The Worst Villain is Actually a Cute Girl

Chapter 14: My Name, My Very Own Name

We decided to continue the conversation the next day.

It was too late at night to talk, and Red, being very tired, wanted to sleep and have a clear head before discussing further.

Since it wasn’t an urgent matter, I agreed without protest.

The next day, after breakfast, Red and I sat across from each other at a table in the office.

Red rested her chin on her hand and looked at me with a curious expression.

“Are you really that kid?”

I nodded.

Narrowing her eyes, Red stared intently at me.

Even though Rene had likely told her everything, it seemed she wanted to judge for herself whether I was telling the truth or not.

I felt tense, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.

When my gaze met her sharp red eyes, I worried that my identity might be exposed, so I avoided eye contact as much as possible.

Perhaps her fierce demeanor made her seem even scarier.

Gulp.

Still, I could understand Red’s attitude.

When we first met, my face was completely covered, and I couldn’t speak, so she didn’t know my voice either.

It was only natural for her to be suspicious.

“It seems like you are.”

Fortunately, Red quickly believed me.

Although my face was still hidden, Red seemed curious about my appearance underneath.

“Hmm. Covering your face like that makes me wonder what’s underneath. Would you mind taking it off?”

Startled, I grabbed my mask tightly with both hands, determined never to let it be removed.

Seeing my reaction, Red chuckled.

She waved her hand dismissively.

“I’m joking. I wouldn’t take off your mask, even as a joke. Don’t worry.”

Even though my face was hidden, I looked at her with a doubtful gaze.

If she tried to forcefully remove it, I wouldn’t stand a chance.

But thinking about her personality, I knew she wouldn’t do that, so I quickly relaxed.

“Well, I can’t say the same for those kids, though.”

I turned to where Red pointed.

Through a crack in the door, I saw some children peeking at us.

When our eyes met, they quickly ducked out of sight.

‘You’ve already been caught.’

Sighing inwardly, I reached for the candy jar on the table.

After unwrapping a piece, I slightly lifted the bottom of my mask and popped the candy into my mouth.

It was grape-flavored.

Lucky me.

Rolling the candy with my tongue, the grape flavor spread in my mouth, lifting my mood.

“I heard everything from Rene. I hoped you’d come, but I didn’t think you actually would. And to think you’ve stayed for over a month. You must like it here.”

I neither confirmed nor denied her words.

Sometimes, even a person doesn’t fully understand their own feelings, just like I didn’t know why I had waited here for over a month for Red.

It just sort of happened.

Like when you unexpectedly become close to someone after a couple of conversations.

“Let me get straight to the point. Now that things are like this, why not stay with us?”

‘!’

Although I’d somewhat expected it, hearing it directly surprised me so much that the candy in my mouth nearly went down the wrong way.

I could hear the children outside gasp.

Rene, who had been diligently working at her desk, froze as well.

The atmosphere changed slightly after Red’s proposal.

Red’s expression was serious as she looked directly at me and continued.

“You’ve stayed here for over a month, so it seems like you don’t hate this place. I think staying here wouldn’t be a bad choice. The kids seem to want you here too. So, if you’re okay with it, you’re welcome to stay.”

I lowered my head slightly, placing my arms on my knees.

I mulled over her words, lost in thought.

All other sounds faded away, leaving only the distinct noise of the candy rolling in my mouth.

I closed my eyes.

Rationally, it was right to refuse.

Getting closer to Red wouldn’t benefit me.

Staying here would naturally increase the time we spent together, and if I wasn’t careful, my identity could be discovered.

That was why I initially refused her offer and avoided coming here even after receiving the communicator.

It was supposed to be a brief encounter—just to see her face and leave.

I knew what was best for me, yet I still found myself hesitating.

If I had already accomplished my goal, I could just grab a handful of candy and leave.

So why was I struggling with this decision?

It felt truly pathetic.

“….”

I felt the children’s expectant gazes.

They seemed to be waiting to hear what I’d say.

Even Rene at her desk was silently watching me, as though waiting for my answer.

Red didn’t rush me.

She simply waited patiently for my response.

I opened my eyes and lifted my head.

“What will you do? It’s your choice.”

Red extended her hand to me.

What kind of expression was I making right now? I felt genuinely grateful that my mask hid my face.

I hesitated, lifting my hands off my knees and putting them back down more than ten times.

‘Have I ever struggled with a decision this much in my life?’

Looking back, I couldn’t recall a time.

At first, I was too busy trying to survive, and once I got used to using my powers, my biggest dilemma was deciding which dessert to eat that day.

Just as I let out a long sigh.

“Alright. From today on, you’re part of our family. Nice to have you.”

Huh?

When I came to my senses, my hand was already clasping hers.

I was flustered.

When had I reached out to shake her hand?

I couldn’t remember.

Did I do it subconsciously?

As I wrestled with the confusion over my impulsive decision, the kids burst into the room.

“Waaaah! Great choice! You’re part of our family now!”

