Chapter 59: Monolith (6)

Th-The groin!?

Clara looked back and forth between the canteen in her hand and Rohan, who was sitting down under the sunlight.

Her head was spinning.

Even though she knew she had to hurry, her steps faltered like a broken machine.

“Oppa! L-Let’s go to the shade…”

Clara placed the canteen down in the shade and approached Rohan.

She put one arm around Rohan’s shoulders as he sat holding his forehead as if he had a headache, and lifted him up.

It was a monstrous strength that didn’t match her slender physique, but those with Mana couldn’t have their physical abilities judged by their appearance.

“Heave-ho…!”

With delicate care, Clara lowered Rohan to the ground and leaned his back against the wall.

If the shade was a little bigger, she could have laid him down comfortably, but that would only be possible if Shion secured the spot.

“Clara…?”

“Yes! I’m here!”

Rohan opened his eyes slightly and called her name.

The girl was worried about Rohan because he seemed to be in worse shape than before.

“How are you feeling? Do you want some water?”

Rohan shook his head, saying he was fine.

Clara pouted at Rohan’s attitude, always saying it wasn’t a big deal.

However, this time was different.

Even Rohan, with his dizziness that wouldn’t easily go away, couldn’t move even if he wanted to.

He had no choice but to ask the others for understanding.

“Sorry. Let’s rest for a bit and then move.”

“Oppa… It’s absolutely nothing to be sorry about… It’s okay, just close your eyes and sleep.”

Rohan bit his lip, contemplating her suggestion to sleep, then closed his eyelids.

“Can you wake me up in 10 minutes?”

“That’s too short. I’ll cool you down, so sleep well and wake up. Okay?”

There was no affirmation or denial from Rohan. Only the sound of his breathing could be heard.

He had already fallen asleep, leaving behind the words to wake him up in 10 minutes.

“…”

Clara stared blankly at Rohan’s sleeping face and recalled what Shion had said.

She decided to follow her advice, starting with loosening his clothes. She moved her hands, undoing Rohan’s Academy Uniform.

This is first aid…! First aid.

This situation, undressing Rohan of her own volition.

Even as she repeated the word ‘first aid,’ the strange feeling wouldn’t leave the girl’s head.

She took off his Academy jacket and unbuttoned his sweat-soaked shirt one by one.

The Dungeon’s climate was such that even the girl, who didn’t usually feel the heat, had beads of sweat forming on her forehead, and Shion was also dripping with sweat.

Rohan’s clothes were already soaked with sweat, so there seemed to be no need to wet them further.

Oppa’s scent is stronger than usual… I like it…

The smell of a person’s skin and sweat was so different from person to person.

Clara didn’t feel even a shred of discomfort from Rohan’s scent. Rather, she was suppressing the urge to bury her nose in it.

She gulped before taking the next step, even after taking off his shoes.

With trembling hands, Clara carefully unbuckled his belt, avoiding touching that area, and unzipped his pants to loosen all of Rohan’s clothes.

Now, fanning!

Clara gathered the Monster’s vine leaves scattered on the floor and gently fanned Rohan.

She was disappointed that she couldn’t properly smell the scent she had been enjoying earlier, but stopping her hand wasn’t an option.

“Oppa, are you sleeping…?”

She called out to him just in case, but he was fast asleep.

He was completely out cold.

Rohan’s unguarded state, which she was seeing for the first time. The girl’s eyes darted around with curiosity.

In that entranced moment,

As the girl’s gaze became busier, her fanning gained strength, and Rohan’s expression relaxed a little.

“I’ve secured the location.”

“───!!!”

A voice rang out amidst her concentration.

If Clara hadn’t reflexively covered her mouth, a scream would have escaped.

Focused on other things, she hadn’t noticed Shion’s approach.

“There were no problems inside. The temperature is definitely lower than outside. It’ll be perfect for resting.”

“G-Good work.”

“It was nothing. How is Rohan’s condition?”

Shion folded her Telescopic Baton and put it in her pocket as she asked.

Clara looked at Rohan sleeping against the wall and relayed the information that came to mind.

“He asked to be woken up in 10 minutes and fell asleep…”

“Hmm, that seems ridiculously short for recovery. It would be best to administer treatment and wait until he wakes up on his own.”

Shion suggested they move inside and lifted Rohan together with Clara.

They entered the dark interior, lit only by the sunlight from outside.

“Ah…! It’s cool!”

The inside was definitely cooler.

Honestly, it still felt like midsummer, but because the outside was so hot, even the inside, which was easily over 30 degrees, felt cool.

