Being a Villain is My True Calling

“Would you care to repeat that?”

“Chicken coop.”

“……”

With her hands firmly planted on her hips and her stomach puffed out defiantly, Ga-yeon.
Faced with her audacious stance, Astra lost her words and looked to me, her gaze clearly asking, ‘Did you teach her that?’
I shook my head.

Why would I teach her such a thing?

Astra then forced a smile, barely restraining her irritation as she met Ga-yeon’s gaze.

“Do… we… know… what… that… means… little… friend~?”

“Yeah, I know. It means an old lady.”

“……”

‘Wow, that seemed to really rub her the wrong way.’

Astra’s hair gradually stood on end.
Moreover, objects within the office began levitating.

“Oh my, but~ you’re still in your youthful twenties, aren’t you, sister?”

“…I suppose? Sorry, I didn’t realize you were that young.”

Flinch

“I thought you were around thirty or so… My apologies.”

Flinch

Ga-yeon spoke and lowered her head in feigned remorse.
…Ga-yeon, why are you provoking her like this?

‘Astra’s stamina must already be depleted…’

Astra’s entire body trembled as the levitating objects within the office whirled around us like a cyclone.
Ga-yeon observed Astra with wide, innocent eyes, while Astra’s expression gradually filled with venom.

“By the way, how old will you be when I turn twenty, auntie?”

“You little-”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

I covered Ga-yeon’s mouth with my hand and apologized to Astra.

“My apologies, Ms. Astra. The child is still young and seems to have picked up some unsavory influences from the slums.”

“Mmmpf mmmpf mmmpf…”

“Ga-yeon, it’s impolite to speak that way to someone you’re meeting for the first time. Moreover, lying is unacceptable. Ms. Astra’s face hardly looks thirty years old.”

“Not lying…”

“Tsk.”

“…Sorry.”

With her head hung low, Ga-yeon occasionally stole furtive glances at me.
I turned my gaze towards Astra.

“…Considering the child is even apologizing, surely you can find it in your heart to forgive her.”

“Haah… Very well.”

Plopping back into her chair, Astra pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Wh, what…? You, you want me to look after, after the child?”

“I have a request for you, Instructor…”

Shortly after resolving the previous incident.
I requested a private discussion with Astra.

‘How would you like to handle the child?’

‘If you could simply assign someone to look after her, I would appreciate it.’

Upon my request for a caretaker, the one who appeared was none other than Ahn Yeri.

She visited Astra’s office clad in an oversized, baggy t-shirt and dolphin-printed pants – the quintessential missing bottoms fashion.

“I would also like to ask for your assistance, Yeri.”

“Bo, both of you need me for something…?”

“That’s correct, Yeri. And even without this particular matter, you are always a needed presence.”

At my words, she blinked her eyes rapidly before breaking into a bashful smile.
Judging by her mumbled self-talk, she seemed to be saying, ‘They, they need me!’

“Eheh… eheheheh…”

“……”

“Heeheehee.”

Like an outcast who had finally made a friend, she squirmed and giggled uncontrollably.

“If, if I can be of help, I’ll do my best…!”

“Then I shall leave it to you. Ga-yeon? Ga-yeon, could you stay with this pretty older sister for a bit?”

“Okay, brother.”

At my words, she nodded and scampered over to Ahn Yeri.

“Th, then I’ll be in my room… so, so come get me later…”

I nodded, and Ahn Yeri and Ga-yeon exited the office.

“So, that rude, ill-mannered child is Maker’s first subordinate?”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“Phew…”

Still seemingly irked, Astra furrowed her brow and brushed her hair back.

“Kidnapping?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“You didn’t lure her with treats, did you?”

“No, I did not.”

While one could argue some similarities, it was ultimately inaccurate.

“Then what happened?”

“I rescued the child moments before she encountered grave peril.”

“And then?”

“After looking after her for a bit, she wished to repay my kindness and followed me.”

“…What a kindhearted child. Though she could stand to speak more politely.”

Tsk

She clicked her tongue.

‘Don’t click your tongue when thinking about the child… Just how deeply did she get under your skin?’

Using her telekinesis, Astra summoned a cup of water, took a sip, and looked at me.

“So, I assume you intend to have her accompany you on your next act of terrorism?”

“Most likely, yes.”

She regarded me with a serious expression.

“What are her abilities?”

“I can only describe her as a multi-ability user…”

I provided a general overview of her abilities.
Mentioning that she potentially possessed dozens, if not hundreds, of different abilities within her body.

“What’s that supposed to mean…?”

“I, too, was unaware such a thing was possible.”

While I had deliberately sought her out, explaining the full context would only complicate matters.
It was better to portray her as an unintentionally discovered gem.

“If you cannot comprehend, you could summon her and request a demonstration of her abilities.”

“…No, I believe you. Why would Maker deceive me about such a thing?”

Fair point.
Assigning her even a single mission would immediately expose any deception, so lying would serve no purpose.

