Admission is a Waste of Time Chapter 267

Admission is a waste of time (267)

Lesson 52. Back of the Tower – 3

An odd silence hung over the lecture room, which was set aside just for the lectures held once a week.

Ban Yu-won, who felt awkward in the tense and excited atmosphere, concluded to himself, “That’s natural.”

That’s because today was the mock constellation battle of ‘Babylon and the Constellations’ hosted by Vice President Zenon.

“There are no new students this semester. It’s a shame that we couldn’t discover any new talent… … but it’s fortunate that we don’t have to explain the Orb again.”

Students gulping at the word “Orb” here and there.

It was a strange feeling, and a semester ago, when I came back from a lecture after the midterms were over, the students had created this kind of atmosphere.

Especially when the Orb started working and was completely cut off from the outside world, a strange sense of tension began to rise.

“By the way, do you all remember the results of the practical exam from last semester? Surprisingly, out of the few freshmen who took the class, two of them made it into the top five. The remaining two also beat the other students and achieved results that were above average.”

A clear voice that is neither high nor low, neither big nor small, but can be heard by all the students filling the classroom.

His words were not particularly accusatory, but the content alone was enough to mercilessly scratch the pride of the students.

Dokgo Yeon snorted at the hot stares of the students flying in from all directions.

“If I could win the match by aiming for it now, then my jealousy would have meaning.”

“I really like how confident you are, but for now, let’s be considerate of the other students… … .”

Dokgo Yeon’s voice, neither loud nor small, resonated throughout the classroom, creating a wonderful effect that attracted more people’s attention.

If we were to look at Dokgo Yeon himself, who actually said those words,

“Joe, are you okay? This guy is like that again… … If you have time to talk nonsense, you should just attend class.”

She said that with a look of embarrassment and began to avoid his gaze.

As Ban Yu-won tilted his head at her strangely calm appearance, he heard a whispering voice behind him.

When he glanced back, Mira was between Ruchel and Asha, whispering.

“Did you hear that just now, Senior? I told you that you only pick out the parts you want to hear from what Yuwon says.”

“Ugh, this is really serious. That proud and arrogant warrior has become a girl who doesn’t know what to do with her first love. It’s nice that Yuwon is able to control her, but that… … is a little off.”

“Whatever, she’s so cute. I really want to show Dokgo Yeon’s current appearance to the girl from a few months ago when she proudly declared that she ‘dumped women.’”

“Ruchel, you are the most scared, you.”

When Ban Yu-won desperately ignored them and turned his gaze to Zeno, by chance, their eyes met.

He opened his mouth again and spoke.

“You guys.”

The chaotic atmosphere was immediately cleared up by Zenon’s simple words, as if the Vice President had not won the prize through gambling.

“Instead of being jealous of others… … we should remember where this difference came from.”

As Xenon’s characteristically languid yet eye-catching voice echoed throughout the classroom, even the students who had not yet figured out the mood straightened their postures.

He continued, smiling with satisfaction at how quiet everyone had become.

“Your climb up the tower is not simply to destroy the room’s tricks and kill the monsters and people that have been created. It is the countless changes in the world that appear within it, the chemical reactions that occur when its components meet, and above all, the creative inspiration that can be gained from the repetition of its appearance and disappearance――.”

It was a creepy feeling.

Could it be that this human has noticed what I’ve been through on this solo expedition?

It was a semi-circle that raised new questions, but of course, they were never resolved.

“If you don’t pay attention to them and try to master them, you’ll graduate from the Academy having achieved nothing, let alone climbed the tower.”

“So are you saying that those… first-year students are different?”

A brave student asked a question.

Of course, he was a special class that hated Rebellion, but Zenon responded without caring at all about which dimension the students he was dealing with came from.

“Of course. If the students had eyes, they would know. Since they are so kind as to broadcast it. Since the results they get from the tower are great, they are active in the mock constellation battle. It very intuitively proves what I have said to you all so far.”

It’s nice to gild the team name, but to be honest, that’s not really relevant.

Even if Ban Yu-won doesn’t know, the other three just pushed through with their innate abilities during the last mock constellation war.

Although Dokgo Yeon was able to maximize his power in the space of the Orb by directly handling the power of the concept of death through martial arts, it seemed that even Ruchel, who had not yet awakened as a divine beast at the time, and Asha, who was busy controlling the holy sword, managed to get above average scores.

