Villain Simulator, Ch 39

"No."

[Thus, the four members of the group "Dandelion Song" were officially set: the doll with the appearance of a beautiful girl, Raiden Mai, the not-so-girl "idol" Venti, the seemingly clumsy but deeply calculating Lilina, and the only one with genuine idol dreams, Barbara.]

[Of course, before debuting, Dandelion Song needed time to practice. In addition to the group, the idol auditions had produced 30 trainees, all of whom signed contracts with you.]

[However, these girls, full of dreams, had no idea that the not-so-thin contract they signed was not just a ticket to their dreams but also a dead-end contract, tying them to you.]

[While the world knew you as a "top producer," in the industry, you had another name: "the devil producer." The idols you trained always rose to fame, but without exception, they had gone through hellish training.]

[Training sessions lasting more than ten hours a day were just the basics. To maintain their figures, you also imposed strict dietary restrictions. Under this intense regimen, some trainees quickly began expressing the desire to quit, and it was then that you revealed your fangs.]

[You informed those wanting to leave that breaking the contract would mean paying a huge penalty, which was clearly stated in the contract they had signed.]

[Seeing the despair on their faces didn't stir any emotions in you. You had a natural eye for spotting who could become a top-tier idol. In a glance, you could see whether someone had the talent.]

[But talent alone wasn't enough. Without effort, talent meant nothing. So, you used their dreams of becoming idols to make them sign those unfair contracts, forcing them to stay. And even if they insisted on leaving, the hefty breach-of-contract fees would ensure you didn't lose a dime.]

Whoa...

Doesn't that make me a full-blown ruthless capitalist?

Is the end of this simulation going to be me hanging from a streetlamp?

To be honest, while Lucas despised ruthless capitalists, playing this role came with a strange sense of satisfaction.

Certainly, Lucas's methods in the simulator were meant to push the trainees to their limits, helping them achieve their potential. But at the end of the day, his real goal was to exploit these dream-chasing girls, turning them into his money-making tools.

[While some trainees did choose to pay the penalties and quit, most came from common families and couldn't afford to leave. So, they stayed, enduring the harsh training.]

[You would occasionally join rehearsals as "Raiden Mai." For you, these practice sessions were a breeze, and the doll body you controlled never got tired.]

[As for the cross-dressing Venti, despite his laid-back attitude, no matter how intense the training got, he always seemed to handle it with ease.]

Well, of course!

Even at his worst, Venti's still a god of wind! No wonder he breezes through it!

[Lilina, being from the Cat-Ear Tribe, used her physical flexibility to her advantage—something you were already quite familiar with.]

[For Barbara, however, the training was grueling. Still, she pushed herself hard, often staying to practice even after the scheduled sessions ended.]

[You knew why she was so determined. In just a month, Dandelion Song would hold its first live concert. This performance would not only decide Barbara's future as an idol but could also provide her with enough earnings to cover her sister Jean's medical bills.]

[A few days later, Dandelion Song had their first formal rehearsal. As expected, your group stood out as the top performers among all the trainees.]

[However, after practice, you pulled Barbara aside and said to her…]

[1. "You performed really well. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."]

[2. "You're working hard, and you're talented, but compared to the others, you still fall behind. If this continues, you might hold the group back."]

[3. "You're a huge disappointment. But if you agree to become my pet, I'll still give you a chance to perform."]

Choosing the third option would likely push Barbara to sacrifice her pride, given that for her, saving her sister Jean was more important than her own life.

But that would be too easy.

Lucas's goal wasn't just to make Barbara's body fall—it was to corrupt her soul entirely.

"I choose the second option."

[You sighed, pretending to be disappointed, and said to Barbara: "You're working hard and you're talented, but compared to the others, you're still falling behind. If this keeps up, you might end up holding the group back."]

[Your implication was clear—you were considering kicking her out of the group. Barbara fell silent at your words, not refuting them. Instead, she chose to push herself even harder in training to bridge the gap between herself and the other members.]

[Yet, when everyone else left, the exhausted Barbara broke down for the first time, crying alone in the practice room under the overwhelming pressure. And at that moment, Raiden Mai, whom you controlled, quietly entered the room.]

