TESTC 04
The Evil Scientist Is Too Competent – Chapter 04
The Next Day.
I received an ID card from Regalia.
“Here, this is yours.”
“This is…?”
“It’s proof of your identity in this city.”
On the card Regalia handed me was a photo—taken at who-knows-when—and the name Eight. Naturally, that wasn’t my real name.
“Eight…? Who is this supposed to be? And when did you even take this picture—”
“What do you mean ‘who’? That’s your name now. From today, you’re Eight. That ‘Kim… something’ you mentioned yesterday sounded far too foreign. Even I can’t use such an obvious name on a forged ID.”
“…Understood.”
Eight.
It clearly had something to do with that “eighth” position she mentioned yesterday… but what choice did I have? If my employer calls me Dog-Droppings, then I’m Dog-Droppings. If she calls me Eight, then I’m Eight.
As I stared blankly at the card, Regalia snapped her fingers to pull my attention.
“What are you doing? Time to go.”
“Go? Where to?”
“Didn’t you hear? We’re going to meet the other members of the organization today.”
“Oh… right, you did say that. I thought it was here.”
I glanced around the mansion. She called it a villain organization, but surely this was just a rich girl’s hobby. A game of make-believe.
And this mansion was the perfect playground for that game. Enormous, with not just spare rooms but entire unused buildings—ideal for secret villain play away from prying eyes.
But Regalia frowned like I’d said something ridiculous.
“This is my home. Who would be stupid enough to run a villain organization out of their house?”
“…Fair point.”
I wouldn’t know. I’ve never run one.
I followed her out of the mansion.
The limousine from last night rolled smoothly toward the city.
Watching skyscrapers flash by outside the window, I almost felt like I could go back home any moment. But reality was cruel—I wasn’t in my world anymore, and “me” as I knew myself didn’t exist here.
‘So in the end, I have to live in this world…’
As I mulled over that thought, the car came to a halt.
The driver swiftly opened the door, and Regalia stepped out naturally.
“We’ve arrived. Come along.”
“Ah, yes.”
I followed her out of the limo, and froze.
In front of me stood a towering skyscraper—bigger and grander than any nearby building. Exactly the sort of place respectable office workers would commute to.
And in fact…
“Good morning, Chairwoman!”
“Mm.”
“Here’s the report summarizing yesterday and today’s incidents.”
“I’ll read it on the way up.”
As soon as Regalia stepped inside, guards and suited employees rushed over to bow. Watching full-grown adults bow to someone who looked no older than an elementary schooler was a surreal sight.
But neither Regalia nor the employees found it strange. Clearly, this had been normal for a long time.
“Come on, Eight. Let’s go.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Once again, I couldn’t help but admire her. All hail, Regalia.
We entered the elevator, and in moments, the machine whisked us upward, defying gravity. It almost felt like teleportation.
When the doors opened, I immediately understood this was indeed a villain organization.
“—Hail Regalia! Hail Evils!”
“Louder!”
“Hail Regalia—!”
Men in full-body suits shouting bizarre slogans.
“Rrrghh—!”
A tiger beastman effortlessly lifting barbells no human could ever dream of.
“Hehehehehe… w-wait for me…”
And a gloomy girl cackling in front of a wall covered in magical-girl cosplay photos.
If this wasn’t an evil organization, then nothing was. I froze at the flood of insane visuals.
Then one of the members noticed us and shouted.
“B-boss! Hail Evils!”
“Mm. Hail Evils.”
“The boss is here?”
“You holding up, Galm?”
“Same as always.”
“Boss, long time no see…”
“It’s been a while, Ayle. Still looking at magical girls?”
“H-hehe… i-it’s my only hobby…”
After exchanging greetings with the scarred tiger beastman and the creepy girl, Regalia yanked me forward.
“This is our eighth executive. He’s called Eight.”
“Oh? Is he strong?”
“No. Eight is our scientist. He has no abilities whatsoever, so don’t bother picking fights with him.”
“Pft. Boring.”
The moment Galm learned I was powerless, he lost interest with a click of his tongue. Meanwhile, the gloomy girl—Ayle—looked at me with odd familiarity.
“H-hehe… Mr. Eight, you’re powerless too? I-I’m also powerless… l-let’s get along as fellow weaklings.”
“Ah, sure. Pleased to meet you.”
When I extended my hand, she flinched, frantically wiped her palm on her clothes, and then reluctantly shook mine—barely for a second.
That brief exchange was enough to tell me their personalities.
‘One’s a muscle-brained meathead, and the other’s a creepy voyeur…’
Fitting yet unfitting for a villain organization. Because what’s the most important thing for such an organization? Combat power to fight heroes.
Galm certainly looked strong, his beastly body scarred and towering over me like a wall. But honestly? A gun could take down a beast just as easily. I doubted his strength could surpass real heroes.
And Ayle… powerless, like me. From what I’d already seen of this world’s treatment of the powerless, I was shocked she hadn’t bitten her tongue and ended it all already. Expecting anything more was laughable.
