I got into school for nothing - 28
I got into school for nothing (28)
Lesson 7. It's definitely not because I like you - 3
When Ban Yuwon returned to his room, he saw Light sitting there, having pulled a chair out only a tiny bit from the table, and then, for some reason, squeezing himself into that narrow gap, remaining perfectly still.
When I visit a friend's house, their cat always does that.
They find the narrowest gap possible and squeeze their body into it.
Apparently, they find a sense of stability there, or something.
I never thought I'd understand it, not being a cat myself, but to think there was a cat-whisperer right here.
“......”
While lost in thought, their eyes met.
“You're quite skilled, how did you manage to squeeze into such a tight space?”
“Ban, are you trying to tease me by saying my physique isn't manly enough?”
He had never thought about it, but Light's build was indeed delicate.
However, Ban Yuwon considered that a natural thing, so he had no intention of teasing him about it, either.
Wait a minute, does he seriously still think he hasn't been found out?
“I wasn't thinking that at all.”
“...I'm sorry. It was just frustration, really. You can scold me.”
“I don't intend to scold you...”
Ban Yuwon sighed in reply, then went to pull out the opposite chair and sit down, only to realize he hadn't showered yet since returning from the dungeon.
Noticing his hesitation, Light spoke.
“I haven't showered either, so don't worry about it.”
“I'm worried about me. I smell.”
“I kind of dislike you.”
If I say "I dislike you too" now, he'll definitely sulk.
Ban Yuwon detested illogicality, but he knew well that sometimes, there were illogicalities one simply had to accept and move past.
If you don't acknowledge that, communication with a 'woman' is impossible.
So, that's just his experience, mind you.
‘Alright, I'm ready.’
Realizing there was no escape, Ban Yuwon obediently pulled out a chair and sat down.
He felt like sighing at Light's clear gaze fixed intently on his face, but he held it back and spoke.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
“It's just a grumble, like talking to myself.”
“A grumble you want someone to listen to, I imagine.”
“Do you really feel better if you pick at every little thing like that?”
Ban Yuwon decided to zip his mouth shut.
Acknowledge illogicality.
Just acknowledge it.
As Ban Yuwon waited silently, Light pouted but began to speak nonetheless.
“You might not believe me, but even in my world, I was considered a top-tier talent.”
“......”
“It's not a lie. My fath... my father, my mother, my siblings, everyone. They all marvelled at my talent and praised me.”
“......”
“That's why I was able to contract with this Holy Sword, a national treasure. Everyone had expectations for me. Everyone relied only on me...”
Your Majesty, king of some unnamed country in some unnamed dimension, are you sure this is alright?
It seems your daughter is spilling her identity all over the place.
Seriously, which family passes down a Holy Sword as a family heirloom for generations?
Just say it's a country! You could just say it's a small country!
Trying to hide it only makes me more curious about what kind of country it is!
“But what is this?”
Light's voice rose slightly, then softened again.
“What right does that thing have to treat me, me, as dead weight...?”
“Just a pathetic fool of a Constellation who thinks everyone will listen to them if they just say they're a Constellation.”
“You can say that. You...”
Oh no, I was trying to play along and ended up provoking him again!
“You were chosen, so you have the right to ignore it. But me? I've only become a glorified extra for the two who were chosen by a Constellation. An extra who just dies right away!”
“That hasn't even happened, and that 'choice' was entirely that damn Constellation's whim. If you let yourself be swayed by it, that's exactly why you're weak-minded...”
“Yes, I am weak-minded.”
Damn it.
Light's self-deprecation, having fully entered negative mode, had no bottom!
“It's a Constellation. A transcendent being, infinitely stronger and knowing far more than humans. I don't understand how you, or Dokgo Yeon, could so easily disregard it.”
Completely disheartened, Light hunched further into himself and mumbled.
“But I can't be like that. I'm sorry, Ban. There's no point in telling you all this.”
“What are friends for? This much is perfectly...”
“Are we friends?”
The moment he heard that, Ban Yuwon froze and thought.
I knew he lacked tact, but seriously... couldn't I just hit this guy once?
But looking at Light's expression, it wasn't the kind of vibe where he was about to say, "You thought we were friends? Go buy me some bread, you punk."
If anything, he looked a little moved.
“You thought of me as a friend... Thank you.”
“Yeah, we're friends. If you're thankful, don't think such ridiculous thoughts anymore. What are you even saying, someone who's already much stronger than me?”
“You've caught up to a third of my entire life's progress in just one day, what are you talking about...?”
Light grumbled, staring intently at Ban Yuwon.
It was as if waves surged within his deep blue eyes.
“It was the same with the Giant Spider. While I was struggling and fighting hard, you grew by leaps and bounds even during the battle, and ended up finishing it off much more cleanly than I did.”
During today's battle, Light's combat power sharply declined the moment his sword became entangled in the spider's web.
It was from that moment that the young swordsman, who possessed both exceptional ability and high self-esteem and confidence, changed his attitude to what it was now.