“Let’s put him down here.”

“Yes!”

They carefully laid Rohan down on his jacket, which they had placed on the floor. They also brought his shoes and placed them beside him.

“Clara. We must take more thorough measures for Heat-related Illness.”

“…?”

When Clara looked at her with uncomprehending eyes,

Shion quickly opened Rohan’s shirt, which Clara had timidly loosened.

“Normally, Heatstroke or Heat Exhaustion would be dangerous, but since his body is tempered with Mana, his recovery will be fast.”

Saying so, she also took off Rohan’s pants.

“!?!?”

Clara’s eyes spun with surprise.

“I’ll do the fanning. Cool his body with the canteen.”

After finishing her words, Shion jumped up and went outside to gather vine leaves.

“…”

Clara placed the cold canteen on Rohan’s neck as instructed.

Rohan’s condition wasn’t an actual Heatstroke, but it naturally felt good to have something cool against him in the heat.

Seeing his expression relax, the girl felt relieved and began cooling down other parts of Rohan’s body.

Finally, she stopped, leaving the last area untouched.

“Hmm, I think this is enough for the fanning.”

Shion sat down beside her and began to fan Rohan’s body.

Clara, holding the canteen, inched her way down to Rohan’s lower body.

Ugh…

She saw his black underwear. Solid color and tight-fitting.

It was a simple design with no decorations, but it tickled her that it was the same color as her own underwear.

Even though she knew she should look away, her gaze wouldn’t leave.

Perhaps due to the sweat, the outline of it was clearly visible through Rohan’s underwear.

A thickness that seemed like it wouldn’t fit in one hand. Honestly, when she first saw it, she thought he had hidden dynamite there.

O-Oppa must be uncomfortable normally…

Wouldn’t it be difficult to live a normal life with something like that?

With that thought, Clara placed the canteen on Rohan’s upper thigh.

The heat transmitted indirectly to her hand was unusual. The scent that reached her nose was strong enough to be described as erotic.

How much effort did the two girls put in during the silence?

Rohan stirred, opening his drowsy eyelids.

“Mmm… What time is it?”

“Sleep. It hasn’t been 10 minutes yet. Have some water too.”

While it was something to celebrate that he had regained consciousness, Shion flatly lied and made him drink water.

After wetting his lips, Rohan mumbled something and closed his eyes again. Shion and Clara breathed a sigh of relief.

“He seems to be fine now, so we can leave him like this.”

“I’ll continue fanning…”

“Let’s take turns. When Rohan gets better, we can ask him to do it himself.”

Shion smiled faintly, softening the atmosphere.

She watched Clara fanning and then stood up.

“Would you mind if I took off my outer garment as well? I’m getting too hot.”

“Ah, yes…!”

Shion took off her thick outer garment, which contained various equipment, releasing the heat.

She felt a little better with only her tank top remaining. Sweat dripped onto the floor as she wrung out her clothes.

Clara, who was fanning with one hand, checked on Rohan’s sleeping form and then, with a flushed face, slightly fanned her skirt to relieve the heat.

“This heat and humidity, it’s truly a crazy place. If it weren’t for Rohan, it might have been me collapsing.”

Shion drank from the canteen and handed it to Clara.

The girl stopped fanning for a moment and moistened her mouth.

“Clara.”

“Yes?”

“Perhaps Rohan’s condition isn’t ordinary Heat-related Illness.”

“Do you have any idea what it could be…?”

Shion touched her slender jawline with an incredibly serious expression.

Then, glancing at the sleeping Rohan, she lowered her voice and told Clara,

“I have a feeling it might be some kind of price for using a Skill.”

“Ah…”

Clara nodded as if agreeing with Shion’s guess.

Because Rohan had clearly said that his Skills required a price.

Orion Academy, Year 1, Class 1.

Just after lunch break. Gilbert stared at Rohan’s empty seat.

“Strange! Something is strangeeee!!!”

“I’m sure something’s up.”

Dick, from the back seat, unusually agreed with Gilbert.

It was time for practical training, but Juyeon had disappeared after telling them to wait. Furthermore, Rohan wasn’t answering his phone.

“Nose. Do you know anything?”

“Well…”

At Noa’s question, Ichinose took out her Smartphone and texted Rohan, who wasn’t in the classroom, asking where he was.

Naturally, there was no reply.

As such speculations, with no evidence, were flying around,

The front door opened and long rabbit ears appeared, twitching.

“My cute little Year 1 Class 1 students! Instructor Juyeon is busy with sudden work today, so we’re having a joint class with my, Instructor Carrot’s, class!”