Why Did I Have to Enroll - Chapter 27

Lesson 7. It's Definitely Not Because I Like You - 2

"I'm so glad everyone is safe!"

Yumina's shoulders slumped in genuine relief as she saw Ban Yu-won and his group emerge from the tower.

Besides her, the academy's faculty members, including professors and associate professors, were all out there, and students could be seen here and there as well.

If there was one thing they all had in common, it was that everyone looked frazzled.

"What happened?"

"Well, that... Sigh. Let's move to a different location first."

When Ban Yu-won asked directly, Yumina let out a heavy sigh and fiddled with the pendant around her neck.

The next moment, the group found themselves in a lecture room without doors.

"It's not good news, and we can't make a big fuss about it, so I brought you all here. I also wanted to hear about your first exploration."

"So?"

Dokgo Yeon spoke in an irritated voice.

"Why did such a problem occur from the very first exploration?"

"It's because of an Irregular."

They all knew that even before hearing it.

Knowing that this wasn't the answer they wanted, Yumina nodded and continued speaking.

"We talked about external intruders this morning, right? The presence of an intruder has been confirmed. A student... died because of him."

"Eek!"

Luciel, who had been dejected since leaving the tower, gasped at those words and reflexively grabbed Ban Yu-won's arm tightly.

Ban Yu-won, who had been internally preparing himself while observing the chaotic atmosphere, asked to make sure.

"It's not just that they died, but that they couldn't come out of the tower, right?"

"That's right. Those who were in the same party as that student testified. And the intruder... we ultimately lost track of him."

It hurts. Luciel gripped his arm even tighter.

Despite this, Ban Yu-won couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.

"So what happens to that intruder now?"

"Well... Maybe the tower has recognized him as a climber."

Yumina's expression was incredibly bitter as she said those words.

Ban Yu-won realized that her words were not a hypothesis but the truth.

At that moment, he had a realization that came not from reason but from intuition.

"Don't tell me the tower deliberately led this? For the intruder to kill... an existing climber?"

"...!"

Yumina nodded ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Ban Yu-won's teeth clenched tightly.

It was the moment his perception of the tower completely changed.

"So it was a qualification test, in other words. Recognize them if they can kill a climber, and if they can't, make them die instead."

If they can't even defeat an existing climber, then the intruder doesn't even have the minimum qualifications.

On the other hand, if they defeat a climber, they've proven themselves better than the existing climber, so they're given the chance to climb the tower.

That was... a test that Ban Yu-won, with the mindset of an ordinary human, could never understand.

"Is that also why there are more intrusion attempts on the day new students enter the tower? Because intruders want to kill relatively weaker new students and be recognized as climbers."

Yumina didn't answer his question, but her expression had already answered it.

"What an amazing place, this Union Academy."

Dokgo Yeon, who had grasped the situation from the conversation, sneered as she perched on a nearby desk.

"There are intruders brazenly entering the tower, which is practically the reason for the academy's existence, and even though the tower induces these intruders to kill students, you can't stop it... It makes a mockery of calling this the best institution across dimensions."

"There's a misunderstanding, student Dokgo Yeon."

Yumina said with a bitter smile.

"Union Academy has a duty to protect students, but once they enter the tower, from that moment on, everything becomes their own responsibility. Moreover, if the tower chose an intruder over a student, that's something we absolutely cannot interfere with. Because that's the will of the tower."

"The will of the tower..."

Dokgo Yeon muttered blankly, turning her gaze to the towering structure visible through the window.

Despite a student having died inside it, the tower remained there, unchanged, just as it always had been.

Would the intruder, now a climber, still be inside the tower?

Probably so.

"...I still don't like it."

"Wait, student Dokgo Yeon—"

As she muttered those words, Dokgo Yeon put her hand on her student ID.

Yumina, knowing what that meant, called out her name, but by then, Dokgo Yeon was already gone.

"Sigh, really."

"Please understand, Professor. Something unpleasant happened inside the tower."

Ban Yu-won tried to comfort Yumina, who looked dejected.

She raised her head.

"Something unpleasant? What was it?"

"Some strange voice calling itself the Observer of Ten Thousand Eyes..."

