Chapter 210
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: Lesson 41. Paper Please - 5
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With about two weeks left until the end of vacation...
A message arrived from Yumina.
[Yumina ―] Things might not be that simple.
[Yumina ―] Unlike Lucien Ortima, Ulrike Prominence wears a pretty convincing mask even within the Academy. From your perspective, having gone through this incident, it might be hard to believe... but fortunately, after the Constellation went berserk, the young lady's personal motives got quietly buried.
[Me ―] How does that even make sense? No matter how you look at it, the sequence is backwards.
[Yumina ―] Judgments about events you haven't personally experienced tend to be based on the most eye-catching information. Especially when key details are hidden, it's even easier to misjudge.
The eye-catching info was, of course, the meteor shower caused by the Constellation's rampage.
The hidden info was Ban Yu-mi's very existence.
Publicly, Prominence was the legitimate rulers of the family right now, so the fact that the true heir, Ban Yu-mi, had fled with her knight escort and lived on Earth all this time was information that absolutely could not come to light.
The Constellation rampaged because of Ban Yu-mi, yet that core piece was missing—how could anyone properly judge the situation?
[Me ―] So what do people think happened?
[Yumina ―] There's one more piece of revealed info. The barrier around Earth.
Ban Yu-won tapped his forehead.
[Me ―] Right. Earth is a special planet, the Constellation targeted it and got wrecked. Something like that?
[Yumina ―] Spot on. Thanks to that, Earth is under the spotlight... so in that sense, your sister's decision to leave Earth was a good call.
[Me ―] Considering the barrier might vanish anytime, yeah, sure.
In reality, unless something major happened, the barrier wouldn't disappear, so staying on Earth was probably the safest for Ban Yu-mi.
Prominence was probably in a bind right now.
They'd wanted to handle it quietly at first, but the young lady blew it up over one guy, and then their sponsor Constellation rampaged too.
[Yumina ―] Still, it's good for us. If the rift deepens, the Followers of Mangep might split from Prominence in the worst case. Even Ulrike couldn't run wild then.
[Me ―] Lucky they targeted our dimension first.
[Yumina ―] Not quite.
Not quite?
What?
Had the other dimensions where Rebellion members lived already faced invasions like Earth's?
As Ban Yu-won finished judging and went to reply, Yumina messaged first.
[Yumina ―] Everyone's safe, don't worry.
[Yumina ―] Our members helped. No.2 and No.9.
[Me ―] So that's where those monsters rushed off to after not even saying goodbye.
Those two monsters could probably defend a dimension solo without breaking a sweat.
He wanted to ask Yumina what dimension they were from, but she probably didn't know either.
[Me ―] As long as nothing happens during the rest of vacation, we're good. Like I said... after school starts, I'll handle that woman myself.
[Yumina ―] That's why it's not that simple.
[Me ―] Got any plans in mind?
[Yumina ―] Use the school festival.
Here it comes!
The event that gave off this weird vibe of cosplaying as a normal school—despite its teachings and founding purpose being totally off from any regular educational institution!
[Yumina ―] Union Academy's Founding Festival has all sorts of events, but the most famous is the Masked Ball.
[Me ―] Hold on, my eyes aren't deceiving me, right?
[Yumina ―] It's called a Masked Ball, but really it's pairs of guys and girls competing against other teams.
[Me ―] No masks or dancing in sight?
[Yumina ―] "Mask" is metaphorical. It means judge purely on skill, not background.
Makes sense.
He still couldn't wrap his head around the "ball" part, but at least it had a solid meaning.
[Yumina ―] Oh, rules do require masks. Won't hide your identity, though.
[Me ―] Perfect example of missing the point... Anyway? What's the Masked Ball got to do with it?
[Yumina ―] It has special matches where you nominate an opponent.
[Me ―] There's a limit to how much you can miss the point!
All that buildup for nomination matches? Hiding identity my foot!
[Yumina ―] Win against your nominated opponent, and you get one "request." A magical contract they can't refuse. Probably a rule to prevent pointless brawls between students.
[Me ―] So legally bind that woman's movements...? But if she gets nominated, she doesn't have to accept, right? No guarantee she'll play along.
[Yumina ―] You got it backwards? If I win, I request from them—but if I lose, I have to do the same. From her view, you'd be throwing yourself into her arms.
Ban Yu-won had figured as much.
Still, one question remained.
[Me ―] Not bragging, just objective take... She'll see my strength growing in real-time from Rebellion channel videos. Won't she back off scared?
[Yumina ―] The one who slammed an Orc Wave into Earth?
[Me ―] Point taken.
[Yumina ―] Special matches require pairs too. Ulrike's partner will be strong as well.
