Chapter 50: Two Expected Guests at the Dormitory

It’s strange to suddenly bow deeply when words would suffice. What a peculiar thing to do…

Juyeon couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation that had just transpired.

She was honestly taken aback by Rohan’s sudden eccentric behavior as he was about to return to the dormitory. She thought Cadet Gilbert Kaniart was the most eccentric in her class, but increasingly, Rohan seemed to take the cake.

And so.

After seeing Rohan off, Juyeon turned around at the entrance.

The long hallway. The way to the living room seemed strangely far away.

“Hmm.”

She started walking. Arriving at the living room, she sat on the sofa as always.

Before picking up the book with the bookmark, she found herself staring at the ceiling.

Was… my house always this quiet?

The time Rohan spent in Juyeon’s house was barely a day, just a few hours. Most of those few hours were spent sleeping, too.

Yet, the silence felt heavy.

She hadn’t had much to laugh about in Academy City, but perhaps Rohan’s chattering had brought a faint smile to her lips.

“…”

Juyeon abandoned the idea of reading, her mind too cluttered. She moved to the kitchen where some cleaning remained.

Chiiiiiii—!!!

Juyeon turned on the water and grabbed a sponge. She considered playing some music to dispel the loneliness, but the sound of the running water felt right, so she decided to leave it at that.

She picked up the clattering dishes and scrubbed them until they squeaked.

A strange feeling.

There was one more rice bowl and soup bowl than usual to wash, and one extra set of chopsticks.

And just by looking, she knew who had used them.

Rohan’s rice bowl was spotless, not a single grain of rice remaining, as if he’d scraped it clean with a spoon.

“Pfft.”

A clear laugh escaped Juyeon’s lips.

She was genuinely pleased that he seemed to have enjoyed her cooking, not just forced himself to eat it.

“Shion?”

— …!

Perhaps surprised at being called before she could even speak, her breathing hitched, betraying her emotions.

“Are you in Academy City right now? Where are you?”

— Rohan…

“Yeah. Tell me.”

Rohan focused on the phone call amidst the bustling street.

He was sure she was the Princess, but he couldn’t fathom the reason for her call.

— I want to ask you something.

“What are you curious about?”

Seeing pedestrians passing by, Rohan walked into a deserted alleyway.

Leaning his back against the cold wall.

He waited for Shion to finish her internal struggle and speak.

— Last time… you asked me not to act rashly even if I was so angry that my head felt like it would explode.

“That’s right.”

Shion took a deep breath on the other end of the line.

Then, in a lowered voice, she asked.

— Am I really… supposed to just keep waiting like this…?

“Yes. Wait.”

Though it was unfortunate for Shion, Rohan had a reason for waiting for a precursor similar to Abyss City.

Unless one possessed overwhelming power, minor issues might pass, but avoiding major variables was always the best course of action.

Even a slight ability to predict and understand the thick trunk of events was directly linked to Shion’s safety.

At the same time, he understood why Shion had called.

She must have remembered his words telling her to contact him if she was struggling or needed anything.

It meant she was desperate enough to call Rohan himself, someone she barely knew.

— I thought that if I just diligently hunted Monsters and followed orders in battles, it would provide financial support to my compatriots who settled in other countries…

“…”

He knew what she didn’t say. It meant she had come to the conclusion that it wasn’t the case.

Somehow, she seemed to have figured out a lot on her own.

— I… I just…

“Yes. I’m listening.”

Rohan listened intently as Shion poured her heart out.

This is a bit unsettling.

He could clearly discern the emotions in Shion’s voice.

The emotion laced in her voice was less sadness and more intense anger. Like a volcano on the verge of eruption, or a thundercloud pregnant with lightning.

— Rohan, you must find me pathetic and ridiculous. Being manipulated by the flawed Elders…

“That’s not true. I don’t think that way.”

— …

Rohan interrupted her, stating firmly.

A girl who had grown up without proper exposure to the world, shielded from others’ malice, her mind hadn’t matured at the same pace as her body.

Maintaining her humanity and character in such adverse conditions was praiseworthy.

“Your circumstances made you that way. I know this kind of sympathy might be unpleasant for you to hear, Shion… but I feel sorry for you.”

— …

Silence fell. He could sense that Shion’s turbulent emotions had calmed down.

So Rohan asked.

“Shion. Are you having a hard time?”

