The Villainous Director Is Raising a Child!

"So what you changed... was this?"

The next day, on my visit to the containment room, I lost my words at the scene unfolding beyond the glass.

"Yes, sir!"

The man who yesterday couldn't even meet my eyes was, for some reason, remarkably sharp today.

"...You did this... on your own?"

"No, sir! I couldn't have done it alone. I put the facilities team's robots on overnight-work mode, and a few colleagues from my intake helped out."

"Wow..."

In a single day — no, half a day — that horrific prison had been completely transformed into something new.

The white walls and floor had been replaced with warm ivory and a wood-grain pattern, and partitions had gone up around the eyesore of a toilet.

In the middle of the room stood a round wooden table; along one wall were shelves stocked with books at child eye-level, a desk, and toy boxes.

Even the hard metal cots were gone — in their place, soft twin beds, one for every child.

"As you can see, sir, the old walls have been swapped out for a calming material designed to support the children's emotional well-being. Real-time vital-sign sensors are embedded inside!"

"The mattresses aren't ordinary latex either! They're state-of-the-art — they track sleep patterns and even fine muscle tension, turning stress levels into hard data!"

"Ah, and the ceiling lighting is the same! It automatically adjusts color temperature and brightness throughout the day, so the children can maintain a natural twenty-four-hour circadian rhythm even in a windowless room. This is also, of course, to keep the data more reliable!"

"I hand-picked the books on the shelves to support age-appropriate cognitive development, and the eyes on that teddy bear over there have surveillance cameras built in, so we can monitor the children around the clock!"

Lee Jinwoo was turning out to be so much more capable than I'd expected that I momentarily forgot my delinquent act and let my admiration slip.

"You really... did an excellent job."

"Sir?"

At the sincerity in my praise, Lee Jinwoo's eyes went round.

Oops.

Only when I saw that stunned look on his face did I realize I'd let my real self show.

Act! Bring back the arrogant, obnoxious delinquent performance you practiced all night! In this situation, what would the real Chae Junhyeok say?!

I made a big show of clearing my throat — ahem, ahem!

Then I folded my arms and put on the most arrogant expression I could muster.

"Well, of course. It's where my toys are kept, isn't it?"

"Ah, yes! Right, of course!"

"And get rid of that teddy bear."

I tipped my chin at the bear sitting in the middle of the room.

"What kind of master keeps his dolls under twenty-four-hour surveillance? I'm not a pervert."

I could feel a look that seemed to say Aren't you exactly that kind of pervert, but I forced myself to ignore it.

"And the data you were just rattling off. Just the two of us see it. Block the others from getting anywhere near it."

At that, Lee Jinwoo's eyes lit up.

"A data monopoly...! Yes, sir! Once I'm into the central system and plant a simple backdoor, setting up a private channel is a piece of cake! I'll handle it perfectly!"

Whoa... he's going to hack the system?

I was inwardly startled by how much more capable Lee Jinwoo was than I'd realized.

Here I'd been thinking he was just a well-meaning newbie...

As if he'd caught my surprised look, he spoke almost sheepishly.

"Ah... this is what I studied...! My current team is Data Management, actually! Please feel free to leave anything like this to me from now on!"

This man... he's genuinely capable and a good person.

"Well, they do say even a dog turd has its uses. Not bad, newbie."

Stifling the urge to praise him properly, I gave his back a couple of deliberately hard thumps.

The newly renovated space was warm and cozy, but the warmth didn't seem to have reached the children.

They stood awkwardly by the unfamiliar furniture, looking like people who didn't know what to do with themselves.

Then the moment I stepped in, they flinched and darted behind the new beds or into the corners behind the bookshelves.

That's when it happened. A voice thick with hatred, like some feral young animal, broke the silence.

"Chae Junhyeok...!"

I turned to find Cha Yul on his feet, growling.

Those blazing red eyes — like they'd burn everything in sight — were fixed only on me.

You're awake!

Unlike me, though, he didn't look particularly glad to see me.

"You bastard!"

Cha Yul burst out of his bed and came at me, swinging his skinny fists.

I saw Lee Jinwoo — waiting by the door — hurriedly raise his remote, shouting.

"Director!"

"Don't!"

I didn't dodge the charging Cha Yul; I met him head-on.

He was the overwhelmingly powerful protagonist of the original novel, but right now he was just a ten-year-old kid.

On top of that, his body was skin and bone from malnutrition, and he was wearing a restraint that blocked his abilities from activating.

No way an adult man like me can't handle one small body.

I dodged the child's small fist easily, caught his arm, and with my other hand hooked his leg and eased him to the floor without hurting him.

Even flat on the floor, he refused to give up, thrashing.

"Let go! Let go of me!"

I smiled a little and picked up one of the fluffy blankets nearby.

The blanket burrito is the fastest way to settle a kid who won't listen.

Fond memories in mind, I rolled Cha Yul's flailing body up in the blanket like a piece of gimbap.

"Let go! Let go of me, you crazy bastard!"

The child's muffled shouting burst out from inside the blanket.

I patted the blanket-wrapped bundle lightly.

"My, my — strong little thing. Let's eat quietly, hmm?"

"Piss off! I don't need any food from you! What are you scheming this time?!"

