“Uh, that’s not how you do it…!”
The effect of the “Clear Water Strategy in Stagnant Waters” was far better than Rohan had expected.
‘Stay calm.’
He had to respond calmly.
Rohan knew that this moment and the next words could lead to a huge opportunity.
“What are you referring to?”
“The company needs to hit Rank 5 to avoid losses on major resources…! It’s better to set Iroha and Kiki as tanks and start with the supply dungeon first!”
As he blurted out the words he’d been holding back, a mix of relief and regret washed over him.
It was immediately obvious that Clara was restless, so Rohan replied as lightly as possible.
“Company? Ah, right! You’re a Company Wave user too, aren’t you?”
As if recalling their earlier encounter, Clara gave a subtle nod.
Rohan kept his composure and racked his brain.
‘Since she didn’t run away after speaking, the flow isn’t bad.’
Probably.
Rohan moved the mop he’d paused, choosing a question that might coax even a short answer from Clara, who had gone quiet.
“Then, can I ask you something I’m curious about?”
“Ah, yes!”
“Where’s the time…?”
As Rohan’s gaze shifted to the clock on the wall, Clara’s head followed.
“Closing time is right around the corner, so I’ll just finish up. I’ll treat you, so let’s close up and head to a nearby café.”
“!?”
Clara looked startled, her face flustered, but Rohan pretended not to notice.
‘In times like these, you gotta play dumb.’
Suggesting “Should we go somewhere?” is a no-go. It’s better to just say, “Let’s go to the café.”
Regardless of Abyss City’s character settings, based on Rohan’s personal experience, someone like Clara needs clear, decisive statements.
Until you’re close enough to chat comfortably and exchange jokes, avoid giving them too many choices unless it’s a really light question.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll finish up quickly.”
“Ah, uh…”
Rohan averted his gaze from Clara, who was frozen in panic, and quickly mopped the bookstore floor, hurrying to close up.
··
··
“Thank you for waiting.”
“….”
Rohan closed the bookstore and pocketed the keys.
Hiding the keys under a flowerpot in front of a customer just wasn’t the move.
He planned to visit again on the way back.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes…”
As Rohan walked a step ahead, Clara followed quietly behind.
Exiting the alley where Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore was located and stepping onto the main street, cafés were everywhere.
The walk was short. No time to suffocate in silence.
‘If she really can’t handle it, she’ll probably run away without a sound.’
That’s what Rohan thought.
Even if Clara wasn’t the proactive or spontaneous type, she had enough strength to protect herself.
“Let’s go somewhere simple where we can fill our stomachs.”
“…”
Rohan started his day by grabbing a cheap meal at the Academy dining hall.
But Clara, she stayed in the corner of the bookstore from afternoon till night, didn’t she?
I can roughly guess the situation. She probably didn’t have dinner.
Rohan stood on the street and looked around.
Most of the shops in sight were lively and bright, which wasn’t bad.
“A cafe would be nice, but a burger sounds good too.”
It’s not a serious topic anyway.
Whether it’s a cafe or a fast-food joint, anywhere is fine for chatting over games.
‘It should be okay to ask which one she prefers.’
Rohan glanced at Clara, who was standing beside him, blinking her eyes.
Feeling his gaze, the girl glanced at him.
Only then did Rohan ask.
“Where would you like to go?”
“Anywhere is fine…”
“Do you like burgers?”
Clara rolled her eyes, quickly glancing around, then nodded shyly.
That was enough for Rohan.
*Beep! Beep!*
The automatic doors opened, welcoming them into the bright interior, unlike the outside.
A familiar-looking machine was waiting to take their order.
‘They use kiosks here too.’
Somehow, this was a special moment for Rohan too.
It was his first time eating fast food in the Academy City.
‘Back then, I got sick of eating burgers and kimbap on the go. But here, it’s a first again.’
Rohan stood in front of the machine and suggested to Clara.
“It’s on me. Go ahead and pick what you want.”
“…Th-thank you.”
Maybe she felt it was pointless to refuse at this point.
Clara bowed her head and quickly shifted her gaze.
“Have you decided?”
“Yes.”
Rohan stared at Clara, who pressed the button for a single cheeseburger and folded her fingers as if done.
Still, it felt like there was no other choice.
Rohan upgraded Clara’s single order to a combo and added a few side items.
“For me, one order of fries isn’t enough, but two is too much.”
“…”
They placed the order and paid.
Clara, unable to say anything, fidgeted with her hands as they waited.
Their number was called quickly, and they found a seat nearby.
“Let’s eat…”
“Dig in. It’s fine to order more if you want.”
Even if he said that, Clara probably wouldn’t order more.
