“Because she’s pretty, that’s why.”
“Huh, what…?”
“It means her looks catch people’s attention.”
After giving his answer, Rohan walked briskly to change the location.
Behind him, the Princess followed timidly.
Rohan, who had taken the lead as a guide, continued his thoughts seriously.
‘Is the problem that the Princess has lived outside for so long? She can’t seem to objectively see how she looks…’
From Rohan’s perspective, saying the Princess is pretty wasn’t lip service or flattery, nor was it an attempt to gain her favor.
If that had been the goal, he wouldn’t have used such a method.
In conclusion, it wasn’t a comment meant to win her over, so he could say it directly.
Simple.
The elf race is a race of beauty, a symbol of beauty.
That’s an unchanging fact, even in Abyss City.
Who would find it strange to compliment an elf for being beautiful? Unless you have a unique taste, probably no one.
And the Princess, born with an exceptionally superior lineage, stood out even among the uniformly beautiful elves.
If she walked down the street, regardless of her outfit, her face alone would naturally draw attention.
“Hmm, where…”
Rohan stopped at an ambiguous spot just before entering the central area of District 2.
Here, there were scattered cafes and restaurants.
“How much time do you have?”
“I’ll tell you when it’s time. There’s still some leeway.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Not particularly… no plans.”
The Princess answered indifferently, but…
Rohan noticed the subtle swallowing motion in her throat.
“Still, let’s talk while we eat.”
“Hmph, if you need a snack, do as you please.”
Rohan slowly moved his legs, looking around.
Then he stopped in front of a cozy cafe.
“Shall we go here?”
“You’re going to talk inside here?”
“Yes. The sandwiches look delicious.”
The Princess blinked as she looked inside the cafe, where people were seated here and there.
As soon as she regained her composure, she glared at Rohan with intensity.
“…Don’t mess with me. You should know the weight of the information.”
“I’m not joking. Who would think we’d talk about something so important here?”
Perhaps she reluctantly accepted it.
The fierceness in the Princess’s gaze gradually subsided.
“Is this like hiding a tree in a forest or something?”
“Roughly similar. Honestly, I don’t have a better place to go.”
“How can someone in the information business not have a proper place? Am I not qualified to enter?”
“….”
When they first met, collecting information…
I just asked for some time.
It seems like I’ve already been branded as some kind of information broker in the princess’s perception.
“Even if I explain now, she won’t believe me because her guard is up.”
It was obvious that no matter how much I tried to argue that this wasn’t the case, the princess would just assume I was hiding my true identity.
“No matter how you look at it, this isn’t the place. You’d have to be blind and deaf not to see that.”
“Is that an absolute condition?”
“I consider it the top priority when discussing matters of great importance.”
Since it wasn’t wrong to be cautious, Rohan crossed his arms and pondered the princess’s words.
Looking around at nearby shops, there were a few candidates.
‘A karaoke room?’
If they consider the CCTV in the room as eyes watching, then that’s also a bit iffy.
Rohan’s gaze rolled over to another building.
‘Or maybe rent a room?’
An accommodation facility for Orion Academy cadets and elf unions.
This doesn’t seem like a great idea either.
‘If this is the case…’
After weighing the options, Rohan finally made a decision.
He suggested it to the princess with a straight face.
“I do have a dormitory where I live.”
“You said you were infiltrating the academy. That place should work.”
She’s already convinced of that direction.
Rohan chuckled and headed towards the destination.
“If you don’t mind a man’s living space, I’ll guide you.”
“Don’t worry. If you try to humiliate me, I’ll blow everything up and take my own life.”
A sharp warning that doesn’t quite match the “don’t worry” part.
From Rohan’s perspective, her attitude was actually reassuring.
··
··
After buying a hamburger to fill his stomach, Rohan arrived at his room using the stairs as usual.
He quickly tidied up his clothes and opened the window.
*Thud!*
The princess didn’t pass through the academy dormitory entrance.
Like a flying squirrel, she climbed up the building and entered the room through the window Rohan had opened.
“Please take off your shoes first.”
“…Understood.”
The princess took off her sturdy-looking military boots and glanced around Rohan’s room.
She voiced her curiosity with a short sound.
“Hmm?”
“Is there a problem?”
“It’s a surprisingly neat room for what you do.”
Maybe she expected a room filled with computers for information gathering.