“Thank goodness!”

“This is amazing….”

Don’t cling to me. You’ll knock off my mask.

Unlike the kids with their bright, cheerful faces, I protested silently in my mind.

This wasn’t right.

I needed to redo this.

But since no words escaped my mouth, my protest echoed only within myself.

Amid the chaos in my head, Red clapped her hands to quiet the kids.

“Everyone, quiet!”

The noise instantly subsided.

The children’s eyes turned to Red.

Red looked at me.

“You said you didn’t have a name, right? Now that you’re living with us, wouldn’t it be inconvenient to go without one? So, we’ll come up with a name for you. Is that okay?”

Wait, what? A name?

The children were thrilled by her suggestion, and names began pouring out naturally.

Ugh, this is giving me a headache.

Fine. Do as you please.

I quietly listened to the suggestions.

Blue, Skull, Whitey, Snow, Eisen, Evil…

They were throwing out names left and right without much thought.

If you’re going to do this, at least take it seriously.

“Lily….”

Huh?

The girl clutching a book tightly—Bada—spoke again.

“Because your hair is white… Lily….”

Bada glanced at a white flower and then looked at me silently.

Oh, Lily because of the lily flower.

Simple and straightforward.

The others seemed to think the name was pretty decent, judging by the looks they gave me.

Their gazes asked me what I thought.

Fine.

That one’s the best so far.

It did feel like a girl’s name, but given that my body was currently that of a girl, it wasn’t entirely unfitting.

I never had a name to begin with, and it was better than being called “that one” or “this one.”

Since I couldn’t share my nickname, I nodded.

“You seem to like it too. So, it’s settled?”

A satisfied smile appeared on Red’s face.

“Welcome to the family, Lily.”

Thump.

For a brief moment, my heart seemed to skip a beat, and I instinctively placed a hand on my chest.

What was that? I tilted my head in confusion.

At least in this world, I had woken up to a proper name for the first time.

It felt awkward and strange.

* * *

When the other kids dragged Lily out to play, only Rene and Red remained in the room.

Red sat on the sofa and reached for the candy jar on the table.

She unwrapped a candy and popped it into her mouth, rolling it on her tongue as she spoke.

“What do you think of that kid after spending over a month with them?”

“You’re asking that awfully quickly.”

Rene replied curtly, recalling the past month.

She began sharing her thoughts, drawing on what she had observed of Lily.

“They’re just like any of the other kids when they first came here.”

“Specifically?”

“Well, it seems like they’re trying to hide it, but Lily is always fascinated by us. Whether the kids are playing, eating together, having snacks, or studying, they find everything here awkward.”

That wasn’t all.

There was an underlying caution in Lily’s behavior, compounded by their inability to speak.

Thinking about what kind of life Lily must have endured in this harsh world, Rene couldn’t help but feel pity.

So, she believed they needed to be embraced with love.

But.

“Unlike the other kids, she’s hiding something.”

That was why Rene hadn’t completely let her guard down around Lily.

Pity was one thing, but if Lily posed a threat to the orphanage, Rene was prepared to do whatever was necessary to protect the children.

“I see. Actually….”

Red shared the information she had gathered with Rene.

She revealed that Lily’s name was on a list of individuals of interest to the Grim Reaper Cult.

“Really? That makes things a bit clearer.”

Tap, tap.

Rene finished sorting through some documents and looked at Red with a worried expression.

“…Will this be okay?”

Red understood the weight of her question.

Being with someone carrying trouble meant inevitably getting swept up in it.

Could Red handle everything that might happen?

“It’ll be fine.”

Her voice brimmed with confidence.

Red’s expression was composed.

If anyone else had said such a thing, Rene would’ve felt deeply uneasy, but she knew Red well.

“Well, if you say so, Red, I’ll trust you.”

“By the way, you should start calling me ‘sister’ comfortably.”

“…I’m fine with how things are. This is more comfortable for me.”

“Ugh, you’re so shy. Oh, by the way, I heard a new zoo is opening in a nearby city outskirts. I was thinking of taking the kids there. What do you think?”

“The kids would love that.”

“Wouldn’t they?”

The two began making preparations for the zoo trip.

* * *

Meanwhile, Isaac sat in his room, looking at his phone.

He let out a wry smile as he glanced at the missed calls and unanswered texts.

“Red’s being harsh. I told her to go along with it, but she’s ignoring me….”

At first, things between the two had been fine.

Isaac knew Red well, so he found it easy to raise her favorability.

But at some point, the distance between them had started growing.

He didn’t know why.

Nothing seemed to have gone wrong.

He had followed the information he had to the letter.

And it wasn’t as if the data could have been wrong.

‘At the very least, I need to meet her. Whether things improve or not depends on that. Hmm… wait.’

Looking at the date on his phone, a smile spread across Isaac’s face.

‘It’s about time for that event to happen. The timing is perfect. If I use this event….’

If she refused to approach him, he’d simply force a connection.

Isaac began to lay out his plans.