ch19

[The Villain's Hideout]

Squeak- Squeak-

Grimoire held a small cloth and diligently polished her horns in front of the mirror.

She generously applied the premium horn polish Evelyn had prepared!

A subtle sheen swirled around her black horns. The shinier her horns, the stronger Grimoire's villainous aura seemed to become!

"Kakat! Finally, I'm perfect!"

Everything had to be in top condition for Grimoire's second Broadcast!

Especially her horns, the symbol of a villain, were even more important!

Coming into the living room, Grimoire saw a note on the table written in Evelyn's handwriting.

[Master, I have an urgent matter and will be out for a while. I'll be back by 7 PM. - Evelyn]

"What…? An urgent matter? Is there something more important than me? That disloyal maid!"

Broadcast without Evelyn? Who would hold the camera? Who would manage the chat? On such an important day, her maid was absent!

"What should I do? How can I broadcast alone…!"

…No, wait.

So what if Evelyn wasn't here? Grimoire was a villain who could conquer the world alone!

On the table were a camera, a microphone, and a gimbal equipped with Broadcast equipment. It seemed Evelyn had anticipated this situation and prepared everything.

"Today, I, Grimoire, will film myself! Like this… about this much? No, a little higher… Now it looks better!"

Grimoire adjusted the shooting angle several times. If she shot from too low, her horns looked small, and if she shot from too high, her chin looked strange.

Finally, she found an angle she liked. A perfect angle that showed both the grandeur of her horns and her menacing gaze!

"3… 2… 1…"

Grimoire pressed the streaming button and struck her most dignified pose.

"Greetings, insignificant humans! This is the great villain Grimoire's world domination Broadcast! The second session! Kakat!"

Grimoire could see the number of viewers increasing in real-time. 500, 800, 1,000… Wow!

Indeed, her infamy! The supermarket broadcast must have had a big impact.

The chat window was scrolling rapidly.

[Grhi (Grimoire Hi)]

[Grimoire, fighting today too!!]

[Your horns look shinier today? So cute ♡]

[What shampoo and body wash do you use?]

[HornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHornsHorns]

[What kind of evil deeds will you show us today? Looking forward to your cute evil deeds!!]

"Kakat! As expected, my influence is… Wait, what? Cute?!"

Grimoire narrowed her eyes and glared at the chat window.

"I am not cute! The great Grimoire is fearsome and wicked! A villain beyond the heavens whose very presence makes everyone tremble in terror! Tremble in fear and revere me immediately!"

Grimoire felt her horns burning with anger.

How dare they make such insulting remarks…! Even the patience of a great villain had its limits!

"This is a warning! The moment you use the word 'cute' again, you will be banned immediately! Do you understand! My tolerance has its limits! Do you understand, insignificant viewers!"

[cUtE]

[cUtE]

[OwO]

[cUtE]

Despite her warning, the chat window began to be flooded with a coded message: [cUtE].

"Keee! How dare you ignore my warning?"

Grimoire, enraged, pressed the ban button repeatedly.

One, two, three… Banned! Banned! Banned!

No matter how many subordinates she had, discipline was necessary!

"Kakat! Here, I am the law! Now, who else wants to challenge me?"

Grimoire smiled contentedly and looked proudly at the chat window.

[Gasp, someone died…]

[She really bans them]

[Ruthless Tyrant Grimoire]

[Grimoire is the best at exterminating hornbugs]

"Now you know, right?" I am not merciful! This is the way the great Grimoire rules! Kakat!"

Finally, a proper reaction. Ruthless, tyrant… Good, very good!

Such praise was befitting a true villain! Her majesty was finally being properly conveyed!

The number of viewers had already surpassed 2,000.

Now was the moment to announce today's broadcast topic!

Grimoire slightly swept back her bangs to make her horns more visible. A final touch to show off the perfect villain's majesty.

"Now! Today's topic is… The great villain Grimoire's secret hideout revealed!!"

Grimoire made a V sign with her fingers towards the camera. Of course, not just a simple V, but a victory V sign. There was a big difference!

"I will give you a special tour of the place where my evil plans are born! Such an opportunity is rare, so be grateful!"

[Oh, already revealing your house?]

[Can we see Grimoire's room?!]

[I'm curious about the interior!]

"Hmph! Not 'house,' but 'hideout'! You don't understand the essence!"

