Chapter 107

 

…How should I die?

I no longer felt the desire to live.

Yesterday. After I was caught doing something I shouldn’t have done by Siwoo,

He didn’t say a single word to me all day.

He just treated me as usual.

It was probably out of consideration. I wasn’t in a state to listen even if he said something.

However, even if I received such consideration, nothing changed.

The fact that I was caught secretly hugging Siwoo’s shirt after keeping it a secret from him doesn’t change.

I, who had spent the whole night with my eyes open, was contemplating how to die with the least amount of pain.

The least painful death would be a death using drugs, but…

If I left Siwoo’s side, he would follow me, worried, so purchasing things were impossible.

Initially, I was supposed to be the one monitoring Siwoo, but at some point, it felt like we were monitoring each other.

“…Is this the only way after all?”

I looked at the school uniform fluttering in the wind.

If I weave this well, hang it from the ceiling, and hang it around my neck, wouldn’t I die instantly?

“Arte.”

“…”

No, it might be too painful after all…

But stabbing myself with a knife or cutting my body with wire seems a bit too much. It would be even more painful.

“Arte!”

“Ah, yes…?”

“What are you thinking so deeply about? You’re not even listening when I talk. Is something bothering you?”

Dorothy and Amelia were looking at me with concerned expressions.

Judging from what they just said, they must have called me several times.

They came this close because I wasn’t answering.

…What should I say?

Should I tell them the truth?

That I was secretly stealing Siwoo’s shirts and hugging them, savoring them, and while doing so, I didn’t notice that he was looking for me and got caught?

That I was thinking of dying because I couldn’t bear the shame?

There’s no way I could say that.

I decided to brush it off appropriately.

“It’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t seem like nothing.”

“Why did you call me?”

“… You’re not good at changing the subject, are you? Well, fine. I’ll let it slide. You know, the midterm exams are ending in a few days, right?”

It would have been a bit troublesome if they had kept pressing me.

Fortunately, Amelia let it slide, so I was saved.

By the way, has that much time already passed?

I had completely forgotten about the midterm exams, but Amelia’s words finally reminded me.

The time for the midterm exams to end was approaching.

“We’re guaranteed to be at the top, right, Arte?”

“That’s right. Our classmates are envious.”

“It’s just bad luck for them.”

I wonder. Is it really just luck?

Other students took it easy in the beginning because they could see the villains’ activities gradually becoming more active.

It was an attempt to gain points more efficiently.

Then, the villains’ activities very suddenly became scarce.

The reason? It’s obviously because of me.

“Arachne suddenly resumed their activities, so the villains tucked their tails and ran.”

“I feel bad for the villains too.”

At first, we resumed our activities because of the impersonator issue, but we gained an unexpected harvest.

We secured a top spot without much trouble.

Thanks to that, we spent a long time without classes, just doing personal training.

“…So?”

“Huh?”

“I get that the midterm exams are ending, but why did you bother to…”

Honestly, I didn’t really care about the midterm exams ending.

I don’t even have any feelings about taking the midterm exams. We were either getting first or second.

Moreover, the ones competing against us are right before me.

We may not be a team, but the four of us have it all figured out.

Due to the overwhelming gap we gained, we didn’t need to do more.

To suddenly bring up the midterm exams now…

“Well, that’s…”

“Well?”

“To celebrate the end, I wanted to have some fun today… Is that not okay?”

Just go have fun.

Why are you asking me?

I was thinking that, but I felt the gazes of the two looking at me.

“Siwoo also agreed to come. What do you think?”

“…Siwoo too?”

“Yeah.”

Why are the two acting like they’re gauging my reaction?

I unconsciously realized the reason.

“Where are you planning to go?”

“Huh?… No, well. Nothing special. Just going shopping at the shopping district or something like that.”

As I thought.

Just an invitation to hang out. Without any particular plan.

I recalled the time before I came to this world.

Sometimes, my friends would invite me like this.

“Okay.”

“What? Really?”

When I nodded in agreement, the two showed a surprised reaction, and I almost felt a little hurt.

Was it just a perfunctory question for me?

“Ah, no. Don’t misunderstand. It was just a bit unexpected.”

“…Unexpected?”

“We were hoping you would come, but…”

They didn’t really expect me to come, something like that.

