This Villain Comes Free of Charge -5

As the battle began, Stella and Natalia started blocking the tentacle monsters. Despite their numbers reaching into the hundreds, they seemed to think they could handle it.

Stella, buffed by Natalia, shot star arrows to eliminate the tentacle monsters.

Monsters swept away by the downpour of stars.

While they were doing that, Iris stands proudly before me.

“I’m your opponent, Kraken.”

“Iris.”

“What’s with that weak voice? You were making such a fuss just moments ago.”

“Do I sound like that?”

“Yes.”

“You’re honest.”

In truth, luring them here and occupying Stella and Natalia. This was already as good as a success of the second plan.

But I tried to stall as much as possible.

To delay the battle even a little bit.

The reason was simple.

‘…Kkomul-i, I seriously feel like I’m dying…’

‘Hang in there. Only the third plan remains.’

‘Haah… my whole body hurts…’

Because I really feel like I’m going to die.

A drawback I’ve noticed while living as Kraken is the poor energy efficiency.

If I were to evaluate Kkomul-i, it would be high cost, high performance.

The efficiency is truly exceptional, but it requires a lot of magical energy to use.

After creating the tentacle barrier and beating Black Heart with it, my body started feeling unwell.

I’m barely holding up thanks to the drink I had this morning.

On top of that, the technique I just used was “Self-Replication.”

It’s a technique that creates several monsters by cutting off tentacles, but it reduces the number of tentacles I can use and consumes a large amount of magical energy.

To put it simply, I’m like a car with its red light on.

I can go further, but it’s precarious.

In the midst of this, Iris attacks as if there’s nothing more to say.

Whoosh! Her fist cuts through the air.

Pow! She strikes one of my tentacles. The tentacle that fell to the ground twitched and then turned to dust and disappeared.

How many more tentacles can I operate?

How many more can I regenerate?

Sensing her advantage, Iris smirked.

“Get ready. Today I’ll finally remove that mask of yours.”

That would be a bit problematic.

I looked at Iris and spoke frivolously.

“I’ll have you know, my bare face is quite decent.”

“Liar.”

“It’s true. There’s even a girl who follows me around because she likes me.”

Iris snorted.

“Whoever she is, that girl must have strange eyes.”

“…You’re right. Even I think it’s an unusual taste.”

I decided not to reveal that “someone” is actually her. There’s no need for her to know such information.

The battle continued after that. A battle pattern where Iris attacks and I defend.

As time passed, I heard Kkomul-i’s voice.

‘They’re all gathered. If you somehow squeeze it out, you might be able to use it once.’

“…Good.”

“What’s good?”

Iris, who had been continuously attacking, hesitated. She seemed to think I was hiding something.

Well, that’s true.

I slowly backed away towards Yu Yul.

She was currently gagged and bound by tentacles.

I lightly lifted Yu Yul.

“Do you perhaps know about the trolley dilemma?”

“The trolley dilemma?”

“…I guess you don’t. Are you studying properly? Your life as a magical girl is important, but your original life is important too.”

“Don’t give unsolicited advice about others’ lives!”

Iris blushed. Then she asked.

“So what is it…?”

“…There’s one person on the track and five people on another, would you pull the lever to change the course-“

“Ah! I know! The one about whether to sacrifice one person or save many, right?”

“Yes, you know it well.”

I held Yu Yul and slowly retreated. Iris tried to stop me but hesitated due to the monsters blocking her way.

“What are you planning to do?”

“Life is always a series of choices and hardships. Within that, we make choices and always regret them.”

“…You always talk so cryptically.”

“Haha, is that so? Anyway, what I’m saying is this, my archenemy.”

I stood on the parapet of the rooftop and looked back at Iris.

“Choices always tend to leave regrets.”

“…”

“So I hope you make a choice that… no, I misspoke. A choice that leaves fewer regrets.”

To Iris, who was still blankly staring at me, I shouted.

“Make your choice, Iris! Will you kill me and take a step toward peace? Or will you save this girl!”

“Wait a minute! What are you planning to do!?”

“I’m just giving you a choice. If you ignore this child’s death and eliminate me, you will become a hero.”

The final plan 3.

It was to make Iris save Yu Yul.

From the beginning, this was the goal. My objective was to make Yu Yul feel grateful to Noah.

It was the same in the original work.

If you want to become friends with Yu Yul, you need to be recognized as stronger than her, and save her from a crisis.

Although I felt a bit anxious, I decided to believe in Noah.

I was sure she would rush to save Yu Yul.

This was also my intuition as a player who had seen her behavior dozens of times.

