Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Investigation Begins
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"Ha, haha. Well, I wouldn't know."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I've never been in there."
I gave the protagonist a vague brush-off for now.
His eyes looked suspicious.
Was he doubting me? Well, he had every reason to.
I'd vanished out of nowhere. And at the site of the massacre, there was a spider drawn in blood.
My ability manipulated threads, so it would be weirder if he didn't suspect me.
That's when it hit me.
When I left that hideout, the Writer-nim had acted strangely once.
I'd rushed past it, thinking she might cry again if I saw the protagonist's exploits from midway.
...Who would've thought she'd pull something like that in the meantime.
What? Arachne showed up? How the hell do I fix this...?
As I racked my brain, the protagonist spoke up.
"Yeah? Well, nothing to be done about it. Like cake?"
"Huh? ...Yeah, sure. I like it."
"Then let's get some cake. It's a bit cheap as life-debt payment, but you're still a student. Take it as a start."
"Y-Yeah...?"
Huh?
...Why wasn't he pressing me? This was weird.
Even if he didn't think I was the culprit, wouldn't he usually suspect some connection and ask more?
While I was totally flustered, the cake he'd ordered arrived before I knew it.
A fancy slice topped with pristine whipped cream and heaps of chocolate.
Mmm, looks delicious. But should I eat it?
"Here, dig in. You said you liked it."
"Uh, yeah... Bon appétit...?"
What the hell was going on?
Was Yoo Siu, the protagonist, just brushing off something like this as trivial?
Well, good things were good.
It was a minus that the protagonist wasn't as sharp as I'd thought, but right now, it worked in my favor. I had nothing to say anyway.
...Mmm, this is good.
The sweetness spread through my mouth as I cut a piece and popped it in.
Wow, this place is a gem. Gotta remember it.
The best part of possessing this body was stuff like this. Eating desserts without anyone batting an eye.
Back when I was a guy, I was too self-conscious.
No idea why, but I never gained weight. Eating freely without worry was a relief.
"Uh, can I order a little more?"
"S-Sure...? Y-Yeah. Order whatever."
And that day, Yoo Siu's wallet was utterly wrecked.
Because I'd ordered tons of cake slices and sweet drinks.
His eyes shook as he opened his wallet—kinda pitiful—but since he'd brought up life-debt, this was payback for sure.
A little overeating was fine. Pretty cheap for a life, right?
And that night.
In my empty room, I unloaded on the Writer-nim.
"What the hell were you thinking, pulling that without a word?"
[W-Well. I didn't have time...]
"Time?! Time?! Are you kidding me right now?"
[But...! It's cool, right? Just lay out some foreshadowing and tie it up later with more setup! Some lurking mastermind...! So cool!]
"Then at least tell me later! What if Yoo Siu gets the wrong idea...! What were you even thinking?!"
[W-Well...! I figured I'd get scolded... Whine...]
Agh, my head.
Not a kid anymore, hiding it just to avoid a scolding?
My chest tightened.
"No bedtime story for you tonight. Got it?"
[Eek. Please go easy...]
"What was that?"
[N-Nothing!]
Sigh.
Yeah, the Writer-nim needs me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...So it worked?"
"Worked...?"
Siu couldn't comprehend Amelia's words at all.
Worked? That? Why?
"We talked, ate delicious stuff together. If that's not a date, what is?"
"...I really have no idea what you're talking about."
"Then just do what I say!"
Was this right?
No, he couldn't even grasp the "worked" part.
Did it mean successfully emptying his wallet?
Chatting over dessert counted as a date?
For real?
"That's how you get close. Naturally. Building affection bit by bit. ...Though Arte seems overflowing with it already."
Amelia kept insisting.
That Arte loved him.
He'd fallen for it at first, mesmerized by her words, but thinking back, there'd been no sign.
Was Amelia mistaken?
When he brought it up, she sighed.
That pitying look—like he was saying something dumb again.
"Listen. There's no reason Arte would be interested in you. I told you before, right?"
