Chapter 190
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: Lesson 37. Since It's Vacation, Let Me Rest - 5
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Boom! KABOOM!
Two greatswords clashed, unleashing a thunderous roar like a massive truck collision echoing through the air.
A fierce deadlock where neither side yielded an inch.
Ban Yu-won clapped in admiration.
"Oh, Mi-yeon sis packs a punch too."
"What the hell is that armor?"
Ban Yu-mi looked utterly dumbfounded.
And rightly so. A Western-style full plate armor, already confirmed to be hollow inside, was now pushing Kang Mi-yeon back!
That's right. The one sparring with Kang Mi-yeon using an identical greatsword was none other than Ban Yu-won's familiar, the Living Armor Liby.
"My secret weapon. I've been careful not to let it show up in any footage until now."
"And now?"
"It's served its purpose as a secret weapon, so now I can just use it normally."
Liby, the Living Armor, had leveraged its own characteristics to perfectly—nay, beyond perfectly—engrave every sword technique contained in Ryu Cheol-myeong's relic into its body.
The Rebellion members had sparred endlessly against Liby to gain even a slight edge over Ryu Cheol-myeong. In turn, Liby had refined Ryu Cheol-myeong's swordsmanship even deeper through spars with the group—especially Dokgo Yeon and Ban Yu-won, who wielded profound techniques.
Of course, keeping Liby hidden from cameras all this time had been for the sole purpose of catching Ryu Cheol-myeong.
Now that the bastard was caught, there was no need to hide Liby anymore, nor hand him the relic.
Plus, this new greatsword I got after killing Ryu Cheol-myeong is even stronger.
"This swordsmanship still doesn't quite... feel right... Ugh!"
—Boom! Kaboom!
So handing the relic to Kang Mi-yeon had been fine, but she couldn't master Ryu Cheol-myeong's techniques overnight. That's why Liby—who could wield them without the relic—was serving as her one-on-one instructor, hammering the skills directly into her body in this crash course.
"We head into the dungeon tomorrow, so at least get the basics down today."
"You're just brute-forcing it like...!"
Kang Mi-yeon had lost her initial composure, her face twisted in a grimace. But in truth, the spars with Liby were highly effective; unbeknownst to her, she was gradually drawing out the relic's power.
Meanwhile, the Oculus Ruber executives watched with indescribable expressions.
"This doesn't make any sense...! Even on a planetary scale, unnie's top ten easily, and Yu-won bro's having a single suit of armor handle her?"
"Liby's the weakest among my familiars."
It was a blatant lie.
Liby wielding Ryu Cheol-myeong's greatsword could overpower even Eve in raw combat power.
"Earth's number one..."
"Union..."
"Hey, shut your mouths."
Kang Mi-yeon personally snapped the jaws shut of Lee Hyun-ji and Yu Ji-na, who gaped slack-jawed in awe.
But it was better to intervene directly like her.
Lucelle said nothing, just smiling quietly. No one knew what might happen the moment their fondness for Ban Yu-won crossed that line.
Aware of that, they weren't stirring up trouble now—befriending him as fellow guildmates and his sister's friends.
"I'll distribute the other sisters' gear as it gets ready. If you're still unsure, you can hop inside Liby in the dungeon."
"Inside it?"
Yu Ji-na tilted her head curiously, and just then, Ban Yu-won snapped his fingers as Liby finished a round with Kang Mi-yeon.
Liby promptly disassembled on the spot—from helmet to breastplate, pauldrons, gauntlets, greaves, and boots—flying to Ban Yu-won and equipping itself onto him!
Even the greatsword Liby had been wielding became part of it, orbiting him slowly under his control like a protective guard.
"Whoa!"
"I... I think I've seen this in a movie!"
Yu Ji-na clapped thoughtlessly at Ban Yu-won, now a dashing knight in full plate after his slick transformation. Beside her, Lee Hyun-ji's eyes widened as she shouted.
Well, of course. Ban Yu-won nodded solemnly and explained.
"I made it this way after watching that movie, so naturally. And yes, Liby boosts physical abilities just like in the film."
"You really live life doing whatever the hell you want."
Ban Yu-mi muttered in disbelief.
But Ban Yu-won already knew what his sister would say next.
"I wanna try too."
"Knew you'd say that."
Ban Yu-won smirked and snapped his fingers again. Liby disassembled from him and equipped onto Ban Yu-mi—just like before.
It even reshaped perfectly to fit her body the moment equipping finished!
"Ooh...!"
Ban Yu-mi, thrilled at first, twisted and turned excitedly. But suddenly, her movements froze.
"Come to think of it, this..."
"What's wrong? It shouldn't feel uncomfortable."
"No, not that... Take this off."
The helmet hid her face, so her expression was unreadable.
She seemed flustered, though, so he promptly unequipped Liby. She cleared her throat nonchalantly and stepped out as if nothing happened.
"This is banned."
"What? Equipping Liby?"
"Banned!"
Ban Yu-mi declared firmly in a single breath and turned away.
Everyone tilted their heads at her inexplicable behavior—except Lee Hyun-ji, who giggled about how cute she was.
And the next day, Oculus Ruber—armed with artifact gear from Ban Yu-won—challenged a G-rank dungeon. Amid countless stares of curiosity, worry, expectation, and some curses, they cleared it impeccably in a single day.
