Clara’s connection to the Spider Lily Bookstore began around summer.
It was long before Rohan had started working there, meaning the girl had already claimed her spot in the bookstore’s corner for several months.
Thanks to the kindness of the bookstore owner who had learned of her circumstances by chance, that little corner became Clara’s resting place and unofficially reserved seat.
In this space, the girl immersed herself in the pursuit of knowledge.
Her daily routine consisted of poring over the worn magazines and books that came into the store, either as donations or for disposal.
Mystery, history, fashion, horror, essays, dictionaries, and more—
Clara read indiscriminately, picked up whatever caught her eye, and gradually filled her mind with a series of concepts and insights.
Flip, flip.
“……”
Today, she was looking through a discarded workbook someone had left behind.
She didn’t have a particular reason for choosing it; it was simply the one on top when she reached out.
The cover indicated it was a book to prepare for the entrance exam to Orion Academy.
For some time now, books of this type had been arriving in bundles.
The one she had picked up today was filled to the brim with handwritten notes, explanations, and solutions.
What neat handwriting.
Clara enjoyed everything written on the pages as part of her reading experience.
She found it fun to dive into the problems and work through them until she understood as if solving a riddle.
Ah! I’ve seen this monster before…
And so, the girl quietly spent another peaceful day.
Even during the hours when the owner had gone home and Rohan took over at the counter, she felt at ease.
Rohan never asked about things she didn’t want to talk about in the first place.
Even casual conversations felt easy, as he never put her on the spot. He always maintained a comfortable balance in their interactions.
When they did talk, it was fun. Especially since Rohan was genuinely passionate about games.
Whenever he asked her about the complex setting of “Company Wave”, Clara would find herself excitedly rambling on and her words would flow out in a rapid stream.
Ahh, so embarrassing…
She recalled the time she’d gotten carried away explaining something, only to snap back to reality.
Rohan had smiled and asked her to keep going, but for Clara, that moment still made her face flush with heat whenever she thought about it.
In any case—
She had heard that Rohan was a student at the Academy, so he was likely one or two years older than she was. Still, at this point…
“…A-A friend?”
Even speaking such a word felt too grand, but perhaps it somehow fit that brilliantly dazzling connection.
“Hehe.”
Her heart tickled. A faint laugh slipped out from between the girl’s lips.
Right as Clara, with raised lips, reached out for the next book, the door chimed and opened.
Immediately afterward came Rohan’s voice and a woman’s voice. Rohan sounded more excited than when dealing with other customers, so Clara moved as silently as possible while trying to conceal her presence.
She inched closer with noiseless steps and sneaked a look toward the counter.
– The manager has already gone home, so I also close the store.
Rohan was chatting with the woman while looking happy. She couldn’t quite describe the feeling that came over her as she watched.
W-Well, of course he’d know people other than someone like me…
Clara dropped her gaze from Rohan and looked over at the other person. Then she briefly held her breath.
Wow…
She was a beautiful woman who drew admiration without effort.
Clara’s tiny flicker of desire instantly vanished under the sense that this woman was on a whole different level.
Her red hair and sharp eyes naturally inspired the word “cool”.
Huh?
Clara who had been scrutinizing the customer tilted her head in puzzlement.
Could she be mistaken? She felt as though she had seen that person in some magazine.
– If the owner were here, I would have greeted them…but it seems you’re trusted. That’s good.
Still hidden, Clara continued watching Rohan and the woman converse for who knew how long,
When she sensed something unusual.
Huh…?
It wasn’t some killing intent that pricked her skin.
It felt more like she was being scolded for doing something wrong. That it was discourteous and she should stop.
Clara clearly sensed the current emanating from the red-haired woman, pinpointing her even in hiding.
“!!!”
It was the first time her position had been discovered so easily. Clara’s legs trembled.
What the girl saw in that instant was a powerful and dazzling sun.
Its light swallowed all the shadows where she had hidden, leaving her feeling utterly exposed.
She had never seen such power before. It was terrifying.
As though running away, the girl averted her eyes and sat down in a corner of the bookstore.
Sh-She’s watching me!
No matter which way she turned, she felt certain her location was completely revealed.
She wanted to dash straight for the door and flee outside, but it seemed too far out of reach.
The sense that there was nowhere to hide in the bookstore filled Clara with terror.
“Haaa…!”
Clara who was still trembling even after Joo-yeon left came into Rohan’s line of sight.
He paused on his way to get a mop and strode right over to her.
“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”
“……”
The girl suddenly grabbed Rohan’s apron with shaking hands.
An action she took instinctively, without thinking. An action that Clara would never do normally.
Rohan began to grasp the situation.
“Is it because of the instructor?”
“Th-That is…”
Rohan instinctively understood as he watched the stammering girl.
