The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 17



17 – Birthday Gift – 4 –

The summit of the Hamel Mountains

As he regained his senses, Rowen found the Hystania family knights cornering an insect disguised as a person.

“Let him go! I’ll kill that bastard for sure! What does my face resemble! A locust? Don’t disregard my art!”

“Oh… even insects curse now.”

“Ahahahahaah!!”

The villain who killed hundreds in the novel made his exit in such a lonely manner.

Not a good person, but perhaps an adventurer hunter who did a good thing in the end. Was it a reward for making him realize the value of white lies?

He left with a 300,000 gold bounty that had been hanging around his neck as a gift. It was the moment the swordsman who wielded the Three Martial Arts learned why bounty hunters became bounty hunters.

While I sent off the adventurer hunter with a cheerful smile, Hanna’s expression was stiff.

“…”

She was unable to feel the exhilaration of defeating an elite orc on her own due to the protagonists who had pushed her here standing before her.

Hanna had a hardened expression as she stared at the ground.

“Hystania Hanna.”

The voice of a middle-aged man reached her ears. A voice as heavy and dignified as a lion.

Though he believed that assessing someone’s strength based solely on their voice was impossible, the man before her made it possible.

Histania Lawen.

He was the empire’s sword and currently the strongest person in the novel.

I looked at him straight in the eye.

Unwavering pupils.

Bright brown hair with the empire’s emblem tied around his waist. Just like the description of the knight commander in the novel.

“Father is calling. Aren’t you going to answer?”

A woman’s voice mixed with annoyance echoed. Standing next to Lawen, she crossed her arms. With heavy makeup and eyes that resembled a torn cat, she alternated her gaze between me and Hanna.

She seems to view us with negative emotions.

Of course, I didn’t view her favorably either.

She might be one of the reasons why Hanna dies in the original.

“Hey. Answer.”

Hanna couldn’t respond to the woman’s question. More accurately, she was unable to answer, as the woman’s small shout made Hanna flinch, and she cautiously moved closer to my side.

The woman stood with her arms crossed, waiting for an answer. It seemed like she would continue to watch us until sunset, so I kindly answered in her place.

“Yes.”

“Not you.”

“Wasn’t it you who called me? I thought you needed my bank account number.”

“Are you kidding?”

“No. I’m serious.”

“Are you crazy?”

“I’m normal, though.”

Sharp words flew back and forth.

The fight between a disrespectful woman and a money-focused man. It was hard to determine the winner, but after receiving education from a villainess for 13 years, it seemed that I was gaining the upper hand.

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“Who are you to start an argument with me?”

“Then who are you?”

“Hey… Histania Hannah. You don’t have any friends, so you’re hanging out with this guy? Birds of a feather flock together, I suppose.”

“Oh~ So you’re my sister. I thought you weren’t a noble because you’re so thoughtless. I apologize.”

“This damn bastard.”

“Woof.”

The atmosphere became somewhat tense.

Hannah urgently opened her mouth.

“Both of you, stop.”

It was disappointing.

It seemed like I could have squeezed some juice if I had fought a little more.

I looked at my sister, Hanna, and anticipated what would come next.

The conversation between the two women began with Hanna’s response.

“Why have you come here?”

“…I came because of work.”

“Well then, go take care of your work. I also have work to attend to.”

Hanna spoke coldly to her father. Normally, she wouldn’t speak to her father like this. He would have praised her for capturing the elite orc on her own, eagerly waiting for her, but today, her father was not welcoming. He was rather annoying.

Rowen was initially taken aback by Hanna’s rebellion, but he didn’t take it too seriously. He knew Hanna well.

She feared her father.

She was the obedient youngest daughter who always followed his commands. Right now, she must be venting about her last birthday. She knew that one word from him would make her settle down.

Rowen thought to himself.

Let’s break Hanna’s sword for good this time. After experiencing that hallucination, he couldn’t afford to indulge her in further wandering.

Hanna’s opinion didn’t matter to him.

“Father thinks there’s nothing more unpleasant than someone without talent wielding a sword.”

His words, filled with concern, pierced Hanna’s heart. They were straightforward, and coming from the head that believed his choice was the best, they wouldn’t be received well by Hanna.

“You have no talent.”

“…”

“Wielding a sword itself is a meaningless act. No matter what reason you came to this mountain, or what thoughts led you to wield a sword, Father knows, but in reality, do you not know that you can’t reach the same level as them? You’re not Mikhail, who made a name for himself at the Academy, and you’re not your older brother or sister.”

“…”

“You’re my child, but you have no prospects.”

Hanna seemed unwilling to open her mouth.

Is it because of disappointment?

Or has late adolescence come, causing her to ignore her father’s words? Personally, I hoped it was the latter, but Hanna, with clenched fists and bowed head, seemed closer to the former.

Rowen took Hanna’s sword away.

“If you want my approval, give up the sword. No matter how much you swing it, you will never impress me.”

Is it okay to say that to your own daughter?

The favorability towards the commander of the knights continued to decline.

Of course, his favorability towards me was at rock bottom as well.

