I Became a Villain's Hero

TL/Editor: Raei

Schedule: 5/week, Mon-Fri

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Min-Bom couldn't focus on the meeting.

The stress was building up and festering.

Under the round table, she read hateful comments and articles pouring in about her.

Articles questioning Jung-gyeom's identity.

Criticism aimed at Solace for being defeated by personal feelings.

Anti-fans appearing like hyenas, seizing the moment.

Saying they absolutely couldn't trust her.

Questioning why the Hero Association even exists.

Insulting her without understanding what it feels like to fight for one's life.

It felt as though all the sacrifices she had made until now were becoming meaningless.

The courage she had mustered and the lives she had saved lost their value.

They forget the past and only judge the present.

Furious at this irrationality...yet also saddened.

But that wasn't the main issue.

The greater stress was that she couldn't get in touch with Jung-gyeom.

She was worried about him.

She wanted to go to him quickly.

Why wasn't he contacting her? Why couldn't he receive her calls?

Yet, due to the Association's regulations, she couldn't leave the building.

Even 'Hera,' a healing specialist hero, was prohibited from going out under the pretext of recovery.

Worried about Jung-gyeom.

Stressed about the hate comments.

All of it was piling up.

She found herself smoking more than before.

Perhaps the silver lining was having stocked up a reserve in her private room.

But she just had to endure one more day.

Control would be lifted tomorrow.

Min-Bom checked her messages.

She had already sent over ten messages to Song Soo-yeon.

But she hadn't received a single reply.

Her current mixed emotions made her feel an immense irritation towards her.

'What a piece of trash'

Why was Jung-gyeom helping such a woman?

"...Solace. Put away the phone,"

Said the Chairman of the Hero Association.

"I'm sorry," Min-Bom silently complied.

A brief silence ensued.

With a cough, the meeting resumed.

The presenter said,

"...Ahem. So, continuing, although trust in the Association has declined...those who destroyed that trust aren't safe either. You've all heard, right? The Villain Alliance has collapsed."

The document being projected switched to the next slide.

"Numerous witnesses have come forward. All witnesses were members of criminal organizations."

"How can we trust the words of criminals?"

"They all said the same thing...and turned themselves in asking for witness protection. Its not entirely trustworthy, but it is credible to some extent."

"..."

"The witness testimonies were as follows: the fight didn't last more than 3 minutes."

Shake frowned, and so did Min-Bom.

Having actually experienced combat against the alliance, they couldn't believe it.

"Tryno's right eye, Stingshot's gun and right hand, Liquid's left leg have been destroyed," was the news that completely captured Min-Bom's attention, despite her previous lack of focus on the meeting.

"For convenience, we'll refer to this mysterious man as 'A,' but it's said he possessed multiple abilities."

The slide changed again.

"An ability to emit cold from his hands, telekinesis, heat vision, and shadow movement. These four abilities were consistent across witness testimonies."

".....Ha."

Shake let out a hollow laugh.

The rest could not even breathe.

The presenter continued.

"After being overpowered by A, the Villain Alliance fled, and one unnamed villain was captured by him. Luna wasn't present at the scene. That's all."

Silence lingered once more, with no one daring to speak.

As always, Shake was the one to break the silence.

"Four abilities... That's downright monstrous."

Attention shifted to him.

"...We can't catch this guy. We shouldn't even try. He's beyond what we can handle."

Solace had never seen Shake speak like this, but she couldn't help but agree.

Four abilities?

Shake went on.

"Besides, he only caught villains. Let him be. Shouldn't we rather be giving him an award?"

The Chairman spoke up.

"...Shake, you know as well as I do. Vigilantism is a crime. Even villains like Tryno deserve to be judged by the law. A is a criminal."

"I know. But let's be flexible here. Don't give me that bullsh*t when you're not the one fighting. He took down the Villain Alliance in 3 minutes. We can't catch them even if we wanted to."

"Shake."

"Besides, not all villains are brought to trial, are they? So many villains die during fights. Even heroes die. Let's just let this slide."

"What about the non-ability users? Some of the criminal organization members at the scene were severely injured. Some might end up with permanent disabilities. Even if they're scum, we can't say this retaliation was justified."

Shake slammed his hand on the table.

-Bang!

It was sudden, but like an eruption of pent-up anger.

Veins bulged in his eyes.

"...It's so easy to just talk. We're the ones who have to act. If you love justice so much, go catch him yourself."

"...It sounds like you're trying to justify A's actions. I haven't said to bring him in yet. But he clearly falls under the category of a villain."

"...So we don't have to catch him?"

"...Didn't you say we can't... We'll have to wait and see. We might just be blindly believing what the criminals say and overreacting."

Shake's momentum faded.

He too was unsettled by the emergence of this new villain.

Solace felt the same... but she was more worried about Jung-gyeom.

The fact that she thought of Jung-gyeom even in such a grave moment made her realize once again how important Jung-gyeom was to her.

She looked at the Chairman of the Hero Association.

Wondering if he would end the meeting soon.

She desperately wanted a cigarette.

The Chairman slowly pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed.

"....Hoo... A super villain...huh."

