The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

On the way home.

Sitting in the Ferri No. 1, the young lady was nodding off, succumbing to the oncoming drowsiness. Like the pendulum of a clock, her head bobbed back and forth until it dropped too low, and with a violent ‘Ugh!' she jolted and looked behind her.

"Did you call me?"

"No."

"…Strange. It feels like the Demon King of Sleepiness is pushing my head down."

"It's just your imagination."

The young lady nodded, acknowledging the nonsense she had just uttered.

A date with just the two of us.

We had enjoyed an interesting play.

Even had a skirmish with a street beggar, but it felt like time well spent.

The journey back to the manor was as mundane as ever, yet the long stretch of roadside trees and the soft glow of streetlamps seemed more emotionally stirring tonight.

They looked prettier.

I wished for time to slow down.

The young lady's normally dull white hair, illuminated by the streetlights, seemed particularly beautiful tonight.

Sitting in her wheelchair, the young lady shook her head side to side, trying to fight off sleep, then tapped her cheek with her hand.

"I'm getting sleepy…"

"You should rest a bit. I will wake you when we arrive."

"No way. You said if you sleep-drive, you would say goodbye to the world."

"I'm your stand-in driver, so it's fine."

"Is that so?"

The young lady nodded slightly and then, declaring that ‘stand-in fees' would be paid in chocolate, she flashed a contented smile.

After about ten more minutes walking,

The young lady, who had been using the solemn atmosphere as a lullaby, slightly turned her head to look at me.

"Ricardo."

"Yes?"

"What did you think of the play today?"

"It was enjoyable."

"Not like that, I mean specifically. Like whether I should give you more chocolate or if there's a lesson about not stealing chocolate."

"Hmm… it did make me think that I should cut down on chocolate for the young lady's healthy diet."

"Eek!"

The sullen young lady clenched her fist and threatened me. Like a little tiger lashing out with its paws, I answered ‘You're slow.' and playfully flicked her forehead.

"Ouch!"

I grinned and said,

"Just kidding."

Then I quietly gave the young lady the answer she desired.

"Um… I thought that I should be nicer to you."

"Why?"

"So you won't hit me?"

"Yikes! What's that!"

"Haha! Just kidding. What about you?"

The young lady turned her head away and grumbled, muttering ‘You're always joking.' With her lips pouting, she made a small snorting sound and then opened her mouth.

"I… thought that I don't want to be apart from Ricardo."

My face flushed with heat.

What had I just heard? Her words caught me off guard, and I covered the smile emerging on my lips with my palm, my voice quivering as I asked,

"What is this? Flirting?"

"Flirting?"

"Are you trying to seduce me?"

"No!"

The young lady swung her clenched fist through the air, vehemently shouting,

"I said that because I want Ricardo and I to live long and healthy lives together. I'll even cut back on picky eating and… the person in the play was just so pitiful. I thought if Ricardo wants to live a long life, I should be good to him."

"Oh… Show me that three more times, and I might fall for you."

"That's not it."

The young lady, her face now a bright red, exhaled a sigh.

"Idiot."

"You're a dummy."

"Blockhead."

"Urchin."

"Ha ha ha!"

We continued our childish banter as we made our way back to the manor.

The date seemed to have been quite successful.

*

The young lady, halfway asleep from exhaustion, was nodding off in her wheelchair.

To be precise, she was sleeping.

"Snore…"

"Madam?"

"Hmmnyeh…"

"We've arrived. It's time to pay."

"Ricardo will take care of it…"

"Eh…"

Despite tugging on her cheek, the young lady wouldn't wake up. Deciding to settle the ride fee with a snack later, I gently let go of the cheek I had been pulling.

The manor was quiet, perhaps because it was late in the evening. The bustling servants had long since gone home, and the household head, Rosanna, and Kyle were nowhere to be seen in the living room, likely already retired for the night.

In the silence that suggested we were alone, I let out a small sigh and carefully picked up the soundly sleeping young lady.

