Ch.29Chapter 2. The Legendary Librarian Legend (3)

Hero costumes are mostly bright and cheerful, while villain costumes tend to have a gloomy atmosphere that practically screams “I’m a villain.”

And at the pinnacle of this stands The Syndicate.

Though they might be underestimated because their executives and leader are all women, their leader and the “Four Malevolent Beasts”—Qiongqi, Taotie, Taowu, and Hundun—possess overwhelming mana and combat power.

But true to their villainous nature, despite being villains operating in Korea, they’ve committed the most heinous act of all.

Setting aside that villain names are designated by the Hero Association…

They’ve committed the atrocity of adopting completely Western-style costumes that don’t match Eastern aesthetics at all!!

“With the audacity to wear costumes that undermine Korean decency! Designs that absolutely require mosaic censoring on Korean broadcasts—that’s the most evil deed that troubles this nation! This is the true villain mindset! Ohohoho!”

With this attitude, The Syndicate directly challenges this country’s censorship regulations.

While their leader appears in public wearing a fairly modest dress, her transformation form has magical pouches so large they’d trigger censorship on sight.

Personally, I love the design. It’s like something a high-ranking female demon would wear in a medieval fantasy game—maybe the second or third in command.

It’s a good design that prevents me from getting too immersed in this world’s excessive nationalism.

It’s a design that reminds me this world is an “isekai.”

That’s why I prefer such designs. The national pride people feel in this world comes across to me as excessive nationalism, which makes me uncomfortable.

“Ugh…”

Ymir twisted the corner of her mouth while looking at the leader’s costume.

“…It looks cool, but the problem is that she’s a villain. If I copied something like that, I’d be expelled immediately.”

“That’s correct. I just… wanted to show you this as an example of a costume that would be inappropriate for you, Ymir. Let’s move on.”

I closed the leader’s video and checked the comments again.

“Look at this comment. How about a magnificent golden dragon robe?”

“I don’t think that works. I’m just an ordinary E-rank. If an E-rank wears royal clothes, people will criticize me.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

If she were EX-rank, she could wear a dragon robe with a royal crown and no one would dare say anything, but right now we’re just choosing a design for student Ymir, which makes it difficult to select.

Suddenly.

A comment caught my eye.

-‘How about ‘Goblin’? Not just any goblin, but ‘Doji Rider’.

“…What’s this?”

I became uneasy about the link attached with the mention of “goblin.”

“Should we click on this?”

“It looks like a suspicious link…”

“Don’t you know about Doji Rider?”

The name itself gives off a certain impression, but Ymir seemed to know what Doji Rider was.

“Click on it. It’s probably ‘that video.'”

“Hmm…”

I followed the link, and the newly opened window showed someone in a video.

[READY!]

[Transform.]

The image of the Goblin transforming while wearing a belt, accompanied by heavy sound effects.

Indeed.

Even I have to admit it looks incredibly cool.

The effort I put into practicing poses in front of the mirror to transform without making a fuss, and the sweat and memories of that training camp with the leader to perfect our poses, were clearly not in vain.

Just a few days ago, at dawn when I transformed into Doji Rider.

How she nagged me over video call.

“This is Doji Rider.”

“Ah, um, it’s a villain but certainly has a unique design.”

“Yes. And now… it’s becoming somewhat trendy among people.”

“Huh?”

What does that mean?

“It’s becoming trendy?”

“Yes. You know how adults one generation above us grew up watching ‘transformation heroes’? They’re feeling quite nostalgic. Even though it’s a villain, there hasn’t been a powered individual who presents themselves this way until now.”

“But it’s a villain?”

“Someone said that Doji Rider has romance.”

I know.

It’s because of that romance that I transformed into this appearance. If it weren’t for romance, I would have just become a Goblin in a business suit.

“In Korea it’s just like that, but in Japan and the West, it’s causing a sensation.”

“A sensation overseas?”

“Yes. Would you like to see?”

Ymir took out her smartphone, searched for a meme on an internet community, and showed it to me.

“Let me see.”

I lowered my head to look at the smartphone.

