⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[I don't like it.]
"Pardon? What part?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[You didn't even let me see it! I don't like it!]
I thought I'd explained it in as much detail as possible.
I let out a small sigh.
Yeah, Writer-nim wasn't the type to let things slide that easily.
"But Writer-nim, that's all in the past now. You can't turn back time..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[No helping it now! I'll have another one attack!]
"Huh?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[It's a hasty setup anyway! Let's see... The monster that escaped the illegal breeding farm realized its pregnant mate had died and let out a mournful cry.]
"No, wait a second, Writer-nim."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Consumed by vengeance, the father monster charged toward the humans who killed her!]
"..."
She's not even listening.
Fine, looks like our Writer-nim is pretty disappointed.
I need to persuade her fast and make this never happen...
BOOM!
"There's another one?!"
"Student, get back! It's dangerous!"
"Who hasn't evacuated yet?!"
It's incredibly fast, damn it.
No, more than that. Why'd it have to show up right in front of me?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Oh, forgot to set the location.]
Writer-nim...! What are you doing!
"Grrrrrr..."
"There, there, good puppy. Stay still? ...Hand?"
"GRRRAAAGH!"
Yeah, I figured that wouldn't work.
The enraged monster charged at the nearest human.
And who would that be? Obviously me.
Reflexively, I activated my ability at its even more intimidating appearance than I'd imagined.
"Gurk?!"
"Phew, you scared me."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[S-Sorry, Reader-nim.]
"Don't do that from now on. No next times."
Yeah, no next times.
Not even Writer-nim can turn back time. What's done is done—you can't fix it by throwing a tantrum.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Boo... I wanted to see our precious protagonist's first heroic moment.]
In an instant, the remaining half-gloves unraveled completely, and the stockings began laddering, exposing my pale bare legs.
The loose threads stuck everywhere in the auditorium, binding the monster's four legs, body, and neck without restraint.
As a result, the monster charging at me like an arrow came to a complete halt mid-stride.
"Grrr...!"
"Tsk, don't move."
To restrain the struggling monster trying to break free, I fed in more threads to bind it tighter.
It dangled in the air like a mounted specimen now—almost like dried salted mackerel.
Serves you right for attacking me.
"This is a problem, though."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Why? The mysterious freshman easily subdues the monster! This makes for a great development too.]
"Hmm, well... How should I put this..."
I glanced down at my body.
Before I knew it, not only my half-gloves but my black stockings had completely unraveled, all used to bind that monster.
Binding it with threads is fine and all.
But I used way too much in my panic.
"Hmmm, what to do..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Just kill it quick! Protagonist and mysterious beauty freshman take down attacking monsters one by one! That's main heroine textbook stuff!]
"I'd love to, but..."
No, not the main heroine talk.
It's about killing it quick.
Who's saying I'm some main heroine?
I'm a guy. You think I'd do that stuff?
Right now, I've used up all the clothing I could comfortably spare.
Half-gloves and stockings.
What's left?
What else? Leotard and uniform.
Why leotard over underwear? Easy answer.
One, wearing women's underwear is embarrassing. Leotard feels more like a tight swimsuit, so it's better.
Two, leotard yields way more thread than underwear.
"I used more than I thought."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[You're just not used to it yet, Reader-nim. Once you're familiar with the ability, you'll subdue them easily!]
Here's the issue.
If my usable fabrics are leotard and uniform, which to use first?
My ability pulls threads from clothing touching my skin—courtesy of Writer-nim.
Without stockings, my skirt touches my skin too.
Leotard lets me kill with hidden fabric.
But threads don't come back, so mess up and I could end up in just my uniform top, bottomless exposure freak...
I've never practiced pulling threads from the leotard. One slip on the shoulder straps and it's disaster.
Using the uniform's skirt isn't appealing either.
I could shorten it as a patch job, but...
This skirt already feels too short—make it shorter?
Gamble disaster or safety with leotard threads, or use uniform for minor embarrassment but stability.
Right now, I faced the dilemma of a lifetime.
Should've shredded it with threads from the start.
Like catching a ball reflexively, I bound the approaching monster without thinking, overusing threads in the process.
Too novice to convert restraint threads to lethal ones now.
