Page 309 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

"I'm fine."

I said in a calm voice, directed at the trembling Mikhail.

No matter how much Mikhail swung his sword, I wouldn't be hurt. Even if he poured his aura into the blade. Even if he aimed for a vital spot during an opening. Mikhail's sword could never reach me.

"Stop!" "I'm really fine."

The difference between her and me...

"I'm..."

...was like a wall.

"Because I'm strong."

—Kagagaga!

With a powerful slash, Mikhail's body was dragged across the floor. It seemed that the shock was so intense that he couldn’t easily control his body, as he staggered. I let out a bitter smile and then lightly shook out my wrists.

"Shall we begin the overtime lesson?" "Just kill me! I don't want to hurt you!" "Does that mean you think you can defeat me?" "That's not it! I just don't want to hurt you..." "Don't worry. I won’t charge you for the overtime lesson..."

I lightly swung my sword.

—Kagak!

Mikhail barely blocked the attack, trying to hold back tears.

The reason I cherished Mikhail wasn’t just because he was a friend, but also for a selfish reason—I wanted him to help bring peace to this world I lived in.

Ruine, Mikhail, Yuria, and the Crown Prince. These four were central figures in the novel. I had no choice but to treat them favorably.

The title of the novel was The Strongest in the Academy Like Me Falls for Me, but what could an extra, not even a supporting character, do? As someone who transmigrated into this world, currying favor with the main characters was one of the few advantages, so I indulged in that benefit to the fullest.

"Fight back." "Please! Just...!" "I said fight."

Unfortunately, Ruine had crossed that line, but in a world where the main characters still existed, there were things I had to be careful about.

"Hold your sword properly." "...You don't have to do this." "No."

I spoke firmly to the trembling Mikhail.

"This is necessary."

It had to be done so that Yung's plan wouldn’t go as intended.

Yung probably envisioned a scenario where someone chooses death for the sake of their loved one. A dramatic picture. That’s why he remained on the battlefield, amidst the occasional storm of sword strikes, waiting for that moment.

"Yes, this is the scene. More desperate... More...!"

However, Yung overlooked something important.

"Let’s start again." "...Stop it!" "Grip your sword properly."

Yung overlooked the fact that I was the type of person who could beat Mikhail without hesitation. In fact, this opportunity was a good one for me to relieve stress and train her even more rigorously, making her stronger. It wasn’t such a bad experience after all.

From the start, I was a selfish person.

Being a transmigrator meant that I had placed the burden on them to lighten my own load.

In countless works of fiction, the transmigrator sacrifices themselves for a happy ending, but I had no such merciful feelings.

Olivia’s happiness alone was enough for me. I had to steady Hannah’s wandering path. Just ensuring that the people within the walls smiled was overwhelming enough. If the main characters faltered, I had to move for the sake of maintaining the peace that could crumble.

"..."

Mikhail had to remain steadfast. If Mikhail held firm, I, as an extra, could enjoy my life a bit more.

"Focus, or you'll lose an arm." "Ugh..." "Yes, like that..."

The more trials Mikhail overcame, the less danger I would have to bear. How could I hate him? Even if I did, I couldn’t afford to show it in my position.

But still. I wonder...

"Please stop!"

Now that she had entered my 'fence' as well, what could I do? With a bitter smile, I flicked my sword.

Mikhail, panting heavily, looked at me with teary eyes and said,

"Please, stop... I’ve done everything wrong. Please, just stop..." "Stand." "Ricardo!" "Stand up. How much longer will you keep hiding?"

At this moment, I stood there with mixed feelings of love and hatred for Mikhail.

The rage from the academy. The memories from the slums. And the sympathy as a fellow person.

I gripped my sword with a complex mix of emotions.

Mikhail, glaring at the sword that refused to leave his hand, muttered resentfully,

"I... I can't do this anymore."

Mikhail’s movements were forced, and his voice filled with sorrow.

"I can’t... I can’t do this anymore!"

Tears began to fall from Mikhail’s trembling eyes as he sobbed. If he could, he would’ve cut off his own arm right then, his gaze full of sorrow as he hung his head toward the ground.

"Why... Why do I have to keep hurting you?" "Misa." "Why do I have to become trash in front of you?!" "Misa...!" "I know! I know I’m trash! Useless, frustrating, a pathetic excuse for a person, I know all that...!"

This was troublesome.

"But..."

If he revealed all the things he had worked so hard to hide, what could I possibly say when he came back to his senses?

"But... I wanted to change...! Hng..."

Besides...

He seems to remember.

I felt as if he had realized something about the past.

'When did it start?'

As I watched Mikhail denigrate himself, I bit my lip. I felt like something had gone wrong.

Originally, I had planned to kill Yung and return to normal, but seeing the mask of Misa, which was born from Mikhail’s consideration, begin to crack was starting to complicate things.

The words she was spitting out...

"Why... Why do I always hurt you?!" "..." "I couldn’t even talk to you about it...! I couldn’t even make excuses for why I did what I did...!"

These were words that couldn’t be said without recalling memories from the past. So I bit my lip and clenched my fist.

'It’s too early.'

