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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: No Growth At All
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"Oh, so this is it!"
The club president craned her neck, utterly thrilled.
She looked like a puppy excited by a giant toy, and a laugh escaped me.
"...Wow. It's magnificent."
"I know. It's beautiful."
Amelia and Yoo Siwoo gazed at the mountain, marveling.
It really is beautiful.
Back in my original world, I spent all day in my room, either on the computer or staring at my phone, so I never really paid attention to scenery.
A landscape untouched by human hands is more beautiful than I thought.
...Well, the idea of it being untouched by human hands is a lie in itself, though.
A branch of a criminal organization is hidden in there, after all.
[This is going to be fun...! I'm incredibly excited!]
"I'm really looking forward to it. ...Right?"
"Me too! I can't wait!"
I guess even academy students are still students, after all?
Everyone seemed excited at the thought of enjoying themselves at a mountain lodge instead of attending classes at the academy.
Especially Amelia and Yoo Siwoo.
Those two have been stuck together for a while now.
...What are they doing?
"Amelia?"
"EEK?! Oh, oh. Arte. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just. ...I was curious what you were up to."
"Uh, huh?! No, it's nothing. S-sorry! I'll move away right now!"
Anyone could see they looked close, and I was feeling quite pleased about it.
But when I spoke to Amelia, she flinched and pulled away.
...Ah, I see.
They're embarrassed!
"You don't need to apologize."
If anything, *I* should be apologizing.
Ugh, I guess it's because I've never been in a relationship.
I didn't seem to notice the romantic tension.
They were having a nice moment, and I probably startled them by suddenly intruding.
I've seen many scenes like that in light novels.
The male and female leads about to kiss, only for someone oblivious to butt in, causing them to flinch and pull apart.
I used to be furious watching them wave their hands, denying anything was happening.
I still vividly remember getting angry, wondering why on earth someone would so thoughtlessly interrupt such a scene.
And now I was in the position of that oblivious person.
I feel kind of bad.
The president, who had somehow gotten excited on her own, had already run ahead.
I saw Amelia and Yoo Siwoo whispering something again.
...Hmm, no one's watching, so it should be fine.
I subtly moved the threads inside my necklace.
"Gah?!"
"Oops, my mistake. ...Are you alright?"
"Gag, cough. I-I'm fine."
Hmm, I'm still not used to it. I should probably use it a bit more.
The ability the author granted me is the power to manipulate the threads of any clothing I perceive as clothing.
The condition is that I must be wearing it.
As I've used this ability, I've grown accustomed to it, able to use it as naturally as moving my limbs, but applying it creatively is a bit difficult.
Even when it comes to application, there's nothing particularly special about it.
As long as the mana infused in the thread doesn't disappear, I can control it.
So, if I infuse a lot of mana, I can use the threads of clothes that have already been unraveled.
...I tried to make a bunch of thread balls with it, but the author blocked that.
They said that while they made the ability strong in exchange for a penalty, removing the penalty would just make it overpowered.
They said I'd be no different from a web novel protagonist.
They're only firm when it comes to things like that.
...Well, anyway.
For that reason, the threads I've unraveled beforehand are hard to control.
I pulled too hard, and Lyra is panting like a dog on a leash.
If I had applied the wrong amount of force, her head might have split in two.
I need to reflect on that.
Maybe I should practice a bit before using it next time.
"Alright, Lyra. ...Could you do me a favor?"
"Uh, yeah. Got it."
When I gave her a smile, she disappeared as if she understood what I meant.
...Good. Now I've blocked off most of the variables.
It was time to hear the story that had been kept tightly under wraps.
"Author, don't you think it's about time you told me?"
[Hee, heehee... Yes. I suppose I can tell you now...!]
I was dying of curiosity.
Even when I begged them to tell me, the author kept silent, saying they absolutely couldn't.
Finally, I can hear it.
The author said they came up with a fantastic new setting!
How much could they have grown, I wonder?
I hope it's a good setting.
[Well, you know, the Übermensch are modeled after animals, right?]
"...Right?"
Of course, since the setting is about transcending humanity by incorporating animal genes into their bodies.
[So, the executives have to be famous animals! That's what I decided!]
The author rattled off obvious statements as if they were groundbreaking discoveries.
You're only realizing that *now*...?
An Übermensch executive...! Injected gene: Pygmy Hog! What would readers think if I said that?
'What's a pygmy hog, you nerd?'
That's the kind of reaction I'd get.
But a famous animal? Then it's much easier.
