Page 347 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

The Academy Dormitory, shrouded in darkness.

—Wake up.

The voice that pulled Mikhail from his slumber was persistent. Rubbing his eyes, he let out a faint sigh, trying to shake off the early morning grogginess.

Through bleary eyes, he saw the clock's hands pointing to 4 a.m. Who in their right mind would wake him at this ungodly hour? But soon, Mikhail realized it wasn’t a person—it was something far more persistent, and he frowned in frustration.

"I drank last night..."

—Wake up...!

The voice continued to ring in his ears, relentless. Mikhail exhaled deeply, the weight of his body pressing him back into the mattress.

—Wake up!

"Haaah..."

—I said wake up!!

"Just five more minutes..."

Suddenly, a bright flash of light seared his eyes.

"Aaaargh!"

If he’d known the sword could glow on command, he would’ve covered it with something. Groaning, Mikhail shielded his eyes with his hands and reluctantly dragged his heavy body out of bed.

"Yaaawn."

As Mikhail trudged forward, bleary-eyed, he saw the Holy Sword leaning against the wall, humming contentedly, as though pleased with itself.

Staring down at the sword, Mikhail pouted. He tried to convey his annoyance, that it was unfair to wake someone up so early, but the Holy Sword paid no mind to his frustrated glare.

—How can you sleep with so much evil in the world?

"Why...?"

—You need to train if you're going to wield me! Work hard, become the strongest swordsman!

"I went to the after-party last night... I feel like I'm dying."

—A true swordsman overcomes even hangovers...! Get your mind straight and head to the training ground. Now, go!

"Haah..."

Yes, having the Holy Sword meant gaining immense power, but it also meant dealing with its endless nagging. Ricardo had once made a remark about this very thing.

"How about you give the sword to Ricardo instead...? I feel like it’s too much for me."

"Uhh... no, thanks."

"What?"

"I mean... please just accept it as a gift from me. I'll borrow it if I ever need it."

"But..."

"I don’t like Holy Swords."

It was only after some time had passed that Mikhail finally understood why Ricardo had been so keen to avoid the Holy Sword. Begrudgingly, Mikhail began gathering his clothes, preparing to head outside.

Wrapping his ample chest with bandages...

"Has it... gotten bigger?"

—That’s a monstrosity.

"I know..."

As he dressed in clothes suitable for working up a sweat, the Holy Sword continued its ceaseless chatter. It spoke of the past, of how it used to be, constantly comparing Mikhail’s present struggles to its own glory days.

—Back in my time, there was no such thing as sleep. There was no time for that. Every moment was spent honing my sword skills, getting the feel of the blade...

"Ugh..."

—Losing your edge means death for a swordsman. From that moment on, you stop progressing. You must never lose that feel...

Mikhail sighed, wishing next week would come sooner. Next week, he would train with Ricardo again, and the thought of what new techniques he might learn brought a faint smile to his lips. However, the Holy Sword wasn’t done.

—Oh, by the way, you should keep your distance from him.

"What?"

—The one who wields the Demonic Sword. Stay as far away from him as possible.

Stretching, Mikhail glared at the Holy Sword before responding in a casual tone.

"Be quiet."

—What did you say?

"Quiet down before I break you."

—...You insolent...!

With a smirk, Mikhail grasped the Holy Sword.

Even if he became famous at the academy, or if success awaited him after graduation, Mikhail's focus was always on one thing.

To help Ricardo.

He believed that atoning for the past was his current purpose.

As he arrived at the training ground, familiar faces came into view.

—Can’t you go easy on me?

—You’re whining like a child.

—I’m injured.

—You’re healed.

—Ugh...

Hystania Hanna, the academy’s senior instructor. And then...

—Just like the woman in my dreams...

Yuria, striking the wall with fists brimming with divine energy. Lastly...

—Huff... Huff...!

Luin, dripping with sweat as she worked on her ★ ?????????????????? ★ diet, dragging a weighted rope as she ran, panting and cursing.

—Damn it, this is so hard...

