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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Lip Reading
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[Something new is needed.]
"Excuse me?"
Out of the blue?
In the middle of a boring Mana Studies lecture.
At the Author's abrupt words, my voice slipped out, louder than I meant for it to be.
"What is it, Arte? Is there something you don't understand?"
"…No, I apologize. I was momentarily distracted."
"Focus on the class. Now, when mana circulates within the body, the loss is less…"
With Professor Claire's voice as background noise, I began to listen intently to the Author's words.
[You see, Reader. There's nothing new these days, is there?]
"…That's true."
I lowered my voice so no one else could hear.
This somehow makes me feel like a magical girl.
I remember seeing scenes like this in magical girl anime I secretly watched when I was little.
The image of secretly talking to a mascot character during class floated in my mind.
[It's class, class, class every day. Just training and theory all day long isn't enough material…!]
"What about swordsmanship class?"
[That's the biggest problem! It's just sparring all day. So boring!]
Didn't you say there might be a heroine candidate there once?
When I voiced the story I'd heard from the Author last time, full of doubt, the Author got very angry.
[Even for heroines, the first meeting is important! Meeting them boringly in a boring place like that isn't a heroine! Ugh!]
"Ah, yes."
I see.
Then what was the point of me even bringing a dagger and attending swordsmanship class…?
Besides, there was one noticeably pretty girl who seemed like a heroine candidate, wasn't there? …Not a heroine? You're discarding her? Really?
It's hard to believe the Author. It's not like they change their mind just once or twice.
[Anyway…! It's an experiment, an experiment! I want to add a new episode!]
"Uh, yes. What are you planning to add…?"
[Naturally, an attack!]
"…?"
Did I mishear?
What? An attack?
[It might be a little early, but… I'm going to add an evil organization's attack event!]
"That's too early."
[What?!]
It's not 'a little early,' it's 'way too early.'
Are you kidding me?
"The attack… yes, at least write two more events before that. It's too early now."
[Two, two events?! B-but I don't have any material right now…]
Just as I thought.
I knew it would come to this.
I know you're trying to make up for running out of material. I can understand that.
But does it make sense to use up such a delicious academy attack plot point already?
At least let it ripen a bit more.
[But I can't think of any material right now.]
"Why wouldn't there be? You just have to create it."
[R-Reader?]
Thump-thump.
It was as if I could hear such a sound.
I didn't even have to look to know they were full of anticipation.
They always ended up relying on me in the end.
It wasn't a bad feeling.
Being relied on by others feels better than I expected.
"What do you think should happen before an academy attack?"
[Huh? …Hmm, I wonder?]
"Preliminary investigation. You need to understand your opponent, right?"
It's easy to think of it by considering what an anti-terrorist unit does before starting an operation.
If you watch movies, anti-terrorist unit members always get their hands on building blueprints and memorize all the information, don't they?
"A spy, a spy is needed."
[Ah…! Th-that's right! A minion planted by the evil organization! As expected of the Reader…!]
The Academy has thorough security.
At a normal level, it's impossible to penetrate the Academy; not only is hacking the database out of the question, but suspicious access alone will lead to immediate traceback, turning one into a criminal in an instant.
Because of this, one might think having a spy is a plot hole, but it's actually the opposite.
Because most evil organizations in academy novels are those who threaten the world.
It's not strange for such guys to infiltrate.
It's standard for what's called the 'world's best security' to always be breached.
[But who should the spy be? If they're too ordinary, it might be a bit…]
"There's a good student, isn't there?"
[…?]
Yes, there is one.
Someone the Author isn't interested in, but who has some connection with Yoo Siwoo.
Furthermore, someone with an unusual appearance, a former heroine candidate.
"If you can't use them as a heroine, then you should use them as a villain."
It's best to use resources completely.
A laugh escaped me, as it seemed attending swordsmanship class wasn't a meaningless act after all.
Well, villains these days need to be pretty too, after all.
Wouldn't one pretty spy be okay?
***
"Something's off."
"Yeah, I felt it too."
Siwoo and Amelia were secretly watching Arte, unbeknownst to Professor Claire.
"There's no way Arte would suddenly speak loudly while dozing off. …There's something going on."
"I wondered why she hadn't done anything these past few days, but it seems she's finally planning to make a move."
Siwoo agreed with Amelia's words.
The past few days since joining the club had been filled with tension.
No incidents had occurred, making them wonder if they had misjudged, and just as their tension was about to ease.
Arte began acting strangely.
"She just said 'yes,' didn't she? It must be that 'Author' person. Don't you think so, Siwoo?"
"That person must be behind it."
