Really?
Leaving the sprawled-out corpse of the monster behind, I blended into the crowd streaming out of the school under the suspension order and stepped outside.
"Writer-nim, how on earth do you plan to clean this mess up?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Uh, good point? I hadn't thought about that.
"You wrecked the entrance ceremony and have no plan at all..."
What the hell am I supposed to do?
This is definitely making the newspapers and news.
I figured Writer-nim must have something in mind, but she has nothing? She did all this without thinking about the aftermath?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Well, other novels didn't really describe that stuff... I figured a little incident at the Academy would be fine, right?
"So how did those other novels handle it?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙...They all just covered it up, I think.
"You think that's possible?"
It's not like I haven't seen plots where monster attacks get hushed up.
But in those cases, there were maybe half a class of witnesses at most.
Can they really silence every single new student?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Probably...? I-I'll figure it out!
This is seriously making me anxious.
Can she really clean this up...?
A chilly wind blew fiercely, as if trying to sweep away my unease.
Ugh, it's cold. Oh right, I need to buy stockings and gloves.
"Writer-nim, give me some money."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Eek, again...?
"Of course. I'm a student, you know? A student. Plus, you're the one who gave me this power."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Ugh, this feels like such a defeat. I don't have much money, so why do you readers spend it like water!
Who the hell gives someone a power like this?
Every time I use the ability, a surprising amount of money gets deducted.
I asked if I could just carry around a ball of thread instead, but she refused, saying it wouldn't be cool.
Then when I go full deployment, exposing myself naked—is that cool? Damn it.
As a kid, I dreamed of getting superpowers and using them freely.
Now she's saying, "Powers with penalties are cooler!"
But penalties are relative.
I've argued about this issue multiple times already, but the conclusion was always the same.
Writer-nim had no intention of giving me any other power.
So I had to live with this ability that turns me into an exhibitionist slut at full deployment.
Damn it.
"Oh, and I'm planning to grab snacks and ice cream on the way home, so make it generous."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Unreasonable...!
Writer-nim started whining about how unfair it was.
Why don't I gain weight no matter how much I eat?
Why do I live in such a nice house? A country home with a pool in the yard—what's that about? She latched onto me with complaints.
"No, you decided to make it that way."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙But, but...! It's still unfair!
I let Writer-nim's usual whining go in one ear and out the other.
Sigh, tomorrow's worrying me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Ah, there you are. Could you come to the staff room for a moment?"
"Sure."
The classroom was chaotic after yesterday's incident—students hadn't even properly introduced themselves.
I quickly left the room at the teacher's call.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Reader-nim, no friends yet... How sad.
"...It's your fault!"
"What was that?"
"N-nothing, Teacher."
I couldn't hold back the surge of frustration, and my voice rose a bit.
But it's not like I have nothing to say.
I haven't even talked to anyone once, so of course I don't have friends yet.
I vented quietly to Writer-nim, and she replied.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Still, it's true you don't have friends.
That's because the students are avoiding me!
You can't call someone a friend without even exchanging words.
We need to talk at least once, but they all sneak away just looking at my appearance!
That's why the area around me was empty until the teacher came, and why everyone scattered the moment she called me.
It was so awkward that I was actually relieved when the teacher called.
As I mulled over the atmosphere, we arrived at the staff room before I knew it.
"Let me see, your name is..."
"Arte Isis."
This new name still doesn't feel familiar.
I asked why the protagonist has a Korean name while mine is English, and she said most Academy novel protagonists have Korean names.
I hate how I nodded along thinking it made sense.
"Right, Arte. Don't be too nervous just because you're in the staff room. We called you here because..."
"Is it about the monster attack?"
"...Well, yeah, you couldn't not know. Yes, that's it."
I wonder how Writer-nim handled it.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't get a read.
Did she really silence every new student?
The anxiety I'd forcibly suppressed welled up again.
"The Academy will be awarding you a commendation."
"...Pardon?"
"We're planning to honor two students who helped resolve the monster attack."
What? So she didn't cover up the students' mouths?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Hehe, what do you think? Pretty good, right?
While I pondered what on earth Writer-nim had done, the teacher's voice continued.
"To be honest, the monster attack was definitely our oversight."
"Yes..."
I don't think it was your mistake.
My head drooped automatically at the sound of Writer-nim giggling like she wanted praise.
I feel bad for them.
"Getting torn into by parents and reporters—yeah, unavoidable. It was our fault for not having proper security."
Her voice carried a note of regret, so I glanced at the teacher's eyes.