‘So now that Ruchel has awakened as a divine beast and has ideally extracted the mystery of its origin, and Asha has firmly established her identity as a dragon and is now able to wield the True Dragon Sword, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the other seniors have no chance of beating us.’

It’s a shame for the students who are glaring at them and tackling them, but the rest of the semester will be Rebellion’s turn.

No, all of the rest of my school years.

“――! But Professor, they turn off the broadcast at the most important moment… … .”

The student, intimidated by Zeno’s harsh words, took out his last card.

This is something that has been talked about a lot before.

Whenever the Rebellion party quickly breaks through a room or jumps over it, the power of Banyuwon is always activated. Even if you show it as is, it wouldn’t be convincing, and it would be even more difficult to understand the power, so it has to be cut off every time.

“You don’t mean to tell the first-years that they have to politely report everything they find out on the tower to their classmates, do you? Or do you mean to dismiss their accomplishments because you don’t understand the process?”

“That’s――――! … … No.”

The special class student sat down weakly.

Zenon let out a faint sigh.

“The reason I mentioned the first-year students is because I wanted to say that you need to have a different mindset towards the tower in order to improve. I’m not saying that you should be jealous of their achievements, deny them, or even imitate them. And this mock constellation war exists for that purpose.”

‘Well, I guess that’s what it looks like.’

Ban Yu-won sympathized with Zeno’s intention to shatter the students’ complacent perceptions, but from the perspective of someone who knew a little about the tower’s secrets, his words sounded like a deception.

Delving into the tower and chasing fragments of its power could certainly lead to new growth.

But… …the power that forms the tower, the principle that circulates within it.

All of this is ultimately――a bit arrogant as it may sound, the power of the Ban Yu-won family, that is, the power of others that cannot be conquered.

It’s like going around and around in circles on the topic of telling people not to imitate others’ achievements or abilities, and in the end, it’s like denying your own words.

‘If Zenon himself thinks differently, then that’s another story.’

What if Zeno were to firmly believe that, apart from Ban Yu-won’s abilities, someone else could obtain all the secrets and powers hidden in the tower?

Then the meaning of this lecture changes completely.

Yeah… … It’s like a group of rebels trying to kick out the landlord who came to inspect the house that was rented out after a long time.

No matter how much the president tried to convince him that he was on his side, he couldn’t completely trust him, and Zenon even more so.

In the end, Ban Yu-won can only be fully judged by those who can read his concepts.

‘No… … Lately, I’m becoming more and more like Ruchel.’

I looked back at Lucelle, placing my hand on her throbbing forehead. Her smile, as if she knew nothing, was strangely annoying.

I realized once again that her insistence on not giving up being a slave to the half-wolf was the result of an absurdly clever and cunning calculation.

“Okay, everyone’s gaze seems to have changed a little bit. I hope that when you enter the space I’m creating, you will remember what you just heard.”

Zenon clapped his hands and cleared the air.

“Today is free time, just like the first semester. During this time, you can explore your own possibilities. So, everyone, come out.”

Then, the same thing happened last year.

The students all gathered around me and the orb, and at Zeno’s simple declaration, everyone moved inside the virtual tower.

Ban Yu-won, who was left alone, had shining eyes, when Zenon suddenly appeared before his eyes.

Actually, I wasn’t surprised because I had expected it to some extent.

Even if it wasn’t difficult to read Zeno’s presence in this pseudo-space where he could control all the energy in the air as if it were his own, it wasn’t difficult to read Zeno’s presence in this space.

“You’re not surprised.”

“Is there anything you want to say to me?”

“I guess my attitude was easy to read. Yes, I wanted to talk to you in my own space where no one else could eavesdrop.”

Perhaps he had been waiting for this moment for quite some time.

I guess not, because there was an opportunity in the first semester.

Well then, maybe… … .

While Ban Yu-won was gathering his thoughts, Zeno hesitated for a moment and then opened his mouth again to speak.

“The Chancellor is worried. He thinks that you have acquired the means to control the Constellation, but have revealed it too easily.”

“A means to control the constellations… … .”

“Students of Ban Yu-won will know. I’m talking about a magic that draws the power of the stars.”

Zeno lowered his voice as if he was discussing a subject that should not be discussed lightly, looking at him intently, and said, creating a twinkling starlight on the palm of his hand.

Of course, it was a counterfeit that was not even close to the real thing, but Ban Yu-won did not bother to point that out.

