The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen-Chapter 256: The Apostle’s stronghold (1)

The place called "Yuram."

Though the prices were slightly steep, it was a restaurant with decent food. It wasn't as exorbitant as "Forest Friends," and the wait wasn’t too long.

It was the kind of restaurant where you could bring a guest for dinner, and they wouldn’t be disappointed.

"How about steak?" "Oh... yes, I like steak." "If there's anything else you'd like, just let me know. I’ll treat you, so don’t worry about it."

Mikhail waved his hands dismissively, insisting that he couldn't accept another meal after already receiving training.

"No, really! Let me treat you." "No, no. What’s there to take from a student?"

Knowing Mikhail’s financial situation, I shook my head and stopped in front of the restaurant called "Yoram."

"It’s quite crowded."

It seemed like many people were waiting because it was close to dinner time. Adventurers returning from their journeys, drawn by the allure of the beautiful proprietress, dragged their tired feet toward the place, and others who had heard the rumors were standing back, waiting for their turn.

We, too, stood in line behind them.

‘What will happen when the two of them meet?’

Mikhail still didn’t know the identity of the owner of Yoram. He was unaware that his mother owned this place and that the woman inside, visible through the glass window, was the very person he thought had abandoned him.

I wasn’t hoping for anything grand.

It wasn’t a touching mother-child reunion I wanted, nor was I wishing for a disaster. I just wanted Mikhail to realize who his mother was. That was the only reason I brought him to this restaurant named "Yoram."

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To be honest, I thought it would be too much to have Mikhail meet his mother one-on-one. The shock would be too great.

Everything has its proper order, and there was no need to rush.

What I wanted was simple.

I just wanted Mikhail to know how his mother was living. That she wasn’t living happily and that she was still searching for him. I hoped he would remember that.

As someone who knew the novel’s ending, I wanted to avoid the worst possible outcome.

It was an unusual whim for someone like me, but I couldn’t bear to watch them end up with nothing but deep regrets.

"..."

With the hope that my whim might help a little, I patted Mikhail on the head.

"Why...?" "I’m praising you for your hard work today. You don’t like it?" "N-no?"

I smiled at Mikhail, who was blushing, and nodded.

"That’s a relief."

My choice may not have been the most rational, but what could I do? The person who transmigrated wants it this way.

I shrugged lightly and waited for our turn in the long line at the restaurant.

After a somewhat tedious wait, I cautiously asked Mikhail a question. It was a sensitive question that might be taken the wrong way, so I chose my words carefully.

"Miss Misa." "Yes?" "This might be a sensitive question, but what’s your family like? Given your looks, I’d guess you have a stunning sister." "Oh..." "Would you introduce me to her?"

Mikhail awkwardly shook his head and replied.

"I don’t have any." "..." "I don’t have a mother or a father." "I’m sorry." "No, it’s okay. I was the one who asked an inappropriate question last time."

Mikhail forced a smile and shook his head.

"And I’m used to these kinds of questions, so there’s no need to apologize. I’ve completely gotten over it now."

Hearing his words, I responded gently, though I felt a pang of sadness.

"Did they pass away?"

Even though I knew everything, I acted as if it was the first time hearing this.

Mikhail shook his head with a bitter expression. He looked down at the ground, his voice small and uncertain.

"My mother abandoned me when I was young. I don’t know who my father is." "..." "But it’s okay. It really doesn’t bother me anymore." "Miss Misa."

I glanced at the woman emerging from the kitchen with a tray of food and then cautiously spoke to Mikhail.

"What if..." "..." "What if you were to meet your lost family again? How do you think you’d feel?" "What?" "I’m just curious. I wouldn’t recognize my parents if I saw them on the street, but you might, since you’d remember their faces. Wouldn’t you want to see them?"

"I..."

Mikhail hesitated and then asked me in return.

"What about you, Ricardo? What if someone suddenly told you, 'That’s your mother'? How would you feel?" "Oh, I..."

I had never really thought about it.

Having lived well without parents, I didn’t really understand familial affection. I answered with the question that had always been on my mind, the one I was most curious about.

"I think I’d ask why they abandoned me. Was there a reason, or was it because I was ugly or something? That’s what I’d want to know. I was abandoned before I even got to see their faces." "Oh..." "It’s fine. I’m used to taking jabs like this. The young lady often makes similar jokes, and I give as good as I get." "Jokes?" "Yeah, there’s stuff like that."