— …

“This is really strange, but sharing your feelings honestly makes you feel a little better than bottling them up. You’re sharing your sadness with me.”

As Rohan brightened his voice slightly, Shion responded.

— It’s… hard.

“Very hard?”

— Yes. I don’t know where to begin unraveling this…

“Just observe the situation and stay calm. It’ll be tough, but just for a little while.”

— …

“Don’t worry. You’ll be able to smile and live happily soon.”

— How can you be so sure…?

It was different now, but in Abyss City, there was a point where Shion, in a much more dire situation than this, realized the truth.

Rohan recalled the text he had seen then. The helplessness she felt, the doubts about herself, the anger and sorrow at the Elders’ betrayal.

For now, instilling hope in the girl was his top priority.

That way, there would be meaning in conveying information while ignoring the variables.

“I don’t fail when I take on a task.”

— …

She seemed to have no energy left to comment on his remarkable confidence.

Rohan felt a bitter taste in his mouth at Shion’s demeanor, which was different from their previous encounter.

— Though it’s late, I realize I can’t resolve the current situation with my own strength alone…?

“Do you hate receiving help from others?”

— I know I’ve already received enough help from Rohan. Still… if I keep relying on someone else’s help like this…

He understood how she felt. Some people tend to think this way, especially when cornered.

Of course, she wasn’t wrong. He considered it an uncommonly strong spirit.

However, Rohan’s experience told him otherwise.

In the end, they always realized.

“Shion.”

— I’m listening.

“There’s no one who can stand alone without anyone’s help.”

— …

“It’s not shameful to receive help when you need it. Let’s make that clear.”

Rohan didn’t expect a reply to this.

He changed the subject before Shion could steer the conversation elsewhere.

“Since you called, shall we chat for a bit? There’s nothing better than chatting to lift your spirits.”

— … Chatting?

Her voice was openly flustered, not just subtly so.

Rohan smiled, hiding his amusement, as he saw something other than negative emotions in the girl.

“I wanted to talk to you personally back then too. But most of it was about work.”

— Ah!

“Hmm?”

Shion reacted as if she had remembered something, so Rohan waited silently.

He had a feeling Shion was fidgeting and squirming on the other end of the line. After a ticklish moment, Shion whispered.

— The hamburger you gave me last time… was delicious. I thank you.

Feeling a sense of endearment towards Shion, Rohan shifted his position.

He crouched down in the alley and smiled without hiding his amusement.

“It’s pretty good, right? I’ll buy you another one next time. It’s even better when it’s warm.”

— Now that I think about it…

“Yes?”

— The Elders said that humans outside have rigid stereotypes and always think Elves are vegetarians. Was that wrong too?

“It’s not an uncommon image, but few people assume it’s absolute. Besides, the Tigrova Elves are quite different.”

— …You seem to know the characteristics of Tigrova Elves well.

“Somewhat?”

Tigrova was a nation of vast snowy plains and coniferous forests.

The Elves who lived there were different from the typical Elves of the greenwood often depicted in fantasy.

While Elves from warmer climates often enjoyed a vegetarian diet, the harsh environment of Tigrova, with its blizzards and unforgiving terrain, didn’t offer that choice in the first place.

As they chatted about various things, 30 minutes had already passed.

He could hear the clinking sound of coins being inserted into the payphone from Shion’s side.

He hoped the chatter had lifted her spirits, filling the initial gloomy atmosphere with lighthearted conversation.

“Shion.”

— …

His weighty tone suggested a change in topic.

Even without a reply, he sensed she was listening intently.

“If you’re struggling or need to talk about something, call me like you did today, or… you remember the dormitory, right? Come there.”

— Yes…

“But when I’m not there on weekdays, there’s someone──”

Tu. Tu. Tu.

The call was cut off before he could convey the most crucial information.

“Shion? Hello?”

Rohan looked at his smartphone screen. The battery was half full, and the call duration was exactly 35 minutes.

Perplexed, he scratched his chin.

Did she run out of coins?

Tsk! Rohan sucked in a breath and stood up, looking at the sky.

“…This is really troublesome.”

What if Clara was alone in the dormitory and ran into Shion?

Should he tell Clara first? Rohan already felt a headache coming on.

It would be problematic if they started fighting as soon as they saw each other.

Rohan moved slowly, constantly checking his phone, hoping for another call.

But that day, Shion never called again.