Chapter 51: The Monday Clara Waited For

As Rohan had expected, Shion didn’t call him again that Sunday evening.

It was the time when Rohan, having removed his bandages, had just finished reviewing the theory.

Having put a period on his studies, he was writing a reply to Clara.

Buzz──!

“Huh?”

A vibration and a newly arrived message.

Rohan blinked at its contents.

Ichinose’s message was how he first found out.

When he asked what was going on, she replied there was no need to feign ignorance about something like this.

Just as he was about to ask Ichinose again, Gilbert called.

─ My friend! No, the Iron Hammer of Justice! You are fearsomely righteous!!!

“…”

Rohan hung up immediately, his eardrums feeling like they were about to burst from Gilbert’s shouting.

After that, he checked the internet article Ichinose had sent, and the situation became clear.

Already?

Rohan scrolled down, reading the article.

It was only yesterday, and it was the weekend, so he was surprised to see the Dean’s statement.

It wasn’t that the Elysium Security Bureau was always this fast, but rather a result of Juyeon, a former general of the Three Kingdoms Union, personally showing her face.

“…”

How should he describe this feeling of his name being plastered all over the internet?

Even when he was a Hunter, he had never been this publicly recognized, and it tickled.

Soon after, Clara, seemingly having checked the internet while gaming, sent him a captured image of the related article.

Of course, that wouldn’t happen.

His name and the ID photo from his cadet ID were attached to the internet article, but it wasn’t that big of a deal.

However, Rohan didn’t dampen Clara’s enthusiasm.

She’s really cute.

Resting his chin on his hand, he enjoyed Clara’s flurry of cheerful messages.

Her fussing was amusing and refreshing. The way she expressed her amazement at seeing someone she knew on the internet was adorable, even through text.

Rohan asked if she would like her name included next time something like this happened.

Clara didn’t refuse outright but seemed to be in conflict, eventually saying she’d think about it. Rohan was satisfied with this response.

Monday arrived after Sunday.

He couldn’t avoid his part-time job, but he decided to heed Juyeon’s advice to refrain from training.

So, after a good night’s sleep, he arrived at Orion Academy.

“…”

Before opening the door to Class 1, Rohan steeled himself.

Having witnessed Gilbert’s antics yesterday, he had a premonition. He didn’t know what kind of commotion Gilbert would make once they met face to face.

He recalled Juyeon’s orders, which felt like an inevitable prophecy.

She had told him to keep Gilbert from screaming, hadn’t she?

“Sigh.”

“Why are you sighing after doing a good deed?”

A voice reached Rohan just as he was about to pull the door open.

He turned around to see Dick Wikitree approaching, pushing his glasses up with his index finger.

“Oh, you’re here.”

“You’re the first person to overcome the controversy and incidents surrounding being friends with Gilbert and receive such praise. It’s unprecedented.”

The guy still only talked about what he wanted to.

However, Rohan had roughly learned how to handle this four-eyes during his time in class.

“You’re friends with Gilbert too. You’re closer to him than I am, so what’s the big deal?”

“…To correct you with facts, Gilbert and I aren’t in a relationship that can be called friendship. This is what you’d call an unavoidable, ill-fated connection.”

The effect was tremendous.

Stepping aside from Class 1’s front door, Rohan called out to the muttering Dick.

“Hey. I have something to do. Help me out.”

“What is it? You require the wisdom of Dick Wikitree himself.”

He briefly explained what was about to happen in the classroom.

Dick nodded vigorously, as if he had foreseen the future in his Consciousness.

“Indeed, Instructor Juyeon, with her foresight, would have anticipated Gilbert’s shameless antics. His voice is nothing short of noise pollution.”

“She didn’t say it like that… Anyway, shall we go in?”

“Stop. I have several solutions in mind. In situations like these, it’s proper to formulate a strategy before proceeding.”

“What is it?”

“The first solution that comes to mind is calling Gilbert’s older sister. It’s the most certain, but impossible.”

“Just tell me what’s possible, don’t waste time.”

After cutting off the digression, Dick cleared his throat and fiddled with his glasses.

Rohan knew how long-winded Dick could be if he listened patiently.

