Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Lesson 7: Definitely Not Because I Like You - 4
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Saturday morning.
The Rebellion members had all gathered in the training room.
The academy's second annex had group training rooms assigned to each class, and surprisingly, even they—who were treated as Class 1-11—had exclusive access to a massive one!
If they hadn't been officially recognized as a class, they never would have gotten perks like this. All hail Professor Yumina.
"C-Class President, I have a question for someone as perceptive as you."
"What is it?"
Right now, Light was sprawled flat on the floor like a frog, and Ban Yu-won kindly approached to hear him out.
"Since when did 'teaching' become synonymous with 'beating the crap out of me'?"
"How foolish."
But it wasn't Ban Yu-won who answered Light—it was Dokgo Yeon.
Unlike Light, who looked like a dried-up frog, she stood gracefully with her legs extended like a crane.
"Since it's about teaching your body, isn't it obvious to inject it directly? That'd be different if you were a thief like Ban Yu-won who could steal the essence after seeing it once, but you're not, right? So stop lying there and get up already."
"My sword... give me my sword..."
Of course, there had always been a significant power gap between Dokgo Yeon and Light from the start.
Even so, it was the first time Light had been so utterly dominated, and the reason was simple: he didn't have a sword in his hand right now.
"You need to learn to fight without that sword first. No sword until then. Not even in the tower."
"I'm a swordsman!"
"So you plan to just die if you lose your grip on it?"
"I won't lose it..."
"Want to try grabbing it and charging at me? I'll make you drop it in three seconds."
Light had no comeback.
Instead, he glared at Dokgo Yeon with venom in his eyes, and she snorted dismissively.
"Ban Yu-won agreed to this too."
"What?!"
Light shot Ban Yu-won a betrayed look.
He scratched his head and replied.
"Sorry. I didn't know it'd go down like this... but yeah, I did discuss it with Dokgo Yeon for your growth."
"Kuh... for my growth..."
"And if she chose this method, it's probably the right one. Light, can't you trust us just once?"
When Ban Yu-won looked at him earnestly, Light couldn't argue and clamped his mouth shut.
He bit his lip hard, then finally nodded.
"...Fine."
Ban Yu-won hadn't expected such a straightforward acceptance.
It must have been the hot chocolate he polished off cleanly yesterday doing its work.
...Or maybe the All-Seeing Observer's words had served as a decent shock therapy.
"You have good judgment... Just once, I'll trust you."
"Ho."
Dokgo Yeon smiled faintly as Light pushed himself up.
"Good. Let's start over."
"Hoo..."
As Dokgo Yeon went on the offensive, Light assumed a stance.
Even for Ban Yu-won, whose level was still low, just watching their spar would be hugely beneficial, so he found a spot to sit and observed them.
'I figured as much, but Light really weakens drastically without his sword.'
The restarted spar was utterly one-sided.
Dokgo Yeon relentlessly struck Light from above, below, and diagonally with her hand blade.
Light desperately tried to dodge her attacks, but his movements were markedly slower and clumsier compared to when he held his sword.
"Kuhk, krrhk...!"
"Your eyes only need to track my breathing and attack starts! Feel the rest with your senses. If you chase my hand blade with your eyes, you'll never block it, not even in a hundred years!"
"I know...!"
"Then do it. You could when you had your sword, right? Does your battle sense rust away the moment you don't have it propping you up?"
"Kuk!"
The holy sword's power must truly be something else.
Word was it boosted Light's physical specs while assisting in combat too.
In that case, Light had likely relied on the sword more than developing his own senses.
The fallout from that had shown yesterday during the exploration.
His sword got stuck in the magic-infused web from the giant spider, sealing its functions, and he struggled against a monster he should've dispatched in one go.
'That's probably what ticked off Dokgo Yeon too.'
He activated his Babylonia Code to observe the two.
Of course, reading their internal concepts in real-time from a distance wasn't easy, but he figured persistent attempts might yield some change.
And it was half a success.
Dokgo Yeon was too much, but he succeeded in reading Light's internal concepts.
