Chapter 2. The Legend of the Legendary Librarian (3)

Unlike most hero costumes, which had a bright and upbeat vibe, villain outfits screamed "I'm a villain!" with their overwhelmingly sinister flair. And at the pinnacle of that stood Imae Mangnyang.

They might seem a bit underestimated since all their executives and even the Total Leader were women, but from the Total Leader down to the Four Heavenly Kings—Gung-gi, Do-cheol, Do Ol, and Chaos—known as the "Four Evils," they wielded overwhelming mana and combat prowess.

But true to form as villains—and as the most heinous ones operating in Korea—they'd committed the ultimate atrocity. Sure, villain names were assigned by the Hero Association anyway, so whatever. But their costumes? They shamelessly ripped straight from Western styles, nothing like anything Eastern. What audacity!!

The sheer guts to wear outfits that violated Korea's fine customs and traditions! Designs so explicit they'd require mosaics on national TV—the ultimate evil that plagues this nation! This was the villain mindset! Cackling "Ohohoho!" Imae Mangnyang was throwing down the gauntlet against the country's censorship standards head-on.

The Total Leader appeared front and center in a demure, modest dress, but her transformed state? Her mana pouch was so massive it violated regulations on size alone. Personally, I loved the design. It was like something a high-ranking female demon—second or third in command—would wear in a medieval fantasy game.

In this world drowning in excessive nationalism, it was a great design for keeping me from over-immersing. It reminded me this was an isekai world. In that sense, I preferred outfits like that. The national ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pride people here felt just came off as over-the-top nationalism to me, and it was burdensome.

"Ugh..."

Yumir twisted her lips at the sight of the Total Leader's costume.

"...It's cool, but the problem is, that's a villain look. If I copied that, I'd get expelled on the spot."

"You're right. I just showed it to illustrate why such a costume is inappropriate for you, Miss Yumir. Let's move on."

I closed the Total Leader's video and checked the comments again.

"Look at these comments. What do you think of this explosive golden dragon robe?"

"Nah, that won't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠work. I'm just a plain E-rank. If an E-rank wore something kingly, people would trash me for it."

"Too bad."

If she were EX-rank, she could rock the dragon robe with a winged crown and no one would bat an eye, but right now, we were picking a design for student Yumir, so options were limited.

Then.

One comment caught my eye.

-How about 'Dokkaebi'? Not just Dokkaebi, but 'DogeRider'.

"What's this?"

I felt uneasy at the sudden mention of Dokkaebi and the attached link.

"Shall we click it?"

"Feels like a sketchy link..."

"You don't know DogeRider?"

The name alone gave off that vibe, but Yumir seemed to know what DogeRider was.

"Click it. It's probably that video."

"Hmm..."

I followed the link, and a new window opened showing someone in a video.

A heavy sound effect boomed as Dokkaebi donned the belt and transformed. Even I had to admit—it was badass. All those mirror poses I'd practiced without fanfare, the sweat from that pose-training boot camp with the Total Leader over video call... it hadn't been in vain. Just a few days ago, in the pre-dawn hours when I'd first transformed into DogeRider. She'd nagged me endlessly over the holographic call.

"That's DogeRider."

"Uh, yeah... It's a villain, but the design is kinda unique."

"Yeah. And right now... it's kinda trending? Spreading like that among people."

"Huh?"

What was this about?

"It's trending?"

"Yes. Adults a generation above us grew up on transforming heroes, right? They're all hit with major nostalgia. Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠though it's a villain, no one's ever shown up with a look like this before."

"It's a villain, though?"

"Who said otherwise? DogeRider's got romance."

I knew. That's why I'd gone with this look—pure romance. Without it, I'd have just been Gentleman Dokkaebi in a suit.

"It's meh in Korea, but Japan and the West are going nuts right now."

"The West is freaking out?"

"Yeah. Wanna see?"

Yumir pulled out her smartphone, searched an internet community for memes, and showed me.

"Let's see."

I leaned in to look at the screen.

"Reactions all over the place—how am I supposed to take this?"

"Just take it at face value. Dokkaebi used to just show up in a plain gentleman suit, but now he's revealed his true form, and that design hits foreigners right in the feels."

"Foreigners?"

"Yeah. Up till now, costumes were all Korean or Eastern styles, right? But this? It's straight-up transforming hero vibes. Villain or not."

"Hmm..."

I hadn't paid it much mind, but apparently the world was getting all emotionally stirred by my other form.

"Focusing on the look instead of Dokkaebi showing up on Sejong Island. Unreal."

"That's for the bigwigs to worry about. For regular folks, it's irrelevant. How he showed up matters way more than why."

"You make a solid point, Miss Yumir."

The masses go wild for the spectacle superpowered folks put on. And I'd just lit a fire in a ton of hearts.

"It's intriguing. But why DogeRider of all names? What's with that weird mashup?"

"The riding suit design got it 'Rider,' and Dokkaebi's hard for foreigners to pronounce, so they gave it a new name."

"Isn't there an English word for Dokkaebi?"

"Straight translation is goblin."

Goblin Rider?

"DogeRider's better. Not that it sounds good, but Goblin Rider feels extra weird."

"Does it?"

"Yeah. Makes you think he'd have to wear green or something. Starting to feel bad for Dokkaebi."

"Feel bad? Why?"

"Well, Dokkaebi is... Never mind. Let's move on."

"There are two ways to piss someone off: cut off mid-sentence, or..."

"I'll tell you."

I raised both hands lightly toward Yumir's glare.

"Maybe Dokkaebi showed that form to show off to Platinum's Holy Knight? But dressing like that here on Sejong Island—or in Korea—wouldn't go over well with people."

"......."

She probably knew better than anyone. From ego-surfing herself.

"He might've wanted to show that a self-proclaimed hero rocking a foreign—Western—style costume on Sejong Island or in this country could give everyone a bad impression."

That going Western in Korea was villain territory.

"Probably a warning—or advice—not to go for something like his or Platinum's Holy Knight outfits. Depending on who you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ask, it might come off as unwanted advice."

"I see..."

Yumir nodded, like she'd had an epiphany.

"DogeRider gets props for being cool from Koreans, but no one thinks 'I should transform like that too.' Heroes need costumes steeped in Korean sensibilities...!"

She even clapped in excitement.

"Thanks, sir! You've given me a real breakthrough."

"...Really? Glad your dilemma's sorting out. Feels like I did more teacher than librarian—double the joy."

"Heehee. Yeah."

Now, Yumir would pick a fresh design.

"So, what costumes with Korean flair would work?"

"Let's check more comments... Huh?"

A message popped up. Out of nowhere. The sender's nickname was wildly over-the-top.

I opened the message from the bizarre nickname BlazingFangs, and below the polite opener came a dizzying barrage of addresses and links I couldn't even describe.

"Whoa... what the hell is all this."

"Hey, isn't that... the National Museum of Korea's address?"

"What?"

What lunatic sends this many museum links?

Ah. I'd properly hooked a madman.