The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen-Chapter 317-318

I hold a feeling called love.

A difficult emotion that I cannot carelessly speak of to anyone.

Some would say this feeling called love is heartwarming and touching, while for someone whose love is fading, it would be expressed as the fear of facing a farewell. I was holding this emotion small in my heart.

Under the shade where a blue galaxy spread across the night sky, I gazed at the young lady sleeping in bed.

"Mmm..."

White hair.

Sharp eyes.

The young lady, who reminded me of an angel just by her sleeping appearance, was hugging the bracelet I had given her tightly in her arms.

"Hmm... bracelet... food..."

A faint smile appeared at the young lady's sleep-talking. Although she looked like an elite young lady by all appearances, her sleep-talking was cute.

"Hmm... nom nom..."

"You shouldn't chew on your hair."

"Ugh... the chocolate is spoiled..."

"...Pfft! Ah, I should be quiet."

I brushed the hair the young lady was chewing on behind her ear and whispered softly. Because the young lady shouldn't wake up. Although she was the type of young lady who wouldn't know even if someone carried her away, as a butler, I always had to be careful.

"I'm glad you like it."

Did she hear my small whisper?

The young lady hugged the bracelet even tighter in her arms and smiled faintly.

"Heeheehee..."

"It's a nice sight."

Is it because the moonlight is full? I feel more sentimental than usual today. The thought of what love is to me.

Is it the tears of the mermaid princess that disappear into foam, or is it the heart of the sleeping beauty who received a kiss from the prince?

"..."

I had never experienced love, so it was hard to express what it was.

I had never dreamed of a wonderful love like in a fairy tale, nor did I have the luxury to dream.

Everyone has thought at least once about wanting to be a wonderful protagonist from a fairy tale, but well... Since my life was one where I had never received love, receiving and giving love to someone was awkward and clumsy.

How should I put it, is it like a fairy tale that has started but cannot reach a conclusion? Because my one-sided love is still ongoing.

"...It's difficult."

"Khoooook...!"

"It would be nice if there was an answer sheet, but that wouldn't be fun."

"Hmm... smacking lips..."

Looking at the young lady illuminated by the moonlight, I let out a small smile. Because she was sleeping soundly, oblivious to my feelings.

"I think you're right to be called a villainess, Young Lady."

"Hmm... ugh? Ugh... smacking lips."

The young lady who reacts to the word 'villainess'. The sight of the young lady sleeping always brings a smile to my lips.

Really, she is an interesting person.

"..."

My love seems to have many hardships.

Taking care of a sick person.

Not being able to be sick in their place.

This love where there is nothing I can do seems to be a slightly difficult journey.

Sadly.

When was it that I became aware of this feeling called love? It definitely wasn't love at first sight.

-...What are you looking at!

-...?

-Eeeeek!

-???

"Pfft...!"

It wasn't a heart-pounding encounter like in a drama, so I didn't think I had fallen for her at our first meeting.

She was also a very unique person.

Because I knew she was that kind of person.

'I really don't know.'

I thought I would never get close to this feeling called love, but now I've fallen for her to the point where I smile just by looking at her face... this is a big problem.

The young lady who moved into the room in my heart, which I had offered out of curiosity, has now grown so big that I can't be without her.

So much so that even if I asked her to move out, she couldn't.

At first, I thought she was a villainess I didn't want to get involved with. I was even reluctant to talk to her, but now it was funny that I had reached a level where I would 'cha-ching' my overdue bills just with her smile.

-Whoa...! A beggar...!

-A beggar...?

-Hand!

-Hand...?

-Hand...! I'll give you a snack!

-Who do you think I am, a dog...

Even thinking about it again, it shouldn't have been a relationship that developed like this, but the picture that was shown to others was drawn as plausibly as a drama.

A beggar from the slums and a prestigious family.

