“Can I go to Tigrova today and come back? I’ll return as quickly as possible.”
“Of course, that’s fine. Do as you wish.”
Rohan responded cheerfully as he looked at Sion who was visibly excited.
He also expressed his gratitude to Ichinose and Noah who were observing the situation.
“Thank you for your help. I’ll make sure to repay you properly.”
The two girls who received Rohan’s gratitude persistently looked at him as if they were demanding an explanation.
However, Rohan had nothing particular to say on the matter, so he did his best to act oblivious and brush it off.
Perhaps sensing even the slightest hint of oddity in his behavior and the flow of events,
The beast girl, who had been watching Rohan closely, became even more intrigued.
“Hmm…”
Noah who grew up freely in Tigrova was not as skilled as Ichinose in hiding or suppressing her emotions.
Her conflicted expression caught between curiosity and the intangible wall of propriety,
Her eyes that were fixed on Rohan’s group and her twitching lips made it seem like she was about to ask a direct question at any moment.
“Noah. It seems their business is done, so shall we head to the restaurant now?”
“Ah!”
Ichinose who noticed this first quickly grabbed Noah’s arm and led her away.
This was also something Noah’s father had asked Ichinose to do.
– Nose! Just a moment…! Really, just a moment is all I need!
– That ‘moment’ is exactly why it’s a no.
After confirming that the two girls were walking away with large strides, Rohan let out a deep sigh.
“Phew…”
He hadn’t expected that a chance encounter would lead to such a result in an instant.
In Abyss City where Sion wasn’t a playable character, this kind of development was originally impossible.
Since he knew information related to the Snow Tiger Emperor, he wasn’t too worried, but out of lingering anxiety, Rohan asked,
“Sion. Should we all go to Tigrova together?”
“No. I’ll go alone.”
In response to Rohan’s question, Sion shook her head with a smile.
She knew now.
It wasn’t something she couldn’t handle on her own, and the moment she received help with directions, the daily life Rohan had maintained would be disrupted because of her.
That kind of burden wasn’t the picture Sion wanted either.
“It’s true that I still lack experience in living outside… but moving around alone isn’t a problem. I’m not a child anymore.”
“….…”
“Besides, Rohan, you said the academy exam is right around the corner. So absolutely not.”
At Sion’s resolute tone, Rohan and Clara naturally changed the direction of their persuasion.
Even though they were worried, it seemed like she’d manage just fine.
“Then we’ll need to buy a phone before you go. You’ll have time for that, right? Let’s have lunch together too.”
“Ah, unnie! I’ll look up the route, so let’s eat together…!”
Even though Sion had declared in front of everyone that she’d leave today, she couldn’t possibly refuse this.
Sion expressed her intention to prepare thoroughly before leaving and followed Rohan after she was led by Clara who took her hand.
As they walked,
Her tightly sealed lips finally opened.
“And, though it’s embarrassing… would it be alright to postpone our dinner plans to another time…? I’m really sorry…”
The excitement of potentially resolving one of her long-standing goals, which had seemed insurmountable at an unexpected moment,
It had led her to push aside the prior arrangements Rohan had made and declare that she’d go to Tigrova today on her own.
Remembering her own impulsiveness, the girl wanted to convey that she had been looking forward to spending the evening with the group.
That she hadn’t taken it lightly.
Ah, how should I say this…?
Sion who had observed her own impulsiveness felt her throat tighten and her head turn completely white.
“Why are you apologizing for something like that? We can celebrate when you come back.”
“That’s right!”
Rohan and Clara responded simultaneously as if sharing the same thoughts.
“……”
Every time Sion faced their kindness, she felt her emotions sway uncontrollably.
It was a contrasting light as if telling her that her dark life up until now had been a lie.
It was overwhelmingly warm for a girl who had just gained her freedom to accept it so straightforwardly.
“Let’s have something delicious for lunch so Sion can gather her strength and come back safely.”
“Okay…!”
The three of them walked in a cheerful atmosphere.
During the meal, Rohan and Clara avoided heavy topics.
They filled their stomachs with warm soup that could easily be described as having a kind flavor in the comfortable atmosphere.
After the meal, they moved to their next destination without hesitation.
Rohan opened another phone line under his name and handed it to Sion.
“….…”
Sion held the smartphone that was her first ever in both hands as if cradling it and kept looking at it intently.
Though the corners of her mouth remained as calm as usual, her sparkling eyes clearly expressed her inner excitement.
With this, I can stay in contact even while going to and from Tigrova!
There were only two contacts registered: Rohan and Clara.
But it didn’t feel empty. To Sion, the two names felt more than enough.
