Chapter 180: Isabella, the Novice at Love [R-18]

*

After finishing her usual patrol, Isabella headed for the Correction Bureau.

She was going to see Zenobia.

The Bureau building was, in a word, white. So white it looked like it had been doused in bleach, with no discernible aesthetic whatsoever. It was like a block of tofu set down in the middle of a road.

When people said things like, “You’ll end up in the white place if you’re not careful,” the white place they meant was usually the Correction Bureau. What went on inside was not disclosed to the public.

There were grim rumors that it was a place where harsh torture for the resocialization of villains was a daily occurrence.

But to the guards, it was just a workplace.

Isabella strode majestically through the complex, security-laden gates as if she had a hi-pass. Before her stood two women in form-fitting white guard uniforms, one with black hair and the other with blonde.

The height difference between the two was quite noticeable.

“Director. What brings you here?” the taller one asked.

“I came to see Zenobia.”

“Ah. As a matter of fact, she just regained consciousness.”

“What did she say?”

“She hasn’t said anything in particular.”

The three of them spoke as they naturally began walking in the same direction.

“She’s had intermittent moments of lucidity, lasting one or two seconds. But this time, she’s been awake for over a minute.”

“…”

“I had something I wanted to ask when you came, Director. You didn’t do that to her yourself, did you?”

“Hey.”

The shorter one cut the taller guard off, clearly annoyed.

But Isabella showed no reaction.

She seemed to have lost the ability to speak as she stared at her sister’s wretched state through the special glass barrier.

“It doesn’t make sense for you to be perfectly fine after pulverizing an S-class villain like that. Seeing your wounds, I thought it must have been a tremendous battle.”

“…My assistant was rather competent.”

“Zenobia is barely alive, thanks to the life support system.”

Barely alive.

That was the only way to describe Zenobia’s condition.

Her head had been completely shaved. There were even surgical scars visible on her scalp, evidence of multiple brain surgeries.

Her eyes were mostly closed, and an oxygen mask was fitted over her mouth.

To take such a critical patient and suspend her in a straitjacket, unable to lie down or sit up, was a treatment befitting the Correction Bureau’s notorious reputation.

However.

If one knew that the person in question was a villain who had murdered 50,000 innocent civilians, this didn’t even count as punishment.

It was merely treatment to keep Zenobia from dying before she could pay for her sins.

It was no different from doing everything possible to save a war criminal who attempted suicide before his trial, just to ensure he could be put on the stand.

But.

Seeing her sister with a shaved head, dying, Isabella’s heart was heavy with conflict.

‘…’

In truth, wasn’t the villain Zenobia finished?

Overwhelming violence had swept over her body. Even Isabella, who wanted villains to be brought to justice, didn’t use violence just to destroy an enemy’s body. The Collector’s touch had been far too cruel.

How dare you touch Kim Sang-hyeok?

As if to say just that, the Collector of Death’s thrashing had descended upon Zenobia.

And for the crime of piercing Kim Sang-hyeok’s chest, she had to repay it a hundred, a thousand times over.

With that body of hers…

“I need to talk to her for a moment. Give us some space, Little Jack.”

“You’re not going to kill her, are you? Reforming Zenobia is our job.”

This time, the shorter one agreed.

“There are three groups of guards here who lost their parents to her.”

“I know. Zenobia is the leader of the Villain Alliance. I just want information.”

Quintia’s solo actions.

The movements of the Villain Alliance…

Since she didn’t know, asking Zenobia herself was the fastest way. She was the leader, after all.

Isabella unlocked the security door and stood before her dying sister.

“…”

As the ventilator was removed, the intensity of Zenobia’s blinking changed.

It was a subtle shift, but it was enough to change the air in the room.

“…Isa…bella.”

“…Zenobia.”

“You… shouldn’t be… happy…”

…

A faint smile touched Zenobia’s lips.

“I… am your misfortune…”

“…Stop it. Don’t say such things. It’s all over now.”

“…All… over?”

“Yes. With its leader gone, the Villain Alliance will collapse. Whatever you were planning, Zenobia, this must have been unexpected.”

“…”

You’re all in big trouble now, aren’t you?

That was what Isabella was saying. It was a rational deduction based on logical judgment.

It was obvious that Kim Sang-hyeok’s existence was an unexpected variable for the Villain Alliance. Even the academy had been struggling until recently, not knowing how to deal with Personality Excretion.

In fact, it wasn’t just Personality Excretion.

Kim Sang-hyeok was beloved by a god.

He was a dependable boyfriend, but at the same time, he himself was weak and needed protection. The possibility of the Villain Alliance making an organized move was high.

“It’s pointless to dream of revenge, Zenobia.”

“…Are you scared?”

Zenobia seemed to see right through Isabella.

“Not at all. Why would I be? I’m the one who caught the leader of the Villain Alliance.”

“…”

She seemed to mull over those words for a long time.

In fact, it seemed she might be unconscious. The life support machine was blinking red, and she was barely breathing.

Zenobia spoke, her voice weak but clear.

“…Villains.”

“…”

“Don’t… band together…”

“…?”

Isabella frowned, trying to decipher the meaning of those words.

“…Don’t you get it?” Zenobia muttered.

“Real villains don’t build things like alliances… Isabella.”

“…Multiple villains have been witnessed acting with you. Don’t deny it.”

“You think so? You think those guys… would obediently… not bite if I told them not to, and wait if I told them to wait?”

It had seemed as if all villains feared and revered Zenobia.

Whenever a major or minor incident occurred, rumors of Zenobia being the mastermind would circulate, and some claimed her next appearance would result in hundreds of thousands, even millions, of casualties.

Many media outlets scrambled to get even a snippet of Zenobia’s image, and everyone would get excited if a dark figure was captured on camera.

