Page 330 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

An elf.

A race rumored to have interacted freely with humans in ancient times.

They excel at nurturing plants, and they possess innate talent in archery and magic, with abilities that far exceed human capabilities.

Their beauty is stunning, and they are blessed with a lifespan that stretches over a thousand years. And now, one of them stood right before Malik.

"An elf...?"

Malik saw the pointed ears of the woman who had approached without a sound and murmured to himself, unable to hide his astonishment.

"Why would an elf be here..."

Elves were almost mythical.

They lived in secluded communities centered around the World Tree, and for the longest time, the only place one could "see" them was in ancient texts. They were so elusive that anyone claiming to have seen an elf was often dismissed as a braggart. No one had ever brought back concrete evidence, making them a creature of fairy tales.

Malik’s eyes trembled as he stared at this being who had only existed in mural paintings. The soldiers behind him, too, could only gape at the pointed ears peeking from beneath her robe.

—It’s an elf... —What is an elf doing here? —Could she be a guardian of the Holy Sword...?

As they all fell into a state of shock, a chilling energy brushed their shoulders, sending shivers through them.

"Ha... βρ?μικοι ???????. (Filthy humans.)"

As the unfamiliar, ancient language filled the air, question marks seemed to float above everyone’s heads.

The elf, draped in a heavy robe, began to speak in a hauntingly cold tone.

"Σχ?σε και πλ?γωσ?. (Tear and rend.)"

—Saaaa...

"End’s Falling Star."

A massive shadow loomed above them. A colossal, sinister mass blocked out the setting sun, casting an ominous darkness.

—What...! —What the hell is that?! —Why is this happening all of a sudden...!!!

They looked up, watching the falling star with terror, like nestlings faced with a predator.

The only way to escape the shadow enveloping the sky was to flee.

—Rumble!

Countering or breaking apart that mass was beyond human ability. All they could do was run.

As if witnessing divine wrath, Malik spoke with a trembling voice.

“We’re under attack...”

—Director!!! —Everyone, pull yourselves together! Maintain formation! —We have to... We have to run!

As the chaos echoed around him, Malik shouted again.

“Scatter...!”

Malik raised his voice even louder.

“Everyone, scatter!!!”

The booming command snapped them out of their panic, and they began to flee to blind spots, clenching their teeth as they ran.

The students, with no battle experience, ran without looking back to preserve their lives. The seasoned fighters, aware of the scale of the threat, carefully distanced themselves.

Breaking formation would leave them vulnerable to the enemy’s whims.

They knew the true horror of large-scale magic wasn’t merely in its devastation but in the hunters that lurked in its aftermath. The soldiers, despite their shaking formation, began to pull away swiftly.

—Tatatatatata!

Footsteps echoed.

Malik heard the sound of countless feet rushing toward him from where they had been hiding.

‘Ten...?’

—Tatattatattatatatatatatatatat!

‘No... too many to count.’

He quickly realized he couldn’t tally their numbers as they dashed toward him. Snapping back to his senses, Malik began to run. In this battlefield, he was a key pillar of strength.

Malik observed the fleeing figures, his mind racing.

‘That guy mentioned five bishops in total.’

So then, the strong auras would be...

Two heading toward Yuria and Mikhail. One near Ruin. And two toward Hannah.

Setting his priorities, Malik moved to turn toward Hannah’s direction, but...

"Μην κινε?σαι. (Don’t move.)"

At the chilling voice, his body froze.

“...Elf.”

The elf stood on a hill, her gaze fixed solely on him. Her green eyes, full of fury, told him that leaving her sight would mean his death.

It was as if she demanded he stand there and face the falling stones from above.

“I need to get to Hannah...”

—Rumble.

‘Even for Hannah, two bishops would be too much. But...!’

Malik closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

‘So you’re not planning to let me go peacefully.’

Malik addressed the elf.

“So, you’re my opponent.”

Facing an overwhelming difference in skill, Malik tightened his grip on his sword and pushed off the ground.

“This is exhilarating.”

He whispered a silent wish for Hannah’s safety.

“If I win, I’ll send you to work the mandrake fields. Six days a week, nonstop.”

Aura began to surge through Malik’s sword.

Just as /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ Malik’s blade was about to reach the elf’s neck...

—Crash!!!!

The falling mass shattered the ground.

