The Villainess’s Guide to Winning the Male Lead

So, I was on my way to the restaurant for dinner with Kabir.

Honestly, this death was so trivial, it was embarrassing to even explain.

“Wow…”

There was a bird sitting on the terrace.

It was a bird of a fur color I had never seen in my life. Blue and red were mysteriously mixed, with yellow feathers occasionally standing out.

How could such a beautiful bird exist? I was enchanted and approached it.

As I approached, the bird flew away to an ambiguous distance. It was within arm’s reach.

Looking back now, I don’t know why I did it, but I leaned on the railing and reached out towards where the bird was.

The railing of the terrace broke at the same time.

“…”

“Haha.”

Once again facing Gabriela, I buried my face in one hand. Gabriela was looking at me and laughing.

“It seems I see this often.”

“Regrettably so…”

And like that, my points flew away again. It was a situation that only made me sigh.

Fortunately, I had fallen into a bushy area with few people around, and having a manager meant that the situation would be handled quickly.

This time, it wasn’t the act of an assassin; it was just my foolishness that led to my death. It was embarrassingly pitiful.

Drowning in self-contempt, Gabriela casually remarked,

“I’ll give you one hint. That bird was enchanted.”

“…?”

I looked at Gabriela in surprise.

“That’s why you were captivated. It’s a common method of assassination. It leaves no evidence.”

“…So, this was also the work of an assassin?”

“That’s right.”

Somehow. The question of why I was so captivated by the bird, though I’m not usually interested in birds, was answered.

‘This time it was magic.’

I knew that assassination methods were becoming diverse. They really spared no means or methods.

Because of these damned assassins, my points kept flying away. I felt anger welling up and took a long breath.

“Think of it this way, you came here to enjoy a vacation paid for.”

“Vacation… Yes…”

Gabriela’s attempt at consolation didn’t register.

It seemed Gabriela was a bit embarrassed by my sudden appearance.

“What do you think, should I call Carrot?”

“No, it’s okay.”

I had been here more than once or twice. I didn’t need a guide anymore. I had roughly figured out the location of the house and the geography of the place. I didn’t want to disturb them during their busy period.

Since I had come, I thought I would rest as Gabriela had suggested.

I greeted Gabriela and left the room. The corridor was quiet, with no one around.

‘Maybe I should go somewhere I haven’t been yet.’

Anyway, if I got lost, someone would come looking for me. So I decided to walk around this expansive space a bit.

However, since I couldn’t just barge into an office, all I did was walk around the corridors appropriately.

After wandering for a bit, I realized two things.

The first was that the place was bigger and tidier than I thought. The second was that it was indeed a very busy period.

The angels I glimpsed through the slightly open doors of the offices were all bustling around. They were making calls, carrying documents; it was chaotic.

After cautiously observing, I quickly stepped out of the building.

Outside, there was a path for a stroll. I followed the path as it went.

While it was nice to play with Carrot or the other angels, having some time alone wasn’t bad either. After all, I’ve always been someone who enjoyed solitude. I wanted to enjoy this moment.

Though the pathway was between buildings, it wasn’t shabby. On the contrary, it felt well-maintained. As I had felt before, the Celestial Realm had a mysterious vibe, quite similar yet distinct from the human world.

As I walked aimlessly, I eventually reached the end of the pathway.

There was a bench, but it wasn’t really part of the walkway. I realized where I had wandered off to.

‘A smoking area.’

It was a place I would never go to.

Just as I was about to turn back, I felt a presence and shifted my gaze.

Behind the building was a man I had never seen before.

He was slender but looked incredibly skinny because of his height.

His dark black hair was messy, and under the fringe, I could see dark circles.

His lifeless black eyes were looking at me.

‘…Is this man also an angel?’

All the angels I had seen so far had bright colors in either their hair or eyes. But this man was just dark.

The man saw me and gave a sly smile. After exhaling smoke, he spoke.

“You’re underground.”

His voice was a deep bass, but strangely pleasant to hear.

I was puzzled by the man who casually called me by my name as if he knew me.

The man took steps towards me, and I instinctively flinched.

I wasn’t scared when facing Kabir, but something about this man’s aura was different from Kabir’s.

Gloomy? Or maybe… sinister?

I don’t know if it was because of his appearance or the vibe he naturally exuded, but despite not looking particularly frightening, I found myself shrinking back instinctively.

