Page 281 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Choices come to everyone.

Even in moments when you don’t want to make them. Even in moments when it’s so hard that breathing itself feels overwhelming, choices arrive without regard for time or place.

For Histania Hannah, the choice she feared most was one that might cause Ricardo pain because of a decision she made.

After all, to him, she was nothing but a burden.

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[Q. The False Pride of Histania.]

In a story you don’t remember...

You, driven by emotions to earn your father’s love and your family’s approval, made a reckless decision that put you on the brink of death.

In a cold cave, your body was in ruins, and the sticky moss of the cave was consuming the bloodstains left behind by your wounds.

As you stood on the edge of life, preparing to die, a red-haired man who came to gather herbs appeared before you.

It was a miracle.

That he showed up in front of you.

There was no other word to describe it but a miracle.

He, a stranger at the time, took you in. Your body was in such a wrecked state that it was no different from that of a villainess who had collapsed.

You couldn’t even feed yourself. You limped heavily. As a swordswoman, your lifespan was nearing its end, and your pride as a child of a noble family had hit rock bottom. There wasn’t any pride left to lose.

You despaired.

You fell into an endless abyss, sinking deeper and deeper. Countless times you thought it would be better to die. You had such thoughts, repeatedly.

But you couldn’t die.

“Did you sleep well? The weather is nice today. Haha...!”Perhaps it’s true—you couldn’t die. His care broke down the walls of your heart.

Even so, you disliked the man. You grumbled, threatened to die, and told him to stay away from you, because you couldn’t bear how powerless you had become.

You had no room left to trust anyone. At that time, your heart had been pushed beyond its limit by the wounds it carried.

Nevertheless, the man continued to care for you.

Though you don’t know how, every night he whispered the words you most wanted to hear, comforting the you who was full of scars.

"You can do it." "No matter what anyone says, I believe in you." ◆ Nоvеl?g?t ◆ (Only on Nоvеl?g?t) "You’re beautiful. Maybe not as much as the lady, but still."

It was as if he knew all your pain.

Time passed like that. And when the time came for you to leave the mansion, you made a promise to the man.

"Don’t get hurt."

A promise that could never be kept.

You made a choice.

A choice to return as "Histania," to become a better person, to sever the wretched ties that bound you.

But there was no one in your family to support your choice, and contrary to your hopes of a fresh start, your father’s reaction was cold. Instead of comforting your wounded self, he blamed your incompetence.

“You have no talent,” he said.

You made a mistake you should never have made.

In the endless despair, with nowhere to return, you reached for the one place you knew well.

You were afraid to go back to him.

Because you were ashamed. Because you were scared. Because you were angry.

Instead, you thought, if you returned as a proud person, if you became someone no one could ignore, then maybe you could appear as a better person in front of him.

Even if that path didn’t lead to the praise of others.

That day, you made the wrong choice. And he made a choice for you.

This story will have a happy ending... But really, perhaps the light contained within that process will not be so light after all.

(!) Block Histania Loen’s sword once. (0/1) (!) Hear a sincere 'apology' from Histania Loen. (0/1)

Reward: Unlock the 72nd side story 'In Despair.'

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Hannah stared at the blue window in front of her with trembling eyes.

"Why...?"

The curse, which always spewed out ominous words, had appeared again.

At first, she thought of it as a compass pointing out where to direct her resentment, but after witnessing a vision of death, the blue window became something she feared.

She didn’t feel like the gods’ consideration appeared to her out of goodwill.

Hannah raised her trembling eyes and read the words, feeling her mind turn white as her fingers stiffened.

"..."

It could really be true, she thought.

"No..."

She didn’t want to see it anymore.

She was afraid of being forced to make such a choice now, having decided to live in the present.

"No..."

Shuen, seeing Hannah trembling, furrowed her brows with a puzzled look. She wondered if it was because Hannah wanted to change the taste of her lunch box.

"Why are you like this?" "..." "Do you need more lunch?"

