Chapter 102

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“…Why did I do that?”

I unconsciously rejected Ha-Yul’s offer to help.

Why did I reject it?

Surely, there was nothing wrong with his offer to help.

It would have ended quickly if I had gratefully accepted his help, even if I felt a little sorry.

I wore a troubled expression at the clothes scattered on the floor.

I had already rejected his kindness.

Looking at the amount of scattered clothes, there were more than I thought.

I suppose it’s because Siwoo changes his clothes often, as he sweats daily.

“Hmm, this is strange…”

I sighed and started putting the scattered clothes into the basket individually.

While pondering why on earth I had acted that way.

I did it reflexively, but I really couldn’t understand why.

After thinking while picking up the clothes, I finally realized why I hadn’t let Ha-yul help.

“…That was dangerous.”

Was I reflexively protecting Siwoo from danger to this extent?

My shoulders rose with unwarranted pride.

“Even if Ha-Yul is a member of Arachne, there’s no guarantee he’s absolutely on our side. It was a good decision.”

Ha-Yul is an ally.

A position closely connected to the Association as a former investigator.

A veteran who has been through numerous real battles.

On top of that, it is a practically invincible ability, even if it can’t be maintained long.

He’s undoubtedly the strongest among the Arachne members.

Yes, the best in Arachne.

Even including me.

“If he had been given a traitor setting and did something to Siwoo’s clothes… Phew, that’s a relief.”

[What nonsense is that… Hup!]

“?”

What was that?

I thought I heard something just now.

It must be my imagination.

***

The girl hurriedly covered her mouth and held her breath.

The sound was already blocked, so the Reader probably couldn’t hear her, but she couldn’t bear it otherwise.

The subject of the girl’s observation looked around for a while at the sudden sound, then started picking up the clothes again, one by one.

“Whew… That was close…”

(I can’t believe she didn’t notice.)

“W-What did you say?!”

(If only she had noticed, we could have seen her crying… What a shame…)

“I wouldn’t cry!”

The girl exclaimed that, but she wasn’t sure if she wouldn’t cry.

The girl had made a resolution.

When the Protagonist and the Reader started to confirm their feelings for each other, she would speak to her again then.

But the girl’s short patience was shattered by the past month’s experiences.

Surely, the girl’s patience could be considered excellent among transcendents.

Especially compared to those who would just forcibly connect them rather than wait frustratingly.

To be honest, the girl was starting to want to talk with the Reader.

She wanted to chat about various things. Not being able to speak was quite painful.

Yet, the reason the girl didn’t speak to her was simple.

She didn’t want to waste the past month.

If she spoke now, everything built up until now would crumble.

But it was hard to endure. At this rate, it seemed like she might give up and speak first.

She connected the sound briefly to feel that moment again, but her voice accidentally leaked out at the Reader’s monologue.

She almost ruined over a month of waiting in vain.

“Ah, this is so frustrating! How can we make the reaction happen faster?!”

(I thought you said you liked that kind of thing?)

“Even that has its limits! After waiting for a month, huh? Shouldn’t they be all over each other by now?!”

The plan was surely perfect.

Right after realizing that the Reader was contradictorily afraid yet dependent on her.

She voluntarily kept her mouth shut, which she had closed for fear of being scolded.

Because the progress between the Protagonist and the Reader suddenly accelerated.

So, just a little more.

She endured for a month, thinking that if she stayed quiet just a little longer, they would make more progress.

Of course, a month might not be considered a long time, but she thought they would progress quickly.

“Why, why has it turned out like this…”

The girl was certain.

That the Reader’s body was her finest masterpiece.

She was confident that if this body were in a normal modern society, not this kind of world, it would instantly become famous just for its face.

The reason for making it that way… Well, there wasn’t any particular deep meaning.

Part of her body had to be mixed in, and it would be unpleasant if it were ugly.

There’s a saying that what looks good tastes good too, right?

“With a body like that, behaving like that with such a body…!”

Why isn’t the Protagonist reacting?!

Is he impotent?

No, that can’t be. Surely he should be fine? It’s impossible according to his settings, right?

“Why doesn’t he pounce? Why doesn’t he pounce, I say!”

(This is starting to look unsightly.)

“Be quiet! Do you understand how I feel?!”

(I don’t want to understand your feelings.)

Surprisingly, nothing happened for a month.

