Being a Villain is My True Calling

“…I apologize.”

The Queen bowed deeply towards me.
Despite her veiled face concealing her expression, her remorse was palpable.

…It resembled a parent apologizing for their child’s misbehavior, if I had to liken it.

“It’s alright. There was simply a misunderstanding, was there not?”

I waved dismissively at the Queen, indicating there was no need.
Then, turning my gaze towards White Rabbit.

“Heeeing…”

With a sullen pout and flushed cheeks, she knelt with her hands raised before me.
Recalling the events that had transpired prior to arriving here.

‘I assume my assumption was correct?! Right?’

‘Yes, you would likely assu-‘

‘Kkya! You came because you missed me! So romantic~’

‘Euung…?’

As the situation deviated from my intentions, I tried to swiftly correct her.

‘No, ac-‘

‘Just how much did you miss me to even ask Astra for my contact info~’

However, she seemed intent on ignoring me, indulging in her own fanciful imagination instead.
Presumably, she had grasped my meaning yet feigned ignorance. Truly.

‘Huff! I’ll graciously accept those feelings!’

‘Please, just listen to me.’

‘But you know what?’

Thus dismissing my words with frivolity, White Rabbit flashed a coquettish smile.

Kkwahak.

‘I prefer a more assertive approach.’

Slurk…
Swiftly closing the distance, she seized my necktie with one hand and sultrily loosened the shirt collar-styled choker around her neck.

‘Calm down, please!’

‘Aeung! I’m just a baby bunny! My eyes are swirling, I can’t see a thing!’

‘This insane-‘

‘Haahk! I’ll devour y-!’

Just as the situation was about to devolve into utter chaos.

Kkahng!

‘Ueeeehk!!’

‘Why is this lunatic leering at one of my subordinates!’

Astra’s timely arrival narrowly averted the escalating predicament, having entered under the pretext of greeting me.
Circuitously, word of this reached the Queen’s ears.

The Queen bowed her head deeply once more.

“I apologize. My girl is a bit…open and tends to behave rather boyishly…”

“…Boyishly, you say?”

Upon hearing those words, White Rabbit shot me a glance and exclaimed.

“It’s all your fault, Maker! You make me go crazy day by day!”

“……”

“It’s so unfairrrrr!! So unfairrraaang!!”

…No matter how carefree a man might be, what sort of lunatic would act like that towards the opposite gender?
Her behavior had already surpassed mere ‘openness’ into something else entirely.

“Uaaahng! I trusted you! I trusted Maker!!”

“…Haha.”

Come to think of it, was she even allowed to speak that way? Your Queen seems quite vexed.

Paddeuk.
Sure enough, a menacing sound emanated from beyond the veil.

“…I apologize. It seems I have failed in properly educating my staff.”

“Hik!”

Finally realizing her transgression upon facing the Queen’s wrath, White Rabbit swiftly reverted to a tearful pout, her earlier defiant madness subdued.

“I’m alright. Astra intervened before I could be defiled, so there’s no major issue.”

“De, Defiled…”

The Queen’s gaze sharply turned towards White Rabbit.
Causing her to tremble uncontrollably, though I felt little sympathy considering her attempt to accost me.

“But shall we proceed to the main topic?”

“…Ah, yes. We should.”

Snapping out of her daze at my words, the Queen regarded me.
Pointless chatter could not continue, so the matter concerning White Rabbit would have to wait.

“First, I’ve come bearing new information worthy of an exchange since our last meeting.”

“What kind of information might that be?”

Taking a deep breath, I continued.

“Recent developments concerning the former hero Alpha.”

“Hm? Didn’t you already inform me about Alpha? That he was in Tartarus, if I recall correctly-”

I simply smiled in response to her query.

“…It seems there have been some changes.”

“You’re correct. Amid these changes, certain matters have arisen.”

Swiftly grasping my implication, the Queen nodded in affirmation as I slowly retrieved Alpha’s signature card from my pocket.

“How about it? Are you interested in making a deal?”

“Yes. It certainly seems worthy of consideration.”

The Queen’s tone had grown markedly more serious than when she had reprimanded White Rabbit, her veiled gaze fixated on me.

