Chapter 168
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: Lesson 34. Free Servitude - 3
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The bombardment slammed into the barrier of Suhae, guardian of the Wolf Fang Tribe's territory.
Sloti, the Sloth Fox, immediately drew up her magic power to counter it, but even she couldn't block the endless barrage forever.
"Emergency—! They're here!"
"Those damn dimensional pirates! I'll wipe them all out!"
The beastkin, buzzing with festival energy, instantly converted it to fighting spirit and leaped to their feet.
The Join Tribe aerial unit spread their wings and took to the skies, while the Hwin Tribe loaded sharp-tipped arrows with magic power and hurled them upward.
Those without wings or throwing prowess climbed the trees to serve as shields protecting their allies—while the rest poured their magic power into the magic circle Sloti had created.
"You bastards will never—defile this place!"
Shikshinrang roared from the top of the tallest tree, and some of the falling shells exploded midair or even bounced back toward the heavens as if rewound.
"Lucia!"
"Got it."
The nine-tailed fox produced several small fire orbs.
They looked utterly feeble on the outside, numbering exactly nine.
But the orbs sliced through the air and, astonishingly, tracked each of the dimensional pirates' shells one by one, piercing and detonating them without losing momentum. They soared onward, ultimately setting one of the pirate ships ablaze in a spectacular blaze.
"Can't take them all, though?"
"Not with my son-in-law here today."
"They seem especially determined this time. They must have caught wind that my son-in-law arrived."
Despite trimming nearly a tenth of the enemy's main force so casually, neither Kanid nor Lucia looked pleased.
The abilities they'd just unleashed weren't something they could spam endlessly.
The pirates had raided before, but this assault was on another scale entirely.
With over thirty ships tearing through dimensions, it was impossible not to feel uneasy.
"Lucelle's going to be so upset."
Lucia said as she conjured more fire orbs and launched them skyward.
Her hand pressed to her cheek in a worried expression was utterly bewitching.
"She was really looking forward to their wedding night, but now it'll end after just round one."
"Wait, who went to fetch them, anyway?"
"Third Sis."
"...Never tell her that to her face."
—Boom!
"—Dokgo Yeon?"
"An attack? We heard the explosions too."
"... ."
By the time Dokgo Yeon flung the door open, Ban Yu-won and Lucelle were already geared up to head out.
But Dokgo Yeon wasn't fooled by their prim appearances.
The room hummed with a subtle heat, Lucelle radiated a sweet, intoxicating scent that screamed what they'd been up to, and above all, their flushed cheeks made it all too easy to guess what had transpired moments ago.
"...You two must have had quite the time."
"Y-Yeah. These jerks picking this exact moment to attack... I could just tear them apart."
Lucelle replied honestly.
She was never one to hide things, so it was only natural.
"Ah... ."
Dokgo Yeon had anticipated—and even supported—them getting together on some level. But hearing Lucelle's frank response stirred a whirlwind of emotions within her.
Yet defining the dominant one terrified her, so she resolved to keep her feelings in check.
She'd already been plenty off today.
She couldn't allow herself more embarrassment.
"...Fine. If you two are solid now, I expect you to act with restraint in public from here on."
"No, that might be tough for Lucelle... Never mind. Let's go, Lucelle."
"Okay♡"
Lucelle naturally hooked her arm through Ban Yu-won's, but Dokgo Yeon just twitched an eyebrow without comment.
Perhaps because they'd crossed that line and become a perfect pair, this was acceptable? Ban Yu-won wondered—but that was a massive delusion.
"Lucelle, we're about to fight. Let go."
"My legs are still wobbly. Just let me lean on you a bit."
"That sounds like a lie... ."
"It's all your fault♡"
The two bantered shamelessly as they stepped out.
Dokgo Yeon followed with a calm expression, but suddenly Lucelle whispered just loud enough for her alone to hear.
"What I said last time? I meant it."
"Last time?"
Dokgo Yeon blinked in confusion.
Lucelle turned, mouthing silently without sound.
'You're okay with it.'
She conveyed it, then exited with Ban Yu-won.
Only then did Dokgo Yeon recall their past conversation—but she could hardly respond with "Thanks for approving!"
For some reason, Lucelle's relaxed smile, as if she'd claimed the spot beside him, grated annoyingly.
That smug look, like she knew everything.
She absolutely refused to acknowledge it.
For now, she'd seal away her tangled feelings and play dumb.
"Whoa, they're insane."
Meanwhile, oblivious to the chilling emotional exchange between the women, Ban Yu-won checked the battlefield and clicked his tongue.
"Trying to end it all on night one? They're rushing like any delay spells doom."
No matter how formidable Sloti's barrier, it couldn't deflect the indiscriminate bombardment forever.
The dense canopy had once blocked the sky, but now holes gaped everywhere in the Wolf Fang Tribe's territory, moonlight pouring through.