I laughed quietly and then revisited the question I had posed earlier. Mikhail would soon notice her, so I needed to know how he felt about the meddling of this transmigrator.

"Do you feel the same way, Miss Misa?" "I..." "Yes?" "I think... I just want to call her 'Mom' once." "Aren’t you angry?"

Mikhail nodded slightly and answered.

"I am. I think I’d be furious. I’d probably # Nоvеlight # yell at her, asking why she waited so long, how she could have lived well after abandoning me. But..."

Mikhail swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he continued.

"But I think I’d be really happy, too."

I nodded slowly and replied,

"Is that so? Well, that’s good to hear."

And at that moment...

"...Huh?"

I could feel their eyes meeting.

Clang!The sound of a dish breaking echoed from inside the restaurant. At the same time, I felt Mikhail’s gaze freeze on me.

There was a commotion inside. The sound of an apron being hastily thrown off, followed by hurried footsteps.

And then.

"I’m sorry, something urgent came up."

I heard Mikhail’s footsteps running away. He fled in the opposite direction, not even looking back.

I slipped the number ticket into my pocket and thought to myself.

‘The rest is up to you.’

I had done all I could.

I didn’t know what kind of outcome this meddling would bring, but I felt pretty good about it.

Now that I had nudged them both, they would figure it out.

With a bittersweet smile, I nodded to myself.

"But what are my parents up to?"

For the first time, I felt a twinge of envy toward Mikhail. At least someone had given him a name.

Ricardo! That’s your name.‘Ah... I had that too.’

I chuckled softly and turned away from the restaurant. Deciding that today’s meddling was enough, I started walking back to the mansion at a leisurely pace. Pushing too hard would only snap the delicate thread I had woven.

I headed toward the young lady, who was likely waiting for her meal, with light steps.

"Ricardo."

The young lady didn’t look pleased.

"...Eek!"

She had a sullen expression, staring at a plate full of vegetables with obvious discontent.

"What’s wrong?" "I don’t like greens." "You’ll find them delicious if you try them." "No, I won’t."

It was my first time making Vietnamese spring rolls, but the young lady, displeased with the meal, kept glaring at me with her lips tightly pressed together.

The young lady, who always preferred meat, wasn’t happy with the dish. She was having a staring contest with the plate before putting her fork down and rummaging through her little treasure pouch.

"Hmm... chocolate." "No." "Then candy." "That’s not allowed either." "Why not!!!"

I shook my head and kindly explained the reason to the young lady. Even if she didn’t like the new dish, there was a proper order to things.

"This is a 100-gold meal." "Gasp...! That’s 100 chocolates!" "Exactly."

I glanced at the young lady, who shut her eyes tightly and resigned herself to fate, while I began making a spring roll in my hand.

"Here, this is bell pepper." "Ugh." "This is a carrot." "Ughh." "This is radish sprouts." "Ricardo, this is noble abuse. You should be expanding my palate, not shrinking it..." "That’s exactly what a butler’s job is—to broaden and refine the noble palate." "Eeeek...!"

The young lady showed no sign of warming up to the vegetables.

Scraping her plate across the table, she pushed it toward Gomtangi, who was sitting nearby. With the air of a generous owner, she offered the dish to the bear, as if saying, "Here, you eat it since I can’t."

"Eat it."

Grr? "Hurry, eat!"Grr.Gomtangi, ever the good eater, accepted the offering.

I chuckled softly and spoke to the picky young lady. Was it really right to give the bear the food that her butler had prepared with such care?

"Isn’t that a bit much? After all, it’s a dish made with care, and you’re just throwing it away." "Ricardo, what’s wrong with taking care of a pet? A true owner gives the best to their pets first..." "Then I’ll add more vegetables to your portion, young lady. I should take good care of my owner too." "Eek! Ricardo’s trying to kill me! Gomtangi, bite him!"

Grr?"Bite him!"

Chomp"Eek! Not me! Bite Ricardo!"

Grr!Gomtangi kept his grip on the young lady’s head.

Laughter bubbled up. This was the reason I enjoyed living in the mansion; it made me laugh so much.

"Haha!"

And so, time slowly passed.

The young lady gradually became more adept at using dark magic, and the brief period of adjusting to the power of a Sword Master passed.

And then.

The academy began assembling the student council.

Their target was a mountain near the capital.

The Apostle’s stronghold.