Chapter 290
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 290
Chapter Title: Lesson 56. The Neighbor's House Is Burning Too - 3
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"Alright, you're 'Alkong' and I'm 'Dalkong'. That's my final offer—I won't budge any further."
After wrapping up the unity meeting and returning to his dorm room for a shower, he found Aisha—who had beaten him to it—already lounging on the bed in her pajamas. She shot up the moment she spotted him and tossed out those words.
Ban Yu-won paused mid-towel-dry of his hair, staring at her with a dumbfounded look... no, the kind of look you give a fool.
"You're still on about that? What even is 'Alkong' and 'Dalkong'?"
"Between us—!"
"Since when have we been all lovey-dovey like that?"
"S-Sticky...?!"
It must have been an embarrassing word for a pure maiden, as Aisha stammered and bowed her head deeply.
But right after, she overcame her shame with courage and lifted her chin high.
"S-Speaking of which, come sit here. Uh, Alkong."
Ban Yu-won scowled at her patting the spot beside her.
"Don't actually use that. Or I'll flick your forehead so hard your head goes alkong-dalkong."
"Tch... Fine, whatever. Just come sit, Yu-won."
She surely hadn't seriously planned to call each other those insane nicknames.
Worried for her mental health but complying anyway, Ban Yu-won approached and sat on her bed as instructed.
Appearance aside from her regrettable tastes, Aisha—with her dazzling golden blonde hair and deep blue eyes straight out of a comic-book European princess—had a beauty that quickened pulses and boosted circulation when up close.
Moreover, fresh out of the shower, her soft skin, the warm heat radiating from their touching proximity, and the faint shampoo scent were overly stimulating for a vigorous young man.
But it was Aisha.
"If you weren't Aisha..."
"What was that? I swear I just heard something super humiliating."
Aisha bristled at his sincere mutter of pity.
Ban Yu-won placed a hand on her head to brush it off, only for her to freeze stiff—an utterly ridiculous sight.
Freezing at simple skinship, yet what was this about alkong-dalkong?
"W-Wanna get that flick for real?"
"No, so what's this about?"
"Ah, right."
Aisha relaxed a bit and cautiously reached up to grasp his hand on her head.
Ban Yu-won considered pulling away but didn't.
"So, what I mean is—about our relationship...!"
"We're friends."
"Sob."
Aisha's eyes welled up at his blunt words.
No matter how fun teasing was, making a girl cry was off-limits.
Ban Yu-won hurriedly wiped her tears, saying,
"You said it first. I can't just deny it on my own."
"True, but... hearing 'friends' for real kinda stings."
Her brows furrowed in complicated emotions, her face twisting oddly, but she calmed under his touch and stopped crying.
Ban Yu-won inwardly recalled the 'darling' nickname she'd tried earlier, sighed, and spoke.
"Aisha, everything in the world has an order. I can't always match your feelings running ahead alone."
"But I thought you'd get it, Yu-won..."
"It's fine. Let's take it slow, one step at a time. I'll catch up."
At his gentle words, Aisha clamped her lips, nodded thoughtfully, then gripped his hand tight.
"Th-Then, first things first."
"What?"
"Come back to my dimension once more."
Don't rush, he says, and she accelerates anyway.
But seeing his narrowed eyes, Aisha panicked and shook her head.
"From what we talked about today! I think I can support on a dimensional scale too."
"Wasn't this about our relationship?"
"Yeah, so as a dowry... Ah, no. Pretend you didn't hear that."
Dokgo Yeon had said troops weren't a dowry earlier.
Ban Yu-won sighed, but Aisha looked serious.
"I'm not rushing. This is the most important thing right now, thought it through. Rebellion's the priority, right? Solve the immediate problem before redefining us..."
"And?"
"I don't wanna lose out to the others."
Ban Yu-won smirked wryly at her honest confession. Of course that was her real goal.
"Got it. I agree it's not the time for dating anyway."
"D-Dating?!"
Her face flushed tomato-red at the direct word.
Her grip slackened and released; she buried her face in the bed, kicking her legs silently screaming.
Dating this one would be a hassle ahead—Ban Yu-won thought detachedly.
He'd sensed her feelings since freeing her from her ancestors and learning her true name.
Honestly, with explorations, training, and war lately—plus Dokgo Yeon's unexpected surge—he hadn't paid Aisha much mind.
'Still, she's a precious teammate. Gotta look after her more.'
Stroking her still-flailing head softly, he waited minutes until she composed herself and lifted her face.
Her pitiful state begged avoiding questions.
A nosebleed streamed down—what had she imagined?
"D-D-D-Dating's too fast. W-We’re still friends. Friends..."
"Then nicknames are way faster. Calmed? Talk about your dimension."
"Calm... Yeah."
