I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City - Chapter 110



109 – Having Prior Plans

Steps heading back to the dormitory.

Rohan sent a message to Sion and Clara, telling them he was on his way.

He summoned the notification window, full of things to check.

‘Maybe I’ll postpone watching that third restricted video for now.’

The insistent notification, something about the main story malfunctioning, grated on him, and his condition wasn’t exactly optimal.

Another collapse like before would be problematic.

‘Besides Weakness Infliction, my unique skill level rose, too.’

He’d been half-asleep; he hadn’t only used Weakness Infliction, had he?

Time to leisurely peruse the information he’d overlooked.

[Shop ─ Lv.3]

◇ Transcendence 1 time – 35,000 (Available for purchase 1 time)

◇ Exclusive Weapon – 30,000P (Available for purchase 1 time)

◇ Chat with Monsters Potion – 800P

◇ Chat with Animals Potion – 700P

◇ Intermediate Health/Mana Potion – 500p

◇ Fatigue Recovery Elixir – 200P

··

··

◇ Lowest Health/Mana Potion – 100P

◇ Restaurant Reservation Ticket – 50P

◇ Focus Enhancement Incense – 50P

··

··

[Remaining Points – 13,225P]

‘Transcendence is being sold, too, and the number of consumables has increased. Chat with animals? Does that mean I can communicate like with Noah?’

A plethora of intriguing items sparked a sudden impulse.

The temptation was amplified by the comfortable surplus of remaining points.

Behold that impressive balance, even after purchasing a 20,000-point level-up.

The brilliant boon gifted by the point pouch he’d received for dispatching Omega.

‘No, hold it. I need to buy a weapon or Transcendence first.’

Rohan cleared the shop from his view and opened the next unique skill.

[Celestial Judgment Sword(天日聖裁劍) ─ Lv.2]

◇First Sword(一劍) – Flame Severance(炎切)

◇Second Sword(二劍) – Dawn Sunset(黎明落日)

◇Three Swords – Light Wing Awl

The third sword revealed itself anew.

Rohan understood instantly what kind of sword art the Light Wing Awl was.

‘A thrusting style. With power released from the body, a momentary burst of elasticity thrusts forth, accompanied by flames. Magic power and wrist rotation are necessary, as are a strong core and flexibility.’

The posture and principles, he merely understood them in the most literal sense.

Without tremendous practice, it would be useless in actual combat.

‘…Difficult.’

Though the movements were simple, the difficulty of applying magic power skyrocketed.

He couldn’t even imagine how difficult the next sword would be.

“Hmm.”

Even so, the answer was obvious.

From noble mtl dot com

Unchanging.

‘What else can I do? I have to work hard.’

It was true that he was pleased, even with a difficult task assigned.

Just feeling that he was steadily growing stronger became a motivation in itself.

Arriving late at the dormitory, he closed the door behind him.

Sion and Clara, who had been holding their breath, welcomed him.

“Big brother!”

“Rohan. You worked hard.”

The warmth of someone waiting and welcoming his return was truly pleasant.

“Surprised I came back so quickly? Did you two get along well?”

“Uh-huh! Did you see the messages that your sister and I sent?”

“It looks like there’s too much to read it all. We just kept sending them as they came to mind, so it ended up like that.”

Chattering and giggling, Rohan unpacked his belongings.

Hesitating over which fact to tell the girls first, he decided to clean himself up first.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

“U-uh, ah, okay…! I put the towel back in its usual place!”

“Thanks.”

As he prepared comfortable clothes to change into before showering, Sion silently approached and poked him on the shoulder.

“Rohan. Did you eat dinner?”

“Still hungry. Did Clara and Sion eat yet?”

“We haven’t either. But dinner’s ready. Wash up and we’ll eat together.”

“Oh! I’ll wash up quickly.”

An unexpected surprise.

Rohan, who had been debating eating out, quickened his pace.

“Guess I need to learn how to cook.”

“Absolutely not. Rohan’s cooking suits my taste better.”

“Me, me too…!”

Dinner was a meal cooked by the two of them.

He felt touched. Touched that they had thought of him, and that they made it themselves.

What’s more, the taste was excellent, and he was on his third bowl of instant rice.

“Rohan, Yuho gave us the number of a real estate agent in the academy city.”

“Let’s go see the house together. It’s a lot of money on the line; we can’t just trust whoever introduced them.”

“Hmph, that’s reasonable.”

“It feels safer with you here, Oppa…! And, traveling the distance will be easier too…”

“I promised to accompany you from the start, right? And we agreed to go shopping together.”

Rohan cleaned his plate, leaving not a single grain of rice or side dish.

Sion and Clara smiled broadly at the sight.

“Oppa, are you busy tomorrow? Do you have time…?”

“I’m going to the academy, but there aren’t any classes, just catching up. I don’t know when it’ll end, but the academy is the only thing on my schedule.”

“Then let’s all go shopping tomorrow. If the timing works out, I’d like to see the house too.”

Rohan nodded without hesitation.

He was thinking of getting a pistol anyway, and this was a good opportunity with two experts around.

‘Should I surprise them with imbuing the bullets with magic tomorrow?’

What kind of reaction will they show?

Just being surprised would be enough.

“Sion, are you sleeping at Clara’s place tonight?”

“Yup!”

“That’s the plan.”

Rohan immediately gathered his clothes.

“I’ll take you. Let’s go.”

“Oppa! Let me just do the dishes···!”

“It’s alright. I’ll do them, so let’s go out. You also have to tell me why the exam finished so early on the way.”

Worry threatened to bloom, making him consider hiding what happened on the deserted island.

But they’d decided to move as a team of three, so he couldn’t.

‘If I keep my mouth shut and then hear about this from someone else… that’s the worst.’

