Clara
Purple-tinted short twin tails, sparkling light green eyes.
A flashy fashion style that screams landmine girl or menhera type.
Yet despite the unique outfit and accessories, she carried herself with a timid demeanor.
“!”
Rohan quickly assembled an Abyss City character in his mind, taking in the girl's slender facial lines and features as the final pieces.
Knowledge he'd stored away flooded his thoughts, condensing in an instant.
Clara?!
In Abyss City, there were a fixed set of academy students who frequently appeared while doing the Flower Lily Bookstore part-time quest.
This bookstore was also a spot where Clara, the comic and game enthusiast, often showed up.
Even with that obvious fact as the foundation, Rohan still felt flustered.
“···.”
And understandably so—Clara was a character who first appeared as a first-year when the protagonist reached second year.
After the first battle, Rohan had desperately wanted to find her somehow, but info on Clara before academy enrollment was basically nonexistent.
Until becoming a second-year, it was impossible to track her down, so he'd given up.
Whether it was thanks to the positive cliché reward or not, he'd run into her like this by pure coincidence.
“S-sorry for bumping into you, sorry, sorry···.”
Clara, frozen in tension, muttered while avoiding his eyes.
This eccentric girl, whose social skills seemed rock-bottom, felt strangely welcoming and familiar to Rohan. He wrapped up his thoughts quickly.
He carefully set down the box of books.
Then picked up the smartphone on the floor, which was autonomously playing a game, and handed it over.
“I couldn't see ahead because of the box. I'm really sorry.”
“Th-that!”
“Customer, just to be safe, check the screen. If it's cracked or damaged, I'll compensate you.”
“Ahhh···.”
Clara took the smartphone with trembling hands.
She swallowed hard and fiddled with the buttons.
Rohan didn't say another word after that.
He waited silently for her to speak first, taking in visual info meanwhile.
Nail art. Flashier than the game.
Her slender fingertips ended in nails glittering in a rainbow of colors.
The idea of those hands wielding a weapon with precision was intriguing.
“It's··· fine···.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Clara clamped her mouth shut after that.
Rohan left with a simple “Let me know if there's any issue,” but he didn't just back off.
To keep the flustered Clara from bolting out the entrance.
He stepped aside, as if inviting her in.
What followed was just as he'd predicted—cause for joy, perhaps.
The hesitant girl didn't backpedal; she entered the bookstore.
Rohan watched her vanish between the shelves like a puff of smoke and let out a relieved breath.
“Phew···.”
Should he have mentioned he was the new part-timer here to really stamp his face in her memory? Answer: Nope.
Considering Clara's personality and tendencies, absolutely not.
Can't rush it.
Unlike a game with infinite retries, real-life chances were one-shot.
To build a bridge with a girl whose wariness rivaled a wild animal's, hasty moves were strictly off-limits.
Rohan moved the box to its proper spot, then headed to the storeroom to continue work.
Repeating simple tasks that barely qualified as manual labor, he turned his mind slowly.
So··· what game was Clara just playing?
He knew she loved comics and games.
But like the comics, all the games in Abyss City were new to him.
Half his goal was establishing common ground.
But wasn't he a hunter back in the day who unwound with games after work?
New games were always welcome, no question.
He'd been putting it off due to the mountain of tasks, but his curiosity about this world's games had finally sprouted.
“Manager! All moved!”
“Already? Take it easy··· don't hurt your back!”
Rohan joked he was fine and patted the donation book box.
“Can I load it onto the truck when it arrives later?”
“No need for manpower. Just leave it at the entrance; the mini-forklift guy handles it.”
At the request to man the register, Rohan held the fort until closing.
Clara slipped out from between the shelves just before closing and quietly vanished.
“Rohan.”
“Yes?”
“Time to close up, come here.”
“Yessir!”
“Just flip this switch for the lights···.”
Last task of the day.
Rohan learned closing procedures from the manager.
They tidied up together, and when they stepped outside, dusk had fully settled.
“Hide the key under this flowerpot.”
“···Is that okay?”
Security-wise, shouldn't they install a proper lock system?
Shops using physical keys were rare in Academy City, as far as he knew.
“Heh, what's there to steal? Good work today!”
“You too, manager.”
Rohan just smiled and bowed at the man's carefree attitude toward thieves.
As the manager checked his watch and startled into motion—
“Whoops, gotta show my face before the grandkid sleeps···.”
—he shuffled off at a surprisingly brisk pace.
Rohan watched him go, then pulled out his smartphone to compose a message.
Time to report to the instructor.
Location: Flower Lily Bookstore
Hours: [details]
Job: stocking/sales/register etc.
All set!
Rohan smirked at the curt reply and headed to the dorms.
On the way, he browsed mobile games and downloaded a few that caught his eye.
Dawn, as light flickered down from the eastern sky.
Ichinose Yui woke at that hour.
“Mmm···.”
She hugged the dolls on her bed, squirmed a bit, then rose.
Reflexively tidying the messy blankets, she returned the dolls and hung up her favorite character pajamas.
A light wash to shake off the haze.
Minimal skincare done, she packed yesterday's bag and academy uniform—with eyes closed.
Student ID, water bottle··· here···.
In comfortable underwear and gym clothes.
She grabbed meal-replacement supplements and her sword, leaving the dorm.
Facing the outdoors, she deliberately blocked her vision; her sharpened sense of smell caught the wind first.
Spring scent's fading a bit.
Normally, she'd head to the bustling district for her prepaid gym, but today Ichinose Yui's destination was Orion Academy.
No need to hit local gyms for dawn workouts anymore.
From yesterday, the academy's physical training room was open to new cadets—no reason not to use it.
Top facilities, close to classrooms.
Her load increased a tad, but one pesky round-trip to the dorm vanished.
“Good morning.”
─ Nyaa!
“Good morning. Guarded the house well last night?”
─ Woof! Pant pant···.
The cat lounging on the wall and leashed dog perked up at her voice.
Bonded purely by presence.
Meeting these guys means I'm basically there.
Ichinose strode on without hesitation.
Noa would freak if she saw, claiming she'd get lost again.
Not anymore.
The path to Orion Academy was familiar now.
She'd made it her goal on solo walks so often, no more embarrassing detours.
Worst case, climb a low building, spot the academy, go straight.
After a long walk, a faint presence made her crack her eyes.
Orion Academy's main gate entered Ichinose's view.
“Heehee.”
Proof she could reach the academy safely, without the morning cadet rush.
Excellent. A swell of accomplishment filled her chest.
The subtle upturn of her lips.
She kept it, bowing to the guard before entering.
The physical training room was bigger than a single gym—no trouble finding it, even for her.
Beep!
Student ID authentication, like the dorms. She opened the glass door.
Inside, she sensed one presence among those in the room and tilted her head.
This is···.
She'd expected someone at dawn.
Diligent cadets never skipped training.
But a same-classmate on day one? Unexpected.
Ichinose peeked, cracking one eye.
─ Hss··· grrrk!!!
Golden eyes captured a man pushing his body to the limit, grunting.
Rohan.
Ichinose murmured the name etched clearly in her memory.