The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 382



382 – The Times Consumed by Revenge -3-

I always hate working.

I always intensely hate working.

The more money and capital you have, the more you hate the task called work.

“…”

In front of the silent office door.

I knocked on the office door with an awkward expression.

-Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Whew…”

In my hand was a letter with the imperial seal. A letter with the name ‘Leogarde Shartia’ written on it.

‘Why did they call me?’

It didn’t seem like they called me out of boredom.

She was someone you couldn’t easily meet. The imperial princess named Shartia.

Even if it seemed like I saw her often, it took a lot of preparation to have a private audience with the princess.

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“…I hope it’s not something troublesome.”

About three minutes passed, and the door I had been staring at absentmindedly opened with a creak. A woman who appeared to be a maid peeked her face out and greeted me warmly.

“Hello. What brings you here?”

“Ah, I am Ricardo, the butler of the Desmond family, here in response to a letter from Princess Shartia.”

“…Ah. So, it’s you.”

The maid who came out to greet me was a young woman who looked to be in her twenties. With a naive expression, she seemed to have not been a maid for long. She bowed her head and quickly said, “Just a moment,” before disappearing inside.

‘…Guild Master.’

Even if I didn’t hide it, I knew her identity.

The maid from a moment ago, or rather the woman disguised as a maid, was the person who knew the most information in the empire.

Ordinary people wouldn’t notice, but I was someone who had read the novel. I could easily recognize Shartia’s retainer.

If it weren’t for Malik, the head of the information guild who might have already obtained my information, opened the door again and greeted me with a welcoming smile.

“Nice to meet you. I am Lanea, Princess Shartia’s maid.”

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

“You don’t have to be so formal.”

“I’m a commoner, after all.”

The head of the information guild, looking satisfied, slowly led me into the reception room.

As always, Shartia’s office was cluttered with numerous documents. The piles of papers were so high that I wondered if someone might get buried and die under them. I sighed and moved my steps.

“Still a lot, I see.”

“The princess is always busy.”

“I told her she’d collapse from working like that.”

“She doesn’t listen to me at all… If you’re her friend, please say something to her.”

“Haha… She’s not the type to change just because I say so.”

Shartia’s stubbornness was something that couldn’t be helped.

Shartia had a kind of obsession that nothing could be done without her involvement. Knowing the strict image of the princess she had built within her own framework, I sighed lightly and walked slowly.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from the princess.”

“About me?”

“Yes.”

“I hope it’s something good.”

The guild master said with a faint smile.

“They said the princess is unpredictable.”

“That’s not an unfair assessment.”

“Hmm… is that so?”

“I thought you’d give a harsher evaluation.”

“Oh my…”

“I’m quite an unpredictable person myself. I heard you don’t particularly like people who are predictable.”

“That’s right… What?!”

“Unique information is more valuable.”

Leaving the flustered guild leader behind, I slowly moved forward and looked at the princess sitting at a desk piled high with documents.

“Ahem…”

As always, the princess, living amidst a mountain of paperwork, looked exhausted.

“…Sigh, no matter how much I do, it never ends.”

Perhaps because of what I did in the west, she seemed to have a lot of work, and she didn’t notice my presence. I smiled slightly and knocked on the desk.

-Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Huh…?”

“It’s been a while, Princess.”

“…”

Shaltia’s expression was not good.

“You still don’t look well.”

“…”

“Haven’t I always told you?”

“…”

“You must always take care of your health, Princess.”

“…Ugh. Nagging.”

“You might die early if you don’t. It would break my heart if you died young.”

“…Sigh.”

As I hesitated, seeing her expression mixed with many emotions, Shaltia let out a long sigh and spoke to me.

“When did you arrive?”

“Just now. The capable maid guided me…”

“Maid…?”

Shaltier let out a deep sigh as she watched the guild master wink.

“First, sit down.”

“Thank you.”

“…Phew.”

Looking around the office, I spoke to Shaltier.

“There are still a lot of documents.”

“Because there’s a lot of work.”

“You could hire someone.”

“These documents contain information that must not leak out.”

“Then there’s no choice.”

Shaltier said as she brought out the tea.

“I called you because I have something to say.”

Under Shaltier’s piercing gaze, I awkwardly smiled and picked up the teacup.

