I’ll Live as a Villain Obsessed Over by a Magical Girl

“…Mister, are you okay?”
“Me…?”

Noah looked down at me with a worried expression. I responded by giving a thumbs up.

“Somehow…”

Noah had rushed over when she found me lying face down on the bed. When I asked how she got in, she said I hadn’t even locked the door.

With that, I was certain.

‘I’m really exhausted…’

When I tried to get up, my arms trembled. Noah stopped me, saying “Rest a bit,” and made me lie down again.

Then Noah gently patted my shoulders.

“Ahh… that feels good.”
“You really sound like an old man.”
“I am an old man… at twenty-two, I’m definitely an old man.”
“Come on, you’re still young.”
“That’s what they call military guys. So I’m an old man too.”

After patting my shoulders for a while, Noah said.

“I’ll give you another massage in the evening. I’ll do it properly then, so please wait.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”

Noah continued massaging for quite some time before leaving the house. She had to meet the members of Athena today.

‘One week, is it…’

After Noah left, the house became quiet. I rolled around in bed with a satisfied smile.

“That was worthwhile.”

I took out a small bottle from my pocket. What I held in my hand was a viscous liquid, almost like slime.

‘I never want to hear it again…’

Speaking of this, it’s the juice from a mandrake root. A solution made by covering the screaming creature’s mouth and grinding it in a blender.

After filtering it over and over, I only got enough for one dose.

“Kkomul-i.”
“Yes?”
“Can I ask you for a favor with that?”
“Are you serious? I won’t be responsible for what happens later.”
“It’s fine. Somehow, it’ll work out.”

Kkomul-i, who was staring at me, sighed.
Then it moved its tentacles and began preparing a drink.

While listing the ingredients one by one.

“Hot Seven, Monster, Kurosan.”

Energy drinks with names that sound savage just by hearing them. Kkomul-i gathered and mixed them all together.

Like a witch concocting a potion.

And the final touch.
The mandrake juice.

Drip drip. The droplets that caused ripples on the surface soon mixed in and disappeared.

“Drink it.”
“…Then, Kkomul-i.”
“Yes?”
“What happens when I drink this?”

I quoted a line from a game trailer I had seen before. But Kkomul-i, unable to understand my joke, explained the effects of the drink in detail.

“First, you’ll be consuming a lot of caffeine, which isn’t good for your body. The mandrake juice will temporarily increase your magical energy, but the fatigue that comes later is significant.”

Point.
Kkomul-i’s tentacle points at me.

“In your current state, Shin Hyun… there’s a possibility you might collapse from overwork.”
“What are the odds?”
“The odds are always fifty-fifty.”

I might collapse, or I might not.

“But you’ll be able to hold out for today. That’s for sure.”
“…Then I should drink it.”

Today will probably be quite a challenging day for me. There’s a possibility that I might get caught if my strength gives out in the middle.

Getting caught by Noah and being exposed as a villain…

‘That would be the worst.’

With that thought, my hand moved automatically.
The drink went down my throat.

“Haah…”

It was so sweet that it made my mouth feel dry, but with this, I should be able to get through today well.

What I have to do today. That is to attack Team Athena, particularly Black Heart, while they’re building friendships in the shopping district.

This will be the first step of my plan.
+++++
Noah approached a group with a slightly hesitant expression.

“You’re here?”

There were people who welcomed her.

“…”

And there were people who ignored her.

It felt like going back and forth between a hot bath and a cold bath.

Noah sighed and urged Seo Jin-ah. She was here for work, not to engage in emotional battles.

“Unnie, let’s go quickly.”
“Shall we? Is everyone okay?”
To that, Lee Taehwa responded with a “Yes,” but Yu Yul remained silent.

‘She’s talented at ruining the atmosphere.’

Rumors had it that she was from some wealthy family. She must have been spoiled and poorly educated. Well, it’s not uncommon for kids from privileged backgrounds to be rude.

Brushing it off, Noah started walking.

Today’s task was to spend time together.
In simple terms, it was about building rapport.

