The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 46

As soon as the morning sun rose, the Histania siblings prepared to leave the estate.

Hanna, who had to return to the Academy, and Malik, who had to cut his vacation short to rejoin the Knights’ Order. It was regretful to see them go, but one couldn’t hold back the busiest people in the Empire.

I hadn’t even had a proper conversation with Hanna.

I wanted to hear how she dealt with Mikhail and how she’d been since that day, but they were leaving earlier than I expected, leaving a lingering sense of regret.

Standing at the entrance, I handed Malik the prepared paper bag.

A paper bag containing a tteokbokki recipe and a homemade cake. Malik peeked inside the bag and gave a light smile.

“Did you make this yourself?”

As expected of the master of culinary arts.

He recognized it immediately just from the clumsy packaging.

I gave an awkward smile and answered Malik. Normally, it would be proper to buy something from a good dessert shop, but since none were open, I had to make the cake myself.

I hoped he would enjoy it.

“Yes, haha… None of the shops were open at this hour, so I tried making it myself. I can’t guarantee the taste, though.”

“Opening a shop at this hour would be a loss.”

Malik smiled with satisfaction.

During my early days as a butler, the young lady once told me:

Sending a guest away empty-handed is impolite. After traveling such a long way, how disappointing would it be to leave with nothing?

-Ricardo, don’t you give gifts if you fight at a party?

-Whose hair did you pull today?

-Cecilia.

-Who is that?

-You know, the fat and ugly one.

-Still, pulling someone’s hair is…

-She called me a useless parasite who only wastes food!

-Well done. What’s that noble lady’s address?

-Huh? Anyway, if you fight, you don’t give gifts?

-No.

-…That’s disappointing.

It was a lesson born from the young lady’s experiences.

Malik and Hanna seemed to appreciate the gesture, smiling as they expressed their thanks.

“I’ll enjoy it.”

“Thank you for the food!”

Before stepping out of the entrance.

Hanna turned back to look at me.

Her face flushed as she gave me a meaningful look. Was she running a fever? Worried, I instinctively placed my hand on her forehead.

“Huh?”

Her face turned as red as a ripe persimmon.

I realized too late that I had made a mistake.

It was a habit from always doing this for the young lady. To place my hand on the forehead of an unmarried maiden—if this were my previous life, I’d be in handcuffs.

Hanna’s eyes widened.

“W-What… What are you doing?”

Her eyes seemed to ask, “What is going on?”

Fanning her burning face with her hand, she muttered, “I-Is this what they call flirting?” as she exhaled hot breaths.

I quickly withdrew my hand from her forehead. I didn’t forget to bow my head in apology.

“I’m sorry. Your face was so red, I thought you might have a fever.”

“My face is red…? Oh. Ah… Uh…”

Hanna made a strange sound. She touched the spot where my hand had been and glanced at my face. Covering her flushed face with her hands, she said:

“I don’t have a fever… Or maybe I do. If you check again…”

“I’ll bring you some fever medicine.”

Hanna waved her hands vigorously, declining.

“No need. I was just… startled.”

“I apologize.”

“No, you don’t need to apologize. Maybe just once more… No… Never mind.”

“You don’t have to hold back. We have medicine stocked in the estate.”

“I’m really fine. Really…!”

Watching this scene, Malik smiled like an old man reminiscing about his youth.

“Ah, youth… Oof!”

Hanna elbowed Malik in the side. It seemed infused with aura—would he be okay?

I heard the sound of bones cracking…

Malik clutched his side and couldn’t move for a while.

A cool breeze blew through the open entrance. The morning sun rose, and the birds chirped.

Straightening his clothes, Malik rubbed his side and extended his hand toward me. A rare gesture for a noble to offer a handshake to a commoner. Even at the Academy, where equality was emphasized, such a thing was seldom seen.

“The ‘Poxche Prototype 1′ we talked about yesterday should be completed by December at the earliest. As for the thank-you letter…”

“I’ll write ten pages, packed full.”

Malik’s expression turned serious.

“Don’t bother. I can’t even read your handwriting.”

My pride was hurt in many ways.

We exchanged our final goodbyes.

Hanna hugged me tightly and, with a meaningful “Next time, for sure,” winked at me. Malik, on the other hand, was impatiently tapping his foot, eager to try the newly launched menu at Friends of Forest.

Malik urged Hanna, who was clinging to me like an attachment doll.

“Let’s go.”

“Just a little longer.”

“We don’t have time. We need to stop by the store, so we can’t linger.”

“Brother, aren’t you going to the Imperial Knights’ Order?”

“That can wait a bit.”

Malik was more passionate about his side job than his main one.

Before leaving, Malik turned back to me and spoke. He said he just remembered something he had forgotten.

“Oh, come to think of it, I didn’t mention this. Academy students will be coming to Hamel soon.”

“Academy students? Are they coming for a group meal?”

“No, I heard they’re using an undiscovered dungeon as part of their exam. Were you aware of this?”

I was aware.

Because a new story was about to begin.

Mikhail’s awakening story.

The story of Yuria being kidnapped by heretics and Mikhail going to rescue her was set to begin here in Hamel. I had known this for some time.

That’s why I had been searching for a way to replace my right hand.