Grimoire glared at the camera with a dissatisfied expression. These days, humans clearly didn't know the importance of terminology!

"My abode is not just a residence, but a 'strategic base' for world domination, an 'evil headquarters,' and a 'fortress of darkness'! Do you understand?"

Grimoire grabbed the selfie stick and moved to the front door.

"Now, let me introduce you. This is Crown Villa 301, the central headquarters of the Grimoire Empire!"

[Crown Villa, S City, Sunrise Road 45… 301, you said?]

[Is it okay to reveal your address?]

[I'm going to ring the doorbell and run away lol]

[Don't you know how scary stalkers are?]

[Sasaeng fans might come looking for you…] (TL: Sasaeng fans are ultra‑obsessive, often boundary‑crossing stalkers who will go to extreme lengths—tracking schedules, following idols in person, even breaking into private spaces—to get close to their favorite star)

Huh? Suddenly, worried comments started to appear. But Grimoire wouldn't be shaken by just this!

Grimoire puffed out her chest and brought her face closer to the camera.

"Ha! No one can threaten me! If you want to try, come on! You won't even be able to pick up your bones in the face of my superhuman power!"

[The crime rate in S City is 17% higher than the national average, and the rate of violent crime in the eastern district has been increasing for two consecutive years……]

[She beats up monsters with her bare hands, what's there to worry about]

[Don't you remember the Black Lotus Bank incident?]

[The stalker is the one in danger lol]

"That was an evil deed! I was merely showing off my power as a villain!"

Grimoire quickly changed the subject and headed to the living room. In this situation, regaining control was the priority!

"Now, let me introduce you to our hideout's cutting-edge equipment!"

Grimoire gestured towards the ordinary household appliances in the living room. Of course, they looked ordinary, but in reality, they were all special equipment for a villain!

She stood in front of the refrigerator and struck a confident pose.

"This is the villain's energy supply system! Zero Coke is essential for world domination! It must have lime flavor!"

Next, the air conditioner.

"Climate control system! Someday, I plan to manipulate the world's climate! Cold in summer, hot in winter! All according to my will!"

Then, it was time to show off the 98-inch 8K UHD TV in the living room!

"World surveillance monitoring device! It monitors the daily lives of insignificant humans 24 hours a day! I always know what's happening everywhere!"

Grimoire turned on the TV with the remote control, and the cartoon she had been watching in the morning came on as it was.

The scene of a yellow electric mouse launching a Volt Tackle in the air unfolded in vivid quality.

She quickly changed the channel. To a current affairs news channel that looked as difficult as possible!

"Behold! Economic trends, stock markets, global issues! A villain must always keep an eye on world affairs! Kakat!"

Finally, Grimoire moved to the kitchen and stood in front of the microwave.

"This is a molecular restructuring device! A terrifying machine that completely changes the atomic structure of matter! Villain's technology is the best in the world!!"

Ding~ The popcorn that Evelyn had put in beforehand was finished.

Grimoire took out the popcorn and held it up to the camera.

"Look! These ordinary corn kernels have been transformed into a completely different substance! Kakat!"

[Villain's technology...]

[Please do a popcorn mukbang!]

[You're watching Netflix with the human surveillance machine, right?]

[Show us your room~ I'm curious!!]

Grimoire grabbed a handful of popcorn and headed towards the door.

"Now, I will show you the cradle of evil! The heart of the villain where my wicked plans are born!"

[Room reveal! Doki Doki!]

[What will the villain's room be like~?]

[Excited]

[Aren't you going to show us the bathroom?]

[Please let me touch your horns just once, it's my lifelong wish]

When Grimoire opened the door, her room was revealed. The walls were covered with carefully drawn pictures in crayon.

A poster with 'Grimoire Empire' written on a world map and a flag drawing with a gray horn pattern on a black background.

[First time seeing a girl's room]

[It's kind of different from what I imagined…?]]

[Are you really a villain?]

[Grimoire, what kind of crayons do you use?]

"This is the 'Flag of the Grimoire Empire,' and that is the 'Future World Map.' A vision of all continents unified into the Grimoire Empire!"

The walls were filled with numerous villainous plans such as 'World Domination 5-Year Plan,' 'Weekly Evil Schedule,' and 'World Domination Roadmap.'

"Now, behold! My wicked ideas! Aren't you amazed by my genius?"

