[I wanted to see the protagonist’s house more…]

The Author’s voice was heard, complaining in a deflated tone.

She wanted to observe the protagonist’s house more?

But it couldn’t be helped.

“I’m sorry, Author-nim. Something urgent came up, so can you please understand?”

[Hiiing…]

“We can visit again next time. Let’s take our time and check it out then.”

[…Okay!]
Consoling her wasn’t that difficult.

We can just visit again next time, right?

I also wanted to understand the structure one more time properly.

I was also interested in how Siwoo lived his life.

Fortunately, the Author understood that I had to leave urgently.

[But copycats… It’s unforgivable!] (TN: If you scrape this, hi. ^~^)

“Is that so?”

She began to get very angry at the impersonator.

Still, I thought she was considerate of me.

Just as I was about to feel a little better, the Author’s next words instantly dampened my mood.

[Of course! It’s a cool secret organization! How dare they impersonate it…!]

“…Ah, yes.”

Right, of course.

…I had completely forgotten that the Author had a childlike personality.

She wasn’t angry because she thought of me, but simply because our cool organization was being impersonated.

Well, whatever. Now’s not the time to dwell on that.

Even if it was an organization created on impulse, I am still Arachne’s leader.

Managing the organization is also my responsibility.

As soon as I arrived home, I clapped my hands to gather my subordinates.

“Oh, Arte, my beloved Mas…”

“Welcome back, Arte. You’re a bit early?”

“Yes, well. That’s how it turned out.”

It seemed like they had also become quite close after spending some time.

Lyla, who covered Spira’s mouth as she was about to say something, smiled and spoke to me.

Ah, right.

I wonder if these guys also know?

“Did you watch the news?”

“News?… What’s that?”

“It seems like you haven’t seen it. Alright. Then let’s all watch it together.”

We gathered cozily with investigator Ha-Yul, who followed me and looked at the news.

“This is…”

“Arachne killed civilians?”

“Have you taken any actions by any chance?”

“No! No! I haven’t done anything! I’m innocent!”

“I’m not interrogating you.”

Lyla is always the same.

The ability to do anything to survive.

I knew very well that it was her personality from watching her all this time, but…

“… I’m not involved either. I’m too busy watching this one.”

“This one?! Wha, what did I do?!”

“Put your hand on your chest and think about it, you useless snake. Arte, is it too early for snake alcohol?”

“Can you get it?”

“Yeah, sure thing.”

“?!”

Lyla must have noticed how flustered Spira got last time when I threatened to force-feed her snake alcohol.

It seemed like Lyla realized that threats were necessary to handle Spira.

…No, wait. That’s not it.

“What about you, Investigator Ha-Yul?”

“…I’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorry!”

“?”

Oh my.

The two who were bickering and I slowly distanced ourselves from Ha-Yul, who was muttering something at a fast pace.

“It’s unforgivable! How dare they harm civilians under the name of Arachne!”

“…Uh, yeah. I guess so.”

I knew better than anyone that Investigator Ha-Yul would never kill civilians.

After all, I was the one who brought the justice-filled investigator into the organization.

I asked the Author to create an unfortunate past accident to bring him in.

I thought I couldn’t bring him in without going that far.

The Association, they’re quite capable…

“We must find them and make them pay for their sins! The price for borrowing our name is death!”

“…Uh, yeah. I got it, so can you calm down a bit?”

Was the method I used too effective?

His sense of justice twisted in a strange direction, and he began to blindly follow Arachne.

Well, it’s a good thing for me, but…

How should I put it… I feel like such trash…

I’m not some cult leader, you know.

“Then I’ll take it as no one has taken any action.”

“…Well, that’s right.”

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Of course!”

Lyla, who seems to find everything bothersome.

Spira, who keeps looking at others’ reactions.

And Ha-Yul, who looks like he wants me to give orders.

I looked at the three of them.

…I had planned to kill these guys.

How did we end up living under the same organization, under the same roof?

A momentary whim, a sense of pity.

