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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Villain and Gate
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"How dare you interrupt my lunch time! Hey, get out of the way right now!"
I glared at the middle-aged man sitting on the bench.
Black suit, crumpled tie, dark circles under his eyes. The perfect picture of a total loser.
Probably some wage slave toiling away at a hellish black company. But what did that have to do with me?
Grrrowl—
My stomach growled again. It had already been two hours since Operation: Park Conquest kicked off. My villain energy was running on fumes! Didn't anyone understand how crucial stamina management was for a villain?
I poked him repeatedly, but the man didn't budge an inch.
"Hmph! Resisting with silence, are you? Do you even know who stands before you?"
"Go play somewhere else... Uncle's all done for..."
The man's voice was utterly lifeless.
What a pathetic human. If he'd drunk milk every morning and faithfully eaten Everlin's special salads like I did, he wouldn't be in this state!
...Of course, I barely touched my salads either.
Done for? What exactly was done for?
A dark premonition flashed through my mind.
I'd heard about something on the adult news Everlin sometimes watched. Something called an "extreme choice."
My heart sank. No way... was this guy...?
I couldn't contain my rising anger.
"Done for? You dare say that in front of me! Foolish human! Your life doesn't end until I say so!"
The man looked up in surprise. His bloodshot eyes fixed on me.
"Wha...?"
Saving someone on the brink of crisis like this—truly, I was a great villain!
...Wait, no. Saving people in peril was hero work, wasn't it? So why was I, a villain, doing it...?
Hmm. On second thought, this counted as villainy too!
If he made that extreme choice, he'd be free. But stopping him would just prolong his suffering!
Forcing him to slog through this wretched world—that was true evil, wasn't it!
"I've faced countless setbacks myself! Dozens of world conquest attempts ended in failure, and I've endured the humiliation of being mistaken for a hero, but did I give up? Never!"
As my passionate words rang out, a spark began to flicker in the man's empty eyes.
"Who... are you?"
"I am the great villain Grimoire! The magnificent villain who will soon conquer all of S City—no, the entire world!"
"Villain...?"
"That's right! A true villain rises again no matter how many times they fall! Giving up is a word I won't tolerate in my presence! As a future subject, you have a duty to survive and witness my greatness!"
I pulled out my bento from my bag. The faint, tantalizing aroma from Everlin's special creation tickled my nose. Mmm, just the smell was recharging my villain energy!
"Listen up, you pathetic human! Out of my infinite mercy, I'm sharing this special bento with you! What you lack is an appreciation for the beauty of a full belly! Be grateful for this favor your whole life!"
I popped open the lid, revealing perfectly arranged dishes.
Heart-shaped onigiri, cute octopus-shaped Vienna sausages, bulgogi wrapped in lettuce, and... even broccoli and carrots.
"Kakakat! My loyal maid prepared this with utmost care! Her culinary skills surpass the world's top chefs! Here, I'm bestowing some broccoli upon you as a special honor!"
"Th-thank you."
He hesitated, then took the broccoli.
"It's... delicious..."
A single tear suddenly rolled down his cheek.
"Aw, you must've been through hell. Broccoli tasting good? Your head must be messed up. Here, eat some carrot too."
My words made his shoulders shake. Sobs burst out, soon turning into laughter. A bizarre mix of crying and laughing.
After swallowing his bite, the man started spilling his story.
"I... I tried so hard... but every day is torture. My company's a total black hole... Boss harasses me daily, overtime's mandatory... Even on weekends... I finally snapped and stormed out."
I kept handing him the leftover veggies from my bento while listening.
"How am I gonna feed my family now... How to pay the mortgage... It's all over..."
"Big deal! I've failed world conquest dozens of times but never quit! Ending it after one failure? Don't make me laugh! The villain's path is endless setbacks and comebacks!"
"But without a job..."
"Your boss? Black company? Who cares! Once I conquer the world, every company will be mine anyway!"
The man burst out laughing. Genuine this time.
"You're one unique kid. Listening to you makes my problems seem small."
My shoulders puffed up with pride. Of course I was worthy of respect!
"Naturally! Everything looks tiny before my grand plans! Your boss is a jerk? Hmph! First on my hit list once I rule the world!"
"Hi-hit list?"
"Ah, no... just jail... Anyway! Your only job is to wait for my world conquest! Hold on till then! It's villains like me who change the world, not incompetent bosses!"
The man's eyes sharpened.
"You're right. Quitting after one failure... that'd make me the real loser."
He'd drawn courage from my words! I truly was a born leader!
The man stood up. He straightened his back and took a deep breath. He looked like a completely different person.
"Thanks. Without you, I'd have made a huge mistake. Gonna head home and spend time with my wife today. A good rest, and I can keep going."
He pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to me. Hmm, fancy card for a wage slave.
