“Finally! It moved!”

(Really?!)

(I never thought it would take this long…)

Voices filled with deep emotion burst out from here and there.

They always tease the pure girl to the point of annoyance, but at times like this, their hearts are united.

They never imagined it would take this long.

Affection of a human. Who knew it would take this long for the faint feeling of love to sprout?

“How long did it take?”

(If you’re talking about since you put that Reader in, it’s been about 9 months.)

“Shorter than I thought.”

She was sure it had been a very long time.

Turns out it’s much shorter than expected.

(It may be short by our standards, but isn’t it quite long by human standards?)

(Who knows? What’s the point of knowing that?)

(It’s because you have such little interest that everything you touch gets destroyed.)

(What was that?!)

Ignoring the noisy bickering between them, she gazed at the Reader.

Perhaps it was due to her loudly beating heart,

It felt like her vision was shaking a bit.

“…As expected of the Protagonist.”

Words of admiration slipped out.

To sway the Reader so much with just one gift and a few light conversations.

The girl was certain she never included him being good at this when creating the settings.

“The Reader… doesn’t seem to have noticed yet.”

It just had to happen once.

If such feelings emerge even once, they will only progress rapidly from then on.

When the Reader’s gaze, amidst being teased relentlessly by Amelia and Dorothy, occasionally turns towards the Protagonist.

When she unconsciously caresses the Protagonist’s gift.

Each time, her heart beat a little faster.

Even if she hasn’t noticed, slowly. But surely.

Feelings were sprouting.

“It’s a shame to cut it off there…”

But it might be for the best.

The Reader doesn’t handle sudden changes well.

Waiting until the Reader becomes aware of those feelings on their own is probably ideal.

‘If, in that situation, if I had gotten carried away by momentum and made her confess…’

“Hey, you guys. What do you think would’ve happened if she confessed as well?”

(She would’ve been rejected.)

(Thank you for your feelings, but I’m sorry. Something like that probably would’ve been said.)

“I thought so too.”

It’s regrettable from the perspective of wanting the two to get together, but it’s an unavoidable reality.

Given the Reader’s circumstances, it will be difficult for her to accept it easily.

Still, she couldn’t help but look at the Reader sadly, feeling the unavoidable disappointment.

She can’t help but think that it’s tantalizing. She wants to make a bit more progress.

A soft sigh of disappointment escaped, but even so, she smiled brightly, feeling good.

Disappointment is disappointment, but just a little.

It seemed like just a little more of a push would be fine.

She felt good that her efforts to push Arte to rely on Siwoo instead seemed to be paying off.

(Hey, does it still not work on him?)

“Hm? What doesn’t?”

(Your ability. It still doesn’t work on the Protagonist?)

“It doesn’t work at all, why?”

(What will you do if a variable appears…)

A variable?

“There’s no way something like that will happen.”

The girl smiled brightly.

There’s no way a variable will appear.

The Protagonist’s ability is intuition.

Of course, she did include a setting that it will become an incredible ability once it finishes growing…

“Do you think he’ll become a threat to us?”

(…True. Yeah, sorry.)

Since a mere mortal can’t threaten them.

So, there was no need to worry about such trivial issues.

***

“…Grrr.”

“Hehe.”

The hooded girl laughed brightly.

As if finding the dog in front of her adorable.

If one doesn’t mind appearances, one might think it’s a moment of bonding between a girl and an animal.

Ignoring the fact that it’s a girl covered in something grotesque and a dog the size of a five-ton truck.

“You’re strong, aren’t you!”

“Grrr…”

“Yes, yes. I know. It’s hard because humans keep barging into your home?”

The hooded girl spoke to the monster.

Despite the impossibility of humans and monsters conversing with each other.

The girl, whose words and actions seemed to differentiate herself from humans, stroked its side.

Yet the monster did not attack the girl.

Even though they always have an instinctive aversion to humans.

Despite all attempts to domesticate them ending in failure.

The girl showed that it was possible.

“It must have been tough. Right?”

“…Grrr.”

“If I hadn’t happened to pass by, it could’ve been dangerous. Don’t worry. You’re safe now.”

Ahaha.

Ahahaha.

The girl laughed like a madwoman.

“…Stop laughing and state your purpose.”

