The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 183

The Goddess of Victory raised Hanna’s hand.

It wasn’t an overwhelming victory.

The flow of the battle leaned toward Hanna, but Mikhail’s martial arts exceeded my expectations.

If Mikhail had been a bit calmer—or rather, if he hadn’t been thrown off at the beginning—the Goddess of Victory might have chosen someone else.

Mikhail’s fatal mistake was leaving his accumulating wounds unattended. Hanna’s sword was like a poison that subtly gnawed away at his lifeline.

Had it not been for that, the duel would have dragged on, and Mikhail might have seized several opportunities.

Let me say it again—Mikhail was strong. Strong enough to defeat Hanna.

Especially the technique he had prepared at the end—it was truly dangerous and powerful enough to change the outcome of the match.

Of course, that’s if it had succeeded.

I don’t know what kind of training Rowen put him through, but the results of his growth were undeniable.

Even the purity of his aura.

Even the fundamentals of his swordsmanship.

He had grown far more than before.

However, the hard truth was that Hanna was stronger than Mikhail, and it was also a fact that Hanna’s final attack had been prepared before Mikhail’s.

That’s why I ended the duel.

Mikhail’s body was too exhausted to hold his sword, and the small wounds had ruined his stance. I knew Mikhail’s final attack would fail.

Rowen must have known it too.

That’s why he didn’t stop me.

Hanna’s skill manifestation was faster than Mikhail’s preparation, and by the time Mikhail used his technique, he would already be sprawled on the ground.

I lifted my head and looked at the three people standing in the training grounds.

Rowen, standing like a fool as he stared at Hanna; and Hanna, wearing an expression of exhaustion, more relieved that it was over than joyful about her victory.

And then.

“Please…”

I saw Mikhail, clutching my collar, refusing to accept his defeat.

“Please don’t say it’s over…”

Mikhail was in denial. Like someone who had staked something important on today’s duel, he kept clutching my collar, unable to stop denying it.

With trembling breaths, Mikhail kept shaking his head, unable to accept the outcome of his defeat.

“I can still fight. So, please…!”

Why is he so desperate over a side duel that wasn’t even in the original work?

“Please… don’t say it’s over.”

Why is he acting like this?

I couldn’t understand Mikhail.

I couldn’t understand why Mikhail was reacting this way to a battle where he had nothing to lose.

I knew the existence of Rowen as a master was important to Mikhail, but his extreme reaction seemed excessive.

He hadn’t built any emotional bonds.

There were no precious memories tied to Rowen that would make losing to him so heartbreaking that it brought him to tears.

I couldn’t shake off Mikhail’s hand and simply looked at him quietly as I spoke.

“You know this, don’t you?”

“No… Look, I’m still standing.”

“Your legs have given out.”

I spoke as I looked at Mikhail’s trembling legs.

And his shaking hands.

And the sword he had already dropped.

His body clearly proved that he couldn’t continue the battle, so what more could I say?

I shook my head and said.

“If this duel continues, both sides will sustain fatal injuries.”

“No.”

Mikhail shook his head in denial.

He struck his trembling legs with his fist, desperately trying to force his exhausted body to stand.

With a ‘thud-thud’ sound, Mikhail’s hands hit his unresponsive legs, and I gave a bitter smile.

“Mikhail.”

“No…!”

Mikhail denied it.

“I was so close, I thought I could finally find it, and now you’re telling me it ends like this…!”

“Mikhail…”

“So, Ricardo, please…!”

I shook my head again. I couldn’t give Mikhail the answer he wanted. I shook my head heavily.

“You know nothing will change even if you do this. It’s not easy for me to say this, but with your current body…”

“Shut up…! I can do it!”

Mikhail picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground and forced his weary body to stand.

Seeing Mikhail’s pitiful figure, struggling to stand on trembling legs, I turned my head away.

After all, he was an old friend.

Even though our relationship had grown strained due to the Young Lady’s affairs, it was still hard to watch a close friend fall apart.

Mikhail gripped his sword and tried to move toward Hanna.

Though his trembling legs had already lost their strength and couldn’t function properly, Mikhail still struggled to move forward, using his sword to support himself.

As blood flowed from his abdomen, soaking his clothes and dripping onto the ground, I stepped in front of Mikhail and remained silent.

“Move.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Move aside.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Please, just…!”

With a loud ‘crash,’ Mikhail’s body collapsed to the ground as he tried to move forcefully.

Before Mikhail could fall completely, I caught him and lowered my head.

“Stop it.”

The spreading red bloodstain soaked through the Academy uniform.