The Villain Alliance, where will they strike next…

News articles like that poured out.

“…Do you really think so?”

But the woman herself was now saying such a thing never existed in the first place.

“Then what was the reason for targeting me? You suddenly attacked me on the street. Wasn’t that the cornerstone of your plan?”

“…I told you… It was because you were smiling so happily…”

“…”

“Hahaha…”

Zenobia feigned a dry laugh. Then, as if the vibration in her vocal cords caused her whole body to ache, she let out a deep sigh and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Huuu… I told you… I am your misfortune…”

“For a reason as simple as that…!”

Her resolve not to react emotionally proved futile.

Isabella’s mind easily boiled over.

“You were trying to kill someone you’d never even met before?”

“…Villains… are the dregs of society.”

Zenobia struggled to speak.

She ignored Isabella’s words and continued with her own.

“…You people… try to force us… twist us to fit… and when we don’t, you throw us away…”

“…”

“And now… to think that we broken things… would stick together… was quite funny…”

“…Look at yourself now. No matter how strong a villain is, there must be things they can’t handle alone. What’s so strange about the idea of borrowing someone else’s strength in times like that?”

There was plenty of material evidence that she had followers.

But Isabella couldn’t understand for the life of her why Zenobia was flatly denying the existence of the Villain Alliance, an organization that had documents and even a hideout.

Was it because she was caught? Out of pride? To act tough? It didn’t seem like that. Isabella couldn’t comprehend the villain’s way of thinking, the thoughts that lay at their very foundation.

No matter how strong and beautiful a hero she was, Isabella was still a student. She had no professional profiling knowledge, and even if she did, anyone would freeze when faced with such darkness.

“Your man is going to die… Even if I don’t do it… There are plenty of others who have caught his scent…”

“Is that the Villain Alliance’s plan? Why are they targeting Kim Sang-hyeok?! Answer me!”

“Because… he has a delicious smell…”

“What do you mean, delicious?! Why are they targeting Kim Sang-hyeok!”

“…You… wouldn’t understand…”

It wasn’t just a simple threat meant to scare her.

She got that feeling, but she couldn’t understand what it meant.

Frustrated, Isabella clenched her fists so hard they trembled.

She hated how Zenobia was spouting jokes only she understood, as if it were the most amusing thing in the world, while she was just being toyed with.

‘It doesn’t make sense for them to strike at Kim Sang-hyeok now.’

It hadn’t been long since Master Seridwen had given her warning.

If the Villain Alliance had any common sense, they would do everything in their power to avoid getting on a Master Hunter’s bad side.

…

After the unsettling meeting ended, the guard, Little Jack, saw her expression and asked.

“Director?”

“…Watch her closely. Don’t let her try anything funny.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

In any case, Zenobia wouldn’t be able to move for the time being.

That much was certain.

Leaving the Bureau, Isabella sat on a bench for a moment, fiddling with her smartphone.

[Kim Sang-hyeok] (An extreme close-up profile pic of him in his school uniform)

‘Should I send a message?’

She was worried.

Shake, shake. But Isabella shook her head, her pride getting in the way.

‘Worried? What am I worried about?’

Until just recently, she’d been hassling him, calling him a problem student and ordering him around like a servant. And now, all of a sudden?

Wasn’t that a bit too shameless…?

‘Though becoming his girlfriend was also sudden, if you think about it…’

In times like these, should she just be honest and contact him, saying she’s worried about her boyfriend?

She didn’t know what to do.

Kim Sang-hyeok was Isabella’s first-ever boyfriend, and he would probably be her last.

The Student Council President naturally thought so.

[Isabella]
Evangeline, I have a question.

[Evangeline]
What is it?

[Isabella]
The second-year classes are in session, right? How is Kim Sang-hyeok’s team?

[Evangeline]
The only thing of note is that the gravity waves are showing irregularities. They’ll probably use the emergency beacon to get out if it gets dangerous… but there’s no news.

[Isabella]
So, generally, when you’re worried about your boyfriend, what are you supposed to say?

For a moment, the Student Council group chat went silent.

[Evangeline]
……Are you dating? Kim Sang-hyeok?

[Isabella]
It just happened.

[Evangeline]
NO WAY!!! How? How did you start dating? Who confessed first?

The group chat was momentarily paralyzed as all the student council officers started spamming emojis.

Isabella was slightly flustered.

She hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic reaction.

[Isabella]
Kim Sang-hyeok confessed first. When you’re worried about your boyfriend, what’s a good thing to write?

[Evangeline]
Just say you miss him!

[Student Council Officer]
Ask him what he’s doing now! How about sending a selfie, President?

[Student Council Officer 2]
Aegyo! What about aegyo??

She had only intended to ask how he was doing, but now it was as if everyone was trying to live out a vicarious romance with Kim Sang-hyeok through the silver-haired, busty student council president.

All sorts of requests poured in.

As Isabella listened to them without filtering, she recalled Sang-hyeok’s words.

“Next time you contact me, do it with some lovely aegyo.”

“…!”

[Isabella]
Aegyo seems to be the answer. What are some good aegyo phrases? I need something lovely, please.

The collective intelligence of the student council was mobilized, and Isabella was able to receive her answer sheet smoothly.

‘Is this right?’

I’m worried about my boyfriend. Please contact me.

She thought she could just write something simple like that, but somehow, things had gotten out of hand.

With no other choice, Isabella’s cheeks flushed slightly as she tapped out a message.

[Isabella]
Hey, sweetie, what’cha doin’? Call me as soon as you see this, okay?

‘I don’t think this is it…’

Still, it was the kind of message that would probably make him call her the moment he saw it.

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Translated By: Meher (RaidenTL)

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