I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 161: Pandora (1)

Noah occasionally got distracted by other things, her eyes and tail moving in all directions, but Ichinose, Shion, and Clara only had their eyes locked on Rohan.

Even as they moved, they never lost sight of Rohan's movements.

They all seemed to be heading toward a nearby café.

With the wide-open café, it made observing much easier. However, it was hard to feel purely happy about it.

‘This is painful.’

Rohan, laughing and casually making physical contact with a woman he had just met.

It felt like mental torture, and Noah didn’t want to watch anymore, but paradoxically, she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

For now, the girls had no choice but to watch.

“Shion unnie...”

At her younger sister’s pitiful voice, Shion silently moved her hand and tightly grasped Clara’s hand.

This wasn’t comfort. It was an act of supporting each other.

Shion, too, was struggling, and she had no room to offer comfort to the groaning Clara.

‘...Did Rohan really get introduced to that woman?’

Shion’s mind was in turmoil.

Was that woman approaching Rohan with the goal of getting closer to him, or was she genuinely interested, even if that was the case?

‘That woman... I don’t know.’

Unlike when Ichinose Yui had been introduced, Shion couldn’t calm herself and think about leading things in a positive direction later. This felt like a biological aversion. That person didn’t seem acceptable in such an odd way.

Something felt wrong.

“...”

The story about Rohan kissing Ichinose? That had already been rationalized in Shion and Clara’s minds.

The fact that, without that process, Rohan wouldn’t have come back alive, and that it wasn’t Rohan’s voluntary choice, was understood.

The kiss from Ichinose had only been an emergency measure, so it didn’t count. That truth allowed the girls a bit of breathing room.

But observing this live situation was different.

It felt like their hearts were being torn out.

Even so, they couldn’t make a scene and ruin the situation.

They didn’t want to see Rohan embarrassed or distressed because of them.

They didn’t want to cause harm to Rohan. It was better to die than be hated by him.

That feeling formed a firm collar, holding their ankles and preventing them from running away.

***

Perhaps it was because they were all individuals who wanted to make martial arts their life’s work or had already chosen that path, but even in casual conversations, the flow of topics naturally changed.

It inevitably headed in the same direction.

After a satisfying meal, they were on their way to the café.

Rohan was listening to Nicholas talk about his equipment.

“The shirt I’m wearing right now is made from Desert Shark monster leather mixed with aramid fibers.”

“Oh, I thought it was just a normal shirt from the outside.”

“Right? Want to feel it? The texture is actually pretty nice.”

Nicholas stretched his arms as if urging him to touch it.

Curious, Rohan didn’t refuse and reached out to feel the fabric. He ran his hands over it.

The sensation transmitted through his fingertips was unusual.

It was soft like luxurious silk, but with a firmness that felt like it wouldn’t tear easily.

“If you look closely, the chest and abdomen areas have slightly different colors. That’s because the monster leather is more concentrated in those areas.”

Was it designed to protect vital organs like the stomach?

When Rohan consciously touched those parts, they felt stiffer than the other areas.

“How much can it block?”

“It’s a bit difficult to give a definitive answer. But I’m pretty sure it would easily block bullets without magic. I’m not sure about larger calibers, though.”

“That’s still impressive.”

“The Desert Shark has a small amount of Abyss energy, so it will have some resistance against magical attacks. As for how well it works... well, I’ve never actually been hit while wearing it, so I don’t really know.”

This was knowledge Rohan had learned at Orion Academy, but it was also something he already knew.

Monsters above a certain level are protected by a barrier known as ‘Abyss.’

Not only are they tough, but they also have resistance to magic, which is why the leather from specific monsters is made into armor and traded at high prices.

Interestingly, parts used for attacks, like teeth or claws, have the opposite property and are used to create weapons.

Some of the finest weapons are made using high-grade monsters as materials.

“Rohan! Nicholas! Hurry up and place the order first!”

By now, Gilbert and his partner had entered the café and found their seats.

Realizing they had stopped walking while chatting, the two of them made their way inside.

While ordering and waiting for their coffee, the conversation about equipment continued.

