Ch.111Chapter 5. You’re Not Ready Yet. (1)

Ymir’s jokes, Ymir’s subtle flirtations.

Of course I notice all of it.

Ymir has made some kind of “resolution,” and true to someone raised in America, she has ideas quite distant from Confucian cultural norms.

I am a villain.

I’m confident I can exploit even those feelings, and I don’t play dumb by saying “Huh? What did you say?”

“Ymir. Now that we’ve finished eating, I want to talk seriously.”

After dinner.

Having cleared the table and sitting down for tea in the living room, I faced Ymir and began a serious conversation.

“If you’re trying to go in that direction with me, you need to seriously prepare yourself.”

“Prepare…”

“It’s different from the normal relationship you’re imagining.”

Completely different.

Whether it’s the original power of the Goblin, or the potential to become the final boss in the original story.

I fully understand the power of the Goblin’s club and wield it perfectly.

Apart from the honor of being an S-class villain, I handle the Goblin’s club at a level approaching EX-class.

With just a bit of “correction” and “assistance,” it would be possible to truly run at something close to infinity.

“Even my wife can’t handle me alone.”

“…Um, are you talking about playing games with your wife?”

“This.”

Thud.

I took something out of my wallet.

“…!!”

Ymir’s expression froze.

Her face turned slightly red, and she fidgeted, unable to meet my eyes.

Suddenly seeming uncomfortable, she shifted from sitting cross-legged to kneeling, her eyes trembling noticeably.

“Um… is that vitamin candy?”

“Normal vitamin candy would be labeled ‘C,’ not ‘0.01.’”

Some call this a shield of treason.

According to the older generation in this world who claim that having children is patriotic, this object is a significant hindrance to patriotism.

Some call it a coward’s shield.

They mock it as something used primarily by those who lack confidence, like putting on an extra layer of clothing rather than accepting things as they are.

But others call it a tool for true love.

They say that patriotism without proper preparation is the beginning of unhappiness, and this is something you stop using only when you’re truly ready for genuine patriotism.

In fact, this object was almost misused for treasonous acts.

The recent Gangwon Province incident was just such a case.

“Come in if you’re confident. I don’t mind if you say this isn’t necessary. If you’re confident you can go all the way with me, keep acting like that. If not, stop.”

“……”

“I really appreciate you acting that way toward me, but even I can’t keep holding back forever.”

“Who said that…”

Ymir fidgeted with her fingers, then slowly placed her hand on the table.

“I was told all men are wolves.”

“I understand what you mean, but wolves are surprisingly faithful. When they marry one female, they never marry another until death.”

That’s actually true.

“Have you heard of Lobo the Wolf King? He was a wolf in America. He was an extremely large wolf that even hunted cattle and antelopes bigger than himself.”

“Hunted them…”

“He was never caught by any creature. He was incredibly intelligent and cunning, never falling for any trap or snare set by humans. But eventually, humans caught him. Do you know how?”

“…By using a female?”

“That’s right. The hunters captured and killed Lobo’s mate, and when Lobo discovered she was dead, he went berserk. Then he was captured and killed.”

Wolves are surprisingly faithful and monogamous.

“But you’re different from those wolves, teacher.”

“…Wolves live in packs, and those packs differ depending on the environment. Just like wild wolf packs differ from those raised by humans.”

“So what are you trying to say?”

“The expression that all men are wolves isn’t always correct. But well, considering the image of a wolf pouncing on an innocent lamb, it’s an idiomatic expression I can let slide. In other words…”

I pointed to the locked front door and the drawn blinds.

“Ymir, you’re an innocent lamb who has willingly walked into a wolf’s den. Understand?”

“……”

“If you don’t want to be devoured, keep your distance when the wolf shows mercy. Once a lamb is caught by a wolf, it can never escape.”

This warning should be sufficient.

“Since you like metaphors and allegories, I’ve been speaking indirectly, but let me tell you plainly. I’m a more dangerous man than I appear. I could completely twist the path you’re meant to walk.”

“That’s—”

“If Do Ji-hwan were a villain like a goblin or oni, and if Ymir, an aspiring hero, fell completely for Do Ji-hwan. In that case, can you confidently say you wouldn’t waver?”

“…!”

A hero’s dilemma.

“Ymir as a hero, or Ymir who’s fallen for a man? If you stick to the hero’s path, that’s moving toward justice, but if you choose a man who’s a villain, that means you’re gradually being tainted by darkness. Are you confident?”

I’m not simply talking about a romantic relationship.

