episode_0054

“I tried to buy you a proper meal, but it’s too bad.”

Rohan poured crispy French fries onto the wrapper.

After squeezing ketchup into the corner, he distributes a hamburger and a soda to each girl.

Zion touched the warm hamburger as if it was a novelty. He tried not to show any emotion on his face, but his expressionless face was about to break at the sight of the food.

“I, I···! This is more than enough···.”

“Same.”

Unfortunately, this was the best they could do. These three were not allowed to eat anything other than fast food.

Time was literally running out right now, since Orion Academy’s lunch hours were limited.

The restaurants where you can get a proper meal were already full of office workers and academy students.

It’s ambiguous to even go around looking for a decent store. Considering the remaining time, this is the best I can do.

“Eat a lot. If you feel hungry, you can eat more.”

“I’ll eat well···!”

“Thank you. I will enjoy it.”

Clara bowed her head in gratitude as she sat down at Rohan’s words.

Seeing that action, Zion also follows.

As Rohan rustled the wrapping paper, Zion read it out of the corner of his eye and followed suit.

It was a trivial action, but it seems that he was concerned about the orthodox method.

“Eat quickly before it cools down.”

As Rohan takes a big bite, the two girls, who had been watching him closely, begin to eat slowly.

“···!”

Zion’s eyes lit up as he took a bite of the hamburger. The speed at which he ate each bite increased in steps.

Unlike Clara, the elf girl is not awkward and doesn’t open her mouth.

I was really focused on tasting the food.

Clara is eating with her small mouth, slurping.

Although she is a girl who looks at him with a sidelong glance, Rohan is now used to that behavior.

‘Are you hungry? You both eat well.’

Rohan was pleased with the girls’ appearance. He was even impressed.

Starting with the passersby outside and even inside, they were getting attention from all over the place, but the two of them didn’t care and just ate well.

“Hoo.”

When Zion looked up from his burger to take a sip of his drink.

Rohan thought it was time to continue the conversation that had been interrupted.

“You must have surprised each other today. You probably didn’t expect it.”

“Ugh···.”

“That’s right. I was more surprised by Clara’s skills than anything else.”

The two simply finished their introduction as Zion and Clara.

Clara, who was in a position where she had something to say, tried to suppress the heat rising on her face.

“Clara is not ordinary, is she?”

“Hmm.”

Zion nodded coolly and admitted it.

Then he focuses all his attention back on the hamburger. Rohan just smirks.

I felt like I shouldn’t talk to her right now.

··

··

The lunch hour, during which Zion displayed a concentration that could be called murderous, is over.

The three of them came out of the store and exhaled a sigh of satisfaction. Rohan checked the time and confirmed that he had just enough time to spare.

“Okay, I ate well···!”

“Did you eat enough?”

Clara nodded in agreement to Rohan’s question.

There is a subtle shame in the girl’s memory. This is a real gourmet dish to Rohan.

“I’m in a position to get what I deserve··· I’m ashamed.”

“Okay. It’s enough to say that you enjoyed the meal.”

Zion, of course, expressed his gratitude by hastily adding that he ate well.

Before returning to Orion Academy, Rohan led the two girls back to the dormitory.

‘There’s still time.’

I don’t know what to do with Zion, but I think Clara will continue to stay in the room.

Even if I send it off like this, it would be better to find a quiet place to see it off.

After taking a few steps like that, the place quickly became quiet. The hustle and bustle from before felt like an illusion.

“It’s really quiet around the dorms during lunch time. Clara will rest and come to the bookstore, right?”

“Yeah!”

“You’ve already eaten, so get some sleep.”

“That, is that okay···?”

“Huh? Of course. Feel free to use it.”

A unique way to ask for permission to lie down on the bed.

Rohan just nods without thinking much about what Clara says.

Just a few steps like that.

“Rohan.”

“Huh?”

As they approached the dormitory, Zion fiddled with his goggles on a deserted street and called out.

Unlike before, the face that was not very pleasant left a bitter taste in Rohan’s mouth.

“I will go back.”

“Are you very busy?”

“It’s not urgent. But I’m going to go back leisurely.”

I wish it had been the weekend, I couldn’t even bring myself to say something to just relax and enjoy it.

It’s also a problem for both of us to have Clara and I stay in the same room.

“Just wait a minute.”

“Huh?”

Rohan dug into his pockets, took out two coins, and flicked them at Zion.