---

"Enter immersive mode."

---

[Successfully entered immersive mode.]

"Ah, isn't it Barbara-chan?" Lucas, in the guise of Raiden Mai, feigned concern. "What are you doing here so late?"

Raiden Mai had been designed as the quintessential center idol: energetic, friendly, and brimming with charisma. Even someone like Lilina couldn't compete with her radiance.

"M-Mai?" Barbara quickly wiped her tears and forced a smile. "Sorry, I must've dragged down today's rehearsal."

"Nonsense! Barbara-chan's performance was absolutely perfect!" Raiden Mai gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Who said otherwise? I'm mad just thinking about it!"

"It was… it was the president," Barbara sighed. "He wasn't wrong. Compared to the rest of you, I'm just not good enough."

Indeed, to Barbara, Raiden Mai was the epitome of perfection—a shining idol whose very presence captured the stage. Even as someone sharing that stage, Barbara couldn't help but feel overshadowed by her brilliance.

"President, huh? He's just like that—don't pay him any mind!" Raiden Mai slyly shifted the blame away from her other self, smiling. "It's already late, and it's not safe for such a cute girl like you to walk home alone. How about staying at my place tonight?"

"But..." Barbara hesitated. "Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"

"Not at all!" Raiden Mai pulled her into a gentle hug. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Friends?

By now, Barbara had seen the realities behind the idol world. Many of the so-called "best friends" she saw on stage were simply playing a role for the audience. Offstage, they had little to no real connection.

But Raiden Mai—so perfect and radiant—considered her a real friend, and that deeply moved Barbara. "In that case… I'd be grateful," she whispered.

To make Raiden Mai feel more lifelike, Lucas had put in plenty of effort.

For instance, the backstory of a "wandering girl from Inazuma" helped smooth over any potential questions.

He even rented a nice apartment, though it was more of a storage space for the doll than a real home.

---

In the bathroom.

"Ah, it feels amazing to soak in a hot bath after a long day's work!" Raiden Mai stretched comfortably in the bathtub. "Barbara-chan, how's the water temperature?"

Although Raiden Mai was just a doll, its craftsmanship was so precise that it was indistinguishable from a human. There was no worry about it getting damaged by water.

"It's… perfect," Barbara replied, still feeling a bit shy about sharing a bath with someone else. "You're so outgoing, Mai."

"You have to overcome your weaknesses if you want to be an idol, right?" Raiden Mai chuckled. "I used to be super shy and uncoordinated. I couldn't sing at all—it was awful!"

"R-Really?" Barbara's face lit up in surprise. "Then… how did you become so amazing?"

"Well, that is my little secret," Raiden Mai said with a playful smile. "But if it's for you, Barbara-chan, I suppose I could share… just don't tell anyone, okay? Especially Lilina—she's so competitive."

"I swear by the Anemo Archon, I won't tell anyone!" Barbara promised earnestly.

Of course, she had no idea that the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, was right there with her the entire time.

"It was the president who gave me special coaching," Raiden Mai revealed. "Though his personality can be rough, when it comes to singing and dancing, he's a genius. Even the dullest block of wood can become a masterpiece in his hands. Haha, am I being too full of myself?"

"Him?" Barbara's expression darkened slightly. "Could he really do something like that without expecting anything in return?"

"It wasn't free," Raiden Mai said, shaking her head with a sly, knowing smile. "I paid him back with something of equal value."

"Equal value?" Barbara, still innocent, asked. "What do you mean?"

Raiden Mai leaned close and whispered a few words into Barbara's ear, causing her face to turn bright red.

"H-How could he make you do something like that?" Barbara stammered, flustered. "To force you into that…"

"It wasn't forced—I agreed to it," Raiden Mai corrected. "The president is handsome, talented, and, well… let's just say he's good in that department, too. Honestly, I think I got the better end of the deal!"

Lucas's acting was spot on. Even shamelessly praising himself, he didn't break character.

Barbara, meanwhile, was left speechless, the revelation clearly overwhelming her.

