Page 339 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Shuen.

“Did you say a haunted house appears in the Andes mountains at night?”

“Haha, yes. But what are you doing here?”

“Camping!”

“...?”

“What’s the best way to climb the Andes mountains?”

“Well... if you want to avoid monsters, it’ll take at least two days. If you go around, it’s relatively safer.”

“Hmm. Thank you, commoner.”

Thanks to choosing the safer route over a shortcut, Shuen had managed to avoid running into cultists, though the journey was still difficult.

“Huuff... Huff...!”

He climbed the snowy northern mountains all alone.

“Wh-who are you?!”

Along the way, he had encountered a frost goblin and fled, not because he was afraid, of course—nobles didn’t waste their magic on such lowly creatures. It certainly wasn’t fear that made him run.

"...Ugh."

Shuen’s goal was simple.

“The Holy Sword is my dowry!”

The Holy Sword.

Shuen ran toward Mikhail and me, smiling brightly.

“Nice to meet you! Oh wait, commoner!”

“Nice to meet you too, Shuen.”

“I'm glad to see you both, but what are you doing here?”

Shuen looked at the sweat-soaked Mikhail and me, confusion written all over his face. He didn’t understand what we were doing with the Holy Sword right in front of us.

“Did you leave it for me?”

“Not exactly.”

“Hmmm... then I know what this is.”

Shuen nodded and reached for the Holy Sword.

I was startled as I watched Shuen grab the sword. He wasn’t mentioned in the novel as someone qualified to wield it, and I feared something dangerous might happen if he touched it without being worthy...

Boop!

"...?"

“Heh.”

“What did you do?”

“I used my strength.”

Without hesitation, Shuen drew the Holy Sword with ease, flashing an innocent smile. He seemed confused as to why Mikhail and I had struggled with it so much.

I stared at Shuen.

What... was going on in his head? Only someone pure could pull the sword, right? In extreme terms, someone with a mind as pure as... well, you get the idea.

“What’s with that look? Are you mocking a noble?”

“You’re just amazing.”

“Oh? Really?”

Shuen smiled brightly.

“As expected of a commoner, you know how to treat a noble properly. I’ll make sure the Tetra family hears of this.”

“...What?”

“Ahem!”

Shuen awkwardly changed the subject, perhaps realizing this wasn’t the time to talk about that.

“So, commoner, who does the Holy Sword belong to now?”

"..."

“I’m the one who pulled it out, but you and the other commoner were holding it too.”

"..."

Mikhail, who had now been demoted to “commoner,” wiped the sweat from his brow and started to recover.

“Haah... Haah...”

“You’ve come to your senses.”

“The Holy Sword...! What happened to it?”

“Look at your hand, Mikhail.”

The Holy Sword was now in Mikhail’s hand, its hilt marked with a symbol of ownership.

Mikhail let out a sigh of relief and bowed his head.

“I’m so glad.”

"..."

“Really... I thought I had made a mistake and failed.”

“No, not at all.”

I bowed my head toward Mikhail, taking responsibility. To be honest, it was partly my fault things had turned out this way.

“I should have accounted for the variables. It was my mistake.”

“No, it wasn’t. But...”

Flaaash.

“Why is Shuen here?”

Mikhail’s curiosity about the Holy Sword was quickly overshadowed by the sight of Shuen, who was intently staring at it. Despite the relief of pulling out the sword, Mikhail couldn’t help but feel confused.

Shuen nodded enthusiastically at Mikhail’s question and replied.

“I’m here for my dowry—uh, no, to study for the cultural festival!”

"...?"

“You see, the proud Tetra family loves history and culture.”

Mikhail awkwardly smiled and nodded. It was easier to accept than to question.

“I see...”

Mikhail decided to leave the understanding to Shuen.

Once Mikhail had calmed down, I cautiously asked if I could try holding the Holy Sword.

Like Shuen had said, I had my own theory. Since three of us had touched the sword, I wondered if perhaps I, too, could use its power now.

“Excuse me, Mikhail.”

“Yes?”

“I know this might sound strange, but... could I try holding the sword as well? Since Shuen held it too.”

In the novel, anyone other than Mikhail who tried to hold the Holy Sword found it to be just an ordinary blade. Only Mikhail could access its true power.

However, I was curious to see what would happen, since I had been one of the ones to draw it.

“Here.”

I reached out to take the sword Mikhail handed me. I wondered if perhaps the sword’s ownership had somehow shifted.

“What did it feel like when you pulled it out?”

“Well... it felt like the world lit up. Even now, I feel incredibly strong, like I can do anything.”

“It sounds like the Holy Sword’s blessing.”

“Does it?”

“Yes.”

“It’s hard to believe.”

“Haha, that’s normal... Well, here goes.”

Grip.

[Holy Sword ownership confirmed.]

"...Huh?"