‘So light.'

How could such a tiny body eat so much… It's a wonder.

"Mmm… chocolate."

The young lady, who seemed unacquainted with the word worry, slept soundly, resembling a certain princess who fell into a deep slumber after eating an apple.

For a moment, I contemplated whether a prince's kiss could awaken her, but since I was no prince, I decided against it.

"She sleeps soundly."

Once the young lady was in bed, she seldom woke up easily, deep in sleep and even snoring.

Especially after a tiring day like today, her drool soaked through my sleeve.

"Snore…"

Looking at her peaceful face, I whispered softly,

"Goodnight."

My footsteps were silent as I climbed the stairs, careful not to make any noise and cautiously as one would handle fragile glasswork, lest I wake her.

Soon, I arrived at the door of the young lady's room.

[The World's Most Beautiful ‘Olivia's' Room]

-If you wake me, I bite.

-If you're loud, I curse.

-If you understand, get lost.

A fierce sign penned by the young lady during her teenage years hung on the door, prompting a small laugh from me.

"Scary, isn't it?"

"Hmmnyeh… I'm hungry."

"That seems to be the case."

-Creak.

After cautiously opening the door,

I gently laid the young lady on her plush bed.

Pink curtains and bedding.

The villainess, who might seem distant from anything cute, actually collected endearing things like pink colors and teddy bears.

The only flaw was

Some rather formidable-looking teddy bears gnawing on human arms and crocodile stuffed animals baring vicious teeth.

But since she loved cute things, I smiled as I pushed aside the young lady's beloved toys from the edge of the bed and carefully laid her down.

I savored a moment watching her peaceful, snoring face.

As her breathing became steady, I carefully sat beside her bed and stroked her hair.

"Please limit the flirting. My heart can't take much more."

"Planning on causing a heart attack after saying let's live long together?"

"Really…"

I placed my hand on the young lady's leg, burning circuits with a wry smile.

"You're such a fool."

[Using ‘Touch of Rehabilitation' on an ‘Object Corrupted with Dark Magic' consumes ‘1% Vitality.']

Vitality used: 6%

Remaining Vitality: 94%

[If vitality drops below -90%, the consumption rate will triple.]

A bitter metallic taste touched my lips along with a cold warning. I did my best to suppress coughing up the red liquid coming from my throat, but I couldn't help but cover my mouth as a coughing fit hit me and a pain like my chest was tearing apart took over.

"Cough… Cough…!"

It never gets easier, no matter how many times I go through it.

It felt like life was being chipped away.

No direct side effects on the body, but I could feel something fundamental twisting inside me, and with a deep sigh, I cursed softly.

"Ah… Damn…"

Yet, I was content.

Like the boy in the play who just watched over her, it was all I could do for the young lady, in return for saving my life when I was young.

For being able to engage in shy flirtation despite my unrequited love.

Breathing heavily and enduring the pain in my chest, I smiled.

Someday.

Someday I'd be able to walk with the young lady, and even a coward like me would find courage, I smiled with hope.

As an unbearable pain spread throughout my body and a small groan threatened to escape my lips,

-Creak.

The firmly shut door to the young lady's room opened, revealing the familiar figure of a man through the crack.

Even in his pajamas, the man emanated a fierce aura.

I had thought he would be asleep.

A careless mistake on my part had led to this situation. If I had just been a bit more cautious, locked the door, I might have avoided this…

But it was too late for regrets.

Coughing up blood.

With my hand on the young lady's leg, even I knew it looked suspicious.

The man, seeing my confusion, spoke in a low voice.

"What are you doing?"

A chill ran down my spine as the icy tone reached my ears.

My coughing turned into a harsh rasp, and his expression grew colder as he watched.

I murmured to the man.

"Ah… This is bad."

The likely successor to the Desmond family who had warned me not to do anything foolish before.

Kyle.

He looked at me with an ominous expression.

"Take your hand off now."