Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: He's a Villain, But Not a Villain
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"…So. You were just talking with the Smiling Man. Here, at the Jin family estate?"
"No one knew. Not even I realized until I stepped into the training grounds."
The Sword Saint said that and glanced at Valkyrie.
He had expected her to fly into a rage, cursing the villain.
He figured she would fret loudly over whether he was hurt anywhere.
"…."
But she showed no such dramatic reaction.
Instead, she was tilting her head, wondering, What the hell is he thinking?
From that, the Sword Saint gained one certainty.
The Smiling Man had made contact with Hero Valkyrie too.
"Your turn now."
"What?"
"I can't have been the first. Looks like he approached you too."
"…You're a mind reader or something."
Valkyrie paused briefly, then spat it out as she began her story.
"The monster outbreak at the academy not long ago. Yeah, the Smiling Man took out half of them."
"The Union announced it all as your achievement."
"You're stating the obvious. You think the Union would say, 'A villain helped us!'?"
Heroes are always portrayed as noble, honorable, and self-sacrificing.
Villains as cruel, ugly monsters every day.
That's the Union's job in packaging heroes for the public.
And at the same time, solidifying their power base with public sentiment.
"And…."
"What's next?"
Should she say it or not? Valkyrie hesitated for a moment.
It was different from the academy incident. The fewer who knew, the better.
But if it was the head of the Jin family, maybe it was okay.
"Do you know of Holy Knight? The one who died recently."
"What about him?"
"You really don't know? About his true nature."
"Wasn't he the one rumored to be the most upright among heroes?"
"You really didn't know."
The Union. Impressive and truly terrifying.
Even the Sword Saint had been perfectly kept in the dark.
Suddenly, she felt relieved that the Smiling Man had stopped her.
Who knows what misfortune she might have met if she'd blabbed carelessly.
"He wasn't as good a person as people thought."
"What do you mean?"
"He caused all sorts of scandals everywhere. Too many, too varied. Things that would seriously tarnish a hero's honor."
"Hah…."
The Sword Saint was shocked. He hadn't known a thing.
He had disciples everywhere acting as his eyes and ears.
Some were heroes, others in the Union.
Yet he knew nothing of Holy Knight's true face.
"Why didn't you report it?"
"…Sorry. I meant to at first, but it weighed on me too. More than that, I thought if it got out, trust in all heroes would suffer, potentially causing social unrest."
It was foolish talk, but not entirely unreasonable.
The reason people lived normally even amid villains and monsters, those twin catastrophes.
Its because they believed the heroes would protect them.
If that faith shook, it wouldn't end with mere anxiety.
It would spark massive chaos. Society could collapse entirely.
Villain sympathizers might even gain ground, as seen occasionally now.
That's why governments tolerated the Union's monopoly.
They didn't like it, but the Union was better than monsters or villains.
At least they weren't madmen wanting to burn the world.
"But. I was actually planning to expose him recently."
"Why suddenly?"
"I got decisive proof. Not just my testimony—video footage that could be shown publicly."
"…No way."
"Yeah. That footage? The Smiling Man gave it to me."
The moment Holy Knight was murdered.
The truth of that day, filmed by the Smiling Man from the start.
Why Holy Knight was there.
And the intent behind stripping naked.
"…That damned bastard."
Having finally heard Holy Knight's truth, the Sword Saint ground his teeth, revealing hatred for the dead man.
He had a granddaughter around that boy's age, fueling his rage further.
Out of everyone to touch, he went after his senior's and benefactor's daughter!
Physical contact is for man and woman promised in marriage!
"Don't block your granddaughter's dating for no reason. These days, they'd call you a boomer. Oh, boomer means…."
"I know. 'Boomer' as in dentures clacking. Don't worry. These are solid."
"Yeah, yeah. Must be nice being an old man."
At Valkyrie's words, the Sword Saint thanked her and urged the next part.
"So. You planned to pressure the Union with that footage?"
"Not just that—all the misdeeds and crimes they've hidden from heroes. I wanted to expose every one, make them apologize and reflect publicly."
