Voluntary Surrender
Rewards acquired.
Clear rewards distributed based on contribution.
Party fully restored.
The notification windows floated up amid the crumbling dungeon.
Sion and Clara's urgent voices seeped into my ears, but my dazed mind couldn't even read the text. I just closed my eyes.
Somehow, we made it through. That thought brought a wave of relief.
Ku-gu-gu-gu───!!!
Mana pressed down on my entire body, wrapping around me tightly.
Then, in an instant, my body floated up.
The notification appeared in my closed-eyed mind, delivering the info.
No designated return point.
Returning to a random location.
Then my back hit something.
A breeze brushed against me.
It wasn't the hot, humid air that had clung unpleasantly to my skin moments ago.
Cool...
Light returned to my fading consciousness, blurred by blood loss.
Familiar everyday noises flooded my ears.
"Rohan! Rohan...! Open your eyes!"
"Oppa! Snap out of it!"
Sion and Clara's clear voices.
I opened my eyes at the sudden calm washing over my body.
"?!"
The girls' faces looking down at me, and the sky visible between them. I blinked repeatedly.
Then I asked what came to mind.
"...Clara. Mana exhaustion okay? You too, Sion?"
Clara nodded with a tearful face, unable to speak.
Sion bit her lower lip with a complicated expression before confirming she was fine.
After a pause, I asked the most important thing.
"Rohan... h-how's your, your arm?"
Sion swallowed hard, waiting for my answer. Clara stared at me intently too.
The girls didn't know why my severed arm was back.
Before celebrating our return from that unknown world, they just hoped it was fine on the outside too.
"Arm? Oh, my arm... right."
I felt doubt at the sensation from a part that shouldn't exist.
Then I willed it to move. I raised my arm in front of my eyes.
This isn't phantom pain, is it?
It was attached perfectly. Really attached.
The arm that had flown off after the boss's thorns was intact.
My Orion Academy uniform was torn from the shoulder down and gone, but the arm was fine.
My clothes were shredded rags, covered in blood armor. Yet no scratches from the thorn vines on my skin.
Right. That's how it was.
My dazed mind pieced it together.
Full recovery. That's what this means. Now I'm coming around.
"It's fine. Lucky, huh?"
That was really all there was to it.
Moving to protect Sion wasn't because I trusted the recovery reward.
It was too instinctive for that kind of calculation. It was just a split-second anyway.
"Haa, your reactions are just..."
"Oppa. Still, let's go to the hospital. Okay?"
I smiled wordlessly at their reactions and sat up my upper body.
I looked around and nodded in satisfaction.
"Anyway, looks like we made it back safe. Good job, everyone."
The spot where the three of us landed seemed to be the rooftop of some restaurant.
Food smells and people's voices wafted up from below.
Turning my head, the towering buildings and distinctive architecture told me this was Academy City.
"...Rohan."
"Yeah?"
Sion stood, removed her goggles, and bowed deeply with utmost politeness.
Rohan and Clara watched in surprise.
"Thanks to you, we returned unscathed. Truly, thank you."
"No need for thanks. I got help too."
"And at the end..."
"Speak casually. We're all fine in the end, right?"
Sion straightened up.
I clenched and unclenched my fist demonstratively, making her chuckle dryly as she sat back down.
"I sensed something and pulled my weapon, but even if I'd blocked with my staff, it would've been too late. I'd have been wounded for sure. If it pierced my heart or head, instant death."
"Really? Good thing it wasn't pointless then."
Sion knew.
Now the wounds healed without explanation, but death would've meant no return.
"It's a relief your arm's back, but what if it hadn't? Why'd you..."
"Didn't think about it. Hey, you can live without one arm."
I tried to lighten the mood my way.
But Sion's expression didn't soften. Still heavy.
"Sion."
"..."
She lifted her head, bowed like a criminal, and met my eyes.
I had a lot I wanted to say. But not everything could be put into words now.
"We fought for three days straight, sweating buckets, barely eating or washing."