Shuen, unable to offer up more of her pork cutlet or tofu sushi, watched Hannah with a serious expression.

"N-No, it’s nothing."

Seeing Hannah’s anxious eyes, Shuen closed her mouth. She spoke with a concerned tone, looking at her.

"Did something happen? Did you leave your wallet in the classroom...? Or maybe your books?" "..." "If you’re scared to go alone, I can go with you! Despite how I look, I’m braver than you think! I can sleep alone, and if I have my favorite stuffed toy, I can hide under the covers even when I hear ghost stories!" "..."

Hannah shook her head lightly at Shuen, who seemed like she wouldn’t be of any help, and replied weakly that it was nothing.

"You go on ahead. I just remembered something I have to do, so I’ll come up later." "Let’s do it together! I’ll put my lunch box in my room and come right back down!" "I heard there’s a ghost in the academy." "Hiccup...! Got it!"

-Thunk!

Without a second thought, Shuen hoisted her bag onto her back and headed to the dormitory. No matter how brave she was, ghosts were still scary.

"If anything happens, just call me! Room 503 is mine."

Hannah sat down in Shuen’s absence, taking deep breaths.

This time...

It felt different from before.

Another peaceful day at the lady’s mansion.

The lady, busy playing with Gomtangi’s paw, smacked her lips.

"Milady." "Nom."

I didn’t know why she was smacking her lips over Gomtangi’s paw pads, which didn’t have any jelly-like consistency, but seeing the earnest look in her eyes as she touched the bear’s paw made me chuckle and shake my head.

"You’ve been chewing on him." "Ah... Nom!" "You’re late."

I asked as I watched the lady nibble on Gomtangi’s paw. Why was she doing this?

"Milady." "Why?" "Why are you ignoring Gomtangi?" "I’m biting him right now."

She pointed at Gomtangi, who was drooling on her head, and once again opened her mouth. Her actions clearly showed her belief in "an eye for an eye." I chuckled and nodded at her logic.

It wasn’t entirely wrong.

Recently, she’d been getting along with Gomtangi quite well.

"Is it tasty?" "No." "Then why are you biting his paw? There are other parts." "Bear trotters." "Do you want to eat trotters?" "Yep."

I smiled at the lady’s refined palate as she suggested tonight’s menu.

"Shall we have trotters for dinner, then?" "Yep. Make them spicy." "Understood."

I stood up and gently pried Gomtangi off her head. It seemed Gomtangi liked her head, thinking of it like a lollipop.

I stroked his head and lightly scolded him. No matter how much he liked the lady, it wasn’t okay to treat his master’s head like candy.

-Growwwwwm.

"Let’s go. I’ll give you food."

-Growm-growm.

"I’ll even give you a snack."

-Growwwm.

Gomtangi always listened to me well.

About ten minutes passed.

The lady, looking out the window, cautiously called out to me.

"Ricardo." "Yes?" "Am I good-looking?" "Pardon?"

Surprised by the sudden question, I stared blankly at her and shrugged. I wondered if the gaslighting I’d been doing for over 13 years had finally worked.

"Yes." "Oh... Annoying." "Milady is more annoying." "I’m pretty, so it’s fine."

Unable to argue with her reasoning, I lightly tugged at her cheek.

"Eeek! It’s tearing!" "I’m fine with that." "Eeeek!!! I surrender...! Surrender!"

I glanced at her, wiping the drool from her cheek, and then asked her a question of my own—a slightly more uncomfortable one.

"Milady." "Yes." "How strong are you?" "Hmm?"

The lady stared at me before flashing a mischievous grin.

"It’s a secret."

She really was an interesting person.

"Eeeek!!! Don’t pinch me!"

About ten more minutes passed.

We both gazed out the window at a man knocking on the mansion’s door, exchanging glances.

"Ricardo, a guest." "I don’t think he’s here for me." "He’s not here for me, either."

I looked at the brown-haired man and closed the curtains.

Histania Loen.

An unwelcome guest had arrived at the mansion.