Chapter 199
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: Lesson 39. I Must Have Him - 4
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Throughout the entire first semester, she had agonized deeply over that issue and conducted extensive research, but the condition for manifesting Ban Yu-won's authority within another person's body turned out to be far simpler than expected.
The key was to treat the other person's body as if it were one's own.
This was somewhat possible with close blood relatives.
It was also feasible with a spouse bound by marriage.
But if neither applied, there was no choice but to resort to cruder, more direct methods...
And for someone virtually a stranger like Kira, the only effective approach had been to blow the power of the authority directly into her through the mouth.
That was also why she hadn't implemented it right away despite knowing the method—things had escalated too quickly for any other option.
"No, that's enough. Get off already."
"Ah... Is it over already?"
Kira pulled her lips away from his with a lingering, reluctant expression, though a hint of mischief flickered across her face.
She could clearly sense for herself that her connection to the constellation had been severed.
"You can feel it yourself, can't you?"
"Yeah!"
Liberated from the constellation, she had naturally shaken off the shackles of her family that had bound her. How could she not be thrilled?
Her face beamed with a smile that suggested she'd do more than just kiss if Ban Yu-won asked. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, she patted herself down.
"But is it really okay for the contract to break this easily? And it's not just that, right? The power I got from the constellation is still fully intact?"
"That's the ability for you. You think they picked you for Union Academy for nothing?"
In truth, with a bit more time, it might even be possible to remodel the authority within her body to suit her perfectly, like with Lucelle's Wild Heart. But since a mere kiss wouldn't suffice for that, he saw no need to mention it.
"What the hell is this?"
"What the hell, seriously! When did you two...? And Lucelle's right there!"
"Did you two realize your feelings for each other in the moment of Earth's impending doom and share a moment of deep connection?"
"Don't go dooming Earth on your own like that."
And of course, pandemonium had broken out among the onlookers.
She had set up a barrier anticipating this, but severing the connection to the constellation required such intense focus that she hadn't been able to pay proper attention to anything else.
As for Lucelle, on the other hand...
"Does that resolve the issue, Yu-won?"
"Yeah."
"That's a relief. Still, if you're planning to formally take Kira in, you need to tell me clearly beforehand."
Ban Yu-won had given her prior notice, so she didn't seem particularly surprised.
The guild members, dumbfounded by Lucelle's calm reaction, finally grasped just how unique her values were.
They still had no clue what the three were discussing, though.
"Ahahaha, I didn't expect things to go that far. That said, we'll probably need to fight together from now on."
"Fight together?"
As Ban Yu-won tilted his head, Kira nodded and urged him to recast the soundproof barrier.
Once he hurriedly erected a barrier to prevent any sound from leaking, she shrugged and continued.
"Think about it. You're not planning to let yourself get caught by the young lady of the family... I mean, Ulrike Prominence, right?"
"Obviously not. I just learned her name, though."
"I've arbitrarily severed my contract with the constellation and plan to ignore the young lady's orders and cut ties with the family. You don't think they'll just let me walk away, do you?"
Kira's face still wore a smile, but Ban Yu-won could read the underlying tension.
When she had first voiced her desire to break the contract with the constellation, her hesitation wasn't just about burdening him—it was also worry about what came after.
"You probably can't stay on Earth anymore."
"Would one of the Ten Great Families mobilize just to catch you?"
"You don't see the young lady unleashing an Orc Wave on Earth because she wants you that badly?"
Come to think of it, she had a point.
Ban Yu-won might not have fully grasped the reality yet.
He had returned to Earth to rest, only for a cascade of events to erupt afterward...
Even the Orc Wave barreling toward Earth felt somewhat unreal.
Is that really all because of me? For real?
But with the orc fleet locked on a direct trajectory toward their current position, denial wasn't an option.
"Don't worry. I've thought a lot about how to move if I ever broke free from the family. How about dimensional mercenaries?"
"That's... Got it. We'll talk about that later. For now, let's focus on the Orc Wave."
Ban Yu-won rubbed his throbbing forehead and looked up.
Staring at the growing dots in the sky filled him with unease.
"Can't we intercept them with nukes or something?"
"Even if we take out eighty percent, the surviving twenty percent will turn into radioactive orcs."
It was a horrifying thought.
He hoped the governments knew about this... No, it was probably too late for that anyway.
He dispelled the soundproof barrier and approached the group with Kira.
"What were you two talking about?"
"It's complicated to explain in detail, so roughly... It felt like Yu-won removed a curse that was on me?"
"Our leader had a curse on her?!"
"Yeah, she did. That's actually why I was weakened!"
"That was you weakened?!"
Under the barrage of sharp glares from all sides, Kira brushed it off with a hasty excuse, but naturally, no one bought it outright.
They did accept that the two weren't trying to get intimate on purpose, though. And with the situation far too urgent to pry into someone else's love life, everyone averted their gazes.
