The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Chapter 86: The Villainess’s Father (3)

Desmond Darbav.

One of the five Archmages in the empire and the head of the Darbav family, which rivals even the Mage Tower.

Scrolls, magical tools, artifacts. He was the head of the Darbav family, supplying one-third of all magic goods in the empire, and furthermore, he was Olivia's father, a businessman who expanded his ventures into politics, diplomacy, and industry.

In the novel, Darbav appeared as a villain.

He prioritized benefit over justice.

He was a cunning human who preferred ugly survival over righteous sacrifice.

At a time when the empire was in peril due to heretics, he had been human enough to hold a grudge, saying, ‘When did you ostracize us for using black magic, and now you're asking for help? How ridiculous,' earning the wrath of the crown prince.

Above all, he was a person who cherished his daughter ‘Olivia'.

-Olivia slapped the crown prince? Was Olivia hurt?

-Olivia is dieting…? Bring in the empire's best doctor. It seems like she's caught a serious illness.

He was a father who cherished his family so much that he was called a fool for his daughter by the nobles.

He adored his daughter, who resembled him.

In Darbav's eyes, his daughter, who was more affectionate (?) than his cold son, seemed lovely.

That's why, in the novel, Darbav extremely disliked Michail and Yuria.

I remember he was widely hated by many readers for being a villain who hated Michail and Yuria, who drove Olivia to her death in the novel.

He was a character who resorted to black magic in a desperate attempt to save his crumbling family, meeting a miserable death, but personally, he was also one of my favorite characters.

I liked his human touch.

Although Darbav's fate changed significantly in the timeline where the lady didn't die, he was still one of the most genuine characters I had encountered in the novel.

Anyway, the Darbav I remember was a good person.

Cold to others but warm to those within his own fence. A lord who cherished his family and tried to protect those within his own circle, even if it meant sacrificing others.

That was Desmond Darbav, the head of the Darbav family and Olivia's father as I remembered him.

Of course.

After the lady used black magic, our ties with him were severed.

***

I felt as if time had stopped.

I intended to visit, but I wasn't expecting to meet him so soon.

Perhaps I thought I might not meet him at all, I stood there like a fool as the head of the family made his appearance.

"It's been a long time, Ricardo."

"…Lord Darbav?"

I quickly bowed, showing respect.

"It is an honor to meet the great leader of the Darbav family."

"That's enough. There's no need for formalities."

Darbav waved his hand dismissively, showing a resentful expression. Disliking such formalities, Darbav spoke with a calm voice.

"Nearly two years, isn't it? You've grown so handsomely I almost didn't recognize you."

"Your praise is too generous."

"Still as modest as ever, I see… So, have you been well?"

‘Have you been well?'

Despite it being a simple question, I found myself unable to answer easily. What could I say, having been ousted from the family?

It was hard to claim I had been well with a forced smile, considering the trouble I had caused the family.

"That's…"

As if reading my troubled heart, Lord Darbav showed a gentle smile, as though saying there was no need to feel burdened.

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"Speak freely. I too am curious about how you both have been getting along."

"Thanks to Lord Darbav's grace, we have been doing well."

"Grace? The family abandoned you."

Darbav muttered with a bitter expression.

"We couldn’t possibly have been well…"

Just as Darbav said, we had been cast aside by the family. The lady's use of black magic was a problem grave enough to potentially lead to the family's downfall.

The Darbav family, envied by others.

The imperial family that began to check the expanding influence of Darbavs. And the Mage Tower, aspiring to expand its magical tool business.

All had been watching the Darbavs closely, and when the lady's incident happened, Darbav made the choice to cut us off.

The best decision.

The only decision he could make as a head of the family.

I did not feel resentful.

I would have done the same in his position.

However, the abandoned lady wept bitterly over this fact.

While Olivia was unconscious, Darbav spoke in a cold voice during our meeting.

-You are aware that you're partly to blame for Olivia's situation.

-I am. I will humbly accept any punishment you see fit.

-I allowed you the position of Olivia's butler so you would protect her. To keep her from straying down the wrong path.

-…

-I entrusted you with that role despite there being more qualified butlers with better education because of that one reason.

-…

-And now, look at this mess.

-I am sorry.

-Once Olivia regains her health, I plan to send her to a convent. So… don't think about setting foot in the Desmond family any longer. Go back to the Academy. I will support your tuition costs.

-Lord Darbav…

-I want to tear you both to pieces. Just be quiet.

-I am a butler who serves my lady.

-What good does that do? Look at what's come of it…

-Nevertheless, I believe it is my duty to uphold the responsibilities of a butler. If you do not permit it, I will even sleep rough near the convent.

-Are you mad?

-‘No, I am perfectly sane.

An insistence that began with my knowledge of the future.

To avoid public criticism, the head of the family's decision to cut ties was met with my defiance, a responsibility that became a burden of indifference from the family and a fine for using black magic.