Seeing me on guard, the man let out a raspy laugh.

“I’m a bit disappointed, that’s the way you treat a fan?”

Each word was smooth and drawn out.

A fan? Confused, I couldn’t say anything.

Seeing my reaction, the man slowly spoke again.

“Do you know how many points I’ve shot your way? As a big spender, I should be treated properly, shouldn’t I?”

…Big spender?

There was only one person I could think of when it came to a big spender.

With a sense of curiosity, I asked.

“…asdf sir?”

“Right.”

The man nodded.

I never expected to actually meet asdf like this, so suddenly. I hadn’t imagined we would meet so quickly. I was a bit taken aback.

“If I knew I would be called by my nickname face-to-face, I would have chosen it more thoughtfully. I didn’t know I would get so involved in the broadcasting when I signed up.”

I had thought it was a hastily chosen nickname, but I didn’t expect asdf himself to think the same.

I had wanted to meet him, but I never imagined it would be this soon. It was a bit surprising.

“Call me by my name, not by that nickname.”

The man extended his hand as if offering a handshake.

“Ian.”

“…I’m Heo Jiha.”

I took Ian’s hand. I could immediately feel the large bones of his hand, as big as he was tall.

Ian, who was staring at me, then raised his other hand, the one not shaking mine, and brought it to his nose.

“Do I smell?”

“…It doesn’t matter.”

After all, it was I who had come toward the smoking area.

Ian then dropped what he was holding in his hand and stamped it out with his foot.

“How did you end up here? Are you not doing the broadcast anymore?”

“Well, I had an accident… I have to return soon.”

It was embarrassing to explain in detail. I glossed over it, but Ian didn’t press further.

“Right, you should continue.”

Ian was smiling contentedly.

“I couldn’t go to the fan meeting before, but I’m glad to meet you now. Are you hungry? Shall we go for a meal together? My treat.”

“…Sure.”

I agreed without thinking. After all, I had nothing else to do.

Ian moved first, and I hurriedly followed him.

Standing next to Ian, I felt significantly shorter. Kabir was also very tall, but Ian was incomparable.

“It’s an awkward time. It’s a bit early for lunch, but how about brunch? You like that, right?”

“…”

It was strange that someone I didn’t know well knew so much about me.

I did like brunch menus. I nodded.

The place Ian and I arrived at was nearby. It was a small and cute place. You shouldn’t judge people by their appearance, but it seemed a very unlikely place for Ian.

“Ah, welcome.”

The staff recognized Ian and greeted him. Apparently, it was a place he frequented.

Probably because of the odd time, there were no other customers.

I quietly waited for the menu Ian had ordered. Meanwhile, Ian was resting his chin in his hand and staring at me from the opposite side.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I picked up my glass of water. To me, fiddling with something, Ian asked.

“Wanted to meet me, didn’t you?”

His words made me choke on my water.

Ian just watched and laughed as I coughed. His expression seemed amused, as if my awkwardness was entertaining.

Had the manager conveyed my words already? They were always quick in handling things.

I avoided Ian’s gaze slightly and said,

“…It was just a casual conversation. You were always on the broadcast, so it’s natural to get curious.”

“That’s true. I haven’t been able to join much recently though.”

“Must be quite busy with work, I assume.”

“It’s just about winding down now. You came at a good time.”

No wonder he seemed so leisurely for someone supposedly busy. It looks like I arrived right as he was wrapping things up.

“So, how did you end up dying this time?”

It was a question that made me sigh involuntarily.

It wasn’t because of Ian. It was just too embarrassing to speak about the ridiculous way I died.

I was hoping he wouldn’t pry, but of course, he would be curious.

Being a regular on the broadcast and all, and since I would have to reveal it on the broadcast anyway, I simply told him.

“I got caught up in magic. Some kind of enchantment spell. I was lured by a bird and then fell when the railing broke.”

“Oh dear.”

His reaction was very mild, but his voice did sound sympathetic.

Once I started talking about it, I couldn’t help but vent my frustration.

“I don’t know who the assassin is, but they’re certainly trying to kill me in various ways.”

“But.”

Ian interrupted my rant.

“I think I might know who the culprit is.”

“…?”

I looked at him, puzzled, but Ian just gave a meaningful smile and nothing more.