episode_0017

“Anyway,” Dorothy said, cutting into the rice cake filled with ice cream, “When are we starting the next operation? Or have you given up on targeting more heroes?”

It had been over two weeks since the hero named Spade was brainwashed, but Number 13 and the strategist showed no signs of moving on to the next action.

While the villain organization 【Abyss】 likely had regular meeting times and shared reports, Dorothy, who had no interest outside of research, often skipped them or only barely checked the parts that intrigued her.

It was Dorothy who had created and handed over the brainwashing drug.

Dorothy’s job was to hand it over, observe the results, and improve it… nothing more was needed.

“Giving up isn’t an option. …But the 【Villain Alliance】’s reaction is somewhat strange, you know?”

Number 13 had recently attended a meeting, following the boss, Violet.

Though it held no special meaning, it was as a bodyguard and attendant.

Somehow, by acknowledging their relationship with Spade, a key member of the 7th Unit, they avoided expulsion from the organization….

But that… it’s a bit…

Something… that…

That’s how it is, right…?

…No.

It was pointless to think about anything else right now.

“The next target is still Club, a hero from the 7th Unit, and the operation is set for three days from now.”

Considering various factors, that time was concluded to be the most optimal.

The biggest factor was that in four days, the 7th Unit’s commander would go to headquarters to attend a commanders’ meeting, and other personnel would also be away due to assignments or vacations.

That would create an environment conducive to hunting Club.

“…I said something about this before, but do we really need to involve that woman, even with the added risk?”

After he briefly explained the current plan, Dorothy said, putting a piece of the cut ice cream rice cake into her mouth.

She was somewhat skeptical about this operation.

She felt a slight unease about Number 13’s confident plan.

“We’ve brainwashed Spade… and I’ve captured Apple. Honestly, aren’t those two enough? Of course, for me, having more hero samples is good for research, but…”

Even to continue clinging to the 【Villain Alliance】, they needed to show consistent results from their activities.

More precisely, results that would be useful to the Alliance.

But did those results necessarily have to be about defeating a hero, or that kind of thing?

They could manipulate the two brainwashed individuals to steal confidential data, or there might be several other useful methods of that nature.

“There’s a point to what you’re saying, but…”

Number 13 scooped up the last remaining piece of ice cream from the pretty glass dish and quickly put it in his mouth.

The spoon he set down made a clear clink.

“Besides, the strategist suggested it.”

The strategist was a genius. A different type of genius from Dorothy. At least, in terms of strategy, the strategist’s words had never been wrong. As far as Number 13 knew, that was the case.

If the strategist said it, it must be the right thing.

It wasn’t that he gave up thinking, but rather, he trusted.

He believed that the strategist must have considered all possible scenarios and judged it to be optimal.

“…I don’t know. You and the strategist are completely outside the scope of my understanding. Even when you were men, I saw you two constantly whispering and couldn’t understand you at all.”

“What do you mean, whispering? That sounds strange.”

“What are you talking about? Last time, when I saw you two coming out of a room together in the morning, I thought, ‘Finally, someone got their butt handed to them.’”

“That was when we were playing a game… You, why have your thoughts become so vulgar?!”

“It means you two looked that bad. When there were many guild members before, everyone was whispering, whispering, whispering, whispering about you two…”

“Stop the red pill…! I don’t want to hear that….”

For some reason, he had noticed the female guild members whispering unusually when he was with the strategist.

That was information he truly didn’t want to know….

“Anyway, that’s the plan for now. To prepare for any contingency, we want to control as many heroes as possible, one more if we can.”

Number 13 hastily concluded the conversation to escape the dreadful topic.

‘And honestly, the 【Villain Alliance】 also feels… suspicious, doesn’t it?’

It had been a very long time since Number 13, who had wandered after losing his abilities and then returned, attended that meeting.

The atmosphere felt subtly different, and it wasn’t without a slightly suspicious feeling.

Even though Number 13 had become useless, capable individuals like the boss Violet and the strategist remained, and the Alliance must rely quite a bit on Dorothy’s inventions.

Yet, the way they so easily brought up expulsion was quite suspicious. Of course, it might just be his imagination.

Anyway, even with that much explanation, Dorothy seemed to accept it to some extent.

“Hmm… To prepare for any contingency…” she said, nodding her head.

“And there’s actually one more reason. This is the biggest one.”

“What is it?”

Number 13 tapped the now empty ice cream dish, narrowing his eyes.

Though faint, a heat akin to rage simmered in his eyes.

“Anyway, she’s the one who left my subordinate in such a terrible state. I want to make sure I get proper revenge.”

“……What touching camaraderie, really.”

