Page 119 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Once again, the view darkens.

-So. I should have cut ties with you sooner. We should have chosen someone with a good academic background and job skills.

Through the hazy view, my voice, dressed in a black dress, faintly echoes.

My voice, sounding somewhat triumphant, carries a sharp topic that scratches like a broken vessel, as if enjoying the interesting discourse.

-It’s fortunate that the scum stopped on their own. They were just draining money.

‘...’

Olivia could easily figure out who the ‘scum’ referred to without much thought.

‘Shut up.’

The place I open my eyes to is a glamorous banquet hall. Everyone is dressed in exquisite attire, and the splendid chandeliers illuminate the hall where everyone is laughing.

Unlike the shabby room of Ricardo just a moment ago, there is an incredibly glamorous chandelier under the stage. There, dressed in a black dress, I stand smiling with noble young ladies.

Holding a sparkling purple wine glass and twirling the glass after it catches the light, my expression seems to be having a lot of fun.

-So, so...! How did it go?

-What do you mean, how did it go? I told him it’s a waste even to breathe the same air as him and to get out.

-hahahahaha. Insane! You didn’t cry, did you?

– What if I cry? It was the right thing to say.

In the fantasy, I seemed pleased because someone spoke to me after a long time.

Externally, I tried not to get close to people, but in reality, I envied those with many friends. I felt like I was on cloud nine.

Making up words that were never said and speaking them. It was my behavior during my academy days, embellishing provocative topics even more provocatively.

I wanted to appear strong and, at the same time, wanted to gain the upper hand in relationships.

I was awkward in making friends. A lame excuse, but if it weren’t for Ricardo, I wouldn’t have anyone to call a friend. I didn’t know how to make friends.

Money made them like me. If I harassed someone they disliked, they were impressed, and having power attracted friends. I thought I had to show that image, and that was the only way I knew how to make friends.

Ricardo emphasized the importance of friendship and urged me to be kind, but I didn’t want to go through such cumbersome processes, so people around me were always those who approached me because of power.

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In reality, they were all people who had left as the family declined, but still, I liked it. I wasn’t lonely.

-Ho ho ho!

Laughter echoed.

In the fantasy, I didn’t know, but now I could see that their laughter was full of pretense. My face, enjoying such attention, also seemed filled with pretense.

In this artificial social space, I took a step forward and spoke with a trembling voice to my fantasy self.

“Ricardo is in pain.”

The voice keeps trembling.

‘Ricardo... is in a lot of pain.’

Facing herself, who spat out malicious words towards Ricardo, Olivia spoke with a trembling voice.

‘So, don’t say it like that...’

The face of Ricardo lying on the bed keeps passing by faintly. The sight of Ricardo, who seems like he could collapse any moment, continues to flicker in Olivia’s eyes.

‘Ricardo is in a lot of pain...!’

In the fantasy where I hear the rough breathing, I just keep laughing repeatedly.

As the slow music of the ballroom begins and people with masks disappear one by one, pretending to be the disappearance of partners.

As always, I was standing alone, feeling lonely.

A deep sigh is heard.

– Boring.

No one approached beside herself in an elegant dress.

No matter how beautifully dressed, the loneliness was growing even more as her pathetic appearance, which no one cared to see, was revealed.

While Uria and the shining Mihail were surrounded by people, she was alone like a flower blooming on a cliff, sipping wine alone.

– Annoying.

Her fantasy self bowed her head and muttered quietly.

– What’s wrong with my personality? If I stay quiet, I can guard my plate.

– What’s the complaint?

– What couldn’t I do? Why are you quitting?

– Fool.

In the realm of fantasy, I still appeared angry. When we parted ways, I could see Ricardo, who had left after cursing, looking annoyed and wanting to come back to fight.

“Just come back again.”

The emotions of waiting for Ricardo could not be hidden.

Olivia spoke to herself in a melancholic voice. She looked at herself with trembling eyes, saying that there was no time for this foolishness.

“Don’t come back... You can’t come back.”

It was just a dream that she couldn’t see again. It was me, in the realm of fantasy, speaking.

After a long time, a woman with familiar pink hair stood alone in the distance and slowly walked towards me.

Wearing a light blue dress and approaching with small steps, the woman looked at me once and then placed her hand on her chest, letting out a deep sigh.

“I can do it. You’re asking, right?”

Seeing the woman approaching me and mumbling softly, my face twisted.

“Um...”

