Short twin tails dyed purple. Eyes sparkling with lime green.
Her flashy fashion was often described as either landmine-style or menhera-style.
But even with her unique clothes and accessories, her demeanor was timid.
“!”
Rohan’s eyes focused on her delicate features and slender face, and in that moment, a character from Abyss City rapidly took shape in his mind.
Buried knowledge surged up like a flood and condensed in an instant.
Clara?!
In Abyss City, the students who frequently appeared while working part-time at the Spider Lily Bookstore were predetermined.
And this bookstore just so happened to be a favorite haunt of Clara, a girl who loved manga and games.
Even though that fact was practically common knowledge, Rohan was still caught off guard.
“…….”
It was no surprise, though, considering Clara was a character who made her first appearance when the protagonist entered their second year, with her joining as a first-year at that time.
After the first battle, Rohan had desperately wanted to find her. But any information about Clara prior to her academy enrollment was virtually non-existent.
Convinced it would be impossible to find her before the protagonist’s second year, he had given up.
And yet, perhaps thanks to the rewards of the positive cliché, he had unexpectedly encountered her like this.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry for bumping into you…”
Clara who was frozen with tension avoided his gaze as she mumbled her apologies.
Though her extreme awkwardness was strange, Rohan found himself both glad and oddly familiar with this unusual girl. His thoughts quickly fell into place.
After carefully setting down the box filled with books,
He picked up the smartphone that had fallen to the floor and was still running the game on its own. He handed it back to her and said,
“I couldn’t see ahead because of the box. I’m truly sorry.”
“Th-Th-That’s…”
“Please check your screen, just in case. If it’s cracked or damaged, I’ll compensate you.”
“Auuu…”
Clara took the smartphone with trembling hands.
She swallowed hard and began pressing various buttons to check it over.
Rohan said nothing after that.
He simply waited for Clara to speak first and observed her in the meantime.
Her nail art… it’s flashier than the game.
The nails on her slender fingers glittered in a variety of colors.
The thought of her handling weapons delicately with those hands struck him as fascinating.
“It’s… fine…”
“That’s a relief.”
With that, Clara fell silent and sealed her lips shut.
Rohan left her with a simple remark to let him know if anything was wrong, but he didn’t just walk away.
He moved aside as if encouraging her to go inside, ensuring that the flustered Clara wouldn’t retreat from the entrance.
Should he be glad that what followed aligned with his expectations?
The hesitant girl, instead of backing away, stepped into the bookstore.
Rohan let out a sigh of relief as he watched her disappear among the bookshelves.
“Phew…”
Should he have made it clear that he was the new part-timer at the Spider Lily Bookstore and made a stronger impression? The answer was a firm “Nope”.
Considering Clara’s personality and disposition, that approach was absolutely out of the question.
I need to let go of this impatience.
Unlike a game where endless retries were possible, reality offered only one chance.
When dealing with a girl whose wariness rivaled that of a wild animal, acting rashly was strictly forbidden.
After repositioning the box he had set down earlier, Rohan headed to the storage room to continue his work.
While repeating simple tasks that barely qualified as manual labor, he let his thoughts turn slowly.
So… what was the game Clara was playing just now?
He already knew Clara enjoyed manga and games.
However, just like with the manga here, all the games in Abyss City were entirely new to him.
Though half his intent was to find a shared interest, Rohan was also someone who used to unwind with games after work during his days as a hunter.
Discovering new games was, of course, something he welcomed.
He had been putting it off, fully aware of the mounting tasks he had to deal with, but his curiosity about this world’s games had now taken root.
“Manager! I’ve moved everything!”
“Already? Take your time, boy… You’ll hurt your back at this rate!”
Rohan casually reassured the manager and started patting the box filled with donated books as if to emphasize he was fine.
“Should I load them up later when the car comes?”
“There’s no need for a person to handle that. A small forklift-like machine will come by, so just leave it at the entrance. It’ll be enough.”
With that, Rohan stayed at the register as requested, keeping his position until closing time.
Clara, however, didn’t reappear until just before the store closed, slipping quietly out from between the bookshelves before disappearing altogether.
“Rohan.”
“Yes?”
“We’re closing up now, so come over here.”
“Understood!”
“When closing, just flip this switch here, and all the lights will turn off…”
The final task of the day.
Rohan learned the closing procedure from the manager.
After tidying up the interior together, they stepped outside where the world was already bathed in sunset.