"..."
"Even so exhausted, it was fun, right?"
At my question, Sion glanced at Clara, quietly by her side.
Clara smiled at her. A warm feeling spread in her chest.
Then she looked back at me.
Sion shared her feelings.
"...It was fun. Enough that I'd do it again willingly."
"That thought'll fade soon enough."
"Why?"
"Because you have to live even more enjoyably from now on."
"...!"
I could feel the resolve to soon free her from that damn cage.
A promise of liberty.
She understood my intent instantly, so Sion shut her mouth, unable to reply.
After witnessing such unhesitating sacrifice, the weight and sincerity of those words soared to the heavens.
This man...
Looking at me stirred itchy emotions and made her heart pound.
Sion even felt Clara's gaze as burdensome.
As that awkward silence, felt only by the two girls, lingered...
Jiiing──!!! Jiiing───!!!
My smartphone and Clara's latched onto signals, vibrations pouring in for missed calls from the downtime.
Whoa, we must've worried everyone sick.
I sensed the days ahead would be more tiring than expected, watching my phone shake.
Over a hundred missed calls, from Juyeon and others everywhere.
Class 1 friends messaging about what happened, where I was now that lunch was over.
"O-Oppa! The date hasn't passed...!"
"Yeah. Sion said you had about five hours spare? Should still be fine."
Clara jumped up, sat next to Sion, showed the time and date. The elf girl's mouth fell open in surprise.
Even with my timer, the time distortion was too extreme.
"Hard to believe even after checking multiple times..."
Sion looked genuinely baffled by the anomaly.
Pulled to another place, suffered over three days, returned to less than a day passed. No wonder it didn't sink in easily.
Still, this is the best luck.
We could head back without being late.
Three days unwashed felt gross, but shower at home.
Mentally drained, but body was fine.
Seeing Sion pack her gear, I spoke up.
"Leaving already?"
"Have to. With this chance, I'll move steadily now. Gotta stay put till I uncover the truth."
"Fair. I need to let people know I'm back too. Getting tangled with Public Safety would be a hassle."
At my words, Sion showed pure curiosity.
It was definitely the kind of incident to draw attention.
"You okay skipping out?"
"If it comes up, I'll muddle through somehow."
"Thanks. Really, for everything..."
I brushed off the thanks playfully.
Silent Clara called to Sion.
"Sion unnie."
"Hm?"
"You'll come again, right? Next time, let's hang out normally...!"
"Even if I don't come, Rohan said he'd meet you soon. Right?"
Sion smiled playfully at me.
Clara's eyes widened, looking between us.
"Rohan."
"Yeah."
"Did you tell Clara about me?"
"No. I don't leak that kinda info."
"Then tell her properly for me."
I was the surprised one now.
"Suits me fine... but you okay with that?"
"Just want her to know more about me. And she'll be involved going forward too, right?"
"How'd you know?"
Sion ended with a laughing "Just a hunch."
She handed me the dungeon reward. We three who escaped knew what this thumbnail-sized item was.
"Stay healthy, both of you. Rohan, definitely go to the hospital."
With that, Sion crossed the building and vanished.
I watched her receding back, then turned to Clara beside me, pouting with a complicated face.
"I'm heading to Public Safety now. You can go home, shower, rest if it's too much. I'll cover for you."
That question.
Clara's usual self might've fled.
But now, she felt she couldn't.
"I-I wanna stay with Oppa...!"
The girl reached out, grabbing my tattered collar.
*****
Juyeon, who had been searching alone around Academy City and nearby, got contact from me and Public Safety.
At the same time, she shot like a meteor across the city sky.
A massive flame descended on Public Safety HQ.
Click!
Guided by the officer, Juyeon opened the door and saw me in my wrecked cadet uniform.
My face lit up seeing her.
Indescribable emotions. Relief, but my heart tore.
"Instructor!"
"..."
Juyeon strode silently to me sitting there.
And hugged me tight.
"───!!!"
Clara froze at the sight.