I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 168: Baby-nose’s First Love Hearing

Jane Frozenheart.

The first wife of Seolho Grandmaster and mother of Noah Frozenheart.

Perhaps it was because she believed that idle, boring time was nothing short of torture.

It wouldn’t even be a joke to say Jane’s exceptional senses had developed in the direction of seeking out interesting things.

“Uuung~?”

Letting go of Noah, whom she had been holding, Jane walked over to Baby-nose, unable to hide the blush on her face.

Until now, even when she brought up these kinds of things, there had never been a reaction—so Jane couldn’t ignore such a delicious-looking situation.

“Yui.”

“Y-yes...?”

“I was hoping you’d keep this aunt company while I drink.”

“...”

Baby-nose couldn’t open her mouth easily.

Because she had data from experience.

When Jane Frozenheart made that kind of playful expression, she always ended up in an awkward situation. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Unlike Noah, she couldn’t restrain her or push her away with a "stop it." She was in a position where she simply had to endure it.

“Do you dislike loud people like this aunt, Yui?”

Jane blinked like a cat caught in the rain and clasped Ichinose’s hand, pleading.

Of course, Ichinose knew. She knew all too well that Jane was acting right now.

But because of all the help and debt she owed her, the girl named Ichinose Yui had no choice but to comply.

She genuinely respected Jane, too.

“N-no... I’ll pour the drinks for you...!”

As Ichinose accepted her seat, Jane corrected her expression and grinned.

That grin looked exactly like Noah’s. Ichinose almost let out a sigh.

“Great! Let’s drink and have a long-overdue chat with my girls!”

Jane laughed heartily and grabbed both girls’ hands.

She sat them down at a modestly prepared drink table.

And just as the Ichinose Yui hearing was about to begin—

Momo, standing beside Ichinose Jun, tugged on his hand to get his attention.

“Darling.”

“Hmm?”

“I’d like that fruit over there. Could you go get it for me? Yui and Noah just arrived too, and they must be hungry.”

Momo had a hunch.

From now on, a topic was about to unfold that would leave her husband emotionally unsettled.

Even if he knew about their daughter’s first love, hearing the vivid details would definitely stir up confusing emotions in Ichinose Jun.

And besides, hadn’t some time already passed?

It was possible there had been developments shocking enough to shake a father who adored his daughter.

So Momo figured it would be better for her to hear it first and deliver the summary later, and asked him to go shopping.

“Sorry for asking so late.”

“Not at all.”

“You know you shouldn’t drive after drinking, right? Walk slowly and take your time.”

“Mm.”

To buy food at this hour, he’d have to go all the way to the downtown area.

And the driver had already gone off duty after taking their daughter from Academy City to Samhwa Nation.

Momo knew her husband’s personality—he wasn’t the type to call a driver back in for something like this.

Once Ichinose Jun picked up his sword and left, Momo sat down at the table as well.

Jane, now seated with Yui and Noah on either side of her, asked in a voice full of affection.

“My daughters, how’s the academy?”

“It’s fun!”

“...I’m learning a lot under an excellent instructor.”

Their answers reflected their personalities.

Regrettably for Ichinose, Jane’s warm-up ended there.

She immediately followed her instincts and asked the question.

“Have you found a boy you like?”

“I just made a guy friend.”

“...”

Noah gave a simple reply and then picked up the chopsticks Jane had been using to eat some sashimi from the side dishes.

Baby-nose pursed her lips and lowered her head deeply.

Momo, pleased by her daughter’s change, covered her mouth with her sleeve and laughed silently.

Jane wagged her tail with excitement and amusement.

“Ahahaha!!! What do we have here?”

“...”

Up until right before heading to the academy, she had been saying things like "there’s no such thing as a lifelong partner besides the sword"—so what happened in just a few months?

This was already fun. The reaction was delicious.

Jane was now convinced she had made the right decision coming to Samhwa Nation.

“So what kind of guy stole our Yui’s heart, hmm?”

Baby-nose gulped at the gaze Jane cast, as sharp as a predator’s.

‘W-what do I do...’

Now that Noah had pointed out that it was obvious, denying it wasn’t an option.

Jane was more perceptive than Noah. Her persistence was truly unbearable.

If she tried to dodge it with a half-hearted answer, Jane wouldn’t stop until she had dug up everything.

Ichinose subtly raised her head to glance at Momo, who was sitting across from her.

From the very beginning—sending her father away, to the gentle look in her eyes that said she already knew everything.

Now, finally seeing and feeling it all, Baby-nose let out a long breath.

‘So... Mother really did know... Then, that means Father must also...’

Others might scoff if they heard her thoughts, but Baby-nose genuinely believed she hadn’t made it obvious. And yet things had turned out this way—she was just confused.

Even so, she didn’t have the luxury to gather her thoughts. She had to answer Jane.

So, with lips stiff from tension, she gave a short but truthful answer.

“H-he’s a male cadet from my class...”

“Hooh? Then Noah must know who he is, too.”

“Yup!”

“What’s your impression of that cadet, Noah?”

“He’s nice and good at fighting!”