‘So that’s how it is.’
I was convinced. This villain group was nothing more than Regalia’s hobby. A child’s game dressed up with a fancy name.
Which meant I didn’t need to do anything. I could just laze around, draw a paycheck, and wait until the boss got bored.
That hope was crushed before the clock even ticked once.
“Alright, Eight. I’ll give you your first mission.”
“…Huh? What do you mean—”
“Make something useful for these two. Oh, and if you need anything, just say the word. I’ll get you whatever you want.”
…This was bad.
I quickly looked at Regalia.
“B-but, by when…?”
“Hmm. A week should do.”
“A week…?”
Even college students struggle to finish assignments in that time. And she wanted me to make a usable weapon for villain executives in just seven days?!
Even if budget wasn’t a problem, I hadn’t even figured out how this world’s science differed from mine.
“Boss? I don’t think I can handle both…”
“Then just one is fine. The important thing is showing everyone what you can do.”
“But I can’t do anything…”
Regalia gave me a look like I’d just said the dumbest thing in the world.
“What nonsense… You’re my scientist. Don’t say such things.”
“No, really, I don’t think I can—”
“Don’t believe in yourself. Believe in me believing in you.”
She thumped her chest with a fist, flashed me a grin, and headed off toward the elevator, muttering about paperwork.
Left alone, I glanced at Galm still training in the distance. It was intimidating to approach a scarred tiger twice my size, but…
“Um… Mr. Galm?”
“…What.”
“Do you… need anything?”
“No.”
“Anything at all would be fine…”
If I can’t make something, I’ll be kicked out of the mansion!
With that silent plea in my eyes, Galm sighed.
“…I suppose I’d like to be a little stronger when I fight.”
“Ah… like steroids?”
“No drug could make my body stronger.”
“…Then you mean like an energy tonic? A fatigue-recovery formula?”
“Do as you will.”
He turned back to his workout, dismissing me entirely. Not wanting a dumbbell to crush my skull, I quietly backed away.
Soon, a member of the organization approached to show me to my lab.
“You’ll be working here. Call if you need anything.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“No need to be so formal, sir. As an executive, you’re our superior.”
“I’m comfortable like this.”
With a bitter smile, I sent him off and looked around the empty lab. Alone, I sighed. Normally, things like this would take teams of PhDs years of trial and error.
But me? I had a week. Alone.
Impossible.
Unless…
‘As they say, imitation is the mother of invention…’
If I couldn’t create something new, I could just copy what I remembered from Earth. Conveniently, I’d once studied the nutritional breakdowns of commercial supplements.
And among them was exactly what Galm wanted: an energy tonic.
‘Let’s see… guanidinoacetic acid, creatine monohydrate… what else was there…’
Creating from nothing was impossible. But reproducing something I already knew? That was feasible. And so began my first job as a scientist of evil.
.
.
One Week Later.
Galm rampaged through the city like a proper villain.
Citizens scattered at the sight of the spandex-clad henchmen, as though it were routine.
While the underlings vented stress smashing cars and buildings, Galm waited impatiently for a hero to arrive.
“—That’s far enough!”
“Ah, finally.”
Soon enough, one appeared. Faster than even a five-minute response squad—he must have been nearby on standby. Galm looked at him like it was expected.
A rookie hero, fit for facing a has-been like him. Galm sighed. He longed for fights that made his heart race, but this boy? Even handling him would be hard. The thought only deepened his despair.
“You villain scum! I will never forgive—”
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s hurry this up. I’m busy too.”
“Such arrogance! I am the hero, Sugar Mask! There will be no compromise with villains!”
A greenhorn still drunk on hero clichés. Galm sighed again at the kid’s exaggerated poses and lines. With a flick of his hand, the henchmen charged.
Sugar Mask easily dispatched them, swinging fists and legs. The henchmen crumpled with theatrical flair, like it had all been rehearsed.
Then he charged straight at Galm.
The beastman reached into his coat and pulled out a vial. The concoction given to him by the organization’s newest executive.
—It’s the finished product. Please test it.
‘…What a pointless thing.’
He hadn’t believed it would work.
His body was already past its limit, a rusted machine compared to his prime. No drug or ability had ever restored him.
Surely some potion whipped up in a week couldn’t either.
So he thought… until he drank it.
And suddenly, power surged through every vein.
“Take this—!”
Sugar Mask swung a punch at Galm’s gut. He knew the villain’s profile: a retired soldier, beastman strength but not superhuman. A perfect stepping stone for a rookie’s debut.
A few exchanged blows, then Galm would collapse and flee, as always.
But this time—
“Ha… haha—AHAHAHA—!”
“…?”
“Wahahahaha! Forgive me, brat—!”
Catching the hero’s fist, Galm roared.
“You cannot stop me! Bring me someone stronger! Someone who makes my heart race again!”
For a fleeting moment, he had reclaimed his prime.
And the Beast King roared once more.
That day, contrary to the plan, Galm demolished five buildings before an emergency A-rank hero team barely managed to force him back.
Post Comment