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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: A Suspicious Encounter
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Was it me?
Leaving the fallen beasts behind, I joined the crowd exiting the school, which had been placed under a temporary closure, and stepped outside.
"Author, how exactly do you plan to clean this up?"
[Uh, good question? I hadn't thought about that.]
"You messed up the entrance ceremony like this and you haven't thought about it at all..."
What am I going to do about this?
It's definitely going to be in the newspapers and news.
I thought the Author would have some plan, but they have no plan at all. Did they just do this without thinking of the aftermath?
[Well, I don't think other novels had descriptions like that... I thought it would be okay for something like this to happen in an academy, no?]
"Then how did those novels clean it up?"
[...I think they all covered it up.]
"Is that even possible?"
No, it's not like I haven't seen developments where an attack incident was covered up.
But in those cases, at most, there would have been witnesses from about half a class.
You can silence all the new students?
[Probably...? I, I'll try!]
This is really unsettling.
Can they really clean it up...?
A chilly wind blew fiercely, as if trying to blow away my anxiety.
Ugh, it's cold. Come to think of it, I need to go buy stockings and gloves.
"Author, give me some money."
[Eh, again...?]
"Of course. I'm a student, a student. Besides, you're the one who gave me this ability, aren't you?"
[Ugh, I feel like I'm losing. I don't have much money, why are you spending so lavishly, Reader!]
Then who told you to give me this ability?
The money that drains away every time I use my ability is quite a lot, more than I thought.
When I asked if I could just carry a ball of yarn, they refused, saying it wasn't cool.
Then is exposing myself naked when I go full power cool, damn it.
When I was little, I thought if I got superpowers, I'd want to use them to my heart's content.
They're saying things like, 'Abilities with penalties are cooler!'
A penalty is one thing, but this is another.
I've talked about this issue many times, but the conclusion was always the same.
The Author seemed to have no intention of giving me another ability.
I had to live with an ability that made me a perverted exhibitionist when I went full power.
Damn it.
"Oh, I'm planning to buy snacks and ice cream on the way home. Please give me a bit extra."
[Unreasonable...!]
The Author started whining, claiming it was unfair.
Why don't I gain weight no matter how much I eat?
And why do I live in such a nice place? They started clinging to me, complaining about a detached house with a swimming pool in the yard.
"No, Author, you said you'd make it that way."
[But, but...! I can't help feeling it's unfair!]
I casually let the Author's usual whining flow past me.
Haa, I'm worried about tomorrow.
***
"Ah, there you are. Could you please follow me to the faculty office for a moment?"
"Understood."
The classroom was in a chaotic state due to yesterday's incident, with students unable to properly greet each other.
Called by the teacher, I quickly left the classroom.
[Reader, you're not making any friends... How sad.]
"...That's because of you!"
"Did you say something just now?"
"No, Teacher. It's nothing."
Unable to overcome the surge of emotion, my voice had risen slightly.
But I have a right to speak my mind too.
I haven't talked to anyone yet, that's why I don't have friends.
As I passionately argued with the Author in a low voice, the Author said,
[Still, it's true you don't have friends.]
That's because the students avoid me!
I can't call someone a friend if I haven't even exchanged a word with them.
I need to have a conversation at least once, but everyone just avoids me, looking at my appearance!
The reason my surroundings were empty until the teacher came, and why I popped out so quickly when the teacher called, was because of that.
I was so awkward that the teacher's call was a welcome relief.
As I mulled over that atmosphere, I arrived at the faculty office before I knew it.
"Now, what's the student's name..."
"Arte Isis."
The changed name still felt unfamiliar.
When I asked why the protagonist had a Korean-style name but I had an English one, they said that in academy novels, many protagonists have Korean-style names.
I hated myself for accepting it because it sounded plausible.
"Alright, Arte. Please don't be too nervous just because you're in the faculty office. The reason I called you here is none other than..."
"Is it because of the monster attack incident?"
"...Well, you couldn't not know, could you? Yes, it's because of that."
I wondered how the Author had handled it.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't grasp it.
Did they really silence all the new students?
The anxiety I had forcibly suppressed surged up again.
"The academy will present you with a commendation."
"...Pardon?"
"We plan to award two students who helped resolve the monster attack incident."
What? They didn't silence the students?
[Hehe, how's that? Isn't it good?]
While I was pondering what on earth the Author had done, the teacher's voice came again.
"To be honest with you. The monster attack incident was clearly our oversight."
"Yes..."
I don't think it was your mistake, though.
My head instinctively lowered at the Author's voice, who was giggling as if asking for praise.
I feel sorry for them.
"Being torn apart by parents and reporters, yes, that's unavoidable. It's our side's mistake for not providing proper security."
My gaze shifted slightly to the teacher's eyes, which seemed filled with remorse.
Sure enough, deep dark circles were etched under them.
