I’m Not That Villain - Chapter 66



65 – Turning Point (2)

Creating exclusive equipment for the Black Mamba.

That was the minimum requirement set by Hundred Eye for partner workshops.

The eligibility criteria were also simple.

Just, well, anyone could apply.

“Here it is.”

I received a small amount of blood from her at the support counter, as if she had prepared it in advance. Before that, I had to certify that I had the knowledge to create things through a few preliminary tests…

Like the simple test that Seo Ji-soo had done before.

I was able to easily obtain her blood.

The storage condition is good. Very good, indeed. So, I can make exclusive equipment with this?

But, you see, the time itself was rather tight. Three months. Well, I could do it, but others wouldn’t be able to at all.

Scarlett resolved that question.

“It seems that famous workshops had already started production secretly a few months ago. Judging by the posts on various communities, we can guess that it’s more than 95% reasonable inference.”

“And yet, to proceed so publicly now…”

“Could it be seen as a power struggle among humans? They might want to publicly declare that no matter what you do, Hundred Eye won’t be shaken.”

I looked at Scarlett, who was becoming more knowledgeable about humans day by day, with admiration.

“Who created such a clever child…?”

“Of course, it’s you, Master… ehehe…”

“…Renata, what do you think when you see that?”

“Just, I feel like breaking something… Huh?! What did I just say?!”

“It’s okay. I feel the same way.”

Ignoring the conversation happening behind me, I began to move.

In this place, there are advanced facilities that I developed myself. And managing all of it is Scarlett, the most outstanding artificial intelligence I have ever acknowledged.

Should I call her a super-genius learning machine that surpasses the level of a simple machine? Her assistance was truly perfect. Having worked together for a long time, she would silently prepare what I needed without a word.

We were truly a perfect match.

Because of that, we could also significantly shorten the work time.

“…Hmm?”

But you see.

The supernatural factor found inside the Black Mamba had a much more complex mechanism than usual.

“…How many…supernatural abilities does this have?”

A supernatural factor usually contains just one supernatural ability.

Even Cha Seo-yoon’s did. Despite her effortlessly subduing two enforcers at once, she only had one supernatural ability in terms of pure supernatural power.

But she was different. She had three supernatural abilities.

This was an extremely rare case among rare cases…

The important thing was that the other two abilities hadn’t even bloomed yet.

“…Hmm…”

This…

It seems that simple custom equipment won’t be enough.

It’s a matter of a technician’s pride. An ordinary person wouldn’t have even discovered these unbloomed abilities.

They are hidden well. Like dust buried in a complex mechanism. I almost missed them myself, so it’s only natural that other craftsmen wouldn’t see them.

Of course, that is.

I could just pretend I didn’t see it, and make a dedicated device to nurture this ‘space devourer’ ability that is so blatantly visible.

It’s an ability that even the owner didn’t know about, and might never have blossomed in their lifetime, so isn’t it natural?

But…

But…

“…Ugh…”

My pride as a technician is at stake.

No. It’s really a shame. It’s such a shame that it can’t blossom even though it’s there.

A combination of three abilities. This…

Honestly, I kind of want to manifest it. As a maker of dedicated devices.

Should I do it or not?

I sat in the chair, pondering deeply.

And in front of me…

Suddenly, a woman sat down.

“Master.”

The woman’s voice became clearer. A completely woman’s voice without even a hint of mechanical sound.

I stared blankly at the woman who appeared before my eyes.

“…Hmm?”

She’s beautiful.

Beyond just beautiful, I was momentarily at a loss for words.

A beauty that seemed to have all the elements of every beautiful thing in the world. Even starting from the coat draped over her shoulders, every visible element pleased me.

The shimmery black hair looks like it’d smell amazing. So do the split pupils quietly staring up at me. The way she glances at me, like a cat, is overflowing with allure.

That purring gaze, like I could be mesmerized by it. The coolness within it.

But only to me, she’s slowly creeping closer…

A familiar cat scent.

“…Scarlett?”

“How is it?”

‘She’ spun her body. And with it, everything moved as if it were real.

Without thinking, I reached out. And only after my fingertips brushed through it, did I realize it was all a ‘hologram’.

“Is this the model you were talking about making, finished?”

“Yes. Do you like it…?”

“…Ugh.”

If I didn’t like this, I wouldn’t be a man. Seriously.

“Ugh…I want to touch it…I want to touch it…”

“When the bio-parts are finished, you can touch me then. Until then, please endure with just my voice, Master.”

“Huh?! What am I even saying?!”