"Name's Seo Jin-ho. If you ever need help, call me."
Help? For me? Ridiculous!
"Hmph! I have no need for aid from a lowly wage slave. But after I conquer the world, expect your subordinate appointment via this number! Look forward to it!"
The man laughed.
"Got it, Grimoire. Thanks again."
He straightened his tie, smoothed his hair, gave a final bow of thanks, and left the park.
I finished the remaining bento with a satisfied smile. Just the meat dishes left! Villains need meat for power!
Plus, I'd saved a despairing soul and recruited a future minion. How villainous!
"Kakakat! Another perfect day of evil deeds!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Today's park conquest was a flawless success.
Bench? Conquered!
Pigeons? Loyalty sworn!
Paths, pond, playground—all under my rule.
Plus, I led one kid down the path of evil and recruited a despairing salaryman as a future minion!
"Kakakat! Operation proceeding perfectly! This park is now officially 'Grimoire Park'!"
A passing pigeon saluted my declaration. Oh, sharp salute for a bird!
A faint gray glow emanated from my horn, tinting the surroundings. Proof my villainy was growing! My horn felt 0.1mm longer for sure!
The day the whole city knelt at my feet wasn't far! S City first, then Korea, Asia, and finally the world!
Imagining that glorious future made me grin.
Time to head home and brag to Everlin. With her yogurt cake in front of me, I'd recount today's triumphs, and she'd shower me with praise.
I turned toward the park exit when...
"Hey, Grimoire sis!"
I turned at the familiar voice. The lost boy from earlier and his mom were running over.
"We meet again! Our benefactor!"
"Benefactor? No, I'm a villain! And I wasn't helping with a lost kid—I was a kidnapper!"
I clearly said villain earlier. Why the misunderstanding? Was my evil not conveying properly?
Should I show them how terrifying I am? Maybe a bit violently!
"Mom! Buy sis ice cream!"
"Yes, may we offer a small token of thanks to our hero?"
Ice cream? Ice cream?
My villain pride clashed fiercely with the temptation of sweet ice cream in my mind.
A mini devil-Grimoire whispered from within.
'Can't resist ice cream, right? And it's free! Villains never pass up freebies!'
On the other side, mini angel-Everlin chimed in.
'Master, never accept food from strangers.'
I pondered. Everlin's advice was always spot-on. No one cared for my safety like her...
'This is different! It's not just given—it's an offering to me!'
'Still, a villain's dignity...'
Mini Everlin shook her head slightly.
'Dignity? Extorting free food is peak villainy! Accepting tribute from the masses is the duty of a world ruler!'
Hmm... fair point. A true evil villain must plunder the citizens' wealth!
Mini Everlin had no rebuttal.
My logic was impeccable, as always!
"Fine, I'll graciously accept!"
We headed to the colorful ice cream truck at the park entrance. It had a "Happy Ice" sign.
"Give me the most villainous flavor fit for me!"
"How about dark chocolate? It's the most intense and 'evil' one."
Perfect suggestion! Suited my essence!
"Kakakat! Excellent choice for a great villain! I commend your taste!"
While the boy's mom paid, I struck a victory pose.
First tribute from loyal subjects—such a moving moment.
"This proves how successful my villainy has been!"
The vendor was about to scoop the ice cream onto a cone when—
Booom—!
A sudden roar and tremor shook the park's center. The ground quaked, and people screamed in panic.
Thud—
The shock made the vendor's hand slip, and my beautiful dark chocolate ice cream splattered on the ground.
"My ice cream!!!"
Rage boiled up. How dare it take my ice cream! My freebie extorted from someone else's wallet!
Then, a blue vortex swirled up in the park center, warping space.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Emergency! C-rank monster 'Grumpy Toad' has appeared in East Park! All citizens evacuate immediately!]
Screams and fleeing footsteps filled the park.
A monster emerged from the blue gate. Toad-shaped overall, but covered in irregularly placed eyes, with slimy tentacles writhing around its body.
"Grumpy Toad? What a misleading name! Toads are cute, but that's just a gross blob!"
The monster lumbered toward the ice cream truck, swinging a tentacle.
The "Happy Ice" sign shattered into pieces, letters scattering in the air.
A second tentacle lashed out toward the lost boy and his mom.
Idiots! Freezing up in a crisis like that—what were they thinking?
Power surged through my body. Gray light enveloped me.
I launched myself, landing in front of the boy and mom in an instant.
As the Grumpy Toad's tentacle reached out, my right foot sliced through the air.
Slash—!
The tentacle severed cleanly, green slime spraying everywhere.
"How dare you... destroy my dark chocolate ice cream—no, invade Grimoire's territory! I'll deal with you myself!"
Time to exterminate this lowly intruder from my domain! For ice cream vengeance and to defend Grimoire Park!