'Light's Life, Body, Magical Power, Soul... they're all dropping in real-time?!'
All four concepts Ban Yu-won dubbed [Core] were steadily declining.
Light's Life had easily surpassed 500 (at least with the holy sword, he was a monster nearly triple the Special Class Irecto). Seeing it halve in just three minutes left Ban Yu-won stunned.
He'd thought Light was still strong without a sword, but if even this was due to the sword, his condition was pretty serious.
"You're getting weaker! Is your real body the sword? Is it?!"
"Grrrh!"
Dokgo Yeon had noticed the change too and tore into Light mercilessly.
"Is this your way of protesting that you can't do anything without it? If so, just say it!"
"No!"
"Then stop searching for a sword that isn't in your hands and fight me barehanded!"
"Urrrgh!"
The moment Light clenched his fist in anger at her words, surprisingly, the conceptual degradation stopped.
It didn't recover, but it stabilized at about half.
'What did Dokgo Yeon just say? Don't look for the sword?'
She must have barked at him for unconsciously moving as if assuming the sword's presence during their spar.
If the degradation halted the instant he snapped out of it...
Maybe there was some other factor in Light's contract with the holy sword that Ban Yu-won couldn't even guess at?
"Ah."
Lucelle, who had been watching the spar alongside Ban Yu-won, suddenly gaped.
"What's up, Lucelle?"
"Light's... face."
"His face?"
"It's changing."
Looking at Light upon hearing that, his face really was shifting bit by bit.
Specifically, his already feminine features softened further, double eyelids formed, eyelashes lengthened, jawline slimmed...
"Gave up hiding it?"
"Not gave up... more like whatever suppression he had is releasing."
No need to spell it out—everyone in Class 11 knew Light's secret.
But knowing and Light revealing it himself were different things.
As the two exchanged puzzled glances...
"Kk!"
Suddenly, something in Light's chest flashed brilliantly, and he screamed, collapsing on the spot.
Dokgo Yeon's face, looking down at him, seemed a bit grave.
"This isn't so simple after all."
"Kuh-hah..."
"...Light, you knew about this, didn't you?"
"But... I have to overcome it."
The seizure subsided, and Light ground his teeth as he returned somewhat to normal.
Different from the overtly feminine look moments ago, but still far more androgynous than at first.
Anyone who didn't know him well might miss it, but Class 11—who'd spent the past week together—noticed immediately.
"You and the class president were right. I knew I couldn't keep going like this... Can I ask for more spars?"
"...I'll have to apologize. Sorry, I misjudged you."
Dokgo Yeon apologized to Light with a stiff expression.
Light gave a wry smile and shook his head.
"It's fine. I never told you guys either. Probably won't in the future..."
"I thought you were just some clueless idiot, but you're a clueless idiot with a bomb in your body. Hope that freak ailment of yours doesn't flare up inside the tower."
"I really hate you!"
"Then get up. Didn't you want to spar?"
"Your veins must run poison instead of blood."
Dokgo Yeon's barbs were as sharp as ever, but her attitude toward Light had undeniably softened.
Light, realizing she was genuinely trying to help him grow, seemed less resentful too.
They bickered, but it was oddly endearing—even the usually timid Lucelle around Dokgo Yeon giggled.
"Class Prez, shall we try th... ugh."
Emboldened by their improved dynamic, Lucelle approached Ban Yu-won first.
But he'd been focused on that fleeting concept glimpse and missed her call.
'What was that?'
Misread it? He hoped so, but doubted it.
[Holy Spirit, Demon Spirit]
The moment a small light exploded from Light's chest, Ban Yu-won saw two concepts.
Not Light's internal ones—likely embedded in something he carried.
But two opposing concepts in one item, tied to Soul no less, and apparently causing the seizure? No way to ignore that.
If he could deal with that, maybe solve Light's issue too?
'But Light won't spill just because I ask.'
Roommates anyway. Plenty of time to talk and observe.
No rush. Just one more task for the Class 11 president.
