Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Back Hug
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"...Ha, I see. Now I understand why the newbie got killed."
The chameleon beastman, his face a mottled mess of colors, let out a sigh as if he'd already given up.
"Kill me. I lost."
"..."
What the hell.
Why isn't he killing him?
Yoo Siu wasn't slicing the villain's throat; he was just holding his sword at him.
"You aren't going to kill me?"
"Ugh, kuh..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ah, this is it.] Writer-nim let out a small gasp of realization.
I figured out why the protagonist was acting like that, too.
I'd hoped it wouldn't be this.
Haa.
A sigh slipped out.
Yoo Siu was hesitating to kill someone.
"What is this? Hesitating to kill a person? Is that how the newbie died to a guy like you?"
"I'm not going to kill you."
"...Why?"
"Because I need information on that Übermensch organization."
It was an excuse.
Writer-nim knew it. I knew it. Amelia knew it.
Even Yoo Siu and the chameleon beastman knew it.
"I've been trained to endure torture. It's a waste of time."
"No, there has to be a way to get the information without killing you."
"..."
The villain clamped his mouth shut, as if he had nothing more to say.
Hmm, what now.
The protagonist aiming for no-kill runs isn't trendy these days.
At a timing like this, he needs to kill someone at least once.
Ah, right.
That'll do it.
"Wha, what...?!"
"...You want more?! You can't move in that condition! I surrender!"
I manipulated one of the threads I'd laid out in advance, binding the chameleon beastman and forcing his body upright.
Threads so thin they were invisible to the naked eye.
In normal circumstances, Yoo Siu would notice, but this wasn't normal.
His head was probably full of stray thoughts right now.
Sure enough, he didn't notice the threads silently descending from the ceiling.
Hmm, he's still green. He'll have to learn to spot this stuff someday.
He should be able to dodge attacks even in his sleep. Of course.
"Kuh...?!"
I could feel the chameleon beastman panicking hard.
No wonder he was freaking out.
He hadn't moved his body himself, yet it was moving on its own.
Even if he tried to move, the tightly bound threads would prevent it.
He probably felt like he'd been possessed.
"St-stop! You think this means you win...!"
Yoo Siu panicked at the villain's sudden frenzy, throwing himself into a reckless assault without regard for his own body.
Yeah. He'd thought the guy couldn't move, so this must be confusing.
And honestly, the body couldn't move on its own.
His side was turning redder by the second, so his organs must really be ruptured.
Bet that hurts like hell.
Not my problem, though.
-Kaang! Kaang!
"Ugh...!"
The fight started up again.
The difference from before? No surprise attacks—this was an open clash of strength.
But Yoo Siu wasn't subduing the villain easily.
Even when openings appeared, he wasn't striking them.
A solid hit would end it easily.
Still not gonna hit? Even like this?
He was hesitating to strike the throat, heart, or the bleeding side that was practically begging for it.
Did he think one hit would kill him?
Well, it would.
"Hey, keep that up and you'll really die!"
Talking to him wasn't helping.
I'd sewn his mouth shut so he couldn't blurt out that he was being controlled.
Ah, but this is kinda fun.
Feels like playing a game.
Take this! Ultimate move, horizontal slash!
...Missed.
"Ugh, kuh...!"
"Wh-what the hell...!"
I got excited and fiddled around for a bit, but got bored fast.
At first it was fun.
But all attacks were blocked, and Yoo Siu showed no sign of finishing it.
Boring.
Time to wrap it up.
This has been a good enough fight.
I manipulated the threads to make the puppet's body move even more violently.
Yoo Siu was forced into defense to block the wildly swinging sword, not even fixing his stance.
Impressive how he was purely blocking to avoid killing. Maybe waiting for a chance to knock him out?
But that's not right.
A webnovel protagonist has to bulldoze through obstacles boldly.
He can't get hung up on trivial stuff like this.
I controlled the villain to swing his sword in a diagonal slash.
Naturally, Yoo Siu would swing to block it.
Good. Just as expected.
In that moment, what if I forcibly twisted the arm to change the trajectory?
"...?!"
Well, obvious result.
Yoo Siu seemed to realize after swinging, but it was way too late.
The villain's attack path had been forcibly altered.
