The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 120

The final chapter of the 〈3rd Side Story〉, ‘A Villainess’s Sad Love Story,’ begins.

The place where her eyes opened was dawn. It was the plaza in the capital city.

In the dawn plaza where drizzle fell from the sky, Olivia slowly opened her tightly shut eyes.

The clock tower towering above the fountain pointed to 5 a.m.

‘Haaa… Enough already…’

Olivia swept her trembling hand over her face as she looked around.

‘Now… stop.’

‘This should be enough.’

It looked no different from the present.

Except for the fact that it was early morning and dawn, the plaza was peaceful as ever. It was a place Olivia and Ricardo often visited, filled with many stores in the capital city.

With trembling eyes, Olivia surveyed her surroundings. She had no idea what kind of illusion would torment her this time or how much Ricardo would be hurt by the evil deeds she had committed.

She calmed her trembling heart filled with fear.

‘It wasn’t me.’

And then.

‘It was me.’

Conflicting emotions swirled within Olivia as a familiar blue window began to speak in a low voice.

-Two months have passed.

-Your evil deeds have erased even the minimum semblance of good, and your reputation has been ruined to the point where your power as a noble background is no longer effective.

-While Ricardo was absent, Yuria’s social connections began to expand. The forces that tormented her and those that protected her turned their attention to you as their sole enemy.

-Poisoning. Abandonment. Bullying. Arson. And more.

-All the evil deeds Ricardo had shielded you from were attributed to you, and even the things you did not do were buried under the weight of your misdeeds.

-Among the students, the phrase ‘Olivia must have done it again this time’ became commonplace.

-You have been broken.

-In a lonely place with nowhere to lean on, you were fighting a battle with no allies. Even when you cried out in frustration, ‘It wasn’t me,’ no one listened.

-Now, with nowhere left to retreat.

-Your desperate final chapter begins.

[The Prologue begins.]

Amid the pounding sound of her heart about to burst, a loud noise came from behind her.

-Clatter… Creak… Clatter…!

When Olivia turned around, she saw a man with red hair emerging with a creaking noise.

In the dark alleyway, the man was rolling the wheels of his wheelchair. Despite the heavy rain, he wasn’t using an umbrella and was struggling to move forward.

Seeing the man, Olivia threw herself forward as if propelled.

‘Ricardo…!’

Of course, Olivia’s outstretched hand was blocked by the cold words of the blue window.

[This is the Observer’s Perspective.]

*

-Will the pharmacy be open…?

Ricardo, who had woken up early in the morning, was vigorously rolling his wheelchair.

Even in the rain, he moved steadily through the empty marketplace, pushing the slippery wheels.

Ricardo’s hands, bare without gloves, were covered in small cuts, and his clothes were soaked and heavy with rain.

Olivia lowered her head.

‘Stay home… Fool.’

Because there was nothing she could do.

Crushed by the blue window’s resolute refusal to allow any action, Olivia could only place her hand over Ricardo’s head, wishing he wouldn’t get wet.

Of course, it was a futile gesture.

The blue window began to explain Ricardo’s wandering.

-Ricardo went out to get medicine. As his life neared its end, the pain constricting his heart grew stronger. Now, he had reached a point where he couldn’t endure without medicine. Ricardo, dragging his ailing body, decided to embark on this venture.

-His body was in a state where it wouldn’t be surprising if he died at any moment. That was Ricardo’s condition.

With a bright smile, Ricardo vigorously pushed the wheels forward.

-I’m feeling good today.

The smile on Ricardo’s lips, as he foolishly rolled his wheelchair, was a dry one, like that of someone who had reached enlightenment.

His lips were cracked, and his skin was dry.

Olivia could tell that the smile on his lips was a lie. It wasn’t the gentle smile he used to give her; it was Ricardo’s smile of resignation, as if he had given up on everything, and it painfully squeezed Olivia’s heart.

-Clatter…!

-Creeeeak!! Thud!

-Ah, wait…!

There were moments when he fell to the ground from exerting too much force, but even then, Ricardo smiled brightly and struggled to get back up.

Since it was early dawn and no one was around to see his pitiful state, he took his time to slowly lift himself up.

-I need to move quickly while no one’s around.

Ricardo muttered in a small voice.

-I don’t want the Young Lady to see me like this…

‘…It’s not embarrassing.’

Recalling what he had said before, Ricardo, sprawled on the ground, moved his body to lift the fallen wheelchair with great difficulty.

Like someone being chased, Ricardo wandered around, trembling hands trying to lift the wheelchair and struggling to move his unresponsive legs.

If someone asked what had brought him to this state, Olivia thought she wouldn’t be able to answer.

Because the one responsible for his condition wasn’t anyone else, nor was it an unforeseen accident—it was solely her fault.

Time passed, and Ricardo stopped at a shabby pharmacy located on a street corner in the capital.

Pulling his hood deeply over his head, Ricardo, soaked like a drenched mouse in the deserted street, stared endlessly at the clock while wiping his dry face, trying to shake off his gloom.

-Haa… Damn…

Once again, Ricardo’s body began to tremble faintly.

-It’s not fair for this to happen now, when I’m so close.

As Ricardo wiped his face, drops of red blood began to fall from his hands.

On the rainy street, Ricardo’s blood mixed with the rainwater, leaving no trace behind.

Ricardo’s face began to be covered in blood.

It was a bizarre sight.

Ricardo’s blood-soaked face looked utterly wretched, yet the rainwater washing away the blood created an eerie scene, as if erasing all traces of Ricardo, making it impossible for anyone to find him.