Anyone who wasn't a fool could see that the problem Light was burdened with was quite serious, and perhaps that was why the Constellation chose Light as a sacrifice.
But Ban Yuwon decided not to discuss that now.
“If you're talking about your sword getting tangled in the spider web, me not getting caught was purely thanks to my abilities, so don't worry too much about it.”
“Normally, that's called talent. You have an abundance of it. Diverse and overwhelming talent...”
Light's expression as he said that looked extremely pained.
Talent? Light, the contractor of a Holy Sword, should also have an overflowing amount of it.
Yet, for some reason, he was looking at Ban Yuwon with an expression of longing for something he didn't possess.
Could it possibly be related to him cross-dressing?
“Even if I had been chosen in that situation,”
Light said, as if to himself.
“Would I have been able to decisively reject that offer like Dokgo Yeon?”
“You...”
“I'm not confident. Because I lack talent. Because I have to do something. To climb the Tower, even a demonic contract...”
Ban Yuwon silently listened to his continuing words.
“So... the thought that if it had been me, I might have sacrificed you two without a second thought, makes my body tremble.”
Light closed his eyes and lowered his head.
He curled his body into a ball, reminiscent of Rucell, and mumbled.
“Honestly, that's what annoys me the most, infuriates me, and frightens me.”
* * *
When Ban Yuwon finished his shower and came out, Light, who had finished showering before him, was already in bed, lying down.
Remembering that his sister also used to eat or take naps to deal with feeling down, Ban Yuwon chuckled softly.
“I'll make some hot chocolate, so if you want to drink it, come out and get it. It's warm and sweet.”
When the cold wind blows, hot chocolate is the best.
It's very effective, whether the wind is outside your window or in your heart.
He poured hot chocolate into a mug he'd imbued with the concept of 'Warmth,' making it a makeshift thermos, and placed it on the table. He smiled, watching Light stubbornly refusing to answer.
Then he went outside.
“Perfect timing. No need to go inside, fortunately.”
“Gasp!”
Dokgo Yeon was in the hallway.
He nearly had a heart attack.
“Why are you here? This is the men's dorm...”
“It's not a crime if you don't get caught. Did you know that?”
Dokgo Yeon smiled alluringly, saying something that sounded familiar, then pointed a finger towards the ceiling.
It probably didn't mean there was a bug up there.
“You want me to follow you to the rooftop?”
“Actually, I went to find the tea house in the annex, but there were too many people, and it wasn't a place where we could talk comfortably. So...”
“So you just broke in here, is that it?”
“Exactly. Shall we go then?”
Of course, he had no right to refuse. The two headed to the rooftop.
Fortunately, they didn't meet anyone else along the way.
The rooftop, which they quickly reached, was also quite prettily decorated with flowerbeds and benches, but similarly, there was no one there.
Perhaps everyone had gone to the library, the training room, or a cafe or restaurant.
Or maybe, after what happened today, everyone was shivering in their rooms.
While he was thinking that, Dokgo Yeon chose a bench and sat down, then patted the spot next to her.
Ban Yuwon sat quietly beside her and spoke.
“So... what did you want to talk about?”
“I came to check on the dead weight.”
“You really...”
It was surprising enough that she cared about Light's condition, but her nonchalant use of "dead weight" was truly astonishing.
What on earth was inside this woman's head? He looked at her with a suspicious gaze, and her eyes narrowed fiercely.
Her eyes, which were already unsettling without whites, became downright lethal when she glared, as if she could kill a person with just a glance.
“That's a rude look.”
“I was just surprised by your word choice, that's all.”
“It's the truth, isn't it? A pathetic fool who only knows how to wield power like an idiot, with zero talent and zero adaptability.”
Ban Yuwon clutched his forehead.
If Light heard this now, wouldn't he try to offer Dokgo Yeon as a blood sacrifice?
“What's so wrong with Light? He's excellent at swordsmanship and has many other abilities.”
“The problem is that all of it is the sword's ability.”
“......”
“Shall I list them one by one? Controlling an opponent's movements when they picked a fight in class was the sword's ability, and summoning wings of light in the Tower was also the sword's ability. His keen senses and combat intuition are also thanks to the sword. You saw it too, didn't you? How his movements drastically slowed down the moment his sword was caught in the spider's web in the Tower.”
Of course, he knew well. His eyes, which perceived concepts, had clearly observed the power originating from the Holy Sword.
But for Dokgo Yeon to catch all of that even without an all-seeing eye...
This incredible observational power, could she really be a teacher?
However, Dokgo Yeon's words weren't even finished there.
“He's already a mess, and if he loses his fighting spirit or tenacity on top of that, it's over. There would truly be no point in having him with us.”
“Hey, either worry or insult, just pick one.”
“Oh, really? Then I'll just insult. A worthless bug, a fool who relies only on form and hasn't even grasped the fringe of intent...”
“I was wrong, stop it.”
Dokgo Yeon let out a snort.
“Still, seeing you defend him like that, it seems you must have consoled him well. With words... or with your body?”
