Baby Yui Wants to Sleep -1-
Just as Juyeon observed the situation from the transport ship with her transcendent senses.
There were instructors from the Paradise Knights patrolling directly inside the uninhabited island.
Orion Academy instructor Carrot was watching the supply drop point, suppressing her presence like the other instructors.
"Th-this, Miss Ichinose···!"
The moment Ok Myeongjin's skill released, his massive frame shrank back to normal.
Finishing with a thud as he collapsed unconscious on the ground.
‘Oh my oh my? Cadet Rohan's punch packs a real wallop.’
Carrot, perched on a tree branch watching the duel, confirmed the clean resolution.
Her rabbit ears perked up straight as she pulled out a carrot-shaped pen and a thick grading sheet.
‘Cadet Ok Myeongjin's just too hot-headed. Skill-wise, he's solidly upper tier among the first-years.’
The supply drop point was under instructor surveillance, of course.
But Ok Myeongjin's killing intent was so blatant and crude that Carrot had no choice but to keep watch.
If any cadet's life hung in the balance during the scuffle, she'd have to leap in immediately.
Thankfully, no such nightmare unfolded.
What a spotless finish.
Instructor Carrot crossed her legs and hummed cheerfully as she scribbled with her pen.
"Hmm~"
Ok Myeongjin earned zero points for genuinely trying to kill a fellow cadet—plus penalties for attempting a selfish partner swap.
She even marked him for mandatory special training.
With that done, Carrot swiftly noted the rest of the situation.
‘She'll love hearing about this.’
If Juyeon caught wind of what went down here, she'd value their strict adherence to protocol far more than Class 1's victory.
Her lips would twitch with delight beneath that stoic mask.
Carrot couldn't wait to see it.
Tack!
She finished her notes and glanced at Rohan for a moment.
‘Definitely a cadet worth watching.’
There was good reason Juyeon mentioned him so often.
His actions and vibe had this subtle pull on the eyes.
Even with the famous Ichinose Yui right there, your gaze drifted to Rohan.
‘Already popping up in the news and tangled in incidents.’
Something told Carrot this cadet was destined for big things.
Curiosity piqued, she pressed the pen tip to her lips.
Rohan yanked his longsword from the dirt and shot a glance at Ok Myeongjin's partner.
He jerked his chin toward the fainted cadet.
"Hey, buddy. Grab this guy. Leave him like that, and he's turtle chow."
"Ah, y-yes···!"
Did Rohan's words snap him out of it?
The male cadet suddenly switched to polite speech and scrambled down in a panic.
He dragged the unconscious Ok Myeongjin away from the Iron Turtle and into the bushes.
"Good work."
Ichinose, steadying her stirred emotions, landed lightly beside Rohan with effortless grace.
Her eyes hidden once more.
"Not like I did anything special. Let's crack open the supplies."
"···After all that racket, the boss is still out cold."
True to her word, the massive Iron Turtle bearing the supplies on its back hadn't budged.
The smaller ones crawled around the perimeter, letting out kwaek! kwaek! cries.
But the big one—dull senses, maybe? Not even its head in sight.
‘These things are probably one point a pop if I hunt 'em.’
Rohan decided to ignore the Iron Turtles here. Time and stamina said pass.
Plus, with Ichinose around, no point stabbing each one to death.
"Yup!"
He sheathed his blade and hopped onto the Iron Turtle like a stepping stone, moving out.
Ichinose followed with a faint smile at Rohan's childlike bounce—big guy, pure energy.
Rohan reached the supplies.
Listen close, and you could hear the Iron Turtle snoring beneath its shell.
Like a massive motor rumbling. Not play-acting bait—it was legit asleep.
Rohan touched the crate without hesitation.
"Spicy red!"
Red box, blazing red smoke.
He shoved aside the blue lid on top and peered in.
"···What the hell."
Items packed separately—crates stuffed to the gills.
He tossed the red smoke signal first.
Then his eyes locked on the crates.
A weapon on display. Rohan reached for it.
"Pistol?"
A pristine white handgun and a single loaded magazine.
Rohan fiddled with it, and Ichinose picked up the explanation seamlessly.
"Snowfall-75. Mass-produced automatic from Tigrova."
"Ooh, guns expert, huh?"
"I know the famous ones, yeah."
Rohan slammed in the magazine, flipped the pistol, and offered it butt-first.
"You want it? Can't channel mana into it anyway."
"Can't shoot either. Swords are all I handle."
"Hmm···."
Rohan eyed the pistol in his hand.
Wanted to keep it, but efficiency? Meh.
Classic white elephant.
"Looks like they meant for us to use it—better grab it? You never know."
"Yeah?"
Ichinose smiled quietly at his eager nod.
Rohan pocketed the pistol and cracked open the lower crates.