At Orion Academy, that was the highest possible praise.

And given how rarely Noah acknowledged anyone her own age, Jane’s smile deepened.

Whether from excitement or the alcohol hitting harder, her tone started to shift oddly.

“Our daughter may be a bit rough around the edges, but she’s no pushover either. Do you think he could beat her?”

“No idea! Probably not!”

“Ahaha!!! So someone like that actually exists?”

Jane’s curiosity toward Rohan deepened even more.

Listening quietly as mother and daughter talked, Ichinose couldn’t shake her growing unease.

“Yui. What’s that male cadet’s name?”

“His name is Rohan...”

“Hmm? That’s a name I haven’t heard before. If he had the skills to match our daughters, word would’ve reached me.”

Jane raised her eyebrows and immediately followed up.

“Where’s Rohan from?”

At that, Ichinose hesitated for a moment.

But Jane wasn’t someone who crossed lines out of mere curiosity or mischief. Ichinose trusted that.

Besides, if Jane wanted to find out, it would only take a moment anyway.

“He’s from the South... from Solarea...”

“I see.”

Hearing that, Jane dropped her playful expression for a brief second.

She nodded as if she understood.

“So, are you two dating?”

“N-no...!”

“Then any progress?”

“We’re planning to go to the beach together during vacation...”

“Youth, huh!”

With a loud smack of her palm on the table, Jane pulled out her wallet.

Amused and delighted, she handed over money without counting.

No cash—just wads of checks. The kind of amount that would give Rohan a heart attack, but no one present was the type to be fazed by that kind of money.

Only Momo stepped in to mediate.

“Oh, I said I’d take care of that, so you don’t need to worry.”

“Really? But I want to do something for our Yui... Ah! I’ve got it!”

As if struck by inspiration, Jane snapped her fingers with a pop!

Then she pulled Ichinose close and rubbed their cheeks together.

“Yui. Your face is burning hot. Are you that embarrassed?”

“Y-yes...”

“Hahaha!!! If this aunt was being too much, please forgive me. But I promise you won’t regret confessing the truth to Jane Frozenheart today.”

As Jane suddenly launched into some cryptic words, Ichinose perked up her ears.

“Everything is visible to this aunt. If he’s from the southern region—Solarea, wasn’t it?—isn’t that a polygamous country like Tigrova?”

“T-that’s correct...”

“That’s a pretty serious issue for someone like our Yui who’s rooted here in Samhwa Nation.”

Baby-nose gave a small nod.

There were already friends she had made certain resolutions with, but yes—it was a serious issue.

“Just look at this Jane Frozenheart. I’m the one who came out as the first wife in Tigrova’s fiercest polygamous competition. Any man with that kind of mindset is already within my grasp!”

“!!!”

Ichinose’s eyes, which had been half-closed, suddenly flew open.

Maybe—just maybe—this was the person best suited to give her the answers she needed right now.

“Well then, pour me a drink.”

“Okay...!”

Baby-nose lifted the bottle and filled the empty glass with a soft glug-glug.

Jane downed the drink right away, letting out a satisfied kyaa! as she exhaled. The alcohol, now mixed with a girl’s love and anticipation, tasted divine.

“Our daughter, stop stuffing your face and listen in. This is advice that’ll help you in the future.”

“Ehh?! Me too?”

Hugging Noah, who had nearly finished all the sashimi, Jane launched into her tale with giddy excitement.

“Our husband was so capable, there wasn’t just one or two women aiming for him. And yet, I became the first wife. Do you know my secret?”

“Your appearance... maybe...?”

“Your boobs?”

“As you girls said, I’m drop-dead gorgeous with a stunning figure, but those are just basic qualifications everyone in the competition had.”

After saying that, Jane cast her gaze up at the ceiling, as if reminiscing about the past.

Her voice floated like a {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} dream as she continued.

“First, I was honest and pure. None of our daughters here have slept with a man, right? That’s something many men desire.”

Noah yawned indifferently, clearly uninterested.

Ichinose, on the other hand, nodded bashfully with a face as red as a tomato.

“When I met my husband, I told him. Once we’re officially married, I’ll allow you to taint this untouched snowy field—untouched by any man—with your perverted footprints.”

“T-that’s... way too much for me...”

The method was far too bold.

Someone with Ichinose’s personality could never say something like that, not even if she died.

“Just hear me out. Right now, the way you are is plenty attractive. You already have what it takes to drive a man wild.”

“...”

“Second, I threw away all my pride and put on cosplay—”

From there, Jane went on listing off things she’d done, suggesting Ichinose pick what she could try.

Noah just nodded along like “I see~.” But for Baby-nose, every one of them was way too much.

When she tried imagining doing any of that with Rohan, her head spun from the heat alone.

After the examples—

When Jane asked what kind of swimsuit she’d buy, Ichinose answered “a rash guard,” and got her butt playfully smacked with “That’s not gonna cut it!”

“Alright. Now let’s hear what made you fall for him.”

Jane smiled like things were only just getting started.

The chatter ended only when Ichinose Jun returned and Momo wrapped things up.

That night, Baby-nose’s dawn felt endlessly long.