And so, ten minutes passed.

Twenty minutes passed.

Soaked to the bone, Ricardo hung his head low and muttered softly.

-Let’s go back.

Looking at the unopened pharmacy door, Ricardo gave a bitter smile and turned his body around.

-If I pass out here… That won’t do.

Ricardo shook his head.

-It’s disgraceful to be seen like this.

Ricardo, who had struggled through the rainy streets, sighed as he placed his hands on the wheelchair wheels to turn away from the pharmacy.

And then.

-What are you doing here right now…?

The moment a stranger’s hand touched Ricardo’s shoulder, his body froze like ice.

At the same time, Olivia’s eyes also froze. She harbored a faint hope that it might be her.

Slowly, she raised her bowed head.

And then.

-Ah… Haha.

Olivia blamed herself for being clueless and lowered her head again.

-You…

The person holding Ricardo’s shoulder wasn’t her but Yuria, leaving Olivia in despair.

Yuria, who had thrown her umbrella to the ground and run over, was panting heavily as she looked at Ricardo.

-Huff… Huff…

‘Why…’

Olivia sighed, lowering her head at the sight of the illusion that didn’t align with her wishes.

‘It’s not me?’

I wish it had been me.

Thinking that things might have been a little better if he had realized it even now, Olivia slowly lowered her head.

‘Why…’

‘Can’t you be on my side just once? If I show you something like this… Can’t you be on my side just once?! You’re always too late…!’

Olivia shouted at the Blue Window, but the unresponsive Blue Window merely repeated the same words.

[This is the Observer’s Perspective.]

-You cannot interfere with the subject.

Yuria’s voice pierced through the sound of the falling rain.

-I’m asking what you’re doing here right now!

Yuria’s golden eyes flashed as she yelled furiously at Ricardo in a voice full of anger.

‘Eyes of Divinity.’

The moment Yuria’s talent’s blessing scanned Ricardo’s body, her pupils began to tremble violently.

-Huh…? This is…

A foolish question spread into the rain. Faced with the horrifying condition of a body she had never seen before, Yuria couldn’t even catch her breath.

A small voice reached the silent Yuria. Ricardo’s low voice, which didn’t demand an answer, softly resonated as if to calm Yuria’s frozen body.

-Shh.

Ricardo, with an awkward smile, gave a timid wink. Even though it wasn’t something he should be doing with blood smeared all over his lips, Ricardo clumsily winked and kept looking at Yuria.

-I tripped on the way here…

-Say something that makes sense!!!

Yuria shouted with a rough tremble in her voice.

-What is this…! Why are you doing this again?

Yuria’s hands wandered helplessly, not knowing what to do. She could tell at a glance that this was a body beyond repair, not something that could be fixed.

Even so, Ricardo, with the same smile, once again placed his finger to his lips and spoke.

-You didn’t see anything, Miss Yuria.

Yuria couldn’t hear Ricardo’s words. Overwhelmed by the unbearable shock, she could only tremble uncontrollably.

Unable to do anything, just staring blankly at Ricardo, Yuria didn’t know what to do. Ricardo, with a small smile as always, said the words he had always told her.

-I did something bad, so I’m just being punished.

-You know, don’t you, that I’m a bad person.

-So… cough…!

-So this is the punishment I deserve.

Blood flowed from his trembling hands.

Yuria lowered her head and spoke to Ricardo.

-It’s because of Olivia, isn’t it?

-Haha… No, it’s not.

-It’s because of that woman, isn’t it?

-No, it’s not. Truly.

Yuria, with a cold voice, spoke to Ricardo.

-One week.

-…

-In one week, Olivia’s Disciplinary Committee will convene.

-I see.

-I…

Yuria, with cold eyes, looked at Ricardo and spoke.

-I can’t forgive Olivia. And I can’t forgive you either.

-I know.

-So…!

Yuria rubbed her eyes with her sleeve.

-So…!

She endlessly rubbed her eyes in the rain.

-Don’t get hurt! Apologize to me…! I… I also…!

-I’m sorry.

Ricardo nodded with an empty smile toward Yuria.

Then, with a bitter smile, Ricardo spoke to Yuria.

-I tried my best, but I couldn’t reach you. I’m sorry.

Wiping her tears, Yuria grabbed the handles of Ricardo’s wheelchair roughly.

-Let’s go.

-Where to?

-To the hospital. Go get treated right now.

-No. I know my body better than anyone else.

After a prolonged back-and-forth, the defeated Yuria looked at Ricardo with a mix of emotions.

-Let’s go… Please.

-No.

-Please… just… let’s go.

-You know, don’t you?

Ricardo softly asked Yuria, who couldn’t bring herself to leave.

-Why are you going this far?

-I wonder.

Ricardo, with a hollow smile, answered Yuria.

-It must be ‘affection,’ don’t you think? I owe you a debt I can never repay, Miss.

[Final Chapter. The Climax Begins.]

*

When I opened my eyes again…

-Why! Why are you only treating me like this! You’re no different!

A villainess with rage veins visible in her eyes was crouched down.

With frightened eyes, I raised my hands, looking pitiful and pathetic.

Surrounded by a crowd, I stood on the Judgment Stand, bombarded with cruel words and curses.

Rotten eggs.

And tomatoes struck me as I saw my reflection.

-Ta-da.

A dark shadow gently descended.

-Were you moved?

As always, Ricardo, dressed in his butler’s attire, became my shadow.

-It would be troublesome if you fell for me. For many reasons.