---

---

The more I talked with Han Yoo-jung, the more I felt relieved.

Not everything Song Soo-yeon had told me was a lie.

"When did Luna join the alliance?"

"It's been a little over two months now."

Han Yoo-jung's answer echoed Song Soo-yeon's voice in my mind.

'I only got my powers recently...sob...it hasn't been long...please believe me, Mister...'

But at the same time, it was painful.

Every time I recalled her desperate voice, a part of my heart ached.

"So, during those two months-"

"It's my turn, Jung-gyeom."

"......Ask."

Unlike me, who kept asking about the Villain Alliance or Song Soo-yeon, Han Yoo-jung continued with personal questions.

The difference in the weight of the questions was clear.

"How old are you?"

".....Currently, 23."

"So, I'm your noona. Can I speak informally-"

"-In the last two months, has Luna participated in any murders?"

"...........Not directly."

I sighed deeply in relief inside.

Whether directly or indirectly, what difference did it make... but to me, desperate as I was, this was enough.

The original Luna wouldn't have hesitated to kill.

Pieces of information came together.

The more they did, the more I felt that Song Soo-yeon hadn't returned.

Maybe I just wanted to believe that.

"Can I speak informally?"

When it was her turn, Han Yoo-jung asked.

"No."

"...You're doing it too."

Han Yoo-jung dropped the formalities.

"..."

Was Han Yoo-jung fearless, reckless, or was she doing this knowing full well the risks?

She was trying to get close to me. It was undeniable.

As a fellow regressor, she should know my past yet she showed no hesitation.

...I feel it.

The moment she unmasked and asked me if I remembered her, revealing her name.

From her reaction, we might have already met.

Though I don't remember.

"...."

I quickly lost interest in her.

Whether she used informal speech or not wasn't important.

Before moving on to deeper questions, I asked,

"What was your role in the alliance?"

"Are you finally asking about me?"

"Just answer."

Han Yoo-jung smiled lightly.

It wasn't the time for leisure.

"....I was the leader."

My expression soured. It was an unexpected answer.

I thought at best she would have been running errands, but to hear she was the leader.

Tryno, Liquid, Stingshot, Riem were villains I already knew.

But Han Yoo-jung in front of me was someone I was seeing for the first time.

I didn't even know her villain name.

It wasn't easy to believe she had led the other villains.

"....Don't lie."

"It's true."

"..."

Part of me understood.

There was a reason why these previously unaffiliated villains formed an alliance.

It was another returnee's doing.

Their meteoric rise, too, must have been Han Yoo-jung's handiwork.

Hostility surged within me towards Han Yoo-jung.

I had to exert all my strength to suppress my changing emotions.

"So, you... lured Luna in?"

My fist clenched.

My breathing became erratic as I remembered parting ways with Song Soo-yeon.

Sensing the shift in my mood, Han Yoo-jung complied with the barrage of questions.

"I sought her out. After all, Luna is... strong, right?"

"..."

"But if you ask whether I lured her... well. We gathered to achieve our own goals..."

"What were those goals?"

"Mine? Or Luna's?"

"............."

Instead of answering, I glared at Han Yoo-jung.

She responded with an awkward smile and a look in her eyes that was somehow regretful.

Then she said,

"...So it's not me, after all?"

"..."

"But would you believe what I say?"

"..."

"What if I'm lying?"

"Just answer. Why did Luna join the alliance?"

"....I don't want to answer."

She declared, delaying her response.

She wouldn't meet my eyes.

Now that I noticed, her hands were trembling slightly.

She was hiding it, she was scared.

I didn't care.

It wasn't my problem.

It was just frustrating that she wouldn't answer.

I raised my hand.

A small whirlwind formed in my palm, creating a die.

-Thud.

I tossed it in front of her.

The die showed a 3.

I said again,

"Answer."

"...I don't want to."

Her stubbornness remained unbroken.

With a pitiful and forlorn look, she hung her head and said,

"...If I answer... you won't come looking for me again. Because you're only interested in Lu, Luna..."

"..."

"...And... I don't like that."

Catching her breath, she suddenly asked,

"...Do you really not remember who I am?"

"..."

She opened her eyes and only lifted her head.

Even as she showed me her face, she couldn't meet my gaze.

Her face was trembling.

"...Dice, don't you remember me?"

She asked again in honorifics, as if trying to extract something from my memory.

Why?

I couldn't get angry at her, as she asked if I remembered her.

It was more important for her to make me remember than the threat I posed to her.

It reminded me of how I used to be, always seeking affection.

Lonely, cooking for anyone and volunteering my time, just like my old self.

"............Ha."

Eventually, I let out a long sigh.

The die that had been placed in front of her disappeared.

I got up from my seat.

I put the bag of bread I had brought into her cell.

She'll take out more to eat if she's hungry.

I started to leave the basement.

That's enough for today.

As I was leaving, Han Yoo-jung said,

"...I'll wait."

She switched back to informal speech.

"..."

"...I'll answer your question someday... so keep coming to see me."

"...Don't get your hopes up. I'll be handing you over to the Association soon."

"...Even if it's just until then."

"..."

I didn't respond.