The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 396



396 – The End of the Knight Who Knew Everything -5-

In fact, I knew everything.

Even Shaltia’s lies.

The lie that people could be saved.

I knew everything.

Wouldn’t it be strange not to know,

That I, who knows everything about the novel, didn’t know such important information.

The author himself had said it.

There is no way to bring the dead back to life.

Q. My favorite character died, will you bring them back to life? If you don’t, I’ll kidnap you, author.

A. That’s quite unfortunate. However, in ‘The Strongest in the Academy Likes Me,’ there is no way to bring the dead back to life. Unless you start over from the beginning, that is.

I tried everything I could.

Investigated black magic.

Looked into cults.

Scoured ancient imperial texts for any method to bring the lady back to life.

-There isn’t one.

All that came back was the bitter pain of parting. Miserably so.

‘…’

Holding hands with Shalltear wasn’t because I wanted to save the lady.

It started from a feeling of ‘guilt.’

In the original work, Shalltear didn’t struggle this much. She grew stronger by overcoming trials.

But, because I twisted the original work to save the lady, the trials imposed on her became heavier, and she eventually crumbled.

That’s why I helped Shalltear. Both in the academy and with her deceitful proposal.

It was a selfish thought.

I extended kindness to her for my own peace of mind.

“…”

But.

“Please, don’t betray me.”

The first time I saw tears streaming down her face, I foolishly took a step back from my resolve.

Responsibility, selfishness, and guilt vanished in the face of a beautiful woman’s tears. How foolish.

I never imagined that the promise I made in a moment of weakness, amidst a swirl of emotions, would lead to this…

But still.

It was truly enjoyable.

To the point where I have no regrets.

“You idiot! How could you use a pot holder as a document pad!”

“Haha! What a mistake…!”

“b*stard!”

The time spent with Shalltear was so fun and happy that I forgot about her cruel lies.

To the point where the pain in my heart disappeared.

*Clatter…*

The priest of the empire, holding a massive spear, looked at me with a clean smile.

“I’ve been curious about you from the beginning.”

“It’s an honor that a high-ranking official would take an interest in someone as lowly as me.”

From noble mtl dot com

“Isn’t it obvious? You’ve been gnawing away at the power of the heretics for a long time.”

“…You knew?”

“I was certain when you took the life of Temperance. Ah, this man has been tormenting us for a long time, I thought.”

“…”

“Are you a spy sent by the heretics from the Empire?”

“…”

“Or are you someone with a terrible fate intertwined with ours?”

“…”

“But to be called the princess’s dog… that’s laughable.”

I smiled faintly and gripped my sword.

“Indeed.”

This time, I sighed in relief, thinking I could keep the beauty’s smile.

“I don’t know either.”

I swung my sword.

Risking my life in a losing battle.

*

“Princess, we found His Majesty the Emperor!”

“What’s his condition?!”

“He lost consciousness but isn’t seriously injured.”

“…Good!”

I was anxious.

Even after rescuing my father from the heretics and dealing with all the heretics remaining in the palace, the uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away.

Was it because of Mikhail’s words?

“Princess. We can’t find a single apostle-level strongman.”

“Have they retreated?”

“No… Something feels off. It’s as if they’re aiming for something else.”

Or is it because of the second prince they missed?

– The priest… That b*stard dared to betray us?! Just a little more and I could have sat on the throne…!

Even though everything had been resolved sequentially, the ominous thoughts refused to leave my mind.

“…The princess’s orders!”

Ricardo’s figure flickered before my eyes. It felt like his solitary back was constantly stepping on my heart.

“Princess!!!”

I nodded as I watched the knights supporting my unconscious father.

“…Retreat.”

For now, I had to focus on the task at hand.

Ricardo wouldn’t die. I considered worrying about him a luxury and tried to calm my complicated feelings.

Ricardo was a strong person.

– You’re bleeding!

– Hm? So I am?

– You fool!

– I got a little hurt to receive the care of a beauty.

I tried to ignore my anxious heart, thinking he must have prepared some strange prank as always.

“A few knights will accompany me to escort His Majesty the Emperor out of the capital. The rest will deal with the remnants of the heretics and then join us!”

