Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Commotion Is Just Beginning
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Lee Bora cautiously opened the door and stepped into the room.
No signs of intrusion. No lurking presences.
But she couldn't let her guard down. One slip, and she was dead.
Only after checking several more times did she finally collapse into a chair.
"Haaah..."
She looked just like an office worker who'd survived another grueling day at the job and made it home.
The comparison wasn't far off. The only problem was that her "job" was with the Clan.
That's right. Lee Bora's official identity was the boss's secretary—the head of a villain Clan.
But her true identity was an undercover agent secretly dispatched by the Union.
Even within the Union, her infiltration was top-secret classified information.
So, was Lee Bora a hero? No. She wasn't a hero.
It wasn't just that she was playing the role of a villain while undercover.
Quite literally, Lee Bora was not a hero. She wasn't even on the list.
So how could someone affiliated with the Union not be a hero?
"Tomorrow's schedule..."
A red pen had checked off tomorrow's agenda at the bottom of the calendar.
Three asterisks—not one—marked it as especially important.
"Volunteer day, huh."
Once a month, Lee Bora volunteered at an orphanage.
It was an activity she never missed, no matter what.
She even kept it up under the pretext of maintaining her cover, even from the Clan boss.
Why? Why did Lee Bora keep visiting the orphanage so faithfully?
Because she herself had once been an orphan there.
The orphanage she grew up in received support from the Union.
With generous funding, it had been well-maintained and abundant.
Abandoned by their families, the kids could at least live like human beings.
But there's no such thing in the world as kindness without strings attached.
The Union conscripted any orphans who awakened abilities.
Not as heroes, but as agents to serve the Union.
Not to be saviors of the world, but workers for the Union.
Disposable tools to use in place of heroes whenever needed!
Lee Bora had been whisked away to the Union right after awakening her ability.
Thrown from the orphanage she loved into a cold, brutal world.
"Codename Purple. From now on, this is what you'll be called instead of your name."
She was addressed by her agent codename instead of Lee Bora.
While others went to school, Lee Bora endured hellish training.
While others made friends, Lee Bora subdued her fellow trainees.
The process of becoming a mere cog existing solely for the Union.
A force capable of fighting even heroes, created purely for the Union.
Her body grew sharper with each passing day, but her mind wore down.
Then one day, a mission was assigned to her.
"Your mission is set, Purple. Infiltrate the Clan by any means necessary. burrow deep and extract their intel."
It was borderline impossible, but Lee Bora didn't give up.
She had to survive. Survive and complete the mission.
That way, the orphanage would keep receiving support.
That way, no other poor kid would have to endure this hell.
And sure enough, Lee Bora succeeded in joining the Clan.
Not just as a member, but as the boss's secretary, no less.
The Union was naturally thrilled by the news.
They could now obtain Clan intelligence through her.
Secretary life wasn't easy, but she'd never come close to being exposed.
Lee Bora was always thorough. She left no room for suspicion.
In the Clan, she was imprinted as the boss's loyal secretary.
No one knew her true identity. Not even the Seven Evils or the Clan boss.
With that conviction, Lee Bora devoted herself fully to her undercover role.
Right up until today. Until she encountered that man.
"You've had a hard day."
The Smiling Man said it with his trademark grin.
The moment she faced him, goosebumps erupted across her entire body.
"Ughhh..."
What did he mean by that? What? What the hell!
Lee Bora clutched her head and groaned for a while.
She hadn't even been detected by the boss. Her cover was that perfect.
If her identity had been exposed? He'd have killed her already!
Let alone the Smiling Man? That ghost who rarely even showed up for Clan activities?
'Two possibilities. Either he really knows... or I'm overthinking it.'
Stay calm. She had to stay calm. Any falter, and she was really dead.
Even if exposed, an undercover agent had to play dumb—that was their fate.
Panicking prematurely might make her look even more suspicious.
Just keep doing what she'd been doing. Lee Bora decided.
She showered casually, changed clothes casually.
And casually threw herself onto the bed to sleep.
"You've had a hard day. An undercover agent, no less. I'm curious what info you'll spill. Heh heh heh."
"Ah, no! Not there!"
"Kyaaah!"