“What are you going to do, Taehwa?”
“Hmm… suddenly having free money makes it harder to decide.”

“What about you, unnie?”
“Umm… maybe buy some clothes?”
“That sounds good too.”

Talking to that little kid would probably not yield anything good. It might even make her burst with anger.

However.

‘I’ll have to deal with her going forward anyway.’

Whether she likes it or not, they’ll have to work as a team from now on.

Noah sighed slightly and approached Yu Yul. Her small body flinched.

“…What are you going to do?”
“I… I…”

After hesitating for a while, Yu Yul opened her mouth.

“…Use my share too. I have plenty of money at home anyway.”

Noah nodded.

‘She really must be from a wealthy family.’

Refusing free money from the government.

‘Let her do as she pleases.’

There’s no reason to force her if she refuses. There’s no particular obligation to do so either.

“Alright. Then do as you wish.”

Yu Yul nodded.
With that, the conversation ended. The two walked without saying anything, following Lee Taehwa and Seo Jin-ah who were walking ahead.

The first place they visited was a large mart.
After entering the large building, each began shopping.

Among the sections, Noah headed to the health and beauty corner.

‘Maybe I’ll get this and this…’

Noah spent a lot of time comparing items.

Lately, the mister seemed a bit tired. He always had a slightly tired look, but it’s been worse recently.
Being a person herself, she thought it wouldn’t be right to not properly repay him.

That’s why she’s choosing health supplements. After selecting a few good-looking ones, she moved on to the next section.

It was a corner labeled “Oil” on the sign.

‘Since I promised to give him a massage.’

She seemed to have heard somewhere that using oil is good for the skin and makes massages more effective.

‘Which one would be good?’

While looking around and selecting items, she heard a voice calling from behind.

“No~ah.”
“Eek!?”

It was Lee Taehwa.

“What are you doing here alone?”

A mischievous smile bloomed on her face.

“Why do you need massage oil?”
“To give a massage.”
“To whom?”
“Th… to the mister…”

Taehwa nodded, saying “I see~.” The look she gave Noah was playful yet somewhat serious.

“…You should be careful with such things.”
“What…?”
“A first time only happens once in life.”
“…What do you mean…”

Noah, whose words trailed off, looked around and understood. Most customers were young couples.

They probably intend to use it for that purpose.

“…It’s not like that.”
“Hmm…”
“I said it’s not!”
“Okay. If you say it’s not, then it’s not.”
“I’m strangely annoyed…”

Noah suppressed her inexplicable indignation and put the oil in her shopping basket.
It was around then that she received a message from Seo Jin-ah.

[Noah, can you come to the clothing section for a moment? I have a favor to ask]

At the same time, Lee Taehwa’s phone also rang.
It was also a message from Seo Jin-ah.

“Shall we go?”
“Sure.”

The two headed to the clothing center and witnessed.
“Try this on too.”
“…No.”
“Come on, it would suit you?”
“I said no! Isn’t it enough that I already tried one on!”
“Just trust me and try it. This unnie’s hobby is coordinating outfits, you know?”

Seo Jin-ah was making Yu Yul try on various clothes, and Yu Yul was changing clothes, overwhelmed by the pressure.

“Ah! You’re here?”
“Unnie… what is this?”
“Outfit recommendations! I need you to evaluate them. How’s Yul-i?”

How is she, she asks.
Suddenly asking such a thing-

“…She is cute, I must admit.”
“Right? Yul-i looks like a doll, so anything suits her well.”
“S-stop! No… please stop!”
“No way. You have to pay for calling unnie a hen house.”
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry!”
“Try this on too~”

Yu Yul, with a large cardigan in her hand, enters the fitting room with a tearful expression.
Meanwhile, Seo Jin-ah was humming a tune and selecting clothes.

“Um… unnie?”

“What is it, Noah? Ah! Should I pick out clothes for you too?”
“No, rather than that…”

Noah, whose words trailed off, soon continued.

“Are you okay, unnie?”
“Huh?”
“She said such harsh things to you, are you okay with that?”

Seo Jin-ah’s humming stopped momentarily. Then, with a bitter smile, she answered.