"Student! Keep it bound!"
"What are you doing?! Secure the perimeter! More might come!"
"Yes, sir!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Oh, right, those guys.]
"No interest in the teachers?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Eh, they're extras. I don't care unless they're the protagonist's mentor.]
The teachers, who had been staring blankly, snapped to and finished off the monster I'd bound.
Good thing. No need to shorten my skirt.
It's embarrassing, you know.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Yoo Siu felt a prickling at the back of his neck.
Finding the reason wasn't hard.
The suspicious girl from that morning was staring right at him.
'An Academy freshman...?'
He hadn't paid attention to her outfit at first because she looked so shady.
She's an Academy student too. A freshman like me.
Did she sense I'd judged her suspicious based on looks?
Feeling a twinge of guilt, he turned toward the gaze.
Perfectly timed, she turned to look at the principal.
Weird. I swear she was watching me.
He'd thought to apologize, but timing was off.
Teachers nearby made him turn away, and he felt her gaze again.
Is she mad?
As dismissal neared, he planned to watch where she went and apologize properly.
Then he heard her mutter softly.
"Wait, Writer-nim. Let's have a serious talk."
...?
Who's Writer-nim?
Some writer friend nearby? He tried to brush it off.
Eavesdropping is rude.
It was accidental, and her voice was too quiet for even nearby students to notice.
Best to ignore it.
...Until the next words.
"By the way, when exactly does the monster show up...?"
Monster?
Siu jolted.
A monster here?
This was the Academy, smack in a bustling metropolis's prime spot.
Monsters appeared on city outskirts, conflict zones...
"A monster in the city? That doesn't make sense."
She seemed to think the same, grilling someone.
Right after, a chill ran down Siu's spine like cold liquid.
She'd just asked when the monster appears.
And now, disbelief in her tone.
No way...
Guilt over eavesdropping gone, Siu focused every nerve on listening.
Fingering the sword at his waist.
"After the principal's speech ends and applause stops, it attacks from the ceiling..."
Her words ended; Siu stood naturally.
Ignoring stares from freshmen, he walked under the auditorium ceiling's glass centerpiece for landscaping.
That had to be it.
No other spot for a monster attack.
Common sense said impossible.
An Academy freshman knowing of a monster attack?
Yet strangely, Siu believed her, entranced.
Maybe those ominous flashing eyes from their first meeting?
"...And with that, Principal's address concludes. Applause everyone!"
Students eyed him oddly, but he took position.
If he misheard from paranoia, great.
No one hurt.
But as always, wishes went opposite.
Against Siu's hope, a monster really attacked from the ceiling.
"M-Monster! Grade 3!"
"Why a Grade 3 in school...!"
"Evacuate, now!"
As freshmen hurried off under teachers' guidance, she didn't move.
What confidence.
Curious about her, but Siu focused on the monster.
After a tense standoff, he slashed its mouth.
Teachers, having evacuated students, moved to subdue it.
"Student, you okay?!"
"Yes, fine."
"Impressive skills. ...Still, step back. We'll handle it."
He nodded vaguely, scanning for her—she'd vanished from mind.
Where'd she go?
He spotted her right after.
A roar, wall exploded—another monster.
"There's another one?!"
"Student, get back! Dangerous!"
"Who hasn't evacuated?!"
Right before it, she casually said,
"There, there, good puppy. Stay still? ...Hand?"
So relaxed against a Grade 3.
Suspicion deepened. Nothing but shady vibes.
Monster lunged for her nape.
...Why no move?
Did I misjudge? Too late now!
As if mocking his panic, black threads appeared around her, binding the monster.
"Phew, you scared me."
Not scared at all.
Easily subdued, acting shocked—awkward as hell.
"Don't do that from now on. No next times."
Clearly smiling, yet an inexplicable chill.
The writhing bound monster slowed too.
Still, she mercilessly added threads, squeezing tighter.
"Tsk, don't move."
Ah, that's what "no next times" meant.
Watching her toy with it till teachers arrived, Siu thought.
Suspicious.
She's hiding something.
As suspicion thickened, she spoke again, like conversing with someone.
"No interest in the teachers?"
Her tone implied targets were the students.