I Became The Villain The Hero Is Obsessed With

347 – Puzzlement

After convincing Celeste to show her the place where the sun god’s relic was and promising to meet again next time.

I returned home and managed the Stardash fan cafe in my room.

“Phew…”

It felt like quite a while since I last managed this.

My fancafe, where malicious users are blocked and good posts are promoted to announcements.

Remembering how the original Stardust fancafe eventually turned into an anti-Stardust cafe, I managed my fancafe even more strictly.

*

[Is the owner of this cafe not cool these days? < Just for saying this, I got a 7-day suspension?]

*

“…How dare you insult Stardust in my cafe?”

[Would you like to forcibly withdraw this user?]

[The user has been forcibly withdrawn. Do you want to prevent this user from rejoining?]

[The user has been blocked from rejoining.]

I must deal with these trolls.

“…Lately, there are many strange people coming in.”

After that, I dealt with dozens of trolls.

Today, I drove out all those who mocked Stardust.

Phew, I managed to protect my small cafe today.

Personally, I could never understand those who insulted heroes.

Heroes, especially Stardust, are people who risk their lives to protect citizens every day. They fight for us daily, yet some still criticize them?

Of course, I know that it’s a cliché in hero comics, but it still annoys me.

In particular, the author of [Stardust!] portrayed the public as people who insult Stardust from beginning to end. Thanks to that, the nobility of Stardust, who tries to protect even those people, was more apparent, but it felt like eating hundreds of sweet potatoes.

Well, thanks to my efforts, those trolls have disappeared, and now there are mostly fans.

Stardust is finally getting the treatment it deserves.

As for the remaining few trolls, I won’t let them set foot in my fancafe.

…Of course, there’s no way Stardust would know that it’s all because of me, but it still makes me proud. I don’t care if I’m remembered as a villain forever, as long as Stardust is doing well.

“…By the way, I wonder how Stardust is doing these days.”

With such thoughts in mind,

I suddenly became curious and clicked on each popular post to read through them.

I had seen the news lately about Stardust knocking down her enemies with a single punch…

As I thought about it, I couldn’t help but browse through the photos of Stardust in various posts.

“Is Stardust going through some troubles these days…?”

I couldn’t help but mutter seriously.

To others, she didn’t look much different than usual. Always cold and stern-faced, she was busy defeating villains.

However, as a Stardust expert, I noticed something.

A subtle fatigue that was hidden inside her and a somewhat slumped atmosphere.

…What’s going on? Is there something I don’t know about?

I tried to think of any recent events that could have caused her stress, but there wasn’t anything in particular. Her former college senior becoming a villain? That was still far away. The massacre of tens of thousands of Seoul citizens by Weapon Master? I had already killed him, preventing that.

‘Even after I retired, I thought she’d be living a more joyful and peaceful life.’

What’s the problem?

For a moment, I considered asking her close friend, Lee Seol-A, about it, but it felt like a desperate ex-boyfriend inquiring about his ex-girlfriend’s recent activities, so I hesitated.

…Right. If it was something serious, Lee Seol-A would have told me first.

So, what could it be?

What caused her so much stress?

As I pondered, I decided to go through Stardust’s photos from a few months back.

That’s when I realized a few things.

First, her complexion started to worsen around the time I retired.

Second, her expression got even worse about three months ago. She looked like she hadn’t been sleeping well.

Anyway, her complexion got worse around the time I retired.

No way. Is she missing me, the retired villain? Of course not. Is she upset because she couldn’t catch me herself? Or is there another reason?

Whatever it may be, I don’t know for sure…

‘I think I need to meet her at least once.’

I quietly thought to myself.

“Of course, it was a bit embarrassing to show my face again after coolly saying goodbye last time, as if we would never see each other again.

But did I say I would never see her again? I just said I wouldn’t have any reason to point her out in the future.

It’s not like it’s a terrorist attack, and we’ll probably just see each other in passing, so it won’t be a big deal. It’s not like I’m turning on the broadcast or anything.

‘Right…’

If ‘that incident’ happens at the end of Phase 4.

Even I would have to step up and handle it at least once.

Stardust will surely be there, so I can just quickly check her face. Just by seeing her for a moment, I can learn a lot.

