I'm Not Your Dad, I'm a Villain - Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Sidekick (2)

Experience with the opposite sex…

While it’s not entirely absent, for now, I was trying to avoid such concerns.

Unless it was necessary for disguise, and even then, I had to carefully select my partner to avoid revealing my true identity.

“The two of you are a couple. With Mama and Papa together, you must be a couple!”

Right, such an outcome was unthinkable and undesired.

“Isri, I’m not your father.”

“Indeed, Moa’s Papa can’t be called Isri’s Papa.”

Isri seemed to have some awareness of this, but that only made it worse.

It was like forcing something to happen, knowing it was impossible.

“But Isri knows! Moa’s Papa is bound to Isri by a stronger bond than family! Moa’s Papa is destined to be with Isri!!”

Then what exactly is this so-called destiny?

Not only Isri, but even her associates couldn’t explain it properly.

Naturally, I couldn’t understand Isri’s actions, but what was more troubling was the misunderstandings stemming from this obsession.

“Even now, Isri can feel it. Isri was once one with Papa and wants to be one with Papa again.”

“You little…”

“Don’t complicate things.”

Sure, whatever this perverted child thinks of me is one thing.

But no hero filled with a sense of justice could overlook such words.

Even now, Kana was looking at me with disdain…

-Clang!

…Or so I thought.

Instead, she slapped Isri, not me.

“Ow! That hurts!”

“That’s the point, you little rascal. No matter how much you like him, making up nonsense and saying troublesome things is not okay.”

“It’s not nonsense! Moa’s Papa is definitely…”

“Hush! If you don’t listen to Mama, you’ll get in trouble.”

“Eek!”

Isri flinched and cowered.

Kana seemed to be playing along, but Isri genuinely looked like she had been scolded by her mother.

A contrast to her usual stubbornness.

“M-Mama…”

Still, she seemed to have some lingering feelings, looking up at Kana cautiously.

“Mama, don’t you like Papa?”

“What?”

“If Mama doesn’t dislike Moa’s Papa, then Isri has no reason to stop! If Isri and Moa’s Papa are destined, then Mama will naturally be connected too!”

Kana’s raised hand hesitated.

Isri asked cautiously, trying to persuade her.

“Mama, don’t you like Papa?”

“……”

Was she wavering?

Kana slowly turned to look at me.

Her eyes behind the sunglasses trembled.

Isri’s words had clearly triggered something in her.

“…Not right now.”

The words came out softly.

Isri tilted her head, puzzled by the answer.

“Not right now…?”

“You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Kana patted the spot she had hit and comforted Isri.

Watching the now-quiet Isri, Kana smiled faintly and then looked at me seriously.

“I told you, we finish our conversation after defeating that person.”

As if she assumed I understood her intentions.

And hoped I would understand the sentiment behind her response to Isri.

“…Of course, that’s only possible if we return safely.”

The conversation ended there.

Kana’s steps moved, and a vehicle arrived at the relief center’s open area, stopping in front of her.

A car with the Association’s emblem. It must have come to pick her up now that she had secured a sidekick.

“Well then…”

“Don’t overdo it.”

I spoke before Kana boarded the car.

A final greeting.

Words meant to encourage her in my own way.

“There are many people waiting for you.”

It wasn’t just a formality.

Three years after Justice and Jack Horse disappeared, this era still searches for hope to replace them.

Though she is an enemy to me as a villain, right now…

At this moment, I genuinely wished for her safe return.

-Vroom!

Did she struggle to find an appropriate response?

Kana, holding Isri, boarded the car in silence, and the car sped away without hesitation.

What was left behind was an uncertain promise.

In such a situation, all I could do was wish her good luck.

Yes, that’s how this meeting should have ended.

“Wow.”

…Damn.

This guy can’t be serious for even three minutes.

“Who would have thought my friend would end up in such a complicated relationship with World Star.”

“…Shut up.”

“It’s fine, friend~ As long as the girl’s over twenty, I can respect your preference even if she’s ten years younger! I respect your choice!”

“It’s not like that, so shut up.”

“Of course, when she was in elementary school, my friend was already an adult, but now both are legally adults, so there’s no problem! It might be a bit risky considering preferences, but respect is essential in modern society! I can even understand forbidden romances!”

Damn.

Who does this guy with twisted tastes think he’s lecturing?

***

The announcement of the raid on District B.

Upon hearing this, all the heroes in Pangea couldn’t help but be on edge.

Going there meant certain death.

But if they didn’t go, many would lose their lives and homes…

Amid such conflicts, Spiritas, already confirmed to participate, was seen as a beacon of hope for the public.

They believed she would lead them to victory and offer hope that this era would not be defeated by evil.

But even though Spiritas sensed this expectation, she couldn’t be confident in herself.

No matter how strong she was, her power was ultimately borrowed.

Its limitations meant she couldn’t surpass an ordinary human, making the world’s expectations overwhelming.

‘Don’t overdo it.’

Knowing someone understood her feelings was a great comfort.

