I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 116: Confession is Not an Initiation, but a Finish

The disaster of the dimensional rift had passed.

However, Academy City Elysium quickly regained its vitality.

Peacekeepers were busy moving, and cleaners ran around with supplies, handling the monsters, but Rohan walked down the street with a mood that felt no different than usual, admiring the scene.

‘Everyone’s got strong mental fortitude.’

Of course, there were some shops that remained closed. Still, it felt like the citizens' resolve was unshakable. Compared to his previous life, it seemed that even ordinary people had a lot more guts.

The disaster had scattered ominous feelings about the future but left, yet the people seemed determined to hold their ground.

It was a satisfying world.

He wanted to protect it.

The real estate agent that Shion had been introduced to was no different.

Ten minutes before their scheduled meeting, they received confirmation, and Rohan’s group met the person connected by a high-ranking official from Tigrova.

Looking at the thick tail and dark spots near his eyes, he seemed to be a raccoon beastman.

He was short. His head was positioned just below Rohan’s waist, as if it had been compressed from above.

He greeted them with a warm impression, showing a knack for business, as if he was accustomed to looking up at people.

"Hello. I’m Matthew Blackburn, president of the Academy City Elysium Real Estate Association."

It was a rather grand-sounding title, considering how busy he seemed.

As soon as they met, Shion politely received the business card he offered with both hands.

"Thank you."

Unfortunately, Rohan and his group didn’t have any cards to exchange, so they greeted him instead.

·· ··

The raccoon real estate agent started leading them with waddling steps that matched his short legs and stout figure.

The first house they arrived at was beyond Rohan’s expectations.

Rohan didn’t know the budget Shion had set, but just looking at the house, his jaw dropped at the luxury of it.

"...There was such a house nearby?"

"Wow..."

Even though it was not far from the male dormitory, this was the first time he had seen it.

Clara couldn’t hide her admiration either.

The raccoon beastman took out a card key from his bag and continued with the explanation.

"The only drawback is that it doesn’t have a yard, but it does have a parking space. And as you mentioned, you’re looking for more additional features than just a large living space."

"That’s right."

It seemed Shion had already formed a clear image of what she wanted in a house.

"Excellent choice. It’s hard to erase the feeling of emptiness when it comes to spacious places."

"Is there anyone living here?"

"The person who owns this house has never actually lived here. It was designed as more of a vacation home."

"I see."

"Since Academy City has limits on the amount of land and buildings a family can own, the owner decided to sell it."

As the agent opened the door to let them in, Rohan’s group followed behind him.

"Wow...!"

It was comparable to Juyeon’s house, no less.

Though the living space wasn’t as large as Shion had expected, Rohan thought it felt like a plaza due to the absence of furniture.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

"As you emphasized, there’s an indoor shooting range, and there’s also a solid space for physical activity."

"An indoor shooting range...?" Rohan muttered, intrigued.

It was a nostalgic feeling.

Back in his previous life, during the peak of hunters, houses and apartments were designed with such features, and they appeared frequently on TV.

‘It didn’t last long, though.’

The problem with being a hunter was that it was a career where talent—something you were born with—dictated everything.

As a result, the hype quickly died down.

But this world was different.

While mana could be innate, it needed endless refinement, and the body, which was the vessel for that mana, required constant training to surpass its limits.

Having a place to train at home was undeniably an attractive condition.

"This was a key point the current owner emphasized during the design—each room has its own private bathroom, and there’s a separate bath area..."

The raccoon real estate agent continued his explanation, moving quickly and talking as if his mouth couldn’t catch up with his thoughts.

Rohan, while not hiding his curiosity about the house, couldn’t help but breathe a sigh as he watched the real estate agent openly discuss even the house’s shortcomings.

‘I have nothing to ask.’

Drawing from past experiences, he thought about things like the water supply, whether there was any noisy space nearby, and whether there was enough room for furniture. However, such small concerns weren’t necessary in this luxurious house.

Since it wasn’t rent but a purchase, he also considered the management fees, mortgages, and checking for illegal construction, but these things were very different from his past experiences.

A single call to the Academy City administrative center would give them a guarantee certificate and even an audio recording confirming that there were no issues with the property.

‘The great powers are managing everything together.’

The real estate agent might not feel it, but Rohan found it to be the right use of power.

The government system was simple and efficient, wasn’t it?

"Would you like to see the next house? It’s nearby."

"Sure. Let’s go."

The group visited several houses. However, it seemed Shion’s heart was already set on the first mansion.

Both Rohan and Clara agreed with her choice.

Finally, returning to the first house, Shion, after discussing with the group, carefully reconsidered her decision.

And then she made a conclusion.

"I’d like to move in as soon as possible."

