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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Amusement Park
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"Hey, Arte."
"Yes?"
"Want to go somewhere fun?"
…What's this all about?
He should be telling Amelia this, not me.
Caught off guard, a negative response slipped out.
"Um, we have final exams soon, you know."
"I know. Still, you were a colleague who went through a dangerous incident, weren't you? I thought it might be nice to go somewhere together. …Amelia's coming too, by the way."
"Ah, I see."
[A thrilling harem event! This is great!]
Oh, so that's what it was. The three of us, Amelia and me?
It seemed like he wanted to go on a date with her, but was too shy, so he was trying to bring me along.
No wonder Amelia's been hanging out with Yu Siwoo more than me lately; she seems to be solidifying her position as the heroine.
I vaguely dismissed the Author's absurd talk about a harem and thought about the novel's development.
…I think it's okay to take a break for a bit.
It feels like the protagonist hasn't really had a proper rest until now, and maybe taking a break once in a while isn't so bad.
[Amusement park! Aquarium! And, and…!]
The Author also started thinking of all sorts of things on their own.
In the end, it seems the Author will push me to participate, so refusing here probably won't mean much. And there's no real reason to refuse.
"Alright."
"…Huh?! Are you sure?"
"You asked me, and now that I've accepted, you're surprised? That's hurtful, you know. Don't tell me you were just saying it?"
"Oh, no, it's not that. I was just surprised…"
His completely unexpected reaction slightly annoyed me, so I teased Siwoo.
The protagonist wouldn't do something like that, so it must really be out of goodwill.
I'm not sure if he was thinking of me, or if I was just an extra for Amelia. But just inviting me showed thoughtfulness.
…Right? You didn't just say that, did you? Please tell me you didn't.
"Where are we going?"
"An amusement park. …How about it? This weekend."
"Ah, that sounds fun. Alright!"
I wonder if even superhumans can enjoy an amusement park?
That thought crossed my mind briefly, but I decided to set my worries aside.
Well, he must have a plan if he's suggesting we go.
[Amusement park…! That sounds fun. I bet there will be lots of thrilling episodes.]
It seemed the Author wasn't excited about the amusement park itself, but rather the episodes that would unfold there.
An amusement park, huh? I haven't been to one since I was a child. It feels like it'll be fun for the first time in a while.
"Alright, then send me the details via message!"
"Okay."
Siwoo, who seemed a little flustered, returned to his original spot as if his business was concluded.
Then he had a brief conversation with Amelia and promptly got smacked on the back by her.
…?
"Oh, it's nothing, Arte."
"Yes…"
Did she notice my gaze? Amelia waved her hand, as if saying it was fine.
Are you sure it's nothing?
For 'nothing,' it looked like she hit him pretty hard.
Why did she suddenly hit him? What reason would Siwoo have to get hit by Amelia…?
Ah, I get it.
It seems Amelia had already made plans to go out with Siwoo, and she was annoyed that I was unnecessarily dragged into it.
Going out with friends is good, but it was probably a chance for them to deepen their relationship.
…Hmm, did I say I'd go for nothing?
I should have just said no and watched from the sidelines. I was starting to regret it a little.
I watched Siwoo, who was now suffering from Amelia's joint lock, with sympathetic eyes.
You suffer a lot from being so clueless. But that's the protagonist's destiny. Accept it.
***
"Ugh, seriously. You're going to be the death of me."
"I said I was sorry."
"Why did you bring me up there?! You two should go, just the two of you!"
"..."
Amelia poured out her complaints to me.
Yeah, well.
It's true I made a mistake. I inadvertently dragged Amelia into it because I was nervous.
According to the original plan, it was supposed to be just Arte and me, but I unintentionally brought Amelia along.
But. But you're not really in a position to complain.
I simply couldn't hold back the words that came out of my mouth.
"...You seem to lack a conscience, Amelia."
"W-what?! What did I do?!"
"No, if you don't know, that's fine."
Even though I said that, Amelia seemed embarrassed deep down.
Her face flushed crimson, and she needlessly raised her voice.
Yeah, you *should* be embarrassed.
Who was it, staring excitedly at various things in the amusement park, saying how new it all was, even before Arte arrived?
Who bought that weird heart-shaped headband and was clearly looking forward to it?
"Th-that...! I, I've never been to a place like this before! It's understandable!"
"Right. I see."
"Ugh, so annoying..."
"...Oh dear, am I a little late?"
Just as I was letting out my accumulated frustration, not missing the rare chance to tease Amelia,
The voice of the person we were waiting for was heard, and Amelia quickly turned her head in that direction.
"No, no! You're not late! Come on... in. Oh my. Arte, you look beautiful."
"...Is that so? I'm not sure. Someone I know picked it out."
