"Too bad, I wanted to treat you to a proper meal."
Rohan poured out a pile of crispy fries onto the wrapper. He squeezed ketchup into the corner and handed each girl a burger and a soda.
Shion, fascinated by the warm burger, touched it curiously, as though it was something magical. Her expression was as composed as ever, but it looked like that calm exterior was on the verge of breaking just because of some food.
"I-I... this is more than enough..."
"Same here."
Unfortunately, this was the best they could do. For these three, fast food was the only option available.
They simply didn’t have enough time. Lunch breaks at Orion Academy were limited.
Every decent restaurant was already packed with office workers and students. With their remaining time in mind, finding a better spot was out of the question.
"Eat up. If it’s not enough, feel free to get more."
"Thank you for the meal...!"
"Thanks. I’ll enjoy it."
Clara bowed her head slightly as she thanked Rohan. Seeing her, Shion also followed suit.
When Rohan unwrapped his burger with a rustling sound, Shion glanced over and mimicked him. It wasn’t much of an action, but she seemed to care about doing things the proper way.
"Eat it before it gets cold."
As Rohan took a big bite, the two girls, after some hesitation, began nibbling on their food.
"...!"
Shion's eyes lit up after her first bite of the burger. With each bite, her pace quickened, almost as if she was climbing steps.
Unlike Clara, the elven girl wasn’t silent because of awkwardness. She was simply focusing all her attention on savoring the food.
Clara, meanwhile, chewed on her burger with small, delicate bites. She occasionally glanced at Rohan, but he had grown used to that habit by now.
‘They must’ve been really hungry. They’re eating so well.’
Rohan felt content watching the girls eat. It was endearing.
Even though people passing by outside—and even some inside—were stealing glances at them, the girls didn’t seem to care and continued enjoying their meal.
"Phew."
When Shion finally looked away from her burger to take a sip of her drink, Rohan seized the moment to continue the conversation that had been put on hold.
"You both must’ve been pretty surprised today, huh? Bet you didn’t see it coming."
"Ughhh..."
"That’s true. But more than that, I was surprised by Clara’s skills."
The two had introduced themselves briefly—enough to avoid awkwardness. Clara, still feeling a bit guilty, tried hard to suppress the blush rising on her face.
"Clara isn’t ordinary, right?"
"Mm."
Shion nodded firmly in agreement, then refocused her full attention on her burger.
Rohan chuckled softly. He realized now wasn’t the time to bother her with conversation.
***
Lunch came to an end, with Shion displaying a level of focus that could only be described as intense.
The three stepped out of the restaurant, sighing contentedly. Checking the time, Rohan confirmed they still had a bit of a buffer.
"Thank you for the meal...!"
"Did you eat enough?"
Clara nodded eagerly in response to Rohan’s question. Her shy smile held a hint of embarrassment, which Rohan found oddly satisfying—it felt like a genuine expression of gratitude.
"I feel bad... always eating for free like this."
"Don’t. Just saying you enjoyed it is enough."
Even Shion hurriedly expressed her gratitude, adding a few extra words to emphasize her appreciation.
Before heading back to Orion Academy, Rohan led the two girls toward the dorms.
‘Still got some time.’
Shion might not know what to do, but Clara would likely stay in the dorms. Even if they left her here, a quiet place seemed like the best option for a proper goodbye.
As they walked a few more steps, the bustling noise from earlier seemed like a distant memory—the area had grown surprisingly peaceful.
"Lunch breaks near the dorms are really quiet. Clara, you’ll head to the bookstore later, right?"
"Yeah!"
"Make sure to get some rest first."
"Are you sure that’s okay...?"
"Of course. Make yourself comfortable."
It was peculiar how Clara felt the need to ask for permission to lie down, but Rohan nodded without giving it much thought.
As they took a few more steps—
"Rohan."
"Yeah?"
As they approached the dormitory, Shion hesitated in the quiet alley. She fiddled with her goggles, her face showing clear signs of reluctance.
Her sudden change in expression left a bitter taste in Rohan’s mouth.
“I’m heading back.”
“You seem busy.”
“Not exactly, but I want to get back with time to spare.”
If only it were the weekend, Rohan could have asked her to stay longer without hesitation. But telling Clara and Shion to rest together in the same room would create its own problems.