“What is the scope of her abilities?”

“It seems to vary depending on the ability.”

Some abilities felt weak, barely registering as more than parlor tricks, while others seemed formidable enough to contend with single-ability users.

“…Certainly unusual.”

Unusual, yet potentially valuable.
Typically, multi-ability users were factually weaker than their single-ability counterparts in each respective ability.

However, our Ga-yeon was an irregular phenomenon, shattering that conventional mechanism.
If I could identify and cultivate even a few of her usable abilities, she could potentially qualify as an executive rather than a mere subordinate.

‘If there is one issue…’

“The problem seems to be that she herself is unaware of the abilities she possesses, or which are weak or strong.”

Since her abilities were forcibly implanted rather than innate, her ignorance was understandable, but it remained a significant hurdle.

“Which is why I was thinking of providing her with a few months of training.”

“To instruct her in combat methods before formal deployment, and help her identify her own abilities? Sounds reasonable.”

Astra nodded and began jotting down notes.

“Does she currently possess any usable abilities?”

“For now, only spatial translocation, I believe.”

While uncertain about her other abilities, at the very least, her current translocation prowess was on par with other warp-type ability users.

“…Very well, for the time being.”

Further details could be explored during her training.
Astra set down her pen.

“So what are your plans now? Judging by your acquisition of a subordinate, it doesn’t seem like you intend to continue with the cafe for a while…”

“As you have astutely deduced, Ms. Astra, I intend to engage in terrorism.”

“Doesn’t terrorism require a rather lengthy preparation period? Especially if you need to train the child as well.”

That’s true.
Even starting the preparations now, it would likely take around a month.

We couldn’t simply idle away that time. Hence…

Swish

“I plan to engage in a bit of hunting in the meantime.”

“All assassination missions, I presume?”

What I showed her were some of the assassination missions listed within Eclipse.
Specifically, I had selected targets whose elimination, while individually insignificant, would collectively hinder villains – or more precisely, Eclipse – in the original story’s latter stages.

‘And the ones I’ve chosen all possess life force.’

While I may not be able to eliminate them all within a month, I would prioritize the most valuable targets.

Just you wait, our Ga-yeon! Big brother will bring you some life force!

‘Additionally, this allows me to test the capabilities obtained from the research facility before the main act of terrorism, truly killing two birds with one stone.’

“Understood. Just come see me to sign off before departing on those missions.”

I nodded in acknowledgment.

After leaving Astra’s office.

‘Right, I should retrieve them now.’

I headed towards Ahn Yeri’s room to meet with Ga-yeon and her.

‘Quite a distance, isn’t it?’

While uncertain if she had chosen the location herself, it was certainly secluded and remote.
Perhaps reflective of her introverted nature?

After a lengthy walk, her room finally came into view.

‘Almost there.’

As I prepared to quicken my pace…

“Uuuuuwaaaaahhhh…!!!!!”

“…Yeri?”

A woman’s anguished wail echoed through the corridor.

Hastening to her room and opening the door, I found the Instructor drenched in tears, while Ga-yeon wore a bewildered expression, oblivious to the cause.

“Ma, Makerrrrr…!!”

Upon seeing me, she immediately flung herself into my arms, her substantial weight nearly winding me.

“Waaaaaaahhhh…! Waaaaaaahhhh!!”

“…What seems to be the matter?”

“Ga-yeon… Ga-yeon did…”

“Chicken coop auntie, don’t cling so tightly to brother.”

“Waaaaaahhhh…!! Hic. Sniff. I’m, I’m not a chicken coop!!”

Despite her tears, Ahn Yeri managed to protest Ga-yeon’s remark.
…The situation was becoming rather clear.

It seemed our Ga-yeon had struck again.

“Not a chicken coop? A chicken coop is for old ladies who are desperate to get married, so they wear slutty lingerie to seduce someone. Auntie’s lingerie is…”

“Th, that’s just a preference, okay? A preference…!!”

“Then you’re not desperate?”

“Tha, that’s not… Hic. Sniff…!!!”

Ahn Yeri burst into fresh tears, wailing incoherently.

“I’m twenty-threeeee…!!”

“Brother. Why do the older sisters here have such inflated self-worth?”

Don’t redirect that bomb at me.

“I’m, I’m not a chicken coooop… Waaaaaaahhhh…!!!”

…You’re losing a verbal battle to a child. No, scratch that.

“Makeeeerrrr… Waaaaaahhh…!!”

“Chicken coop. Stop clinging to brother and trying to wag your tail.”

“I’m, I’m not wagging my taiiiil!! Waaaaaaahhhh…!!!”

“……”

Ga-yeon relentlessly provoking Ahn Yeri while trying to pry her away from me.
And Ahn Yeri, only clinging tighter as Ga-yeon’s words deeply wounded her.

‘Shit…’

Someone, please extricate me from this mess.