"Cups and utensils will be left here. The bright colors make them easy to spot and convenient," Rohan said as he placed the extras down.
"Mm... okay!" Clara replied enthusiastically.
Rohan, having cleaned and set aside the spare cups and utensils for Clara, began moving his hands toward the ingredients stored on the shelves. He retrieved some instant rice and ingredients for side dishes.
"This might take a while, so if you're bored, feel free to watch TV. I'll call you when it's ready," he said casually.
"Uh-uh, I want to watch here," Clara said, her curiosity piqued as she stood beside him, observing the cooking process with a delighted expression.
‘Now that I think about it, I haven’t cooked much since coming here,’ Rohan reflected as he washed the vegetables, neatly stacking them on the cutting board.
Shaking the water from his hands, he grabbed a kitchen knife.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The sound of the knife slicing through onions, carrots, and scallions echoed as they were chopped into neat pieces.
Clara, captivated by the fluidity of his movements, asked in an animated voice, "Oppa, do you enjoy cooking?"
"It’s not that I particularly enjoy it; it’s just that managing food expenses is one of the most efficient ways to save on living costs," Rohan replied pragmatically.
"Oooh...!" Clara exclaimed, clearly impressed.
His reasoning was rooted in his past life, but the academy city of Elysium wasn’t much different in this regard.
"Nowadays, I only cook on weekends. During the weekdays, the academy cafeteria is enough," he added.
Had the academy not provided affordable meals for cadets, his financial situation would have been much more difficult. Without that option, he might have wasted points from his store skills just to stave off hunger.
‘Even if I don’t want to obsess over money, having enough of it does bring peace of mind.’
Before becoming a hunter, he had experienced the grinding monotony of poverty. It was exhausting to the point of dulling his senses.
That’s why he disliked poverty. He understood how material lack could gnaw at a person’s spirit.
If his wallet were thinner than it was now, he would have had to calculate the remaining balance in his head before buying Clara a decent meal or agonize over a gift for his manager. The mere thought of it was unappealing.
In some areas, he didn’t want to skimp.
"Oppa," Clara called.
"Yeah?"
"If I get registered as a citizen of the academy city someday and live in a house with a kitchen... would it be better if I learned to cook?"
Her question implied that the place she currently lived didn’t even have a kitchen, a fact Rohan found disheartening.
"If you want to, cooking can be a great hobby. But I don’t think you need to force yourself if you don’t feel like it," he answered honestly.
"I... I think I’d like to try it, but I’ve never done it before..." she admitted hesitantly.
"How about we cook together sometime? Following a recipe is usually enough," Rohan offered.
Clara’s eyes sparkled, and she nodded vigorously, her twin-tails bouncing energetically.
Rohan chuckled softly and extended his pinky finger to seal the promise with her before returning to his cooking.
After microwaving the instant rice and placing it into bowls, the meal was ready. Sitting across from each other at the table, a warm and special atmosphere enveloped them, drawing natural smiles to their faces.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.
"Let’s eat!" Clara chimed brightly.
"Eat plenty," Rohan encouraged.
"You too, oppa! Hehe..." Clara hummed a tune as she picked up her spoon, her transparent joy visible as she tasted the food. Her eyes widened in delight.
"Oppa, this is delicious!" she exclaimed.
"That makes the effort worthwhile," Rohan said, genuinely appreciative. Seeing her enjoy the simple meal so much left him thankful yet concerned. What had she been eating before this?
And then, someone else crossed his mind—Sion.
The image of the aloof princess flickered in his consciousness. However, it wasn’t a subject he wanted to bring up with Clara right now.
‘Serious talk during meals is bad for digestion.’
He could save that for later. Meals were meant to be enjoyed in peace.
After wrapping up the meal with lighthearted chatter, Clara patted her still-flat stomach with a satisfied sigh.
"Phew... I’m full..."
"You ate a lot?" Rohan asked, smiling.
"Yup! It was delicious. Thank you for the food!"
"I’ll pack the leftovers in containers and put them in the fridge. If you get hungry, just come by and heat them up like I showed you earlier," Rohan said as he cleaned up.
He then took the items Noah had lent him, along with some things he had purchased, and began arranging them while explaining them to Clara. This included a quick tutorial on how to use the washing machine, which was different from the one in her room.
"Just fill the detergent up to here, and fabric softener goes in the compartment next to it," he demonstrated.
"Got it!" Clara said, nodding enthusiastically.
"For clothes that need handwashing or have zippers or decorations, make sure to use the laundry net I bought earlier. It’ll help protect them."
