The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen – Chapter 68

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 68

Cold gazes were piercing into me.

A flustered expression on Malik.

Hanna in tears.

And.

“What did you just say?”

A Rowen who had lost his screws.

The intensity emanating from Rowen was sharp enough to prickle the skin. As if to prove he was the strongest in the Empire, the oppressive killing intent was directed at me.

I looked at Rowen with a bitter smile.

‘I can handle this.’

Had enduring the genuine killing intent of a Young Lady, upset over stolen chocolate, helped train me? Rowen’s killing intent was manageable.

-Ddi-pal! I told you not to dodge!

-Young Lady, did you just embed killing intent into the fork just now?

-Eeeek…! Ricardo made me angry!

-Still, where’s the justification for aiming killing intent at the Butler?

-Then don’t dodge!

-You’re too slow, so that’s a bit…

-Eeeeeeek!!!

I decided to gift chocolate to the Young Lady who had helped with my training.

Brushing off the dust on my pants, I withstood Rowen’s intensity. Malik’s troubled grimace was directed at me, but I smiled as if nothing was wrong and spoke to Rowen.

“I must have overstepped with my advice.”

“Why would you say that knowing it’s overstepping?”

“For the happy retirement of the Head of the House of Histania?”

Rowen furrowed his brow.

“…Is this supposed to be a joke?”

I shook my head and replied.

“A joke? It’s heartfelt advice.”

“At this rate, you might not even be buried in a sunny place, let alone have visitors to your grave in your old age.”

Rowen responded coldly to my heartfelt advice. It seemed my sincerity hadn’t reached him.

“…Do you have a death wish?”

I answered Rowen’s question seriously.

“No.”

Rowen’s expression turned colder. My earnest reply that I didn’t want to die didn’t seem to reach him either.

I conveyed my sincerity to Rowen once more.

“I truly don’t want to die.”

The intensity emanating from Rowen became even more menacing.

Histania Rowen.

A rigid swordsman with a conviction as steadfast as Mikhail’s view of the world as a flower field. He believed his choices were right, and his success confirmed it, embodying the pride of self-made accomplishment.

The type of person I disliked the most and, at the same time, someone whose achievements I had no choice but to acknowledge. His success wasn’t a lie, after all.

Even so, I disliked Rowen.

‘Because he made Hanna cry.’

That’s why I stood before Rowen.

The incident with the falling ceiling wasn’t something caused by fate or coincidence. It started because I, who had lost my screws over Hanna’s tears, broke the ceiling.

Hanna was my first Disciple.

Though our relationship began tied by money, it had grown into one of trust between a Master and Disciple, built through tears and laughter.

At the same time, she was like a Savior of Life, introducing me to Malik, the Patron.

I didn’t like how Rowen spoke recklessly to Hanna, who would later succeed Malik as an excellent Patron. To protect my livelihood, I feigned coincidence and stood here.

Rowen was staring at me.

Once at the Tirbing in my hand.

And once at the red aura blooming from my hand.

Rowen’s pupils began to narrow rapidly. Not only had I stolen the cursed sword stored in the estate, but I was also a brazen Thief giving audacious advice.

Rowen spoke to me in a cold voice.

“I won’t kill you. But I’ll cut off that insolent mouth of yours.”

Before his words were even finished, Hanna’s sword, which had fallen to the ground, began to float. A technique I’d only seen in martial arts novels.

Sword Control.

It wasn’t the martial arts novel technique of lifting a sword with inner power but a skill created by manipulating surrounding mana with one’s aura.

A performance by a Swordmaster meant to break the opponent’s fighting spirit. A display of confidence, saying, “I don’t even need to hold my sword to defeat you.”

‘Crazy bastard.’

Feeling the martial arts of a Swordmaster, I let out an empty laugh and took a step toward Rowen.

-Whoosh.

Rowen’s floating sword sliced through the air and stopped just in front of my throat.

I smiled calmly at the sword, which stopped at a gap barely wide enough for a finger, serving as a chilling warning from Rowen.

“Is this how you determine whether someone has talent?”

[Limit Break is testing the boundaries of the cursed sword Tirbing’s unique ability, Nullification.]

Clang. With a sound, Rowen’s floating sword fell to the ground.

Rowen’s eyes wavered.

“What did you do…?”

I shrugged and said.

“Just showed a little trick.”

It seems it’s not an ability I can use often. It takes a heavy toll on my body.

Hiding my trembling hand, I walked past Rowen’s fallen sword.

As nonchalantly as possible.

As if I wasn’t scared.

I had to deceive myself.

Only then would Rowen be deceived.

With my current self, I couldn’t defeat Rowen. Unless I revealed all the hidden fortuitous encounters at my disposal, defeating a Swordmaster in this unprepared state would be like trying to break a rock with an egg.

However.

It was enough to make Rowen suspicious with a crude little trick.

I wanted to create an atmosphere where we could talk. That was the only way I could win against Rowen.

If Rowen doubted my martial arts even once, it would turn into certainty from then on.

The Rowen in front of me was doubting me. Perhaps, in Rowen’s eyes, I appeared like this:

‘On par with me, or maybe even stronger.’

The effect of the Potion of Concealment that hid my presence.

The effect of Tirbing that caused Rowen’s Sword Control to drop powerlessly.

And the harmony of my calm expression was enough to weaken Rowen’s intensity.

