The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen-Chapter 315-316

Another turbulent day at the Histania County.

Rowen, sitting in his office, stacked the book he had finished reading to the side and nodded his head.

-Until Now, You, as a Father, Were Trash! - How to Be a Good Father. [Advanced Edition]

A father who unconditionally says no is not a good father.

-No.

(A drawing of a sad child)

-I'm saying this for your own good!

(A drawing of a crying child)

-A good father is one who accepts and supports his child's opinions.

-You're doing well.

(A drawing of a smiling child)

-Dad is old and doesn't know much, but I'm sure you, who resembles your father, will do well.

(A drawing of a child clenching their fist and shedding tears of emotion)

-Of course, unconditional acceptance can have a negative impact, but if you support them while maintaining a balance, you can become a reliable father.

Having read the impressive passage, Rowen nodded his head and wrote it down in his notebook.

'A father who supports his child is a good father...'

Rowen, who had written the phrase in his notebook with elegant handwriting, smiled faintly. Because the book had provided him with knowledge to take a step forward, when he was always heading towards the wrong answer.

"This is difficult..."

Since he had declared his ambition to become a good father, there had been no significant progress yet. Although they had gotten close enough for her to reply when he wrote a letter.

-Have you eaten?

-Yes.

The meager content of the letter still showed a sense of distance.

He had seen his friend's letter.

-Olivia, is your life at the academy happy?

-Father...

-I see.

It wasn't helpful at all, but if he looked closely, he could grasp the sense of distance in the letter.

His friend's letter was close.

His own letter was somehow...

Formal.

An awkward feeling.

He felt that there was an awkward current flowing between Hannah and himself.

All of this was his own doing, but it was the inevitable heart of a sinner that he felt impatient.

"How foolish."

Even though he had become a Sword Master, instead of enjoying the wait, he was shunning it. The thought that he was not being mature suddenly entered Rowen's mind, but still...

-Yes, have you eaten, Father?

Rowen felt good that his choice was not wrong, seeing himself smile at the letter written by his daughter.

Because out of countless wrong answers, it was meaningful that he had finally chosen a normal one.

"This is good."

It was a happy Rowen.

"..."

How nice it would have been if it had been like this from the beginning. Rowen held the letter written by Hannah in his hand and closed his eyes.

Malik.

Hannah.

And his second daughter, Rosi.

He felt a sense of regret that if he had realized a little earlier, he could have been a better father to his children.

He was a person who hated regret, but now he let out a dry laugh at the sight of himself feeling disappointed because of that regret...

"This is difficult..."

He had three beloved children, but he had just started running, so there was a long way to go.

Rowen thought it was not right to favor only Hannah. Even though he had been favoring his other children all this time.

He could pay a little more attention to Hannah, but since he was told that a good father should give the same love to all his children, Rowen had resolved not to discriminate anymore.

"I should go."

Rowen got up from the heavy chair and left his office, walking down the hallway.

He passed Hannah's room, where a cold wind was blowing.

He passed Malik's room, which was full of documents.

Rowen stood in front of Rosi's tightly closed door.

"I hope she's here."

Rosi was currently practicing her swordsmanship at the mansion. She had expressed her intention to train with the sword at the mansion after graduating from the academy.

His second daughter, who was spending her time training her skills, which were not enough to befit the Royal Knights, was spending her time in her room again today.

She must be going through a hard time.

Because she had set a goal of awakening her aura following her older brother and officially joining the knights.

She was aiming for an impossibly high wall, but Rowen believed in her. Because she was his own blood, and he had decided not to coddle her anymore.

"Hoo..."

Taking a deep breath, Rowen heavily knocked on Rosi's door.

-Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Come in."

'She must have thought it was a servant. I should surprise her.'

-Creeeak.

Rowen smiled faintly and opened Rosi's door.

And.

"F...father?"

He found Rosi in the room with hollow eyes.

