Chapter 111
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Lesson 23. Even If It's a Lie - 6
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Let's assume that even the most prosperous nations of Earth's medieval Europe had populations of ten million.
Even then, the capital's population would barely reach three hundred thousand.
This country... Santum's capital was no different. The population living within the capital's walls numbered just shy of two hundred thousand.
That was what made it possible.
What?
The national audition!
"Wow, what a sight."
For this soldier recruitment, they'd cleared out the buildings around the capital's largest plaza to create a grand square.
Ban Yu-won stood atop a platform stacked three stories high and looked down at the humans gathered in the plaza.
Even calling it a national audition, it was practically impossible—and unnecessary—to gather every citizen of Santum. So only the capital's residents had assembled here.
'The space for Room 27 is limited to this capital. It's ridiculously vast, of course, but we can assume all allies and enemies are within these walls.'
In the extreme, if everyone in front of him died, Room 27 would be cleared.
Ban Yu-won thought once again that power was the greatest thing.
"We've excluded children under ten, the elderly over sixty, and pregnant women, right?"
"That's right. But beyond that, we've summoned every single person, even those with mobility issues. Without your reputation, it would have been impossible, no matter the king's command. Isn't it astonishing? All these people gathered to receive your blessing!"
"A miracle."
Both miracles and magic existed.
All created by humans.
More precisely, it was the perfect combination of a powerful national authority and an overwhelmingly charismatic, renowned figure that produced this scene today.
Ban Yu-won, feeling the fruits of his month's efforts were far from wasted, shed tears of emotion.
"Now you're even brainwashing yourself. It was only two days in reality, Ban."
"Think in terms of the Tower now."
He hadn't realized it during Room 23, but when rooms took quest form (like all rooms from 23 onward in this exploration), time flow could be accelerated or skipped at will.
Shifts inherently skipped time, but unnecessary lulls during rooms could also be skipped, compressing a month's journey into two days.
Yumina had kindly explained it after watching the footage; otherwise, he'd have overlooked it.
...It was basic knowledge from Tower Studies, but first-years hadn't learned it yet because "no one reaches quest rooms anyway."
"'Blessing of Light'? They came up with that nicely."
"Shh."
Lucelle covered Dokgo Yeon's snarky mouth from behind.
In truth, gathering all capital citizens without backlash was largely because Ban Yu-won had declared he'd bestow a "protection from darkness" blessing using the power of the Constellation of Light.
With the plague (Room 25's theme, a side effect of the Claw of the Dark Forest) and murders souring public sentiment,
who would refuse when the famed contractor of Light, who'd roamed the nation solving every issue, offered a personal blessing?
Of course, the Wing and Claw contractors wouldn't have come willingly.
But what could they do? It was too late to resist now!
This was an official national summons, accepted by all citizens. Sneaking away wasn't possible.
Thus, every suspect was gathered here.
"Now it's your turn."
"Understood."
Ban Yu-won stood at the platform's center, looking down at the citizens, and opened his mouth.
He didn't forget to use amplification language magic so his voice echoed across the entire plaza.
"Greetings, citizens of Santum. I stand here today to put your minds at ease. To repel disease and death, to bring light to the city."
Sell a few medicines, and you can swap cold pills for miracle cures.
After breezing through Rooms 24, 25, and 26 in two real days, Ban Yu-won's silver tongue was sharper than ever. Even before he got to the point, every citizen was focused on him.
Anyone avoiding his eyes here was the culprit.
"I will bless you in the name of my lord. Fear will fade, and you'll reclaim peace of body and mind. No disease or death will dare touch you."
As Ban Yu-won spread his arms, a sparkling orb of light formed between them.
Besides his rhetoric, two things had grown greatly this exploration: Judgment Depth from slaying villains, and Photon Magic Depth from exposure to light and dark magic from contractors.
Even if growth slowed at higher depths, his Photon Magic was now at 50.
Sellon had raged and wailed that it was cheating.
But he'd forgotten how Ban Yu-won had absorbed a staff's concept and jumped straight to Element Magic Depth 50 upon their first meeting.
'Can't include any attack intent, or it'll backfire. Strip out all aggressive abilities.'
First, greatly amplify light diffusion.
He hadn't contracted the Constellation of Light, so he didn't know true blessings—and wasn't sure they existed.
But he could fake it convincingly.
Drawing mana from pre-made "Mana Storage" talismans, he imbued the overwhelming light orb with language magic concepts one by one.
First, "Warmth" to soothe recipients' minds.
Unable to interfere with bodily concepts directly, warmth indirectly evoked blessing.
Next, "Tracking" to find those matching his conditions.
No need to say who.
He added "Diffusion," "Harmless," and more to complete the spell.
"Receive the blessing."
Ban Yu-won spoke in a reverent tone and burst the orb.
The sight of it spreading over a plaza packed with hundreds of thousands was truly spectacular.
You have gained a deeper understanding of Light Diffusion. Photon Magic's depth has reached 55.
―It grew again?!
'Hey, I burned through so many mana-packed talismans. Of course it should grow this much.'
The light blanketed the entire plaza, blessing every citizen without exception. Strangely, it lingered above some heads.
Feeling the warm light absorb into their bodies, citizens murmured in gratitude to the gods and awe at Ban Yu-won's profound mana.
Of course, some doubted if it was a true blessing: elite warriors and the few mages.
But they fell silent, convinced by what happened next.
