The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 386



386 – The Times Consumed by Revenge -7-

– The quest has been completed.

1. Go to the place where you made the pact with the ‘Loyal Sword’. (1/1)

With the resonating blue window’s notification sound, the desire to sleep more vanished.

‘…’

I couldn’t help but doubt.

The hypothesis that Ricardo is the ‘Loyal Sword’ that the blue window speaks of.

Considering Ricardo’s actions so far and his unwavering demeanor even when facing the prince, I suspected that Ricardo was indeed the Loyal Sword.

If so.

– Ouch.

I thought I could finally end the sudden mental anguish.

[Find the existence of the Loyal Sword.]

Shartia didn’t hesitate to answer the blue window’s question. She wanted to say that this man is the one you’re talking about. She wanted to tell it to stop bothering her and disappear.

But.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh…? Where are we going?”

Ricardo, unaware of Shartia’s feelings, reached out his hand.

“To drink. When you’re feeling down, a drink is the best remedy. Don’t you agree?”

“…What? Drink?”

“I have no intention of doing anything strange, so you can relax.”

“Wait a moment…”

“Then let’s go.”

Shartia thought to herself.

What should I do with this man?

The person the blue spear was pointing at was Ricardo. At first, Ricardo, who only thought of Princess Desmond, didn’t think he would become his sword… But this is a story ‘no one knows.’

And if the dream he just had was a dream created by the blue spear… judging by the physique and speech, it was indeed Ricardo.

“Hehe… It’s been a while since I had a drink.”

Shartia closed her eyes tightly and looked at Ricardo.

“I’ll only drink enough to get slightly drunk.”

“…”

“Why are you looking at me like that? Even though I look like this, I’m someone who knows how to keep my dignity, so you don’t need to worry. Or should we grab two tables…”

“…No.”

Not knowing what to do with this fool, Shartia let out a hollow laugh and spoke to Ricardo.

“Alright, let’s go. I want to relax for a while.”

“Then the most handsome man in the world will escort you.”

“What a fine gentleman.”

“I am a bit…”

“Except for that mouth of yours.”

Shartia put aside her uneasy thoughts for a moment and took Ricardo’s outstretched hand.

She didn’t know what the blue spear would show her… but she hoped it wouldn’t be a tragic story.

They arrived at the tavern.

– Hahaha!!!

– Drink! Drink!

– Let’s drink until we die today!

Ricardo, who had come to a tavern that commoners would frequent, looked at Shartia with a bright smile.

“How is it?”

“What do you mean, how is it?”

He was like a child.

Begging for praise for the tavern he had chosen.

“Doesn’t it have a nice feel? The atmosphere is quite good and the prices are cheap.”

“…”

“How is it?”

Honestly, Ricardo, who seemed like he would wag his tail excitedly if he had one, was cute.

“Let’s see… the snacks…”

Laughing like a fool.

“Since you haven’t had dinner, shall we order some chicken and fried food? I can eat anything, but…”

“Order whatever you want.”

“Okay.”

After placing the order, Ricardo rested his chin on his hand with a calm expression.

“This place is nice, right?”

“Well, it’s not bad.”

“Your Highness can’t come to places like this because of work. And you don’t really like going to crowded places either.”

“…Me?”

“Yes, you’re the treasure of the empire. It would be troublesome if people asked for your autograph.”

“I’m not some kind of actor…”

“But you are beautiful. That’s why we sat in a corner, to avoid any weird guys hitting on you.”

“You’re quite good with words.”

To think he would be so considerate.

Shartia shook her head with a wry smile at Ricardo’s cute consideration.

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“The people in this restaurant don’t know your face. Most of them are adventurers, and it’s against the rules of this place to flirt with other tables.”

“There’s such a rule?”

“Good restaurants always have various rules.”

Shartia smiled cutely at Ricardo’s words and quietly spoke her mind.

“Even if I go outside the academy, no one will recognize me.”

“What?”

“I haven’t done any public activities. Or rather, I couldn’t.”

“…”

“If I tried to go out in a dress, my mother would say it’s dangerous and stop me. If I tried to go to a social gathering, my brothers would glare at me. How could people know my face?”

“…”

“When I first came to the academy, people said, ‘So that’s what the rumored second princess looks like…’”

Shartia spoke with a calm smile.

“My public activities only started after I came to the academy. I thought I could finally dance the dances I learned so hard, but I never got the chance.”

“…That’s such a sad story.”

“As you said, it’s because I’m busy.”

