The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 198

The atmosphere in the Student Council had not been good recently.

Since incidents involving the Heretics kept occurring one after another, whenever one issue was resolved, another would arise, and when that was dealt with, internal problems would surface, exhausting the executives.

Trust in the Student Council was declining day by day. As the continuous string of incidents showed no signs of stopping, students’ dissatisfaction naturally turned toward the Student Council.

Complaints that the Student Council, which received a modest amount of funding and substantial support from the foundation, was doing nothing.

Frankly, it was true. The results they had shown so far were nothing short of disappointing. Student Council President Chartia could not deny the students’ opinions.

“Haa…”

Recently, strange rumors had begun to circulate within the Academy. One of the professors was allegedly connected to the Heretics.

With the Ranking Tournament just around the corner and workloads piling up, not to mention the ominous rumors, Chartia pressed her throbbing forehead and let out a deep sigh.

“Do you even think at all?”

“…”

“The Disciplinary Committee members, who were supposed to set an example, are off drinking when they’re busy, and as if struggling to draft the Ranking Budget Table wasn’t enough, the Accounting Department Head is off playing with them. Do you have any sense or not?”

Chartia was furious.

She was angry because, amidst the busyness, people were slacking off. The Ranking Tournament hadn’t even started yet, and those people had thrown a drinking party under the pretext of some commemoration or another.

Some were still half-drunk, dozing off, while others were outright sleeping with their heads on their desks.

Feeling disillusioned with the executives, who were showing the worst behavior in the history of the Student Council, Chartia let out a sigh.

“This is why the Student Council is being criticized as a whole…”

The executives, who were bowing their heads at Chartia’s complaints, exchanged glances and whispered among themselves, saying, “She’s scolding us again today.”

Chartia let out a deep sigh. She no longer had the energy to argue over things like this.

She couldn’t believe that the lazy individuals before her were adults, especially with such a critical matter as the Ranking Tournament approaching.

In a voice filled with irritation, Chartia addressed the standing Disciplinary Committee executives.

“I seriously doubt whether you’re even adults.”

“We’re sorry.”

“It’s ridiculous that you’re old enough to know better but still can’t do your jobs properly, isn’t it?”

“We’re sorry.”

“I’m not asking if you’re sorry. You must have had some thought behind your actions, right? Am I wrong?”

“…”

“If not, then why did you do it? The Disciplinary Committee already has a terrible reputation, so why go to a crowded tavern and make things worse? Haa… Forget it. Never mind.”

Suppressing her growing irritation at the stiffening expressions of the executives, Chartia swallowed her frustration.

Honestly.

Yes, honestly, things were better when that guy was around.

Thinking of a certain man who came to mind, Chartia rubbed her throbbing forehead.

-I caught the Underwear Thief.

-Hey… How could you beat the Count Family’s second son to a pulp? Even if he is an Underwear Thief, you can’t do that!

-It’s fine. You’re a Duke, Young Lady. If they have complaints, they’ll come to you. Though I can’t guarantee my head will still be attached by then.

-You’re insane.

-Isn’t the guy stealing men’s underwear even crazier? Anyway, I did what you asked, so you’re going to give me that disciplinary action, right?

-…

-I’m leaving.

If that guy were still here, a lot of things would probably be different.

He used to handle the lax lifestyles of the executives and minor crimes all by himself. While people didn’t look at him kindly, his ability to get things done was unmatched.

-If you have complaints, take them up with the Young Lady, not me. If you can’t handle it, just sit in the back and suck your thumb.

Though he was a crazy bastard.

If Ricardo were still here, Chartia thought she might end up relying on him for many things, but she shook her head to dismiss the regretful thought.

‘It’s a shame… If it were up to me, I’d keep giving him work.’

Since there was no way to call back someone who had no intention of returning to the Academy, Chartia swallowed her regret.

Besides, she was also someone who had hurt Ricardo.

-Ugh… Never come back to the Academy!

-Get out of here already!

-Leave!

-We know we were wrong, but do we really deserve to be treated like this?

-…

-I can’t understand it. Those students. The Academy. And you, Princess, I can’t understand you either.

-…

-You could’ve just let us leave quietly. But what can we do? We were in the wrong, so we have to accept it.

Recalling her hasty judgment in the past that had hurt him, Chartia bit her lip and began to discuss the important matter at hand.

The issue of negligence could be addressed later. For now, she needed to focus on quelling the rumors spreading within the Academy.

If things continued as they were, public sentiment toward the Student Council could plummet into the abyss, just like during Olivia’s expulsion. Chartia was fully focused on preventing that.

She did not want to relive the nightmare of that time. The thought of hearing everyone’s criticism and distrust directed at one person terrified her.

With a sense of urgency, Chartia addressed everyone.

“Have you heard the recent rumors going around the Academy?”

“…”

“You’ve all heard the rumor that one of the Academy’s professors is a Heretic, haven’t you?”

One of the Disciplinary Committee students, who had been silent, chuckled softly and replied.

“Oh, it’s probably just because a lot of things have been happening lately. Our Academy is so strict about hiring professors, after all.”