"But."
"The Smiling Man stopped me. Funny, right? Gives me this, then says it's not right."
"…Pretty rational for a villain."
It was the right call. Too dangerous to touch the Union yet.
On the surface, it looked like heroes just leeching off fame and perks.
But no. Their weapon wasn't public sentiment.
That sentiment was mere justification. True power lay elsewhere.
Heroes enjoying every privilege from the Union.
Not serving citizens or sacrificing themselves for justice.
Drunk on power and popularity, chasing only that.
They knew their power continued only if the Union endured.
They'd protect the Union by any means, eliminating threats.
Even if those threats were fellow heroes!
"Plenty of heroes blindly follow the Union."
"Yeah. They give so much. Money, honor, fame, power. Look at the new recruits—you can't tell if they joined to be heroes or just idols."
"To those guys, attacking the Union feels like attacking themselves."
And that wasn't all. Heroes weren't everything.
Rumors said the Union was training a secret force.
All ability awakeners. But not heroes.
If heroes had a code to prioritize citizens,
These were cogs moving solely for the Union.
It's Late, but the Union needed checking now.
Unchecked monopoly would turn to dictatorship someday.
And the Smiling Man. Asked me and the Jin family to do that.
Was it a villain fearing a great power's tyranny?
Or for some other reason they didn't know?
Most baffling: how did he know the Jin family was secretly preparing countermeasures?
The Union was starting to reach toward them too.
Right on that timing, the Smiling Man appeared.
"What an arrogant bastard."
"The Smiling Man? Oh right, you said you met him. How was he?"
"I told you. Extremely arrogant."
He'd nearly drawn his sword at least three times.
Once was a joke about his granddaughter, fine.
The rest: he couldn't suppress his instinct, gripping his hilt.
A swordsman's sense. Battle lust upon spotting a strong foe.
But after reaching his realm, such urges vanished.
No opponents since that strong enemy, Dragon Breaker.
Yet today, the Sword Saint's battle lust reignited.
His super senses screamed: a powerful monster.
Possibly surpassing even Dragon Breaker.
That made the Smiling Man seem even more arrogant.
So strong, yet perfectly concealing his power.
With smiles. Words. Actions. Hiding everything.
Made one wonder what his true strength was.
And briefly, he thought: what if such a guy became a swordsman?
"…I've decided."
"On what?"
"Next time we meet, I'll suggest he learn the sword from me."
"This old man's lost it."
The sword-obsessed Jin family, alright.
How does he arrive at that conclusion!
Valkyrie clutched her hair and screamed inwardly.
Tak, tak—
Yi Bora was filling out various documents.
Clan Boss, Black Woman. Stronger than even the Seven Evils in combat.
But hopeless with modern tech—even worse than a five-year-old.
So she handled nearly all the desk work.
Thanks to that, she accessed all sorts of info, which was nice.
Bzzz—.
"Hm?"
Her phone showed a messenger alert.
Who? Shockingly, the Clan Boss.
< Come to the pavilion now >
"…."
Three seconds of silence, then Yi Bora stood.
A secretary must decipher typos instantly.
Heading straight to the pavilion, she reached the Black Woman.
"You called?"
"Sit."
"…Boss?"
"Sit."
Yi Bora hesitated briefly, then climbed onto the pavilion.
A Go board was set, and she sat facing the Black Woman.
"…."
This was new. She was just the desk helper.
Now she was suddenly called up, to play Go?
"Um, Boss."
"…."
Doing something unusual stirred her anxiety.
If she's exposed, it would be a disaster. Please know nothing.
"You're frustrating me."
She flinched—
It sounded aimed at her.
Calm down. As long as she didn't show it….
"Look at this."
The Black Woman placed her phone on the Go board.
Yi Bora cautiously checked the boss's item.
"…Huh?"
She was baffled by what was there.
< I'll go check on the runaway dogs. >
< Oh, and no Go today. >
< Hahaha! >
…Did they really have to write out the laughter?