Why Did I Have to Enroll

Why Did I Have to Enroll - Chapter 168

Lesson 34. Free Subordination - 3

The barrier protecting the territory of the Wolf Fang Tribe was under bombardment. Slothia, the Lazy Queen, quickly gathered her Magic Power to counter it, but she couldn’t hold off the relentless assault indefinitely.

“Emergency――! They’re here!”

“Those damn dimensional pirates! I’ll wipe them all out!”

The Beastmen, who had been caught up in the festive spirit, instantly transformed their excitement into battle fervor and sprang to their feet. The airborne Jo-in Tribe spread their wings and took flight, while the Hu-in Tribe prepared sharp arrowheads infused with Magic Power to launch them.

The Beastmen who couldn’t fly or throw took on the role of shields, climbing trees to protect their allies. The rest poured their Magic Power into the magic circle Slothia had created.

“You will never――violate this place!”

At the top of the tallest tree, the Spirit Wolf roared, causing some of the falling bombs to explode in mid-air or even reverse as if they were being rewound, shooting back into the sky.

“Yes.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox conjured several small fireballs. Though they seemed weak at first glance, there were precisely nine of them. The fireballs sliced through the air, tracking and piercing the bombs launched by the dimensional pirates, causing them to explode without losing momentum. Eventually, one of the pirate ships was set ablaze in a spectacular fashion.

“Can’t take them all down, can you?”

“Especially with the son-in-law here today.”

“They must have noticed the son-in-law’s presence, hence the determined attack.”

Despite having taken out nearly a tenth of the enemy’s main force, Canid and Lucia didn’t look pleased. The abilities they had just used couldn’t be unleashed endlessly. The pirates’ attacks had happened before, but this time the scale was particularly large. Seeing more than thirty ships tearing through dimensions was enough to unsettle anyone.

“Poor Luciel.”

Lucia said, creating additional fireballs and launching them into the sky. She placed a hand on her cheek, her expression one of sultry concern.

“She must have been looking forward to her first night, but now it’s only the first skirmish.”

“By the way, who went to call them?”

“The third one.”

“…Don’t ever tell him that.”

―Bang!

“――Dokgo Yeon?”

“Is it an attack? We heard the bombing too.”

“…….”

When Dokgo Yeon burst through the door, Ban Yu-won and Luciel were already prepared to leave. But Dokgo Yeon wasn’t fooled by their composed appearance. The room was filled with a strange heat, and Luciel exuded a sweet scent that made it obvious what had transpired. Their flushed cheeks were a dead giveaway.

“…You two seem to have had quite the fun.”

“Y-yes. I want to tear those attackers apart for interrupting….”

Luciel replied candidly. She wasn’t one to hide anything, so her answer was expected.

“Ah….”

Dokgo Yeon had anticipated this relationship and even supported it in some ways, but hearing Luciel’s response stirred a mix of emotions within her. Yet, she was afraid to define the dominant feeling, so she decided to suppress her emotions further. She had been acting strangely enough today. She couldn’t allow herself to show any more weakness.

“…Well, if you two have solidified your relationship, I hope you’ll show a more composed front in public.”

“Uh, I doubt Luciel can manage that… Never mind. Let’s go, Luciel.”

“Yes♡”

Luciel naturally linked arms with Ban Yu-won, but Dokgo Yeon merely twitched an eyebrow without commenting. Perhaps she thought it was acceptable now that they were a complete pair. Ban Yu-won considered this but realized it was a misconception.

“Luciel, we need to fight soon, so let go.”

“I can barely walk. Let me lean on you for a bit.”

“That sounds like a lie….”

“It’s all because of you, Yu-won♡”

The two exchanged embarrassing words as they left the room. Dokgo Yeon followed them with a calm expression, but Luciel whispered to her in a voice only she could hear.

“I meant what I said before.”

“What you said before?”

Dokgo Yeon looked puzzled. Luciel turned back to her, mouthing silently:

‘It’s okay if it’s you.’

Then she left with Ban Yu-won. Dokgo Yeon recalled a conversation she’d had with Luciel but couldn’t thank her for the ‘permission.’ Still, Luciel’s smug smile, as if she understood all her feelings, was irritating. She couldn’t accept it. So, she decided to close the lid on her confused emotions and feign ignorance.

“Wow, have I lost it?”

Meanwhile, Ban Yu-won, unaware of the intense exchange between the two women, clicked his tongue as he assessed the situation.

“Are they trying to end it all on the first day? They’re acting like something terrible will happen if they don’t hurry.”

No matter how great Slothia’s barrier was, it couldn’t withstand the indiscriminate bombardment. The thick canopy of trees usually blocked the sky, but now the Wolf Fang Tribe’s territory had holes everywhere, letting the moonlight pour in. The massive fleet filling the sky was a bonus.

“Could Ryu Cheol-myeong be there?”

“He won’t show himself. But Ban Yu-won, can you send me up high?”

“That’s easy.”

With the trees full of holes, it was easier for mechanical constructs to move. Ban Yu-won summoned Light Wings to carry Dokgo Yeon.

