“I wanted to treat you to a proper meal, but it’s a shame.”
Rohan poured crispy fries onto the wrapper.
After squeezing ketchup into the corner, he distributed a burger and soda to each of the girls.
Sion curiously poked at the warm burger, trying not to show any emotional reaction, but her expression was on the verge of breaking just from the food.
“I, I…! This is already too much for me…!”
“Same here.”
Unfortunately, this was the best they could do. These three weren’t allowed anything other than fast food.
Right now, they were literally short on time. Orion Academy’s lunch break was limited, after all.
Any decent restaurants were already packed with office workers and academy cadets.
It was awkward to go around searching for a good place, considering the time left. This was the best they could do.
“Eat up. If it’s not enough, you can have more.”
“Thank you…!”
“Thanks. I’ll dig in.”
Clara bowed her head slightly while sitting, expressing her gratitude to Rohan.
Seeing this, Sion followed suit.
As Rohan noisily unwrapped his burger, Sion glanced at him and copied his actions.
It wasn’t a big deal, but she seemed bothered by the proper way to do it.
“Eat it before it gets cold.”
As Rohan took a big bite, the two girls, who had been hesitating, started nibbling away.
“…!”
After taking a bite of the burger, Sion’s eyes lit up. Her eating speed increased step by step.
Unlike Clara, the elf girl wasn’t awkward because she didn’t want to talk.
She was just fully focused on savoring the food.
Clara was munching away with her small mouth.
Though she kept glancing at him, Rohan was already used to her behavior.
‘Were they that hungry? They’re eating so well.’
Rohan was satisfied with the girls’ behavior. They were even admirable.
Even though passersby outside and people inside were staring, the two didn’t seem to care and kept eating.
“Phew.”
When Sion looked away from her burger to take a sip of her drink.
Rohan seized the moment to continue the conversation he had paused.
“Today must’ve been a surprise for both of you, huh? You probably didn’t expect it.”
“Huuu…!”
“Right. More than that, I was really surprised by Clara’s skills.”
After briefly introducing Sion and Clara to each other.
Clara, who had something on her mind, tried to suppress the heat rising to her face.
“Clara’s not ordinary, right?”
“Mhm.”
Sion nodded coolly in agreement.
Then she went back to her burger.
Focus all your attention. Rohan just chuckled.
I guess it’s not a good time to talk now.
…
…
The lunch hour, during which Sion showed a terrifying level of concentration, came to an end.
The three of them stepped outside the restaurant, exhaling with satisfaction. Rohan checked the time and realized they still had a bit of leeway.
“Well, that was delicious…!”
“Did you eat enough?”
At Rohan’s question, Clara nodded repeatedly.
There was a subtle hint of embarrassment in the girl’s expression. For Rohan, this was the real deal when it came to fine dining.
“Being in the position of mooching off you… I feel ashamed.”
“Don’t worry about it. Saying you enjoyed it is enough.”
Sion, of course, quickly added her thanks, saying she ate well too.
Before heading back to Orion Academy, Rohan led the two girls back to the dormitory.
‘We still have some time.’
Sion seemed unsure of what to do, but Clara probably wouldn’t stay in the room for long.
Even if they were to send her off, a quiet place would be better for saying goodbye.
After walking a few steps, the area became eerily quiet. The earlier hustle and bustle felt like an illusion.
“The area near the dorm is really quiet during lunch. Clara, you’ll rest and then come to the bookstore, right?”
“Yep!”
“Since you’ve eaten, maybe take a nap or something.”
“Umm, is that really okay…?”
“Huh? Of course. Make yourself comfortable.”
It was oddly endearing how Clara asked for permission to lie down on the bed.
Rohan simply nodded without much thought.
After a few more steps…
“Rohan.”
“Yeah?”
As they approached the dorm, Sion, fiddling with her goggles, spoke up in a quiet, secluded spot.
Her expression, unlike before, gave Rohan a bitter taste.
“I’m going to head back.”
“Seems like you’re pretty busy, huh?”
“Not exactly rushed, but I want to head back with some time to spare.”
He wished it were the weekend, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask her to stay longer.
Having Clara and Sion rest together in the same room would just cause issues for both of them.
“Wait a second.”
“Hmm?”
Rohan rummaged through his pocket and pulled out two coins, flicking them toward Sion.
The coins arced through the air and landed softly in the girl’s palm.
“Next time, don’t hang up when I call. It drives me crazy.”
