"Why... why did you do it?"

Ignoring the question, I glanced around.

Familiar faces surrounded me, forming a circle as if to trap me.

No, not as if — they really were trapping me.

Though I wasn’t particularly interested, I recognized the faces of my classmates whom I had seen daily for three years.

Amelia and Dorothy. And the recently added heroines whose names I couldn’t quite recall.

School teachers and heroes from the frontlines, whom I had seen before.

Even the elite forces of the association were here. Come to sever ties, I suppose?

It seemed they had gathered a lot of people for the so-called final showdown.

...So, it failed.

Everyone looked tired, with small wounds visible, but the number of people hadn’t decreased significantly.

Even if Siwoo and the heroines were an exception, failing to deal with the extras was unacceptable.

Annoyed, I clicked my tongue softly.

"Since you’ve come this far, I’ll ask just one thing. What happened to the other Arachne members? They must have gone that way."

"..."

"Well, I figured as much."

Though no answer came, the silence was enough of a reply.

They must be lying somewhere as cold corpses.

"I should have killed them."

Annoyance flared, and I frowned.

When I was still inexperienced.

Back then, unable to abandon a sense of reality, I pitied those who moved and acted like people and spared them.

I accepted them as comrades because they had nowhere else to go, thinking they might be useful someday.

...But that was a mistake.

What could I expect from those who couldn’t even handle extras?

"They were your comrades! How can you say that?"

"Comrades? Them?"

Ha.

I couldn’t help but laugh at Amelia’s glare.

Comrades, she said? Ridiculous.

"Those who failed their mission are no comrades of mine."

"...Lies."

"Lies?"

"You never thought of them as comrades from the start."

"That’s harsh... We’ve been through life and death together for years..."

I pretended to shed a tear, but no one gave me a sympathetic look.

Everyone was just waiting for Siwoo to speak.

...These humorless people.

"If you really considered them comrades, you wouldn’t have sent just three of them to face all of us."

"...Haha. Well, that’s true."

I didn’t feel like denying it.

She wasn’t wrong, after all.

Was there any need to consider mere puppets as comrades?

Though I had a bit of attachment to those puppets...

In the end, they were just dolls, not humans.

A bit regrettable, but parting with them didn’t mean much.

"Artemis, why did you change so much?"

"Hmm... Looks like everyone’s here. Shall we begin?"

"Answer me! Why did you change so much?!"

Desperation in his voice, Siwoo shouted at me once more.

...I was going to ignore it.

But he seemed so desperate for an answer that I had to respond.

"Change, you say?"

Fine.

A fight right after meeting the final boss would be boring.

A conversation with the hero is sometimes necessary.

Especially when the final boss was once an ally.

A tragic and poignant dialogue between the former ally turned enemy always captivates the audience.

"I have never changed."

"That’s impossible. What about the time we spent together at the academy?"

"...Oh, that."

"We solved cases together at the academy... We visited Amelia’s house... What about all those memories?"

"They were fun."

Yes, they were fun.

Life with Siwoo and the heroines was really fun.

How could it not be?

A plethora of events and incidents prepared to entertain the audience.

The thrilling romantic lines between Siwoo and the heroines.

It was a bit challenging to coordinate everything.

But I truly enjoyed the world moving according to what I and the creator envisioned.

"Artemis, please. It’s not too late. Return to how you were..."

"Seeing your joy without knowing I orchestrated it all was so amusing."

"What?"

"...You didn’t notice? Hahaha! This is hilarious!"

I was genuinely surprised.

I thought at least they had some suspicions, but they didn’t doubt it at all.

If they hadn’t doubted, of course, they wouldn’t have said it’s not too late.

"Didn’t you wonder why so many incidents occurred at the academy over the past three years?"

I laughed openly at the stunned faces.

What was the gap between us?

I thought they had some clue.

I never imagined they were completely unaware until now.

"You... it can’t be..."

"Yes, it’s true! Every incident you faced... I was behind it all!"

"That can’t be..."

"Haha, you actually believed Amelia’s father was killed by overseas mafia? It was a lie I casually told, but you believed it."

"...What?"

"Oops, was I not supposed to say that?"

I covered my mouth as if I had made a mistake, but all I received were angry glares.

Well, that’s understandable.

Not only had I disrespected the dead, but I had practically admitted to killing that person.

"Ah, well, what’s done is done... Yes, I killed him."

"Don’t lie. Then... what about the tears you shed when he died..."

"The tears? Ah, those tears..."

Amelia’s cry made me stop laughing and compose myself.

...Hmm, is this enough?

"Amelia... Don’t be too sad. Your father would want you to be proud of his work."

"...You!"

"Haha. My acting was quite good, wasn’t it?"

The puppets’ faces twisted.

They must feel like I had dishonored the dead.

Well, it’s true I dishonored them!

...No, since they weren’t human, maybe dishonoring the dead isn’t the right term.

"Artemis."

"Oh... Looks like you’re finally ready to do it."

Siwoo’s expression hardened.

He still seemed hesitant, but his determination to stop me was stronger.

Good. That’s how the hero should be.

...Let’s provoke him a bit more.

"It was fun, playing friends with you."

I looked around again.

What I saw was unmistakable hostility, different from before.

Just a moment ago, they might have had a reason to defeat a great enemy but didn’t feel it.

Now, seeing my actions firsthand, they understood the danger.

That this woman was a real threat.

"Good, good. It looks like everyone is ready."

I’m glad.

We need enthusiasm for an exciting finale.

Even though they were mere extras, they were useful in creating the atmosphere.

The protagonists, supporting characters, and extras alike all sent me cold glares.

Finally, I realized this was indeed the final act.

The end of this world was near.

"Haha, hahahaha..."

"...Hya!"

"Wait! Don’t move hastily..."

Slash.

An extra, unable to contain his anger, rushed at me.

Siwoo must have told them about my abilities, but what a fool.

That’s why you’re an extra.

Siwoo tried to stop him, but there was no way to.

As you can see.

Like a bug caught in a Venus flytrap.

Easily, he fell into a trap.

Dying pathetically without even a scream.

His body and face separated.

"Now, shall we start the final act..."

I bowed to the unseen audience.

Like greeting those who came to see a grand puppet show.

"Please, enjoy the show."

"...Damn it. Everyone, get ready! The battle has already begun!"

The penalty of not being able to reuse a thread once pulled from my clothes was long overcome.

So, we can enjoy it to the fullest.

The creator would surely be pleased.

"Initiate the operation to eliminate the villain Marionette! Watch out for the invisible threads!"

The blood-stained festival was just beginning.