“I understand that the Orion Academy uniform you have uses good materials. I heard the academy covers the cost of the materials, so they are supplied cheaply.”

“That’s what I heard too. I’ve certainly benefited from it a lot.”

Soon, two iced americanos were brought out.

Rohan took the drinks and made his way to the seat where Gilbert and his partner were waiting.

“After hearing about you from Gilbert, I looked it up and found out you’ve done quite an amazing thing. I saw an article online about you chasing down and annihilating a criminal organization.”

“Well, that just happened by chance...”

“Haha! You’re too modest.”

Nicholas laughed and took a sip of his drink, while Emily picked up the conversation.

“When the news spread, it was pretty noisy in our class. It came up again after this exam.”

“It might be a little late to ask now, but which instructor is your girlfriend assigned to?”

“I’m with Instructor Ed.”

“Ah.”

Rohan couldn’t help but remember the image of Instructor Ed wielding his axe and cutting through bullets.

“Rohan met our instructor during the bell-snatching exercise, right?”

“In the first place, it was Instructor Ed who was in charge of the placement exam.”

“Really?”

Instructor Ed was usually laid-back and seemed to be bothered by everything, but when it came to lessons, Emily assured Rohan that he was thorough.

She also °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° mentioned that he was extremely strict about managing weapons.

“Listening to your friends, I’m starting to wonder how it would have been if I had gone to the academy.”

“Nicholas, it would have been fun if you came.”

“Hahaha!!! But still, Emily and I think it’s amazing that you, Nicholas, have already established yourself in society.”

Gilbert’s words made Emily smile and nod vigorously.

“It’s impressive, but I just took over the family business...”

Hints of past stories and information drifted in.

Rohan quietly listened to their conversation, and when Emily’s drink was almost finished, his phone vibrated.

Zing! Zing!

When he checked, it was a promotional text.

The conversation was appropriately interrupted.

“Shall we get going?”

At Emily’s suggestion, everyone nodded and gathered their things.

Gilbert grabbed the tray to return the empty cups, and Rohan exchanged goodbyes with the remaining two.

“It was a great meal today. Thanks to you, I found a delicious place.”

“Since Gilbert paid, I shouldn’t be the one to thank you, but I’m glad you liked it. If we run into each other at the academy, I’ll introduce you to some of my classmates.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Rohan thought it was only appropriate to maintain a respectful distance from his friend’s girlfriend.

As he wrapped up the conversation, Nicholas conveyed his thoughts.

“Meeting you, Rohan, today has been a great inspiration. Next time, I’d like to exchange a few moves, even if briefly.”

“If there’s a chance, anytime is fine.”

They finished with a handshake.

The four of them left the café.

“Rohan! If you get some free time during the vacation, come to the Sepia Islands! I’ll give you the full course treatment!”

“Yeah, yeah. I don’t know what a full course is, but if I go, I’ll see it.”

After sending Gilbert’s group off to the elevator, Rohan turned to head to the escalator.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

A woman in high-heeled shoes passed by him, making a clicking sound as she walked.

She didn’t even glance in his direction. Normally, Rohan wouldn’t have cared either.

She was just another passerby.

However, Rohan felt a strange, prickling sensation in his head and briefly looked at her.

‘···.’

The woman had an impression as sharp as the pointed heel of her high heels.

But what caught Rohan’s attention wasn’t her appearance—it was the shadow she cast.

He had a gut feeling that something ominous lurked in the shadow of that woman.

‘What is this?’

It was definitely something Rohan had never seen before. He had never encountered it in Abyss City either.

But the sensation wasn’t unfamiliar.

‘It feels similar to that time...’

Back when a dimensional rift had opened in another shopping mall and Rohan had fallen with Ichinose.

He had sensed the ominous feeling hanging in the air before the rift took shape.

He had observed monsters swarming to come out, their red eyes gleaming from the other side of the space.

‘It’s ominous.’

For now, Rohan decided he shouldn’t focus on her any longer.

He forced his gaze to shift in the opposite direction.

However, the notification window wouldn’t allow him to turn away.

[You have encountered Pandora, the Betrayer of Humanity - Achievement unlocked.]