Chapter 51
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Lesson 12. Monster Wave - 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Light had been giggling to himself since morning over something hilarious.
"Assemble. Pfft."
"Light, I get it's funny, but cut it out already."
"Come on, using that word in that situation is just too much. Puhehe."
He'd sent the text in a rush without time to think it through.
And now Light was latching onto it.
Maybe "assemble" held some ridiculously funny meaning in Light's world.
Dokgo Yeon, sitting next to Light, shot him a glare while munching on a crispy spring roll.
"Must be nice having such a carefree attitude. If you pull out that holy sword the second things get a little dangerous, I won't let it slide."
"I know, I know. It's just that I've always been... well..."
Light shrugged as he scooped up a spoonful of stir-fried pork bibimbap with its exotic aroma (not fried rice, but pork stir-fried with sauce and mixed into rice).
"Got that battlefield mindset. So no matter what threats are waiting for us, my attitude won't change much."
Always maintaining tension like you're on the battlefield—that was the battlefield mindset.
Even Ban Yu-won, who had never served in the military, found it absurd.
And coming from Light, of all people.
Dokgo Yeon laughed on behalf of the group.
"That's not even funny."
"Were you aiming for humor that rivals 'assemble'?"
"Pfft... Yu-won, ah~."
"That's not humor! And you, Lucelle! Did you just mock and dismiss me like it was nothing?"
Whether Lucelle's growing boldness was a blessing or a worry for the future was anyone's guess.
Ban Yu-won chewed his food thoughtfully, pondering that.
Light protested with an aggrieved expression.
"The dimension I lived in was always like that! Our soldiers never let their guard down for a second at the borders, and even Ab... His Majesty the King always trained in martial arts so he could protect himself without his knight escorts in emergencies. Of course, I... Ow!"
"We don't need that motivational crap, so shut it."
Dokgo Yeon flicked a grain of rice from the table at Light's forehead with her finger, her voice ice cold.
"When something happens, just move according to yesterday's plan. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am..."
After breakfast, the group geared up and assembled in the auditorium.
From first-years to fifth-years, the entire student body made for a spectacular sight.
Even with numbers dwindling in higher years due to dropouts or deaths during expeditions, there were still over a thousand students.
All of them, the top prodigies from their respective dimensions, dreaming of becoming gods.
First-years still had some raw edges, but from second-years—who'd survived a year in the tower—onward, they all exuded seasoned confidence.
"Ban Yu-won."
"Yeah?"
Dokgo Yeon glanced around, then spoke in a satisfied tone.
"Starting the channel was the right call."
"Yeah, I think so too."
Ban Yu-won gave a wry smile and agreed.
In this suffocating space where everyone sized each other up and kept wary eyes peeled, surprisingly few hostile glares were aimed at their group.
They were in a position to draw top-tier scrutiny among first-years, but viewers who liked their videos softened those stares a bit.
'Even in my old world, people might envy a total stranger earning 2 billion a year, but if it was their favorite YouTuber, they'd just nod like, "Yeah, they deserve it."'
Moreover, Rebellion was positioned against the Special Class, earning support from the vast majority of regular students outside it.
Sure, it fully antagonized the Special Class, but given their backgrounds, they were enemies anyway—no big loss.
'Especially if extracurriculars get dangerous...'
"Everyone assembled?"
Right on cue, Yumina appeared and approached them.
She wore a picnic hat woven from flowers and stems atop her floral hair, creating a vibrant, blooming aura.
She could declare herself the goddess of flowers right then, and you'd just nod like it made perfect sense.
That flower goddess tossed them an odd remark.
"You all look so pretty and handsome. But since it's a rare day out, maybe dress up a little?"
Everyone in uniform—dress up, my ass.
But Yumina plucked four flowers from her hat and tucked one behind each of their ears.
Dokgo Yeon recoiled in horror, but even she couldn't outmaneuver Yumina.
In the end, the entire Class 11 sported matching flower adornments.
Ban Yu-won felt like crying.
"......"
"......This, uh, has to be it."
"Waaah."
"Professor...?"
"These lovely flowers will protect you wherever you go!"
Dokgo Yeon froze, hand poised to yank hers out.
She'd realized it was one of Yumina's protective measures.
Gritting her teeth, she asked,
"Besides this damn pretty flower... anything else?"
"I can change the form. Headband or hair tie—which?"