Not just the expectation but also the concern…

How much courage she drew from those heartfelt words, he would never know.

‘There are many people waiting for you.’

Even so, Kana couldn’t say anything.

She couldn’t even express gratitude or assurance of her return; her throat was too tight.

But at least she regretted not asking one thing as the train moved forward.

‘Among those waiting for me, are you included?’

Just one small comfort.

“Isri doesn’t like this.”

Lost in her thoughts, she was startled by the sharp voice.

Kana turned her gaze from the window to the pouting girl beside her.

Clunk, clunk.

The two antenna-like hairs swayed with the train’s movement… No, the parts attached to the artificial human.

“…Isri?”

“Isri doesn’t like this man!”

Isri shouted and clung to Kana.

Kana held her and turned to the person sitting opposite in the private compartment.

Mars Ector.

A former S-rank hero and secretary to the Association’s executive, Ceras, assigned to assist her.

He was technically an ally, but Isri showed hostility towards him.

“Isri, it’s rude to speak to the Association’s staff like that.”

“But Faust-sensei said people with squinty eyes are hiding something!”

Squinty eyes, indeed, Mars’s eyes were narrow, but his face seemed friendly enough.

And claiming an Association member was suspicious was a bit far-fetched.

“I’m sure. He’s an evil minion! A bad person for sure!”

“This child…”

Kana was at a loss on how to deal with such extreme hostility.

Feeling guilty, she glanced at Mars, noticing his body trembling.

“…Mr. Mars?”

-Shiver, shiver.

Mars trembled silently, smiling.

Though he couldn’t speak due to an accident, his trembling seemed excessive even without an explanation.

‘Come to think of it, he did this when we first met.’

When he visited looking for heroes to join the defense of District B, didn’t he tremble as if it was his name that was miscalled?

But unlike then, now his reaction couldn’t be overlooked.

The child in her arms wasn’t human but a robot.

Someone capable of sensing what she couldn’t.

“Isri, do you feel superhuman energy from this person?”

Didn’t she recognize her as ‘Heavenly Demon’s successor’ at first sight?

Perhaps, even now, she was recalling someone from her database.

If it was the person she mistakenly called by name…

“I don’t feel it.”

Isri’s blunt answer dispelled Kana’s doubts.

A truly sufficient answer to erase any lingering suspicion.

“But he has squinty eyes! Squinty eyes are villains!”

-Clang!

“Ow!”

Kana knocked on Isri’s metal head, making her clutch it in pain.

She then pinched Isri’s cheeks, pulling them.

“Ow! It hurts, Mama!”

“I’m sorry, she’s so immature.”

[It’s okay.]

Mars replied with trembling hands.

His trembling was likely due to unfamiliarity with suspicion.

Being mistaken for a villain wouldn’t feel good for someone serving the Association.

[Then it’s settled that this child will be your sidekick…]

After some time, Mars regained his composure and took out documents from his bag, handing them to Kana and Isri.

[It will take us until dawn to reach District B, so it’d be best to use that time to fill out the paperwork.]

“Oh, yes. The papers?”

Hero registration forms.

Kana had filled them when she became a hero, and the same applied to sidekicks.

Though an artificial human, she had Pangea citizenship.

Filling out the forms was essential for her to act as a sidekick.

[Most information is already filled out by the Association’s research team, so Spiritas and this child won’t need to do much. The only thing you’d need to fill in is the hero name.]

A name is very important for heroes.

It represents their identity and character, and once known to the public, it’s hard to change.

She initially wanted to be called ‘Spirit Star,’ but due to an administrative error, she ended up with a name similar to an alcohol.

The error occurred on national live TV, leaving no room to correct it.

Given that experience, she hoped the child supporting her would choose a name carefully.

But…

“Hyper Electra Super Galaxy Isri Fire!”

“…Hang on.”

“If that’s not allowed, Ultimate ShootingHeavenlyDemon MK-2! The second flying Shooting Heavenly Demon! Cool!”

Of course.

It’s hard to expect a good name from a child this age.

[Spiritas can name her if you’d like.]

“Is that okay?”

[The Association already considers you her guardian.]

Being named the guardian of an advanced technological marvel… Life has its surprises.

‘A name… I’m not confident in my naming skills.’

Though she composed songs and choreography for the stage, it involved a lot of time and feedback from many people.

Naming this child would require similar care.

“Mama? What’s wrong?”

Seeing her deep in thought, Isri began to tremble, seemingly nervous.

Maybe she scared her too much?

“Um, I thought Isri’s way of talking was unique.”

“It’s not strange. Isri is Isri!”

“No, I meant… Wait.”

As she mumbled, a thought suddenly struck her.

It was the same kind of inspiration Kana occasionally got while composing her theme songs.

A flash of insight.

‘Her way of talking… Oh!’

Kana clapped her hands and spoke to Isri.

“How about Nanodesu, Nanodesu?”

“Nano…desu?”

Isri repeated the words, eyes wide.

“Isri Nanodesu!”

Her enthusiastic declaration was surely a sign of approval.

End of Chapter