I'm Not Your Dad, I'm a Villain - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The Star Girl Spiritas (1)

***

The first meeting couldn’t be called good, not even out of politeness.

‘You have a stiff face.’

Even he, who usually had a pleasant demeanor, pointed out her stiff atmosphere from the first meeting.

Indeed, at that time, she had such a stiff atmosphere.

As if she had absorbed all the world’s negativity.

‘Don’t worry about it. That’s just my personality.’

‘Well, it’s difficult to force a smile when I don’t know your circumstances. It’s better to start by getting to know each other…’

‘There’s nothing much to explain about me. I’m here for the same reasons as everyone else.’

In an era where children losing their parents and neighbors was not uncommon.

She was just someone who drifted in by chance during that process.

And at that time, she didn’t feel lucky at all.

‘Defeating villains isn’t enjoyable. I came prepared for this, so you don’t have to try to keep a cheerful atmosphere for my sake.’

‘…Do you think heroes should always be solemn and serious?’

‘Isn’t it natural when we have to save people?’

All she hoped for was that the tragedies she faced wouldn’t happen again.

Whether it was as a powerless government official like police or soldiers or as a hero.

No matter how difficult or harsh it was, she determined to endure to the end.

Back then, that was all Kana aimed for.

‘…Looks like I’ll have to postpone passing my power to you.’

But to Marjack, that attitude seemed unsatisfactory.

‘Sir? What do you mean…?’

‘Now, Kana. Look here for a moment.’

He then stood up and began to dance in front of Kana.

It wasn’t an ordinary dance.

It was fluid yet precise, and the contrast captivated attention with its peculiar technique.

But more surprising were the strange movements mixed in the dance.

‘Eh, huh?’

Though he took steps as if walking, his body moved backward.

As if standing on a fast-moving conveyor belt.

But wasn’t he standing on solid ground?

‘Wh-What is that? How did you do that? A Gift?’

‘Haha! You don’t need a Gift~ Anyone can do this with some practice.’

The bewildered girl spoke out.

Marjack laughed heartily at that sight.

A genuine, unpretentious laugh.

‘So, are you interested in me now?’

For the first time, the girl who had solely focused on her mission looked at ‘Marjack Colson’ as an individual.

It was natural for a star, who lived to receive attention, to be delighted.

***

‘Cowards cannot show love. Love is the privilege of the brave.’

‘What’s that?’

‘A saying by someone I admire. Have you heard of Gandhi?’

Mahatma Gandhi.

A figure from history before the Great Cataclysm, regarded as the greatest pacifist, and the one Marjack Colson respected the most.

‘…Isn’t it problematic for a hero fighting villains to be a pacifist?’

‘The idea that we should shun violence for peace is an idealistic notion from the Bible. What I respect is his principle. Only those with composure have the right to love someone and make them happy.’

‘Haha, it sounds like you’re saying poor people shouldn’t get married.’

Even when facing serious topics, Kana responded with cynicism.

Yet Marjack didn’t mind her attitude at all.

‘Money is just one condition. It could be time, strength, or heart.’

He knew leading this girl who had seen the world’s darkness was his mission.

‘And this era… is one where many lack all those things.’

This girl was merely a victim of the times.

She grew in a skewed direction because the environment didn’t support her.

An unfortunate girl who became so accustomed to her pitiable circumstances that even shedding tears over her situation felt normal.

‘Kana, we live in an era where many people suffer greatly. And defeating villains won’t change that reality. If we focus solely on defeating villains, we’ll be seen by the public as war fanatics obsessed with blood and slaughter.’

Just talking can lead to fights.

Expecting pure justice in a world of bloody battles seen from a distance is unrealistic.

‘And… the villains I’ve faced were always people who chose that path to compensate for their shortcomings.’

Humans are creatures who believe only what they see.

In a world full of such people, mistrust contributes to the birth of evil. Striving to earn their trust is not wrong.

Investing passion in dance and song while employing humorous speech—this too can be called justice.

‘Is that why you perform on stage?’

‘If it helps give people something to look forward to in this harsh world, then it’s worth it.’

Even if it means becoming a clown instead of a star, his purpose remains unchanged.

His commitment to his conviction would make anyone call him a hero.

‘I see…’

But the lessons of such a man.

Ironically, felt like an overwhelming burden to the girl.

‘I don’t think I can be like you.’

She had always thought a hero’s duty was just to fight villains.

That belief remained unchanged at that moment. Though she understood his words logically, they didn’t resonate in her heart.

Could she truly inherit this brilliant man’s power?

Could she truly stand before the public, following in his footsteps?

‘Do you think you’re unworthy of inheriting my power?’

Marjack brushed off her negative attitude nonchalantly.

Not belittling it, but seemingly having anticipated it.

‘Then let’s think about it another way.’

Having an unprepared mindset isn’t a reason to back down.

It merely added to his reasons for leading her.

‘If someone as unsure as yourself steps into my world, grows, and reaches my level… it means what I’ve done so far hasn’t been in vain.’

And for this guidance, a thousand words weren’t necessary.

‘Watch closely, as I step onto the stage.’

Teaching concepts is only the beginning.

Showing through action is the most fitting teaching for humans who judge by sight.

‘And engrave this in your heart. A hero must inspire courage to live in this harsh world, even if only for the moment when people watch them.’

Ending his words, the man stepped onto the stage, and the girl watched from behind.