“Understood!”

“Mikhail, you…”

“I will follow Your Highness. I must protect His Majesty.”

“Understood.”

The running steps become urgent.

Even though everything is clearly being resolved well, strangely, my heart becomes anxious.

– Isn’t it because I’m doing this alone!

Ricardo’s angry voice, which he had never raised before, kept echoing in my ears like a hallucination. He wasn’t the one to show weakness, but his expression when he first uttered those negative words comes to mind whenever I close my eyes.

It was then.

“Your Highness.”

Mikhail, who was running, spoke with a dark expression.

“If it’s idle talk, I think it would be better to do it later.”

“…It’s not idle talk.”

“…Then?”

Mikhail broke the long silence and spoke.

He spoke words that tore at my anxious heart.

“…When we entered the palace, I felt a huge presence outside.”

“…”

“It’s gone now, but personally, I think it would be better to take a detour.”

“A detour…?”

“Yes.”

Mikhail’s expression was quite serious.

“Someone on the same level as me… no, on the same level as that guy, there were two of them.”

“…Wait a moment.”

The running steps began to slow down. Because I couldn’t understand what I had just heard.

“Didn’t you know…?”

“What are you talking about…”

“I thought Her Highness knew… So when that guy said he would stay at the entrance of the Imperial Castle, I thought Her Highness had given up on Ricardo.”

“…No.”

“…”

“You said you had something to say to Ricardo too.”

“…”

“Then why…?”

“Because Ricardo is stronger than me, I thought he could survive.”

“…What are you talking about.”

“I was prepared to die too.”

“I don’t want to hear that kind of nonsense!!!”

I shouted at Mikhail.

Telling him not to say such foolish things.

“Think logically. You would deploy the main forces to the Imperial Palace. Who would attach the main forces to the Imperial Castle.”

“…”

“Isn’t it?”

My voice trembles.

My voice starts to tremble because the hypothesis I made is collapsing.

“I asked, isn’t it…”

Mikhail spoke as if to shatter my delusion.

“The purpose…”

“…”

“If it’s ‘me, chosen by the holy sword.’”

“…”

“I think it will change.”

Mikhail’s expression was dark.

“If… this commotion is to deal with me.”

“…”

“If the plan is to deal with me while all the knights of the royal family are gathered in the palace.”

“Wait a minute… hold on.”

“Then… Ricardo, who is there.”

“Shut up!!!”

My steps quicken with impatience.

‘No.’

I can’t let it end like this.

“`

Absolutely not.

I haven’t even apologized yet.

“Your Highness!!!”

“Let go…!”

“It’s dangerous.”

“You have something to say to him too!”

“…”

“You have to go.”

That fool.

That foolish guy.

Why…

I hurriedly went to find Ricardo, who was guarding the gate of the imperial castle. I was worried that something might have happened, just as Mikhail had said.

Holding back tears that seemed ready to burst out at any moment, I ran to him like a madwoman.

One might ask why I cared so much about an ordinary knight.

But.

The memories with Ricardo.

– Become stupid, zap!

– …What are you doing?

– I was devising a plan to ruin the empire.

– …Oh dear.

“`

The blanket that used to cover him when he slept on the desk.

-…I told him not to sleep in places like this.

The thought kept coming back, making my chest ache like crazy.

I ran as if my lungs would burst, stopping in front of the palace gates and exhaling a sigh.

I see it.

“…”

His back.

The back of the knight standing alone in the chaos, where something had happened.

‘He’s alive…!’

With a bright smile, I called out Ricardo’s name.

“Ricardo!”

“…”

“Ricardo…?”

Why is he playing a prank?

A small laugh escaped at the sight of Ricardo, sulking because I left him alone.

Now it’s all over.

The journey that was so hard.

The journey to become an emperor.

It’s all over.

I know it will take a long time to be forgiven by Ricardo, but knowing that we have more time together, I called his name once more with a trembling voice.

“Ricardo!”

But.

“…”

Seeing Ricardo not responding even when called, my breath caught in my throat.

“Why… aren’t you saying anything?”

My hands start to tremble.

“Why…?”

