hotmtlnovel Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Returning to the dormitory, Rohan finished his shower and stuffed his clothes into the laundry basket.
He lay down on his bed and accessed the shop.
< Shop ─ Lv.1 >
◇ Random Skill Book - 500P (one-time purchase)
◇ High-Protein Jerky - 3P
◇ Cloud Bread - 2P
◇ Coral Jelly - 2P
◇ Energy Drink - 2P
◇ Bottled Water - 2P
··
··
[ Remaining Points - 722P ]
Just looking at the hefty point balance was reassuring.
Even after deducting 3P for jerky, he had managed to accumulate this many points.
"Plenty!"
The 50P earned from encountering Instructor Jooyeon and the 300P from completing the quest had added up nicely.
Rohan already knew what he was going to buy.
"The Random Skill Book, obviously."
No matter what anyone said, this was an absolute choice.
Still, there was one nagging question he couldn’t solve before—or even after—the purchase.
"..."
Rohan stared intently at the words Random Skill Book and began to ponder.
"Does it only give me skills I can actually learn?"
How far did the randomness extend?
Would the skill book appear in the form of an actual book? Or would he learn the skill the moment he purchased it?
It was impossible to predict. Rohan had no way of knowing how the shop’s skill acquisition system operated.
In the worst-case scenario, he could draw a skill book with an entirely incompatible attribute, rendering it unusable and wasting his points.
"I need to draw something physical or fire-based..."@@@@
Moments like these made attributes feel particularly restrictive.
Just because he had a physical attribute didn’t mean he could unleash shockwaves, and having a fire attribute didn’t mean he could produce flames from his body.
Perhaps those things would be possible at higher levels, but for now, his attributes only mattered when learning specific skills.
"Time to trust my luck."
Before his doubts could deepen further, Rohan reached out.
There was no choice but to buy it anyway.
[ You have purchased the Random Skill Book. ]
As his points were deducted, the space around him shimmered.
The moment Rohan reached for it, recalling the experience of buying jerky, something changed in the shop system.
[ Updating the shop inventory. ]
[ You can still purchase existing items during the update. ]
[ Estimated time to complete update ─ 46:01:56 ]
The absurdly long update time reminded him of the notification he’d seen during the placement exam.
Was it because he’d purchased all the one-time items, triggering a rearrangement?
While considering this theory, something unexpected happened.
"!?"
The skill seeped deeply into his consciousness.
It was as vivid as a sharp image.
[ Scorching Blade (灼熱刃) ─ Grade: D ]
◇ Heats the blade using magic power.
"Huh?"
As he absorbed the skill, Rohan blinked. His feelings weren’t those of clear disappointment or joy.
Instead, they resembled a hazy sense of doubt.
"Whose skill is this?"
Rohan prided himself on knowing all the skills that could be learned in Abyss City.
Even for characters he hadn’t trained, he was familiar with their skill sets.
But this skill was entirely unfamiliar.
Although a D-grade skill wasn’t particularly remarkable, the existence of a skill he didn’t recognize left him stunned.
"What in the world..."
Once again, Rohan pondered how far the randomness of the shop extended.
He came up with one likely hypothesis.
"Does it include skills used by enemies or NPCs, not just playable characters?"
Leaping out of bed, Rohan grabbed a blade from the table—a knife he had taken as loot.
Rohan entered softly, bowing his head respectfully.
“I’m sorry for disturbing you when you’re busy.”
“No need for such formality. Take a seat.”
“Excuse me.”
Before starting the counseling session, Jooyeon checked the time one last time.
There was still enough time before the morning assembly, much to her relief.
“So, what brings you to request a meeting?”
Jooyeon looked Rohan directly in the eyes as she asked.
Rohan wasted no time in getting to the point.
“I’d like to request permission to take a part-time job.”
“A part-time job?”
“Yes. I haven’t found one yet, but I understand I need approval before looking.”
Jooyeon nodded. It was indeed stated in the academy’s guidelines.
Still, it was rare for Orion Academy cadets to work part-time.
“A part-time job... is it for living expenses?”
“Yes. I need funds for living expenses and to purchase at least a basic weapon.”
Jooyeon couldn’t help but feel a bitter taste in her mouth whenever she witnessed the dark cycles of society through moments like this.
The stiff speech, unbecoming of a freshman cadet, added to her discomfort. It was the tone of someone already too familiar with structured systems.
‘...’
Most Orion Academy cadets enjoyed financial freedom.
They didn’t have to worry about basic needs, which often allowed them to enroll in the academy in the first place.
It was an elite course, paved from a young age.
The cadets were overwhelmingly skilled compared to their peers, thanks to systematic training and efficient use of time.
Which meant...
‘A vicious cycle.’
Jooyeon understood.
Rohan would have to dedicate time to part-time work, while other cadets could fully focus on training without such burdens.
Scholarships were no different.
Cadets who efficiently used their time had a higher chance of achieving excellent results.
But for Rohan, who struggled with theoretical subjects, securing a scholarship seemed out of reach for now.
“I see. Have you thought about what kind of part-time job you’ll do?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I plan to see what’s available first.”
To Jooyeon, Rohan’s words suggested he wasn’t in a position to be picky about jobs.
“As you probably know, illegal work is strictly forbidden.”
“Understood!”
Jooyeon felt a pang of guilt and frustration over having to end with such a formal warning.
But Rohan’s straightforward response brought a faint smile to her face.
‘He’s admirable.’
He had the skills to gain admission to Orion Academy but hadn’t turned to survival crimes.
He had come this far despite a harsh environment.
It was commendable.
The only regret was that fairness issues prevented her from offering direct support.
“When you’ve decided on a job, send me the details in a message. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Thank you.”
Jooyeon rose from her seat as she watched Rohan’s face brighten at her approval.
She instinctively reached out and gently ruffled his hair, as if comforting him.
“...Hang in there.”
With the morning assembly approaching, Jooyeon took the lead toward the classroom.
Rohan followed, puzzled by the soft gesture.
‘Is this what she’s like?’