Even if she was hungry.
After finishing the burgers, only fries and drinks were left.
Rohan steered the conversation toward games.
And Clara, with games as the main topic, began to talk clearly with Rohan.
“Have you joined a guild yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Guilds are for those who’ve reached level 10…”
“It’s always good to go in. The attendance efficiency makes a big difference.”
“So, if you’re level 10, you can go anywhere, right?”
“Yeah. But these days, spots are rare, so it’s better to look in the community, but even that’s… um…”
“Is there another way?”
When Rohan asked, Clara hesitated and didn’t answer right away.
Not sure what she was trying to say, Rohan waited.
After waiting for a while…
Clara shrank back from her passionate attitude, avoiding eye contact as usual, and whispered softly.
“Um, would you like to join the guild I made? There are spots open, but… it’s run by someone like me…”
“Oh! Can I really join? I’d be honored.”
“Then, here…”
When Rohan entered the number Clara gave into the search, a guild popped up.
[Clara Company]
▷ Level: Max
▷ Members: 1/50
▷ Total Contribution: 35,899,000
“Clara Company? Does it have a special meaning?”
“No! I just put my name in it…”
Embarrassed by explaining in detail, Clara’s face turned red.
Rohan found joy just watching her.
“Calling you ‘guest’ outside felt a bit off, but it’s nice to know you like this. I’m Rohan.”
“Ah… I’ll remember!”
Rohan naturally thanked the opportunity and continued the conversation.
“Did you grow the guild to level 10 all by yourself?”
“Yes…”
Rohan praised her and steered the conversation back to the game.
Clara smoothly answered all the questions and continued explaining.
“Even if Gerald is S-tier, his use is limited, so it’s a waste to spend resources on him early on. It’s better to borrow him… Do you have friends to borrow from?”
“Nope. Mobile games are only played by those who play them.”
“Ugh…”
“I was actually thinking of quitting because I had no one to talk to about this.”
Clara nodded, shaking her twin tails with a serious face.
She seemed to deeply empathize with his words.
“But since you’re helping me like this, I should see it through. It’s more fun when you have someone to play with, right?”
“Y-yeah!”
Excited, Clara continued explaining.
Rohan naturally added Clara to his in-game friends list.
“Since the support slots are limited to 3, I’ll switch to another support character when we move to the next area. Use them only when you’re stuck.”
“Can you message each other in-game?”
“There’s no messaging feature. Friends are only for support.”
“Then, should I let you know in person at the bookstore when we clear a stage? If it clashes with your day off, I might have to wait a few days.”
“Uh, that’s…?”
Clara hesitated, at a loss for words.
Rohan, sensing the moment, smiled and held out his phone.
“President Clara. How about giving me your number?”
Rohan asked playfully, as if it were no big deal.
But despite appearances, my heart feels like it’s about to burst from tension.
If I get rejected here, there’s a chance Clara might not come to the bookstore again.
‘Please!’
I felt the timing was right and blurted it out, but immediately realized how desperate I sounded.
“…”
Contrary to Rohan’s exaggerated worries.
Clara didn’t hesitate for long and quickly tapped in the number.
Rohan was so happy he almost jumped up and shouted, but he held himself back, clenching his entire body.
“I’ll give you a call sometime.”
After Rohan entered his number into Clara’s phone.
Clara chewed on one of the few remaining fries and caught Rohan’s gaze.
“And there’s something I want to tell you…”
As Rohan leaned forward, eager to hear whatever she had to say.
Clara spoke with a strangely heightened energy, just like when she first gave advice.
“Co, Company Wave is a game with a really great story!”
“Really? It’s still early, so I’ll have to focus and keep watching.”
“They say the first three chapters are a bit of a barrier because of all the proper nouns… but once you get past that…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll trust you and see it through to the end.”
“…!”
At Rohan’s words, Clara’s mouth slightly opened.
The girl looked the happiest she had all day.
‘I like this kind of thing.’
Rohan completely understands Clara’s feelings.
That desire for others to experience a game with a delicious story.
He deeply understands the urge to share the unique foreshadowing and emotional moments.
…
The two, serious about games, ended up talking much longer than expected.
Rohan spent a much longer time chatting with Clara than he had anticipated.
After saying goodbye to the girl with a promise to meet tomorrow, Rohan returned to the bookstore, placed the key under the flowerbed, and headed to the dormitory.
**Ziiing──!**
On the way back.
Clara sent a message.
[Clara: Rule #1 of Clara Company! Focus on the supply dungeon until you reach max level! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧]
‘She’s so lively in messages.’
A cute gap that makes you smile.
Another contact was added to Rohan’s phonebook.
