The Worst Villain is Actually a Cute Girl

Chapter 17: Attack

The group, who had enjoyed their time at the café, began moving again to explore the inside, and as their tour neared its end, they stopped by the souvenir shop.

The shop sold a variety of zoo-related souvenirs.

Animal ears, animal acrylics, animal masks, animal dolls, and even some snacks.

The children wandered around with bright, sparkling eyes.

“Look at this. Don’t I look like a Beastman with these animal ears on?”

“Pfft, what is that?”

“This mask looks so funny too.”

As they examined each item, trying to decide what to choose, they also discussed what might make a good gift for Rene back at the orphanage.

“What would the teacher like to receive?”

“A doll? Or maybe this figurine?”

“Wouldn’t something edible be better?”

“You think everyone’s like you!”

“This music box looks nice too.”

Red watched the children with a pleased expression.

At that moment, someone tugged on her clothes, and when Red turned her head, she saw the blue-haired girl, Bada.

Bada’s face was pale.

Red quickly crouched down to meet her eye level.

“What’s wrong, Bada? Is something the matter?”

“Sister… I need to go to the restroom….”

She was so urgent that she couldn’t stand still.

Red remembered where the restroom was.

She called Lena, the eldest, asking her to watch over the kids and ensure they didn’t wander off. Just as she was about to leave, Lily tugged at her clothes.

Lily shook her head, puffed out her chest, and thumped it with her hand.

Even without words, Red understood what Lily meant.

She wanted to be entrusted with the task.

“You’re saying you’ll take her to the restroom?”

When Red asked, Lily nodded.

Seeing Red hesitate slightly, Lily crossed her arms and stood tall, exuding confidence.

Her stance said, “Trust me.”

“You know where the restroom is, right? Once you’re done, come straight back here. Don’t wander off, okay?”

Lily nodded.

Holding Bada’s hand, she headed toward the restroom.

Even after the two girls disappeared from sight, Red couldn’t take her eyes off the direction they had gone.

‘I hope they got to the restroom safely.’

Knowing Lily was more mature than her peers, Red had given permission. But in the end, she was still a child, and her worries didn’t entirely go away.

Red pushed aside her anxiety and slipped her hands into her coat pockets.

‘Let’s not think about it too much. With security robots and Problem Solvers around, no fool would dare cause trouble here. And if any strange people approach, Lily can handle it.’

Red believed in Lily’s potential.

From the first time they met, when Lily had acted to save the Dogman Shopkeeper from danger, Red had seen her skill.

It had only happened once, but from that single action, Red could tell that despite her young age, Lily had some abilities.

With movements like that, she was sure Lily could handle a few thugs.

Perhaps it was for similar reasons that the Grim Reaper Cult had taken an interest in Lily.

Red speculated.

Shaking off her thoughts, she turned her attention back to the children.

The kids’ faces were full of bright smiles.

She thought bringing them here had been a good decision.

The reason for taking the kids to the zoo was simple: to lift their spirits.

And as she had hoped, the children were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Their eyes sparkled with wonder at every new sight.

They beamed with joy when eating something tasty.

They expressed their emotions honestly, as children their age should.

‘No matter how tough the world is, kids should still act like kids.’

Suddenly, a girl with a slightly different aura came to mind.

It was Lily.

‘She didn’t seem to enjoy herself like the others….’

Rene had mentioned that Lily felt awkward in ordinary daily life.

Seeing it firsthand, Red now understood what she had meant.

When Lily matched the others’ energy, she acted her age, but her behavior subtly revealed something different.

Even with her face hidden behind a mask, faint traces of sadness and loneliness were apparent.

Red assumed it was because of her past experiences.

For someone so young to exhibit battle-hardened movements, it meant she must have gone through a lot.

And such children often felt uncomfortable in normal routines.

What could she have gone through to end up like this?

Red didn’t ask.

Asking such questions would only dig into the child’s wounds.

She believed in waiting until the person was ready to talk about it themselves.

No matter what Lily had gone through in the past, Red sincerely hoped that while she stayed at the orphanage, she could forget it all.

She wished for Lily to live like a child.

Ding-.

At the sound of a faint ring, Red snapped out of her thoughts and quickly turned her head.

‘That sound just now…?’

It was a familiar sound.

Thinking it might be them, Red scanned her surroundings.

All she saw were ordinary visitors walking around.

There was no sign of anything suspicious.

Laughter echoed from various corners, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

‘Maybe I misheard…?’

If the Grim Reaper Cult were really here, it wouldn’t be this quiet.

Suspicious individuals wouldn’t have been allowed in to begin with.

And if they somehow were, the security robots and Problem Solvers would have acted immediately.

“Sister~ Come here!”

Hearing a younger sibling call, Red approached the children.

Lena placed wolf ears on Red’s head.

“Amazing!”

“So cool!”

“Try on another one too!”

The children burst into laughter.

Red smiled faintly along with them.

As they tried on various animal masks and ears, enjoying themselves together, Red suddenly felt a killing intent.

In the same instant, something flew toward her sibling.

Reacting swiftly, Red caught it midair.

In her hand was a dagger.

At that moment, the atmosphere changed drastically.

The laughter disappeared, replaced by screams from all directions.

In the distance, the sounds of explosions and fighting began to mix.