"A Constellation?!"

Yumina's reaction was incredibly intense.

It was enough to startle even Ban Yu-won.

However, Luciel and Light merely gave bitter smiles, as if they had anticipated her reaction.

"To make contact with a Constellation on your first day in the tower—it's a first in the academy's history! Even though the Irregulars have caused the Constellations to run wild and the tower's barriers have weakened, still...!"

Her reaction was so drastically different from her gloomy demeanor just moments ago that one might suspect she had been acting all along.

Ban Yu-won shook his head and asked her a question.

"So what exactly is this Constellation thing?"

"...Pardon?"

Yumina let out a dumb-sounding voice in response to Ban Yu-won's question.

She alternately looked at Luciel and Light with a gaze that seemed to ask if they didn't know either, but the two shook their heads slightly, indicating that they already knew.

Slightly relieved at that, Yumina turned to Ban Yu-won with an incredulous look.

"I can't believe this... I heard it was a lower dimension without mana, but to think even the Constellations' access was blocked, what kind of backwater is this?"

Earth had just been treated as a backwater.

Just because it didn't have whatever these Constellations were!

"So what are Constellations, I'm asking."

"Sponsors, or Observers."

The answer came from Light.

For some reason, with a very contemptuous look, he said,

"It's a term for transcendent beings who observe countless dimensions, find beings they like, make contracts with them, and exert influence on that dimension through their contractors."

"They give... magical power or authority... or artifacts and such. In return, they demand a lot."

Luciel, who added to the explanation, had a similar expression.

Ban Yu-won also found himself nodding involuntarily as he recalled what had happened inside the tower earlier.

A higher being that arbitrarily observes beings from other dimensions, sponsors abilities, and demands payment as they please.

Truly, aren't they transcendent beings?

"It's really fantasy-like. Browsing dimensions like watching a live stream. And it's not like they're sending star balloons, they're just handing out abilities so easily...?"

"Student Ban Yu-won really does say interesting things."

"It is fantasy, indeed."

If Ban Yu-won were to give an example from what he knew, would it be something like Daddy Long Legs?

If everyone had diligently read Daddy Long Legs, they would have known well that there's no such thing as sponsorship without a price in this world.

Just because she received some tuition support, didn't a young woman with a bright future ahead of her end up mortgaging her life to a man fourteen years her senior!

"They sure make such fishy contracts. How do they know what will be demanded?"

"The demands of the Constellations vary, but there are plenty of people willing to pay the price if they can borrow their power. It shows how desperate they are for power. Especially... in spaces where power is paramount."

Yumina's gaze turned towards the tower.

"The tower is the space with the most contractors of Constellations. It's also the space that attracts the most attention from Constellations."

"What's the academy's stance on contracts with Constellations?"

"On the surface, we maintain neutrality, but in reality, we encourage seizing any opportunity that comes."

Yumina said with a bitter smile, then added,

"I said before that you can't enter the tower without a student ID, right? But why do intruders appear? What method makes such a thing possible?"

"Don't tell me..."

"Yes, that too is mostly the power of Constellations. If they can make someone dream of becoming a climber, which is impossible unless you belong to Union Academy, it's not strange that some would stake their fate on a Constellation, right?"

But to become a climber, one inevitably has to kill other climbers.

This means that the Constellations knowingly support intruders with this understanding.

Ban Yu-won felt even more disgusted.

Yumina then turned to Ban Yu-won with sparkling jewel-like eyes and asked,

"What was the demand of the Observer of Ten Thousand Eyes?"

"Murder."

"Ah...?"

Professor Yumina's expression froze as she leaned in closer.

Ban Yu-won gently pushed her away and continued,

"It said it would contract with two out of four, so whoever wants to contract should kill the others first. ...That's what it demanded."

Well, actually, it was a bit different from that, but that's a bit inappropriate to talk about here and now.

Ban Yu-won could still vividly hear the voice of that so-called Constellation in his ears.

—Only the hot streams of blood full of vitality shall be praise and offering unto me. O children with wondrous potential, if you sever the necks of your comrades and offer them to me, I shall make you my closest children. My love shall not leave your side until you reach the end of this tower and seize what you desire!

