The Worst Villain is Actually a Cute Girl-Chapter 4

As I strode eagerly toward the entrance, the android standing guard at the doorway greeted me.

“Welcome, customer. Please feel free to browse, and kindly refrain from disturbing other guests. We also request that you avoid any improper behavior, such as theft or robbery.”

The mechanical voice rattled off its standard speech, and I gave a small nod in response.

Running a proper business in the outer cities was no easy task.

With how lawless this place was, stores were frequently raided by thugs, and most small businesses were forced to shut down before long.

Luxury shops, like those selling desserts, were even rarer—especially in the outer cities.

To stay in business, wealthier establishments hired security robots or professional enforcers.

Hiss.

As I stepped inside, soft lighting illuminated the store.

The air was filled with the scent of sugar and butter, teasing my nose.

Gentle music played in the background, wrapping the space in a cozy atmosphere.

The display cases were lined with beautifully arranged desserts.

I fought the urge to sprint toward them.

I was an adult. My body might be small, but my mind was fully grown!

An adult does not squeal over desserts.

In a place like this, one should appreciate the atmosphere—browse with elegance and composure. That was the proper way to show respect to a fine establishment.

But despite my mature mindset, my small body betrayed me.

My arms flailed excitedly,

And my legs had already carried me right up to the display case.

Damn it. If I wasn’t careful, I might start drooling.

“Heh, those desserts aren’t going anywhere. You don’t need to press your face against the glass. Take your time and choose at your leisure.”

A warm voice spoke up, making me turn my head.

Behind the counter was a dog beastfolk—an elderly man arranging freshly made desserts.

He was the owner of the shop.

A kind soul, one of the few in this world who sold expensive desserts at reasonable prices.

The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.

Feeling embarrassed, I scuffed my foot against the floor in a small circle.

Then, pretending nothing had happened, I picked up a tray and started browsing at a calm and dignified pace.

A soft chuckle came from the owner.

“Huh? Red? Haven’t seen you in a while. When did you get back?”

“Just now. Finished a job and stopped by to pick up some snacks for the kids before heading in. But the streets have changed so much—I got totally lost. If it weren’t for this kid, I’d still be wandering around.”

“Why didn’t you just use a map app?”

“Battery died. Anyway, I’m glad to see you’re doing well, old man.”

They knew each other?

I kept my eyes on the cute, colorful desserts in front of me, but my ears were focused on their conversation.

“Judging by the way you talk, this kid’s been here more than once. Do they come by often?”

“Oh, yeah. One of our regulars.”

“Well, kids go nuts for sweets.”

“Adults, too. The moment you take a bite of something sweet, you feel happy.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I strongly agreed with the shop owner’s words.

In a world like this, so many people had forgotten what happiness even felt like.

By that logic, the owner wasn’t just a dessert shopkeeper—he was a messenger of joy.

Unlike a certain other crazy cult.

“Hey, kid. Since you guided me here, I’ll buy you whatever you want. Grab as much as you like.”

I froze.

I stopped mid-selection, turning my head toward her like a broken machine.

Then I tilted my head slightly. Seriously?

Even though she couldn’t see my face under my hood,

Red seemed to read my thoughts. She grinned smugly.

“I’ve got plenty of money, kid. Just pick out whatever you want. No need to think about anything else.”

Her mature and generous attitude hit me like a bolt of lightning.

A wave of gratitude surged through my tiny body,

And I lifted my tray high above my head, bouncing in place with tiny, excited hops.

The two of them chuckled at my reaction.

And with that, I ravenously started piling desserts onto my tray.

No hesitation. Who knew when I’d get another chance to eat for free?

I crammed every available inch with treats, stacking them into a precarious tower.

“But seriously, this place hasn’t changed a bit. Can you even make a profit selling at these prices?”

“Oh, don’t worry about me. I’m not in it for the money. Just knowing that people enjoy my desserts makes this old man feel full already.”

“You’re as stubborn as ever, old man. Oh yeah, I ran into some weirdos in town. You know about the Reaper Cult, right?”

“Oh, that crazy religion? Yeah. Well, can’t be helped. The more desperate people get, the easier it is for them to cling to false beliefs.”

“You should be careful. Lunatics like that tend to go big when they make a move.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Clack.

I set my overloaded tray onto the counter.

Red’s eyes widened at the ridiculous amount of food.

Her temple twitched.

Heh.

Too late for regrets now.

The shopkeeper patted Red’s shoulder.

“Don’t forget to pay.”

“I won’t.”

Red sniffled slightly as she handed over the money, while the owner carefully wrapped up my selections.

