Being a Villain is My True Calling

“Maker, wait a moment.”

Before heading to the mission location,
Astra called out to me.

“Ms. Astra? Do you have something else to say?”

In response to my question, Astra nodded.

“Are you aware of the level of heroes you’ll be facing at the research facility?”

“Yes. You mentioned they dispatched new hero recruits to gain experience, didn’t you?”

Initially, upon hearing that heroes had been brought in, I was a bit tense. However, after properly assessing the situation, it seemed the association had deemed it a relatively light mission and sent the new recruits to gain experience.

“Still, don’t underestimate them. There’s a high chance they’ll have at least a B+ rank hero accompanying and supervising the new recruits, in case things go awry.”

“Indeed, they wouldn’t send just the new recruits alone on a mission like this.”

Honestly, I wasn’t too concerned.
At most, would they dispatch anyone above B+ rank at this point in the story? Would the coveted A-ranks, who were busy, really come?

While the original story progressed towards involving the Korean association more, that was still a distant matter.
Even encountering Ice Queen earlier had been fortunate, so I doubted I would meet her again.

I didn’t expect them to actually send an A-rank hero.
Let alone have to face one alone like this.

“…? Hello? Can’t you hear me?”

Seeing me remain silent, Ice Queen raised her voice slightly, seeming puzzled.

‘What should I do…’

Truthfully, in her current state, I could likely kill her somehow.
Being the early stages of the original story, she was still immature, both mentally and experience-wise.

Knowing her trauma and all, I could probably find a way.

But…

‘…The problem is that I can’t kill her.’

She, the heroines, need to grow stronger for my sake going forward.
Even if not the heroines specifically, they need to become powerful enough to eventually defeat the final boss I’ll be setting up.

“Phew…”

The realization that I have to fill that vacant role left by the original protagonist is vexing, but unavoidable for my survival.

‘First, let’s put aside other thoughts and figure out how to escape.’

“You’re wondering who I am? Haha, I’m…”

“……”

“An investor in this research facility. An investor.”

“……”

“I came to see the results of my investment today, but then this attack happened…”

‘…? …Why isn’t she saying anything?’

I opened my mouth intending to stall for time, but her continued silence and gaze made me feel uneasy.
Her expression was rather strange too.

As if her entire being was conveying, ‘Why are you here?’…

“…Maker?”

‘…Shit.’

I hastily turned my head to look out the window.
The clouds that had been covering the sky until moments ago had completely cleared.

And the bright moonlight was illuminating me.

“…Hmm.”

Tuk roll…
Fwoooosh-

I quickly released a smoke grenade and fled.

“Stay right there, Maker!!”

“…Haha, this is…”

‘What should I do?’

And so began an untimely night chase.

‘This is troublesome.’

Things have taken an unexpected turn.

‘I thought it would be easy since it’s a story not present in the original, but what is this…’

“Stop right there, Maker.”

Outpacing me as I fled, Ice Queen turned around and faced me.
…Should I at least greet her?

“It’s been a while, Ice Queen…”

Peeeeeng-

As I smiled and greeted her, sharp icicles flew towards my limbs.
I instantly created a large shield to block them.

“Is that any way to greet someone?”

“Do you really deserve such courtesy?”

Ice Queen regarded Maker with slightly piercing eyes.

“Why did you attack the research facility?”

“As it was a mission for my organization, I cannot divulge the details.”

“Then don’t speak at all.”

Ice Queen froze the floor around her, allowing her to glide forward smoothly.

“I’ll just make you confess after capturing you!”

“I refuse.”

Feel free to try capturing me if you can.

After saying that, I tossed another smoke grenade and fled.

“The same trick won’t work…!!”

Kwaaang!

This time, she mixed in grenades as well.

I kept running.

Kwaaaaaang!

After being caught up to again, I used another trick to escape.

And so the chase continued, time and time again.

As I rounded a corner, I urgently pressed my communicator.

“This is Maker! Can you hear me?”

The, the Instructor is heading towards, the target location…!!

I’m securing the area with the target data.

They seemed to be diligently carrying out the mission.
I wanted to commend them, but something more important had come up.

“Encountered A-rank hero Ice Queen. Currently being pursued.”

Eh, eh? An A-rank hero?

Change of plans?

Unlike the flustered Instructor, 42 calmly inquired about the situation.
I’m glad I brought him along.

“Yes. It seems a change of plans is necessary.”

Ting- roll…
Kwaaaaaang!!