"Yeah, definitely."
Author.
It refers to someone who creates their own works in the field of art.
The word itself isn't a problem.
However, the meaning of 'Author' that Arte referred to seemed to be something else.
It seemed like they weren't creating works in an artistic field, but rather plotting something in reality.
"It's a twisted hobby. Causing incidents and treating them as art. …They've lost their mind."
Siwoo forcibly suppressed his expression from crumbling at Amelia's words.
'You're just as strange, you know.'
'Thinking about committing a crime just to catch evidence of one is equally strange.'
He wanted to retort that.
"…Wait, what is she muttering?"
"Can you hear her?"
"No. Too far."
He thought it was fortunate that he was seated far away from her.
For the first time, he regretted being so far from her.
"…Swordsmanship class."
"Huh?"
He was flustered by Amelia's sudden remark.
What did she just say?
He wondered what she was doing, staring intently at Arte's face.
…Is that lip-reading?
"Sorry. I haven't properly learned it, so I can't read it perfectly."
"You, you can lip-read?"
"Just a little."
"Why, why something like that…?"
"…Because it looked cool in movies."
Amelia blushed, looking embarrassed.
It seemed she was embarrassed by the fact that she learned lip-reading because of movies.
While he found it absurd that she learned it just because it 'looked cool,' rather than for any practical reason.
Still, now wasn't the time to worry about such things.
Because why she learned lip-reading wasn't important.
This was an opportunity to eavesdrop on the conversation between Arte and that villain, the 'Author.'
"She's started talking more!"
"Wait. Let's see, 'early,' 'attack,' 'event'…? 'Two events'? Did I read that right?"
"…Amelia, I don't think this is the time to focus on that."
"I know. She's talking about an attack, isn't she? It's fine for now. It doesn't seem like she's trying to do it immediately. And I'm also doubtful if I'm even reading it correctly."
'Early,' 'attack.'
…An attack is early?
Where? And what about 'events'?
He couldn't figure it out at all.
He wished Amelia had misread it.
"'None,' 'create'…? Ugh… I don't really know what she's saying."
The way she was staring at Arte, with her eyes tightly squinted, would make anyone think she looked extremely angry.
Since there was nothing they could do immediately, he should at least cover her face with his body…
"Academy, attack. Preliminary investigation, understanding…?"
"You, what are you…!"
"Spy, student, heroine, villain. …That's it."
The words that came out of Amelia's mouth were shocking enough to make him, who was trying to shield her, freeze.
"I hope I read that wrong. It's a bit shocking."
"Attacking the Academy, that's unprecedented. It can't be…"
"I know. It's never happened since the Academy was founded. But she's not ordinary, as you know."
He didn't want to believe it.
Attacking the Academy, of all things.
Would she really intend to attack the Academy?
"It would be fortunate if I misread it and was barking up the wrong tree, but what if I read it correctly?"
"…"
"Teachers wouldn't believe such an absurd story, would they? We have to stop it beforehand."
Amelia was right.
If nothing happens, then that's good.
But what if she read it correctly?
What if she really intends to attack the Academy?
It wouldn't end with just saying 'we didn't know.'
A bloodbath is sure to happen.
"Yes, Amelia. You're right. Even if we're barking up the wrong tree, it's better to stop it beforehand."
"Alright. Let's go over what she said again."
Completely putting the class aside, he looked at the paper where Amelia had written down words while reading lip movements.
Swordsmanship class, early, attack, two events, none, create, Academy, attack, preliminary investigation, understanding, spy, student, heroine, villain.
"…This is unsettling."
"Indeed. I'd be happy if I truly misread it."
He stared intently at the paper, almost burying his face in it, for a long time.
And then he realized one thing.
"Fortunately, the attack won't happen immediately."
"Really?"
"Look here, at the part after the second mention of the word 'attack.'"
Preliminary investigation, understanding.
What these words meant was simple.
"The first mention of 'attack' came with the word 'early.' Arte probably thinks the attack is premature."
"I see. Then those words 'preliminary investigation' and 'understanding' are…"
"Aren't they looking for the right time to launch the attack?"
The meanings of the other words were hard to discern due to insufficient clues.
But one thing.
There was one word he could figure out.
"Swordsmanship class. It was the very first word mentioned. There's definitely a clue there."
"…I have spear-fighting class, so I can't go."
"Leave it to me. I'll figure it out somehow."
"Be careful, Yoo Siwoo."
Before he knew it, class had ended and the bell began to ring.
The weapon techniques class, which was starting next period.
He had to observe what she would do.
No matter how frightening she was, he was the only one who could do anything.