『Name: Rohan
Stamina: 100%
Mana: 79%
Affiliated Country: Southern Ruins’ Remnants
Affiliated Organization: Orion Academy
Attributes: [Physical][Fire]
Status: ─
Remaining Points: 2304P』
‘Phew.’
The aftermath of mana exhaustion had disappeared by the time I woke up the next day.
The sticky, damp status ailment I thought would last longer had finally fallen off.
Whether it was thanks to the bluish IV drip I got at the infirmary or the most solid meal I’ve had since arriving in the academy city, I owe Juyun my gratitude once again.
‘Guess I can work out properly now.’
Rohan slowly sat up in bed.
Still a bit groggy from just waking up, but it’s fine.
After finishing his light preparations.
He opened the dormitory door to head to the Orion Academy training room.
As he stepped outside, Rohan walked down the street and glanced up at the sky.
‘Feels like the weather’s warming up a bit?’
The usual early morning chill seemed to have lost its edge.
The faint scent of spring was starting to waft through the academy city of Elysium.
As Rohan arrived at the training room and set down his bag.
Ichinose, who had just arrived, called out to him from behind.
Seeing the girl in short sleeves, unlike usual, made it clear that the weather was indeed improving.
“Didn’t expect you to show up today. Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”
“I woke up feeling fine.”
“Hmm… Your recovery is impressive.”
Ichinose had briefly contacted him yesterday.
She was the first to send him a message asking if he was okay.
“The only thing bothering me is the theory part? I couldn’t focus enough to review properly.”
“Mana exhaustion makes it hard to hold a pen. I’ve been through it, so I get it.”
After some small talk and stretching, Rohan and Ichinose headed to the treadmill together.
It was now a semi-fixed routine.
“Rohan. Want to hear something funny?”
“What?”
“Noah started studying yesterday.”
“···!”
Starting right on the day they promised to work on theory—what a straightforward girl. That’s impressive.
‘Noah Frozen Heart sitting at a desk studying.’
Even in the flood of fan art that proved her popularity, I’ve never seen that.
It’s a situation even Rohan, who enjoyed Abyss City, found oddly out of place.
“The instructor will be happy.”
“Right? So I told her it’s fine to ask me, but she should also ask the instructor if she has questions.”
“Oh… If I don’t step up, I might end up in last place.”
Rohan’s voice.
In the rare moment when tension was felt in the air…
Ichinose silently smiled and asked, “How have you been lately? Are you starting to enjoy studying?”
“Thanks to someone who taught me well.”
“Heh.”
Rohan and Ichinose continued their conversation while running on a machine that was gradually increasing in speed.
After finishing their workout, they headed back to the Academy.
As Rohan opened the door to Class 1, he was greeted by Gilbert’s intimidating face.
“ROHAAAAAN!!!!!!”
“Ah, you almost made me throw a punch, you crazy guy.”
He was so startled that his heart hurt a little.
His ears were ringing from the loud voice.
“What! Getting scared like this… Is it the aftereffects of mana exhaustion?”
Among the cadets passing by from other classes, some were so shocked that their legs gave out, and one even fell.
Rohan apologized to the unfamiliar cadet and helped them up before approaching Gilbert again.
‘This guy’s vocal cords are something else.’
It seemed like nothing would change no matter what he said.
Honestly, it could be considered a unique trait.
“I’m fine. Just move aside so I can get in.”
“Hmm!!!”
Watching Gilbert step aside was like seeing a pillar move.
Rohan put down his bag, greeted his friends, including Dick who was sitting in the back, and then sat down with a long exhale.
He felt like he hadn’t done much yesterday, so he might have overdone the training this morning.
“Phew.”
At the sound of Rohan’s sigh, Gilbert, the sigh-detection hound, quickly approached with wide eyes.
“A sigh?! It must be the aftereffects of mana exhaustion, even if you deny it!”
“No, it’s not. Why are you making such a fuss?”
“Go──!!! Rohan, get a self-diagnosis done immediately! You’re not being careless just because you have the shield of youth, are you?”
“I’m going crazy, seriously.”
The surprising thing was that the cadets of Class 1 had already adapted to this kind of noise.
Most of them just went along with it or focused on their own tasks.
“The fact is, Rohan wasn’t the only one who collapsed from mana exhaustion yesterday. Before that, someone was swinging a shield around and passed out, and Rohan carried them.”
At Dick Wikitree’s remark, Gilbert’s head turned sharply.
