I’m Not That Villain

97 – Change (7)

Underground Facility.

A district where horrific noise once echoed incessantly.

But that was a tale of the past. Why? Because soundproofing was now perfectly constructed.

Day by day, the district expanded, grew wider. More than just the Hundred Eyes’ basement, it relentlessly burrowed inward.

Thanks to that, the entire underground facility construction had to be completely redone, even tearing apart the sewage pipes and each drainage system. Well, Scarlet, the artificial intelligence, took care of all that anyway…

It was, one might say, a rather peculiar feeling, the idea of a bomb shelter of sorts being constructed inside the company. Baek So-yeon gave a furtive glance at the elevator, now connected all the way down.

Originally, just the first basement level, used as an underground parking lot, then the second…

Levels six, seven.

The number plummeted to basement ten.

-Clunk.

As the elevator doors opened, a colossal space revealed itself. The silence within the elevator seemed like a lie, judging by the cacophony of shouts echoing from all sides.

“I’m telling you, you can’t do it that way!”

“The Workshop Master told me to do it like this, what nonsense are you spouting! Here! Look! This way is better…!”

“No, that statement can be interpreted this way! You imbecile! Look here!”

People swarmed around. Amidst the raised voices, heat radiated and metallic sounds burst from the various machines.

Baek So-yeon stepped inside. A typical member of the organization would have greeted her with a grand bow the moment she appeared, but…

None of that existed here.

Only people obsessed with crafting things.

Baek So-yeon casually surveyed the bickering groups.

The Obsidian Workshop.

The workshop of Lee Seo-joon, which had been decided to be called their partner workshop, started with an initial ten members. Contract workers only, of course.

But as the work progressed, that number increased. More accurately, the ten contract workers, driven to the brink of exhaustion, each used their own money to bring in apprentices.

Ranging from as few as two, to as many as ten, these people formed their own factions.

A workshop within a workshop.

It had become a bizarre form, like merging several workshops into one.

Still, the workshop continued to churn along without any truly disruptive squabbles. The reason? Simple. The sheer, overwhelming talent of a single person.

Seo Jun.

Because of him, every faction stayed within the lines, focused solely on learning.

A bottomless well of knowledge that never seemed to run dry.

A genius who could conjure creations that defied belief.

He *was* a living, breathing mechanical city. The reports that came in practically overflowed with lengthy sentences praising him, didn’t they?

Overwhelming talent had a way of preempting envy itself.

People simply looked up in awe, regarding him as an unattainable figure.

Seo Jun was exactly that. And a glance at his personal equipment alone would tell you as much.

Stripping everything else away, focusing solely on the etheric output…

200%.

He pushed it damn near close to that. Just by equipping his personal gear.

A monster. A real, honest-to-god monster. And that monster…

Is working for me…and I haven’t even promised him anything particularly grand…

Baek Soyeon desperately suppressed the tiny upticks at the corners of her mouth.

She strode across the plaza and burst through the door of the office where he was working.

“Kim Han-soo, that’s just it. You can’t do it that way, I’m telling you!”

“No. This is the correct method. Seo Ji-soo, I apologize, but on this particular subject, I consider myself superior.”

“Superior my foot! Didn’t you see the quality of the last item produced? The quality of team one, which I oversee, was far superior!”

“The durability was lower, though. Fifteen days? Compared to that, while the output may be marginally reduced, the stability of my design is higher. The minimum maintenance interval differs by a full five days, you see.”

“Dedicated equipment requires periodic maintenance anyway. Even if the maintenance interval is shortened, a higher output is still preferable! No, the vessel should be crafted in a form that fully embraces the potential of the etheric factor cells the workshop master so meticulously sculpted. Concentrating solely on stability makes it no different from any other dedicated equipment!”

“Stability is a more significant issue than you realize, Seo Ji-soo. It influences not only the simple maintenance interval, but also the possibility of failure in the middle of combat. Even if the output itself is increased, minimizing the variables will ensure greater safety for the user, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I’m telling you, as long as you stick to the minimum maintenance interval, the chances of failure in the middle of combat are practically nonexistent! It’ll keep working unless it’s completely smashed to bits!”

“My assessment differs. We are not the workshop master. How can we guarantee a 100% guarantee against malfunctions? It is best to focus on stability.”

“We need to focus on etheric output! If you concentrate solely on stability, the maximum output itself will be lowered! What’s the point of even having specialized equipment at that point?!”

“The equipment must not become a liability for the user.”

“It *won’t* be a liability! I’ve tested it all myself!”

The situation in here is no different from the one outside.

Voices are rising in anger.

Baek Soyeon cleared her throat, a soft sound. The two men, belatedly noticing her, startled like birds taking flight.

“B-Black Mamba!”

“Did, did you come looking for something…?”

“Is the Artisan Master in? Inside?”

