Only I Am A Reader-Chapter 580: Continuous Jumpscares

'Cassian?'

All this while, he had silently accepted his fate, focusing on what had to be done before his time completely ran out.

As such, it never occurred to the director to look at the fact of his would-be killer. In fact, part of him didn't want to see it at all.

Rather than reducing his last feelings into ones of anger and resentment directed towards the fact, he wanted to hold onto his convictions and meet his end with a solid, strong heart.

However, in contrast to his expectations, the identity of the intruder did indeed turn out to be relevant.

The director wouldn't have guessed this outcome, not in a million years!

'After all, it makes no sense.'

As the director of the Hero Association, it was only right that he knew a little about every high-key Villain, and when it came to Cassian, he was even more knowledgeable than usual.

Considering that the Lord of Shadow topped the wanted list, anyone would expect that, but in reality, the reason behind the director's interest in him was a little different.

'There is no way that Aurora's fan is doing this.'

The director's interest in Cassian largely stemmed from the twisted relationship he had with Aurora.

Ever since the higher-ups had started to provide the Villain with live 'Aurora' TV, the director took it upon himself to find everything that there was to find about him.

'Especially not in this way.'

The conclusion he came to after an extensive search was that Cassian simply wanted to follow along with Aurora's version of 'A Hero's Road'.

He might not help her escape from the higher-ups' clutches so that her journey would be as organic as possible; he wouldn't be helping with their insidious plot for the very same reason.

'And… Not them.'

Most importantly, the very last person the Cassian would take commands from was these very same higher-ups.

Although the director didn't get to parse through the dossier that extensively recounted Cassian's past, he was able to fill in the gaps once he dug up a few key components, coupled with the dirty secrets that the higher-ups hid, but he was aware of.

According to his research, the higher-ups who chose to act against Aurora were from the very same group that chose to cover up the murders enacted by the target of Cassian's revenge.

The only logical explanation would be that the Villain had been deceived by twisting the events, but from the director's point of view, there was no way that Cassian would be that gullible.

At the risk of becoming everyone's enemy, he was the man who took revenge with his very own hand. The influence that his target held never mattered to him.

There was no way that this very same man would act on information without getting to the very bottom of it!

'Unless…'

"It seems like we have a misunderstanding in our hands."

'Was I the one to jump to conclusions?'

"I'm most definitely not working with those scum. In fact, if it was going to make a difference, I would have gotten rid of them long ago."

The ruling structure of Enigma City made it so that it would remain a City of Villains no matter what.

In the original novel, there had been many instances when some higher-ups were caught in the crossfire, but before Leo could even cheer for that, new, potentially worse people would replace them the very next day.

After all, the true 'higher-ups' never really showed up. The characters that received all the readers' hate, with many wishing death upon them, were just puppets.

They were mere limbs! No… They were no better than disposable gloves, easily replaced, and at little to no cost!

'That makes much more sense.'

Although he didn't show it on his face, deep inside, the director sighed in relief once he confirmed his doubts.

From the very beginning, even if Cassian was in cahoots with the higher-ups, it didn't make sense for them to send the Lord of Shadow just to get rid of an old fart like himself!

One of the few reasons that the director had remained in his chair was thanks to being a normal person; almost any combat-oriented Ability User would have been enough to dispose of someone like him.

"I'm sorry if I startled you by yanking your wrist all of a sudden, but I couldn't have you escalating this little meeting beyond its scope."

'Hah!'

This was exactly the reason why the director had been so quick to jump to conclusions; would it have been much to say it a bit earlier?

'This might have been an oversight.'

Practically reading the director's thoughts through his eyes, Leo realized that he might have gone too far with the whole villain act.

The target was to appear aloof yet willing to help, all while showing very little trust. This was all so he wouldn't seem suspicious to the director, but he neglected the fact that the director was just a frail old man.

'He is definitely a bit too tense compared to his peers.'

In Leo's mind, helper grandpas had spirits of steel. He didn't think that a somewhat stressful meeting would keep the director on edge even after it ended.

'Would probably be better to get right into it.'

"Don't worry, I won't take too much of your time. I might even be able to help you with a little problem of yours."

'Could it be?!'

The director's expression visibly brightened. If Cassian's purpose was to help Aurora escape her doom, then this little jumpscare would undeniably be worth it!

He didn't care if Cassian was only doing it so he could even up the scales of Aurora's journey, nor did it matter if the Villain's means of doing so was against everything he believed in.

All that the director wanted was to save the helpless little girl at all costs! It was simply too unfair for everyone to gang up on her like that!

"You just have to do a little something for me in return."

"Whatever you want!"

"Perfect! Then make sure to agree to the higher-ups' proposal at your very next meeting."

"No prob- Ha?"

Tilting his head like a confused young'n, the tense director almost broke as all his dreams came down crumbling.

'Give me back my trust…'

Rather than jumping to conclusions, it seemed like he might have been right from the start!