The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 392



392 – The Final Moments of the Knight Who Knew Everything -1-

Shartia’s gaze as she looked at me was somehow strange.

“…?”

Like someone who had committed a great sin, unable to meet my eyes. Like someone who had many questions but couldn’t bring themselves to ask.

‘Is she looking for the bathroom…?’

The thought that came to mind from Shartia’s anxious gaze, who had always shown a confident appearance, was a physiological need.

‘…This is bad.’

No matter what, I couldn’t tarnish a lady’s reputation, so I awkwardly smiled and spoke to Shartia.

“…Shartia?”

“…”

“Knock knock?”

Unfortunately, there was no answer.

If it was the bathroom, it was down the right hallway of the shop…. I wanted to tell the urgent-looking Shartia, but I couldn’t easily open my mouth in front of people, so I waited for an opportunity to take her.

“Hmmm? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Shuen, who had cursed lips that could rival a lady’s, interrupted, preventing me from taking her.

“At times like this, I think hitting her on the head would make her listen!”

“What are you doing!”

“I, Schuengel! For the peace of the world…!”

At Schuen’s bold entrance, Shalltear, who had been silent, took a deep breath and began to mumble.

“…No.”

“What?”

“You… I would never abandon you.”

“…?”

Shalltear’s incomprehensible words left a huge question mark above my head. I didn’t expect such strange words instead of a trip to the bathroom.

However, seeing Shalltear’s serious expression, I didn’t offer any rebuttal. It seemed like she had been through something bad, and I didn’t want to provoke her.

I smiled softly and patted the seat next to me.

“Would you like to sit? There’s an empty chair right here.”

“I, Schuengel, did not permit you to sit!”

“Why does the student council president need your permission?”

“Because I am the strongest person in the academy. Without my permission, no one in the academy…! Ouch…! Why are you hitting me!!!”

“Because fools need to be hit to come to their senses.”

“Come to me! Holy Sword!”

“Will you come?”

“Gasp…!! I, Schuengel, have reverted to an ordinary Schuen!”

Seeing the two bickering, Shalltear’s awkward expression deepened, and I asked with a small smile.

“Shalltear.”

“Uh…?”

“Would you like to sit down?”

“…”

“You look very tired.”

“…”

“It’s been less than three days since I told you not to overdo it…”

“It’s okay. I’ve had enough rest.”

A foolish person.

A stubborn person who doesn’t listen.

In order to enjoy a happy, idle life, Shaltier’s health must be in good condition…

“If you continue like this, I will have to take drastic measures.”

“…”

“Kidnapping…”

The moment the word “kidnapping” was heard, Hannah and Shuen, who had been bickering, brightened their eyes and leaned their faces towards me.

“I want to be kidnapped too!”

“Me too…!”

“I’m Shuen…! The woman whose ransom has skyrocketed! Now is the chance. Commoner! The three sizes of this girl are…”

“Shut up…! Butler, me too…! I didn’t come in first, but I won’t lose to my name!”

An awkward smile was drawn.

“To think you have such a strong passion for learning.”

From noble mtl dot com

The passion to become stronger was immense.

“Anyway, we’ll be seeing each other a lot this summer break.”

“What…?”

“That’s how it is.”

With a cruel smile, I took Shalltear’s hand and sat her down at the table. Judging by her complexion, it seemed like she had been through a lot.

“How about a hot chocolate latte?”

“I’ll have coffee…”

“Coffee is bad for your health, so it’s rejected.”

“…Ugh.”

“If there are no objections, I’ll get you a sweet chocolate latte.”

Shalltear’s gaze, watching me leave with a small smile, was fixed on my back. It was quite burdensome.

“I’ll be back.”

Left behind in Ricardo’s absence, Shalltear cautiously opened her mouth as she watched Shuen and Hannah bickering.

“…Aren’t you supposed to be in class right now? The professor announced night practice.”

“Heh!”

“Haha…”

Even though things were already complicated, Shalltear sighed at the flamboyant behavior of the academy’s troublemakers. The top ranker was skipping classes, and the ace of the swordsmanship department was playing hooky.

And that too.

“Could I get a sweet chocolate latte with lots of whipped cream on top, please?”

All because of that one guy.

“…Why are you doing this?”

Shuen, who had been quietly staring at Shaltia, gulped down his coffee with all his might and spat out his question. What are you doing, staring blankly like an idiot?

“Judging by your expression, it seems like you have something on your mind.”

“…”

“Haha, as expected…! I, Shuen! Not only am I perfect on the outside, but I’m also perfect on the inside, so I can listen to the student council president’s worries!”

“Sigh…”

“Tell me what’s on your mind, to Shuenjel!”

“…”

“Come on…! Before the commoners arrive!”

“Sigh.”

Shaltia shook her head as she looked at the excited Shuen. This wasn’t something she could talk about with others.

