The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 384



384 – The Times Consumed by Revenge -5-

Fear approaches.

The storm brought by bad karma was fiercely advancing on Shaltia’s heart.

“…”

Her brother, who had come out of nowhere, spat out absurd words at her.

“Shaltia. Punish that insolent maid yourself.”

“…Yes.”

“If you don’t punish her properly, I’ll do it myself. You know what that means, right?”

-Nod…

“Well, I heard you’re doing well these days.”

“…”

“I heard our brother caused some trouble.”

He was asking her to be his strength.

The words sounded plausible.

“You know that if our brother seizes the imperial power, both you and I will be left out in the cold, right? I heard a rumor that if he becomes the emperor, he plans to banish all the royal family members from the imperial palace… You know it too, don’t you? Once we leave the capital, we lose our power.”

And the condition he proposed was nothing short of arrogant.

“…You should keep our brother in check.”

“What?”

“You’re the student council president. Our brother is a student at the academy. If you keep spreading bad rumors about him, the crown prince’s position might be in jeopardy.”

The smirk on my brother’s face was unbearably haughty.

“What… do you mean?”

“I heard you were smart. Was that rumor wrong?”

“…”

“Do I have to explain everything to you?”

“No… I understand what you mean, brother…”

“I want to become the crown prince, so I need your help.”

“…What?”

I was furious at my brother’s words.

Did he think it was an easy position to attain just because he wanted to become the emperor, bearing the lives of countless imperial citizens?

“The emperor of the empire…”

My trembling lips finally managed to speak after enduring a long wait. No matter how terrifying he was, I was angry at his intention to take it all for granted, as if mocking all my efforts so far.

“Do you think it’s such an easy position to attain?”

It was my first act of rebellion.

Someday.

No, it was the first rebellion against someone I had only thought about defying but never dared to.

“…”

Shartia continued to speak resolutely, staring at her brother who was glaring at her in silence.

“Brother… you said you had no interest in power from the beginning.”

“…Sister.”

“That’s why father didn’t teach you politics… So why all of a sudden…”

He was no different from Taeo.

When Taeo said he wanted to learn about society, he was busy playing. When he became an adult, he was busy living a debauched life, indulging in women. And now, he was eyeing the emperor’s position, and his words made my anger surge up to my throat.

But.

“People are naturally greedy, aren’t they? Someone like me can’t be satisfied with just one position.”

“…What?”

“You made a mess, didn’t you? You barely managed to capture the Deathsmount that even the royals couldn’t touch, but you let it run wild again. Now, its power will be greatly diminished.”

“…”

“This is the opportunity. It’s a chance for everyone to take a position, surpassing you.”

“Ha…”

“If I personally sacrifice and take the disabled Deathsmount princess as my wife, the royal authority that no one can touch will be complete.”

Shartia bit her lip tightly.

She could clearly see what would happen if that man heard his words. Knowing what might happen if his hand reached out to the princess, Shartia closed her eyes tightly and shouted.

From noble mtl dot com

“Don’t say such foolish things….”

“…Huh?”

“Why should I help you, brother?”

“Why? Because you’re my sister. I cared for you so much.”

“Cared…?”

“You’re being a bit arrogant. Just because I left you alone, you’re climbing up.”

“Do you know how dangerous it is to touch the Deathsmount princess? If you touch her now, the Deathsmount family might rebel against the royals. Knowing that….”

“Shartia.”

“Someone who knows that well says such things…!”

The second prince, with cold eyes, was trembling as if he would spill the teacup he held in his hand at any moment.

“If you had helped this time, I was thinking of improving the treatment your mother received.”

“…Why is my mother being mentioned?”

“If your stupid head had been of any help to me, I was going to treat you like my sister.”

“…”

“I was going to find you a good marriage and send you to a decent family.”

“A political marriage, I suppose.”

“Yes, it would be more than enough for someone with dirty blood like you.”

The second prince let the tea in his hand trickle to the floor and said.

“But, what is this?”

“…”

“A busy brother took the time to visit, and you just argue…”

“…”

“Because I’m holding back, it looks easy, right? You see me as a complete scoundrel, just like our eldest brother.”

“You are a scoundrel. Even Father has given up on you.”

As soon as Shartia finished speaking, the second prince’s eyes began to cool.

“What?”

His hand rose.

“…”

As if to remind her of memories from childhood.

“It seems you still haven’t come to your senses.”