…Well, I wasn’t originally planning to go either, so it might not be wrong.

“I just thought, maybe this kind of thing would be nice occasionally.”

Was it a coincidence that I suddenly remembered the time before I came to this world?

I unconsciously accepted the invitation, which seemed like a friend casually asking me to hang out.

“But you do have some kind of plan, right?”

“Huh? Hmm… Should we think about it now…?”

“Haa…”

They just suggested going out to play without any plan. It’s the same here as it was…

I sighed and looked out the window.

The clear sky without a single cloud was spread out.

“…I just thought, maybe this kind of thing would be nice occasionally.”

I muttered softly and thought again.

That’s all. Amelia and Dorothy are not people.

They’re just puppets.

Suddenly, I missed the Author.

Without her, I forget that I am surrounded by dolls.

***

“She’s coming?”

“Yeah. But why did you suddenly suggest going out to play? It was hard trying to brush it off.”

“I felt like we should.”

“…?”

Siwoo couldn’t tell them more.

His ability wasn’t the type that could be controlled.

Intuition is useful.

It’s a reliable ability, almost like precognition, when it comes to dangerous situations or something he absolutely thinks shouldn’t happen.

But on the flip side, that means he grew dull in other places.

Arte stole his clothes.

It’s easy to understand if you think about the fact that he didn’t notice something like that.

But sometimes.

Very rarely, there are moments when something suddenly comes to mind like this.

A flash of insight, like he needs to take a certain action right away or someone will be in danger.

“Somehow, I felt like doing this would lead to a better outcome.”

“…Your Intuition?”

“Yeah.”

There was a reason he didn’t go and only sent Amelia and Dorothy.

He forcibly pushed the two to stall as he devised a plan.

Siwoo didn’t know exactly what would move in a better direction through this action.

But if there’s one thing for sure, his intuition won’t let things take a turn for the worse for Arte.

“If that’s the case… It’s actually good timing. You have something to give her, right?”

“Ah, right.”

“It doesn’t seem like it needs any modifications. You made it well.”

He was pleased with Amelia’s praise.

Given her background, she must have a good eye for these kinds of accessories.

If she approves of it, it should be fine.

“But what’s this thread?”

“Thread?”

“Yeah. This dark crimson thread. It’s nice that you emphasized the white thread with a complementary color, but where did you get it?”

“Ah.”

The sudden question made him feel like his words were stuck in his throat.

How should he explain this?

“It’s nothing.”

“What is it? I’m just curious… The texture is really soft. It could be used for underwear, right?”

He couldn’t help but shiver at Amelia’s words.

…Why is she so unnecessarily sharp sometimes?

***

“Heh, hehehe. I’ve gathered them. I’ve gathered them all.”

The girl in rags looked up at the sky.

The sky, without a single cloud, filled the girl’s vision.

The weather seemed to celebrate her achievement, and the girl’s mood brightened.

“I’ve finally gathered them all, Mir. I’ve gathered all the comrades.”

“That’s great, Annie. Are you going to take revenge now? Are you going to make everyone equal?”

“Not yet.”

“…Why?”

If someone had been watching the hooded girl, they would have thought she was crazy.

Talking to herself, answering herself.

It was truly the behavior of a madwoman.

“Think about it, Mir. The reason we lost.”

“We weren’t prepared enough.”

“That’s right. We weren’t prepared enough. We didn’t have enough people.”

However, someone who had watched the girl closely would have tried to run away immediately at the bizarre sight.

The figure inside the hood was a monster wearing a human mask.

“We need subordinates. Subordinates who will fight alongside us.”

“…But Annie. We’ve lost our foundation. Will there be anyone who will follow our cause?”

“Don’t worry, Mir. Don’t worry. It’s okay if they’re not human.”

A conglomeration of various animals.

Her eyes were filled with a madness that couldn’t be called human.

It was already a sight that couldn’t be considered human.

“Let’s go to the front lines. There will be friends who can help us there.”

“You’re talking about the monsters, right, Annie?”

“Yeah. What do you think?”

“You’re really smart. As expected, there’s no one but Annie.”

“…Hehehe.”

The girl, no.

The monster took a step.

Step, step.

A crimson path followed where it walked.