The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 45



45 – Two Guests -3-

Immediately after the lady collapsed.

I began to create medical equipment that would serve as the young lady’s legs.

Walking aids that could assist in her rehabilitation.

Like a blueprint laid out on the table, I designed auxiliary devices that would be of help to the young lady.

She didn’t like them, claiming they were cumbersome, but I kept making and making.

This world was not kind to those with physical disabilities.

There were crutches, but devices like walkers or wheelchairs were not yet born.

There were inventions similar to wheelchairs, but they didn’t have proper brakes, leading to accidents and unfavorable societal perceptions.

Even among the high nobility, there were cases of injuries, and wheelchairs were stigmatized as useless objects.

So, the young lady also despised wheelchairs.

“It’s ugly.”

“…I haven’t even unwrapped the packaging yet.”

“It’s just ugly.”

I surprised the young lady by unveiling “Benx Model 1” wrapped in cloth, which I had made with wood. It had an old-fashioned design and hand-operated brakes for speed control. It was an invention that could change the course of this generation, but the young lady expressed her rejection even before unwrapping it.

“It’ll feel different when you try sitting in it.”

“I don’t like it. It’s ugly.”

“Don’t you want to at least give it a try…?”

“Ricardo’s chair is faster and more comfortable.”

“…Oh.”

The first model was discarded due to the young lady’s stubbornness.

It wasn’t because of any impure intentions to have her chest touch my back. She simply preferred my back, which she said was comfortable. What could I do?

I was content, and the young lady was content.

The first model had many shortcomings as it was my initial attempt – the risk of having to stop the wheels with one’s hands, uncomfortable seating, and a rough design, to name a few.

I admitted that it was unsuitable for the young lady’s first carriage.

Being a true aristocrat, she must ride something that looks the part, right? After all, it’s not for nothing that she’s a Capua.

In order to turn the young lady into a Capua, I disposed of the first model in the mansion’s warehouse and created the second model.

That’s how “Benx Model 2” came into being.

The second model addressed the weaknesses of the previous one, enhancing its design and brake safety. It featured an elegant black finish and an iron frame, providing both stability and safety, representing the essence of a dwarf’s work.

It was a masterpiece forged with the sweat and craftsmanship of a dwarf.

I couldn’t forget the refreshing smile on the dwarf’s face as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

– This should be… enough to kill an orc.

– Excellent…!

The blueprint had grown three times larger than expected. It was the Mark II.

While I had been excited while making it, it was only after finishing it that I could see the Mark II had become a weapon of war.

Adding various features in excitement had been a mistake.

– Don’t you think we should go orc hunting?

– Orcs? They just roll by…

– Oh, come on! In this harsh world, you can’t afford to have such a careless attitude when you might encounter orcs on the road!

– You’re right…

The Mark II, which had been needlessly souped up with the spirit of a craftsman, ended up locked away in the mansion’s warehouse, even more malicious than what I had asked for. If the lady had used it, it would have been perfect…

But I refrained from showing it to her, fearing she might chase me away.

The Mark III was postponed due to many trials and errors and financial difficulties.

It seemed like it would disappear into the back alleys of history, but with Malik’s help, it began to shine in the world.

Malik looked at the blueprint with an interesting expression, his wheelchair’s handle gripped tightly.

He had the expression of a child excited about something.

“I made brake pads with rubber for the brakes. I never thought of that.”

Of course, it was obvious.

Since this world had the convenient means of magic, it made no sense to invest in inefficient methods when there were energy sources like magic stones and efficient methods like magic. Malik mumbled to himself while looking at modern knowledge.

“If I do it this way, I can also adapt it to the carriages. Making brake pads with orc leather and using a handle with a wire for deceleration… This could make money. It would reduce the cost of magic stones and increase convenience…”

Malik’s expression brightened as he considered expanding his business.

Malik asked me.

“Are you a genius?”

“Yes, a handsome one too…”

“Leave that out.”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Are you jealous? You can be born again.”

Malik looked at me with a sour expression.

Chapter 5: Blueprint.

Malik furrowed his brow.

Carefully examining the blueprint that was not written by his hand but crafted by the interpreter, he repeatedly marveled at it and brainstormed ideas for a new venture.

Just by looking at it, one would think there was no separate entrepreneur, so why would he brandish a sword? He was a mysterious water-traveler who exhibited incomprehensible actions.

Time swiftly passed.

Malik pointed out the flaws in the blueprint with his pen, and I applauded his insight.

Initially, it was simply a wheelchair.

As the opinions of the noble who knew fashion and the possessed became intertwined, the wheelchair gradually deviated from the original design.

From ‘Benx’ to ‘Porsche.’

In less than an hour, the margins of the blueprint were filled with dense writing. Clearly, the goal of creating something people could ride was set from the beginning.

But as the two knights gathered, the original purpose began to fade.

With the pen in his hand, Malik said,

“What if we add a power source that returns to marble here?”

“A power source, you say?”

“Yes. It’s meant to be a chair for Lady Olivia… But wouldn’t she dislike it if it’s so plain?”