I shook my head.

“I didn’t know.”

Malik let out a long sigh and pulled a cigarette from his pocket, placing it in his mouth. Just as he was about to light it.

-Whoosh.

Hanna’s hand swiftly snatched the cigarette and tossed it over the wall.

“I told you not to smoke. It smells.”

“…It doesn’t smell if I smoke outside.”

“I said don’t smoke.”

“…”

Malik looked at me with wistful eyes.

“Do you have a younger sister?”

“No. I’m an orphan.”

Malik nodded.

“That’s fortunate.”

Malik gazed longingly at the cigarette that had disappeared over the wall and let out a sigh.

“It was a mast….”

“Anyway, I just thought it wasn’t a good encounter, so I mentioned it. I don’t think it’d be good for you or those kids to meet them.”

Malik spoke bluntly without beating around the bush. That was just how Malik’s personality was, and that was the reason he said it.

I nodded slightly and expressed my thanks.

“Looks like I’ll have to stay cooped up in the estate for a while.”

“That’s up to you.”

Hanna left the estate with a regretful expression.

***

Inside the carriage heading to the capital city.

Hanna asked Malik, who was reading a blueprint.

He had been grinning like he was reading an adult magazine, looking almost like a sick person.

“What’s that?”

“An adult magazine.”

“Are you crazy?”

“No.”

Malik chuckled softly.

“Kids shouldn’t look at this.”

“What are you talking about? Let me see it too.”

“No.”

Malik hid the blueprint in his arms.

He felt like he’d be in big trouble if it got out that he had spent three million gold coins on it.

Even for the prestigious sword family, Histania, three million gold coins was a bit of a stretch. It could be resolved by embezzling personal funds or the household’s finances, though.

But he’d probably get an earful for it.

He had gone ahead and done it, and now that he thought about it, the amount was so large that it had become a problem he’d have to take to the grave. Malik let out a sigh.

It was an estimate he had gotten carried away with.

However, the “Porsche No. 1” was worth every bit of it, so he had no regrets. A man’s heart burns with passion, and sometimes you just have to go for it. Besides, a knight keeps his promises once he makes them.

-Are you really a knight?

Remembering the words of the competent butler, Malik let out an empty laugh.

Three million gold coins. Not just some random dog’s name, but something I recklessly promised to do. Who would’ve thought I’d become that crazy bastard?

He had spent a lot of money, but it wasn’t wasted.

The gift he received was worth it, and being able to sit together with his younger sibling was all thanks to that guy.

-You’re apologizing for being so awful all this time? Are you joking…? I felt like I was going to die because of you and our older sister. And now you’re saying sorry?

-Why? Is it because I awakened my aura, and Father told you to bring me back?

-Or did you suddenly want to act like a brother now? Go to Father and learn swordsmanship, you great older brother. I’m going to live my own life.

Thanks to that guy, I didn’t give up.

-Coward?

If I hadn’t changed and met him, he would’ve teased me endlessly.

Thanks to him, I realized what I was lacking.

I also realized how inadequate I was, so I clung to it even more.

I faced it, apologized, and was rejected, but after persistent effort, my younger sibling accepted my apology.

-I didn’t want to accept your apology or anything. I was planning to leave this wretched household. But….

My younger sibling cried.

For the first time, in front of me.

-Like a fool, I’ve been waiting for you to say this all this time…. It’s so unfair.

For the first time, I had a proper conversation with my younger sibling, and I realized what a piece of trash I had been, all thanks to that guy pushing me forward.

Three million gold coins? It was a bargain.

Malik let out a deep sigh.

“What will Father do?”

The second sibling wanted Hanna excommunicated, and Father just kept silent and turned a blind eye…. Even Malik thought his family was hopeless.

Hanna wasn’t even thinking about seeing Father’s face. Stuck in the middle, Malik’s sighs only grew heavier.

The carriage moved toward its destination.

Past Hamel, heading to the capital city.

By the time the imperial palace came into view through the window.

Malik casually threw a question at his younger sibling.

“Hey, little sibling.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you like that guy?”

-Smack!

Hanna stamped a mark on Malik’s back. A bright red handprint stood out. Malik had a hunch that it would bruise by the time they got home.

Even so, Malik spoke.

Because his younger sibling’s reaction was amusing.

“He’s good-looking, skilled in martial arts, and definitely a great groom candidate.”

“…Shut up.”

“This older brother supports you. From what I saw, it doesn’t look like that guy has a fiancée either.”

Hanna shook her head.

“Well….”

“Huh?”

Leaning against the window, Hanna let out a deep sigh.

“I’m not so sure.”

“Does he have a fiancée?”

“No. It just feels like there’s something similar.”

Hanna trailed off and stared blankly out the window. The events of last night kept replaying in her mind.

-Does the Young Miss like Senior Mikhail?

-Huh…?

The startled face of the Young Miss.

It wasn’t the embarrassment of having her feelings for someone exposed, but a genuinely surprised expression.

-Ah…. That’s….

The Young Miss spoke clearly.

-I don’t think I like him anymore.

Hanna couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling caused by the Young Miss’s awkward smile.

“It seems being the main wife is out of the question.”

Hanna was quick to catch on.