The Unlucky Heroine Captured the Fraudulent Protagonist's Heart... Me? (2)
Even after discarding all the minor descriptions, it still took Arty quite a while to finish reading through Joyeon's status window.
"Arty, aren't you done yet?"
"J-just... a little more... I haven't... finished yet..."
This is insane... He really has this much? Without even counting the cognomens, all of this in just a few months...?
"You're done now, right? There's nothing about the protagonist in there, is there?"
"...What's that?"
Arty pointed at the very last title on Joyeon's status window. Following her finger, Joyeon checked the title she was asking about and widened his eyes in surprise.
"What the hell is that? What kind of title is it?"
It was a title Joyeon had never seen before either—one that had appeared alongside the flood of notifications when he left his first footprint during the battle with the War Troll. Realizing belatedly how he'd obtained it, Joyeon scrambled to explain.
"W-wait a second. It's a title I don't even know about. I got it from this battle. It's definitely not related to the protagonist."
"It says Dominator. That doesn't look ordinary at all."
"It... definitely doesn't seem ordinary, but look at the effect. It just says it lets me recognize 'other' Dominators. That proves I'm not the only one in the world like the protagonist, right?"
Watching Joyeon explain with certainty despite his flustered state, Arty still felt a lingering unease but decided she couldn't press him any further. She nodded slowly in acceptance.
"...Status window."
True to her word, Arty displayed her own status window for Joyeon to see. Though he already knew its contents, Joyeon pretended otherwise and read through it once more.
Name: Arty Stria Jewel Heroine
Age: 19
Titles: Artist Who Designs Utopia — Effect increases as artistic value is added. (Ability amplification in progress)
Ability User Who Bewitched the Goddess — Receives the Goddess's favor. Under the Goddess's watch.
Chosen Ability User Who Selected Reincarnation — Reincarnates. Reincarnation perks (Language Translation, Dimensional Pocket, Status Window) applied.
Unlucky Icon Whose Fate Was Twisted — Misfortune follows. (Ability amplification in progress)
Blessed One — One blessed by the Ability God. All abilities receive amplification correction.
Peerless Beauty Who Conquers Unconquerable Targets — Extreme favorability correction toward all members of the opposite sex. (Ability amplification in progress)
Cognomen: Delusive Witch
World: Ability World
Abilities: Language Translation (A-rank)
Concept Sculpting (A+ rank) = Modifies concepts and laws one understands. (Ability amplification in progress)
Seeing that it matched exactly what he'd seen in his dream, Joyeon nodded and showed Arty the reaction he'd prepared in advance.
"Ooh...! So you're an ability user, not a mage. No wonder conversations felt a bit off. So that was the reason."
"...You're not as surprised as I expected?"
"N-no way. I was really surprised! But with the world in this state, I figured there could be people from other worlds too. That's all."
His reaction feels off. Even the Saintess looked way more shocked than this... Wait, what's that?
Arty's intuition easily saw through Joyeon's clumsy acting. However, something else on the status window caught her attention more than his reaction. It was a title she hadn't known she'd obtained, just like Joyeon: Peerless Beauty Who Conquers Unconquerable Targets.
Conquered someone...? It's been there all along, so why now...? An unconquerable target... When did I get this title? Who does "unconquerable target" refer to?
Arty hadn't been able to check her titles properly because of the constant chaos from Kelts Pitra and the War Troll right after obtaining it.
"You lied about your age. You told me you were twenty when we first met. I'll let that slide. And unlike my useless titles, your effects are insane. Blessed One is seriously ridiculous. Though the Unlucky Icon seems problematic— And Peerless Beauty, huh~ Honestly, that title suits you perfectly."
Joyeon, sensing Arty's suspicion, kept chattering to change the subject while Arty half-listened, her mind racing.
Hmm— That title definitely wasn't there until yesterday. So it must've appeared sometime between yesterday and today... And if it's an unconquerable target, that means someone who didn't fall for me normally... The men I met between yesterday and today... The men who were with me... Unlike the others who fell for me at first sight, a man who didn't fall for me but was eventually conquered...
Having nearly pinpointed the cause, Arty looked up at Joyeon, who was enthusiastically praising her, and broke into a bright smile.
"Joyeon."
"Plus, your cognomen is something I've never— What?"
"Do you like me?"
"H-huh? What?!"
"You've fallen for me, right? No, you definitely have!"
"W-what are you suddenly saying...? Why would I—"
"Lies! It has to be you. No one else could possibly make this happen."
Arty declared it with far more certainty than when she'd accused him of being the protagonist. Joyeon, completely unaware that Arty's Peerless Beauty title was recently acquired, couldn't understand why she was so convinced.
What the hell is wrong with her today? I'm already losing my mind as it is. First she calls me the protagonist, now she's asking if I've fallen for her...
Meanwhile, Arty's mood, which had been poor just moments ago, inexplicably began to improve.
Joyeon must've fallen for me! He doesn't get close to anyone except me! Yeah~ That makes sense~ So Joyeon ended up falling for me too~?
Armed with the absolute proof of her title, Arty poked Joyeon's chest with her finger, looking triumphant.
"I'm right, aren't I? You've fallen for me, right? Last night? Or this morning? Probably this morning, huh? You liked it, didn't you! Of course you did~ You're a guy, after all~ You can be honest with me, you know? I might even take it positively~?"
Arty's bright, playful smile was truly beautiful enough to bewitch a goddess. If asked whether Arty was pretty, Joyeon would say she was prettier than anyone he'd ever seen. If asked whether he liked her, he would answer without hesitation that he did. If asked whether he'd fallen for her, he would think for a moment, recall her devastating aegyo, and probably admit that he had. If given the chance to date her, he would naturally bow down in gratitude and accept.
...But right now, he couldn't.
[The Ability God is glaring at you.]
[She reminds you of your pact.]
[You absolutely cannot confess to 'Arty Stria Jewel Heroine'.]
[You must eliminate every man who approaches 'Arty Stria Jewel Heroine'.]
[This pact can never be broken.]
Notifications visible only to him. An intense gaze he could unmistakably feel, even if he couldn't understand its emotion. And the ring vibrating like mad. Knowing that the goddess obsessed with Arty was glaring at him, Joyeon had only one choice.
"...No!"
"...Huh?"
"Why would I? I already told you before, didn't I? I don't see you as a woman. Just a female friend. Nothing more, nothing less."
"...Lies! You clearly fell for me this morning! Even if you say you don't see me as a woman, you can't lie to your heart!"
"If I say no, then it's no. My heart is mine to decide. How much time are you wasting with this nonsense? Stop with the pointless talk and hurry up and follow me."
Arty had absolute proof in her title that Joyeon had fallen for her. But Joyeon, unaware of that fact, thought he could get through this situation by denying it. He forcibly ended the conversation and turned to climb the stairs again. Arty, whose confession of his feelings had been completely rejected, puffed out her cheeks and glared at his retreating back. Just as her mood had improved earlier, it now inexplicably soured, and she silently followed him up the stairs.