Chapter 165
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: Lesson 33. Star of Jadeite - 5
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Back in the village, Kanid was on his knees.
The one who had forced him to kneel and was now scolding him was none other than Lucelle.
Ban Yu-won instantly grasped why this situation had come about and hurriedly set down Sloti, who had been riding on his back all this time.
It was a truly wise decision.
"I'm sorry, Lucelle. But I was thinking of our tribe's future..."
"Even so, leaving me behind and cozying up with Sloti in the meantime is too much! Did you want to make me look like a fool? I hate you, Dad!"
"Kuhak!"
Oh, that was the ultimate paternal killer move possessed by daughters across all worlds: "I hate you, Dad."
It clearly worked on beastkin too, as Kanid writhed in agony.
It was quite an amusing sight, but he couldn't just watch forever, so Ban Yu-won decided to intervene, doubling as a report that the job was done.
"Lucelle, we're back."
"Master!"
They had agreed to use "Master" only when alone, but perhaps because they were back on her home planet—or to keep rivals in check—Lucelle showed no restraint in her affection.
And it wasn't just her who lacked restraint...
—Squeeze
Lucelle threw her arms around him, pressing her head firmly against his chest and acting all coquettish.
"That's not fair. Spending time all chummy with Sloti while I wasn't around... It's okay to bring in other women, but please do it where I can see."
"That would be torture."
"Then it's fine right now since Lucelle's watching?"
Sloti chimed in.
She asked with a fairly serious expression, subtly grabbing Ban Yu-won's arm in the process. Seeing this, Lucelle blinked in surprise.
"Sloti, why have you suddenly gotten so... forward?"
"It's my heat cycle."
"Hehe, so that's why you were so rudely reaching for another woman's man."
"Yeah, 'cause we're gonna mate."
Ban Yu-won shrank back at the barrage of explicit words no civilized person would utter.
"Dokgo Yeon, I'm starting to get scared of beastkin. What do I do? Especially the parts that might get flagged by censors."
"Hmph, way too late for that. Your very existence is a censorship violation."
What do I do? No allies here.
If only Light were around, he could steer this toward teasing the guy in the end. Why is he always missing when needed?
Ban Yu-won sighed and slipped away from Lucelle and Sloti, who were still locked in their staring contest—not to mention Dokgo Yeon.
A man stepping into a fight between women never ends well.
"So, son-in-law. You really finished the whole job?"
"Yes. Want to check?"
Ban Yu-won summoned Tike and displayed a certain projection.
After completing the work, he'd sent Tike airborne for an inspection shot of the ground. Visible was a tawny line cutting straight through the forest at even intervals without a single flaw, encircling the Wolf Fang Tribe's territory like a barrier.
This accounted for about one-fifth of the Jadeite Star's land held by the Wolf Fang Tribe, making it clear just how impressive it was that Ban Yu-won had pulled it off in half a day.
"Son-in-law, are you perhaps a Transcendent?"
"Transcendents aren't some belt rank... I'm just a regular human."
A Transcendent was one who had surpassed the limits of existence.
Constellations, known to all, were precisely that.
"No, but no matter how I think about it, it's weird. Your presence isn't that overwhelming, yet your soul's dignity is lofty, and you wield exceptionally outstanding authorities... Some constellations even create terminals that let them act in the human world by permanently expending their power. Honestly, if not for the guarantee that you're a Union Academy student, I'd suspect you were a terminal of some great constellation."
"Interesting. So that's a thing."
Terminal—that word brought to mind the constellations he'd fought in the previous tower, "Wings of Justice" and "Claws of the Dark Forest."
Back then, what he'd battled were clearly monsters controlled by the constellations' wills, but they fell short in many ways to be called true terminals.
But still.
If a constellation had meticulously crafted an artificial lifeform from the start, embedding part of their soul to move it directly, then it could indeed be termed a terminal.
For reference, the rare concepts he'd gained from fighting those—Radiant Wings and Shadow Claws—were now held by his mechanical familiars, Lightwing and Darkwolf.
"I did a few experiments during cleanup too... With Sloti's abilities, turning this wasteland back into forest would be easy. Of course, as the Wolf Fang Tribe's territory."
"Perfect. I'll ask then, once everything's wrapped up. Though who knows when this battle will end..."
"It has to wrap in two weeks."
Special activities lasted a maximum of two weeks.
"Chief, you know this barrier also traps us in. Holding out forever won't beat the enemy."
"Of course. But this was the best counter. Because..."
The enemy wasn't just on the ground.
Ban Yu-won recalled the previous special activity upon seeing Kanid grit his teeth as he spoke.
"Did these bastards bring spaceships?"
"Exactly. That's why we had to limit the battlefield."
"Gaaah..."
Ban Yu-won imagined it.
Relentless raids from high above the beastkin territory, far beyond reach, while enemy tribes closed in from all sides.
It was impressive they'd endured that.
"Not to brag, but our tribe is the strongest. And as its representative, I'm even stronger."
"I can see that."
"Hahaha, one who overcomes the temptations of a constellation's power grows even stronger."