"So, what do we do about that?"
"Sis, can you contact home?"
Ban Yu-mi shot Ban Yu-won a glare, clearly displeased, but guessing he wouldn't explain properly, she sighed and answered obediently.
"...I already did. Mom and Dad are evacuating to the bunker. Grandfather said he's leading our guild members out for now."
"Not honorary advisor—second guild master."
They couldn't just stand around idly either.
One thing was certain: they couldn't let the Orc Wave crash into the surface unchecked.
He recalled the events from the special activity.
At the moment of collision with Earth, the wave would spawn countless orcs.
If it only affected objects or animals, fine—but if it spread to humans... He didn't even want to imagine the aftermath.
He had to stop it.
Whether he could or not was another matter.
[Aneri ― Request accepted. Departing immediately!]
Right on cue, welcome news arrived.
Even if just her alone couldn't fully halt that massive wave, it was better than nothing.
[Me ― You actually took this request. This one's really dangerous.]
[Aneri ― I wanted to bring my entire connected mercenary group, but the higher-ups seem to have caught on that this is linked to a higher dimension. I had a huge fallout and cut ties completely. So right now, heading to Earth are just me, the newbie, and...]
He wanted to clutch his head at Aneri's response, full of potential pitfalls, but if he had to pick the most absurd part...
No, you're bringing the newbie here too?
[Aneri ― And some volunteers from Level Force's Platinum members, so I'll pick them up too!]
[Me ― Huh?]
What did she just say?
Pick up who and come?
Perfectly timed with that, something vibrated in Kira's pocket nearby.
Glancing at the others, she pulled out a small rectangular pad—clearly an older model of the mirror Ban Yu-won had.
"Message from Level Force's chairman... She wants me to protect you."
"Mina sis... She knew everything after all."
"Of course. I joined on Earth, you know. We've had plenty of personal chats."
Come to think of it, Yumina herself must have certified Kira as a Platinum member.
She probably knew of Kira's existence—and even that she was on Earth.
The fact that she'd kept her mouth shut about it until now was a bit vexing, but Yumina likely only cared about his safety.
At this point, even the Platinum members seemed suspicious.
After all, the two he'd met were both powerhouses.
Other Platinum members volunteering to come to a planet facing an Orc Wave? Maybe Yumina hadn't just picked fans in joining order but selected those who could be mobilized for combat when needed.
'My master's grace is too immense to repay.'
Ban Yu-won thought with a wry smile.
He'd have a lot to say when he reunited with Yumina after break.
But for now, it eased his breathing room a bit.
It would show Prominence they couldn't touch him easily, and once they hesitated, he could warn them through Yumina...
But first.
"Ban Yu-mi, go home."
Ban Yu-won turned to the one he needed to hide immediately and spoke firmly.
Lucelle? Sure, the Orc Wave's target was her, but she'd never leave his side, and hiding her wouldn't make the wave vanish.
Ban Yu-mi was different.
The Orc Wave was Prominence's creation, so surveillance measures were undoubtedly mixed in.
If Ban Yu-mi appeared and rampaged before them... The consequences were obvious.
"Are you telling me to hide and leave the monsters to you right now?"
"Yeah. Right now."
This was the only chance to conceal her while the enemy didn't know the 'true target.'
Prominence's spoiled young lady surely wouldn't suspect it.
That the one her family wanted to eliminate was right beside the man she desired.
"You don't think I'll listen just because you say so, do you?"
"Sis, please."
"No way. Even if I don't use my authority, I can't run off alone while everyone fights."
Yeah, he knew she'd react like this.
Ban Yu-won rubbed his forehead and deployed his final card.
"I'll grant you any wish you want later."
"I'm not a kid; you think that'll sway me?"
"What's going on with you two?"
As the siblings bickered out of nowhere, the others naturally looked baffled.
About Prominence being behind the Orc Wave.
About their spoiled young lady targeting Ban Yu-won.
And that Ban Yu-mi absolutely couldn't reveal herself before Prominence.
They had no way of knowing these tangled, complicated circumstances, nor could Ban Yu-won explain.
"You'll be in danger!"
"Crazy bastard, we're already in danger fighting monsters!"
"Mom will be in danger too."
"Th-that..."
Mentioning not just herself but the family made her falter, and she stepped back half a pace, spooked.
Then, as if realizing something, her expression turned peculiar.
"Hey, I get that my unique authority is the target."
"What? Unique authority? ...Huh? No way."
Kira, overhearing their conversation, seemed to catch on and gaped in shock.
"But what do you mean Mom's in danger too? Is she targeted? ...Then what about you? Wait a sec."
And the blunt but far from stupid Ban Yu-mi reached the conclusion surprisingly quickly.
"Is there something about our family? ...You, Dad, and Grandfather are fine, but just me and Mom?"
"Ah, seriously..."
Having arrived at the truth hidden about her own birth.