"You look amazing! ...Hey, what are you doing? Hurry up and compliment her!"
*Nudge, nudge.*
Amelia whispered, subtly poking my back where Arte couldn't see.
Only then did I snap out of it and open my mouth. ...But what should I say?
After a long moment of hesitation, the words that came out felt half-hearted even to me.
"...You look pretty, Arte. I barely recognized you."
Immediately after I finished speaking, Amelia strongly smacked me on the back.
This must mean it wasn't the right thing to say. I know that much.
It was hardly a compliment. Fortunately, Arte didn't seem to mind.
"Thank you. You two seem to have already enjoyed yourselves a bit, what should we do first?"
"Hmm, how about that one? It's a ride made for superhumans, and they say it's so fast you need to cover yourself in mana to withstand it!"
"...Whoa, is that really a ride?"
"They say sometimes regular people try it and get into accidents. ...Well, we're superhumans, so it doesn't matter, right? Let's go!"
Arte's casual clothes, huh? I was surprised.
She always wore her school uniform with a pure white hoodie.
I naturally assumed she'd be wearing something similar today.
Women's jeans that reached her ankles, a black short-sleeved T-shirt. A leotard subtly visible at the neck.
Aside from wearing a leotard under her clothes, it was ordinary attire. ...Ordinary attire, but perhaps because of her usual image?
She looked radiant, somehow like a girl her age.
Not Arachne Arte Isis, the villain whose thoughts were inscrutable, but Arte Isis, a student enjoying an amusement park with her friends.
"What are you doing, Yu Siwoo! Aren't you coming?!"
"...You just really want to ride it, don't you?"
"Ugh...! Ah, yeah! I want to ride it! Hurry up and come!"
*Sigh.*
Amelia seemed to have forgotten her own objective after saying it.
She said she'd step back and let Arte and me enjoy ourselves, didn't she?
Stepping back, my foot. She was the most excited.
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Don't get so worked up, Amelia."
"Wh-who's worked up? I am not!"
"Ahahaha. It's okay to take your time. We have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves."
Indeed, it wasn't my imagination. This wasn't the usual Arte.
There was something different about her aura.
***
"...It's less fun than I thought. It's too slow, Yu Siwoo. Don't you think?"
"T-this is slow...?"
"No, I mean, if I ran at full speed, I'd reach this speed..."
Yu Siwoo and I were equally astonished.
She could reach this speed running at full power? Is she crazy?
Even Yu Siwoo and I struggled to keep our wits about us by the end!
If the Author hadn't imposed penalties on Amelia's abilities, Amelia might have been the strongest in the world.
Just a casual touch while passing by would probably be a one-hit knockout for most enemies.
She mentioned that her father, a current A-rank hero, couldn't catch her, and I was painfully realizing that it was the truth.
How are you supposed to catch someone like this?
"Hmmmm... What should we ride next...?"
While Amelia was deep in thought and Yu Siwoo was trying to regain his composure, I subtly adjusted my clothes.
Hmm, maybe it's because this is the first time I've worn casual clothes since transforming into this body.
It feels so awkward. I've always only worn school uniforms.
"Oh, let's try that next. It's a haunted house. They say there's a normal course and a superhuman course."
"Superhuman course?"
"Yeah. It says so on the pamphlet. It's a place where a dungeon with undead monsters appeared centuries ago, and they've preserved that dungeon."
"That's not a haunted house, that's a real haunted place..."
"The normal course isn't like that, they say? Well, since we're superhumans, real ghosts will probably appear!"
It was a normal short-sleeved T-shirt and jeans, clothes I often wore even when I was a man.
Outfits recommended by Laila and Spira.
They were as ordinary as could be, designed to minimize any feminine attributes.
But why am I so self-conscious...? Usually, I don't think much of it even when I wear a skirt.
Today, it feels a little different.
"Arte, how about it? Are you scared of ghosts?"
"...Ah. No, I'm fine. There are no such things as ghosts. Those are just monsters."
"Ah, I see. So that's your type?"
Well, of course.
There are no such things as ghosts. This world is the Author's miniature garden. The Author's puppet show.
Ghosts are formed when people die. There's no way ghosts could exist here.
Adjusting my attire, which I had somehow stopped being self-conscious about, I subtly glanced at Amelia.
"Hmm, but usually, haunted houses are places for couples. Wouldn't three be a bit awkward?"
"...Oh."
Amelia looked startled, as if she had completely forgotten.
What? You forgot...?
You were on a date with Yu Siwoo.
Shouldn't you remember something like that?
Considering Amelia's usual personality, I thought it was possible, but this still left me dumbfounded.
If you're the heroine, you should be paying attention to the protagonist. What are you doing?