I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

[ +1P ]

The F-grade monster, the Gero Eye, lay split in two, and a neat number floated above it like experience points.

Rohan’s eyes widened as he saw it.

His game-addled brain processed the meaning of the scene in an instant.

“This is how the mechanism works?”

Feigning composure, Rohan returned to his spot, carefully managing his expression.

When he opened the status window and shop, he confirmed the accumulation of a single point, aside from any achievements.

This point hadn’t been awarded during his encounter with the Yard-Pound brothers.

“So monsters give extra points usable in the shop?”

Although he would’ve discovered this eventually, the realization filled him with exhilaration, as if he’d stumbled upon a hidden escape route. A shiver of excitement coursed through him.

“This is insane.”

The once-unclear road ahead now seemed sharper, more defined. For someone like him, who felt stifled whenever achievements piled up, this was like a gust of fresh air blowing through his mind. He felt a thrill, his spirits soaring.

“Well done, everyone.”

Finally, after some hesitation, the cadets, including Wikitree, captured a Gero Eye with trembling hands.

Jooyeon offered them light praise before letting them sit comfortably and continued her lesson.

“Gero Eyes have no useful parts to harvest after a hunt. In other words, they’re not profitable.”

“...”

“Because of that, people often ignore them even when they see them. But if such behavior continues to accumulate, imagine the state society would end up in.”

Jooyeon first emphasized the importance of an idealistic and righteous perspective before diving into the finer details of her lesson. Every cadet in Class 1 was captivated by her candid voice, fully focused on her words.

“Additionally, seeing an abnormal number of Gero Eyes in an urban area is a sign that a nest has formed nearby. These nests are typically located in wooded hills not far from the city or...”

Rohan strained to absorb every piece of information.

The detailed insights Jooyeon provided during class weren’t things he could have learned in Abyss City.

Games with a school-life theme usually focused on relationships and events to maintain interest and excitement. To minimize boredom, theoretical lessons were often glossed over. But now, Rohan found himself thoroughly enjoying what had once been skipped over. He paid close attention, his curiosity piqued.

The afternoon classes flew by in an instant.

When all the lessons had concluded for the day, Rohan headed to the academy cafeteria to grab an inexpensive meal. On his way back to the dormitory, he received a message via the job app.

[This is Spider Lily Bookstore. Feel free to visit anytime during business hours.]

He immediately checked the time.

A quick internet search confirmed the bookstore’s hours.

“There’s plenty of time before closing.”

Today seemed to be filled with dopamine-inducing moments. Rohan quickly changed course, abandoning his route to the dormitory.

The bustling district in front of the academy was alive with cadets. Many carried either weapons or smartphones in hand, casually entering and exiting cafes and shopping malls—a fascinating sight.

“In my old life as a nameless hunter, just entering a shop required me to deal with my weapons first.”

Reflecting on his bitter past life, Rohan left the busy streets and arrived in a quieter residential area. Without consulting a map, he navigated the alleys and found Spider Lily Bookstore.

“This is my first time visiting a bookstore since coming here.”

In Abyss City, this fit the setting.

Despite technological advances that surpassed his previous life, paper books were still overwhelmingly popular in this world.

It was a preference Rohan personally agreed with.

“...”

Walking slowly, he approached the bookstore, feeling a strange and indescribable emotion as the familiar sight filled his vision.

“This feels weird.”

The Spider Lily Bookstore exuded a sense of warmth.

Outside the shop, new magazines and books recommended by the owner were displayed. He remembered carrying a few literary works and magazines as favor-gaining items in the game, though most of these titles were unfamiliar to him.

Before opening the shop door, Rohan found himself drawn to the displayed books. He picked up one of the comic books labeled as a recommendation and flipped through it.

“All these comics are new to me.”

The titles labeled as popular were completely unfamiliar. Even a comic boasting sales of over 300 million copies was one he’d never seen before.

“...”

No matter where he looked, everything was new.

At the same time, it hit him—this truly was a different world.

The absence of the comics he knew left him regretful about not being able to finish some of them. Yet, the abundance of unknown material gave him satisfaction, knowing he wouldn’t run out of things to explore.

“I really wanted to see how Hunter Academia ended.”

As both a hunter and an avid reader, he had hoped to see that particular series to its conclusion. It was a small but deeply felt regret.

Thud!

Forcing himself to close the comic that threatened to consume his time, Rohan reached for the door handle of Spider Lily Bookstore.

Ding! Ding!

