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



13 – Uninvited Guest – Part 3

It’s been a long time since there were people in the dining room.

The luxurious dining table is meant for three people, but the sight of everyone gathered around the round table reminded me of the past.

Olivia and Lady Gaju.

Lady Bujaju and Madam.

We used to spend harmonious moments even though we fought every day when we sat at the dining table and ate together, so it had been a while since I had faced each other at the table and had a meal.

About a year has passed.

Eating at the table.

I used to have meals with the young lady in the bedroom every time, but it felt good to sit at the table and eat after a long time.

With an excited heart, I asked the landlady.

“It’s been a while since you came out. How do you feel?”

The young lady had a somewhat displeased expression.

She didn’t even wake up from a nap, so why was she making such a face? I thought she would be happy when the guest arrived instead.

Olivia’s gaze was fixed on Hanna.

More precisely, it was focused on Hanna’s sky-blue pajamas.

“That… isn’t that mine?”

“Yes.”

“But why is she wearing it?”

Hanna shrugged her shoulders under the young lady’s gaze, looking as if she had taken someone’s beloved clothes.

I honestly told the young lady that I had stolen it, thinking that I had touched the landlady’s feelings.

“I see.”

The young lady nodded as if she were clear.

“You gave her something pretty.”

The young lady wasn’t upset about having her dress stolen. It’s because she gave her an ugly dress.

Hannah nodded, looking at Olivia, who understood and proudly claimed that she had stolen it, showing an absurd expression.

We’re used to this kind of thing.

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I asked the question again, in the face of the now-relieved young lady, “How are you feeling coming to the restaurant after a long time?”

“I hate it. It’s a bother.”

“You’ll turn into a pig like that.”

Olivia displayed a confident expression.

“A pig?”

Olivia proudly showed off her chest, despite her viciousness. It was certainly inappropriate for a grown adult to behave like that in front of customers.

Her triumphant expression, too.

“When I eat, it goes to my chest.”

“Don’t lie. Is it all going to your belly, then?”

I teased Olivia when I saw her protruding belly.

Feisty Olivia. She quickly threw a fork, but it missed by a mile.

“Missed.”

“Ruthless…”

The young lady grabbed her back.

This is why I don’t give the young lady chocolate. Eating too much would raise her blood pressure. What if she collapses while making fun of her?

I broke her prideful chest with a sneer.

“Pig.”

In response to the cruel laughter, Olivia’s scream was heard, but I ignored it and prepared the meal.

Hannah made a face that seemed to suggest that she couldn’t quite adapt to our behavior.

Is this how the relationship between a butler and a master should be? Hannah looked at us with eyes as if she had just seen a wild owl, a butler making fun of her master.

I brought forks and knives to the table and said.

“Don’t worry, they’re not crazy.”

“No…”

Hannah thought to herself. They seem to be quite crazy.

She had thought they were crazy since she saw them crying with their fists in their mouths when they met last time.

Neither the notorious villain who made fun of the butler nor the villain who threw forks at the butler seemed to adapt to it.

Of course, she’s a good person, but she doesn’t seem entirely normal.

I read the bewildered expression on Hanna’s face and smiled softly.

“It’s just that we’re excited, both me and the young lady.”

“Excited? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Just.”

I said, looking at the lady who was staring at Hanna intently.

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

Hanna didn’t say anything.

How should I express this feeling?

Suddenly, my heart felt choked up.

It had been a long time since I felt welcome.

In my own memories, my birthday was a day I cried every day.

Crying profusely at my father’s indifference.

Locked in a room where no one congratulated me, lighting a candle alone, and so on.

It felt like the first time I was welcomed by someone.

“Are you happy that I came?”

Hanna asked me.

With a slightly choked voice.

As a maid, it was a rare occasion to have something to do, and I was happy about coming to this mansion to serve tea, even though it had only been two weeks since I saw the young lady. It was an excessive interest.

Without any ulterior motives, I could sincerely answer her question.

“Yes, I’m happy.”

“Really?”

“Of course. In that case, may I ask if you’d like to be the young lady’s companion after dinner?”

Hanna was momentarily speechless.

In response to my request, the lady sniffled. She pretended not to care, but she seemed subtly expectant. She already seemed to be planning what to talk about today, girls-only conversation after a long time.

I was working hard to meet her expectations, and Hanna remained silent.

I had no intention of hearing Hanna’s answer either.

“I’ll do it even if I don’t like it.”

There’s no such thing as a free meal.

