Why Did I Have to Enroll

Why Did I Have to Enroll - Chapter 182

Lesson 36. How Are You Feeling Now? - 2

“Alright, now that the crisis seems to have passed, shall we tidy up this desolate land?”

Yumina landed gracefully on the ground, drawing everyone’s attention, and snapped her fingers with a bright smile. Instantly, the thorny vine, several kilometers long, which had pierced through the Predator’s body, scattered seeds throughout its corpse and then crumbled away.

However, the seeds planted in various parts of the Predator’s carcass soon blossomed into tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of flowers. The sight of the massive creature’s body shrinking rapidly as it was drained of nutrients was eerily unsettling.

“No, this isn’t the time to just stand and watch.”

While it’s beneficial to return the Predator’s nutrients to the earth, wouldn’t it be alright for Ban Yu-won to intercept some of the concepts that aren’t particularly helpful to the star’s environment? Yes, like Excavation.

[You have obtained Excavation 1,325.]

“Life really is about seizing the moment.”

Ban Yu-won ignored the incredulous looks from others and landed Lilith back on the ground. A massive hole had been left in the ground, drawing in the surrounding forest, where the Predator had emerged. As the group landed nearby, a small hand drill emerged from the hole.

―Vrrrrrr

“Ah, you came knowing it’s feeding time.”

Ban Yu-won finally fed all the Excavation concepts to Abyss, who had returned after completing all its tasks. Normally, growth has its limits, but thanks to its perfect compatibility with the concept, Abyss devoured the blindingly bright [Excavation] entirely, despite its overwhelming depth.

Then, it transformed from a hand drill into a step drill, reminiscent of something out of a comic book, perfectly matching Ban Yu-won’s romantic desires. Practicality was no issue since Ban Yu-won could supplement it with his powers.

“What is that?”

“A pet drill.”

“A pet drill…”

Abyss, despite not being granted Life by him, could move with a sense of self, having been born from the Solitude Formula. Like most of Ban Yu-won’s familiars, it floated freely in the air, leaving Dokgo Yeon speechless.

“Spread!”

Meanwhile, Yumina’s work was progressing. The countless flowers blooming on the Predator’s corpse transformed into small feather-like seeds, spreading in all directions on the wind Yumina created. Some dissolved into the air, some clung to nearby trees, and others burrowed into the ground.

Though they took the form of flowers, they were merely a spell efficiently returning the Predator’s energy to the world.

“Phew, it’s almost done.”

Yumina returned after completing the grand task with ease, smiling brightly as she checked on each member of Rebellion to ensure they were alright.

“All the Protection artifacts are broken…”

“But was it okay for the professor to handle that bug just now? Unlike the dimensional pirates, that creature originally belonged to this star…”

“Think about it. Could a graduating class handle a world where a bug capable of devouring an entire star runs rampant? The E-1 dimension possesses potential and mana density that can’t be called a lower dimension. It’s recognized as a special case, so there’s no need to worry about this evaluation score.”

Yumina assured them with a bright smile, suggesting that with the video Ban Yu-won recorded with Tike and a proper report, they could easily receive the highest score. Behind her cheerful demeanor, Ban Yu-won sensed the shadow of power but decided not to delve deeper.

“So, what happened to Ryu Cheol-myeong?”

Was Yumina also monitoring their situation? Ban Yu-won replied with a wry smile when he noticed she referred to Ryu Cheol-myeong by name alone.

“He’s gone now.”

“Not even a body left? It would be good to have something to prove his death.”

“If that’s the case.”

Mira handed over the greatsword she had kept to Yumina. Upon confirming it, Yumina’s face lit up, and she cleared her throat before declaring.

“I confirm the illicit involvement of former Academy professor Ryu Cheol-myeong. As a full professor, I promise to prove your damages and take appropriate compensation measures from Ryu Cheol-myeong’s seized assets.”

“So, it’s already been seized.”

“We’ve been monitoring him for suspicion since before, even without evidence. We’re also investigating his connections with the dimensional pirate group, but the trail suddenly went cold…”

Yumina’s expression turned icy for a moment.

“His accomplice must have anticipated Ryu Cheol-myeong’s end and pulled out in advance. I have a guess who it might be, but… unfortunately, there’s no evidence.”

