I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City - Chapter 102



101 – Feeding the Tiger

“A fork is a bit inconvenient. It would have been nice if they included chopsticks in the supplies.”

From the mess kit, the ramen bubbled and simmered.

A vapor of appetite-whetting aroma rose in fragrant waves.

“…”

Ichinose swallowed, saliva gathering without his permission.

Ramen was, pointedly, not a food he favored.

Could it be the sticker on his nape? The scent felt irresistibly stimulating, alluring beyond reason.

“Okay! This is just the right doneness for the noodles.”

Rohan, with a fork procured from supplies, generously heaped noodles onto the mess kit lid.

He poured a stream of broth and handed it to Ichinose.

“Your order, sir? Ramen is served.”

“I’ll eat well.”

Ichinose accepted the mess kit lid from Rohan, a silent smile playing on his lips.

The pride he seemed to lack even in exceptional combat, wasn’t that reflected now in ramen ?

It felt almost akin to artisan dedication.

“Ichinose, should I make you chopsticks? It must be awkward eating with a fork.”

“It’s alright. The ttukbaegi pasta place in front of Orion Academy gives you a fork even when the soup is overflowing.”

“Hm.”

Perhaps he had been thinking of whittling some twigs.

Rohan, who had been fidgeting with his dagger and scanning the ground, settled back down.

“But if you give me this lid, what will Rohan use as a bowl?”

“Hold on.”

He tore open the emptied ramen packet, folding and overlapping the pieces.

A minimalist, silvery interior bowl was complete. The skill he had as a child, using cup ramen lids as dishes, hadn’t gone anywhere.

“Ta-da!”

“…That’s a first for me.”

“It’s a pretty popular method. Anyway, let’s eat quickly. I’m starving.”

Rohan smiled, urging Ichinose to eat.

Compared to the dry, unsalted Honbird meat he’d been eating, this was a luxurious feast.

It was a shame not to eat it while it was hot.

“Hoo!”

Ichinose cooled the ramen clinging to her fork with a delicate breath, then spoke.

*Hooroo-roop!* She hid the noodles between her small lips, chewing thoughtfully.

Next, she gripped the mess tin lid and drank the broth.

‘Wow…’

It was unbelievably delicious.

So delicious that a gasp of admiration came without her bidding.

‘How can it taste so good…?’

The ramen itself wasn’t special.

The ramen from supplies was the kind you’d commonly see at any convenience store.

She’d watched the preparation process right beside him. No special ingredients added, no secret sauce mixed in.

“…”

The sound reached the girl’s ears.

Her partner, Rohan, seemed used to the taste, eating heartily without surprise.

‘Then…’

Only one conclusion remained.

Could this be the “situation” Rohan spoke of, the one that made ramen delicious?

Ichinose, unable to resist, grasped the lid with both hands and gulped down the remaining ramen broth.

“Haaah…!”

A sigh escaped her involuntarily.

It permeated her whole being. To exaggerate, it was a flavor that resonated in her soul.

Before she knew it, the mess tin lid that held the ramen was cleanly emptied.

Rohan, as if possessed by a spirit, knew the situation and asked.

“Want more?”

“Is… is there any left?”

“Of course.”

Ichinose suppressed a smile as Rohan, his voice brimming with pride, ladled more ramen for her.

‘Is he really my dad or something.’

She could never say it out loud, but she could think it in her heart.

“Eat plenty.”

“Thank you.”

Ichinose focused on the ramen she’d been handed, a thought surfacing.

‘Ramen… I’ve never really considered it a delicacy, have I?’

Ichinose Yui knew herself well.

She was aware that her tastes were, let’s say, discerning.

Not that she was a picky eater, exactly.

Like during this exam, she could eat almost anything if the situation called for it, but that was purely for survival.

What it meant was that Ichinose’s tastes were… refined.

She was prepared to eat things even if they weren’t to her liking, but she made a strict distinction between what was delicious and what wasn’t.

Her standards for something to be considered “good” were rather high.

And based on those standards, this ramen…

Without a doubt, it was the most delicious thing she’d eaten in years.

More delicious than any of the confident creations from famous chefs in fancy restaurants.

‘…What if, when the exam is over and I go back, I start craving it?’

What would she do if she missed this taste?

If this situation – where ramen tasted this good – was what it took, could she even make ramen like this herself?

It was such a shocking sensory experience, she was already worried about the future.

Within their little shelter, the two of them slurped and slurped, making delicious sounds.

Suddenly, Rohan and Ichinose simultaneously stopped eating and turned their heads towards the entrance.

This visitor was none other than Noah Frozenheart, making no attempt to hide his presence.

“The smell of ramen must have been my compass, eh?”

“I’ll go check. You finish eating.”

“It’s okay. Let’s go together.”

Grabbing their weapons, the two rose to their feet and headed outside.

Rohan and Ichinose immediately sidestepped as Noah collapsed right in front of them.

“Noah! Are you alright?”

“At first glance, there don’t seem to be any visible wounds…”

Had he known that Ichinose and Rohan were inside, and released all his tension?

“Ichinose… I can’t even move a finger…”

“Are you still using the stickers?!”

His weak muttering was just the cherry on top.

──*Gurrrgle!* Noah’s stomach rumbled, a most definite reply.

“Guys! Sorry to bother you so suddenly…!”

Corinne, Noah’s partner, appeared through the undergrowth a beat later.

Though they weren’t particularly close, it was a welcome sight to see a fellow student from Class 1.