While you’re at it, you might as well ask for something else.

“You must feel uncomfortable getting wet in the rain, right?”

“A little?”

“Well, after the meal, you can take a bath with our young lady.”

Hmph.

The young lady let out a bigger puff from her nose. She seemed delighted.

“Oh…?”

Hanna’s expression twisted as if she couldn’t believe it.

It looked good.

“A bit better than earlier.”

“Really?”

“Your expression looks much happier than before.”

Hanna touched her own face. A subtle upward curl of her lips. It was clearly something she didn’t want to do, but… She had been in a bad mood after being given an errand, yet her lips were unusually honest.

Why is she smiling?

It had been a long time since she smiled on her birthday.

Just as a strange atmosphere briefly flowed.

The voice of the young lady, who had the title of Atmosphere Killer, rang out.

“Ricardo, I’m hungry.”

“Indeed. A gourmand fairy.”

“Insult?”

Olivia raised an eyebrow.

I chuckled softly and explained that it was a compliment.

“No, it means you’re as beautiful as a fairy.”

“I am a fairy.”

“Yes, you eat more than a fairy, though. But you are a fairy.”

Whish. The fork flew, but I easily dodged it again.

With an innocent look, Olivia asked me, “What’s for dinner tonight?”

“What would you like to eat?”

The answer is already written in Olivia’s eyes. She always gives the same response, you see.

“Meat?”

As usual, I negated. I didn’t ask about the dinner menu to inquire about the lady’s opinion. It was more like a telepathy game, a way to see if what I’m planning to cook today coincides with what she wants to eat.

If they don’t match, it’s disappointing.

If they do, it’s a pleasant surprise.

That’s how it goes.

“No.”

“Hmm.”

Today, I plan to make the cake, just as I told Hanna.

A cake with plenty of whipped cream.

I take pride in my baking skills from my past life since my hobby was cooking and baking. I was confident it wouldn’t fail.

The dessert is a whipped cream cake.

For a side dish, some simple seasoned chicken will do.

And the food that drove women crazy in my past life. No matter how depressed, sad, or happy they were, they would go crazy for this food.

I thought that making this obsessive food as the main course would help improve Hanna’s mood, no matter how down she was feeling.

I gave Olivia a confident smile.

“It’s your favorite food, ma’am.”

Turning around, I also gave Hanna a reassuring smile.

“Miss Hanna, you’ll probably enjoy this. It might be your first time trying it. Just eat it. Guests usually accept what is served.”

Hanna had a bewildered expression.

What can I do? If I want it that way, then so be it.

I went into the kitchen.

It didn’t take long for the spicy aroma to start spreading through the restaurant.

***

“Ah… Hnnn….”

“Haaahh…. Huhh.”

“Ugh… Haa.”

Strange moans echoed in the restaurant.

I adjusted my posture. I didn’t intend for this to turn into a spectacle. Maybe it’s too spicy.

I actually liked it.

A delighted sigh that could make someone mistake it for an ecstasy in the throes of passion.

Even the lady quite accustomed to spicy foods fluttered her handkerchief, finding this meal challenging.

I gazed at the lady’s charming appearance and said, “Lady, you’re too provocative. Please don’t do that.”

“Why! It’s too hot.”

“Still, it’s overly seductive.”

‘Tsk,’ Olivia clicked her tongue and assessed my reaction. Despite her ongoing nagging, she gave up on twirling her skirt and focused on eating.

In the center of the table was red food – one of the best dishes I had perfected in my previous life: tteokbokki.

I wondered if the spicy taste would appeal to the people of this world, so I had experimented with it since childhood using the lady, and it seemed to suit Hannah’s taste as I had expected.

Sure enough, Hannah was enjoying it.

“It’s spicy, but delicious. My tongue hurts… It’s oddly addictive.”

Seemed like it suited her palate.

A smile formed involuntarily.

“Is it delicious?”

“It’s really delicious!”

Sweating while eating, she resembled my past self at the orphanage, gobbling down fish cakes.

A fellow who knew how to eat.

In this world without fish cakes, I tried substituting ham, and it seemed quite decent.

I was quite moved to see Hannah diligently picking and eating only the ham in the tteokbokki.

Of course, Olivia’s favorability towards Hannah was rapidly declining in real-time.

“eeek! Don’t just pick the ham again!”

“But Lady Olivia is also having ham.”

“This is my house!”

“I’m a guest!”

“eeek.”

Seeing the lady on the verge of collapsing from high blood pressure, I put ham on her plate and suppressed my complaints.

