Sion regaining her freedom today was an unparalleled celebration.
However, many challenges still remained for Rohan and the girls.
Was Sion Testarossa’s identity, which had existed in Tigrova, still alive? How would they handle encountering a security officer on the road who recognized Sion’s appearance?
Even though they knew they hadn’t committed any wrongdoing and had no reason to bow their heads or be cautious, it still weighed on their minds.
Anyway, this is what it is.
In truth, the issues ahead were somewhat vague.
The guilt Sion felt after hearing about Noah was also not an immediate problem to face.
What Rohan needed to keep clearly in his mind was something entirely different.
The first was fighting power.
Sion and Clara’s talents were a guarantee of rapid growth. Moreover, they could inspire each other by being together.
Rohan had to keep up with this pace.
Not just to become equal, but to surpass them entirely. That was his mindset.
The second was Sion’s clothing and living arrangements.
Rohan’s reward money was just around the corner. With that, these issues could be resolved somehow.
Thanks to Clara volunteering to live with Sion once a house was secured, the problem was quickly resolved.
Sion’s belongings after she left the ruins were even more minimal than Clara’s, and the clothes she could comfortably wear were little more than rags, so they had been disposed of.
Because of this, Sion would have to wear Rohan’s clothes until they went shopping today.
“I’ll contact you at lunch, so until then, think of this as your home and rest.”
“Mhmm…!”
“Okay.”
As they returned to the dorm with many worries, the sun was just beginning to rise as expected.
Though they had drunk water, they hadn’t had a proper meal, and Rohan glanced at Sion who looked gaunt.
“You’ve been starving for a long time, so Sion, let’s start with some porridge for now.”
“Porridge?”
When Sion blinked her eyes in confusion, Rohan opened a cabinet and pulled out an instant rice pack.
It was a simple process, almost too embarrassing to call cooking.
Put white rice in a pot, add water, turn on the heat, and keep stirring to prevent it from sticking.
“If we want to eat something delicious for dinner, we need to settle your stomach first.”
Even though a magically enhanced resilient body could ignore basic issues, there was no harm in taking minimal measures.
At Rohan’s explanation, Sion fiddled with her hair and hesitated.
“…Sorry for being a bother.”
“A bother? This barely takes any effort.”
This was also part of employee benefits, wasn’t it? Rohan had to take good care of such precious talent to ensure she didn’t leave.
As Rohan stirred the porridge, he also asked Clara who was watching from the side.
“Clara, is there anything you want to eat?”
“I-I’m not hungry, so I’ll wait until lunch…”
“If you feel like eating something, send me a message. I’ll even have it delivered.”
“Okay…!”
The porridge that was now complete had the luxury of two spectators.
After ladling the porridge into a bowl, Rohan reminded Sion firmly.
“Even if it doesn’t taste good, force yourself to eat it. Got it?”
Only after confirming Sion’s nod as she avoided his gaze did Rohan grab his uniform and head for the door.
With his bag slung over his shoulder, he bid farewell to the two once more.
“I’ll be back. Wash up and get some rest. Contact me if anything comes up.”
Sion and Clara were filled with an indescribable sense of fulfillment as they saw Rohan off at the entrance.
How long did they stand there, dazed?
Clara, who came to her senses first, smiled awkwardly and spoke up.
“Sion unnie. Would it be okay if I go wash up first while you eat?”
“Of course.”
Sion watched as Clara headed to the bathroom and then sat down at the dining table.
She scooped up a spoonful of the plain rice porridge and carefully took a bite.
Sion smiled in admiration at the porridge Rohan had made.
He said to force myself to eat it.
Though Rohan had said that, Sion wasn’t forcing herself to eat it.
It was a dish she willingly reached for. Was this the warmth that came with food made by someone else?
She ended up scraping the bowl clean.
“Phew…”
The moderate fullness and the warmth settling in her body brought her a sense of peace.
After cleaning the bowl neatly and sitting quietly at the table,
Clara, who had wrapped herself in a towel to avoid exposing her naked body even for a moment, quickly passed by.
Then, the girl peeked her head out while using the wall as a shield.
Her damp purple hair caught Sion’s eye.
“…Unnie. You’re going to wash the clothes you’re wearing, right?”
“Hmm, that would be good.”
“Then, when you shower, just put the clothes in the laundry basket. I’ll take care of it.”
“No. I’ll do it myself.”
Sion got up from the table and headed to the corner where the washing machine was.
Clara left a message saying to call her anytime and then picked up the hairdryer.
Whirrr!!!
While drying her hair, Clara heard a voice calling her.
“Clara. Are you busy?”
“Just a moment…!”
Was Sion confused about how to use the washing machine, as she had explained earlier?