As if I'd believe and follow a crazy woman who suddenly demands to kill a friend while offering power.

Fortunately, before anyone could react, Dokgo Yeon angrily raised her energy and 'drove it away.'

It must not have been an easy being to deal with, as she was quite exhausted afterwards, but thanks to that, they were able to safely escape from that space and exit the tower.

"This, is..."

The price seemed to be more shocking than she had imagined.

Professor Yumina pressed her forehead and sighed, then muttered while looking at Dokgo Yeon's empty spot,

"So that's why she reacted like that when I said..."

"Having experienced an unknown being treating our deaths like some kind of fun game or test, she must have been disgusted. To be honest, I feel the same."

Whether it was the tower or the Constellations, he realized they were all the same in trying to control humans as they pleased.

Perhaps somewhere there might be a Constellation very favorable to humans, willing to give without conditions.

But today's experience was enough.

Ban Yu-won would never trust a being that interferes with him arbitrarily.

"Professor, does this mean we can't enter the tower this week?"

"Huh? Yes, it will probably be difficult. I'm sorry. But we'll be monitoring the tower over the weekend to find intruders..."

"Professor, you don't need to apologize to us."

For Ban Yu-won, who was facing a duel with Erecto next Tuesday, this situation became awkward.

At this rate, there's no choice but to explore external dungeons, focusing on places with slightly higher difficulty levels...

"Would it be alright if I summarize what happened in the tower in a simple report format and submit it?"

"Hmm. I'd prefer to hear it directly if possible... Oh, that's right, are you free this evening? Let's talk over dinner."

"......"

"......"

As Yumina clapped her hands as if she had a good idea, Ban Yu-won remained silent while Light and Luciel stared at her intently.

Feeling caught, Yumina's face reddened slightly as she said,

"I'm sorry if you all wanted to have dinner with me too. But since the class president has been through so much already, I thought I should take care of him personally... Let's have dinner together another time!"

"No, that's not it... It's fine."

"......"

Light started to say something in response to Yumina's somewhat misaligned reply, but then shook his head.

At least it didn't seem like Yumina was interested in Ban Yu-won romantically, so he figured that was good enough.

On the other hand, Luciel continued to stare suspiciously at Professor Yumina, then glanced at Ban Yu-won, let out a light sigh, and placed her hand on the student ID hanging on her chest.

The next moment, she disappeared.

"Well then, Student Ban Yu-won, Student Light. You've both worked very hard. I hope that from next week on, we'll be careful not to let something like this happen again, and that you won't think too badly of the academy."

"I understand your position, Professor. Thank you for your concern."

"Haha... Well, I'll go rest now. Have a good weekend."

Light, looking somewhat dispirited, left the room first.

Ban Yu-won also bowed his head slightly and was about to leave the room when,

"Student Ban Yu-won, just one more thing before you go."

Yumina's voice held him back.

It was a scene that somehow felt familiar.

"I have something to ask you."

"Can't it wait until dinner?"

"No, I'd like to get the gloomy talk out of the way now."

At Yumina's bitter voice, Ban Yu-won realized that his shallow deception hadn't worked on her at all.

Giving up on everything, Ban Yu-won turned around with slumped shoulders as Yumina looked straight at him and asked,

"Then I'll ask directly. The Observer of Ten Thousand Eyes... actually designated sacrificial lambs, didn't it?"

"...Yes, that's right."

After hesitating for a moment, Ban Yu-won finally squeezed his eyes shut and nodded in agreement to her question.

If you want to become a contractor, kill 'first'?

No, that woman wasn't so gentle.

*

—The two of you can definitely reach the top of the tower. Of course. Yes... if you get rid of those useless burdens.

With those words, the Observer of Ten Thousand Eyes 'bound' two of the group members to that spot.

—Now, my lovely children. Kill them. If you do, I promise, you will obtain the most brilliant potential among all climbers.

And then he demanded.

To Dokgo Yeon and Ban Yu-won.

—Kill and seize. I will show you that this is all there is to the world.

He had demanded that they kill Luciel and Light to gain power.