The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Chapter 68: My Prince (2)

Cold stares were piercing through me.

Malik with his taken aback expression.

Hanna was crying.

And…

"What did you say?"

Rowen seemed to have gone off the rails.

A threatening atmosphere was emanating from Rowen. As though proving he was the strongest in the empire, a crushing murderous intent was directed at me.

I smirked wryly as I looked at Rowen.

‘I can handle this.'

Perhaps warding off the earnest murderous intent of the lady who had her chocolate snatched away was good training, Rowen's killing intent was bearable.

-Darn it! Don't dodge!

-Miss, that fork… seemed to carry some murderous intent.

-Eek…! It's because Ricardo is being annoying!

-No matter what, it's wrong to exude killing intent towards the butler.

-Then don't dodge!

-It's too slow to do that…

-Yeeeek!!!

I decided to give the lady who helped with my training some chocolate as a gift.

I overcame Rowen's intensity and brushed the dust off my pants. The confounded expression of Malik was facing me, but I smiled nonchalantly and spoke to Rowen.

"I've delivered a presumptuous lecture."

"Why would you bring up such a topic if you knew better?"

"For the sake of the noble future of the Histania family head's retirement?"

Rowen furrowed his brow.

"…Are you playing word games right now?"

I shook my head as I answered.

"Not at all. It’s advice with sincere intentions."

"Living this way until old age, you won't be buried in a sunny place, people might not even visit your grave."

Rowen responded coldly to my heartfelt advice. It seemed that my sincerity did not reach him.

"…Do you have a death wish?"

I answered Rowen's question seriously.

"No."

Rowen's expression grew colder. My genuine wish not to die did not seem to reach him.

I conveyed my true feelings again to Rowen.

"I truly do not wish to die."

The forcefulness emanating from Rowen grew more fearsome.

Histania Rowen.

A stubborn swordsman whose belief was as strong as Michail's view of the world being a rose garden. A self-made man with a steadfast stubbornness, believing his choices are right, his success as its validation.

The type of person I hate the most yet, at the same time, a figure whose achievements I had no choice but to acknowledge. His success was not a lie.

Still, I disliked Rowen.

‘Because he made Hanna cry.'

That is why I stood before Rowen.

The incident of falling through the ceiling was not due to some fate of coincidence but stemmed from my own snapped cog, driven by Hanna's tears.

Hanna was my first disciple.

Though our relationship, tied by money, began with weeping and laughter, it evolved into one of trust between master and disciple.

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At the same time, she was like a lifesaver who introduced me to Malik, the benefactor who would later become a great patron.

I decided to stand here, under the guise of coincidence, to protect my means of livelihood, as I disliked Rowen’s casual remarks towards Hanna, who would someday make an excellent patron herself.

Rowen was looking at me.

The sword, Tirving, once in hand.

The red aura rising from his hand.

Rowen's pupils started to narrow rapidly. Not enough with stealing the enchanted sword kept in the mansion, the brazen thief was doling out unsolicited advice.

Rowen spoke to me with an icy voice.

"I won't kill you. But I will sever that insolent tongue of yours."

As his words ended, Hanna's sword, which had fallen to the floor, began to float. A technique seen in martial arts novels.

Ethereal Sword.

Not the martial arts novel method of lifting the sword with inner power, but a technique made by manipulating the mana around oneself with one's own aura.

A kind of performance by martial masters to break the will of opponents. ‘Even if I do not wield my sword, you cannot win.' It's a technique used to display such confidence.

‘Crazy fool.'

Experiencing the sword master's might, I chuckled wryly and took a step towards Rowen.

-Whoosh.

Rowen's floating sword cut through the air and stopped right in front of my throat.

Just enough space for a finger to fit in, the sword stopped, issuing a murderous warning, but I maintained a calm smile and said,

"Is this how you judge the existence of talent?"

[‘Limit Break' tests the unique ability ‘Nullify' of the enchanted sword ‘Tirving'.]

Clang. Accompanied by a sound, Rowen's floating sword fell to the floor.

Rowen's pupils wavered.

"What trickery is this…"

I shrugged nonchalantly.

"I just showed you a petty trick."

It doesn't seem like a skill I could use often. It felt like a great burden on my body.

Trying to hide my trembling hands, I walked past Rowen's fallen sword.

As composed as possible.

As if not frightened.

I had to deceive myself.

That way, I could deceive Rowen.

I couldn't defeat Rowen as I am now. I might have a chance if I dug up all the hidden resources, but facing a sword master unprepared is like trying to break a rock with an egg.

But.

I managed to instill enough doubt with my crude trickery.

I wanted to create an atmosphere conductive to dialogue. It was the only way I could defeat Rowen.

If I could make Rowen doubt my power even once, that would then turn into certainty.

The Rowen before me was in doubt. Perhaps in his eyes, I appeared.

‘As my equal, or perhaps even greater.'

The effects of the invisibility potion made my presence undetected.

The powerless drop of Rowen's Ethereal Sword due to Tirving’s effect.

And my unfazed expression, all combined to break Rowen's impetus.