“Well then.”

“Hey, you madman!!”

I threw Yu Yul off the building and jumped after her.

Next to me is Yu Yul, who quietly closed her eyes as if anticipating death, and looking up, there’s Iris, glaring and diving after us.

“Now! Iris! My beloved archenemy! What choice will you make!”

+++++

‘Madman madman madman!!’

Noah began flying after the falling Yu Yul and Kraken.

The two were falling rapidly. If she targeted Kraken in this state, she could deal with him.

She might really kill him, but that dark figure must have some sort of strategy. He probably wouldn’t do something that would get himself killed.

He still seems to have spare tentacles. He might not die.

In contrast.

‘…What about Yu Yul?’

Yu Yul seemed to be in real danger.

She’s just quietly closing her eyes, perhaps without even enough magical energy left to transform.

Tears flowing out and scattering in the air, she mumbles small words.

“No… I don’t want to die…”

“…Tch.”

Iris glared at Kraken once and changed direction. What she grabbed was Yu Yul’s body.

Iris, who embraced her, began ascending.

“Ah… Iris? Why…?”

“Even after being saved, she complains.”

“That’s not it… Kraken is your archenemy, right?”

“So what?”

“Not ‘so what’… Isn’t this a good opportunity? To cut off your ill fate… to crush your enemy.”

Whoosh.

Arriving at the rooftop, Iris threw Yu Yul.

With a thud, Yu Yul rolled.

Fortunately, all the monsters had already been eliminated.

“If you know you’ve done wrong, raise your hands and reflect!”

“…”

“Ah, and also.”

“…?”

“I’m not being a magical girl to crush enemies.”

“…”

“I’m being a magical girl to save people.”

With those final words, Iris hurriedly moved down.

She saw him. As expected, he was clinging to the building’s outer wall using the adhesive power of his tentacles.

Grip!

A fist with power behind it.

While falling with the force of gravity, she struck Kraken’s head.

Even he couldn’t withstand such an impact, and Kraken collapsed.

Iris hurriedly removed his mask to secure his identity.

“…Haah… again?”

She sighed in frustration.

‘Shedding.’

A technique Kraken often uses before being caught. He creates an identical doppelganger and escapes.

‘It’s probably too late then.’

Iris returned to the rooftop, suppressing her irritation.

And she witnessed.

“We-well… I’m raising my hands… is this right?”

The sight of Yu Yul kneeling with both hands raised.

When was it?

She recalled what the mister had said.

“…It’s true.”

The rod is the cure for disobedient children.

+++++

Slurp.

After drinking her iced Americano, Noah glared at Yu Yul.

“So.”

“Yes…”

“You were raised in a violent group when you were young, and you still haven’t fixed the speech habits you learned then?”

“Yes…”

“But you’re doing well now?”

“I’m trying! I mean… I’m trying, ma’am…”

From what she heard, Yu Yul had been a weapon raised by a violent group.

“It happens sometimes. People who take unsuspecting talented children and use them as their weapons.”

Those were Seo Jin-ah’s words.

Her eyes were full of sympathy.

Yu Yul, still with her arms raised, said.

“I had to appear strong to avoid being ignored. That’s why I learned bad words and tried to hide any weakness…”

“But how did you end up here now?”

“My adoptive father quit and took me with him… I mean, he escaped with me. He destroyed the organization at that time too… I mean, annihilated! That’s how I’m able to live like this now.”

I see, so that’s what happened.

Noah stared at Yu Yul and asked.

“Then, answer me honestly.”

“…Yes!”

“That fried chicken you ate. The one you insulted. Was it delicious or not?”

“The fried chicken was fucking deli- I mean… it was extremely delicious.”

“Really?”

“Yes! I wanted to eat it again if I had the chance.”

Noah was puzzled by the girl who was savoring the memory.

If she has a lot of money, why is she acting like this? Like a child who hasn’t eaten for days.

She could buy or make it herself.

As Noah was thinking this, she soon understood the reason.

“If my dad were alive, he would have made it for me… Dad was fucking… I mean, really good at cooking.”

“Ah…”

“Since I have to save money, I can’t order food often.”

“Huh? Aren’t you from a wealthy family?”

“…I live in an orphanage.”

Noah was at a loss for words.

“After my dad quit, he set up an orphanage. There aren’t many kids now, but there used to be a lot.”

“Then why did you say you wouldn’t use the money earlier?”

“I… I just wanted to look tough…”

“…You idiot!”

Bop!

Noah flicked Yu Yul’s forehead with her fist.

