The next morning, despite being exam period when students shouldn't be paying attention to anything except their test papers and opponents they needed to defeat in duels, there was an unsettled atmosphere among the academy students.
The reason was clear - this morning in the student cafeteria, the Student Council Public Relation Mira's once-golden hair had turned pitch black as if ink had been poured over it.
Not only that, but her erald green eyes that used to shine like embedded transparent gems had changed to an ominous purple.
Of course, this hadn't diminished her beauty - she was still considered one of the academy's leading beauties.
If anything, so students were praising her looks with comnts they wouldn't dare say to her face, like "She suddenly beca more mature" and "Her fairy-like allure has explosively increased."
"They're really running their mouths on the anonymous forum."
"Well, everyone's probably shocked given the timing."
Light, sitting next to him and looking at the mirror together, wore a sowhat sullen expression.
The reason was simple.
Mira's sudden physical changes ant one thing - a 'contract with a constellation.'
This was why the students were reacting so extrely in the first place.
While the signs of contracting with a constellation varied, generally, the more dramatic the physical changes, the higher the likelihood of receiving great power from a powerful constellation.
"Wasn't she already one of the most outstanding third-years? And now she's even made a contract when she was already that strong without one..."
"It's okay, Light. You're strong too."
"That's... not what I an."
―First Year Class 11, Ars Light. Training Room 13.
Just then, Light's student ID vibrated with his na being called.
The two had been waiting together for their comprehensive evaluation duels.
"Ah, really... I'll be back quick. Stay here."
"I have to duel too, idiot. We'll talk in the room tonight."
"Tch."
He seed to want to talk more with Ban Yu-won, but eventually pushed out his lips and grumbled as he entered the training room.
'He's really like a girl.'
The more he practiced spear techniques, the more feminine he beca, not just in appearance but in deanor, which was making things increasingly awkward for Ban Yu-won who shared a room with him. 𝑅àꞐՕ𝐁ȧ
It wasn't like he could expose Light's identity to the academy now, nor could he tell Light to be less cute because it might trigger his desires.
anwhile, Lucelle's approaches were escalating, and on top of that, he'd taken on an emotionally unstable landmine just yesterday.
'I was just trying to make the contract conditions more detailed to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, but I had to go and show off... And what's this about anyway? I completely dismantled the curse, and even when countering the curse that returned to Mira, there was a possibility that the rebound attacked the constellation who was the original owner of the curse, but now the constellation has made a contract with Mira?'
Could that constellation be a pervert?
No, he'd suspected they were a pervert from the start, but if anything, weren't they more S than M...?
While he was deep in thought about the constellation's sexual preferences, Ban Yu-won's na was called.
―First Year Class 11, Ban Yu-won. Training Room 7.
"Yes, yes, coming."
Ban Yu-won first sent a ssage to Mira asking why she ended up contracting with that constellation, then entered Training Room 7.
Looking at the person entering through the opposite door, the girl with golden bobbed hair and cute features was surprisingly soone he rembered seeing before.
"Misty! It's Misty!"
"W-what? Don't address so casually, you inferior student. I have the proud family na of Aiole!"
His duel opponent was Misty Aiole, a Class 1 student who secretly admired Aire and attended Magic Combat Studies with him.
"But this works out well. I've wanted to see for myself the magic skills that the princess praises so highly."
"Magic skills? Ah, sorry but-"
―Duel preparation.
At the chanical voice, Ban Yu-won and Misty instinctively took their stances, cutting off their conversation.
The start was announced imdiately, and Misty instantly created hundreds of stone arrows in the air, aiming them at him.
As expected of a Special Class magician - swift incantation and an overwhelming number of projectiles!
"Try blocking this! ...Huh?"
But Ban Yu-won was nowhere to be seen.
She had only taken her eyes off him for the brief mont it took to trigger the magic spell.
Flustered but moving quickly, she chanted her next spell to float a massive stele in the air, then rolled once to cast a detection spell that sent shockwaves through the ground to locate his position, but at that mont-
She realized Ban Yu-won was already at her back.
"What, you're not using magic..."
"Sorry, magic is too slow."
The mont Ban Yu-won's drawn executioner's greatsword tapped Misty's neck, the magical protection in the training room activated, and a sound like breaking glass rang out from her body.
Misty had been judged combat-incapable after exceeding the regulated damage threshold.