[Histania Rowen Lv. 100]

[Occupation: Royal Knight Commander]

[Favorability: -42]

[Preferred Conversation Topics: Histania’s honor/talented inspectors/praise for children]

[Disliked Conversation Topics: Incompetent father/untalented inspectors/Histania Hanna]

It seemed we both disliked each other. Thankfully, there was no overlap.

The selfish Rowen’s mouth didn’t cease.

“There’s a good reason for my ignorance and discrimination towards you all this time. I thought you were smart enough to figure it out.”

“But I have my sword…!”

“Shut up.”

Clang. Hanna’s sword fell to the ground. Her eyes reddened at the sight of the sword her father had given her being tossed aside.

Talent.

What the hell was that talent?

The butler told her she had talent, so why didn’t you tell me that, Hanna wanted to argue.

She had known for a while that she had no talent herself. Her father had said it, and her sister and brother had practically tattooed it on her ears with their constant remarks.

But what did you guys do for me? You didn’t even suggest another path, nor did you comfort me with warm words. Do you think you have the right to say such things to me?

Hanna clenched her fists in response. It was the only rebellion she could muster.

“When we get home, you’ll start by dropping out of the academy.”

“Father!”

“Not only will you be prohibited from entering the training ground ever again, but every sword with your name on it will be shattered.”

Rowen resolved himself.

No more room for leniency.

“But if you can’t give it up, at least consider preparing for a political marriage.”

“I will never do it.”

“Even if it means using force, I’ll allow it. Isn’t it not impossible?”

“Unreasonable…”

“That’s how I feel. Because you’re doing something unreasonable. It’s quite displeasing.”

“Did I ever ask you for much, Father? Did I ever ask for anything other than your disapproval?”

Now tears were flowing from Hannah’s eyes. Why does this woman have so many tears? It seems like there are more moments of crying than of smiling.

“I won’t ask my father to teach me anymore.”

“…”

“I won’t wield a sword in the name of our family anymore. Yeah… that’s right! You can just exile me. It’s a good thing I never thought of myself as a daughter.”

“Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”

Thud. Hannah knelt down.

She begged her father, with clasped hands.

“Please… please… just leave me alone. Treat me as you were treating me before.”

If it were me, I would have left the house dirtily and with anger. But being an orphan without parents, I didn’t feel any envy towards the family in front of me. It seemed that my relationship with the lady was more harmonious.

I wanted to intervene.

But since I had learned that family issues are to be resolved by the family, I couldn’t intervene.

However.

I couldn’t just stay still because I felt so bad.

“I apologize for interrupting, but may I ask where exactly you decided that Hannah is untalented?”

I looked at everyone in front of me with piercing eyes. If there was any dissatisfaction, I asked them to speak up right now, with a kind tone that implied that if they opened their mouths, they should be prepared.

“Are you the Lord by any chance? If you had eyes, you wouldn’t say such a thing. Isn’t that right, Hannah?”

“Yes…?”

“That’s right, isn’t it?”

Hannah, kneeling on the ground, looked up at me. Her dirty knees pained me even more.

I tried to lift Hannah up, but her legs seemed to lack strength to stand up.

Hannah looked at me with an expression that said it shouldn’t be done, but the desire to calm her anger had long faded away.

Anyway, my image is already ruined.

Even if I get more insults here, it’s just running in place. I have nothing to lose.

“At Hannah’s age, have the Histanian nobles tried catching an elite orc?”

“…Who are you?”

“I’m Hannah’s friend.”

“State your affiliation and name.”

“I refuse.”

I interrupted Roen’s words.

If you knew who I was, would you do anything other than ignore me?

I had no intention of answering the commander’s question. I didn’t want to mix words with a lunatic who judges children as talents.

“Seeing that you have no answer, I suppose you’ve never tried catching one. Of course, not many people dare to challenge and try to capture an elite orc at this age…”

I glanced at Rowen discreetly.

“Because they’re determined to die.”

Pressing down the ill will that nearly killed you. I said it directly to him.

“People who know they’ll die if they fight must be mentally ill to do something like this.”

Rowen glared at me.

His children were the same.

His knights were the same.

But what can you do?

You guys are the bad ones, right?

I have no intention of treating those who tormented the lady’s friend as guests. Consider it lucky that I didn’t curse at you.

I praised Hannah.

No one else acknowledged her.

I was the only one who had to acknowledge her.

That way, the time I had spent on her wouldn’t be in vain.

“Miss Hannah made that possible. Isn’t that amazing? Why aren’t you applauding? I think it’s amazing.”

I said with annoyance.

“Have you ever tried doing this?”

I said while looking at Hannah.

“Hannah is right. She has a talent for learning. She couldn’t unfold this talent because of someone who didn’t have the talent to teach, but she’s right.”

Hannah, crouching, looked up at me. It seemed like she was looking at me with the expression of seeing a prince on a white horse. It seemed like she was waiting for someone who would stand by her side and fight for her.

[Hannah’s favorability increased by +30.]

I smiled slightly at Hannah and said.

“You have talent.”

────────────────

Q. [The Extraordinary ‘Hannah’ Who Determined Her Fate] has been completed.

────────────────

In an instant, a golden aura emanated from Hannah’s hand and she tightly held onto me.

“Happy birthday.”

The belatedly prepared gift has finally arrived for Hanna.