I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

Her short twin-tails, dyed in shades of violet, and her sparkling green eyes stood out.

Her outfit was eye-catching—something that might be labeled as "landmine girl" or "mentally fragile" style, adorned with flashy accessories. Despite her bold fashion, her demeanor was overly timid.

"!"

Rohan’s gaze lingered on her delicate facial features, and he quickly pieced together an image of a character from Abyss City.

Knowledge buried in the depths of his memory surged to the surface and crystallized in an instant.

"Clara?!"

In Abyss City, there were only a few academy cadets who frequently appeared during the Spider Lily Bookstore part-time job events.

This bookstore was one of the places Clara, a cadet who loved comics and games, would often visit.

Even though this was an expected fact, Rohan couldn’t help but feel flustered.

"..."

It was no wonder—Clara was a character who was supposed to make her first appearance as a first-year cadet when the protagonist reached their second year.

Rohan had always wanted to find her after their first battle but had learned that there was practically no information about Clara before her enrollment at the academy.

He had resigned himself to the idea that finding her before the second year was impossible.

Yet here she was, unexpectedly before him, perhaps thanks to the "Positive Cliché" reward.

"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry..."

Clara murmured nervously, avoiding eye contact and shrinking further into herself.

This peculiar girl, whose social aptitude seemed to have fallen into an abyss, struck Rohan as both endearing and strangely familiar. He quickly gathered his thoughts.

Carefully setting the box of books on the ground, he picked up her dropped smartphone, which was still running a game, and handed it to her.

"I couldn’t see in front of me because of the box. I truly apologize."

"N-no, that’s..."

"Please, check your phone to make sure the screen isn’t cracked or damaged. If it is, I’ll compensate you."

"Ah... uh..."

Clara took the phone with trembling hands, swallowing nervously as she pressed various buttons to check it.

Rohan remained silent after that, watching and waiting for her to speak first while observing every detail about her.

‘Her nail art... it’s flashier than the game.’

Her slender fingers, with nails sparkling in a variety of vibrant colors, caught his attention. It was fascinating to imagine those hands deftly handling weapons.

"It’s... fine..."

"That’s a relief."

Clara fell silent after that, and Rohan reassured her to let him know if there were any issues. He then stepped aside, but not without purpose.

He subtly moved to ensure that Clara wouldn’t back out and leave the bookstore.

And as he hoped, Clara hesitated for a moment before stepping into the store instead of retreating.

Rohan let out a breath of relief as he watched her disappear among the bookshelves.

"Whew..."

Should he have introduced himself as the new part-timer at Spider Lily Bookstore to make a stronger impression? The answer was a firm no.

Considering Clara’s personality and disposition, such a move would have been a mistake.

"I need to be patient."

Unlike in an infinitely replayable game, reality only offered one chance. Rushing things with a girl as skittish as a wild animal would be a grave error.

Rohan carefully moved the box he’d set down to its proper place and headed back to the storage room to continue working.

Repetitive tasks like organizing and moving boxes gave him time to think.@@novelbin@@

‘So... what game was Clara playing just now?’

He already knew she was a fan of comics and games.

But just like with the comics, the games in Abyss City were all unfamiliar to him.

While his curiosity was partially fueled by wanting to find common ground with Clara, he also genuinely missed gaming. Back when he was a hunter, playing games after work was one of his few pleasures.

New games were always exciting.

Though he’d been putting it off due to his busy schedule, his interest in this world’s games was starting to take root.

"Shopkeeper! I’ve finished moving everything!"

"Already? Take it slow, lad. You’ll hurt your back like that!"

Rohan laughed it off, tapping the box of donated books he had just carried.

"Should I load them onto the truck when it arrives?"

"No need for that. A small forklift will come by, so just leave them by the entrance."

The shopkeeper then asked Rohan to man the counter until closing time.

Clara emerged from between the bookshelves just before the store closed, quietly slipping away without a word.

"Rohan."

"Did you call for me?"

"We're about to close up. Come over here for a moment."

"Yes, sir!"

"When closing the shop, you just need to flip this switch, and all the lights will turn off..."

The final task of the day.