“Don't be ridiculous.”
Dokgo Yeon burst into laughter again at Ban Yuwon's disgusted reply.
But she couldn't keep laughing indefinitely as she watched Ban Yuwon pull a thermos from his pocket and pour its contents into a cup.
“What is that?”
“Just take your hand back and I'll tell you. It's hot chocolate.”
Smelling the sweet scent of cocoa, she had already reached out and tightly clutched the cup.
If he tried to drink it all himself, it looked like a bloody festival would erupt right there, so he meekly poured all the hot chocolate and handed it to her.
“Hoh, hoooooo...”
She took a sip, and the cross in her pupils spun round and round.
Even without saying a word, he could tell she was deeply impressed.
“Indeed, this is how you consoled him...!”
“I hope so. ...So, are you alright?”
“Are you worrying about me now?”
Dokgo Yeon shot Ban Yuwon a contemptuous look, then, after drinking the hot chocolate, returned to a serene expression.
Finally, she let out a deep sigh and asked.
“Did you find out with your ability?”
It was as good as saying she wasn't alright.
“No. It just looked like that on your face.”
“To think I was so weakened that someone who doesn't even properly know me could read me.”
Did these guys make some kind of collective promise? Why are they so desperate to treat their classmate as a stranger?
I really should have gone to S-University. There was even a girl I promised to go to S-University with.
...She was just a classmate, though.
As he reminisced about the past with a sullen expression, Dokgo Yeon sipped her hot chocolate and let out a light sigh.
“I was blaming myself, so you don't need to be disheartened. ...You called it hot chocolate? I can have another cup, right?”
Praising himself for having made a generous amount of hot chocolate, he refilled the cup she extended. She accepted it, unable to hide her delight.
Then, quite nonchalantly, she revealed her inner thoughts.
“It's just, I was a little annoyed. That I had a similar thought to that lowlife, the Observer of All Things.”
“What kind of nonsense are you talking about now?”
Ban Yuwon frowned at her utterly unexpected words.
Dokgo Yeon, without showing any expression, turned away and said firmly.
“In essence, it was the same. I too was considering discarding them if they weren't helpful.”
“How is that like that crazy bitch...!”
“That's why I was more annoyed. What if I had thought more radically, if I had become excessively immersed in the idea of taking only the capable ones to the top, if I had lost myself, swayed by the Tower's magic...”
Even if she hadn't directly killed them, wouldn't she have at least stood by and allowed them to die indirectly?
That's why, as soon as she heard the Observer of All Things' words, she had reacted with excessive anger and rejected it, Dokgo Yeon confessed.
“Is that so.”
“It is.”
“Then you're a fool too.”
“...Ugh!”
At that moment, Dokgo Yeon turned and struck out at him with her palm.
Ban Yuwon saw death reach right before his face, only to dissipate just in time due to her transcendent mana control.
He nearly had a heart attack.
But he didn't even flinch, at least outwardly, and Dokgo Yeon snorted, as if she'd expected it, and continued.
“You, I suppose, think they both have talent?”
“...Of course. No matter how amazing an artifact is, how would you even get here in the first place without your own talent? Your standards are weird. That crazy bitch just had no eye for talent.”
“My standards are weird, you say.”
“Almost all of the 'talent' you talk about is limited to the realm of the mind, the spirit, isn't it?”
Dokgo Yeon did not reply.
She kept pointing out that Light was merely swayed by his sword, but from Ban Yuwon's perspective, Light clearly had an innate knack for wielding a sword.
It was simply that he showed a tendency to rely too heavily on the Authority of the Holy Sword, that outstanding artifact.
He could tell this just by the faint language concepts he read from Light.
The same went for Rucell.
Her physical abilities, combat skills, and overall potential were all absurd, but she couldn't properly control the active concept of Heart Furnace.
The demerit of that was so great that it overshadowed her, but her inherent talent was splendid enough to be called dazzling.
Thus, in Dokgo Yeon's assessment of them as incompetent, her evaluation of their mental state had a far greater influence than their raw talent.
“...Alright, I'll trust you.”
In the end, Dokgo Yeon nodded, taking a step back.
“If we train them, we'll know the results sooner or later. From now on, I will educate them with all my heart. You'll have to cooperate too.”
“By all means. I already had something I wanted to try with Rucell.”
“If, as you say, they can overcome their heart demons and grow, then I will admit you were right.”
“But,” Dokgo Yeon said, her cross-shaped eyes wide open as she stared directly at Ban Yuwon.
“If the results are not to my liking, then you will have to take responsibility.”
“...Huh?”
“The price for making me abandon my thoughts and waste time on those dolts, you'd best start thinking about it now.”
“Huh? Hey, wait a minute.”
Dokgo Yeon didn't answer him and vanished from the spot.
Left alone, Ban Yuwon realized he had put himself on a leash by idly running his mouth. He smacked his lips hard, but words that had already come out couldn't be unsaid.
It was the day a secret contract between Dokgo Yeon and Ban Yuwon began.
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