Monolith -6-
‘G-Groin!?’
Clara glanced back and forth between the canteen in her hand and Rohan, who had collapsed under the blazing sun.
Her mind was spinning for the first time in ages.
She knew she had to hurry, yet her legs moved like a broken machine, creaking with every step.
“O-Oppa! F-First, let’s get you in the shade…”
Clara set the canteen down in the shadow and hurried over to him.
She slung one of Rohan’s arms over her shoulder—he was clutching his forehead, slumped over as if battling a headache—and hoisted him up with a grunt.
It was a feat of strength that didn’t match her slender frame, but those with mana couldn’t be judged by appearances alone.
“Down you go…”
With delicate care, Clara lowered Rohan to the ground and propped his back against the wall.
If the shadow had been a bit larger, she could have laid him flat comfortably, but that would have to wait until Sion secured a better spot.
“Clara…?”
“Y-Yeah! I’m right here!”
Rohan cracked his eyes open and called her name.
His condition seemed even worse than before, and the girl’s worry deepened.
“How’s your body feeling? Want some water?”
Rohan shook his head, insisting he was fine.
Clara pouted at his usual attitude of brushing off major issues.
But this time was different.
Even Rohan couldn’t shake off the dizziness through sheer willpower; he was in no state to move.
They’d have to ask the others to hold off.
“Sorry. Let me rest a bit, then we’ll move.”
“O-Oppa… You don’t need to apologize at all… It’s fine, just close your eyes and sleep.”
Rohan chewed his lip, hesitating at her urging, then finally let his eyelids droop.
“Wake me in 10 minutes?”
“That’s too short. I’ll make sure you cool off properly, so sleep deep and wake up refreshed, okay?”
Rohan gave no response, affirmative or otherwise. Only the soft sound of his steady breathing filled the air.
He’d asked to be woken in 10 minutes but had already drifted off.
“…”
Clara stared blankly at Rohan’s sleeping face, then recalled what Sion had said.
She decided to start with loosening his clothes. Her hands moved to undo his academy uniform.
This is just first aid…! First aid!
This situation of undressing Rohan of her own accord.
Even repeating “first aid” in her mind couldn’t dispel the naughty tingle in her head.
She slipped off his academy jacket and carefully undid the buttons of his sweat-soaked shirt, one by one.
The dungeon’s climate was so sweltering that even Clara, who didn’t mind the heat, had beads of sweat forming on her forehead, and Sion was drenched too.
Rohan’s clothes were already soaked through—no need to wet them further.
Oppa’s scent is stronger than usual… This smells so good…
Body odor and sweat varied so much from person to person.
Clara felt no hint of disgust toward Rohan’s natural smell. If anything, she had to suppress the urge to bury her nose in it.
After removing even his shoes, she swallowed hard before proceeding.
With trembling hands, careful not to touch there, Clara undid his belt, then pulled down the zipper, loosening all his clothing.
Now, time to fan him!
Gathering the vine leaves from the scattered monster corpse, Clara fanned a gentle breeze toward Rohan.
It was a shame she couldn’t catch his scent as strongly now, but stopping wasn’t an option.
“Oppa, sleeping…?”
She called out just in case, but he slept on, oblivious to the world.
He was out cold enough to be carried away without noticing.
This unguarded side of Rohan was a first. Curiosity sparked in the girl’s eyes as they darted here and there.
Time slipped by in a daze.
As her gaze busied itself and her fanning grew more vigorous, Rohan’s expression softened a little.
“I’ve secured the area.”
“───!!!”
The sudden voice shattered her focus.
If Clara hadn’t clapped a hand over her mouth reflexively, a scream would have escaped.
Too absorbed elsewhere, she hadn’t noticed Sion approaching.
“The interior’s clear. Definitely cooler than outside. Perfect for resting.”
“G-Good work…”
“No trouble. How’s Rohan?”
Sion folded her telescopic baton and tucked it away as she asked.
Clara glanced at Rohan, slumped against the wall in sleep, and relayed what she knew.
“He said to wake him in 10 minutes… then passed out.”
“Hmm. Far too short for real recovery. Best to keep tending him until he wakes on his own.”
Sion suggested moving inside, and together they lifted Rohan.
They entered the pitch-black interior, lit only by sunlight filtering from outside.
“Ah…! It’s cool in here!”
