Chapter 27: Chapter 27

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Back Hug

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"···Ha, I see. I know why the rookie died."

The chameleon beast-man with the shifting-hued face let out a sigh, as if finally giving up.

"Kill me. I've lost."

"···."

What?

Why isn't he killing me?

Yu Siwoo merely held his sword pointed at the villain's neck, without striking.

"You're not going to kill me?"

"Ugh, *huff*..."

[Ah, I see what this is.]

The author let out a small gasp of realization.

I also figured out why the protagonist was acting that way.

I'd hoped it wasn't the case.

Haa.

A sigh escaped me.

Yu Siwoo was hesitating to take a life.

"What's this? He's even hesitating to kill someone. Did the rookie really die to a guy like this?"

"I won't kill you."

"···Why not?"

"Because I need to hear information about that organization called Übermensch."

It was an excuse.

The author, I, and Amelia.

Even Yu Siwoo and the chameleon beast-man, the parties involved, noticed it.

"I've undergone training to withstand torture. It's a waste of time."

"No, there must be a way to get information without killing you."

"···."

The villain's mouth closed, as if he wouldn't say anything more.

Hmm, what should I do?

The protagonist's refusal to kill like this doesn't fit with current trends.

He really ought to kill someone at this point.

Ah, right.

That's a good idea.

"Wha, what...?!"

"···Are you going to continue?! You can't move in that state! Surrender!"

I manipulated a part of the thread I'd laid out in advance, tying up the chameleon beast-man and forcibly making him stand up.

It was a thread so thin it was invisible to the eye.

In a normal situation, Yu Siwoo would notice, but this isn't a normal situation.

His mind is probably preoccupied.

Just as I expected, he failed to notice the thread subtly descending from the ceiling.

Hmm, still so unrefined. He'll have to start noticing things like this someday.

He should be able to dodge attacks even in his sleep. Of course.

"Gah...?!"

I felt the chameleon beast-man getting utterly flustered.

Of course he'd be flustered.

Because he hadn't moved his body, but it was moving on its own.

Even if he tried to move his body, he wouldn't be able to do anything because of the tightly bound threads.

Wouldn't it feel like he was possessed?

"St-stop! There's no way you can win like this...!"

Yu Siwoo was taken aback by the villain's sudden change, as he launched a fierce assault, utterly disregardful of his own body.

Right. He must have thought he couldn't move, so it's understandable he'd be flustered.

And indeed, his body couldn't move.

Given that his side was steadily turning red, it seemed his internal organs might actually have ruptured.

It must hurt like hell.

Well, that's none of my business.

-Clang! Clang!

"Ugh...!"

The battle began again.

The difference from before was that it wasn't a surprise attack, but an open clash of strength.

However, Yu Siwoo couldn't easily subdue the villain.

Because even when an opening for an attack appeared, he refrained from striking.

He could win easily if he just struck.

Still not going to hit him? Even now?

Even when the neck, heart, and bleeding side were thrust forward, practically inviting a strike, he still hesitated.

Does he think he'll die from a single hit?

Well, he *would* die, that's for sure.

"You, you'll actually die if you keep this up!"

It's no use talking to him, though.

Because it would be a huge problem if he were to say he was being controlled, I've sewn his mouth shut.

Ah, but this is kind of fun.

It feels like playing a game.

Take this! My ultimate move, Horizontal Slash!

···It missed.

"Ugh, *huff*...!"

"W-what in the world...!"

Suddenly amused, I manipulated him this way and that, but quickly grew bored.

I thought it was fun at first.

All attacks were, of course, blocked, and Yu Siwoo showed no sign of finishing.

How boring.

Time to wrap this up, perhaps.

I think they've fought enough.

I manipulated the threads, making the puppet's body move even more violently.

Yu Siwoo was forced to defend, blocking the sword that swung without any regard for posture.

His efforts to only block attacks, doing his best not to kill, were impressive. Perhaps he was looking for an opening to knock him out?

But that won't do.

Because a web novel protagonist must advance boldly, smashing through all obstacles.

He can't get bogged down by such trivialities and stop.

I manipulated the villain, making him swing his sword in a diagonal slash.

Naturally, Yu Siwoo would swing his sword to block the attack.

Good. Just as I expected.

In that situation, what would happen if I forcibly twisted his arm and altered the sword's trajectory?

"···?!"

Well, it's the obvious outcome.

Yu Siwoo seemed to notice after swinging his sword, but it was already far, far too late.

Because the villain's attack trajectory had been forcibly diverted.

An attack already swung continues straight.

Unless someone forcibly diverts it, like me.