One person illuminated by spotlights, adored by the crowd.

The energy of the crowd surged like a vortex. Feeling that energy stirred something inside her.

Yes, that was the path reached through the flow.

A nobody, drawn by admiration.

Stepping onto that path, even if as a fake.

***

…But.

“Jack Horse. He too is a pitiful person.”

The one to deny the person who instilled that admiration in her was, ironically, his partner who had been with him far longer than she had.

“Many loved him, but in the end, he accomplished nothing. Once a legend, now he’s forgotten.”

Is it out of hatred for his life?

No, she too admired him.

Her admiration was so immense that she came to loathe the world without him.

“Recalling him is just nostalgia. No one understands what he saw, what pain he endured, and what he tried to achieve.”

In the end, he too left without achieving anything as a hero.

“…Ha.”

Spiritas scoffed at the old senior’s lament.

“Maybe you’re just too old. You sure talk a lot.”

Her body, sprawled on the ground, slowly rose.

Dust and debris fell from her body, bruised and battered, yet her gaze remained fixed on the woman who attacked her.

“But now I roughly understand why you did this.”

Indeed, she had been a hero for thirty times longer than herself.

She must have encountered much unknown to herself.

Facing hideous villains, witnessing lives she couldn’t save, feeling disillusioned by the necessity to attract attention on stage to reveal her existence…

‘Justice… is frankly a cowardly concept.’

This person too must have walked a path similar to hers.

Overconfident in her abilities, she hesitated again and again on the field.

Despairing over compromising with reality, eventually denying it…

“I understand why you despair, seeing people greater than you failing to achieve what you wished for.”

Watching such people constantly by her side, she must have resolved to do something like this.

“But understanding the reason doesn’t mean I accept the outcome.”

She didn’t know the full story.

She only knew that she had walked a similar path and this incident was the result.

Even knowing that, she could understand why Femme Fatale did this.

Because stepping onto the battlefield with such a mindset is incredibly painful.

“Regardless of the reason, what you’ve done is unforgivable.”

“…Child.”

“The world doesn’t revolve around you, and you’re not the only one suffering. You’re old enough to know that much, right? The world isn’t a mother who indulges your tantrums.”

With a gloved hand, she wiped the blood trickling from her split lip.

Bloodstains on white gloves.

Yet her eyes gleamed with determination.

Different from the hesitation seen before.

-Brrrrr!!

Suddenly, a loud vibration from above.

The noise, like a giant rod spinning violently, made Femme Fatale look up.

A helicopter flew over a hundred meters above.

At its front were a man with a camera and a woman with a microphone.

“Yes, viewers, this is Maril from KDC Broadcasting! I’ve flown to the Heroine Contest location to report the latest news live…”

Indeed, with such a significant incident, news-hungry reporters would rush to the scene.

This seemed positive to Femme Fatale.

She wanted this moment to be etched in the public’s memory.

Having reporters arrive meant she was closer to her goal.

“You seem to be enjoying this situation.”

Spiritas scowled at Femme Fatale’s gleeful face.

Femme Fatale responded leisurely to the stern voice.

“Of course. I did this to ensure this moment is remembered.”

“Don’t you think the memory won’t be as you intended?”

Femme Fatale was puzzled by the prompt reply.

“…What do you mean?”

“It means there’s enough ‘leeway’ to film this place instead of the castle.”

Spiritas pointed her thumb behind her, towards the castle beyond the forest.

“The people left in the castle aren’t just your allies.”

Indeed, there were many professional heroes in that castle.

Even if over a hundred traitors enhanced by the drug, there were thousands of heroes in the banquet hall.

“…I anticipated that much.”

But that too was within expectations.

The only deviation was Spiritas prioritizing their duel over rescuing people, but that choice benefitted Femme Fatale.

“Even if the castle is subdued, how many can join here?”

Thanks to Hell Scout’s drug, she had the power of an S-Class hero. No, specialized in range combat, she could handle multiple S-Class heroes in this environment.

But there were less than twenty S-Class heroes.

Divided among twenty-six regions, it’s rare for two to be in one place, making it nearly impossible to attack her.

Unless the rookie hero before her surpassed her.

“So, the best your supporters can do is cheer you on while you’re dying. Do you think that matters now?”

Cheers and shouts for a hero on stage…

Such things are futile in this fight.

Such support only fuels arrogance, slowly distorting their sense of justice.

“It’s not meaningless.”

But Spiritas immediately denied her claim.

“You might see your time as meaningless and did this… But he didn’t think so.”

Is striving to meet public expectations meaningless?

In this harsh era, where even those with similar stories are considered ‘common.’

“We fight and grow stronger because without that, this era would have collapsed long ago.”

Is it wrong to risk lives and fight for their expectations?

No, it can’t be.

Even if someone denies it, that thought won’t change.

Deciding whether it’s right or wrong is.

Knowing it’s her role at this moment.

“So be prepared. From now on, you’ll be facing a hero who can exhibit such leisure even in life-and-death battles…”

Indeed, the public’s gaze, which she found ‘absurd,’ was.

Teaching her that her role was being carried out properly.

Even if she wasn’t standing by their side, it meant that ‘one burden was lifted off her shoulders.’

“You’ll be defeated by such a mighty hero.”

With that realization, hesitation vanished, and determination surged in her heart.

A fitting condition to burn herself fully without looking back.

End of Chapter