Ban Yu-won wiped her nosebleed, then stood to brew hot chocolate.
The miracle drink for Rebellion seemed to soothe her; he cleared his throat.
"Seriously, D-13's level makes shining in a higher-dimension war tough."
"Maybe, but...! Our kingdom's soldiers get way stronger under my command!"
Formations? Title effect?
Ban Yu-won had a silly thought but shook it off.
Forgettable amid regrets, Aisha was a true dragon's heir.
Her kingdom's foundation suggested real power.
D-13 felt 'planned'—her birth, satellite ruins, all orchestrated.
Silly after touring A-grades, but Camelot pulsed with undue strength for D-rank.
"Plus, our soldiers are space war specialists, honed over centuries of endless battles. They won't lose to average dimension pirates."
"Centuries..."
A dizzying span.
Ban Yu-won pondered but concluded numbers compensated low levels since not all faced elites.
'Still uneasy. Need to finish that ongoing concept faster.'
His power development—from goblin training in the Tower—got inspiration from the all-seeing observer's monsters this expedition.
"Alright. We'll visit your dimension. As fate-bound allies, you can't just hide."
"Yeah, I'm Rebellion. Father might resent me—but."
Her face complicated briefly, then she shook it off, clenching a fist.
"I've devoted my life. My country now follows my will—no issue."
"That's the spirit."
Perfect if not for her sidelong glance seeking reaction—but her charm lay there, so forgiven.
Next day, at morning cafeteria, Lucelle requested a pre-break visit to her dimension too.
Worried she saw troops as dowry, Ban Yu-won couldn't refuse her earnest plea—.
Another week passed.
The dimension pirate fleet and Ortima house skirmished in attrition; Ortima pursued pirates avoiding full clashes.
Such clashes erupted across multiple dimensions simultaneously—as expected, Lucein Ortima hadn't shown at the Academy all week.
Ulrike Prominence seemed casually school-bound—but appeared before Ban Yu-won Monday next week.
"Junior Yu-won, a word? Outside."
High-handed with others but not him, she looked drained yet her sharp gaze evoked a cat honing claws.
Her 'outside' meant beyond Union Academy—as suspected.
Free period, so he space-jumped them to Ronica's quiet cafe; her skillful magic drew Ulrike's awed forgetfulness of situation.
"Whatever it is, speak calmly. ...There."
"Ah, thanks. So thoughtful..."
As they sat, Ban Yu-won flicked up a barrier; Ulrike smiled softly, coquettish amid it.
"I called you out for a sensitive family matter. Improper, but you're tied to us."
"Glad you think so."
She's deranged, Ban Yu-won was convinced.
But sensing her words' vital importance, he played along meekly.
"Straight to it: We're preparing for war."
"War."
"Yes, war. Unexpected boon. You know—the Ortima wastrel declared young lord, sparking massive war."
"Exterminating dimension pirates?"
"Not so simple. Moving a top-10 house's forces violates dimension pacts. Even justified, can't escalate big; his reason's flimsy."
Even dismissing pirates as vermin, pained by her house's losses, Ulrike venomously criticized Lucein.
"His folly aside, it eases other top-10 moves."
"So Prominence acts."
"Yes. Crucial now—only you must know."
Ulrike gripped his hands tight.
When did I seduce her?
Why this blind faith?
Trap?
Thoughts flashed, but Ulrike Prominence's eyes pierced earnestly.
Shared bloodline let him peer her concepts clearly, despite shallow ties.
Reading her innards, Ban Yu-won marveled past disbelief.
[Lovesickness, Conviction, Affection, Empathy, Wrath]
Indeed, she couldn't imagine opposition.
She believed him fully smitten, yearning union soon.
Absurd, yet nodding at early-semester Lucein with Dokgo Yeon.
Lives of yes-men twisted all positive; slightest plausibility hooked them.
"Don't misunderstand. Fairies face extinction. Prominence will ensure it."
Ban Yu-won proudly noted not shaking off her hands.
"But I'll protect your pet with my power. Promise. So help me?"
"Help?"
"Yes. Vital task. Restore skewed balance. Greatest ritual—seizing all dimensions' dominion."
Ulrike whispered rapidly.
"Shine here, house considers direct lineage. Hard as father's heir, but marry another direct? No Academy grind with heaven-sent. No more Tower climbs. That crucial..."
Ulrike continued.
"In 3 weeks. House head leads main force assaulting Fairy Tail—A-1 dimension. Grand magic via fairy traits. Borrow your pet Mira's power—easier. Promise: she'll live, your property! Help—for our future...!"
A lovesick spy hooked a whale.
Inwardly epic party, Ban Yu-won acted smitten youth, nodding trustworthy.
"For our happy future, I'll cooperate."
Then messaged Older Sister undetected.
3 weeks, 3 weeks!!!