Rohan learned the closing procedures from the shopkeeper. After tidying up inside together, they stepped outside to find the world already steeped in twilight.

"When you lock the door, just tuck the key under this flowerpot."

"…Is that really okay?"

Rohan couldn't help but wonder if they should invest in better security measures. After all, in Academy City, shops using physical keys were a rare sight.

"Haha, what’s there to steal? You worked hard today!"

"You worked hard as well, sir."

The shopkeeper's casual tone about theft made Rohan chuckle as he bowed politely.

The shopkeeper, who seemed about to continue the conversation, suddenly glanced at his watch and hurriedly exclaimed, "Oh no, I need to at least show my face to my grandson before he falls asleep..."

With surprising speed for his age, the shopkeeper walked off into the distance.

Rohan watched him for a moment before pulling out his smartphone to write a message.

"I should report this to the instructor."

He captured a screenshot of the contract he had drafted using the app and attached it to the message. He added details such as the location, the shop's name, business hours, and his duties.

The reply came quickly.

[Instructor Jooyeon: I'll register it in the system.]

The brief response made Rohan smile as he began walking back to the dormitory.

On the way, he browsed through mobile games, downloading a few that piqued his interest.

The eastern sky shimmered faintly as dawn broke.

Ichinose Yui awoke at that hour.

"Mmm..."

After hugging the stuffed animals on her bed and rolling around for a moment, she got up.

Moving instinctively, she tidied her messy blankets and returned the stuffed animals to their original places. Then she took off her pajamas, adorned with her favorite character, and hung them neatly.

A quick face wash helped to clear her sleepy mind.

After minimal skincare, she packed her bag and laid out her Orion Academy uniform, which she had prepared the night before, with her eyes half-closed.

"Student ID, water bottle... here they are..."

Dressed in comfortable undergarments and a tracksuit, Ichinose grabbed a meal replacement drink and her sword before leaving the dormitory.

As soon as she stepped outside, she deliberately closed her eyes and focused on the wind, relying on her sharpened senses.

"Spring air is faintly present."

In her usual routine, she would head to a gym in the city to which she held a membership. But today, Ichinose Yui’s destination was Orion Academy itself.

The academy’s training facilities had been opened to new cadets as of yesterday, eliminating the need to visit outside gyms.

The facilities were state-of-the-art, conveniently close to her classroom. While it added some weight to her load, it also saved her the hassle of making multiple trips back to the dormitory.

"Good morning."

"Meow!"

"Good morning. Did you keep the house safe last night?"

"Woof! Pant pant..."

Ichinose’s greeting was met with a friendly response from a cat lounging on the wall and a dog tethered nearby. Their familiarity with her presence was evident.

"Meeting these two means I’m almost there."

Walking without hesitation, she pressed forward. If Noah were watching, she’d probably make a fuss about Ichinose getting lost again.

"Not anymore."

Ichinose had grown accustomed to the route to Orion Academy. By using the academy as her destination for solo walks, she’d avoided the embarrassing mistakes of the past.

And if all else failed, climbing to the top of a low building and heading straight toward the academy’s prominent structure was always an option.

After walking for a while, she sensed a familiar presence and opened her eyes slightly.

Orion Academy’s main gate came into view.

"Heh."

She felt a small sense of accomplishment, knowing she could reach the academy safely without following the morning crowds of cadets.

Her lips curled into a faint smile as she nodded politely to the guard and entered the academy grounds.

The academy’s training center was a massive building, far larger than a typical gymnasium. Even for Ichinose, finding it was no challenge.

Beep!

Like the dormitory, the training center’s glass doors required student ID verification. She stepped inside.

Upon entering, she sensed someone’s presence and tilted her head curiously.

"…This is..."

She’d expected to find someone there, even at this early hour. The academy was home to diligent cadets who never slacked off in their training.

However, she hadn’t expected to see someone from her class on the very first day.

Peeking inside, Ichinose cautiously opened one eye.

"…Huff... Ughhh!!!"

Her golden eyes took in a figure grunting under the strain of an intense workout.

"Rohan."

She softly murmured the name that had etched itself clearly into her memory.