I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City – Chapter 82

“Oh! It’s Clara!”

Noah Frozenheart’s eyes sparkled with interest, clearly visible even from a distance.

At the same time, the tiger girl weaved through the bustling crowd without a single bump.

The moment Clara stood in front of her, she stomped the ground with her signature cheerful smile.

“Come here!!”

“Eek…!”

In an instant, Noah closed the distance with a hug.

And Clara smoothly dodged, perfectly positioning herself behind Rohan.

After missing the first hug, Noah didn’t push for a second attempt.

Instead, she turned her head toward Ichinose, excitedly raising her voice.

“Nose! Did you see? I told you, she’s super fast!”

“Noah… You should apologize first. Even if it’s the same gender, hugging someone without permission is a crime.”

At Ichinose’s stern response, Noah pouted her lips.

Prompted to apologize quickly, Noah hung her ears and tail low, saying sorry.

Clara nodded, saying it was fine, while her eyes darted around busily.

‘Wait, is that person…?’

The woman who’s always with Noah Frozenheart.

Jet-black hime-cut hair, closed eyes, delicate features, an elegant aura, and a petite frame even smaller than Clara herself.

All the characteristics matched.

‘Ichinose Yui…!’

Just like Noah Frozenheart, she’s a celebrity you can’t not know.

But also someone you can’t just approach casually.

“Are you two going for lunch?”

Rohan spoke while looking at Ichinose and Noah, at the same time gesturing to Clara, who was clutching his sleeve, that it was okay and not to worry.

“We’re doing a collab at the dining hall here.”

“…Collab?”

As Rohan furrowed his brows in confusion, Ichinose opened her eyes slightly and explained with a serious face.

“It’s Waterdrop Friends. Do you know Ulul and Bluebee?”

“Ah!”

Rohan let out a short exclamation of realization as he recalled the characters Ichinose liked.

Sion, who had been quietly listening, shrugged her shoulders.

Ichinose also recognized Sion, whom she had met at the goods shop before, and gave a polite nod.

“Noah isn’t interested in Waterdrop Friends… but she’s the perfect person to eat until the goods I want come out.”

A feast impossible for Ichinose’s small stomach.

Noah, perhaps feeling proud of her ability to eat well, confidently patted her flat belly with a *pang! pang!*

“Everyone, that store…”

“Weren’t you about to leave?”

“We’re not. We were just planning to grab a quick bite nearby.”

Ichinose quietly remembered the unique aura of the women clinging to Rohan.

As Noah said, the girl named Clara had some impressive quick moves.

Even though it was the first time hearing her name, her skills were enough to naturally pique interest.

Noah, whether she knew Ichinose’s thoughts or not, wagged her tail energetically and asked Rohan and the two girls, “Wanna grab a meal with us?”

“Noah, we booked a table for two, so that’s not possible.”

“Huh? Really? I hate small tables!”

“It won’t be that small. But since we booked for two, unfortunately, joining us is out of the question.”

Ichinose noticed Clara feeling burdened by Noah.

Though curious and with many questions, forcing such a girl to join them wasn’t the right thing to do.

The conversation paused briefly.

Ichinose adjusted her sword and addressed Rohan, who seemed to be the leader of the group, “We’ll be going now.”

“Bye-bye! Clara and elf friend! See you next time!”

As Rohan said they’d see each other in the afternoon class, Noah waved her hand vigorously and blended into the crowd with Ichinose.

Then.

Rohan looked at Sion, who was keeping her mouth shut.

The girl’s gaze, watching Noah’s retreating figure, seemed full of thoughts.

Still, Rohan had no intention of stepping forward on this matter. Whether he acted or not, it was right either way.

It was something Sion had to do as she pleased.

As Noah’s figure grew distant, Sion seemed to struggle more, biting her lower lip and moving her head.

Shifting her gaze to Rohan, the girl seemed to decide something in their brief eye contact.

She took a step forward and opened her lips, which had been sealed.

“Wait a moment…!”

A voice that, regardless of whom it was calling, stopped everyone in their tracks.

Naturally, this included Ichinose and Noah, with their heightened senses.

“Were you calling us?”

“Sorry to hold you up when you must be busy…”

In response to Ichinose’s question, Sion showed affirmation with the utmost courtesy she could muster.

“No, it’s fine. We still have some time to spare.”