Instead, he considered the possibility that the Chancellor’s will had intervened in his meeting with Celon at the tower.

Even though it was sealed, the staff that contained Celon was of a much higher level than what would have appeared from a treasure chest in Room 10.

Perhaps it was the intention of the president to draw significant power from the tower――.

‘No, that can’t be it.’

If the president had the power to change the contents of the room, his position would be different than it is now.

Everyone, whether inside or outside the Academy, thinks of the President as an absolute being, but at the same time, no one thinks of the President as the master of the tower.

That means there are clear limits to the influence the president can have on the top.

Therefore, if the president had any influence on the cause and effect of Ban Yu-won meeting Celon, it is most likely that it was not by changing the room, but rather by manipulating the staff that Celon had been sealed in… … .

So what does that mean?

‘……no way.’

Ban Yu-won, who had thought of the worst possibility, shook his head inwardly to shake off the thought and opened his mouth.

“You were talking about Sungkwang, right? You said you revealed it easily, but my current situation is not one where I can hide anything and endure it. I’m not the type to hide anything.”

“There was a misunderstanding. When I say public, I mean that you have allowed others to deal with it.”

The moment Ban Yu-won heard those words, he narrowed his eyes and glared at Zeno.

Zeno made his excuses as if he knew what he wanted to say even though he didn’t say anything.

“I hope you don’t get alarmed. I’m just worried about you. Surely you don’t think the president is unaware of Professor Yumi’s abilities?”

“That’s not what I want to talk about. I want to say that Seonggwang originally had Professor Yumi’s ability.”

Ban Yu-won couldn’t stand the word ‘other’ that Zeno had said.

It’s fine to act as the tower’s administrator, but if you try to arbitrarily regulate and manage the powers that Ban Yu-won, Yumi, and Celon have, then that can only be called an abuse of authority.

“If you weren’t here, Professor Yumina would have spent the rest of her life――.”

“I was just trying to help you a little. The Holy Light was always there in you. Did that answer your question?”

“Still, my conclusion doesn’t change.”

“Is this your conclusion? Professor Zenon’s own conclusion?”

Despite Ban Yu-won’s sharp criticism, Zeno’s expressionless face did not change.

“Student Ban Yu-won, you must know how great your abilities are, how rare the things you hold in your hands are, and how many people covet them. Only then can you protect them.”

“Professor Yumina is my ally. An ally who will not waver even if the tower collapses.”

“Even if the tower falls, it’s a pretty interesting metaphor.”

Zeno sighed and stepped back after finishing speaking.

His entire body began to fade, lost in the flow of the pseudo-space.

“I hope my advice was helpful. The president wants you to continue on your own path without being swayed by anything.”

“Thank you for your concern, Professor Zenon.”

Although he had a lot to say, he chose not to refute the argument and instead sent Zeno away.

Zeno’s figure completely disappeared, and Ban Yu-won, who had thoroughly searched the space assigned to him with the Origin Sword, confirmed that he was the only one there.

“–under.”

He sighs and scratches his head.

Two conflicting thoughts now dominated his mind.

First, Zeno, who seemed to change the subject without any problem in response to Ban Yu-won’s remark, actually revealed the emotional concept of ‘bewilderment’.

In other words, it means that Ban Yu-won succeeded in reading his emotions with Man-dok’s eyes, even if only for a moment.

It was said that Zeno, who had initially seemed like an absolute being, was gradually descending into a realm beyond his reach.

The peace of mind I gained by having Zeno incorporated into my realm of authority was indescribable.

The second, ironically, was the complete opposite idea.

‘Noona Mina is on my side.’

His true feelings burst out in an instant when he got angry at Zenon for talking nonsense.

No matter how deep their relationship becomes, Yumina is still a powerful being who cannot read everything, and yet he has already come to truly trust her, despite the fact that he can never make a hasty judgment with only his own authority.

It was evidence that partially denied what Ruchel had said to him in the past, and at the same time, it was evidence that he was quite dependent on Yumina.

―Isn’t that just a belief based on the marriage alliance that Ruchel insisted on? Because that kid is head over heels in love with you――.

‘Keep quiet, Celon. Don’t pour cold water on the relief I have left in my humanity.’

Ban Yu-won, who had been silent while Zeno, an outsider, talked about his power, the Holy Light, and now finally tackled Celon, was able to shut his mouth and begin training using virtual space.

It was a practice of creating something from nothing.