Since I’m Just the Villain Who’ll be Defeated by the Protagonist Anyway, I’ll Go all out and do whatever I want using Forbidden Arts at Full Power until then! …Wait, what? Because I’m actually a good guy deep down, not only does the heroine like me, but the protagonist’s affection level is also maxed out from the start!? No way—that’s definitely just my imagination. I won’t be fooled! - Chapter 5

The meteor I summoned using Dark God Sorcery: Apple was supposed to be small.

Yet, the moment I saw the scorched trail cut through the sky, the Green Dragon’s massive body exploded into pieces—and it all happened in an instant.
A colossal explosion shook the entire mountain, thoroughly vaporizing every piece of the dragon.

“Ah, crap!! If the Soul of the Bountiful Dragon gets destroyed too, I’m screwed!”

I quickly manipulated dark matter to extinguish the flames in the crater.
Dark matter could interfere with anything—physics, fire, whatever. Snuffing out flames from a distance was easy.

When the smoke cleared, the crater had caved in, reshaping the land entirely.
Scanning the desolate scene, I spotted something shining in the center.

A murky green crystal orb.

I drew it toward me using gravitational force to check.

It was—

The Soul of the Bountiful Dragon.

“Yes… This makes me a guaranteed millionaire.”

Now I just had to bring this to the guild and sell it off.
After that, I could buy all the food and women I wanted. Maybe I’d move out of that haunted mansion and build a lavish estate by the lake.

No time to waste.
I was about to fly off to empty the guild’s vault when—

Etica and the kids cut me off.

“U-Um!! Thank you so much!!”

““““Thank you!!””””

They all bowed deeply.
Huh? So bowing as a sign of gratitude exists in this world too?

“I was only after this dragon’s core. Helping you guys was just a bonus.”

“Even so, the fact remains—you saved our lives.”

“It wasn’t just me. The other adventurers fought too, right?”

“Yes. That’s why… I want to thank you all.”

Etica’s gaze shifted to the distance.
The adventurers who’d fled earlier had returned to collect their injured allies.
Plenty were hurt, but thankfully, no one had died. That was a relief.

Still, their eyes were filled with suspicion.
Could’ve been because of the beastkin children, but… no. I knew the real reason.
It was me.

“Man… defeating the Green Dragon really worked up my appetite. Excuse me a moment.”

Using Dark God Sorcery takes a good chunk of magic power, and honestly, I was a little tired.
Diced steak skewers wouldn’t restore MP like a potion, but hey, maybe they’d help a bit.

I pulled one out—
Only to find a bunch of cat- and dog-eared kids staring at it like they were starving, eyes wide and pleading.

“D-Don’t, everyone! That’s his food!”

“But…”

Even Etica’s warning didn’t seem to reach them.
Well, most beastkin lived in remote forests or slums.
They probably hadn’t eaten something like this before.

Still—not my problem. This is mine.
If you want someone to blame, blame fate for not making you nobles!

…

…

Ugh, dammit all.

“Alright, you little runts.”

I handed them the skewers.

“There’s five of you, right? Share with the nice lady here and eat up.”

Why did I give it to them?

…Well, there were five beastkin kids, including Etica.
And I happened to have exactly five skewers left.

That’s all.
On any other day, I wouldn’t have shared.
It just happened to work out this time. That’s it!

“Eh!? Really!? Thank you, mister!!”

“Hey, take turns. Line up properly, and chew at least thirty times, got it?”

The kids dug in happily, stuffing their cheeks with meat.

One skewer remained.
Etica looked hesitant, her expression guilty.

I handed it to her.

“U-Um… are you sure? That was yours…”

“It’s fine. I’ll be able to buy tens of thousands more soon. Go on—take it.”

“I-I couldn’t possibly…”

Growl.

A very loud stomach rumble echoed from her.
Etica’s face turned bright red and her eyes darted away.

“You haven’t eaten since the last town, right? You’ve been giving everything to the kids.”

“N-No! That’s not true at all!”

“…Bullseye. Come on—before it gets cold.”

“…Th-thank you.”

Chomp.
Etica bit into the top of the skewer.

“It’s… delicious…”

“Glad you like it.”

She looked like a little squirrel as she chewed.
Her refined features and ladylike demeanor made her seem like someone from a noble background—
Yet she was happily enjoying this greasy, street-stall skewer.
Honestly, it was kind of cute.

So cute, in fact, that I started wondering—was she a hidden heroine?
But I still couldn’t recall anyone named Etica, or even the name Lindwurm, from the game.
I swore I’d heard it before, though. Maybe it was from some obscure backstory or developer note?

