Monolith -1-
“I was gonna treat you girls to a proper meal, but oh well.”
Rohan dumped crispy french fries onto the wrapping paper.
He squeezed ketchup into the corner, then handed out a burger and soda to each of the girls.
Sion fiddled curiously with the warm burger. She was trying not to show any emotion on her face, but one bite of food had her stoic expression on the verge of cracking.
“I, I...! This is already more than I deserve...”
“Same here.”
Unfortunately, this was the best they could do. Fast food was the only option allowed for these three right now.
Time was literally of the essence. Lunch break at Orion Academy was limited.
Any place decent enough for a real meal was already packed with office workers and academy students.
No time to shop around for something better. Considering what was left of their break, this was it.
“Eat up. If it's not enough, just grab more—it's fine.”
“Th-thank you...!”
“Thanks. Dig in.”
At Rohan's words, Clara bowed her head deeply from her seat, expressing her gratitude.
Sion followed suit after watching her.
As Rohan rustled open his wrapper, Sion glanced sideways, read the situation, and mimicked him.
It was nothing major, but it seemed she'd been hung up on the proper way to do things.
“Eat it before it gets cold.”
Rohan took a big bite, and the two girls, who'd been watching him, finally started nibbling away.
“...!”
Sion's eyes lit up after her first bite of the burger. Her pace picked up step by step with each mouthful.
Unlike Clara, the elf girl wasn't hesitating to open her mouth out of awkwardness.
She was fully focused on savoring the food.
Clara nibbled daintily with small bites.
She kept stealing glances at him, but Rohan was already used to it by now.
They must've been starving. Eating like champs.
Rohan felt satisfied watching them. They were downright admirable.
Passersby outside stared, and even inside, eyes darted their way from all angles. But the two girls ignored it all and kept eating heartily.
“Whew.”
As Sion lowered her gaze from the burger to sip her drink...
Rohan seized the moment to pick up their paused conversation.
“Must've been a shock for both of you today, huh? Totally out of left field.”
“Hnnng...”
“Yeah. But honestly, I was more surprised by Clara's skills.”
After a quick round of introductions between Sion and Clara...
Clara, who had her reasons to feel sheepish, tried to suppress the heat rising to her face.
“Clara's no ordinary girl, right?”
“Mm.”
Sion nodded crisply in agreement.
Then she turned her full attention back to her burger. Rohan just chuckled.
Guess now's not the time to chat.
..
..
Lunch break ended with Sion's almost intimidating level of focus.
The three stepped out of the shop, exhaling breaths of contentment. Rohan checked the time—still just enough wiggle room.
“Th-thank you for the meal...!”
“Stuffed?”
Rohan asked, and Clara nodded vigorously in affirmation.
A hint of shy embarrassment colored her enthusiastic bobs. To Rohan, that was the mark of a true foodie.
“I feel bad making you buy for me like this...”
“Nah. 'It was good' is all I need to hear.”
Sion, of course, chimed in that she'd eaten well, adding hurried thanks.
Before heading back to Orion Academy, Rohan led the two girls toward the dorms again.
Still got time.
Sion might head out, but Clara didn't seem like the type to hole up in the room forever.
Besides, if he was seeing her off, a quiet spot would be better anyway.
A few steps in, and the crowds thinned out fast. The earlier bustle felt like an illusion.
“Dorm area's dead quiet during lunch, huh. Clara, you can rest up then head to the bookstore, right?”
“Yeah!”
“Grab a nap now that you've eaten.”
“I-is that okay...?”
“Duh. Make yourself at home.”
Oddly enough, she was asking permission just to lie on the bed.
Rohan nodded without a second thought—Clara's way.
A few more steps.
“Rohan.”
“Yeah?”
As the dorm drew near, Sion fiddled with her goggles in the deserted path and spoke up.
Her reluctant expression soured Rohan's mood, unlike moments ago.
“I'm heading back.”
“That busy, huh?”
“Not urgent. But I want to take my time.”