Feeling Mikhail’s faint, trembling breaths, I slowly helped him to his feet and stood in his way once more.

Mikhail’s sorrowful eyes were fixed on me. His gaze pleaded with me to step aside, but I refused with difficulty.

We had our reasons. The hard-earned victory couldn’t be undone by Mikhail’s whiny complaints—it would cost too much.

Ignoring Mikhail’s stubbornness once more, I ran a hand through my hair.

“Wait for the next opportunity. You’ve grown enough, Mikhail. Surely, the next battle will bring good results…”

“There is no next…!”

Mikhail cried out to the empty space.

As if something was there, he stared into the void and let out a loud wail.

“There is no next…”

Mikhail sank to the ground, lowering his head.

His slumped shoulders trembled like gentle waves as he spoke, his lips quivering.

“There is no next…”

Mikhail watched as the small flame of hope he had clung to flickered out.

-You have failed the quest.

*

Hanna approached Rowen.

One step.

Two steps.

She stopped in place and looked at her father’s face, which was staring at her with weary eyes.

“Father.”

Hanna’s low voice made Rowen’s shoulders flinch.

He couldn’t believe it.

The swordsmanship of Hanna he had just witnessed.

It was talent.

Undeniable talent.

Hanna had achieved a swordsmanship that could not be reached through clumsy teachings.

Although her Aura Awakening came later than Hanna’s, Rowen’s misconception that he was superior in the level he had attained was shattering.

Because Hanna, at the age of 21, was catching up to a portion of the level that Rowen, as the Head of Histania, had achieved with everyone’s expectations and the household’s investment—a level he thought no one could ever match.

The Daughter’s Sword, which he had dismissed as lacking talent, was now denying what his own eyes saw.

With undeniable results.

Rowen, for the first time, was feeling the emotion of guilt as he watched the Daughter’s Sword, the Seed of Talent he had trampled on without watering even the budding sprouts, begin to sprout.

Because he now realized that the illusion he had seen was caused by his own actions.

If he had shown interest in his daughter, it wouldn’t have happened. If he had given her even a little love, the tragedy could have been avoided. Rowen only realized, after everything was over, that the arrow of blame had started solely because of his own flawed existence.

He couldn’t accept it.

He didn’t want to admit his mistakes.

Perhaps he had known all along but had tried to avoid facing the wrongs, and now Rowen couldn’t lift his head.

Because he had caused his daughter’s death.

And so, Rowen couldn’t block the Final Attack. He had allowed the Death’s Aura himself, but his conviction was crumbling under Hanna’s sword.

He was dazed and lacked the strength to block it, making a grave mistake.

Rowen, standing foolishly in a daze, had nothing to say.

Not to Hanna’s Master.

Not to his daughter.

Not to his disciple.

He had no excuses to offer.

Hanna looked at Rowen, who stood there blankly, and spoke in a low voice.

“It’s over.”

“…”

“I said, it’s over now.”

“…”

“The sword you so thoroughly dismissed has defeated the person you acknowledged.”

“…”

“Do you feel relieved now?”

Hanna clenched her fist and spoke.

“Or will you refuse to acknowledge it this time too? Will you bring another replacement and have them fight me?”

Hanna sneered as she spoke to Rowen.

“I don’t like you anymore.”

“I…”

“Father.”

Hanna interrupted Rowen’s words with a trembling voice, her firm tone making it clear she no longer wanted to hear his pathetic excuses.

“I won.”

“…”

“It’s really over now. This wretched household and your cruel wordplay are finished. I…!”

Hanna clenched her bleeding fist as she spoke.

“I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Hanna lightly gazed at the Blue Window before her.

-Would you like to view it?

Hanna shook her head.

Because such a past held no meaning.

She was someone who lived in the present.

Though she wanted to see it, to see a future where she lived happily with the butler, she didn’t want to cling to something that hadn’t come true and rejoice in it. For now, she just wanted to be in the butler’s arms.

Hanna lightly shook her head and answered in her heart.

‘No.’

-Are you sure you want to forgo viewing?

If you forgo viewing, it cannot be accessed again.

Hanna nodded.

She thought the reward from this duel was enough, and now she just wanted to rest.

‘Yes.’

-You have declined the Quest reward.

Hanna turned her back on Rowen, cutting off the Weight of Karma that had persisted for so long.

She saw the butler.

With a heavy expression, Mikhail was being comforted, and when she turned, she saw the face of the butler waiting for her.

Hanna clenched her fist.

And then.

“Butler…”

She smiled brightly.

“I won.”

Hanna threw herself into Ricardo’s arms.

Finally.

She felt at ease.