“…I know. That’s exactly why I’m bringing this up.”

Clenching her fist, Chartia swallowed her frustration.

In a place where everyone knew how rigorous the hiring process was, the very existence of such a rumor was strange, Chartia thought. Others might dismiss it as overreacting, but as someone responsible for the students’ safety, she couldn’t take it lightly. Of course, everyone present should have felt the same way.

“Don’t take this lightly. Think about it seriously. If something happens like during the Ball, who’s going to stop it this time?”

Chartia glared at the faces of the executives seated at the table as she spoke.

“Are you planning to rely on a dropout again, like last time?”

At Chartia’s pointed remark, the Student Council Members reacted as if they’d stepped on thumbtacks, raising their voices in protest.

Especially Rohan, a third-year student from the Swordsmanship Department who was in charge of the Disciplinary Committee, clenched his fist and shouted at Chartia.

“We had our reasons back then! We explained everything, so why are you bringing it up like this!?”

“You had your reasons? And yet you didn’t even evacuate the students and ran away? Do you know how dumbfounded I was watching you all brag about surviving without taking down a single member of the Heretical Forces? I had to work my ass off to enforce a gag order to stop the rumors from spreading…”

‘Honestly, I wanted to spill everything…’

-You’ll keep this a secret, right?

-…

-We have an image to maintain. The Student Council’s reputation is already in the gutter as it is.

Recalling what Ricardo had said during the Ball, Chartia held her tongue. Since it was a request from someone who always credited others for his achievements, she couldn’t speak freely. As someone who had received his help, she couldn’t repay him by betraying his trust.

Moreover, as Ricardo had pointed out, if rumors spread that the Student Council had been utterly powerless and defeated, malicious articles would surface. It was a situation where she couldn’t boast about anyone’s contributions, and everything felt contradictory.

Gathering her complicated thoughts, Chartia spoke.

“Get it together. The Ranking Tournament is in three hours.”

The Student Council Members slowly began to nod under Chartia’s heavy gaze.

All except one.

“Um…”

That one being Ruin, an executive from the Magic Department.

Chartia looked at Ruin with a puzzled expression. It was unusual to see him sitting properly and raising his hand, given that he usually had his feet up on the desk.

Chartia addressed Ruin.

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

As all eyes turned to him, Ruin awkwardly lowered his raised hand and shook his head.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“What is it?”

“I was just wondering what everyone was planning to do after the Ranking Tournament today.”

“Are you joking?”

Ruin clenched his fist and thought to himself.

‘No, I can’t say it. Not even if I die.’

‘How could I admit that I embarrassed myself trying to learn Dark Magic?’

Suppressing the confession bubbling up in his chest, Ruin lowered his head, while Chartia delivered one last message of warning and encouragement to the executives.

“As you all know, the Ranking Tournament is an important event involving both first-years and fourth-years.”

Chartia issued an order to leave.

“Don’t get careless and lose. Win. Got it?”

The final Student Council meeting before the start of the Ranking Tournament concluded like that.

*

Left alone in the conference room, Chartia sat in a chair, nervously biting her nails for reasons she couldn’t quite explain.

“What is this?”

Something felt off. A lingering unease, as if something was about to go wrong, clung stubbornly to her heart.

Unable to focus on her work due to the eerie feeling that something might happen at any moment, Chartia bit her nails and sank into deep thought.

Ten minutes passed like that.

Maybe twenty minutes had gone by.

Chartia’s eyes finally caught sight of a small letter envelope on the desk.

A neatly sealed letter in a brown envelope, secured with wax. It was the one Ricardo had left behind the last time he came to collect his payment.

-Why haven’t you paid me?

-Sorry, I’ve been too busy.

-Do you realize that this money is what the Young Lady and I rely on to survive?

-Huh…?

-Just kidding.

-Are you crazy?

-No. Oh, by the way, this is a letter filled with my heartfelt emotions. Since I couldn’t express my frustration about the unpaid wages in person, I poured it all into this letter. Please make sure to read it.

-No thanks. Take it back.

-I refuse.

She hadn’t read it because she’d been busy, but Chartia, thinking it was a good distraction amidst her complicated thoughts, smiled faintly and reached for the letter.

“You won’t even be able to read it anyway. Why bother writing a letter?”

It was ridiculous.

It was probably filled with insults, no doubt.

With a light heart, Chartia began tearing open Ricardo’s letter envelope. Slowly, she pulled out the contents of the envelope and carefully unfolded the letter.

“What atrocious handwriting…”

It took her two hours to finally decipher the letter.

[Doesn’t the professor from the Mental Magic Department seem suspicious? I ran into him on the street today, and he was grinning weirdly while looking at some strange book. Not my taste, but still….]

As soon as she finished reading the letter, Chartia grabbed her outer garment and dashed toward the arena.

[Just be careful, okay?]

[I’m busy this time, you see.]

*

The arena echoed with the cheers of the crowd.

Lowering his head in tension, Ruin clenched his fist as he looked at his first opponent.

-The opponent Senior Ruin from the Magic Department will face this time is none other than…!

“F*ck.”

-Mikhail!

Nothing was going his way.