I got into school for nothing - Chapter 78
I got into school for nothing (78)
Lesson 17. How to Clear a Trick Room - 3
Sunday afternoon, the Rebellion members, including Professor Yumina, gathered in a doorless lecture hall.
It was time for a debriefing on their third Tower exploration.
“From now on, let’s just leave everything to Ban Yuwon.”
In the silence, Dokgo Yeon suddenly spoke in a grumpy voice.
The witch hunt—no, the outcome of the trial in Room 23—had resulted in seven more NPCs dying. Since three of them were indeed murderers, Ban Yuwon gained 3 points of Judgment and 0.3 points of Constellation's Stigma.
The problem was that they had no idea how many more murderers they would have to kill until it ended.
‘It was around then that people got scared, making it difficult to proceed with the trial.’
In the end, they had failed to clear Room 23.
At least they hadn't been 'Lost,' so they could challenge it again when they re-entered next Friday, but...
Ban Yuwon tilted his head and asked her,
“Are you sure about that? I actually quite agreed with your point about needing to improve the party members’ crisis management skills.”
“It was overzealous.”
Dokgo Yeon replied curtly, glaring at the other two party members—Rucell and Light.
Yes, he quickly grasped what she meant by "overzealous."
And for good reason, as Rucell and Light had been utterly useless during the successive trials.
Even if one wanted to develop their abilities, there had to be at least a minimum of will and aptitude, wouldn't there?
However, Rucell, feeling Dokgo Yeon’s gaze, narrowed her eyes and retorted,
“I’ll stay by Yuwon’s side forever. While I do wish to make up for what Yuwon lacks...”
“You won’t get involved in matters Ban Yuwon can resolve on his own?”
“Yes. And I don’t have the ability to.”
Rucell's statement, imbued with such resolute determination, made even Ban Yuwon feel a little embarrassed.
“Dokgo Yeon, I think I understand what you were trying to do this time, but... wasn’t that a misstep? I’m worried you might trip and fall.”
“Beast...!”
Dokgo Yeon and Rucell exchanged silent glances.
Ban Yuwon couldn't understand at all why the expression "misstep" had come up in that context.
For someone who wields the Authority of Language, why is it that he sometimes couldn't understand their conversations?
Lost in thought, Ban Yuwon turned his gaze to Light.
His expression was utterly miserable.
“I don’t particularly want to stick with you forever, but I certainly don’t want to go through all that trouble doing something you could handle yourself! Especially not something like this last time!”
“Compared to those two, it’s refreshing how honest you are.”
“It was incredibly tough! For my heart!”
While Rucell had merely maintained an attitude of leaving all judgment to Ban Yuwon in Room 23, Light had been uncooperative with the trial itself from beginning to end.
Even though he knew it was all fake, he couldn't accept putting innocent people on trial.
“I hate overthinking things and I hate falsely accusing people. If I’d drawn my Holy Sword, we could have cleared the Trick Room in one go!”
“Coming from the guy who charged in with his Holy Sword last time and got Lost in the Trick Room, you sure talk a lot.”
“Oh, this is truly fascinating. How did you come up with such an unconventional exploration...”
Just as the Rebellion members were bickering as usual, Yumina, who had been reviewing the video Tikke recorded, chuckled and made that remark.
“Huh?”
“I never imagined you’d attempt a direct assault here. How did you even think of something like this?”
“Well, there was no other way...”
“That can’t be true. Inciting the citizens to hold a trial—no one else but Ban Yuwon would ever conceive of such an idea.”
“““Oh...?”””
The group’s gaze simultaneously fixed on Ban Yuwon.
Yumina, still unable to stop chuckling, as if finding it all immensely amusing, recounted the optimal solution she had confirmed while watching the video.
“In a Trick Room with restricted activity, you should first meticulously check every possible element. Then you could have surely found clues necessary to clear the room. But didn’t you all just charge straight into the small town without even properly searching the room?”
“That’s because it was the fastest and simplest... Ah.”
Only after hearing Yumina’s words did Ban Yuwon make an ‘Aha!’ expression.
