Page 323 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Jingle.

Elicia’s pupils trembled violently as the sound of the pocket watch falling echoed around the room.

“Why...?”

An old pocket watch—a gift to commemorate her child’s birthday. How could this man be holding the very collar that bound her?

I smiled, holding the watch up for her to see.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

Elicia’s eyes quivered coldly, the air in the sanctuary chilling to a standstill. Her mind must have been racing, struggling to comprehend how I had her leash or whether I was a conspirator with the Apostle of Temperance.

Her eyes, which betrayed her turmoil, continued to shake, and I gave her a reassuring smile, as if to say, “Don’t worry.” I wasn’t here to threaten her; I was here to negotiate.

“Relax.”

“...”

“Take a deep breath.”

“How... How do you have that watch...?”

Beads of cold sweat gathered on her forehead. I gave her the answer she was likely most desperate to hear, the one that would clear up her confusion.

“You’re wondering how I got this?”

Flinch.

“Well... that’s a good question.”

“Tell me.”

“Would you believe me if I said I was just lucky? That I just happened to find it lying around?”

“So, you’re working with Temperance?”

“No, I’m not.”

I shook my head with a small smile.

“I’m no conspirator. I don’t even know who the Apostle of Temperance is.”

“Then...!”

“Confusing, isn’t it?”

It must be overwhelming, not knowing how someone could have obtained such a rare object and understood its purpose without any apparent connection to Temperance.

She had no way of figuring it out. The information about the watch was a closely guarded secret within the order. How could a complete stranger have known about it?

But I had no intention of explaining myself. Even if I could, I had no reason to do so. It was a stroke of fate, something I’d learned from reading. Who would believe that? Certainly not Elicia.

Instead, I had a simpler plan, and I conveyed it by shaking my head and addressing her.

“Don’t overthink it. I’m just here to return something you lost.”

Elicia’s demeanor turned menacing.

“You’d do well to stop with the lies.”

“Am I lying?”

“...”

“Surely, you can see that much with your eyes.”

Blue.

Elicia closed her eyes tightly, having seen the color blue—the color of truth.

Yet, even as she struggled to find the right response, Elicia was unable to settle on anything. Should she believe him? Or was there deceit she hadn’t caught? She couldn’t be sure.

I held the most precious item she could imagine, but accepting my words at face value seemed risky. Seeing the distrust in her eyes, I gave her a gentle smile. I held the advantage in this conversation, after all. I felt confident that we could reach an agreement.

“I’m not lying.”

I offered her the truth, assuring her I had no intention of harming her.

It was important to stay alert. She was an Apostle, after all. While her ability to shape emotions didn’t seem to work on me, possibly because of the protection of the status window, she was still a formidable monster, a pillar of the heretics.

One misstep could cost me my life, or I might end up being manipulated into a puppet through a cunning lie.

However, the fact that Elicia feared me gave me an upper hand. Even without the watch, I could leverage that fear to my advantage.

With trembling eyes, Elicia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“What is it you want from me?”

I replied to her.

“Nothing.”

“...Lies.”

“Truly, I want nothing.”

Blue.

She clenched her fists tightly.

“Whether you take back what was stolen from you and become a vengeful ghost...”

“...”

“Or you reform yourself and return to your clerical duties. I neither wish for nor require anything from you.”

I let the chain dangle from my finger as I continued.

“Do you want it?”

Gulp.

“If you desire it, I can return it to you. You know better than anyone that it’s no fake.”

“...”

“In that case...”

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

“...”

“I’ve brought a rather generous gift. It would be a shame not to know each other’s names first, don’t you think?”

“...”

I smiled at Elicia, who remained silent, and introduced myself.

“My name is Ricardo.”

“Ricardo... I don’t recognize the name.”

“Of course not. I’m not that well-known.”

“...”

“I am a servant of the Desmond family, and I serve Lady Olivia Desmond, the sole daughter of the family.”

“Desmond...”

“Do you have any unpleasant memories of Desmond?”

Elicia shook her head, denying it.

“I remember the family sends aid supplies regularly. Though they have a notorious reputation, we’ve never had any direct association.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“...”

“It would have been unfortunate if you held ill will towards Desmond.”

Hiss...

Elicia shuddered as the room’s temperature dropped. She seemed to sense that the conversation would have taken a very different turn if she had harbored negative feelings toward Desmond.

“...”

For the first time, she felt fear.

I waved a hand, signaling her to relax.

“Calm down.”

“...”

“Like I said, I’m just here to return something you lost.”

“I understand. But...”

Elicia looked directly at me and spoke.

“If you intend to use that item to manipulate me, you should give up now.”

“...”

“It would be better for it to end up in Temperance’s hands than to face the consequences.”

“Hm.”

“...”

“You seem quite defensive.”

I shrugged my shoulders, stepping a bit closer.

Swoosh!

Suddenly, a black spear of dark magic came hurtling toward me, radiating murderous intent. I gave a wry smile as Elicia’s power surged with lethal intent.

