I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

13 – Spider Lily Bookstore

Lohan stopped chewing his jerky.

He stared at his smartphone.

[ Spider Lily Bookstore – Hiring part-time staff for weekdays/weekends. ]

His eyes were drawn to the photo included in the post.

A small bookstore located in an alley away from the bustling commercial district.

Compared to the large bookstores and bookshops run by corporations in the academy city, its modesty stands out.

The address is in Area 2.

A photo of a familiar scene not far from Orion Academy.

Everything gives him the certainty that it is the store from his memories.

Hmm…

He moved his jaw again to chew the jerky.

The salty taste in his mouth slightly calms his excitement and helps him regain his composure.

It’s worth a shot.

The Spider Lily Bookstore that Lohan found in the job listings.

It may be an obscure little store in the academy city of Elysium, but to the users of Abyss City, it is a familiar and beloved name.

Because it is part of the part-time job system within the game.

What part-time jobs mean in Abyss City is simple.

Working part-time at a certain shop located within the academy city and interacting with the characters who visit.

It also serves to increase favorability and is related to various achievements.

There is a probability that special quests may occur.

“There were quite a few complaints because there were so many special quests that only occurred during part-time jobs.”

Contrary to those users, Rohan particularly liked this part of the game.

Just watching the tranquil daily life made him feel mentally relaxed.

“Should I look for another shop?”

A thought of uncertainty.

Rohan continued searching, recalling the names of shops associated with the part-time system other than the Spider Lily Bookstore.

But there were no shops looking for employees other than the Spider Lily Bookstore.

The job posting for the Spider Lily Bookstore was the only one among hundreds of postings that piled up in an instant.

It felt like fate to come across that job posting.

“Alright. Let’s give it a try.”

Rohan began to write his resume on the app without hesitation.

The minimum hourly wage didn’t even catch his eye.

After lunch break, afternoon classes.

Class 1 gathered in the gymnasium where they had taken the practical exam under the guidance of the main character.

In the gymnasium, there was a huge iron cage that no one knew when it had been prepared.

Inside, there were monsters with eyeballs the size of human heads and wings the size of fists.

The sight was bizarre enough to make some cadets frown.

“This is an F-grade monster called Gero Ai, collected by the Elysium Security Agency and provided as teaching material. It’s a creature you often encounter in urban areas.”

With that explanation, Joo-yeon grabbed the iron cage and shook it vigorously.

The monsters, suppressed by her energy, woke up and started to squirm.

Gerok! Gerorok!

Geruruk! Geruuk!

Despite having no mouths, they emitted cries. They flew around frantically inside the cage.

“Today, each of you will catch one of these.”

For those with the skills to enter Orion Academy, it was an act so easy it could make them yawn.

Yet, there was a cadet who showed reluctance. Joo-yeon knew what that expression meant.

“I’ll explain the characteristics of Gero Ai later. First, let me explain why we’re conducting this class.”

Joo-yeon released her grip on the cage and stood in front of the cadets.

She scanned the cadets, who were bewildered by the lesson content.

“I don’t know when each of you started preparing to enter the academy. However, as your instructor, it is my responsibility to maximize the combat capabilities of Class 1 and train you into suitable warriors.”

“.”

“Even though Orion Academy was established with that purpose, many cadets who passed the entrance exam have never faced a real monster.”

They grew up following an elite course without any lack, but less than half of them had experienced life-and-death combat.

They had swung their weapons countless times to enter Orion Academy.

But they had never extinguished the flame of life.

“I am not trying to blame anyone for that. But remember that taking the test voluntarily and stepping into this academy is like declaring your intention to continue your life through force.”

A gulping sound was heard from behind Rohan.

The timid swallowing was presumed to be from Wikitree.

“After graduating from Orion Academy, each person’s career path will be different.”

Juyeon unfolded the documents tucked under her arm and quickly skimmed through the evaluation sheets still enclosed.

“Cadets who graduated from the Flight School of the Sepia Archipelago will receive extra points for joining the Celestial Knights as officers… Cadets who graduated from the Martial Arts Academy of Samhwa and entered the academy can aim to become generals of Samhwa.”

“…”

There was no need to add the word ‘but’.

Juyeon’s fierce gaze conveyed the contradictory truth to the previous sentence with fervor.

