Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Villain and the Hero Association
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The next day, before heading to the Hero Association, I decided to strategically fill my belly. It's common sense that a hungry villain's combat power gets cut in half!
SH Tower sat right across from a French restaurant, so I dropped in. Of course, picking this place was purely to uphold my dignity as a villain. To channel Napoleon's spirit before the conquest! Absolutely not because I was craving duck confit!
"Just hold on a bit longer, my loyal minions. Soon, I shall bestow upon you a feast fit for kings!"
Squeak squeak-!
Darkness and White King hurriedly wiped their drool with their front paws. These guys had zero class.
I pushed open the glass door, and elegant chandelier light welcomed me.
Hmph, how bland! If I ran a restaurant, I'd deck it out with skull-shaped chandeliers!
"Welcome, Grimoire! It's an honor to have you at Le Parfum!"
"See? My fame has spread across the entire city!"
The server recognized me and flashed a friendly smile. But that smile froze the instant she spotted Darkness and White King on my shoulders.
"S-sorry, but..."
Her trembling hand pointed to a red sign on the wall.
"Our restaurant prohibits pets."
Pets?
"What? How dare you call my minions pets! Such insolence! They are not pets—they are my loyal subordinates!"
The red no-entry sign showed X marks over a dog and a cat.
"Hmm... That sign only bans dogs and cats. It doesn't mention rats, does it?"
"W-well... No customers bring rats..."
"But according to the rules..."
"Rules? Ha! For a villain like me, rules exist to be broken! Besides, the basic principle is you can't ban what's not explicitly stated! So next time, will you refuse entry just because I'm a villain?"
Darkness and White King crossed their front paws on my shoulders like arms folded, looking just like lawyers.
"If you insist on barring my minions, you'll forever lose the honor of serving Grimoire! Your competitors would make the wiser choice!"
Squeak! Squeak!
Darkness and White King clasped their paws together, sending desperate glances.
"A-alright. We'll make a special exception today."
The server surrendered. Victory through logic!
"Right this way to the window seat."
"Kakakat! My logic is flawless, as expected! A villain's logic is invincible!"
The server led us to a window seat, where I settled in.
I opened the menu and ordered the roast duck. Darkness and White King exchanged glances, then pointed at the ratatouille.
"Rats ordering ratatouille? You didn't get that from a movie, did you?"
Squeak squeak!
The two rats cheekily squeaked in unison.
While waiting, I grabbed some bread. Unlimited bread? This place is doomed to bankruptcy.
"Do you underestimate me? A villain's disguise is infinite!"
Nom nom nom!
I devoured the bread, lost in the aroma of fresh-baked butter.
But oddly, the surroundings grew quiet. Looking around, the restaurant's patrons were staring at our table. More precisely, at the rats on it.
Darkness and White King had tied tiny napkins around their necks to suit their small frames.
Squeak.
Somehow they'd even gotten hold of little knives and forks. They elegantly sliced the bread into tiny pieces and savored each bite.
Soon, the main courses arrived. The roast duck, fragrant with herbs, was placed before me, while a delicately plated mini ratatouille went to the rats.
"That kind of behavior doesn't suit villains! Watch how I do it—proper villain style!"
Crunch munch—
I grabbed a duck leg with my bare hands and tore into it without a knife. True villains don't need manners!
"Mmm! This is the true way for a villain to eat! If Genghis Khan had roast duck, he'd have devoured it like this!"
Darkness and White King still ate like nobility, even pretending to swirl and sniff a sip of wine.
The patrons' stares intensified. Some pulled out cameras to snap pics of the rats' meal.
"Whoa, look at those rats! Eating like real people!"
"So cute! Are they trained?"
"Those rats are so polite. More refined than their owner."
What? More refined than their owner?
My minions outclassing me? A plot to embarrass me? Or signs of rebellion?
"Hmph. True villain dignity comes from savage eating. All my actions are calculated barbarism."
I finished the meal and paid with the official villainy card Everlin gave me.
"Excellent, I'm satisfied! Now, to the Hero Association... that den of heroes! There, I'll show them true villainous grandeur!"
The rats regretfully popped the last bite of ratatouille and elegantly dabbed their mouths.
As we left, I caught the server hastily adding a rat sketch to the no-entry sign.
"Hmm? They changed the rules because of me! As expected, villains change the world! Kakakat!"
With my belly full, it was time to head to the real battlefield.
Outside the restaurant, I looked up at SH Tower. My jaw dropped.
"This thing was built with taxes, right...?"
The massive glass-and-steel skyscraper pierced the sky at 100 stories. At the top, the Hero Association emblem gleamed in the sunlight.
A flicker of jealousy crept in. Heroes get a fancy fortress like this, while I make do with a five-story villa!
But I shook it off. What matters is the villainous spirit inside, no matter the floors!
"Sure, giant buildings are nice, but Crown Villa with Everlin is my true sanctuary!"
Darkness gave me a dubious look.
"Think about it. Cleaning a place this big would exhaust Everlin... I'm a considerate villain!"
In the lobby, security guards spotted us and went on alert. But a staffer approached with a polite bow.
"Grimoire, we've been waiting. This way, please?"