[Me ―] Ugh...
For some reason, he could already picture who her partner would be.
Depending on who he paired with, things could get even messier.
[Yumina ―] So until then, don't provoke her at school. Win the Masked Ball, and Prominence is no worry.
[Me ―] Not sure it'll go that smoothly...
Yumina's wariness of the Ten Great Families came through loud and clear, even without meeting face-to-face.
If even she, with power beyond Ban Yu-won's imagination, reacted like this, provoking or trapping Ulrike at school would be dangerously reckless...
'Still.'
He couldn't just sit idle banking on some weird Masked Ball.
He wouldn't do anything Yumina would worry about... but he should do whatever he could at school.
After wrapping up the Prominence talk, he gave vague answers to Yumina's prying about his wholesome vacation life, pocketed the mirror, and headed to the training room in the mansion with a sigh.
—Roar!
"You're keeping up great, miss!"
"Quit calling me 'miss' already!"
A few days after the executives finished leveling, Ban Yu-mi started her special training.
Specifically, training under her mother—Kang Eun-young, once Prominence's knight—and Kiira, a branch family member and special forces operative.
Swordsmanship from her mother, Prominence's unique flame techniques from Kiira—a perfect custom curriculum.
Maybe because she was the legitimate heir of one of those vaunted Ten Great Families, but once proper training began, Ban Yu-mi's growth was insane.
"What should I call you then? Oh, not 'miss' but—"
"I'm seriously gonna kill you."
Still, she couldn't yet match Kiira, who hadn't even shown her full strength.
Kiira pushed her relentlessly, almost like revenge for Ban Yu-mi outranking her while hiding her power on Earth.
Whatever the reason, it accelerated Ban Yu-mi's growth, so no one interfered.
Noticing Ban Yu-won enter, Kang Eun-young—who'd been watching Kiira and Ban Yu-mi's spar—turned with a bright smile.
"Yu-won, you're here!"
"Yeah."
Seeing his mother in comfy training clothes with a neck guard on her back, so young and vibrant, Ban Yu-won felt a wave of nostalgia.
Though it was from his distant childhood, her influence was why Ban Yu-mi first picked up a sword.
Back then, he'd just thought, "Oh, she did kendo as a kid," but now he wondered if it was her subtle early education.
"Mom, your hair's fully red now."
"Can't hide it once I start circulating magic power. Suits me?"
"It's not just the hair."
Obviously, Kang Eun-young, from Prominence like Kiira, had altered her appearance to pass as Korean while living there—not just hair, but features too.
Once purely East Asian-looking, now she had a Caucasian vibe like Kiira. Maybe that's why Ban Yu-won's mixed features stood out—Mother's influence.
"What's wrong? Looks weird?"
"Huh? No. Honestly, red hair gives me trauma, so I can't judge objectively."
"Ah, Yu-won!"
No sooner said, Kiira—the source of that trauma—spotted him and flitted over like a butterfly.
But her attempt to hug him from behind was blocked by a red flame whip that followed like lightning.
Ban Yu-mi, now showing Prominence traits in her hair and looks, bared her teeth fiercely.
"Hands off my little brother."
"Miss doesn't even hide her brocon anymore."
"I just hate seeing filthy sights in front of me."
"Not jealous?"
"—Die!"
The two dove back into sparring.
With Kiira constantly firing up his sister like that, her growth was inevitable...
Beside Ban Yu-won, who analyzed coolly, Kang Eun-young smiled warmly.
"Kiira's so sweet."
"I can't figure out Mom's criteria for judging people."
"She was our enemy once, but she's steadily trying to bond with Yu-mi. That's worth gratitude, right?"
If that's "bonding," Ban Yu-won could be sworn brothers with Lucien Ortima, but he kept quiet.
"Anyway, we're doing fine, so don't worry too much, son."
"That obvious, huh."
"Of course I'd know my son's heart."
But not your daughter's, apparently.
Though knowing her too well would be scary in its own way.
"Mom... you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, totally."
Ban Yu-won suspected her hiding Ban Yu-mi's identity wasn't just for safety, but lingering attachment to her peaceful Earth life.
But her eyes, meeting his, held no more weakness—no regrets or hesitation.
Shedding the false face she'd worn on Earth meant shedding her attachment to it too.
"Would've been nice to forget until death, but too late now. Time to go back—as a Prominence knight."
"...If that's what you think, Mom, then okay."
The training room door burst open.
Father Ban Ji-won, wrapped head-to-toe in relics from the storeroom, appeared with a heroic shout.
"Honey, take me with you!"
"Deal with this idiot first."
"Right."
Mother and son pressed hands to foreheads in unison, sighing.
The long yet short vacation was drawing to a close.