“You know? Sometimes there are kids I really dislike. Kids who make you think, ‘Why do they talk like that? Why are they so irritable?'”
“Ah… there are such kids sometimes.”
“Yes. But most of the kids I’ve seen had some kind of story. It’s a kind of defense mechanism. Acting so fierce.”

Seo Jin-ah continued speaking while hanging clothes on a hanger.

“I need to observe a bit more. Whether she was born with a twisted personality, or if something happened to her. But from my experience, it’s usually the latter.”
“…Ah.”
“So, Noah, please be patient until then. If she’s really twisted by nature, then at that time, I’ll try to fix her somehow.”
“But how do you know so much, unnie? Just having many siblings doesn’t seem like it would make you this knowledgeable…”
“Noah, do you trust unnie?”
“What?”
“Unnie is studying psychotherapy.”
“Psychotherapy?”
“Yes. So trust me. Unnie will somehow rehabilitate Yul-i.”

Seo Jin-ah winked while saying that.

How should I put it?

‘She’s an adult…’

Different from myself who immediately threw punches when angry. I didn’t even think she would have such thoughts.

When will I become such an adult?
With that thought, Noah sighed.
“Hmm? Why the sigh?”
“Just… I want to become an adult quickly too.”
“Really? I miss being a teenager.”
“Is that so?”
“Ah, but if someone told me to go back to high school, I’d be so annoyed I’d quit.”

As the two chuckled, they discovered.

“Huh? Yul-i! Where are you going!”
“Don’t follow me! I’m going outside! I can’t stand being with you, it’s tiring!”

Yu Yul disappearing with quick steps.

“Should we follow her?”
“Hmm… let’s leave her for a moment. If we rush after her, it might have the opposite effect.”
“I see…”
“Then, Noah? Want to get coordinated by me? What was his name… Shin Hyun? I’ll make your outfit so stunning that you’ll capture his heart!”
“I told you we’re not like that!”

+++++

Yu Yul clenched her fist. Her eyes caught her team members chuckling while selecting clothes.

That sight somehow soured her mood, and she went outside.
Only after reaching a desolate alley did Yu Yul sigh.

“Fools.”

Like fools without any thoughts, just laughing and chattering.
To waste precious time like that!

What’s the point of selecting clothes? What’s the point of dressing up beautifully?
Such things didn’t exist in her life, and they never will.

For a person to rise higher, they must naturally step on others and use their bodies as stepping stones.

Yet they’re there, giggling.
That sight, truly.

“…I envy them.”

Having unconsciously uttered those words, Yu Yul slowly closed her eyes.

“…Envious, are you?”
“…!?”

And what Yu Yul heard then was someone’s voice.

“Lonely girl.”
“…Who are you.”

Yu Yul’s gaze turned to the corner of the street. A voice coming from beyond that corner. At the same time, a sticky sound characteristic of slime started to be heard.

Soon, a man wrapped in a black robe appeared. Around him, octopus tentacles were writhing.

He was a man she recognized.

“…Kraken!”

S-class villain Kraken.
He revealed himself.

It didn’t make sense.

“Wasn’t your target Iris?”
“That’s right.”
“Then why have you appeared before me?”
“Sacrifice.”
“What?”
“A living sacrifice to lure out Iris. If a colleague is found in a terrible state, she will come at me with full force. That’s what I want. In other words, you are the sacrificial lamb.”
“…I guess the news was true. You really are…”

Kishing!
Yu Yul was momentarily enveloped in darkness, and a girl with a different appearance appeared.

A twin-tailed black-haired girl with red eyes.
The magical girl in gothic lolita attire, Black Heart.

“A madman.”
“How unfortunate.”
“I’m not as soft as Iris, so be prepared!”
“I shall look forward to it.”
“…Black Out!”

As Black Heart shouted the technique name, the surroundings became as dark as pitch.
Darkness so deep that it was difficult to see a few steps ahead. However, Black Heart didn’t yet realize.

“I express my condolences in advance, young lady.”

That she was already in his grasp.