"If that was an option, you'd have said so sooner... Hair tie."
The flower morphed into a colorful floral hair tie. Dokgo Yeon bit her lip, gathered her long white hair back, and tied it.
Exposing her pale, smooth neck, she drew Ban Yu-won's gaze unwittingly.
She rarely fussed over her looks, so these glimpses felt all the more alluring.
"Ban Yu-won? Something wrong?"
"N-no."
"......Professor, change mine too. Lace hairband."
"That sounds great!"
Sensing competition from Ban Yu-won's glance, Lucelle made her own request.
With her naturally vibrant pink hair, the ornate lace hairband with flowers was a perfect match.
"Oh......"
Ban Yu-won recalled their shopping trip.
Now he got why the clerks pushed those overly frilly, vintage Lolita styles on her.
It wasn't just the corset accentuating her figure.
Lucelle was one of those rare souls who could actually pull off comic-book-level extravagance.
"Pretty."
"Eek...!"
Lucelle clenched her fist in delight at his casual compliment.
She shot Dokgo Yeon a smug "I win" look, but Dokgo Yeon just stared back like she was watching a wild animal act up.
"Ban, should we take some special measures too?"
Meanwhile, Light—feeling the crisis as the girls turned flowers into stylish accessories—asked Ban Yu-won.
Ban Yu-won replied,
"How about biting a flower? In our world, hot guys do that."
"That sounds uncomfortable..."
Damn, failure!
Ban Yu-won had hoped to sacrifice Light and survive slyly, but mutual destruction it was.
"Fine, just wear it. Real men stay proud in any situation."
"R-right. We're men!"
"Come here, both of you. I'll make them into earrings."
In the end, the two sported flower-shaped gem earrings, drawing stares from all sides as Professor Xenon took the podium.
"All present? Good. Extracurricular activities commence now. Class 1 first-years, board the dimensional ship in order."
Dimensional ship?
As Ban Yu-won wondered, space 'opened' before Ortima, the lead of Class 1, forming a translucent oval ring.
Inside was clearly somewhere else entirely.
Probably the ship's interior.
"Professor? I thought there was a spaceship dock on the floating island."
"Small ships are for higher-years' small-scale space explorations. Large-scale activities use dimensional ships. Only the principal and Professor Xenon control them."
Yumina replied calmly to Ban Yu-won's stunned question.
But could you even call something intangible a ship?
Even Ortima hesitated at first—proving this school was nuts.
"Lucain?"
"Ahem. Let's go."
A Class 1 boy called his name, and Ortima cleared his throat before stepping into the unknown.
Lucain—Ban Yu-won finally learned the guy's name.
"We'll be together for this entire activity, Professor Yumina."
"Professor Cantone."
As Class 1 boldly followed Ortima aboard,
their advisor, Alec de Cantone, approached Yumina.
He taught Tower Studies (a required course for all, handled by many associates under him), a full professor known for his aggressive pursuit of Yumina.
"I wondered what point there was to lower dimension specials, but it seems it's brought us closer. Isn't that fun?"
"I don't recall any prior connection with you, Professor Cantone."
Yumina shot back coldly, not even faking a smile.
She was polite to everyone, so this was shocking.
Tired of his lame advances?
Ban Yu-won sensed more to it.
The answer came quickly—from Cantone.
"Oh dear, are you still hung up on that meeting last time? Professor Yumina, I'm not the type to cling pathetically to the past. So whatever you're worried about won't happen... I guarantee it."
Why glance at Ban Yu-won there?
Ban Yu-won's wariness spiked.
Yumina's expression chilled further.
"Professor Cantone. You just said you're not the type to cling to the past."
"Of course."
"Then don't cling to this conversation either. I trust you understand."
Murmurs... murmurs...
The blatant rejection—even a lifelong celibate could get it—sparked whispers among the students.
And Ban Yu-won had filmed the whole thing.
"Ha...! I must've caught you in a bad mood, Professor Yumina. We'll talk later."
Cantone gritted his teeth, ignored her dislike, glared at Ban Yu-won one last time, and dove into the ship.
Yumina snorted and turned to the group.
"Everyone, Class 1's aboard. Shall we?"
"It's okay to beef with a full professor?"
Ban Yu-won asked out of genuine worry.
Yumina leaned to his ear and whispered,
"Cantone's an enemy anyway. Keep your guard up."