"It can't be—He has given me a command! To rise with those chosen by the light and repel the darkness!"
As Ban Yu-won cried out fervently, they realized this farce was just theater to form a "legion."
If it were Ban Yu-won alone, loyal warriors and mages might object.
But Count Durk, the king's chamberlain, stood beside him.
It was more natural to see Durk using Ban Yu-won's power to form a new legion. No reason to oppose!
Now, one key fact remained.
Who was chosen?
"Who exactly...?"
"Ooh, there really are people with light hovering over their heads!"
"Good thing it's not me... No, proud soldiers!"
Those chosen by the light.
In other words, those Ban Yu-won tracked with his magic.
More simply: Wing and Claw contractors!
Instead of attacking with light magic, he'd pinpointed and locked onto them all!
"M-Me? No way! I have no power!"
"Must be a glitch. It's not me!"
Spotting the light orbs above their heads, citizens panicked under stares and blindly denied reality...
Ban Yu-won didn't hesitate, driving the wedge home.
"He has spoken. Those chosen by the light will form a legion to repel any darkness! He will grant you strength. Fear not—follow His will."
Honestly, at this point.
He'd called it a national audition, but the audition itself was secret.
All citizens thought they were just here for the light blessing!
Would they complain about this sudden selection?
No way.
God-chosen or not didn't matter.
Most humans thought: "As long as it's not me!"
"Th-This is a conspiracy! He's a fraud! Scamming the nation, impersonating a god!"
"I'm the true Light contractor! He said that faker pretends justice while killing innocent kin!"
"Light? L-Light wouldn't choose me. No way! Why won't it fade...!"
"Don't lie! Stop running and come forward!"
"Embrace your holy duty, friend."
"The Light contractor calls!"
Out of two hundred thousand citizens, only about five hundred were lit. The remaining one hundred ninety-nine thousand five hundred blocked their escape.
What if one slipped away and they had to pick from the rest?
"Go on! Hurry! You go, and we repel the darkness!"
"Chosen by the Constellation of Light, yet you scowl? Dissatisfied? If not you, someone else!"
"Get out! Quick!"
"You, chosen by the light. Don't even think of running!"
When a minority faces injustice but their sacrifice saves the majority, the overwhelming masses won't stir for them.
Gathering all citizens was for this very reason.
The true fruition of Ban Yu-won's deeds through Rooms 24, 25, and 26.
"Heh."
Making the overwhelming majority allies to dictate the minority's fate.
As Light watched, he sighed.
"How... how does everything go exactly as Ban planned...! Are they idiots? Or... because they're fakes?"
"They're not idiots—that's why. Even as fakes, they retain human selfishness. ...Today, I learned from Ban Yu-won."
"It's cool, but terrifying. Viewers of the footage will be scared too."
Ban Yu-won smiled wryly at his comrades' words but narrowed his eyes, watching his targets.
Wingkin first made excuses, then flaunted light magic shards claiming true contractor status, but ultimately pushed forward by the crowd.
Clawkin excused at first like Wingkin, but then froze as if receiving revelation.
'Ah, the Claw pattern again? Claws are smarter than Wings, for sure.'
At Ban Yu-won's signal, Dokgo Yeon, Lucelle, and Light dashed down, poised for this moment.
He had Eve, Tike, and twenty-five swords on standby too.
And then it happened.
"Haha—hahahahaha!"
"From now on—it's the night ruled by the Claw of the Dark Forest!"
"He's no Light contractor! Why? Because we can't be chosen by light—we're contractors of darkness!"
Above Santum's capital, the exact opposite of Room 23 unfolded.
Dark mana poured from hundreds of contractors, coalescing in the sky and blanketing the area in darkness!
Artificial night arrived.
"Night until our festival ends! We'll kill you all!"
"Thank that Light contractor for setting this stage!"
"Kyaaaaah!"
"M-My body's... weakening..."
Claw contractors transformed under night's influence.
Meanwhile, others collapsed from the trick: unable to act at night.
Party members and kin hurriedly isolated and protected them from contractors, but they too faltered at night. Without countermeasures, the plaza would become hell soon.
If Ban Yu-won hadn't anticipated this.
"Sellon? Hurry. Before I collapse too."
―Ready. Those guys have insane mana amounts. But purity seems low... Yeah, not too hard.
Photon Magic governed both light and darkness.
From the moment Justice's Wing materialized day in Room 23, Ban Yu-won knew the reverse was possible and devised restoring forced day/night.
"Going."
―Got it.
The solution was simple.
Having mastered Photon Magic and grasped its structure, interfering to reverse it was easy.
Especially with a pinch of language magic.
A concept he knew well.
"[Reversal]"
The mana flooding the plaza latched onto the dark mana summoning darkness overhead.
"[Dawn Light]"
It shredded night's curtain, instantly restoring daylight to the plaza.
"......"
"......"
Claw contractors, reverted from beasts, stared blankly, uncomprehending.
Even Wing contractors—who, unlike others, withstood the night (gaining trust and notice)—were stunned.
Exactly the atmosphere Ban Yu-won intended.
"What are you waiting for? You get it now."
Ban Yu-won smiled brightly and commanded them.
"Kill each other from now on."
"A-Ah......"
Refuse now, and you're guilty.
Luckily, Claw contractors' dark magic counted as first strike, so Ban Yu-won's attack order incurred no penalties.