“Wait a second.”
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“Hm?”
Rohan rummaged through his pocket and flicked two coins toward Shion. The coins arched through the air and landed softly in her palm.
“Next time, don’t let the call get disconnected. You’ll drive me crazy.”
“I’ll take them and be sure to pay you back.”
It wasn’t something she could refuse. Shion’s negative expression softened into a faint smile.
Shion turned her gaze forward. Behind her, Clara nervously alternated glances between Rohan and Shion.
Rohan, meeting Shion’s eyes without looking away, made her feel an unexplainable warmth.
“Are you not going to ask why I came today?”
“I told you to come. Why would I ask that? That’s basically like telling you to leave.”
Shion couldn’t hold back a small laugh at Rohan’s blunt yet refreshing response. For the first time, she showed a genuine smile, which Rohan noticed with satisfaction.
“True. That’s just who you are.”
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
“No.”
Shion, signaling that she was ready to leave, pulled down her goggles and adjusted them into place. She also raised a dark scarf to cover her mouth and nose.
“Take care on your way back.”
She nodded in response to Rohan’s farewell.
But before she could leave, an unexpected voice broke through.
“N-next time, I’ll make sure to properly greet you...!”
Clara mustered her courage to speak up, surprising Shion for a brief moment. Shion concluded the exchange by suggesting they talk more thoroughly next time.
“Well then.”
Shion turned her back to the two of them, ready to leave. She tensed her thighs in preparation to leap.
At that moment, Rohan and Clara were supposed to simply watch her leave, her figure growing smaller in the distance as they wished her safe travels.
But that’s not what happened.
“!”
All three of them simultaneously sensed ominous magic.
The brief recognition froze their movements and even their breath.
Rumble───!!!
The deafening noise came from right behind them.
Rohan and the girls turned around in silence.
A black monolith stood there.
It was foreboding. Dreadful. Unnatural. Twisted. Malevolent.
Rohan, who had experienced Abyss City firsthand and paid attention during theory lessons, knew better than anyone what it was.
“A Monolith!?”
The black obelisk radiated magic as incomprehensible symbols covered its surface.
The inscriptions glowed with magical light, distorting the space around them.
“Come here.”
Snapping back to his senses, Rohan pulled out his smartphone. Seeing that there was no signal, he clicked his tongue and stuffed it back into his pocket.
He grabbed the hands of Clara, who stood next to him, and Shion, who was about to leave the city.
“O-Oppa...!”
“This...?”
He pulled them closer. They had to stay together.
Having anticipated that this day might come, and with past experiences to draw on, Rohan quickly regained his composure.
“Stay still. If you try to escape while the magic is surging, your body could be torn apart.”
Rohan’s unusually calm voice silenced both girls.
“When a Monolith appears, there are two scenarios. The first is monsters pouring out. In that case, assess the situation. If it looks manageable, deal with it. If not, retreat as quickly as possible.”
If the magic seemed too overwhelming, he would contact Juyeon. The security bureau would inevitably pick up on the disturbance and respond.
“What’s the other scenario?”
Without taking his eyes off the Monolith, Rohan responded to Shion’s question.
“It swallows people and throws them into a dungeon.”
This was information that wasn’t even in textbooks.
Such anomalies had only begun occurring since the protagonist’s arrival in Abyss City.
Rumble───!!!
The air vibrated. Cracks began forming in the ground around the Monolith.
The magic surged even more violently.
“In that case, the best thing to do is stick together so we don’t get separated.”
At his words, Shion, tense and uncertain, instinctively tightened her grip on Rohan’s hand.
“Ugh...!”
“It’s okay. Just breathe.”
Clara, on the verge of panic, began trembling all over.
Rohan hugged her close, gently stroking her back to calm her down.
Screech!!!
The symbols on the Monolith emitted a blinding light.
At the same time, a notification window appeared before Rohan’s eyes.
[ A quest has been generated. ]
[ The Nation That Worships the Sun ]
◇ Quest Objective: A Monolith, the symbol of chaos, has appeared in Academy City. Escape the twisted space safely with your companions!
◇ Type: Emergency
◇ Rewards: 3,000P, Full Party Recovery, 1 Seneca’s Luck
◇ Penalty for Failure: None