"...Yeah."
The heavy truth hit again.
Not much to write home about... Sure, he'd gotten tangled in recent incidents, but when Arte supposedly took interest, nothing like that had happened.
He was just a student with decent grades.
The incidents started after her interest.
"She goes out of her way to save you from the Übermensch attack, comforts you. ...What else could it be but love?"
"B-But... What if it's not?"
"Then what? We find another way. We already have backups, right?"
He had a ton of retorts.
But her confident voice and sharp tongue left him speechless.
Damn it.
"Oh, and glossing over that incident was smart."
"...Knew it."
"Yeah. Digging deeper could've been risky."
Seeing Arte like that confirmed it.
Arachne meant Arte.
'I've never been in there'? Lie. A slip from panic.
Innocent people don't even bring it up.
Normal reaction is confusion over the words, not denying entry. Her choice of words already showed she knew the place.
She hadn't noticed her fluster gave it away.
"Still weird, though. If it'd panic her that much, why leave it there?"
"...Maybe she didn't draw it?"
"That 'Writer-nim' did it?"
"Just a guess."
"Sigh. Still know nothing. ...One plan won't cut it anymore. Time to move."
She proudly pulled something from her patient gown.
Looked high-end. ...What was that?
"Begged Dad for it. Dodging questions on what for was killer."
"So, what is it?"
"Mana detector. Way better quality than the senior's. Dad's personal one."
"...!"
Mana detector—that thing.
The one used to hunt the chameleon shapeshifter.
Full of flaws, only good for pinpointing culprits, but with this...!
"No guarantees we'll find it, but worth a shot."
"The secret room."
"Yeah. Takes time, but we'll run two projects at once."
She held up two fingers.
"Woo Arte, beat Arte to the secret room. Ultimate goal: stop Arte. One success is enough."
"...Right."
Our theory: Arte behind all incidents.
Fanciful nonsense or shocking truth?
Time would tell.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Results?"
"No villains matching the profile. Nothing special in the blood either."
"Sigh..."
In the silent mountain lodge.
A blue long-haired beauty received the report amid bustling subordinates.
"Your thoughts?"
"Dunno. Headache. Übermensch traitor?"
"Possible. Or another crime group. Nothing confirmed."
She sighed, cursed under her breath, and lit a cigarette from her pocket.
Her subordinate grinned bitterly, understanding, and continued.
"No data on villains who flaunt crimes like this with that power. Probably new."
"Why would someone that strong go villain? Monster hunting would earn lifelong praise."
"Tell me about it. Villain logic is alien."
The villain den still reeked of blood in her mind; her face crumpled.
Shouldn't have recalled it. Ruined her mood.
"Merciless, flaunting crimes..."
"Took out nearly 200 villains easy."
"Evidence?"
"Tons of unknown-purpose threads. Nothing else. Probably ultra-reinforced threads slicing them up."
"Wanna say that again?"
"S-Sorry. Slipped."
Trying to forget the unease, but now it was vivid.
She didn't want to relive that scene.
Weak-stomached subordinates had vomited; the mentally frail still looked hollow, sleepless.
She wasn't different. Dazed for a while.
Seen countless crimes, but nothing that brutal.
"Threads, so spider. Hah."
"Playful handwriting suggests no guilt over killing."
"You saw it too. Think the perp feels guilt?"
"..."
Her subordinate's face soured fast, recalling the sight.
Serves you right. Making me remember.
"Report up top. Register new villain."
"Got it. Details?"
"Villain name: Arachne. Presumed thread ability. Details unknown. Likely female."
"...Female?"
"Arachne's a woman. Don't know mythology?"
Show-offs leave clues in the details.
Nothing written? Investigation stalls. But flaunters slip up.
Focus on their evidence.
"Threat level... A-rank. Oh, tell the Association to boost Academy guards."
"Academy?"
"Lots of incidents there lately. Feels off."
The reporters were Academy students, right?
Her long villain-case instincts screamed.
Something's up at the Academy.