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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Plan to Retire
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Everything for Stardust.
That is the goal I set for my life after wandering aimlessly for a long time since arriving in this world.
Ultimately, Stardust is the protagonist of this world.
Yes. For her, my favorite character, I'll burn myself out.
The conclusion I've come to for her sake: I'll get rid of all the villains who torment Stardust.
But then, who will Stardust fight?
Stagnant water breeds decay. Can a hero who doesn't act truly be called one?
What's more, Stardust grows stronger with every trial she faces.
...Right.
I'll become the villain myself and only give her trials she can handle.
And so, I've been diligently causing terror until now.
But now, it's time to take another step.
"Do I really... have to do the terrorism myself?"
Right.
Do I really have to do this myself?
No, I don't. As long as no one dies and Stardust grows stronger, it doesn't matter if it's me or another villain doing it.
So.
If I were to create a Villain Alliance and have other villains cause terror in my place...
I... I can retire, can't I?
For that, I need to find new ability users.
Seo-eun, Soo-bin, and Ha-yul—they're all support types. No one has any combat power!
Which is why I'm currently going to recruit another ability user.
This is a café.
I sat by the window, sipping coffee and peeking at the counter.
"Unnie. Try this too."
"Mmm. This strawberry cake is delicious too."
"Cha-yoon-ah. You need to brush your teeth after eating."
And next to me, Seo-eun, Soo-bin, Ha-yul, and Cha-yoon were all gathered, chatting away.
...Does a head of the household get no personal time?
***
The person I'm going to recruit this time is a woman named Choi Se-hee.
She's the one working at the counter in the café I'm currently in.
"...Yes. That'll be 7,000 won."
Choi Se-hee, with orange hair and a world-weary expression, was taking an order.
Since I was just here to scout her out this time, I quietly settled down in the café.
...So, when I mentioned I was going to a café to scout new talent,
Everyone decided to tag along, saying it was the weekend.
They were all happily eating slices of cake.
"Oppa. You should have a slice too."
"Hm? Oh, okay. Let me try a bite."
It's good.
I chewed on my cake, still watching the counter.
"..."
Even while I watched, someone tried to get her number.
Her scowl as she rejected him was quite a sight.
"Hmm..."
I continued to watch her, then made a decision.
Right. It's time to make my move.
"Da-in-ssi. Stop staring at the counter and eat more."
"Oppa, can we order another honey bread?"
"Uh. Uh, order whatever you want."
For now, I'll just eat this and relax...
I'll do it tonight.
I ate a slice of cake and fell into thought.
Choi Se-hee.
She's an electricity user who can generate electricity.
In the original work, she's one of the villains who operates under the alias Electra.
Among villains, she has a rather prickly personality and is known for being quite hot-headed.
She was one of the characters more popular with the original comic's readers, earning the nickname "badass big sis."
Constantly working without a moment's rest, she eventually couldn't endure the accumulated stress and exploded.
Unable to suppress her destructive tendencies, she unleashed an overflow of electricity in the middle of the city at night and was immediately subdued by Shadow Walker.
After her first appearance, she was immediately transferred to a detention facility and didn't appear in the comic for a while, only to reappear later during the Great Escape arc.
Anyway, as she was designated an A-rank villain, her electrical attacks are an excellent ability. Elemental abilities are generally good anyway. Just look at Icicle, who has ice powers...
In any case, I need her.
So, let's do this.
***
Late at night.
Choi Se-hee was walking home with heavy steps.
"Haa..."
A life of nothing but work, every single day.
Working from morning till night, then collapsing into bed when she got home.
"...Ugh. Damn it."
She cursed as she walked the night streets.
It wasn't that she was short on money. While she wasn't exactly well-off, she didn't need to overwork herself like this.
The reason she worked as if to forget the world was simple:
A quirk she could never tell anyone.
It was to suppress the destructive impulse she held within.
"....."
Walking down the dark street, she subtly raised her head and looked around.
A back alley with no CCTV cameras.
Confirming no one was around, she pulled her hand from her pocket.
And as she held her hand up,
Electricity crackled visibly from her fingertips.