As Rowen adopted a defensive stance, I seized the advantage and stared him down directly.

"I've disliked you from the start. A married man who is better-looking than me with impeccable manners. Especially, the thing that bothers me the most is…"

"…"

"Forcing my precious disciple to give up the sword… that might be it."

Upon hearing my words, Hanna's eyes went wide with surprise.

At the mention of ‘disciple,' her eyes darted once. At the word ‘precious,' she was overwhelmed with emotion and lowered her head.

I watched Hanna with a bittersweet smile.

‘Should I have come out earlier?'

I felt regret at the sight of Hanna's trembling shoulders, but Rowen, listening to the conversation, didn't seem to take it the same way.

With a complicated look, Rowen retorted to me.

"It doesn't seem like it's any of your business."

"It seems even less of your affair, head of the Histania family, considering you have no interest in attending a parent-observation class."

"Stop joking around. This is your last warning."

"Do I seem to be joking?"

I looked straight at Rowen and let him hear the words he might have told Hanna over countless times.

"The talent that you, the head, speak of."

"…"

"Isn't that something you lack?"

"What did you say…?"

"The inability to recognize Hanna's talent. Even a young man like me can see it, but for a Knight Commander to fail to notice… that's the odd part here."

"Say that one more time. This time, I'll tear that mouth of yours apart."

"Oh my, how terrifying."

Rowen's expression began to change in real-time. The conversation about being ‘hideous' started to emanate a vicious aura, and he began the release of an oppressive force that didn't concern itself with the fates of those around.

All the while, my words were digging into Rowen's heart.

Since you've insulted my disciple,

You should feel the same.

"A worthless father who couldn't even remember his daughter's birthday."

"To the point of wanting to cut open the goose that lays golden eggs… Ha.. If that's not madness…"

Just like the archbishop filled with regret over breaking Hanna's spirit in the novel, I touched Rowen's mood.

"You ought to have done at least one right. In truth, wasn't it you who lacked talent?"

"Shut up."

"Being silent also requires the talent to be able to do it. It's just that I lack the talent for silence. Haha…"

I started to release a red aura from beneath my feet.

In the art of aura manipulation, I was several steps ahead of Rowen and began to slowly cover his aura with mine.

As one who has been possessed, my skills produce results akin to overwhelming magic.

The knowledge of the original story.

The help of the system.

The diligence of my youth.

All these combined to create an impressive performance that would astonish everyone.

-Crack…

With a resounding crash, the golden aura that once filled the surroundings began to be enveloped by my own.

Cracks began to form on the walls.

The mansion started to shake.

Rowen's eyes were shaking intensely.

I spoke facing the flustered Rowen,

"Talking about having talent isn't something that can be determined by just seeing this, right?"

"That's nonsense."

"I am indeed an entity that defies logic."

Rowen's eyes began trembling.

He was now witnessing the most perfect manipulation of aura he had ever seen. The aura encompassing the entire mansion without a single trace of magical energy leaking would appear more beautiful to a swordsman in pursuit of strength than any work of art, so I lifted my head with an arrogant expression.

"From now on, please lessen your involvement with my disciple. It's disruptive to her studies."

"…"

"If you have complaints… I would appreciate if you could send them via letter. Ah… and."

I muttered to Rowen,

"It seems like the head of the Histania family should learn some humility first."

Though it's ironic for me, the furthest from humility, to say such a thing to someone.

I took Hanna's hand.

Hanna's hand was cold.

Drip. Tears from Hanna fell onto the back of the hand I was holding.

"Is it real…?"

Hanna asked with a trembling voice,

"Am I really a precious person to you, the butler?"

I glanced at Rowen who was behind me and smiled,

"Yes, of course."

Hanna's face turned red.

Her heart was beating wildly.

***

In the peaceful residence of the young lady.

With Tirving, which boasted a black hue in front of her, the young lady was wearing an enigmatic expression.

"I want to touch it."

"If you touch it, you lose."

"…Did you steal this?"

"No. It was a gift from Malik."

The young lady put a question mark above her head.

"Malik?"

"The owner, a friend from the forest."

"…Oh, what a nice person. Be sure to get along well with him."

"Understood."

The young lady nodded and addressed Tirving,

"You look beautiful. Almost like chocolate."

I spoke to the young lady,

"That would be dark chocolate, and so it's probably going to be quite bitter."

"Yeek…"

The young lady, who was reaching out to touch Tirving, recoiled her hand as if startled.

With determination, the young lady said,

"It concedes defeat."

I smiled slightly at her,

"Yes, it concedes defeat."

Hanna, observing this, sighed deeply.

"No, what's with bringing out a demonic sword…"

I smiled gently at Hanna and said,

"Miss Hanna, would you like to try touching it? You won’t go mad from just touching it briefly."

Hanna sighed deeply and responded,

"No…"

It seemed he was too much for her to handle.

But…

Everything about him felt so precious to Hanna.

Hanna clenched her fists and whispered faintly,

"I love… you."

It was a small act of courage from Hanna, who was learning about love.