“There are many villains in the world. Especially those who try to corrupt newly-adult heroes through various methods.”

Money, power, mana powder, demonic power, and so on.

“Desire for power, domination, wealth… There are countless villains who stimulate the desires humans have as social beings. Can you really uphold your own ‘justice’ against such villains?”

“You’re asking if I can be a hero who isn’t swayed by desire?”

“Yes. I’ve seen many such heroes. Far more than you know.”

I am a person who has enjoyed the culture that unfolded over 25 years across two Earths.

Among those countless stories, I’ve seen innumerable heroes.

I’ve seen heroes who overcome all adversity to uphold their justice, and I’ve seen those same heroes fall to villainy to protect what they hold most dear.

More villainous corruption than in this world.

“What did you enjoy watching when you were young? Movies? Dramas? Animation? Anything is fine. Among those many ‘stories,’ have you ever seen a hero fall to villainy? No, right? That’s natural. To children, heroes must be cool figures who should never become villains. Adults only showed you ‘those kinds’ of stories.”

In this world, falling to villainy is truly dangerous content, so it’s not handled carelessly.

“You could become a villain who makes a pact with a devil to prove yourself to someone who doesn’t love you, becoming a demon yourself.”

Something like “Now I am complete.”

“Or you could become a villain who, abandoned by those in power, is captured by a demon and becomes a demon queen.”

Something like “I am the Demon Queen.”

“Or a clumsy but righteous person who, through mental brainwashing, becomes a demon king incomparable to any evil in the world.”

Something like “I’m in the process of inheriting the Demon King’s position.”

“Or someone who suffered and was brainwashed by such demons, eventually falling to corruption, and finally becoming a demon themselves—neither hero nor human, but nothing at all.”

…Somehow specific examples keep coming to mind, but for Ymir, all these stories are new stimuli.

“Are there really such people in the world?”

“There could be. They might have existed, or perhaps their stories were created but couldn’t be released due to certain circumstances.”

In this world, stories like “The Corruption of Light” aren’t suitable for children.

“I don’t know the specific trajectory of your life. But if you’ve had experiences—ah, I mean on the internet, of course—if you’ve directly or indirectly experienced meeting demons throughout your life.”

Before coming to Korea, as Solar Platina.

Now, as Magic Girl Golden Magistrate Platinum Sun.

“Can you live without being entangled in all kinds of temptations called evil that approach you, while maintaining your beliefs?”

“…What do you think…”

Ymir stared at me with proper posture and asked.

“What kind of being do you think the Goblin is?”

“A villain. One who wasn’t corrupted but was ‘evil’ from the beginning, and who uses everything at his disposal to achieve his goals.”

“What is that goal?”

“World domination.”

To unify this rotten world under one leader, minimizing conflict and corruption to the extreme.

“The Goblin is a very simple being. He lives believing that his organization conquering the world is the best way to stabilize it.”

“Even if it means becoming a villain?”

“He probably thinks there’s too much evil in this world to be picky about means and methods.”

“Is there no ‘salvation’ in the Goblin’s approach?”

“No. But if such a method existed, if there were a ‘hero’ who possessed such a method.”

I raised my thumb toward Ymir.

“While the Goblin would want them to join his organization, the human Do Ji-hwan would personally like to support such a hero.”

“…You really are a selfish and petty person, teacher.”

Ymir pouted and reached forward.

“Fine. Then… what if such a hero proved they were truly different from others?”

Ymir picked up the vitamin candy on the table.

“If they could continue upholding the hero’s path of saving everyone without being swayed by any temptation?”

“What if the person you love becomes a demon?”

“That’s simple. The Goblin would try to cut them down immediately if a hero became a demon, but I’m different.”

Ymir lightly fiddled with the vitamin candy.

“If the Goblin became a demon, I’d want to be the hero who saves even that demon Goblin.”

Flick.

With a snap of her fingers, she accurately tossed the vitamin candy straight into the trash can.

I see.

Ymir deliberately showed her resolve through actions rather than words.

If that’s the case, I shouldn’t betray that resolve either.

“Teacher, today I…”

Beep beep beep beep!!

The “villain appearance” alarm sounded on both Ymir’s and my Taegeuk Watches.

And it was an emergency alert announcing the appearance of a demon.

“Ah, shit.”

“……”

“…Ahem.”

Ymir closed her eyes briefly, then opened them and removed her Taegeuk Watch.

“Teacher, I’ll be stepping out for a bit.”

“……”

I hope no one dies.

Probably.