Page 318 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

The morning had come.

The sparrows chirped. It was a morning filled with Olivia's loud voice, concerned for the safety of the Empire.

—Blink!

As the sunlight began to pour in, Olivia opened her eyes, her lips twitching. She cleared her throat with a soft 'cough,' as if checking her voice, then she nodded resolutely.

Perfect condition. Her voice was in perfect condition too. Steeling herself, Olivia blinked widely and took a deep breath. Today, she thought, today she could worry about the Empire’s safety...!

"...An air raid siren?!"

She was about to yell, but Olivia shut her mouth as she felt an unfamiliar weight on her legs. There was something there.

"...Eek?" "Zzz..."

Ricardo. Ricardo was leaning against the bed, fast asleep, lying across her legs. No wonder she had dreamed of being pinned down by chocolate—there was a reason behind it.

She glared at the sleeping Ricardo.

"..."

But his peaceful breathing was so quiet that she couldn't bring herself to wake him.

"Mmm..."

He looked so still that she almost wondered if he had died.

With a pouting face, Olivia cautiously poked at Ricardo's cheek, where the sunlight was shining.

White skin. Red hair. Ricardo’s skin looked better than hers, despite being a man.

“Hee hee...!” “Ugh...” “So soft...!”

—Poke. Poke.

“Hee hee...!” “Mm...”

She couldn’t help but smile. It was refreshing to see Ricardo, who usually scolded her, like this.

Ricardo was always busy.

He cooked every day. [N O V E L I G H T] When she rang the bell, he’d take her to the bathroom. When she insisted on going outside, he’d indulge her without complaint, gladly taking her out. Every day was a busy one for Ricardo. That’s why... it was refreshing.

“...”

And that was why she didn’t want to wake him.

Seeing Ricardo resting was such a rare sight.

Olivia, who was smiling softly, stroked Ricardo’s hair for a while. She wouldn’t be able to eat breakfast if she didn’t wake him, but it didn’t matter. Today, seeing Ricardo asleep felt better than having breakfast.

After stroking Ricardo's soft hair for about ten more minutes, Olivia began to feel the weight on her legs and her eyebrows started to twitch.

“Ungh...” “...” “Ugh...” “...” “Ugh... so heavy...!”

Her legs were starting to feel numb. If this kept up, she feared her legs might become as dry as squid. Grimacing, she began to push Ricardo toward the bed.

“...Huh? Miss?” “Mmm?”

She had woken Ricardo up.

“Hm...? Why am I sleeping here?”

As he rubbed his eyes, Olivia gave him an awkward smile.

“I don’t know.”

She hadn’t intended to wake him. She hadn’t wanted to interrupt his sleep, so she felt a bit sorry for disturbing him.

“...Pfft.”

But as always, Ricardo smiled at her, looking at her with that familiar gaze. If he had woken her, she would have been angry. She thought it was impressive how Ricardo remained unfazed.

“Did you have a good dream?” “Mm-hmm.” “What kind of dream?”

Olivia glanced down at her leg, where Ricardo had been resting, and pouted.

“A dream about being pinned down by chocolate.” “...Ah. I’m sorry.” “It’s fine. You’re so light, I barely felt it.” “I thought I heard you say it was heavy just now.” “Eek...!”

Ricardo grinned.

Now awake, he stretched lightly and started preparing to go down to the kitchen.

“Going to make breakfast?” “Yes.” “It’s already ten.” “I can have it ready in twenty minutes.” “Wow...” “There isn’t much time, so I’ll prepare bacon and an omelet quickly.” “Fluffy and delicious!” “I’ll make it tasty.” “Yum!”

Ricardo promised her a delicious breakfast and headed to the kitchen.

Listening to the sounds of clattering from the kitchen, Olivia lay back on her bed. She looked at the same ceiling, the same view as always.

“...”

It wasn’t boring. She had gotten used to this life by now. Maybe "resignation" was the right word.

Ricardo had put glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling so she wouldn’t get bored, saying she’d get tired of staring at the same ceiling otherwise.

Before the mansion was remodeled, the ceiling had been covered in torn wallpaper... The old mansion had remnants of Mikhail’s pictures that had once been hung up.

Whenever Ricardo tore them down, she would put them back up. He’d tear them down again, and she’d stick them back... They were gone now, though.

Those had been hard times for both of them. Of course, it had been harder for Ricardo, but they were bleak days. Occasionally, when past memories overlapped with the current room, she’d find herself feeling teary.

...Because it was foolish.

She had lost her legs. Lost her memories. Driven a dagger into her own heart.

Her room was like a prison of reflection, a reminder of the villainess’s end. Not that she hated it. Now, Ricardo had overlaid those old memories with good ones. Just a little grumbling, perhaps.

The moment she used dark magic, time had stopped for her. She became a fool who couldn’t do anything on her own anymore.

All because of her, she had stolen Ricardo’s time and led to a sad outcome. She felt like her emotions were about to overflow.

She wanted to move forward, but sometimes she resented herself for being unable to.

