The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 255

I can feel Mikhail’s trembling through my fingertips.

The faint tremor of Mikhail, sensed between our clasped hands, vibrates and shifts within my palms.

“You’re moving according to my hand.”

Mikhail’s stiff movements slowly trace a horizontal line, following my guidance.

-Hoo.

Clear and precise.

While my method may not be perfect, at this moment, I engraved the martial technique Mikhail displayed in the novel exactly as it was.

One stroke to disconcert the Archbishop.

A martial technique that made the wind dance with the smallest motion.

Glancing at Mikhail, who was following my lead well, I offered praise. I had expected him to act with a strong will of his own, but he had followed along obediently.

“Good.”

I couldn’t help but commend him.

“Loosen your shoulders more. It’s not about striking down with force but feeling the rhythm…”

Where had his fussy demeanor gone? The wary Mikhail, who once kept his guard up against me, now showed an unexpectedly compliant side. Perhaps it was because of the mask of Misa, but his movements had become much smoother and easier to teach than before.

If I had to point out one flaw—

-Tremble.

It was his inability to focus.

-Tightly…

The more my hand touched him, the more tightly Mikhail shut his eyes, unable to concentrate on the sword. Each time my fingers brushed his wrist, his shoulders flinched, and when I corrected his posture with a firmer touch, his grip weakened as if he might drop the sword at any moment.

Yes, Mikhail was trembling like a young lady guarding her bowl of rice from a gomtangi dog.

“Hey.”

“…”

“Miss Misa.”

Mikhail exhaled slightly hurried breaths, seemingly unable to hear me. Like someone who had gone deaf, he kept releasing shaky breaths, repeatedly gripping and releasing the sword.

I let go of Mikhail’s hand for a moment.

It seemed… no, she seemed to be overexerting herself. Considering we weren’t particularly close, I thought I might have been too hasty. So, I carefully released Mikhail’s hand and took a deep breath to calm myself.

“Shall we stop here for today?”

“What?”

“Right now, you’re not listening to a word I’m saying.”

“…Ah.”

Mikhail looked down at his trembling hands and let out a sigh. I didn’t know what was making him so anxious, but seeing his hands shake like aspen leaves, I couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.

“Let’s call it a day.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. It happens to everyone.”

“But still…”

I carefully sat under the shade of a tree and called Mikhail over. I suggested we take a break. Even though we had stopped midway, we had been swinging the sword for two hours straight without rest. I thought I had done a decent job instructing him. Normally, anyone receiving two hours of guidance from a Sword Master would be utterly exhausted.

‘Come to think of it, I’m quite a valuable asset.’

To think Mikhail could work a Sword Master for free—his network truly amazed me.

In any case, considering how much harder this was than my usual academy routine, it made sense that he was worn out.

I didn’t know what was causing Mikhail to tremble, but I suspected it was a mental issue.

I thought it might be a good opportunity to have a conversation. It wasn’t often that I had the chance to talk to Mikhail one-on-one. Even though he was wearing the mask of Misa, if I could hear out his concerns, I thought it would be worthwhile—for the sake of a friend’s troubles and for the better future of the possessor.

I spread out the handkerchief from my chest pocket on the ground and patted the spot.

“Miss Misa.”

“I should practice more…”

“Sit down.”

“I’m fine. I can keep practicing.”

“Your tone is so formal. Last time, you sounded like you were about to call me ‘Hey, you.'”

“Sorry…”

“Shh! Come here and sit down. Sometimes, rest is the best training.”

“…”

Mikhail reluctantly sat beside me. He tidied his academy uniform neatly as he sat, leaving a slight distance between us.

‘It’s still awkward, I see.’

I didn’t expect our relationship to improve overnight. There were deep emotional wounds and many unresolved issues.

Mikhail disliked me.

And I disliked Mikhail.

With a small laugh, I tilted my head back to look at the vibrant green trees. Just looking at them brought a refreshing smile to my face.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

While gazing at the greenery, I asked Mikhail. Though it seemed aged, Hamel’s pride lay in the Villainess’s House and its dazzling natural scenery. Oh, and the Friends of the Forest too.

With a faint chuckle, I shared a small boast about Hamel with Mikhail.

“Hamel may be a backwater, but the air here is amazing. There are valleys, mountains, and a cool breeze. Oh, but it does get cold in winter.”

“…”

“Living in the countryside isn’t all bad. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but now…”

Mikhail clenched his fist and cautiously asked.

“Why… do you live in Hamel?”

“What?”

“You used to live in the capital city, didn’t you? In a very nice estate.”

