I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

22 – The Princess of Ruins

“…Stop.”

Click!

Rohan stared at the princess, whose one pupil had turned into a heart shape.

It was both alluring and ominous.

‘Scary, scary.’

The magic condensed into the bullet along with the skill was unusual.

Still, it didn’t seem like she was about to pull the trigger immediately.

The princess just looked confused, and Rohan quickly checked around with the girl.

‘No comrades… Didn’t bring a sniper rifle? Or is it behind the wall?’

The fact that the princess didn’t have a main weapon in her hand was a relief.

Even if the worst situation happened, the possibility of returning safely increased dramatically with that one condition.

“Stop. Lower your gun and let’s talk.”

The noble atmosphere the girl exuded reminded him of Ichinose and Noah.

Rohan decided to match her with polite speech, feeling pleased.

“.”

When Rohan acted that way, the princess showed signs of conflict but did not lower her gun.

That attitude is correct.

Rohan expected this picture. No matter how he approached, he couldn’t help but arouse suspicion.

A human who suddenly appeared and informed her that he had a tracking device.

She thought he was the guest she had been waiting for, but he was trying to leave without any explanation? It would be impossible to determine if this was an act of goodwill.

‘If it were me, I’d pull out my gun first.’

Rohan nonchalantly picked up another macaron and recharged his sugar.

The silence was broken by the princess’s voice.

“Who are you?”

“First of all, I’m not an invited guest. The guys who were supposed to come won’t be coming.”

“You killed them.”

Rohan nodded coolly, affirming the princess’s guess.

Answered with a refreshed voice.

“Well, that’s how it turned out.”

“…This is not a matter to be brushed off with such light words.”

As the princess snapped, Rohan laughed as if he was amused.

The girl’s finger on the trigger trembled slightly.

“Anyway, let’s pretend we never met. I waited, but no one came… something like that?”

Rohan offered a box of macarons, suggesting she take one.

The princess glanced at it briefly before glaring fiercely at Rohan.

“Why should I?”

“It will be beneficial for you to learn unknown facts like just now.”

“…”

A reflexive action.

The princess fiddled with a tiny tracking device at Rohan’s words.

“…I don’t understand.”

“How did you know about that device?”

“Including everything.”

Rohan knows.

The princess’s mind must be spinning furiously with questions that have no answers.

“There must be many questions you are curious about but can’t find answers to.”

“!”

“The elves living in the Tigrova coniferous forest, what on earth have they gone through?”

The princess, with a fierce glint in her eyes, took a step closer to Rohan, her energy flaring up violently.

The muzzle of the gun was now at point-blank range.

“…Tell me everything you know.”

“I also need time to gather information.”

“So you’re asking to be let go unharmed?”

“Yes. I’m quite busy.”

“Incredibly shameless.”

“It’s a necessary part of survival.”

There was no intention of spoon-feeding the princess all the facts here.

Just as he had only revealed the existence of the tracking device, it was right to cut the information into small, digestible pieces.

“Are you saying I should let an unknown person go because of my greed?”

“I see no problem with it. There are elders who attach tracking devices to people and summon strange groups, aren’t there?”

“You even know about the elders…”

Rohan didn’t bother to answer that question.

He was merely giving a light jab at the princess, who, despite her rough demeanor, sometimes couldn’t hide her clumsiness.

“If it were me, I would have at least asked who the elder was.”

“….”

The princess had no shamelessness. She was not skilled in acting.

Therefore, she should not be overfed with information.

Unnecessary confusion only made the princess’s actions awkward and aroused the suspicions of the old elves.

‘Slowly.’

The conclusion they needed to reach was simple.

Rohan needed time and opportunity to kill those old men.

When that opportunity came, if the princess didn’t fire the bullet, Rohan would be enough.

“When I took care of those who called themselves guests, I didn’t mind going back.”

“So?”

“The fact that I came here voluntarily should tell you a lot.”

“.”

“Whether I live or die after pulling the trigger here, the time to satisfy your curiosity will never come.”

The princess closed her mouth at those words.

Rohan, confident that the girl wouldn’t pull the trigger, was chewing another macaron and contemplating whether to buy some mineral water.

Whooosh.

The stillness under the night sky was broken only by the sound of the wind.

The princess’s eyes returned to their original state.