Although Desmunt was a family with a bad reputation, the family's power was so strong that even the emperor couldn't easily look down on it. A noble young lady saves a child from the slums, and that child awakens as a Sword Master and dreams of love.

'...It's like a drama.'

If you take away the title of 'transmigrator', you could create a romance story of the century, but it was also true that the meeting of such special people didn't feel too out of place.

"Khoooook."

Because the noble young lady was peculiar in many ways.

"..."

Well, the person in question probably has no thoughts about it.

"Khoooooooooook!"

"Young Lady... my eardrums are going to burst."

"Hmm... smack... smack..."

So when did I fall in love?

"..."

'I don't know.'

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find a reason why I fell for the young lady. It's not like she was particularly nice to me or cherished me... How should I put this feeling, should I say I was soaked in her as I got hit?

-Fetch!

-I'm a person.

-Eeeek! Then I'll fetch it.

-...?

-Throw it!

It feels good to see her face, but should I say it's a feeling of not knowing from what point it started to feel good?

I, who had contracted a severe case of butler-itis where even her nose-picking seemed cute and her whining seemed cute, shook my head and let out a faint sigh.

"Koooooooo...."

I looked at the young lady's soundly sleeping face and let out a dry laugh.

"No..."

I think I was thinking about it wrong from the beginning. Finding a reason for falling in love was wrong from the start.

The young lady I serve is the most beautiful person in the world. No matter what anyone says, it was the right thing to say that I couldn't help but fall for her.

Over 13 years.

There were times when I got into arguments with nobles.

-Hey Olivia! Why are you hanging around with a commoner? Aren't you embarrassed?

-Damn it...!

-Please calm down. I'm fi... where did she go?

-Die!!!

-...?

There were also times when the young lady was kidnapped by robbers aiming for money.

-Hieeeek! Why did you come so late!

-I got lost.

-I was scared!

-Haha... I'm sorry.

-Ugh...

-From now on, you shouldn't follow strangers even if they give you chocolate.

-...Ugh.

-Because I'll give you more chocolate.

-Mhm...

There were also times when I received unforgettable wounds at the academy.

-Olivia, aren't you embarrassed to be hanging around with that commoner? I think he smells weird.

-Ah, Ricardo? He's a dog, a dog that does everything I say.

-Puhahahat...! What's that!

-...R..really? Is it funny?

-Yeah! Puhahahaha! You're really funny.

-Thud.

-Ouch! What the..! Huh...? Were you... listening?

-Ah... no. Let's go eat.

It wasn't just good memories.

Sometimes I was hurt by the words the young lady would 'blurt' out, and when I felt like I was talking to a wall, I would sigh. So at the academy, I couldn't help but distance myself a little.

Wondering what this was.

Even though I knew she was a villainess, I was also hurt and at the same time felt a sense of deprivation at the feeling of being nothing.

And yet.

-Sniffle...

-...?

-I have no friends...

-...

-I have to apologize to Ricardo too...

When I saw the young lady looking depressed with her notebook open, those feelings would be lightly resolved. To the point where the transmigrator's desire to be with the main character disappeared.

The young lady, who worked hard but was always on the outside, always circled back to her original spot, and if I was the one waiting for her there, that was enough.

'Well, it is a foolish thing to do.'

One thing is certain, the young lady is definitely not a good person.

She wasn't self-restrained like the heroines in novels or the doves that sing of peace, she was a person who moved according to her instincts. She ate when she was hungry, slept when she was sleepy, and swore when she was angry.

And yet, the young lady.

-Why... is everyone avoiding me...!

Because she was a soft-hearted person.

She's not honest, but she's more honest than anyone. She's the worst villainess in the world, but she's a kinder villainess than anyone else. So I think I like her.

That's why I serve the young lady.

And to me, the young lady is my master, and the most precious person in the world.

Even if she sometimes stabs my heart with countless daggers. I was able to overcome it because of the 13 years we spent together.