If it were the weekend, he could've insisted she stay longer.
Couldn't exactly tell her to chill in the room alone with Clara, either—that'd be awkward for both.
“Hold on a sec.”
“Hm?”
Rohan dug into his pocket, pulled out two coins, and flicked them toward Sion.
They arced perfectly, landing softly in her palm.
“So next call, you don't hang up. Nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“I'll take them—and pay you back for sure.”
Words she couldn't refuse. Sion wiped away her reluctance, her lips curving faintly.
Then the princess stared straight ahead.
Behind her, Clara fidgeted, glancing between Rohan and her.
Rohan met her gaze without flinching.
Sion etched a strange warmth into her memory and asked.
“You're not gonna ask... why I came today?”
“I told you to come. Why ask that? Sounds like I'm kicking you out indirectly.”
Sion couldn't hold back a chuckle at his straightforward reply.
Rohan smiled back—her expression had brightened, clear as day. Our princess is smiling more openly now.
“True. That's just who you are.”
“Something else you wanna say?”
“No.”
Sion lowered her goggles into place as if signaling her departure.
She pulled up the black cloth to cover her mouth and nose.
“Take care.”
She nodded at Rohan's farewell.
But then, an unexpected voice piped up.
“N-next time, I'll greet you properly...!”
Clara mustered her courage for the goodbye, startling Sion briefly.
In response, Sion wrapped it up: Next time, let's chat longer.
“See ya.”
Sion turned, showing them her back.
She tensed her thighs, ready to kick off.
That was how Rohan and Clara were supposed to see her off.
Watch her receding figure, cheer her on until the signs of departure showed.
That was the plan.
“!”
All three sensed the ominous mana surge at once.
The split-second awareness halted their movements and breath.
Kugugugugu───!!!
The racket came from right behind them.
Rohan and the girls turned silently.
A black monolith had appeared.
Ominous. Eerie. Unnatural. Wrong. Sinister.
Rohan, having experienced Abyss City and paid close attention in theory class, knew exactly what it was.
Monolith!?
The stone spewed mana, etching dense, unreadable script across its surface.
The characters glowed with infused mana, beginning to warp space itself.
“Over here.”
Rohan snapped to, pulled out his smartphone—saw no signal—clicked his tongue, and pocketed it.
He grabbed the hands of Clara beside him and Sion, who was about to leave the academy city.
“O-Oppa...!”
“This is...?”
He pulled them closer. They needed to stick together.
He'd anticipated something like this eventually, and he'd been through similar ordeals multiple times before. Calmness settled in quickly.
“Stay still. If you try to pull away while the mana's surging, your body could get torn apart.”
His unusually low voice shut their mouths.
“Two scenarios when a Monolith appears. First: monsters pour out. Assess 'em—if we can handle it, fight; if it's hopeless, book it full speed.”
If the mana felt impossible, he could call Juyeon.
Even if left alone, security would swarm in sensing the energy.
“And the other?”
Rohan kept his eyes locked on the monolith as he answered Sion.
“It swallows people and drops 'em into a dungeon.”
This wasn't even in the textbooks.
It was a new anomaly that started when the protagonist entered Abyss City.
Drdrdrdr───!!!
The air trembled. Cracks spiderwebbed from the stone across the ground.
The mana churned more violently.
“In that case, don't get separated—sticking together's your best bet.”
Sion tensed at his words, gripping Rohan's hand tightly without thinking.
“Nngh...!”
“It's fine. Just breathe.”
Clara started shaking all over in full panic.
Rohan hugged her close, stroking her back gently to soothe her.
Kiiiiing!!!
The script on the monolith blazed with intense light.
A notification popped up before Rohan's eyes.
Servant of the Sun Kingdom
◇ Quest Details: A Monolith—symbol of anomaly—has appeared in Academy City. Escape the warped space safely with your companions!
◇ Type:Sudden
◇ Success Rewards: 3,000P, Party Full Recovery, Seneca's Luck (1 use)
◇ Failure Penalty: None