“Each person’s position and rank are different. However, the fact that what they do is not significantly different is something everyone knows.”

Juyeon’s voice continued to pierce their ears clearly.

“In order to survive, in order to protect what is precious, we must not hesitate to take the lives of monsters and heinous criminals.”

Juyeon moved her steps forward to the iron bars. Her red hair fluttered like flames.

The sound of her shoes echoed through the gymnasium.

“However, do not become indifferent to losing comrades. Even if it seems shameless, that is how one lives on the battlefield.”

“…”

“Did you understand the instructor’s unreasonable values?”

“Yes!”

Creak! The iron bars opened.

The monsters were frozen inside the iron bars, unable to move under the pressure exuded by Juyeon.

It’s hard to believe the picture when you think about the frantic movements of the Gero child encountered in the wild.

“The Gero child is an F-class monster. According to the standards written in the manual, it can be sufficiently countered if there is a weapon, based on an average adult male. That’s what it is.”

Gek, Gerok!

A Gero child caught by the wings in Juyeon’s hand began to struggle.

“If you meet the gaze of the eye as big as a head here, it causes dizziness and vomiting. That’s all.”

In fact, it is a weak monster.

For those with a certain level of magical power, it doesn’t even give the effect of dizziness.

“But if we see this monster, we must not leave it alone.”

The problem is ordinary people. In urban areas, it is a particularly fatal monster for drivers.

There have been quite a few incidents where a Gero child sitting on a traffic light caused dizziness and caused major traffic accidents.

“The weakness is the whole body. You can hit it anywhere. The shell covering the eyeball is not hard, so it won’t be difficult to kill it even without using magic.”

The situation where information about the monster and explanations about future actions were delivered.

Now it was obvious what to do.

“There are exactly as many Gero children in this iron cage as there are cadets in Class 1. This time, it ends with hunting one each.”

Rohan liked Juyeon’s teaching method very much.

A monster with a lower mental hurdle than killing a human.

Even so, it is a class that can give considerable stress to cadets who have no experience in killing, and it is an essential class.

“Each of you, take one of the weapons hanging on the wall that you like.”

Rohan jumped up and grabbed a longsword and sat down.

Noah, as in the placement test, was bare-handed. Ichinose also took a sword, as in the placement test.

“I will start with the cadet in the front row.”

Thus began the class.

Ichinose unhesitatingly carved the Gero Ai with his sword.

Noah grabbed the Gero Ai with a smiling face.

Then, he froze it solid and shattered it with sheer grip strength.

“Monster… Rest in peace!!!”

Gilbert swung his blunt weapon with a distinctive roar.

Dick Wicket, who had no experience in killing, trembled as he held his glasses and spear, and was pushed to the last turn.

Rohan was simple.

He just struck down with his longsword, cleanly splitting it in half. He had no aversion to killing monsters.

Rather, what he harbored was anticipation.

[You have achieved the Novice Hunter achievement.]

[You have received 10P as an achievement reward.]

The first achievement you accomplish when you start hunting monsters.

It was the reward he had expected.

In addition, there was one more reward that Rohan had not anticipated.

[ +1P ]

*

An abandoned building with no electricity.

Inside, there were people sitting around a round table.

“Yard Pound brothers. Have we lost contact with them?”

“This is why I suggested using more expensive ones.”

“We’ve been satisfied with them so far. They were bound to run out eventually.”

Their voices were like scraping dry throats, indistinguishable from one another.

The figures sitting around the round table were old men of indeterminate age.

The only distinguishing feature was their pointed ears.

Their lavish attire contrasted sharply with the dusty building.

“Tsk, do we need to find another puppet?”

An old elf with wrinkled skin muttered.

The elf next to him moved his parched lips.

“That’s not a problem. As you all know, the real issue is to keep our mouths shut so that the princess doesn’t hear about this.”

“Huh, it’s truly frustrating…”

“Indeed. The princess still can’t accept this part of reality.”

Voices expressed frustration over when the princess would face reality.

As the idle chatter dragged on, the old man with the most ornate staff tapped the floor, drawing their attention.

Then he declared.

“There is no need to rush.”

“.”

“To reclaim the glory stolen by the Great Tiger Emperor, minor sacrifices are inevitable. The princess will soon accept this truth.”

They told the princess this every day.

The elf of noble lineage has the duty to revive the fallen elves.