Page 393 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Shartia’s gaze as she looked at me felt... off.

“...?”

She couldn’t meet my eyes, as if she’d committed some great sin. It was the kind of look someone gives when they have countless questions but can’t bring themselves to voice even one.

‘...Is she looking for the restroom?’

That was the first thought that came to mind as I observed the unusually anxious look in Shartia’s eyes—so unlike the confident demeanor she always carried.

‘...This is bad.’

Of course, there was no way I could pin such an embarrassing assumption on a lady. With an awkward smile, I decided to speak to her first.

“...Lady Shartia?”

“...”

“Knock, knock?”

Unfortunately, there was no response.

If it was the restroom, it was down the right corridor of the shop. I wanted to let her know, but since there were people around, I decided to wait for a better moment to lead her there discreetly.

“Hm? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

But before I could do so, Shuen barged in, her cursed mouth matching that of the lady herself.

“In times like this, a good smack on the head should do the trick!”

“What are you doing?!”

“This is for world peace! Super Shuen to the rescue...!”

To make matters worse, Shuen’s sudden and chaotic intervention prompted Shartia, who had been silent until now, to let out a deep sigh and murmur something incoherent.

“...No.”

“What?”

“There’s no way... I’d abandon you.”

“...?”

I blinked at her strange statement, a massive question mark practically hovering above my head.

I hadn’t expected such bizarre words instead of a simple request for directions to the restroom.

Still, the serious look on Shartia’s face kept me from questioning her further. She already seemed troubled enough; I didn’t want to make it worse.

Smiling faintly, I patted the seat beside me.

“Would you like to sit down? There’s an empty chair here, after all.”

“I, the great Shuen-gel, have not approved such an arrangement!”

“And why would the Student Council President need your permission?”

“Because I, Super Shuen, am the strongest person in the academy, of course! No one dares move without my—ow! Why are you hitting me?!”

“Because idiots only learn through pain.”

“Summon... Holy Sword...!”

“Yeah, like that’s going to work.”

“Argh! Super Shuen has reverted back to plain Shuen!”

Watching their back-and-forth banter, I noticed Shartia’s uneasy expression seemed to deepen.

So I asked again, this time more gently.

“Lady Shartia.”

“W-what?”

“Would you like to sit down?”

“....”

“You look very tired.”

“....”

“It hasn’t even been three days since I told you not to overwork yourself.”

“I’m fine. I’ve rested enough.”

What a foolish person.

So stubborn, no matter how much I tried to reason with her.

If Shartia’s health faltered, there was no way I could enjoy my dream of a blissful, carefree life.

“If you keep this up, I might have to take drastic measures.”

“....”

“Like... kidnapping you.”

At the mention of “kidnapping,” both Hannah and Shuen, who had been squabbling earlier, suddenly turned toward me with their eyes sparkling.

“Kidnap me too!”

“Me as well!”

“Super Shuen—currently at peak popularity and irresistibly charming—now’s your chance! Peasant! My three sizes are—”

“Shut up...! Butler! I may not be number one, but my name carries weight too!”

I couldn’t help but let out an awkward smile.

“What passion for learning.”

Their desire to grow stronger was... admirable.

“Well, you’ll have more than enough chances during this summer break.”

“What?”

“You’ll see.”

Grinning mercilessly, I grabbed Shartia’s hand and guided her to the table. Judging by her pale complexion, she looked like she’d gone through hell.

“How about a hot chocolate latte?”

“I’ll take coffee...”

“Coffee’s bad for your health, so that’s a no.”

“...Ugh.”

“If there are no objections, then we’re going with a sweet chocolate latte.”

As I walked away, I could feel Shartia’s gaze boring into my back—so heavy it almost felt like a weight pressing down on me.

“I’ll be back shortly.”

Left behind, Shartia watched the two continue to bicker as she hesitated before speaking.

“...Aren’t you two supposed to be in class right now? I heard the professor posted an announcement about night practice.”

“Heh!”

“Haha...”

With all the chaos swirling around her, Shartia couldn’t help but let out a sigh at the flashy antics of the academy’s troublemakers.

The top student was skipping class, and the swordsmanship department’s ace was ditching practice.

All because of one man.

—“One large, sweet chocolate latte, please. With extra whipped cream on top.”

Because of that man.

“...What’s wrong with you?”

Shuen, who had been watching Shartia intently, downed the rest of her coffee in one gulp and blurted out her thoughts without hesitation.

“Judging by your expression, it looks like something’s bothering you.”

“....”

“As expected of Super Shuen! Perfect on the outside and inside—I can handle the Student Council President’s worries with ease!”

“...Haa.”

“Come on! Tell me what’s bothering you before that commoner gets back!”

“....”

