White Tiger Under the Sunlight
The faces of the elders gathered for the meeting were far from pleased.
Plans they had meticulously devised had fallen through not once, but twice—and without any explanation.
No wonder the deep furrows in their brows resembled plowed furrows.
But was that the only issue weighing on them?
Far from it. There were other problems sapping their energy.
"Kuhum..."
They needed to pool their wisdom now to find a profound solution and prevent any repeat of the disasters.
Yet lately, an issue from another quarter demanded their attention—one they couldn't ignore.
"Lately, the princess has been asking strange questions. Any guesses?"
"She did the same to me."
"Hrm! Where on earth did she pick up such whims?"
The elders reacted as they always did to what they saw as occasional youthful rebellion.
But the princess's response this time was markedly different from before.
She didn't back down with a simple "Focus on your training."
She clung tenaciously, demanding answers with a persistence that—exaggeration aside—would send even leeches fleeing.
"At my age, just facing such headstrong behavior tires me out."
"Truly, she picks at our most uncomfortable spots... a child of Testarosa blood, through and through."
"Heh heh, I was thinking the same."
She demanded to attend the elders' meetings as royalty—or at least to receive the minutes.
Sudden, impossible requests she refused to drop.
It was more than annoying.
"She said the same to me."
They hadn't forgotten the hasty fabrication from her childhood days to gloss over the situation.
She inquired after the kin supposedly settled in a safe nation—were they faring well? To which country, which place?
And now, she even expressed a desire to meet them and offer words of comfort if possible.
"How can we let her meet kin who returned to their mother's embrace for the greater good?"
Pursuing this further would spell trouble far worse than the previous issues.
The princess's unprecedented attitude called for firm suppression.
"Grand Elder, what should we do?"
"Hmmm... I told her to cast aside distractions if she wishes to become the weapon to reclaim our glory. Yet she still hasn't grasped her duty."
The Testarosa bloodline possessed the qualities and conditions to pierce the heart of Frozenheart.
Like it or not, she was someone they had to carry forward.
But her repeated deviations brought no joy to the elders.
"Set that aside for now. We have a more pressing matter."
"Kuhum... It's not so easy to just shelve it..."
Thwack! Thwack!
The grand elder struck the floor with his staff, cutting off the conversation.
The elders fell silent, turning their gazes to the head seat.
"With all this fuss, will we even get to today's main topic?"
"""..."""
"We'll discuss the princess as the next item. Let's address the most important matter first."
The grand elder, clad in ornate robes that clashed with the austere setting, drew an object from his bosom.
What the aged elf at the head seat produced was a jet-black coin that gleamed ominously.
Its two faces bore drawings of human hands, as if misfortune itself would descend merely from touching it.
The elders gasped in awe at the sight.
"Ooooh!"
"Are they lending aid again?"
"Ah... I can feel our secret wish drawing ever closer to reality!"
The grand elder quietly savored the elders' excitement.
They must be parched, having abandoned luxury for this cramped lair.
It was just as he had anticipated.
"Now that we've found the answer, we must prepare to show our sincerity. Otherwise, we might end up with another costly contract."
"We'll select from the remaining treasures."
They had promised painful future expenditures in exchange for Tigrova's aid, but their prowess was beyond doubt.
This time too, they would clear the blocked path with ease.
The elders believed without question.
Saturday, no academy classes.
As Rohan emerged from the training room after his workout, a message from Clara awaited.
'She finally ate them.'
The girl, who had hesitated because the gift felt too precious to consume, had finally tasted the macarons today.
A long message arrived, filled with her impressions and gratitude—her first time trying such a treat.
The rainbow macarons gifted to Clara came in an 8-pack.
Not a bit wasteful.
As long as she enjoyed them, their value went beyond measure.
'Ichinose praised them too. Guess the taste of shop-bought food with points is guaranteed.'
Rohan replied to Clara first.
Then he grabbed his bag and left the training room, heading back to the dormitory.
As he walked, he reflected on Clara's recent behavior.
"Hmm..."
When he was at the bookstore, she approached more easily than before, with brighter smiles.
Their messages had grown cuter and more intimate.
But Rohan sensed it.
Clara's actions lately felt off at times.
'Tricky.'
To Rohan, who knew her timid nature well, it fell within normal bounds.
But since that café conversation, odd changes appeared in her gestures.
The problem was, he couldn't guess the reason—unlike before.
During talks, she'd suddenly lower her voice mid-sentence, as if something occurred to her, then give up.
She was clearly curious about something.
'Well, gotta wait it out.'
As curious as he was, pressing her wouldn't do.
That was the sure answer when it came to Clara.
Still, the distance between them had shrunk noticeably, which felt good.
His bond with Clara was steadily progressing.
"..."
A leisurely weekend workout, more relaxed than weekdays.
His footsteps thudded steadily along the sunlit main avenue of Academy City.
Shops closed early in the morning now bustled open, pedestrians plentiful.
Rohan slowed, taking in the surroundings.
To buy what he'd thought of while giving Clara the macarons.
'Gotta get a gift for the store manager too.'
He wanted to repay her various considerations.
It'd be a lie to say she hadn't helped forge his connection with Clara.
'She said nothing hard. Maybe something soft.'
Rohan veered from the dormitory path.
He remembered the grand buildings of Abyss City in broad strokes, but not the detailed shop layouts here.
Perfect chance to scout.
And as he pondered gifts, Juyeon surfaced in his mind.
'Would Instructor accept something from a cadet...?'
Gifting her was tough, regardless of taste.
Regulations likely barred cadets' gifts; she'd probably refuse.
Unsure either way, he tabled it.
Passing familiar shop streets, he ventured deeper.
'Oh! A place like this.'
Just browsing felt like traveling abroad.
Rohan stopped before a shop claiming Samhwa Nation imports: Korean sweets.
He sampled the thinly sliced yanggaeng offered as a taste.
Decent sweetness—perfect with the hot tea the manager always sipped.
"Can you wrap some as a gift?"
"Of course, dear!"
The uncle in traditional Samhwa attire nodded enthusiastically.
Guided inside, Rohan eyed the neatly arrayed goods.
'Samhwa chestnut yanggaeng. Small size at 2 coins—not burdensome... This'll do.'
Rohan wasn't flush with cash.
But this counted as saving points.
"Wrap one, please."
"Thank you!"
The clerk's skilled hands worked swiftly.
A neat paper bag soon sat on the counter.
Payment done, he stepped out.
But the sunlight was too inviting to head straight back.
Might as well stroll, he thought, turning into an alley.
A quiet park appeared, and from beyond the bushes came a familiar voice.
— Roll left.
— Nyaaang!
— Look at that form! Roll right.
— Nyaaang!
Suspecting as much, Rohan quickened his pace.
He peered through the foliage.
"Don't dash into the roadway ahead, got it?"
— Nyaaang...
As expected, the voice belonged to Noah Frozenheart.
Rohan's guess hit the mark, but the scene was so baffling he was speechless.
"?"
Plump cats tumbled before Noah, undergoing drills.
"Your ears are sharper than humans', right? Ignoring traffic sounds and wandering into cars could get you killed. Got it?"
— Nya, nyaaak!
Noah growled menacingly, and the cats flipped belly-up in submission.
Quite the spectacle.
"What're you doing...?"
Rohan emerged from the bushes, having watched.
Had she sensed him? Her focus broke.
Their eyes met—Noah Frozenheart's.
"Eung?"
She startled too, her round ears perking up.