QUEEEEEEK!!!
A wasteland where various monsters roar to assert their presence and engage in territorial battles.
Arriving at the outskirts of the area, Sion exhaled deeply, retrieved the hidden tracker and sniper rifle, and checked the time.
“Hoo…! Hoo…!”
Perhaps it was because she had sprinted at full speed to shake off the overwhelming thoughts and worries.
Unlike her crowded mind, time seemed more forgiving than she thought.
‘I hope I wasn’t noticed.’
If it weren’t for sniper training, staying in one spot for so long would’ve been a terrible excuse.
Luckily, Sion had actually undergone such training.
“…”
The girl carrying a massive firearm tucked the tracker into her vest pocket.
She lifted her head and stared blankly at the night sky.
Honestly, her current emotions were so intense that she wanted to dash straight to Tigroba and confront Lord Seolho, danger be damned.
Including the testimony of someone who experienced the incident firsthand would make the past clearer.
But.
Someone like Lord Seolho isn’t a person you can just meet because you want to.
‘In this situation, it’s all just delusion.’
Facing reality, Sion glanced at the hamburger in her hand.
On the now-cold food was a number written on a memo.
“…”
Considering her relationship with Rohan, what made her think she could trust this?
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have eaten this even if she were starving.
Yet, Sion rustled the wrapper and unwrapped it.
Without checking the smell or contents, she took a bite.
If something went wrong, she felt she could calmly accept it.
A state of mind resembling complete resignation.
That’s exactly how the girl’s worn-out insides felt.
“Mmm…”
No immediate issues arose.
It had been so long since she’d eaten something this flavorful. It was almost intoxicatingly delicious.
Sion quickly devoured the burger and gulped down water from her canteen.
“Phew!”
With her stomach somewhat full, she felt a bit more energized.
Rustle!
She held the now-empty wrapper. It felt like a dream that she had just been in the academy city.
Even the fact that she had such a conversation.
‘…Rohan.’
Surely, it’s a pseudonym.
Still, Sion was certain she wouldn’t forget the name Rohan.
Though she hadn’t met many people during her time outside, she knew none of them were ordinary.
Every person the elders had summoned reeked of a sinister aura.
‘What kind of life has he lived?’
Based on her experiences, Sion’s intuition told her.
Compared to Rohan, everyone she’d met so far seemed like mere criminals and mediocrities.
“…A fascinating human.”
He was a figure that piqued curiosity in many ways.
At times, there was a sense of weight that felt drastically out of sync with his appearance.
The depth of his aura was fundamentally different from the elders who had lived long lives.
If I had to compare, it reminded me of looking up at my father when I was young.
*Beep beep!*
The girl glanced at the alarm clock ringing again.
It was time to head back without any excuses.
“Phew…”
Sion filled her lungs with the night air and steeled her resolve.
‘If all the information I heard today is true…’
*Zap!!!*
The electric current flowing from Sion’s hand cleanly burned the wrapping paper.
*****
As the day passed.
The moment Rohan opened his eyes in bed, that thought crossed his mind.
‘Did Sion make it back safely?’
With no way to contact the elf girl, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
Being in a position where all he could do was wait didn’t sit well with him.
Of course, Sion’s combat skills and talents were exceptional.
But that wasn’t everything when it came to living, was it?
From Rohan’s perspective, Sion was just a girl who caused worry.
“Ugh.”
Rohan sat up in bed.
‘Well, at least I didn’t mention those who blew hot air to the elders…’
Though his mind was always occupied with other topics, his body moved as usual.
Even if something special happened the day before, Rohan’s routine rarely changed.
Unless there were signs or unexpected situations, he focused on training and key figures.
Additionally, he diligently attended Orion Academy.
‘Alright. Let’s get going today.’
Rohan quite liked his repetitive daily life.
He energetically turned the doorknob.
*****
Rohan ran into Ichinose at the training hall again today.
At the academy, he sat next to Gilbert and attended Juyun’s class.
After class, he had a quick meal at the dining hall before heading to the Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore.
“Then, work hard.”
“Yep! Thanks for the snacks!”
With the manager leaving, the final part of his routine began.
*Buzz──!!!*
Before he could even put his phone in his apron, it vibrated.
Rohan’s gaze shifted.
[Clara: (⊙_⊙)‼]
The message with just an emoticon gave him a rough idea, so Rohan raised his head.
