Flower Lily Bookstore
Rohan stopped chewing his jerky.
He stared at his smartphone.
His eyes went to the photo included in the post.
A modest little bookstore tucked away in an alley, far from the bustling commercial district.
Compared to the massive chain bookstores run by corporations in Academy City Elysium, it stood out for its humble charm.
'The address is in District 2.'
Not far from Orion Academy, and the photo captured a familiar scene.
Everything screamed that this was the shop from his memories.
"Hmm..."
He resumed chewing the jerky that had gone still in his mouth.
The salty tang spreading across his tongue helped tamp down his excitement and bring back some calm, however faintly.
'Worth checking out.'
The Flower Lily Bookstore that Rohan had spotted in the job listings.
It might be an unknown hole-in-the-wall in Academy City Elysium, but to Abyss City players, it was a cozy, familiar name.
After all, it was one thread in the game's part-time job system.
What part-time jobs in Abyss City meant was simple.
Working at specific shops in the academy city and interacting with the characters who came by.
It raised affinity, tied into various achievements, and sometimes triggered special quests purely by chance.
'There were plenty of complaints because so many special quests only popped up from part-time gigs.'
Unlike those players, Rohan had loved that part of the game.
Just watching the quiet daily life softened his mind like dough.
'Should I look for other shops?'
On the off chance.
Rohan mulled over other shop names linked to the part-time system and kept searching.
But besides Flower Lily Bookstore, no other places were hiring.
The bookstore's post was just one among hundreds piling up in the job board by the second.
It felt almost fated to stumble upon it.
'Alright. Let's give it a shot.'
Rohan dove into filling out the application form in the app without hesitation.
The minimum wage didn't even register.
···
···
Lunch ended, and afternoon classes began.
Class 1 gathered in the gym where they'd taken their practical exam under Juyeon's lead.
A massive iron cage had appeared in the gym at some point—no one knew when it had been set up.
Inside swarmed monsters the size of human heads, each with eyes like fists and wings just as big.
The bizarre sight made more than a few cadets furrow their brows.
"Gero Eyes, F-grade monsters collected by the Elysium Security Bureau and provided as teaching materials. Common even in urban areas."
With that explanation, Juyeon gripped the cage and shook it with a rattle.
The monsters, cowed by her presence, trembled feebly.
— Grok! Gerok!
— Geruk! Gerwek!
Mouthless cries erupted as they buzzed frantically inside the cage.
"Today, you'll each catch one."
For anyone skilled enough to enter Orion Academy, it was yawn-worthy easy.
Still, some cadets looked uneasy. Juyeon knew what those expressions meant.
"I'll explain the Gero Eye's traits later. First, the reason for this class."
She stepped away from the cage and faced the cadets, scanning those flustered by the lesson.
"I don't know when each of you started prepping for the academy. But as your instructor, it's my duty to maximize Class 1's combat power and mold you into battle-ready talent."
"···."
"Even though Orion Academy was founded for that purpose, plenty of cadets who passed the entrance exam have zero experience fighting real monsters."
They'd walked elite paths without a hitch, but fewer than half had faced life-or-death combat.
They'd swung weapons countless times to get into the academy.
But they'd never snuffed out a life.
"I'm not blaming you for that. But stepping up for the exam and entering this academy is a declaration to live by force. Remember that."
A gulp came from behind Rohan.
Probably Dick Wikitree's clumsy swallow.
"Your post-graduation paths will vary."
Juyeon unfolded the documents at her side and skimmed the still-sealed evaluation sheets.
"Cadets from Sepia Archipelago's flight schools get bonus points toward officer roles in the Paradise Knights... And those who graduated from Samhwa Nation's martial arts academies can aim for generals there."
"···."
No need to add "but."
Her fierce gaze screamed the contradiction loud and clear.
"Your backgrounds and statuses differ. But what you do isn't all that different. You know that."
Her voice drilled into their ears, steady and clear.
"To survive, to protect what's precious, we must take the lives of monsters and heinous criminals without hesitation."
Juyeon stepped toward the cage. Her red hair flickered like flames.
Her heels clicked sharply, echoing through the gym.
"But don't grow numb to losing comrades. The battlefield demands that brazen survival."
"···."
"Got your instructor's stubborn worldview?"
""""Yes!"""
The cage creaked open.
The monsters, pinned by Juyeon's intimidation, froze solid inside.
Hard to believe compared to their frantic wild behavior.
"Gero Eyes are F-grade. By the book: an average adult male with a weapon can handle them."
— Gek, gerok!
A Gero Eye writhed in Juyeon's grip by its wing.
"Lock eyes with that head-sized eyeball, and it induces dizziness and nausea. That's it."
Truth be told, fragile monsters.
Anyone with sufficient mana resists the dizziness entirely.
"But if you see one, you can't just leave it."
The issue was civilians. Especially deadly to drivers in the city.
Plenty of major accidents caused by Gero Eyes perched on traffic lights inducing chaos.
"Weak point: anywhere on the body. Hit wherever. The membrane over the eye isn't tough—easy to kill without mana."
With the monster info and instructions for what came next delivered.
Obvious what to do now.
"Exactly one Gero Eye per cadet in Class 1 inside this cage. Hunt one each to end class."
Rohan loved Juyeon's teaching style.
Monsters lowered the mental barrier compared to killing humans.
Still, for green cadets, it was stressful—but essential.
"Grab one weapon you like from the wall rack."
Rohan jumped up, snagged a longsword, and sat back down.
Noah went bare-handed like in the placement test. Ichinose grabbed her sword, same as before.
"Front row first, one by one."
The lesson kicked off.
Ichinose diced her Gero Eye with her tachi, no hesitation.
Noah grinningly caught hers and flash-froze it before crushing it bare-handed in a showy display.
"Monster... ascend to paradise!!!"
Gilbert swung his blunt weapon with a signature bellow.
Dick Wikitree, no kills under his belt, trembled with his glasses and spear until last.
Rohan kept it simple.
Just cleaved it neatly in half with the longsword. No qualms about killing monsters.
If anything, he felt anticipation.
Beginner Hunter
+10P
+1P
The first achievement unlocked upon starting monster hunts.
The expected reward.
Plus an unexpected bonus.
*****
A derelict building without power.
Figures sat around a round table inside.
"The Yardpound brothers. Out of contact?"
"Told you to use pricier ones."
"Satisfied so far. They were due to hit their limit."
Voices like scraping dry throats, all around.
The men at the round table were ancients of indeterminate age.
If anything stood out in their appearance: pointed ears.
And garb flashy against the dusty ruin—another clue.
"Tch, gotta find more puppets?"
One wrinkled old elf muttered.
The elf beside him licked cracked lips.
"That's nothing. Key is keeping it from the princess's ears. Seal your lips—we all know that."
"Hah, so frustrating..."
"True. She can't accept this yet."
Voices thick with impatience for the princess to face reality.
As the chatter dragged, the elder with the fanciest staff thumped the floor, drawing eyes.
Then declared.
"No need to rush."
"···."
"Reclaiming the glory stolen by Rex Frozenheart demands minor sacrifices. The princess will accept that truth soon."
They told the princess daily.
Elves of noble blood bore the duty to revive their fallen kin.