An already-committed swing goes straight unless someone like me intervenes.
The horizontal slash that failed to adjust its path sliced the puppet's throat.
"He, he's... dead...?!"
Yeah, dead.
Definitely.
Head and body parted—surviving that would be weirder.
Ugh, gross.
I looked at Amelia, leaving Yoo Siu staring blankly in shock.
Good, now it's time for the heroine to comfort him with those embracingly ample breasts.
"...Hoo, hoooo."
Hey?!
Amelia had gone pale at the corpse and could barely stand.
You can't do that!
Why are you breaking down too...!
Oh no, this is bad. I thought Amelia's tough personality would hold up!
With the protagonist staring at his hands in a daze, someone needed to comfort him right now.
Amelia...! Pull yourself together!
But my inner scream didn't reach her.
Her ability isn't mind-reading, after all.
Aaah, damn it. No choice.
I subtly groped my own chest.
...Pretty decent size, right?
"Don't worry, Yoo Siu."
"...Arte."
"It was just an unavoidable accident. Amelia and I were watching the whole time."
"Ha, but...!"
Aaah, so chatty.
"?!"
Hugging his face felt too gross, so I hugged the back of his head instead.
Ha, life.
If only Amelia had held it together, I wouldn't have to do this...
I could feel his face flushing hot.
Ugh.
...This should be fine, right?
"Everything's going to be okay. It's not your fault."
"..."
"He threw himself into it. You didn't do anything wrong, Siu."
Yoo Siu's trembling started to subside bit by bit.
Calmed down? ...Yeah, calmed, right?
Good. Success.
His aversion to killing should be lessened now.
The first time is always the hardest.
Once you cross the line, it gets easier next time.
"What happened?! All that noise...?! You kids okay?!"
Ah, Teacher finally showed up.
Of course. With all that racket, it'd be weird if teachers didn't come.
Perfect timing.
I flashed a bright smile at the teacher as she hurriedly secured the scene and took control.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [That was fun...! Perfect scene!] Writer-nim seemed pleased, too.
Total success.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "..."
I clenched my hand once.
...The sensation still lingered.
The feel of skin parting.
The slight catch mid-slice, like a jaw clenching. ...Probably bone.
Chills ran down my spine.
I'd only meant to shut him up.
If—just if.
Arte hadn't seemed to notice, but if a tiny slip made her catch on.
If the villain told her I hadn't rummaged through her underwear.
That's why I wanted to capture him quick.
Before it could drag on ambiguously.
"...Mission accomplished, at least."
Yeah.
Success.
He couldn't claim innocence anymore.
Because he's dead.
But I felt conflicted.
He was someone who deserved death.
Infiltrating the Academy alone was already a major crime.
Being in the same organization as that traitor Laira...
Once defeated, he probably hadn't expected to survive.
That's why he'd urged me to kill him.
But there had been a chance he wouldn't die.
In the end, I was the one who took his life.
"Hoo..."
I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Fortunately, the gloomy thoughts didn't last long.
The next scene popped into my head the moment they surfaced.
"Ugh, no. Don't think about it..."
I shook my head vigorously, but it had no effect.
The more you try not to think, the more it sticks.
The soft pressure gently pressing the back of my head came back vividly.
"...Ugh!"
-Thud!
I slammed my head against the wall to erase the memory.
...No use. As a superhuman, it didn't even hurt.
Self-loathing washed over me.
Killing someone and then dwelling on the feel of a girl's breasts.
Isn't that trash behavior?
But whenever it felt like blood stained my hands, a whispering voice settled softly in my ear.
"It's not my fault, huh..."
What the hell was her goal, anyway?
I wondered.
At first, I thought she was trying to kill me, but that was a misunderstanding.
Why was she watching me so intently?
Just for observation?
She'd sent monsters to attack the Academy, searching for some hidden artifact.
But what did that have to do with watching me?
No clue.
"Screw it!"
I decided not to think about the hard stuff.
No way to know right now anyway.
Keep dwelling and I'd sink into self-loathing again, so I tried to sleep it off with a deep sigh.
"...Can't sleep."
But as always, plans don't go as wished.
Siu tossed and turned, haunted by the sensation pressing the back of his head and a dizzying fragrance.