I'm Not Your Dad, I'm a Villain - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Rough Yet Gentle

From my first mission, I witnessed my comrades dying like dogs.

Elite members, who were once treated with great respect, gradually disappeared in subsequent missions. The rookies and juniors who joined after them also vanished soon enough.

Some realized the disparity between ideals and reality, while others chose to betray the organization or return to society out of sheer fear…

Did enduring all this give me a sense of pride?

Did it contribute to my strength and experience?

No, coincidentally, life isn’t a series of orderly steps like a game.

Birth and process aren’t equal, and even a stable life can turn to ashes overnight. How can one be sure that hard work will be rewarded?

Still, there was always a hope, a hope for recognition…

“Boss, please don’t.”

But such expectations eventually turned into mere torture.

Life is too harsh to endure with just patience.

Even the mission I believed I had to bear was too heavy to carry with mere stubbornness.

“I’ll work harder. You don’t have to exert yourself. Just wait, and someday… I’ll save you…”

Nevertheless, even insisting on this was seen as arrogance by the world.

In the end, the person I wanted to protect ended up bearing the burden I was meant to carry.

“Please, don’t. No…”

That day.

When her small bloodstained hand flicked, I realized my world was shattered to pieces.

A world only I remember, in which I was left with a memory akin to a curse.

***

-Beep, beep, beep, beep.

The memory was interrupted by a loud alarm, and my consciousness began to surface from sleep.

An unpleasant and unsettling start to the day, which had been repeating for three years without ever becoming familiar.

The memory of that day remained an indelible stain, a shadow that would follow me forever.

But perhaps that’s for the best.

Never forget, what happened then should never happen again.

“…Alright.”

Finally calming myself, I rose from the bed and left the room, heading for the living room.

It was just about dawn.

Without turning on the light, the living room brightened as soon as I opened the curtains. There, sitting on the sofa before me, was someone who had woken up even earlier.

[And now, for the next news. A rumor has surfaced about a ghost ship appearing near the docks in District D last night. While netizens dismiss it as mere gossip, the police suspect it may be linked to a villain organization and have launched an investigation…]

The news blared from the TV.

But what caught my attention more was the sound of clattering from the connected kitchen.

-Ding!

The beeping sound that followed came from the microwave.

Going there to check, I saw the Boss, wearing gloves, taking a cup out of the microwave.

“…Boss?”

“Oh, good morning, Bread.”

Holding a steaming cup of milk, the Boss smiled warmly.

She then turned her gaze to the table and spoke to me.

“I just made breakfast. Would you like to try some?”

“Did you… make breakfast, Boss?”

“When I was with Nella, I often made it. All I did was put bread in the toaster or heat up some milk… But even such simple actions can provide a meal for the morning, which is a good thing, don’t you think?”

“Ah, yes. That’s… true…”

Her emphasis on efficiency remained unchanged.

Indeed, the Boss often woke up early, as she didn’t sleep deeply.

But usually, she would just watch TV and wait for me to wake up. This was the first time she had made breakfast.

It was unusual for my master to trouble herself with breakfast.

“But it’s still a simple meal, and I feel uneasy about serving you something so modest.”

“No, it’s alright…”

Just as I was about to express my guilt, I noticed a change in the Boss and began to examine her closely.

No, calling it a change might be an exaggeration.

But even a trivial change was something. I just hadn’t noticed it until now.

“What’s wrong, Bread?”

“Boss, just a moment…”

I bent down and placed my hand on the Boss’s head.

Yes, as I thought…

“You’ve grown quite a bit taller.”

The last time we measured her height was before we came to Shells Town.

I hadn’t paid much attention since then, being quite busy, but two months later, I could see that the Boss had grown taller.

Not in years, but in months. Is this what it’s like for a growing child?

“I’ve grown taller, really?”

“Yes, much taller than before… Ah.”

Just as I was about to measure more closely with my hand on her head, I realized what I was doing and let out a gasp.

Damn, what was I thinking?

How could I be so presumptuous as to touch the Boss’s head?

“I’m… I’m sorry. I did it without thinking…”

Just as I was about to withdraw my hand in panic.

“It’s alright.”

The Boss placed her small hand on mine, stopping me. Her face showed no sign of displeasure.

“You can eat toast with one hand, so this isn’t bad. You can stroke my head as much as you want.”

“But…”

“Bread.”

As if to fix it in place with a nail.

The Boss held my hand firmly on her head.

“How do I look to you right now?”

“…What?”

“Even if I’m growing, I’m still a child.”

She answered my question before I could ask it.

Though her small hand covered my palm, her fingertips were trembling slightly.

“Out there alone, I would quickly get lost. If threatened, I wouldn’t even be able to run… I could only cry and hope someone hears and comes to help.”

“…Boss.”

“Yes, without your protection…”

It was like that night by the lakeside.

Yes, back then too…

“I couldn’t survive a single day.”

The small hand holding mine was trembling clearly.

“Bread. From what I’ve learned, it’s only natural for a father to care for his daughter.”

But she probably thought she shouldn’t show it.

She slowly removed her hand from my hand, keeping her head lowered as she continued to speak.