“Ah, what a disgusting feeling.”

“Can we have a moment to talk? Lady Olivia.”

The person who came to me, who was lonely, was Uriah. With eyes sparkling like a frightened rabbit, she fidgeted with her hands and took a deep breath. She couldn’t meet my cold eyes.

Enduring the intense torment and perhaps suffering even more without Ricardo, Uriah cautiously asked, suppressing the pounding of her heart.

“Where is Mr. Ricardo? It seems like you haven’t been together lately.”

“What?”

“Maybe...”

Uriah bowed her head and swallowed her saliva with a gulp.

“Is Ricardo... very sick?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well...”

“There’s no need to ask about our well-being like this. It’s unpleasant even for a dirty commoner to say such things.”

As Yuria was about to leave, she stood her ground with both legs, unlike her usual self.

Seeing Yuria’s legs trembling in fear, I smirked at the absurd fantasy and raised the corner of my mouth.

“Stop it.”

“Yes...?”

“I said stop.”

Yuria’s face began to flush with confusion. Her expression twisted even more than when she was tormented.

“What are you talking about? Ricardo stopped.”

“How would I know?”

“Well... that’s...”

“Don’t bother me with annoying words. Just leave. I’m not in a good mood.”

“But that’s not right...”

“What?”

Yuria grabbed Olivia’s hand roughly as she tried to get up.

“Has Ricardo ever said anything?”

“He hasn’t.”

“Don’t just say that. Think carefully.”

“Don’t bother me and leave me alone.”

– Olivia!

Thud. Yuria tightly held Olivia’s hand, her trembling eyes fixed on Olivia.

– Huh? Olivia?

– Get yourself together and listen to me.

– I think you’re the one who needs to get it together. Calling me by my name so boldly.

– Please, just listen to what I have to say.

Yuria’s hand was shaking. The pupils, as if having seen a terrifying monster, trembled, staring at themselves.

– I am a healer.

– So what if you’re a healer? Are you telling me to ? NоvеIight ? (Original source) get a health checkup?

– No.

In the fantasy realm, Olivia looked down at Yuria’s hand, held as if it were filthy. Despite Olivia’s expression, glaring with a hateful desire to drop it immediately, Yuria lowered her head and uttered words for Olivia to reconsider.

– I saw Ricardo in the capital not long ago.

– ...What?

– I couldn’t recognize him because he looked so different, but it was definitely Ricardo.

Olivia’s eyes, hearing about Ricardo’s recent whereabouts, trembled. It was a subtle change, but ripples began on Olivia’s face.

– I bought a bunch of medicine from the pharmacy and went there. I didn’t see him closely, but it seemed like painkillers. Very strong ones.

– ...You probably didn’t see it correctly.

– That might be true. It might be, but...

Yuria, with trembling hands, grasped Olivia’s wrist.

– I’m so scared...

– I was so scared, so I asked.

Yuria looked at Olivia with trembling eyes.

– There’s nothing wrong, right?

-...

– There’s nothing wrong, right?

With the continued questioning, Olivia clenched her lips and spat out cold words. Although she had a suspicion in her heart, she comforted herself, believing that it couldn’t be true, and spoke in a low voice.

– So what does it have to do with me?

– What?

– What does it have to do with me, whether he lives or dies?

Yuria lowered her head and spoke in a cold voice.

– Don’t speak so recklessly.

– Huh...? What did you say?

– If...

It was a face she had never seen before.

– If something happens to Ricardo...

Yuria’s expression was filled with determination.

– Be prepared.

*

On the way back after the party ended.

In a corner of the street, a man wearing a black hood sat on a wooden chair.

Sitting on a wheeled wooden chair, the man observed Olivia from the shadows. Olivia, walking down the street with her friends, glanced at the man and shivered.

In a moment of trying to turn away from the inexplicable familiarity, one of the friends standing nearby frowned and spoke, “Did you see that guy’s hand? It’s really creepy.”

“Why?”

“Look at that arm over there.”

Olivia’s eyes caught a glimpse of the man’s grotesque hand resting on the armrest. A decaying and hideously scarred hand met Olivia’s gaze.

Olivia furrowed her brows as she looked at the man. “Disgusting.”

The man, once again in view, covered his face with his hands, trembling slightly with thin shoulders.

[Change of perspective.]

[The last chapter of the third side story, “The Sad Love Story of a Certain Villainess,” begins. “I’m always on the lady’s side.”]