The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen – Chapter 116

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 116

Ricardo’s voice is heard.

The voice, which seemed like it would only be heard after a long time, reached Olivia’s ears like the screeching of an awl scraping an old pot.

The first words, always spoken in a bright voice, began as usual, considering her feelings.

Ricardo’s playful tone, which eased her heavy heart, started with a faint underline to lift her sullen mood regardless of his condition.

“Young Lady. This kind of flirting hurts the Butler’s heart.”

The faint underline Ricardo drew left a scratch called laughter on the darkness in Olivia’s heart.

“Haha… Are you trying to kill me with cardiac arrest?”

The small smile he let out deepened the underline, leaving her with a hollow laugh.

At the same time, a notification sounded.

[Nursing Ricardo to satisfaction. (1/1)]

It was generously evaluating her poor nursing efforts—efforts that didn’t even include medicine, warm water, or placing a hand on his forehead.

Olivia couldn’t lift her head.

“What…?”

“What else? It’s a review of being held by the most beautiful girl in the world when I woke up.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Hmm… Please do it often from now on?”

Ricardo uttered immature words.

He covered his cold-stricken mouth while playfully teasing the master he served.

At Ricardo’s considerate hand, which insisted she keep her distance to avoid catching his cold, Olivia bit her lips tightly.

Ricardo glanced at the clock and awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

“I’m sorry. I must have overslept because I had such sweet dreams.”

At the cautious sight of Ricardo covering his mouth with his hand, Olivia lowered her head further.

Finding satisfaction in even the smallest actions.

She felt better because of the Butler’s childish joke, which tried to lift her gloomy mood.

Noticing her melancholy, Ricardo gently patted Olivia’s head and carefully opened his mouth.

“Why did you come?”

“Gomtangi brought me.”

“As expected, she’s smart like her master.”

“She’s foolish.”

“…Are you talking about the master or Gomtangi?”

“Both.”

At Olivia’s firm answer, Ricardo let out an empty laugh and gently pushed Olivia’s shoulder away.

“You’ll catch a cold. Please go back.”

“It’s fine.”

“It would be quite troublesome if there were two patients in the estate.”

“Even if it’s troublesome, it’s fine.”

“I’m saying it would trouble me.”

About an hour passed.

Ricardo gradually began to regain his energy.

The labored breathing, as if holding a heated iron ball, slowly stabilized, and his unfocused, cloudy eyes gradually regained clarity.

Leaning against the bed, Ricardo pinched Olivia’s cheek with a playful smile.

Feeling the soft texture, Ricardo spoke. Olivia decided not to scold the particularly cheeky Butler’s touch.

Ricardo was a patient.

She decided to let it slide today.

“Wow~ I nearly died. I even saw my late grandmother waving me over from across the river.”

“Ricardo, you don’t have a grandmother.”

“It’s just a figure of speech.”

Stretching and pretending to be fine, Ricardo’s trembling fingers made it clear to Olivia that his condition wasn’t good.

Even if she was a fool who lacked awareness, she could tell that much.

His breathing was still rough.

If he were fine, Ricardo would have already gone out to prepare breakfast, but Olivia knew he was lying in bed, spouting trivial words to buy time.

Olivia cautiously reached out her hand to Ricardo’s forehead.

“Does it hurt?”

“Such sudden actions are called flirting.”

“So… does it hurt?”

Ricardo placed his hand over Olivia’s and shook his head.

“No. I’m healthy.”

Along with Ricardo’s gentle smile, his burning temperature was felt on Olivia’s palm.

Olivia felt as though her heart was shrinking.

“Don’t lie. You’re in pain.”

“I really am not in pain.”

Revealing his white teeth and showing off his strong biceps, Ricardo’s actions, having lost her trust, failed to provide comfort.

Olivia puffed out her cheeks and scolded Ricardo. Why did he break their promise? Didn’t they agree to tell each other if they were in pain? Filled with anger, Olivia spoke to Ricardo, who was smiling awkwardly.

“You promised to tell me if it hurts.”

“…Haha…”

“How long has it been since we made that promise, and you’re already breaking it? Do you know how worried I was?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just that I was so taken aback because I suddenly felt unwell.”

“Liar.”

Olivia turned her head sharply, expressing her anger at Ricardo. She knew that scolding her foolish Butler like this wouldn’t make him understand.

