"...That could have been a disaster."
That really was a dangerous move.
I almost did something insane just because I couldn’t control my emotions in the moment.
If I had kept going, trying to save face and lashed out even more, I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened.
As I was lost in those terrible thoughts, Amelia suddenly rushed over like the wind and started checking me over.
"Arte! A-are you okay?! You said your head hurt!"
"...Ah, I’m fine. Don’t worry. I feel better now."
"O-oh? That’s a relief."
She actually believed my lie about the headache that easily.
Amelia really does have a surprisingly naive side to her.
Every now and then, her true nature as a rich girl slips out.
Though the way she acts, she seems less like a refined lady and more like a reckless wild child from some dangerous family.
"Still, it’s too bad. I really wanted to win and move on."
"...Was there a reason you wanted to win?"
"Well, if I got a good result today, I wouldn’t have to go to class tomorrow. Since I’d be in first place."
"Ah."
...Now that she mentions it, this tournament did have a loser’s bracket, didn’t it?
I had heard that the top ranks already had enough data accumulated, so they didn’t need to participate in the loser’s bracket.
So that’s why everyone was so motivated. Because they didn’t want to go to class.
"Well, just in case, you should get plenty of rest."
"Thanks, Amelia. I’ll do my best tomorrow."
"Okay!"
Amelia, who had rushed over like the wind, disappeared just as quickly.
Where was she off to?
I was a little curious, but I didn’t feel like prying.
I’m exhausted today. I just want to rest.
"Author-nim, I’m sorry... I think I’ll just rest today..."
[O-oh, of course. You must be emotionally drained... But we got a lot of great scenes, so I’m satisfied!]
"That’s good."
Thankfully, Author-nim understood how I was feeling.
Maybe it’s because she’s a woman too? She seemed to take into account the fact that I almost exposed myself naked in front of the entire school.
But then again, she shouldn’t have given me this kind of ability in the first place.
I wanted to call her out on a few things, but I gave up.
She probably just thought it would look cool and made my ability like this without a second thought.
And then, after realizing it was way too overpowered, she kept slapping on random limitations until it ended up like this. I was sure of it.
"It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to relax. Maybe I should eat something good..."
[Oh! Then have some meat! Meat! Something that looks delicious!]
"...Fine, I guess. I like meat too. How about steak today?"
[Steak! That sounds amazing! Do you know how to cook?]
"I can manage the basics."
Sometimes, Author-nim asks me to eat something for her.
Maybe she gets some kind of vicarious satisfaction from watching videos of me eating?
I’ve never seen anything like that before, so I’m not sure, but it’s probably similar.
Anyway, this is the first real rest I’ve had in a while. I should put my skills to good use and make the most delicious meal I can.
For the first time in ages, I savored the leisurely feeling as I headed to the mat.
"…What’s this, Yu Siwoo. What are you doing here?"
"Dorothy collapsed from exhaustion, so I just came back from the infirmary."
"Oh? …Congrats on winning. Guess you don’t have to go to the Academy tomorrow."
"You’re really terrible at giving compliments…"
"What? Skipping Academy for a day to rest sounds great."
Well, it *was* great… but still.
Even so, openly celebrating not having to go to the Academy felt a little off, didn’t it?
"By the way, you took a while to come down after our match. What were you doing?"
"W-What?! N-No! Nothing! I didn’t do anything!"
"…Huh? If it’s nothing, then it’s nothing. Why are you so flustered? Are you hiding something?"
Ah.
Siwoo’s gaze suddenly drifted to the pocket of his school uniform.
"What’s in your pocket?"
"N-No, nothing…!"
Thud.
In a move so simple it was almost laughable, Amelia snatched the item from Siwoo’s pocket.
Unlike Siwoo, who had just finished a string of matches, Amelia had already taken a long rest.
So even though he had sensed her approaching, he hadn’t been able to dodge.
…That was the downside of intuition. No matter how well you knew where an attack was coming from, it was useless if you couldn’t avoid it.
"…Thread? Isn’t this the same stuff from when you fought Arte? Why do *you* have it?"
"Uh, well, the teacher told me to clean it up…"
"Wasn’t this made with mana? Why is the thread still here?"
Siwoo realized it—there was no way to talk his way out of this.
If he mumbled some excuse about missing the right moment to throw it away, how would she react?
…He had no choice but to explain Arte’s ability.
So, trembling at the thought of her reaction, he had no choice but to tell her everything.
"So, what happened was…"
"…What the hell did you *do*?!"
"Ugh, s-sorry…"
Amelia exploded in anger the moment she heard my full explanation.
Even for Amelia, this was too much to accept, huh?
Well, I couldn’t blame her. I’d probably react the same way…
"Why did you *tip her off*?!"
"…Huh?"
"You should’ve stripped it all off! You idiot!"
"…What?"
My head, which had been shrinking in guilt, snapped up in an instant.