It seemed they had stayed up all night yesterday.
"The academy is an institution that cultivates heroes. We decided to humbly accept our mistake, treating it as having discovered promising students instead."
What?
That's too logical, isn't it?
Weren't academy and hunter association type places in webnovels always shady behind the scenes?!
"So, a commendation, then?"
"Yes. Don't worry. We also plan to provide sufficient compensation."
[How about it? Aren't you tired of incompetent academies all the time? Isn't it okay for them to be a little competent?!]
"...Hmm."
They just promised to give sufficient compensation to the victims, but why does the academy seem so competent?
Well, good is good, I guess.
It doesn't seem like it will harm the novel's development.
"Excuse me. May I come in?"
"Yes, come in. ...It's Yoo Siwoo, isn't it? Welcome."
[Ah, it's the protagonist!]
The Author's welcoming voice overlapped with the teacher's voice explaining the situation to him.
By the way, why is he looking at me like that?
Slightly puzzled, I stared back, and the protagonist hastily turned his head away.
...What was that?
[Oh oh, as expected, Reader! It's the protagonist falling for the heroine already development!]
"...Pfft, what nonsense."
[It's true!]
While I was casually ignoring the Author's nonsensical words, the teacher, who had finished explaining, approached me.
"Alright, then, we need to register your name on the list, so could you please tell me your name again?"
"Arte Isis."
"Arte Isis... Huh?"
The teacher looked puzzled and started fiddling with the computer a bit more.
What is it? Is there a problem?
"Student, could you please write the spelling on this paper?"
"Yes, sure."
Looks like they typed something wrong.
After writing my name, given by the Author, on the paper, I handed it back to the teacher.
How annoying.
As I boredly stared at the ceiling, the teacher's serious voice came.
"Student, your name isn't on the new student list...?"
"What? That can't be..."
That can't be true, can it?
I am an academy freshman, as declared by the Author.
If I'm not an academy student, then who is?
There's no way I'm not on the new student list.
"...Author?"
[Ah, aahh. I made a mistake...! J-just a moment! I didn't set it!]
Haa.
I let out a small sigh.
I thought they wouldn't cause trouble, but they ended up causing a problem after all.
[Arte Isis, Academy 1st year student. ...Done! It should appear on the list now!]
"Uhm, Teacher. You might have typed it wrong, so could I try typing it in myself?"
"...Alright. Would you like to try?"
The teacher, who was sitting on the chair, moved away from the desk, creating space for me to enter.
Let's see, Arte Isis... Done.
"Here it is. It seems there was a temporary system error."
"Oh, really. Thank you."
"Hehe, don't mention it."
After asking the protagonist for his name as well, the teacher typed something in and smiled brightly, saying,
"Alright, everyone. I know it must have been very tough with the monster attack, but thank you for taking the time. Let's see... Both of you are in Class A. You can head to Class A."
"Thank you, Teacher."
"I'm the one who should be thankful. ...Fighting! I'm cheering for you!"
[Hehe, how's that? I put you in the same class as the protagonist! ...Y-you're not angry, are you?]
They don't have to be so cautious when they say that.
Because of course I'm angry.
"Let's talk about this later."
[Hieek...]
By the way, why does the protagonist keep staring at me?
Surely he hasn't actually fallen for me, right?
***
'Her name isn't on the list...?'
Siwoo overheard it.
When her name wasn't on the new student list, her face hardened slightly, and she quietly called out 'Author' to someone.
A moment later, he also saw her type in her name, and naturally, her name appeared on the list.
The teacher had explained that the monsters had accidentally escaped from an illegal breeding facility.
But was that really the truth?
He clearly heard it. In the auditorium during the entrance ceremony, she knew that monsters were going to attack.
Moreover, that appearance as if she was talking to someone.
She had also said 'Author' in the auditorium then.
What did she say again?
'She's not interested in the teachers, was it...?'
"Excuse me."
"Y-yes?!"
"Pfft. Why are you so stiff?"
The red light leaking from her narrowed eyes felt like it was piercing him.
His body, tense, stiffened, and his heart began to pound with nervousness.
"You're Yoo Siwoo, right?"
"H-how did you...!"
"I heard the teachers talking earlier."
Oh, right. That's right.
I was so flustered I forgot.
As she smiled brightly and extended her right hand, he felt his muscles, which had briefly relaxed, contract again with tension.
W-what is she trying to do...!
"...? What's wrong?"
"Th-this?"
She tilted her head, extending an empty hand.
"Since we went through the same incident. Shall we be friends?"
As he hesitantly took her extended hand, she smiled brightly.
It was a strange smile, as if she had achieved something she had been aiming for.
"Arte Isis. Please call me Arte."
'Her target isn't the teachers, but the students... And she's been staring at me since the auditorium...!'
It was hard to believe.
...It seems she's targeting him.
And with ill intentions.