“Are you planning to charge in?”

“I’m not risking my life, so don’t worry.”

“Yeah, you’ll be fine.”

Light Wings soared swiftly. Ban Yu-won summoned Lilith, transformed into a bike, and took off with Luciel, breaking through the forest.

“Son-in-law, you’re here!”

Canid approached with a welcoming expression. Given what Ban Yu-won had accomplished earlier that day, it wasn’t surprising that Canid relied on him. And indeed, Ban Yu-won had several strategies to counter the cowardly enemies attacking from the sky.

“Gather the people, please.”

“As you wish!”

Slothia’s barrier technique was reaching its limits. Even if other Beastmen channeled their Magic Power through the magic circle, Slothia’s mental strength had its limits. Canid’s shout, filled with determination, summoned the idle Beastmen to the trees.

“I’m going to help you fly for a while. Can you handle that?”

“Are you saying we’ll grow wings like the Jo-in Tribe?”

“You’ll see.”

Ban Yu-won distributed the items he had prepared, knowing the enemy would attack from the sky. They were shoes imbued with the concepts of levitation and flight. Since he couldn’t directly interfere with the Beastmen’s internal concepts, he created these simple artifacts. However, they were only temporary, made through language magic, and would cause the wearer to fall once the Magic Power was depleted.

‘Fighting for a day should be fine.’

Beastmen usually didn’t wear shoes, so they found them uncomfortable, but there was no time for complaints.

“Oh?! I’m flying! And I’m not even a flying squirrel!”

“This is fun! With this, we can smash those guys ourselves!”

“Let’s go, let’s crush them now!”

“…No need for training.”

Once they wore the shoes, the Beastmen, with their superior physical abilities, quickly adapted to levitation and flight. They soared into the sky, attacking the dimensional pirate fleet. Already, Dokgo Yeon seemed to be causing chaos among the pirates, who were scrambling on deck. It was only a matter of time before the bombardment ceased entirely.

Canid marveled at how quickly the tide of battle turned.

“Artifacts can be mass-produced like this?”

“Because it’s the master.”

Luciel, still unwilling to part from Ban Yu-won, spoke proudly. Lucia, who had approached from behind, pulled her away.

“Eeek?!”

“Come here. I’ll teach you the Nine-Tailed Fox’s attack techniques while we fight.”

“But I want to stay with the master――!”

“Don’t bother the son-in-law.”

Ban Yu-won watched in awe as multiple fireballs floated around Lucia, and soon Luciel created similar energy orbs. Unlike her mother’s, Luciel’s were a peculiar mix of fire and electricity, likely due to the artifact she wore.

“Interesting, Luciel was always a physical type.”

“A Nine-Tailed Fox becomes stronger with a partner. Do you understand, son-in-law?”

…Could Luciel’s new ability have been unlocked by what happened between them today? Ban Yu-won broke into a cold sweat as he glanced at Canid. Canid’s benevolent expression seemed to affirm his thoughts.

“Though she’s still clumsy on both fronts. I can feel the Heart Furnace suppressing her.”

The atmosphere grew serious. Ban Yu-won frowned, sensing a certain concept rampaging within Canid’s body. Canid’s contracted Constellation was annoyed by his rebellious thoughts and actions.

“As expected… Even the master’s presence can’t completely suppress the Constellation’s power.”

“…….”

It must have been painful, yet Canid showed no sign of it. He was truly a strong man.

“I’m glad Luciel returned, but I wished she hadn’t. The Constellation’s influence is stronger on this star, where it has many contractors. Now that Luciel’s back, it’ll stop at nothing to claim her, and eventually, one side will have to surrender.”

“We considered that, but――we didn’t come here by choice, and also.”

The Headmaster knew this and still sent them to this land. His goal wasn’t just Ryu Cheol-myeong. Knowing Ban Yu-won and Luciel were entangled with the Constellation, he ordered them to face it directly and win.

‘It’s not an easy task.’

Both Ban Yu-won and Luciel were aware of this. Luciel’s haste in solidifying their relationship might have been influenced by this fact. Perhaps she resisted as much as she could, fearing she might have to surrender to the Constellation. It was a bit hasty, but in hindsight, it wasn’t a bad decision.

“It’ll be fine soon.”

Ban Yu-won replied confidently.

“Luciel isn’t the only one who gained new abilities from our deepened relationship.”

“…I trust you. But where are you going?”

“I think I don’t need to intervene here. I should check elsewhere.”

“Elsewhere?”

“Below.”

Ban Yu-won pointed down with a wry smile.

“The trees?”

“No, the ground.”

His eyes glowed golden as he read the flow of all concepts in real-time, gathering information. He had noticed something as soon as he stepped outside.

“Bugs are on the move.”

“――No way.”

“The enemy has a technique to control insects, right?”

Burning the trees and using Forest Worms to attack the gaps. It could have been a strategy to devour the Wolf Fang Tribe in one fell swoop, but… having read it all, Ban Yu-won found it a fortunate opportunity. They had gathered the concepts he wanted in one place, bringing him closer to a breakthrough!