“Are you both alright? Not hurt, are you?”

Rohan, in place of Noah who looked too weak to speak, asked Corinne.

“We’re not injured!”

“Food? Did you manage to eat anything?”

“Just kept drinking water… Supplies dropped way far away, so we missed them, and we couldn’t even find a monster or an animal…”

So they just drank the rainwater, then.

Rohan could roughly guess why the two hadn’t encountered any wild beasts or monsters.

‘Noah’s energy just… radiates outward. Any normal animal or monster would have fled.’

His gaze turned to the fallen beastgirl.

Considering that sticker and Noah’s appetite in collaboration, her stomach must feel like it has a black hole right now.

“Is Corinne alright?”

At Ichinose’s question, Corinne nodded, indicating she could still manage.

That meant Noah, collapsed on the ground, was the priority.

Rohan observed his partner, who had fallen silent. Ichinose must be deeply troubled.

He wanted to help Noah, but the option of removing the sticker was on the table.

Since they were a team, they couldn’t just freely use their supplies.

He was likely overthinking it, afraid his choice, based on friendship, might cause trouble for others.

Rohan understood.

And knowing that his intervention was the right path, he spoke first.

“Ichinose.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s give Noah my ramen and canned goods.”

“!”

Ichinose’s shoulders twitched.

He hesitated, unable to easily open his mouth. It was a difficult situation to either refuse or agree to.

“I promise, this decision won’t cause any trouble for you, Ichinose.”

He vowed, he promised, he wouldn’t burden his partner with hunger-induced cravings or lowered stamina.

From noble mtl dot com

Rohan pledged it all.

Having the shop as a reliable backup helped, of course.

Besides, Noah was different from Gilbert and Dick.

It was only natural to feed your favorite character when they were starving and collapsing.

This was a law of nature, a truth that brooked no argument.

“W-wait! If that’s the case, you should just give him mine!”

“No. Doing that would be putting me in a position where I’m depleting Ichinose’s rations.”

“…”

It was half a forced argument, but Ichinose being speechless made it the perfect opportunity.

Rohan cut off the conversation, went back to his quarters, and scooped about half of his ramen into Ichinose’s mess tin lid.

Then, he brought the entire mess tin he’d been heating over the fire.

He knelt in front of Noah, fork in hand, and pried open a can of tuna.

“Ugh…”

Noah, who had been lying face down on the floor, lifted his head and looked at Rohan.

Ramen and a can of tuna in his hands.

The delicious smell permeated the air.

“Here, I’ll feed you, so just open your mouth.”

“Ah…”

In Rohan’s view, Noah’s sharp teeth and soft, pink tongue were laid bare.

He placed a chunk of tuna into it.

Crunch, crunch, he chewed it, and then swallowed. His tail wagged gently.

“Corinne… let’s go inside.”

“Huh?”

“Rohan. This is my own decision. I wasn’t influenced by anything.”

“I understand. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“…”

Ichinose led Corinne inside their quarters. He was probably planning to share his meal.

Rohan internally praised Ichinose and continued to feed Noah.

“This is the last of the tuna.”

“Munch, munch…”

I finished feeding him the canned goods neatly and picked up the mess kit filled with ramen.

Noah ate the ramen well too.

His breathing was so forceful, he slurped down the noodles like a vacuum cleaner as I fed them to him.

“Munch, somehow this nuisance… chomp! …with gratitude… munch!”

“That’s enough. Just eat and don’t talk.”

Was this the feeling of the black-legged chef, offering fried rice to a pirate?

It makes me feel good seeing him come to his senses as he eats.

“Ugh! I’m alive…”

Noah cleaned out the canned goods and even the ramen broth, and then, as if energized, he collapsed where he lay.

His stomach is still hollow, but his complexion has certainly improved.

Rohan said he’d clean up and got to his feet.

After putting the mess kit in front of our dwelling, he grabbed his longsword. From beyond the thicket, he could hear the flapping of wings and a faint crying sound.

That distinctive cry, I bet it’s a Hornbird.

“Noah. You rest.”

“Mmm…”

Did he fall asleep already?

Noah was sprawled out on the floor, waving his tail back and forth, and giving a strange response.

••

••

After entrusting Noah and Corinne to Ichinose.

Rohan followed the sound of flapping wings and discovered an interesting sight.

— SQUAWK!

— Squeak! Squeak!

Two Hornbirds were crying out, fighting tooth and nail.

They were fighting fiercely, using their sharp claws and beaks like the monsters they are.

‘It really is a Hornbird? Two of them?’

What luck is this. Rohan gripped the handle of his longsword.

To think there are monsters so close by when Noah is here.

Could these be the dull-witted ones among the Hornbirds?

Just as he was about to fell two with a single stroke of his blade.

“…”

Rohan, sensing a disturbing familiarity in the situation, froze.

─ Screeeeeech!!!

─ Screak! Screak!

The honbirds’ eyes were bloodshot, as if drenched in crimson.

Watching them closer, their behavior was even stranger.

Excessively aggressive, yet thrashing about as if writhing in agony.

Different individuals, yet a situation disturbingly similar to what he’d witnessed in Abyss City.

A sense of unease concerning these monsters.

Having reached a conclusion, Rohan’s eyes snapped open.

‘Hex…? A frenzied factor…!’

Notification windows flared into existence.

[Boundary of Science and Skill – Achievement unlocked.]

[Acquired 30P as an achievement reward.]

Shattering what had been a pleasant time.

An ill omen, without a doubt.