A sense of foreboding makes my hands shake uncontrollably.

What should I say?

How should I accept this?

The air, blowing cool like the wind that changes the seasons in autumn, brings with it a feeling of anxiety, gripping my heart.

I wish he would say just one word.

Why did you come so late?

Why are you so late?

A small wish suddenly came to mind, hoping he would say something, anything, about why he left me alone and lonely.

But.

“Ricardo…?”

Seeing Ricardo not responding even when called, tears burst forth.

“Ricardo…”

Slowly, with trembling steps, I approached him.

And then.

“Don’t come any closer.”

His voice, accompanied by the thick scent of blood, chilled my ears. Just as I was about to run to him with a brightening complexion.

“Princess, get down!”

I saw a giant spear pierce through Ricardo’s body.

Laughter echoed.

“Ha ha ha!!! What kind of monster is this?”

“…Cough.”

“What have you done? You!”

“…”

“To withstand the state of two apostles…! To even kill the apostle of compassion, who is nearly immortal!!! Even the knight commander couldn’t do it, but you showed a miracle. You!”

“…A miracle, huh.”

Ricardo moved his trembling hand.

“I see.”

-Thud.

“A miracle indeed.”

With those words, Ricardo’s knees fell to the ground in a pitiful manner.

I couldn’t believe it.

No, I didn’t want to believe it.

Why is this happening?

I really couldn’t understand.

“…”

But.

As I inhaled sharply at his now cold warmth, my eyes widened.

“Why.”

“Why…”

“Whyyyyyyyy!!!”

Hatred.

I hugged the fallen Ricardo and looked up at the priest of the empire. Filled with anger… filled with the will to kill him, I stared at him.

“A gift has arrived.”

“…I’ll kill you.”

“Your knight bought you time by promising to keep his word.”

“I’ll kill you!”

“That’s unfortunate.”

At the moment I saw the priest’s gesture to throw the spear, tears welled up.

“Not yet…”

Ricardo, lifting his collapsing body, plunged the sword into his heart.

“It’s not over yet.”

A bursting sound is heard.

-Purrrrrrrr.

The sound of the priest tearing Ricardo’s flesh echoed chillingly in his ears.

“Why… why can’t you move anymore…!”

“The promise….”

“…aaah!!!”

“Because I have to keep the promise….”

“How dare you…! How dare you…!”

Ricardo shouted in a wailing voice.

“Misa..!!!”

“What did you just say…?!”

“The promise to protect you when I become a great swordsman… I have to keep it.”

“…No way.”

“Help me just once.”

Mikhail, with trembling eyes, raised his sword, and Ricardo began to deeply embed the aura into the priest’s body.

In that fleeting moment, Mikhail asked in a trembling voice.

“Is it… you?”

Ricardo shook his head with a small smile.

And so.

-Slice.

With a short tearing sound, the end of the dreadful war approached.

*

“`

“Have you arrived?”

At the sound of Ricardo’s voice, I lowered my head.

It was covered in blood.

A fragile and trembling touch, as if it would disappear if I touched it.

I called out to Ricardo with trembling hands.

“Why… why is this happening!”

“Haha… it’s just a scratch.”

“…”

He smiled as if to say not to worry.

“Just… a little bit.”

“It’s not just a little!!!”

“Haha…”

I said.

“Open your eyes…! You have to live! You have to save Olivia!”

“…”

“If you die now, I’ll use the national treasure to save you. Then your dream will disappear…! Hurry…!”

Ricardo smiled and said.

“You’re lying, aren’t you.”

“Huh…?”

“Haha… Your Highness is really bad at lying.”

“`

From noble mtl dot com

“…”

“I knew from the beginning.”

Ricardo wiped away my tears as my expression hardened. He always wore that smile.

“Don’t cry….”

“…”

“You broke your promise again.”

He left my side.

“Smile…”

“Ah… Ah.. Ahaha.. Ah…”

“As expected… You look ugly when you cry.”

Mikhail, who was watching, had a look as if his world had crumbled.

-Part 2 ‘The Broken Sword’ ends here.

-The perspective changes.

-‘The Mad Tyrant’ wants to meet the ‘Reader’.