That’s How They Became Villains

Forewarned Terror -7-

“Now then! Everyone still has the number tag you received when boarding the airship, right? I’ll call out numbers in random order, and if it’s yours, please come up on stage and stand!”

A playful drumming sound effect spread throughout the hall.

And then, with a boom effect of fireworks bursting, the number tags were drawn.

“KE107, Prisoner number 631128, please come forward!”

A look of despair settled on the faces of the two people called.

They carefully climbed onto the stage and stood looking at each other.

“Since this is the first round, shall I explain the rules?”

With a soft pop sound, summoned necklaces appeared and wrapped around both of their necks.

“Now! In my hand, I have the personal information of the two people who have come forward.”

“I’ll give the prisoner an opportunity to confess the crimes they’ve committed to our viewers. If you’re too embarrassed to speak, hehe, don’t worry. I’ll personally read out your charges.”

“I’ll also give the Royal a chance to confess their crimes. Please make a splendid confession worthy of someone who will lead Minos in the future! Otherwise, I’ll play the video footage I’ve personally prepared.”

At the mention of video footage, the face of the Royal who had come forward stiffened.

“After both of you have confessed your crimes! Only then will we move to the viewer vote. Ta-da! The person who receives the most votes will immediately have high-voltage electricity sent through the necklace attached to their neck, burning their internal organs black. Leave the corpse right there! We’ll take care of collecting it.”

“Wait a minute!!! Why is there only video footage for our side!! That’s unfair!!”

The blue-faced, greasy-bellied Royal lady shouted.

The response came not from First, but from the male on the prisoner’s side.

“Unfair? Look, I’m a criminal with dozens of red lines on my record. But there’s going to be a viewer vote? Isn’t that inherently disadvantageous for me?”

“It’s only natural that criminals should be at a disadvantage! This is a game to determine which of the two is good!”

“Oh…is that really what you think?”

First asked the plump-bellied Royal lady.

“Do you really think this game is about determining which of the two is good?”

“…I-isn’t it?”

Well?

“If you’re curious about the outcome, stay tuned!! We’re starting right now!!”

Perhaps we’ll find out once the game begins.

“Well then…shall we start with the prisoner? Without being shy, please confess your crimes right away.”

To First’s question, the prisoner spoke with a confident demeanor.

“Hmph, I have nothing to hide anymore. I’m serving prison time for attempted child sexual assault and drug trafficking charges.”

“Ooh, you’re speaking without hiding anything! That’s refreshingly good! Now, let’s hear from the Royal side?”

The greasy-bellied Royal became visibly tense as her turn approached, swallowing hard while looking down at the stage.

To confess crimes in front of so many people was an unbearable humiliation for a Royal with high self-esteem.

Yes, perhaps the claim of having video footage was a lie?

With that thought, the Royal answered rather confidently: “I have nothing to feel guilty about! So I have no crimes to reveal!”

“Shall I take that as you’re too embarrassed to speak?”

“…”

In the ensuing silence, First clapped gleefully with a grin.

“Thank you very much. Wow! As expected of a Royal! You’re personally sacrificing yourself to acknowledge our efforts in obtaining the footage!”

At that, the camera showing First shrank, and a video began to play behind it.

The content of the video was utterly violent.

No, perhaps ‘filthy’ would be a better description.

In the video, a woman whose face was clearly visible was riding on top of a man, shaking her hips while her greasy belly jiggled.

The man beneath her had a vacant expression, as if drugged or intellectually impaired.

At this shocking sight, not only the people in the hall but also the viewers watching the broadcast expressed their shock.

-> What the fuck!

-> How can you show this without censoring?

-> Are you fucking trying to start a war?

-> Fucking bitch (host)

-> This feels like the game is already over before voting even starts lol

-> Shall we vote? Shall we vote? Shall we vote? Shall we vote? Shall we vote? Shall we vote? Shall we vote? Shall we vote?

-> Open the vote Open the vote Open the vote Open the vote Open the vote Open the vote Open the vote Open the vote

“Yes, I hope no one thinks, ‘There might not be footage! They’re bluffing!’ All of these! We’re showing you fresh new footage taken on the airship just today!”

-> What?

-> This happened TODAY?

-> Legendary legendary lolololololol

-> Who’s the guy?