Mikhail watched them in awe, impressed by their dedication and effort.

The Holy Sword, noticing Mikhail’s stillness, spoke in a low voice.

—Pick me up.

"..."

—I’ll help you.

Mikhail closed his eyes as he drew the Holy Sword, determined not to fall behind the others.

And then...

"There you are!!!"

Schuen, rubbing his eyes, came running over, eager to take a swing with the Holy Sword himself.

At the same time...

"How was it?"

Seated at the desk, I faced Caliburn, speaking gently. After all, it was a butler’s duty to help new residents adjust to their environment.

Caliburn, still resonating with fatigue, let out a tired hum.

—It was exhausting. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. Oh, of course, I don’t have a body, but still...

"Puhaha... So it wasn’t entirely bad, huh?"

—...

After some hesitation, Caliburn responded in a shy voice.

—It was nice. It felt like I was with friends again. I hadn’t felt that way in a long time, not even when I was alive...

"That’s good to hear."

—Thank you.

Caliburn was a polite sword.

I had expected it to be similar to the Holy Sword in personality, but it wasn’t. If it had been too loud, I would have stashed it away in storage. But instead, Caliburn was quiet, considerate, and respectful of boundaries—qualities I found pleasantly surprising.

"Caliburn."

—Yes?

"There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you."

—Yes?

I had come across something peculiar while researching Caliburn.

Of course, it had been difficult to find information about her. Much time had passed, and it seemed that ancient civilizations had erased her from history. There was very little left to find.

Luckily, I had a reliable expert in that area who was able to pass along some key information.

—Are you asking about Caliburn, the progenitor of blood?

—Yes, do you have any information? I couldn’t find anything at the library.

—I happen to have some.

—Really?

—As a hobby, I study history. Fortunately, I think I can help you out. Just wait a moment while I summarize it into 30 pages...!

—No, no, just the basics will do. I just want to know what she did and who she was.

As I reviewed the materials Hans had provided, I found something interesting. Apparently, Caliburn...

"I heard you used to wield a sword."

...was not just any ordinary expert but had the title of Sword Emperor.

There’s a famous saying among swordsmen: “When you reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship, you can cut without blood staining the blade.”

In my previous life, I had seen this line in a drama. But here, in this world, it was something Caliburn had actually said.

Which meant...

"If it’s not too much trouble..."

—...

"Would you teach me your sword techniques?"

She must have been an exceptional swordswoman.

Caliburn remained silent at my request. It seemed this was not an easy question for her to answer. The atmosphere grew awkward as the sword stayed quiet.

"It’s not a demand. I’m just curious about your swordsmanship."

—...

"I’ve only ever learned the basics by myself, without a teacher, so I don’t know much else."

—My sword...

Caliburn cut me off, speaking in a low voice.

—My sword is one meant for killing.

"..."

—It’s a wicked, cursed blade. I never taught it to anyone else.

"..."

—Like you, I learned on my own. I created my own sword style alone.

That meant she was telling me to create my own techniques, just as she had. She wasn’t encouraging shortcuts or tricks.

Feeling a bit ashamed, I realized I had been caught hoping for an easy way out. I was embarrassed by my own laziness.

But then...

Caliburn said something I hadn’t expected.

—I could teach you, but I’m afraid my techniques might corrupt your swordsmanship.

"..."

—Of course, if you can keep up, the results might be different.

Her voice held confidence, a certainty that her swordsmanship wouldn’t negatively influence me. She spoke with an assurance that only came from deep trust in her abilities.

—It feels strange to say this about myself, but I was once a monster. And though you are already quite formidable yourself, I was an even bigger monster back then.

"Hahaha... Really?"

—Yes, it’s true.

Now, it was time to offer something in return. I wasn’t the type to take things for free.

"Well, let’s get to the main point then."

—Main point? Wasn’t this the main point?

I shook my head lightly and asked Caliburn a question.

"Caliburn."

—Yes?

"Do you..."

And then I offered her something she couldn’t refuse.

"...have any interest in resurrection?"