Looking to one side, Clara was peeking out just like before, watching him.
‘She’s already here today.’
There must have been customers picking books, so she was keeping quiet.
Clara, determined to stay silent, was impossible to detect.
There was nothing.
It was awkward to make a sound, so I just gave a small wave.
Unlike before, instead of running away, they bowed their head.
Truly, a dazzling improvement.
“Should I reply with a message?”
When asked if it would be okay until the end, along with the comment that the weekly boss was anticipated.
The girl froze at the same time, her lips twitching timidly.
It was cute how visibly excited she was.
As it got late, the bookstore quieted down.
Rohan started mopping the floor to close up the Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore.
Clara quietly went outside to wait so as not to disturb.
“Phew.”
Clank! Click!
Clara, seeing Rohan close the bookstore and grab the keys, recited the lines she had practiced while waiting.
“…Good job today!”
“Thank you. It’s my job, but you must have been tired waiting.”
Clara shook her head, saying it was nothing.
“Shall we go? I kept thinking about the game while working, it was troublesome.”
“Ah! I, I understand that too!”
Seeing Rohan start walking, Clara followed.
Leaving the alley and arriving at the main street, Rohan looked around at the open shops.
He and Clara stepped into a franchise café.
“Adding a muffin and a sandwich… What do you want to drink? Choose freely.”
“You don’t have to buy! I have money too…!”
“Hmm?”
“I, uh… just coffee is fine. The, the smallest size!”
Clara pulled out 23 tokens from her pocket.
In Korean currency, roughly worth 2,300 won.
The girl’s eyes sparkled as if asking how it was.
But the amount was surprisingly pitiful, so Rohan couldn’t possibly accept it.
“Today, I’m the one being helped. In times like these, you should let me treat you.”
“But last time…”
Rohan had no choice but to cut off the girl’s words.
“Is it okay to drink coffee at night?”
“….”
Had she never thought about anything other than it being cheap?
Unable to answer, she rolled her eyes, and Rohan chuckled, looking at the menu.
“Let’s see. Decaf drinks─ hmm, fruit yogurt?”
While Clara was at a loss and flustered.
Rohan had already ordered two drinks and enough food to fill them up.
“Don’t think too much, just eat. You’ll help me with the game that much.”
“Ugh… Th, thank you!”
Rohan brought the tray and sat down, placing the food neatly.
─ Company Wave!
As Rohan across from her turned on the game.
Clara’s eyes turned serious, as if she had become a different person.
Her nails glinted as her fingers tapped rapidly on the phone.
Then, the screen is shown.
“This is a build I made myself.”
From the smartphone memo app’s organization to the timeline of skill usage, everything is written down.
Rohan quietly watches it and, seeing the character pool being used, asks.
“You made this yourself?”
“Yes. I can run it with you today, but there might be days when I can’t, right? On those days, you can refer to this and clear it within a minute.”
“The composition is no joke…”
“After trying it out, I realized you don’t need to spend all your resources on the tank. If you just level up Glass to increase her HP, she can hold out until her skill is ready, and for Order, as long as you get her skill level to 3 or above, you can clear it without any problems.”
“Wow.”
What smooth talk is this?
It seems like he’s become an eloquent speaker when the topic is games.
After clearing all the weekly bosses together, Rohan tries to mine for characters but fails.
The two shared a moment of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.
How much fun did they have sitting together and playing the game?
After consuming all the content they could enjoy in a day.
Clara returned to her usual self at some point.
“It’s really fun playing together.”
“Hehe…”
The girl laughs in agreement.
With her moist lips attached to the straw, she sips and gazes at Rohan as if stealing a glance.
A sweet taste lingered in her mouth.
After finishing the game, Clara stares blankly at Rohan, who is tapping on the keyboard as if replying to someone.
Without realizing it, her voice stretches out.
“Um…”
As Rohan puts down his phone and their eyes meet.
Clara fidgets with her fingers and continues.
“I’m at the bookstore every day until it closes, right?”
“Yes.”
A fact he knows.
He nods without denying it, affirming.
“Did you hear anything from the manager?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then, why aren’t you asking anything? Like why I’m there every day…?”
If it’s not a misunderstanding, it seems like she’s trying to confess something.
Rohan sensed it.
The progress he had been waiting for had arrived.
