I’m Not That Villain

13 – New Face (3)

Cha Seo-yoon’s substitute.

I stared at her blankly.

What the heck is this kid?

Her outfit was bizarre. A maid outfit… I mean… she was wearing something like a cosplay costume.

Does it look good? Not really. It just felt like a poor imitation of a child.

Small.

Ridiculously small.

Not like a child, just a child. Her expressionless face was, how should I put it, just cute. Not particularly cool or dignified.

Her hands were small, her feet were small. Naturally, her height was small.

Her face was small… everything was small. She didn’t look like someone who could protect anyone.

As a bodyguard, she was a complete failure.

I looked at Cha Seo-yoon in disbelief. She called the kid who was inspecting my workshop here and there.

“Lily. Come here.”

“Inspecting the work environment is necessary, Team Leader.”

“Lily.”

“Yes.”

The confident tone crumbled in an instant as she ran to her. Cha Seo-yoon sighed.

She spoke firmly.

“…Returns are not accepted.”

“Returns! What do you mean returns with a kid?! She looks like she can barely take care of herself!”

“This is a decision from the higher-ups. Lily is specialized in guarding specific areas. Her individual abilities are also not to be underestimated.”

“Why are you even employing a kid in the first place?! Are you a crazy black company?!”

“She is a talent from the British military company ‘Bakery’, which is set to operate domestically for three years. You can trust her. All her abilities have been verified.”

“Abilities aside, her age is the problem!”

“That’s not a very maid-like attitude. Act your age.”

The girl named Lily casually threw out a remark. Her insolent attitude made me growl.

“Where’s your manners, interrupting adults’ conversation?”

“I’m not a kid, I’m Lily. Should I teach you my codename?”

“Not necessary. I’m going to return you.”

“That’s impossible. My name is already registered with the higher-ups. So, I’m staying here.”

“Who says so?!”

“I say so.”

I bit my fingernail. I had hoped for someone reliable to replace Cha Seo-yoon, but instead, a kid showed up.

Abilities aside, she just doesn’t seem trustworthy. Can’t you see that uncooperative attitude? She’s completely different from Cha Seo-yoon.

“…Really can’t change her?”

“The higher-ups’ decisions are generally correct. And personally, I also recommend her.”

“Why?”

“Lily currently boasts a 100% mission success rate at the British military company, Bakery. She hasn’t failed a single one of the 13 missions she’s undertaken. And most of them were security missions.”

“…Excuse me?”

Isn’t she an elite among elites at that level?

I glanced at her. Sitting on the sofa, swinging her feet that didn’t touch the ground, she looked every bit a child.

Far from an elite, she looked like she should be entering middle school.

As if reading my mind, Cha Seo-yoon spoke firmly.

“Lily is 19 years old. She’s not a minor.”

“…How is she an adult with that physique?”

“That’s rude.”

Cha Seo-yoon stood up.

“If you really want, you can request a personnel change… but how about deciding after spending some time with her? In terms of abilities, she is flawless.”

“…….”

“I will vouch for it.”

If Charaemon vouches for it, then…

Maybe I should trust her this time. She was perfect when it came to work.

I nodded. Chasoyun bowed her head to me.

A brief greeting. With that, she opened the shop door and left.

A neat farewell, typical of her. But it also meant I had to face the fake maid in front of me alone.

“…….”

“…….”

In the awkward atmosphere, she and I exchanged glances. Neither of us spoke hastily, so I eventually sighed.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Pardon?”

Other circumstances aside for now.

I should apologize for looking down on her. She’s not a real kid, she’s an adult, so…

Speaking informally was wrong. Yes.

“I got a bit excited. I spoke wrongly.”

“…….”

“No, it’s just that… I thought you were a kid. I thought Chasoyun was playing a prank. But think about it from my perspective. If someone like you came as Chasoyun’s substitute… it would seem strange, right?”

“Are you picking on me because I’m small?”

Why is a foreigner so fluent in Korean?

“I can’t say no. Being small is a fact. Honestly, you look like a kid. I don’t intend to deny it. You give off a little sister vibe.”

I spoke honestly.

“But now that I know everything… I won’t talk nonsense anymore. I won’t speak informally either. So… let’s work well together as business partners. How about it?”

I extended my hand.

Lily glanced at my outstretched hand and then turned her head away.

“I don’t want to.”

“…….?”

“I’m here to work, so let’s just work. I’m just a kid, after all.”