"We’ll coordinate with a furniture and cleaning company to ensure you can move in by tomorrow afternoon. If you have a lot of belongings, I can arrange for a moving company."

"That’s fine."

The amount of stuff she had was minimal—just a couple of trips carrying things in both hands.

Rohan’s group moved to finalize the contract.

They worked with a lawyer provided by Academy City to complete the paperwork.

Now, no matter what anyone said, the mansion belonged to Shion.

***

Rohan, having shared a somewhat ambiguous meal neither for lunch nor dinner, bought a holster at the gun shop and reserved a scabbard at a specialty store before leaving. He promised to have a nice meal tomorrow for the housewarming.

Shion returned to Clara’s small room, still indebted to her for the last time. The room, which lacked both heating and cooling, would be said goodbye to tomorrow.

"Clara."

"Yes?"

"I have something important to talk about."

After finishing her cold shower, Shion came out wearing not the newly bought pajamas, but Rohan’s clothes, and sat on the floor of the room.

"What is it...?"

With an infinitely serious expression, Clara sat across from Shion, listening intently. Shion’s pointed ears, still tinged with the cold from the shower, began to turn red with warmth.

"Today... I realized my feelings."

"..."

Shion’s statement lacked a clear subject, but just by seeing her place her hand on her chest as if clutching her heart, Clara was certain of what she was trying to say.

"Clara, you must feel the same way about Rohan."

Clara froze at the blunt question.

"Ah, th-that...!"

There was no point in denying it. It would have been an outright lie that wouldn't be believed in the first place.

Avoiding Shion's gaze, Clara cautiously nodded. Admitting a one-sided crush in front of someone felt like something irreversible to the girl.

"What do you plan to do, Clara?"

"What do you mean...?"

Clara didn’t have a clear course of action. Confession was terrifying. If she were rejected, it would truly be the end, right?

"You realized today that you can’t keep settling for just this, right?"

"..."

Shion’s words pierced like a needle. Clara wholeheartedly agreed with her.

Just seeing the girl who had openly expressed her affection for Rohan and asked for his number made Clara feel an intense sense of urgency.

"Ughh..."

Seeing Clara shrink down, Shion gave a small smile, and then, without hesitation, moved to sit beside her and held her hand.

"Clara, do you have any idea what Rohan’s care for us, his attention toward us, means?"

"...No."

"Neither do I. That’s why it’s scary to express our feelings."

"But, but... Rohan is so popular..."

Clara’s voice, showing her impatience and urgency, was transparent.

Shion began to voice the thoughts she had organized during her shower.

"Clara."

"Yes..."

"I read something on the internet. Apparently, nowadays, a confession is considered a finish, not an initiation."

It was about making the relationship official when both people are certain of their feelings.

It’s far removed from an impulsive or sudden confession.

"!"

Clara’s eyes widened in surprise at the explanation.

This was a whole new perspective for Clara, who had only ever observed romance in anime and games.

"Literally, when Rohan shows us definite affection, we confirm the relationship through a confession."

"B-but, how can we know that he’s showing affection...?"

"That’s a valid question. And that’s why the path we need to take is simple. We need to understand Rohan first."

"Understand Rohan?"

"How does Rohan like his women? What are his preferences? What does he like to wear? The more we know about him, the better our chances of developing this relationship."

"His... preferences...?!"

Clara was startled, blushing deeply, but Shion remained utterly serious.

She had the demeanor of a commander planning a successful operation.

"Does Rohan even think about marriage? If he does, how many wives would he want? How many children?"

"Ah..."

Clara, taken aback by Shion’s directness, gasped. It felt like Shion was already thinking about marriage, not just romance.

"We still have a lot to learn about Rohan. We’re working toward becoming good colleagues and, as one of his women, being loved by him," Shion said firmly.

Clara hesitated, ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) biting her lip, processing the weight of Shion’s words.

"Sis... do you think someone like me could win Rohan’s heart...?"

With her pretty face, Clara still struggled with a lack of confidence.

But Shion understood. After all, she was feeling the same insecurities.

"Clara, I’m scared too."

"..."

"But are we going to sit back and give up? If you’re going to stay a passive observer from a distance, I won’t stop you."

"..."

"But if I succeed and am loved by Rohan, I’ll be able to watch it without regret."

Clara’s eyes shifted, first dimming, then brightening as various emotions passed through her.

Shion smiled with satisfaction.

Clara, now resolute, asked her question.

"Sis. Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Of course."

"Why are you helping and encouraging me like this...?"

Shion had no doubt that she too, like anyone else, had a desire to monopolize the person she loved.

However, Shion found the question so endearing and simply smiled silently before giving a clear answer.

"My dream is for Rohan and Clara to be together."

"...!"

"There’s no other reason."