―Winner, Ban Yu-won.
"Ah..."
Misty slumped to the floor, having been subdued without even getting to use proper magic.
As Ban Yu-won sheathed his sword after the winner's declaration, she suddenly scread.
"Why aren't you using magic?!"
"Elental magic is slow. Moving directly is faster. Besides, duels only record the results, so how you win doesn't affect your grade."
"What kind of... I can't accept this! Fight with magic only!"
"Alright, we can do that in Practical Combat Comprehensive class."
They both attend not only Magic Combat Studies but also Practical Combat Comprehensive on Tuesday mornings.
Since that class aims to build experience and practical skills by fighting various opponents under various conditions, he could certainly accommodate a magic-only duel.
"Ugh, I really don't like you... What does the princess see in soone like you?"
"Don't worry, she likes soone else. And sorry, but could you leave now, Misty? I have another duel right after this."
"Call Aiole!"
The winner of a duel gets the chance for consecutive matches.
The more wins you stack up at once, the fewer duels you need overall, and the faster you can finish your duels.
Misty stord out in anger until the end, while Ban Yu-won waved his hand lightly and prepared for the next duel.
After winning three more consecutive duels, Ban Yu-won t Dokgo-yeon as his next opponent.
"Huh, what's this?"
"It ans your ranking has risen that high, Ban Yu-won."
Dokgo-yeon replied calmly while gripping his short sword.
But Ban Yu-won shrugged and raised both hands.
"You have another duel after this, right? With that guy. Don't waste your energy, save your strength."
"How unmanly. Are you running away?"
"No, since only the result matters in these duels, rather than creating unnecessary variables, I'll just cleanly boost your record."
Dokgo-yeon frowned, seemingly displeased with his detached attitude, but eventually sighed and withdrew his sword.
"I wanted to face you properly in an official arena..."
"Ask when I'm stronger. Won't take long."
"You always have such smooth words."
Though it sounded like an insult, there was a faint smile on Dokgo-yeon's lips.
Ban Yu-won confird his defeat by strongly hitting himself to remove his protective barrier, then gave Dokgo-yeon a thumbs up as he turned away.
But as Ban Yu-won was about to leave the room, Dokgo-yeon spoke to his back.
"That story you ntioned before about seeing the end of an unfortunate love - is it related to the woman everyone's talking about today?"
"Yeah. How did you know?"
"Since she's in the sa student council as the man who ca to get you last week, I wondered... Be careful of that woman."
Dokgo-yeon said bluntly.
"She has the eyes of soone who doesn't value their own life much. You never know when she might snap. If you get involved wrongly, it could beco troubleso."
"..."
Dokgo-yeon didn't miss how Ban Yu-won flinched at those words.
"You're already involved?"
"Yeah."
"Why are you so popular with troubleso won?"
He completely agreed.
But did Dokgo-yeon realize that she herself was at the forefront of those troubleso won?
Of course, nothing was set in stone yet.
If he wanted, he could challenge soone ranked above him just once to swap rankings.
Conversely, those ranked below could challenge Ban Yu-won if they thought he was an easy target, but since there were limitations on that too... the duels were probably over now.
"Between yesterday and today, I've already finished five written subjects. Magic Combat is being replaced with a thesis for the final, and other subjects have been substituted with assignnts too..."
With just one practical exam on Wednesday and one written exam on Thursday, the tests would be completely over.
He was certain he'd gotten perfect scores on all the written subjects so far, and he'd been in the upper ranks for all the practical subjects too, so his grades were looking promising.
"Yeah, if you get perfect scores in all the remaining subjects, you'll be in the top 5."
"?!"
Startled by the sudden voice from behind, he turned around to find Mira there - her hair now beautiful like ebony with gentle curls, and violet eyes.
Ban Yu-won responded to her with a disgruntled expression.
"How do you know that, senior?"
"When you're a student council officer, you can access so of the academy's databases. Of course, there are so that only professors can manage, but if you just slightly modify the access permissions with Changeling..."
"You've always been shady."
"Right? Matches my current hair color, doesn't it?"
Instead of denying it, Mira smiled softly and approached his side.
"I ca to tell you directly. About the Constellation contract."
"Is that Constellation a pervert?"
"Yeah."
She nodded at first, then furrowed her brow as if hearing sothing from the Constellation and added:
"The Constellation... 'Gatekeeper of Purgatory' seems very satisfied with yesterday's little drama."
