Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Villain and Goldie
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The ID card in Grimoire's hand.
Under the glow of the sunset, three letters shone clearly.
"Goldie...?"
It was just three letters, but to Serena, it was a name straight out of a nightmare.
She never imagined her own name—her past name that she'd hidden away—would ever pass someone's lips again. Especially not at the end of a day as free and joyful as this one.
"Don't call me Goldie!"
She cried out in a voice nearly a scream. Her hands trembled uncontrollably.
Grimoire looked startled for a moment, then broke into a bright grin.
"Goldie? That's adorable! It suits you perfectly! Way more endearing than Serena, honestly. Hey, Goldie Park!"
"What do you even know..."
'Adorable? Me...? That corny old name...?'
The name her late mother had given her had been the target of merciless teasing since childhood.
'She's not really an IM Group kid.'
'Fake Park. Her mom's just the housekeeper.'
'Goldie's a bastard child. Not silver-spoon fed, but dirt-poor.'
The world of chaebol kids was cruel. Just the fact that she was the daughter of a mistress made Serena the black sheep of the family.
Her half-brothers, in particular, tormented her slyly, calling her 'hick Goldie.'
Teasing at kindergarten, ostracism at private school. The name Goldie was a badge of shame branded on her.
On her twelfth birthday, amid the whispers of the guests and her brothers' malice-filled mockery.
'Birthday cake? Hand it over. You don't deserve to eat it.'
'Do you clean as well as your mom? Tidy up my room.'
'How long do you plan to mooch off our house? You'll get kicked out eventually.'
Goldie clamped her hands over her ears, but it was no use. Their venomous words pierced her heart.
That was when her Quirk awakened.
A golden aura enveloped her body. The S-rank Quirk 'Golden Rule,' which allowed her to manipulate gold at will.
The surging rage and humiliation transformed directly into golden energy. The cake turned to gold in an instant, along with the table, chairs, and even the birthday decorations. The party venue filled with golden thorns amid the tears of the twelve-year-old girl.
The adults began to see her differently.
'Remarkable potential.'
'We need to make full use of this child.'
'She'll be the symbol of IM Group.'
That day, her father patted her head for the first time. His touch was cold, but Serena was starved for that warmth.
'Goldie, we should change your name to fit our family.'
'Why, Father? Mom gave me this name...'
'For your future. The other kids still tease you. From now on, your name is Serena. Elegant and refined.'
From that day, she became 'Serena.' Perfectly polished, an ironclad Serena with no visible weaknesses.
"Why? It's got gold and purity in it! Not bad at all. Though, of course, this Grimoire's name is the coolest!"
Grimoire handed over the ID with a laugh.
"Y-You're an idiot."
Serena snatched the ID in a hurry. Strangely, along with the embarrassment, she felt a subtle comfort.
There was no mockery or disdain in Grimoire's attitude. She simply saw the name for what it meant, plainly.
A name containing gold and purity.
No one had ever looked at the meaning of the name her mother gave her this way before. It had always been seen as corny, outdated, a stigma to erase.
"Please don't call me Goldie."
"Hmm... Nah, I like it. So, Goldie, where's my money?"
The affectionate 'Goldie' from Grimoire's lips felt like opening a long-buried time capsule.
'My little Goldie, tough as nails today too!'
Her mother's voice echoed from the depths of memory.
'Tough as nails...'
The words burrowed into her chest.
'Am I... living tough as nails?'
An unexpected doubt washed over her.
Endlessly filtered SNS photos, perfectly calculated hero poses, meticulously controlled statements.
Was the real 'Goldie' anywhere in all that?
Or had only the 'Golden Princess'—IM Group's marketing creation—remained?
This brief freedom would end soon too.
The realization that she had to return to a life where every moment was captured on camera and every action judged tightened around her throat.
Her father's cold gaze, her brothers' sly smiles—all that weight would crush her shoulders again.
"What? That suddenly bored look?"
Ruby-red eyes pierced right through her.
"N-No, it's nothing..."
Serena hurriedly hid her emotions. It was a long-ingrained habit. She'd been taught she must always conceal her feelings. She couldn't show weakness. The Golden Princess had to be strong and graceful at all times.
Poke—
Grimoire suddenly jabbed her forehead with an index finger.
Caught off guard by the touch, Serena stumbled back.
"Wh-What?"
"What kind of hero gets worn out? The world's greatest villain like me just... knocking down a tired hero? Lame! That's third-rate villain stuff!"
Serena was baffled. She couldn't make heads or tails of what Grimoire was saying.
"Listen up, Goldie! A hero has to be strong for a villain's victory to shine! Beating a worn-out hero? No thrill in that!"
Grimoire crossed her arms and tilted her chin up. A villain pose, boasting like a little girl.
"Heroes have to shine at all times. That way, when the villain snuffs out that light, it's way more dramatic! A true villain strikes when the flower is at its most brilliant bloom! That's the aesthetic of a top-tier villain!"