To the point where I can now tell whether the daggers she throws out unconsciously are lies or not. Of course, at the academy, it was difficult because of Mikhail, but I was grateful that even that could now be considered a memory.

The act of twisting the novel.

Honestly, if I had been scared of that, I wouldn't have even approached the young lady.

So maybe that's why I like the young lady.

She's cuter than anyone.

"Hmm-nyari..."

She snores the loudest among all the princesses in the world.

"Khoooooooooook!"

And because she is more beautiful than the princesses in fairy tales.

-I'm pretty!

I liked it when the young lady, who hated relying on anyone, leaned on me.

Today, I reached out my hand again.

Towards the young lady's legs.

I am not afraid of my lifespan decreasing. A better future. If the moments we can laugh together can remain as better memories for the young lady, that is enough.

Now my lifespan has increased.

And now that there is nothing more to fear.

I decided not to hesitate.

I want to play again.

Not on top of the Fe**ri No. 1, but I want to run with the young lady.

It's not a grand wish, but hoping that my dream will come true, I placed my hand on the young lady's leg.

"Have sweet dreams..."

-Limit Break tests the limits of 'Hand of Rehabilitation'.

['Enhanced Hand of Rehabilitation' is used on 'Olivia's' legs.]

I smiled with a slight tremor.

Although the young lady wouldn't be able to walk at once, hoping that this stubbornness would one day reach her, I comfortably closed my eyes.

Because this is my crude way of loving.

Morning had broken.

The sparrows were chirping.

And Olivia's shouts, worrying about the empire's well-being, echoed through the morning.

-Blink!

Olivia, who had opened her eyes wide at the dawning sunlight, began to twitch her lips. After clearing her throat with a 'ahem', Olivia nodded her head vigorously.

Condition: excellent.

Throat condition: also excellent.

Olivia, having made her resolve, blinked her eyes wide and took a deep breath. Thinking that today was the day she could finally worry about the empire's well-being...!

"...Air raid?!"

She was about to shout, but she shut her mouth at the foreign sensation on her leg. Because something was on her leg.

"...Eek?"

"Kooooo..."

"Eeeeeek...?!"

Ricardo.

Ricardo, who was sleeping leaning against the bed, had his leg on top of hers. She had wondered why she had dreamed of being crushed by a chocolate bar, but to think the mastermind was here.

Olivia glared at the soundly sleeping Ricardo, but.

",,,"

His breathing was so shallow as he slept, so quiet, that she couldn't bring herself to wake him.

"Hmnya..."

To the point of wondering if he was dead.

Olivia, with a sullen expression, carefully poked the cheek of Ricardo, which was illuminated by the sunlight.

White skin.

Red hair.

Ricardo's cheek, whose skin seemed better than hers, even though he was a man.

"Hehet...!"

"Ugh...."

"It's soft...!"

-Poke. Poke.

"Fuhihihi...!

"Ugh..."

A laugh escaped her.

It was strange and nice to see the ever-scolding Ricardo like this.

Because Ricardo lived a busy life every day.

He cooked every day.

He took her to the bathroom when she rang the bell.

When she whined about wanting to go outside, he would take her without a single complaint, even seeming to enjoy it. He lived a busy day. So... it was a nice sight.

"..."

That's why she didn't want to wake him even more.

Because it was a rare sight to see Ricardo resting.

Olivia, smiling faintly, stroked Ricardo's hair for a long time. She wouldn't be able to eat breakfast if she didn't wake Ricardo, but what did it matter? Today, she was in a good mood because she could see Ricardo sleeping, rather than eating breakfast.

After stroking Ricardo's soft hair for about 10 more minutes, Olivia's eyebrows began to twitch at the weight on her leg.

"Ugh..."

"..."

"Uuuugh..."

"..."

"Eek... it's heavy...!"

Her leg seemed to be going numb.

