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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: A Mere Doll
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The rustle of fabric seeped into his ears.
It should have been drowned out by the music echoing through the department store, and Amelia and Dorothy's chatter.
...Yet, thanks to his unnecessarily keen hearing and abilities, it kept reaching him.
It wasn't a strange sound.
Just fabric brushing against fabric. That was all.
But perhaps it was that rustling sound? His imagination was being provoked.
"What kind of swimsuit it is..."
"If I tell you beforehand, your reaction might be awkward, so I won't tell you."
"But you know you absolutely have to compliment her, right?"
He'd hoped for even a slight hint, but there was no chance.
Because the two of them wanted a raw, unfiltered reaction, only his curiosity about the swimsuit grew.
Now, the option of fleeing without checking no longer existed.
...Could it be a competitive swimsuit after all? Arte usually wears leotards. For Arte, who wears leotards as underwear, that would be comfortable.
No, perhaps she's aiming for that contrast and it's a bikini.
But Arte took it herself. Unlike Amelia or Dorothy, Arte doesn't seem like the type to deliberately go for something like that.
He somehow concluded it would be a competitive swimsuit, similar to her usual style, but his imagination was already running wild.
Inside that changing room, unseen by his eyes, the image of Arte changing her clothes slowly emerged.
He wanted to stop thinking, but he couldn't.
That soft touch, that scent he'd felt before... Ugh!
"What are you doing?"
"...Leave me alone."
In self-reproach, he started banging his head against the wall.
To be having such perverted thoughts about an acquaintance.
Alright, calm down. Yu Siwoo.
People tend to choose clothes they usually enjoy wearing.
He'd seen her in a leotard plenty of times, so the damage would be minimal.
So there wouldn't be a problem...
"How is it?"
"Wow, it's beautiful!"
While he was banging his head against the wall to cool down, Arte seemed to have come out of the changing room.
Amelia and Dorothy made a huge fuss, saying she was beautiful.
"Ah, ahaha... Even if I am pretty, it's not *that* much..."
"No, you're really beautiful! It's nice to see a different look from your usual style."
"I, is that so..."
"Hmm, as expected, my eye was right. Just giving a slightly different image from your usual self makes you look so different, doesn't it?"
...A different image?
At that moment, he realized. Arte wasn't wearing something like her usual leotard.
"Yu Siwoo? You say something too. I know you're embarrassed, but."
"Ah, alright..."
At Amelia's urging, he reluctantly turned his head.
...And then he turned his head back.
"..."
"Hey, hey?!"
His head heated up. It was too different from what he'd expected.
He'd thought if it was something with little exposure, like a leotard, something he'd seen a few times, he'd have some immunity and be fine.
...But for some reason, Arte was wearing a bikini.
Wrapped in a pareo, wearing a white crop top.
It was clothing that covered her body, but paradoxically, that made it even more provocative.
Because it didn't manage to cover the black bikini at all, which it was supposed to.
A sense of depravity, like he was secretly seeing something he shouldn't, overwhelmed him, and he couldn't look anymore.
"It, it's... beautiful, Arte..."
"Thank you."
The compliment that escaped his lips was so weak it was ridiculous, even to himself.
If he'd heard a compliment like that, he would've thought it was insincere.
But this was the best compliment he could give.
The result of his utmost self-control, for fear of blurting out nonsense if he kept looking.
He couldn't look directly at her, but he felt as if Arte was smiling.
***
"Alright, see you Monday!"
"See you next time!"
Amelia and Dorothy waved from inside the car, so I waved back.
As they gradually disappeared from sight, until the car was no longer visible, I lowered my waving hand and sighed.
"Haa..."
"Haa..."
At the same time, a sigh came from beside me.
Yu Siwoo, he was next to me.
"Was it so boring that you had to sigh?"
"No, not that... It's just I've never shopped for this long before. I'm a little tired."
I smiled faintly at his words.
Because his reason was no different from mine.
"Me too. It's my first time walking around this long just to buy something."
"...Really?"
"Yes."
Before, I'd just pick whatever caught my eye, or whatever was comfortable.
Perhaps that's why? It felt like we were half-dragged along by Amelia and Dorothy.
The same went for Siwoo.
That's why he sighed just like I did.
"...Still, wasn't it a good experience?"
"Hm?"
"I told you before, didn't I? About the swimsuits, asking if you wanted to see them. How were they? They were pretty, weren't they?"
We didn't just buy swimsuits, but if you ask what was most memorable, it would naturally be that place.
Amelia and Dorothy excitedly changing into various swimsuits was like a fashion show.
Thanks to them, I had a feast for my eyes too. As expected of heroines, I thought they could even be models.
"...Yeah, they were pretty."
"That's a relief!"
Me? I didn't really change into anything. I didn't particularly want to join in.
The two of them initially urged me enthusiastically, but when they noticed I wasn't interested, they reluctantly backed off.
After I inadvertently put on something strange the first time I changed, I didn't feel like wearing anything else at all.
Well, the goal was the heroines' swimsuit fashion show anyway, so it was a success, right?