Rohan didn’t bother to answer and pointed to the chair at his desk.
“Take a seat. Unfortunately, since it’s a single dorm, there’s only one chair.”
“Never mind. I can stand.”
The princess claimed a spot by the window, leaning against the wall, indicating she didn’t need to sit.
Rohan didn’t feel the need to insist, so he didn’t offer again.
After taking the empty seat, I started spreading out some snacks on the desk.
Amidst the rustling sounds, the Princess was the first to speak.
“There’s something we need to decide first. It’s also an answer I didn’t get last time.”
“Go ahead.”
“What do you want from me in exchange for the information? Money, I assume?”
“Hmm…”
I never intended to ask for money in the first place.
Rohan knows. Even though the elders are wealthy, the Princess’s pockets are emptier than his.
‘This is tricky from the start.’
Chewing on a potato chip I grabbed, I pondered.
─ If I say I’m an ally trying to help, would you believe me?
─ No. I don’t believe in such convenient stories.
Thinking back to the conversation we had in the ruins, I know she won’t buy any half-baked talk.
In fact, having a clear purpose might lower her guard and earn her trust.
“There will be days when I’ll be doing dangerous things.”
“Hmm.”
“If the information I provide proves valuable, then lend me a hand. At the very least, you should help me once.”
“…”
The Princess fell into thought.
Even though she needs the information, it’s commendable that she doesn’t rush into asking.
“I won’t do anything shady like killing innocent civilians. Just help me with hunting monsters or criminals.”
“…Are you planning to collect bounties on criminals or sell monster parts?”
“Yes. Clean money that doesn’t need laundering is the best.”
Rohan nodded along with the Princess’s naive reasoning.
It didn’t seem like a good idea to add any more explanations.
“Alright. If it fits the conditions you mentioned earlier, I promise.”
“Then let’s talk.”
“What about the formal contract process?”
“There isn’t one. I’ll trust your conscience.”
As Rohan pulled out a hamburger and continued, the Princess sounded puzzled.
“Don’t you plan to do business?”
“That’s why I can’t get out of the red. But I have my own beliefs, so think of it as me being bold.”
“…Well, I guess there’s something to it.”
Seeing the Princess nod in understanding, Rohan’s lips twitched.
‘What is there, really?’
In reality, there’s nothing to even mimic a contract.
All I have is information about Abyss City.
“Enough small talk. Let’s get to the point.”
The Princess’s sharp gaze met Rohan’s.
*****
In a shabby one-room apartment with no hot water.
After showering with cold water, Clara grabbed her smartphone without even drying off.
Wrapped in a towel, she turned on the game.
─ Company Wave
“1, 2, 2… Stun with Glass, then throw a shield at the front line with Order…”
The girl muttered to herself in the shower, trying not to forget the build that had just popped into her head.
She imagined the character pool Rohan had and started arranging a virtual lineup.
‘This setup should be stable. All the synergies are in place.’
1 minute and 2 seconds.
Since no characters died, shaving off just 2 seconds would maximize the rewards.
“Ugh…”
What could she tweak to melt the weekly boss faster?
She could keep retrying to shave off those 2 seconds, but forcing repetition on newbies might ruin the fun of the game.
‘I need to research more.’
Clara pondered as she moved her hand.
*Rustle.*
The girl opened the drawer under her bed.
A black silencer shaped like a kimbap and various daggers.
She reached in and pulled out a soft piece of fabric.
Black lingerie with a tiny pink ribbon.
Just wearing it lifted her spirits and boosted her focus—Clara’s treasured item.
*Thud!*
The black fabric clung perfectly to her pale skin.
No need for a towel now.
‘Ah! What if I use that?’
Before drying her damp hair.
Clara hugged a pillow and flopped onto the bed, challenging herself to trim the time with a new lineup.
The more she refined the build, the more she looked forward to tomorrow.
“Wow!”
After countless lineup changes, she succeeded at 57 seconds.
She was about to text Rohan in triumph but stopped her fingers.
‘He’s probably studying right now. Academy cadets are super busy…’
She didn’t want to be seen as a bothersome person.
Just imagining Rohan thinking that made her shiver.
“…”
Thanks to that, reason easily triumphed over instinct.
The girl pouted her lips, showing her disappointment.
All she could think about was how she wished tomorrow would come sooner.
