"And conserve your mana. Why have you been using a skill this whole time?"
Rohan said this with a smile, but Clara, who had been holding Shion, could feel the frantic pounding of her heart—thump! thump!—as if it were about to burst.
She knew because they were pressed tightly together.
Shion hadn’t used any mana at all.
‘N-no way... Shion unnie...?’
Clara lifted her head from Shion’s embrace, pushing aside the chest blocking her view.
And when she saw Shion’s face—
She knew instantly.
That wasn’t a skill.
It was the face of someone unmistakably, utterly in love.
The kind you’d find in a romance manga or anime.
"..."
Clara’s thoughts came to a grinding halt.
Her mind went completely blank.
She was happy—relieved, even—that Shion had broken free from her despair and was now experiencing true freedom.
But this situation itself—this sudden shift—was suffocating.
She had always expected this moment to come... someday.
But now, had she really gained an opponent so overwhelming that even the slightest hope of victory was nonexistent?
And then, a thought surfaced in Clara’s mind.
A book she had once read at Flower Lycoris Bookstore.
‘If... if that book was telling the truth...?’
The reason why the population of pure-blooded elves was so critically low compared to other races—practically on the brink of extinction—was due to what seemed like an absurd myth.
Elves, throughout their entire lives, would fall in love only once.
Just once—never more.
If they failed to find that person, they could live their entire lives without ever knowing what love felt like.
It was an innate part of a pure-blooded elf’s nature.
Some even recorded it as a curse gifted by the Creator alongside their beauty.
And on top of that—
Elves had another peculiar flaw: they took an incredibly long time to open their hearts to others.
Clara vividly recalled those words printed in bold within that book.
Even if they did open up, most relationships ended at friendship.
For an elf to develop romantic affection was an extraordinarily rare occurrence.
The book stated that this was because elves were long-lived beings, requiring extended periods of time to form such deep attachments.
Which is why elves typically ended up with other elves.
However—
There were always exceptions.
If, by some miraculous chance, a single exceptional individual managed to slip through that needle-thin opening and capture an elf’s heart—
Then that love would never change for the rest of their life.
‘And if it doesn’t work out... they often waste away... and d-die from heartbreak...?’
Clara recalled the ominous conclusion of that book.
She turned her head slightly—
And looked at Rohan, who was standing right behind her.
When their eyes met, he smiled at her like he always did.
Then, reaching out, he carefully brushed aside her bangs, tidying them with gentle hands.
"Clara, the same goes for you. Just focus on living happily. Got it?"
"O-Oppa..."
By now, Clara no longer questioned why Rohan treated her this way.
She was too busy savoring this sweet moment.
Her heart—wasn’t it also pounding like crazy, just like Shion’s?
Blushing, she lowered her head back to its original position.
And in doing so—her eyes met Shion’s.
“...”
“...”
Shion, still clinging to Clara, recognized in her the same emotions she herself was feeling.
Her expression turned blank with bewilderment.
Perhaps because she had never lived a normal life—never received a proper education—
Shion didn’t seem fully aware of her own emotions.
Her wide, questioning eyes seemed to ask, “Do you even understand what’s happening?”
Clara bit her lip, feeling conflicted.
Then, as if to escape, she buried her face into Shion’s embrace, holding her tightly.
"...Rohan."
"Hm?"
Shion gently stroked Clara’s hair as she spoke—
Like an older sister tenderly comforting her little sibling.
"In the past, you said you would hunt monsters and criminals."
"Yeah."
"And that’s what you and Clara have been preparing for.
And as part of our deal, you said I could ask for your help just once, when our promise was fulfilled?"
Rohan nodded, glancing at Clara, who was still buried in Shion’s arms.
Seeing Rohan smile at Clara so affectionately—like he was looking at something precious—
Shion felt a strange warmth rise in her chest.
"That’s right. But if you want to do something else, you’re not obligated to this. Don’t feel pressured."
"I knew you’d say that. And, knowing your personality, I’m sure Clara is here of her own free will."
That question wasn’t really meant for Rohan.
Clara’s silence was already an answer in itself.
"Rohan, may I ask you one more thing?"
"Go ahead."
"Do the criminals involved in this incident... fall within the category of those you’re targeting?"
"Of course they do."