…What did Amelia just say?
Strip it all off? Without Arte noticing?
"Y-You, that, what do you—…"
"Ah, that’s why! The threads wouldn’t disappear! They weren’t made with magic! …Why didn’t you just strip her bare?!"
"Are you insane?"
I’d blurted out something harsh at Amelia, but I didn’t regret it at all.
Amelia didn’t seem to care either. No—she wasn’t just ignoring it, she was criticizing my earlier actions.
"If you’d stripped her completely, achieving the goal would’ve been way easier…!"
"So you’re saying I should’ve just stood there and watched her get stripped in front of all those people?!"
I’d underestimated Amelia.
I’d had a feeling.
That she might actually suggest stripping her without hesitation.
…But I never expected her to say it out loud.
My mind felt like it was spinning.
"That’s the only way her affection would’ve gone up…!"
"…How?!"
I couldn’t understand at all.
What? Getting stripped in front of everyone raises affection? Just what kind of logic was Amelia using?
It defied all common sense.
"Sigh. You really don’t get it? …Think carefully, Yu Siwoo."
"Why do I have to be treated like an idiot…?"
"What do you think Arte’s reaction would’ve been if her clothes were all torn off?"
She wasn’t even listening to me.
Once Amelia got like this, there was no stopping her.
All I could do was nod and go along with it.
"…Even Arte would’ve been embarrassed, wouldn’t she?"
"Of course. …Imagine it. Arte, half-naked, blushing in shame."
I tried to picture it as she described.
Arte, her leotard torn, her skin exposed beneath, her face flushed red…
"What the hell are you making me imagine?!"
"Not just fully naked. Anyway, she’d have a hard time walking around in that state, right?"
"That’s obvious…"
"Then you swoop in and dramatically take off your coat to drape over her!"
"…?"
"Arte, embarrassed…! And then you, the hero, covering her with your coat! She’d feel grateful, and that gratitude would turn into affection! But you ruined it!"
…Was that actually right?
Yu Siwoo pondered deeply.
If her skin was exposed, Arte would be embarrassed. …That was true.
If I took off my coat and draped it over her, she’d be grateful. …Probably, yeah.
And that gratitude would turn into affection, creating a good atmosphere…?
This was weird.
I had so many objections, but I couldn’t find a single flaw in her logic.
It almost… made sense?
"And she’d smell your coat and think, ‘So manly…!’ and be attracted to you on a primal level! What a waste…!"
"W-What?! Stop spouting nonsense!"
"...? What’s wrong with you? Why are you suddenly so worked up?"
"Hah, hah, hah, *aroma*?! People aren’t attracted to others just by scent!"
"No, but I’ve heard there are plenty of cases where people are drawn in by a partner’s scent."
"No way! Just—just no!"
After Amelia had ranted on and on at school until the sun set,
Yu Siwoo, having returned home, finally noticed the sensation in his pocket as he lay down on his bed.
He’d forgotten to discard the thread.
"..."
What do I do now?
"Alright, the temperature’s... good!"
[Waaah... It looks so delicious... Aren’t you gonna eat it right away?]
"It needs to rest. You have to wait a little longer."
[Hmm... I feel like it’d be fine to eat now, though. It looks amazing.]
"It’s not cooked through yet. The inside’s still raw—practically bleeding."
[I see...]
He passed the resting time leisurely, chatting with the Author.
...This is a little boring. Maybe I should turn on the news.
- Citizens are growing uneasy as online discussions about Arachne have died down. Why are people worried about villains? Let’s explore that together...
*Beep.*
He turned off the TV and clapped his hands twice.
Ugh, that was boring.
"Did you call?"
"Y-Yes! You summoned me, Master!"
"...Wait, you two already got close?"
"Y-Yes! We, uh... we have a lot in common, actually."
In common?
...Oh, right. They *were* from the same organization. Laira was a rookie, and Spira was a higher-up.
"Haven’t you eaten dinner? Here, take this. It’s steak."
"Hii—s-save me?! Did I do something wrong?! S-should I lick your feet?!"
"...?"
Siwoo and Laira stared at the convulsing Spira with puzzled expressions.
What the hell?
"Just a second. Let me make it easier to eat... There, done."
"Hii, hiik—!"
...What’s her deal?
He’d simply cut the rested meat into bite-sized cubes with thread for easier eating, but she looked absolutely terrified.
Was she worried about hygiene? ...He’d coated it with mana, so bacteria didn’t stand a chance.
Guess she was just the cautious type. Oops, my bad.
"You can put it over rice for a donburi, or make a salad with it. Here, take it."
"...Thanks."
"Don’t mention it."
He’d taken care of his subordinates, so now it was his turn to relax.
After slicing the grilled steak into small cubes, he took a piece up to his room.
"Mmm, delicious."
[I’m jealous...]
Maybe it was the long-awaited break,
but he felt fantastic.