Despite the Union’s executive branch, including Yumina, moving as quickly as possible, the trail had been cut off, indicating that Ryu Cheol-myeong was intended as a sacrificial pawn from the beginning. Even Ban Yu-won wondered what Ryu Cheol-myeong had been relying on to act so brazenly.

“Surprisingly, the more life experience one has, and the stronger they become, the more they tend to make such foolish mistakes.”

Yumina spoke with a bitter smile, as if reading his mind. Shati flinched at hearing Yumina speak informally to Ban Yu-won for the first time, but Yumina’s gaze remained focused solely on him.

“When you’re weak, you desperately use your wits to survive, but once you reach a certain level of strength, your sense of crisis dulls. The more others praise you, the more you overestimate yourself and underestimate danger.”

Those who survive several dangerous experiences tend to fall into one misconception: that they are the protagonist of the world and can cleverly handle whatever comes their way. As such experiences repeat, they become bolder, their unchecked confidence swells, and eventually, they make foolish choices that lead to their downfall.

“Ryu Cheol-myeong was probably the same. He actually succeeded in abducting students from lower dimensions several times in the past…”

Yumina’s expression was indescribable as she muttered a few words that Ban Yu-won could barely catch, likely curses. Seeing this, Ban Yu-won repeated a question he had asked her several times before.

“Why didn’t the Dean stop him earlier?”

“Indeed, why…”

Ban Yu-won was taken aback by Yumina’s unexpected response, having anticipated she would refute his words in some way.

“Why did the Dean leave such a person alone… I want to ask, but I can’t.”

“Sister?”

“…Shall we head back now?”

“Before that.”

Just as Yumina was about to change the subject, avoiding Ban Yu-won’s gaze, someone stepped forward and grabbed her arm. It was Slothia.

“Let’s talk.”

“Huh?”

Slothia’s eyes were fiercely sparkling. As Yumina blinked in confusion, Slothia closed the distance between them and… bowed her head.

“Master.”

““Master?!””

With the help of Yumina, a master of plant magic, the hole in the star of Jade was filled with greenery in just a few hours. Naturally, the newly filled area was incorporated into the territory of the Wolf Fang Tribe, which, having safely overcome the crisis, doubled its power compared to other tribes, solidifying its position as the ruler of the star.

Initially, Ban Yu-won and his group planned to stay on Jade for a few more days to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, but in the end, it wasn’t necessary. Without delay, on the very afternoon the Avatar was defeated, emissaries from each tribe appeared waving white flags, and before nightfall, the leaders of the star’s powerful tribes had all gathered in the Wolf Fang Tribe’s territory.

The fact that the chieftains themselves entered the Wolf Fang Tribe’s territory was tantamount to declaring they entrusted their lives to the Wolf Fang Tribe.

“Our Rabbit Foot Tribe… pledges allegiance to the Wolf Fang Tribe.”

“The Monkey Hand Tribe also acknowledges defeat and pledges allegiance to the Wolf Fang Tribe.”

Was it because the Constellation’s Avatar had fallen and its influence had weakened? The leaders of the other tribes, appearing drained, willingly knelt before Canid. This act of submission, akin to choosing a master, held far greater binding power than a mere magical contract, ensuring they could never defy the hierarchy once the ceremony was performed.

Canid, too, was pleased to accept their surrender, as it allowed him to bring potential threats under his control without spilling blood.

“I am the leader of the Ghost Horn Tribe. Did your tribe truly defeat the Avatar of the Forest’s ruler?”

The Ghost Horn chieftain, the strongest both in terms of power and personal strength among the gathered leaders, had an impressive appearance with horns and a mane reminiscent of a mix between a Korean goblin and a lion. Frankly, he didn’t seem to be inferior to Canid in terms of strength.

‘I wonder what kind of star this is, with Canid and even Lucia included, making three descendants of divine beasts… Not to mention the emergence of the Predator, I can’t feel at ease about the future.’

At this point, one might wonder why he wasn’t chosen as the Constellation’s Avatar… Perhaps he had wisely withdrawn, recognizing it as a sacrificial pawn from the start.

Canid, meeting his sharp gaze, responded with a confident smile.

“Indeed, my son-in-law, Ban Yu-won, personally dealt with it.”