With the noisy back-and-forth about to start, Rohan tried to slip away, but just then, Gilbert and Dick both shut their mouths.
“…”
Juyun was approaching with crisp footsteps for the morning assembly.
…
…
The class led by Juyun was still highly engaging, and time flew by.
If there was anything special about today, it might be that Noah started showing signs of struggling with the theoretical lessons.
And the practical classes went on as usual, but there was also news that the frequency of sparring would gradually increase as the proficiency in formation training improved.
After diligently finishing his academy duties, Rohan had a cheap meal at the dining hall.
As always, he headed to the Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore.
While on the move, he continued his train of thought.
‘I need to grow stronger faster.’
Once he saves up enough money for a decent sword, he plans to venture outside the city.
It’s something he’s already decided for the sake of points.
‘If I find a monster with valuable parts, I might be able to make some money.’
With his finances tight, his thoughts naturally drift there.
It’s not a situation where he can just focus on points without worry.
“Manager, I’m here.”
“Ah, Rohan’s here.”
Lost in thought, he quickly arrived at his workplace.
Rohan placed his bag in the corner and immediately put on his apron.
“See that on the table over there?”
“Yes, I see it.”
“It’s some snacks that came in as a gift. Have some while you work. The old lady and I can’t eat hard stuff, so it’s all yours.”
“Thank you! I’ll enjoy it!”
Rohan bowed his head slightly.
The manager, with his wrinkled hands, began to prepare to leave for the day.
“Then, work hard.”
“Have a safe trip home!”
As the manager left, Rohan stood at the Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore’s counter.
How much time had passed?
Today, Clara arrived at the bookstore later than usual.
As always, it was a time with no customers.
Rohan lightly asked the girl whose eyes he met. Her trembling figure still looked delicate.
“Feeling better?”
“…Yes.”
Clara, recalling her embarrassing behavior from yesterday, avoided eye contact and nodded slightly.
Anticipating the words from the hesitating girl’s lips, Rohan preempted her.
“Let’s not bring up any apologies. You already did that in a message, right?”
“Ah!”
Clara, at a loss for words, fidgeted and then disappeared between the bookshelves.
**Bzzzz──!!!**
Immediately, a vibration rang out.
Taking out his phone, it was a message from Clara.
[Clara: I have something I want to ask you. (X﹏X)]
Looking up, Clara was looking his way.
“So, have you cleared the weekly boss stage 5?”
“My level’s not high enough, so I’ve only done up to stage 3. This week, I’ve been leveling up and plan to try stage 4 on Sunday.”
“Umm… I see?”
“Even with one support, my characters’ specs are lacking, so it’s a bit tough.”
The girl nodded and then slipped away again.
From Rohan’s perspective, it’s unclear if Clara was satisfied with the answer.
I thought it was Clara, so I glanced at the phone I was holding.
But it was a call from an unknown number. Rohan, just in case, answered the call right away.
“Yes, I’ve picked up.”
─ Hmm…
I could tell from the voice immediately.
‘Princess!’
Rohan turned around from the counter and lowered his voice as much as possible.
“I was wondering when you’d contact me.”
─ I’m in the academy city right now. Tell me the time and place.
“It’ll probably take about two hours. If you’re near Area 2, that’ll work.”
─ Fine.
“Do you have a place where you can wait?”
─ Doesn’t matter. I’ll call again in two hours.
With a *click* of the payphone receiver, the call ended.
Rohan glanced at the screen for a moment and then slipped the phone into his apron.
‘I need to think about how much to tell her.’
He racked his brain while checking the list of books that came in today.
As Rohan finished ringing up a customer buying a magazine and stepped away from the counter to organize the shelves…
“Uh, excuse me…”
“Yes?”
Clara, who had approached silently, spoke up again.
Rohan stopped what he was doing, straightened his back, and made eye contact with Clara.
“Um…”
“Feel free to speak.”
Rohan didn’t rush her, instead neatly arranging the books that were sticking out as he waited.
The girl, after mustering up her courage, sat in the corner of the bookstore and brought up what she had prepared to say.
“Um, today! After work, would you like to… push the weekly boss together?”
At Clara’s suggestion, Rohan’s eyes widened.
What a delightful development this was.
But.
“Well… I have plans today, so it might be tough.”
“…!”
What kind of extensive social life is this?
Clara’s jaw dropped at the unexpected turn of events.
