I’m a Villainess, Can I Die?

The last time I had smiled was on my brother’s engagement day.
When he saw my smile, he had turned pale as if he had seen a ghost.

"Jane, how do I smile naturally?"
"Hmm… Then, Miss, why don’t you try smiling first in front of the Duke, the Duchess, and the Young Master?"
"With this face?"

I had asked with an awkward attempt at twisting my lips into a smile.
I could tell Jane’s bright expression wavered for a moment.
Oh dear, how disappointing.

It seemed I had made no progress at all since that day when Aaron had gone white as a sheet.
If anything, I had taken a step backward, possibly thirty.
Still, despite the brief hesitation, Jane looked at me with unwavering confidence and nodded.

"Yes! And after that, I’m sure you’ll be able to smile naturally as well."
No matter how I thought about it, it sounded like complete nonsense.
But at the time, I had just dismissed her words as typical optimistic babble and moved on.

After that, my search for the meaning of happiness had been buried beneath my search for a hobby.
"Ah… s-slee… lady… Miss…"
A voice drifted through my heavy sleep, faint yet persistent.

"Miss."
I sluggishly opened my eyes, my vision still blurred from sleep.
But I didn’t need to see clearly to know who it was.

Hello, Jane. We meet in dreams, and now again in reality.
My mind was still hazy with exhaustion.
Ah, if only I could flop back down and sleep for another seven hours…
"Did you sleep well, Miss? It’s time to get ready."

As if reading my thoughts, Jane’s gentle but firm voice nudged me toward wakefulness.
Right. I had to get up. My family had been so excited earlier.
Yes. Time to get up.

Rubbing my eyes, I slowly sat up. Only then did Jane seem satisfied enough to begin tidying my bedside.
She also pulled back the half-closed curtains, letting the full brightness of the day flood the room.
I squinted at the sudden onslaught of sunlight before dragging myself to my feet.

Stretching out my stiff body, I let out a small yawn.
I hadn’t even moved much, yet my poor excuse of a muscle mass screamed in protest.
Shh. I already know my body is trash. No need to remind me.

I kneaded my left shoulder and elbow, massaging the particularly sore spots.
And then, staring down at my pale, slender left arm, a certain someone came to mind.
The person who had healed my arm.

The one who occasionally played the role of a personal energy booster.
Straightening up, I dusted off the wrinkles in my nightgown and ran a comb through my disheveled hair.
After all, if I was going to ask someone for a favor, I should at least look presentable.

Good. This should be decent enough.
Turning around, I was met with Jane’s puzzled gaze.
What? What’s so surprising?

I gave a casual shrug before addressing her in a light tone.
"Jane, I’m going to borrow some energy from the priest."
My family’s eyes grew round as they stared at the item I had just revealed.

The three of them shared identical expressions of bewilderment, making it painfully obvious that we were indeed related.
The sight of their synchronized confusion was oddly amusing.
We had arrived at the lakeside about an hour ago.

Thanks to Ian’s energy recharge, I had reached the lake feeling much better.
The moment we arrived, we rented a tent—though, calling it a "tent" was misleading. It was more like a furnished open-air pavilion, complete with seating and a table.
After eating our sandwiches, we engaged in lighthearted conversation.

Then, when a lull settled over the group, I decided it was time to unveil my gift.
"What… is this, Selina?"
Of the three still staring in silence, Aaron was the first to speak, though his voice wavered with uncertainty.

Good question. What was this?
Shrugging once, I pulled off the cloth covering the object.
Even after the item was fully revealed, my family’s expressions remained unchanged.

If anything, their wide eyes and slightly agape mouths seemed even more exaggerated.
Was this really worth such a reaction?
I nudged the item with a finger, glancing at it again.

No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem that shocking…
"…A fountain?"
The whispered question came from my mother.

It was such an absentminded murmur that she probably hadn’t even realized she had spoken aloud.
But a question was a question, and it deserved an answer.
"Yes. It’s a fountain, but you can pour drinks into it. Since it’s a product from the Magic Tower, there’s no need to worry about hygiene."

As I explained the details, my family exchanged glances, then shifted their gazes back to me.
Their expressions still held confusion.
Or rather, they seemed to understand the product itself, but were instead wondering—

"Why is this here? Why now?"
"This is the gift I mentioned yesterday. When I went to the festival, I saw it and thought it was interesting. I wanted to show it to all of you…"
I trailed off slightly before finishing my explanation.

Still, my family only alternated between looking at me and the fountain, their faces blank.
If anything, they seemed even more frozen than before.
…Ah. Was this a failure?

I really thought they would like it…
Well, whatever. Failures happen. It’s fine.
This translation is the intellectual property of .

Just as I was about to brush off the disappointment, my mother hesitantly stepped forward.
She studied each of us carefully before placing her hand on the fountain’s base.
"Then… I’ll take this."

I cast a glance over my shoulder before refocusing on the lake.
Behind me, my family was still deep in a heated discussion under the tent, debating who should keep the fountain.
If I had known this would happen, I would’ve bought three.

…Oh, right. It was a rare item.
But considering how many I had seen scattered around the festival, surely I could have found at least five more if I had searched thoroughly.
Well, it was too late now.

