I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 121: From Anshimjeong

Noah's lunch invitation had already been approved by Ichinose.

Rohan didn't refuse.

Honestly, he was curious about what Noah wanted to offer.

The morning class started right after Rohan gave his approval.

Maybe because the exam had just ended, the class was lighter than usual, focusing on simple theory instead of the usual intense pace.

The lunch break was also longer than usual.

"So, what are we eating?"

Rohan stepped into the hallway and met Ichinose and Noah.

Before hearing their destination, he started walking toward the exit of the academy.

"Considering the afternoon class, we shouldn't eat anything too heavy, so how about a mushroom hotpot? There's a good place I know."

"Good choice of menu."

"Good choice?"

"It means it's great."

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

Just hearing the word hotpot made Rohan feel hungry.

He responded positively, confirming the place, and the three of them walked out of the academy, their pace slightly quickened.

"I'm going to add ribs, duck, and pajeon—what was the seasonal menu again...?"

Noah, already familiar with the place, licked his lips and started pointing out additional items on his fingers.

Suddenly, as though remembering something, he quickly turned his head towards Rohan.

"Right! When Clara and the elf friend are here next time, let's have Tigrova cuisine!"

"I'll pass it along."

Shion seemed like she would gladly accept an invitation to a meal with Noah.

But Clara... he wasn’t sure how she would feel about it.

They grabbed a taxi to head to their destination.

Rohan sat in the front passenger seat, while the two of them sat in the back.

During the ride, Rohan's phone suddenly buzzed!

[Rethe: Senior! Have a delicious lunch!]

[Clara: Oppa! It's lunchtime, right? Are you coming to my place now? ( > ⤚ <)]

"Hmm..."

Rohan replied that he was having lunch with his academy friends.

Though they hadn't made a promise, he instinctively added an apology to his message.

‘I’m sure they weren’t waiting for me, right? Next time, I’ll let them know as soon as I decide.’

Shion and Clara had both responded cheerfully, telling him to enjoy a delicious meal with his friends.

Only after Rohan promised to have dinner with them did he feel his step lighten.

***

"Wow..."

The place they arrived at was Anshimjeong.

Even when Rohan had heard the menu, the actual place reminded him of a high-end traditional restaurant.

A famous chef from Samhwa Country ran the restaurant, and Ichinose mentioned it was one of her favorite spots.

"Let's go in."

The staff, recognizing Ichinose and Noah, opened the door and politely guided them inside.

The restaurant consisted of several rooms, and the interiors of the rooms were clean and nice.

Unlike what Rohan had expected, the seating wasn’t traditional floor seating, which he appreciated.

"Looks like Noah’s sitting next to me today? Hehe, it’s been a while."

"Noah. Stop with the jokes."

As Rohan sat down, he thought about Shion and ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Clara.

The friends sitting nearby were also attracting attention, but the real difference lay in how the two of them weren't used to the public's gaze—unlike the attention they’d received in the mansion.

So if they were to dine out, this kind of place seemed perfect for them.

‘If the food’s good, maybe I’ll bring them next time. I wonder if this place lets anyone in?’

It didn’t seem like they had any restrictions on who could enter.

"I've already ordered the hotpot while we were on our way. It’ll take a little time, so feel free to order anything else you’d like."

Ichinose handed a square device on the table to Rohan.

It was the menu and ordering system.

"So this is how we order."

"That's right. It's very convenient."

"I've already ordered."

Rohan glanced at Noah's order, noticing that under the hotpot, there were plenty of meat dishes.

He returned to the menu and choked when he saw the prices.

‘It’s definitely expensive... The rare mushrooms are really pricey, though...’

The hotpot had some extraordinary mushrooms in it.

The mushrooms mentioned by Ichinose were unusually expensive, and if he had been working at the bookstore in the Flower Blossom shop, he never would have been able to afford this meal.

Rohan ordered a side of dumplings and returned the menu to its place.

"Ahem..."

Ichinose cleared her throat, drawing Rohan's attention.

And before the food came, she got to the main point.

"First, the meal is separate. I want to show my gratitude for what I mentioned before."

"I’ve prepared something too! Not as a beast, but as a beastman who knows gratitude!"

They both took out two small boxes.

They looked like little boxes that could hold accessories.

"My dad says there's nothing better to repay a man than this."

Noah confidently pushed the box towards Rohan.

"Can I open it here?"

"Of course."

Click! When Rohan opened the box, a golden bead sat inside.

