ch20

[The Villain's Torment]

"Now, I shall move to the rooftop garden! The highest observation deck in this body's territory!"

Click-

I pressed the elevator button.

Why is it taking so long? How dare this insignificant machine make the great Grimoire wait!

"Dare you disobey this body's command!"

I pressed the button repeatedly. Hurry, hurry!

"Oh, Grimoire, isn't it? I've been enjoying your broadcasts lately. My son showed them to me. They're really fun~"

"Heeik!"

The owner of the sudden voice was Mrs. Kim from apartment 302.

She saw everything? Then… the bunny bed too? The failed evil deeds too?

"You… you saw everything?"

"Of course~ This old lady wishes she had a cute daughter like Grimoire, but I only have three sons, which is a shame~"

"Don't you dare call this body by name so casually! You impious commoner! Properly attach '-nim' to it!!"

Click click click click-

I pressed the elevator button even more frantically.

[She got caught by the landlady lol]

[Today's Heeik count: 1]

[The neighbors are viewers too lol]

[I want to live in that villa]

Ding~

Finally, the elevator arrived. I jumped inside as if fleeing from Mrs. Kim's gaze.

I feel a little better now… Phew.

"Good luck with world domination~"

"Insolent! Don't you dare cheer for this body, you insignificant human!"

Goodness, this body's life is exposed to the neighbors! But if they recognize this body, it must be proof that my infamy is spreading, right?

Ting~

I quickly arrived at the rooftop. As the door opened, a refreshing breeze brushed against my horns. I raised the gimbal and showed the panorama of S City.

"From here, this body looks down on the city every day and plan my conquest! Especially that shining SH Tower! The headquarters of the Hero Association! Someday, I will turn it into Grimoire Tower!"

I gestured, pointing to the distant skyscrapers. How wonderful would it be if all of this became mine? When that time comes, I will no longer be subjected to the humiliation of being called a hero.

"Oh my, isn't that Grimoire?"

"Eek!"

Startled by the voice from behind, I turned around. An elderly couple was watering the plants.

[Is she a cat? She suddenly jumped up]

[Hello, elders!]

[The plants are so pretty!]

[All the villa residents are showing up lol]

[I want to see the horns sparkling in the sunlight!!]

[A friendly hero living with the residents…]

"Grandma, aren't we on camera? Our villa's mascot has become famous now."

"This body is not a mascot but a villain! An absolute being who will rule the world! Your sovereign! Tremble in fear and awe immediately!"

The elderly couple simply smiled and nodded.

"Oh, yes, yes. Ah, what was it called, a hero? Anyway, come visit our house later. I'll bake some cookies!"

Coo… cookies?

Wait, no! I mustn't give in to this temptation! To be so ignored by the residents! Where has my dignity gone?

"Hmph! You will soon tremble in true fear! Cookies… um… I personally like chocolate chip the best! No, that's not it! I'll consider it after world domination!"

But the elderly couple was already busy watering their plants and didn't even hear me.

'How dare they ignore Grimoire!'

They must be old and hard of hearing. I should tell Evelyn to buy them hearing aids! I can't have them miss this body's great speeches!

After showing the rooftop sufficiently, I went downstairs.

As I passed through the hallway, a group of high school girls suddenly appeared.

"It's really Grimoire!!"

"Wow, real horns! I'm a huge fan! Can I post this on my story?"

"So pretty, you're even cuter in person!"

What…? Pretty? Cute? Is that what they should say when they see a villain who should be feared? Isn't the normal reaction to tremble in terror and run away!

"Ahem! Are you flattering me out of fear? Are you forced to shower me with praise to survive? …Is that it?"

I deepened my voice to threaten them, but the high school girls screamed and instantly rushed towards me, surrounding this body!

"Heeik!"

[She's scared in front of the gyarus lol]

[Grimoire, the idol of the residents]

[Surrounded by high school girls… Ugh, PTSD…]

[Are they academy students??]

[Please take a four-cut photo togetherㅠㅠㅠ]

"Wow, she's broadcasting! Hello, Grimoire channel viewers~"

"Where did you buy your dress? I want to buy it too!"

"Eek! Real horns! But why doesn't the building owner unnie have horns? Are you two not sisters?"

