I'm Neither the Mastermind nor the Villain

Chapter 10

Seonghyeon was a reincarnator.

A reincarnator who possessed memories of a world different from this one.

In his previous life, Seonghyeon was not a particularly remarkable person in society.

Working late nights was the norm, and he frequently pulled all-nighters.

Overtime pay? Why would they pay extra when the employees voluntarily worked more?

Just barely surviving, his life was nothing but going to work, going to work, and going to work again.

The endlessly repeating routine flowed by quickly,

and Seonghyeon was swept along helplessly within that current.

There was no joy in life. Just endlessly sitting in front of the company computer, tapping away at the keyboard.

Day by day, he endured with such thoughts.

One day, he was probably working through the night again.

At some point, Seonghyeon's vision blurred.

And then, along with a strange sensation of being separated from the world, his sight darkened.

Against that sensation, Seonghyeon could offer no resistance, and so he died of overwork.

When he opened his eyes again, it was a different world.

'At first, I was really confused.'

Still, because it was quite similar to his previous world, adapting wasn't too difficult.

Moreover, the family Seonghyeon was born into was a fairly renowned martial arts household in Korea.

Accordingly, Seonghyeon naturally learned martial arts as well.

Having realized from past experience that health was most important, Seonghyeon was more passionate about martial arts and health than his siblings.

Even his older sister Seongyeon, who went around picking fights out of nowhere, couldn't keep up with him.

'To think I'll be an adult again in just a few more years, time really does fly.'

He swore never to die from overwork again.

With this healthy body he had built, he wanted to live peacefully, a truly peaceful life.

'Though somehow, since I keep getting caught up in accidents, it hasn't been all that peaceful so far....'

Still, maybe once he became an adult, he'd finally be able to live a calm life.

Becoming a mercenary, occasionally taking on requests and living leisurely.

As if rewarding his past self who died from overwork.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing much, really."

"Re~ally?"

The short-haired woman walking beside Seonghyeon teased playfully.

The woman's name was Lee Jiwoo.

She was someone he had interacted with often since the days when he could still afford to think.

You could say she was his childhood friend.

"Were you... thinking about me, by any chance?"

"Why would I be thinking about you when you're right next to me?"

"Huh? R-really?"

Lee Jiwoo had always been rather clumsy since childhood.

Because he often looked after her when she was being careless, Seonghyeon was practically treated like an adopted son by Jiwoo's mother.

Seonghyeon quite liked his situation as well.

After all, isn't it nice to have at least one close friend from childhood?

Besides, Lee Jiwoo was rather talented in spirit summoning, so his connection with her was beneficial, not detrimental.

"Wow! Look at that! It's a huge cat with wings!"

As soon as they arrived in Yongsan, Lee Jiwoo excitedly ran toward a summoner performing in the central plaza.

"Hey, Hyun, look over there."

"Hm? What's up?"

While they were browsing various goods in the shopping district, Jiwoo tugged on Seonghyeon's arm.

In the direction she pointed, people were gathering noisily.

'What's going on?'

Since it hadn't been long since the incident started, not that many people had gathered yet.

"N-no, it's fine!"

A loud voice erupted from within the crowd.

"Hyun! Let's go check it out quickly!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Looks like those people got into trouble with a dangerous villain...."

"Shouldn't we report this? Feels like some people might die today? I really don't want to see any corpses today."

The murmurs of the crowd suggested that this was quite a dangerous situation.

"Excuse me, coming through."

There, a couple and a man were present.

The man talking with the couple was wearing a black coat,

while the couple wore padded jackets of similar colors.

The woman in the couple seemed about 160 centimeters tall, and the man over 180,

but the man in the coat talking to them was even taller than the boyfriend.

Unable to hear their conversation, Seonghyeon focused mana in his ears to enhance his hearing.

"As expected, it seems like there is something wrong with your health, so I-"

"N-no, really, we're fine...!"

Judging by what was said, the man seemed to be concerned about the couple's health, yet the atmosphere was quite the opposite.

"Hmm... I see. It's chilly these days, so please take good care of yourselves. Health is the most important thing, after all. Nothing in the world is more important than health."

"Yes! We'll keep that in mind! We're really sorry!"

"Haha, no need to apologize. If anything, I should be apologizing for holding up such busy people."

It looked like a warm scene of people exchanging pleasantries.

Although the couple looked extremely stiff. But well, maybe they just ran into their boss or something.

"Doesn't seem like much, let's just go."

"Yeah, I thought there'd be something interesting, but it's boring."