"You're... such a weirdo."
Grimoire patted her shoulder as if consoling her, while surreptitiously patting Serena's pockets here and there.
"Your name isn't some dirty secret to hide. It's just part of you. Like these horns of mine."
Serena mulled over the words. The sincerity in Grimoire's straightforward speech touched her heart. Slowly, she realized what she'd learned today.
'Golden Princess' and 'Goldie Park' were both parts of her.
She didn't need to deny either. Just like Grimoire didn't shy away from her horns or her villain persona.
"If you're a real hero, embrace every part of yourself and shine. That way, when I conquer the world, beating you will mean something!"
"Yeah... I've been too busy watching my back all this time."
A small laugh escaped Serena's lips.
"And here I am, a hero... what a mess I've been making."
A golden aura began to seep out around her. It was different from the power she usually wielded.
Tiny gold particles floated in the air, sparkling. They were far smaller and more refined than before.
"Whoa...! Gonna pay me back in gold bars? Awesome! Villains love gold!"
A Quirk is the manifestation of one's heart. The era of forcibly suppressing and controlling herself was over. Accepting and acknowledging her true self had naturally evolved her ability to a higher level.
The golden cloud elegantly enveloped her before condensing back into bracelet form.
Perhaps because the heavy pressure that had long suppressed her was gone, the now nano-particle-level gold particles responded perfectly to her will. They moved as she thought, as she felt.
"Huh? It vanished? Where'd it go? My gold bar! Just one would do!"
Grimoire looked around frantically for the gold.
In that moment, Serena burst into laughter for some reason. Not luxury bags, designer clothes, or gourmet restaurant food—but in front of this girl who saw her as she truly was, she felt genuine comfort.
"Thank you."
Serena's voice was soft, but the emotion in it ran deep. Grimoire tilted her head in confusion.
"For what? What'd I even do? I was just being a proper villain."
"Everything today is a secret. Me flailing around at the market, my real name... all of it."
"Hmph, trusting a villain with secrets? Might as well give cheese to Darkness and White King!"
"If you tell... if you tell, I'll turn your horns to gold!"
"What? Are you threatening me now?"
Serena's body slowly lifted into the air. Golden particles enveloped her, carrying her skyward.
"Hey! Flying off without paying?! Goldie the freeloader!"
"See you next time, Grimoire."
"I clocked you stealing my seat last time! Next time we meet, you're done for!"
Grimoire shook her tiny fist and yelled.
"Goldie! Next time, I'll conquer your turf, so watch out!"
Rising higher into the sky, Serena looked down at S City's dazzling nightscape.
The city lights twinkled. The thought that a little horned villain was somewhere among those lights made her smile.
A golden streak crossing S City's night sky—that was Golden Princess Serena's path home.
Darting between skyscrapers, Serena streaked through the night like a shooting star.
Normally, she'd worry about her flight being caught on photo or video and use a car or helicopter instead, but tonight, such trivial concerns didn't weigh on her.
Downtown buildings whisked by below. Neon signs, car headlights, lights leaking from apartment windows.
The scenery felt more vivid than ever.
The penthouse door slid open. Serena entered quietly and spotted the memo left by her secretary.
[Miss Serena, tried calling but no answer, so leaving a note. Please check tomorrow's schedule. - Secretary Kim]
Tomorrow started with 7 a.m. training, followed by ad shoots, Association meetings, and a gala—packed tight.
"Can't I just take one more day off? Even monsters get holidays, right?"
Normally, just seeing that schedule would suffocate her, but not now.
All of it was just part of her life—it didn't define her.
"I'll tackle them one by one."
Serena headed to the dressing room. She removed the black wig and changed out of the plain clothes. After a shower, she stood before the mirror.
Golden hair and eyes greeted her.
Outwardly unchanged, but her gaze was different. Sharper, more intense.
"I'm Goldie Park..."
Saying her old name aloud after so long felt strange. Yet it brought liberation more than fear.
"Nah... honestly, it's kinda corny! Serena's way classier!"
Cracking jokes like this felt unfamiliar yet good.
No more aversion. That name was part of her too, filled with her mother's love... and Grimoire's laughter.
'My little Goldie, tough as nails today too!'
Her mother's voice rang in her heart again. But this time, it brought warm comfort, not shame.
She pulled a small item from her crossbody bag. The horned dragon plush Grimoire had won for her. She placed it carefully by her bedside.
The reality of being Golden Princess still awaited, but now she felt she could bear that weight differently.
"Today... I lived as my true self."
Serena lay in bed. Grimoire's words echoed in her ears.
'Heroes have to shine at all times. That way, when the villain snuffs out that light, it's way more dramatic!'
For the first time, the title 'hero' felt not just like a job, but an identity. And she liked that feeling a lot.