Anyway, to make the rest of Stardust’s life peaceful.

The key was how to cook and boil Celeste.

How reassuring it would be to have one of the final bosses on my side.

Especially considering she’s the most loyal follower of the Sun God, I knew how important it was to take this opportunity to win over Celeste.

…Of course, it wouldn’t be easy to do that to someone who is the world’s number one ranked villain, capable of killing me with a single finger.

But I had a plan.

‘The Sun God’s ruins we’re going to this time… if we go there.’

I could definitely get closer.

I’ll make it that way.

Good.

…I can go this week. I’ll contact her first.

As I was thinking about that.

Knock, knock.

“Da-in, are you there?”

Hmmph.

Startled by the sound of knocking on the door, I calmed down and responded.

“Yes, Su-bin.”

“I brought some fruit. Please have some.”

As the door opened, she came in with fruit.

I awkwardly smiled and took the plate from Su-bin, who was grinning at me.

“…Thank you.”

“Hehe. Da-in, what were you up to?”

“Ah, do you know Celeste? The #1 ranked villain. I was thinking about how to deal with her…”

“Aha…”

As she grinned at my words.

She continued to smile and spoke to me.

“Da-in, I’m fine with everything, but won’t it be too hard for you if there’s too much going on?”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s nothing. Anyway, fighting!”

With that, she cutely cheered me on and left.”

“Subin left like that, and I sighed and sat back down.

*Sigh…*

Ever since Subin’s confession last time.

I’ve been in quite a predicament, in more ways than one.

The girls, who seemed to have finished their conversation among themselves, were getting even closer…

‘…How long can I endure this?’

I thought quietly, remaining silent.

Their offensive was not light. It was no joke.

Of course, the 4th phase hasn’t ended yet, so I’m gritting my teeth, but what will happen after that?

…Actually, I still can’t forget Stardust, and I should sort out these feelings first, shouldn’t I?

No, considering the original setting, it’s uncertain whether I’ll be alive after the final chapter. Tsk.

As my train of thought continued like this.

I shook my head, got up from my seat, and picked up my phone.

I don’t know. Let’s just do what I need to do first.

Let’s persuade Celeste first.

So, I contacted Celeste right away.

To schedule the next meeting.

***

After Egoistic left.

In the middle of the prayer room, Celeste, the silver-haired saintess wearing a holy robe, knelt down devoutly.

She was lost in thought while maintaining her praying posture.

‘…Egoistic.’

That S-rank villain from a country called South Korea.

…And for some reason, a man who received the so-called Angel’s Choice, a servant of the sun god.

Yet, he killed the sun god’s warriors.

The saintess, who unknowingly gritted her teeth at his shameless and brazen attitude, quickly calmed down and thought calmly.

*Sigh…*

For some reason, when she was with him, she felt as if she was becoming childish herself.

…In fact, she didn’t fully realize it.

But it was natural.

Ever since she awakened her sun god’s power in her childhood, she had immediately reached the top.

Having obtained a mighty power to manipulate the heavens and the earth, she led her own forces and always stood above others.

Those around her were mostly subordinates or ‘inferiors’ who she could eliminate with just a wave of her hand.

And to her.

Someone who was neither a subordinate nor an equal.”

“Unable to kill him casually, it was the first time in her life she had met someone who annoyed her like this.

…After he had already been chosen by the sun god.

It became impossible to suppress him with force.

Of course, she believed that he had somehow stolen an angel… but you never know with people.

What if he really was chosen by the sun god?

He even claimed to have information about the sun.

Of course, there was a bigger reason for her to be cautious of him.

‘That beast…’

It was the scene she saw in her prophecy, herself kissing him.

She was shocked by the sight of herself being forced into an egotistic kiss and her future self who would verbally resist but secretly accept it.

From the beginning, she had dedicated her body to the sun. She never thought she would have such a relationship with a man, let alone with him.

‘…There’s no way that will ever happen.’

She reaffirmed her determination.

Whatever tricks he might pull, never.

Around the time she made up her mind, she received a message from Egotistic saying that he had found the sun god’s ruins and wanted to meet.

So, she got up with a cold expression and her will still full, not knowing what would happen there.

She didn’t know that such a thing would happen at that place.”