It was while listening to her that he finally realized his mistake.
‘I said I’d leave it to the party members, but then I needlessly brought up the Mafia game, which ended up making the group move according to my way. And I didn't even have confirmation that Room 23 was modeled after a Mafia game!’
What if he hadn't mentioned Earth's games to Dokgo Yeon?
The exploration would naturally have proceeded with the party members exploring various parts of Room 23, searching for clues to advance.
Even when entering the small town, if he hadn't needlessly made remarks that sowed discord among the people, there wouldn't have been a ridiculous witch hunt, arbitrarily hanging people...
Of course, it would have taken much longer, but that's how other climbers usually cleared the rooms!
“Wow, this was entirely my mistake...”
“Mistake? It just made things more interesting. You challenged it in an ingenious way that no other student could even imagine, didn’t you?”
To think she would call it "interesting" even though so many innocent people were instantly hanged.
As expected, Yumina, too, seemed to view NPCs as just that—NPCs.
“Even leading to the ‘trial’ method, which bypassed the Trick Room’s restrictions, was truly excellent. If you had just a little more time, you could have neatly cleared Room 23 with this absurd trial. That’s my only regret.”
“But that wasn’t the correct answer, was it? Forcing it like this—”
Just as Ban Yuwon was about to say more about the mistake he had made, a heavy thud—resounded.
Dokgo Yeon had slammed her head on the table.
“Ah, Aaaagh...!”
“Dokgo Yeon...?”
“See? I told you it was a misstep.”
While Ban Yuwon and Light widened their eyes, failing to understand her actions, Rucell alone covered her face with one hand and chuckled softly, teasing Dokgo Yeon.
Dokgo Yeon, on this rare occasion, groaned without being able to properly refute Rucell’s teasing.
“As one meant to stand above others, to make such a foolish mistake...”
“Dokgo Yeon? I thought this was more my mistake than yours. I said I’d leave it to you all, but then I interfered excessively.”
“No, it’s my mistake. Because I was excessively swayed by your casual words and actions, losing my normal judgment, and impulsively forced a direct assault...”
Well, that certainly was surprising.
Dokgo Yeon charging towards the small town without anyone having a chance to stop her was truly like a bulldozer.
Moreover, it was she who had incited the people, alongside Ban Yuwon, to conduct the witch hunt.
But it was too late to regret it now, and given Yumina’s reaction, the response probably wouldn't be too bad even if this video were uploaded as is, so he thought Dokgo Yeon didn’t need to blame herself so much, but...
—Thump! Dokgo Yeon slammed her head on the table again.
“It was a complete failure. I shouldn’t have been swayed like that. That mercenary, I’ll tear him to shreds someday...!”
“Eh? A mercenary? What mercenary?”
“Yuwon, please pretend you don’t know. There are times when you just have to quietly observe a woman.”
“Oh, right...”
Despite being flustered by the strangely seductive twinkle in Rucell’s eyes as she said that, Ban Yuwon nodded.
But whether Dokgo Yeon hadn’t heard her, or simply lost the courage to face Ban Yuwon or Rucell—she fiddled with her pendant and vanished from the spot.
She had fled.
“I’ve been listening quietly and thinking, and it means Dokgo Yeon is stupid, right?”
“You’re still worse than her, though.”
“What—?!”
Ban Yuwon, who had been staring blankly and then chided Light, who was trying to tease Dokgo Yeon in some way, let out a short sigh and said,
“Then next week, when we enter the Tower, we’ll have to look for some clues. Since we can’t operate within the city at night anyway, we’ll have to move outside during that time.”
“You won’t be able to enter the Tower next week, Ban Yuwon.”
“Huh?”
Yumina, who had continued to enjoy watching the video, said, as if suddenly remembering.
“Because it’s midterm exam period. Next week, and the week after. All sorts of written assignments and practical evaluations will be flooding in.”
“That’s not what I wanted to hear... But isn’t that too fast?”
