Chapter 13
Chapter 13
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Lip Reading
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[We need something new.]
"Yes?"
Out of the blue?
I was zoning out during the dull mana studies lecture when Writer-nim's sudden voice made mine slip out louder than intended.
"What's that, Arte? Something you don't understand?"
"...No, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a second."
"Focus on the lesson. Now, mana circulating within the body results in even less loss, and..."
With Teacher Claire's voice as background noise, I started paying close attention to what Writer-nim was saying.
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ The thing is, reader-nim, there's nothing new these days, right? "...Yeah, that's true."
I lowered my volume so no one else could hear.
This feels kinda like being a magical girl.
It reminded me of those magical girl anime I secretly watched as a kid—scenes where they'd chat with their mascot character during class without anyone noticing.
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ It's class, class, class every day. Just training and theory all day isn't giving me enough material...! "What about swordsmanship class?"
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ That's the biggest problem! It's just sparring all day. Boring! Didn't you say before that a heroine candidate might show up there?
When I brought up what Writer-nim had told me last time, full of doubt, she got seriously pissed.
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ First meetings with heroines are important! Meeting one in a boring place boringly doesn't count as a heroine! No way! "Ah, okay."
Got it.
So then, what was the point of me going to swordsmanship class, even picking up a dagger...?
Plus, there was that one super pretty girl who stood out like a heroine candidate. ...Not a heroine? You're just gonna scrap her? For real?
I had to trust Writer-nim's words. She wasn't exactly the type to stick to one story just once or twice.
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ Anyway...! It's an experiment, an experiment! I want to throw in a new episode! "Uh, sure. What are you thinking of adding...?"
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ Obviously, an attack! "...?"
Did I hear that wrong?
What? An attack?
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ It might be a bit early, but... I'm adding an evil organization attack event! "Way too early."
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ Eh?! Not a bit early—way too early.
Are you kidding me?
"For an attack... yeah, at least do two more events first. It's too soon right now."
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ Two, two whole ones?! B-but I don't even have material right now...! I knew it.
I figured as much.
She's running out of material and trying to patch it up. I get it.
But does it make sense to burn through that delicious academy attack plot this early?
At least let it marinate some more.
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ But I can't think of any material right now. "Why not? Just make some."
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ R-Reader-nim? Thump thump.
My heart was pounding like that.
I could tell she was brimming with anticipation without even looking.
She always ended up relying on me in the end.
It didn't feel bad at all.
Being depended on by someone else felt pretty good, actually.
"What do you think should come before an academy attack?"
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ Eh? ...Hmm, well? "Recon. You need to scout the target first."
It's easier if you think about what an anti-terror unit does before launching an op.
In movies, they always snag blueprints and memorize every detail.
"We need a spy. A spy."
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ Ah...! R-right! A minion planted by the evil organization! As expected of you, reader-nim...! The academy has ironclad security.
No average hacker could breach the database—even a suspicious approach gets traced back in seconds, turning you into a criminal instantly.
You might think a spy would be a plot hole, but it's the opposite.
The evil organizations in academy stories are the kind that threaten the world.
Infiltrating isn't weird for them.
It's a trope: the "world's best security" always gets cracked.
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ But who should the spy be? If they're too ordinary, it'll feel a bit... "We have a good student candidate."
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ ...? Yeah, there's one.
Someone Writer-nim isn't interested in as a heroine, but who has some connection to Yoo Siu.
And she has an eye-catching, non-ordinary look—a former heroine candidate.
"If you can't use her as a heroine, use her as a villain at least."
Better to squeeze every drop out of your resources.
A chuckle escaped me; joining swordsmanship class wasn't a waste after all.
Well, these days even villains have to be hot.
A pretty spy sounds just right.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Something's off."
"Yeah, I felt it too."
Yoo Siu and Amelia were sneaking peeks at Arte behind Teacher Claire's back.
"There's no way Arte would doze off and raise her voice like that. ...Something's up."
"She hasn't done anything these past few days, so I was wondering. Guess she's finally making a move."
Yoo Siu nodded in agreement with Amelia.
The tense days right after joining the club.