[Chiiiik. #!#@ Attention. Currently, @!@!@ has been breached. Those @!@!@ are advised to evacuate to the shelters immediately….]

A broadcast laced with static.

Even though the voice was distorted, Red immediately understood the situation.

Holding the object in her hand, Red turned toward the direction it had come from, intending to return it to its owner.

Sensing killing intent, she hurled it with precision.

The suspicious individual standing far away, apparently lacking talent in catching, failed to grab it.

The dagger pierced their head, shattering it instantly.

“Sister… what’s going on?”

The children’s faces were filled with fear.

Small trembling hands clutched at the hem of Red’s coat.

To reassure them, Red gently patted their heads one by one.

“Listen, kids. From now on, don’t leave my side.”

Before heading to the shelter, Red needed to quickly check on Bada and Lily, who were in the restroom.

*

Bada had seemed urgent about going to the restroom, so I had offered to take her.

Fortunately, we arrived safely in time, and now I was waiting for her to finish her business inside.

Hmm. The restroom is quite clean.

“Lily… are you there…?”

Knock, knock.

When I lightly tapped on the door, I heard a relieved sigh from inside.

Pop!

Suddenly, the lights went out.

Startled sounds came from inside.

Moments later, the emergency lights came on, filling the area with a faint blue glow.

“Lily… are you there…? What’s happening…?”

Her voice trembled.

It seemed the sudden situation had frightened Bada.

Knock, knock.

To reassure her that I was still there, I lightly tapped on the door again.

The door opened slightly.

Through the crack, I could see Bada’s face, marked by fear.

I gestured with my body that I would step outside to check the situation.

“All right…. But don’t go far….”

I nodded and motioned for her to take her time before closing the door for her.

Stepping outside, I scanned the area illuminated by the emergency lights.

‘Haah… whoever’s responsible for this, couldn’t they just behave? Ruining one of the few nice places….’

The situation didn’t look good.

Visitors lay sprawled on the floor.

Pools of blood had formed. Stains of blood streaked the walls.

Furniture and objects were scattered everywhere.

The place was in chaos.

And the culprits behind this mess stood before me.

There were five of them.

Wearing crow masks, bamboo hats, and black cloaks.

‘The Black Wing Organization?’

I’d heard of them.

An assassination group that would do anything as long as they were paid.

But why would such a big name come here?

“She’s not the target. The target is inside.”

I frowned behind my mask.

They were after someone in the restroom.

The only one in there was Bada.

Why? Who sent them?

I quickly scanned the area with my eyes.

The surveillance cameras on the ceiling drooped lifelessly.

Even the Problem Solvers had fallen.

The security robots were wrecked.

There was no one to rely on for help right now.

The person at the front, seemingly uninterested in talking, pulled something from their coat and swung their arm toward me.

I moved swiftly, catching the flying dagger between my fingers.

“““!!!”””

They seemed surprised by my skill.

But it’s too early to be shocked.

The remaining four threw their daggers at me simultaneously.

Using the dagger I’d caught, I deflected all the incoming blades toward the ceiling, shattering the emergency lights.

Then, with precision, I threw the dagger in my hand and destroyed the final light.

Darkness enveloped the space.

‘Now no one can see anything.’

I heard the sound of swords being unsheathed in the dark.

They were likely accustomed to fighting in the dark. But so was I.

I launched myself forward, faster than they could react, closing in on one of them and striking their arm hard.

With a groan, the sword fell from their grip, and I quickly snatched it midair, stabbing them with it.

‘Four left….’

Two of them lunged at me with their swords.

I dodged a strike aimed at my neck by leaning back, then rose and swung my blade with force at the two of them.

Unable to match my speed, they both took diagonal cuts across their bodies. Moments later, their upper halves slid off.

‘Two left….’

One of them leaped through the air like a crow, closing the distance with startling speed and swinging their sword.

I spun my body to evade and countered with a slash.

They were cleanly cut in half.

‘One left.’

“Damn… you little brat, who the hell….”

Before they could finish, I swung, sending their sword flying.

“Guh!”

The sword embedded itself in their right arm, but they stubbornly held on to it.

Not bad.

Before they could mount a counterattack, I rushed in, kicking their shin hard.

They collapsed to their knees, and I struck their head with my hand.

Thud!

Their mask shattered and flew off dramatically.

I sat on their back as they lay on the ground.

“Cough… w-who are you… cough! What are you…?”

I moved my fingers across my cheek in an X shape.

It meant, “None of your business.”

Next, I wrote the words, “Who? Why?”

The man laughed, blood dripping from his mouth. Like a broken doll, he stopped moving.

He was dead.

‘Tch. So much for answers.’

Tap, tap.

“Lily… Aaahh! It’s so dark…! Are you there…?”

Bada had finished and come out of the restroom.

I stood and approached her, tapping her cheek lightly with my fingers.

“Eek….”

Startled, she almost fell, but I caught her hand to steady her.

“Lily…?”

I drew an O on her small palm.

“What happened here…?”

I drew a question mark.

There was no need to explain what had occurred.

When Bada mentioned a strange metallic smell, I quickly wrote that we should return.

“Yeah…! Sister will be worried…!”

I held Bada’s hand tightly, ensuring she wouldn’t let go.

Why is peaceful time always so short?

‘Whoever’s responsible, you’ll regret crossing me.’