An Übermensch executive...! Injected gene: Tiger!
It's much easier to understand when you say it like that.
No need for explanations, and it sounds powerful.
No, wait.
The author isn't finished talking yet! They said I should listen to what people say until the end!
I trust the author!
[But just putting in famous ones felt a bit lacking. ...What if they had symbolic meaning? That's what I thought!]
"Oh, symbolism. That's good."
I suppressed the urge to express my delight.
Yes, it's just because our author lacks experience.
They *can* do it if they try.
[Right?! So, a super famous symbol! I decided to use the Twelve Zodiac Animals! There are a total of twelve executives!]
"...Excuse me?"
It felt as if I could hear the sound of cold water being doused on the raging wildfire that had been burning in my heart.
W-what did they just say?
...The Twelve Zodiac Animals? Twelve executives?
[Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig! Hehe, so much material!]
Ah.
The author's voice, chuckling as they said there was an abundance of material, echoed in my ears.
Did I say earlier that I should listen to what people say until the end?
It was exactly as I said.
They haven't grown at all.
"Um, Author. Did you perhaps already incorporate that into the setting...?"
[? Yes. I did.]
I somehow swallowed the expletive that was about to burst from my mouth.
Endure it, Arte Isis. Just endure.
The author is a Mola Mola... The author is a Mola Mola...
To keep them from dying, I must coddle them...!
"D-do you know how long it would take to introduce all twelve of them...?"
[Huh?]
"Even if you introduce three per episode, you'd have to dedicate four whole episodes to it."
[...Huh?!]
"And if you defeat three early on, there'd be no tension when the next three appear, would there?"
[...]
"If you introduce one or two at first and then a bunch later, there'd be talk of power inflation and all that. Can you handle that...?"
I waited for a long time.
...No answer.
As I patiently waited for the author, they gently retorted in a voice that sounded like a crawl.
[B-but still. Wouldn't it be okay if all twelve didn't appear...?]
"These aren't just any side characters; they're executives of the protagonist's opposing faction, and you're saying they won't even appear?"
[Hee, heeheeeng...]
This is a pain in the neck.
How on earth am I going to clean this up?
"Author, perhaps we could just pretend none of them existed...?"
[It's not just one or two, I'd have to get rid of all twelve... H-it's too hard.]
Haa, fine.
Since the author can't get rid of them, I guess there's no choice.
I'll just have to make do with the existing setting somehow.
I cooled the heat rising in my head.
There's no good in grilling the author here.
What if they stop serialization?
The world must not be destroyed.
"Then how many of them are in this mountain lodge?"
[W-well... One executive and 200 subordinates...]
"...200? Excuse me, what was the annual enrollment number for the academy again?"
[...300.]
I no longer had the energy to be angry.
One executive with 200 subordinates.
Considering that the larger the number of executives, the less deviation there usually is, it's safe to assume the others are similar.
So, if there are 12 of them, that's 2,400 people?
Even if all academy students became villains upon graduation, it would take 8 years?
That's a plot hole.
...No choice then. I really don't want to, but.
It's truly not my intention, but do I have to?
"Author, could you prepare a school uniform for me?"
[Y-yes...? A school uniform?]
"Yes. It seems I'll need one."
I didn't want to use my ability too much.
Using it wildly in broad daylight would be insane, and even using it at night, I could confidently say it wouldn't be sane.
But thankfully, this is deep in the mountains.
And it's a place untouched by human hands, except for the Übermensch.
Well, giving those who are going to die anyway a feast for their eyes...
The dead tell no tales, right?
As long as the people I came with for club activities don't find out, it should be fine.
"If I just kill them all, it'll be fine, right?"
[R-really...?]
"Yes. I can manage to clean it up somehow."
The excessively large number of villains...
Hmm, let's say it's the result of villains who escaped from overseas settling here.
They should have reduced their numbers by fighting amongst themselves, but for some reason, they didn't fight and instead merged.
The Übermensch are the bloated result.
If I structure it like this, it should be fine.
...It's a really forced setting, but there was no other choice.
How am I supposed to deal with 2,400 people?
"Phew, tonight's going to be busy."
I shouldn't kill all 201 people, including the executive.
I need to leave a reasonable number of people so they can attack Yoo Siwoo's group.
...Let's see, about fifteen people should be fine, right?
It's not Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, but Arte and 2,400 animals?
That's too many.
At this point, shouldn't I be called an editor rather than a reader?
The thought suddenly crossed my mind.