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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Let's Be Friends
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"Alright, line up in a single file. Before we begin the measurements..."
Professor Claire's voice echoed.
From precautions for mana measurement to actions to avoid, the professor's voice laid out the general rules.
Her monotonous, sleep-inducing voice caused the students' attention to drift.
"Hey, who do you think will score the highest?"
"What kind of question is that? Obviously, it's those guys."
"Oh, the ones who caught the magic beasts?"
"Yep."
Prick.
Siwoo's ears perked up.
That was only natural, as they were talking about him.
And it was a fascinating topic.
Who was stronger?
"No way, two Grade 3 magic beasts invaded, and they took them down?"
"Right? I even heard they each took down one. Ha, what talent."
Ahem, ahem...
Siwoo lowered his face as much as possible and covered his mouth.
He felt both elated by the embarrassing praise and mortified that his story was being discussed in a public place.
It was a contradictory feeling, a mix of not wanting to hear it, yet wanting to.
"But even if those two are strong, don't you think that girl is even stronger?"
"Oh, that suspicious-looking one."
He flinched.
Siwoo's elated mood instantly deflated.
He knew exactly who they were talking about.
A suspicious-looking girl, one who seemed stronger than him—there was only one person that could be.
Honestly, he didn't think he could beat her.
Just then.
That look she gave him right before she suddenly forfeited.
A smile like she'd found an interesting toy.
The attack he'd evaded with all his might must have been nothing more than a casual feint to her.
He could glimpse it in her composure.
For such a girl to show him unexplained interest...
What on earth was he supposed to do?
Before he knew it, his good mood had vanished, and a gloomy Siwoo sighed.
"You're Yu Siwoo, right?"
"...Huh? Yes, I am."
At the sound of an unfamiliar high-pitched voice calling his name, Siwoo turned his head.
"You're..."
"Amelia. Just call me Amelia."
"Oh, right. Nice to meet you."
She's a classmate.
She was the female student who had impressed him by overwhelming her opponents with incredible speed during sparring.
Why was she showing interest in him?
They had never even spoken before.
"Listen, about you. Are you, perhaps..."
Amelia kept hesitating, trying to say something.
What on earth was she trying to say?
As he waited patiently, she took a deep breath, as if making up her mind, and then spoke.
"Arte Isis, what's your relationship with her?"
"...Arte? Why her?"
The fleeting pink fantasy that had briefly surfaced in Siwoo's mind instantly evaporated.
For a moment. Just for a brief moment, he'd thought spring might have arrived for him too.
Instead of spring, it was still a harsh, biting winter.
"...Right, so you don't know. Thankfully, it seems you're not an accomplice. Should I even call this fortunate?"
"W-What's going on?"
She asked about his relationship with that suspicious woman, then abruptly seemed relieved that he appeared clueless.
He couldn't understand what she was talking about.
"Since she seems interested in you, I'll tell you. There's a terrifying conspiracy lurking in this academy...!"
"I'd appreciate it if you could elaborate."
Siwoo's expression immediately turned serious.
A conspiracy in the academy?
He hadn't heard the full story yet, so he didn't quite grasp what she meant.
What was clear was that this incident, too, was related to Arte.
And Amelia had information about her. Though he wasn't sure exactly what kind of information.
The chance to learn more about her, a girl whose thoughts were utterly inscrutable, had just walked right up to him.
"Next, Yu Siwoo! It's your turn!"
"...It's hard to talk more right now. Let's meet at lunchtime."
"Alright. I'll be waiting on the bench in the park."
As he rose from his seat and walked towards the measuring device, Professor Claire offered words of encouragement.
"Yu Siwoo. Relax. You'll get a good result."
"Yes. Thank you for your concern."
It seemed she had misunderstood his stiff expression as nervousness.
As he placed his hand on the measuring device, voices of admiration echoed through the room.
"What an incredible amount of mana!" "Such amazing talent!" and so on.
However, he couldn't feel as happy as before.
Because his entire attention was focused on Arte.
While others looked on indifferently, he saw her smiling faintly as he stood on the platform.
***
"That's all I've heard so far."
"Ah, there's a secret room inside the academy?"
"Shh! Your voice is too loud!"
Oops.
At Amelia's words, he quickly shut his mouth and quietly looked around.
It seemed his voice had gotten louder without him realizing.
...Thankfully, no one was watching.
He and Amelia sighed in relief together.
