112 - I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

Rohan? Is that him?" At Noa's remark, Ichinose's senses rippled out like waves. The girl closed her eyes and spread her aura. She precisely identified the target. Indeed, Rohan was there. And beside him were two people whose presence she vaguely recognized. There was Clara, a quick and nimble girl, and an elf girl who claimed to be the last of the Testarossa lineage and had previously asked for help. ‘Ah?’ Only then did Ichinose start to make sense of the situation. ‘Was his prior appointment to buy women's underwear?’ She had always been curious about what kind of relationship he had with these women but never thought to pry into his personal matters. There seemed no need to ask now. The relationship was crystal clear. Given all the clues, could you really be so oblivious as not to see it? ‘To have such beautiful women as his partners... remarkable.’ While the sentence read like a compliment, the tone resonating within Ichinose had an unintentional thorniness that went beyond her awareness. It was the kind of subtle, unfamiliar mystery that an inexperienced girl might easily overlook. "Yui? Are you even listening to me? Hello?" "···." "You're broken again. I'm heading off first." "···." Ichinose's thoughts grew deeper. As a survivor preserving the values of Southern Solarea, Rohan having ten or even a hundred significant others wasn't an issue. As long as it's consensual between them, it's not something an outsider should interfere with. ‘Then.’ Should she go in and greet them, pretending nothing's amiss? Or act like she didn't see anything? If neither is the answer, would it be better etiquette to walk away? She was clueless about what to do. It felt as if someone had glued her shoes to the ground, refusing to let her move. ‘It might be best to just go back... since Rohan turned me down saying he had plans, it could be awkward...’ Ichinose made a decision that left an inexplicable bitterness in her mouth. After gathering her thoughts, she spoke. "Noa. Let's not bother them and perhaps we should just... Noa?" No response came. Though she focused only for a moment, there was no answer from Noa. When she opened her eyes and checked to the left and right, Noa was nowhere in sight. ‘No way!?’ Anxiety swept over her. Clutching her sword tightly, she took careful steps into the store. As anticipated, Noa was already among Rohan and his company. “Rohan! What are you doing here?” “Noa?” Having finished her greetings with Rohan, Noa wagged her tail and glanced mischievously to one side. The predator locked eyes on the girl with twin-tails. “Oh my, Clara is here too? Can I give you a hug?” “Eek...!” Clara, clutching underwear, quickly hid behind Rohan. Noa, laughing brightly, eased her stance as if she was about to dash over. “Just kidding. I won't do it anymore, so don't avoid me like that.” Amid their soft laughter, Shion stepped in. “Hello Miss Noa Frozenheart.” “Oh! I heard stories about you from Dad and Yooho unni!” Naturally, Noa took Shion’s hand and shook it up and down energetically. Her tail also moved up and down, indicating her delight at seeing her. Even though it was their second meeting, Noa’s sociability shone through as she behaved without skittishness. “Thanks to you for everything. I'm late in expressing my gratitude.” “Oh, it’s fine~ Since I’m a fool, I don’t really know what happened back then, but aren’t we, after all, family who’ve left our footprints together in the snowy plains?” Shion, touched by Noa’s emphasis on the unique Tigrova camaraderie, expressed her gratitude once again. Noa was not involved, and it wasn’t a setting to stir up tales of the past. Tap, tap, tap. Leaving behind the chatting girls, Rohan approached the entrance. He thought he had seen a familiar face briefly earlier. "Ichinose." As Rohan called her name, Ichinose turned her head as if under a spell. "Rohan..." "Of all places to meet, it had to be here." "···Yes, indeed." Uncertain if it was awkwardness or discomfort, Rohan understood the uneasy atmosphere emanating from Ichinose. It was reasonable, given that a male she was somewhat acquainted with was standing in a lingerie shop. He even felt a twinge of apology. "Yui." He gently called out the nickname in an attempt to ease the mood. Ichinose’s shoulders trembled, reacting more dramatically than expected. “That nickname...! Please, don’t say it out loud. If anyone hears it, I’ll be too embarrassed to show my face.” “Do you allow it when it’s just the two of us?” She had been adamant before that it was not okay. But now, her demeanor seemed different. “...I gave up because you'd probably do it anyway.” “What, is that the image I give off?” “I suppose. Don’t you know yourself the best?” Rohan walked over to the railing from where the lower floor of the shopping mall was visible, and Ichinose joined him, stepping away from the store. Chatting voices came from inside, making Rohan smile slightly. "Rohan, how’s your health? Are there any aftereffects from