The cheerful sound of a bell greeted him as he stepped inside.

The soothing scent of books filled the air, mingled with a subtle aroma reminiscent of strong coffee, instantly putting him at ease.

"Is anyone here?"

The counter was empty.

However, Rohan could sense the presence of someone moving between the shelves, though he couldn’t tell if it was a customer or the shopkeeper.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, oh!"@@novelbin@@

A voice responded from inside as Rohan called out.

An elderly man with a warm demeanor appeared, dusting off his hands as if he’d been tidying up. Rohan immediately bowed politely.

"Hello. I’m Rohan, the one who contacted you earlier about the job posting."

"Ah, welcome, welcome."

The shopkeeper gestured for him to sit, and Rohan made his way to a small table next to the counter.

While boiling water in a pot, the old man glanced at Rohan.

"Young folks these days don’t seem to care much for tea, do they?"

"Not at all. I enjoy tea."

Relieved, the shopkeeper poured the steaming water into a ceramic cup and handed it to Rohan.

"Here, have some. Be careful—it’s hot."

"Thank you. Feel free to speak casually with me."

Hearing this, the shopkeeper chuckled and nodded.

"You’re a cadet at Orion Academy, aren’t you? Don’t you have better job offers than this?"

"I love books and thought it would be a meaningful experience to work at a bookstore."

Was this an interview or just small talk?

Assuming it was an interview, Rohan straightened his back and answered with sincerity.

"Some of the books that come in can be quite heavy. Will that be a problem?"

"I’m confident in my physical abilities and have my own methods for handling heavy lifting."

"In that case, I’ll give you a generous amount of time to get comfortable with the work. Try it out for a few days and decide."

The shopkeeper occasionally slipped back into formal speech, to which Rohan responded with gratitude and a bow.

"Once you’ve adjusted a bit, would you be okay taking over from the afternoon until closing?"

"Of course. Once I learn the process, I’m sure I can manage."

When Rohan expressed his willingness to start learning right away, the shopkeeper nodded approvingly and began explaining why he needed help.

"My grandson’s just a little baby who can’t even talk yet. Running the shop as usual, I hardly get to see anything but his sleeping face."

"I see."

"I started to worry he might forget his grandpa’s face at this rate. Haha! It’s been gnawing at me, and I couldn’t just let it go on."

The shopkeeper’s heartfelt reason sounded like something straight out of a heartwarming game.

"I didn’t want to hand over the entire operation, though, so I wasn’t sure what to do. My son suggested posting a job for part-time help, even for just odd hours. I didn’t expect to find someone so quickly."

"Part-time jobs that fit around academy schedules are rare, so I feel lucky to have found this opportunity."

"Haha! You speak more maturely than my own son."

After completing a quick contract through the app and exchanging phone numbers, Rohan received an employee apron.

[You have achieved the Spider Lily Bookstore Trainee Librarian achievement.]
[Achievement reward: 10P obtained.]

"It’s done!"

Rohan had unlocked an achievement related to the part-time job. Now he could focus on stacking up other achievements one step at a time.

Thus, Rohan’s first part-time job began.

"The register’s simple. Just scan the barcode here..."

Starting with basic tasks like using the register and processing refunds, he also learned how to log customer points, handle cleaning tools, and navigate the storage area.

"I’ll take care of this."

When Rohan effortlessly lifted a box full of books and stacked them neatly, the shopkeeper gave him a satisfied thumbs-up.

"Not a bad start."

Rohan was already enjoying the job. He hadn’t done anything extraordinary, but being surrounded by books brought him genuine contentment.

While carrying the box toward the entrance:

[Positive Cliché Activated.]

"Huh?"

An unexpected notification appeared in mid-air.

Cliché...

He recalled receiving this as a reward for dealing with the Yard-Pound brothers but still didn’t fully understand its significance.

Was it okay to move now?

While he pondered, standing still for a moment:

Thud.

He felt someone bump into the box he was carrying.

"Ah!"

A smartphone fell to the ground with a clatter, its screen displaying an active game.

"I’m so sorry! Are you—?"

Rohan put the box down and started to apologize, but his words faltered when his eyes met those of a girl with purple twin-tails.

"...I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!"

The girl avoided his gaze, her head lowered, shrinking into herself excessively.

Rohan clenched his teeth to suppress a gasp, his surprise threatening to spill out.

Despite his efforts, his pounding heart wouldn’t calm.

"I thought I wouldn’t meet her until second year..."

The girl before him was the first person who had come to mind when he thought about building his team.