I'm Not Your Dad, I'm a Villain - Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Aftermath (3)

“Are you worried about me?”

“Of course I’m worried. You haven’t taken a proper break since that day.”

“That’s inevitable. I’m a hero. The tougher it gets, the more I need to lead everyone.”

“You’re a person before a hero. How about asking the fans to let you take a break?”

“You know, that’s not something a man who turned down a date with me should say.”

So, it’s okay for an idol to casually mention dating?

Feeling burdened by her playful behavior for a moment.

“…I know I don’t have the right to say this either.”

Kana’s previously cheerful demeanor had suddenly quieted down. The expression on her face was now one of a bitter smile.

“After all, I’m not the one who defeated Seolhwa. It’s not ideal for me to be so close to you, having failed to keep my promise.”

“…”

“…Can you wait a little longer?”

Even so, there was passion in her eyes.

Although she missed the opportunity, it wasn’t a failure. She hadn’t lost her will and would keep striving.

But why is it me?

In the end, we are destined to be apart.

Yet, if preparing for that time, should I…

Do I have to use even this feeling to achieve my goal?

“Kana, are you here? It’s almost time for the performance to start…”

“Ah, Manager Unnie! Over here, over here!”

Kana responded to the distant shout.

Regaining my composure and looking in that direction, I saw someone approaching.

The figure looked oddly familiar… Wait a minute.

What is she doing here?

“Ah, it’s your first time seeing her, isn’t it? Let me introduce her.”

Contrary to my frozen state of surprise, Kana expressed excitement. She smiled as she pointed towards the person.

“She was my manager before you. She took care of me in many ways even before my debut…”

Yes, she was introducing someone she was genuinely close to.

But I couldn’t hear the rest of what she said.

Even if I didn’t listen to Kana’s words, I knew the person standing before me all too well.

“Nice to meet you.”

And the same went for her. The woman Kana introduced as her manager bowed courteously and greeted me.

White hair neatly tied back.

Blue eyes behind red-rimmed glasses. Snow-white skin reminiscent of Russian culture, yet her facial features were closer to Kana’s Eastern heritage.

Though her expression seemed sharp in my memory, her gaze now appeared much softer.

“I’m Lee Yunseol, an employee of Spirit Entertainment and Spiritas’s manager.”

Yes, she was someone I knew.

Was this the first time meeting her since that day?

“You’re Ginger Bread, correct? I’ve heard about you often from Kana. Though it was brief, you took care of her while I was back in my hometown…”

She adjusted her glasses with a swift motion…

No, I should call her Lee Yunseol now.

“Nice to meet you, Yunseol. I’m Ginger Bread, a friend of Kana.”

It’s been three years since I infiltrated society…

No, it’s almost the fourth year now.

Lying had become second nature to me.

***

‘Haha, I wondered who you brought a dying person to.’

After the underground battle, with Shadow’s help, I barely made it back. The first person I sought out was none other than Anatomy.

There was friction, but there was no other choice. I couldn’t take her to proper doctors since she was a villain, and her condition was too severe for quack doctors.

Her condition required treatment at a genetic level. Of the people I knew, only he could manage that.

‘It’s a miracle she’s alive. But to live like a human, she’d need to replace almost all her body parts.’

‘Just tell me if she can be healed or not.’

‘She can be healed, but she’ll have to give up her multi-gift. Living as a villain would be impossible.’

Yes, she froze her body to prevent the collapse caused by the multi-gift. To survive, she’d need to replace so much of her body, losing all traces of her modifications.

But for me, that was a relief.

‘…It’s actually better this way. She won’t get involved in any more horrible deeds.’

She used her power to exploit evil, and as her scale grew uncontrollably, she got caught up in her actions.

If I took away all that power, she wouldn’t have any reason for revenge, nor would she rampage in madness.

‘You know that if she becomes nothing, I have no reason to care about her, right?’

‘…’

‘…Okay, friend. I have no reason to save her. If you want me to save her, you’ll have to pay a price.’

Given his nature, he wouldn’t show mercy to someone who couldn’t walk the same path as him.

Demanding a deal was expected. But could I really fulfill his wishes?

‘What do you want?’

His response was truly unexpected.

‘Forget everything that happened at the motel.’

‘What?’

‘I mean, let’s forget everything that happened there. Including the fact that I acted crazy and that I let her head there.’

‘…’

‘If you don’t want to, forget it. It doesn’t matter to me either way.’

‘No, I’ll do it.’

In exchange for saving her, all grudges would be cleared…

Considering what he did, it left me uneasy, but I couldn’t say anything.

To him, I was just a bug, a worm leeching off a transcendent without knowing my place.

Why did he suddenly want to clear grudges? Did something change in his mind when I went to save Seolhwa?

-Clang.

…No, whatever it was, it didn’t matter.

More importantly, if he treated her, it meant he wouldn’t directly harm me or her.

Whatever it was, her recovery was what mattered.

That concluded her treatment.

“Here, drink this.”

During Kana’s performance, we took a short break and sat on a park bench.

A warm drink suitable for the chilly winter weather with snow falling.

“…It’s hot chocolate.”

“If you don’t like it, trade it for black.”

“Ah, no. Hot chocolate is fine.”

“Just as I thought. You still have a child’s taste.”

“…Don’t tease me.”

“Then stop hugging stuffed animals to sleep.”

Lee Yunseol shrank with a sound of a whimper.

I chuckled at the sight and sat beside her on the bench, taking a sip of coffee.

“Mr. Bread…”

She stared at me and spoke.

“Mr. Bread, do you like black coffee?”

“Ah, well. I don’t dislike sweet things, but I’m not a fan of putting sugar in coffee.”

“I see. I’ll remember that.”

“…You’re trying to remember everything.”

“I have to. I still don’t fully remember you.”

She said that and took a sip of her hot chocolate.

The smile on her face certainly stemmed from joy.

All I did was tell her what I liked…

No, even that must be precious to her now.

When we last parted, she really had nothing left.

“…Still, it’s impressive. How did you, a villain, manage to become the top hero manager?”

Thinking back, my first meeting with her had many oddities.

Not only did she walk around the heroine contest with her villain face exposed, but she also came to my and the Boss’s house in Shells Town.

All of this wasn’t just about playing a civilian role; she needed a connection with the hero side.

Yes, if she infiltrated an agency dealing with heroes, it would be plausible.

“I wanted to confirm something.”

And likely, her reason for managing Kana before me was due to past grudges.

“Confirm what?”

“What the person who saved me left behind.”

Hero Jack Horse.

Or the man known as the Heavenly Demon.

“Even though he despaired at society, he couldn’t turn them into enemies. I wanted to see what he left behind.”

People believed he fought Seolhwa to a standstill but died due to worsening illness.

But in truth, despite her powerful Absolute Zero, she couldn’t even touch the man known as the Heavenly Demon.

She only survived that war because the Heavenly Demon showed mercy.

“…What kind of person was the Heavenly Demon?”

No, it was more like personal disillusionment than mercy.

As a hero with noble ideals, he must have been very sensitive to the corruption in his affiliated organization.

“A pitiable person. His attempt to make the world beautiful turned into a means to cover its filth.”

“…..”

End of Chapter