The moment Tatsumaki finished speaking, the observation room door was pushed open without ceremony.
An excited voice rang out first.
"Mr. Sol! You're finally back!"
Psykos hurried inside, the eyes behind her glasses shining with excitement and admiration. Several former Monster Association executives followed behind her, each carefully suppressing their overwhelming presence while maintaining respectful expressions.
Moments later, another group arrived.
Zombieman entered with his usual composed demeanor, though his expression noticeably softened when he saw Sol. Flashy Flash, Genos, Saitama, and several others followed close behind.
"Mr. Sol, welcome back," Zombieman said steadily, a trace of genuine respect in his voice.
"Sol!" Genos greeted with a wave.
Saitama walked over without hesitation and casually draped an arm around Sol's shoulders.
"Sol, want to go bargain shopping tonight? With the two of us together, no grandma or grandpa stands a chance."
The already small observation room quickly became crowded.
The core members of the former Monster Association and the Hero Association now stood together, all focused on Sol. The atmosphere briefly became tense, but beneath it was genuine happiness at his return and an instinctive respect for him.
Before anyone could continue greeting him or begin reporting recent events, Tatsumaki frowned deeply.
A faint emerald glow surrounded her.
She had only just driven one group away, and now another had appeared.
"So noisy! Can't you see we're busy here?"
Her psychic power surged outward like an invisible tide, firmly pushing everyone toward the exit.
"All of you, out! Whatever it is, it can wait!"
Psykos looked as though she wanted to protest, but under Tatsumaki's overwhelming psychic force and Sol's calm gaze, she obediently backed away.
Zombieman simply raised a hand, signaling everyone behind him to remain quiet. After giving Sol a slight nod, he voluntarily left the room.
Saitama still looked ready to say something, but Bang cheerfully pulled him away before he could.
Tatsumaki used her psychic power to shove the last few people peeking through the doorway outside before the heavy metal door slammed shut with a loud thud, cutting off the noise completely.
Sol shifted his gaze from the closed door to Tatsumaki's pouting face.
"They're just curious."
Tatsumaki planted her hands on her hips and glared at him.
"They're just too idle. You just got back, there's already a mountain of work waiting for you, and they still want to waste your time."
She paused, apparently realizing her tone had become too sharp.
Turning her face away, she spoke more quietly.
"Anyway... you're coming with me first."
"Where?" Sol asked.
"Shopping."
She answered as though assigning an important mission.
"You've been gone for so long that the area around Hero Association Headquarters has changed a lot. There are plenty of new stores that need to be inspected. That's part of an S-Class hero's responsibilities."
Sol silently watched her for a couple of seconds.
He could easily see through her transparent excuse, but he made no attempt to expose it.
"Alright."
A flash of satisfaction crossed Tatsumaki's face before she quickly hid it.
"Hmph. Good. Hurry up. Don't keep me waiting."
With that, she floated toward another exit connected directly to the outside of Hero Association Headquarters.
Sol followed behind her, and the two left the training area together.
As they walked through the bright, spacious corridors, staff members and heroes greeted Sol respectfully whenever they passed.
The moment they noticed Tatsumaki floating beside him with an unmistakable expression that warned everyone to stay away, they wisely looked elsewhere and continued on their way.
Tatsumaki ignored every curious glance.
She floated ahead, occasionally turning around.
"Walk faster."
Before long, they stepped outside the headquarters.
The rebuilt streets of City A were bustling with life. Modern buildings lined the roads, crowds moved through the streets, and sunlight reflected brilliantly from towering glass buildings.
Tatsumaki slowed her pace, floating beside Sol.
She casually pointed toward the nearby shops.
"That dessert shop is new. I heard their strawberry parfait is pretty good. Over there is a new shopping complex. There's an observation deck on the top floor."
Her introduction sounded stiff, almost like she was reading a mission report.
Sol quietly listened while taking in the renewed city around them.
He could easily sense the awkwardness beneath Tatsumaki's composed expression, along with the anticipation she was trying so hard to conceal.
As they walked past a well-known dessert shop, Tatsumaki's eyes lingered for a few extra moments on the beautifully displayed ice cream cakes behind the glass.
Sol stopped walking.
"Want to go in?"
Tatsumaki blinked before quickly looking away and lifting her chin.
"Hmph. It's only reasonable for an S-Class hero to occasionally inspect the quality of high-calorie food."
A few minutes later, they were seated by the window inside the dessert shop.
A tall strawberry parfait topped with generous scoops of ice cream and whipped cream sat in front of Tatsumaki.
Holding a small spoon, she maintained a perfectly serious expression, as though she were conducting an official inspection, while quietly eating one bite after another.
Across from her, Sol simply drank a glass of water.
After finishing the parfait, Tatsumaki's mood had noticeably improved, even if she refused to admit it.
"The quality is average," she declared confidently. "It still isn't as good as the desserts served in the Hero Association cafeteria."
Afterward, she continued leading Sol through the city.
They passed clothing stores, arcades, bookstores, and countless other shops.
Most of the time, she only glanced inside rather than entering, appearing to enjoy simply walking beside him.
Along the way, several pedestrians recognized them, especially Sol, causing quiet whispers and small bursts of excitement.
Even so, no one dared approach.
After all, one was the Hero Association's S-Class Rank 2 hero, while the other was a man whose status within the Association was surrounded by countless rumors.
Eventually, they arrived at a quiet park tucked away from the crowded streets.
Tatsumaki suddenly stopped.
She turned to face Sol and looked up at him.
The sharpness that usually filled her emerald eyes had softened, replaced by a complicated emotion she could no longer completely hide.