He craned his head up as far as he could and shouted to the other children.

"You can't eat either! Don't touch anything this bastard gives you! It's definitely poisoned!"

At Cha Yul's shout, the other children's shoulders stiffened.

...

I watched, silent.

Steaming warm soup. That most obvious, most well-meaning of kindnesses — and this was a child who had to suspect even that of being poison.

What on earth had the old Chae Junhyeok... done to these kids?

A dull ache spread through a corner of my chest.

"Poison?"

To stop the tears that were threatening to spill over, I decided to play it even more over-the-top.

"Why would I poison my own doll during a game of house? You're a weird one."

It was a genuine question, but Cha Yul flushed red as if he'd been insulted and shot back.

"You're the weird one!"

"Fine. You don't believe me at all, do you? Then I'll show you."

"What?!"

While Cha Yul was still startled, I gestured pointedly to a service robot.

The robot brought over a tray of soup and bread.

I dragged a chair up and sat down in front of the children.

Then, meeting each of them in the eye, I spoke quietly.

"Listen carefully. I said this yesterday too — these are the rules of house. I'm your master, and you're my dolls."

I went on.

"All you have to do is eat, drink, and wear whatever I give you. In exchange, everything's going to be top-shelf."

Making a show of it, I tore off a piece of bread, dunked it deep in the warm soup, and ate. The soft bread and rich soup filled my mouth.

Every child's eyes swung to me.

The room went so still you could practically hear someone swallow.

Nothing happened.

That was when it came. Grrrrrrmble—.

The silence was broken by Hajun's stomach growling.

Just as Cha Yul was about to yell out another warning, Sea-ah spoke up first.

She glanced once at her younger siblings' trembling hands and, decision made, said firmly:

"...I'll eat."

Cha Yul's red eyes swung to Sea-ah.

"Sea-ah! Not you too!"

"You're right, Yul. That bastard can't be trusted."

Sea-ah looked Cha Yul dead in the eye.

"But... hating him and being hungry are two different things. What's the point of starving to death in here? What happens to the little ones?"

She turned to look at the trembling twins and Suho, and went on.

"We need to eat first and get our strength up. That's the only way we can run or fight."

As she said it, Sea-ah shot me a glance. Her eyes were watching for my reaction.

...That's it! Well done, Sea-ah.

I felt a swell of pride at how sharp she was.

But I hid it and made a point of looking even nastier.

So she could relax and eat, seeing me react exactly as usual.

Maybe she read my expression.

Her face hardened for a moment.

She tilted her chin up slightly and, making a show of it, walked over to the cart, picked up a piece of bread, and took a big bite.

That was the signal.

Following Sea-ah's lead, the other children stopped hesitating and started on their own meals.

Wrapped up in the blanket, Cha Yul was left with nothing to say, just watching.

I studied the children eating for a moment, then went back to the meal I'd paused.

The only sound in the containment room was the clink of spoons on bowls.

The children brought food to their mouths, but they kept sneaking glances at me.

I ignored them and focused on my meal.

When I finished, I picked up one of the still-warm rolls left on the cart and set it down next to Cha Yul, who was still wrapped up in the blanket.

His glare turned on me, dark and menacing, as if to ask What are you playing at?

I met the look and spoke with a mocking edge.

"Doll maintenance is the basis of house. You're my doll too, and if a doll starves, that's the master's fault. I'm a master who takes responsibility, so eat."

I added:

"And... if you're going to glare at me like you want to tear me apart, eat properly and build your strength first. The state you're in now, you couldn't beat me in a lifetime."

With that, I walked out of the containment room without looking back.

Phew... thank god Yul's back on his feet.

Remembering how limp he'd been yesterday, my heart still lurched. It was a relief he had the energy to be angry like that at all.

I was standing there, quietly relieved, when—

A voice called me from behind.

"...Director."

I turned to find a researcher I'd never seen before.

When I met his eyes, he doubled over in a bow, sweating profusely.

"The, the Deputy Director wishes to see you."

Already?

I'd known he wouldn't just let yesterday's tantrum slide, but... he was moving fast.

I gave a small nod and, not letting my guard down, followed the researcher.

The researcher led me to the Deputy Director's office without a word.

At the door, he placed his hand on the authentication panel.

[Researcher Jang Minsu — authenticated.]

With a low creak, the door slid open.

Just as the researcher was stepping inside first—

Bang!

Along with a sharp, eardrum-splitting report, red blood burst from the head of the researcher standing right in front of me.

"...huh?"

The researcher didn't even manage a scream — he collapsed like a rag doll.

Thump—!

"Whew."

Behind the desk at the far end of the room, Park Wonjin lightly blew away the smoke curling up from the barrel of the gun in his hand.

I stood there, dazed, unable to register what had just happened.

He's dead. A person... just now, right in front of me...

The metallic tang of blood hit my nose, and only then did my brain start to accept reality. My stomach lurched.

"Ugh, uuurk...!"

I braced myself against the wall on reflex, dry-heaving.

My legs went weak, and I felt like I might collapse right then and there.

Nothing in my life as a kindergarten teacher had ever put death this close to me.

I forced my head up and glared at the demon sitting behind the desk.

A voice thick with fury and terror trembled its way out.

"...What... the hell... do you think you're doing."

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