Rosi, sitting in a chair, was looking at him with trembling eyes. As if she thought a servant had come in, Rosi was looking at him without even cleaning up the notes scattered around the room, and Rowen smiled faintly.

Because it was written, 'First rule of being a good father. Smile often.'

In the past, he would have seen the messy room, said nothing, and left, but Rowen, who had decided to change, smiled faintly and picked up a note that had fallen on the floor.

And.

He was at a loss for words at the sight of a piece of paper that fluttered and fell to the floor.

"You've been working hard.... hmm?"

Rowen's eyes trembled.

"What is this..."

Wondering what the picture in front of him was. He was sure she had written down stances for swordsmanship in her notes...

-No! Such a big baguette...! No more...!

Rowen's eyes trembled at the paper with the unexpected drawing.

"..."

"..."

He couldn't think of what to say.

"Hmm..."

Rosi, whose hands were trembling, bowed her head deeply at the sight of the frozen Rowen and said in a trembling voice.

"F...father."

"..."

"This is not what it looks like..."

"..."

"I really didn't draw this...!"

"Keuk...!"

Rowen closed his eyes slightly with a complicated heart.

He racked his brain, trying to remember what the book said to do in such a situation.

Introduction.

Beginner's guide.

Intermediate...

Advanced...

'There's nothing...'

At the fact that the book didn't say what to do in such a situation, Rowen faced a crisis with trembling eyes.

He never thought such a crisis would come from the very first step of becoming a good father.

'...This is awkward.'

"Father...!"

"..."

"That...is!"

"Shh."

In that moment, a phrase flashed through Rowen's mind.

-A father who says no is not a good father.

'Nod.'

Remembering the contents of the book he had read today, Rowen nodded his head, frowned, and said in a cautious voice.

"The drawing.."

"Yes?"

"Did you draw it?"

"That..."

Rosi bowed her head deeply and crumpled the paper in her hand. Because her father shouldn't see it.

Knowing that if her father found out, he would immediately tear it up and tear up every piece of paper in the room, Rosi was holding back the feeling of her breath being caught in her throat.

No matter how much she loved drawing. Her father would not allow it.

Lies.

The truth.

Her father would not accept either, so Rosi laboriously chose the way she would be scolded less.

-Grip...

"I'm sorry."

The trembling voice of the bowing Rosi was directed at Rowen.

"I drew it."

"..."

"But father, I'm still practicing my swordsmanship properly...! Drawing helps calm my mind..."

"..."

"I'm definitely not neglecting my practice... I like drawing... no, it helps with my training...!"

The trembling Rosi squeezed her eyes shut at her father's cold expression. Because she thought she would not be able to draw anymore.

"..."

The thought of having to give up what she loved sent a sharp pain through her heart.

She wondered if this was the feeling Hannah had talked about. It made her heart ache even more.

-Come back home.

-No. I'm going to do what I want to do comfortably now.

-...Do you know how bad the atmosphere at home is because of you? Mother is one thing, but father...!

-You don't know how I feel, sister.

-...

-I came out because my brother made a place for me, but it's the same.

Rosi thought.

Regretting her arrogant thought that it would be fine if she hid it until the end, she squeezed her eyes shut at the sight of her father's approaching hand.

"Heup... I'm sorr.."

Her father had never once laid a hand on her, but she thought he would today.

But.

-Pat.

"I see."

At the warm touch on her head, Rosi opened her trembling eyes.

It was warm.

It was so warm and comforting that she thought it was the best touch she had ever felt.

"Father...?"

At the sight of Rosi, who had raised her head with trembling eyes, Rowen gave an awkward smile and said.

"You've drawn well."

"..."

"I didn't know you had such a talent."

"Yes...? What did you just say?"

Rosi thought.

She wondered what she had just heard. The fact that her father had praised her was unbelievable, and the hand that patted her while looking at the drawing didn't feel real.

But at the warm touch on her head, Rosi's heart was trembling greatly.

