I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 137: Meeting the Parents (Not Really, Too Many Attendees)

Rohan had no time to properly examine his achievements or tally the quest rewards.

Right after ending the call, various people began to gather in front of the Orion Academy dormitory.

Rohan, with his forearm and side torn, handed Ichinose a coat to cover up before heading outside the dormitory. As soon as they stepped out, familiar faces appeared.

"Oh, brother? Are you okay...?"

"Rohan... your injuries..."

Shion and Clara approached Rohan with tearful faces as soon as they saw him. When Rohan lifted his blood-stained and torn clothes to show that he had no injuries, they rushed into his arms, relieved.

Ichinose, seeing the two embrace Rohan so freely, moved with heavy steps.

"Father... Mother..."

In the midst of the chaos, Ichinose faced her parents who had rushed to the academy city. Her father, Ichinose Jun, placed his hand on his daughter's head with a calm expression.

"It's good you're safe."

With just those words, the worry faded from Baby-nose's face, brightening her expression. Ichinose Momo, her mother and wife, knew her husband's blunt and awkward expressions were his way of showing care, and she watched fondly from a step behind.

"Uaaah! Noseee!!!"

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Noah, filled with concern, charged in for a hug. Unusually, Ichinose did not avoid his embrace.

In such a situation, Juyeon found herself without a place to easily fit in. Mixed among the security officers, she simply smiled at the safe return of the two cadets, even though her breath held complex emotions. The security officers felt similarly; it wasn't the time to ask them to accompany them to the Security Bureau for questioning.

Thus, as Noah finally let go of Ichinose, Momo, who had been waiting her turn, stepped forward with elegant strides and embraced her daughter gently. Ichinose closed her eyes and comfortably leaned into her mother's embrace.

"Yui, are you alright?"

"Any injuries... disappeared once I returned. I'm sorry for worrying you when you're so busy..."

"Don't say such things, dear. It's not Yui's fault."

From the remaining traces on her clothes, one could assume Ichinose had minor injuries while Rohan's looked severe enough to be life-threatening. But for parents, their own child's safety naturally takes precedence.

Upon hearing from Ichinose that they had been inside for a few days, Momo didn't feel any sense of wonder; she just felt a pang in her heart as she looked into the eyes of her daughter nestling into her like a child.

"How much did you suffer to have your face halved...?"

After examining her daughter's pliable face from different angles, Momo blinked.

'Half halved?' Though there were scruffy areas, her skin glowed healthily as if she had eaten something nourishing, showing a well-maintained appearance.

"Mother?"

Ichinose looked puzzled as her mother suddenly stopped caressing her cheek. Momo then regained her composure and continued the conversation.

"Was there no trouble inside?"

"...Yes."

Ichinose averted her gaze and bowed her head slightly. Momo found the brief flicker before the affirmation and her daughter's demeanor puzzling.

Knowing her daughter well, a parent with a highly developed intuition naturally harbored doubts. It didn't feel like she was hiding a bad experience or a dark secret. Her daughter wasn't good at hiding such things.

'What happened to Yui?'

The parents' gazes naturally turned to Rohan, the other survivor. The mysterious and beautiful two girls were clinging to him, and soon, Noah joined their conversation.

The male cadet seemed unusually reliable.

"What's the relationship between that cadet and Yui? Mom is getting curious."

"Oh, Mother... that's..."

Ichinose felt uneasy as her mother's interest turned towards Rohan.

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Of course, it wasn't her first time introducing a friend to her parents. Noah's families were close, almost like they were family not connected by blood. She had introduced friends from the Samhwa Nation's schools during school events when her parents visited.

The problem was that it was her first time introducing a male friend. And it was the first time Ichinose felt romantic feelings.

Moreover, her parents were aware that she and Rohan had met alone in the evening while tracing the monolith disappearances.

'This... this situation...'

The thought of such a male meeting her parents felt almost like a formal introduction.

Someone might say it's an overreaction, but the girl whose mind blossomed with flowery thoughts couldn't envision anything else.

"He's the friend I told you helped me during the practical exam..."

"Hmmm~"

Both Momo and Jun Ichinose, who had stepped back, were listening intently. The friend who had greatly aided Ichinose in her practical exam and gifted her a Spiritual Fire Core was indeed this male cadet.