And the massive fleet blotting the heavens was just icing.
"Think Ryu Cheol-myeong's out there?"
"He won't show himself. More importantly, Ban Yu-won—can you boost me up high?"
"Easy."
The blasted trees had already made it simpler for mechanical familiars to maneuver.
Ban Yu-won summoned Gwangjo and loaded Dokgo Yeon aboard.
"You're charging in?"
"Not throwing my life away, so relax."
"Yeah, you'll be fine."
Gwangjo shot skyward.
Ban Yu-won summoned Lilisse, shifted her to bike form, hopped on with Lucelle, and pursued, punching through the barrier.
"Son-in-law, you're here!"
Kanid approached with a joyful grin upon spotting him.
After his daytime heroics, it was natural for Kanid to rely on him.
And Ban Yu-won indeed had several countermeasures ready for the cowards attacking from above.
"Round up the people."
"As many as needed!"
Sloti's barrier arts were nearing their limit.
Even channeling the beastkin through the magic circle taxed her mental strength.
Kanid bellowed once with intent, summoning all idle beastkin to the treetops.
"I'll grant you flight for a set time. That enough to fight back?"
"Wings like the Join Tribe?"
"You'll see."
Ban Yu-won distributed pre-prepared items: shoes imbued with the concepts of levitation and flight.
Unable to directly tamper with the beastkin's innate concepts, he'd crafted simple artifacts.
Via language magic, they'd last only until the magic power depleted, then drop them.
'Should hold for today's fight.'
Beastkin rarely wore shoes and grumbled, but now wasn't the time for complaints.
"Whoa! I'm flying! And I'm no flying squirrel!"
"This is fun! At this rate—we can smash them ourselves!"
"Charge! Let's crush 'em now!"
"...No training needed, huh."
Their superior physiques let them adapt instantly to floating and flying. They surged skyward en masse, swarming the pirate fleet.
Dokgo Yeon had already begun wreaking havoc, leaving pirates scrambling topside. The bombardment would cease soon.
Kanid marveled at the battlefield flipping in moments.
"Artifacts can be mass-produced like this?"
"Because it's Master."
Lucelle, still clinging to Ban Yu-won, boasted proudly.
Lucia snuck up behind and yanked her.
"Kyaa?!"
"You, come here. I'll teach you the nine-tailed fox's attack spells. Fight while learning."
"B-But I wanna stay with Master—!"
"Don't interrupt your husband."
As fire orbs floated around Lucia, Ban Yu-won admired—then saw Lucelle conjure similar energy orbs.
Unlike her mother's pure flames, hers mixed fire and lightning—likely thanks to her artifact.
"Impressive. Lucelle was pure melee before."
"Nine-tails grow stronger with a mate. Get it, son-in-law?"
...Had today's intimacy unlocked this power?
Ban Yu-won broke a sweat and glanced at Kanid.
The man's kindly smile fully affirmed it.
"But both are still clumsy. I sense Heartfire suppressing it."
The mood grew serious.
Ban Yu-won frowned, sensing a rogue concept rampaging in Kanid's body.
His contract constellation was irked by Kanid's thoughts and actions defying its will.
"Expected as much... Even the host can't fully suppress a constellation's power."
"... ."
It must be agonizing, yet Kanid spoke calmly, betraying no pain.
A truly strong man.
"Lucelle's return gladdens me, but I hoped she wouldn't. More contractors on this star amplify the constellations' influence. With her back, it'll stop at nothing to claim her—and it'll end only when one yields."
"We figured as much—but she didn't come willingly, and besides."
The Chancellor knew and sent them anyway.
His goal wasn't just Ryu Cheol-myeong.
Aware of their constellation ties, he'd ordered them to confront and defeat it here.
'No easy task.'
A fact Ban Yu-won—and perhaps Lucelle—recognized.
Had that spurred her to rush their bond?
Maximum resistance against a possible "surrender" to the constellation?
Hasty, undeniably.
But results-wise?
Yeah, not bad.
"It'll be fine soon."
Ban Yu-won replied firmly.
"Deepening bonds unlocks more power... and it's not just for Lucelle."
"...Right. I trust you. Where you off to?"
"Looks like I can sit this out. Need to check elsewhere."
"Elsewhere?"
"Below."
Ban Yu-won pointed down with a wry smile.
"Trees?"
"No, the ground."
His eyes gleamed gold, reading all conceptual flows in real-time, feeding him intel.
Truth was, he'd noticed the moment they stepped outside.
"The bugs are on the move."
"—No way."
"They've got bug-handling tech, so... ."
Burn trees with bombardment, assault gaps with Forest Worms.
Success would've devoured the tribe in one go...
But fully read? A gift to Ban Yu-won.
Clustering the concepts he craved—bringing Breakthrough ever closer!