episode_0015

Casino

“May I ask why Mr. Mad Hatter is here?”

Donald looked at Anderson and said.

“Oh, of course, our dear Mr. Anderson is here to brighten the place. How could I refuse a request to shine in this seat and become a villain?”

“…”

“And there’s something to see.”

“The person behind you must be the Red Queen.”

“Yes, my reliable colleague.”

“…”

The Red Queen, Seohyun, stood silently without saying a word.

A few hours ago

“Hey, you must not speak.”

“?, Why?”

“Do you have a voice disruptor?”

“No.”

“I see.”

“You have a voice modulator, don’t you?”

“No, it suits you to remain silent. A slightly haughty queen style?”

“…Queen? Hehe.”

Seohyun liked the word “queen.”

“When you open your mouth, you sound like a local gangster.”

“Well-”

“So, you should be a haughty queen, right?”

“…Okay.”

“First, we should secure the area we have.”

“…You can’t have the Hunin Building.”

“Then you should have protected it.”

“…”

“Of course, we may have to give up some areas we haven’t secured.”

“What?!”

“Boss! No need to listen to them!”

“Everyone sit down.”

Donald calmed down his excited subordinates with a word.

“What do you want?”

“As a leader, I need to reward my colleagues who fought for me.”

“…”

(Swish)

“Read it slowly.”

Anderson quietly read the paper handed to Donald.

“…”

“Oh, and I have something to say too.”

Arthur raised his hand and said softly.

“…”

“F04 area, that’s mine.”

“…”

“If people keep coming down there, I might feel sad.”

“…Be careful.”

There is a reason why Devil Colosseum cannot strongly oppose Arthur.

A villain that an A-class hero couldn’t catch holds a lot of meaning. First of all, Mad Hatter’s grade is a B-class villain. However, the world is not always divided by grades.

It is not uncommon for a low-grade hero to defeat a high-grade villain. But what about when a low-grade villain defeats a high-grade hero? That case is much rarer.

However, Mad Hatter was able to escape from the famous hero Snow Flower, an A-class hero, and even made Monkey Spanner, a B-class villain, kill.

And nothing is known about them, including their abilities, they are an unknown existence.

So to them, Mad Hatter is an untouchable villain, and this perception has been established.

“Will the meal be billed separately? I’m starting to get hungry.”

“We’re leaving. Whether you eat or not is up to you.”

Donald stood up and said,

“You can handle the bill too.”

With these final words, the members of the Devil Colosseum left the hotel.

“We’ll go too.”

“Huh? Aren’t we having a meal?”

“…”

“Ah, it’s been a while since I had a meal at a hotel.”

(Sparkle, sparkle)

“Aren’t you coming with us?”

When the lights flickered, Anderson asked Arthur,

“A villain must make a villainous exit.”

(Bang!)

“…”

The lights went out, and soon after, in the darkened restaurant, Arthur and Seohyun were nowhere to be seen.

“…It’s destiny.”

Anderson thought that Arthur’s appearance as a villain suited him very well.

Almost everything is nearing completion.

It has been some time since the war between Anderson and the Devil Colosseum was forgotten.

The Devil Colosseum began to reorganize its organization to repay its disgrace, and it was rumored that they also carried out punishments, and the Anderson Alliance began preparing for another impending war.

I wasn’t idle during the busy times. After the disappearance of the Monkey Spanner Family, the largest organization, small organizations began to spring up like mushrooms.

And every time such organizations appeared, I put on my costume and destroyed them. Each time, Seohyun also helped me as Red Queen, and after crushing a few organizations, no more emerged. Of course, there may be small organizations or thug groups, but organized criminal organizations did not emerge.

Finally, the completion date of the casino was approaching.

“It’s a good time.”

Even if the world were to end, it would first be a developed world, and above all, a world where villains and heroes rampage. Thanks to this, architectural technology has advanced greatly, and even if cities collapse, they can be quickly rebuilt.

“I think it will be completed within this month.”

The foreman approached me, wearing a safety helmet, and said, “So, about the special order…”

“Haha, it’s been perfectly executed.”

“Thank you for this.”

“Well, since you’ve paid, I have to do everything you ask.”

“Oh, and as you know, please keep this confidential.”

(Swish)

Arthur took out an envelope and handed it to the foreman.

“Haha, we’ve already burned all the blueprints. The workers will return to the colony now.”

For the “special order,” the workers for this project were brought from the colony. They couldn’t refuse the higher wages and safe working conditions, and they could be trusted to carry out the construction.

(Vroom!!)

At the construction site, or rather, now that the construction was almost finished, a car hurriedly entered the casino’s parking lot, revealing the building’s appearance.

