I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 117: Baby-nose Has a Complicated Mind

"Ugh...!"

Rohan got up from the bed and instinctively followed his usual routine of light stretching.

His eyes were still half-closed, having just woken up, but his body moved on its own.

A smooth and satisfying start to the day.

After sending off Shion and Clara yesterday, Rohan had stayed up all night, trying to master his third sword technique.

There hadn’t been any notable progress, just a rough handle on the posture.

But that was to be expected. He didn’t feel any frustration at not achieving it in a single night.

‘Should I head to the training room?’

With a dazed mind, he mechanically continued his preparations.

Even though it was a new day, nothing had changed. The start of every day began with training to make his life as tough as a whale’s tendon.

Despite the repetitive nature of the days, there was no sense of monotony.

Only the excitement of wondering if he could take another step forward.

‘The restricted footage... I'll watch it after my workout.’

If there was any time to be alone, now would be the perfect moment.

He drank a nutrient-rich drink in large gulps while checking his phone.

[Lethe: I just got back to Sepia Island with my friends on the midnight train!]

[Lethe: I’ll rest for a bit and start training soon! You should hang in there too, Senpai!]

[Lethe: Oh! Senpai, have you ever tried card fortune-telling?]

The busy messages gave him a sense of fresh energy.

What ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) an interesting girl. It was the first time he had encountered someone so openly declaring herself as a "junior."

He replied to her and then scrolled through the messages.

[Shion: I’ll head to the public office to finalize Clara’s housing once it opens. Afterward, I’ll get furniture and contact you.]

[Clara: Heart pounding (,,• ֊ •,,)♡ Oppa! Let me know when you wake up!]

A smile naturally spread across Rohan’s face.

He quickly typed away.

He had to remind both of them to call immediately if anything happened.

And the last message.

[Juyeon: I spoke with both of them and heard the situation. Good job. I’ll call you when I have time.]

It was clearly Ichinose and Noah.

Rohan placed the empty glass bottle on the table and grabbed his bag.

‘Still, it’s a bit early to call right now.’

They must have been very busy yesterday. Plus, Academy City was still in a state of chaos from the events on the deserted island.

It seemed like the right time would be later on the way back.

Rohan put on his sneakers and left the dormitory.

It felt like it had been quite a while since he’d done something like this. He was in a good mood and his condition was excellent.

Arriving at the academy’s training room, Rohan looked around.

He spotted Ichinose, stretching in front of a large mirror among a few cadets.

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‘I thought I’d be the first one here.’

She was quite diligent. What time did she come out?

He threw his bag aside and, as he stretched, naturally started a conversation with Ichinose.

"You’re early."

"Ah... I just got here too. You’re early as well, Rohan."

"Hmm?"

"Why?"

Rohan turned his head to look at Ichinose through the glass panel.

He began to observe her directly, and for the first time, noticed some differences compared to the usual training room sessions.

It was a very subtle change.

Perhaps she hadn’t slept well, as there was a faint tired look in her eyes.

Her usually shiny hair also had a bit of frizz in places.

"Ichinose. You look tired?"

"Do I? I’m fine."

"Could it be the exhaustion from the deserted island?"

"...No way."

Though she denied it, Ichinose closed her eyes and pursed her lips.

Her response was so cute that Rohan almost wanted to call her "Baby Ichinose," but he kept quiet, glancing at the other cadets who were training nearby.

"Since the exams are over, you should take it easy on the studying. Training is important, but you don’t have to push yourself so much."

"I was planning to rest in the dorm after training today."

"Good idea."

"Noah will come by, so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to rest quietly though."

Rohan couldn’t help but grin just from imagining it.

As their warm-up ended, they both moved on to running.

As they moved their legs on the machines, Ichinose, who had been quiet, spoke up first.

"How about you, Rohan?"

"Huh? My body? I’m fine."

"Not just your body... uhm... you had a good encounter at the mall, right?"

"Oh! Lethe?"

The name came out of Rohan’s mouth casually, but it left a strong impression on Ichinose’s mind.

"She said she wants to enter Orion Academy next year. If she gets in, she’ll be a good junior."

"Isn’t that a bit presumptuous? What about Lethe’s feelings?"

The conversation in the middle of their workout seemed to stretch longer than usual, but Rohan didn’t mind and continued talking as they ran.