The scent it gave off was so bitter it reminded him of herbal medicine.

That made Rohan's eyes widen.

"Wait... Is this... an elixir?"

"Yep. I used to take it when I was little. But it doesn't directly boost your magic right away; it improves how effectively you can grow your magical power. The name... what was it... Hwang... Hwang... something? Anyway, it's really good!"

"Since it’s so tempting, I won't refuse. Thanks."

Rohan expressed his gratitude and took the box from Noah.

Just coming to this place already felt like progress.

"Oh! And my dad says it’s really good for men's vitality!"

"...?"

Rohan was completely stunned.

So that’s what it meant when it said good for men.

It reminded him of the incident he had barely smoothed over recently, involving Seolho Grandmaster's approved vitality elixir.

Cough! Cough!

Ichinose, who had been drinking water, started coughing uncontrollably as if she choked on it.

Noah, as if expecting this, chuckled and slapped Ichinose’s back with a few hard pats.

"Noah... Seriously!"

"What? I’m just explaining the benefits of the elixir properly."

It was playful, but she wasn’t wrong.

Ichinose sighed, cleared her throat, and handed Rohan the box in front of her.

"Ahem... I also prepared an elixir with my father's help."

"Thanks. Can I open this one too?"

"Yes."

This box contained a red flower.

A cute flower bud without roots, just sitting inside the box, but it exuded fresh, vibrant life.

"The name of this flower is Yeonghwa-sim. It’s connected to both physical and magical power. It’s especially effective for those who deal with fire. To consume it, just eat the petals as they are."

"Wouldn't it be bad to take both elixirs at once?"

"It’s better to give your body some time to absorb and adjust. You should take the one Noah gave you first, and then wait a week before taking mine."

"The one I gave you, the Hwang... that’s fine to take right now! I ate it suddenly before having dinner too."

At that, Rohan immediately chewed and swallowed the elixir Noah gave him.

The moment he swallowed it, the elixir, which melted smoothly, moved inside him like strong liquor, leaving a warm trail.

The energy from the elixir didn’t go downward but spread throughout his entire body.

It seeped faintly into the magical power that enveloped his whole body.

"Ahh, that was good."

Rohan lowered his head as he sat, and the two of them chuckled softly.

"The meal hasn't even come yet."

Knock knock knock.

The staff politely knocked on the closed door.

Perhaps because of the tiger in the room, as soon as they spoke, the food arrived.

The mushroom hotpot exceeded expectations. It had premium beef in it as well.

Noah placed the dishes they ordered in the center for them to share, and there was more than enough food.

The three of them reminisced about the situation on the deserted island and speculated about the upcoming major changes in the academy’s curriculum while filling their stomachs.

‘How fascinating.’

In the midst of this, something caught Rohan’s attention.

Ichinose, even while eating, never opened her eyes.

And yet, she didn’t miss a single bite; it was impressive, considering she was refining and advancing her skill.

Noah, as if reading Rohan's gaze, wagged her tail and began sharing a past story involving Ichinose.

"Ichinose's sense of taste is incredibly sensitive. I once made ssam for her, and she could tell exactly what was inside it!"

"Anyone would know that. Noah, you put raw garlic and chili in the perilla leaves, right?"

"Hehe... And Ichinose could even tell what kind of meat it was, even when it was a tiny piece! I bet she could easily tell the different types of mushrooms here!"

Noah excitedly shared these little stories to smooth over the playful teasing.

It was clear that Ichinose's skill, Siman, developed through her habit of keeping her eyes closed, was the reason behind these abilities.

However, Rohan had to maintain his position, pretending he didn’t know about Ichinose's unique skill.

"Oh, is that possible too?"

"If you don't believe me, just try feeding her yourself. She’ll know right away!"

"No, Noah...!"

Rohan was surprised by the suggestion to feed her himself. Even though there were only the three of them in the room, it still felt like too bold of an action to do in public.

He couldn’t understand why Noah was being so mischievous today.

‘They really get along well.’

Rohan was content just watching the two of them play around.

In fact, the curiosity wasn’t about what Noah had said. He already knew about Ichinose's abilities.

It was simply...

He was just curious about how the items on the table would feel approaching him if Ichinose kept her eyes closed like that.

"Really... Noah keeps asking me to show it... O-okay, just once!"

"Huh?"

As Rohan lifted his head from his thoughts, he heard Ichinose’s embarrassed voice.

Ichinose, with a red face, was sitting there with her mouth slightly open, like a baby bird waiting for food.