The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 194

Chapter 194 – The Fasting Villainess (1)

Recalling memories from the past, I let out a shallow sigh.

The relationship between Michail and me now.

I wasn’t sure if our current relationship was right, and that uncertainty kept making me sigh.

It was a relationship that had become far too tangled. There was a deep emotional chasm between Michail and me, a rift that kept pushing us apart.

I wondered if things would have been different if Michail’s memories had been intact, but the world itself rejected that possibility, leaving me with no way to change it.

After that day, as soon as I recovered, I went to the slums. I worried that Michail might have suffered harm from that guy, and I wanted to let him know that I was alive and well. Knowing better than anyone how hard it is to wait indefinitely, I searched for Michail in the slums.

But…

“He isn’t here today either.”

The empty slums greeted me.

Michail wasn’t there.

Even after an hour.

Even after a week.

Even after a month.

Michail never showed up.

“Why are you hanging out here? Weren’t we going to play ball?”

“I was waiting for a friend.”

“A friend?”

“Yeah.”

“You have a friend?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Eek! But I don’t have one!”

“That’s because you’re pathetic.”

“Argh! I’ll make a friend too!”

No one in the slums where I used to live remembered me anymore. The kids who once followed me had moved on with their lives, and Michail was no longer there either.

According to the rumors, Michail had indeed been adopted by a convent, just like in the novel. I only learned of this information after an informant told me that Michail had disappeared, holding hands with a nun on a pilgrimage from a distant place.

Perhaps because I had been unconscious for so long, I missed the chance to say goodbye, but I was relieved that Michail’s fate had ended well, at least.

I chuckled bitterly as I looked at the small mound of dirt under the bridge.

[Here lies my beloved hero – Lee Minhyuk]

The makeshift gravestone made of wooden sticks tied together in a cross left a strong impression. Looking at a tombstone with my name on it wasn’t exactly a pleasant feeling.

After that, nothing particularly noteworthy happened.

I started receiving butler training under the young lady’s guidance.

“Hey.”

“Don’t speak informally!”

“Why?”

“Because I pay you!”

“Right, I forgot. My apologies, ma’am.”

“Good.”

While arguing with the young lady, I solidified my path forward.

At first, I thought that grabbing the villainess’s hand would ruin my life, but after she saved my life, I figured it would be ungrateful of me to waver. So, with a resolve to fix this rotten rope, I firmly took the young lady’s hand.

I did everything I could to change the future of the young lady.

Her success meant my survival, and her peace meant my peace.

I helped her lose weight.

I helped her improve her appearance.

I worked hard to correct her twisted personality.

“Stop… starving me.”

“I’m sorry, young lady, but your obesity has exceeded my expectations. If this continues, there could be a tragic event where the Earth’s axis tilts.”

“I don’t care about that.”

“Indeed.”

Of course, this process wasn’t smooth, but it was fun, and I was able to smile and follow along, making it a meaningful time.

The villainess gradually became kinder through our efforts.

“Damn it!”

“What’s wrong, young lady?”

“The sparrows are chirping too loud.”

“I’ll catch them for you.”

“Good. Cook them up deliciously.”

Most people wouldn’t understand, but knowing the cold-hearted villainess from the novel, I enjoyed seeing the young lady change bit by bit.

The young lady not only placed me in a decent job but also provided me with an education.

She said she didn’t need a foolish butler, but ironically, she was the one who avoided studying.

“Today’s lesson is… Excuse me, who is that young lady?”

“My butler.”

“I see. But why is he attending this lesson?”

“Because he’s my butler.”

“I’m sorry, but my lessons aren’t the type of etiquette classes where others can just join in.”

“Just teach already! You’re putting me to sleep!”

“Young lady, please be polite.”

“No!”

“Would you like to skip another meal today?”

“Argh… Go ahead with the lesson.”

“Say it more kindly.”

“Please start the lesson.”

The tutor seemed to like me. He was an elite instructor, and apparently, it had been tough for him up until now. He hugged me tightly with tears in his eyes, and sensing that he had a lot built up, I patted him on the back.

“You worked hard.”

“Sniff… I thought I wasn’t gifted as a teacher until now.”

“Not at all. You’ve raised an exemplary student like me.”

“Bawling…”

Because of his deep trust in me, I was able to learn a lot.

I learned history, etiquette, and even how to win the hearts of high-ranking nobles, which meant that in truth, I was the one who received the most benefits.

There wasn’t total agreement within the family.

Darbav had frowned deeply when he saw Olivia bring back a scruffy boy like me.

“Olivia. Who is this?”

“My butler. He’s my butler starting today.”

“What happened to the butler who saved you earlier? Did you throw him away and get a new one?”

“I didn’t need him, so I threw him away.”

“A moment ago, I thought it commendable that you brought back an injured child. But is that not the case?”

“Nope. I’m not that nice.”

“…Is that so? But it won’t work. That boy isn’t strong enough to handle my daughter.”

“Please make it happen!”

Even now, the memory of the young lady picking her nose and throwing a tantrum in front of the family head makes me laugh.

No one could dissuade her stubbornness. Without much hardship, I was accepted as a member of the Desmond family.