Cracks spread across the earth, and people were thrown off balance, casualties tumbling down the mountainside from the impact.

And the one facing the greatest challenge among them was...

“Brother...!”

Hystania Hannah.

The heat radiating from the mana-infused orb began melting the snow on the mountain.

The ground sizzled as flames erupted, obscuring her vision with steam.

“...Damn.”

The formation had long since scattered. All she could see through the steam were the silhouettes of the fallen and the sound of their labored groans.

An ambush. A devastating ambush beyond anything she could have imagined. The contingency plan they’d prepared was rendered meaningless.

—Aagh! My arm...! My arm’s gone! —Get it together! Pick up your swords, you idiots! —There’s an enemy ahead!!!

Hannah clenched her fists as she looked at the empty space where her brother had been.

She was facing an opponent she couldn’t handle alone.

Even from a glance, she could tell. It was like standing before an insurmountable wall. The sheer presence of this woman, whose aura reminded her of the fury her father had unleashed upon their butler, was overwhelming.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Hannah took a deep breath and raised her trembling sword.

“I have to help...!”

—Step.

“...!”

Hannah stopped mid-stride. Amid the cacophony of footsteps, she heard some drawing nearer.

‘...Strong.’

A powerful opponent stood before her.

Not just one, but two.

She swung her aura-infused blade toward the silhouettes in the mist.

—Swish.

Nothing.

Though a shadow had been right there, all she’d sliced through was steam—no blood, no trace.

“...”

Grinding her teeth, Hannah prepared to pierce the mist when—

—Swoosh!

An alarm sounded in her mind, like a ringing bell, telling her to move or face death.

She quickly turned, and where her heart had just been, the tip of a massive spear was now pointed.

“...!”

As she instinctively backed away, a cold voice echoed near her ear.

“Good instincts.”

“...” “If you had turned even a second later, it would’ve been over.”

“Who are you...?”

“You don’t need to know. You’ll be dead soon, so why bother?”

As the voice finished, the spear that had been aimed at her side began to glow with mana.

Meanwhile, from the other side of the mist, another figure moved to grab her head.

There were two.

“Really...?”

Two strong opponents, similar to the Archbishops she had encountered at the ballroom. Back then, she’d had her butler by her side, but now, it was a different story.

‘I can’t handle them both alone...!’

Hannah clicked her tongue, gathering her aura.

‘If only I had someone to draw their attention...!’

This battle felt suffocating. One small mistake, and she could lose her head. It might have been the most nerve-wracking battle she’d ever faced.

Like she was standing before an elite orc in a vision, her body was tense, her lips dry from anticipation.

—Sizzle!

The sense of impending doom grew stronger.

But then...

—Boom!!!

A cascade of red lightning fell from the sky, filling her with hope. A faint smile appeared on Hannah’s lips.

“Well, I’m not losing this fight.”

She wanted to look impressive.

For that person. And to lighten their burden.

Yuria and Mikhail stopped in their tracks as they came face to face with a man in a white robe.

The man wielded a massive greatsword and radiated a thick, pungent scent of blood as he blocked their path, planting his sword into the ground.

“It’s been a while.”

“...” “Don’t remember me?”

“Who are you...?”

“Hmm... I thought I’d left an unforgettable impression.”

Mikhail drew his sword, and Yuria clenched her fist, charging it with holy power.

The man chuckled, glancing between them.

“There’s no need to be so tense.”

“...”

“I didn’t come here as your enemy today.”

Mikhail addressed Yuria, his tone calm despite the tension.

“Yuria, leave this to me. Go get help.”

“No. I’m fighting too.”

The man shook his head.

“It’s nice to see your friendship, but going that way would be unwise.”

With a flick, he pulled his greatsword from the ground and spoke in a chilling tone.

“There’s an army of ants.”

—Aaaagh!!!

Before his words could settle, a chorus of screams erupted from every direction.

Soldiers’ cries. Students’ wails. The cacophony of countless voices rang out in chaotic harmony.

The man removed his hood as he spoke.

“Go help the others.”

Black hair. A fierce gaze.

A very long time ago. He was the monster Mikhail had faced when he first encountered the cult. He was smiling now, facing them.

Different from before, he seemed at ease.

[Valak Lv. 91] Occupation: Archbishop of Despair.

“I have a betrayal to commit.”

And he greeted them.