“Big brother! Big brother!”

Suddenly, the beastkin kids surrounded me.

“Hey—don’t go getting attached just because of some skewers!
What if I were a kidnapper with candy, huh?!”

They looked at me like they didn’t understand a word I’d said.
From behind them, Etica giggled softly.

“You really do seem like a big brother to them.”

“…You think so?”

“Yes. I have a brother too, so I can sort of tell.”

“You do, huh? Etica, I didn’t know you had a brother.”

“He’s a bit overprotective.”

Letting his little sister wander into dragon territory didn’t seem that overprotective to me…

Come to think of it, the protagonist had a younger sister who was killed before the game’s story began.
Her name was never mentioned.
I think it was only referenced in some obscure lore files or a developer Q&A.

I glanced at Etica.
She looked away shyly, her lips twitching nervously under my gaze.

…

Nah.
There’s no way Etica is that sister.

“—S-see? I told you, they’re from that wicked clan…”

A group of adventurers who had been observing from a distance started approaching.
Etica quickly stepped forward and said, “Thank you, everyone, for helping us!”
But they ignored her gratitude and kept glaring straight at me.

“That meteor earlier… It was Monad who summoned it?”

“This is bad. He has the power to vaporize a Green Dragon in an instant?”

“Wouldn’t it be better for the world if we just killed him now? A member of the Dark God Klyphot’s clan, no less…”

Etica’s eyes widened and turned toward me.

“Wait—what!? You’re… from the Dark God Klyphot’s clan!? Does that mean… you’re dangerous?”

“…You’re only realizing that now? Isn’t it common knowledge? Blue hair and teal eyes mean I’m from that clan.”

“Ah, I didn’t know! I had no idea you were someone so terrifying…”

Well… I guess the moment’s over.
Things were going smoothly, but now that she knows I’m from the Klyphot clan, Etica will probably start avoiding me too.

Guess it’s time to trade the dragon core for a mountain of gold and—

“BUT IT WAS MONAD WHO DEFEATED THE GREEN DRAGON AND SAVED US!!”

“Gah! Don’t scream like that!!”

Where the hell did that volume come from in such a slender body!?

Still… she doesn’t seem afraid of me.
Even though I’m considered the world’s official villain.

“You foolish girl! Do you know what he is!? His clan uses the forbidden Dark God Sorcery: Apple to bring disaster upon the world! They indulge in cruel experiments! That very spell he used to defeat the dragon was forbidden!”

“Oh really?”

She asked that with complete sincerity.

“Well… yeah, I can’t deny the ‘forbidden’ part. But the rest? I’ll plead innocent.”

“Then you’re not really a bad person!”

She pumped her fist in a triumphant pose.
But the adventurers’ stares turned cold—not just toward me now, but toward Etica and the beastkin children too.

“Wait, are they with the Dark God clan?”

“No doubt about it. Look at the filthy beastkin he’s traveling with!”

The tension thickened.
Etica finally drew her sword, but the beastkin kids behind her cowered in fear.
They’d already been captured and nearly sold into slavery by humans—not surprising that the sight of angry, sword-wielding adventurers would traumatize them.

Isn’t this the classic case of “hate the robes if you hate the monk”?

Honestly, it’d be satisfying to mop the floor with these adventurers…
But with kids watching, I’ll keep things peaceful.

“Hey, kids. Ever wanted to try being Peter Pan? …Eh, you probably don’t know who that is.”

A black magic circle expanded beneath our feet—me, Etica, and the children.

“Anti-Gravity: Starflight Neverland.”

“W-Whoa!! We’re floating!!”

One by one, we began to rise—ascending above the angry crowd, far out of reach of the adventurers below.

At first, the children were shocked, but they quickly adapted.
Maybe kids have an easier time handling borrowed dark matter with their wild imaginations.

“W-Wait, wait, wait—what’s happening!? M-my skirt—it’s flying!!”

Only Etica struggled to keep her balance.
She twirled helplessly in the air, her skirt flipping with every spin.
Eventually, I took her hand to steady her.

Okay, I might have wanted to sneak a peek under her skirt—those thighs looked soft, and the glimpse of white was…

“T-thank you, Monad…”

“You’re welcome.”

Etica’s hand was softer than I expected—and really warm.
Her cheeks were burning red like a ripe apple.

“Big sis is blushing~!”

“D-Don’t tease me! A-And this is all because of Monad’s power, right!?”

“Yep. Forbidden magic, bringer of calamity. Now—let’s head back to town.”

And so, leaving the dumbfounded adventurers behind, we soared through the sky like birds—headed for town.