“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me...”

“No, it’s just...”

['Blessing of the Holy Sword' applied, along with over 80 other blessings.] [Magic power increases dramatically.] [Strength increases dramatically.] [Regeneration increases dramatically.] [All attacks are imbued with 'Holy' attributes.] · · ·

Trying to hide my surprise, I handed the sword over to Shuen. It would be quicker to show him than to explain.

“Huh?”

Nod.

“Heh...!”

As soon as Shuen gripped the Holy Sword...

“Hiyaaah! I feel so powerful!!!”

He began swinging the sword wildly, laughing with pure joy, before resting it on his shoulder with a bright smile.

“I, Shuen, am now a hero! I’ll give up magic and fulfill my destiny to save the world...!”

I turned to Mikhail and asked him.

“Mikhail.”

“Yes...?”

“When I grabbed the sword, did you feel the blessing disappear? That sense of strength, like you could do anything?”

Mikhail shook his head.

“No, it’s still there.”

I see.

“This is strange.”

“What is?”

Hahahah! I’m Shuenjel now! Angel Shuen!

I chuckled softly and turned to Mikhail.

“The ownership of the Holy Sword has now spread to three people.”

“Then... I...”

“No. It seems the core blessing still belongs to you, but Shuen and I can also use the sword’s power when we hold it.”

“Wait, what?”

“Simply put, Mikhail, you don’t have to be holding the sword to use its power. Meanwhile, Shuen and I can only use its power when we’re physically holding it.”

“Oh... That’s good, right?”

“Haha... yes. I don’t really understand this situation either, but I suppose it is a good thing.”

I wasn’t sure either.

This wasn’t something that had appeared in the novel. Due to Shuen’s unexpected involvement, I had ended up being able to use the Holy Sword as well. I let out a small laugh as I took the sword back from Shuen.

“Heehee! I’m Shuenjel... Huh?”

“Shuen, how about returning the sword to its rightful owner?”

“...Huh? I’m not the owner?”

“Unfortunately, it’s joint ownership.”

“What?!”

Shuen narrowed his eyes at Mikhail and raised his hand as if to make a declaration.

“Commoner—no, Mikhail.”

“Huh...?”

“I’m giving my ownership rights to the red-haired commoner. So from now on, know that they are the true owner.”

“Ah...”

“By majority rule, the owner is the red-haired commoner. If you want to use it, get their permission.”

“...Okay.”

Mikhail looked at me, bewildered, but I could only shrug and let out a helpless laugh.

I smiled at Shuen and bowed slightly, feeling grateful for his help.

“Thank you, Shuen.”

Thump!

“Don’t misunderstand! This isn’t part of my dowry, so don’t expect anything more, commoner!”

“...?”

“Anyway!!! Don’t be so grateful for something like this!”

“Haha... understood.”

In the end, the Holy Sword belonged to Mikhail. Even if I could wield it, it didn’t feel as significant to me.

To be honest, the sword wasn’t what mattered most to me.

Crack!

It was the fact that my body had been freed from dark magic. Ever since my energy channels had been unblocked, the flow of my magic had changed.

I felt stronger.

Like my whole body was bursting with energy.

Even my aura flowed more smoothly, as if I had undergone some kind of “rebirth” like in martial arts stories.

Clench.

I felt overflowing with power.

That’s why it made sense for Mikhail to keep the sword.

I bowed to Shuen once again. Without her, not only would I have failed to retrieve the sword, but I might have lost my life as well.

Shuen wandered around the space where the Holy Sword had been resting, a curious expression on her face.

“By the way.”

“Yes?”

“Why was it built like this?”

“Sorry?”

“This wall.”

Shuen tapped the wall with her finger, speaking in a puzzled voice.

“It’s made of Shadowstone.”

“What?”

She tapped the wall again.

“It’s already contaminated and useless, but why would they use Shadowstone in a place meant to store a holy artifact? It doesn’t make sense. If it were me, I’d have used gold or quartz.”

"..."

“Shadowstone absorbs dark energy, and the only way to purify it is for priests to pray over it for 24 hours straight.”

"...Uh, Shuen?"

I smiled awkwardly as I glanced at the floor.

"That sounds like a... flag."

“A flag?”

“Yes.”

“What’s that?”

I ? Nоvеl?g?t ? (Official version) wiped the sweat from my brow as I stared at the ground. Then...

“Something’s about to happen—”

Craaaaaaack!!!

A massive chasm opened beneath where the Holy Sword had once rested, and I sighed.

“Like this.”

Beneath the spot where we had drawn the sword, something appeared.

“...A sword.”

A sword brimming with dark energy and powerful resentment—a cursed blade.

Hissss.

“Eek!”

"...!"

“Ah... great.”

It was right there.

Vrooooom.

Tyrfing trembled, as if it had just encountered something of immense power.