"Ah… it’s beautiful."
The lake, framed by the strange commotion behind me, looked even more breathtaking.
The lush green grass, the crisp blue sky, and the soft white clouds reflected perfectly on the water’s surface like a mirror.

Children ran along the shore, their laughter mixing with the splashes of couples playfully wading in the shallows. Families sat together, enjoying the afternoon.
Yes, all of it was beautiful.
As I stood there, watching the peaceful scenery, a voice suddenly came from beside me.

"Miss, do you wish to go closer?"
It was Aiden’s voice.
I turned my head to where he stood. The sunlight caught in his silver hair, making him glow as he looked down at me with a gentle smile.

Ah, this side of the view was beautiful too.
Internally marveling at his ridiculous good looks, I answered his question.
"No. I don’t like getting wet."

"I could dry you off."
Wow. I should have known that a magician could double as a human hair dryer.
The world was certainly a convenient place.

Still, I shook my head. It wasn’t really about getting wet or not. # Nоvеlight # More than anything, I disliked the thought of standing stiffly in the middle of those people—smiling, laughing, glowing with joy—while I alone remained an awkward, lifeless figure.
It was different with my family. I was used to their faces, their warmth.
But being alone among strangers basking in their own happiness?

It would be like squeezing a blot of black ink onto a bright, delicate painting.
Then, in a whisper, a voice echoed from my dream.
"Oh, now that I think about it, I heard somewhere that if you smile, you’ll become happy."

Jane’s words replayed in my mind.
And sure enough, everyone here did look happy while they smiled.
I lifted a hand, brushing my fingers over the muscles at the corners of my lips. As expected, they were stiff—rigid from disuse.

"Aiden."
"Yes, Miss?"
"Look at this."

I forced the corners of my mouth upward.
My face muscles pulled uncomfortably, and even without seeing myself, I could tell how unnatural the smile must have looked.
Aiden must have thought the same because his own smile vanished, replaced by a blank, dumbfounded expression.

…Really? Was that much of a shock?
With a shrug, I let my lips relax back into their usual neutral state.
"Well? It looks weird, doesn’t it?"

Even without an answer, his expression said enough.
Yet, despite that, I still waited for his response—just in case.
However, instead of replying, Aiden suddenly turned his head away, looking off into the distance.

Oh? Avoiding the question now, are we?
Fine, then. I won’t bother.
Honestly, I had only tried it on a whim, still half-influenced by the vivid dream.

Maybe this was why people said you shouldn’t suddenly do things outside your norm.
I let out a sigh, and only then did Aiden turn back toward me.
Though, rather than looking at my face, his gaze settled somewhere near the lake.

I watched his profile, bathed in sunlight.
For a moment, I thought the tips of his ears looked a little red.
Was it just my imagination?

"It suits you."
A quiet voice, small and measured, slipped out between his lips.
"What?"

"A smiling face suits you very well. But I also like your usual expression. So, do whatever feels most comfortable for you, Miss."
…Ah. Right. My smiling face.
So, that’s what he was talking about.

It looks good on me, huh?
For a split second, I thought—just for a moment—that he was about to confess something.
If someone misheard that, wouldn’t they take it the wrong way?

Be careful with your wording, Aiden. Otherwise, people might misunderstand.
I silently chided him, tapping my foot lightly against the ground while continuing to observe his handsome profile.
"Well, thanks."

It felt like I had just received a compliment I hadn’t asked for.
But still, it wasn’t bad to hear that a smile suited me.
…Or maybe it was?

"It feels a little disappointing, too."
"Pardon?"
Aiden reacted immediately, turning his head back toward me.

Even while looking out at the lake, he must have still been paying attention to me.
His wide, round eyes were slightly annoying.
Why? I wasn’t sure.

I rarely found people annoying, but right now, I did.
I tilted my head, staring at him.
Yes. Definitely. I felt a strange sense of disappointment.

I didn’t know why.
But the feeling was there.
In the end, I never figured out why I felt that way.

Instead, just as Aiden had done earlier, I simply turned back toward the lake without saying anything.
"What are you doing?"
Lucas barely glanced toward Aaron’s voice before returning his gaze forward.

Aaron followed his line of sight.
At the end of it, he saw Selina’s back.
To be exact, Selina and Aiden’s backs.

…Wow. This is serious.
Aaron sighed heavily in his mind.
Without another word, he dragged a chair over and sat beside his friend.

And, just like Lucas, he silently watched Selina’s back.
Such a small, fragile figure.
If the wind blows too hard, will she disappear?

The ridiculous thought crossed his mind as he absentmindedly observed her hair fluttering in the breeze.
Then, out of nowhere, Lucas spoke.
"She smiled."

"Huh?"
Smiled? What?
Aaron blinked, confused.

Lucas had dropped the sentence with no context, no subject.
Aaron tilted his head, waiting for him to elaborate.
But Lucas didn’t speak again.

Even though Aaron was dying to know what he meant—who had smiled, and why—he chose to swallow his curiosity.
Because when he looked at Lucas’s expression—at the faint, bitter look on his friend’s face—he knew.
Some questions were better left unasked.

Even if his mind couldn’t stop whispering,
"Could it be Selina?"