"Got it... Sigh."
But Ban Yu-won sighed more at her overly intimate demeanor than the words.
Sure enough, classmates and auditorium students alike stared at him.
He'd just become the star of a massive Yumina scandal.
The dimensional ship was a space that made you question if it was really a ship.
No windows to the outside, just sterile corridors and rooms in a row—no exit doors, naturally.
Plainly, without Xenon opening an exit, you were trapped.
"This is really a ship?"
"It is."
Yumina just beamed at Ban Yu-won's dubious look.
No sense of motion, so he could only trust they'd arrive safely.
Class 11 shared a room with Class 1, and Ban Yu-won felt two blatant stares.
One was Ortima.
Hidden by followers, but he couldn't fool the All-Reading Eyes.
His gaze flicked between Ban Yu-won and Dokgo Yeon; she noticed too, frowning in disgust.
"I figured, but yeah. Can't even hide his killing intent properly—the punk."
"It's not just killing intent."
As Dokgo Yeon scooted closer to avoid it, Ortima's stare intensified.
Ban Yu-won was now certain: Ortima harbored at least romantic interest or obsession toward Dokgo Yeon.
Real pervert after all.
"That creep ruined my mood. Got anything?"
"What, you think I'm packing a fourth-dimensional pocket?"
But he had its equivalent—an inventory—so he pulled out prepared thermoses, pouring hot chocolate into mugs for everyone.
He'd figured they'd want some anyway.
Dokgo Yeon sipped hers, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Fuu... Calms me down. Like that time."
"This... the one you left behind then...? Huh?"
Dokgo Yeon and Light muttered similarly, then locked eyes in mid-air.
They exchanged loaded glances.
Reading the vibe, Lucelle gave Ban Yu-won a betrayed-lover look,
"Why...?"
Ban Yu-won panicked at her pathos and sputtered,
"N-no, it's not a big deal or anything... Huh, why do I feel like I'm being grilled for cheating?"
"Fuu, this is delicious."
Noticing his distress, Yumina set down her cup with a bright smile.
"Could use a splash of alcohol, but anyway—shall we go over the schedule?"
"Ah, sure."
"The activity splits into three parts: school-wide with everyone, class activities with Class 1 and 11, and group activities just for Class 11. Day one focuses on school-wide, day two on class and groups, day three back to school-wide."
"Sounds like a middle school retreat."
Light's eyes lit up at Ban Yu-won's reflexive comment.
"Retreat? You guys train too? But you were so weak when we met."
"Not that kind."
"Oh, I meant back then—you're a great knight now."
"Shut up, Light."
Ban Yu-won pondered.
School-wide seemed safe; class activities with Ortima meant he'd avoid incidents to dodge suspicion.
So groups—when alone—were the real threat.
'Man, he's staring holes.'
Ban Yu-won sighed mid-thought.
Not Ortima.
Opposite him—not with his posse hogging a table, but alone at a big round one: Ire.
Unlike Ortima alternating between Dokgo Yeon and him, she flicked between Yumina and him.
Her eyes widened at any light touch from Yumina—like Cantone in disguise?
"Professor's popular with guys and girls alike."
"I'm a fragile bloom no one can pluck—that's my charm."
Oh boy.
Ban Yu-won chuckled in disbelief as Yumina suddenly stood.
"We're here."
"Huh?"
Were we moving?
—All hands, prepare to disembark. Fifth-year special admission groups in reverse order.
Xenon's voice broadcast, proving her words.
Ban Yu-won paused—he'd called fifth-year lower dimension specials "groups," not "Class 11."
A stark reminder of this academy's treatment of them.
"......Scary."
"It's fine. You're the strongest class."
Yumina gripped both his hands firmly, her voice pure and unwavering.
Dokgo Yeon sniped without hesitation,
"Says 'you all,' but only looking at Ban Yu-won. Unbelievable."
"Grr... Knew I smelled it—it's you."
Even Lucelle glared at Yumina with forbidden-professor stares.
Yumina just smiled without retort, so Light piped up incredulously,
"You guys called me out earlier, but don't you need to steel your battlefield mindsets first?"
Ban Yu-won fully agreed.
If only Light hadn't said it.
"Ban, you just badmouthed me in your head."
"Light, your timing for sharp insight is always the worst."
"You admit it...?!"
The first extracurricular—brimming with unease—was about to begin.