Until less than 30 minutes into her sleep, when the nightmare hit.
Until she imagined herself captured and tortured by the Smiling Man.
"Noona."
"..."
"Bora Noona!"
Lee Bora jolted awake and scanned her surroundings.
She looked just like a criminal on the run.
"Noona! You're it now?!"
"Oh, yeah? D-Did you tag me?"
"I just did! No pretending you didn't notice!"
Only then did Lee Bora realize she was at the orphanage.
Playing tag with the kids.
"Now Noona's it! Everyone run awaaay!"
"The villain's coming!!"
"Keeeyaaah!!"
The word "villain" made her flinch involuntarily.
Suddenly, she thought her situation was truly bizarre.
Affiliated with the Union, but not a hero.
Embedded in the Clan, but not a villain.
At the start, she'd worried if she could even pull off the infiltration.
Now, she worried if she could ever escape.
'...No. Can't get weak-minded.'
The orphanage she grew up in needed the Union's continued support.
No other poor kid should have to take on this grueling mission.
She might not be a hero, but she still had a heart for others.
Cheer up, Lee Bora. You've done great so far. You can keep doing it.
Don't worry. He doesn't know. It must've been the Smiling Man's whim.
If he really knew I was undercover, he'd have shown up by now—
Thud!-
"Oof. Sorry about that. You okay?"
He'd have shown up by now... shown up... shown... up?
That face. That voice. Even with the dark sunglasses, it's definitely...
"S-S-Smiling Man...!"
"Oh? Secretary?"
Lee Bora hurriedly clamped both hands over her mouth.
No one heard. Good thing the kids weren't around.
"Wh-What are you doing here?!"
"Volunteering under cover. And you, our secretary?"
"M-Me too, for cover purposes..."
This was bad. The Smiling Man had tracked her all the way here.
Exposed. He figured it out. That I'm undercover!
He's testing me, right? Yeah? I've been caught now.
What do I do? Run away? Without looking back?
But how? The opponent's the Smiling Man. That Smiling Man!
Run from the guy who killed an S-Rank Hero like the Holy Knight?
'Snap out of it! Idiot!'
Another voice in her head finally restored her reason.
'Nothing's certain yet. He might not know!'
Yeah. There might really be no solid proof yet.
Maybe he's just followed her here to check.
"...So what brings you here?"
"Hm? I just told you, didn't I? Volunteering!"
"That's really it?"
"Of course. What else? Who'd ever imagine a villain volunteering at an orphanage! Hahaha!"
True enough. Villains never did crap like this.
They just committed crimes and hurt people on a whim.
"Ahh. But this is suffocating. Having to play with those brats. Even for cover, this is tough."
"..."
"You don't look so good! Something wrong?"
"No. Nothing."
His trash-talking the kids felt aimed at her past self.
Her expression control slipped for a moment. Another mistake.
Right. As if she'd expect genuine kindness from a villain.
Just fake it halfway decently and get out of here.
No more mocking this place. Scram already.
"Hahaha! Too bad! Victory's mine this time!"
"No way! Trap card activate!"
"Gaaah! No way! My perfect victory plan—!"
But... why did it look like he was genuinely playing with the kids?
"Look again. What card do I have?"
"Heart!"
"Wrong. Diamond!"
"It really changed!"
"Woooow!!"
Why was a villain doing card tricks for kids?
She thought it was a whim at first. Assumed it was vile acting.
But hours passed, and the Smiling Man didn't change.
He'd monopolized the kids' attention and was now playing leader!
"...Smiling Man."
She couldn't comprehend it. How could that be one of the Seven Evils?
Unable to hold back, Lee Bora approached the Smiling Man during a break.
"Wasn't this just for cover?"
"Of course."
"But you look like you're enjoying it."
"Me? Ahahaha! No way!"
The Smiling Man waved it off with a laugh.
"I really hate orphans."
Yet when the kids called, he ran over excitedly to play.
"They cry a lot. They stink. What's up with that."
While donating piles of stuff, claiming he'd bought too much by mistake.
"It's all just for cover. That's it!"
Watching him insist that, Lee Bora hesitated for a moment.
Should she add "potentially recruitable" to the report on him for the Union?