Always. No matter how many times, Olivia knew Ricardo would never admit he was in pain.

Even though she knew it wouldn’t help. Even though she knew she was a fool who could only offer clumsy nursing, she still wanted to do it.

That’s why she was even angrier. Her lips jutted out in frustration.

At the same time, she felt upset.

She was upset with herself for being so useless that she couldn’t even bring Ricardo a cup of warm water.

Out of frustration, Olivia snapped at Ricardo.

“Am I that unreliable?”

“No. I trust you so much.”

“If you trust me, then why won’t you say anything!”

“Because you’d be worried.”

Ricardo answered firmly.

“I dislike seeing you distressed more than I dislike being in pain myself.”

“I hate not knowing more.”

“Then that’s unfortunate.”

As Olivia glared at Ricardo, who continued to give firm replies.

Unable to endure the awkward atmosphere, Ricardo started to pull off the blanket and tried to get up.

“I really… I haven’t even prepared breakfast yet. I should hurry and…”

“Don’t go!”

“Pardon?”

“Rest today.”

Ricardo gave an awkward smile and voiced a hesitant protest.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“I’m not.”

“But Honorable Maid isn’t coming today?”

“Then I’ll starve.”

“Oh…”

With crescent-shaped eyes, Ricardo gave a doubtful smile that seemed to say, ‘The Young Lady I know would die if she skipped a meal.’

Olivia shook her head firmly, making her determination clear.

“I’ll cook for you today.”

“Pardon?”

“Porridge.”

“Kill you?”

“No!”

Olivia rolled up her sleeves and said.

“I’ll make porridge for you.”

“Young Lady. I’m truly sorry, but…”

Ricardo spoke with a serious expression. His gaze conveyed that, no matter how sick he was, he wouldn’t let her cook.

Ricardo took a deep breath and cautiously spoke to Olivia.

“Your cooking is absolutely the worst.”

“Eeeek…!”

Olivia threw a timid punch at Ricardo’s chest. Knowing full well that her weak attack wouldn’t affect Ricardo’s firm chest, she still got angry at his audacious tone.

“I’ll cook!”

“I don’t want to die early. Do you remember when you made chocolate for Mikhail and ended up feeding it to me?”

“You ate it well!”

“Fainting is not considered eating well.”

Shaking his head, Ricardo gave a short, despairing review of Olivia’s cooking skills.

“I was confident in my Poison Resistance, but I never thought it could be overcome. Perhaps thanks to being your test subject, I saved Mikhail’s life. Not that he knows, though.”

Olivia clenched her fists and lowered her head.

“So what!”

Panting in frustration, Olivia hit Ricardo, and in the face of her unwavering stubbornness, Ricardo finally raised a White Flag.

Thus, the ‘porridge’ was made.

In front of Ricardo, who was sitting on the bed, was a bowl filled with an unidentifiable black liquid.

Olivia wiped the sweat off her forehead and handed the bowl to Ricardo.

“Here!”

“Judging by the color, this is a Poisonous Drink, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Then torture?”

“Eeeek!! Eat it!”

Ricardo tilted his head as he looked at the chocolate smudged on Olivia’s hand.

“Isn’t this just melted chocolate?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re calling this porridge?”

“Chocolate porridge.”

Unable to go to the Kitchen, Olivia melted the treasured chocolate from her Treasure Pouch to make the porridge.

And then.

-Nom.

“Ack…!”

Ricardo fainted.

-Ding.

[Make porridge for Ricardo. (1/1)]

Olivia’s cooking was awful.

*

As always, the night arrived.

The night, which brought quiet news, was as silent as ever and carried Fear.

Ricardo quickly regained his strength.

He said the porridge helped.

This time, Ricardo gave a neat review, saying he went on a Date holding his grandmother’s hand in the afterlife, and happily mentioned that his tolerance had improved after tasting the worst.

“…Was it really that bad?”

Olivia tilted her head while looking at the leftover porridge she had made. She thought about taking a spoonful but hesitated…

Thanks to hearing Ricardo’s last will—’Ack… If I die, please put the Forbidden Books in my room into my coffin.’—she couldn’t bring herself to try it.

Lying on the Bed, Olivia closed her eyes.

“Haah…”

[Would you like to view it?]

Taking advantage of the grim night hours, the Alarm Clock was ticking away.