“Ah, right. Sorry Mir.”

“It’s fine. Now, this child is waiting.”

“Yes…Say, won’t you help me?”

“Grrr.”

“Hm? You’re asking if this will benefit you? I’m not sure about that, but if this goes well, humans won’t be able to come to your home.”

“Grrr!”

“…Really? You’ll help?! Thank you!”

The girl laughed and chattered alone.

As if able to converse with each other despite the impossibility of humans talking to monsters.

“…”

The man had been hiding and observing that scene all along.

No, perhaps saying he was hiding isn’t quite accurate.

He was dying right now.

“…You have a lot of friends too? Humans keep coming to find you so it’s hard? Don’t worry! I’ll help you!”

A perfectly ordinary day of setting out to kill monsters.

He had a bit more trouble than expected, but he was about to finish off the monster and return to base without issue.

…Until that crazy bitch suddenly appeared from behind and instantly slaughtered his comrades.

It happened in an instant, so no one could react.

He had barely noticed it and managed to avoid instant death by twisting his body.

His comrades showed no signs of opening their eyes.

They probably died instantly.

He already thought he was done for too.

Blood kept seeping from his stomach, and it was getting harder to think.

“HQ. HQ, respond…”

He was always prepared to die.

The battlefield where we put their lives on the line. Those who live in such a place and aren’t prepared for death don’t last long.

So there’s only one thing he fears.

Not being able to report this situation to the rest.

Not being able to convey this situation.

“HQ. This is Team 2. Respond… Quickly.”

-Bzzt, bzzt… What’s going on? Didn’t you just say you were returning?

“…!”

Thank goodness. It connected.

He can convey this situation!

“Abnormal situation occurred. A girl roughly 150cm tall, wearing a hood, launched a surprise attack from behind. Team 2 has been annihilated. The girl is…”

-Wha, what…? Annihilated? What the hell is that…

“Hey, what are you doing there?”

Ah.

At that moment, he felt death approaching.

“I asked what you’re doing?”

If he had stayed still, there might have been a chance of surviving.

But, even a little.

He had to convey even a little more information.

Because that was what he had to do for her fallen comrades.

“The girl seems to be able to communicate with monsters! Her body has numerous grotesque things…!”

Thump.

-…What was that sound just now? Hey, answer me. Are you still alive? Answer!

That was the end.

The final piece of information and last words that a dying superhuman conveyed with his life on the line.

“Calling my companions grotesque, that’s rude of you. How impolite.”

Crunch, crunch.

The girl stomped on the radio in irritation.

It was a sturdy radio designed to last a long time even in harsh environments, but under the girl’s kicks, it shattered into pieces and became unusable.

“Hey, doggy. Let’s just eat a little of that and run away quickly. I think we need to move locations.”

“…Grrr.”

“I got caught because I carelessly said this and that. I thought he was dead.”

Shortly after.

What the hastily dispatched rescue team found were the members of Team 2, discovered in a horrific state.

***

(Hehe, Reader-nim. I’m here~)

“…?”

Is this an auditory hallucination?

I heard a voice I thought I would never hear again, so I looked around.

Siwoo went to wash up, so there’s no one here. What the hell?

(Reader-nim…? I’m here. Is this on…Reader-nim?)

“Hah, boring.”

I randomly changed the TV channel, but nothing changed.

I wonder when Siwoo will come.

Being apart even for a short while is hard to endure.

“…”

When I unconsciously thought I felt lonely, I stroked the bracelet.

A warm heat spread and the bracelet let me know I wasn’t alone.

“…Hehe.”

How many times have I laughed absently while gazing at the bracelet?

Dorothy and Amelia teased me a lot because of this, but I couldn’t stop.

I mean, I can’t help it if watching makes me smile, you know?

“When will he come…”

Not having Siwoo by my side made me anxious, but I wasn’t worried anymore.

Because he said he would eventually come to help me.

So no matter how hard it gets, I wasn’t anxious anymore.

(Uwaaaaaah…! Reader-nim…! Don’t ignore me!)

“…Oh my, you surprised me. It was real.”

(Uwaaaaaah!)

I thought it was an auditory hallucination, but it was really the Author.

That startled me.

…I already missed the time without her.

My head started to hurt from the loud voice.