Soon, like trees, stars of electricity blossomed in the dark air, illuminating the street.
A shimmering yellow current, starting from her fingertips and spreading out before her.
As she stared blankly at the scene she had created,
"How beautiful."
Suddenly, a voice came from behind her.
"...!!"
Startled, she quickly stopped emitting electricity and turned around.
But behind her, only a pitch-black alley stretched out, with nothing visible.
"...Who's there?"
Becoming wary, she extended her hand into the darkness, preparing to unleash electricity at any moment.
As she stood there, on guard,
The sound of clapping echoed from the darkness.
Clap, clap, clap.
"Crazy bastard."
Confirming that her opponent was also not normal, she shot electricity forward.
But as if there was nothing there, the electricity merely sliced through the empty air.
Yet, the clapping continued.
And then, someone emerged from the darkness.
"Good evening, Ms. Choi Se-hee."
The person who emerged, greeting her, was
a man in a black hat, black robe, and black cloak, wearing a mask that covered his eyes.
And that man was someone she knew.
"...Ego-stick?"
As she called his name with a scowl, he paused for a moment.
After a brief hesitation, he opened his mouth again and asked her,
"...You know me?"
"Of course, I do? You're on TV whenever I turn it on, right?"
"...I didn't think you'd know me."
He muttered softly for a moment, then cleared his throat and continued.
"Ahem. In that case, the explanation will be faster. Ms. Choi Se-hee. Are you interested in partnering with me?"
"...I'm not following you. You suddenly stalk someone at night, then suddenly propose a partnership? What are you talking about?"
"Oh. It seems I was a bit unclear. I'm talking about terrorism."
"...Are you asking me to partner in terrorism?"
"Yes. Are you interested in committing acts of terror with me?"
"You're completely insane. Get lost!"
Choi Se-hee shouted in anger and shot electricity at him.
As if her life wasn't crappy enough, now she was being scouted by a terrorist.
But the electricity she shot merely sliced through the air again, as he seemed to evaporate from the spot.
And then, his voice came from behind her again.
"Think it over carefully. Haven't you always been in great pain, unable to unleash your power? With me... you won't have to hide your true nature..."
"I said get lost!"
She attacked fiercely again, but
he had already vanished from her sight.
"I'll come find you again. Please think it over until then..."
"You're not leaving?"
She huffed and turned around again.
Again, the alley was empty.
In the alley, where nothing could be heard but her own breathing, she sighed again.
"Ha... damn it. I've seen it all now."
She cursed, kicking a pebble on the street for no reason. Even if she couldn't be a hero, she had absolutely no intention of becoming a villain. To think a terrorist would contact her of all people. It was absurd.
Annoyed, she briefly looked back to see if anyone was following, then walked home again.
He'd come again? What a joke. If he did, she'd fry that bastard alive.
With her orange hair fluttering, she continued her walk.
"...."
As she kept walking, she suddenly raised her hand and looked at it.
When she'd unleashed her power at that guy earlier, generating electricity from her hand and throwing it, it felt really good. A kind of liberation, like something inside had finally burst open.
As if everything that had been constricting her had vanished in an instant.
"..."
With him, would she always be able to experience this sense of liberation?
"Damn it. What am I even saying?"
She cursed to herself again, then continued walking.
She wasn't some destructive maniac, some psychopath.
She would absolutely, never, under any circumstances, become a terrorist. Not ever.
***
"Da-in-ssi. How's that plan to recruit new colleagues coming along?"
"Oh, that? It's progressing smoothly. She seems to be denying it now, but it won't be long until she's swayed."
I said that, taking a mouthful of instant ramen.
Teleporting frequently is tiring, so you need to fill your stomach.
I slurped down my noodles and turned on my smartphone.
And immediately went into the Stardust fan café, where I'm a manager.
Ah, finishing the day's work and spending time organizing Stardust's fan posts. *This* is the life.
Next to me, Soo-bin-ssi was looking at me with a troubled expression. Why, though...?
Anyway, that aside, I thought about Choi Se-hee. The electricity user I'd decided to recruit.
Considering her rejection of me, and her firm stance against terrorism...
Hmm.
A week should be enough.