Rowen said to Rosi.

"Were you drawing in secret?"

"Yes."

"Why...?"

"That's... because I was embarrassed..."

"Certainly... it is a genre that is difficult to show to others..."

Rosi, looking at Rowen with trembling eyes, made an excuse.

"I don't always draw pictures like this! The part you're holding is just a particularly lewd part...!"

"..."

Rowen gave an awkward smile at the information he didn't want to know.

"You've become an adult."

"..."

The image of his daughter gathered in Rowen's eyes.

Not the daughter who always showed him a stiff side, but the daughter with a slightly relaxed, peaceful look.

Today, for some reason, Rosi's shoulders seemed light.

'So this is what it was like.'

Rowen, who had been wandering without finding an answer, thought he had found the right path at the sight of Rosi's bright face. Thinking that understanding his children was the right answer, rather than tormenting them for the sake of the family's survival.

It was a funny thing that only the daughter he thought had no talent was the only one carrying on the will of the sword, but now it didn't matter.

"...It's amazing."

Rosi looked at Rowen's face and carefully opened her lips.

"Do you want to see more?"

Rowen nodded his head heavily and answered Rosi.

"Let's do that."

-Keuk, die...!

There were many pictures that made his face flush, but at the sight of his daughter showing him the pictures excitedly, Rowen smiled with satisfaction.

Thinking that this was the right answer. His heart felt a little at ease.

Not to force talent, but to let them find their own way.

"Rosi."

"Yes...? Ah... I've taken up too much of your time, haven't I...? I'll go out and practice my swordsmanship right away...!"

"Let's take a break from the sword for a while."

"Father...!"

Rowen opened the mouth he had laboriously shut.

"Let's do what you like to do now."

"..."

"I'm sorry for everything."

Rosi shed tears.

In the room that Rowen had left.

Rosi wiped her tears and took out a piece of letter paper from her drawer.

-To Hannah.

With her brother's help, she had talked with Hannah, who had run away from home, for the first time in a while.

-Why do I have to meet her!

-Do as I say.

-I don't want to!

-If you don't, I'll tell your father about your drawings.

-...!

And they hadn't been able to resolve it smoothly.

She realized it today.

That Hannah had really been struggling.

And that Hannah had changed their father.

At the fact that their father's stubbornness had been broken by Hannah's stubbornness in showing her success, Rosi's eyes stung.

So.

Rosi wiped her tears and picked up a pen.

"...Wouldn't it be too late?"

Histania was changing.

Little by little.

Night.

"Hmnya..."

A night where the Milky Way unfolds in the sky.

I had never seen such a night view in my previous life.

Where the stars dance.

"Woah...!"

A night full of stars twinkling like the North Star.

"Twinkle! Twinkle!"

I hadn't seen such a beautiful watercolor of the night often in my previous life. Part of the reason was that the city was bright, but I was also working until dawn, so I didn't have the leisure to look at the night sky.

Perhaps because of that, I liked the night in this world, where the world accepts the order of things when night falls.

Relaxed.

And this languid night.

"Oh..."

The young lady, sitting on the bed and looking at the night sky, flared her nostrils and naturally took out chocolate from her treasure pouch.

"Hmnya..."

"Young Lady, give me some too."

"Eek?!"

The young lady, clutching the chocolate in her hand to her chest, frowned like a cat and shook her head.

"No."

"I'm disappointed."

"Even if you're disappointed, no chocolate for you."

"But it came from my wallet?"

"Eeeeeek... still no."

"..."

The young lady, ignoring the butler's disappointed heart, glanced at me, and then held out a piece of chocolate with a trembling hand and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Here...!"

"..."

"No more!"

"Thank you."

Truly, she was a young lady who loved chocolate more than anyone.

After watching the stars for a while, the young lady spoke to me with a blank expression.

"Ricardo."

"Yes."

"That..."

Pointing at the brightest star in the night sky, the young lady flared her nostrils and said.