Mikhail wasn’t emotionally ready yet. The signs that this relationship might break earlier than expected dried my lips.

Mikhail mustn’t be destroyed like the image his status window had shown. For the future of the novel and for Mikhail as a person, I couldn’t predict what kind of outcome this would lead to.

"Please stop." "I wanted to change too...." "Misa, stop!" "I just wanted it all to stop...!"

Sometimes, memories become a tremendous burden.

—Kwaagagagak!!

"Please, no more..."

It seemed Mikhail couldn’t understand that burden.

In that case...

—Kwaaaack...

Mikhail had to be the one to end this twisted bond with his own hands.

Because.

That was the only way it could be for Mikhail.

I relaxed my grip as I watched Mikhail’s sword approaching.

At this moment, Mikhail felt like he was in hell.

"I'm fine."

Ricardo’s calm expression as he blocked the sword seemed so pitiful.

Even in this moment, knowing everything, the only thing Mikhail could do was hurt him.

He struck with the sword. Insulted him with cruel words. Kicked aside his kindness.

He had learned swordsmanship and trained to become stronger, all to return to that boy in his memories as a better version of himself. But the result of his efforts had only become thorns, pricking him like a cactus. How could he smile when his efforts were suffocating the very person he cared for?

The burden kept piling up.

The weight on his shoulders had grown so heavy that it was now unbearable, with nowhere left to bear it.

But...

"I'm strong."

His legs were trembling, ready to collapse to the ground, so why did Ricardo keep saying such things?

"..."

At that moment, a cold voice pierced Mikhail’s ears.

"Wait a moment." "..." "Do you perhaps..." "..." "...think that I’m your friend or something?" "What...?" "I thought you might be confused."

Ricardo’s voice was icy.

"Weren’t you a different person originally?" "..." "This isn’t like you, so frankly, it’s hard to adjust."

Ricardo’s words, as chilling as swallowing ice, pierced through Mikhail as their swords met.

As if he truly meant it.

Mikhail, with his heart pounding, stared into Ricardo’s eyes and asked in a trembling voice,

"...You’re that boy." "Pardon?" "The one who cried with me in the slums... You’re Lee Min-hyuk." "What are you talking about? That name—Lee Min-hyuk? Quite unusual." "Don’t pretend you don’t know." "You seem to be having a massive misunderstanding..."

Ricardo’s sword pressed even harder, lightly grazing Mikhail's side.

"From birth, I’ve always been Desmont." "...To me, you’re definitely..." "That’s a lie." "What?" "It’s a lie." "A lie?" "I lied, thinking I might gain something."

With a cruel voice, Ricardo asked Mikhail,

"The person in your memories. Was he violent like me?" "...No." "Did he hit people recklessly and act like a nuisance?" "No..." "See?"

Ricardo let out a cold laugh, looking at the dumbfounded Mikhail.

"You’ve got the wrong person."

Ricardo let out a cold laugh, looking at the dumbfounded Mikhail.

"You’ve got the wrong person."

"..."

"Did you have a nightmare or something?"

"Are you really not...?"

"I'm not."

—Bang!

Ricardo kicked Mikhail in the stomach with a strong force, sighing irritably as he shook his head.

"I thought there might be something valuable here, but instead, I’ve just gotten caught up in a strange incident."

"..."

"Think about it. If I were the person you remember, do you think I would have grown up like this? That person wasn’t some delinquent like me. He would’ve grown up to be a cool adult."

Ricardo's gaze wasn’t focused on Mikhail anymore. He was staring at something above him, his expression hardening and softening repeatedly.

Mikhail, unaware of Ricardo's change in demeanor, felt as if a violent storm was swirling within him.

He hadn’t considered the possibility that all of this was a lie.

The blue screen that had shown him those images. The archbishop’s lies. He couldn't even imagine the idea that everything had been fabricated.

"Don’t be fooled!!!!"

Yung's voice bellowed in Mikhail's ears, shaking him violently.

"Don’t be fooled...! I know the truth! That bastard is the same guy from back then!"

"What’s the truth?"

"Kid... don’t ruin my script."

"Let me ° N ?? v ?? l i g h t ° have my fun too."

"You...!!!"

Mikhail’s body wouldn’t move according to his will.

At this point, the truth didn’t matter anymore.

Whether it was real or not.

He couldn’t stop his hands from moving.

The moment Ricardo’s sword clashed with Mikhail’s...

'Wait...'

Mikhail suddenly realized a flaw in Ricardo’s words.

'Did he just call me Mikhail...?'

The way he had pronounced "Lee Min-hyuk" so clearly. And then, how he started calling him "Mikhail" from a certain point on.

'From the very beginning...'

"Liar."

"You realized too late."

'He knew all along.'

When the strength left Mikhail’s hand, his sword slashed deeply into Ricardo’s body.

"Crybaby."

—Slice.

"You’ve grown up well."

I half-opened my eyes and looked at Mikhail, who was standing still.

'Did he... awaken?'

Mikhail was walking toward Yung with a cold expression.

Honestly, the cult leader's orb was a bit intimidating.

'I can't afford to be late for bath time.'