Allowing me to keep my hand on her head.

“Is it wrong for a father to stroke his daughter’s head?”

As if hoping my hand wouldn’t leave, she quietly spoke with a bitter voice.

Hearing her words, I looked down at the hand on her head.

Normally, I would have immediately apologized and removed my hand.

Of course, if she commanded it, I would leave it, but she didn’t command me this time.

She just asked.

Even if it’s a pretense, I’m the father, and she’s the daughter.

So, what should I do in this situation? Even if no one is watching, she wanted to know.

“Your hand feels rough.”

Following her will, I began to stroke her head gently with my halted hand.

“Yet…”

But she showed no sign of discomfort.

Her face enjoying the strokes was filled with warmth.

“Yet your touch is gentle.”

Yes, a smile warmer than the sunlight streaming in from outside.

The Boss smiled quietly, enjoying the strokes.

Was this act born from mere understanding?

Did she learn that a real daughter would accept her father’s touch in such moments?

Coincidentally, I wouldn’t know.

Even if I judged by appearances, her inner thoughts were beyond mere human comprehension.

“…Haha.”

But for some reason.

Just seeing her smile made me smile too.

The burden of the earlier nightmare seemed to lighten.

Feeling the warmth of the morning sunlight seeping through the curtains.

“Bread?”

Surprised by my unexpected reaction, the Boss widened her eyes, but I didn’t mind and withdrew my hand from her head.

And I hugged her.

An action I wouldn’t normally take.

I knew it was disrespectful as a subordinate.

“Boss.”

But she wouldn’t refuse. As she never had.

“Please take care of me today as well.”

Leaning on her mercy, I whispered softly in her ear.

Unlike that time.

Feeling the warmth of her small body in my embrace, I realized she was beside me.

***

Yes, the past is just the past.

Even if that memory is like a curse, it’s still just another responsibility following my life.

This pretense started as a responsibility, but ironically, she, not me, was the one who resolved to carry it through.

Just as she hid within the body of an ant with a human mind, she was prepared for the dangerous and prolonged journey of hiding in human society with the body of a transcendent being…

How could I, a human, fear pretending to be a member of society?

“It’s been a while, Mr. Bread.”

So, let’s not be nervous.

Always act naturally. For the sake of the master I serve, perfect this pretense in daily life.

“Yes, it’s been a while, Mr. James.”

Just as I left the house, I encountered the neighbor, James Hart, and his daughter.

Today is the day of the open class at Maris Academy.

A chance to demonstrate how perfect this pretense is in front of everyone.

“Miss Moa, it’s been a while! How have you been?”

Yes, the lively voice now proves it’s going well.

“Thanks to you, I’ve had wonderful times with my father. Nella, how have you been with your father?”

“I had a great time! Yesterday, we drove around in Dad’s car, and the beach was especially beautiful…”

Nella walked ahead, chatting excitedly.

No trace of the shyness from our first meeting remained.

It showed how much she trusted the Boss as a friend.

“Your suit looks great.”

Of course, it seemed this mutual feeling extended to her as well.

“I had it tailored in the city last weekend. Moa picked it out herself, and I love it.”

“Haha, having your daughter pick it must be a joy.”

“Oh, this tie is a gift from Moa too. She saved up the allowance I gave her and bought it for me.”

Explaining while holding the tie around my neck, I saw James smile warmly.

Was he pleased to see a parent boasting about their child?

Yes, since I’ve started pretending, I should be more proactive in front of others.

Especially since I genuinely appreciated this gift.

“Oh, Miss Moa, look over there! On the wall!”

“Yes, is that a tiger?”

“Haha, it’s a cat. A tiger in the city would be a disaster.”

Come here, kitty~

Nella reached out to the cat, making soft noises.

The cat, perched on the wall, opened its bright eyes and curiously looked at Nella and the Boss.

As we momentarily paused our steps towards school.

“Mr. Bread.”

Taking a moment’s respite, James adjusted his glasses and called my name.

His voice had a bit more weight than before.

“I heard you’re planning to leave Shells Town.”

James Hart wanted to discuss a serious topic he hadn’t broached before.

“I heard from Moa when you managed Miss Suzuki… I mean, Miss Spiritas. You mentioned you’d leave someday, as you couldn’t impose forever.”

He heard it from the Boss.

Well, we moved into Shells Town because of the terrorist incident at the theme park.

With the villain remnants’ cleanup nearly complete, it was time to consider the end of our minimum protection period.

“Yes, maybe not immediately, but someday.”

Although the Miss Heroine Contest is still ongoing and we could stay longer, I had no intention of changing my decision to leave.

No matter how well I pretend to be a member of society, I am fundamentally a villain.

To prepare for the future, I needed to stay out of the heroes’ sight as much as possible.

“Just asking out of curiosity…”

Hiding my true intentions, I joined the conversation as James’s smile faded, and he asked me.

“You don’t distrust the Association, do you?”

From his gaze, I saw a glimpse.

The ‘Ronin Blade’ who had beheaded villains without hesitation and displayed their heads in the street.

End of Chapter