"Little drama..."
It was indeed just that.
The play that should have ended in destruction between Mira and Ketra beca a ss due to Ban Yu-won's interference, but thanks to that, the conclusion between Mira and Ketra beca a bit lighter and more amusing.
During all that, the changes in Mira's emotions and actions had reached a level that even Ban Yu-won couldn't predict at all... but it seems that this Gatekeeper fellow liked that.
Definitely a pervert.
"It's too embarrassing to explain exactly, but― anyway, they said they'd contract without any conditions, so I agreed."
"Will you be okay?"
That Constellation was the root cause of this incident, manipulating Mira's mind.
Though they say it was because she failed, they're also the being who nearly drove her to death with a curse.
It was impossible not to worry about her readily accepting a contract with such a being.
"If anything happens, you'll solve it for , right? That's still inside too."
But she replied nonchalantly while stroking her abdon.
Of course, Ban Yu-won knew exactly what she was referring to.
She ant the fragnt of his soul that he had made her swallow yesterday along with coffee, contained in a mana core.
Though it had been necessary to save her, because of that, his soul fragnt (he had given it a value of 10) was still unable to leave her.
―Looking at how she ended up contracting with the Constellation anyway, it seems it was good to leave it as is.
"That's true, but could you not make that gesture?"
"Why?"
"It seems... to have a different aning. Just don't do it."
Though Mira tilted her head in genuine confusion, she removed her hand that had been rubbing her abdon.
"Is that an order? Then I'll comply."
"No, it's not an order. I'm sorry."
It's just a contract, not servitude.
Right?
―Woong
Just as he was at a loss for how to deal with Mira, whose black-dyed hair seed to make her condition even more serious, Ban Yu-won's student ID conveniently rang.
It was a summons from the Principal.
"Finally... it's here."
"Are you going to get scolded because of ?"
Why was she smiling while saying that?
And looking so happy and pleased too.
"I'll comfort you kindly when you get back."
"That's creepy."
Thinking that the word 'kindly' was the least fitting word in the world for her, Ban Yu-won gripped his student ID.
Soon, spatial transfer activated.
―It was a splendid achievent.
As soon as Ban Yu-won was summoned to the office, the doll sitting on a mat on the desk imdiately pointed at him and exclaid.
Today it was a doll in the form of a typical English gentleman, like one that might be described in a Sting song.
―To directly confront a Constellation and achieve victory, truly a satisfactory result. It was a perfect curse-breaking. I comnd you, Ban Yu-won.
"...I don't know what tune I should be dancing to, Master."
Ban Yu-won, who had been extrely tense, slumped his shoulders in dismay at the Principal's words.
He had honestly been prepared to receive threats about watching his behavior from now on, but this crazy English gentleman was tapping his cane on the desk floor and applauding.
―What do you an what tune to dance to? What a strange thing to say. Did I ever give you any instructions?
"You clearly told to break the curse, not just neutralize it..."
Ban Yu-won trailed off mid-sentence.
No, the Principal hadn't given him any clear instructions.
He had only asked if he'd received a request from the student council, then subtly pointed out the core of this incident.
Of course, that could be called 'inducing action,' but he had never specifically instructed him to punish or save anyone on his behalf.
"Wait. You said you'd give solo exploration rights if I resolved this. Doesn't that an Master had a clear intention to move ―"
―However things proceeded, I thought it would be sufficient to see if you had the skill and courage to handle solo exploration. And indeed it was. Therefore, I shall grant you solo exploration rights.
The Principal declared this without hesitation and tapped his cane on the desk again.
Ban Yu-won noticed that at that mont, extra space appeared on his student ID.
He was certain this space would be updated when he entered the tower alone.
―Solo exploration rights include priority access. You can enter not just on weekends but any ti you have free ti on weekdays too. Use it well.
"Hmm, I still don't quite understand..."
―You made your own judgnt to save an evil person, so bear that responsibility yourself. Nothing more is needed.
That was the intention from the start.
The English gentleman, who had been staring at Ban Yu-won as he maintained his unconvinced expression, suddenly spoke:
―Having retainers is also a refinent necessary for becoming a ruler. You must be feeling the changes yourself.
"Changes? Well, not really..."
Ban Yu-won tilted his head and called up his internal concepts.
His charm, which had been 70, had increased to 100.
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