Nothing happened, so just as he started to relax, thinking maybe they'd misread her...
Arte began acting strange.
"She just said 'yes,' right? Gotta be that Writer-nim guy. You think so too, Siu?"
"Definitely that guy's behind it."
"Yeah, no doubt."
Writer.
Someone who creates their own work in the arts.
The word itself is harmless.
But the "Writer-nim" Arte mentioned didn't seem to mean that.
It felt like she was talking about someone fabricating reality itself, not art.
"Twisted hobby. Stirring up incidents and calling it art... She's lost it."
He barely kept his expression from crumbling at Amelia's words.
You're just as weird.
Thinking like a criminal to catch one is weird too.
He wanted to snap back like that.
"...Wait, what'd she just mumble?"
"You hear it?"
"Nah. Too far."
He was glad they were seated apart from her.
For the first time, he regretted the distance.
"...Swordsmanship class."
Eh?
He was caught off guard by Amelia's sudden words.
What'd she say?
He'd been staring at Arte's face, wondering...
...Lip reading?
"Sorry. I didn't learn it properly, so I can't read it great."
"You know lip reading?"
"A little."
"Why... why would you learn that...?"
"...In movies. It looked cool."
Amelia blushed, embarrassed that her reason for learning lip reading was movies.
He was more stunned that she'd learned something like that because it "looked cool."
But now wasn't the time for that.
Why she learned it didn't matter.
This was a chance to eavesdrop on Arte and that Writer-nim villain.
"She's talking more!"
"Hold on. Let's see... early, attack, event...? Two events? Am I seeing this right?"
"...Amelia, maybe not the time to nitpick."
"I know. She's talking about an attack. But it's okay for now. Doesn't seem like she's trying it immediately. And I'm not even sure I'm reading it right."
Early, attack.
...Attack too early?
Where? What's this about events?
He couldn't make sense of it.
He hoped Amelia had misread.
"No, make some...? Ugh... Can't tell."
Her furrowed brow as she strained to read Arte's lips looked like pure fury to anyone watching.
Nothing they could do right now, so at least block the view with their bodies...
"Academy, attack. Recon, scout...?"
"You, what the...!"
"Spy, student, heroine, villain. ...That's it."
Amelia's words were so shocking they froze him mid-motion to shield her.
"I'd love if I misread it. Pretty shocking otherwise."
"Attacking the academy? Unprecedented. No way it's possible..."
"I know. Never happened since the academy was founded. But she's not normal, as you know."
He didn't want to believe it.
An academy attack?
Was she really planning that?
"If I misread and we chase a false lead, fine. But if I got it right...?"
"..."
"No way the teachers buy this wild story. We have to stop it beforehand."
Amelia was right.
If nothing happens, great.
But if she read it correctly?
If they're really planning an academy attack?
"We didn't know" won't cut it.
There'd be bloodshed for sure.
"Yeah, Amelia. You're right. Better to head it off, even if it's a bust."
"Good. Let's go over what she said again."
Ignoring the lesson entirely, they reviewed the paper where Amelia had jotted down words from Arte's lip movements.
Swordsmanship class, early, attack, two events, no, make, academy, attack, recon, scout, spy, student, heroine, villain.
"...This is unsettling."
"Tell me about it. I'd be thrilled if I got it wrong."
She stared at the paper, practically burying her face in it.
Then he realized something.
"Good news: the attack won't happen right away."
"Really?"
"Look here, after the second 'attack.'"
Recon, scout.
Those words were self-explanatory.
"The first 'attack' came with 'too early.' Arte probably thinks it's premature."
"Oh. Then 'recon' and 'scout' mean..."
"Timing the attack, finding the right moment?"
The other words had too few clues.
But one.
Just one word he could figure out.
"Swordsmanship class. The first one mentioned. Clue's gotta be there."
"...I'm in spear class, can't go."
"Leave it to me. I'll find out somehow."
"Be careful, Yoo Siu."
The bell rang, signaling the end of class.
Perfect timing for the next-period swordsmanship class.
He had to watch what she did.
No matter how scary she was, he was the only one who could.