Sure enough, deep dark circles.
She must have pulled an all-nighter yesterday.
"The Academy trains heroes. Instead, we'll take it as discovering promising students and humbly accept our mistake."
What.
That's too reasonable?
Aren't Academies and Hunter Associations in webnovels supposed to be shady behind the scenes...?!
"So, a commendation?"
"Yes. Don't worry—we'll provide ample compensation too."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙What do you think? Tired of incompetent Academies all the time? A little competence is fine, right?!
"...Hmm."
They're just promising fair compensation to the victims, but why does the Academy seem so competent?
Well, good is good.
It won't hurt the story progression.
"Excuse me. May I come in?"
"Yes, come in. ...Yoo Siu, right? Welcome."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Ah, the protagonist!
Writer-nim's excited voice overlapped with the teacher explaining the situation to him.
By the way, why is he staring at me like that?
A bit puzzled, I stared back, and the protagonist hurriedly looked away.
...What?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Ooh, as expected of Reader-nim! The protagonist's already falling for the heroine!
"...Pfft, what kind of nonsense."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙It's true!
As I ignored Writer-nim's silly chatter, the explanation ended, and the teacher approached me.
"Now, we need to register your name on the list, so could you say it one more time?"
"Arte Isis."
"Arte Isis... Huh?"
The teacher fiddled with the computer, looking puzzled.
What's wrong? Some issue?
"Student, could you write the spelling on this paper?"
"Sure, okay."
She must have entered it wrong.
I wrote the name Writer-nim gave me on the paper and handed it back.
What a hassle.
As I stared bored at the ceiling, the teacher's voice grew serious.
"Student, your name isn't on the new student roster..."
"What? That can't be..."
That can't be right?
Writer-nim declared me an Academy freshman.
If I'm not an Academy student, who is?
My name has to be on the roster.
"...Writer-nim?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Ah, oops. My mistake...! W-Wait a sec! I forgot to set it up!
Sigh.
I let out a small sigh.
I thought she wouldn't screw up this time, but here we are.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Arte Isis, Academy 1st year. ...Done! Now it'll show up on the roster!
"Um, Teacher, maybe it was an input error. Can I try entering it?"
"...Sure, give it a shot."
The teacher sitting in the chair scooted back from the desk to make space for me.
Let's see, Arte Isis... There.
"Here it is. Must've been a system glitch."
"Oh, really. Thanks."
"Hehe, no problem."
The teacher asked the protagonist for his name too, entered something, then smiled brightly.
"Great, you two. It must've been tough with the monster attack, but thanks for making time. Let's see... You're both in Class A. Head back to Class A."
"Thank you, Teacher."
"I should be thanking you. ...Fighting! I'm rooting for you."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Hehe, what do you think? Put you in the same class as the protagonist! ...Y-You're not mad, right?
She didn't have to say that while peeking at my reaction.
Of course I'm mad.
"We'll talk later."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Eek...
Anyway, why does the protagonist keep looking over?
No way he's actually into me, right?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
'Her name wasn't on the roster...?'
Siu had overheard.
When they said her name wasn't on the new student roster, her face stiffened slightly, and she quietly called out to someone—"Writer-nim."
He also saw her enter the name, and it naturally appeared on the roster.
The teacher explained that the monster had escaped from an illegal breeding farm by chance.
But was that really the truth?
He'd clearly heard it. In the auditorium during the entrance ceremony, she knew the monster was coming.
And that appearance, like she was talking to someone.
She'd said "Writer-nim" back then too.
What had she said?
'The teachers don't interest you, or something...?'
"Hey."
"Y-Yes?!"
"Pfft. Why are you so tense?"
The red glint leaking from her slender eyes felt like it pierced right through me.
My tensed body froze, and my heart pounded from the nerves.
"Yoo Siu, right?"
"H-How did you...!"
"I overheard the teachers earlier."
R-Right. Yeah.
I'd forgotten in my panic.
As she smiled and extended her right hand, the muscles that had relaxed briefly tensed up again.
W-What is she trying to do...!
"...? What's wrong?"
"T-This?"
She tilted her head at her empty outstretched hand.
"Since we went through the same incident, let's get along?"
I reluctantly took her offered hand, and she flashed a beaming smile.
It was a bewitching grin, like she'd achieved some aimed-for goal.
"Arte Isis. Just call me Arte."
'She's targeting students, not teachers... And she's been staring at me since the auditorium...!'
It was hard to believe.
...But it seemed she was targeting me.
And for no good purpose.