"That's incredibly bright."

"It is."

"It's all sparkly and looks like it would be delicious."

"Why do you associate it with food?"

"Hehet... doesn't it look delicious?"

The young lady lightly ignored my question with a bright smile. And she expressed the villainess's simple wish.

"I want to make it fall."

"What...?"

I flinched at the young lady's unexpectedly bold words. I thought she was finally showing her true colors.

As expected of the strongest villainess in the world, her appreciation of the stars was also different. I let out a hollow laugh at the young lady's chilling remark and said.

"Make it fall? What do you mean by that?"

"I'm curious... I want to see it up close, but it's always far away..."

"That's certainly true, but isn't making it fall a bit much?"

"Why?"

The young lady, with a huge question mark floating above her head, looked at me and asked.

"Why can't I make it fall?"

I couldn't bring myself to say the cold words, 'That star is much bigger than you think, Young Lady,' to the young lady who was asking about the end of the world with an innocent face, so I squeezed my eyes shut and sighed. I didn't want to shatter her innocence.

'What should I say...'

To protect her innocence.

What would be a plausible excuse?

'Ah...'

A plausible idea came to mind, and I smiled slightly and pointed my finger at the star the young lady was pointing at. It probably wasn't the North Star, unlike in my previous life, but a romantic phrase that could make her understand came to mind.

"Ahem. Well, you see."

"Yeah."

"We're not the only ones looking at that star, are we?"

"Right...?"

"There must be people somewhere who are looking at that star and saying it's beautiful, just like us."

"You mean the rich in time?"

"...Let's just say people who chase romance in a good way."

"Okay."

I was momentarily at a loss for words at the young lady's honest remark, who didn't know how to enjoy romance, but a good phrase came to mind, so I smiled awkwardly and continued my wise words.

"Anyway, there are people who look at that star and say it's beautiful, just like us."

"Hmm..."

"If we just take that star, the people who are watching the stars with us won't be able to see it, right?"

"That's right."

"So, we're not going to steal it."

The young lady gave a small nod and her eyes sparkled.

"That's right... it's too precious to see alone..."

"Right?"

"Ung."

"Though if you ask, I can pluck a star of that size."

"Really?"

The young lady, who was looking at me with round eyes, popped the remaining chocolate in her mouth and swallowed.

-Staaaaare.

As her expectant gaze was fixed on me, I nodded awkwardly and answered her.

"Of... of course. What's so difficult about plucking a star..."

"Oho..."

-Grab.

"Huh?"

The young lady, who had grabbed my collar, looked at me with sparkling eyes and said without a moment's hesitation.

"Pluck it for me!"

"What?"

"Pluck the star for me! I want to see it up close."

"Where did you hear the wise words I just said?"

"I don't know! I can see the pretty thing by myself!!"

At her truly villainess-like desire, I shook my head and let out a hollow laugh. And I rolled up my sleeves and prepared to pluck the star.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah!"

"Then I'll pluck it."

"Yeah!"

"Don't complain if it's too big."

"Yeah! It'll be prettier if it's bigger!"

"Hmph... then I'll be back."

"Ung!"

I searched my pockets. And in a small voice, I counted one, two, three, and reached out my hand.

-Grab.

"Ugh?"

Towards the young lady's eyes.

The young lady, whose vision was blocked, struggled in the darkness.

"Ugh! Eeek! I can't see!"

"Pahaha! How can you pluck a star? It's so far away!"

"Ricardo, you liar!"

I gently uncovered the young lady's eyes. The young lady, who was glaring at me with a sullen look, was puffing out her cheeks, and I was smiling awkwardly.

"Liar."

"I'm sorry."

"Eeeek..."

I glanced at the young lady's eyes, then smiled slightly and said.

"I'm just kidding. I'll really pluck it for you this time."

"I'm not falling for it again."

"No. I'll really pluck it for you this time. It's not a star that shines as brightly as that one, but I'll still pluck a small star for you."

