‘…’
The drowsiness induced by a full stomach after lunch marked the end of the afternoon.
Having finished her assigned pre-study at her desk, Ichinose spun her chair around to look behind her.
Seeing her own empty bed felt oddly awkward.
Noah, who usually came by every day to claim the bed, was nowhere to be seen today. Without the usual barrage of questions, she finished her pre-study faster than usual.
‘Could she be sleeping already, even though it’s almost dinner time?’
Or maybe she’s just lounging around in her room since it’s the weekend.
“Hmm…”
Taking a break, Ichinose lay down on the soft bed, hugging a plushie, and continued her thoughts.
Should she go to Noah’s room and wake her up?
Considering how Noah’s parents had entrusted her with their daughter, Ichinose couldn’t help but feel conflicted.
Still.
Regardless of the true meaning behind their words, one thing was certain.
‘If Lord Seolho saw Noah studying, he’d be shocked.’
Given her personality, the fact that she hadn’t given up after three days was already praiseworthy.
Noah Frozenheart, diligently studying? That sight would be surprising to anyone.
In fact, Ichinose was still getting used to it and found herself amazed every time she saw it.
Considering how drastic the change was, maybe it was okay to let her rest on the weekend.
After all, studying must have been quite a struggle for someone who wasn’t used to it.
*****
‘This cold aura…?’
Clara cautiously observed the beautiful woman next to Rohan, just in case.
She was a beastkin woman radiating a healthy kind of beauty.
Her height and limbs were as long and slender as a fashion model’s, her chest as large as the instructor’s, and her waist was slim.
Her exposed abdomen showed not a trace of fat.
What selfish genes!
Clara was face-to-face with proof of the world’s unfairness.
While her striking appearance was one thing, there was another important detail she couldn’t overlook.
‘She’s… strong.’
Not as strong as the red-haired woman Rohan had introduced as the academy instructor, but her abundant mana and overwhelming presence were undeniable.
Clara, having learned from past mistakes and fears, kept her presence completely hidden this time as she observed the situation.
*****
“Manager, this is the friend I mentioned… yes… that friend.”
“Hello! Please call me Noah! Nice to meet you!”
At Rohan’s introduction, Noah chimed in with a lively voice, as if she’d been waiting for this moment.
The manager…
She gave a warm smile.
“Wow, thanks for coming all the way to this tucked-away little bookstore.”
“This is the most comforting smell of any bookstore I’ve been to so far!”
“Haha, really? I’m glad you think so.”
“The big chain stores on the main streets don’t use wooden bookshelves, so they don’t have this kind of scent!”
Noah, feeling at ease with the comforting aroma, continued chatting with the owner as if they’d known each other for ages.
Rohan, on the other hand, was left speechless by her terrifyingly smooth social skills, feeling like he’d been completely erased from existence.
“A bookstore is better with some chatter than being too quiet, so feel free to relax and enjoy yourself, Noah. Rohan, take good care of her.”
“…Yep. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Thank you!”
As the owner prepared to leave for the day, Noah grinned brightly.
She shot a pointed look at Rohan, as if to say, “See?”
“Well, this old man should get going now. My wife and I will enjoy this gift.”
The owner left the bookstore, carrying the gift Rohan had bought in one hand.
Though it wasn’t an expensive present, the owner seemed pleased, and Rohan felt satisfied.
“Kehehe, I’ve been studying hard, so maybe I’ll cool my head a bit.”
“Did your brain short-circuit from cramming all that theory?”
Rohan let out a dry laugh at the oddly mismatched chuckle and stood behind the counter.
He tied on an apron with the bookstore’s name on it.
“What should I look at~?”
“You’re not supposed to open anything with plastic wrap before paying, right?”
“I know that much, okay?”
Noah dove into the shelves stacked with manga.
Rohan averted his eyes from her and glanced around the empty bookstore.
There was a girl he was looking for.
‘Where’s Clara?’
It was unlikely she hadn’t arrived yet.
Maybe she’d sensed the overwhelming presence of Noah Frozenheart, a social butterfly to the extreme, and decided to hide.
“Ring these up for me!”
“You’ve already picked something out?”
“Yep!”
Noah piled a stack of manga on the counter.
The title was *The Cooking Man and the Picky Eater*. Scanning the barcode revealed it was categorized as a romantic comedy and gag manga.
“Volume 1 to 24? You grabbed the whole series…”
As Rohan beeped the books one by one, stacking them to the side, Noah giggled mischievously.
