Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Villains and the Bar
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Nighttime in S City is the true stage for villains.
The world of shadows, hidden during the day, awakens in the darkness. The underbelly of the city, concealed beneath the heroes' spotlight—that's the domain where I truly belong!
A few days later, I wandered through the shadowy back alleys of S City, clutching the business card I'd swiped from Dogbuster.
I pulled the black card from my pocket and checked it again.
"That mutt left behind some surprisingly useful info! As expected, my great villainy always brings unexpected fortune!"
Hmph! Holding a villains' gathering without inviting me? Unforgivable! I am S City's—no, the world's greatest villain! And they didn't even contact me, just met up among themselves to do who-knows-what!
Those insolent fools! I'll march right in and make them feel my terror firsthand!
I passed through the flashy nightlife district of S City's Nam-gu and slipped into even narrower alleys.
"Hmm... It should be around here..."
The stench of sewage and damp air assaulted my nose, but oddly enough, it wasn't unpleasant. In fact, I rather liked this dim, humid atmosphere.
Of course, my current home isn't bad, but sometimes you just want to indulge in vibes like this. I should make this place my second villainous lair!
After wandering the narrow, filthy alley for a while, I finally spotted the sign for "Black Dolphin" from the card!
A cheap neon sign flickered above the rusty iron door, casting an eerie glow.
The dolphin on the sign was so chipped and faded it almost looked like a ferocious, starving shark.
"Oho, not bad at all! It has real villainous flair! Looking like a shark makes it even more like a den of villains—I love it!"
A crudely scrawled warning was posted next to the iron door.
"No heroes allowed! Then I've got no problem entering. Because I'm not a hero—I'm a great villain!"
I strode confidently toward the iron door. But standing right in front of it, I couldn't help feeling a bit tense.
Hmm... Should I knock politely, or kick it open like a true villain?
After some deliberation, I decided to knock politely first. After all, I'm a refined villain!
Knock knock.
"Ahem! Open the door! The great villain Grimoire has arrived!"
Creeeak—
Moments later, the heavy iron door cracked open just a sliver, and a single fierce-looking eye peered out at me.
"What the—? A kid? This ain't a toy store. Go suck on your mama's tit some more. Or play house with a teddy bear over there. Shoo, shoo!"
"What? I don't play with childish toys like teddy bears!"
...Rabbit dolls and dinosaur blankets are for camouflage, camouflage!
"How dare you treat me like a child! Open your eyes and look closely! I am the great villain who will plunge the world into terror—Grimoire! And this horn is proof positive!"
The door guard's eyes widened, then scanned me up and down with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.
"...You're that rumored kid? The one who smashed Cattler and Dogbuster single-handedly?"
Word sure spreads fast! Then again, my greatness can't be hidden!
"Hmph! Took you long enough! That's right—those pathetic villains were no match for me! So open the door already!"
"Who is it? If it's a customer, let 'em in quick—or chase 'em off!"
"It's... that kid who wrecked Cattler and Dogbuster a while back? ...Yeah, she's got actual horns."
"No way, for real? I'm a fan. Subscribed on YouTube and joined the Hornster Cafe too—open the damn door!!"
A brief silence fell from inside.
Clank—!
The heavy iron door swung wide, revealing the dim interior.
Stale cigarette smoke and the sharp tang of whiskey hit my nose. Just as expected—a filthy, shady joint.
Under the murky lighting, villains of all sorts with rough, menacing faces sat at tables, drinking or gambling.
The moment I stepped in, conversations hushed, and dozens of eyes turned to me all at once.
"Kakakat! Behold and worship! The great villain Grimoire has graced your lair with her presence! Consider it an honor!"
The villains, in their bizarre getups, whispered as they eyed me.
Ugh... There are way more scary-looking guys than I thought... But I can't back down! I'm a great villain!
"...That tiny thing's really Grimoire? Looks like a total newbie."
"Gotta be some Hero Association stooge. Heroes made by hype and fake news."
"Wrong turn, kid? This ain't a place for you."
"What's with the horns? Cosplay? Cute, so cute!"
I overheard the villains' murmurs. How dare they belittle me!
"I am the great villain who will conquer the world! The pure embodiment of evil! I'm on a whole different level from small-time villains like you lot!"
But my shout only made them snicker and mock me more. One guy even pulled out his smartphone to snap my picture.
Grrrr...! Just you wait! I'll make you all kneel at my feet!
Forcing down my rage-heated horns, I headed to the bar in the center of the room.
That bartender guy sitting there must be the boss of this hideout. If I make him submit first, the rest will fall in line.
The bartender was wiping a glass with a stoic expression. He gave off an inexplicably intense aura. The owner of a villains' bar wouldn't be some pushover, huh?
The barstool was taller than expected, so I struggled to climb up with a grunt. Damn, if only I were a bit taller! No, wait—this height is perfect! Size doesn't matter; a villain's dignity isn't measured in inches!