Seeing Ricardo’s dark expression, Shartia let out a hollow laugh as if to say it was okay, trying to lighten Ricardo’s mood.

“Don’t be like that. It’s not such a sad thing. Back then, I thought it wasn’t so bad not having to attend those bothersome events.”

“…”

“Cheer up.”

“The second prince.”

Ricardo spoke with a dark expression.

“So, it was the second prince.”

“Suddenly…?”

A cold smile appeared on Ricardo’s lips. He began to speak as if he was ready to break a fun toy, like a five-year-old child.

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to break his wings this time.”

Shartia thought.

‘I shouldn’t say anything, right…?’

If she told Ricardo what the second prince was planning to do with Olivia, she knew he wouldn’t let him die peacefully.

Shartia was tempted by the thought of annihilating not only the second prince but also his mother, but she didn’t want to see her kin die, so she tried to soften her words as much as possible. No matter what, she felt she had to say something.

“Hey, Ricardo.”

“Yes.”

“The second prince… I mean, Lady Olivia isn’t getting married?”

“Ah.”

Ricardo let out a hollow laugh and said.

“Our Desmond family doesn’t believe in arranged marriages. The head of the family disregarded arranged marriages and built a family with love, so we are relatively free when it comes to marriage.”

“Ah…”

“And I’m the only one in the world who can handle the lady.”

Isn’t he embarrassed?

Shartia let out a hollow laugh at Ricardo’s shameless declaration that he was Olivia’s match and relaxed her tension helplessly.

“That’s true.”

Ricardo smiled and said.

“It seems the second prince has planned something interesting.”

“…What?”

“Right?”

“Ah… no.”

“It’s okay. The princess didn’t say anything.”

Ricardo’s cold smile felt especially terrifying today.

“Don’t kill…?”

“I’ll think about it.”

Ricardo and I talked afterward.

About work.

-So, the crown prince was doomed from the start. Doesn’t he look like someone you’d want to punch? Of course, the princess is pretty.

-Please…! Lower your voice! What if someone hears you…!

-Other people are already talking politics.

-How much more is that b*stard going to eat up adventurer taxes? At this rate, he won’t even break even.

-If the crown prince becomes king, who knows.

-That b*stard’s head is probably empty. Once, the crown prince hid his identity and came as an adventurer.

-Yeah.

-He seemed completely empty-headed.

-…

-Right?

About what happened in the west.

-The crown prince almost died.

-…

-What a pity.

-No, I said don’t kill him.

-I’ll think about it.

-Haa…

And then.

“You can relax your shoulders.”

I heard a comfort that others didn’t offer.

“No one’s pushing you to run, so why are you running as if your life depends on it?”

“…”

“Even cutting down on sleep.”

“Yeah… I don’t know either. Running is all I know how to do. I’ve even forgotten how to rest.”

“I think you’re even dumber than I am, Princess.”

“Do you want to die?”

“If it’s by the hand of a beauty… gladly…!”

“You must be crazy…”

It had been a long time since I felt this way.

To the point where I wanted to believe he was a loyal sword spoken of by the blue spear.

If only.

If only I had become Ricardo’s master instead of Olivia, I thought greedily.

‘Ricardo is not an object…’

With a bitter laugh, Chartia spoke. No matter how much I think about it, it seems that man has no intention of hiding his charm.

Not as a man.

But as a person.

“Why do you give so many compliments that make people embarrassed? Do you… perhaps like me?”

“Hmm…?”

Ricardo answered without any hesitation, as if he was used to it. With a shameless face that looked like he might collapse from holding the back of his neck.

“I like all pretty women.”

“You must be really crazy.”

“My dream is a harem.”

“…Is that something you should say in front of the princess?”

“In front of the next emperor of the empire. I have to be clear.”

“Sigh…”

“Even if I become the emperor, please uphold polygamy.”

“Really…”

What a strange guy.

“Isn’t that how people are? Heroes are always amorous.”

“…I don’t think I will ever understand your mind until I die.”

“I have so many sparkling charms.”

“Again… again… that mouth!”

Ricardo received Chartia’s fist with a bright expression and said.

“So I will help you.”

“…Huh?”

“I can’t stand seeing a pretty girl cry.”

– I’m doing this because I want to stop a beauty from crying.

It was similar to what the man had said in the dream. As if the man in the blue window was saying it was himself.

And then.

– The quest is complete.

The moment doubt turned into certainty, a sign that the struggle that had been tormenting my mind was over appeared before my eyes.

“Your food is here.”

“Thank you.”

Everything.

It was all the things I liked.