***

"By the way, I really thought I wouldn't pass, I was so nervous!"

"Why wouldn't you? With your skills, you'll definitely rank at least mid-tier. Instead, worry about how you'll wake up in the morning."

Chatting idly with Lee Jiwoo, Seonghyeon stepped into the plaza.

The outer edge of the plaza, where there were few people.

They had wandered around quite a bit and somehow ended up here.

But then, the person sitting on the bench by the fountain looked very familiar to him.

A man in a black coat, petting a black fox.

'Isn't that the same guy from earlier?'

Confirming the coat design matched that of the man who had been talking to the couple, Seonghyeon's eyes narrowed slightly.

Judging by his build, he was probably the same person.

Earlier, he hadn't seen the man's face, but now that he could,

he realized it was not what he had expected, thinking the man was some middle-aged boss with wrinkles.

Looking again, the man's face was around his own age.

And that face-handsome, yes, but those suspiciously narrowed eyes somehow drew all of Seonghyeon's attention.

If not for that coat, Seonghyeon would have thought he was a completely different person.

No, he might not even have connected him to the man from earlier at all.

So, stealing glances, Seonghyeon kept watching the man.

He didn't know why.

Just that he felt compelled to keep an eye on the man's actions.

Maybe that's why he failed to notice what was going on around him.

With a loud beep-! he sensed something rushing toward him at incredible speed from behind.

Seonghyeon saw Lee Jiwoo suddenly leap high into the sky and rolled his body sideways.

As he rolled aside, he checked on the man again.

Even in this urgent situation, the man with the narrowed eyes was leisurely smiling at them.

-Krrrrrk.

Unfortunately, Seonghyeon had no time to worry about that man right now.

The moment he dodged the assailant's attack, Seonghyeon quickly drew his sword and poured mana into it.

The blade, infused with mana, erupted in flames as if it had become fire itself.

Although Seonghyeon had yet to create aura, pouring mana like this could produce a similar effect.

'Its efficiency is miserable compared to aura... but it can't be helped.'

Pointing his sword at the assailant, he opened his mouth.

"I don't know who you are... but attacking out of nowhere is a bit much."

'First, subdue the assailant. Meanwhile, keep an eye on that man.'

He gripped his sword with his right hand and gathered flames in his left.

At that moment, Lee Jiwoo summoned a fire spirit behind the monster.

"Hyun! Now!"

With Jiwoo's shout, Seonghyeon charged forward.

Even then, he did not forget to keep watch on the man with the narrowed eyes.

Watching the man still leisurely petting the fox while sitting and looking this way, Seonghyeon's feelings grew complicated.

'I don't know if he's simply not acting yet, or if he can't act at all.'

However, what he was certain of-

If that man made a move, the outcome would not be good for Seonghyeon and Jiwoo.

So, it was best that he remained seated and unmoving for now.

'I have to subdue this quickly.'

But the assailant's skin was tough.

So much so that his sword barely pierced it.

At least the flames were dealing some damage to the monster, but beyond that, it wasn't taking much damage.

'If I'd known this would happen, I would have learned more magic instead of obsessing over physical strength.'

Since most incidents could be resolved in this state anyway, he had just focused more on martial arts training.

He hadn't really considered learning magic.

The only magic he had learned were fire-type spells that matched well with him.

And having to watch the man while fighting made him even more fatigued.

Fortunately, the man still wasn't moving, but the thought that he might be the mastermind behind this situation wouldn't leave his mind.

'When are the police coming?'

The police would surely bring weapons capable of damaging the assailant.

If he could just hold out until then, victory would be his.

*

"Police! You two, get away from the villain!"

Saying that, the police threw an object at the strangely shaped assailant.

The object flew on its own, landed atop the assailant's head, and then sticky slime burst out, wrapping around its entire body.

-Krrrarararak!

Naturally, the assailant resisted fiercely.

Then the police summoned a mushroom-like summoned creature.

The summoned creature sprinkled some kind of powder on the monster, and as it touched the powder, the monster's movements gradually slowed until it collapsed and stopped moving.

After confirming that, one of the police officers approached Seonghyeon.

"Could you two tell me your names?"

"Seonghyeon."

"I'm Lee Jiwoo!"

Hearing their names, the officer entered them into a tablet.

"Confirmed. Thank you for your cooperation. This could have turned into a serious accident, so you did well holding out until we arrived."

"Oh, it was nothing. It was just what we had to do!"

Watching the bashful yet confident Lee Jiwoo, Seonghyeon turned his gaze back to the man with the narrowed eyes.

He had disappeared.