“Do you not want the watch back?”

“...”

“Because I wouldn’t do something so foolish.”

Hesitation.

“I’m a person of many whims.”

“...”

“I came here in good faith and would rather avoid any bloodshed.”

“...”

“Kill me if you can. But know this: if you do, you’ll die here as well.”

Elicia, her power chilling the air around us, spoke with ice in her voice, seeming to dismiss my sincerity as nothing but a scheme.

“Do you...”

“Yes?”

“Do you really think I would fall for such lies?”

“Sigh...”

“Countless people reached out to me before I became an Apostle, promising to help, claiming they expected nothing in return... They all extended their hands to me.”

“...”

“But do you know what they said when I was in danger?”

“...”

“Stupid girl. It’s your own fault for falling for it.”

Elicia’s power grew even more intense, almost suffocating.

“No matter how kindly you reach out, I cannot trust you.”

“...”

“Once they had nothing left to take, they abandoned me. Just like my husband...”

With Elicia’s bitterness cutting through the air, I let out a heavy sigh and replied.

“Still, isn’t it better to trust, even if it’s a lie? Believing might be more beneficial to you, Apostle.”

Tight grip.

“You’re surrounded.”

“...”

“By Temperance.”

“...”

“And by a mission that shows no progress.”

As I sensed Elicia’s otherworldly power receding, I smiled.

“Good.”

“...”

“Very good.”

I addressed Elicia. Since we didn’t seem to be getting anywhere, I thought it best to cut to the chase.

“Let’s make a pact.”

“A pact? Are you suggesting a contract... with me?”

Elicia’s words, full of tension, pierced the air like arrows. For someone who had lost her freedom to contracts before, it was far from a welcome offer.

“You think I’d let you escape Temperance’s leash just to bind you with another?”

I shrugged and responded to her sharp question.

“No, not at all. Especially after all you’ve been through with Temperance.”

“What do you know...?”

I gave her a small smile, echoing the words she’d once thrown at me.

Calmly, and with a venomous edge.

“Didn’t you ask me?”

“...”

“How many times must you die?”

Ssshhhh...

The massive emotions swelling in Elicia’s eyes morphed into a monstrous figure, as if to say, “The god you believe in is none other than me.”

“If you can’t trust me, then don’t. Pray to your god as you always have.”

“...”

“But.”

I shook the watch again, meeting Elicia’s gaze coldly.

“Isn’t it better to rely on me than a god who never answers?”

It was a cruel smile, sweeter than the one offered by any demon extending his hand.

“You said your son was dead.”

“...”

“You said your husband, who destroyed your family’s peace, died.”

“I’ve never told anyone... about myself. About my family. Not a single person...”

Her voice trembled as she stared at me. I simply shook my head and replied.

“How would I know?”

“...”

Grin.

Elicia’s hands trembled as a smile crept onto my face.

“You will die.”

“...”

“Abandoned by the Pope, forsaken by the Apostle, you will meet a miserable end.”

“...”

“You’ll watch your life flash before your eyes as you lay on the cold ground, failing your mission.”

Elicia’s gaze wavered violently. Her eyes, which could see emotions, told her that what I was saying was the truth.

“After abandoning your quest to save your son, you betrayed the order.”

“...Stop.”

“And all because of this watch, which rendered you helpless.”

“...”

“You prayed to your god, even though he never responded...”

“...”

“You know, don’t you? The god you serve never answers.”

I smiled at the quivering Elicia, hoping to shift the mood.

“That’s how it was in another time, in another story that no one knows about.”

“Blue...”

“It seems we understand each other well.”

I tossed the pocket watch into the air. It sailed ? NоvеⅠight ? (Read more on our source) gracefully through space and landed in Elicia’s hands.

“Take it.”

Her eyes still trembled.

“I don’t need it.”

“...”

“Trust, after all, is a two-way street. I have shown you my trust.”

“...”

“Now, it’s your turn.”

Elicia stared at the watch in her hand, speechless. She had prayed and prayed to her god, and while she had never blamed him for his silence, she was stunned that a mere man had done what no one else could.

Trust.

She could flee now if she wished. But the name of trust I’d thrown at her bound her to this place.

She saw things differently.

The colors of this terrifying man’s emotions were as brilliant as scars forged by countless hardships.

“I want only one thing.”

“...Ah...”

“Do not oppose me.”

“Ah...”

He appeared holy. Like a saint who had come to save her, asking nothing in return, she was moved by his presence.

“Oh...”

It was as if a demon had clouded her eyes.

“Lord.”

To her, he shone brilliantly.

“...?”

Elicia dropped to her knees.

Unconcerned by the dirt that would soil her white robe, she knelt on the ground, looking up at me.

“Apostle Elicia.”

With a hand to her heart, she spoke.

“I will follow you.”

“...”

“I will be your Apostle.”

“...”

“I will forsake the god who never answers.”

“Wait...”

“I will become an Apostle only for you.”

“I...”

“I am your Apostle.”