-Doji-san kakkoiiiii!

-Doji-san ikeeeeee!

-This guy finally became a rider wwww

-Fucking Jesus.

-I think Doji Rider will bring a new wind to the appearance of powered individuals.

ㄴDid you use a translator?

-May the Power Force be with you!

-Perfect riding suit. If he rides the Autobahn in that form, it would make a whole movie. My email is….

“…The reactions are quite varied. How should I interpret this?”

“I think you can just take it at face value. The Goblin who previously appeared as an ordinary businessman in a suit has now revealed his ‘true form,’ and that design has struck a chord with foreigners.”

“Foreigners?”

“Yes. How should I put it… until now, there have been many Korean or Asian-style costume designs, right? But now there’s this design that evokes the feeling of transformation heroes. Even though it’s a villain.”

“Hmm…”

I hadn’t paid much attention to it, but apparently the world is quite emotionally stirred by my alternate form.

“They’re focusing on appearance rather than worrying about the Goblin appearing on Sejong Island. My goodness.”

“That’s something for the higher-ups to worry about. From the perspective of ordinary people like us, it’s not an issue we care about. What’s more important than why he appeared is how he appeared.”

“You certainly have a point, Ymir.”

The public is fascinated by the appearance that powered individuals present.

And now I’ve presented a form that ignites people’s hearts.

“It’s certainly interesting. But why is the name specifically ‘Doji Rider’? What’s with this strange hybrid name?”

“It’s called ‘rider’ because the design resembles a riding suit, and also because the pronunciation of ‘dokkaebi’ is quite difficult for foreigners, so it’s being called by a new name.”

“Isn’t there an English word for dokkaebi? So why?”

“If you translate dokkaebi directly, it’s ‘goblin.'”

Goblin Rider?

“I suppose Doji Rider is better. Well, I’m not saying it sounds good, but ‘Goblin Rider’ gives me a rather strange feeling.”

“Does it?”

“Yes. It feels like someone who should be dressed all in green. I’m starting to feel a bit sorry for the Goblin.”

“Sorry? Why?”

“Well, the Goblin is… No, never mind. Let’s move on.”

“There are two ways to annoy someone: one is to start talking and then stop, and the other is…”

“I’ll tell you.”

I raised my hands lightly toward Ymir, who was glaring at me.

“Don’t you think the Goblin revealed that form perhaps to show the Platinum Knight? That adopting an appearance like the Platinum Knight’s here wouldn’t be well-received by people.”

“……”

She probably knows this better than anyone.

She must have felt it firsthand when searching for herself online.

“He wanted to show that when someone claiming to be a hero carelessly adopts a foreign style, especially Western, as their costume in Sejong Island or this country, it can create a very negative impression on everyone.”

That in Korea, adopting a Western design is closer to being a ‘villain.’

“It’s probably a warning and advice not to wear a costume like his or the Platinum Knight’s. Though depending on the person receiving it, it could be seen as unwelcome meddling.”

“I see…”

Ymir nodded as if she had realized something.

“Just as Doji Rider might be considered cool by Koreans but doesn’t inspire ‘I should transform like that’ reactions, a hero should wear a costume that reflects Korean sensibilities…!”

Ymir clapped her hands in delight.

“Thank you, teacher! Thanks to you, I think I’ve found a clue.”

“…Is that so? I’m glad that your concerns are being resolved. I’m doubly pleased to have done something as a teacher rather than just a librarian.”

“Hehehe. That’s true.”

Probably, Ymir will now choose a new design.

“Then what kind of costume with Korean characteristics would be good?”

“If we look through more comments… huh?”

A message arrived.

Wondering why a message suddenly arrived, I checked and found it was from someone with a rather bizarre username.

[BurningTeeth]

“What’s this?”

I opened the message from the username BurningTeeth.

[Dear Author.]

Below the polite opening, I was dizzied by an incomprehensible array of addresses and links.

“Wow… what is all this?”

“This looks like… the address of the National Museum?”

“What?”

What kind of madman would send so many museum addresses?

[How about drawing hanbok?]

Ah.

I’ve really encountered a madman.