"Oh...!" Clara, who had only received basic espionage training before escaping Jeno, listened attentively, learning things she hadn’t known before.
After finishing his instructions, Rohan added, "If I’m not around, don’t open the door for anyone who knocks. Understand?"
"Understood!"
Watching Clara’s excitement over even the simplest things, Rohan experienced a shift in his thoughts.
If she didn’t want to become his comrade, that was fine. He’d just let her live comfortably.
This wasn’t a game; it was real life. Forcing her into something she didn’t want might make the challenges ahead unbearable for her.
"Clara," Rohan called gently.
"Yes?" she replied with a bright smile, turning to face him.
Smiling wryly at her pure reaction, he suggested, "Hmm... How about we go for a walk to help digest the food?"
***
The two walked leisurely, drinks in hand. Rohan held a cup of coffee, while Clara sipped on fruit juice—just in case.
"You mentioned starting to use hot water from Monday, right?" Rohan asked.
"Yeah. Is it really okay...?" Clara asked hesitantly.
Rohan nodded firmly, as if to say it was a given. "Of course. Use it whenever you want. I'll keep the window unlocked."
"Hehe," Clara giggled, a pleased smile spreading across her face at his repeated assurance.
"And even if I’m away for a while, feel free to use it," Rohan added.
"Away for a while... because of the academy?" she asked, tilting her head.
"The academy hasn’t scheduled any extended training yet. It’s just... I might have to leave for a few days because of something else," he explained.
Clara blinked, trying to make sense of his words. Taking the straw from her lips, she asked curiously, "Do you work somewhere else besides the Flowerdew Bookstore, oppa?"
"Work, huh? You could look at it that way..." Rohan replied vaguely.
"Huh?" Clara tilted her head further, puzzled by his rare ambiguous response.
"There’s something I’m focusing on that I want to make my main profession. The bookstore part-time job is just a stepping stone for that," he admitted.
"Can I ask what kind of work you’re aiming for?" she asked cautiously.
"I haven’t told anyone else yet, but... it’s related to physical combat," Rohan said simply.
"Then I’m the first person to hear about this?" Clara’s eyes widened slightly.
"That’s right. You’re the first," he confirmed.
The mention of physical combat made her think it might be something serious, but she couldn’t deny she was a little thrilled to be the first to hear it.
"Want to hear more?"
"If you don’t mind...!" she responded eagerly, without a moment’s hesitation.
Rohan smiled at her enthusiasm, then stopped walking after checking their surroundings. They were in a quiet alley near the dormitories.
"You know I’m from the southern region, right?" he began.
"...Yeah."
"Cadets who graduate from Orion Academy typically return to their home countries and join reputable combat units. That’s the usual path," he explained, taking a sip of his coffee before continuing.
"But that doesn’t mean there’s no path for graduates like me who have no place to return to. Plenty of graduates immigrate to other countries too."
"..."
"With only two years left until graduation, it’s a short time if you have a lot to prepare for, but it’s long if you spend it aimlessly," he said thoughtfully.
Two years left—Clara interpreted it as a sign that he had a lot to prepare for. She stared blankly at his lips as his voice flowed out.
"I’m considering two options," he said.
"Two options...?"
"One is to join a foreign combat unit after graduation," Rohan said.
"And the other?" Clara asked, her curiosity piqued.
Rohan paused briefly, taking another sip of coffee. He then met her gaze and said clearly, "Staying in the academy city. Either as a peacekeeper or a freelancer."
"!" Clara’s first thought was that this meant she could continue seeing him.
"The second option is what I want to pursue right now. I like this city, and working independently suits me better," he explained, his voice carrying the conviction of someone who had been through a lot and fully understood himself.
Clara blinked slowly, awestruck. He wasn’t much older than her, yet his sense of direction and purpose left her deeply impressed.
"Clara," Rohan called.
"Yeah?"
"Do you have something you want to do in the future?"
"I... I don’t know..." she replied, shaking her head weakly.
Her current situation was so uncertain that she had never even thought about what lay beyond.
"That’s okay. You’ve worked so hard up until now. You can take your time figuring out the future," Rohan said, his tone gentle yet carrying a persuasive warmth that made his words resonate deeply.
Clara felt a storm of emotions well up in her chest.
"Clara," he said again.
"Y-Yeah," she replied, her voice trembling slightly. She lowered her tone, embarrassed by her own emotions.
Rohan smiled softly, his expression warm and reassuring. "Until you find what you want to do, how about sticking with me?"