Why Did I Have to Enroll

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Why Did I Have to Enrol - Chapter 159

Lesson 32. The Pace is Too Fast - 3

On the last day of the long-term exploration period, which was a Sunday, Mira had successfully completed her exploration by reaching Room 360. Now, she was enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee at her favorite café. Outside, the rain was falling steadily.

“Is that coffee good?”

“Yeah.”

Mira replied without hesitation to Shati, a fellow student who had accompanied her on a long quest, as she sipped her café mocha. The rich sweetness seemed to tingle her brain.

“Some things never change with you, do they?”

“What do you mean?”

Shati, sitting across from her with her legs crossed, took a sip of her espresso and laughed.

“Changing your tastes to match the guy you like. I find it cute.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Mira’s expression hardened with discomfort, but Shati, determined to discuss this matter with her at least once, pressed on.

“Until sophomore year, you only drank vanilla lattes. Just like the vice president.”

“…I guess I did. I don’t really remember.”

Mira lowered her long, delicate eyebrows, pretending not to know. Even to another woman, her demeanor was utterly adorable. Clearly, she wanted to prove that her heart was now solely dedicated to her current man, so she feigned ignorance of the past.

When they first met two years ago, Shati could never have imagined Mira making such a lovely expression.

“When you first enrolled, you pretended to be a refined lady, sipping tea.”

“Does drinking tea elevate your status? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“That’s how you seemed back then. Besides, you really are a princess. Meanwhile, I was a nobody, even abandoned by my own kin….”

“What are you trying to say? That’s all superficial. Now, you’re one of the brightest talents in this school. Is there any need to bring it up?”

Mira reacted sensitively to Shati’s words. Shati was a dear friend, and Mira didn’t want to see her belittle herself.

“No, Mira. Don’t get defensive; just hear me out.”

“…Fine. Go ahead.”

When Shati first enrolled, she was universally disliked. Though she hailed from a well-known higher dimension, she belonged to the most despised race there, the Evil Ones. She couldn’t even properly wield the unique powers of her kind, earning the disdain of her own people. She had nowhere to belong.

Who could have predicted that she would secure solo exploration rights through a one-on-one meeting with the headmaster? She became even more disliked for it, but within just a month of the official semester starting, she shattered every record at the school, turning the tables.

She was simply strong. With a strength and potential that made anyone who tried to suppress her tremble, she silenced them all.

“It was quite the dramatic turnaround, wasn’t it?”

“…It was.”

Listening to Shati, Mira couldn’t help but recall her own past. Born into a noble and rare race in the greatest A-1 dimension, she was naturally selected for Union Academy. Her beauty and abilities drew everyone’s attention, but she couldn’t quite fit into the academy’s environment, floating aimlessly until she met a kind and impressive man from her own race, who helped her finally find her footing.

Thinking about the past made her uncomfortable. It was impossible not to think of Ketra.

“It was just a phase. I’m proud, you know. I gave a good smack to those who looked down on me, and I ended up becoming the student council president with their support.”

“…”

“So I don’t plan to erase my past. I’m not going to say something cheesy like ‘I am who I am because of my past,’ but having a tough past makes me look better now.”

By then, Mira fully understood what Shati wanted to say. She pressed her lower lip with her teacup, making a pouty face.

“So? What are you trying to say? Should I boast to Yu-won about the things I did to get Ketra’s attention?”

She had made a few mistakes when she first met Yu-won, who was so different from Ketra. But she had no intention of doing anything so foolish now.

“You always take things to the extreme. I’m just saying there’s no need to desperately ignore it.”

“You’re the one who helped get Ketra out of the picture, and you’re saying this?”

“Huh? Oh, no. I’m not saying you should get close to the vice president. I don’t like him either.”

“Wait a moment. Order, please.”

Mira, having emptied her cup, ordered another café mocha. She sensed the conversation would be long. But Shati was incredulous at her actions.

“Can you drink something that sweet back-to-back without gaining weight?”

“I don’t.”

The Changeling ability of the fairy race allowed them to convert consumed nutrients into Magic Power, a trait any woman would envy. So, no matter how much sweet stuff she consumed, she couldn’t gain weight. In fact, she could even develop only the parts she wanted by utilizing her Changeling ability.

“To be precise, I only gain weight where I want to. Yu-won seems to prefer the bigger side, so… I’m trying to enhance it a bit more.”

“You’re so adorable I want to hit you.”

Shati felt a surge of murderous intent toward Mira, who emphasized certain body parts while making such remarks. Mira nodded slightly as she accepted the teacup brought by the server.

“Alright, let’s continue the conversation.”

“We were talking about the vice president… Yeah, I’m not saying you should pretend your past didn’t happen because I want you to get along with him again.”

“Then what?”

“I just want you to be at peace.”

“I’m already at peace.”

The smile Mira wore as she took the first sip of her café mocha was truly dazzling. She looked every bit the girl in love. Even knowing her feelings for Ban Yu-won were genuine, Shati couldn’t shake a certain unease.

“Emptying the contents and pretending not to know what’s on top, I think they’re different.”

“I’ve emptied it. It’s gone now. Yu-won helped me empty it.”

“If you really emptied it, that’s even more concerning. Besides, I don’t think he would care about your past. He’d probably accept it all.”

“Shati, I don’t like it when you talk like that.”

Mira grumbled as she thought. Sure, their contract was like that, but could she really entrust everything to him? There were things she didn’t want to show him, things dirty and messy, things that might upset him… She had to sort those out herself.

