“Well, about that… I already have plans today, so I don’t think I can make it.”
“……!”
The girl froze like a statue.
Rohan had never seen Clara this shocked.
She couldn’t say anything and just kept trembling her lips.
What should he do here?
Rohan knew.
“Instead!”
Clara’s courage had reached its limit during the first suggestion, but he knew he shouldn’t end the conversation there.
So Rohan earnestly offered with a happy smile.
This opportunity was precious to Rohan as well.
“How about tomorrow? I’ll buy you something to drink. Any other day when you’re free is fine too.”
“I-I know you’re busy, and I don’t want to impose because of someone like me…”
“Someone like you? You shouldn’t dismiss yourself like that.”
Rohan’s intuition told him that, aside from saying sorry, Clara couldn’t think of any other sentences.
Moreover, since she decided to stop apologizing, she was now at a loss for words.
Rohan raised his voice again and made a gesture.
“Hold on here.”
“……?”
How could he carelessly grab the delicate girl’s hand and lead her?
Rohan offered his apron like a leash, and Clara, though with a puzzled expression, reluctantly took it.
“Let’s go.”
“Wh-Where to?”
Rohan kept his distance, continuing to exchange glances with the shrunk Clara as he moved.
He led the girl to a table next to the counter.
And seated her.
He tore open the snacks the manager had left for him to eat and brewed some warm tea before placing it in front of Clara.
The girl shifted her gaze between the refreshments set before her and Rohan. She couldn’t understand the situation itself.
“…what’s this?”
“This is too much to eat by myself, right? I was hoping you could help a little.”
Rohan casually handed her a snack.
Clara hesitated for a moment before accepting the snack and expressing her gratitude.
Rohan watched the girl nibble on the snack like a hamster.
He resumed the interrupted conversation.
“I’m sorry. I’m really not someone who usually makes plans, but it happened to get tangled up like this.”
“Oh, no! It’s because I said something without thinking…”
“How about tomorrow? Are you busy?”
Clara shook her head back and forth. She was not busy.
Her short twin tails and the ribbon on her clothes swayed together.
“Then I’ll buy you something delicious tomorrow, and we can do the weekly boss together.”
Rohan extended his finger as if to make a pinky promise.
Clara hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head deeply and touched his finger.
***
The princess, as always, had told the elders that she would train.
She left her tracker in the ruins and stepped into the academy city of Elysium.
On the surface, it looked like a deviation, but inside, it was a struggle to break free from the deep-seated doubts in her heart.
Click!
Upon arriving at the rendezvous location of District 2, the princess took off her goggles and placed them in her case.
She lowered the mask that had been pulled up to her eyes.
Knowing she had to blend in as naturally as possible with her attire.
“.……”
She looked up onto the street.
The dazzling signs and lights came into view.
The prosperity of the academy city at sunset made the girl purely admire it.
Two hours…
To a princess who had lived in the ruins without any infrastructure, the Academy City was nothing more than a collection of interest and curiosity.
The two hours she had to wait for her appointment felt insufficient.
If she explored the area alone, those hours would pass in an instant.
Step. Step. Step.
She followed the pedestrians and walked along the street.
How could she describe her current state, where excitement and worry mixed to make her heart pound?
“……”
The girl slowed her pace as she moved.
A small sense of vigilance sprouted within her.
What’s missing?
The princess felt gazes on her with every step she took.
She recalled feeling the same way before, even though she had tried to wear the most natural attire possible. Yet, the attention she drew remained the same.
There’s no hostility mixed in.
Still, it bothered her.
Could it be a sign that there was something about her appearance that didn’t seem natural, something that didn’t harmonize?
…I’ll have to ask if there’s anything awkward about my appearance when we meet.
The princess naturally found herself heading toward the shopping mall.
She had known how currency worked since childhood. Thanks to that, she always carried a few emergency coins with her.
Back when she lived in regions deemed uninhabitable, she occasionally found coins covered in dust while hunting monsters and scavenging abandoned houses.
As she rode the escalator up, she continued exploring each floor of the shopping mall.
When she arrived at a lively floor, the princess stopped and looked around, turning her head this way and that.
There are many people dressed in similar clothing.
She vaguely remembered hearing that it was the uniform of the academy, which was an educational institution.
She reasoned that this must be why there were so many shops selling school supplies and office items on this floor.
How far had she walked as she explored the floor?
“!”
The princess’s sharp eyes caught sight of a blue signboard she recognized.
