"Ah! Clara!"
Even from a distance, Noah Frozenheart’s eyes gleamed with interest.
At the same time, the tiger beastkin girl effortlessly weaved through the crowded street without bumping into anyone.
Then, the moment Clara came into view—
She kicked off the ground, flashing her signature bright smile.
"Come hereee!!"
"Hiiik...!"
Noah closed the distance in an instant, attempting a hug.
But Clara dodged smoothly, positioning herself perfectly behind Rohan.
Noah didn’t insist on a second attempt after missing her initial pounce.
Instead, she turned toward Ichinose, speaking excitedly.
"No-se! Did you see that?! I told you! She’s really fast!"
"Noah... Apologize first. Even if you're both girls, grabbing someone without permission is still a crime."
Ichinose’s chiding tone made Noah pout.
At her insistent glare, Noah sighed, drooping her tail and ears as she muttered an apology.
Clara gave a quick nod, saying it was fine, though her eyes darted around anxiously.
'W-wait... Could she be...?'
The woman standing next to Noah Frozenheart—
Jet-black hime-cut hair, closed eyes, delicate and refined features, a graceful air, and a petite frame even smaller than Clara’s—
Everything matched perfectly.
'Ichinose Yui...!'
Like Noah, she was impossible not to recognize.
And yet, she was also the kind of person one wouldn’t dare approach recklessly.
"You guys are here for lunch, too?"
Rohan glanced at Ichinose and Noah as he spoke.
At the same time, he subtly gestured to Clara, silently reassuring her it was okay.
"This restaurant is doing a collab event."
"...Collab?"
Rohan raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
Ichinose, her expression as serious as ever, partially opened her eyes and explained.
"Waterdrop Friends. Do you know Uru-Uru and Blueby?"
"Ah!"
The moment Rohan connected the dots, he let out a short exclamation of understanding.
From beside him, Shion’s shoulders trembled slightly.
Ichinose recognized Shion as the girl she had seen at the merch store before and gave her a polite nod.
"Noah doesn’t care about Waterdrop Friends, but... I need someone to keep eating until I get the merch I want."
Her tiny stomach wasn’t built for big meals.
Noah, meanwhile, looked proud, patting her completely toned stomach with confidence.
"I'm the best at eating! Look, no fat at all!"
Thump! Thump!
"You guys weren’t heading to the same restaurant?"
"Nah. We were just planning to grab something quick nearby."
Ichinose quietly observed the two women beside Rohan.
Just as Noah had said, Clara’s movement was exceptional.
The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.
Even though it was her first time hearing Clara’s name, someone with that level of skill naturally piqued her interest.
But Noah, completely oblivious to Ichinose’s thoughts,
happily wagged her tail as she turned to Rohan and the girls.
"Do you wanna eat with us?"
"Noah. We booked a two-person table—it’s not possible."
"Eh? We did? Ugh, I hate small tables!"
"It won’t be cramped. Regardless, we reserved for two, so unfortunately, we can’t have company."
Ichinose, having already noticed Clara’s discomfort, subtly steered the conversation.
She was interested and had many questions—
But forcing Clara into an awkward situation wasn’t the right approach.
A short pause settled over them.
Ichinose adjusted her sword, then turned to Rohan, who seemed to be the leader of the group.
"We’ll be going now."
"Bye-bye! Clara! Elf friend! See you later!"
Rohan gave them a simple farewell—"See you in class this afternoon."
Noah enthusiastically waved her arms, before disappearing into the crowd with Ichinose.
Afterward,
Rohan turned toward Shion.
"..."
She was staring at Noah’s retreating back, lost in thought.
But Rohan had no intention of pushing her into action.
Whether she acted or not—both choices were valid.
This was something Shion had to decide on her own.
Her conflict deepened.
Biting her lower lip, Shion shifted her gaze—
She locked eyes with Rohan.
And in that short exchange, she seemed to make up her mind.
She took a step forward—
And finally opened her mouth.
"Wait a moment...!"
A voice so clear and striking that it stopped everyone in their tracks—
Even Ichinose and Noah, whose senses were far sharper than most.
"Were you calling us?"
"I'm sorry for stopping you when you must be busy..."
At Ichinose’s polite question, Shion nodded, maintaining as much formal courtesy as she could.
