Chapter 69

For the past few months, Phantom Luna and Maker have clashed at every terrorist attack.

“Ha! Stop right there, Maker!”

“We meet again, Phantom Luna.”

“I’m your assigned villain now! You should be honored!”

*Boom!!*

Phantom Luna was determined to catch her assigned villain, Maker, and her eyes burned with resolve.

“Today, I will definitely catch you!!”

“If you can.”

*Bang! Pow!*

Maker dodged Phantom Luna left and right.

“Today is the day..!!”

“You’re quite persistent.”

…

“Running away again using people as bait? Coward!”

“So, are you not going to leave?”

“Tch!”

…

“Fight me honestly!”

“Since when have villains ever been honest?”

From the sweltering season where sweat poured naturally, to the season where steam could practically rise from their mouths.

They continued their game of tag under the name of terrorism.

“Kusott!!”

In the end, it always concluded with Phantom Luna letting Maker escape.

“Next time, I’ll definitely catch you, Maker!”

Phantom Luna didn’t particularly dislike Maker.

Unlike other villains, he seemed somewhat normal.

And most importantly, if she played along with his words, he minimized civilian casualties.

A villain who doesn’t cause casualties while committing terrorism…

It was questionable whether such words could even form a sentence.

‘Maybe he’s actually a good person?’

Perhaps he had some circumstances that led him to become a villain.

Could it be that he doesn’t want to harm innocent civilians? Such thoughts crossed her mind.

Because of this, Phantom Luna had somewhat lowered her guard against Maker.

‘Trusting him is impossible since he’s a villain.’

But at least she thought it was clear that he was a good person.

‘He doesn’t seem like someone who would do bad things without reason!’

Surely, he wasn’t someone who would do such evil deeds.

She thought he was a good person, but…

*Click.*

“It suits you well. Our pet.”

“……”

Maker, holding the leash around Phantom Luna’s neck, smiled slyly.

At that sight, she could only scream internally, unable to utter a word.

‘What is this situation?!’

***

“W-wait, Maker!”

Perhaps startled by the words directed at Polia.

Phantom Luna struggled to get up with her injured body.

“Is there a problem?”

You lost the game.

“But still! Threatening civilians like this…”

“I’ve always been like this.”

Now you’re surprised? That reaction should come first.

Phantom Luna, realizing her words were correct, frowned and pursed her lips.

“Did you think I would help you?”

With Polia’s help, I approached Phantom Luna.

“…Maker…”

As I approached, she looked up at me with wide eyes.

“You… you’re not that kind of person…”

“Not that kind of person, you say?”

‘Looks like the education went wrong.’

Seeing her clearly misunderstanding, a natural laugh escaped me.

“Uh, Maker… sir? What about us…”

“Ah, I forgot about you all. Good job, everyone.”

“Then…!”

“You may leave. I won’t bother you with meeting heroes on your way out.”

“Y-yes!! Th-thank you for sparing us!!!”

“M-Maker…?”

Seeing the seemingly friendly conversation between me and the villains, Phantom Luna was bewildered.

“Is there a problem?”

“You’re a villain!! Why are you letting them go?!”

“I just kept my promise.”

Just like I kept my promise to you.

At my words, she made a disbelieving expression.

“…I can’t accept this. If it’s you, if it’s you, then surely…”

“I don’t know what you think you know about me.”

My face still wore a smile.

But my voice, slightly lowered, sounded somewhat displeased as I lightly gripped Phantom Luna’s neck.

“What do you think you know about me?”

She had misunderstood me.

What I originally intended to show was a thoroughly neutral figure.

Whoever the target was, I kept my word and, if my words were properly executed, I even provided the promised rewards.

‘Of course, only when the cameras were rolling.’

I solidified this image to build a justification so that no hero could easily refuse my words.

Rather than uncertain battles risking injury, choosing a safer method to even save hostages would be more beneficial.

‘But, seeing how Phantom Luna is acting now…’

Far from thinking I had such a plan, she seemed to have some strange belief in me.

“…Could it be that you think I’m a good person?”

“……”

…This is why the tension is gone.

‘Honestly, I don’t think I’m the kind of person to be evaluated as good…’

I’ve killed people, and probably one percent of the national budget is being used to rebuild the buildings I’ve blown up.

And every time a hero was defeated, I mercilessly destroyed buildings.

‘Especially when Phantom Luna was late or didn’t show up, and other heroes had to substitute, things got really bad.’

Anyway, just listing these things, isn’t it clear that I’m just a regular bad villain?

I really don’t know where her belief in me came from.