It’s not like a cat sulking.

“Not very mature…”

“That’s not very maid-like gossip.”

“What does maid-like even mean?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like, being maid-like.”

“Maid in China?”

“…….”

Even with those eyes, she can look at me with contempt.

The joke I tried to lighten the mood with fell flat. I gave up completely.

Ah. Yes. Well.

Since we have to live together, I tried to get along belatedly…

But she’s baring her claws?

I won’t either!

“Let’s get along business-wise, Ms. Lily.”

“I’d appreciate it if you could drop the ‘get along’ part. Mr. Prejudiced Adult.”

“Let’s get along business-wise, you disobedient brat.”

“Thanks for the unmaid-like comment, Mr. Ill-mannered.”

Hmm.

I understood clearly.

I missed Cha Seo-yoon. Truly.

I was bound to be at odds with this brat…!

. . .

Lily.

Lily Bennetwater.

Despite wearing a maid outfit, she wasn’t very good at housework. She boldly occupied a room, yet she was terrible at all kinds of housework.

Even though we agreed to share the housework equally, everything she touched turned into a mess.

“Usually, in this kind of situation, isn’t the character supposed to be a genius at housework…?”

“Is there a problem with my self-made character?”

“Who calls a burnt lump of charcoal their self-made dish? Does adding ketchup make it an omelet rice?”

“They call it British cuisine.”

“Isn’t that an insult to your own country?!”

As days went by, I began to understand the meaning of ‘unmaid-like’ that she kept attaching to the end of her sentences.

She just adds “not maid-like” whenever something doesn’t suit her. To prove it, she even poked my body.

“A body that’s not maid-like.”

“I’m a man!”

“Even men need to take care of themselves. Your face is scruffy, your hair is unnecessarily long and unkempt… Are you not interested in grooming? Don’t you know that unkempt long hair is no different from a beggar’s look?”

“As long as a person does their job well, that’s all that matters.”

“…Tsk.”

The sound of her tongue clicking was filled with genuine contempt.

I was in the middle of working, but I eventually put down my tools.

“If you have something to say, just say it. Didn’t you say you wanted to be involved in business?”

“Isn’t it normal not to want to partner with someone who can’t even manage their basic appearance?”

“Then why don’t you dress me up instead?”

I thought she would frown at that.

But the expressionless young maid fell into deep thought.

She nodded as if she had no choice but to agree, even though she genuinely didn’t want to.

“That would be better.”

“…You’re going to do it?”

“It’s necessary. Let’s start with correcting your posture.”

I shouldn’t have said that that day.

Lily kept interfering with whatever I was doing.

“Straighten your back.”

“This is a task that requires bending over!”

“You can do it with a straight back. You need to start with the right posture to have a proper body.”

“……”

Still, I complied.

After all, it was something I had initiated.

At the same time, I was filled with the determination not to lose. Fine. Let’s see how far this goes.

She seems to be hoping to hear me admit I was wrong…

But I’m quite stubborn too.

I’ll endure! With all my might!

“Morning jogging is a must.”

“Do you know how many calories I burn? All the tasks I do require a lot of physical effort.”

“Systematic exercise and the strength used in tasks are different. Do you think all workers in the world have good bodies?”

“Don’t they?”

“Everyday muscles and show muscles are different. And right now, I’m concerned with the visible muscles.”

“Hmm…”

“You look unconvinced. If you don’t get it, just run. I’ll be watching you from the side starting this morning.”

The monstrous stamina of those with abilities.

I witnessed with my own eyes that it far exceeded my expectations.

Whether she was special or I was just weak, I couldn’t help but collapse in front of her, who didn’t even pant once while running.

“This… is crazy… how much longer…”

“If you don’t want to do it, say so now. If it’s too hard, I’ll give up.”

“…….”

With that one word, I stood up.

Ah. Right.

She sure knows how to hit my pride. Fine. I admit it.

But let me tell you, I will never say I can’t do it. Damn brat.

“I… was… just… taking… a… short… break…?”

“You’ve been resting for a long time.”

“Ugh…”

The important thing wasn’t just the morning jog.

The exercise equipment she ordered with her own money was installed outside the house.

Dressed in simple training clothes, she led me there.

“I bought these with my own money.”

“Why are you going to such lengths?”

“Is there a reason? I’m fixing an unpleasant face.”