Kanid boasted proudly.
The constellation that had granted Lucelle her stigma was Kanid's contract constellation, right?
Ban Yu-won dismissed constellation contracts as slave pacts, but those with steadfast resolve and deep soul cultivation could wield that power efficiently without being swayed, achieving great growth.
Kanid had endured even with his contract constellation lusting after his daughter.
Indeed, the primal magic and feral essence hidden in his flesh were more threatening than anything Ban Yu-won had seen—so much so that even Dokgo Yeon paled in comparison—but thinking of him as the man kneeling before his daughter all this time stirred an indescribably odd feeling.
"Alright, now that our hero's back, let's restart the feast!"
Whether he sensed Ban Yu-won's thoughts or not, Kanid slung a friendly arm over his shoulder and shouted energetically.
Everyone seemed to be soothing their battle-heightened spirits with drinks already.
Kanid leaped onto the widest branch of the tallest tree—the plaza—with Ban Yu-won in tow, and all cheered their welcome.
"The successor's here!"
"Did you see that earlier? Better with trees than even the Lazy Foxkin. Our tribe's future is secure!"
"Our hero! Sit over here."
"Good to see everyone."
Beastkin of all kinds, descended from diverse animals, welcomed him with bright smiles.
Ban Yu-won was especially wary of the牛kin and猫kin, but with Sloti eyeing him hungrily already, he didn't want extra trouble and controlled his gaze with all his might.
"Lucelle, stop fighting and come here. Gotta claim the seat next to Master!"
"Ah, yes!"
Lucelle, who'd been glaring at the other women, hopped branch to branch and swiftly settled beside Ban Yu-won.
As Ban Yu-won stared, mesmerized by her beastkin agility clashing with certain hypnotic movements, Lucelle noticed and leaned in with a seductive smile.
"I... learned a lot from Mom."
"Learned in one day..."
"How much I learned... I'll show you tonight."
"Uh, yeah."
E-1. He'd half-expected it since coming to Jeddah for special activities, but Lucelle was more aggressive than imagined.
Perhaps Sloti's unexpected involvement had provoked her.
They'd balanced things until now, but maybe it was time to get serious.
'Subjugation held me back all this time, but the other beastkin show no resentment toward Lucelle serving me as master... So this must be normal for them.'
Before this planet, Ban Yu-won only knew beastkin through Lucelle.
Even after contracting her and her calling him master, he wasn't sure how far that relationship allowed.
During their previous date, he'd declared she'd do as she pleased from now on, and she'd seemed happy—but that was just an act to reassure her.
He'd hoped she'd break from passive acceptance, demanding something like a normal lover or even friend dynamic.
Yet up to now, Lucelle had focused all her actions on him, desiring only to serve.
'It's not wrong. That's the universal mindset of her kind, and she wants that life. But still... something feels off.'
After all, he'd enrolled in Union Academy, mingling intellects from countless civilizations. Couldn't she want to express herself beyond master-servant?
He always reached that conclusion pondering their relationship, but telling her would make her blame herself and mope, so he couldn't.
'...It's because our time together's short. I'm the one receiving, so I have to consciously make the effort.'
Unable to dissolve the master-servant bond, he always ended up here.
No words for endlessly fretting over the same conclusion.
"Lucelle, come here."
"Yess♡"
Ban Yu-won pulled her into his arms, pouring his true feelings into the touch as best he could.
The drunks cheered again at the display asserting their bond.
"What a perfect pair. They suit each other so well!"
"Who'd have thought our princess would find a match like this!"
"Sniff, I can still see our princess toddling around..."
"...Princess?"
One word caught his ear amid it all.
Asking Lucelle, she blushed and replied.
"Ah, well, since I'm the chief's daughter, they teasingly call me that..."
"Our tribe is essentially a nation unto itself. We used to be a village of noble houses centered on our family, but as more submitted under our power, it became nation-like."
Kanid explained, chugging from a bottle he'd smashed the neck off.
Makes sense—for a tribe holding one-fifth of the planet, their chief was basically a king.
Calling Lucelle princess felt natural now.
"Hm, you mentioned family... And Sloti the Lazy Foxkin needing heirs—beastkin traits are hereditary, right?"
"Indeed. A wolf can't birth a mongrel."
Kanid laughed heartily in affirmation.
But seeing Lucia—Lucelle's mother, who had quietly appeared and leaned against him—Ban Yu-won had to ask.
"What about mixed blood?"
Lucia was unmistakably a fox.
Wolf and fox—same family, but different animals.
"As expected of the son-in-law, sharp. Usually, they strongly inherit one parent's traits. But occasionally, they blend both, birthing a new kind."
"That's basically what I heard already. So Lucelle is..."
"Mm-hm, exactly. That's why her soul's dignity was overwhelming from birth."
Kanid confirmed.
Lucelle, embarrassed discussing her origins, buried her face in Ban Yu-won's chest.
"Lucelle is a mixed blood who strongly inherited the blood of the Devouring Godwolf and the Nine-Tailed Fox."
"Whoa."
An explanation beyond imagination had popped out.