Knowing the situation on the deserted island from Juyeon, it was clear that Rohan was connected to their daughter.

"Would it be okay to introduce Rohan...?"

Ichinose, blushing, gathered her courage to reveal her intentions.

The surprised parents looked at each other.

"..."

Their daughter's first display of such tender emotions. Jun Ichinose remained nearly expressionless, but his wife could read the significant changes.

The father felt complex emotions at his daughter's new aspect.

Momo simply smiled, reminiscing about the days when Yui was toddling around. How much her daughter had grown felt astonishing.

'Who did she get this from?'

Her daughter had learned not only to wield a sword but also to love. Sending her to the academy city was indeed a good decision, Momo thought with a proud smile that wouldn't stop.

Momo looked at Rohan again. By now, Juyeon had joined the group.

One thing nagged at her.

'There are too many close women around him... Not lovers, perhaps?' Is he from Tigrova, where polygamy is common?

Despite certain reservations her daughter might have about that, her willingness to introduce him amplified Momo's curiosity.

***

After Shion and Clara, it was Noah's turn to approach and ask after them. After rekindling his spirits with the lively reunion with Noah, Juyeon finally arrived.

Despite her flamboyant appearance, Juyeon breathed a sigh of relief seeing Rohan unharmed and did not ask ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) anything further, simply praising him for returning safely. After all, Rohan was officially the first person to survive the monolith twice.

While they were enjoying the pleasantries of everyday conversation with Juyeon joining them, Ichinose, accompanied by her mother, tentatively approached Rohan and his group.

Unfortunately, Ichinose Jun could not bring himself to join. As a father, his emotions were still in disarray, and he observed from a distance.

"...Rohan."

She called out softly.

Rohan immediately turned his attention to Ichinose's voice.

"Hello, I am Yui's mother."

The woman, smiling brightly and waving one hand lightly, was dressed in an outfit reminiscent of a kimono, which wasn't particularly surprising. After all, the Abyss City's country of Samhwa was a place created by blending elements of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cultures.

"Hello! I am Rohan!"

Rohan greeted her loudly and bowed deeply. It was default for him to show utmost respect to a friend's parents.

"Rohan seems very energetic. Are you alright?"

"I got better once I returned too! Please feel free to speak casually!"

Momo stepped a little closer with a gentle expression. Though she suggested speaking casually, she was more comfortable mixing in formal speech.

"I’m curious about how our daughter has been doing at the academy. Can you tell me?"

Rohan wanted to make a playful remark, but knowing Baby-nose's character and owing her a lot, he decided to save the jokes for another time. Praise for one's child should come first at a first meeting.

"Ichinose is kind and has good relationships with her peers. I especially receive a lot of help from her in my studies... I am inspired by her diligence in training every dawn and her relentless effort."

"You mean to say you see our Yui as a prospective bride?"

"What?"

Rohan, taken aback by the unexpected comment, blurted out in confusion. Baby-nose quickly intervened, pulling at her mother's arm.

"Mother...!"

"It's just a joke~ Was that a bit mischievous?"

As Ichinose hurriedly tried to intervene, Momo smiled, satisfied with the information she had gleaned.

In that instant, she noted the change in the atmosphere and the looks from the twin-tailed girl and the elf girl, roughly understanding their relationships.

She felt sorry for Juyeon, who couldn't quite find the words to fit into the conversation.

"First, we need to change clothes and take baths... How about we all go out to eat something delicious afterward? Noah, what would you like to eat? I'll treat."

Despite her youthful and beautiful appearance, Momo referred to herself as an "auntie" as she asked.

Noah bounced excitedly.

"I want meat!"

Momo gently stroked Noah's head and nodded, then addressed the other women around.

"Please make yourselves comfortable. I would like to express my gratitude to Cadet Rohan, so I hope you can all join us."

Momo, chatty as ever, quickly set the plans in motion before her daughter could protest.

"Shouldn't we fill our stomachs before any inquiries? We haven't done anything wrong, after all."

"...Yes."

"That should be fine, right?"

As Ichinose Momo asked with a smile, the security officers nodded vigorously, almost as if their heads would fall off.