I created a grenade and tossed it far down the side corridor, collapsing the walls and blocking the path.
With a momentary respite, I pressed my communicator again.

“First, 42 and I will swap roles. 42 will head to the control room.”

Currently, Ice Queen’s aggro was focused on me.
Rather than risk that aggro shifting to someone else and jeopardizing the mission, it was better for me to act as bait and keep her pursuing me.

‘And if I could find a suitable place to restrain her, even better.’

“I’ll handle Ice Queen. With your capabilities, securing the control room should be possible, right?”

Affirmative.

‘Good. Now the problem is the Instructor…’

Originally, I had chosen 42 to guard the Instructor while she decrypted the codes.
But with me suddenly having to focus on Ice Queen, and 42 filling my role, there was a gap in the Instructor’s security detail.

‘We can’t afford to lose our forces so easily to a surprise attack…’

“Instructor.”

Yes, yes…?

“How did the earlier combat go? Were you able to safely retreat?”

While inquiring about her situation, I also wanted to check how many enemies remained.

Ah, about that…?

Her tone suggested she had been reminded of something, almost like a child seeking praise.

I, I killed them all…!

Ahn Yeri eventually responded with a hint of laughter in her voice.

‘…What?’

Just what kind of massacre had she committed in my absence?
Her praise-seeking tone sent a chill down my spine for a moment.

Surely she hadn’t killed the heroes as well?
I hadn’t even had a chance to properly assess potential recruits…

“…The heroes, you mean?”

Um… no…? Not, not them…

“Phew…”

Thankfully, it didn’t seem to be the situation I had feared.

They, they… ran away when they learned, learned I’m an Eclipse executive…

“……”

Definitely not the situation I had imagined.

‘The heroes fled?’

I pondered the rather bizarre situation for a moment.

“Then the ones you killed were…”

The, the villains…!

It seemed the new hero recruits had fled, leaving only the villains disguised as security personnel to confront the Instructor.

“…Well done.”

Ehehe…

Right, compared to the disobedient, selfish villains, it would be more helpful for the heroes to survive and aid in eventually defeating the final boss.

…Hopefully?

“In that case, do you know how many enemies remain, excluding those who fled?”

Umm… just, just a moment…!

Sgrik

After her words, an ominous slicing sound came through the communicator.

There, there are none left now…!

“……”

Truly a villainous statement.

“Then it seems the Instructor can proceed as planned to the location where the research data is stored.”

Now there was no need to guard her.
She had already slaughtered them all, so what would I be protecting her from?

Okay…!

Even if one or two enemies tried to attack her, she should be able to handle it herself.

“By the way, besides the new recruits, were there no other heroes present? I doubt Ice Queen was solely in charge of all the new recruits.”

I, I don’t think there were any others…!

“Is that so?”

‘There should have been at least one senior hero leading them…’

Well, it wasn’t that important, so I decided to move on.

Zzzzak zzzzak

“Then I should resume my task. I’ll see you both later.”

Okay…!

Understood.

Click

After the communication ended, I gazed at the barricade formed by the collapsed wall.

Zzzzak… kwaaang!

“I’ve finally found you, Maker.”

Soon after, the barricade was easily destroyed.
Ice Queen, having blown away the barricade, looked at me.

“While having a beautiful woman’s relentless attention is certainly desirable, it’s a bit burdensome at the moment.”

“…What did you just say?!”

Angered by my cheeky remark, she yelled at me.
Seeming genuinely enraged, Ice Queen formed an ice chunk and hurled it towards me.

‘Angry? Then try catching me.’

Chuckling at her, I turned and fled without looking back.

“Stop right there!”

Flames burning in her eyes more intensely than before, Ice Queen charged after me.

‘Come on, guys, hurry up and finish already.’

Otherwise, I might end up encased in ice.

‘…Alright! I’ll do my best not to cause any trouble!’

Meanwhile, after the communication ended, the Instructor headed towards the database containing the research data to carry out her assigned role.

‘Round the corner… then left!’

Following Maker’s provided location, the Instructor finally neared the storage area.

‘I’ve made it… hm…?’

“A, a hero…?”

What appeared before her was a man.
A rather skeezy-looking man grinning at her in a way he probably thought was charming.

“Hello there, pretty lady?”

“…Ugh.”

Feeling an unsettling creepiness from his gaze, the Instructor unconsciously placed her hand on her sword’s hilt, shuddering.

“…Step aside… or I’ll cut you down…”

“Haha, feisty, aren’t we~”

Shlick

The man, Iron, smacked his lips as he fiddled with a vial in his pocket.