Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Thirty-First Stratagem
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"No way, that can't be. Love?"
Love? What love?
Siu didn't think for a second that it was love.
"But that old man said so."
Who the hell was that old man to feed Amelia such ridiculous nonsense?
No, forget what he said.
Why the hell did she believe it?
It made no sense.
"There's no way. Arte's a villain!"
"Yoo Siu, think about it. Why do you think Arte's been watching you?"
"That's why I'm freaking out right now—I have no idea!"
"Exactly. That's where it all starts!"
Snap.
Like a detective pointing out the culprit, Amelia jabbed her finger at me.
...I had no clue what she was getting at.
"I get it. I thought it was total bullshit at first, too."
"It is total bullshit!"
"No, no! Calm down, Yoo Siu. Just think about it."
Whew...
Yeah, calm down.
Amelia might've dropped this bombshell out of nowhere, but there had to be a reason.
As I took a deep breath, she started firing questions at me.
"You're under surveillance by Arte, right?"
"...Yeah."
"She watches you even outside your house?"
"Yep."
"See? That's love!"
"How?!"
No, forget calming down!
I couldn't calm down at all.
Arte in love? With me?!
Thump, thump.
My heartbeat pounded so loud in my ears it felt deafening.
She needs to make some damn sense!
Think about how the person being stalked feels!
"Come on, think. Arte's got a ton of interest in you. That's for sure, right?"
"Sure. But that's a stretch to call love. It's surveillance!"
"She even joined your club to follow you. And tagged along to swordsmanship class, too?"
"...That's surveillance!"
"She ignores other students and keeps staring at you during class?"
I had no idea what she was driving at.
Those are all obvious moves for someone spying on me.
When I vented that to Amelia, she hit me with something I hadn't even considered.
"Sure, it could be surveillance. But Yoo Siu—are you worth surveilling?"
"Wh-what?"
"You're just a bit better than the average student. Why would she bother spying on you?"
"Th-there's a reason! She knows about the monster incident!"
"If she figured that out, she'd just kill you on the spot. Snip. She killed Laira easy, right?"
I was speechless.
No comeback came to mind.
I wanted to argue, but my mouth wouldn't move.
"Think about it. Arte's no ordinary girl—we've both seen that. If she catches us, snip. We're gone."
Amelia made a throat-slitting gesture with her thumb.
Yeah, I know.
She infiltrated the Academy, unleashed monsters on it.
A girl who killed Laira without batting an eye clearly has no qualms about murder.
She's pulled off all sorts of stuff, and the bits we've uncovered might be just the tip of the iceberg.
Arte's dangerous.
If she decides we're done, we're done. No question.
That's why I cried tears of relief escaping that locker room miracle.
"So... she wasn't surveilling me...?"
"Exactly! No need to surveil a nobody like you!"
A nobody like you.
...I wanted to argue, but I had nothing.
I fully agreed there was no reason for someone like her to waste time on me.
"Th-then why the hell has she been watching me...?"
"I told you! Love! It's love!"
Back to square one.
We'd circled right back to Amelia's insane theory.
"Why does she stare at you? 'Cause you're hot! ...Not that I get it. Your face is decent, I guess."
"Hey!"
"Why does she follow you home? Love, duh! Love at first sight!"
I was confused.
I'd always assumed Arte was stalking me. But what if she wasn't?
...Not stalking?
"Joining swordsmanship and the club just to follow you? All of it... because she's in love!"
Suddenly, Siu recalled that day.
The nameless villain who'd infiltrated the Academy.
He looked more beast than man, but he was human.
When he'd first slashed someone, the feel of it must've chilled him. What did she do?
"Don't worry, Yoo Siu."
"Just an unavoidable accident. Amelia and I were watching."
"Everything's fine. It's not your fault."
"You're not to blame, Yoo Siu."
That soft touch... no, that soft voice echoed back.
"...She comforted me."