Er... The menu was full of fancy English drinks. 'Old Fashioned', 'Manhattan', 'Negroni'...
What should I order? Everlin never taught me about this stuff! In times like these, I should just go full villain...
"Hey, bartender! The usual!"
The bartender smirked and replied.
"First time here, little hero?"
"Hero?! How rude! I'm a villain! Bring me the strongest, most evil drink in this place! On the house, of course!"
Villains always order hard liquor with style!
The bartender stared at me blankly for a moment, then poured an orange liquid into a pretty glass and set it before me.
"House special. Made with whole organic Valencia oranges from Valencia, plus a splash of soda. Should suit a little lady's taste."
Gulp gulp.
...Mmm! Sweet and tangy flavors burst in my mouth! Way tastier than I expected!
"As expected, you recognize my refined palate! Not quite Everlin level, but not bad, bartender!"
I downed the orange juice in one go and hopped to my feet on the stool. Time to get to the point.
"Listen up, everyone! I am the great villain Grimoire, destined to conquer the world! From this moment, you pathetic villains will have the honor of becoming my loyal minions! Kakakat!"
My declaration silenced the bar for a split second. But soon, laughter exploded. Jeers and mockery flew from all sides.
"Pfft-haha! A kid villain?"
"Look at her—she's a total baby!"
"Oh no, scary! I wanna pinch those cheeks!"
Then, a man at a corner table stood up. A sharp-featured guy with creepy black tattoos around his eyes.
"Kid. If you're a real villain, don't just talk—show it. Prove your 'evil deeds'."
"W-Who are you to speak to me like that?!"
"I'm Eclipse. An A-Rank Villain. Not someone a brat like you can handle."
A-Rank? Hmph, I'm B-Rank! B for Baddest—the most evil! So I'm on a higher level, right?
His taunt got the other villains chiming in, ganging up on me.
"Yeah, show us some evil! Chug more juice!"
"Gonna swing a toy sword? Or steal some candy?"
"The worst a kid can do is dip into mom's purse!"
Gyaaaah! How dare they insult me! My face burned with fury, and my horns felt like they were heating up!
"You scum! Demanding proof from me?! Fine! I'll show you exactly how evil and great a villain I am!"
Right then, a burly guy in a yellow hard hat approached me.
"Fun new kid, huh? I'm B-Rank Villain 'Stonehead'. Was planning some evil deeds tonight anyway. Wanna tag along for a score, little villain?"
I hesitated briefly, then nodded. I had to show these guys anyway.
"Fine! I'll graciously assist in your evil deeds! Be grateful!"
We left Black Dolphin together.
Before we went, Eclipse warned in a cold voice.
"Two hours. Bring back proof of real evil deeds within two hours, or don't bother coming back."
"Hmph! As if I need two whole hours! My evil is done in the blink of an eye! Just tremble in fear and await my return! Kakakat!"
We exited the dark alley and strolled S City's night streets with Stonehead. This guy was more talkative than I'd expected.
"Spent ten years busting my ass on construction sites. Out at dawn, back at midnight—that was daily life. Those damn corporate bastards didn't give a shit about worker safety! Safety gear? Never saw proper stuff. They'd cheap out or just yell at us to work without it. How could we not get hurt? Accidents every other day. Even when colleagues dropped, the company covered it up and paid zilch in compensation. Snapped, and that's how I ended up like this."
Stonehead ranted about the misdeeds of 'Dream Corporation', one of S City's top ten companies.
Worker exploitation, accident cover-ups, illegal subcontracting... Horrifying stuff just hearing about it.
Adults really are hopeless! They all need to kneel under my rule!
"Hmm... I get it completely! Righteous? Vengeance against unjust power! Yes, that's true villain spirit!"
Of course, compared to my world conquest, this guy's grudge is just petty personal beef. But his all-in commitment to villainy? Worthy of a villain.
"My only goal is Dream Corporation. Those bastards built their filthy empire on workers' blood and sweat. I'll tear it down."
Stonehead removed his yellow hard hat, revealing his true face.
"They did this to me too. Used to have a normal head back then."
What emerged was... a rocky, rugged, stone-like skull! He picked up a brick from the roadside and smashed it straight into his forehead!
Clang—!!
The brick shattered into dust.
"That's my power. Bulldozer Headbutt—smashes anything. First, I'll use it to demolish every building I sweated over for revenge."
"Hmm... Stone head... so probably not the smartest, huh?"
Stonehead furrowed his brow—er, forehead—then burst out laughing.
"Ha, can't argue there. I smash with my head more than think with it!"
"Perfect! Then genius villain strategist Grimoire will support you! Be thankful, rockhead!"
"Hey, rockhead's a bit..."
"No need to refuse, rockhead! That grit, that rage—I like it! No time to dawdle! Lead the way!!"