The two men, mid-dispute, glanced at each other with nervous eyes.

“He is inside, but… it seems he’s currently asleep…”

“Perhaps it would be best to visit at a later time…”

Asleep, is he?

Baek Soyeon pressed her ear lightly against the door.

Was it because the office was so well soundproofed?

Not a single sound escaped from within.

She opened it anyway. Having come all this way, it felt wrong to simply turn back.

Seo Jisu and Kim Hansu, eager to follow, began to slip inside. The heads of the Black Workshop’s Team 1 and Team 2, she promptly banished back out the door.

“You two, stay put.”

*Click.*

The door closed again. Back to the door, Baek Soyeon sniffed the air.

No foul odor assailed her. On the contrary, a pleasant scent. A clean yet substantial masculine aroma permeated the office.

Officially an office, this space was, in reality, little more than Lee Seojun’s personal workshop. A room supported by Hundred Eyes, complete with literally everything he could need.

Baek Soyeon moved deeper into the room. Mountains of complex parts and machinery piled up on one side, some whirring and spinning in intricate motions.

Unidentifiable work. Lee Seojun was buried amidst it all. Or, more accurately, he was sprawled on a sofa, an eye mask in place, breathing softly as he slept.

“……..”

Sleeping soundly. Extremely so.

He must have been exhausted. Baek Soyeon knew the workload he carried was easily dozens of times that of others. Was that why? It had become so difficult to catch even a glimpse of him lately.

Even if she went to the trouble of making time to come down, all she managed was a fleeting glance before heading back up.

Baek Soyeon crouched down in front of the sofa.

His eyes, naturally, were hidden beneath the sleep mask. But everything else was visible.

Disheveled clothes visible beneath the blanket. He might give off a pleasant scent, but that was purely natural. The work clothes he wore were quite grimy.

Filthy. Yes. Objectively speaking, they were definitely filthy.

And yet… she didn’t dislike it at all. Why was that?

Baek Soyeon tentatively raised a hand. She poked his cheek.

Lee Seo-joon flinched, turning his body slightly. Amused by the reaction, Baek So-yeon chuckled.

If she had her way, she’d tease him a bit more…

But bothering a tired person for too long wasn’t really her style. Time to head back up.

Baek So-yeon heaved herself up, turning to leave the room.

Until her wrist was seized.

“Hic?!”

“…Hey.”

A husky voice. He pushed the sleep mask off his face, gazing up at her with half-asleep eyes.

Even like this, he was handsome. One might even say the dark circles beneath his eyes added to a certain decadent charm.

Before she knew it, she’d lost her balance, tumbling onto the sofa. He gestured towards his head, now impossibly close.

“Uh, huh…?”

“…Pillow.”

“Wh-what?”

“Said sit down, I need a pillow…”

Dumbly obeying, she sat by his head, and as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Lee Seo-joon’s head landed on her lap.

W-what kind of boldness is this…?! He looks like he’s done this before, hasn’t he…?!

Horrified, she simply stared down at him as he shifted to get comfortable. He poked her thigh lightly, as if testing its give, before relaxing completely and closing his eyes.

“…What, what are you doing?”

“…Going…to let you…I thought you came to hear the progress report…? But…my body feels heavy…Stupidly relying on my abilities…ended up overworking myself beyond my limits…”

“Take, take it easy…you idiot…Th-the report can wait…Just sleep more…!”

“I’m awake. Hear it out.”

Lee Seo-joon opened one eye languidly.

“Don’t you want to?”

Could she possibly not want to!

His drowsy demeanor, paired with the husky voice, exuded a charm unlike anything she’d witnessed before. As if *this* was his true self.

And you know what?

She might actually prefer this side of him. Truly.

“W-well…it’s not bad…? I mean, if I’m already here, might as well…”

“…I didn’t write up a separate report…so it’ll all be oral.”

“D-do as you please. Either way…”

Baek So-yeon tilted her head, a prim little gesture.

Her voice barely there.

“I, because I trust you… even without reports…”

. . .

It was a good moment indeed when Baek So-yeon came looking for me.

Driven by prodding, perhaps. But whatever she might utter, it mattered little.

My body felt heavy, but my heart, light.

As though I might just meet the deadline, ever so narrowly.

“One hundred. The elite fighting force, including the senior staff. Enough to draw together.”

“Really?”

“But more than that is impossible. No can do. It won’t run. Pumping out the materials themselves is the limit. Full arming of everyone will take a bit longer, it seems. The artisan guilds are butting against their own limitations too.”

My mind wasn’t turning well. Fatigue, perhaps.

And was that why? I found the softness of her thigh beneath my head particularly pleasing.

Look at this. Yes. A rather excellent pillow, wouldn’t you agree?

I idly fiddled with it. Baek So-yeon hiccuped.

“W-what are you doing…?”