Having learned the basics of using the phone during lunch, she had no trouble with calls and messages.
“Make sure to contact us as often as possible. I’ll be waiting.”
“If you’re confused or something doesn’t work, call me anytime…! I’ll always answer! And, I can search things up quickly too…!”
A group chat was formed where the three of them could exchange messages.
Sion solidified her understanding of how to use messages by pouring out meaningless vowels and consonants into the chat.
She looked at the two of them and raised the corners of her mouth.
“I’ll report even the smallest things to you.”
“Good. And take this.”
Rohan handed her a card and some cash.
Sion firmly held her position and accepted it without a word.
She cradled it close to her chest and solidified her resolve.
“No matter what anyone says, today’s matter is personal. I’ll repay the amount used once I return.”
“I won’t charge any interest, so take your time.”
Now, she could leave after heading to the dormitory, retrieving her usual dried clothes, and packing her weapons.
“Sion unnie, I heard Tigrova is cold, so make sure to dress warmly…!”
“Mhmm, I’ll keep that in mind.”
She naturally exchanged a hug with Clara who now felt as close as family to her.
It felt strange to be leaving without even spending a full day together.
Looking back, it didn’t seem funny at all.
How foolish of me to announce in front of Frozenheart that I’d be leaving today.
Now, she had to leave and resolve her long-cherished wish.
Sion keenly felt the weight of her steps as she walked.
The girl hesitated. She held onto Clara and tried to spend even a little more time with her.
Rohan, who had been quietly watching, reminded her of the reality.
“Sion.”
“Hm…?”
“The sooner you go, the sooner you can come back and see us.”
A simple statement of fact.
At those words, Sion’s eyes widened as she processed the truth.
··
··
“Sion unnie! This is the bus!”
After finishing her preparations at Rohan’s dormitory, Sion boarded the bus from the academy city to the station. She was accompanied by Clara who insisted on seeing her off.
Rohan had expressed his desire to go too, but Sion and Clara firmly pushed him back, urging him not to skip his afternoon classes.
Of course, it would’ve been nice if Rohan came along.
But she knew this was the right thing to do.
Even so, her heart refused to settle, and she regretted not figuring out the scent of the cologne Rohan used.
Just before departure, under the pretext of the cold, she had packed Rohan’s outerwear which now rested in her bag.
Merely remembering its presence calmed the ripples in her heart.
The Sky Train, huh….
Sion double-checked the mode of transportation she would be taking while on the bus.
There were various routes and means to reach Tigrova.
By land, there were both vehicles and railways. However, compared to flying, they consumed an absurd amount of time.
It wasn’t exactly cheap either, so unless one enjoyed traveling or moving by land, there was no reason to choose it.
Moving by sea was an option, as there were icebreaker ships that could reach the icy docks of Tigrova.
But the problem was that this method also took a considerable amount of time.
Though the sight of breaking through the ice was spectacular and popular, it was out of the question for Sion, who wanted to finish her tasks as quickly as possible.
In the end, there was only one option left.
She decided to take to the skies.
Using the app Rohan and Clara had set up for her, Sion booked a seat on a flying train that glided through the air.
A mode of transportation that utilized levitation stones, a specialty of the Sepia Archipelago.
Unlike airships, it offered direct routes and was fast, which appealed to her the most.
She paid no mind to the reviews about its severe shaking. She figured it would be good training.
The estimated travel time is 11 hours.
A round trip alone would take a full day.
That alone was longer than the time she had spent in freedom.
She had also heard that Tigrova, her destination, had a significant time difference compared to the academy city.
“…….”
For a brief moment, various thoughts dominated her mind.
Rustle.
Sion pulled out Rohan’s outerwear, buried her face in it, and took several deep breaths.
“U-Unnie!?”
Her breathing was heavy, and her actions were bold enough to shock Clara who was sitting beside her, as well as the passengers who had been admiring her pretty face.
The elf girl’s intermittent trembling made it seem like she was quite excited.
“Haaah…!”
The girl took a deep breath to steady her mind.
Filling her lungs and thoughts with Rohan’s scent, she made a resolution.
To move as quickly as possible.
But without letting impatience lead to regrets.
To properly listen to her parents’ story and clear any disgrace that might have fallen upon the name of Tigrova’s elves and the Testarossa family.
“Hoo…”
She exhaled, blowing her own breath into Rohan’s clothing to remind herself.
That the place she would return to was by Rohan and Clara’s side.
Sion Testarossa’s nest exists nowhere else.
As she lifted her head from the outerwear, the girl’s eyes gleamed sharply.
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