"Barbara-chan…" Raiden Mai asked gently, "You don't hate me for this, do you?"

"Of course not!" Barbara shook her head quickly. "Mondstadt is a city of freedom—your choices are your own."

"An idol is like a lotus," Raiden Mai mused, gazing out the window at the pond lit by the moonlight. "Even if it grows in the mud, it still shows its purest side to the world."

"I… I understand now," Barbara suddenly stood up in the bathtub, resolute. "Even if I have to stand in the mud, I can still bloom as a pure flower!"

With that, she got out of the tub. "Thank you, Mai!"

Watching Barbara leave, Raiden Mai smiled meaningfully. She closed her eyes and transferred her consciousness back to her other body.

---

Twenty minutes later.

As the doorbell rang, a luxury villa's door slowly opened.

"Who is it this late?" Lucas answered, raising an eyebrow at the visitor. "Barbara? It's quite late for a house call."

"I'm not here as a guest," Barbara said nervously. "I'm here to ask you to teach me how to be a proper idol."

"The agency's instructors are more than capable of doing that," Lucas replied, playing hard to get.

"I need your personal guidance," Barbara said, gathering her courage. "Just like… the guidance you gave Mai."

"That girl actually told you about that?" Lucas pretended to be surprised. "Well, in that case, you should also know that my 'personal lessons' come at a hefty price."

"I… I'm ready," Barbara said, clenching her fists. "Please, teach me everything."

"Of course," Lucas patted her head. She instinctively flinched but stood her ground. "What I'll teach you won't just be knowledge, you know."

Whether for her dreams or for her sister, Jean, Barbara knew… she had to make a sacrifice.

"I… I'd like to take a bath first," Barbara stammered, heart racing with regret yet knowing she had no other choice.

"Perfect," Lucas smirked. "Let's bathe together. My bath is quite spacious."

"But…" Barbara hesitated, taken aback by his directness.

"It seems you haven't fully decided," Lucas smiled. "If you want to back out now, there's still time."

"I… I won't regret this!" Barbara steeled herself, shaking her head firmly. "But… I don't know how."

"Don't worry, I'll teach you," Lucas said, walking back into the room without looking back. "Once you step into this room, there's no turning back. Think carefully."

As Barbara watched Lucas's figure retreat, her emotions were deeply conflicted.

Her memories of him stretched back a long time.

The first time she saw him was at his father's funeral, where Lucas was just a young boy with a slightly gloomy look in his eyes.

The second time was in the choir at the Church of Favonius. Little Barbara had immediately recognized him and, using the excuse of "helping with singing," tried to get to know Lucas. But all she received in return was cruel mockery.

The next time they met, it was already more than a decade later. The once lonely and withdrawn boy had transformed into a smooth and charismatic celebrity producer.

He had given Barbara hope but had also shown her the darkness.

Even though, from the very beginning, he had never truly forced her to do anything—everything had been Barbara's own choice.

And this time was no different.

Click.

Barbara's pristine little shoes made a soft sound as they stepped onto the freshly waxed, mirror-like surface of the luxurious wooden floor, leaving a small imprint behind.

"Sorry..." Barbara flinched slightly and said, "I dirtied your floor."

"Don't worry about it," Lucas turned around, gently lifting Barbara's delicate chin as he whispered, "After all, tonight, it won't just be the floor that gets dirty."

Standing so close to Lucas for the first time made Barbara feel a bit breathless.

His deep, dark eyes, the faint scent of cologne, and the firm muscles on his arms, toned from years of dance practice, all exuded a potent sense of masculinity.

It almost made Barbara believe, for a fleeting moment, that he had been waiting just for her.

For an ordinary girl, this scene would likely be the height of romance.

But Barbara knew in her heart that this was merely a transaction. The man who seemed so gentle and polite was, in reality, a wolf in sheep's clothing.

And she was the little rabbit, willingly walking into the wolf's jaws.

Lucas hadn't lied—his bathroom really was enormous. Even innocent Barbara could understand that the reason for such a large bathtub was not purely for practicality.

Of course, with Lucas's wealth, such things were trivial matters.

-----

Author's Note: I really feel bad for barbara...