"It was just an opportunity. I’m hopeful that it could turn into something good."

"Mm."

"Well, we might keep in touch and end up with a good relationship. Or, we might not get along at some critical point and become worse than strangers."

"...So, you’re considering it positively?"

"It’s hard to decide yet, but asking for a number is a courageous move, right? I was impressed. Anyone who reacts negatively to that is out of line."

"..."

Ichinose stayed silent with a serious expression and began to increase her speed, as if ready to fully start moving.

Rohan also sped up, his legs moving faster and faster.

Whether it was thanks to his transcendence, the elixir from the Monolith, or just the effects of training, his stamina had definitely increased compared to before.

***

Rohan used the shower facilities in the training room.

However, Ichinose had a habit of returning to the dormitory to wash up.

There wasn’t any particular reason for this. It was simply because there were no prying eyes in the dormitory.

"Hoo..."

Ichinose let the pouring hot water wash over her leisurely.

Today, she had the luxury of time.

She replayed the simple sparring session with Rohan, where they had practiced with wooden swords.

‘What kind of thrust was that?’

Rohan had shown her a sword technique, asking for some constructive feedback, claiming he was practicing something new.

The sensation of blocking the attack had felt strange, but intriguing.

However, to truly feel the intricacies of the technique, Rohan’s lack of proficiency in swordsmanship had been apparent.

It was because of this that Ichinose understood Rohan’s frequent complaint about the chaotic state of his swordsmanship.

When faced with such a situation, the only solution was to try over and over again until it became second nature.

There was no other way. Rohan knew this well, too.

‘On the surface, it looks like a simple thrust, but if we look at the difficulty of using mana, it’s probably similar to some of the sword techniques from the "Dream Cut Shadow Style" (몽幻斬影流).’

What kind of technique could that be? What would it look like once it’s fully mastered?

The thought intrigued her.

A sense of excitement mixed with tension began to rise. Rohan was growing stronger, almost like he was preparing to take a leap.

‘At this rate, it won’t be long before I’m unable to win easily in a spar with him. The fact that he can swing his sword even with his posture falling apart is intimidating.’

It was likely based on a core of physical toughness and a strong lower body, not just magic.

Moreover, even with one hand, his strength was enough to cleave through bones effortlessly.

Even if Ichinose had won the spar today, if she were to face Rohan in an actual combat scenario, she couldn’t guarantee a victory.

The rules and flow of the sparring had put constraints on Rohan.

Rohan was the kind of person who showed his real strength when he wielded a real sword, intending to kill.

She finished reflecting on the spar and, with that, wrapped up her shower.

"Hoo..."

She wiped her hair with the towel and brushed off the droplets of water sitting on her pale skin.

At the same time, she reflected on the second matter at hand.

‘I was planning to ask about the house...’

Asking about the girl named Lethe had already crossed the line in Ichinose’s mind.

Meanwhile, Ichinose opened her eyes and looked into the mirror.

In the midst of her emotions, she had now noticed something about herself that stood out.

‘...Why?’

Why was she so curious about Rohan’s personal life?

Was Ichinose, the heir to Tianwaitian, so interested in other people's personal matters?

It was a curious thought.

Could it be that she felt something for Rohan, this man who had barely been in her life for a month or two?

"Is this even... possible...!"

Her voice, which should have remained inside her, spilled out uncontrollably.

Ichinose quickly covered her mouth and finished drying herself off, flushing with embarrassment.

"..."

Of course, Rohan was a man capable of making delicious dishes that would satisfy even her refined tastes.

He owned a pillow that was perfect for sleep, and had the kind of selflessness and sacrifice one would only expect from a character in a fairytale. He had saved her several times, too.

He possessed an admirable humility, never boasting about his good deeds, and had great potential without any hint of arrogance.

But...!

Ichinose slapped her cheeks lightly to clear her thoughts.

She shouldn’t dig deeper into these thoughts.

It would only make her lose sleep.

‘I keep calling him "Baby Ichinose" and making these embarrassing thoughts...!’

Clearly, her mind had become a mess from the strange teasing from Noah, something she had never experienced in her life.

***

Returning to the dormitory, Rohan finished his call with Juyeon.

He returned to his room and lay down on the bed.

‘Shion and Clara are at the public office.’

It was perfect timing.

Rohan adjusted his pillow and comfortably lay back, closing his eyes.

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