I too was aware of it.

And since it was the lord's decision, we looked at each other with a silent, bitter smile.

At that time, Darbav had been very angry, and even Olivia's brother had been furious enough to grab my collar.

And the lady had been abandoned by her family.

Darbav's bitter smile made me uneasy. The fault was mine.

A brief silence followed, and then Darbav asked a question.

"I've heard the rumors. You've paid off your debt?"

"Yes."

"I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Pardon?"

"Never mind."

Darbav murmured softly, then looked at the lady sitting beside me. Unable to accept the closure of the long-cherished chocolate shop, the lady was revealing her depressed emotions with a vacant look.

"Lady…!"

"Our purpose for the trip is gone…"

"Pull yourself together, Lady… Lord Darbav is here…!"

"My favorite shop… The baker said he'd give me extra the next time. He should keep his promise!"

The lady's spirit was elsewhere.

Darbav frowned as he looked at the back of the lady sitting in the wheelchair.

"That woman…"

Darbav's expression showed his displeasure.

Thinking it was because of the lady, I expected he was in a bad mood, but Darbav uttered something completely unexpected.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Pardon?"

"I thought there was a good atmosphere between her and Olivia. Was I mistaken?"

"?"

Darbav, imagining a virtual marriage in his head, expressed his disappointment with a wry smile.

"Well, it's about time you had a girlfriend. I can understand, though a part of me is a little disappointed. Unless I bribe you to break up, that is."

"I don't quite understand what you're saying."

"That woman."

Darbav was looking at the wheelchair as he spoke.

"Isn't she your girlfriend?"

"No."

I answered with certainty.

"I see."

Color seemed to return to Darbav's pale complexion.

Planning to introduce the lady to him later, I focused on the conversation with Darbav.

If I were to introduce the lady to him now, I wouldn't know what to say. If Darbav lashed out, I was obligated to defend the lady, so I wanted to avoid any unnecessary friction.

Thinking of a proper comment.

I needed time to soften Lord Darbav’s heart so that the lady and he could have a gentle conversation.

With a heavy heart, I broached the subject with Darbav.

"Why are you here, Lord Darbav?"

"Ah."

Darbav gestured with the paper bag he was holding.

"I was thinking about Olivia and decided to visit. Wondering if perhaps it had reopened."

"I see."

"Here. Olivia used to love it… So rather than returning empty-handed, I bought some snacks from a nearby store on the way back."

Darbav pulled out a chocolate scone from the paper bag and offered it to me.

"Would you like to try some?"

"No thank you. I had breakfast before coming."

"That's too bad. It's quite a delicious bread."

Darbav was amiable.

Honestly, I expected him to curse at me. To ask what business I had showing up here. I thought I would be met with harsh words the moment he saw my face.

Back then, he was furious and had declared he never wanted to see us again, so Darbav's unexpected demeanor felt like hope to me.

Because of that, I braced myself for rudeness and asked Darbav.

I couldn’t contain my curiosity.

"Lord Darbav."

While enjoying the bread, Darbav looked up at my question, his eating manner reminding me of someone else who would have crumbs around their mouth.

"What is it? Do you want to eat now?"

"No, I have something I'm curious about…"

"What’s that?"

Darbav put the bread back into the paper bag, permitting me to ask my question.

"Go ahead."

"Don't you resent us?"

"Hm?"

"Did we not cause great trouble for the family? Including the expulsion…"

Darbav nodded without denying my words.

"That did happen."

‘That did happen?'

Darbav gave an answer I hadn't anticipated.

"I had been planning to visit you both soon. To discuss what lies ahead."

"That means…"

"Do you dislike it? …Yes, I’ve thought about disowning Olivia who presented us with a crisis that could have led to our downfall and caused much trouble for the family…"

"It’s just that I saw something strange…"

Darbav looked up at the sky with a wistful expression.

"They say there’s no parent who can win over their child."

Darbav spoke with a troubled look.

"Is Olivia doing well?"

As Darbav finished asking with concern,

the lady, who had been contemplative, began to turn the wheels of her wheelchair and looked ahead.

"Ricardo. Since it’s come to this, let’s open a shop… Huh?"

Only now did the lady notice her father.

The lady's eyes widened in shock.

"Fa…"

She stumbled over her words, a choked emotion evident in her voice.

"Fa…ther?"

"Ol…ivia?"

"Fa…ther?"

In an instant, before I could react, the man in front of me disappeared. Darbav leapt out at a moment's notice.

By the time I came to my senses,

"Kyaaack!!"

"Huuaack!"

A touching reunion between father and daughter was taking place.

When I think about it,

I had forgotten that Darbav was

a notorious fool for his daughter.

"Why have you lost so much weight?!"

"Ricardo starved me!"

"Yikes! You brute!"

"…"

The reunion of the two family members, whom I had not seen in a long time, was hard to get used to.