“After locking up, just leave the key under this flowerpot.”
“…Is this really okay?”
Considering security, Rohan couldn’t help but think they should install a different system.
After all, stores using physical keys were rare in the Academy City.
“Haha, there’s nothing here worth stealing. You worked hard today!”
“You too, manager. Thank you for your hard work.”
Rohan simply smiled and bowed at the manager’s casual remark about not minding if a thief broke in.
The manager, who seemed about to continue the conversation, glanced at his watch. He grew startled and suddenly sprang into motion.
“Oh my, I need to at least see my grandson’s face before he falls asleep…”
The manager hurried off. He moved with surprising speed, despite his usually slow strides.
Rohan quietly watched him disappear into the distance before pulling out his smartphone and starting to type a message.
I should report this to the instructor.
He captured a screenshot of the simple contract written in the app and attached it to the message.
Along with that, he compiled and sent details such as the store’s location, name, operating hours, and other relevant information.
The reply came quickly.
[Instructor Joo-Yeon: I’ll register it in the system.]
A concise response.
Rohan chuckled softly, put his phone away, and started walking back to the dormitory.
On the way, he browsed mobile games and downloaded a few that caught his interest.
***
In the early dawn, as faint rays of light flickered across the eastern sky, Ichinose Yui awoke from her sleep.
“Mmmhh…”
She hugged the stuffed animals scattered on her bed and tossed and turned for a moment before sitting up.
Moving instinctively, she tidied the messy blankets and placed the stuffed animals back in their usual spots.
She then took off her pajamas which were decorated with her favorite characters and hung them up.
To shake off her lingering drowsiness, she gave herself a quick wash.
After completing minimal skincare, she grabbed her bag and Academy uniform, both of which she had prepared the night before, and laid them out with closed eyes.
Student ID and water bottle… here they are…
Ichinose was wearing comfortable underwear and gym clothes.
She grabbed a meal replacement drink and her sword before leaving the dormitory.
As soon as she stepped outside, Ichinose deliberately blocked her vision and let her heightened sense of smell take over, feeling the breeze first.
The smell of spring is faint.
On any other day, she would have headed to the bustling district to visit the gym she had already paid for, but today, Ichinose Yui’s destination was Orion Academy.
There was no need to visit nearby gyms for her early morning exercise anymore.
Starting yesterday, the fitness training room at the academy had been opened to new students, so there was no reason not to go.
The facilities were top-notch, and it was conveniently close to the classrooms.
Even though her luggage had increased, it eliminated the hassle of revisiting the dormitory, so the trade-off was worth it.
“Good morning.”
– Meow!
“Good morning to you too. Did you guard your home well last night?”
– Woof! Pant, pant…
At her greeting, a cat lounging on the wall and a dog tied to a leash responded energetically.
Their reaction indicated that they were very familiar with her.
Meeting these little ones means I’m practically there.
Ichinose strode forward confidently.
If Noah had been by her side, she would have teased her and said how she would lose her way again.
It’s different now.
The path to Orion Academy had become second nature to her.
Whenever she took a walk alone, she often made the academy her destination, and as a result, the embarrassing moments of losing her way disappeared.
If all else failed, she could always climb to the top of a low building and head straight for the academy by sight.
After walking for a while, she slightly opened her eyes, sensing something.
In Ichinose’s line of sight, the front gate of Orion Academy came into view.
“Fufu.”
It was proof that she could reach the academy safely without following the morning flow of students moving in droves.
It was remarkable. There was even a sense of accomplishment filling her chest.
The faintly raised corners of her lips.
Holding onto that expression, the girl gave a small bow to the guard and proceeded inside.
The academy’s fitness training room was a building larger than an average gymnasium, so it wasn’t difficult for even Ichinose to find.
Beep!
Like the dormitory, the training room required verification with a student ID. She pushed open the glass door.
When Ichinose stepped inside, she sensed a presence inside the fitness training room and tilted her head slightly in curiosity.
“This is…”
She had anticipated someone might be there, even at this early hour.
After all, there were always diligent students who never neglected their training.
However, she hadn’t expected to see a classmate there on her very first day.
Ichinose peeked her head in cautiously and opened one eye.
– Hup… Ugh!!!
In her golden eye, a man appeared. He was straining and groaning as he pushed his body to its limits.
“Rohan.”
Ichinose murmured the name, which remained vividly etched in her memory.
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