[Waterdrop Friends]
Her steps naturally quickened, though she tried to maintain her composure.
Despite her usually cold expression, the corners of her mouth subtly lifted.
…To think this store would also exist in District 2.
It was the same brand of store where she had once secretly bought a notebook and pen adorned with a plump dragon and an innocent shark character when she had sneaked out to Academy City in the past.
As the princess approached, the automatic doors slid open with a soft sound.
Pop-pop! The bubble-like chime of the doorbell rang out, drawing the attention of the staff.
“Welcome to Waterdrop Friends!”
The bright voices of the staff greeting her helped the princess regain a bit of calm.
She politely bowed her head in response to their greeting and stepped inside.
Most of the customers were women or children.
The princess blended in with the crowd, then she began browsing the items.
Woolwool with a suit and a fedora… How fascinating.
As she admired the various characters dressed in different fashions, the princess moved from one section to the next.
As she crossed the cute products, large characters greeted her.
Plushies?
She was honestly tempted.
She wanted one so badly. She wanted it more than anything, but the problem lay in how she would bring it back.
If such a plushie suddenly appeared in her pitch-black room, its presence would stand out too much. No matter how much she desired it, it was simply not feasible.
Can’t be helped…
She felt a pang of regret, knowing she could only admire them without taking one home.
The princess lingered there and was softly poking the plushies with her fingers to soothe her longing.
How long had she been standing there, trying to console herself?
A voice reached her ears, making them perk up.
“102 coins and 28 tokens have been charged.”
“Please have everything delivered to the address.”
“Understood! Thank you as always!”
What could someone buy here to rack up such a hefty amount?
The princess’s gaze naturally turned toward the checkout counter.
… A blind girl?
The girl at the counter was elegant with her eyes closed.
She carried a sword like a cane, which seemed fitting but also out of place.
The princess watched as the girl put away her card after completing her payment and began to leave.
Sensing the girl’s strength, the princess held her breath.
She’s strong.
It was as though the blind girl sensed her presence from across the room. She turned her head slightly.
The princess who was frozen stiff could only stand there as the blind girl offered a calm smile and a polite nod before disappearing.
“…….”
Without thinking, the princess returned the gesture with a slight nod of her own.
Realizing that the time for her rendezvous was drawing near, she hurried to finish her shopping.
“That’ll be 1 coin and 10 tokens.”
“Here…”
Jingle, jingle.
The princess bought a new notebook, a pen, and some stickers before leaving the store.
··
··
– I know where that is. I’ll head there.
When the man’s answer ended the call, the princess stood silently in front of a public phone and waited.
She felt at ease because there were few pedestrians and no one would look at her.
Step. Step.
Footsteps echoed purposefully as if they were meant to be heard.
The princess’s gaze shifted and met the person she had been waiting for.
“I’m here.”
The princess didn’t think she had the kind of relationship with this man where casual greetings would feel appropriate.
She still couldn’t tell if he was an ally or an enemy.
“Why are you dressed like that?”
If his purpose was disguise, surely there were outfits that drew less attention.
Wearing an academy uniform, which seemed to signal a certain level of prestige within the Academy City, likely served a specific purpose.
That was what the princess thought.
“I figured I’d make you wait if I stopped by my dorm first, so I came straight here after my shift.”
“Are you saying you’re also working on infiltrating the academy?”
At the princess’s question, Rohan simply smiled without elaborating.
“Let’s get moving for now. A place where we can talk…”
“Hold on. There’s an issue we need to address first.”
“What is it?”
The princess gestured to her outfit.
“Is my attire strange?”
“Not particularly.”
“Hmm…”
She had left her large sniper rifle behind and concealed her goggles.
Her jacket’s zipper was pulled all the way up to hide the ammunition pouch beneath it.
Given the cool evening weather, it wasn’t a particularly odd look.
“Did the public safety officers stop you for a random search?”
“No, but people have been staring at me oddly. If this keeps up, I might get stopped for questioning.”
“Ah, I see.”
Rohan gave a small nod as if he understood.
“Do you know why?”
“It’s nothing to worry about. Just a minor issue.”
“Minor?”
The princess grew more curious.
Failing to recognize even simple problems could be dangerous.
“Answer me. What’s the issue?”
As the princess glared at him, Rohan answered nonchalantly.
“Because you’re pretty.”
“Wh-What…?”
“I mean, your looks are drawing attention.”
Rohan explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, then began walking ahead while urging her to follow.
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