Burying something of this magnitude would fracture their trust.

Besides, the Reverse Praise Society was ultimately connected to Sion’s revenge.

This was also an opportunity to share various pieces of information in a natural way.

“I received your hospitality, so I’ll buy you something to drink.”

“Rohan. Would it be alright to borrow the clothes just for today?”

“Me, m-me too… this…”

Sion was already borrowing Rohan’s t-shirt and training wear.

Clara, as always in extravagant clothes, had thrown one of Rohan’s outer jackets over them.

“It’s fine.”

Leading the girls, satisfied with his permission, Rohan stepped out into the night streets.

It seemed like it would be quite a long story.

··

··

A day without classes at Orion Academy.

Rohan, having arrived at Class 1, sat next to Gilbert, recalling last night.

‘It was tough… but I cleared a major hurdle.’

Explaining the situation on the deserted island to Sion and Clara had taken nearly four hours.

He’d broken out in a sweat trying to calm the girls, who vividly expressed their emotions with every word he spoke.

*Swish*––.

Dick Wikitree appeared through the front door, dragging his feet and slumping into the back seat.

Rohan looked at him with concern.

“You’re here. You ate, so why is your face so pale?”

“The things Gilbert fed me gave me a stomach ache… still going on…”

“Blaming me is further proof of weakness! Can’t you see this body is perfectly fine!”

Dick glanced at Gilbert and sighed.

“If I get paired with him again for the exam, I’m forfeiting.”

“If we’re on the same team again, I’ll knock you unconscious first. Straighten out that warped mind of yours.”

The bickering, utterly devoid of substance, continued.

*Scrrrk!*

Jooyeon appeared in the doorway.

It was unusual for Jooyeon to visit the class outside of lesson time, so the cadets, who had been relaxing, froze and blinked.

“Well, I’m starting interviews with available personnel a little early. The rest of you, feel free to relax.”

Jooyeon’s gaze settled on Rohan.

Without a word, Rohan rose from his seat and followed Jooyeon.

And so, Rohan, the first to volunteer, was now in the midst of his interview with Jooyeon.

He recounted every detail he knew about Omega.

“I see. Emerging from the mouth of a worm that crawled out of the earth, you say. A bizarre method the likes of which I’ve never heard.”

“Yes. And they also said they were going to send it as a sample to someone.”

“Hmm…”

Jooyeon typed furiously, her face serious as she entered the information.

“How’s your physical condition?”

“Perfectly fine. I don’t feel any discomfort.”

“Still, you never know. Go to the infirmary and get another check-up.”

“Understood.”

Jooyeon lifted her mug and swallowed the pitch-black coffee in one gulp.

Watching her profile, Rohan could see the weariness in Jooyeon.

It was the same everywhere he looked.

The instructors hadn’t gone home and seemed to have spent the night at the Academy.

Some looked busy with the barrage of incoming calls, others were organizing mountains of meeting minutes.

Even Carrot Instructor’s rabbit ears, on the opposite side of the room, drooped lower than usual, indicating her poor condition.

“Instructor.”

“Hmm?”

“You didn’t get to go home yesterday?”

“That’s not something a cadet needs to concern himself with.”

Juyeon smiled, then tapped Rohan on the forehead with her finger.

“Next…”

Answering Juyeon’s questions diligently, Rohan thought of the shop.

‘Even if I bought him a fatigue recovery potion, he wouldn’t accept a student’s gift.’

He wouldn’t mind using his points for his benefactor. Still, knowing Juyeon’s personality, he probably wouldn’t accept it.

Which was a shame.

“Rohan.”

“Yes.”

Having finished one round of questions and answers, Juyeon used her magic.

A sensation like the space had been isolated.

Sound didn’t spread, but circled within.

“You possess a rather unique skill.”

“…”

Rohan pressed his lips shut.

Juyeon chuckled silently at Rohan’s tense appearance.

“No need to be so rigid. I have no intention of digging into it. Still, as an instructor, I feel I must say this.”

“I’m listening.”

“Exercise caution in its use. If it becomes widely known, troublesome individuals may take an interest.”

“…Yes, ma’am!”

As Rohan showed his resolve to remember this, Juyeon seemed satisfied and withdrew her magic.

“The interview is concluded. Return and send one student from Class 1 who is available for an interview.”

“I understand the procedure.”

“You may go to the infirmary for an examination, or rest in the classroom. Your instructor recommends the former.”

“I will send someone and head straight to the infirmary.”

Rohan stood up, gave a deep bow, and left the faculty office.

“Is the interview over?”

“Huh?”

The first person he saw as he stepped out was Ichinose.

Rohan quietly closed the door behind him and faced the girl, who had her eyes closed.

“Do you want to go in next? The instructor asked me to find the next student for an interview.”

“Alright. I was looking for Rohan, I have something to say to him before then.”

“To me?”

Ichinose nods slightly, hugging her sword.

She lowers her head, chewing her lip, then musters her courage.

“…Rohan. How about the three of us go out for dinner tonight?”

‘The three of us’ would include Noah, presumably.

This seemed to be a direct continuation of the conversation from just yesterday.

Where all her confidence from back then had vanished to, he wondered, but it was an incredibly welcome suggestion to Rohan as well.

However.

Regrettably, very regrettably.

“Sorry.”

Rohan had already made a prior engagement with the girls in the dormitory.

*

‘Is Ichinose Yui next?’

Jooyeon flipped through documents, watching the petite girl enter the faculty office.

From noble mtl dot com

“Make yourself comfortable.”

“Y-Yes…”

“Hmm?”

Her usual sharp, collected demeanor was nowhere to be found, replaced by a dazed look.

She seemed subdued somehow, her lips slightly parted as if in shock.

Of course, Jooyeon had no idea why.