At this rate, the ominous premonition that her immobile leg might turn into a dried squid made Olivia squeeze her eyes shut and start pushing Ricardo towards the bed, and.

"...Huh? Young Lady?"

"Hmnya?"

Ricardo had woken up.

"Hmm...? Why am I sleeping here?"

At Ricardo's question as he rubbed his eyes and got up, Olivia smiled awkwardly.

"I don't know."

She hadn't meant to wake him.

She didn't want to disturb his sweet sleep, but she had woken him up, so Olivia was sorry.

"...Puhah"

But Ricardo, as always, smiled and looked at her. If Ricardo had woken her up, she would have been angry, but Olivia thought Ricardo's nonchalant reaction was amazing.

"Did you have a good dream?"

"Ung."

"What kind of dream did you have?"

Olivia looked at the leg Ricardo had been sleeping on and pouted.

"A dream of being crushed by chocolate."

"...Ah. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Ricardo is light, so I didn't feel much."

"I think I heard you say it was heavy a little while ago."

"Heek...!"

Ricardo smiled.

Ricardo, who had woken up, did some light stretching and was preparing to go down to the kitchen.

"Are you going to make breakfast?"

"Yes."

"It's 10 o'clock."

"I can make it in 20 minutes."

"Oh..."

"Since we don't have much time, I'll make a simple bacon and omelet."

"Fluffy...!"

"I'll make it delicious."

"Ungnya!"

Ricardo promised a delicious breakfast and went down to the kitchen.

Olivia was lying in bed, listening to the clattering from the kitchen. Looking at the same ceiling, the same scenery.

"..."

It wasn't boring.

Because she was used to this life now.

Maybe the word resignation is more accurate.

Ricardo had put glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling of her room so she wouldn't be bored. Saying she would get tired of looking at the same ceiling.

Before the mansion was remodeled, the ceiling was full of torn wallpaper... In the old mansion, there were traces of Mikhail's pictures being put up.

If Ricardo tore it down, she would put it up again.

If he tore it down again, she would put it up again...

Though it's gone now.

It was a difficult time for both Ricardo and me. Of course, Ricardo had it harder, but it was a gloomy time. Sometimes, she would grimace when she overlapped the room in the present with her memories of the past.

...Because she was foolish.

Losing her leg.

Losing her memories.

Stabbing him with a dagger.

The room, which remained as a testament to her villainess-like end, was like a prison of reflection. It wasn't that she disliked it. Because now, Ricardo had added good memories to it. It was probably just a small complaint.

From the moment I used black magic, I felt like my time had stopped. Because I had become a fool who could do nothing with my own body.

Just because of me, I had stolen Ricardo's time and created a sad result. I felt like more emotions were pouring out.

I had to move forward, but sometimes I resented myself for not being able to.

It was all my fault.

I'm not close to the emotion of regret, but when I look back on the past, I always regret it. Sometimes, I would get depressed while peeking at the emotion of 'if only...'.

It's an undeniable fact that I was able to endure because Ricardo was by my side every time.

The villainess whom people hate.

That was me. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

At the academy.

And in the reality where I had lost everything.

I'm always grateful to Ricardo, who reached out his hand to me, who had stabbed him with countless daggers.

Because if I had been in Ricardo's position, I wouldn't have been able to do what he did.

For a moment, a bad memory flashed through Olivia's mind. One of the many memories that the blue window had shown her.

-I hope you enjoyed the memories you shared with me.

-Why are you suddenly saying that...?

-I just wanted to be sentimental today.

-No... something is different.

-It's the same.

-It was a good life.

Squeeze...

That fool wouldn't have even given her a chance.

Olivia let out a deep sigh and lowered her head. Her breath trembled at the bad memory that had surfaced after a long time.

I had to move forward.

Not stand still.

I wanted to lighten the burden on Ricardo's shoulders, even just a little.

It wasn't that I was thinking of leaving Ricardo's side. Because now, I couldn't be without him.