“I’ll take these and make sure to pay you back.”
A statement she couldn’t refuse. Sion erased her negative emotions and slightly raised the corner of her mouth.
And then, the princess looked straight ahead.
From behind, Rohan fidgeted nervously.
Rohan and Clara are taking turns looking at each other.
Rohan, not avoiding her gaze, meets her eyes directly.
Sion, with an inexplicable sense of satisfaction etched in her memory, asks,
“Today… aren’t you going to ask why I came?”
“Why would I ask when I told you to come? That’s basically an indirect invitation,” Rohan replies smoothly.
Seeing Rohan’s straightforward answer, Sion can’t help but let out a small laugh.
Rohan’s lips curl up at the sight of her smile, which she’s showing more openly than before. Can’t you see our princess’s expression brightening?
“Well, you’ve always been like that,” Sion remarks.
“Why? Do you have something else to say?” Rohan asks.
“No,” Sion replies.
Sion, as if signaling her departure, lowers her goggles and puts them on. She pulls up the black cloth covering her mouth and nose.
“Take care,” Rohan says.
Sion nods in response.
But it doesn’t end there. An unexpected voice chimes in.
“Next time, I’ll greet you properly…!” Clara musters up the courage to say.
Sion looks momentarily surprised but wraps it up by saying they’ll talk more properly next time.
“Alright,” Sion says.
She turns her back to the two of them, ready to leave.
She tenses her thighs, preparing to push off the ground.
And so, Rohan and Clara should have sent Sion off.
They had to watch her retreating figure, hoping she’d stay strong until the preparations were complete and the signs appeared.
That’s how it should have been.
But…
“!”
The three of them simultaneously sense ominous magical energy.
A split-second realization freezes their movements and breath.
**Kugugugugu───!!!**
A loud noise comes from right behind them.
Rohan and the girls remain silent as they turn to look.
A black monolith has appeared.
It’s ominous, eerie, unnatural, twisted, and sinister.
Rohan, who has experienced Abyss City and attended theoretical classes, knows exactly what it is.
‘A Monolith!?’
The monolith emits magical energy, densely inscribing unreadable characters.
The letters on the stone slab glow brightly, infused with magic, and begin to distort the space.
“Come here,” Rohan says, snapping back to reality.
He pulls out his smartphone, checks that there’s no signal, clicks his tongue, and puts it back in his pocket.
He grabs the hands of Clara, who’s standing beside him, and Sion, who was about to leave the academy city.
“O-oppa…!” Clara stammers.
“What’s this…?” Sion asks.
Rohan pulls them closer. They need to stick together.
He had anticipated this moment would come someday, and he’s had similar experiences in the past.
Since it had happened numerous times, calmness quickly returned.
“Stay still. If you try to escape when the magical energy is surging, your body might tear apart.”
At Rohan’s unusually lowered voice, the two closed their mouths.
“There are two scenarios when a Monolith appears. First, monsters pour out. In that case, assess the situation and deal with it, or if it seems like an impossible foe, retreat at full speed.”
If the scale of the magical energy feels overwhelming, you can contact Juyun.
Even if you stay still, the security officers will sense the energy and come flying.
“What’s the other scenario?”
At Sion’s question, Rohan kept his eyes on the Monolith and spoke.
“It swallows people and drops them into a dungeon.”
This is information not even found in textbooks.
After all, it’s a new anomaly that has been occurring since the protagonist appeared in Abyss City.
**Dududud───!!!**
The atmosphere trembled. The ground began to crack, starting from the tombstone.
The magical energy surged even more violently.
“In that case, sticking together is the best option to avoid falling.”
Sion, tense at his words, unconsciously grabbed Rohan’s hand tightly.
“Ugh…!”
“It’s okay. It’s okay, just breathe.”
Clara, perhaps in a panic, began to tremble all over.
Rohan held Clara in his arms, gently stroking her back to calm her down.
**Kiiiiing!!!**
The letters on the Monolith emitted a fierce light.
At the same time, a notification window appeared before Rohan’s eyes.
[A quest has been generated.]
[The Nation that Worships the Sun]
◇ Quest Details: A Monolith, the symbol of anomaly, has appeared in the academy city. Escape safely from the twisted space with your companions!
◇ Category: Sudden
◇ Success Reward: 3,000P, Full Party Recovery, Seneca’s Luck (1 use)
◇ Failure Penalty: None
