Chapter 47
Chapter 47
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Am I Princess Material?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A month passed.
Outside the orphanage.
Red was smoking a cigarette, hidden from the children's view.
Her worries deepened like the murky smoke.
‘What should I do….’
While spending time with Lily, she'd vaguely sensed a secret.
A special power, a past shrouded in mystery.
Red didn't usually pay much mind to such things.
After all, the other children were in similar situations.
They all had special powers and painful pasts. She had thought Lily was just another one of them.
But after the incident with Isaac, the outline of Lily's hidden secret had started to emerge.
Lily was quite different from the other children.
Red's face darkened as she recalled what happened at the amusement park.
The large screen Adam had shown her.
People were surrounded by four monsters, in grave danger, but the situation was resolved in an instant while the screen went dark.
The screen was dark, so Red couldn't see it with her own eyes either.
Still, she had a good idea of what had been involved.
The moment the screen went dark.
It was so faint it could have been a mistake, but she'd felt the aura of the Grim Reaper from afar, sending a shiver up her spine.
Her nerves were on edge, her eyes glued to the screen, so much so that she completely forgot Adam was right beside her.
A ghastly and immense magical power for such a small body.
In that short span of twelve seconds, her mind raced, and her instincts whispered in her ear.
That the one there was her enemy.
“Huuu….”
She exhaled deeply, letting out the smoke as if to shake off the sensation she'd felt back then.
A bitter smile formed on Red's lips.
‘That must be why the Cult of the Grim Reaper is so interested.’
She couldn't be certain. Nothing was set in stone.
There was no need to jump to conclusions.
But the anxiety clinging to her heart wouldn't easily let go.
Red thought she was being foolish.
And for good reason. Even after knowing through the recent events that Lily was closely connected to the Grim Reaper.
She had accepted Lily.
She had told herself she didn't regret it.
That she would embrace the child until the very end.
She had steeled herself for it.
And yet, here she was, her heart wavering.
But what if!
What if, while investigating the Cult of the Grim Reaper, a shocking truth beyond her imagination awaited her at the end? Could she accept it?
Could she treat Lily as normally as she did now?
What if, just what if, Lily was actually evil?
What if Lily was an enemy she had to defeat?
Was it right to keep investigating the Cult?
Didn't they say that sometimes, ignorance is bliss?
Just then, hearing the boisterous laughter of the children spilling out from the orphanage building, Red's eyes widened.
Then she lowered her head, her shoulders trembling.
“Heh, hehe….”
Suddenly, Red let out a quiet laugh.
When she lifted her head again, the worry had vanished from her face.
She looked somewhat relieved.
She chided herself for having such foolish worries.
“I really was a fool.”
Recalling the Lily she had come to know, Red gave a self-deprecating, bitter smile.
Lily wasn't that kind of child.
Lily's emotions were faint, her expressions rarely changing.
That might lead others to misunderstand her as a stoic and cold child, but contrary to her outward appearance, Lily had a warm heart.
The faint emotions that surfaced when she played with the other children.
Red could tell just by seeing them.
A kind-hearted child who was just very shy.
She was just an ordinary child, forced to be this way by this harsh world.
I'll trust her.
Even in a world where trust in others has faded, where people believe only in themselves.
Red believed in the possibility.
She wanted to believe.
Hadn't she fought evil and protected the children, the symbols of the future, with the hope that one small bit of faith could make the world a better place?
Even if it turned out Lily was on the wrong path, it would be okay.
“If a child makes a mistake, it's an adult's job to guide them to the right path.”
Red dropped the finished cigarette on the ground and stomped it out.
Her worries were over.
Her mind felt as clear as the bright sky above.
*
The children, who had been getting along just moments ago, were now arguing.
The source of the conflict was their inability to agree on who would play the main character.
A protagonist is meant to shine brightly and capture everyone's attention. Naturally, everyone wants to be the hero of the story at least once.
Seeing the children eager to be the protagonist made me feel a strange sense of melancholy, yet a faint smile crept onto my face.
Unlike the other children, I have no desire for the protagonist's role.
I'm the type who doesn't want to be a character that draws attention, like the main character.
I'm sick and tired of excessive attention and focus.
In a peaceful world, maybe, but in a world like this, there's no act more foolish than becoming famous.
It's laughable for me to think this, given that I'm known as the Grim Reaper and draw nearly everyone's attention, but it's not like I wanted to become the Grim Reaper in the first place.
I only acted that way because creating such a terrifying persona made my life easier.
It was just a means to an end, not the goal itself.
Hmm. Are they still at it?
The discussion showed no signs of ending. In fact, it was getting more heated.
“Shouldn't I play the part of the knight?”
“You, a knight? You're better suited to be the servant who follows the knight around. I'm the real knight.”
“Everyone, stop fighting. Since you're all less capable than me, I'll take the role of the knight.”
Why were they fighting over a role like this?
Several famous and wealthy individuals had pooled their money to hold a small festival.
This time, there wouldn't be any unexpected accidents like the one at the amusement park.
That was because the festival organizers were acquaintances of Red—altruistic people, just like her.
In other words, it was a festival we could enjoy normally, without any anxiety or worry.
Of course, security would be tight so people and children could enjoy themselves, and above all, with a formidable presence like Red around, who would dare cause trouble?
No one, unless they were a madman with a death wish.
Anyway.
