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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: A Familiar Author
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Polymorphed Tweetie sat on a chair, swinging his legs and munching on a piece of cheese jerky.
Meanwhile, I was explaining to Rose and Sage how things stood.
A Sin had entered Adenia.
That Sin was targeting me, and to do so, would try to harm my acquaintances, with the two of you being the most likely targets.
I wanted to protect you, but since I couldn't watch over you all day, even if it was inconvenient, I'd like you both to stay here for a while and be protected by Malick over there.
After I finished explaining, Sage, who had been listening to my explanation, asked me with a placid expression.
"So that skeleton who kidnapped our child will always watch over us and protect us?"
"My name is Malick. Not 'that skeleton'."
"Oh, that 'our child' nonsense. Anyone would think *she* actually gave birth to him."
As Malick scratched his skull and Rose grumbled, pouting her lips.
I felt a dizzy sensation and nodded my head.
Regardless, Sage, who was only looking at me, asked again with an innocent expression.
"But can that skeleton even protect us?"
"Of course. Let me tell you a little about me, Malick…"
"Yes. I guarantee it."
I cut off Malick, who was trying to wag a tongue he didn't even have, and strongly affirmed.
"This skeleton is stronger than me."
"I am Malick… Ahem, yes, that's true."
As I added my words, Malick puffed out his chest, his shoulder bones rattling, trying to look cool.
While I found his posturing amusing, I didn't feel the need to add, 'Sir, you lost to me, remember?'
Because, assuming I wasn't manipulating the scales, it was true that Malick was stronger than me in terms of pure power.
The reason I was able to win my last bet with Malick was a fluke, not because my abilities surpassed his.
Though that would change soon.
"If Camel says so, then it must be true. Alright."
Sage agreed with my words with a placid expression.
"Camel, but why is that terrifying Sin targeting you? And how do you know what kind of actions that Sin will take?"
Rose, who had been quiet until then, finally spoke, her expression full of concern.
Hearing that question, I fell into thought for a moment.
Come to think of it, I had never told Rose that I was a Vessel of Sin.
'Things like this will happen frequently from now on, so it's better to tell her.'
After deliberating, I concluded that and answered Rose honestly.
The reason Envy, the Sin, was targeting me was because I was a Vessel of Sin, and the reason I could predict Envy's actions was because I had read the novels she wrote when she was human, which allowed me to glimpse a bit of her true self.
"Oh my…"
As expected, Rose, after hearing everything I said, widened her eyes in shock and covered her mouth with both hands.
"Th-then…"
And then Rose started to stammer.
Was it because we had spent so much time together? I could easily predict what Rose was about to say next.
'She's going to ask why I never told her until now.'
Having perfectly prepared my excuses, I waited for Rose to finish speaking.
"You mean Narita, the author, was Princess Celetina, and now she's fallen and become a Sin? Th-that's impossible!"
"Please understand. The reason I had to… Huh?"
I hadn't expected that.
Slightly flustered, I tilted my head and had to ask Rose.
"Rose, you know Narita, the author?"
"Of course, I do!"
"That author writes quite provocative stories… Rose, have you perhaps read all the novels that author wrote?"
"Of course… N-no, I haven't. H-how could I possibly read such indecent stories… I-I just heard about them from o-other friends."
She's read them.
Seeing Rose stammer as if her brain had short-circuited, hastily drinking her tea, I was certain, and respecting her somewhat dark tastes, I cautiously asked.
"Then, could you ask those friends what the books were about? I'd like to read them all myself, but there are just too many."
"O-okay. A-alright."
"Oh, and there's one book I really want to read myself. They say it's a story where desire is clearly depicted. It seems like that one would be the most helpful… Could you also find out if anyone has borrowed it?"
"What's the title?"
"Outside the Creation."
– Ptooey!
A sudden splash of hot liquid and herb bits landed on my face.
Wiping my face with a handkerchief, I realized one thing.
The wanton woman who had borrowed *Outside the Creation* before me, her name was Rose.
****
It had been a week since I realized Rose was a wanton woman.
As Professor Choi Bigstar was casting a wide-area sleep spell as usual.
I was reading *Outside the Creation*, its red cover hidden by another book's jacket.
'Oh, wow…'
Reading a scene where the protagonist, using overwhelming power, 'squeezed' a shota-boy from a ducal family dry, I was genuinely impressed.
Why was it? I was clearly reading text, but I felt as if a video was playing in my head.
"Is it… that interesting?"
As I was deeply engrossed, a cautious voice broke my concentration.
I turned my head to see Rose glancing at me.
But why did she keep checking below?
"Want to take a look if you're curious?"
"N-no? I can't read something so… indecent."
When I asked teasingly, Rose turned her head coyly, her face flushing.
Seeing her reaction, I let out a small laugh and refocused on the book.
For the record, I had witnessed Rose discreetly passing this book to another friend, and the very next day, I heard it had been returned.
'Anyway…'
As I continued reading the novel, I could clearly see how cunning and cruel Celetina, this woman, truly was. And how much more extreme she could become.
'I need to prepare more.'
****
A fierce wind, carrying fine white lines, swept through the training ground.
– Swish!
Large sword marks appeared across the floor, then grotesquely split open.
– Clang.
– Thud.
Fran's sword was sheathed, and the fragments that had scattered everywhere rained down onto the floor.
"Excellent."
The woman watching clapped her hands with a satisfied expression and approached Fran.
Fran bowed to the woman, and the woman praised Fran before sitting down in her spot.
Fran sat beside her, and they began to share stories.
Various stories, spanning past, present, and future, naturally nourished and strengthened the bond between them.
As Envy spoke, she looked at Fran and thought.
Such a kind child.
Such an easy man to manipulate.
****
Envy sometimes spent time with Fran, while also diligently moving around the academy grounds.
She observed Dean from a distance and watched Camel closely.
To acquire them in a dramatic fashion, she constantly monitored their surroundings.
Another week passed, and then,
Envy realized something.
Camel, that child, was predicting her actions and doing his best to protect the women she had intended to target.
Envy came to this conclusion because of an anomalous entity that was constantly trailing Rose and Sage, the women she had initially intended to target.
The entity was a skeleton, but strangely, it wasn't an undead, and there was no trace of demonic energy.
All she could sense was the vast mana and unusual aura it possessed.
Envy knew. Whatever that entity was, to ignore it and target Rose and Sage, she herself would have to incur significant damage.
In that case, she would have no choice but to target another child.
Thinking this, Envy tried to approach Daisy.
But she couldn't. Because Deren was guarding Daisy with extreme vigilance.
Noticing something unusual there, Envy immediately recalled a fact.
Deren, that friend, had met Camel quite often.
If her suspicions were correct, she would need to convey this information to Mort and the Archpriest.
Having realized this much, Envy was puzzled.
How on earth could Camel, that child, predict her actions?
That question didn't last long.
Because she had seen Camel, that child, carrying her first work out of the library.
Envy, who instantly grasped the situation, was not disappointed.
No, she was rather pleased.
It felt as if she had finally met a formidable opponent, one whose mind worked as quickly as her own.
Thinking this, Envy decided to expand the scope of her story.
She decided to visit the temple and bring someone newly awakened.
She decided to use the power of the Chaos Cult to send someone elsewhere.
She decided to revive the name of a dead person and sow confusion in someone's mind.
She decided to ask someone for a favor to cause someone else distress more quickly.
Envy was curious.
How Camel, that child, would deal with it this time.