“…Sixteenth solution. Physically gag him.”

Dick rummaged through his bag and rustled, pulling something out.

“Bread?”

“I bought this last Friday and forgot about it, but the expiration date is still good. Well…even if it was moldy, he survives on Wisp’s Cores, so I assume it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“You’re saying we should gag him with this?”

“Isn’t it revolutionary in its simplicity? The answer becomes clear when you consider his behavioral patterns.”

Rohan briefly followed that line of thought.

Gilbert has the habit of shoving his face forward the moment the door opens. His mouth is located right in the center.

There was a definite reason why Dick had so readily suggested this.

Not a bad plan. Just as he was about to approve it…

Someone poked Rohan in the back.

He turned around to see Noa Frozenheart, who had come out through the back door, wagging her tail with interest.

“What are you two talking about without coming in?”

“Oh, you’re early.”

He greeted her naturally and told her it was nothing. Noa poked Rohan’s arm with the tip of her tail.

“I heard from Nose yesterday that you did something good.”

“I was just lucky.”

“…”

Seeing Noa, Dick shut his mouth. He was tense, his whole body stiff.

Rohan had naturally come to learn that this guy couldn’t communicate normally with women. Even if he tried, he would freeze up stiffly and only utter strange things.

“Is Gilbert inside?”

“Yeah. He’s been pacing back and forth between the front and back doors since earlier. Like a defensive Golem.”

“Hmm, is that so? Do you know why?”

“I asked him what he was doing, and he just spouted nonsense as usual. Something about waiting to praise the hammer that punished the wicked?”

“…”

It felt like the commotion would be worse than expected.

Rohan pulled an unopened pack of High-Protein Beef Jerky from his bag, and Noa’s eyes sparkled like stars.

“Noa.”

“Yes!”

“I’ll give you this jerky if you freeze Gilbert’s mouth shut.”

“Why? Instructor might get mad!”

“Actually…”

Once convinced, Noa acted quickly.

He had only asked her to freeze Gilbert’s mouth, but the Gilbert she caught became a giant block of ice.

Gilbert, trapped within the ice, could only be freed when Juyeon arrived.

For Clara, this Sunday felt longer than the combined length of Monday and Saturday.

Although her daily life, weekday or weekend, was largely unchanging, this Sunday was the first time she hadn’t seen Rohan since they had become close.

Even playing games that could run automatically, which she operated manually, felt like waiting for the sun to rise.

Her sense of time was strange.

She wondered if this was how it felt to be floating in space.

Creaking──

“…”

Thus, Monday morning. Clara opened the window of Rohan’s dormitory.

She had messaged Rohan beforehand and received a reply, so this was a permitted entry.

Oppa’s room!

The girl looked around more leisurely than when they had eaten together.

Then, she carefully approached the bed.

Just looking at it made her gulp.

She wanted to throw herself onto it, but her reason held her back, reminding her to at least wash up first.

Clara took off her clothes and folded them neatly on the bed before going to shower.

Before washing up, she noticed Rohan’s clothes in the laundry basket.

“Ah…”

Various thoughts flooded her mind upon seeing them.

Clara herself didn’t know how long she stood there, but she somehow managed to resist her impulsive urges.

After a long-awaited warm shower, she cleansed herself and put on her underwear. At the same time, her feet carried her towards the bed.

“…”

She knew no one was watching. Yet, Clara still checked her surroundings several times before lying down on Rohan’s bed.

Clad in her underwear, she hugged the blanket and buried her face in it.

“Mmm… Hee hee…”

Rohan’s scent emanated from the bedding. The fragrance, usually only faintly perceptible due to their distance, was strong here.

There was a comforting mystique to this scent.

She could wait like this until the afternoon and then go see Rohan at the bookstore.

Ah! Should I do Oppa’s laundry too?

Wasn’t a woman who did housework without being asked a good thing, like in that anime she saw before?

Having made her decision, the girl’s thighs tightened around the blanket. The thought of being praised made her hips wiggle with excitement.

She didn’t fall asleep, instead becoming drowsy and intoxicated by Rohan’s lingering scent. How long had she been like this?

“?”

Clara sensed someone climbing the dormitory wall.