First up: two PET bottles of drinking water. He cracked one, sniffed, and passed it to Ichinose.
Next: two ramen packs, two tuna cans. Two plastic forks.
And a standard-issue military mess kit.
Ichinose eyed the mess kit with open curiosity—first time seeing one.
Meanwhile, Rohan looked grim.
‘That's it? Way too skimpy.’
He practically dove into the supply crate headfirst.
Scraped the bottom, peeled off plastic wrap.
Bricks laid flat for ballast.
"This all?"
"···Yeah, that's it."
Pathetic haul for the crate size.
Meant foraging tomorrow—and clashes when cadets swarmed.
‘They aiming for that?’
Hard to say for sure—Abyss City never stressed it.
But the test setup screamed plausible.
─ Grooo···.
The little ones' cries all around?
The massive Iron Turtle under the crate stirred.
Waking or mumbling in sleep—who knew. But Rohan and Ichinose's move was clear.
"Let's head back."
"Yeah."
Rohan hugged the ramen and water to his chest.
Ichinose crammed the forks, cans, and mess kit inside.
They bolted from the spot.
··
··
Back at their shelter from the night before.
Rohan stashed the goods in a corner, grabbed broad leaves, and dumped the fire's ashes outside.
Ichinose helped half-heartedly, then voiced her curiosity.
Skills, fighting style.
Tons to ask, but one question burned hottest right now.
"Rohan. How'd you know?"
"Know what?"
"That··· Ok Myeongjin cadet was gonna···."
"Confess?"
Ichinose nodded faintly.
Then voiced her doubt plainly.
"Never told anyone if he confessed. And he's not the type to blab about rejection."
"Just a hunch. Vibe screamed it."
"Hunch?"
"Kept rolling his eyes before the fight even started. You looked super uncomfortable."
"···."
Could a vague hunch nail it that precisely?
No real answer, so Ichinose pouted, lips jutting out.
Rohan shed his outer layer to prep the bed and switched gears.
"Ichinose. Starving? Eat now?"
"Nah. Water's holding me."
"Then rest up and keep watch. More drops or trouble could pop anytime."
"Sounds good."
They stepped out, gathered nearby firewood.
Mostly rain-soaked, but plenty burnable.
"Rohan."
"Yeah?"
"Sun's down—should we plan for night moves?"
"Fair point. Night drops aren't off the table."
He dumped the armful in the corner, brushed off his hands and clothes, and nodded.
"Eat later? Catch a quick nap on the way back."
"How do we time shifts without a clock?"
"Rough count on logs burned. Say twenty, then swap?"
"Ah···."
She nodded with a hum of understanding.
Rohan pointed to his outer layer spread on the ground.
"You first. Gotta make up for going rogue, right?"
"No way. You crashed yesterday? You go."
"Gotta build the fire."
"The fire···!"
Her lips clamped shut. No way she'd volunteer.
Fail at fire-starting and wake Rohan? Nightmare fuel.
"Fine. I'll build it, then we switch. Wake me, no mercy."
"Not too short?"
"Slept like a rock last night. I'm good."
To her, it rang hollow—pure bravado.
Truth was, the sticker had her drooping endlessly.
Hit the dirt, and she'd sleep the day away without a nudge.
"Got it. Fire up, then wake you. Crash now."
"···."
Ichinose watched him stack kindling, then headed to the corner.
Lay down on his spread clothes, just like yesterday.
And so.
How long had her eyes been shut?
An unexpected snag.
She couldn't sleep.
‘···Huh?’
Ichinose was genuinely stunned.
Thought she'd conk out the second she lay down. Instead, brutal insomnia gripped her.
She knew the culprit.
Bed way too uncomfortable—body kept tossing.
Sleeping rough stirred up complaints deep down.
The realization hit crystal clear.
‘···.’
Especially the pillow situation.
Rolled her own outer layer into one, but no dice.
Neck screaming already. Who knew she'd crave the dorm pillow this bad?
The question bubbled up naturally.
Mind stoically embraced the outdoors life, but her conglomerate-heir body rebelled honestly.
‘How'd I sleep so deep yesterday?’
On this setup?
Just fatigue levels?
‘No way.’
The sharp girl latched onto a prime suspect.
Cracked her eyes at Rohan lighting the fire. His firm thighs caught her gaze as he sat.
Embarrassing memory flushed her cheeks hot, but she knew: that was the ticket to real rest.
"Why aren't you sleeping? Hungry?"
Feeling the piercing stare, Rohan turned with a grin.
"···."
Ichinose ran through the calculations.
Efficiency first. Shame at looking childish to a classmate. Sharp humiliation amid the drowsiness.
Bothering her partner. Regret at ever knowing that comfort.
Bottomless deliberations.
The girl chewed her lip in hesitation.