I became Villain's Best Friend

Various images flashed through Seraphina's mind—memories of a life that felt both familiar and foreign. Her breath quickened, hands trembling slightly as she tried to make sense of them. She wasn't just recalling another person's past; she was remembering her own self, in another world.

A girl who struggled, who worked hard, who dreamed.

A girl who fought her way through life—but never like this.

She saw her childhood, growing up in a lower-middle-class family. She had never been rich, but she wasn't starving either. She remembered the exhausting scholarship battles, the long hours spent studying finance, and the dreams she had of securing a stable future.

She even had a mentor, someone who taught her how money worked, how businesses ran, how to think ahead.

And then she saw her death.

It should have been a triumphant day. She had just received the biggest job offer of her life—to become a secretary at a top company. She was moments away from stepping into a new future, a better life.

But fate had other plans.

She died in the middle of a meeting… because of a sneeze.

The sheer stupidity of it made her soul shrink with shame. She had heard that holding in a sneeze could be dangerous, but she never imagined it would actually kill her.

Of all the ways to die—saving a child, fighting for a cause, even getting hit by a truck—this was her fate?

When she opened her eyes, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She sat up slowly, careful not to wake her sleeping brother. Her gaze landed on a shard of broken glass, serving as a crude mirror. As she took in her own reflection, her stomach twisted.

Her jet-black hair, once smooth and clean, was so caked in dirt it looked muddy brown. Her face was covered in scratches and bruises, and beneath the filth, she could barely recognize herself.

And her size—so small.

A twelve-year-old shouldn't look this frail, this underfed. She was tiny, her body stunted from malnutrition.

Her lips curled in frustration.

What the fuck.

She had lived poorly before, but this? This was something entirely different.

She took a deep breath—an old habit from her past life whenever she got frustrated.

Her gaze drifted to the two figures beside her.

Her five-year-old brother, Ralph.

And her best friend, Lucian.

They looked even smaller than her. Too thin. Too fragile.

Her heart clenched. She was the oldest here.

Her fingers curled into fists, resolve settling deep in her bones.

"Don't worry, children. This sister won't let you starve."

She gently tucked the thin blanket over the boys and stepped outside, shivering slightly as the cold morning air nipped at her skin.

Her mind raced.

Winter is coming.

If they didn't find a way to stockpile food, they wouldn't survive. The nobles didn't care about them. The empire didn't care about them. No one was going to save them.

She needed a way to make money—something simple, something useful, something even children could do.

A sudden memory flashed in her mind.

A tool she had used constantly in her past life. Something that saved time and effort—something so easy to make.

Her eyes lit up.

I know who can help me.

Without hesitation, she shouted at the top of her lungs:

"EVERYONE, COME OUT!!"

The quiet slum stirred to life as children—some younger, some the same age, and a few older—peeked out from their shelters.

Twelve in total.

Among them, her eyes landed on a boy with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes.

Luke.

He was one of the older kids, around eleven, but what stood out was his eyesight. He squinted often, his myopic vision making it clear he struggled to see far away.

She marched toward him.

"Luke, I need your help."

His eyes widened slightly, surprised, but he nodded. "What is it?"

Seraphina didn't waste time.

"You once mentioned you can make things out of wood and iron if you have the materials and blueprints. Is that true?"

Luke hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, I can."

Her lips curled into a grin. "Perfect. Wait here."

Then, she turned to the rest of the children.

"Today, we need to gather as much wood and iron as we can!"

Luke frowned, sensing trouble.

He knew Seraphina was smart—but she was also a magnet for chaos.

She sensed his doubt and sighed. "Just trust me, okay? I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong."

After a moment of hesitation, Luke nodded.

Seraphina clapped her hands together. "Alright! Everyone, get moving! Search your homes, the streets, the trash—find anything wooden or metal!"

The children sprang into action—some ran back inside, some scavenged through debris.

Meanwhile, Seraphina grabbed a worn-out poster and flipped it over to the blank side. Using a piece of charcoal, she started sketching.

Lines, measurements, adjustments—her hands moved with precision.

By the time the children returned, they had gathered a few iron scraps and wooden pieces.

Seraphina stood before them, proudly holding up the blueprint.

Her grin was radiant.

"We're going to make THIS!"

Silence.

Then—

Laughter erupted.

Children fell to the ground, wheezing.

One girl—Rose, with flaming red hair and sharp gray eyes—was laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach.

Even Luke looked at the blueprint with sheer disbelief.

Seraphina blinked.

"...Wait. Why are you all laughing?"

The laughter only got louder.

And standing in the middle of it all, Seraphina felt an uneasy sweat form on the back of her neck.

Did I just make a fool out of myself...?