Chapter 29: Chapter 29

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: The Thirty-Six Stratagems

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"No, that's absurd. Love?"

Love, my foot.

Siwoo didn't think for a moment that it was love.

"But that old man said so?"

Just who *is* this old man to tell Amelia such a ridiculous story?

No, saying it is one thing.

But why on earth did she believe it?

It makes no sense.

"That can't be right. Arte is a villain!"

"Yu Siwoo, think about it. Why does Arte watch you?"

"I wouldn't be like this if I knew that!"

"Exactly. That's where it all begins!"

Snap.

Amelia pointed a finger at me, as if a detective were singling out a culprit.

…I had no idea what she was talking about.

"I get it. I also thought it was utterly ridiculous at first."

"It *is* ridiculous?!"

"No, it's not! Come on, Yu Siwoo. Calm down and think about it."

Hmph…

Right, let's calm down.

Even though Amelia was spouting nonsense, there had to be a reason she brought it up.

As I collected myself, Amelia started throwing questions at me.

"You're being watched by Arte, aren't you?"

"…That's right."

"She keeps watching you from outside your house too?"

"Yeah."

"See! It's love!"

"Where?!"

No, calm down, my foot!

I couldn't calm down at all.

That, that Arte, in love? With *me*?!

Thump, thump.

I felt my heart pounding loudly in my ears.

She should say something that makes sense!

Think about it from the perspective of the one being watched!

"Okay, think carefully. Arte is very interested in you. That much is certain, right?"

"Right. But it's a stretch to call that love just based on that. That's surveillance!"

"She even joined clubs because of you. And followed you to sword-fighting lessons, didn't she?"

"…That's also surveillance!"

"She has no interest in other students, and she keeps watching you during class?"

I don't know what she's trying to say.

Those are obviously actions necessary for her to watch me.

As I passionately argued this to Amelia, she poked at a point I hadn't even considered.

"Of course, it could be surveillance, Yu Siwoo. But are *you* the kind of person who needs to be watched?"

"Wh-what?"

"You're just a bit more talented than other students, so why would she need to watch you?"

"Th-that's obvious! Because she heard about the monster incident!"

"If she noticed that, she could just kill you, right? Just like that. Didn't she kill Lyra?"

I was speechless.

No counterargument came to mind.

I wanted to blurt out something in protest, but it was as if my mouth was sealed shut, and I couldn't make a sound.

"Right? The Arte we've seen so far is no ordinary person. If you or I were found out, we'd be gone just like that. …Dead."

Amelia made a gesture, drawing her thumb across her neck.

Yes, I know.

She can infiltrate the academy, attack it with monsters.

If she could kill Lyra so easily, she clearly wouldn't have any qualms about killing people.

She's carried out various actions, but the incidents we've noticed so far might just be a handful.

Arte is dangerous.

If she set her mind to it, it wouldn't be strange for us to die.

That's why, after miraculously escaping from the changing room where I thought I'd surely die if caught, I wiped away tears, didn't I?

"She wasn't… watching me?"

"I told you! If it were surveillance, there'd be no need to watch someone like you!"

Someone like me, she says.

…I wanted to argue, but I had nothing to say.

After all, I completely agreed that someone with her level of ability would have no reason to watch someone like me.

"Th-then why on earth is she watching me…?"

"I told you! It's love, love!"

So, it comes down to this.

After all that, we've circled back to Amelia's original argument.

"The reason she looks at you? Because you're cool! …I don't really get it. Well, your face is somewhat presentable, I guess."

"Hey?!"

"The reason she follows you all the way to your house? Because she loves you! It was love at first sight!"

I was confused.

I'd always naturally assumed Arte was watching me, but what if that wasn't actually the case?

…It wasn't surveillance?

"Her joining the sword-fighting class because of you, joining the club because of you. All of it! …It's because she's in love!"

Suddenly, Siwoo recalled the memory of that day.

That villain, whose name he didn't even know, who had infiltrated the academy.

Though he seemed more like an animal than a human, he *was* human.

Around the time the sensation of cutting down a person for the first time sent shivers down his spine, what did she do?

"Don't worry, Yu Siwoo."

"It was just an unavoidable accident. Miss Amelia and I were watching."

"Everything will be alright. It's not your fault."

"Siwoo, you did nothing wrong."

That soft touch… no, no.

That soft voice came back to him.

"…She comforted me."

"Huh?"

"Back then. The Chameleon."

"Ah, ah… That time, you mean?"

Oops.