“…I don’t have a face that stands out anywhere…”

She cut me off. She looked up at me with cold eyes.

“People who are satisfied with what they have and don’t polish it are not maid-like at all. To be human is to have progress. Cherishing an unpolished gem covered in mud is something only fools do.”

“…….”

“Appearance is more important than you think. Everyone thinks so. Do you know why they say a pretty rice cake tastes better?”

“Why do you know our proverbs so well?”

“Because I studied them. I told you, I like people who make an effort. That applies to myself as well. Even if you’re not good at something, if you try hard, you’ll naturally improve.”

She instructed me to hang from the pull-up bar. I hung there, struggling to lift my body.

But I couldn’t get up. Pull-ups. Why are they so hard? I panted and wobbled, then came back down, and she clicked her tongue.

“External things are connected to internal things. It’s natural for someone who has honed themselves to shine cleanly, even if they don’t shine beautifully.”

“……”

“And of course, that is directly related to health. I told you, it’s something you have to do. Your eating habits. Exercise habits. Sleep patterns, and even eliminating stress. Every single one of those things is directly connected to the ‘you’ that I have to take care of. And perfectly maintaining that is what being a maid is all about.”

I jumped down from the pull-up bar. I looked down at her.

The young maid crossed her arms. She nodded her chin at me once more.

“Of course, I’m not you, so I won’t tell you to be perfect in everything. But let’s at least keep the basics.”

“…….”

“It’s the same with dressing. If you groom your appearance, you won’t be easily targeted. A decent person is harder to mess with than you think. The most common crime in present-day Seoul is targeting homeless people. They don’t have the strength to protect themselves, and even if they have nothing, their organs can be harvested.”

“…….”

“And people need to groom themselves. The work you do in your workshop. Isn’t that, in a broad sense, an extension of ‘business’? You’re selling things, and if the person handing over the goods doesn’t look neat, naturally, the trustworthiness will drop. Does anyone buy things from a beggar? At least I wouldn’t.”

She’s strict.

Why is such a young girl so strict?

…But you know.

The important thing is that most of her strictness made sense to me.

“…I know it doesn’t feel good. So let’s keep it business-like. No emotions mixed in, just as it is. If you really hate it, I won’t nag you anymore.”

Come to think of it…

I don’t even remember the last time I cared about getting a proper haircut.

I don’t know the trendy clothes. I don’t know what to wear to look neat.

Most of my socks are mismatched. I thought it was best to just unify them all in black.

I only focused on work…

Honestly, have I ever managed the things I have?

I fell into thought. Looking back, most of my past was ironically not worth looking at.

What do I really want?

A craftsman. The best craftsman in the world.

Wasn’t I the idol of everyone who grasped wealth and power?

But if my future self, who hasn’t even managed his appearance because of work, dresses sloppily, it would be pathetic.

My back was bent, my shoulders didn’t know how to spread, and I had a turtle neck, making me look unattractive on the outside…

Who would look up to me? Right. That’s only natural.

On top of that, my health. Come to think of it, I only ate instant disposable food, and there were hardly any days when I ate proper meals.

I used work as an excuse to eat simply.

I thought it was right, and I actually didn’t have time.

…But.

That’s not the case anymore.

Fortunately, I have time now. The infrastructure was clumsy but prepared, I had a house to stay in, and I had living expenses for the time being.

I also felt like I had guaranteed work hours that could balance work and hobbies. As much as that…

She was right.

I need to invest in myself, even if it takes time.

I scratched my head. Knowing her true intentions, I thought I should start over from the first wrongly buttoned button.

Her words were sharp, but in the end, they were advice for me. And I also thought I should accept it.

“…I.”

“…….?”

“I misunderstood. I’m sorry.”

I sighed, realizing that she didn’t just criticize me for being ugly.

I had always acted like a child.

But the girl in front of me was different.

She understood her job properly. She gave me this advice for my safety and health.

Pride, too.

There are times to show it and times not to.

And now is the time not to.

I hung on the pull-up bar again.

“Let’s do it. Whatever.”

Of course, I failed at the pull-up.

But you know. Tomorrow will be a little different.

Even if I still can’t get up, I’ll keep trying.

Didn’t I say it myself?

I have a bit of tenacity.

“……”

Lily, who had been staring at me intently, sighed. She also seemed to be pondering something deeply…

Then she spoke softly.

“…I’m sorry too. For being so harsh.”

Hmm.

Now it feels like we’re partners.