The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 252

[Vitality levels will be significantly adjusted.]

61% > 100%

-The vitality consumption for using ‘Rehabilitation’s Touch Lv. 2’ will decrease from ‘3%’ to ‘0.5%’.

“…”

A dark night.

Alone in the room, I took a heavy breath and covered my eyes with my sleeve.

“That was close.”

The marathon I had been running for three years. Facing a crisis that nearly ended it right before the finish line, I was calming my racing heart.

It was so close. If it had ended, it would have been such a shame. The panic from that moment wasn’t subsiding easily.

“Sigh.”

I was really almost there. Just a little more, and it felt like something significant would appear. If I had been even a little later, everything would have been for nothing.

“Nice timing.”

So far, there hadn’t been any noticeable signs in the Young Lady’s body. Aside from a faint return of feeling in her legs, there was nothing.

Even though this was a huge improvement compared to before, humans are creatures of greed, and it was hard to feel satisfied.

If I had to put it in percentage terms, I’d say it was about 40%. I had poured in a considerable amount of vitality, and now it seemed like the time for a reaction was approaching. I thought the endless task of pouring water into a bottomless jar was finally nearing its end.

“Haa…”

Just a little more.

Just a little more, and it felt like a good sign would appear…

Shaking my head, I scolded myself for my growing impatience. Telling myself not to be hasty.

The immediate issue of survival had been resolved to some extent. With enough time, only a brighter future awaited, so I whipped myself into focus.

That aside.

“How should I explain this to Lady Rosanna….”

It was the first time I had been scolded by Rosanna, who always praised me with kind words, and I had no idea how to handle this situation.

On top of that, I had even talked back.

I understood what Rosanna meant, but I also had my own position, so I couldn’t just bow my head and say, “Understood.”

-What about the people left behind!

“…Sigh.”

Still, strangely, I felt good.

Even though I shouldn’t, I kept smiling and felt happy. It was because I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing someone cared about me.

In my previous life, I had no friends, no parents, and no one to mourn for me. But here, even a small wound would make someone sad for me, and that brought a joyful smile to my face. In my previous life, there wasn’t even anyone to hold a funeral for me.

“It must mean I’m doing well.”

In all my life, I had never thought about wanting to die for someone. But now, my feelings had changed a lot, and having the reward of reciprocation made me happy.

In my previous life, showing kindness only led to gossip behind my back.

-Does he ever do anything other than work?

-I don’t know. I heard he gives up his weekends to work because he has to send money to the orphanage. Anyway, should we take him to a club? He’d make a great mascot.

-Ugh. If we take him, we’ll end up eating soup. Just let him keep working.

“…”

Yeah, really.

“Why did I work so hard back then?”

Now, I think sacrificing myself so the Young Lady can be happy is the best choice. But back then, why didn’t I enjoy life instead of struggling so much?

I let out a hollow laugh and shrugged. Thinking about the past wouldn’t change anything. In the end, I was happy both then and now.

I wasn’t unhappy.

Maybe it’s because I’ve always been an optimistic person, but I thought I lived a decent life in both my past and present lives.

Well, my past life did end in a blaze of glory… Ah, come to think of it, there was one thing I regretted the most.

‘The military.’

Damn. I should’ve delayed it for two more years.

“Haa~ I don’t know.”

Stretching, I let go of the useless thoughts into the empty space. Overthinking never brought anything good.

With Mikhail and the heretic issues already giving me a headache, thinking about anything more would surely make my brain cells curse at me. So, I smiled faintly and focused on the approaching footsteps.

-Creeeak.

Tiptoeing.

I hadn’t noticed it while talking to Rosanna, but now that I was alone in the room, I could pick up on the sound of approaching footsteps.

Carefully, on tiptoes.

-Creeeak.

And holding their breath.

-Gasp…

Was it really necessary to hold their breath? Letting out a small chuckle, I walked toward the door to surprise the late-night uninvited guest.

-Are they asleep…? They shouldn’t be asleep…

I could hear the sound of a deep breath and fidgeting fingers from here. And then.

“You shouldn’t pick your nose.”

The sound of sniffing and roughly wiping their philtrum with their sleeve reached my ears. Truly, the guest outside the door was displaying every possible disgraceful act for a noble. Stifling a laugh, I slowly opened the door.

-Creeeak…

“How many times have I told you, Young Lady, not to pick your nose?”

“Eek…!”

A small stature.

Without lowering my head, I couldn’t see her. The Young Lady, with her fluffy white hair sticking out, looked up at me.

Her finger aimed at her nose.

Her mouth forming an “O.”