Dorothy sighed dismissively and put another piece of the cut rice cake into her mouth.

* * *

The woman named Club was a C-class hero, a rookie who hadn’t even been a hero for a year.

Including the fact that she had just turned twenty and become an adult, the C-class ranking was quite high.

In other words, it was an exceptional promotion.

He had heard it was due to her achievements of repeatedly finding and apprehending villains who tried to collude with overseas organizations while staying on the island, and, above all, her resolute, seemingly bloodless and tearless personality that showed not a shred of sympathy if the opponent was a villain.

A personality so resolute it bordered on sadistic.

And she, after capturing the strategist who had led his last remaining subordinates into battle out of necessity, crushed every bone in his body.

Not to subdue the strategist.

But to lure back the subordinates the strategist had sacrificed himself to let escape.

While the subordinates were scattering or hiding, she twisted, stabbed, and shattered the lifted strategist’s body, making him shriek in pain as if playing an instrument.

Eventually, the subordinates, unable to bear his suffering any longer, voluntarily appeared one by one and were arrested.

……Hearing that story, even easygoing Number 13 was furious.

He had decided that he absolutely had to teach that woman a lesson.

“…Yes. She is an unforgivable woman.”

Dorothy, having apparently heard that story, quickly understood and nodded in agreement.

After all, Dorothy, despite everything, had deep camaraderie, so she, like Number 13, felt a certain kind of rage.

But because of that, an unnecessary uneasiness also arose.

In this world, anyone who made revenge or hatred their guiding principle had always fallen or died….

Dorothy, who was about to open her mouth, thinking she should say something more, then—

The next moment, she spotted something and widened her eyes behind her disguise glasses.

“…Hey, Number 13.”

“Hm? Why?”

“That woman named Club… What does she look like?”

“I put it in the report. Didn’t you read the report?”

Number 13 reluctantly pulled out his smartphone, touched the screen, and opened the cloud folder.

He was sure all reports and photos in them were saved in this cloud.

Let’s see, Club’s photo… Club, Club….

“Number 13, that woman named Club… She’s on the skinny side, right?”

“Huh? Yeah. That’s right. Skinny and a bit short.”

And a woman with an unfortunate chest!

He said it as a joke, but Dorothy simply raised both hands above her head with a stiff face.

She held her hands upright, making them look like rabbit ears.

“…Wearing this kind of ribbon on her head? The red one that’s visible even from far away?”

“Yup. That’s right. What, you know her well.”

“Ah, really…”

He thought there was no need to show the photo…

But Dorothy’s demeanor was somehow strange.

Wondering what was up, he followed Dorothy’s gaze and looked behind him.

“…Isn’t that her?”

At the counter near the entrance of the dessert shop where the two were.

Exactly the person Dorothy had described, a woman with a fancy-looking ribbon twitching on her head, was contemplating the menu.

* * *

‘Indeed, it’s a good shop, worthy of a recommendation.’

Club, who had just entered the shop Spade recommended, felt extremely satisfied looking at its excellent interior decor and the menu list, which, even from the pictures, seemed to infuse sweetness deep into one’s brain.

Ah, truly.

For Club, who had lived on an island where snacks were limited to rice cakes or ice pops from corner stores, the desserts on the mainland felt truly as if they were made from a concentrated blend of dreams and fantasies.

Unfortunately, she had no one to invite, so she ended up coming alone….

‘The only one who might have had time was Apple, but I’m not close with her yet…’

She knew Apple was definitely a good person, but somehow, she felt a resistance to getting close to her.

What was it? Why was that?

As someone who had only lived on an island and in a small region, Club didn’t know how to become friends with urban women.

And deep down, something instinctive felt like it was resisting… hmm….

‘Ah, well, never mind for now. Let’s just eat. I’ll conquer these sweet desserts all by myself!’

‘Thanks to the bounty, my wallet is fat, so no need to worry about money…’

Since she had plenty of money, couldn’t she try that?

Scanning the menu list from top to bottom, couldn’t she just say, “Give me one of everything!”?

Wow, how exciting.

Just imagining it made her chest tingle…!

‘…But most of them seem to be ice cream-like, so if I don’t eat them quickly, they’ll melt…’

It was unfortunate, but she had no choice but to choose carefully from them and eat them.

Which choice would she not regret?

Which choice would be the best?

She also had to buy gifts for Spade and the other members… What should she buy…?

As Club pondered, someone subtly passed by her.

An ordinary couple, just having finished their desserts and seemingly leaving the shop.

Though they were just an ordinary couple, a subtle jolt went through her.

Club’s gaze reflexively turned, as if drawn by something.