“It’s a body that’s got all of Master’s preferences jammed into it, after all.”

She smiled with her eyes, licking her lips with her tongue like it was real, and whispered into my ear.

“I’ll be waiting…♥”

“It’s a joke. It’s a joke.”

“…Huh?”

“You can’t lay a hand on a girl who’s like a daughter. She’s pretty, though. Well-made. Excellent, even? It’s like they smashed all my tastes into her, isn’t it?”

“…She was made to be touched.”

“Huh? What was that?”

“It’s nothing, Master.”

From noble mtl dot com

Scarlett, now able to face me and speak, smiled brightly.

“We can take our time. Time is always on the machine’s side. Don’t you think?”

“Huh? Well, yeah, that’s kind of obvious…”

“That’s good enough for me.”

What’s good enough?

I didn’t ask. Despite the incredibly cute appearance of Scarlett…

Right now, my focus was glued to the custom equipment before me.

“…Tch.”

This thing, I mean.

Waking it up is good. Waking it up is great, but…

It feels like I’m unleashing a monster with my own hands—that’s the thought that’s nagging at me.

“……..”

But…

Yeah, I can’t resist it.

Isn’t “craftsmanship” a term for moments like this?

“Master? You can look at me a little more… My skirt also goes up. Here. See?”

“Ah. Scarlett. Just a moment.”

Let’s do it.

Honestly, I’m curious too.

Using three abilities at once…

A monster.

“I’m busy right now.”

“…Okay.”

. . .

Renata screamed.

“S-Scarlett?! Is it Scarlett?!”

“Don’t shout. It’s noisy.”

The hologram, sitting on the sofa like a human, sighed. It tapped the coffee cup placed like a cat, as if something was displeasing it.

Of course, that didn’t mean the coffee cup actually moved. It was just a simple hologram that looked real.

Still, something… something amazing. Doesn’t she look like a beauty that popped out of a virtual world?

Reality and unreality. It seems like all the beauty that can be crammed in between is tied together. Even those sharp eyes can be so beautiful…

“Haaa… So cute… Can I, can I touch you?”

“Do you think you can? Go away, inferior creature.”

“Heeing…”

She seemed to be in a much worse mood than usual.

Renata didn’t take long to figure out why.

The man continued working in silence amidst the complex machinery. Half-stripped of his dirty work clothes, he moved wordlessly, sweating all over his body.

“…Mr. Lee Seo-jun?”

He doesn’t respond even when spoken to. He only looks straight ahead, as if completely absorbed in something.

His hands move quickly yet precisely. It seems like he’s creating each part to assemble the whole, starting with the intricate details…

Renata realized for the first time that a human’s hands could move like a machine.

No, could even a machine do that?

“Mr. Lee Seo-jun is amazing…”

“It’s only natural that the master is amazing.”

Scarlett rested her chin on her hand.

“Even now, I’m just assisting, practically doing nothing. From meticulous adjustments to processing, maintenance, and shaping…he handles everything alone. And everything he does is more precise than if I did it myself.”

“Are you saying a human is more precise than a machine?”

“There’s no margin of error. It’s like the hand of God. You won’t find anyone like the master anywhere in the world. The master is special. Not just because he’s my master, but because he is special in himself.”

Scarlett bit the ends of her hair.

“…But I expected a bit more praise…Maybe it’s impossible with a hologram…I need bio-mechanical parts…To conquer the master, I need to study bio-mechanics more…”

“What?”

“Talking to myself. Now go away. Inferior creature. Don’t disturb the master. The workshop is closed for a while. There won’t be any work this month, so stay at home or focus on your main job. That’s the master’s message, so take it to heart.”

“Ugh…”

Renata turned away weakly. Then, before leaving, she looked at him one last time.

Sparks flying. His profile reflected in them.

“……”

…Honestly, seeing him so focused…

It’s kind of…cool…?

. . .

Special equipment for the Black Mamba.

The items, completed by the artisans who took his blood, started arriving one by one at Hundred Eye.

There are many. There are a lot of them, but…

None of them have that instant pull.

“…Sigh.”

Black Mamba repeatedly picked up and put down the items.

“Trash. Trash. Trash. Trash.”

Good special equipment is supposed to feel right the moment you grab it.

But none of these do. They’re all just trash, with not even a hint of potential.

With cold, dispassionate eyes, Black Mamba filtered through dozens of items mechanically, reaching out once more.

His persistent indigestion made him feel utterly miserable. Couldn’t something decent come out already…

“…Hmm?”

Black Mamba froze, holding an item.