*Tsk.*

“Well, this is troublesome. You think I’m a good person.”

So, what I’m about to do now is a kind of shock therapy.

Simply put, making her feel unfamiliar with me.

“M-Maker…?”

People usually recognize and judge others through a combination of impressions like smiles, behavior, tone of voice, etc.

You could call it the atmosphere.

So, such an atmosphere could bring about a big change with just a small alteration.

For example, slightly lowering the usual cheerful voice, or changing the way of smiling or eye contact.

“Then, Phantom Luna, who seems to know me well, what do you think I’m about to do now?”

“Th-that is…”

In this way, I’ll make her feel a sense of alienation and quickly feel tension.

Is this really the person I knew?

Did I misunderstand him from the beginning?

And so on, making her ponder.

*Rustle…*

I gently stroked her hair.

Stroking Phantom Luna, who was barely lifting her upper body and half-lying down, felt like petting a pet.

“Maybe I should just crush her…”

“No, don’t!!”

Startled by my words, Phantom Luna grabbed my arm.

Unlike her usual confident self, her somewhat pitiful appearance evoked a strange feeling.

‘Ah, I have a good idea.’

I stroked her head as if dealing with a child and continued affectionately.

“Why are you like this? You lost the game, so naturally, there’s no reward, right?”

“Th-that is…!”

As I spoke in a lower tone, Phantom Luna’s body stiffened.

I carefully sat her down on the floor, knelt on one knee, and grabbed her chin.

“Let’s make a deal, Phantom Luna.”

“A deal…?”

“Offer something worthy in exchange for the hostages, and I’ll release them.”

Phantom Luna’s pupils shook violently as she stared at me.

Yes. This is the kind of relationship villains and heroes should have.

Now that some tension had built up, the foolish speculations about me had long disappeared.

“M-money then…”

“I don’t need it.”

“Th-then, should I pretend not to see you escaping…?”

“I’ve survived well enough without such help so far.”

Phantom Luna tried to offer various conditions for the deal I proposed.

But none of them satisfied me.

“Th-then… then…”

Gradually panicking, her eyes darted around.

I chuckled for a moment at her appearance.

“I have a good idea, how about it?”

“A good idea…?”

I pulled her close.

“You sacrifice yourself in place of the civilians.”

“M-me…?”

“Then I’ll let all the civilians go.”

“……”

Phantom Luna turned her head to look at the civilians and the spikes above them.

Then she looked at me.

“Will you save the civilians, or sacrifice yourself?”

Phantom Luna nodded her head.

***

*Creak…*

*Creak…*

Hearing something being dragged, Phantom Luna blankly stared into the air.

‘…I’m going to die now.’

Surely, she would be pierced by those giant spikes.

She volunteered to sacrifice herself in place of the civilians.

But she had no regrets.

‘Because I’m a hero.’

Since she was young, the heroes she saw were like that, and even if their end was tragic, she was always ready to accept it.

‘Will the insurance money come out a bit? It would be good if I could hold on a little with that.’

The only concern was for the people left behind.

“…You’re a bad person.”

It couldn’t be said that she was deceived.

She acted on her own assumptions and thoughts.

Expecting help from a villain, feeling betrayed by him, all of it was strange when thought about.

‘I was careless.’

The current situation was entirely of Phantom Luna’s own making.

If she hadn’t overused her abilities from the start, if she hadn’t let her guard down, maybe things would have been different.

*Thud thud.*

But it was already in the past.

She thought it was too late for regrets.

Phantom Luna closed her eyes gently as she heard the approaching footsteps.

‘Still, isn’t it good that I can save so many civilians with my life?’

Even if Maker is a villain, he’s someone who keeps his promises.

Even if I die, he’ll release the civilians.

“Phew…”

“Are you ready?”

“…Yes.”

At Maker’s unnecessarily kind question, Phantom Luna suddenly wondered how much it would hurt.

‘Please, let it be painless and quick…!’

Closing her eyes tightly, preparing for her end, her body trembled.

*Click…*

*Click.*

*Click.*

‘?’

Strangely, she felt no pain.

Only the sensation of something wrapping around her neck and the small sound of metal clashing.

“You can open your eyes now, pet.”

“Huh? Pet…?”

At the voice gently stroking her head, Phantom Luna carefully opened her eyes.

*Click.*

“It suits you well. Our pet.”

“……”

Then, right before her eyes, she saw Maker, holding a leash, smiling brightly.

The leash extended from his hand to just below her line of sight.

.

.

.

?

“…What’s going on?!!?”

Her belated question filled the scene.

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