The fuse began to dance.

“…!”

The documents on the desk started to dance in the air under the prince’s rough touch. The papers, which had been organized for hours, were dirtied by the tea that soaked the floor, and sadness began to bloom in Shartia’s eyes.

“Yes… An uneducated younger sibling should be scolded by their elder brother.”

“…!”

The hand that was about to slap her hesitated.

He knew he couldn’t hit her recklessly now that she held the title of the third princess.

The prince, who had lowered his hand, began to wreak havoc, throwing everything in the office.

All sorts of vulgar words were scattered.

“…!”

Threats to her life were exchanged.

“From now on, your mother will have a very hard time.”

“…Stop.”

“For the sin of giving birth to a daughter who doesn’t know her place, your mother will be ostracized by the other mothers. The fourth mother, who took care of your mother, will suffer the same fate.”

“Stop… it…”

“Are you scared?”

When will this hell end?

Yes, compared to others, she knew her hell was a luxury problem.

“It seems I need to wash away this dirty blood after a long time.”

For Shartia, this moment, which crushed all her rights and pride, felt worse than the hell they experienced.

“Follow me.”

When will it be….

‘I don’t want to…’

When will I see the end of this hell?

Will it end if I become the emperor and seize power?

“….”

Or will it only end if I put an end to this life?

There were too many things to protect, so I couldn’t put a period to it. There were many things I wanted to do, and life was still enjoyable, so I had no desire to put an end to it.

But.

“Your Highness..!”

“You must want to die too…”

When I faced him, whose eyes had turned, it felt like darkness was closing in.

Father too.

My commoner mother too.

This situation where they couldn’t be treated like this.

I hated it all.

Because I felt like I had become an endlessly weak person.

Knowing that there was no one to reach out and hold my hand in this place where no one would save me, I could only swallow my tears and scream.

“Please…!”

Please stop.

“Please…!”

The moment the words, which had abandoned my pride, were about to leave my mouth.

“Ah.”

A cold voice swiftly brushed past Shartia’s ear.

It was a fleeting moment.

“Annoying.”

The prince’s face was crushed.

-Smack!!!!

I saw the face of the prince, who took pride in his beauty, being crushed by a giant fist.

The prince, who had been slapped, glared at the man who hit him as if he wanted to kill him. And the moment words of slander were about to pour out of his mouth.

“Shh.”

The man who struck the prince had a cold smile as he placed a finger to his lips.

“What are you doing in the sacred academy? How vulgar.”

“What are you doing right now…! How dare you touch the face of royalty…!”

“Ah.”

The red-haired man whispered as if revealing a secret that others shouldn’t hear.

“It’s troublesome if you’re too intoxicated, Your Highness.”

“…What?”

“It seems you frequent the west often.”

“…”

“Shouldn’t you pull yourself together?”

“What nonsense are you talking about…”

“You’re babbling like a madman…”

Ricardo approached the prince who had collapsed on the floor, bent down, and whispered in a voice too low to be heard.

It was too quiet to be heard.

“Your pupils are abnormally dilated.”

“You…”

“You don’t even have the strength to hold a teacup, wouldn’t it be better to drink moderately?”

The prince glared at Ricardo with a trembling voice.

“…Who are you? Who said such a thing…!”

Before the voice filled with thick anger could spread, Ricardo began to spit out harsh words towards the prince.

“Second Prince.”

“…”

“I am Ricardo, the butler of the Desmond family.”

“…”

“A lowly commoner and the exclusive butler of Lady Olivia Desmond, who is not well-regarded in this empire.”

Ricardo’s eyes, as he clasped his hands politely and greeted, were filled with murderous intent.

“And.”

As if to show that he could be this confident.

“I am also an informant who knows many things in this empire.”

“…”

“Does that explain it?”

He began to announce the return of the lion.

“You’d better watch your mouth.”

The prince, who had never bowed to anyone, lowered his head the moment he met Ricardo’s eyes.

*

Shartia was being dragged away.

“Where are we going…!?”

Before she could even say thank you, she was being dragged away by Ricardo’s hand.

Ricardo said nothing, as if he were angry.

“Just follow me.”

“What…?”

“That’s what happens when you only work, you get pushed around by someone less than human.”

What do you know.

The moment Shartia’s resentment turned into an arrow.

“We’ve arrived.”

Shartia’s eyes began to widen.

“To my secret garden.”