Siwoo realized he had made a slip of the tongue.

After that incident, she had lost her confident demeanor for a while.

He thought she had finally recovered, but he'd carelessly brought it up again.

Just as he worried she might lose her spirits again, Amelia, contrary to Siwoo's expectations, spoke with spirit.

"I'm sorry!"

"…Huh?"

"To say I'd stop at nothing to achieve my goal and then end up like that. I need to reflect. Hmm."

"You're… okay, aren't you?"

"Of course. Who do you think I am?"

Thankfully, it seemed she had completely shaken off what happened back then.

It was Amelia, as usual.

"Ahem, ahem. Anyway! Just as you said, Arte comforted you when you were in despair. …You understand what this means, don't you?"

"No, surely not. There's no way…"

I tried to deny Amelia's words, but unlike before, my voice lacked conviction.

…Really? Is that right?

Arte's smiling face came to mind.

Did she realize my voice was wavering?

Amelia laughed confidently and said,

"Her constantly watching you, her following you everywhere. It's all because of love, I tell you!"

…Is that so?

Siwoo found himself convinced by her words.

They say men are creatures easily mistaken, don't they?

That they fantasize a woman being kind to them might mean she's interested.

But this.

This isn't a delusion, is it…?

It's Amelia, of all people.

She knows Arte's true identity, just like me, and she's a woman herself.

She's saying Arte fell for me.

And so confidently. It even made a certain amount of sense.

…Really?

"The reason she keeps watching you, someone not worth watching, can only be love. It was love at first sight."

"I-is that so…?"

"It's definite! Even the old man said so!"

He still wasn't sure who this 'old man' was, but Yu Siwoo had fallen for Amelia's words.

Because it was too plausible.

"Arte, um, well… she probably just doesn't know how to express her love very well!"

"A little? That's more than a little severe…"

"Oh, just get the gist of it!"

I timidly tried to argue that it seemed a bit more than 'a little' over the top.

I was shot down instantly.

Why.

"So, now we have one more way to stop her."

"What method?"

"A very time-honored method."

Slowly, Amelia approached me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

And then, she suddenly thrust her face close…?!

I flinched back, pulling my neck away, as she declared to me, her clear eyes sparkling.

"You, you'll have to seduce Arte."

"…Huh?"

"It's a time-honored method. The Honey Trap, it's famous, isn't it?"

Siwoo thought that Amelia regaining her composure might not have been a good thing after all.

Perhaps the period when she was gloomy was better.

"M-me? Seduce Arte?"

"That's right. It's not difficult, is it? You just need to seduce Arte and stop her! Because love cannot be stopped!"

"That looks incredibly difficult."

"Don't worry. I'll help you."

Just as suddenly as she had approached, Amelia pulled back, smiling brightly.

Her teal eyes sparkled clearly, as if she had fully regained her vigor.

"Spare no means or methods to achieve your goal. …Good advice, isn't it? It's the same this time."

"Good advice…?"

Out of all the other famous sayings, *that's* good advice?

"The goal is to stop Arte. So, there's no need to be picky about the means and methods, right? If you become more precious to her than that 'Author-nim,' she'll listen to you!"

Amelia, who had laughed confidently, then declared,

"No matter what it takes, I'll make sure you and Arte… get into bed together!"

I wish she'd be more careful with her words.

Siwoo thought.

***

"…Wow, they're close, aren't they?"

[They certainly are! It's nice to see the heroine and protagonist together!]

They meet there often, don't they?

Do they like meeting in that alleyway?

I observed their secret meeting, enjoying the bread and coffee I bought from the cafe.

[Kyaa, kyaa! Th-th-that. Isn't that a kiss?!]

"Hmm, it's a bit ambiguous to call it a kiss…? Maybe she just leaned her face in close?"

[Hmph… What a shame.]

I tuned out Author-nim's whining.

By the way, Amelia's expression hasn't been good lately.

Her face brightened the moment she met Yu Siwoo.

This is, the protagonist…?

His skill at handling heroines was uncanny.

As expected, all protagonists are skilled at handling women.

"It's peaceful."

[It is. Hmm, I should start thinking about a new event soon.]

"…I have a good idea."

I conveyed my idea to Author-nim, as usual.

A voice full of excitement.

Through that voice, I could tell that the idea had completely captivated Author-nim.

"…Hmm, it's tasty."

This place is quite good. Should I stop by again next time?

Finishing the bread in my hand, I watched the secret meeting of the protagonist and heroine.

It's peaceful.