“Quickly!”

Shartia shook her head at Shuen’s insistence.

This wasn’t something she could share with others.

“...”

I wanted to ask something else—something other than pondering the true nature of the Blue Screen.

After all, if the daughter of the Tetra family, who dabbled in philosophy, was involved, she might offer an answer rooted in ideals.

“Hey, Shuen.”

—Nod. Nod.

“Imagine you’re the emperor, and you have a single, highly capable retainer at your side.”

“I, Super Shuen, would never rebel! I have no desire for power! And I certainly don’t want my head chopped off!”

“...Just listen.”

“Continue!”

“This retainer—who always brings victory on the battlefield—has a single request. But what if that request turned out to be based on a lie I made up? What would you do?”

Without even a moment’s hesitation, Shuen answered.

“I’d kill them.”

“...What?”

“An overly capable subordinate can be a threat to their ruler.”

That wasn’t the kind of answer I expected from someone from the philosophically inclined Tetra family.

Philosophy wasn’t necessarily about compassion or altruism, but it still carried a degree of humanity. So hearing such a blunt, unfiltered response from Shuen left Shartia somewhat flustered.

“They could turn on me, couldn’t they? After putting in all that effort, if they found out it was all a lie, wouldn’t they be the first to raise their sword against the emperor?”

“....”

“If it were me, that’s what I’d do. Though, of course, I’d also try to grant whatever reward the retainer asked for.”

“...What if that wasn’t possible?”

“Then you shouldn’t have lied in the first place.”

“But without the lie, that person would never have been swayed.”

“Then give up.”

—Crack.

Shartia’s voice wavered, emotions bubbling to the surface as she began to speak.

“If it had to be that person, if there was no other choice...”

But before she could continue, I interrupted.

“I think differently.”

I had returned with a steaming cup of hot chocolate latte and decided to join the conversation.

I hadn’t planned to step in, but their discussion seemed too interesting to ignore.

Caught off guard by my sudden interjection, Shartia’s eyes widened as she stared at me.

“Differently?”

“Yes.”

“How so?”

I offered a small smile before answering.

“If I were the retainer you described, I think I’d let it slide.”

“But it was a lie. That person followed [N O V E L I G H T] the emperor solely because of that promise—and it turned out to be false.”

“Yes.”

“The entire thing started with deceit. The emperor, desperate for someone capable, lured them in with an impossible lie—and you’re saying they’d just let it go?”

Shartia’s serious tone only fueled my enthusiasm.

I’d always enjoyed conversations like these—ones that weren’t about the future or politics, but were instead rooted in hypothetical musings.

I was intrigued.

It reminded me of those old drinking sessions where we’d debate pointless topics with complete sincerity.

So I dropped the playful tone and replied as though I truly were the “retainer” in question.

“Do you think they wouldn’t have known?”

“...What?”

“You said the promise was impossible, right? No matter what it was, if it couldn’t be achieved even with an emperor’s power, then the retainer didn’t follow the promise—they followed the emperor.”

“I don’t get it...”

“It’s simple.”

Seeing that Shartia was genuinely trying to follow my logic, I nodded and continued slowly.

“The retainer wasn’t after the reward. They were following the emperor themselves.”

“....”

“If I were that retainer, that’s what I’d do.”

“You would?”

“Yes. And...”

Placing the hot chocolate latte in front of her, I smiled mischievously.

“If they were pretty, I think I’d forgive them.”

It was chaotic.

Hearing those words come out of my own mouth only made things more confusing.

Ricardo, in the vision I saw, had clearly been fooled by my lie. At the time, he must have clung to my offer like a drowning man reaching for a rope.

I would have done the same.

If I had lost someone precious, I would’ve held onto even a lie.

“....”

Sitting in my dimly lit office, I shut my eyes tightly and pressed my sleeve against them.

“How foolish...”

Ricardo’s words felt childish.

Pretty?

What the hell was that idiot saying?

And yet...

It made me happy.

But...

If it were me...

“I’d have acted like Shuen.”

I was certain my actions would have been different from Ricardo’s.

I would’ve either repeated the lies to keep him close—or killed him.

The self I saw in that vision didn’t feel like “me.”

I couldn’t define the emotions I had felt in that moment.

But...

“....”

The Ricardo I saw in the vision had died.

And I knew that his death was because of me.

There was no denying it now.

To keep resisting after seeing this much would be even more foolish.

—Would you like to view the next vision?

The story titled “A Tale No One Knows” was...

“Sigh.”

It was me—who I am now.

I had to make a decision.

I couldn’t keep running forever.

Shartia clenched her eyes shut and opened her mouth.

“...I’ll view it. No—”

This time, I would see it through to the end.

“Show me the Tyrant’s story.”