Just Because I Have Narrow Eyes Doesn’t Make Me a Villain!

TN: Thank James Baily for the chapter.

What-if story.

“Why, why are you doing this?”

Ignoring the voice asking why, I looked around.

Familiar people surrounded me in a circle as if to encircle me.

No, saying “as if” wouldn’t be right.

They really were encircling me.

Classmates whose faces I remembered from seeing for three years, though I wasn’t particularly interested in them.

Amelia and Dorothy. And… heroines who appeared recently, whose names I couldn’t quite remember.

Even school teachers and heroes from the frontlines I had seen before.

The elite forces from the Association I saw last time were here too. Did they come to cut off the tail?

It seemed they had gathered quite a crowd for what they called the final battle.

…I guess they failed after all.

Everyone looked very tired overall, and although minor injuries were noticeable, the number of people seemed to have remained the same.

Even if the heroines and Siwoo were one thing, to think they couldn’t even deal with extras like these.

Irritated, I clicked my tongue softly.

“Since we’ve come this far, I’ll just ask one thing. What happened to the other Arachne members? They should have gone that way.”

“…”

“Well, I thought so.”

There was no answer, but that silence was enough of an answer.

They must be lying as cold corpses somewhere on the ground.

“As expected, I shouldn’t have left them alive.”

I frowned in irritation.

It reminded me of when I was still inexperienced.

Back then, I still couldn’t let go of my sense of reality and pitied those who moved and acted like humans, so I let them live.

And since those I let live had nowhere to go, I had no choice but to accept them as comrades.

Thinking they might be of help someday.

…But it seems that thought was wrong.

What help? What could I expect from those who couldn’t even deal with extras?

“But they’re your comrades! Talking about them like that…”

“Comrades? Those things?”

Ha.

I couldn’t hold back my laughter at Amelia’s words as she glared at me.

Comrades? What nonsense.

“How could those who couldn’t even clean up mere extras be my comrades? The moment they failed their mission, they were no longer comrades.”

“… You’re lying.”

“Lying?”

“You, you never thought of them as comrades from the beginning.”

“How could you say such harsh things… Even though we’ve been through life and death together for years…”

I tried to shed tears as if sad, but no one gave me a sympathetic look.

They were all just waiting for Siwoo’s words.

…These guys can’t even take a joke.

“If you really thought of them as comrades, you wouldn’t have sent out just three of them to face all of us.”

“…Ahaha. Well, that’s true.”

I didn’t particularly feel like denying it, so I just agreed.

Well, it’s not wrong, is it?

Why would I need to think of mere puppets as comrades?

They were ones I was somewhat attached to, but…

In the end, they too were nothing more than that.

It’s a bit regrettable, but well.

Not enough to put much meaning into the farewell.

“…Arte, why did you change like this?”

“Hmm… Looks like everyone’s gathered. Shall we start?”

“Answer me! Why did you change like this?!”

As if overcome with anger, Siwoo shouted at me again.

…I was going to ignore it originally.

But it seemed like he would keep asking if I didn’t answer, as if this was the one thing he really wanted to hear, so I had no choice but to ask back.

“Change?”

Well, alright.

It’s boring if the final boss and the protagonist’s group start fighting as soon as they meet.

I guess… having this dialogue time with the protagonist is necessary too.

Especially if the final boss was originally an ally.

The sad and regretful dialogue with a former ally turned enemy always immerses the audience.

“I’ve never changed even once.”

“That can’t be. Then what about the time we spent together at the academy?”

“…Ah, that.”

“We solved cases together at the academy…! We visited Amelia’s house…! What about all the memories we’ve had until now?!”

“Hmm, it was fun.”

Yes, it was fun.

Life with Siwoo and those heroines was really enjoyable.

How could it not be?

The numerous incidents and accidents prepared to entertain the audience.

The precarious love lines towards Siwoo and the heroines.

It was a bit hard coordinating all of that.