the poison?" “No issues. I had a re-examination at the medical office today.” “...That’s a relief. Well done.” Recalling the encounter with an Omega, Ichinose’s voice grew small, indicating her still tangled emotions. Yet Rohan knew that the sense of powerlessness experienced against that formidable foe would serve as a stepping stone for Ichinose’s growth. “The academy training facilities are available even on holidays, right?” “Yes, you’re coming?” “Of course. I need a place where I can swing my sword freely, beyond just endurance training.” Slung across Rohan’s back was a longsword. Remembering the battles he had seen Rohan engage in on the uninhabited island, Ichinose added quietly. “I’d like to learn a thing or two from you, Rohan.” “You want to learn from me? Isn’t it just an excuse to hit me?” Rohan’s playful guess. Covering her mouth with a sleeve, Ichinose chuckled. “Indeed, the rules of sparring might just become shackles for Rohan, huh?” "Whether there's a rule or not, it's about the same for me. I'm still developing my sword technique." "Isn't that a bit too self-deprecating, even if humility is important?" "My swordsmanship is genuinely at a beginner's level. I'm just good at swinging it around haphazardly." "Hmm..." Inside, the girls were heading to the checkout counter. Rohan took a deep breath, recalling the earlier pressure from Shion and Clara. It was both a happy and trying experience. Going forward, whenever he was with Shion and Clara, he couldn't help but wonder about what they were wearing under their everyday clothes. "You came shopping with Noa, right? I'll stay outside now, feel free to shop comfortably." Ichinose suddenly remembered where they were standing. Some cadets who recognized her were also casting glances in her direction. How did it look to be standing in front of this shop with Rohan? Her face grew hot. Her habit of hiding emotions malfunctioned and her mouth started running on its own. "Y-yes! My size has changed recently, and it's been suffocating..." "Hmm?" "W-women can grow overnight!" "Really?" Rohan wiped the surprised look off his face, replacing it with an amused smile, as if he was in on the secret. Ichinose's conscience pricked her. Could she still pass it off as a joke and take her words back? 'Ichinose Yui. You're being so childish and silly! What are you doing!' Ichinose knew well enough that worrying about chest size was foolish. She understood that it showed an immature side. The moment the conversation ended and she stepped away from Rohan, a massive wave of self-reproach would crash over her. The depth of her embarrassment thickened. In the tranquil time, she had been enjoying, 'What is this?' Suddenly, a chill ran through Rohan's entire body. “Actually, about what I said...” Rohan’s head turned swiftly from side to side as he pondered Ichinose's mumbling. Inside the store, Noa, Shion, and Clara seemed unaffected as they continued packing their shopping into bags while chatting. ‘Is it really just my imagination?’ Rohan focused his senses and gripped his longsword. And then, a notification window appeared. [ A quest has been initiated. ] [ The Beginning of Disturbance ] ◇ Quest Details: In the peaceful Academy City, dimensional rifts have begun appearing in various locations, bringing forth monsters. Hold them off with your comrades until the protectors arrive. ◇ Type: Impromptu ◇ Success Reward: Calculation based on the number of monsters dispatched ◇ Penalty for Failure: None The air around them trembled with a sense of foreboding. Rohan looked within. Eyes filled with unmistakable hostility stared back. Monsters were leaping across dimensions, launching an assault. “!” In this state, only Rohan could sense and predict them. He wrapped an arm around Ichinose, who was still murmuring, and leaped with her. Crash!!! They shattered through the railing glass and plunged downward, the spot where they had just been standing now swarmed by large monsters causing a clamor. "R-Rohan...?!" There was no time for an answer. Shielding a startled Ichinose, Rohan curled his body protectively around her. The Academy City shopping mall’s structure was hollow in the center, similar to a typical department store. ‘This is going to be a high fall.’ While relying on his strong physique and landing on his feet was an option, there was the risk of fractures. Rohan chose a different method. "Clara──!!!" He called out as loud as he could to the girl who could help. Piiiing! Pitter-patter! Clara's arachne silk, infused with minimal magic, knitted quickly into safety nets. Swift handiwork crafted a web that caught Rohan and Ichinose. ‘Phew.’ Even with his body fortified by magic and Clara minimizing the cutting power of her arachne silk, there was no escaping damage in absorbing the fall’s impact. Despite the scabbard, his back stung. "Rohan... what happened here...?" “You okay? You’ve turned into a real baby there.” As Rohan observed monsters popping out left and right, he soothingly stroked the girl’s back to calm her down.