“Just. The texture is nice.”

“…Aah…”

“Anyway, forming the Hundred is possible, at least. And with them, we should be able to push back the front lines sufficiently. We’ve amplified the powers of those already monstrous ability-holders, after all, making their battle prowess unquestionable.”

“S-stooop… It tickles…”

“Yes.”

I stopped the hand that was caressing her thigh. I glanced up at Baek So-yeon, who was trembling.

“In a month, I can deliver what was promised to Hundred Eyes. And with that, we shall be second to none.”

“…Don’t…rub…your face…against…my…thigh…”

“…Hmm? Was I doing that?”

Too pleasant of a sensation can also be problematic, it appears.

With effort, I turned away.

“When do you think the war will break out?”

Baek So-yeon gathered her breath.

And answered shortly.

“Soon.”

“…Within the month?”

“Perhaps. It’s a reinvasion, so it feels like it’ll erupt around then. Lately, Backhand’s movements have been strange, too. The Executive Branch’s reinvasion likely includes… Backhand’s forces as well.”

“…Hmm.”

“It’s alright, though. I’ve heard about your work. You little monster. You’ve done quite the charming deed, haven’t you?”

“I promised I would.”

Baek So-yeon played with my face. She came close enough that our noses almost touched.

A sweet scent emanated from her. One that could lull me to sleep any second now.

“Sadly, I still haven’t found any information on Lily Bennetwater. But that also means we haven’t found her body, so…I don’t think you need to worry about that aspect. You said it yourself. If they deliberately hide someone, they become impossible to find.”

“……..”

“I’m still looking, though, so I’ll let you know if I hear anything. However, before we delve deeper into that news, it seems we must fight a war first.”

I nodded. Worry about Lily was pushed aside as I forcefully pulled myself upright.

Hundred Eyes.

The organization that had become my refuge.

We were now inextricably linked, a community of shared fate. If Hundred Eyes crumbled, so too would I, and I would be reduced to a fugitive once more.

I harbored no illusions of avoiding war.

Not after what they’d done to my acquaintances. I wouldn’t even want to avoid it.

However…

“Don’t chase down those who flee, either.”

“…Not exactly the kind of talk that boosts morale, is it?”

“There will be those who had no choice but to follow.”

I leaned against Baek So-yeon.

“…Can’t you?”

Baek So-yeon stared intently at me.

She reached out and casually stroked my hair.

“…Only this once. That I indulge your whims, I mean.”

What would have become of me now, if I hadn’t chanced upon Hundred Eyes’ boss?

I let out a quiet sigh of relief. I gathered myself, forcing open my eyelids that were threatening to succumb to sleep again.

There was still work to be done. Let’s finish it.

I’ve dragged both sides in after all…

If possible, we’ll win.

With revenge besides, for all those who held me back and ruined everything around me.

. . .

Executor Baek-san checked his combat gear. Yui did the same.

The unit was ready once more. The full force of the Execution Agency. It had reached saturation point, unable to store any more.

This time, it wasn’t a simple raid, but a definitive all-out war.

A war that would literally bulldoze its way forward with sheer power, was right on their doorstep.

The enemies would be prepared this time, making for a difficult battle. But that didn’t worry him too much.

They had the overwhelming numbers now.

And even the illegal mega-organization, ‘Backhand,’ had pledged to assist the Execution Agency.

A war they couldn’t lose was about to begin.

But even so, it couldn’t be a peaceful war.

War was war.

Countless people would die. Even if they were criminals.

“…S-Senior.”

“What?”

“Our role in this Seoul Jung-gu reclamation operation…is to secure the identity of Black Viper, who’s embedded within Hundred Eyes, is that correct?”

“Correct.”

“…And we endure all the unavoidable events that may occur along the way.”

“Yes. There’s a high probability you’ll have to kill people. The goddamn criminal gangs will swarm in like rabid dogs. We’ll have to get our hands dirty.”

“……”

“What? Are you hesitating again?”

Baek-san tightened his shoelaces.

“Someone has to do it. Just remember this. The mission. Our mission is solely Viper. When the war starts, and Hundred Eyes is crushed, we secure Viper’s identity amidst the chaos. Securing that identity is to prevent the shedding of more blood in the future. The weight of blood isn’t equal. It varies from person to person. What we need to protect are the innocent citizens, not disgusting criminals. Don’t bother putting yourself in the enemy’s shoes.”

“……”

“Just trust me and follow me.”

Baek-san reached out his hand.

He pressed down firmly on Yui’s head.

“Guiding the way is the senior’s role. We’ll catch Viper this time. For sure. We know their identity now, so we won’t let them get away again. This will be the last chase in Seoul.”

“…The last…”

“Aye.”

Baeksan placed a cigarette in his mouth, activating his prosthetic arm to light the end.

“The last one.”