It would take too much time to recount all the events I experienced with the young lady. Over the 13 years, there were plenty of moments filled with laughter and tears. I decided to cherish those memories quietly and save them for later reflection, storing them carefully in the drawer of my mind while smiling.

“It was a good choice.”

Time passed, and when I encountered Michail at the academy, many things had changed.

Michail had grown strong enough to carry a sword, both physically and mentally. It was good to see. Now that he no longer carried a teddy bear, I couldn’t help but laugh softly when I saw his empty hands.

(!) If Michail discovers your existence, the future’s events may change drastically.

Because of the system, I couldn’t approach him. Not that I was planning to, to begin with.

During those 13 years, I had mainly focused on the young lady and dedicated myself to protecting her future.

Well, what can you do? As a reincarnator, I had already sided with the villainess. I tried to maintain a good relationship with Michail, but it wasn’t as easy as I had hoped.

Michail disliked me from the start, and the young lady’s unruly behavior only made things worse. It was impossible to get close to him.

So I ended up disliking Michail too.

I felt genuinely sorry for Michail, but at that time, I resented him for mistreating the young lady.

I didn’t raise him to be like that.

I didn’t teach him to treat people so coldly. It honestly annoyed me how he forgot the love I had given him and only showed disdain towards the young lady.

That’s why I started to dislike Michail, which eventually led to our current relationship.

I don’t regret it, though.

I don’t regret choosing the young lady.

I don’t regret the strained relationship with Michail.

These are things I don’t regret.

Because I am happy right now.

I let out a small sigh and closed the book of memories playing out in my mind. Reflecting on these thoughts wouldn’t change anything now. Instead of dwelling on them, I knew that planning what to eat tomorrow would be much better for my mental health, so I smiled softly and closed my eyes to end the day.

And at that moment…

-Knock. Knock.

I heard a knocking sound at the door.

“Are you asleep?”

“…”

“I haven’t had a drink in a while, but there’s no one to drink with.”

I chuckled softly and opened the door.

*

Darbav poured whiskey into the glasses with a wordless smile.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a drink together.”

“Indeed. It must’ve been about three years since that first time when I became an adult.”

“That time, Olivia was pestering me for a drink too. What a scene that was.”

Darbav touched his forehead in recollection, shaking his head.

“It was a struggle to calm her down.”

“Yes, the young lady was so upset, she refused to speak to me after that. She even said she’d never hang out with me again…”

“Pfft! Olivia said that?”

“Yes, she didn’t talk to me for quite a while.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate.”

I chuckled softly and started sharing some small stories with Darbav.

“Come to think of it, I recently had a drink with the young lady.”

“Olivia drank alcohol?”

Darbav’s ears perked up at the mention of alcohol, and he turned to me with a worried expression.

With a serious look on his face, he propped his chin and muttered, “You’ve done something big,” fully aware of what kind of person his daughter was.

Meeting Darbav’s anxious gaze, I offered a gentle smile.

“She handled it better than I expected.”

“Really?”

“Yes, she did. She drank fruit wine without any issue.”

“Olivia’s really grown up, huh… Knows how to drink now.”

“That’s right.”

“How about drunken behavior? She didn’t hurt anyone, did she?”

“Fortunately, no.”

“Thank goodness.”

Talking about the old days with Darbav was enjoyable.

From the moment he first saw me and wondered why she had brought home some beggar, to how difficult it had been to stop the young lady from packing up her things and leaving when he refused to accept me—the stories Darbav shared were so amusing that time flew by without notice.

I was also surprised to hear that, originally, he had planned to raise me as the young lady’s knight.

“Seems like choosing to raise you as a butler was the right decision. You turned out well on your own.”

“It’s all thanks to your support, Master.”

“You sure know how to talk.”

At first, I thought the head of the Desmond family was a scary person. After all, he was a villain supporting the villainess.

But really, it’s quite a funny family—this Desmond family. Of course, this side of the family is only shown to its members, but I liked this family.

The Desmond family wasn’t one to be underestimated. It was one of the founding families that didn’t bow before the Emperor, and its power once rivaled that of the Histania family.

Now, their influence had waned somewhat due to the young lady’s behavior, but the Desmond name remained a powerful force that no one could dismiss.

Especially Darbav, who was one of the monsters in the Empire comparable to the head of the Histania family.

One of the reasons why the Empire hadn’t moved against Desmond was precisely because of this man’s existence. Despite the taboo of dark magic, Desmond remained among the nobility, and the primary reason for that was the presence of Darbav, the archmage.

As the conversation gained momentum, Darbav swallowed and spoke with some difficulty.

“Ricardo.”

“Yes, Master.”

Darbav was silently fiddling with his glass.

As if he had something difficult to ask, he kept touching his glass before letting out a deep sigh and lowering his head.

“No, never mind.”

“You’re doing the worst thing in the world, Master.”

“How did you know?”

“Is it true?”

“No.”

He was quite a man when it came to teasing others.

Darbav let out a small sigh and opened his mouth with difficulty.

“Olivia isn’t eating.”

Truly, it was a funny family.

End of Chapter.