What?! Me, Evelyn's younger sister? Where did this absurd rumor come from?

"No! This body is the owner, and Evelyn is the maid! Make the hierarchy clear! Wait, step back! You're too close!"

I twisted and turned to avoid the hands trying to touch my horns.

Mrs. Kim, the elderly couple, the high school girls….

My blood was boiling. Instead of fearing this body, the residents were treating me like a mascot!

This won't do. Everyone is treating this body like a cute mascot, and the dignity of a villain has fallen to the ground!

At that moment, a brilliant idea struck my mind!

"A good plan has occurred to this body! Let's go to the second floor!"

Apartment 205, where a test-taker preparing for the Hero Association civil service exam lives.

That poor soul who has tasted the bitterness of failure several times… the perfect target for evil deeds!

It's time to properly show them this body's wickedness!

Arriving on the second floor, there were piles of workbooks in front of apartment 205. Mock exams delivered in brown envelopes and score sheets with dismal scores.

"Kakat! I can already smell the loser!"

I boldly knocked on the door.

Knock knock knock!

"Unemployed bum, unemployed bum, stick your head out! If you don't come out, I'll roast you and eat you!"

After a moment, the door burst open.

Kim Seo-yeon, Crown Villa's famous fourth-time test-taker.

Hair like seaweed, thick glasses, dark circles… always a face full of complaints, a civil service exam taker who has become irritable due to repeated failures.

"It's you again? Really, not today! Please! It's the mock exam next week!"

"Do you think you can pass this time? If you've failed four times, why not just give up? Life is short, and failure takes too long!"

"It's only three times, three times! And I'm definitely going to pass this time!"

A face full of anger and despair… this is the reaction this body wanted! Let's torment her more!

"Three times or four times, it's all the same! What does it feel like to be unemployed anyway? This body was a great villain from birth, so it's hard to understand the worries of a human like you! Describe in detail what the taste of failure is like?"

"I'm not unemployed, I'm a job seeker! A job seeker!"

[Wow, she was a real villain lol]

[This seems a bit harsh…]

[How difficult is the Hero Association exam…]

[Crushing the mentality of a civil service exam taker]

"A job seeker… a nice way to put it! So what will you do if you fail?"

"Th, that's… no, I definitely won't fail this time…! Besides, it's because you keep bothering me! You were running around the hallway yelling the day before the last exam!"

"Hmph! How dare you blame this body! A typical attitude of a loser who blames others for their own failures! Continuing to fail the exam is entirely due to your incompetence! I, Grimoire, bestow upon you the special nickname 'Genius of Failure'!"

This is the true appearance of a villain! Exploiting the psychological weaknesses of weak humans!

"It's because of you! You're really… really…"

"Don't worry! If you can't pass the exam by the time this body conquers the world, I'll hire you as a toilet cleaner! Be grateful! Kakat!"

"Is it so fun to torment me?"

"You have rich emotional expressions, so I like you. Consider it an honor to be selected as this body's evil deed practice target!"

"Get out! Now!"

"Study hard and become this body's subordinate! That will be the greatest glory of your life! I'll come visit again! Maybe the night before the mock exam?"

"Don't ever come back!!!"

Slam!!

The door slammed shut. Hysterical screams could be heard from inside. Good, operation successful!

[Tormenting a fourth-time test-taker is a real evil deed]

[I used to be a long-term exam taker too. I feel her pain]

[Poor Seo-yeonㅠㅠ]

[If she just did a study broadcast, hehehe…]

[Stop tormenting herㅠㅠ]

[Seo-yeon's life is already zero~]

"This is the daily life of a villain! Tormenting the weak and plunging them into despair! Kakat!"

I felt proud that I had committed a real evil deed this time.

I started walking towards the stairs.

"In the last broadcast, Evelyn was in charge of the camera, so I couldn't show it, but today I will specially reveal the maid's secret! Hmph, this is the price for abandoning this body and going out!"

To abandon me and go out, I can never forgive that! I want to go out and play with Evelyn too! Go to the zoo, go to the amusement park!

The dark underground parking lot. With each step, my heart beat a little faster. Only some of the fluorescent lights were on, creating a strange atmosphere.

[Evelyn, please appear on the broadcast too! Noona, please raise me too pleaseㅠㅠ]

[Finally, the revelation of Evelyn's secret!]

