(TN: Dog Days as in very hot days.)
***
“I accept the request.”
The Doberman beastkin with pointed ears left the residence, leaving behind an air of authority over the elders.
The hulking figures at his sides remained silent as they followed their leader.
A short while later…
The organization members waiting outside also moved in perfect sync and started heading in the same direction as their leader.
To the elven elders, this was no longer a surprising sight.
After all, the world of criminals had a stricter hierarchy than any other.
“Chief Elder.”
“Speak.”
“I believe this is a truly critical moment for our future. Of course, what happened before was no less important, but…”
“I understand the elders’ concerns and what you wish to say. I’m also aware that, given how hastily we fled Tigrova, there are many gaps in our actions.”
“….…”
The Chief Elder adjusted his staff with his wrinkled hands.
Before responding to the elder, his gaze lingered on Sion’s closed room, then shifted away.
“Now that this is involved, they should be far more useful than the last group.”
The elder fiddled with the pitch-black coin that he had been given.
It was a small round piece of metal no larger than his palm.
Yet this single coin served as both a leash to control those crazy criminals and a manifestation of their greed.
So with this alone, they believe there’s no need to return to the homeland. That’s why they raided the arms dealer and even committed armed robbery and murder.
Since he possessed the coin, tracking their movements was a simple task.
That senseless violence was likely their own form of preparation. It was an initiation ritual of sorts.
“Let’s continue this discussion in the conference room.”
“Yes.”
The ones who had taken on the request had already left with bold promises, so there was no longer any reason to keep watch outside.
The Chief Elder extended his flashy staff and started tapping it firmly against the ground as he walked. The other elders followed suit.
“How is the princess?”
“She’s becoming more and more rebellious. Recently, she has stopped eating and is even refusing to drink water. It seems she has no intention of speaking until she gets an answer.”
“Tsk, tsk… Even with magic, she can’t escape hunger and thirst”
“What should we do?”
“There’s nothing to be done. Leave her be. The opportunity to break her stubbornness will come eventually.”
As expected of a Testarossa bloodline. She probably wouldn’t surrender until she was on the brink of death.
So much effort had been put into taming her since childhood, yet she still refused to relinquish control entirely.
A weapon should not have a will of its own…
The Chief Elder knew from experience.
A weapon with a sense of self was nothing but a nuisance.
··
··
“….…”
Sion lay still on the bed. The cold seeped through and pierced her back.
No matter how many padlocks the elders secured on the door, they could be broken by force. But that was merely a possibility; nothing more.
Those locks were a symbol and a declaration of severance.
So Sion simply lay there and kept staring at the dark ceiling.
Calling it misfortune to have been caught outside would be wrong. After all, making it back alive from the Monolith was a stroke of luck.
Rohan and Clara. The day they had returned from that strange place together…
It was after leaving the Academy City that the real trouble began.
When Sion went back to retrieve her hidden sniper rifle and tracking device, two elders were already waiting.
Even now, just recalling that moment sent chills through her entire body.
If it had been the old Sion, she would have admitted her mistake. But that day, she refused to back down against the reprimanding elders.
For the first time, she had a heated argument with them.
Fueled by anger, she demanded answers to the very issues the elders had always avoided.
And now, this was the result.
Even so, Sion had no intention of retreating. Her heart pounded from this first act of defiance, but she stood her ground.
She would either get a clear answer to her questions or create a proper opportunity to resolve her doubts.
Until she received a satisfying response, she would not change her stance.
The elders needed her, even if she didn’t know why. Once her vision cleared, she realized that if she pushed this to the very end, she would ultimately be the one to win.
I’m hungry. I’m thirsty. My head hurts.
If she had been forced into such a situation in the past, she would surely have collapsed by now.
But surprisingly, she wasn’t feeling despair. That alone made it bearable.
The battle rations Rohan gave me… I want to eat those.
The days she had spent wandering that unknown space with Rohan and Clara—
That was the pillar holding her together now.
Of course, when she saw Rohan get injured, her heart had nearly stopped. And when he lost his arm while trying to protect her, her mind had gone completely blank.
But despite the hellish heat and the hardships they endured, those moments had been fun.
Not just the battles, but the times they ate together, exchanged idle chatter—
Even replaying those small conversations in her mind was enough to keep the gloom at bay.
Tossing and turning in bed, she reminisced about those days.
Come to think of it… Rohan said he was planning to work with Clara, didn’t he?
It was something she had heard in passing, still in its early planning stages.
That thought led her to recall the promise she had made with Rohan back at the dormitory.
If he uncovered the hidden truths and secured her freedom, she would at least lend a hand once in capturing criminals or monsters.
– I don’t do anything shady like killing innocent civilians. You just need to help me out with hunting monsters or criminals.