The horizontal slash, unable to change its trajectory, cleaved the puppet's neck.

"H-he's dead...?!"

Yes, he's dead.

Without a doubt.

Wouldn't it be strange if he were alive after his head and body parted ways?

Ugh, that's gross.

Leaving Yu Siwoo, who wore a dazed expression, behind me, I looked at Amelia.

Good, now it's time for the heroine to comfort him with her ample, embracing chest.

"H-hoo, hooooo."

What?!

Amelia's face had gone pale at the sight of the corpse, and she couldn't steady herself.

You're not supposed to react like that!

Why did *you* lose your composure too...!

Oh, no, this is bad. I thought Amelia would be fine, given her bold personality!

Seeing the protagonist blankly staring at his hand, this is precisely the moment someone should be comforting him.

Amelia...! Snap out of it!

But the scream in my heart didn't reach her.

Of course, since Amelia's ability isn't mind-reading.

Argh, damn it. Is there no other way?

I subtly touched my own chest.

···This should be big enough, right?

"Don't worry, Yu Siwoo."

"···Arte."

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

"B-but...!"

Ugh, he's talking too much.

"?!"

Even so, hugging his face felt too repulsive, so I hugged the back of his head instead.

Hah, life.

If only Amelia had been fine, I wouldn't have had to do this...

I felt my face burning red.

Ugh.

···This much should be fine, right?

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

"···."

"He merely threw his own body into the attack; you are not at fault, Siwoo."

Yu Siwoo's trembling gradually began to subside.

Calmed down, right? ...You really have, right?

Good. Success.

Now his aversion to killing must have lessened.

The first time is always the hardest.

Once you cross the line, it becomes easier to cross it again.

"What's going on?! What's all this commotion...?! Are you two alright?!"

Ah, they finally arrived, teachers.

Right. It would be strange if the teachers didn't come after such a loud noise.

The timing was perfect.

I smiled sweetly, looking at the teachers who had hurriedly begun to preserve and control the scene.

[That was fun...! It's a perfect scene!]

The author seemed to like it too.

A huge success.

***

"···."

I clenched my hand.

I could still feel the sensation.

The feeling of piercing through flesh.

The sensation of easily slicing through, then a sudden *thunk* as it hit something. ...It must have been bone.

Goosebumps rose on my skin.

I only meant to keep him from speaking.

What if, just what if.

Arte didn't seem to notice, but what if she did, due to some small mistake?

If the villain told Arte that he hadn't rummaged through her underwear.

That's why I wanted to capture him quickly.

Because I thought I could gloss over it.

I... succeeded, didn't I?

Yes.

I succeeded.

He can no longer say he didn't do it.

Because he's dead.

But I felt conflicted.

He was certainly a person who deserved to die.

Because merely invading the academy was already a grave offense.

And to think he belonged to the same organization as the traitor Lyra.

He shouldn't have expected to survive the moment he was defeated.

That's why he must have urged me to kill him too.

However, it was also true that there was a possibility he wouldn't have died.

In the end, I was the one who took his life.

"Hoo..."

Lying on the bed, I stared blankly at the ceiling.

Fortunately, the gloomy thoughts didn't last long.

Because the next scene flashed through my mind the moment gloomy thoughts crept in.

"Ugh, no. Let's not think about it..."

I shook my head vigorously, but it had no particular effect.

The more you try not to think about something, the more it persists.

The soft, yielding sensation that had gently pressed the back of my head came to mind.

"Ugh!"

-Thump!

I slammed my head against the wall once, wanting to erase it from my memory.

But it didn't have much effect. As a superhuman, my head didn't even hurt much.

Self-loathing washed over me.

To have killed someone, only to recall the sensation of a woman's chest.

Isn't that the kind of thing a scumbag would do?

However, whenever I felt as if my hands were stained with blood, a whispering voice gently settled in my ear.

"It's not my fault," huh...

What on earth is her goal?

I wondered.

At first, I thought she was trying to kill me, but that was a misunderstanding.

What on earth is her intention in watching me like this?

Does she just want to observe?

She had attacked the academy with magic beasts, trying to find some hidden artifact.

But what relationship could there be between that and watching me?

I couldn't understand it at all.

"I don't know!"

I decided not to think about difficult things.

Anyway, there was no way to know right now.

I felt like I'd fall into self-loathing again if I kept thinking, so I decided to get a good night's sleep.

"I... can't sleep."

But as always, plans never go as desired.

Siwoo tossed and turned, unable to sleep, as the sensation pressing down on the back of his head and the intoxicating scent came to mind.