“…”

All eyes in the room turned to Ban Yu-won. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t Ban Yu-won alone; Luciel, who had awakened the Wildness Heart Furnace, and Celon, the master of Light Magic Power, were also involved, and the finishing blow was delivered by Abyss, the embodiment of the Excavation concept. However, considering that everyone and everything mentioned belonged to Ban Yu-won, he chose not to deny it.

Perhaps sensing something in Ban Yu-won, the Ghost Horn chieftain nodded and knelt before him.

“Indeed, you possess an extraordinary soul. If this man is the future of the Wolf Fang Tribe, I have no reason to hesitate in pledging my allegiance. I will stand with the Wolf Fang Tribe forever.”

“Huh? I’m the future?”

“At least for our child.”

Luciel whispered loudly into his ear, linking her arm with his. At that moment, everyone in the meeting place, including the members of the Wolf Fang Tribe and the leaders of the other tribes who had pledged allegiance, erupted in cheers.

No, it sounds like Luciel is pregnant right now…!

“…Isn’t she?”

“Well, we should at least graduate first.”

“Thank goodness…”

But is it really fortunate? In five years, the future is practically set in stone… Ban Yu-won, sensing an unavoidable fate, tilted his head in confusion.

Wait, am I the master here? Or a slave?

“Hmm, as a token of loyalty, I’d like to offer my daughter as a concubine to Ban Yu-won…”

Don’t add any more. Please, stop.

The banquet celebrating the grand tribal alliance continued throughout the night. Everyone enjoyed the food and drinks, chatting loudly. Mira couldn’t blend into the atmosphere, nor did she intend to. It felt strange to see Shati, a true outsider, mingling in the midst of the chaos, happily drinking and chatting.

But she wanted to be alone for now, so it was just as well. She found a quiet tree and perched on a branch.

“Phew…”

Sipping fruit wine while listening to the distant voices from the plaza below as background noise, Mira recalled the contents of Ketra’s report, which she had reviewed with Ban Yu-won after the battle.

He had been part of the Crimson Spear since before admission, leading a project to strengthen a specific dimension by sacrificing the Fairy race. And at the core of the project was Mira herself, the princess of the Fairy race.

‘No, it’s different. The moment I enrolled, I became the core of the project.’

The more connections made with fellow Fairies and students, the higher the success rate of the Changeling. Ketra approached Mira for that reason—to facilitate the abduction plan using the Changeling.

In the end, their relationship was a web of lies from start to finish.

―However.

He ultimately revealed the project’s existence to Mira and chose to sacrifice himself and die in her place. Ryu Cheol-myeong’s plan to draw in Exodus must have been a perfect opportunity for him. It allowed him to catch both the Crimson Spear and Exodus and guide their actions.

The outcome was as he intended. Perhaps it wasn’t purely out of feelings for Mira. It was likely Ketra’s will as a Fairy to die.

“Even if it was a lie, if you couldn’t let go until death, was it the truth…”

Mira pondered about Ketra. She could now admit it. The reason she wanted to disregard Ketra wasn’t out of loyalty to Ban Yu-won. ‘I just wanted to pretend my failed past never happened. I wanted to have a grand and perfect first love with Yu-won again.’

After all, no matter how much she tried to sugarcoat it, her first love’s ending was the worst. Even though Ketra had planned to abduct her, she had tried to curse him before knowing that fact. It was a mess, ugly and dirty.

But Ban Yu-won accepted all of it. Thanks to him, Mira could genuinely repent and apologize. Before Ketra cowardly finished his atonement alone and escaped through death, she could bow her head to him. She could express her gratitude.

“Yu-won.”

Ignoring it doesn’t make it disappear. The shackles that clung to her ankles, weighing her down throughout her daily life, finally fell away when she honestly acknowledged everything. Ban Yu-won must have known this and pushed her at the decisive moment.

Mira was now free, her self whole and mature. She could love Ban Yu-won more confidently.

“Yu-won…”

She couldn’t resist. She wanted to be in Ban Yu-won’s arms right now. Tonight, she wanted to truly give him her all.

―Need help?

“I won’t let you ruin this love too.”

―Believe it or not, I’ve always been rooting for you.

“Shut up, Gravekeeper.”

Mira chuckled and stood up, running her fingers through her luscious black hair and smiling seductively.

“Even I can manage to lure a man into bed now.”