"It’s fine. We still have some time."
Her expression clearly asked, "What is this about?"
Shion’s gaze drifted past Ichinose, settling on Noah—who was in the middle of a wide-mouthed yawn.
"Noah Frozenheart-nim."
"Huh? Me?"
Noah had just casually referred to her as the “elf friend” earlier.
But being addressed so seriously and respectfully—
Even she couldn’t help but adjust her tone.
This wasn’t Tigrova, after all.
"I am the last of the Testarossa bloodline,
Daughter of King Weber Testarossa and Queen Melissa Testarossa—
Shion Testarossa."
"Testarossa? What's that?"
"...Testarossa?!"
Ichinose’s closed eyes snapped open.
Unlike Noah, the more she processed the name, the more shocked she became.
As someone deeply knowledgeable about history and intelligence,
Ichinose couldn't conceal her confusion at hearing the Testarossa name.
"What? No-se, do you know who that is?"
"Haa... If even you don’t know, what hope is there?"
Explaining everything would take too long.
Besides—she wasn't sure if it was appropriate for her, a Samhwa citizen,
To mention the fall of Testarossa in front of its supposed heir.
And more than anything—Ichinose wasn’t even sure if this elf girl was really of Testarossa blood.
If all of this was true...
Then honestly, Rohan was the most baffling part of the situation.
'Just... what the hell does he even do...?'
Ichinose glanced at Rohan, as if seeking answers—
Only to be met with his usual smirking expression.
Meanwhile, Noah and Shion’s conversation continued.
"I would like to request an audience with the Great Tiger Emperor."
"You want to meet my dad?"
"That is correct."
Noah stepped closer, until their noses were nearly touching.
Shion stood firm, neither retreating nor resisting Noah’s approach.
"Hmmm?"
Had the intuitive tiger girl sensed something in Shion’s eyes?
Her gaze flickered, as if intrigued—
And then, without warning, she lowered her head and began sniffing Shion’s neck.
For a long moment, Noah focused entirely on her sense of smell.
Then—finally—she pulled back.
"Okay. I’ll ask."
"...You believe me?"
"Believe? I don’t even know what any of this means.
I’m too dumb for that kind of stuff."
With that, Noah pulled out her smartphone and immediately made a call.
The phone rang only once—
Before the person on the other end picked up.
"Dad! Are you busy?"
Rohan watched Noah with interest.
On the other side of that call...
Was the Great Tiger Emperor, ruler of Tigrova.
Even if Noah was his daughter,
It felt surreal to be directly connected to one of the most powerful figures in this world.
"I'm about to eat with No-se! Have you had lunch yet?"
Their casual father-daughter chatter flowed naturally.
The entire group—Rohan, Ichinose, and the two girls—remained silent, simply observing.
As the conversation continued,
Rohan’s mind whirred, processing the information.
‘So the Great Tiger Emperor really is a doting father, huh...?’
Even in Abyss City, the Great Tiger Emperor was a mysterious figure.
He was constantly mentioned in the community,
Yet players never got the chance to encounter him directly.
Originally, he was meant to appear in a later update—
But Rohan would never experience that version of the story.
Which only made him more curious.
"I met an elf here in Academy City. She says she’s Weber Testarossa’s... what was it?"
Shion quickly nodded.
"Yeah, she says she’s his daughter. She wants to meet you—what do you think?"
A short series of responses from the other end.
Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
Then—without hesitation—
Noah stuffed her phone back into her pocket and gave Shion her answer.
"He said come anytime.
The sooner, the better."
"!!!"
"Huh. That’s rare."
The Great Tiger Emperor was not someone you could meet so easily.
And yet, this meeting had been arranged instantly.
Was it because it was his daughter’s request?
Or had he reacted to the name Testarossa?
They had no way of knowing.
"...Rohan."
"Hm? Go ahead."
Rohan smiled at her encouragingly.
Feeling uplifted, Shion stepped closer,
Her voice slightly more excited.
The soft weight of her chest, hidden beneath Rohan’s hoodie,
Came dangerously close to touching him.
"Can I go to Tigrova today?
I’ll be back as soon as possible."
Ichinose and Noah couldn’t help but feel confused.
They had met plenty of elves before—
But never had they seen one act this warmly toward a human man.