"Really...?"

"Yes."

"Really, really?"

"Yes."

"If you're lying, 100 chocolates."

"Pahaha! You got it."

The young lady, who had been looking at me with a pout, said with eyes full of suspicion.

"Then pluck it for me."

"As you wish."

I reached for the star again. Brushing past the young lady's cheek, I carefully reached for the brightest burning star she was looking at.

"Ugh..."

The young lady, full of suspicion, puffed out her cheeks, thinking I was playing another prank.

"You said 100 chocolates if you're lying."

"Yes."

I leaned my face close to the young lady's shoulder and whispered softly.

"Look closely."

My outstretched finger covered the brightest star. The brightly burning star in my covered palm hid its appearance in the shadow made by my finger.

-Jingle.

A small golden star falling from under my open palm fell in front of the young lady's eyes.

"Uh... a star...?"

The young lady's pupils were trembling.

As if flustered by the sudden appearance of the star, the young lady just flinched her shoulders. I couldn't see her expression clearly, but she seemed surprised.

I hope that reaction isn't disappointment.

"It's a star..."

At the young lady's voice in my ear, I said in a hoarse voice.

"It's small, but it's a star."

"..."

"Young Lady...?"

Surprised by the young lady's silence, I turned my head and looked at her face.

"..."

The side of the young lady's face, with her lips bitten and her cheeks puffed out.

"Sniffle..."

I shook my eyes at the sight of her teary eyes.

"Uh... uh...?"

The young lady bit her lip with a tearful expression as she looked at the golden star-shaped bracelet dangling from my finger.

"It's a real star."

"..."

"A real, real star."

"Of course. Didn't I say I would pluck it for you?"

The young lady carefully received the falling bracelet in her two hands and smiled faintly.

"...Sniffle."

"..."

"A real... star."

I let out a sigh of relief at the young lady's gentle smile, who was happy as if she had received a real star. What if she got angry because it wasn't a star? What if she was disappointed because she didn't like the design?

I felt a sense of pride at the young lady's expression as she held it carefully in her two hands and stared at it.

"I saw it on my way and thought it was pretty, so I bought it."

"..."

"...I'm glad you like it."

The young lady, who was holding the bracelet, held out her white wrist to me and said in a shy voice.

"Ricardo."

"Yes?"

"Put it on me..."

"Shall I?"

"Yeah."

I'm nervous.

Her white wrist looked strangely alluring.

The moonlight shining on it made it look more transparent, and the young lady's white hair tucked behind her ear seemed to shine even brighter.

Just.

"Sniffle... kng..."

"..."

"Sniffle... kng.. gulp."

"..."

The problem is that the young lady's runny nose, which was bothering her, looked cute.

I put the bracelet on the young lady's wrist, who was biting her lip and focusing on the bracelet, and smiled slightly as I looked down at her wrist.

"...It's done."

"Ung... it's done?"

"Yes."

The young lady, wearing the bracelet, said in a small voice.

"It's pretty."

"..."

"I like it... I really do."

I bowed my head at the young lady's greeting with a small smile.

"I'm glad."

-Gom!! Gom!!

Gomtang was running around the yard.

-Gogogogogom!

Like a bear that really wanted to pluck that star.

"Puhah!"

The young lady smiled a little as she watched Gomtang running around the yard. Tucking her white hair behind her ear.

She smiled with her moist eyes.

"Thank you so much."

As her shyly smiling face was illuminated by the moonlight, the young lady's white hair swayed and made her smile even brighter. Like a watercolor painting.

Truly.

"Isn't that cheating?"

The young lady tilted her head and smiled.

"Huh?"

I shook my head and said to the young lady. With a grateful heart to the young lady who liked the present.

"No. I said I'll get you something better next time."

"Umm... no., this is enough for me..."

The young lady hugged the bracelet on her wrist and smiled.

"Thank you, Ricardo."