“Ah…”

With a small laugh, I plucked a flower and answered Mikhail’s question. It was a difficult question, and I needed something to occupy my restless hands.

“I was exiled.”

“…”

“Someone I served made a small mistake, and we were cast out. Well, it wasn’t exactly a small mistake. It must have been shocking for the person involved.”

“…”

Mikhail clenched his fist.

I couldn’t decipher the meaning behind that clenched fist. Was it anger, or was it disdain for my shamelessness? I couldn’t tell.

Still—

“I don’t hold any grudges. There’s nothing to resent, really. We were at fault, and I think it’s fortunate that it ended at this level. Miss Misa, you’ve heard about what we did wrong, haven’t you?”

“…”

“Honestly, even if Mikhail himself were angrier, I wouldn’t have anything to say.”

“…Everything.”

Mikhail lowered his head and spoke.

“Wasn’t it all because of Mikhail?”

I hadn’t expected him to say that.

Faced with such a sharp question, I pressed my lips together and fell into thought.

I couldn’t tell if he was trying to lower my favorability in his eyes or if he was simply curious. No matter how I answered, I felt like I was stepping on a landmine.

‘How cowardly.’

While he hid behind the mask of Misa to gather information, I wasn’t doing the same. After wetting my lips, I gave a sheepish smile.

“I suppose so.”

“…”

“I can’t deny it. It happened because my companion was too exceptional.”

“Then do you dislike him?”

“Ah… I’ve always disliked him. He was too perfect; I couldn’t stand it.”

Mikhail’s expression turned pale and rigid, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.

Though his stubbornness was off-putting, he hadn’t done anything truly wrong. With a playful smile, I replied.

“Still, I feel sorry. That friend went through a lot because of us. Especially because of me.”

“…”

“Ah, if there’s one thing that bothered me, it would be that.”

With a bitter smile, I plucked at the petals of the Edelweiss flower in my hand, one by one.

“He hated us too much.”

“…”

“I thought I was trying my best… but once someone gets under your skin, it’s hard to shake them off.”

“Is it because of resentment…?”

“I understand, but I suppose it’s because I’m not exactly the most trustworthy person. Even when I look at myself sometimes, I think I seem untrustworthy, so I can’t deny it…”

Still.

“It’s a bit disappointing.”

Mikhail lowered his head even further. Perhaps it was because he had been insulted to his face, but he kept his head bowed for quite some time before finally speaking to me with a trembling breath.

“How did it happen…”

“Pardon?”

“How did you end up serving Olivia?”

“Ah… the Young Lady?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you asking that?”

“She’s a Villainess. From a young age, she was surrounded by bad rumors, and she really was like that. I heard from the seniors. They said Olivia was truly like a demon.”

I nodded with a small smile. Because it was true.

“That’s right. She’s a temperamental Villainess who breaks things when they don’t go her way and acts on emotions rather than reason.”

“Then why are you still staying with her, knowing all that?”

I smiled faintly and told Mikhail my honest feelings.

“Because I have nowhere else to return to.”

“What…?”

“It’s because there’s no other place for me to go back to.”

“…”

“Even if the rumors are bad, the only place where I can truly rest comfortably, the only person who understands me best, is the Young Lady. That’s why I can’t leave.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Who knows.”

I dodged Mikhail’s question with a small smile.

“I don’t really know either.”

“As Miss Misa said, she’s been different from the start, so I don’t know what it is that I like so much about her. Really.”

I let out a hollow laugh and shook my head. Even so, the smile on my lips didn’t fade. Because I truly did like her.

“I really don’t know.”

Mikhail pressed his lips together tightly. Contrary to his assumption that there must have been some compelling reason, he was surprised to learn that I had chosen this path myself. Thinking of the boy from his memories in a different light, Mikhail lowered his head.

I gave Mikhail a reason he could somewhat understand. Since I had criticized the Young Lady so much, I thought I should also say something good about her.

“Still, she’s my savior. The Young Lady, that is.”

“Your savior?”

“Yes, I almost died when I was young. It’s a bit awkward to say it myself, but something big happened.”

I pointed to my stomach with my finger and gave a bitter smile.

“It hurt.”

Mikhail remained silent.

I gave an awkward laugh and dusted myself off as I stood up. I needed to lift the gloomy atmosphere.

Since talking about such dark topics might make us both feel down, I rubbed my hungry stomach and asked Mikhail a question to change the mood.

“Hey, Miss Misa.”

“Yes.”

“Shall we go grab something to eat?”

“Food…?”

I thought of a place called ‘Youlam’ with a vague smile.

“I know a good place.”