Hannah looked at me with passionate eyes.

“It’s my first time trying this. It’s delicious, isn’t it?”

“It’s quite an expensive meal.”

“What?”

Hanna was momentarily surprised.

I jokingly said to her, “It’s 100,000 gold.”

A clatter. Olivia dropped her fork.

“Hi-eee-eek!”

“Why are you so shocked?”

“Have I been eating this much money all this time? Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions?!”

“No.”

“Ricardo… Have I really become a money-eating pig?”

I looked at Olivia with an incredulous expression, and she looked at me in disbelief.

Of course, Hanna remained calm.

She seemed to understand that it was a joke.

I reassured the most startled lady, “It’s a lie. It’s not even 10 shillings.”

“Phew. I almost went on a forced diet.”

The lady returned to eating.

Hanna nodded.

“What is this dish?”

“It’s tteokbokki.”

“Tteokbokki.”

“Yes, I’m making it for you, especially since you’re here. It’s my own secret dish, so it’s probably something no one else can make.”

“Can you make such a dish for me?”

Hanna’s eyes widened. She seemed astonished that she would get a one-of-a-kind dish.

I told her as if it were a given, “It’s your birthday, after all.”

“…”

Hanna gripped her fork tightly.

“That’s right. It’s my birthday today.”

Silent except for the sound of eating tteokbokki, Hanna’s breathing was rough.

“Sniff… Why is this happening? It’s too spicy, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. I made it spicy.”

“I usually don’t react like this. Sigh… Why is this happening? hahahahaha… It’s just too delicious…”

Placing a glass of water beside her, I spoke again.

“Happy birthday.”

“Sniff… Thank you.”

Hanna seems to cry a lot, after all.

***

Night fell.

I found myself unexpectedly sleeping at someone else’s house.

It had been a long time since I stayed out overnight. With only martial arts practice, no friends around, the only reason I ever stayed out was due to assignments.

Sleeping at someone else’s place.

It felt awkward.

But I wasn’t feeling bad.

I had eaten a stress-relieving meal and received a welcoming message. Although I came to this house almost like a trespasser, the housekeeper treating me as a guest was genuinely appreciated.

Of course, the Lady of the house still seemed scary.

There were many things.

I resented my family for not acknowledging my birthday.

I ran away from my father’s indifference.

And I cried while eating.

“Sigh… Why are you crying over there, you troublemaker!”

Hanna kicked the blanket hard.

‘Nevertheless, it was really nice.’

It felt like the most enjoyable birthday I’ve had so far.

Watching my brother’s martial arts on my birthday, feeling an emotion rarely felt in the ignored corners of the house – it strangely made me excited.

Perhaps I’ll be able to shake it off and get up tomorrow.

It feels like I’ve gained the strength to face what’s to come.

Until a while ago, I wanted to give up on everything, including martial arts. But it seems to have found its way back.

However, a part of me feared the sunrise tomorrow morning. Going back to that suffocating house. Perhaps not even sure if I exist there anymore.

Father is so focused on my older brother.

My older brother said he’s on the verge of becoming a sword expert. So, Father is even more determined to teach him.

“…I really don’t like it.”

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As the silence gathered, a sense of gloom descended. Hanna clutched her blanket tightly and huddled up.

“Just stay by Lady Gongnyeo’s side.”

She had asked for a separate room because she thought Lady Gongnyeo would be noisy all night if they shared a room. It seemed like a pointless request.

Hanna thought she had already slept enough today.

– Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Are you asleep?”

A familiar voice reached her.

Hanna carefully got up and opened the door.

“hahahaha….”

Ricardo was standing there, awkwardly smiling.

In his hands, he held snacks and green tea.

“I forgot something, that’s why I came.”

“Come in.”

“Thank you.”

After closing the door and looking at Ricardo’s face, Hanna’s face quickly turned warm.

She had forgotten that they were in a room with a roof and all sides closed.

Strange thoughts crossed her mind.

We’re not like this, but her mind was filled with countless fantasies.

When Ricardo took a step closer to her, Hanna closed her eyes tightly and exclaimed.

“I’m sorry! I’m not ready yet….”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“It’s just… this isn’t how it’s supposed to be…”

Ricardo laughed heartily.

Hanna blushed as she thanked him for not shouting and for coming with the intention she had in mind.

“Then why…?”

“Oh…”

Ricardo said with a gentle smile, “I don’t think I gave you a birthday present.”

Hanna wanted to crawl into a mouse hole.