If he still needs me…
If everything went well, just as Rohan had said, and she finally gained her freedom—
Would it be alright to change the promise just a little and ask to be included in his plans?
“Fufu.”
A warm chuckle escaped her lips. The mere thought of it was enough to chase away the cold.
If the three of them stuck together, every day would be filled with joy.
It was a newly born wish in the heart of the elf girl.
***
Rohan and Clara stood atop a tunnel that stretched over a two-lane road.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this was the farthest Rohan had ventured since arriving in the academy city of Elysium.
Wow, I really ran my heart out. Clara doesn’t even look out of breath…
Maybe he had pushed the pace too hard in his rush to get here. His mouth was completely dry.
If not for his daily endurance training, he would have collapsed in a pathetic heap.
Didn’t see any cars on the way here. That means those bastards aren’t here yet.
Looking around, he realized that their quick movements had given them some breathing room.
After catching his breath, Rohan turned his gaze forward and spoke.
“The night breeze isn’t as cold as it used to be. Feels like April now.”
“Mhmm! It’s definitely getting warmer.”
“This temperature must be perfect for you, huh, Clara?”
“Hmm… The afternoons are just right, but the nights are still a bit chilly.”
The area around them was wide open, letting the wind sweep through with surprising force.
Rohan unfastened the harness connected to his sword’s scabbard, shrugged off his jacket, and was left in just his shirt. Then, he secured the harness diagonally across his body once more.
I was already hot from all that running anyway.
His jacket landed over Clara’s bare legs.
The girl who received the jacket from Rohan sat on the tunnel and tilted her head from side to side as if the warmth made her feel good.
Then she slipped it on completely without hesitation.
“Wearing my jacket won’t get in the way when you summon your weapon?”
“Nope! I’ll be careful not to rip it!”
“Don’t worry about that. Clothes can tear; it’s not a big deal. I have spares back at the dorm.”
It was a newly tailored student uniform he had picked up after returning from the dungeon.
Thanks to the academy’s support, he even had two extra spares.
“But this place… it’s just as quiet as you said, Oppa.”
“Right?”
Clara looked around curiously with her gaze darting here and there.
The only buildings nearby were an eerie, abandoned rest stop and a gas station completely drained of fuel.
No matter how long they waited, not a single car passed by.
It almost felt as if some unknown force had deliberately set the scene for a quest.
But that wasn’t the case. This was simply how this place was.
“How did you even find a road like this, Oppa?”
“This road is actually famous for being deserted.”
“What does that even mean…?”
“To put it simply, it’s a spot where car and motorcycle enthusiasts come to race.”
“Oh…! I get it now!”
Rohan sat beside Clara and continued explaining.
The main reason it started being used that way was that there was no real destination, no matter how far one drove.
At the very end of this road lay a small ruin where Sion lived. It was a place once connected to repeated dimensional rifts in the past.
Even if they tried to restore it, its location made it impractical for use.
Because of that, it was always pushed to the bottom of the priority list for restoration projects that required expensive manpower. This made it the perfect hiding spot for shady people.
“Sion Unnie is living in a place like that…”
“She told me to explain everything to you back then, remember? I’ll fill you in on the rest as we go.”
“Mhmm!”
According to Rohan’s memory, today, even the car and motorcycle clubs would remain quiet due to the message from the Public Safety Department.
Unlike in his past life, warnings had been issued about the dangers, and few people would head to such a remote area just for a hobby.
In this world, a single misstep could cost a person their life, so most people knew better and stayed away.
While Rohan was continuing his conversation with Clara atop the quiet tunnel—
A vehicle appeared in the distance, rounding a curve. Its headlights flickered.
Rohan sprang to his feet.
Vrooooom—!!!
There were a total of eight vehicles, taking up both lanes entirely.
They were speeding toward them as if breaking the law was mandatory.
And that was exactly why Rohan was pleased.
In a situation like this, stopping wasn’t an option simply because they had spotted him and Clara.
If the cars in front noticed them and hit the brakes, the ones behind would crash right into them.
That works just fine for me.
The two leading cars were speeding up as if they were in the middle of a race.
As expected, these guys were all about appearances, merely imitating the act while lacking even the most basic knowledge of security.
The bastard is in the third row. It’s the black luxury sedan.
There it was. The car Doberman was supposed to be in came into view.
Vrooom—! Woooooom——!
The car in front must have spotted Rohan standing atop the tunnel; it couldn’t come to a sudden stop, so it slowed down instead.
Seeing this perfect sign, Rohan rolled his shoulders in a circular motion.
“Phew! Guess it’s time to go.”
“Oppa, be careful…”
Clara’s face was filled with concern.
Rohan gently patted the girl’s head.
“I’ll go on ahead.”
The moment he finished speaking,
Srrng!
He drew the sword from his back.
Without hesitation, Rohan leaped down onto the oncoming vehicles.
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