"Huh?"
"Back then. The chameleon."
"Oh, ah... that time?"
Shit.
Siu realized he'd slipped up.
After that incident, she'd lost her usual confidence for a while.
I thought she'd finally bounced back, but here I was dredging it up carelessly.
As he worried she'd slump again, Amelia surprised him by speaking up boldly.
"Sorry about that!"
"...Huh?"
"I said ends justify the means, then acted like a mess. Gotta reflect on that. Yeah."
"Y-you're... okay?"
"Of course. Who do you think I am?"
Good. She'd shaken it off completely.
Classic Amelia.
"Ahem. Anyway! Like you said, Arte comforted you when you were down. ...You know what that means, right?"
"No way. It can't be..."
I tried denying it, but unlike before, my voice lacked conviction.
...For real? Is that it?
Arte's beaming smile flashed in my mind.
She must've noticed my shaky voice.
Amelia grinned triumphantly.
"Watching you all the time, following you everywhere. All because she's in love!"
...Maybe?
Siu found himself convinced.
They say guys delude themselves easily.
Any girl being nice, and they think she's into them.
But this...
This didn't feel like delusion...?
It was Amelia, of all people.
She knew Arte's secret with me, and as a girl herself.
She was saying Arte had fallen for me.
Bluntly, confidently. It held water.
...For real?
"Only reason she'd keep eyes on a worthless surveillance target like you? Love. Love at first sight."
"Y-yeah...?"
"It's certain! The old man said so!"
I still had no clue who this old man was, but Siu bought into Amelia's pitch.
It was too damn plausible.
"Arte just... doesn't know how to show love properly!"
"Not know properly? That's putting it mildly..."
"You get the gist!"
I timidly pushed back—way more than "mildly"—but got shot down instantly.
Why?
"So now we've got one more way to stop her."
"What way?"
"A classic one."
Amelia sidled up slowly, placing a hand on my shoulder.
Then suddenly shoved her face right up...?!
I jerked back in shock. Her bright eyes sparkled as she declared:
"You're gonna seduce Arte."
"...Me?"
"Classic stratagem. The Beauty Trap—famous, right?"
Siu thought Amelia regaining her groove might not be such a good thing.
Maybe her mopey phase was better.
"M-me seduce Arte?"
"Yeah. Easy peasy. Woo her and neutralize her! Love conquers all!"
"Looks insanely hard."
"Don't worry. I'll help."
She pulled back as abruptly as she'd closed in, flashing a grin.
Her turquoise eyes gleamed clear and vibrant, full of life.
"Ends justify the means. Great advice, right? Same here."
Great advice...?
Out of all the quotes, that's the one?
"Goal's stopping Arte. No holding back on methods. Make yourself more precious to her than that 'Writer-nim,' and she'll listen!"
Amelia beamed boldly, then proclaimed:
"I'll make you two bump uglies no matter what...!"
Please watch your wording.
Siu thought that.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Man, they're close, huh?"
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ [Right? Heroine and protagonist—such a cute couple!] They meet up there a lot.
Do they like that alley?
Munching on bread and coffee from the café, I observed their little rendezvous.
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ [Eeee! Th-that... is that a kiss?!] "Hm, kinda ambiguous for a kiss... Just faces close?"
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ [Aww... bummer.] I ignored Writer-nim's whine.
Amelia's expressions had been off lately,
but they lit up the moment she saw Yoo Siu.
This guy's the protagonist...?
Handling heroines like a pro.
Protagonists are all wizards with women.
"So peaceful."
⚙ WRITER-NIM ⚙ [Yeah. Hm, time to brainstorm a new event.] "...Got a good idea for you."
I pitched my usual idea to Writer-nim.
Her voice buzzed with excitement.
Clear win.
"...Mm, tasty."
This place is good. Come back next time?
Finishing my bread, I watched the protagonist and heroine's rendezvous.
So peaceful.