As Rowen took a defensive stance, I seized the advantage and stared directly at Rowen.

“I didn’t like you from the start. The fact that you’re a married man and yet better-looking than me, your way of speaking—all of it. But what I disliked the most was…”

“…”

“Telling my precious Disciple to lay down her sword… I suppose that’s it.”

At my flowing words, Hanna’s eyes widened.

Her eyes widened once at the word Disciple.

And at the word precious, she lowered her head, overwhelmed with emotion.

Watching Hanna like that, I gave a bitter smile.

‘I should have stepped in a bit sooner.’

Though I felt regret seeing Hanna trembling, Rowen didn’t seem to interpret it the same way.

With a complicated expression, Rowen retorted to me.

“I don’t think this is any of your business.”

“And I don’t think it’s any of the Head of the House of Histania’s business either. I’m not interested in parent-teacher conferences.”

“Stop joking. This is your last warning.”

“Do you think this is a joke?”

I said, looking directly at Rowen.

I conveyed to Rowen the words he had once said to Hanna over the countless moments of time.

“The talent mentioned by the Head of the Household.”

“…”

“Doesn’t that mean the Head of the Household is the one lacking?”

“What did you just say…?”

“The eyes that failed to recognize Hanna’s talent. Even someone like me, a young guy, could see it, yet the Knight Commander couldn’t? Isn’t that even stranger?”

“Say that one more time. This time, I’ll tear that mouth of yours apart.”

“Oh dear, how terrifying.”

Rowen’s expression began to change in real time. At the word “pathetic,” a Malicious Aura started to seep out, suffocating as if he didn’t care what happened to the people around him.

The more he did, the more my words began to stab into Rowen’s chest.

Since you insulted my Disciple.

With the thought of making you suffer just the same.

“A pathetic Father who couldn’t even celebrate his daughter’s birthday.”

“Going so far as to cut open the goose that lays golden eggs… Ha, this isn’t just madness, is it?”

Just like the Archbishop of Regret who shattered Rowen’s heart in the novel after losing Hanna, I provoked Rowen’s state of mind.

“You should have done at least one of the two properly. In fact, wasn’t it you who lacked talent?”

“Shut up.”

“Even shutting up requires talent. I guess I lack that talent. Haha…”

I began to release Red Aura from the tips of my toes.

In terms of Aura manipulation, I was several steps ahead of Rowen, and I started to slowly eclipse his Aura.

The Possessor’s Skill produces outcomes like magic that overwhelm everything.

The knowledge of the Original Work.

The help of the system.

The efforts from my Childhood.

All of these combined to create a performance so astonishing that it would surprise everyone.

-Creak…

With a loud noise, the golden Aura that had filled the surroundings began to be eclipsed by my Aura.

The walls Started to Crack.

The Estate began to tremble.

Rowen’s eyes shook violently.

Looking at Rowen’s flustered face, I spoke.

“Isn’t this what having talent looks like?”

“…Impossible.”

“I am, admittedly, an impossible existence.”

Rowen’s eyes began to tremble.

He was witnessing the most perfect Aura manipulation he had ever seen. Knowing that Aura, which enveloped the entire Estate without leaking any Mana, would appear more beautiful than any Masterpiece to a swordsman who aspired for the strongest, I lifted my head with a smug expression.

“From now on, I’d appreciate it if you stayed away from my Disciple. It’s disruptive to her studies.”

“…”

“If you have any complaints, um… please send them via Letter. Ah… And also.”

I murmured to Rowen.

“The Head of Histania should first learn humility.”

It’s funny for someone as far from humility as me to say this to anyone, but still.

I held onto Hanna’s hand.

Hanna’s hand, cold as ice.

Drip. A tear from Hanna fell onto the back of the hand I held.

“Is it true…?”

In a trembling Voice, Hanna asked me.

“Am I really a Precious Person to the Butler?”

I glanced subtly at Rowen behind me and smiled.

“Yes. Of course.”

Hanna’s face turned bright red.

Hanna’s heart pounded wildly.

***

The peaceful Young Lady’s Estate.

Standing before Tirbing, which boasted its dark hue, the Young Lady had a curious expression.

“I want to touch it.”

“Touching it is off-limits.”

“…Did you steal it?”

“No. It was a Gift from Malik.”

The Young Lady had a Question Mark on her head.

“Malik?”

“The Boss of Friends of Forest.”

“…Oh, he seems like a good person. Stay close with him from now on.”

“Understood.”

Nodding, the Young Lady spoke to Tirbing.

“It looks pretty. It looks like Chocolate.”

I said to the Young Lady.

“That’s Dark Chocolate, so it would be very bitter.”

“Eek…”

Reaching out towards Tirbing, the Young Lady flinched and withdrew her hand in surprise.

The Young Lady spoke Firmly.

“Off-limits.”

I gave the Young Lady a Small Smile.

“Yes, off-limits.”

Watching this, Hanna let out a Deep Sigh.

“Honestly, what kind of cursed sword…”

Giving Hanna a Small Smile, I said.

“Would you like to touch it too, Miss Hanna? Just a brief touch won’t drive you crazy.”

Hanna let out a Deep Sigh and said.

“No…”

It seemed he was too much of a The Man for her to handle.

However…

Everything about him still felt Precious to Hanna.

Clenching both her Fists, Hanna whispered softly.

“I… like you.”

It was Hanna’s small courage as she came to understand love.