I'm Not Your Dad, I'm a Villain - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hero Land (1)

***

“An unexpected issue arose, and with the investigation piled on, I had to leave my daughter with you until this late hour. She must have been very scared, wasn’t she?”

“Oh, no. It’s fine. It was a difficult situation, but it couldn’t have been resolved without your help.”

Yes, that’s typically how heroes are.

They may not keep everything secret, but as the protagonists of this era, they are beings who command everyone’s attention.

If they don’t maintain a gap between their true selves and their hero personas, people around them would constantly flock, causing chaos.

“Still, it’s surprising. Who would have thought that Mr. James was Ronin Blade.”

“I’m just sorry for showing such a brutal side during dinner.”

“No, it was actually impressive. The people loved it too… I’m just glad things didn’t escalate further because of you.”

“…Thank you for saying so.”

James smiled awkwardly, touching the bridge of his nose.

Though he seemed to habitually adjust his glasses, he had taken them off before heading out.

“Ah, Dad.”

Nella Hart, who had been sitting beside me, brought James his glasses.

Nella approached James and carefully handed him the glasses she had been holding.

“Thank you, my daughter.”

James patted his daughter’s head affectionately, and Nella, who had been tense, began to relax.

Even the cruelest villain treasures their own blood.

“Nella was very worried while you were gone.”

“Yes, I think it’s time for me to step back from the front lines. Many people still cheer for me, but I’m getting older, and I have personal responsibilities now…”

James’s wistful expression as he held his daughter said it all.

But that expression soon turned into a bitter one.

“It’s just unfortunate that the time hasn’t come yet.”

“…Dad?”

“Sorry, Nella.”

Apologizing abruptly.

Nella hesitated, then lowered her head with a sorrowful expression.

As if she understood what her father was about to say.

It wasn’t intelligence but rather familiarity from frequent occurrences.

“Mr. Bread.”

Feeling a sudden pang of complexity, I was momentarily distracted.

But James, having collected his thoughts, cautiously asked me a question.

“Could you spare some time tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?”

“I was supposed to continue my leave until tomorrow, but due to the recent escape incident, I have some matters to handle.”

Ah, I see.

An escape is difficult to pull off alone, so there must have been collaborators.

Thus, the one who resolved the situation is tasked with investigating and handling the case.

“You mentioned before that your job isn’t fixed… I mean no offense. I was just wondering if your schedule was flexible.”

“Yes, that’s possible, but…”

Since I do manual labor, missing a day doesn’t really matter.

But if he’s asking this, there’s only one reason. He has a request for me.

“I can offer compensation. Would you mind watching my daughter tomorrow?”

“…What?”

“I was planning to take Nella to an amusement park tomorrow, but now I have to postpone our planned outing.”

James patted his daughter’s head with a pained expression.

Though it wouldn’t be strange for her to whine, Nella simply bowed her head and accepted her father’s touch quietly.

“Of course, I could leave her with someone else, but I thought it would be better for her to spend time with a new friend.”

In short, he needed a babysitter to take his daughter to the amusement park in his absence.

I could understand the father’s predicament of not being able to abandon his duties, even if it’s someone he just met as long as they’re ‘friends.’

…Wait. Friend?

“Uh-hmm.”

While I pondered, the Boss, who had been silent, cleared her throat.

She nudged me with her hand.

Her gaze seemed particularly bright this time.

***

After exchanging contact information and parting, I returned home to discuss James’s proposal with the Boss.

“Bread, think carefully.”

“Yes? About what…”

“We’re currently hiding from the Hero Association after the organization collapsed. Our disguise is pretending to be a father and daughter… Am I missing anything?”

“…No.”

A perfect summary without a single flaw.

“Now, another question. Bread, do you have any reservations about James Hart… Ronin Blade?”

“Reservations?”

I leaned on my chin, pondering the Boss’s words.

Do I feel any reservations about a man who publicly displayed a villain’s severed head?

Ironically, I felt none.

Because he didn’t suspect our true identities at all.

In fact, he seemed to have the harmless perception of a father spending the weekend with his daughter. That’s why he trusted me enough to leave his daughter in my care.

“Even though it’s not ideal to rely just on acting, we should consider solidifying the trust he already has. Building a relationship with an opposing force would be the most effective way to do so.”

Trust from an enemy can often lead to them defending you against any suspicions.

Given our current lifestyle, this situation could be seen as an opportunity… I had no objections to this view.

“But isn’t there a risk of getting exposed by building a connection?”

The problem is that it’s high-risk, high-reward.

One mistake could lead to death, so it’s not a recommended approach. Surely, but…

“Then isn’t it more dangerous to try raising a child without a steady income?”

Ugh.

She hit a sore spot.

Feeling my body shrink at her pointed words, the Boss chuckled and crossed her arms.

“Yes, from an objective standpoint, this is an opportunity to gain both trust and money. Of course, the final decision is yours; I won’t force you…”

The Boss trailed off, watching my reaction.

Indeed, a small risk could lead to substantial gains, making it a worthwhile proposal. But something about the Boss’s suggestion felt off.

She usually respected my opinions, but this time she seemed to be trying to persuade me.

“Boss.”

Just in case, I asked her.

“Do you… want to go to the amusement park?”

“Huhu.”

The Boss just laughed.

Unaware of my inner turmoil.

***

Ouroboros.

It was an organization of villains, including myself, who harbored resentment towards society.

Whether they held grudges against the authorities, hated the world, simply enjoyed destruction, or dreamed of revolution…

Though their goals varied, they all wanted the current era to collapse, and that’s what Ouroboros, the organization I belonged to, was about.

‘Boss, why do you want to annihilate humanity?’

And she aimed to fulfill everyone’s desire within the organization.

Though she eventually failed, none of her followers ever doubted her sincerity. Their loyalty to her continued until the final battle.

But did the so-called cosmic god’s wish stop at just destroying society and inciting revolution?

‘I don’t know.’

She answered firmly.

‘Pardon?’

‘I said I don’t know. All I did was endlessly recite the prophecy I received before I descended upon this land. The command to destroy everything created by the beings called humans on this land.’

Even she, an extraordinary being, couldn’t be called omnipotent when she left this planet.

She was merely a higher being than humans, not omniscient.

Thus, she considered her mission absolute, but since the concept was abstract, there was no concrete course of action decided.

‘In the organization, I simply met the expectations of those who followed me, but that too was just conforming to the flow. I couldn’t say the time spent with them was the right answer to my mission.’

‘So, Boss, you still don’t know exactly what you need to do?’

‘Yes, I must continue to figure it out.’

Ouroboros.

An evil force that all heroes in Pangea united to oppose couldn’t even provide her, an extraordinary being, with a clear answer to her goal.

That fact weighed heavily on me.

‘Bread, I hope to understand that boundary through my life with you.’

Could I find the answer she didn’t even while in the organization?

I couldn’t say it was impossible.

I needed her power to achieve my own goals, so I intended to do whatever I could for her.

So whatever she decided, I would never reverse it.

Even if she was too pure to be called evil.

Even if she was weakened and still in the process of ‘understanding humanity.’

I firmly believed that the moment she found the answer to her mission, it would align with my desired purpose.

“Welcome! We sincerely welcome you to Hero Land, a place filled with the hopes and dreams of the era!!”

…Yes.

Coming to this detestable place was necessary for that goal.

End of Chapter