I Became The Villain The Hero Is Obsessed With-Chapter 29: Stepping Stone

C29: Stepping Stone

I woke up after being in a coma for three days.

As soon as I woke up, Seo-eun welcomed me with tears.

“You’re really crazy!”, Seo-eun hit me. Gosh, Seo-eun. It really hurts! Stop it!

As I just sat up and tried to calm her down, I could feel that she was really surprised. I guess she was worried because I suddenly passed out like a dead body for three days.

Still, I was a little touched by Seo-eun’s tears as I woke up from the coma. The time we lived together wasn’t wasted, she shed tears for me. I finally see the effects from playing games and hanging out with her!

I smiled at Seo-eun, who shed tears and told me to take care of myself in the future, and to vow to be careful in the future. Well, there’s no guarantee that I won’t do it again.

I woke up to soothe Seo-eun, and said thank you to Soobin for taking care of me. Then I went through the public’s opinion right away.

What did people say about me?

What did they say about Stardus?

Well, and the result of the analysis is my popularity is at its peak. Many articles said that people seemed to think of me, a villain, as a hero.

Hmm… As expected, it turned out like this.

I just killed him because I was put to shame, but it became a favorable factor. I guess I feel great.

And the shocking part was that this Crocodile Man was alive. He didn’t die after being hit by the poisonous gas? Well, of course, I used a weak one just in case… But I didn’t know that he would survive. Well, he faced the same situation in the original comic and he had a hard time because of it.

He is said to have returned to his normal human form from the crocodile state, and has been placed in Superpower Detention Center of the East after the treatment.

Well, it went the way it was written in the original.

Superpower Detention Center of the East. It’s called East Carcer. Precisely, it’s a place where they gather and imprison villains with superpowers.

Like the Hero Association, each country has a place called ‘Carcer’. Carcer, Latin for prison. Immediately after the first Superpower Detention Center, ‘America’s Carcer’ was established in the U.S, all Superpower Detention Centers built in other countries since then are written as Carcer.

It’s the highest security-grade facility in each country, and it’s also a place where all kinds of tools are installed to limit the ability of each prisoner according to their characteristics. It’s built on an uninhabited island in the East Sea, and it’s protected with such strict security that there is a saying that no one can come out once entered. Of course, in the original comic, Seo-eun hacked and broke it off.

Anyway, he’s trapped there alive, so he may die there some day. He’s a little dumb, so I think he will die easily. But I’m not sure if he’s like that only when he’s in crocodile mode or even in human mode.

Anyway, I played and rested for a few days after that.

I’m a normal citizen in the first place. After working so hard, I have to take a break since I was worn out.

…I think Seo-eun has been staying by my side and hanging out with me more than before. What’s wrong with her?

Of course, I don’t just lie down and play every day. Sometimes, I tell Seo-eun and Soobin about the hero society of Korea. They both stayed in their rooms and studied computer technology, so they didn’t know much about current events.

“Now, today, let’s learn about the reality of heroes in Korea. Soobin, do you know how the public thinks about heroes?”

“Hmm… They must like them, right? Because they’re the ones who save people.”

“No, they don’t. Korea is a bit different. So, let me give you guys an example. The family was attacked by a villain. So they called out a hero. But before the hero came, the villain had already killed them all and ran away. Then do you know who people blame?”

“Aren’t they obviously going to blame the villain?”

“Oh, of course, they will blame the villain. They resent the villain, but they will blame the hero as much as the villain. ‘My family died because you came late.’, they would said”

“…But it’s not the heroes’ fault, is it? They didn’t come late because they wanted to.”

“That’s right. But the citizens don’t care about that. They could have just come quickly, but they were rambling so the family died. That’s how people resent them. Well, that’s not all, but anyway, these similar things got together and became distrustful of heroes. In conclusion, the Korean people don’t trust the heroes very much.”

My throat hurts because I spoke for too long.

I took a sip of the pat bottle that was ripped off on the side.

“Don’t touch your lips while drinking it.”