The coin traced a parabolic curve and landed gently on the girl’s palm.

“Next time, don’t hang up on me on the phone. I’m going to die of frustration.”

“I will take it and definitely pay it back.”

Words that cannot be refused. Zion slightly raised the corners of his lips, erasing his negative emotions.

And the princess stared ahead.

Clara is fidgeting behind him, looking back and forth between Rohan and herself.

You can also see Rohan facing each other without avoiding eye contact.

Zion asked, his memory etched with an incomprehensible sense of delight.

“Aren’t you going to ask why I came today?”

“I told you to come, so why are you asking that? That’s indirectly an order to swear at someone.”

Looking at Rohan who answered coolly, Sion couldn’t hold it in any longer and snickered.

Rohan also raised the corners of his lips at the smile that was shown without hiding it more than before. Can’t you see that our princess’s expression has brightened?

“Well, you were that kind of person.”

“Why? Do you have anything else to say?”

“None.”

Zion lowered his goggles and put them on, signaling that he was going to return.

Lift the black cloth that was hanging down and cover your mouth and nose.

“Take care.”

I nodded at Rohan’s greeting.

But it didn’t end there, an unexpected voice was heard.

“Da, next time I’ll greet you properly···!”

When Clara mustered up the courage to greet him, Zion looked surprised for a moment.

He concludes by saying that he will talk a little more seriously next time.

“Then.”

Zion turns around and shows his back to the two men.

Kick the ground and tense your thighs.

That’s why Rohan and Clara should have sent Zion away.

I had to watch his back as he walked away, hoping that he would be strong until the preparations were complete and the warning light was visible.

It definitely should have been that way.

“!”

Three people sensed an ominous magic at the same time.

A moment of awareness causes movement and breathing to stop.

Kugugugugugu───!!!

The loud noise was heard right behind.

The girls, including Rohan, remain silent and look back.

A black tombstone appears.

It’s ominous. It’s disgusting. It’s not ordinary. It’s wrong. It’s evil.

Rohan, who experienced Abyss City and even attended theory classes, knows the most about what that is.

‘Monolith!?’

The tombstone radiates magical powers, densely writing unreadable letters.

The letters written on the stone tablet glowed brightly with magical power and began to distort space.

“Come here.”

Rohan, who came to his senses, took out his smartphone, checked that it was not receiving any signals, clicked his tongue, and put it back in his pocket.

He grabbed the hands of Clara, who was standing next to him, and Sion, who was about to leave Academy City.

“Oh, brother···!”

“What is this···?”

Pull them closer together. They should be stuck together.

I had expected this moment to come and had been through similar things many times in the past, so calm came quickly.

“Stay still. If you try to get out when the magic power is fluctuating, your body might get torn apart.”

The two shut their mouths at Rohan’s voice, which was lower than usual.

“There are two cases when a Monolith appears. First, when monsters pour out. Then, you can deal with them by looking at the estimate, or if it looks like a really unanswerable one will appear, you can avoid the spot with all your might.”

If you see the size of the magic and feel that the opponent is impossible, just contact the protagonist.

Even if you leave it alone, the security guards who read your spirits will come flying in.

“What about the remaining one?”

In response to Zion’s question, Rohan moved his mouth without taking his eyes off the monolith.

“Swallows people and drops them into a dungeon.”

This is information that isn’t even in textbook theory.

Because it’s a new abnormal phenomenon that started when the main character first appeared in Abyss City.

Dddd───!!!

The air is trembling. The ground is beginning to crack apart around the tombstone.

The magical power fluctuates more violently.

“In that case, it’s best to stick together so that you don’t fall apart.”

Zion tensed at those words and unconsciously grabbed Rohan’s hand tightly.

“Ugh···!”

“It’s okay. It’s okay, so breathe.”

Clara began to tremble all over as if she was panicking.

Rohan held Clara in his arms and gently stroked her back to calm her down.

Kiiing!!!

The letters written on the monolith emit an intense light.

At the same time, a notification window appeared before Rohan’s eyes.

[ A quest occurs . ]

[ The country that serves the sun ]

◇ Quest Content: A Monolith, a symbol of change, has appeared in Academy City. Escape safely from the twisted space with your companions!

◇ Category: Sudden

◇ Success Reward: 3,000P, full party recovery, 1 Seneca’s Luck

◇ Penalty for failure: None