The atmosphere was asking, so what’s the matter?

Sion’s gaze shifted from Ichinose to Noah, who was yawning so wide her insides were visible.

“Noah Frozenheart.”

“Huh? Me?”

Just a moment ago, elf…

Even if you mention that they’re friends, if the other person speaks so formally, even Noah can’t help but respond formally.

This isn’t our homeland, Tigroba, after all.

“I am the last blood of the Testarossa name, the daughter of the late King Weber Testarossa and Queen Melissa Testarossa, Sion Testarossa.”

“Testarossa? What’s that?”

“…Testarossa?!”

Ichinose’s closed eyes shot open.

Unlike Noah, the more she chewed on the name, the more her expression showed lingering surprise.

Ichinose, who’s well-versed in history and information, couldn’t hide her confusion at the name Testarossa.

“What? Do you know who she is?”

“Sigh… If even Noah doesn’t know, what are we supposed to do?”

It’s too long to explain right now.

I’m not even sure if it’s okay to mention usurpation in front of Testarossa, being from the Three Kingdoms myself.

Honestly, Ichinose isn’t even sure if that elf girl is truly of Testarossa’s bloodline.

If all of this is true, then Rohan just becomes even more intriguing.

‘What on earth has he been up to…?’

Ichinose’s golden eyes locked onto Rohan as if seeking answers, but Rohan just flashed a sly smile.

Meanwhile, Noah and Sion’s conversation continued.

“I wish to request an audience with Lord Seolho.”

“You want to meet my dad?”

“Yes.”

Noah stepped closer, closing the distance until her face was almost touching Sion’s.

Sion didn’t pull her head back, standing still and accepting Noah’s approach.

“Hmm?”

The tiger girl, with her sharp instincts, seemed to notice something in Sion’s eyes.

Satisfied, she lowered her head and started sniffing the elf girl’s neck.

After a while of being engrossed in her sense of smell, Noah finally looked up.

“Alright. I’ll ask for you.”

“…You believe me?”

“Talking about belief is a bit much. I’m not smart enough to understand what’s going on anyway.”

With that, Noah pulled out her smartphone from her pocket and immediately made a call.

The ringtone only sounded once before the other person picked up.

“Dad! Are you busy?”

Rohan watched Noah with interest.

On the other end of that call must be Lord Seolho, the ruler of Tigroba.

Even if Noah is his daughter, it’s still strange to think she’s directly connected to one of the strongest figures in the world.

“I’m about to eat with Noah! Have you had lunch yet?”

The casual exchange of greetings between father and daughter.

Rohan’s group and Ichinose quietly observed the scene.

Before getting into the main topic, a casual chat between father and daughter continued. Rohan racked his brain, mulling over the information.

“Lord Seolho… Is he a doting father as the community predicted?”

In Abyss City, Lord Seolho is only mentioned repeatedly, but there’s no route for gamers to encounter him during gameplay.

Normally, he would have appeared in a patch eventually, but Rohan is now in a position where he can’t see him that way.

Because of this, the curiosity in his heart is pounding.

“Hey, I just met an elf in the academy city? She said she’s Weber Testarossa… right?”

At Noah’s muttering, Sion quickly nodded.

“There’s a friend who says she’s that person’s daughter. She wants to meet her dad, but what should I do?”

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Reflexive answers kept coming from Noah, as if Lord Seolho was saying something.

At some point, she slipped her smartphone back into her pocket. Sion gives the answer she was waiting for.

“Anytime is fine. The sooner, the better, apparently.”

“!!!”

“It’s unusual for Dad to act like this.”

Even though Lord Seolho is clearly not someone you can meet so easily, the promise was caught with surprising ease.

Was it the power of his daughter’s request? Or did Lord Seolho react to the name Testarossa?

It’s something Rohan and his group can’t possibly know.

“…Rohan.”

“Yeah. Speak.”

When Rohan gave an encouraging smile.

Feeling good, Sion stepped closer to Rohan with an excited voice.

Her chest, hidden under her hoodie, was almost touching him, teetering on the edge.

“Can I go to Tigroba today? I’ll come back as soon as possible.”

The sight of the girl asking for Rohan’s permission made Ichinose and Noah inevitably question.

They wondered if there was ever an elf among the ones they’d met who was that affectionate toward the opposite sex.