More importantly right now—not Light, but Lucelle.
"Lucelle, you called? Sorry, I was lost in thought."
"Eek?! N-No, it's just..."
Having given up on him after one ignored attempt, Lucelle startled at the sudden response and backed away a bit.
But she cautiously approached again and spoke.
"Actually, we were wondering... if we could spar too."
"You sure?"
Ban Yu-won wasn't declaring 'Think you can beat me?' or anything.
Just checking she wouldn't go berserk like yesterday.
...This party really was a minefield.
"No."
Lucelle shook her head reliably.
Then, blushing faintly, she glanced at his forearm—specifically, Eve coiled around it.
"So sorry... but if things go south, you have a way to restrain me."
"Shrrk."
Eve hissed at her gaze, as if saying trust only me.
Ban Yu-won cleared his throat awkwardly and nodded.
"Alright. Shall we?"
"Yes... P-Please."
Lucelle nodded shyly.
Ban Yu-won felt an indescribable ticklish pride from her smile.
Wasn't this the sliver of youth he'd craved?
Slightly off-direction, but still!
'Yes! This is it. A young man and woman encouraging each other, honing their skills! True school life!'
Sure, Class 11 was a total girls' bathhouse besides Lucelle.
But the lineup had issues.
Prof Yumina, overly supportive yet transparently expectant.
Dokgo Yeon, whose skill gap screamed 'teacher' over 'girl'.
Light, hiding their identity, oblivious and aloof.
Not even youth dramas had this cast!
'Lucelle's my only hope. Not for anything specific—just to feel that youthful vibe!'
But his final hope shattered in five minutes.
"Grgrrrrrr!"
"Eve!"
"Shrrk!"
Had she taken his promise too literally? Barely after starting, Lucelle showed signs of rampage.
Her Heart Forge ignited with her emotions at first—joy, exhilaration, pleasure—activating her movements.
But as the now-stronger Ban Yu-won deftly deflected and countered, bouncing her back several times, anger and frustration built up, tipping her over the edge.
"Raaargh!"
"Eve, hold tight!"
"Shrrrk!"
The instant Madness and Murder emerged in her Heart Forge, she became a perfect beast.
'The Heart Forge's burning emotions dictate activation level and reason's influence.'
Best he could do now was observe changes. Even touching her, he couldn't extract or alter emotions inside.
One idea—infuse his own emotions as concepts to calm her—failed too.
Their spar just proved endless trading blows solved nothing.
"Grr... ha!"
Good thing it wasn't a real battlefield spraying blood and bone.
Bound by Eve's chain net for a few minutes, she regained sanity.
"Ugh... sorry."
"It's fine. I said I'd help. Expected this much."
"Class Prez...!"
"While I was diligently training, you were smoothly taming the beast."
As Lucelle recovered and they could finally chat, Dokgo Yeon cut in.
"Taming? Didn't you see me struggling with Lucelle?"
"I saw you whispering sweet nothings to the naive beast."
"It wasn't like that."
Lucelle defended him as Dokgo Yeon teased mischievously.
"Class Prez really was worried about me..."
"Then the ulterior motives must be from the beast?"
"Eek?!"
As innocent Lucelle flushed at Dokgo Yeon's bluntness...
Ban Yu-won checked a message in his mirror and smiled.
"Perfect."
"Perfect what?"
"Yesterday at dinner with Prof Yumina, I asked if I could bring one of you outside the floating island."
And approval just came from the Chancellor.
Normally impossible, but maybe his channel upload impressed even the top brass.
"Good timing. I was feeling cooped up anyway..."
"So Lucelle, come out with me now."
"Pardon?"
"Hm?"
"What?"
Dokgo Yeon, convinced it'd be her; Lucelle, stunned her name dropped; even Light blinked.
Ban Yu-won ignored Dokgo Yeon's piercing glare and winked at Lucelle.
"Let's go on a date."
"...P-Pardon?!"
Definitely not because I like you.
Purely to help her control her powers—no misunderstandings, please.