Not because my body was uncomfortable, but because letting go of Ricardo, who had become a part of my life, was something Olivia couldn't imagine.

I know this is a burden to Ricardo, but it's my selfish stubbornness, so I couldn't give up even more.

Greedy.

A villainess who doesn't want to give up.

This is the essence of the woman named Olivia, so Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and stepped onto the distant cliff.

"..."

Olivia, sitting on the edge of the bed, closed her eyes at the dizzying height. Because it was the first step she had taken since losing her leg to black magic.

It was the first time since she had fallen after Ricardo suggested rehabilitation a long time ago. The first time she had tried to walk on her own.

-Don't do it! I'm a cripple anyway, what's the point!

-Young Lady! Still, shouldn't we have at least a little hope...

-It's embarrassing!!! I'm just going to fall anyway! Just let me live as a cripple and die.

-...Take my hand.

-Let go!

-Let's just try once.

-...

-Thud!!!

-...

-Just one more time...

-Don't touch me. It's fucking annoying.

-...I'm sorry.

Olivia, who had been scared, broken, and unable to summon the courage to climb the distant cliff, squeezed her eyes shut and let out a breath.

She knew she would fall again. The same conclusion and the shabby sight of her fallen on the floor were clearly visible in front of her, but the desire to show a changed self was greater today...

"..."

Olivia gathered her courage.

Olivia placed her hand on the bedside table. Feeling a patheticness that made her want to laugh at her powerless legs.

"..."

Her trembling hand, as if mocking her own courage, was shaking like an aspen tree, and her breathing was becoming rough. As if whispering, 'You can't do it.'

"...Don't be ridiculous."

The soft bed reached out its hand as if it wouldn't let her go, but Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and let out a breath.

"I'm a villainess."

"A villainess who does what she says she'll do."

"I'll do it... I'll do it even if I'm scared...!"

The side table trembled.

Vibrating as it supported Olivia's weight.

Her legs, which were stuck to the floor as if they were attached, didn't budge, as if to tear apart her courageous heart, but Olivia's hand continued to ask her legs of their use.

'You can do it.'

She felt like crying.

Because she was disappointed that her courage was not being rewarded.

In her heart, she had dreamed of a miracle of standing tall, but the reality of her in the mirror, struggling while sitting on the bed, made her feel like crying.

She felt like a moron trying to do the impossible.

She looked as shabby as a cripple dreaming of being able to run.

But.

"...Sniffle."

Even if she fell, Olivia wanted to overcome it. Just once. If she could just face it once.

If she could show this changing self to Ricardo, she could ask him to go along with her stubbornness.

"Hic..."

Even if tears fall to the floor.

"Hiccup..."

Even if her shoulders slump in shabbiness.

"Hic..."

Olivia wanted to move forward.

-Clang!!!

At the sound from upstairs, I, who was cooking, untied my apron and ran to the young lady's room.

It was a dull sound.

Like the sound of a person falling.

"Young Lady!"

Could she have done something?

Could she have fallen while rolling on the bed? I ran upstairs with countless worries and threw open the door to the young lady's room, and.

"Hiccup..."

I could see the young lady, fallen on the floor.

My heart ached.

Because the young lady hated falling. She usually didn't show it, but I knew that when she became one with the floor, she would be listless for the day, so I squeezed my eyes shut.

But.

"Hehet..."

I shook my eyes at the sight of the smiling young lady.

She was smiling.

"...I did it."

The young lady, fallen on the floor, was smiling with teary eyes. As if asking me to have hope.

"...Huh?"

A foolish sound came out.

The sound wouldn't come out, like the lips of a goldfish gasping for air.

The young lady smiled and said to me.

"Ricardo."

"Young Lady..."

"I stood up."

-Drip.

"Oh...?"

-Drip, drip...

"Uh.. why is this happening?"

Tears fell.

Unconsciously.

Drip. Tears fell.