Kakakat! Villainous grandeur works everywhere—even the Hero Association grovels before me!
They escorted me to a private elevator. The button panel was packed: floors 1 through 100, plus basement levels. The staffer pressed 30 and stepped back.
"The meeting's in the 30th-floor conference room."
The doors closed, and the elevator ascended. Darkness and White King scampered around, peering at the city through the glass walls.
"After we conquer this place, how about remodeling it into the 'Tower of Temptation'?"
Squeak?
"Floors 1 through 99: arcades, PC bangs, billiards, bowling, movie theaters, comic cafes, karaoke... packed with fun stuff."
Darkness eyed me curiously.
"And the top floor, 100? Turn it into a cram-school study hall for exam-takers! Torment them with temptation while they grind! Kakakat! What torture could be crueler?"
Squeak squeak!
White King clapped in admiration. The rats nodded, praising my plan.
"Hmph, no need to be so impressed! My villainy is always creative!"
We arrived at the 30th floor. The doors opened to a hallway with an arrow pointing to "Emergency Countermeasures Committee."
"S-Rank Heroes gathered... My villain senses are tingling with danger."
Of course, I wasn't scared at all! Even if my heart was pounding.
As I stepped forward, a dazzling golden light from down the hall caught my eye.
Golden hair, regal posture... and an excessive gold color scheme everywhere.
"Goldie?"
It was Golden Princess Serena—aka Goldie. The brazen traitor who'd donated in my name without permission.
"Kakakat! Perfect timing. Time to punish her for that unauthorized donation! In my name, no less! I'll beat her senseless and rob her wallet!"
But something was off. Her eyes were different from last time—like she was entranced, feverish.
"Grimoire?"
The moment she spotted me, Goldie's head tilted at a weird angle. Her whole body shuddered, and her golden eyes... turned into heart shapes.
"Grimoire! Grimoire! Grimoiiiiiire!!"
She shot toward me like an arrow.
"Eek-!"
No time to dodge. Goldie tackled me in a hug, lifting me clean off the ground.
"I've missed you so much! You came to see me? This is so touching! I can't even put it into words! It's only been a week, but it felt like eternity! Didn't you miss me? You're so pretty! Cheeks all squishy! So small! Adorable and cute and beautiful! I love you!"
Her word barrage was endless. The flood in my ears shattered my sense of reality.
Where... am I? Who... am I? What is this golden blob...?
"Gyaack!"
I screamed in panic, but she didn't care. If anything, it excited her more.
Goldie spun me in the air, tossed me up, and caught me, over and over.
Dizzy... Gonna puke...
"I wanna kidnap you! I've thought about it nonstop since that day. I need a Grimoire in my life! My place is huge—move in with me! I'll make a room next to mine! No, we can share! Where should we go next? Amusement park? Zoo? How much for a full-day date? I'll give you all the allowance you want! But... you'll have to put in some effort for me, right? Hehehe...!"
W-what? A new hero attack on villains?
Squeak squeak—
"Darkness! White King! Where are you guys! Your master’s been caught by a hero!!"
But the rats were pale-faced, already prepping to bolt. Traitors!
"Gyaack-!!"
I screamed louder, to no avail. Serena wriggled closer.
Heavens, a villain like me getting this treatment!
"Let me touch more! Hug more!! Let me pet your horns!!!"
Horns? My horns?!
Her hand reached for the horns on my head. No way!
When her wriggling fingers neared my face, I reflexively bit her hand.
Chomp!
"Ow!"
Seizing her surprise, I headbutted her full force.
Thud-!
My head smashed her chin. She staggered back and fell.
"W-what's with this traitor?"
Not missing the chance, I signaled Darkness and White King.
"Attack! My minions! Defend your master's dignity!"
Squeak squeak!
The rats charged Serena. Darkness pummeled her with tiny punches, while White King jumped and stomped her golden hair.
My loyal minions... back at the crucial moment!
"Hehehe... It hurts, but it feels good..."
After taking a beating from the rats, Goldie staggered up—with a deranged laugh!
Her hand bore clear teeth marks from me.
"I'll remember this sensation. Even if I go blind, I'll know it was Grimoire who bit me this hard!"
Good lord, Goldie had gone completely insane!
"Help! Anyone! Heroes! Where are the heroes!"
I bellowed down the hall, then realized.
"Oh, right. Goldie is a hero."
At that moment, a saving voice echoed from the corridor's end.
"Ah, Grimoire. Long time no see. You made it."
A familiar face: Hero Association HR Chief Seo Jin-ho.
"Uh... what's going on here?"
Seo Jin-ho looked flustered, glancing between us.
On one side: flushed-faced Serena. On the other: terrified me and the rats.
"Help! Goldie's gone mad! Repay the favor from that park picnic right now! That's an order! Hug Goldie and jump out the window!"
He sighed and shook his head. Seo Jin-ho firmly led Serena toward the conference room.
"Serena, Grimoire, this way. The meeting's starting."
Goldie ignored him almost entirely, eyes locked on me.
"Grimoire... Dinner after the meeting? I'll buy you all the tasty stuff..."
"N-no! I have world conquest plans—I'm busy!"
Darkness and White King climbed back onto my shoulders. We followed Seo Jin-ho to the conference room.