But just as much, I truly enjoyed the world moving according to my and the Author’s thoughts.

“Arte, please. It’s not too late even now. Go back to your old self…”

“Your faces, rejoicing without knowing it was all my doing, were so funny.”

“What?”

“… Don’t tell me, you still haven’t noticed? Ahahahahahaha! This is really hilarious!”

I was genuinely surprised.

I thought they would at least be suspicious, but to think they weren’t even suspicious at all.

Well, otherwise, they wouldn’t have said it’s not too late, right?

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know? Why so many things suddenly happened at the academy in the past three years!”

I laughed out loud, not even trying to hold back the laughter blooming on my face at the blank stares of the people looking at me.

What gap could there have been between them and me?

I thought they would at least vaguely know.

I couldn’t even imagine they came all this way without knowing anything at all.

“You, don’t tell me…”

“Yes, that’s right. I was the mastermind behind all of the incidents you’ve experienced until now!”

“That, that can’t be…!”

“Aha, ahahahaha… To think you really believed that Amelia’s father was killed by foreign mafia. I was shocked, too, to be fair. It was just something I said offhandedly.”

“…What?”

“Oops. Was I not supposed to say that?”

I covered my mouth and made a surprised expression as if I had said something wrong, but all I got in return were angry glares.

Well, I guess that’s understandable.

Not only did I desecrate the dead, but it’s practically admitting that I killed that person.

“Ahem, since it’s come to this… Yes. I killed him.”

“D-don’t lie. Then… those tears when my father died, what were they…!”

“Huh? Ah, tears…?”

At Amelia’s cry, I stopped laughing and tried to control my emotions.

…Hmm, is this right?

“Amelia… Don’t be too sad. Your father would want you to be proud of what he did.”

“…You!”

“Ahaha. I guess my acting was pretty good.”

The puppets’ expressions twisted terribly.

They must feel like the dead have been desecrated.

Well, I did desecrate the dead, but!

…No, since they weren’t people to begin with, maybe the term “desecrating” isn’t right.

“…Arte.”

“Oh my… Looks like you’ve finally found the will to do it!”

Siwoo’s expression had hardened completely.

He still seemed to be hesitating, but his determination to stop me had grown stronger.

Good. That’s how a protagonist should be.

…Should I provoke them a bit more?

“I enjoyed it. Playing friends with you all.”

I looked around once more.

What I saw was hostility, clearly different from before.

Until now, they didn’t think they were facing a foe…

Now, it seems they could properly feel it because of the actions they saw the real me.

I was not one of them.

“Hmm, good. Good. Looks like everyone’s gotten motivated.”

That’s fine by me.

We need to create an exciting final chapter, and it’s no good if the audience isn’t motivated.

Even if they’re just extras, they’re useful for building up the atmosphere like this.

Lead roles, supporting roles, extras–all of them were giving me cold stares without distinction.

Only then could I really feel it. This was finally the final chapter.

The fact that the end of this world was approaching.

“Aha, ahahahahahaha…”

“…Aaaagh!”

“W-wait! Don’t move rashly…”

Slash.

Unable to control their anger, one of the extras rushed at me.

Siwoo must have told them about my ability, but how stupid.

That’s why you’re an extra.

Siwoo tried to stop them belatedly, but there was no way to stop it.

The result is as you see.

Like an insect caught in a Venus flytrap.

They died pathetically without even being able to scream.

With their body and face separated.

“Now then, shall we start the final chapter…”

I bowed my head to the invisible audience.

As if greeting those who came to see an old-fashioned puppet show.

“I hope you enjoy it thoroughly.”

“…Tch, damn it. Everyone, get a grip! The battle has already begun!”

I overcame the penalty of being unable to reuse threads once pulled out of clothes long ago.

So, I can enjoy this to my heart’s content.

The Author would surely be pleased too.

“Commencing operation to eliminate the villain, Marionette! Everyone, be wary of invisible threads!”

The festival of blood has only just begun.