When Clara who was drying her hair headed toward the source of the voice with that assumption in mind,
She saw Sion holding Rohan’s clothes from the laundry basket and sniffing them intently.
It took one second to grasp the situation.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
“U-Unnie!?”
What she was seeing was shocking in itself.
It was something Clara herself would never have dared to do, even if she were alone.
What was this boldness of calling her over to show her this?
With Sion in her underwear, the situation seemed oddly suggestive.
“What’s…”
As Clara froze like ice, unable to continue speaking,
Sion looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked,
“Does Rohan wear cologne? It’s unexpected for someone who seems so meticulous.”
“Oppa wears cologne…?”
Clara gulped as she looked at the clothes Sion handed her to smell.
It felt strange to do something she had always hesitated to do even when alone, right in front of Sion.
But now, with Sion pushing her forward, it also felt like an opportunity.
“……”
Following Sion’s encouragement, Clara checked Rohan’s clothes.
There was no trace of cologne. Only the faint scent of his body and a hint of sweat lingered on the fabric.
However, that drove the girl wild. The scent subtly heated her head and lower abdomen.
Clara lost herself and buried her nose in the clothes for a long time.
“It’s a unique fragrance. Should I say it’s thick…? It’s an addictive scent.”
Startled by Sion’s words, Clara lifted her head.
She smiled with an awkward expression.
Unnie…
Is this what love feels like for an elf?
Her mind had broken down from affection she hadn’t even realized.
How would she change once she became aware of it?
Clara went through many thoughts in an instant,
But one thing she was certain of:
The moment she let go of the rationality she was barely holding onto,
She knew she would act no less, if not more, boldly than Sion who was doing all this unconsciously.
··
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Sion and Clara slept soundly in Rohan’s bed.
Lying on the warm bed, their skin touching, the girls seemed to have truly passed out.
It wasn’t until Rohan called them at lunchtime that they hurriedly prepared to leave.
“Unnie, are you uncomfortable?”
“It’s fine. The size is big, so it’s actually comfortable.”
Sion who was wearing Rohan’s hoodie and sweatpants felt her mood soaring uncontrollably.
She especially liked the lingering scent of Rohan on the clothes.
The happiness that came with each inhale. Each exhale was a stepping stone to the next joy.
Unlike usual, she wasn’t wearing goggles or a ponytail.
With only minimal gear, Sion and Clara quietly descended from the dorm through the window.
Heading toward the downtown area, they arrived in front of a fast-food franchise.
Rohan, who had arrived earlier and was waiting, came into view. The girls’ steps quickened.
“Did you both sleep well?”
“Mhmm! I slept with Unnie until just now!”
As Rohan fixed a messy part of Clara’s hair, he glanced at Sion.
“Did you eat properly?”
“…It was delicious.”
Seeing Rohan smile and nod, Sion wondered:
Did he think she had phrased it nicely, or did he know she meant it sincerely?
What would have been a trivial matter under normal circumstances now filled Sion’s mind.
“First, since Sion needs to be reachable too, let’s buy a smartphone after lunch.”
“!”
Sion’s eyes widened in surprise and confusion.
Clara clapped her hands softly, as happy as if it were her own news.
Meanwhile, Sion’s body language clearly showed she was about to refuse out of guilt, so Rohan explained the necessity.
After a brief back-and-forth, Sion relented.
Then, a curiosity born from a primal desire surfaced.
“So, with a smartphone… I can hear your voice and talk with you whenever I want, right…?”
“Of course. We don’t know what’s going on with your identity in Tigrova, so let’s get one under my name for now.”
Later, Rohan suggested that they could change the name on the account later and began to walk.
He continued making small talk, pondering what to have the two girls eat for lunch.
“How about we go shopping for clothes with Clara later?”
Rohan expressed his intention to give them a card, even if it wasn’t a huge amount of money.
However, Clara showed interest in something else.
“Oppa, aren’t you coming with us?”
“I think it might be a bit awkward if I tag along.”
Of course, he was worried about sending Clara and Sion alone.
But considering the items Sion had brought, there might be things too embarrassing to buy in front of a man, so it was probably better if he wasn’t there.
As Rohan was firming up his stance with that thought,
Sion and Clara each grabbed the hem of Rohan’s clothes and tugged lightly.
A synchronized movement, as if they had planned it.
“Oppa… come with us. Okay?”
“…Come with us.”
It was as if two round-eyed cats were looking up at him with clear, pleading eyes.
“……”
Just as Rohan was about to nod, unable to resist,
“Ah! It’s Clara!”
A familiar voice reached Rohan and Clara.
Turning their heads, they saw two girls with a powerful presence standing out in the crowd.
Ichinose, as always, stood with her eyes closed and her sword.
And Noah who was wagging her snow-white tail was looking at them with an intrigued expression.
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