The gun’s muzzle slowly pointed to the ground, and the concentrated magic dissipated.

“I’ll say it a second time. You’re shameless.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Hoo… fine. I’ll let you go.”

“Are you sure?”

Rohan’s appearance, asking back when he was finally being sent off, was also a ridiculous sight.

But it was the most important question at this moment.

Rohan stood still and watched what the princess had to say.

“Don’t be mistaken… My decisions and intentions do not require the elders’ permission.”

“Is that so.”

“If I want to do something, the elders will do it. If I don’t want to say something, it doesn’t matter if I don’t. All decision-making power lies with me.”

That wasn’t something said to Rohan.

It was a murmur to solidify her own will, a vow not to lose the last bit of her remaining status.

Rohan quietly nodded in agreement.

In fact, what she said was true. Originally, the elders were in a position where they had to obey the princess.

‘She knows that the situation is strange.’

That was enough. It was a satisfactory answer.

The princess must carry that spirit to the end.

Click.

The princess, who returned the pistol to its place, stared silently at Rohan.

Then she asked.

“Let me ask you one thing.”

“Yes.”

“What are you trying to do by providing me with this information?”

“Would you believe me if I said I was an ally trying to help?”

The princess shook her head slightly at Rohan’s story.

“No. I don’t believe in such convenient tales.”

“That’s how it is.”

“So, you think I won’t believe anything you say.”

Rohan did not reply.

In time, it would naturally become clear.

“Now, you’ll get a sense of how to use that tracker.”

“.”

The princess looked at the small device in her hand.

The fact that she hadn’t smashed it immediately upon discovery suggested she had some thoughts about it.

“Do you have paper and a pen?”

“Why do you ask?”

The princess, unusually, trailed off.

“I’ll give you a number to contact me.”

The princess didn’t have a smartphone. Only a radio connected to the elders.

So, to make a call, she would have to go to the city and use a public phone.

“Speaking of paper and pen, I happened to pick something up on the way here.”

“?”

Rohan blinked, wondering what she meant.

For the first time, the princess averted her gaze and opened a pocket on her vest.

Click! The button released, revealing the item.

Rohan’s eyes widened at the sight of it.

“Ahem…”

The princess hesitated as she pulled out a notepad and pen, adorned with a crying dragon and a goofy-looking shark.

Rohan recognized the characters.

“…I thought it might come in handy, and it seems I was lucky.”

She claimed she had picked it up, not bought it.

Despite her firm words, anyone could see that the pristine condition of the items indicated they were purchased by the princess.

Rohan took the notepad and pen, briefly examining the cover.

‘Isn’t this the one Ichinose likes?’

Rohan hadn’t known the princess had such tastes.

This kind of hidden detail would only be revealed if she were a playable character.

Suppressing his curiosity, Rohan opened the notepad, pretending not to care.

He noticed the princess had diligently taken notes here and there, but there was no mention of this item.

She had simply written down a number.

“As you know, I’m taking on a tremendous risk with this.”

“…”

Rohan said this, but he wasn’t giving the number thoughtlessly.

He considered the slim possibility that the princess might reveal it to the elders or that it could be discovered even if she didn’t say anything.

Causing a commotion in the academy city and drawing attention was something those old elves wanted to avoid at all costs.

The old elves, trapped within their fence of self-preservation, could only go as far as hiring people.

Within the academy city, there were plenty of ways to solve that problem, so Rohan handed over a notepad with a number written on it, jokingly.

“Anyway, it was nice meeting you. I’ve roughly noted down the times when you can call, so feel free to call even if it’s not about work.”

“What do you mean?”

“Whether you have worries, or you’re feeling down and want something sweet? I’m saying even trivial matters are fine.”

“Are you trying to extract information through casual conversation… That won’t work.”

Rohan laughed, telling the wary princess to take it lightly.

He hurried to prepare to leave.

‘I’ve done enough.’

What the current princess needed was an escape route to observe a bright future when her mind was pushed to the edge of a cliff, or something to help her endure the situation.

Rohan had scattered as many hints as he could within his limits.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Information gathering, huh.”

“That’s part of it, but… I also have to study and go to my part-time job.”

“Hmph, you have no intention of revealing anything about yourself.”

The princess’s distrustful eyes.

That was fine in its own way.