Page 322 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Tick. Tock.

Sitting at my desk, I stared at Elicia's pocket watch in my hand.

‘What should I do with it?’

The dark magic emanating from it was a clear sign that it wasn’t a fake. Only someone with a death wish would dare touch this artifact.

Whoever created it had bound it with restraints strong enough to subdue an Apostle and layered it with resistance magic. I didn’t need to guess who that was.

“...”

Unexpectedly, I’d stumbled upon a valuable item. The novel barely mentioned this watch, so I was uncertain how to proceed.

It held Elicia’s life in its grasp. Because of it, she couldn’t refuse the Apostle of Temperance’s requests. That much had been mentioned, but there was no explanation on how to obtain it or who possessed it, leaving it an unattainable object.

“Hm...”

It was a stroke of sheer luck.

“A priceless object, isn’t it?”

It was as if fortune had smiled upon me.

Having Elicia’s watch meant I could essentially control one of the Apostles. It didn’t mean I could fully command her like a puppet, but with her single-minded focus on saving her son, she had a lot to do.

Perhaps, like the Apostle of Temperance, I could issue orders to her. Holding her life gave this watch profound significance.

Of course, I didn’t expect Elicia to obey me so readily. Apostles were stubborn and mentally strong. She followed Temperance not merely out of obligation but because they shared a common purpose. She wouldn’t blindly follow my orders just because I held this watch.

“Hm...”

That’s why using it was tricky and burdensome.

Breaking the watch and killing Elicia seemed cruel, but the thought of using it to threaten her also felt wrong.

Tick. Tock.

Honestly, it was too good a fortune to waste.

This was an Apostle’s weakness—something not just anyone could possess. Depending on how it was used, it could weaken the heretic forces significantly or become a key to securing a powerful ally.

The more I thought about it, the more complex it seemed. This watch carried immense implications.

I opened the silver watch, exhaling slowly.

“What should I do?”

Leaving it idle until the right moment wasn’t an option. Temperance would undoubtedly attempt to reassert control over Elicia once he noticed his leash on her was gone. While Elicia wasn’t one to fall for his schemes, I wanted to strike before Temperance made his move.

I had to consider his reaction carefully.

He could try to deceive her with a fake watch or manipulate her with lies. In that case...

“...”

I would need to act first.

After a long contemplation, I nodded to myself, visualizing Elicia’s hideout.

No one else could handle this, at least not now.

But first...

The ancient species. I needed to think about that.

In the novel, the ancient species was depicted as a massive bear covered in black fur.

-A bear?

I shook my head with a chuckle.

‘No way...’

-Bear?

‘It couldn’t be, right?’

Nibble nibble.

Smack!

The sound of a slap echoed through a room filled with golden luxury items.

The man who had delivered the slap glared at the other man with eyes like cold chains, while the one slapped couldn’t even raise his head.

The room was thick with murderous intent.

The oppressive aura radiating from the man’s glare caused objects around the room to tremble. Shields displayed in the cabinets quaked as if during an earthquake, and the Archbishop’s pupils quivered in fear.

He remained silent under the man’s deadly stare, which seemed capable of killing him on the spot.

“Ha.”

A cold scoff echoed in the room.

“I’m already busy with the Holy Sword matter, and now you cause more trouble? What were you thinking?”

“I... I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?”

“...I have no excuses.”

The dark silhouette of the man leaned forward, pressing a finger against the Archbishop’s forehead.

“This is why I can’t trust you with anything. So what if you’re an Apostle’s brother? You’re utterly useless.”

“...”

“When I entrusted Elicia’s watch to you, what did I say?”

“You told me not to lose it.”

“And yet?”

“...”

“Why are all the Archbishops like this? One disappears, another steals the Pope’s orb and goes missing.”

“...”

“Not one of you can complete a task properly.”

The man clicked his tongue and sighed deeply.

“And you? You’ve committed the greatest blunder.”

“I’m sorry—”

“Sorry won’t cut it!!”

With a loud bang, the man’s fist slammed onto the desk, spilling black ink across the floor, a silent message that apologies wouldn’t suffice.

“Lost in the mountains, you say?”

“...”

“How could you lose the means to restrain Compassion... in the mountains?”

“Well, I...”

The man’s face darkened as he clenched a trembling glass in his hand. The glass began to crack under the pressure before finally shattering.

“Hmph...”

“I apologize.”

Ignoring the Archbishop’s bowed head, the man wiped his hands with a handkerchief.