I listened to Seo-eun’s complaint and did it. Gosh, Seo-eun. I thought that you were looking at your phone, but when did you start to have interest in me?

As Seo-eun looked at it, she eventually opened her mouth and drank it. You should have got your own water instead…

As my throat moistened, I continued to explain again.

“Honestly, heroes are crazy and jumpy. No, it’s sad to work with their life on the line, but they even get cursed at. In fact, there are only a few heroes in Korea, so it’s difficult for someone to go to the site in case of an emergency. So there’s inevitable delays. But they get cursed at.”

“Ah hah…”

Soobin nodded as she understood now. Seo-eun, who was looking at her smartphone, is also listening to me. So, does that mean that I’m good at explaining?

In fact, my dream was to be a teacher before I fell into this world. Of course, there are so many other things to do now, and I can’t do anything because I don’t have an ID in the first place. Later, when everything is done, I will try to wash my identity and become a teacher.

This isn’t the point anyway. I continued.

“So it’s a chain reaction like a domino. Heroes who are tired of the hero’s distrust quit being heroes. The number of heroes decreases. Fewer heroes make it slower to cope with crime scenes. That will add to the distrust of the heroes. It’s a vicious cycle. In fact, there’s a reason why there are fewer B-class and C-class heroes. The country’s security depends on three A-class people.”

“It would have been nice if the police could have helped them, but the law prohibits police from being dispatched in the event of a crime using superpowers. In fact, a villain alone can wipe out all the cops who have guns, so they won’t be a big help.”

So, this is the conclusion.

A complete mess.

Heroes are despised and villains are growing in number.

There are too many villains compared to the number of heroes.

It’s a part where you can see why Stardus is rolling alone.

“…That’s why you’re getting rid of the villains? You’re like a dark hero.”

Seo-eun, who was listening quietly, was sarcastic. Ugh, Seo-eun. You have been nice to me for the past few days, and now you’re back on track.

“…I’m not a dark hero. I’m just interested in the fate of Korea.”

“You’re not just doing that woman’s job because you like Stardus, right?”

“Hey, Seo-eun. What do you mean by ‘that woman’? You have to speak nicely.”

But that’s true.

How did she figure that out?

But in this situation, it’s a waste to admit it right away.

I changed the topic nonchalantly.

“It’s not that, it’s just that I feel uncomfortable…”

“I also think that you’re very interested in Stardus.”

Soobin cut me off and offered me a counterargument.

Soobin cut me off. Our nice Soobin.

When I say something, Soobin, who was always scared and teared up, only goes away…

I raised a tiger cub.

The girls suddenly gazed at me.

As her gaze looked like she was interrogating me, I was taken abashed.

“Now, now, I’m interested in her? Yeah, it’s true that I’m interested in her. But that doesn’t matter. Because there are no other heroes than Stardus. And a villain needs a hero to be a villain, right? So… I mean. Yeah, contrast structure. I’ve set Stardus up as my arch energy for now…”

I found myself making excuses before I knew it. Wait, why am I making excuses for this?

Still, Seo-eun was looking at me with a suspicious look. Seo-eun, what’s wrong with you? It’s unfair.

“Anyway! That’s not the point. Let’s start planning another terrorist attack.”

Seo-eun’s interest was shifted to another place besides Stardus.

“Terrorist attack? Again?”

“Yeah. Well, my affinity has gone up too high. It’s not exactly likability, but the expectation? Anyway, the only way to lower it again is massive terrorism.”

“Haa… When are you going to prepare that?”

“Don’t worry. I’m going to take a break for a while after this terrorist attack.”

I said with a smile at Seo-eun’s grumbling.

“You’re going to take a break? Really? Then shall we go on a trip?”

“A trip?”

When I saw Seo-eun’s sparkling eyes, I unknowingly affirmed.

“Sure, a trip. That sounds great. Let’s go after this.”

“Yay! You promised!”

Then suddenly, Seo-eun ran somewhere.

Wait, I told you to prepare a terrorist attack with me…She’s not going to prepare for the trip, is she?

Soobin just smiled quietly at us.