The Worst Villain is Actually a Cute Girl

Chapter 16: A Happy and Warm Time

We moved to a place called the Pasture Café.

When we arrived, the children widened their eyes and exclaimed in awe.

I could hear their breaths trembling with excitement.

Even Red, who must have visited various places, seemed quite surprised by the scene before her.

‘To think they’d replicate it so perfectly. This is amazing even to me.’

It was a café befitting its name.

A vast, expansive field stretched out before us.

When I looked up, a clear blue sky and pristine clouds came into view.

Sunlight, so realistic it hurt the eyes, poured over the entire space.

When the wind blew, the sound of waves rippling through the field could be heard.

Mechanical animals roamed the fields, occasionally making animal sounds.

Though it looked and felt real, it was an artificial space created through a combination of science and magic.

“Wow~ This is incredible!”

“It feels so warm and comforting.”

“They say there used to be lots of places like this in the past….”

But the children didn’t mind whether it was fake or not.

The same went for everyone here.

The children looked around curiously, taking in the scenery before them with amazement in their eyes.

Seeing their sparkling gazes, an involuntary bitter smile crept onto my face.

After all, such landscapes were rare in this world.

They could only be found in mid-level cities or central areas, while those from the outskirts only knew them through books or videos.

What was once a common sight where I used to live wasn’t the same for the people here.

The children now were experiencing a scene they had only seen in books or videos, and watching them be so excited and satisfied by even this made a small corner of my heart ache.

How wonderful it would be if the world were a better place, I thought.

‘This is why I hesitate to visit places like this. They make me overly sentimental and leave me feeling down.’

As I was lost in such thoughts, Red suddenly spoke to me.

“Lily, do you not like this place?”

What was this, mind-reading?

Surely my face was hidden by the mask.

When I raised my head to look at Red, she only gave me a faint smile, tinged with a hint of melancholy.

Without any hesitation, I shook my head at her question.

It wasn’t that I disliked it.

I was just lost in emotions that could only be felt by someone who once lived in a peaceful world.

Red patted my head again.

It felt like she was treating me like a child, so I forcefully pushed her hand away, tapping her leg lightly with my soft fist in protest.

For some reason, she found my actions amusing and couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“I wonder what it would feel like to sing in a place like this….”

At that moment, Lena murmured beside me.

Perhaps overwhelmed with emotion, her voice trembled slightly.

She stood there with her mouth slightly open, deeply moved.

Then, as if making a firm decision, her face grew serious, and she turned to Red, tugging at her clothes.

“Sis.”

Red crouched down, and Lena leaned close to her ear to whisper.

Then she pointed to a large tree a little distance away.

Red nodded her head.

“Everyone, let’s check out that spot before going to the café. Lena says she’s got a surprise for us.”

The children responded with an excited “Ooh!” and headed toward the tree.

We stepped into the large shade cast by its thick branches and leaves, and the children began sitting down one by one. I sat down as well.

Lena stepped forward, turned around, and scanned everyone.

She clasped her hands gently in front of her belly.

Though the sunlight was blocked by the dense foliage, thin beams of light filtered through, illuminating her where she stood.

Lena took a deep breath and began to sing.

It was the kind, gentle song she often sang.

Soft melodies flowed from her small mouth and resonated around us.

‘She truly has talent. In a peaceful world, she could have pursued becoming an idol….’

For a child, Lena was an excellent singer.

But it wasn’t just her skill; there was something almost magical about her singing.

It warmed the heart.

Especially in a place like this, brimming with a warm atmosphere, her voice amplified such feelings even further.

When the song ended, applause erupted all around.

Startled, I turned my head and saw a crowd of people.

It seemed they had gathered after hearing her voice.

Lena, her face flushed, flailed her arms in embarrassment.

Even so, she didn’t forget to thank the audience who appreciated her performance.

After bowing repeatedly in gratitude, she quickly retreated from her “stage.”

We headed toward the café in high spirits.

*

On top of a hill, there were several cottages.

We chose one and went inside, where a robotic guide warmly welcomed us.

Following the guide’s lead, we took seats at a vacant wooden table.

“Here are the menus. Once you’ve decided, press this button, and a waiter will come to take your order. Please enjoy your peaceful time.”

We opened the menu.

Scanning through it, I saw a variety of items for sale.

There was a mix of common snacks and rare ones that were hard to find.

And as expected, the prices were quite steep. So steep it made my eyes twitch slightly.

‘Whether it’s here or there, cafés always overcharge for snacks. How much is this even? No wonder there are so many empty seats—it all makes sense now.’

It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling the pinch, as the other children’s expressions weren’t very bright either.

They began glancing at Red, gauging her reaction.