Malik blurted out a creative nonsensical idea with a sincere expression. Let’s try making a wheelchair that moves through marble as a medium.

I asked Malik cautiously, with a serious expression,

“Is that possible?”

“There’s nothing impossible with money; it doesn’t exist in this world.”

It wasn’t something a knight of the royal palace would say.

However, Malik, who spoke of the clear essence of the world, was respectable.

Carefully considering Malik’s opinion, I added,

“What if we also add protective magic here? It wouldn’t be a big problem if one falls, right?”

“Hmm… Indeed. Then couldn’t we increase the output a bit more? With protective magic, the safety would be guaranteed. If we make it lighter by using mithril instead of iron, it might be faster than a carriage.”

“Indeed… And then add a fireball that the lady likes to the handle…”

“And this too…”

“Oh… Great.”

The combination of a man’s romanticism and a knight’s boldness gave birth to the ‘Porsche 1st Generation’.

Malik sniffed and smiled with satisfaction, and I also couldn’t help but laugh at the thought that the lady would like it.

Now that I was feeling good about making it perfectly since we were already doing it.

Malik, who roughly estimated the cost, showed a number with several zeros in the margin of the blueprint.

‘One. Ten. Hundred. Thousand. Ten thousand… Hundred thousand?’

Malik said with a small smile.

“I think 3 million gold should be enough.”

I had a grim feeling that I might have to eat only rice porridge for a while. She would surely be pleased if the lady received it, but it was beyond my means.

I awkwardly chuckled and said to Malik.

“Can’t we reduce the estimate a bit? Just the amount for the protective spells…”

“Why?”

“The amount is burdensome… hahahaha.”

An awkward laugh escaped.

3 million gold.

I didn’t want to spend a lifetime in a wheelchair. I wanted to present the lady’s first car like an imported one, but an airplane was out of the question.

As the birth of a masterpiece was in jeopardy, Malik frowned.

“Money?”

“Yes…”

Was 3 million gold just a walk in the park for someone else?

The prestigious Histania family, steeped in history and honor, might find it an affordable amount, but for me, the young head of the family, it was a hefty sum.

At the same time, I had this thought.

‘If it were 500,000 gold…’ I thought.

I said to Malik, who was turning the pen with an awkward smile.

“I’ll transfer the money to your account…”

Malik stiffened his face. It was the expression he used when scolding me for eating with my older brother and splitting the bill.

“Why are you giving me the down payment?”

“My…?”

“I clearly said I came to express my gratitude.”

“You said that earlier, didn’t you? You even gave me 10 meal vouchers.”

Malik let out a hollow laugh, as if in disbelief.

“That’s just a courtesy.”

Malik put the blueprint in his pocket and said.

“This is my way of showing gratitude.”

I said to Malik seriously, “Can I call you ‘hyung’?”

Malik looked serious.

***

In a dimly lit room,

Olivia sat on a bed with Hanna, having a conversation. They discussed how they had been, and how things were going at the academy.

Hanna answered Olivia’s questions, and Olivia listened to Hanna’s story.

A small lamp illuminated the room.

Hanna laughed as she talked about Mikhail.

“So, I dodged Senior Mikhail’s sword and ‘pat’ it at the tip of his chin!”

Olivia’s expression was not good.

Before, just hearing Mikhail’s name used to make her happy, but now it felt uncomfortable, perhaps.

The excitement with racing hearts and blushing faces was less than before.

Was it because it had been so long since they saw each other?

Emotions for Mikhail were fading since the past. She clearly liked him, but it still felt suffocating.

The memory of Mikhail, who had saved her from the pond, was vivid.

Her heart seemed uncertain.

Hanna continued with her story, boasting with a proud face about defeating Mikhail.

“At that moment, Senior Mikhail sat on the ground and looked at me. Do you know how it felt… My Lady? Are you listening?”

Olivia asked Hanna, “You… don’t like Mikhail?”

It was strange. The Hanna she knew was a girl who liked Mikhail. But the Hanna who was happily showing off her victory against the man she liked did not look like a girl in love.

So Olivia asked Hanna, “Don’t you like Mikhail?”

Hanna looked at Olivia, appearing surprised by the unexpected question.

Ahem. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

“That was the case, but…”

Hanna awkwardly smiled and scribbled her fingers on top of the blanket.

Olivia, who found Hanna’s bashful appearance strangely intriguing, silently waited for Hanna’s response.

She couldn’t understand why Hanna was feeling so embarrassed.

Hanna told Olivia,

“It’s because I have someone I like.”

“Is it Mihail?”

Hanna shook her head.

“No…”

Hanna went downstairs.

Her cheeks flushed.

“I have someone I like even more. Someone really amazing.”

Just as she was about to ask who that person was, Hanna realized that it would be a difficult question to answer and changed the direction of her question, asking Olivia instead,

“What about you, Gong-nyeo?”

Removing her embarrassed expression and speaking seriously, Hanna asked Olivia.

“Don’t you like Senior Mihail?”