[The maid's secret collection… perhaps whips or a triangular horse?]

I entered the dark parking lot through the emergency exit leading to the basement.

Cars were lined up under the fluorescent lights.

"This is it! This body's supercar collection! From Lamborghini to Ferrari, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce! Of course, all of these are vehicles that this body uses for world domination!"

I walked around the vehicles, doing my best to make sure they were well captured by the camera.

[Those are the maid's cars? She's incredibly rich]

[What does Evelyn do…??] (TL: I wanna know that too)

[Is she perhaps a third-generation chaebol…?]

[No Tesla, is she a Teslaphobe?]

[How much allowance does Grimoire get?]

[I want to be born as Grimoire in my next life…]

The viewers seemed overwhelmed by this body's vast wealth!

Of course, strictly speaking, it's Evelyn's assets… but I don't even have a driver's license yet.

Well, there's no need to dwell on trivial details! The possessions of a subordinate are the same as this body's possessions!

"How is it? You insignificant humans must be so envious that you can't even close your mouths? If you serve this body, you might get one of these supercars! Kakat!"

[Subscribe and get a Ferrari?]

[I will be loyal!!]

[Please lend me the car keys just once]

That's when it happened.

Squeak-

A subtle sound brushed past my ears. I stopped walking, hearing a strange sound coming from somewhere.

"Wait… what is this sound? Is it… just my imagination?"

Squeak-!

Once again.

"Wh, who is it! Show yourself!"

I turned the camera around, trying to find the source of the sound. I saw a shadow moving in the darkness.

Squeak─!

The sound grew closer and closer. And finally, in the middle of the parking lot, under the fluorescent light, a black rat appeared.

'Phew, it's just a simple rat!'

I let out a sigh of relief and stroked my small chest.

No, I have to show the dignity of a villain. How dare a lowly creature invade this body's territory!

"A lowly rodent dares to invade this body's empire! Your courage is commendable, but foolish! This is the territory of the great villain Grimoire! I warn you, get out of here immediately!"

I raised my voice to threaten it, but the black rat didn't move. No, it even stood on its hind legs and looked at this body proudly!

"Wh, what is it? That confident attitude! How dare you, an intruder…!"

Such rudeness in a villain's hideout! Are you daring to challenge Grimoire's authority!

"This body has given you a merciful warning! You have chosen your own miserable fate!"

I raised my foot and pretended to lightly kick the black rat. Just scaring it should be enough, right?

Whoosh-

As if it had expected it, the black rat quickly dodged the attack.

Squeak-?

It gave me a challenging look. It was as if it was saying, 'Is that all you've got?'

"What? Th… this rat! How dare you dodge this body's attack? Today will be the last day of your life!"

Squeak squeak-

I was frustrated. I'll really show it this time!

Whoosh!

At that moment, something fell from the ceiling.

A white rat! A white rat with red eyes fell from right above my head!

"Eeeeek!"

A scream burst out instinctively. The gimbal shook wildly, and the camera screen frantically showed the ceiling, the floor, and the walls.

"No! Don't come closer!! I'm warning you, if you come any closer, you'll regret it! Seriously! Don't you value your lives??"

A jumble of confusing memories flashed through my mind for a moment. These rats… I feel like I've seen them somewhere before… Could they be the ones who used to laugh at me on the street?

Before I could finish the thought, two rats jumped at the same time.

No, surely they're not aiming for my horns, are they?? What if the rats gnaw at my horns with their front teeth??

"This is a strategic retreat! Just you wait!"

I threw the camera to the ground, covered my head with both hands to protect my horns, and ran blindly towards the stairs.

Knowing when to retreat is also a quality of a first-class villain!

The camera that fell to the floor showed the black parking lot ceiling, and then captured the cold floor.

Silence returned to the parking lot. And in that silence, small footsteps could be heard.

A black rat and a white rat appeared side by side in the broadcast screen.

Squeak-!

A cry of victory echoed, and the screen turned black, cutting off the broadcast completely.

[lololol]

[A villain defeated by a rat]

[Grimoire vs. Rat, 0 : 1]

[Did the rat just do whatever it wanted? Legendary ending lololol]

[Lair taken over by rats]

[The villain's natural enemy was a rat…]

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