The temperature was noticeably lower inside.
It still evoked midsummer, but after the scorching outside—easily over 30 degrees Celsius—the relative coolness was a relief.
“This spot’ll do.”
“Yes!”
They spread his jacket on the floor and gently laid Rohan down, placing his shoes nearby.
“Clara. We need to treat the heat illness more thoroughly.”
“…?”
As Clara blinked in confusion,
Sion yanked Rohan’s shirt wide open with a sharp flap flap!
“Normally, sunstroke or heatstroke would be dangerous, but his mana-trained body should recover quickly.”
With that, she stripped off his pants too.
“!?!?”
Clara’s eyes spun in panic.
“I’ll handle the fanning. Cool him down with the canteen.”
Sion finished speaking, stood abruptly, and headed outside to gather vine leaves.
“…”
Clara did as instructed, pressing the cold canteen to Rohan’s neck.
It wasn’t true heatstroke, but applying something cool to his overheated body was bound to feel good.
Seeing his expression relax, the girl felt relieved and began cooling other areas.
Until she reached the final spot and froze.
“Hmm, this should suffice for fanning.”
Sion sat beside her and began wafting air over Rohan’s body.
Clara, gripping the canteen, hesitantly moved it toward his lower half.
Aaah…
His black underwear came into view—plain, form-fitting, single-toned.
No frills or decorations, but matching the color of her own made her skin tingle.
She knew she should look away, yet her gaze wouldn’t budge.
The sweat made the outline starkly visible.
So thick it wouldn’t fit in one hand. Honestly, the first time she’d glimpsed it, she thought he’d hidden dynamite or something.
O-Oppa must be uncomfortable all the time…
Having something like that would surely hinder daily life.
With such thoughts, Clara pressed the canteen to the upper part of his thigh.
The indirect heat radiating into her hand was intense. The scent filling her nose was thick enough to call erotic.
How long had the two girls toiled in silence?
Rohan stirred, lifting heavy eyelids in a daze.
“Nngh… What time is it?”
“Sleep. Not even 10 minutes yet. Have a sip of water first.”
Regaining consciousness was worth celebrating, but Sion lied sharply coolly and made him drink.
Rohan mumbled something like “Really?” after wetting his mouth, then closed his eyes again. Sion and Clara exhaled in relief.
“He seems stable now. We can leave him be.”
“I-I’ll keep fanning…”
“We’ll take turns. Once he’s better, he’ll owe us that much anyway.”
Sion smiled faintly, softening the mood,
then watched Clara fan for a moment before standing.
“Mind if I take off my outer layer too? It’s stifling.”
“Ah, y-yes…!”
Sion shed her thick outer garment, packed with gear, releasing the pent-up heat.
Left in just a sleeveless top, she looked a bit more alive. Wringing it out sent sweat dripping to the floor.
Clara, fanning with one hand, checked Rohan was still asleep, then flushed as she fluttered her skirt lightly to cool off.
“This heat and humidity—it’s insane. Without Rohan, I might’ve been the one collapsing.”
Sion drank from the canteen and passed it to Clara.
The girl paused her fanning to moisten her mouth.
“Clara.”
“Yes?”
“Rohan’s condition might not be simple heat illness.”
“Any guesses on what it could be…?”
Sion touched her sharp jawline, her face utterly serious.
She glanced at the sleeping Rohan, then lowered her voice to inform Clara.
“I suspect it could be some kind of backlash from using his skill.”
“Ah…”
Clara nodded, agreeing with Sion’s guess.
Rohan had mentioned his skills came with a cost, after all.
Orion Academy, Class 1-1.
Just after lunch. Gilbert glared at Rohan’s empty seat.
“Something’s amiss! Terribly amiss!!!”
“Yeah, definitely something’s up.”
Dick from the back row rarely agreed with Gilbert.
They should’ve been in practical training, but Juyeon had told them to stand by and vanished. Rohan wasn’t answering calls either.
“Noa. Know anything?”
“Dunno…”
At Noah’s question, Ichinose pulled out her smartphone and texted the absent Rohan: Where are you?
No reply, naturally.
Just as baseless speculation filled the air,
the front door opened, revealing long rabbit ears perked up high.
“My adorable 1-1 cuties! Instructor Juyeon’s tied up with sudden business today, so we’re doing a joint class with Instructor Carrot’s group!”