Page 143 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

“Click...”

Yuria was crying.

Her trembling shoulders were shaking like branches in a fierce storm, and her sobbing voice was echoing through the night sky that had arrived like a whisper.

In my eyes, as I moved toward the veranda, Yuria’s figure seemed to be dancing a sorrowful dance under the moonlight.

Lost.

She seemed to be in agony.

“I don’t want to show this...”

“I don’t want to show this side of me...”

“Why did you notice?”

“No one else did, so how did you notice... Click.”

Muttering in a sorrowful voice, Yuria clenched the hem of her skirt with her fist and spun around. Just like a person throws a tantrum when deeply upset, Yuria seemed to be throwing such a tantrum as well.

With a small smile, I walked towards the veranda where Yuria was.

In the silent space, when the sound of footsteps echoed with a ‘thud’, Yuria, who had been trembling, quickly wiped away the flowing tears.

Watching Yuria rubbing her eyes with hands full of handkerchiefs from a distance, I paused for a moment, preparing myself.

Yuria wouldn’t want to show this side of her.

Indeed, as a gentleman, one must know how to consider a lady. Approaching and asking ‘Why are you crying?’ without consideration is an action that does not consider a lady’s heart.

So, I waited until Yuria lifted her head.

As she sniffed and raised her head slowly, I started moving my paused steps again.

“Have you calmed down?”

“Please don’t come.”

Yuria, looking at the garden with sad eyes, spoke firmly.

With a small smile, I took another step towards Yuria and asked, “Why do you not want me to come?”

At my returning question, Yuria clenched the hem of her skirt tightly and took a deep breath. From Yuria’s trembling back, I could still tell that she was shedding tears.

Yuria shouted with a choked voice, “I’m not the person you think I am.”

“Why do you think that way? You could be the person I’m looking for.”

“That won’t happen!”

Yuria clenched her fists tightly and shouted. Her resonating voice spread throughout the veranda, sadly echoing.

“It won’t happen...”

Yuria’s voice grew fainter and fainter.

I felt uneasy.

Yuria started to justify herself with a trembling voice. Why she said those things, why she was rejecting me, she bit her lip tightly and spoke.

“I’m not pretty, not charming. My face is full of freckles, and people say I’m ugly.”

“Well... so what?”

“Don’t say it so easily! What do you know.”

“That’s right. I don’t know anything about you, but it seems like you’re hitting the nail on the head.”

“What?”

“The person I’m looking for is not someone pretty or charming. I’m looking for a friend who is kind and whose smile suits them well.”

“Don’t lie!”

Yuria shouted with an unreserved voice, “Don’t lie...”

I let out a bitter sigh as I watched Yuria, who seemed uninterested in continuing the conversation, nodding her head and spewing only gloomy words.

‘Is it time to indulge her tantrum now?’

Conversations have their timing.

The timing to intervene and the timing to listen. It seemed like now was the time to step back a bit and listen to Yuria’s tantrum.

Since Yuria seemed to need time to vent her grievances and empty her heart, I silently gazed at her, focusing on her words.

“When I arrived at the banquet hall, people said these things to me. ‘You’re really ugly. The dress you’re wearing is flashy.’ And I’ve been hearing comments like ‘You know how to dress up.’ every time I attend a ball.”

“...”

“At first, it was heartbreaking and hurtful. At first, it was words...”

Yuria dropped her head to the ground in a whirlwind of emotions.

Yuria’s fist still tightly clutched the hem of her dress without moving.

“I didn’t want to hear it, and I wondered why I had to receive such treatment. But people really adapt strangely. You know what’s funny? In your heart, you say it’s okay, that those people are weird, but deep down, you acknowledge and accept it. Like, ‘I’m not someone who wears expensive clothes,’ or ‘This dress doesn’t suit me.'”

Yuria said resignedly. Yuria’s weak voice felt sorrowful, and she slowly turned around to look at me.

With freckles all over her face and tears streaming down, Yuria’s face, even without the influence of magic, briefly made me think she must not be that attractive.

