form a new power, thanks to their early recognition of the threat from Crimson Spear and Prominence behind them.
All of this—Ban Yuwon, Mira... and though it was a desperate measure, it could be said to be an achievement Kettra helped bring about.
"So, what is it? Has something come up where the fairy race needs me?"
"Lie down and listen, my prince."
As Ban Yuwon asked, recalling that the two of them had just returned from a special activity last week, Mira gently pushed him back down onto her lap as he tried to sit up, and said.
While he obediently lay his head on her lap and pondered whether or not to object to the 'prince' moniker, Mira slightly furrowed her brows and spoke.
"You might have to come to my dimension soon."
"You're making it sound so difficult just to invite me over. Alright, I'm not sure how it'll work out since I have prior engagements, but I'll pick a day during vacation and—"
"As soon as possible. I'll introduce you as my fiancé and the representative of the anti-Prominence support forces."
Ban Yuwon paused at her words for a moment but soon gave his answer.
"Yes, I suppose that makes sense."
The fairy race is currently fleeing from the evil clutches of Prominence, who schemes to use them, and gathering in the A-1 Dimension.
Believing that merely forming interdimensional alliances wouldn't be enough to perfectly escape the threat of the Ten Great Families, a great racial migration was underway under the consensus of all fairies.
As the A-1 Dimension represents the A-rank dimensions, it boasts abundant Mana and vast scale that doesn't fall behind even the S-rank dimensions, of which there are only ten across all dimensions.
Therefore, gathering the fairy race itself would not be a difficult task.
The problem was the fairies' collective will implied by this great migration.
Having left their homes, the fairies gathered in the A-1 Dimension could not remain there indefinitely.
Everyone would know that this alone was merely a temporary measure.
Therefore, before the great migration occurred, they must have naturally reached another agreement.
An agreement that, in order for the fairies who 'sought refuge' in the A-1 Dimension to safely return to their homelands, the fundamental cause threatening their race must be eliminated.
In other words—from the moment the great racial migration began, it was an expected outcome that the fairy race and Prominence would clash on a large scale.
Therefore, Ban Yuwon, who shared the same enemy as them, and furthermore, the Rebel Force mercenary group, which included Ban Yumi, could become allies.
'It's not as if the fairy race would directly speak with my sister or the Rebel Force, with whom they have no connection. In that case, cooperating through me, who has a connection with Mira, the fairy princess, would be the simplest way...'
Since it was something he had somewhat expected, he wasn't surprised.
What bothered him, however, was this:
"Are the fairies already thinking of clashing with them? That can't be, can it?"
"Already, junior? Do you think interdimensional clashes are decided in a single battle? An ambush in a favorable situation, annihilating the enemy overnight, is only possible in a siege warfare on the scale of a small city. This war... considering Crimson Spear is also involved, expect it to start with small-scale skirmishes and easily last two years."
"Two years..."
As Shatie discussed a specific duration, the decisive battle with Prominence, which he had only vaguely considered until now, felt more real and pressed down on him.
Ban Yuwon, feeling a headache coming on, said.
"Then what? Are we going during the semester, by any chance?"
"Hm? You went alone to that childish, troublesome lady's hometown, you're not saying you can't come to my hometown, are you?"
Mira's hand, gently stroking Ban Yuwon's head on her lap, remained unchanged, but she couldn't hide the slight pout in her eyes.
Her strong jealousy was also proof of her deep affection for Ban Yuwon.
Only a prince could truly care for the princess's heart, tender and delicate, and prickly to boot, so before Mira could get even more upset, he raised his hand and gently caressed her smooth cheek, placating her.
"Of course not. I was planning to properly prepare to visit and be recognized as a suitable son-in-law, but I'm just disappointed that I won't be able to do that."
"Preparations."
His words seemed to have been effective, as a sudden warmth bloomed on Mira's pale cheeks.
Even her eyes seemed to gain a new light.
"What kind of preparations were you going to make? I want to hear it."
"Ah—"
Shatie, sensing Mira attempting to deploy the unique 'territory' of cringeworthy couples, feigning cuteness with a nasal voice, frantically broadcast interference waves.
"Aaaah—We were supposed to talk about work today, work!"
"Ah... Shatie, you're interfering."
"I really just want to hit you once... with Authority."
"That's not hitting, that's an explosion."
At Ban Yuwon's cool retort, Shatie glared at him idly.
In any case, Mira, who had regained her composure thanks to Shatie, cleared her throat, *ahem*, and finally got down to business.
"Actually, there's nothing for you to worry about. Everyone will know that you are more than qualified—no, overflowing with qualifications—to be my fiancé. After all, the A-1 Dimension is one of the dimensions with the most Union Net users."
"Do the fairies also watch the Rebellion channel, by any chance?"
"Of course. Especially your recent performance was quite impressive even to the haughty fairy race."
At the mention of 'recently,' what Ban Yuwon recalled was the grand comeback he made while confronting Woohyeolrin.
"...No one among them would have recognized that I used the power Kettra had left behind to deploy Changeling, right?"
"If they knew a human had handled Changeling in any way, they would certainly like it, not dislike it."
Indeed, is this the thought pattern of a 'psycho race' renowned throughout the universe?
Even as Ban Yuwon thought such things, he calmly nodded and accepted her words.
"I understand it's something that can't be delayed. So I'll go. The problem is whether the Chancellor's permission will come through—but I think it'll be fine."
"Don't make such a serious face already. Throughout our long history, there have been many powerful figures who coveted the beauty and power of our fairy race. Although it's the first time a lunatic has appeared trying to achieve a grand feat by sacrificing the fairy race on a large scale, we can still overcome it."
Mira saw through the fact that even as he pondered how to deal with Prominence, he hadn't yet included the fairy race in his plans.
Her saying that the fairy race wouldn't be outmatched by Prominence was probably an attempt to alleviate his burden.
Could he cooperate so easily with the fairy race?
Even while fighting together against them and Prominence, could he lead the flow of events to what his sister and he wanted—?
Such worries still remained, but Mira stretched out a long finger and smoothed out the wrinkles on his forehead.
"Save the unsolvable worries for later, and for now, rest with me. I'll tell you as soon as the date is set."
"—Wait a minute."
Surprisingly, at that moment, Shatie once again shouted 'Stop.'
Since all the important talk was done, Mira, who was now fully intending to enjoy some quality time as a couple, raised her head with a serious intention of chasing her away—
"When you talk with the fairy race, it would be reassuring to have one more force on your side, wouldn't it? The forces you can immediately bring along are just Team Rebellion, the Union Journey Club, or the mercenary group, right?"
Shatie said this with a determined expression.
Perhaps she had been biding her time all day to say these words.
"Shatie?"
"Thanks to you, junior, a possibility has emerged. A quite significant opportunity, too grand to merely call a 'possibility.'"
"Shatie..."
Ban Yuwon, quickly realizing what she was talking about, saw his gaze become serious.
Of course, Mira too, who had been with her at the moment she obtained that 'opportunity,' had a rough idea.
"What kind of force are you planning to create with your Authority, Shatie?"
"I'm going to prove myself, Mira. ...to my parents. And I'm going to acquire a legion."
"Parents, you say."
"So, will you come with me, junior? Before Mira... to my hometown. ...to the A-4 Dimension."
It was a confession of a lifetime, and a 'repayment' unique to the Evil One, meticulous in their contracts.
But before he could answer her words, Ban Yuwon inadvertently recalled this thought.
Didn't you say last time that you weren't from a high-ranking dimension?
Surely you didn't mean you weren't from a high-ranking dimension just because it wasn't an S-rank dimension?
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