“It’s not pretending not to know; I really don’t. Ketra can’t affect me in any way. Nothing remains. Does that sound like a lie?”

“I’m sure you’re sincere. That’s why I’m worried.”

“Worried?”

Everyone wishes their love to be their first, but if it’s always the first, then it’s just treading water without any growth. Even as she thought this, Shati swallowed her words, knowing she’d be called childish if she voiced them. Trying to give advice on love when she had no experience herself was a mess.

Shati slumped her shoulders and spoke without much thought.

“…I just hope you don’t hate your past too much. It’s not like you slept with the vice president, right?”

“Of course not! And that’s vulgar…!”

Seeing Mira’s face turn red with anger, Shati’s lips curled into a smirk.

“Ah, that reaction. You haven’t slept with the planning director yet, have you? Or rather, you couldn’t?”

“Ugh….”

Mira clammed up, having been hit where it hurt. Shati chuckled and continued.

“The special activity for Rebellion this time is going to that Luciel’s hometown. You shouldn’t mess with the dragon in the lair, and even slimes have an advantage in the swamp. If you’re not careful, you’ll really get overtaken.”

“That’s why we’re meeting here, to plan for the special activity! No matter what happens or how the evaluation turns out, I’ll finish it as quickly as possible and get back to Yu-won. Got it?!”

“Yes, yes, for our dear Mira’s love, the kind student council president will help~.”

Laughing at Mira’s childish frustration, Shati thought about Ban Yu-won, the charming man Mira loved. And she thought about Ketra, who only started to cling to Mira after they had drifted apart.

‘Someone’s going to get hurt.’

The devil’s intuition never errs on the side of good. Shati sighed and muttered.

‘I hope if anyone gets hurt, it’s that annoying vice president and not our sweethearts.’

E-1 Dimension.

This was Luciel’s home dimension. Being selected as the dimension for special activities meant that dimension was in crisis. Considering Light’s case, who rushed back after receiving a signal that his dimension was in danger, it was hard not to suspect external manipulation. At the same time, he began to worry about his and Dokgo Yeon’s home dimensions.

—Ex-2 and Ex-1 are currently safe, so there’s no need to worry.

“Wait, Master. What did you say?”

That evening, as Ban Yu-won was summoned by the headmaster before the departure for the special activity, he was thrown into confusion by the headmaster’s sudden words. Incidentally, today the headmaster appeared in the form of an astronaut doll. Despite perfectly concealing his vision, the headmaster seemed to know exactly what Ban Yu-won had obtained from the tower this time. The frustrating part was that this astronaut doll was quite cute.

—It means there’s no need to worry about your dimension and student Dokgo Yeon’s dimension.

“So why is it Ex? Wait, hold on… Exception?”

—Correct. It’s a designation used to distinguish dimensions that cannot be defined by conventional methods. Do you need an explanation as to why they are exceptions?

“Is it because I was selected for Union Academy despite there being no mana there?”

—Correct. But that’s regarding your dimension, and as for student Dokgo Yeon’s dimension—

“That’s enough.”

Ban Yu-won cut off the headmaster’s words decisively.

“I’ll hear it directly from Dokgo Yeon later.”

—You prefer to take unnecessary steps.

The headmaster didn’t understand Ban Yu-won’s reasoning but respected his decision. The fact that he forgave Ban Yu-won for interrupting him was proof that the headmaster held him in special regard.

“So… was Ryu Cheol-myeong’s influence involved in E-1 dimension being selected for the special activity?”

—I cannot say. But what I can tell you is that it’s the best option for you.

Ban Yu-won had completely figured out the headmaster’s personality by now. The headmaster certainly liked Ban Yu-won. But that affection was severely twisted, and this case was no exception.

“No matter how much I suffer, you don’t care. You just want me to go, face challenges, get hurt, and grow.”

—Your growth is astonishing. I won’t deny that my guidance has influenced it.

Guidance. Guidance, he says.

“So, should I be grateful?”

—On the contrary, I should be the one thanking you.

The astronaut doll split in half, revealing the fluffy eyeball he had seen before. The eyeball, staring directly at Ban Yu-won.

—You are indeed an intriguing subject of observation. The most fascinating since that child.

He had no intention of asking who that child was. The headmaster already knew how much Ban Yu-won had figured out. The only person the headmaster would refer to so affectionately was…

‘Sister Mina, I guess.’

Ban Yu-won vividly remembered the derogatory term used by Exodus, the organization that suddenly appeared and attacked during the special activity with all the students. The foster daughter of a monster. There was only one being they could call a monster. The eyeball floating before him.

“Should I call you headmaster, then?”

—Call me Master.

“…Did you raise Professor Yumina the same way?”

—That child was more delicate and weak than you.

But Ban Yu-won was strong, so he was treated more harshly. Ban Yu-won understood the unspoken words the headmaster left out, snorted, and turned away.

“I won’t always play by your rules.”

—I will never be your enemy. Yet, is there a reason to make statements that would cause me to be wary?

“You still don’t understand the power of words, even though you command with just a word.”

Ban Yu-won’s eyes glowed golden as he turned away from the astronaut doll. Since completing his aura, the light emitted by his authority had grown stronger.

“It’s a declaration that it will definitely come true. You’ll see.”

—Then I look forward to it.

The headmaster replied with genuine sincerity.

—Return safely.

“Of course.”

Thus ended the final interview of the first semester. And the next day, Monday, the Rebellion party set off for the E-1 dimension.

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