Not that her face was unattractive.

It would be more fitting to say she looked unattractive because she had been crying.

Personally, I don’t like seeing someone cry. It just makes me feel sorry and uncomfortable. Who would enjoy seeing someone sad? Other people must feel the same as me.

Yuria let out a deep sigh as she looked at my bitter smile.

“You think the same way, right?”

“Me?”

“You also think I’m someone who doesn’t look good in this dress, right? That I look out of place in a commoner’s attire.”

“Not at all.”

“Lies.”

“If that’s a lie, then I don’t see any reason for me to come looking for you all the way to the balcony.”

“You’re just here to console me because you pity me.”

“Pity. I believe there’s no one in the world who thinks they are more ? Nоvеl?g?т ? (Continue reading) pitiful than I am.”

It’s true.

I truly believe that no one in the world is more pitiful than I am.

The lead doesn’t grow up.

The lady throws a tantrum over side dishes.

The salary gets delayed.

Isn’t this beyond just being pitiful and more fitting for the title of a miserable neighbor?

Of course, there are countless people in the world who are unhappier than me, but as a selfish person, I was one of the many who considered themselves pitiful.

Well, life is happy, isn’t it?

I kindly responded to Yuria’s disagreement.

Now it’s my turn to start my story.

Even if I were to listen more to Yuria’s story from here, nothing would change, and it would only make me more uncomfortable, so I began to slowly open my mouth, which I had kept shut.

“I have never once thought of you as pitiful.”

“Why do you pity those who live boldly and are loved by others? Even if I push aside all those trivial things, I don’t find you pitiful as a person.”

“I don’t believe those lies anymore.”

“I’m not forcing you to believe. I’m just speaking my mind as I wish. That’s how it is. I admire you for not living like a fool as I would. Is this what they call respect? Oh, is this getting awkward?”

“...”

“Anyway, every time I see you beautifully adorned, I can’t help but be amazed. Funny, isn’t it? People may say, ‘It’s disgusting for a poor commoner woman to wear expensive dresses,’ but in my eyes, I think, ‘How can a person be so beautiful.’ Of course, not as much as Lady Olivia whom I serve, but you know.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s a professional hazard.”

I gazed at the bright moon in the night sky, taking a step closer.

Even though the distance had shortened, Yuria didn’t say, “Don’t come.”

Perhaps my awkward words served as a bit of comfort to Yuria.

Taking another step closer, I stood beside Yuria, looking at the stars in the night sky, and in a soft voice, I said, “You said the person I’m looking for isn’t you, right?”

“...”

“But what should I do?”

The moon seemed unusually bright today.

The number of stars in the sky as well.

The Milky Way, long drawn like a watercolor, was bright and beautiful, seemingly evoking emotions.

I turned my head to look at Yuria.

Even though the enchantment hadn’t been lifted, strangely, it felt like I could see Yuria clearly. Is it presbyopia? No, I think it’s the magic of the atmosphere creating this miracle.

Avoiding Yuria’s eyes staring straight at me, I said, “In my eyes, at this moment, your appearance is incredibly beautiful.”

“...Really?”

“Your freckled face and even the way you cry, they all resemble the habits of the person I’m looking for. There are so many things I want to ask about what happened, but...”

I took off my jacket and draped it over Yuria’s shoulders, smiling.

“It’s too cold outside, I don’t want to leave you out here for long.”

Isn’t that right?

“Miss Yuria.”

“...Please don’t do this. I...”

“Let’s stop playing hide-and-seek here.”

– Have you selected ‘Yuria’ as the target?

‘Yes.’

[Selection complete.]

***

[‘Successfully found the Yuria who lost her beauty.’]

– Affection gauge restriction is lifted.

– Curse on Yuria is lifted.

– As a partial reward, ‘Hidden Talent of Magic’ is unlocked.

[Unique Magic: Rain Thunder] is unlocked.

*

– Protect Yuria.