After a brief pause, the Queen placed her hand on her forehead above the veil, seemingly gathering her thoughts before speaking slowly.

“So, to summarize in three points: First, Alpha has escaped from Tartarus.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Second, Alpha is currently in Korea.”

“Correct.”

“And lastly, third…Alpha is killing people there. Am I understanding this properly?”

The Queen’s voice notably chilled during her final summary point.

“You have grasped the situation precisely.”

As I confirmed her understanding, she grew visibly tense.
And then.

“…You said Korea? I will depart immediately.”

She abruptly rose from her seat and declared her intent to me.
For a moment, I simply observed her reaction.

Dalgeulrak.

“That will not be possible.”

Subsequently, I firmly rejected her demand as I set down the tea she had served.

“Why not?”

Despite her veiled expression, her emotions seemed distinctly palpable.

‘This is the critical juncture.’

No matter how amicably she had treated me before, a misstep here could have cost me my head.
Carefully considering my choice of words, I slowly articulated my response.

“His precise location remains undisclosed. Considering his escape from Tartarus was also kept under wraps, the Association is undoubtedly concealing his activities from the public. Hastily approaching would be unwise.”

“But he has killed people! I should go and execute him immediately, that’s the least he deserves!”

“From what I’ve learned, he has solely targeted evildoers. On what grounds would you justify such actions?”

“However…!”

“We are villains, not heroes.”

Unless we are directly imperiled, we villains would sooner reorganize our forces than squander time searching for Alpha.

Whether for others or ourselves.
Villains act out of sheer selfishness.

The Queen was well aware of this, hence her silence, for she did not operate under such grandiose pretenses either.

“Is this revenge? Or do you perhaps have valid reasons to despise him?”

“……”

A bone-chilling coldness radiated from her palpable fury.
The Queen’s feelings towards Alpha were akin to smoldering hatred.

Once a raging inferno, long reduced to ashes, yet lingering embers still emanated a faint, simmering wrath bordering on abhorrence.

To put it bluntly, her emotions were akin to loathing.

“I am uncertain of the reasons, but if you invoke misplaced justifications like justice, I have no intention of assisting you.”

Shudder.
My words elicited a slight tremor from the Queen.

“Did I not say? We are villains, not heroes.”

There is no such thing as unconditional kindness, and invoking justice is a paltry excuse.

“To be frank, I have no interest in the nature of your sentiments towards Alpha.”

“……”

Regardless of the reasons or emotions involved, that was not a matter pertaining to me.

‘No matter how elaborate the backstory, emotional peddling is unacceptable.’

What I required was a different kind of dialogue, not an emotionally charged tale.
The Queen clenched her fists and briefly bowed her head.

Then, raising her head once more, she met my gaze.

“…You mentioned a deal. What is it that you desire from me?”

No matter how emotionally invested, she was undoubtedly the leader of an organization.
My words thus far demonstrated she was no fool incapable of comprehension.

‘Phew…Thankfully, she’s not as emotional as I’d feared…’

Given her unpredictable reactions regarding Alpha, I had worried about potentially misspeaking without realizing.
However, it seemed my concerns were unfounded.

Then, with the stage now set, perhaps I could proceed more casually.
Smiling faintly, I faced the Queen.

“Nothing too grandiose. It’s an arrangement you might find agreeable as well.”

“If it’s agreeable to me…?”

“For the time being, I request you remain active within Korea. Currently, leaving no traces would prove difficult, but I shall locate Alpha, so until then, please refrain from rash actions and await my instructions.”

“…?”

“Is this not what you desire as well?”

“…Well. It is what I want, but…”

She seemed flustered that I was offering to fulfill her wishes when she had inquired about my own desires.
However, what could I do? My desires likely aligned closely with her own.

“I shall determine the optimal timing. I will aid you in obtaining your desire. So-”

Placing Alpha’s card on the table, I slid it towards the Queen.

“Kill Alpha with your own hands.”

At that moment, the Queen visibly recoiled in apparent bewilderment.

“…Pardon?”

“This is my intended objective.”

With those words, I merely smiled faintly at the Queen.