It was all her fault, after all.

Although she wasn’t familiar with regret, looking back at past events made her feel remorseful. Sometimes, she’d glimpse at emotions like “if only...” and spiral into sadness.

But every time that happened, Ricardo was there beside her, and that was an undeniable fact that kept her going.

The villainess everyone hated. That was who she was.

At the Academy. In the reality where she had lost everything. She was always grateful to Ricardo, who extended his hand despite the countless wounds she had inflicted on him.

If she were in Ricardo’s shoes, she could never have done what he did.

Suddenly, a bad memory passed through Olivia’s mind. It was one of the countless memories shown by the blue window.

—I hope our memories together were pleasant. —Why are you saying that all of a sudden...? —Nothing, I’m just feeling sentimental today. —No, there’s something different. —It’s the same.

—It was a good life.

Squeeze...

That fool wouldn’t even give her a chance.

Olivia lowered her head, letting out a deep sigh. Her breath trembled as she recalled unpleasant memories that resurfaced after so long.

She had to move forward.

Not remain stuck in place.

Even if just a little, she wanted to lighten the burden on Ricardo’s shoulders.

It wasn’t that she intended to leave Ricardo’s side. She couldn’t imagine a life without him anymore.

It wasn’t because of her physical limitations; it was because Ricardo had become part of her life. The thought of letting him go was something she, as Olivia, couldn’t comprehend.

Knowing that she was a burden to Ricardo, she was all the more unwilling to give up because of her selfish stubbornness.

A greedy, unyielding villainess. That was the essence of Olivia. As she tightly closed her eyes, she took a step onto a steep cliff.

“...”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Olivia closed her eyes, as if faced with a dizzying height. She was taking a step for the first time since losing her legs to dark magic.

The last time had been long ago when Ricardo suggested rehabilitation, and she had fallen. It was the first time she tried to walk on her own.

—Stop it! What’s the point? My legs are useless anyway! —Miss! But don’t you think it’s worth trying, even if just for a sliver of hope? —It’s embarrassing!!! I’m just going to fall! Just let me die a cripple. —...Take my hand. —Let go! —Just once, let’s try. —...

—Thud!!!

—... —Just once more... —Don’t touch me. I hate it. —...I’m sorry.

She was afraid. She was broken. Standing on the edge of the daunting cliff, she took a deep breath and shut her eyes tightly.

Though she knew she would fall again. She could vividly see herself lying on the floor, just as pitiful as ever. But despite it all, today, she felt a stronger desire to show Ricardo that she could change.

“...”

Olivia gathered her courage.

She placed her hand on the bedside table, finding the pathetic sensation of her legs, which wouldn’t support her, laughably pitiful.

“...”

Her trembling hand mocked her resolve, shaking like a leaf in the wind as her breath grew ragged, as if to whisper, “You can’t do it.”

“...Don’t make me laugh.”

The soft bed seemed to reach out to hold her, as if it wouldn’t let her go, but Olivia let out a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“I’m a villainess.” “A villainess who does what she says she will.” “I’ll do it... even if I’m scared...!”

The side table trembled. It quivered under Olivia’s weight, as she leaned on it.

Her legs, as if glued to the floor, would not move, as if they intended to tear her courage to pieces. Still, Olivia’s hand kept asking her legs to be of use.

‘I can do it.’

She felt like crying. The disappointment of being unable to achieve the result she had hoped for weighed heavily on her. She had dreamed of the miracle of standing tall, but now, seeing her reflection in the mirror, sitting on the bed and struggling, tears threatened to spill.

She looked as pathetic as a fool attempting the impossible. Like a cripple dreaming of running.

But.

“...Sniff.”

Even if she fell, Olivia wanted to push through. Just once. If she could face it just once.

If she could show Ricardo this changing version of herself, she could ask him to indulge in her stubbornness.

“Sniff...”

Even if tears fell onto the floor.

“Sniff...”

Even if her shoulders slumped in shame.

“Hnnng...”

Olivia wanted to move forward.

—Crash!!!

Hearing a loud noise from upstairs, I quickly took off my apron and rushed to the young lady’s room.

It was a dull sound. Like someone had fallen.

“Miss!”

Could she have done something reckless? Maybe she’d rolled off the bed. Worried, I ran upstairs, flung the door open, and—

“Sniff...”

I saw her lying on the floor.

My heart ached. She hated falling. Though she never showed it, I knew that when she was close to the ground, she was having a bad day. I closed my eyes tightly.

But.

“Hee hee...”

Seeing her laughing, my eyes wavered.

She was laughing.

“...I did it.”

The young lady, lying on the floor, was smiling with glistening eyes. As if clinging to a tiny glimmer of hope.

“...Huh?”

I could only make a foolish sound. Like a goldfish gaping for air, no words came out.

The young lady smiled and spoke to me.

“Ricardo.” “Miss...” “I stood up.”

—Drip.

“Ah...?”

—Drip, drip...

“Oh... why is this...?”

Tears began to fall.

Unknowingly. They fell, one after another.