[A true villain must have a cat on their lap and stroke it. Where's the cat?]

[My organization makes fun of me for being a Grimoire fan. ㅠㅠ Are you really a villain?]

[I want to record your 'Hiek' sound and use it as a ringtone, please allow me!]

Grimoire moved the selfie stick around, and suddenly the angle shook. At that moment, a rabbit pillow, a pink dinosaur blanket, and numerous dolls were caught on camera.

"Hiek!"

Grimoire quickly turned the camera back to its original angle, but it was already too late.

"T, this is all for disguise! A sophisticated strategy to make enemies think I'm not dangerous, part of an undercover operation!"

Grimoire's whole face was burning.

[The rabbit bed is so cute ㅠㅠ]

[How many dolls are there ㄷㄷ Don't they all fall off when you sleep?]

[Where did you buy the dinosaur duvet cover? I want to buy one too!]

[It's a normal girl's room~ It suits you so well!]

[A villain can like cute things too!]

"S, shut up! This is definitely not cute! How could you understand the profound aesthetics of a villain! The Tyrannosaurus is the most powerful creature! Spinosaurus is no match!"

[Grimoire, I respect your taste ♡]

[A rabbit headband would also look good on you]

[Was Tyrannosaurus really the king of dinosaurs?]

"Now, let's move to the next facility. Showing it for too long will cause security problems! Yes, security! Security is like life to a villain!"

The fact that the rabbit dolls were revealed must be because Evelyn didn't clean up the room properly! It's not my fault! Absolutely!

Grimoire had to quickly make up for the failure in the room. At this rate, the villain's reputation would be damaged!

"Now, I will show you how vast my empire is!"

Grimoire resolutely walked out into the hallway. She firmly gripped the selfie stick and strode through the passage.

"301, 302, 303… All of this space is under my influence!"

Grimoire reached the window at the end of the hallway and adjusted the camera angle while looking outside. The exterior of the luxurious villa built of red brick was captured on the screen.

"I named this villa myself! 'Crown Villa'!"

Grimoire crossed her arms triumphantly and raised her chin.

"Isn't it a name befitting the abode of a king? My horns are the crown! Kakat!"

The chat window was instantly filled with questions.

[Really? Are you the building owner?]

[A villain who owns real estate… You're rich]

[You're a gold spoon… Just one chicken]

[Life should be like Grimoire]

Grimoire hesitated for a moment and cleared her throat.

"Um… well… legally, it's under Evelyn's name, but practically it's mine! All decision-making power is mine!"

Actually, Evelyn bought and remodeled it herself… But I am Evelyn's master, so I am the owner of the building owner? Indeed, the logic of a villain is always perfect.

[A person who is a maid as a hobby]

[A maid and a building owner, that's perfect]

[Evelyn noona's number please…]

[I want to date the maid noona]

"Hmph! Evelyn is my loyal maid and secretary! I will not allow disrespectful remarks!"

Grimoire immediately pressed the 'ban' button and blacklisted some viewers. She couldn't forgive those who had impure thoughts about her maid!

New information poured out in the chat window.

[S City, Sunrise Road 45, right? I searched it and it's quite a luxurious villa]

[There are many reviews saying it's 30% cheaper than the market price. Is that true?]

[It's a 5-minute walk from the train station.]

[The red brick exterior and the garden look very nice.]

Oh, I feel strangely good. To be interested in this body's residence, humans must be curious about the lifestyle of a great being!

Then another question caught my eye.

[But why a villa in Korea? Shouldn't you buy an apartment?]

[Apartments are invincible. They double in price in just 10 years.]

[Villa's asset value drops. Is Grimoire taking a loss?]

[Shouldn't a Villain live in a penthouse?]

[A castle or an underground fortress would be more fitting, wouldn't it?]

I put one hand on my hip and raised my chin.

"It's a reason anyone with a brain could figure out! Villain and villa sound similar, don't they! Branding is always important for a Villain!!"

I lowered my voice and brought my face close to the camera.

"Besides, if there are ordinary residents, the government can't launch nuclear missiles, right? The residents are all human shields for me!"

[Living with ordinary citizens... you're showing that a true hero is always with the common people!]

[Residents, are you watching this...]

[It looks more atmospheric than an apartment, though.]

[Help me~]

Ah, educating my dull subjects is a rewarding task!

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