I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City - Chapter 94



93 – Rain Shower -2-

*Swooosh*───!!!

Fat raindrops lashed at the skin.

In an instant, the rain poured as if someone had overturned a bucket, and in a matter of seconds, they were soaked to the bone.

A downpour so heavy it was hard to keep one’s eyes open.

Despite all, Rohan and Ichinose remained rooted to their spots.

There was nowhere to run, even if they scrambled frantically to escape the rain.

“At this rate, our progress is going to be even slower.”

“…”

This weather wasn’t just affecting Rohan; Ichinose was feeling its bite as well.

Even if one didn’t rely on sight, weather like this invariably played havoc with other senses.

Not good.

“Let’s keep moving for now, shall we?”

Rohan hacked a crude marking into a tree with his sword, then continued on the path.

Ichinose nodded and followed behind.

‘…It’s refreshing.’

The rainwater that crept between the girl’s lips chased away her thirst, ever so slightly.

Her hair and clothes clung damply, heavy and weighing her down, but ridiculously, after just a little water, her body felt lighter than before.

This was the first time she’d felt good being rained on.

Splish! Splash! Splosh!

They trudged onward, their boots sinking into the mud, deeper into the dark forest.

Then, a place where massive boulders interlocked, forming a sort of roof, came into view.

Stepping underneath, they found themselves somewhat shielded from the downpour.

It wasn’t quite a cave, but they couldn’t be choosy. Both let out simultaneous sighs of relief.

“Hoo!”

“Hmph…”

They glanced at each other and chuckled.

The situation was absurd, and their soaked appearances comical.

“It blocks the wind well enough. Not bad for a chance discovery.”

“Good enough to use as a base for now.”

While Ichinose drew her sword to shake off the water.

Rohan took off the jacket he was wearing and wrung it out, then spread it on the ground.

“Sit here.”

“…How can I sit on your clothes? I’ll use mine, so you should put it back on quickly.”

Ichinose moved to take off her outer garment, but Rohan hastily stopped her.

“Ichinose’s clothes wouldn’t even be half my size.”

“This much space is enough for me to sit.”

“Whatever. Shoes and socks off. Go rinse them in the rain.”

“Huh?”

Rohan’s demand followed his words, sharp as a snapped branch.

It was no longer the time to argue about whose clothes to sit on.

“They’re a muddy mess, so it’s best to wash them before they dry. I don’t want to feel grains of sand grinding in my shoes tomorrow.”

“I can do that myself. I’m an equal cadet, not here to be coddled.”

Rohan chuckled, seeing the displeasure in Ichinose’s lowered voice.

Her identity was clearly built on the ideal of self-reliance.

“No, it’s not like I’m… trying to protect or pamper you. It’s about dividing tasks efficiently.”

Rohan used his mana, conjuring a small flame at his fingertip.

An application made possible by his fire-attribute skill, the Heavenly Sun Scythe Blade.

“Could you tend to the fire while I’m gone? If you haven’t done it before, I can.”

“I can. Fire… isn’t it just adding wood? And fanning it?”

The space carved into the rock was deeper and wider than she’d expected.

In the sheltered bends, safe from the rain, lay piles of dry grass, twigs, and what looked like old animal fur – tinder.

“Not exactly wrong, but… building a fire is trickier than it seems.”

“…”

Ichinose felt a strange sensation and her eyes widened.

Rohan’s tone and expression weren’t meant to belittle or warn.

“I was going to watch the fire, but I also need to tend to the Hombird. And set up something to collect rainwater.”

He wasn’t like the people who unconsciously laced their words and gazes with disdain.

He wasn’t mocking or ignoring her small stature or femininity, her complex.

It was almost like a father on a camping trip with his cherished daughter.

There was a tenderness that bordered on bewildering.

“First, shoes and socks off. Quickly.”

“D-Don’t rush me… just turn around for a moment.”

Rohan kept his smile, leaning his long sword against the rough wall.

He grabbed a standard-issue dagger, one he’d packed as a spare.

Ichinose, her gaze fixed ahead, checked on Rohan, who was still gathering wood for the fire, a few times.

Then, planting her rear on the ground, she slipped off her shoes, stained muddy brown, and peeled off her damp socks.

Even wet, her feet were fair and petite.

They seemed a part of her she shouldn’t be showing a man, and the girl kept wiggling her toes.

“Ahem…! Here you go.”

“Then I’ll just get the embers going and head out, alright?”

“Understood.”

Ichinose wanted to help, but there was no room for her, Rohan’s movements were too practiced.

Anything she tried to do only made her feel like she was just milling about.

Without a word, Rohan gathered tinder and built a foundation, then tucked his muddy shoes and socks under his arm.

Hornbird and dagger in hand, he headed towards the entrance.

He’d been humming about wanting to wash off the blood, and now, with a chance to do so, he seemed quite excited.