This was naturally an opportunity to approach a sensitive topic.
“Alright then.”
He sat down on the floor to match Clara’s eye level as she crouched.
How long did he wait without saying anything?
Eventually, Clara’s hands which had been gripping his apron tightly began to relax and her trembling subsided.
Sitting quietly on the bookstore floor, Rohan observed her while waiting for the right moment before speaking softly.
“Feeling a little better now?”
“..….”
She gave a faint nod.
“Would you like some water?”
“..….”
She shook her head slightly, indicating she was fine.
Rohan watched Clara who kept her gaze fixed downward and her lips tightly shut, then carefully chose his words.
A positive reaction was the most important thing here.
“You’re quite remarkable, you know.”
The sudden compliment made Clara lift her head slightly, responding tentatively.
Gently, he brushed against the secret she hadn’t yet voiced.
“Most people would only feel a sense of intimidation around the instructor. Were you able to perceive her magical power?”
Rohan’s genuine admiration for how she had managed to suppress her reaction so well caused her eyes to tremble uncontrollably.
“Ah, um, that’s…!”
“The instructor does have a very overwhelming presence. But there’s no need to worry, and certainly no reason to be afraid.”
Before Clara could panic and offer an awkward excuse, Rohan interjected,
“The instructor is actually an incredibly kind person.”
Rohan had no intention of prying into the girl’s secrets.
It was enough for him to simply acknowledge Clara’s uniqueness.
***
[Clara: I’m so sorry, so sorry, so sorry. Because of me…. (╥﹏╥)]
Rohan quickly sent her a reassuring message: It’s fine, don’t worry; see you tomorrow.
“Whew, I’ve got to hurry.”
Closing the store had taken longer than usual, as he’d spent extra time reassuring Clara.
After locking the bookstore’s key under the flower bed, Rohan hurried out.
When he stepped into the alley, he didn’t need to look around. Joo-yeon stood out immediately.
Rohan jogged over and came to a quick stop in front of her.
“Sorry for being late!”
“It’s fine. It’s rare for anyone to leave exactly at closing time.”
Joo-yeon’s hands were empty.
Did she already drop off the books at home?
“There’s a place I have in mind. Let’s head there.”
“Okay!”
Joo-yeon gave a faint smile as she observed Rohan following her without a word.
“Are you not curious about the menu?”
“To be honest, I am curious.”
Joo-yeon directed her gaze pointedly to one side.
There stood a huge building.
“We’re heading to a family restaurant on the fourth floor of the mall. It’s a franchise that also exists in Three Nations Alliance.”
“Oh… wow!”
With an excited exclamation, they exchanged casual conversation as they stepped into the shopping mall.
Students in their uniforms could be seen scattered around.
Many of them recognized Joo-yeon and greeted her with deep bows.
When they took the escalator up to the fourth floor, a restaurant appeared that had an interior resembling a famous steakhouse Rohan had seen before.
It gave him a strange feeling.
“How many in your party?”
“Just two.”
Since it was quite late for dinner, the restaurant was quieter than expected.
Rohan was shown to a table and sat down across from Joo-yeon.
“Order whatever you want.”
Joo-yeon casually slid the menu toward Rohan.
As all the menu items were unfamiliar, Rohan looked around the restaurant instead of at the menu.
More than the food itself, what caught his attention were the many customers enjoying beer with their hearty side dishes.
“There’s an event for office workers… It says beer is discounted today.”
“Ah, no wonder everyone’s holding beer glasses.”
“Do you not drink beer, Instructor-nim?”
At Rohan’s question, Joo-yeon shook her head.
“I don’t drink alcohol.”
“Do you dislike it?”
“It’s not that I dislike it. If anything, I sometimes crave it.”
Joo-yeon brushed her bangs aside, revealing a bold smile before continuing her words to Rohan.
“You never know when an emergency might arise.”
A brief but instantly comprehensible statement.
Even from Rohan’s perspective, it was a sentiment he could agree with.
“…That’s no ordinary responsibility.”
“Well, since coming to this academy city with such a purpose clearly laid out, it’s fine.”
“Thanks to you, Instructor, everyone will grow into an incredible force.”
Rohan had often thought this while working as a hunter:
Having someone acknowledge your struggles is a vital aspect of mental care.
Joo-yeon ‘s lips curled into a smile. She rested her chin on her hand and gazed at Rohan.
“This instructor has quite a lot of expectations for you as well, Rohan.”
“I’ll become stronger soon so you can enjoy a drink without any worries.”
“Good. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“When that time comes, I’ll pour you a drink myself, Instructor.”
Joo-yeon couldn’t hide her joy at Rohan’s words.
She even let out a small laugh.
“Ha… perhaps I’ll accept that drink when I feel confident that there will be no problem with public safety even without me.”
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