“I hope it’s about money.”

*

My mind calms down.

– He has arrived, Your Highness.

– Has he?

– Yes, shall I let him in?

Just hearing that Ricardo had arrived made my troubled mind feel calm.

He’s always causing trouble, especially with what he did in the west, making my head feel like it’s going to explode. Yet, strangely enough, the news of Ricardo’s arrival brought an inexplicable peace to my heart.

– Yes, let him in.

The mental illness caused by the blue window seemed to subside just by his visit. It felt like coming home.

– Still a lot, huh.

I knew it all.

That Ricardo had entered the office.

I was silent because I didn’t know how to deal with him, but Shaltier knew that Ricardo was sighing at the pile of documents.

‘Strange.’

My troubled mind seemed to calm down just by him coming closer. Strangely enough.

And when Ricardo knocked on the desk and greeted me.

“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”

The turmoil in my heart settled down calmly.

Ricardo, who always brought trouble, greeted me with a small smile.

“You don’t look well today either.”

After a long time, the first thing he says is about my complexion.

‘Idiot.’

I was quite surprised by Ricardo’s reaction, which was different from others. Most people would have gone straight to the point.

“Haven’t I always told you? You must always take care of yourself, Your Highness. Otherwise, you might die early. If you die young, it would break my heart.”

What a strange guy.

Ricardo, who always nags.

Shartia’s lips twitched as she looked at Ricardo, who was staring at her silently.

She wondered what would be the best thing to say.

“…”

There was only one reason she called Ricardo.

To confirm the existence of the ‘sword’ mentioned by the Blue Window. She thought she had no choice but to go along with it to cure the sudden illness of her heart.

She wondered if things would change if she saw him.

She selfishly called him, hoping that seeing Ricardo might make the Blue Window chime again, but she couldn’t think of anything to say, so Shartia remained silent.

She thought she could find out by asking a few questions. She thought she could find out if Ricardo was the ‘sword’ mentioned by the Blue Window.

“Take better care of yourself.”

Ricardo’s worrying words made her forget what she wanted to say and focus on him.

“I’m really worried you might collapse.”

“…”

Why is he worried?

During the Olivia incident, he couldn’t help at all, yet Shartia couldn’t understand Ricardo’s behavior of speaking the truth without expecting anything in return.

“…”

Despite the continuing silence, Ricardo kept talking.

“I think you called me because of what happened in the west….”

“…”

“Since you gave the Crown Prince a good blow, it’s okay to rest for a day.”

Shartia listened to his words without saying anything.

‘Why is this happening?’

Usually, when I see him, I don’t feel anything.

“Take a day off.”

Ever since it started bothering me, every word this guy says feels warm.

– Squeeze…

Shartia wanted to speak.

Not about personal matters, but public ones. Constructive conversations that would benefit her and draw out useful information, fulfilling the reason she called Ricardo.

But.

“You can go now.”

“What…?”

“The business is done. You can go.”

“What? Didn’t you say you had something to tell me?”

Words she never thought would come out of her mouth slipped out.

“I just wanted to see you.”

For a moment, it felt like her blood stopped.

Ricardo let out a hollow laugh and said.

“I am quite handsome, after all.”

‘That shameless guy.’

An impulsive thought crossed her mind.

If Ricardo was the ‘sword’ that the blue spear spoke of, she felt she knew what answer he would give to her question.

“Can I ask you something?”

Ricardo nodded, waiting for Shartia’s words, and then, with a small smile, he answered.

“Of course.”

Shartia spoke to confirm.

“If I asked you to be my sword…”

“…What?”

“If I asked you to be on my side, would you become my sword?”

*

She was rejected.

“…You were rejected.”

The guild master, with a teasing expression, said to Shalltear. That she was rejected. To think that the request to become a retainer would be expressed as being rejected.

Shalltear, feeling annoyed for no reason, looked at the documents and replied.

“No.”

She realized something for sure.

– I’m sorry.

– I already serve my lord.

That fool is not the sword that the blue spear speaks of.

Shalltear sighed in relief as she thought. She briefly wondered if that sword could be Mikhail.

As Shalltear slowly walked out of the office, she stopped.

And then she let out a hollow laugh.

“What sword for me…”

She knew that in this empire, she had no allies.