With her round eyes wide open, the Young Lady pointed her finger at me.

“Ricardo!”

“Yes.”

“Do you want some?”

“…?”

Truly, out of all the nobles I knew, she was the cutest. Watching the Young Lady, who had been consistently adorable since she was little, I suppressed my laughter and shook my head.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Hmph…”

The Young Lady nodded and wiped her finger on her clothes. While she wasn’t dirty enough to disgrace her noble dignity, she maintained her poise and shook her head as if nothing had happened, putting on a solemn expression.

“Knock, knock.”

“The door’s already open.”

“It’s just for formality.”

“Oh. I should learn that.”

“Mhm.”

The Young Lady reached into her pajamas and pulled out a piece of chocolate, offering it to me.

“I brought a snack. Want to share?”

“Shall we?”

“Mhm.”

“But, will one piece be enough? We both have mouths to feed.”

With a serious expression, the Young Lady stared at the unopened chocolate. She seemed reluctant to share, as her desire to keep it all to herself was evident. However, knowing that refusing to share would make her seem petty, she clenched her eyes shut and extended the chocolate.

“L-let’s share! I’ll divide it.”

“Oh… How kind of you.”

“I came to share it, after all. Don’t tell Mother and Father.”

“Haha! Understood.”

Speaking softly, I guided the Young Lady into the room. After all, there were people sleeping in the estate.

Once inside, the Young Lady widened her eyes and looked around the room. Unlike the estate in Hamel, this room was larger and neatly organized. The Young Lady, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, kept punching the bed and repeatedly opening and closing the curtains, clearly fascinated.

Exhaling through her nose, the Young Lady declared.

“So this is a man’s room…!”

“Don’t make it sound indecent.”

“It’s my first time…!”

“What about the time you hid in my wardrobe?”

“Hioong!”

She was always a young lady who only said what she wanted to say.

Calmly placing a piece of chocolate and tea on the refreshment table, I seated the Young Lady in a chair and smiled.

“So, Young Lady.”

“Yes.”

“What brings you here? What did you want to say?”

I gave her a small smile as I looked at her. Considering the worried expression on her face and the fact that she came to my room at this late hour, I figured there must be a reason. For someone who loved her sleep, the Young Lady coming to see me at such a time surely had a hidden purpose.

“…It’s nothing. I just wanted to share some chocolate with you, Ricardo.”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

“Yes.”

The Young Lady stiffened, her expression frozen as she stared at the table. Beneath the table, her fingers fidgeted, a clear sign of her awkward lie. Seeing her transparent attempt, I let out a small laugh and leaned my arms on the table.

“It feels like there must be a reason why the Young Lady came to see me at this late hour.”

“Hiccup…”

“Are you short on allowance, perhaps?”

-Shake, shake.

“Is there something you want to buy?”

-Shake, shake.

“Hmm…”

The Young Lady avoided answering, shaking her head as if to prove she had no ulterior motives. Watching her carefully refrain from speaking, I raised a mental question mark above my head and slowly sipped my tea.

‘What could it be?’

I still couldn’t figure it out.

With trembling hands, she split the chocolate into two pieces. She handed me a piece that was less than a quarter of the whole, and then, cautiously, she opened her mouth.

Her gaze remained fixed beneath the table.

“Hey, Ricardo.”

She spoke in a gloomy voice.

“By any chance…”

“Yes?”

“Are you…”

‘Yes?’

“Fixing my leg?”

The sudden question left me momentarily speechless. It was so unexpected that my mind couldn’t process it. The Young Lady, with a dark expression, couldn’t even look at me directly as she asked the question in such a straightforward manner.

Clenching her tiny fists, she spoke again.

“Ricardo… Are you fixing my leg?”

“Did you lie about getting medicine and start studying to fix my leg?”

“Even though… Even though you’re in pain, terribly, terribly in pain, are you trying to fix my leg…?”

I awkwardly smiled at her question and shook my head.

“…No. Why would I do such a thing?”

“…”

“If I had done something like that, you’d already be walking by now. You know me. I’m very good at my work. If I were to do something like that, I’d make sure it came with additional pay to make it worth my while…”

The words I blurted out in my flustered state were disorganized and incoherent. I was speaking so erratically that I couldn’t even grasp what I was saying.

The Young Lady was staring at me.

Her small fists were clenched tightly.

She bit her lip and looked straight at me.

“Hey, Ricardo.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

In a trembling voice, she spoke.

“Ricardo seems like the type to do something like that.”

“…What?”

“The Ricardo I know…”

Her eyes, on the verge of tears, reflected her emotions.

“Seems like the type to do something like that… and it scares me.”

She said to me.