I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

Chapter 49

"Ughhh..."

In the early hours of the morning, the time when he would typically head to the training room, Rohan woke up right on schedule. Such was the terrifying precision of muscle memory.

But he didn’t get up. He didn’t even open his eyes.

‘Right, I slept at the Instructor’s house.’

The room was pitch black, with not a single ray of light piercing through the blackout curtains.

The surprisingly comfortable bedding, the sweet scent lingering on the sheets, and the warm air—all of it contrasted sharply with the tight bandages and the stinging pain of his wounds that seemed to relish this opportunity to make themselves known.

The differences from his usual dorm room brought the situation back into sharp clarity.

‘Can’t go for a morning workout anyway... might as well sleep a bit longer.’

The fact that it was Sunday helped him loosen up mentally.

Without opening his eyes, Rohan reached down to adjust the disheveled blanket, hoping to make himself more comfortable.

“?”

His hand brushed against something thin and warm.@@@@

As his fingers explored further, his groggy mind began to form a guess about what it was.

The warmth, oddly contrasted with a chilling sensation that ran down his spine, sent an icy realization slicing through his drowsy thoughts.

"Starting the morning by grabbing your instructor's hand, Cadet Rohan? Quite the habit you have."

"!?!"

Juyeon’s voice sliced through the darkness, making his heart jolt.

He instinctively tried to sit up in shock.

"Stay down. I was only joking."

With a flick of her finger, Juyeon pressed against his forehead, guiding him firmly back onto the pillow.

In this position, it seemed like the only part of Rohan he could freely move was his mouth.

“Ahem...! Good morning, Instructor.”

It had been who knows how long since he’d last exchanged morning greetings.

Juyeon blinked briefly in the darkness before a faint smile formed on her lips.

"I’d return the greeting, but it’s still early. For the sake of recovery, get some more rest."

“...”

Juyeon pulled the fallen blanket up to his neck, tucking it in snugly.

"Don’t mind me. I just came to check on your condition."

"Thank you for looking after me. It’s been... so long since I’ve slept this well. All thanks to you, Instructor."

Even fresh from sleep, he seemed to have a silver tongue.

Juyeon chuckled softly, recalling the mutterings Rohan had made during his sleep earlier. She hesitated before asking cautiously.

"You weren’t so nervous about being in my house that you had nightmares, were you?"

"I usually don’t remember my dreams after waking up."

Rohan was one of those people—he only retained a vague sense of drifting through a dream.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Hearing this seemed to reassure Juyeon. She rose from the bed and began to walk away, her footsteps soft against the floor.

"You haven’t had enough sleep yet, so rest. I’ll accept your morning greeting later."

Before Rohan could reply, the door closed quietly behind her.

Rohan followed Juyeon’s advice and went back to sleep.

If he wanted to shake off his reputation as a troublemaker, he figured the best way was to do as instructed. Obedience had its merits.

When he woke for the second time, Rohan opened his status window to check his condition and rewards.

『Name: Rohan

Health: 97%Mana: 99%Affiliation (Nation): Echoes of the Southern Ruins (殘鄕)Affiliation (Organization): Orion AcademyAttributes: [Physical] [Fire]Status: ─Remaining Points: 3,796P**

‘Hmm, no status ailments. My body seems fine.’

"One more thing needs to be confirmed."

"What is it?"

"The Security Bureau plans to announce the dismantling of the gang publicly. They want to include your real name as a cadet of Orion Academy. Would you be okay with that? If you prefer, they can omit your name and just mention the Academy."

"I think it would be better to include my full name."

At Rohan’s immediate response, Juyeon turned around in the kitchen, her expression showing rare surprise.

"That’s an unexpected decision. Why?"

"I believe it’s something I’ll need for the future."

Under normal circumstances, Rohan might have chosen to remain anonymous, just as Juyeon had expected.

However, for the business plan he was working on with Clara, even a small amount of fame could be a significant advantage. This was a rare opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted.

"The future, huh... So, it’s not just about the Bureau."

"Correct."

Juyeon nodded, accepting his firm tone.

With Rohan, she trusted that he would handle things well without needing a lengthy explanation.

"Alright, I’ll pass that along. Your class will likely be buzzing on Monday. A good example to set, I suppose."

She placed a bowl of brown rice and soup in front of Rohan, along with grilled fish.

‘This is luxury at its finest!’

Rohan cleaned his plate twice over.

Before leaving, he tried to bow deeply in gratitude, but Juyeon stopped him, much to his disappointment.

***

"Manager, see you on Monday!"

— Alright. Take care!

After confirming the call had ended, Rohan exhaled and smiled.

When he’d asked the bookstore manager if he could take the day off, they’d agreed without even hearing the reason.

Apparently, the manager had plans to take their grandson out for the afternoon and was happy to leave early.

After the conversation, which lasted seven minutes thanks to Rohan explaining his injuries briefly, the call ended.

‘They said I can remove the bandages and shower tonight.’

Whatever medicine the Security Bureau had used, it was exceptional.

His wounds itched slightly, a sure sign of rapid healing.

[Clara: So, I won’t get to see you today? You’re staying at the dorm? (◕(◕)]

[Juyeon Instructor: If the Bureau calls, report to me immediately.]

Rohan sent and received messages while heading back to the dorm. His fingers flew across the screen.

Buzz-buzz!

Suddenly, his phone began to ring.

"Huh?"

The number wasn’t saved in his contacts.

Still, calls from unknown numbers weren’t uncommon. Juyeon had mentioned the Bureau might call, but there was also another possibility.

"Hello, this is Rohan."

— ...

There was silence. A faint sound of breathing came through the line.

— ...

The stillness dragged on, the breathing growing heavier.

A name came to Rohan’s mind. He spoke it aloud.

"Shion?"

The main storyline’s next trigger hadn’t even appeared yet.

But the moment he said the name, a chilling intuition hit him.

Something was about to begin.