This week was the fourth week (and since they couldn’t enter last week due to special activities, this was, in effect, only the third time they’d entered the Tower). If the exams were until the week after next, it meant the midterms would conclude in the sixth week.
If the final exams were the same, that would be the twelfth week.
Meaning one semester was only three months long.
“Final exams are a bit longer, until the fourteenth week. As special activities and Tower climbing also take place during vacations, our Academy allocates a relatively long vacation period.”
“Ah, so we can climb the Tower during vacation too. In that case, well...”
“Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s possible for the entire vacation. Still, long-term expeditions lasting a full two weeks will take place, so be sure to prepare thoroughly.”
Hearing that the highest record was Room 561, he thought it would be impossible if they only went in on weekends, even if it was until graduation.
But if long-term climbing was possible during vacation, that changed things.
“Oh, midterms...”
“Yuwon, I believe in you...!”
Next to Ban Yuwon, who was already sparkling his eyes in anticipation of vacation, Light and Rucell were trembling as if they’d developed a trauma from the word "midterms."
Ban Yuwon flicked their foreheads once with his finger and rose from his seat.
“Since Dokgo Yeon ran off, let’s end this debriefing here. As for the distribution of roles among party members, I’ll have to talk to her again later.”
“Ah, Ban Yuwon. Before that, there’s something we need to discuss.”
“Aren’t you going to have dinner with me again tonight anyway?”
“Hee hee, that’s a given, buuut...”
Rucell intensely glared at Yumina, who was fluttering her petal-like hair and smiling, like a wolf eyeing a vulnerable prey.
Yumina, of course, paid Rucell no mind and continued speaking.
“Before we upload this video, there’s something I need to tell you. As you might roughly expect, this sanctification phenomenon that occurred in Room 17 must never be captured on video.”
“Ah, you’re right. Then, what about the sponsorships received from the two Constellations...?”
“Cleverly edit it to look like you received them in Room 9. They’re the same Constellations, after all, aren’t they?”
Having said that much, Yumina let out a fresh sigh.
“But how do you always pick the most outrageous things to do? To receive two unconditional sponsorships from Constellations.”
“Uh... will it really cause an uproar?”
“At least it attracts less attention since they aren’t combat ability sponsorships, but still, two at once.”
Ban Yuwon was certain that the abilities he’d received from the two Constellations were far more impressive than any clumsy combat ability, though he wasn’t sure why, but he decided not to mention it now.
“Unconditional sponsorships are, in a way, more significant than a contract with a Constellation. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Yes, to some extent.”
“Well, it might silence the other students and professors who still don’t acknowledge you. Still, I’d prefer if you kept it hidden.”
Yumina pouted her rosy lips.
“Even if no one else, the Chancellor and Professor Zenon will definitely figure it out...”
“I guess so.”
If he couldn’t hide it, it was better to be bold. Flaunting his abilities to the public wasn't such a bad idea either, to prevent instances like Ortima underestimating him and challenging him again.
“Hmph, let’s discuss this again over dinner tonight. You all worked hard. Get some rest.”
“...Professor, may I join you for dinner tonight?”
At this timing, Rucell’s audacious remark, which no one expected.
In fact, since returning from the special activity, Rucell had already designated Yumina as her perfect enemy.
An enemy with 'love' attached.
“Oh my.”
Yumina heard that and seemed to sparkle her unique jewel-like eyes and smile,
“I’m sorry. As I just said, I have something I want to discuss with Ban Yuwon alone tonight about Constellations.”
And with that, she casually brushed Rucell aside.
“Let’s have a meal together another time. Of course, Light and Dokgo Yeon too. I’m very much looking forward to it.”
“....”
“....”
However, her words only deepened the suspicions of Rucell and Light.
Ban Yuwon tilted his head, seeing the strange tension brewing between the women, but there was, of course, no way to find an answer...
—Constellation [Clock of the Toy Legion] munches on popcorn, delighted by the unexpected scene.
—Constellation [Breath of Life] is satisfied, saying that you indeed possess the quality to give birth to life.
The timing of these bastards popping up is just perfect!
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