Shion started organizing her thoughts, ensuring her words wouldn’t get tangled.
She slightly lowered her gaze and began murmuring in a quiet voice.
"Rohan. You will definitely hunt them down. I have no doubt about it."
"You believe in me more than I believe in myself. Thanks."
At just those few words of gratitude, Shion nearly pulled down her goggles to hide her eyes.
Her heartbeat was so loud it was terrifying—what if he could hear it?
"...But I'm not the type to just lie down and wait."
"Hmm?"
Rohan gave her his full attention.
Shion subtly wet her dry lips with her tongue, trying to suppress her nervousness.
"If it's okay... I-I want to move together with you."
She had been preparing to say this for a while, waiting for the right moment.
So why was it suddenly so difficult?
The source of this c𝓸ntent is freewebnøvel.coɱ.
For once, she stumbled over her words.
Rohan blinked in surprise—then broke into a bright smile.
"An extra pair of skilled hands? Always welcome. Clara, what do you think?"
The girl in his arms stirred and lifted her head, her face full of uncertainty.
"O-Oppa... aren't you the boss?"
"Still, I should hear your opinion."
Clara glanced at Shion, who had yet to let her go.
Shion’s gaze was kind—like family. Her lips moved silently, as if urging Clara to speak freely.
For a brief moment—
Hundreds of thoughts raced through Clara's mind.
And then, she found the most reasonable answer.
"I like Shion unnie..."
The words were sincere.
If she had to weigh them against her desire to keep traveling alone with Rohan, she wouldn’t be able to choose so easily.
But Clara understood something.
Personal desires aside, if she truly wanted what was best for Rohan—this was the right path.
"Thank you. I like you too, Clara."
Shion hugged Clara tighter.
The moment she had long dreamed of was now within reach.
Shion let herself smile deeply, savoring the feeling.
***
[Quest Completed.]
[You have received your rewards.]
Rohan closed the notification window and moved quickly.
If they wanted to get back to Academy City on time, they had to hurry.
He retrieved the hidden car from the ruins' entrance, popped the trunk open—
And began scattering stolen explosives, incendiary liquids, firearms, and ammunition all over the building.
The criminals had looted these from a weapons shop; now, they’d serve another purpose.
Even as he made his final checks, there was nothing in the building Shion or Clara seemed interested in keeping.
"Shion, did you grab everything important? Check again, just in case."
"Got it."
Shion obediently returned to her room.
She already knew there was nothing worth taking.
She only glanced around the empty space one last time, then checked the small trinkets in her vest pocket.
When she returned, Rohan continued explaining.
"There’s probably a lot of valuable stuff inside. The High Elder’s robe is useless now, but his staff is studded with jewels."
"Are you taking everything?"
At Shion’s question, Rohan shook his head.
All he needed was Judah’s Silver Coin—the one the High Elder had carried.
Of course, part of him was tempted.
Selling the loot would earn them more money than they could spend in a lifetime.
But that would be foolish greed.
If this place was destroyed, there was no telling how much attention Reverse Praise Society would pay to Shion.
Maybe they’d dismiss this as another failure—just like Abyss City—and move on to their next vessel.
But Rohan had no intention of leaving behind any trace.
‘Even if it's not Reverse Praise Society, tracking stolen goods is easy.’
With that thought, he stepped outside, a cluster grenade in hand.
Shion and Clara had already distanced themselves from the building.
Rohan gave them a small nod, checking the time.
"It's almost dawn... Hmm. Once we're back, I guess I’ll just head straight to training. You two can sleep in my dorm."
Then, with a casual flick of his wrist—
He hurled the grenade toward the building.
The girls watched as it spiraled through the air—
And Rohan spoke leisurely as if it were nothing.
"In honor of Shion joining us, I’ll treat you both to something nice for dinner. Let’s all eat together."
Before they could even answer—
The grenade landed.
And then—
BOOOOM—!!! KRAAAASH—!!!
The decrepit building shuddered from the explosion—then collapsed entirely.
A towering inferno rose from the wreckage, engulfing the ruins in flames.
Rohan, satisfied with the destruction, turned away without hesitation.
He led the way forward.
"Let’s go. The dust is annoying."
"Unnie...! Let’s hurry!"
Shion looked at the two waiting for her—
And she couldn’t suppress her smile.