"Call me mommy—!"
The moment Dokgo Yeon tried to show an insolent man who climbed atop her what for, she realized space warped before her eyes and bit her lip.
Just moments ago, she'd been in the jade star chamber. Now she found herself inside a wooden pavilion.
"Ban Yu-won, I'll remember this humiliation..."
"Milady."
A voice called from behind.
Only one person had such a subtle presence she could barely detect.
Dokgo Yeon called her name without turning.
"Long time no see, Heukseol."
"Yes. I'm glad you returned safely, milady."
A calm, low feminine voice.
Dokgo Yeon looked down at her loyal guard, who had appeared before her, bowing her head and kneeling.
The beast martial art that formed the basis of the monstrous techniques Ban Yu-won learned.
This unparalleled genius had created and mastered it herself, regaining a form nearly human. And she served only Dokgo Yeon, now prostrating before her.
"You seem to be doing well too."
"I've only guarded your chambers for four months, so I had ample time for training."
True to her name Heukseol, her long hair was straight and black as ebony, her skin snow-white and pale.
Her beastly origins showed in the leopard ears and tail that hadn't fully vanished, swaying leisurely—reminding Dokgo Yeon of her own desires, drawing an unwitting wry smile.
"Any changes in the Divine Cult while I was away?"
"Several unit leaders among the thirteen martial forces advocated disbanding the Dragon Extermination Unit."
The Divine Cult was the organization Dokgo Yeon belonged to.
The Dragon Extermination Unit was her personal martial force within it.
In other words, insolent fools had bared their fangs in her absence.
Compared to them, even Ban Yu-won calling her "mommy" was cute.
Of course, she had no intention of forgiving him either...
"...Milady, are you smiling? You must be furious."
"Ahem!"
Her lips had loosened recalling Ban Yu-won; only Heukseol's remark made her realize and fix her expression with a cough.
"It just struck me as so foolish, that's all."
"They must not know about the academy's vacation—or thought you'd never return for years."
"And the Cult Leader?"
"Your enrollment in the False Heaven Academy was by his special decree. Disbanding the Dragon Extermination Unit while its leader lives would be absurd; of course, he ignored them."
False Heaven Academy was what they called Union Academy.
Her home dimension rejected Union, dubbing them "false heavens."
"List those who called for the Dragon Extermination Unit's disbandment."
"I've prepared the roster. Shall I punish them now?"
"...No, first I report my return to the Cult Leader."
Dokgo Yeon shed her jade chamber robes.
Heukseol caught them deftly, folding them away, then approached with fine black attire to dress her lithe form in undergarments.
"Milady."
She asked most naturally.
"Yes?"
"Have you taken a lover?"
"Wha...!"
Dokgo Yeon froze at the sudden question from her loyal retainer.
Heukseol, gauging much from the reaction, dressed her skillfully and continued.
"Not quite a lover yet, then. Whoever's toying with your heart must be no ordinary man."
"Wh-what? If you're teasing me, stop."
"Your undergarments have changed."
Heukseol pressed coldly as Dokgo Yeon tried to brush it off.
"When at the Cult, you wore only plain, unadorned ones without a hint of allure. Now, it's provocative enough to tempt any man."
Lingerie, as Union called it—functional yet seductive.
Dokgo Yeon, who'd lived indifferent to fashion, wearing it so naturally? Heukseol couldn't ignore it.
"I just switched to fit Union's culture."
"You're not one to change for your environment, milady. You change the environment to suit you."
Judging by her gaze and speech patterns too, Heukseol—former assassin—deployed her skills decisively.
"Not love yet, at minimum, but a man who's caught your deep attention. That's my conclusion."
"I have no leisure for such frivolous emotions, Heukseol."
"...I meant no impertinence, milady. Just joy at seeing you."
Heukseol realized her overstep and retreated.
Overcome with reunion's delight and longing, she'd erred. Time to steel herself again—
"But... it's not that there isn't a man on my mind."
Dokgo Yeon dropped a bombshell confession.
"Pardon?!"
Heukseol lost composure, exclaiming in shock.
Dokgo Yeon, oblivious to her rare rattled state, continued.
"A man in my class acts with me... Surprisingly, he's a prodigy unlike any in this vast martial world."
"Um, uh-huh?"
"Realizing that, I taught him a few moves, but he adapted too well... I might've gotten carried away playing teacher, acting out of character."
"No, milady. Hold on, I'm confused right now..."
But Dokgo Yeon, in disciple-bragging mode, didn't stop.
"I taught him your martial art without permission, but he even modified it to suit himself. All of yours is mine anyway—no complaints, right?"
"If it's my secret art, it's not something teachable so easily... Pardon? Modified to suit himself?"
"I said he's a prodigy. Cocky and terrible with women as flaws, but his talent is real. His character too..."
"Milady..."
Denying it's love, yet gushing about him with flushed cheeks...
Heukseol, Dokgo Yeon's sole guardian warrior, pondered how to handle this—then chuckled.
False Heaven Academy's vacation was long, she'd heard.
She could hear all about her lady's school life first, then decide.
"If you speak so highly, I'd like to meet him sometime."
"...That man would hit on you too, Heukseol. Best not meet."
"Milady, are you jealous...?"
"Let's go see the Cult Leader."
"Yes, ma'am."