The elders gathered for their meeting looked anything but pleased.
After all, their carefully laid plans had been derailed not once but twice, with no clear explanation for the failures.
The deep furrows in their weathered faces resembled gnarled trenches, etched deeper with every setback.
But was that truly all that weighed on them?
No, the fatigue gnawing at them was not solely due to those failed attempts.
“Hrmmm...”
Now was the time to pool their wisdom and devise a profound solution to prevent any further mishaps.
But recently, another troubling issue had emerged from an entirely different direction.
“Has anyone else noticed Her Highness asking strange questions lately?”
“She has been saying similar things to me as well.”
“Hrmph! Has she been swept up by some misguided notions again...?”
The elders, accustomed to occasional bouts of defiance from the princess, dismissed it as the usual rebellious streak.
But her recent behavior was markedly different.
Gone were the days when they could wave her off with a simple admonition to focus on her training.
This time, she pursued answers with a dogged determination—so relentless, in fact, that even a leech might flee in terror.
“Ah, at my age, even witnessing such brash behavior is exhausting.”
“She truly has a knack for touching on the most bothersome subjects. A true Testarossa indeed.”
“Hoho, I found myself thinking the same.”
She had demanded to attend the council meetings herself or, at the very least, insisted on being provided with detailed records of their discussions.
Her persistence in making such sudden and unreasonable requests was nothing short of maddening.
“She said the same to me.”
The princess hadn’t forgotten the hasty lies the elders had told her during her childhood.
She had started inquiring about the supposed compatriots who had been “safely relocated” to another nation. Were they well? Where exactly had they been sent?
She even expressed a desire to meet them and offer words of comfort.
“How are we to arrange for her to meet with those who have already returned to the mother’s embrace for the greater cause?”
If she continued to probe this matter, it would prove far more troubling than their previous predicaments.
The princess’s unprecedented behavior clearly called for swift and decisive action to rein her in.
“Elder, what would you have us do?”
“Hmm... She was told to discard distractions and focus solely on becoming the weapon that will reclaim our glory. Yet, she remains undisciplined.”
The Testarossa bloodline had the potential to be the bullet that pierced through Frozenheart.
Like it or not, she was a vital asset.
However, her increasingly wayward actions left the elders deeply displeased.
“For now, set that matter aside. There is something far more pressing to discuss.”
“Hrmm... It won’t be easy to ignore...”
Tap, tap!
The head elder struck the ground with his staff, silencing the murmurs.
The elders turned their gazes toward him as he sat in the seat of honor.
“How do you expect to address today’s main issue with such chatter?”
“...”
“Let’s postpone the matter of Her Highness until the next agenda and focus on what truly matters right now.”
The head elder, draped in a robe far too opulent for their current surroundings, reached into his sleeve and produced an object.
What he revealed was a black, gleaming coin.
Its ominous aura suggested that merely touching it would invite misfortune. Both sides of the coin bore the image of a human hand.
The elders gasped collectively the moment they saw it.
“Ooooh!”
“Does this mean they are assisting us once again?”
“Ahh...! I can feel that our long-held wish is finally within reach!”
The head elder allowed himself a moment to savor their reaction.
These former nobles, now confined to such meager surroundings, were clearly parched for power.
It was just as he had anticipated.
“Now that we have our answer, we must prepare to show our sincerity. Otherwise, we may find ourselves locked into another unfavorable agreement.”
“We still have treasures remaining. Let us select something appropriate from among them.”
Though they had previously accepted Tigrova’s aid at the cost of agreeing to future sacrifices, there was no denying the effectiveness of their benefactors.
The elders firmly believed that, once again, they would break through their obstacles.
They were certain of it.
***
On a class-free Saturday, Rohan had just finished his workout in the academy's training room when a message from Clara popped up on his phone.
[Clara]: The macarons you gave me were delicious! (˶˃ᆺ˂˶)
"Finally decided to try them, huh," Rohan thought.
The girl, who had hesitated to eat them because they were "too precious," had finally tasted the macarons today. Her message was long, filled with impressions and heartfelt gratitude.
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The rainbow macarons he had given Clara came in a set of eight, and Rohan didn’t feel like he’d wasted a single coin.
Her enjoyment was worth far more than their cost.
"Even Ichinose praised them," Rohan mused. "I guess the quality of these store-bought point snacks is reliable."
After replying to Clara’s message, Rohan packed his bag and left the training room, heading back toward his dorm.
As he walked, he reflected on Clara’s recent behavior.
"Strange..." he murmured.
Clara had grown more comfortable at the bookstore, approaching him for conversations more easily and smiling brightly. Even her texts had become cuter and more affectionate.
But Rohan couldn’t shake the feeling that something about her had changed since their conversation at the café.
"She’s been acting... off."
While her shyness and reserved demeanor were traits Rohan had grown to understand, her recent actions seemed different.
More than once, mid-conversation, she would trail off as if she had more to say but couldn’t bring herself to say it.
"Well, I’ll wait," he decided.
Pushing her for answers wouldn’t be right. Patience was the key when it came to Clara.
Still, he couldn’t deny the happiness he felt.
Their relationship had grown noticeably closer, and that was something to be thankful for.
Walking down the academy city’s main boulevard, Rohan found himself appreciating the sunny weekend atmosphere.
Shops that were closed early in the morning were now open, and the streets were bustling with people.
Slowing his pace, Rohan glanced around, an idea forming in his mind.
"I should get a gift for the bookstore manager," he thought.
The man had been a big help, indirectly facilitating Rohan’s growing bond with Clara.
"Something soft, nothing too hard," Rohan recalled the manager’s preferences.
He veered off his usual path toward a section of the city he hadn’t fully explored.
While he remembered the prominent buildings from Abyss City, the game, he didn’t know much about the smaller shops around here.
"Ah, this looks promising," he said, stopping in front of a traditional confectionery shop from Samhwaguk.
A friendly man in traditional attire offered him a sample of sweet chestnut jelly.
The flavor was subtle but satisfying—just the kind of treat the manager might enjoy with his tea.
"Can you gift-wrap this?" Rohan asked, pointing at a small box of chestnut jelly.
"Of course!" The shopkeeper responded enthusiastically, swiftly wrapping the box in a clean, elegant package.
After completing his purchase, Rohan decided to keep walking.
The weather was too nice to head straight back to the dorms.
He wandered through quieter streets, eventually arriving at a small park.
Through the bushes, he heard a familiar voice.
"Roll left!"
"Nyaaang!"
"Now roll right!"
"Nyaaang!"
Rohan quickened his pace, curiosity piqued, and peeked past the bushes.
“...What the hell is this?”
In front of him was Noah Frozenheart, barking orders at a group of plump cats.
"If you keep running out into the street, you’ll get hit by a car! Understand?" Noah growled sternly.
"Nyaaang..." The cats whimpered, flipping onto their backs and exposing their bellies in submission.
The scene was... bizarre, to say the least.
“What are you doing?” Rohan finally asked, stepping out from behind the bushes.
Noah’s ears perked up at the sound of his voice, swiveling like little radars.
"Eh?" She turned to look at him, wide-eyed and visibly startled.