Page 368 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

The Western Sea's Three Powers

In the Western Sea, three factions held sway:

House Wolfgang, the current power brokers of the West.The Pirates, who preyed on trade ships.The House of Belian, the former rulers of the ★ ?????????????????? ★ West.

The West’s current prosperity was largely thanks to the House of Belian.

Their achievements included producing one of the Empire’s rare Sword Masters, opening trade routes despite Imperial opposition, and governing with a genuine care for the people. These were the legacies of the previous Duke, whose leadership shaped the thriving West.

But those glories faded when the Duke fell to the beast of the West.

The opportunistic Wolfgang family, who once flattered the Belian Dukes, began eroding their influence the moment the Duke perished. Slowly, the balance of power shifted to Wolfgang, leaving the Belian family in decline.

"Hmm..."

When I suggested involving the House of Belian, Darbav’s reaction was less than enthusiastic.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

While introducing another faction could be advantageous, adding a weakened, untested force might only prove to be a hindrance. Darbav’s point wasn’t wrong, but I had my reasons for insisting.

One of them was the treasure introduced in the side story: [The Fertility of the Dragon King].

This was one of the reasons I decided to embark on this Western expedition. It wasn’t just about subjugating the beast—I wanted a counterbalance to Wolfgang.

The Fertility of the Dragon King, a single-use item capable of defying death once, was a treasure even the Emperor coveted.

Walking lightly along the Western road, I stopped in front of a massive estate—one comparable to Desmund’s own mansion.

But I couldn’t help but sigh.

“...Wow.”

The state of disrepair was appalling.

The mansion was so poorly maintained it barely resembled a Duke’s estate. Windows were covered in cobwebs, and there wasn’t a single guard at the entrance.

It looked more like the home of a fallen noble than that of a Ducal family. I sighed again, shaking my head.

The current Duke’s circumstances were likely grim.

He’d been a boy when he lost his father, suddenly thrust into the position of patriarch. Despite his efforts to uphold the family name, the trials had proven insurmountable, leaving him broken.

“...This won’t be easy.”

The late Duke of Belian had a son.

He was just 13 when his father died and became the Duke at the same age. The hands that reached out to him likely harbored ill intentions. Betrayals would have taught him to close his heart.

I would have done the same.

Winning over the House of Belian was going to take significant effort. Restoring their honor seemed straightforward, but it wouldn’t go as smoothly as I hoped.

I knocked on the mansion’s main door and waited.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Is anyone home?”

I held a bag of bread I thought the Duke might like, determined to adhere to noble decorum.

Ten minutes passed.

“....”

Twenty minutes.

“....”

By the thirty-minute mark, my patience wore thin, and I decided to enter the mansion.

I could sense people inside.

“Excuse me.”

I walked through the overgrown garden, heading toward the source of the faint presence. I hadn’t come all this way with a gift just to leave without delivering it.

“Is it here?”

Spotting a relatively clean window, I peeked inside.

And—

“...What is this?”

I discovered the Duke’s suspicious hobby.

At the same time—

“Uh...?”

“Huh...?”

“Hello?”

“Uh...”

I also stumbled upon the Duke’s secret.

“KYAAAAAAA!!!”

Later, the Duke, now dressed in formal attire, approached with tea in hand.

His face was a mixture of anger and hostility.

I understood his reaction—showing up uninvited, entering without permission, and spying on a noble’s private space was tantamount to trespassing. Frankly, he had every right to report me to the guards.

Even as the guilty party, I had questions.

What was he making?

And... why was he a woman?

Why do these stories always have cross-dressing women? First, Mikhail turned out to be a woman despite being a male lead in the original story. And now, the Duke of Belian, originally depicted as male, was female.

Just as my irritation with this topsy-turvy novel was about to peak, the Duke frowned and spoke.

“Who are you?”

“Ah...”

“Are you a spy sent by Wolfgang?”

“I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am Ricardo, steward of the House of Desmund.”

“...A steward?”

The Duke let out a frustrated sigh.

“Now even stewards are visiting Dukes' estates?”

“...Ha-ha.”

“This mockery of Belian has gone too far. Trespassing, and even peeking into a noble’s private quarters...”

“I apologize. I have no excuses.”

“No, the greater fault lies with me for ignoring the knock.”

“Thank you for your mercy, Your Grace.”

“What you saw...”

“I saw nothing.”

The Duke seemed satisfied with my response and let out a small chuckle before throwing me another question.

“Did Desmund send you to gather information? To learn about the beast?”

The Duke’s softened tone prompted me to shake my head with a smile. I already knew about the beast’s appearance and weaknesses from the novel.

“No, Your Grace.”

“Then why are you here? Surely not just to admire my face.”

“Ha-ha-ha...!”

In the novel, the Duke of Belian reappeared when Mikhail began his revenge arc, joining forces with him to take down Wolfgang Rui, who had killed Mikhail’s mother.

I knew what kind of character the Duke was—cheerful yet distrustful, quick to judge but incredibly loyal to those who earned it.

“Speak plainly, steward of Desmund.”

In the novel, the Duke was always straightforward.

I had come with a proposition for this very reason. I knew she desired to restore her family’s glory and that my proposal would be irresistible.

Many called her incompetent, but no one had worked harder to rebuild a fallen house than she had.

Gathering my thoughts, I spoke.

“I’ve come to make you a proposal, Your Grace.”

“A proposal? Then the patriarch of Desmund should have come himself.”

“My apologies. I acted out of line by approaching you directly.”

The Duke’s eyes trembled. For a steward to make a proposal in place of their patriarch was an affront to the Belian family’s dignity.

It was an arrogant move, one that would have warranted immediate expulsion if not for my backing by Desmund.

Understanding her feelings, I chose my words carefully.

“I believe the greatest family in the West is the House of Belian.”

“...”

“It is thanks to Your Grace’s unseen efforts to protect the West that it remains strong today.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Not at all. I’ve come to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“Arrogant.”

“It’s an opportunity to restore the House of Belian to its rightful place as rulers of the West. Will you hear me out?”

The Duke bit her lip at my unwavering gaze but nodded, signaling her willingness to listen.

“Speak.”

“Thank you.”

“A proposal to save my house...”

“...”

“If it’s a lie, I’ll have your head.”

I nodded firmly in response.

“With pleasure.”

Morning broke.

The forces aiming for Desmund’s downfall and those seeking to reclaim past glory faced each other.

Wolfgang stared at the young Duke of Belian, trembling at her unexpected presence.

“Why is the Duke of Belian... here?”

“How could I miss the chance to fulfill my father’s legacy?”

“...”

“We are grateful for Wolfgang’s sacrifice.”

Wolfgang muttered bitterly to himself.

“Perhaps... wiping out the Duke’s family here wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

The two factions glared at one another.

Despite their supposed common goal of defeating the beast, their animosity was palpable.

On the right, Wolfgang and the Crown Prince.

On the left, Desmund and Belian.

Darbav smiled faintly.

“Shall we? Time to hunt the beast.”

The moment had come to end the beast’s centuries-long reign of terror in the West.