Just as Rohan was striding towards the exit, something occurred to him, and he added,

“Even if it wrinkles your clothes, you should wring them out. Don’t rely on your mana too much, or you’ll catch a cold, you know?”

His footsteps faded away.

Ichinose watched over the embers Rohan had created, and silently rose to her feet.

‘Certainly… To maintain body temperature, I should wring out my clothes after all…’

She moved away from the small fire Rohan had built and grasped the hem of her skirt, twisting it. Water streamed down.

And then she realized.

The picture that would only be visible through sight.

‘My undershirt… my underwear is…’

Even with a t-shirt underneath, the outlines were faintly visible.

A picture potent enough for those with mana to discern, even in the dark.

Had Rohan been seeing her like this all this time?

“…”

Her hands trembled as she went to undo her shirt.

Was that why he cut himself off earlier, telling her not to take it off?

Click! Click!

She continued her train of thought as she undid the buttons.

Ichinose felt embarrassed, yet she couldn’t shake off her unease.

To be caught in one’s underthings out here… There are limits, even to indiscretion.

“Hooo…”

Still, mind like still water.

She exhaled the rising heat, grasping for composure.

‘I must act as if nothing is amiss…’

Before a woman, she was the proud heir of Cheonoecheon, a warrior through and through.

Would she shrink back if her clothes tore in battle? That was inviting death.

‘Stay calm.’

She needed a clear head.

If she made a fuss, showing her unease, both she and Rohan would become uncomfortable.

*

“Hoo.”

Rohan moved with haste in the rain.

His shoes and socks were cleaned as well as possible, placed where no rain fell.

Cutting tough leaves reminiscent of banana leaves, he lightly completed preparations to catch rainwater.

Now, he drew his dagger. The hornbird was taken apart.

Large, generous cuts, thoroughly rinsed. A considerable amount.

‘I wonder what it tastes like.’

For himself, he could chew and swallow anything that filled his belly.

But for Ichinose to eat it, shouldn’t it taste like something familiar, like chicken or turkey?

He filled a large leaf with the severed hornbird pieces.

Holding Ichinose’s socks and shoes in one hand, Rohan called out from the entrance.

“Ichinose. May I enter?”

─ T-That… Please, come in!

A voice that held consent, yet betrayed a sense of urgency.

Only upon entering did Rohan understand the reason.

“!”

He saw the campfire, extinguished by a clumsy overfeeding of logs.

Only a faint haze of grey smoke rose.

“T-This… I mean…”

Ichinose, hunched over, blowing *hoo! hoo!* at the bonfire, lifted her head.

Golden eyes, rippling with guilt. Tiny toes, chapped and dry.

Rohan couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of Ichinose.

··

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The bonfire came alive under Rohan’s touch.

And the cooking commenced without delay.

Using his longsword as a skewer, he impaled chunks of Honbird meat.

Cooking with the Scorching Blade and the bonfire.

Ichinose, having quenched her thirst with the water Rohan provided, couldn’t tear her eyes from the meat sizzling to a golden brown.

The girl’s gaze held hesitation, the thought of eating a monster heavy on her mind.

But her throat swallowed audibly, again and again, relentlessly pushing Rohan’s laughter button.

A fact that Ichinose herself seemed blissfully unaware of.

Time passed, Ichinose’s concentration unbroken.

Rohan, with his dagger, sliced into the meat to ensure it was cooked through.

He carved off a Honbird leg with the dagger, placed it on a leaf, and set it before Ichinose.

He took the first bite himself, acting as royal taster.

“Not as good as chicken, maybe, but not bad, right? Give it a try.”

“T-Thank you for the food.”

From noble mtl dot com

The girl hesitated, lifting the meat slowly to her mouth.

She chewed it like a tiny hamster, her cheeks puffing out.

She chewed a few times, blinked in surprise at how palatable it was, and then swallowed.

“Edible, huh?”

“…”

Perhaps embarrassed by her initial reluctance.

Ichinose nodded shyly, her face flushed.

“Eat plenty. Even if it’s just meat, hunger makes a good spice.”

“That… I definitely understand that statement now.”

Ichinose thanked Rohan and they sat together, filling their bellies.

A time to realize how precious the things she took for granted were. And how terrifying hunger and thirst could be.

‘You never seem to rest.’

Ichinose’s remark hung in the air.

Rohan was diligent. He continued working without a single break.

He himself wanted to do something, but he didn’t know what.

Unable to easily decide, Ichinose began to clean the moisture and oil from Rohan’s longsword.

After finishing the maintenance, he called out to Rohan, who was still occupied.

“Rohan.”

“Hm?”

The way he turned at the sound of his name, he resembled a large dog.

Ichinose gave a faint smile, shifted his weight, and patted the spot beside him on the fabric.

“Sit here.”