"Phew, you startled me... I understand how you feel, but you need to be quiet. Who knows who might be watching?"
"Sorry. I was just too surprised."
"Indeed. If everything you said is true, it's certainly shocking. To think she's suspected of being behind the magic beast incident..."
"It's not confirmed yet."
"But you heard her muttering to herself before the incident even happened, didn't you?"
That's true, but...
Siwoo's heart grew heavy.
It felt as if the security of the academy he respected so much had been easily breached.
"Honestly, what you told me is hard to believe too."
"Same here, you know?"
He found Amelia's story hard to believe, and Amelia found his hard to believe.
But they didn't refute each other.
There was an inexplicable conviction that it was something she would naturally do.
They simply compared their testimonies.
"Alright. Let's summarize. She somehow caused the magic beast incident and instantly hacked the academy's database. Right?"
"Right."
"And she was monitoring your house. Her presumed target is an artifact in a secret room inside the academy. ...That's about it."
"Talking to the professors..."
"Can you? She hacked the database instantly, you said. Do you think they'll believe you? If you want to be treated like a lunatic and go from academy student to mental hospital patient, then go ahead."
True.
Since there was no evidence, talking to the professors wouldn't make them believe them anyway.
Even if she seemed suspicious, she was still a student.
There was a high chance they'd face backlash, accused of slandering her out of jealousy.
"Hmm..."
Once their information exchange was complete, they each fell into thought.
What could they, as academy students, do in the midst of such a grand conspiracy?
That seemed to be her thought, but Siwoo was different.
'Why me, of all people...'
She had stumbled upon Arte's suspicious behavior by chance, but him?
Of course, his first suspicion had also been by chance.
But after that, Arte had come to him.
It felt unfair.
Everyone else was making friends and enjoying a normal school life.
While he was stuck dealing with grand conspiracies and whatnot in places others rarely frequented.
Ever since entering the academy, he'd been swept up in unsettling matters.
"Alright, I've decided."
"What?"
"I'm going to become her friend."
"...What?"
Amelia's bold declaration left him momentarily unable to comprehend what she was saying.
Become friends? With Arte Isis?
"She's officially an academy student. She attends classes regularly, and outwardly, she appears to be a normal student."
"That's true, but... friends?"
"Not just friends. Friends who are always together inside the academy. That's my goal."
Suddenly, she wanted to become friends with Arte.
...Surely not.
"Are you trying to save yourself...?"
"What are you talking about? It's obviously to monitor her."
Ah.
He felt embarrassed for even briefly entertaining such a strange thought.
Right, of course.
She seemed so full of justice. There was no way she'd side with them just to save herself.
"That contact you mentioned. 'The Author,' you called them?"
"Yes. She called them that."
"I've heard about 'The Author' too. ...There must be some means by which they communicate. Let's seize it."
"How?"
"I don't know yet. So, we need to get as close to her as possible and find a way. It'll be easier for me, as a girl, to get close to her than for you, as a boy."
So that's why "friends."
If they became close friends who were always together at the academy, as she said, it would be difficult for Arte to contact 'The Author.'
Her movements would also be easier to track.
If they could create an opening and somehow seize the means of communication with 'The Author'?
"We could convince the professors."
"Exactly. Because we'd have evidence. Coincidentally, the next period is for choosing clubs, so if we apply for the same club as her..."
"What are you two talking about?"
At the sudden appearance of a head and the voice that accompanied it, Amelia and I instantly froze.
Black hair.
A smiling face.
But unlike her expression, her red eyes seemed to pierce through them.
Arte. It was her.
"H-Haha... How much did you hear...?"
"? I just got here. I didn't hear anything?"
"R-Right. ...We were just talking about what club to join. Amelia here and I just hit it off. ...Right?"
"Huh?! Yes! That's right! We got a little too fired up and didn't notice our surroundings. H-Haha..."
Did she really not hear them?
W-We're safe...
***
[Hmm, why are they sweating so much? Is it hot?]
Beats me.
I had the same question as The Author, but I hadn't heard what they were talking about.
I couldn't answer The Author.
[Wow, and sure enough, the protagonist! What are they already doing alone with the heroine?! Kyaaa!]
What do you mean, "doing"?
They were probably just talking about clubs. They said so themselves.
Honestly, so brazen.
It makes no sense for them to be dating already when they've only just met.
I wondered what went on inside The Author's head.