-> Can’t see his face clearly

After the video was revealed, tension permeated the already suffocating hall.

Some were pondering whether to have their footage revealed or to confess outright.

Others were relieved, thinking they hadn’t done anything on the airship today.

“Now, shall we start the voting!”

“Wait just a moment…!! If we start like this, of course I’ll…!!”

Perhaps due to the visual shock from the video, the prisoner’s confession of attempted child sexual assault and drug trafficking was naturally forgotten.

“The results are in!”

The Royal’s defeat was confirmed with an overwhelming ratio of 93:7.

“Th-this is ridiculous… This is absurd!! That guy is a pedophile who tried to rape a child!! Why am I…!!”

-Bzzzzt!!

“Guh…”

-Thud.

The Royal collapsed from electrocution. A stretcher appeared from thin air, picked up the fallen Royal, and carried her up to the ceiling.

“Now you understand? In this game, the viewers’ vote is absolute.”

Despair once again clouded the faces of the Royals who had been fluctuating after the video was revealed.

‘Do you really think this game is about determining which of the two is good?’

Thinking about it, this wasn’t like a judgment to determine who was better and who was more evil.

-> Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~ Nice~

-> Wait did she really die?

-> Cut the corruption line! Cut the corruption line! Cut the corruption line! Cut the corruption line! Cut the corruption line!

-> Yeah~ died fucking well~

-> Is ‘attempted’ child sexual assault the same as ‘completed’ drug-facilitated rape, you idiot lol

-> And trying to make excuses lolololol

It was merely entertainment, with everything dependent on the simple interest of the viewers watching this broadcast.

“Now, shall we start the next game?”

“The fierce competition between a Royal who received sexual favors while publicly sponsoring a famous influencer, and a prisoner with 13 counts of rape and murder ended with the prisoner losing 46:54! Ah, if it weren’t for the sudden plea from the victims’ families in the chat, the result might have been different!”

“Ah! Something unexpected has happened here! A Royal who neither confessed their crime nor had video footage revealed has lost! It seems gaining sympathy votes was significant, as they happened to face someone who had been imprisoned for 5 years for stepping on Royal land as a homeless person!”

The broadcast continued afterward.

With lives held hostage by the deadly virus, there was nothing the security guards could do.

In fact, they didn’t want to do anything.

That’s how uncomfortable and violent this kind of accusatory broadcast being conducted on the airship was.

Why should I do anything for such people?

People don’t easily become villains for their own sake but when a justifiable cause emerges, people become villains all too easily. They are evils that eat away at society. For the sake of the people, it is right that they should disappear.

And so, they were naturally becoming villains called bystanders.

If they thought about it a little, they might find a way to overcome this situation.

No one tried to think about it. They didn’t want to think about it.

And it was the same for Jin Hyun.

Even if you follow the law, justice is not created. Even if you know the heart, goodwill is not created.

What should I follow?

Suddenly, a strange ringing passed through Jin-hyun’s ears.

‘I want you to remain the hero who saved me.’

It was something he had heard from Cha Yu-ha.

Hero. Yes, what is a hero?

Jin Hyun recalled what he had once said himself.

‘If there are 100 people in the world, 99 people might not wish for salvation.’

‘But if the remaining 1 person wishes for salvation, I think a hero is someone who listens to that voice.’

At that moment, Jin-hyun’s narrowed vision finally spread throughout the entire hall.

It wasn’t just Royals and criminals on the airship.

Influencers who had merely received invitations from Royals, pilots who had merely been flying the airship, vitaloids who had merely been serving people.

Besides them, there were ordinary Royals who weren’t involved in crimes, and their subordinates. There was no reason they should be swayed by such an outrage.

Jin Hyun turned his head to look at Cha Yu-ha and Mary crouching behind him, and Alfred who was frowning as if blaming his own powerlessness.

Then he got up from his seat and climbed onto the stage.

As Jin Hyun appeared on stage, silence briefly fell over the hall’s interior, which had been in a panic.

It was the same for First, who had been conducting the broadcast.

And so the small hero who would finally shine brilliantly (Last) and the villain who would be his every first (First), locked eyes with piercing blue gazes.

Finally. Ah, finally.

The nameless evil that had been crouching inside her began to stir.