As I waited for my desserts—

“You’re not gonna eat here?”

Red’s question made me shake my head.

“The little one never takes off their hood or mask. So they always get their desserts to-go.”

“That so? Well, everyone’s got their reasons.”

She could have pried. Most people would have.

But Red left it at that.

That simple act of consideration made me feel oddly at ease.

I hummed a cheerful tune in my head as I waited.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Suddenly, a loud alarm blared through the shop.

Something was happening outside.

Red’s expression shifted as she stepped out.

The shopkeeper followed suit, striding outside.

I hurried after them.

A crowd of suspicious-looking people had gathered in front of the store.

*

"That's the one you're looking for, right?"

Someone was making a racket outside the store.

Red narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked toward the source of the noise.

"That guy..."

Persistent bastard.

I sighed heavily in my mind.

It was the orc with the mechanical arm—the one who had blocked our way earlier and gotten utterly humiliated by Red.

Well, he was just a regular orc now, since his mechanical arm was gone.

But what concerned me more than that loser was the group he had brought with him.

Every single one of them wore skull masks.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Dressed entirely in black, each holding a staff in their right hand.

If my memory was correct, they were members of the Reaper Cult. Specifically, the radicals. The dangerous ones.

Like most groups, the Reaper Cult had split into factions due to internal conflicts—

The moderates were the ones who just went around spreading their faith and praying in creepy silence.

The radicals were the ones who would use any means necessary to achieve their goals—violent, ruthless, fanatical.

One of their core beliefs was that only blood, corpses, and death could summon Reaper.

Sorry, but I don’t want any part of that.

Honestly, if they offered cake or pudding as tribute instead, I might actually consider it. But these guys weren’t the type to listen.

Anyway, why the hell was this bunch of lunatics working with the orc?

"This wasn’t exactly what we agreed on, but whatever. I brought them to you, so the contract’s fulfilled. Now hand over the money."

One of the radical cultists tossed a pouch to the orc.

His eyes sparkled like a child’s as he checked inside.

"Alright, we're outta here."

"Yes, boss!"

The orc and his men quickly made their exit.

But moments later, a horrific scream rang out in the direction they had gone.

Thud. Thud.

More cultists approached from that direction.

Blood stained their robes.

It wasn’t hard to guess what had happened.

"Old man, kid, get inside. I’ll wrap this up quickly, so don’t worry."

Muttering under her breath, Red stepped forward, placing herself between the shopkeeper and the radicals.

There were at least a hundred of them.

Even facing such overwhelming numbers, she looked completely unfazed.

"Sorry, but we don’t believe in religion. Go bother someone else with your preaching."

She waved her hand dismissively, as if telling them to scram.

The radicals didn’t budge.

Seeing their unwavering stance, Red clicked her tongue and shook her head.

Her ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) gaze sharpened.

"I’m not the kind of person who lets the first attacker off easy. If you turn around and leave now, nothing will happen.

But if any of you step past that line on the ground—something very bad is going to happen."

She slid her hands into the pockets of her coat.

"Only cross it if you’re ready for that."

Her voice was sharp and cold enough to send shivers down a spine.

Any normal person would have been crying and running away by now.

But the radicals simply struck their staffs against the ground in unison.

A bright blade of energy erupted from the tip of each staff.

Without hesitation, they stepped past the line.

Red sighed softly.

Then grinned, revealing sharp teeth.

"Alright. From this point on, everything that happens is completely your fault."

*

"For the sake of Reaper!"

Hah...

This.

This is exactly why I hated those lunatics.

I hated the Reaper Cult as a whole, but I especially despised the radicals.

They used my alias as an excuse to commit atrocities without a second thought.

I never did anything.

I never told them to start a religion. I never told them to commit crimes in my name.

They were the ones who chose to do this.

And yet, every time they did something, they invoked my name like it was some kind of divine justification.

It pissed me off.

I wanted to wipe them all out.

But no matter how many I took down, more kept crawling out from somewhere. Like goddamn cockroaches.

Since they had ruined my precious dessert time,

Under normal circumstances, I would have dealt with them myself.

But today, I had a crime killer with me.

If Red was as strong as the rumors said, these bastards wouldn’t be a problem for her.

The radicals pointed their glowing staffs forward.

Then, with a unified battle cry, they charged.

BOOM!

But Red moved far faster than any of them.

She closed the distance in an instant—

And sent the one at the front flying.

The man soared through the air before slamming into the rooftop of a distant building.

"I did warn you," Red said, lowering her foot from the devastating kick.

It had been a goddamn home run.