It was hard to watch the existence of those I had spared, moved by emotions I shouldn’t have felt.

It was like watching the daily life of puppets moving behind the stage.

I didn’t need to know their personalities, hobbies, and trivial information.

Did the puppets I had killed also live like this behind the stage?

…No, no. Let’s not think about it.

I didn’t need to know the inside story of the extras.

“Alright, everyone. Then it would be good to teach a lesson to those who tarnished our name.”

“As you command.”

“Shall we start by gathering information first?”

I’ll try not to borrow the Author’s hand as much as possible.

Whenever she acts, I inevitably realize that this world is false.

I realize that a single gesture can turn everyone’s life upside down, except Siwoo and me.

[Teach them a lesson, Reader-nim!]

“Come on, let’s teach the impersonators a lesson.”

Even if the Author didn’t say it, I was full of intentions to show them who they messed with.

How dare they interfere with the opportunity to find out more about Siwoo.

And even if it was an organization created unintentionally, how dare they impersonate Arachne.

How should I torment them?

“Mwahaha, ahaha…”

“Wow, that laugh is scary…”

“Shut up, Spira.”

***

“How is it?”

“No one suspects a thing. Stupid fools.”

Several burly men gathered in a dark alley and started laughing and chatting.

As if boasting about the merits they had established, they were eager to brag about what crimes they had committed.

“Even if you kill a few people, no one suspects it if you claim they were a villain!”

“Even if you rob a store and steal valuables, all you need to do is draw well.”

Stories of killing people. Stories of stealing things and running away.

Boasting their respective exploits, they ridiculed the people.

“If it’s something done by Arachne, they mistakenly think it’s a crime committed against villains without a doubt!”

“The investigative authorities also seem to have that impression. Stupid bastards.”

“Thanks to Arachne. Isn’t this a windfall?”

They are scum.

They are villains, but very weak ones.

The reason they can commit crimes openly, barely being underlings of criminal organizations, is simple.

“These days, the income is also pretty good.”

“That’s because we all share it.”

An organization that dominated the area vanished.

No, perhaps they might have dominated more than half the country.

And they were wiped off the map.

It’s only natural that the remaining villains, oppressed by them, start to raise their heads.

The hyenas couldn’t miss the huge corpse that suddenly appeared.

“Why even commit crimes? Arachne will punish you.”

“Right? Hehehe. Fools.”

The number of crimes committed by villains has plummeted since the emergence of Arachne.

That was clear from any statistic, and that’s why Arachne was praised by the citizens.

To the citizens, they were an organization that dealt with bad guys.

…But they are not always accurate.

As Arachne’s activities dwindled, some guys who used their heads appeared.

If Arachne is a bunch that executes villains, then we can just become ‘one’ of them.

They attempted impersonation based on that simple idea.

That action was quite effective.

If you just draw a crimson spider emblem and run away, the victim is suspected of being a villain instead.

“Ah, it’s really funny. Right?”

“I know. Did you guys see that face?”

“I saw it! That expression of injustice! Khuhu…!”

Just being targeted by Arachne is enough for the victim to be suspected.

Maybe they were a villain before.

Or maybe they were someone who had some kind of deal with a villain.

Such suspicions spread, and the victims had to either claim their innocence or keep their mouths shut for a long time.

Even if they realize the victim is innocent and restart the investigation to find the real culprit, it’s too late.

They’ve already been on the run for a long time.

They didn’t have to worry about getting caught by the real Arachne because their activities had become infrequent.

“Hail Arachne!”

“Hahaha! What are you doing that?”

“What? Isn’t this natural? They’re the ones who made our fortunes.”

“Is that so? Hehehe. Should I try it too? Hail Arachne!”

The hyenas laughed.

In a world without lions, hyenas flourish.

So why isn’t it a hyena’s world?

Because the noise will wake the sleeping lion.

Sure, here is the translation of the text in the image:

__________________________

Author’s Notes

The sound of the wind is scary…

Readers, please don’t get hurt…