There was no need for me to wear anything.
Is it because he's the protagonist, after all? He said everything was pretty.
His attention must have been on Amelia and Dorothy, but he still complimented me too.
The way he considered my feelings so I wouldn't get hurt was truly protagonist-like.
He's kind, as expected. Is it because he's the protagonist? Or because he's human?
I don't know. Whatever the reason, I had to protect him.
So, let's part ways here for a moment.
"Ah, I'll be taking my leave here..."
"...Hm? The crossroads are still further down, aren't they?"
"Not exactly, but I just remembered I have something I need to do!"
"Alright. See you later."
I made an excuse to Yu Siwoo about having something to do, then turned back the way we came and stood still for a moment.
Originally, I'd planned to return home with him and keep a close watch, but an unexpected variable had appeared.
After waiting in the alley for a moment, I saw a woman hurrying towards me.
Her footsteps seemed to indicate she was frantically chasing something.
...Careless.
Using a single half-glove, I restrained the suspicious woman's entire body.
Perfectly, without an inch of gap, as if a spider were wrapping its prey caught in a web.
"Gah?!"
"Speak. Who are you? Where did you come from? What's your purpose?"
She'd been bothering me for a while now.
This woman, she'd been following us continuously since earlier. From the department store.
Inside the department store, I'd left her alone even though she was a bit annoying, but seeing her chase us even in a taxi confirmed it.
This woman, there's something about her.
What's her reason? Who was she following? Me? Or Yu Siwoo?
It couldn't have been me.
If it were, would she have pretended not to notice me here? No way.
Her target is Yu Siwoo. I'm certain.
Then why, exactly?
Could it be that a villain organization, born from a part the author didn't set, is targeting Yu Siwoo?
Because he's dangerous? Or to persuade him?
Either way, I can't tolerate it.
Absolutely not. Even if it costs me my life.
"Pl-please, save me! V-villain! She's a villain!"
"Shut your mouth, doll. There's no one here to save you. Scream one more time, and I'll cut your throat."
"H-Heek..."
I don't know for sure. Whether there's really anyone here or not.
But that kind of thing isn't important.
What I need to find out right now is why this woman was following Yu Siwoo. That's it.
Anything else didn't matter.
I tightened the binding threads slightly, causing a wound. Did she realize I was serious?
She became cooperative.
"Why were you following him?"
"Th-that..."
"..."
"Gah! I-I'll tell you...! B-because he was cool! I did it because he was cool...!"
"Because he was cool?"
I couldn't understand what on earth she was talking about.
Was it a code from some villain organization?
As a sign for her to explain in detail, I tightened the binding threads a little more fiercely.
"U-ugh...! At the d-department store...! I, I fell in love at first sight with that man...! I'm sorry! I-I won't bother him again!"
"Fell in love at first sight?"
"Yes, yes! Yes! There's nothing else!"
...I see.
She didn't seem to be lying.
Her terrified expression, the threads that pierced her far more easily than a superhuman.
She's not a superhuman.
If so, did this woman really come all this way because she fell in love with Yu Siwoo at first sight?
...In other words, she was stalking him. Is that it?
"Unforgivable."
"H-Heek...!"
"How dare a mere doll, common enough to be kicked underfoot...!"
She's not even an extra.
For a mere background existence to dare target someone who is one of only two in the world.
It was impossible.
It shouldn't happen.
"You bitch, he's not someone for the likes of you to touch!"
"Y-yes, yes! I'll never covet him again! P-please, save me!"
"How dare you, how dare you, how dare you, how dare you, how dare you...! A mere extra, not even a heroine!"
A mere doll.
A mere extra.
To dare covet a human. It's impossible.
Dorothy and Amelia, I can tolerate. Even new heroines who might be added later, I can tolerate.
But I cannot tolerate this kind of wretch approaching Yu Siwoo.
What should I do? How should I deal with her?
...Right, there's a very good way.
I'll sever the threads.
"That's enough, Lady Arte."
"...Ah, Investigator."
"I'm well aware that woman is a criminal, but this place is dangerous."
Just as I was about to make her unable to move ever again, Hayeul restrained me.
...Ah.
Right. This place is dangerous.
It's a location I don't know well, other than it being near Yu Siwoo's house. I haven't even figured out where the CCTV cameras are.
I could ask the author to somehow clean it up, but it would make things troublesome.
It's a pleasant vacation. If a murder were to happen near Yu Siwoo's house, it would surely sour his mood.
"This is just this once, doll. You were lucky."
"S-save... save me..."
"...If you try to approach that person again, you'd better come prepared to die."
Covered in tears and snot, the stalker who had been following Yu Siwoo nodded violently.
...I didn't like it.
That someone who dared to covet an untouchable being had to walk away completely unharmed.
"Thank you, Investigator."
"Don't mention it."
As soon as I released the threads, the doll tripped over her own feet while frantically trying to escape, then got up and started running again.
Looking in the direction the stalker, now out of sight, had fled, I thought.
Someone like you isn't someone to covet.