“How will you find it?”

“...”

“I’m asking, how will you find it?”

“...I...”

“I clearly instructed you to subdue the ancient species with the Apostle of Compassion.”

“...”

“Do you know how hard it was to get that ancient manuscript? I went through all that trouble just to give my remaining brother a chance... Do you understand that?”

“...”

“And yet... you lost it?”

“...”

“Didn’t even get to see the ancient species. And you lost it?”

The man’s voice ◆ Nоvеl?g?t ◆ (Only on Nоvеl?g?t) brimmed with contempt, his words striking like arrows.

“I will find it, somehow—”

Bang!

“Somehow? How?”

“Just give me the manpower, and I’ll—”

“Manpower? Are you planning to spread the word that you lost Compassion’s watch?”

“...”

“We couldn’t place a tracking spell on it to avoid alerting Compassion. How will you find it?”

“I can do it.”

“You said you’ve already looked.”

“If I had just one more week—”

“An Archbishop spent a week looking and failed? That’s more suspicious.”

“...”

“What will you do?”

The Archbishop kept his head low, unable to meet the man’s increasingly cold gaze.

The man ran a hand through his hair, trying to suppress his fury. Losing his temper wouldn’t change anything.

“Hah... I suppose it’s my fault for having such an idiotic brother.”

They needed a contingency plan.

Finding Compassion’s watch without alerting her was paramount.

“How long did you say it’s been since you lost it?”

“...Fifteen days.”

“...What?”

“It’s been fifteen days.”

“Hah.”

He was speechless.

“Brother.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll be fine, but you’re going to wish for death if that woman finds you.”

“...”

“And if the person who took it knows its true value, we’re in even bigger trouble.”

“That won’t happen.”

“But if it does...”

“...”

“It would be better if the watch broke and Compassion died because of it. But if that watch ends up in her hands...”

“...”

“You’re as good as dead. I might even have to go to war.”

The man spoke coldly to the Archbishop.

“Find it. No matter what.”

“...”

“I’ll buy us some time, somehow.”

“...”

“Brother.”

“Yes.”

“You know I dragged you into this and have been as lenient as possible, right?”

“Yes.”

“If it were anyone else, you wouldn’t just be dead.”

“I understand.”

“I’ll give you two weeks. Find it by then.”

The Archbishop bowed his head as the man prepared to leave.

Then...

The Apostle of Temperance turned towards Elicia.

To prevent the worst from happening.

Elicia was praying.

Praying to be freed from this wretched cage.

How much longer would she be chained to their whims? All she wanted was to focus on saving her son.

Exhausted from the pointless tasks forced upon her, Elicia pleaded with her god.

“Please, Lord, kill them. Punish them until they loathe being alive.”

Once again, her god remained silent.

Elicia clasped her hands tighter.

“Lord.”

She prayed that if her restraints were ever broken, she would be granted the chance to kill those who had murdered her son, to cut off their fingers and toes one by one in front of them.

The mere thought of revenge was sweet.

She was almost ready.

If she could channel her dark magic into life itself, she would be free. If she could once again nurture dark magic from scratch, she could someday place a blade to their throats.

Theoretically, it was possible, but without concrete evidence, she hesitated. Losing all her dark magic would make her an easy target.

Worn down by her struggles, Elicia closed her eyes.

Clack.

The sound of heels behind her made her frown.

Who dared trespass into her sanctuary this time? Was it him again? Dark energy pooled in her hands at the thought.

“No.”

Elicia’s frown deepened. The approaching power was unlike anything she’d ever felt.

Temperance...?

The presence felt like someone as powerful as an Apostle.

Strong and domineering.

Elicia shut her eyes tightly.

She didn’t want to see his face, knowing he was here with another twisted request.

But then...

“Wow, it’s dark in here.”

The voice she heard made Elicia freeze.

It was a man's voice—deep and pleasant to the ear. However, the overwhelming aura emanating from the approaching man felt like it would swallow the entire space whole.

Gulp.

The man was walking towards her.

And then...

As their eyes met, Elicia's pupils widened in shock.

Jingle.

“Pleasure to meet you.”

“...”

“Lady Apostle of Compassion.”

It was a red-haired monster.

And that monster was grinning, holding her leash in his hand.

“W-who are you?”

For a brief moment, Elicia found herself wishing it was the Apostle of Temperance who had come instead.

That creature...

Ssshhhh...

...was someone she never wanted to meet again.