They certainly got closer, unlike the feeling of being friends before living together.

It was visible that Siwoo was constantly aware of Arte’s unintentional seduction.

It seemed he was somehow managing his gaze so Arte wouldn’t notice.

…But still, the progress is too slow.

It hurt her pride.

It felt like being told that the body she created wasn’t pretty.

“Fine, let’s say even the Protagonist is like that… The Reader is the worst!”

Let’s concede and say even the Protagonist could be like that.

The most annoying one is the Reader.

“That reaction is really too much!”

Honestly, she felt wronged.

What did I do?

She didn’t understand why the Reader was so wary of her in the first place.

Has she ever done anything bad to her?

She might have scolded the Reader, but she hasn’t ever tormented her.

“A setting where a former investigator who went around killing villains suddenly becomes a traitor! Would I do such a thing…?”

Oh.

That sounds like it could be interesting.

An investigator who realizes that killing people is wrong and turns back to the side of justice.

Single-handedly opposing the Association and secret organization that manipulate superhuman society…?

Should she try it?

(You’re not thinking of something weird again, are you?)

“…Ha! N-No, I wasn’t thinking anything!”

(This girl was about to cause trouble again, wasn’t she?)

Ahem, ahem.

It’s a setting that makes her mouth water a bit, but she put it aside for now.

The Reader surely has feelings for Siwoo too. It can’t be otherwise.

Isn’t it natural for love to blossom when they’re sticking together like that?

“And yet, to have such a reaction…”

She tried not to intervene at all.

But she felt that at this rate, it might take years for them to make progress.

The Reader’s mental state has improved a bit recently, but…

“Hehehe, I guess I have no choice at this point.”

She’ll have to forcibly create an event.

After all, an incident is necessary to sprout emotions.

The Reader was still picking up clothes,

Not knowing what was about to happen.

***

“…Phew. I guess I’m almost done.”

I sighed while picking up the clothes.

Finally, it’s over.

Looking at the clock, almost ten minutes had passed.

I should hurry back before another problem occurs.

Thinking that, I hurriedly headed towards the washing machine.

At that moment, thud.

With the sensation of something catching my foot, my body started to lean forward.

“Ah, aah?!”

Crash, bang.

The contents of the basket I was holding in both hands spilled out, and my body, with no way to support itself, fell onto the contents.

Ah, damn it.

I have to pick them up again.

My mood sank. Things aren’t going well today.

“I’m sure there was nothing here…”

There shouldn’t have been anything in this area that could catch my foot.

I looked around to see what had caught my foot, but I couldn’t see anything.

…Was it my imagination?

“Sigh, I have to pick them up again…”

How am I going to explain this?

I felt guilty seeing the white clothes covered in dirt and stained.

Those kinds of stains don’t come out easily, so I’ll have to figure out how to fix them somehow.

I picked up the clothes again, trying to soothe my deeply sunken mood.

After putting the picked-up clothes into the washing machine,

Only then did I realize something was strange.

“Huh?”

Feeling the strangeness, I looked at the clock.

The clock was still busily moving, showing the time.

The time that had already passed 15 minutes since I separated from Siwoo.

“Hmm…?”

When I was separated from Siwoo, my breathing would naturally start to become unstable after ten minutes.

For the time to suddenly increase by more than half doesn’t make sense.

I don’t think my body suddenly got better.

Even yesterday, my hand trembled once.

Then what’s different?

Among things related to Siwoo, the reason I can endure longer than before is…

At that moment.

Suddenly, the basket in my hand caught my eye.

Come to think of it, when I fell, something felt warm.

“…”

Gulp.

Should I do this?

Is it really okay to do this?

I don’t even know if this is right or not.

No, but constantly clinging to him until now might have been more of a nuisance.

Compared to that, this much is…

“Arte! Arte, where did you go?! Are you okay?!”

“Eek?!”

“There you are! Arte, are you alright?!”

“Y-Yes… I’m fine.”

“Thank goodness… Let’s go back to the room for now.”

“Ah, no. Before that, I need to…”

“Oh, that. I meant to tell you but forgot. Those are my clothes, so it’s fine to do it later.”

“No, it’s just…”

“Let’s go to the room first.”

Wait a moment…

Even though I tried to say something, Siwoo was busy ushering me into the room.

So, I ended up holding onto something.

One of Siwoo’s clothes.