The Worst Villain is Actually a Cute Girl-Chapter 48

I’d lost control and gotten emotional without even realizing it.

Driven by the feelings that surged up along with memories I thought I’d long since thrown away, I nearly burned everything down—along with that machine.

Just like back then.

Thankfully, Red had stopped me. Her intervention brought me back to my senses, and just thinking about what could’ve happened sent a chill through my chest.

Haah...

To think that was the Song of the Angel.

I never would’ve guessed.

And why would I? Recording was strictly forbidden in that place—I thought no such thing existed.

Honestly, I wanted to smash that machine right then and there. The one that dragged all those worthless memories back up.

But there were too many eyes watching.

I clenched down on the urge to destroy.

Rage doesn’t care who’s around—it burns everything.

If I gave in to it now, if I let myself act without thinking, I knew it would bring me relief.

It would make the aching in my heart go quiet.

But what comes after?

The only thing left behind by fire is ash.

Even if I stood in the ruins of what I burned, I’d be the only one left in misery.

In this world where there’s barely anywhere to call home, I’d finally found a place that gave me warmth—and I wanted to stay.

I knew that was a huge thing to hope for, coming from someone like me.

But after suffering in this world for decades... just a little bit of comfort—was that really too much to ask?

Yeah. It’s fine. It’s all just the past. It’s already over. There’s no reason to remember it anymore.

I’m not that weak person from back then.

What happened then... will never happen again.

I don’t have to shake with despair or fear like I did that day.

I don’t have to give myself over to rage or disappointment.

Everything already burned. Only ash remains. There’s no need to stir up dead embers.

I took a deep breath, and as I exhaled, I heard something—a scratching, irritating sound at my ear. I turned my gaze.

My brows knit together.

My hand had moved to my neck without me noticing.

I stopped it.

Lowered my clenched fist slowly.

I pulled up my collar to cover the redness spreading across my throat.

A cold breeze blew by, cooling the heat that had risen in my head.

If I took off the mask, the wind might blow away the heat and all the racing thoughts along with it—but I didn’t.

Sure, there were people watching, but more than that, I didn’t want to show the ugly face hidden beneath this mask.

Even if my face showed little emotion, I knew this wasn’t one of my better moments.

I waited outside, calming my thoughts until the other two came out. They didn’t take long.

The moment they stepped outside, Rena looked at me.

Gone were the bright, excited eyes she’d had earlier—her gaze now was filled with quiet sadness and concern.

Even though I was still wearing the mask, she could sense something.

“Why’d you come out so suddenly? Are you feeling sick?”

Shake shake.

“Really?”

Nod nod.

“Unnie said she’d leave you alone for a bit, but... are you sure you’re okay?”

Nod nod.

Even though I answered just like always, she kept asking.

Only after I added a few gestures to reassure her did her expression relax—just a little.

Then Red came up and knelt in front of me.

She looked me in the eye.

Her gaze briefly flicked to my neck—and instinctively, I tugged my collar higher.

Red placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling gently as she spoke.

It was a soft, warm smile... but I could see a trace of worry behind it.

“If you’re sick, or if something’s bothering you... you can tell us. You don’t have to carry it all by yourself.”

I froze for a moment. Then, after a bit of hesitation, I gave her a reluctant nod.

Red stood back up and placed her hand on my head, gently ruffling my hair.

Pat, pat. Rub, rub.

Pat, pat. Rub, rub.

...Excuse me?

That was way more intense than usual.

Rena also clung to me and started patting my head too.

Ugh.

All this affection was making my head and body feel hot.

But it wasn’t that wild, burning heat that makes you want to tear everything down.

It was a slow, comforting warmth that steadied my heart.

That warmth itched at my chest.

So I shoved their big and little hands away.

Ignoring their sounds of disappointment, I hurriedly told them we should head back.

On the ride home, Rena asked me,

“What did you think of the song in the store, Lily?”

I hesitated for a moment... then nodded in affirmation.

“Yeah? I thought so too. I want to sing a happy song like that someday.”

As I looked at her face in profile, her expression full of quiet determination, I smiled bitterly behind my mask.

Rena started singing the Song of the Angel in the car.

They say that song brings happiness to people’s hearts.

But the version Rena sang brought me peace.

And that mix of happiness and calm... that warmth that should’ve wrapped around my heart—

Instead, it cast a shadow over it.

Even so, I didn’t stop her.

Because that small girl was happy.

*

After returning to the orphanage, I acted as if nothing had happened.

The same blank expression, the same behavior as always.

When I checked myself in the mirror, I looked exactly like usual.

But despite that flawless appearance, the others seemed to sense something was off—the way they treated me clearly changed.

It didn’t turn negative. If anything, the opposite.

They became overly kind—to the point it was overwhelming.

Outside of rehearsal time, everyone kept trying to smother me in warmth and affection.

“Lily... come lie down here... I’ll read you a fun fairytale...”

Ba Da forced my head onto her lap and began reading a picture book.

“Here, today’s snack.”

Ever since we went to the music store, Rene started preparing snacks I liked.

