The storm-like meeting came to an end.

Heat was still swirling through the studio, but at my feet lay a single corpse—no, an empty husk.

It was Tennoji Karen.

The nation’s action actress had been completely drained, clinging to the hem of my pants and refusing to let go.

“Karen-sama! You have another shoot! We need to move!”

A female manager rushed in, her face pale, trying to pry Karen off me.

“Nooo… don’t… let go… I’ll wait here… I’ll wait for Jō’s words…”

“Pull yourself together! You’re the ‘Solitary Black Panther,’ aren’t you!? Why are you acting like a useless mutt!?”

Dragged across the floor, Karen was hauled away.

The last thing she gave me—a moisture-laden upward glance—burned itself into my mind and refused to fade.

…I couldn’t help but feel deeply anxious about the filming to come.

“Well then, that was a perfect demonstration.”

Hibiki nodded in satisfaction and turned to face me.

“That’s it for today. You’re tired, right? I’ll take you home.”

“Home?”

I hesitated slightly.

I had only just been transferred to this other world.

I didn’t even have a place to live, let alone any local currency.

“No, I don’t have a home to go back to. I literally just arrived today.”

“…Huh?”

Hibiki let out a completely baffled sound.

“No home? What do you mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. I’m homeless.”

When I shrugged, the color drained from Hibiki’s face.

“What!? Are you insane!?”

She grabbed at my chest—well, around my shirt, since she couldn’t actually reach—and closed in with a demon-like expression.

“A boy! At night! Alone outside! That’s like being naked inside a lion’s cage! You’ll be kidnapped instantly and shipped off to an underground auction, guaranteed!”

What intensity.

Apparently, in this world, ‘a homeless man’ was an emergency on the level of ‘an abandoned infant.’

Even after taking in my 192-centimeter frame and vicious-looking face, that perception didn’t change.

“…Then I’ll just sleep on a park bench or something.”

“There’s no way that’s happening! I’m not letting my precious lead actor become food for stray dogs!”

Hibiki started muttering to herself while biting her nails.

“A hotel? No, a man alone would be refused lodging… The agency dorms? They’re full right now…”

After a while, she looked up as if she’d made up her mind, cheeks faintly flushed.

“…Th-then… want to come to my place?”

“…What?”

“Well, I’ve got spare rooms and the security’s airtight and…”

As she spoke, she seemed to realize just how bold her suggestion was and immediately started panicking.

Her face turned bright red as she waved both hands frantically.

“N-no! That’s not what I mean! Don’t get the wrong idea!”

“…Right.”

“I’m not going to do anything! No sneaking into your bed at night! I won’t attack you! This is just an emergency evacuation measure!”

She was trying far too hard.

Normally, those are the lines a man would say, but in this world, apparently, it was the opposite.

Well, it was better than sleeping outside and possibly getting stopped for questioning ‘if that even exists here.’

I decided to accept the care of this genius director.

“Alright. I’ll take you up on the offer.”

* * *

Hibiki’s home was the top floor of a super-high-rise tower apartment about ten minutes by car from the studio.

There was a concierge at the entrance and the elevator wouldn’t move without a card key.

As expected of a world-famous film director. Different league of income.

“It’s a bit messy, but don’t worry about it.”

Hibiki opened the heavy door.

The moment I stepped inside, I was struck speechless.

“…Were you robbed?”

“This is the default.”

The spacious living room was nothing but piles of clothes.

Discarded jackets, inside-out stockings, half-read scripts, empty plastic bottles.

The floor wasn’t visible.

Only the area by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a night view worth hundreds of millions was barely passable.

“I’ve been busy with work… and, well, hiring help is tricky—male housekeepers are basically an urban legend and if I hire a woman, she’ll throw away my collection…”

Making excuses, Hibiki shoveled clothes off the sofa like snow, clearing a place to sit.

“For now, sit down. You’re hungry, right? I’ll get something.”

Come to think of it, I hadn’t eaten anything since reincarnating.

When I nodded, Hibiki headed toward the kitchen—then quickly came back.

In her hands were two cup noodles.

“Here. Seafood or soy sauce—your pick.”

“…This is your idea of hospitality food?”

“What do you expect, the fridge is empty! And these expired last week, but once you pour hot water in, they get sterilized, so it’s fine!”

That’s not fine.

I sighed and stood up.

“I’ll borrow the kitchen.”

“Huh? You’re cooking? Fine, but there’s nothing there.”

I pushed through the piles of clothes and headed for the island kitchen and froze for the second time.

Dirty.

The sink was stacked with unwashed plates and cups like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The stove was crusted with burned-over spills, coated in grease and dust.

Snap.

Something inside me broke.

I’m a cook.

The kitchen is sacred ground. A place where lives are handled.

After it’s been defiled this badly, there’s no way I can stay quiet.

“…Hey.”

I turned back and glared at Hibiki.

Without realizing it, I had slipped into ‘head chef mode,’ the version of myself at my absolute worst in my previous life.

The crease between my brows deepened, my gaze sharpened and killing intent poured off my body.

“Eek—!”

Hibiki, still holding the cup noodles, flinched and stumbled back.

“Don’t screw with me. You think anyone can eat in a garbage dump like this?”

My low, threatening voice echoed through the wide living room.

I snatched a memo pad and pen nearby and scribbled furiously.

Inside the fridge were only alcohol and seasonings.

No vegetables, no meat, no eggs.

I listed everything we needed and shoved the memo at Hibiki.

“I’m cleaning this place. While I do, go buy all of this.”

“H-huh?”

“There’s a supermarket on the first floor. These, these and trash bags too. Run.”

I poured every ounce of pressure I had into that last word.

“Y-yes, sir!!”

Hibiki snapped to attention and saluted on reflex.

She was a world-class master who normally gave orders to hundreds of staff.

But in front of my sheer presence, like an enraged mother paired with a scary face, she was nothing more than an errand runner.

“I’ll be right back! I’ll bring everything back even if it costs me my life!”

Grabbing her wallet, Hibiki bolted out of the room like a startled rabbit.

Bang! The door slammed shut.

Silence returned to the apartment.

I rolled up my sleeves and faced the kitchen in utter ruin.

“Alright… let’s do this.”

The blood of a cook stirred.

First, secure the sink.

Next, scrape the burned grime off the stove.

I picked up a sponge and flashed a fearless grin.

I’d personally bring judgment down on this villain known as a ‘filthy apartment.’

And so, the very first job of the strongest villain actor ‘in theory’ began with a full-scale cleaning of a genius director’s home.