(Creak)

“Hey! Hey!”

Hector got out of the car and ran towards Arthur.

“What is it?”

“Look at this.”

* * * * * * * *

Inside the police station briefing room

(Click! Click! Click!)

Reporters continuously flashed their cameras at a woman standing behind the lectern.

“Hello. I’m Hero Snow Flower.”

Hero Snow Flower stood at the police station’s briefing podium.

“I have become the dedicated hero for F Area in order to maintain local stability. My abilities are lacking, but I will do my best for the safety of the citizens.”

“Ms. Snow Flower, do you have a reason for becoming the dedicated hero of F Area?”

I learned that F Area was a blind spot for heroes through my previous mission. The reason I became a hero is to protect ordinary people, like the journalists typing away and the citizens watching this news right now.”

“So, Ms. Snow Flower, who do you think should be the first villain to be eliminated?”

“…All villains should disappear.”

“If you had to name one particular villain?”

“…It would probably be the most dangerous one for the citizens.”

* * * * * * * *

Back at the casino

“…Why? Why on earth?!”

Why did he come to our F Area? And as the dedicated hero? There has never been an A-class hero as a dedicated hero in F Area before.

“Hey, don’t tell me this is…”

“…No way.”

Oh, come on, you’re not seriously saying that an A-class hero came to catch me, are you? Hey hey hey hey hey

“It’s okay, there won’t be a problem.”

“There won’t?”

“Just stop villain activities, right?”

“…Is it really that easy as you say?”

“You have to make an effort.”

It’s difficult not to show myself as a villain, just like Hector said.

Right now, I’m in Mad Hatter’s territory. But if the actual Mad Hatter doesn’t show up, what will happen? A new organization might emerge to take over the territory, or organizations from other areas might try to expand into it.

“…If it’s urgent, I could get help from Anderson.”

“Is that so?”

I couldn’t shake off the unease and anxiety, but the progress of the work went smoothly nonetheless.

(Shuffling)

At the casino entrance, Arthur and several others cut the iridescent ribbon held in their hands with scissors.

(Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!)

(Click!)

As the ribbon was cut, people around clapped, and reporters flashed their cameras.

“Congratulations, CEO Arthur.”

“I am truly grateful, Congressman.”

Today, with the opening of the casino, it has evolved into a large-scale event, with even the local district congressman participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Oh, of course, I put a bag in the congressman’s car. I regret using an apple box to hang it, giving it an old-fashioned feel.

“Now you’re a respectable CEO, huh?”

CEO Anderson approached, handing the cut ribbon and scissors to an employee.

“Yes, now I’m on par with Mr. Anderson.”

“Well, I’m glad you still think we’re on par.”

“Well, should we not exaggerate that people have changed? Please encourage the staff to come here more often.”

“Encourage them to gamble away the money I give them at the casino? You’ve got a mischievous side, too.”

“Life is a gamble, isn’t it?”

“I bet it’ll go well without me saying anything.”

“True, I suppose.”

The casino opened.

The largest casino in the F-district, thanks to which the journalists took pictures.

Of course, I had to use my own money because the bank turned me down.

Honestly, it seemed like a business that would do well no matter who looked at it. If you can’t do it just because you don’t have money, then you’re a fool. Of course, I lived a life far removed from investment in my past life, but this is a sure investment, isn’t it?

No, was it actually a life similar to investment?

“Mr. Arthur Riddle? I’m Detective John Layton.”

As they exchanged greetings with people, a pleasant guest extended a business card and greeted them.

“What brings a detective to the casino?”

“I’d like to have a quiet conversation for a moment.”

“Hmm… Will it take long?”

“No.”

“Then let’s move to a quieter place for now.”

Arthur led Detective Layton to a quiet spot.

“You know, the owner of this area has turned into a mad hatter.”

“…”

“Yet you still run a casino here.”

“It’s legally obtained, isn’t it? As long as no one can accuse me of breaking the law in my business.”

“Yes, but what about those who don’t care about the law?”

“Aren’t there police officers here to ensure that I don’t suffer harm from such people?”

“To do that, we need the cooperation of the boss.”

“…Go on.”

“We plan to deploy undercover police at the casino.”

“……”

So, you want to deploy undercover police at the casino I, the villain, operate?

“I welcome it.”

It’s me, after all. A spy is a threatening presence when unknown, but once their identity is known, they can be helpful.

“Are you available this evening?”

“We haven’t opened yet, so I have time.”

“Then come to the police station.”

“Yes, understood.”

I didn’t expect to become a villain and go to the police station this quickly.