“Come on, eat a lot today too.”

The troublemakers who used to start wars over who got the most or tastiest snacks... now, oddly enough, kept offering theirs to me.

And that wasn’t all.

“Lily, look over there! The birds are flying so beautifully.”

“Lily, the sky is so clear—let’s go play in the yard!”

“Lily, there’s a strange little creature here. Isn’t it cute?”

“Lily.”

“Lily.”

They wouldn’t stop clinging to me, trying to drag me into one thing after another. It was annoying.

But I understood, more or less, why they were acting like this—and because I saw how sincere they were, I held back and endured it.

I figured if I played along just a little, they’d stop soon enough.

Pat pat.

Rub rub.

Squish squish.

Instead of stopping, it only got worse. They were acting like they wanted to smother me to death with fluffiness.

Aaaagh!

In the end, I couldn’t take it anymore and rolled across the room, demanding to know what the hell was going on with all this sudden change.

Why were they acting like this?!

The kids looked down and then slowly started explaining.

“Well, you just looked really down.”

“Hmph. And you wouldn’t tell us what was bothering you.”

“Yeah. You looked normal, but something was off.”

“So we all decided to cheer you up together!”

After hearing their explanations, I let out a small sigh.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

I thought I had disguised everything perfectly—but I guess I couldn’t fool the kids’ eyes.

Come to think of it, I’d heard children are more sensitive to moods than adults.

Guess it’s true.

All at once, the tension drained from my body and left me limp.

Still... I appreciated the thought.

But wasn’t this a bit much?

It’s not like I was whining like a rain-soaked puppy—they were trying to wash me, feed me, and tuck me into bed.

I’m not that weak.

...Or am I?

The kids don’t know I’m the Reaper.

And without that identity, I look no different from an ordinary child.

If a kid seems down, of course the others would worry.

The kids aren’t bad.

They just wanted to cheer me up in their own way.

It was all my fault.

Getting so down out of nowhere and dragging others into it...

I felt pathetic and let out a faint laugh at myself.

Then, when I thought back on everything the kids had done, for some reason, it suddenly struck me as funny—and I burst into silent laughter.

No sound came out.

But the corners of my mouth stretched wide with a smile, and my shoulders shook.

Anyone watching would definitely think I was laughing.

The kids’ eyes went wide with surprise.

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After laughing for a while, I motioned for them to come closer.

Once they gathered around, I placed my hands on their heads and ruffled each one, one by one.

I ruffled their hair so wildly it looked like the wind had blown through.

After messing with them, I gave a mischievous grin.

The kids grumbled but laughed joyfully.

I smiled again, too.

“Are you okay now?”

Nod nod.

Looking at the kids’ now bright, cheerful faces—

I gave them a smile that came from the heart.

The girls blushed, and the boys clasped their hands over their chests like they were overwhelmed.

And with that brightened atmosphere, we went back to practicing for the stage.

Time passed, and night came.

I lay down on the futon-covered floor.

The girls didn’t lie in their usual spots—instead, they clung to me.

Oh boy.

I tried to push them off, but their little hands held on tight and wouldn’t let go.

I let out a small sigh.

Giving up, I stared up at the dark ceiling.

A self-mocking smile slipped across my lips.

I’m not a child.

I’m not some helpless kid who can’t do anything on her own.

Despite how I look, I’m the Reaper—the one people fear.

The Reaper isn’t someone who needs protection.

I don’t need this warm affection. It’s too gentle, too kind for me to accept.

Just letting me rest for a moment in this place where you all live—that’s more than enough.

Getting uncharacteristically down like that... it was just because of the lingering aftertaste in my heart.

Like smoke rising from ashes, the scent hadn’t completely disappeared, and I got caught in it again. That’s all.

But it won’t last.

Once a strong wind blows through, that lingering scent will be swept away into the air and disappear for good.

And everything will go back to how it was.

Just like it always has.

“La la~”

Then I heard a soft voice singing beside me.

A gentle, warm lullaby wrapped around my heart.

Rena was quietly humming beside me.

Her kindness made sleep slowly descend.

As I closed my eyes, my consciousness sank gently into the dark.

And in that darkness, I walked.

My feet dragged through the shadows that clung to the ground, and whispers flitted past my ears. I couldn’t understand the words, but the emotions in them seeped into me.

Sin doesn’t vanish.

Whether by choice or not, the sins that pile up only weigh down my heart.

Even though I know I don’t have to care, I’m too much of a fool to let them go.

And # Nоvеlight # this place is hell—where fools like me end up.

Wandering through the dark, I finally reached the place I always did—the place where everything began.

But this time, it was different.

A faint song drifted in from somewhere.

That song shattered the nightmare of this place, breaking it apart—and suddenly, a bright sky opened above.

A sunlit garden.

Beneath a tree in the distance, a blonde-haired girl sang softly.

I slowly walked toward her and lay down beneath the tree’s shade.

Listening to her song, I quietly closed my eyes.

And the guilt that had haunted me through this dream—

Was soothed by that peace, and I fell into a sweet, gentle sleep.