Their eyes seemed to ask if it was really okay to order something.

Usually, someone might scratch their head awkwardly and quietly suggest leaving, but not Red.

She showed no signs of concern.

“Choose whatever you want to eat. Or I’ll just pick for you.”

As expected of Red!

She’s so generous!

In my mind, I raised my hands in triumph, jumping for joy.

The children’s expressions brightened, and they began choosing from the menu.

“What are you going to get?”

“This one looks delicious.”

“What kind of snack is this?”

“My eyes are spinning….”

The menu featured photos and descriptions of each dish.

Since I had seen most of these snacks in my past life, I knew what they were, but the children didn’t.

Naturally, their eyes sparkled with curiosity as they pored over the menu.

“What are you going to pick, Lily?”

I don’t know yet. I’m still deciding.

With that in mind, I stroked my chin in response to Lena’s question.

Then, to show that it was hard to choose, I pressed my fingers to my temples and gently shook my head from side to side.

“I feel the same. It’s so hard to decide.”

I agreed with her words.

I nodded my head.

But we couldn’t keep deliberating forever.

The children began choosing their snacks one by one, and I picked the one that seemed the most reasonable.

Beep—.

When Red pressed the button on the table, a moment later, a waiter robot arrived.

“Have you decided on your order?”

“Let’s see… Catharsis Giant Pudding, Tricolor Soft Long Ice Cream….”

Red listed the children’s choices one by one. She also added a few rare snacks that were hard to find outside.

The children cheered in delight.

In my imagination, I showered colorful petals over Red’s head.

She truly has an incredibly generous heart.

“I can’t wait to see how it turns out.”

“What will it taste like?”

“Lily seems really excited too—look at her shoulders bouncing up and down.”

Huh? Excited?

I almost snorted at their remark.

I’m not some child getting worked up. I’m just curious about how the snacks here would look.

I wanted to tap the table and protest, but as the mature one here, I held back.

After a little while.

The waiter returned, pushing a cart laden with food, and began placing the snacks on the table one by one.

“Wowwww~!”

I swallowed my saliva.

At first glance, both the presentation and portion size were impressive.

The steep prices seemed justified.

The children took bites of their snacks.

After tasting them, they wore blissful, goofy expressions.

And they all gave the same review.

“Delicious!”

I slid my mask slightly to the side to eat more comfortably and cut into my five-layer pancake with a knife and fork.

The texture was soft, melting in my mouth. A sweet flavor spread throughout.

Wow. It’s delicious.

It’s amazing they managed to create this kind of taste.

The children eagerly dug into their snacks, enjoying this happy time.

And of course, snacks are pure happiness.

The children exchanged and shared their snacks with one another.

Thanks to that, I got to taste a variety of snacks too.

Before I realized it, all the dishes were empty.

Only one egg tart remained, and as I reached out with my fork to grab it—

Clang.

Seven other forks collided with mine, blocking my way.

It seemed the other children had the same thought as me.

“…”

A tense silence filled the air.

Unseen sparks seemed to fly.

‘No one seems willing to back down.’

It felt like a battle over who would eat it was about to break out, and just as things were going as expected—

“Alright, that’s enough. I’ll eat the last one.”

Red took the last egg tart and ate it.

The children let out small sighs of disappointment but didn’t complain.

If it was Red they were yielding to, it couldn’t be helped.

That was the atmosphere.

Even so, a hint of regret lingered on their faces.

Red smiled warmly.

“I’ll buy something else for you instead.”

Beep—.

Red ordered eight glasses of milk, exclusive to this café, and one coffee.

The children’s faces lit up with joy.

The atmosphere became harmonious and cheerful.

I turned my head to look outside.

The vast field came into view.

‘Even though I know it’s all fake, perhaps because I’ve been living in a cramped city, being here feels strangely comforting.’

Moments of happiness like this were rare in the city.

Warm and vibrant places were few and far between.

So I silently wished that this time wouldn’t be interrupted while we were here.

Surely, no one would ruin this lovely atmosphere so thoughtlessly.

If someone did, I wouldn’t forgive them.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the same time, in a corner of the zoo.

Isaac, wearing a mask and hat, sat on a bench looking at the animals inside a glass enclosure.

But there was no hint of interest in his eyes.

Right now, there was something far more important to him than those fake animals.

At that moment, a mother and her child passed by.

The child seemed to recognize Isaac, his eyes widening in surprise, but Isaac raised a finger to his lips as if to shush him.

A gesture to keep it a secret.

The child nodded.

The mother and child continued on their way.

Isaac checked his phone.

A message had arrived.

‘The plan starts now.’

A sly smile spread across Isaac’s face.

But since it was hidden by the mask, no one noticed.