“…”

Rather than worrying about the identity of the blue window, she wanted to ask something else.

Since the Tetra family, who dabbled in philosophy, might have an answer to her beliefs.

“Hey, Shuen.”

-Nod. Nod.

“If you were the emperor and you had a capable loyalist by your side.”

“I, Shuenjel, would not rebel! I have no desire for power! And I don’t want to lose my head.”

“…Listen.”

“Keep talking!”

“There is one request that the loyal servant who wins every battle desires. If that request turns out to be a lie I made up, what would you do?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Shuen replied.

“Kill him.”

“…What?”

“Excessive competence can be a threat to the ruler.”

It was not something one would expect from a child of the Tetra family, who had a deep understanding of philosophy. The idea of killing someone was far from a philosophical answer.

Philosophy is not a literature that fosters consideration and altruism, but at least it is a discipline that contains a minimum of altruism. Contrary to the expectation of a different answer, Shuen’s straightforward response left Shartia quite taken aback.

“He could be a threat to me. After helping him tirelessly, if I find out it was a lie, wouldn’t he be the first to point his sword at the emperor?”

“…”

“If it were me, I would have done that. Of course, I, Shuen, would somehow create the reward the loyal servant desires.”

“…If that’s not possible.”

“Then you shouldn’t have lied in the first place.”

“He wouldn’t have come over if I hadn’t lied.”

“Then you have to give up.”

-Crack

“Giving up and finding another way would be more efficient.”

“If it’s not him, we can’t even attempt…”

Just as Shartia’s words, swept by emotion, were about to come out.

“I think differently.”

I, who brought a steaming hot chocolate latte, expressed a different thought.

I tried not to interrupt the conversation between the two women, but it seemed like they were having an interesting discussion without me.

Suddenly, as I intruded, Shalltear widened her eyes and looked at me.

“Different?”

“Yes.”

“What’s different?”

I replied with a small smile.

“If I were the loyal subject you mentioned, I would probably let it slide.”

“He deceived us…? He followed the emperor only for that… It was all a lie.”

“Yes.”

“It was all a lie from the beginning. He lured in a capable person with an absurd lie… And you would let it slide?”

Shalltear’s determination to engage in the discussion seriously sparked my own resolve. I had always enjoyed such conversations.

It wasn’t about the future.

It wasn’t a serious political discussion, just a debate born from delusion.

I became interested.

It reminded me of the old days when we would have serious discussions about futile topics over drinks. So, I answered seriously, without any playful tone. I imagined myself as the ‘loyal subject’ in Shalltear’s story.

“Could he have not known?”

“…What?”

“Didn’t you say he set an absurd condition? I don’t know what the condition was, but if it was something the emperor’s power couldn’t achieve, then he must have seen the person who would become the ’emperor’ and decided to join hands.”

“What are you talking about… It’s hard to understand.”

“It’s simple.”

Nodding at Shalltear’s serious reaction, I slowly began to speak.

“Perhaps that ‘loyal retainer’ followed the emperor himself, not for any ‘reward’.”

“…”

“If that ‘loyal retainer’ were me, that is. I can’t speak for others, but I would have done so.”

“If it were you?”

“Yes. And…”

I placed the chocolate latte I was holding in front of Shalltear with a mischievous smile.

“I think I would forgive someone if they were pretty.”

*

It’s chaotic.

Hearing such words from my own mouth. It felt like my thoughts were becoming even more chaotic.

Ricardo, in the reading room, clearly had a look of being deceived by his own lie. Moreover, if it were Ricardo at that time, he would have had no choice but to grasp at the straw of my proposal.

I would have done the same.

If I had lost someone precious, even if I knew it was a lie, I would have clung to it.

“…”

Sitting in the dark office, Shalltear tightly closed her eyes and wiped them with her sleeve.

“How foolish…”

Ricardo’s words seemed childish.

Pretty, he said.

What is that fool talking about?

At the same time, I felt good.

But.

If it were me.

“I would have acted like Shuen.”

I was sure I would have done differently from Ricardo’s opinion. If it were me, I would have kept lying to keep him by my side.

Or.

I would have killed him.

I don’t know because the ‘me’ in the reading isn’t ‘me’.

The emotions of that time.

No, I don’t think I can easily define the emotions that the ‘me’ in the reading felt.

But.

“…”

I could guess that the Ricardo in the reading faced ‘death’ and that ‘death’ was caused by ‘me’.

Now, I couldn’t refuse.

No, it would be more foolish to deny it after showing this much.

– Would you like to read?

The existence called ‘a story no one knows’ is exactly…

“Sigh.”

The ‘me’ of now.

I must make a decision now.

You can’t keep avoiding it forever.

Shartia closed her eyes tightly and opened her mouth.

“To view… No.”

Let’s see the end of this story.

“Tell me the story of me (the tyrant).”