During the festival, they planned to sell various foods and hold enjoyable performances.
And the children were scheduled to participate in one of those performances.
Naturally, the actors in the play would be the children. Any shortage of cast members would be filled by androids, so there were no worries about the numbers.
‘To think they'd hold a festival in the outer city….’
I was surprised they were attempting something so unimaginable, and while a part of me was skeptical, another part was looking forward to it.
Festivals are supposed to be fun.
To show that this world is still worth living in.
It seemed their plan was to breathe warmth into the desolate city through the festival, restore its vitality, and give a little hope to this sick world.
Honestly, it was no different from watering a desert—a meaningless act.
I just hope Red's festival ends successfully and achieves its purpose.
‘But I can't believe they're planning to put on a play.’
Should I call it admirable?
Performing something in front of a large audience requires tremendous courage.
I overheard it was for Red's sake, which is quite commendable.
“Let's put the knight role aside for a moment. Who's going to play the second most important role, the princess?”
“The princess role?”
“That's already been decided, hasn't it?”
It seemed the princess, one of the main roles, was an easy decision.
After all, Lena said she'd play the singing handmaiden, and Bada took a quiet role that suited her personality.
That meant the princess would be either me or the remaining child.
If you exclude me, that child would naturally get the part.
“It's Lily.”
“That's right, it's Lily.”
“It can only be Lily….”
…Huh?
……Huhh?
What?!
They want me to play the princess?
Thinking I must have misheard, I turned to the other child, but far from being displeased, she looked incredibly satisfied.
The other children also seemed to have no complaints about me playing the princess.
A chill.
A shiver ran down my spine.
I got goosebumps all over my arms.
Coming to my senses, I crossed my arms into an 'X' and shook my head desperately from side to side.
I even stomped my feet.
Shake, shake. Stomp, stomp, stomp.
Shake, shake. Stomp, stomp, stomp.
No way. Me, a princess?
I refuse. Absolutely not. No matter how I think about it, that's not right.
The moment I took on the role of a princess, I felt like something inside me would crack.
Besides, a play?
It's impossible for me in the first place.
I can't speak, so I can't even recite the lines from the script.
And while I might take off my mask inside the orphanage, I don't take it off outside, so I can't play a main role.
A main character wearing a mask would obviously ruin the whole atmosphere of the play.
If they're going to make me do something, they should just cast me as a tree that shakes its branches.
I used hand gestures and body language to desperately argue that I didn't want to do it, but the children's reactions were negative.
“Ehhh?! Why not? The princess role would suit you. Lily, you're the cutest in the world, so everyone will definitely love it.”
“Don't worry about the voice. We can use a pre-recorded voice and you can just move your lips. Or we could just make the character mute from the start.”
“Or what if you did it with your mask on? A princess who wears a mask... how exciting.”
The children were truly persistent.
They tried their best to persuade me, giving all sorts of reasons.
They were just as desperate.
Ugh.
Clap, clap!
“Now, now, that's enough. You're making Lily uncomfortable. The play is important, but if we're going to do it, shouldn't it be a play everyone can enjoy? For that to happen, we have to consider Lily's feelings too.”
In this difficult situation, Rene appeared and stopped the children.
I silently gave Rene a thumbs-up with both hands.
At Rene's words, the children fell silent.
They looked crestfallen at my refusal, but as if they didn't know how to give up, they began to stare at me with pitiful eyes.
Their bright, clear eyes looked so desperate and sad, it felt like beams of sparkling light were pouring out, evoking a sense of pity.
An irresistible pressure born of pure innocence.
Ugh.
How dare they be so devious.
“But when did Lily lose her voice? Can she still not speak?”
Just then, a child asked a question.
At that innocent question, the other children stopped their eye-attack and looked at me with eyes full of curiosity.
After coming to the orphanage, I had undergone a thorough physical examination.
The results showed that while my throat wasn't in the best condition, it wasn't bad enough to prevent me from speaking.
Simply put, it meant I could speak.
But my voice wouldn't come out.
It was less a physical problem and more a mental one.
At that moment, scenes from my past stealthily flashed through my mind like a video.
A past I didn't want to remember.
—Now, ...here......
—All...
—...do. ...time.
On a blurry screen, amidst a sea of static.
I saw countless masks and a downpour of applause.
I barely managed to keep my composure, stopping my expression from crumbling without my realizing it.
Haaa.
The reason my voice won't come out is….
Probably because I still haven't overcome my past.
When I first opened my eyes in this world, I went through many harsh experiences in the early days.
Even though I'm now powerful enough to be called the Grim Reaper, I'm still trapped by my past.
Someone might laugh at me for it.
But overcoming the pain of the past is never an easy thing.
Especially in a world like this.
I suppressed the lonely feeling that threatened to show on my face.
It wasn't a face I needed to show them.
My expression is already dull because my emotions are faint; showing something like that would only make it duller.
I shrugged my shoulders, as if to say, 'Who knows?'
Anyway, the children continued to try and persuade me.
Of course, I shattered their hopes with my refusal, but like someone who finally gives in to a visitor who has come three times.
In the end, I too gave in to the children's persuasion.
The children's faces lit up like sunshine.
The children jumped up and down.
Their bright laughter filled the orphanage, making it even brighter.
“Alright, everyone! It's practice time until the festival begins!”
“““Ooooh!”””
Ugh.
I hate plays.