“What’s important about looking tough!”

“Ouch…!”

“Quickly get your card back! Buy lots of snacks or whatever!”

“It fucking hurts… I mean… it really hurts…”

Yu Yul clutched her head and whimpered.

She curled up like a frightened stray cat.

Noah’s heart softened at the sight.

“…I’m sorry.”

She remembered seeing that look somewhere. That appearance.

Someone trying to act tough because they didn’t want to be pitied or seen as pitiful.

‘…She’s like me before I met the mister.’

It was herself.

If she hadn’t met the mister, wouldn’t she be just like that now?

Pretending to be tough, clashing with others, being irritable.

“…Sigh.”

Noah reached out to Yu Yul’s head again.

Yu Yul flinched, thinking she might be hit again.

But this time, it wasn’t a fist.

Like that mister did, a soft palm.

It was the pat-pat that Noah loved the most.

“Did it hurt a lot?”

“…Yes.”

“I’m sorry. I won’t do that again. So.”

“…”

“Don’t pretend to be tough either.”

“But… when I go home, they’re all younger than me… I need to stay strong…”

“Pretending to be tough and being strong are different. Understand?”

“Yes…”

“Good, now you should apologize to unnie too.”

Nod.

Yu Yul, who nodded, turned to Seo Jin-ah.

“I’m sorry for calling you a hen house…”

“It’s okay. Unnie already forgot about it.”

“But…”

“Yes?”

“What does hen house mean?”

“You didn’t know?”

“No… the scary men used to say hen house this, hen house that…”

This is outrageous.

What kind of behavior is that in front of children?

Noah stroked Yu Yul’s bangs more gently.

“You shouldn’t do that again. Understand?”

“Yes…”

“Good. Now Yul-i should drink too.”

“I’ll enjoy it.”

Yu Yul said that and sipped her blueberry smoothie. The large cup doesn’t fit entirely in her hand, so she’s earnestly drinking with both hands, which seems to please her.

Watching Yu Yul drinking enthusiastically, Seo Jin-ah opened her mouth.

“Hmm… I should visit Yul-i’s house sometime.”

“Visit?”

“Yes. It seems like only children are living there. I have a friend who knows about these matters.”

That should work.

Noah nodded and drank her own beverage again.

Suddenly, she felt someone’s gaze.

It was Lee Taehwa.

“…What?”

“Nothing~ Just…”

“Why are you acting like that again?”

“Well… hmm… I was just thinking that our Noah gets pat-pats with that kind of expression.”

“What was wrong with my expression?”

Lee Taehwa patted Yu Yul’s head, recreating Noah’s expression from earlier.

Warm eyes and slightly upturned corners of the mouth. Eyes full of love.

It was a familiar expression.

Isn’t it the expression the mister shows every time he pats her head?

“Ah, I’m jealous. You’re getting lots of love from the mister.”

“No… that’s not…”

“Don’t deny it. You do this pat-pat and then it’s like you’re about to kiss-“

“I said it’s not like that!”

Whoosh! Noah stands up from her seat.

“So we’ve finished everything for today, right?”

“Yes. I’ll go shopping a bit more with Yul-i.”

“I’ll just go home too.”

Noah also nodded.

“Then let’s all disperse. Unnie and Yul-i can shop more, Taehwa should go home safely. Now, disperse!”

“Noah should also go see the mister quickly.”

“Hmzmlrgh…”

“Hehe.”

Lee Taehwa teasing until the end. In response, Noah headed towards the mister’s house, calming her boiling feelings.

Even though she had told him not to do anything, she somehow missed the mister.

After patting someone else, she also wanted to be patted.

She also wanted to give him her present soon.

With such an excited heart, Noah pressed the doorbell.

“…Hehe.”

Noah enjoyed this time the most.

This moment of pressing the doorbell and waiting for him.

The feeling of wanting to see him soon, the anticipation of seeing him soon combines to create impatience, but even that feeling is enjoyable.

But today was different.

Even if she pressed the doorbell or knocked on the door, the mister didn’t come out.

‘Is he sleeping…?’

That’s possible. He has been looking tired lately.

‘Can’t be helped.’

Noah turned her steps towards home, leaving behind her disappointment.

What shocked Noah came next.

Her phone rang.

She hesitated a bit because it was an unknown number, but she pressed the connect button.

An unfamiliar voice came through the phone.

[Hello. Is this Na Noah?]

“Yes, that’s right. Who is this?”

[Ah, it is you. Actually, Mr. Shin Hyun is in our hospital’s emergency room, so I’m contacting you.]

“…What?”