She twirled her card between her fingers, spinning it around.
“Even if it’s boring, I’ll finish it. I like the art style.”
“Why don’t you look up some reviews first?”
“Nah, I don’t want to read with any preconceptions.”
“Ooh… that’s a good point. Hand over the card. I’ll process the payment.”
As Rohan reached for the card, Noah swiftly pulled her hand back.
The playful grin on the girl’s face only made Rohan feel more uneasy.
“I’m a customer, you know. Do it properly.”
“…”
“Hurry up! It’s a legitimate request!”
Rohan knows how to handle these situations quickly.
It’s not a big deal, so just going along with it is the best. Rohan raised the corners of his mouth and flashed a customer service smile.
“Total of 24 volumes, that’ll be 10 coins and 80 tokens. The paper bag is 1 token, do you need it?”
“No!”
“Do you have a rewards card?”
“Nope!”
Is it fun to have such a bizarre conversation with a classmate?
Noah’s tail wags left and right.
“Will you be paying with a card?”
“Yes! This one!”
“How would you like to handle the installment?”
“Lump sum!”
Seems like she’s satisfied with the quick service.
Noah, after finishing the payment, hugged the manga with her arms and tail, moved to a corner, plopped down, and started unwrapping it.
Even though it’s her first time here, the white tiger girl seems as comfortable as if she’s at home.
“She’s really free-spirited.”
Rohan, impressed, looked around again to find Clara.
But he couldn’t find her.
He wasn’t sure if she was somewhere and he just couldn’t find her, or if she wasn’t there at all.
“Maybe she really didn’t come.”
Rohan took out his phone and sent Clara a message.
*Bzzzz──!!!*
The reply came as if she had been waiting.
[Clara: ╥﹏╥ ]
A crying emoji flew in response to his question about where she was.
Rohan blinked at the message.
Wondering what was going on, he immediately called Clara.
*Trurururu──* While the signal was going through, Clara’s voice could be heard.
“O-oppa…”
It wasn’t from the phone, but her actual voice.
Only then did she appear.
A girl, more hunched than usual, came into view, so Rohan left the counter and approached Clara.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“…”
There’s an expected reason, but he asked just in case.
Clara, without saying a word, slightly grabbed the edge of her apron.
Her slightly pouting lips gave off a sulky vibe. To Rohan, it just looked cute.
“I’m not feeling energized because Clara didn’t greet me when I started work.”
“…”
“Did you eat all the macarons?”
A small nod.
“Good job. I was happy because Clara said they were delicious.”
“…”
The girl gripped her apron a little tighter and fidgeted with her lips.
In the midst of this, the sound of someone approaching. Clara’s head quickly turned to one side.
“What? Who are you talking to?”
The moment Noah, holding a comic book in one hand, revealed herself and spoke.
“Eek!”
Clara swallowed a compressed scream and instantly moved to the opposite side of the bookstore.
Her movements were like a cat seeing a cucumber.
Noah raised the corner of her mouth in admiration.
“Wow! Who are you? Your feet are as fast as an old man’s!”
“Ugh… Oppa…”
As Noah’s eyes sparkled with interest, Clara shot a look asking for help.
Rohan stood between Clara and Noah, blocking the way.
“Go back and finish reading your comic book.”
“It’s not like I’m going to eat her…!”
Noah looked unfairly wronged, but there was nothing she could do.
Extreme extroverts and introverts need quite some time to understand each other.
“Want to read the comic together? I’m still on volume 1, but it’s fun! Let’s chat since I’m bored!”
“Chat…”
Noah, peeking out from beside Rohan, tried to start a conversation.
Clara, reminded of something by the white tiger girl’s words, muttered.
“Stop it and step back before I give you a workbook and make you review.”
“Are you going to tell the manager? Forcing me to study!”
“Do as you please. You’ll get praised for doing well, right?”
“Torture is prohibited under the Samhwa Kingdom’s laws! It’s inhumane!”
“What can I do? You’re from Tigroba, so it doesn’t apply to you. And studying isn’t torture.”
Watching the two bicker, Clara felt a strange, fluttering emotion and spoke up.
“I-I like it!”
“Look at that. It’s uncomfortable… huh? What did you say?”
Rohan turned his head at Clara’s response.
Thinking he might have misheard, he looked at her again for confirmation.
Clara’s lips trembled as she stared at Noah.
And she said it again.
“Let’s read the comic together… and, and chat…”
