The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 152

-Crackle.

A crimson light fell from the sky with a thunderous roar.

In an instant, the flashing light tore through the dark night, splitting the sky, and leaving behind a menacingly deep scar on the ground.

Hans, watching me fire magic with an expressionless face, let out a deep sigh and said,

“Did I just get hit by that?”

Ever since receiving the Magic Tome, Hans had started addressing me formally. Though it felt awkward, I shook my head in response to his stubborn insistence that formality was more comfortable for him.

“No. At that time, I adjusted the intensity, so it will be weaker than this.”

“That was adjusted… Ha ha.”

Hans gave a bitter smile as he began filling in the damaged ground. Watching him enthusiastically patch up the yard with a shovel using such primitive methods, I could infer how diligently Hans had lived in the Magic Tower.

“You’re quite good at shoveling.”

“I worked at construction sites when I was young.”

“Does the Magic Tower not give you an allowance?”

“How could I spend money that’s not mine? Besides, back then, I couldn’t even use magic, so I had to be mindful of others.”

Hans had grown up to be far more upright than I had expected. Unlike the green-haired head from the same Magic Tower, his character was well-grounded.

With a satisfied smile, I pointed to a corner of the yard.

“Could you fill that part as well?”

“Of course.”

“And over there too.”

“Yes, understood.”

Hans followed my instructions better than I had anticipated. Even though he was bound by a contract, he could have grumbled, yet his polite demeanor made me curious.

After all, Hans in the original work didn’t give off this kind of vibe. He had felt more rebellious, like a darkened model student, but the Hans before me now was as courteous as a model student who had just received an exam summary.

With my hands in my pockets, I asked Hans. It was more comfortable to ask directly in moments like this. If he suddenly turned around and said, “It’s filthy hard to keep up with you,” it would only make things awkward for both of us, so I decided to get it out of the way.

“Why are you acting so submissively?”

Hans, rather than answering, seemed puzzled by my question and replied,

“Why are you treating me so well?”

“What?”

“The Magic Tome you gave me.”

Placing his hand on his chest, Hans spoke with a heartfelt expression.

“Isn’t it an Ancient Grimoire? You gave me the creation of an Archmage who defended the Empire during an ancient war… Why are you being so kind to me?”

“That?”

“It’s an honor just to see a Magic Tome I only read about in textbooks, but you even let me read it directly… Sniff.”

Hans, looking like a boy who had just discovered a treasure, spoke to me with a choked-up expression. If I told him I had more Magic Tomes to give, I felt like I might witness a grown man cry, so I swallowed my words and nodded.

‘It’s not even that extraordinary of a Magic Tome.’

The Magic Tome ‘Black Wall’ that had been handed over to Hans.

It was indeed written by an ancient wizard, but it contained more falsehoods than I had expected.

While it was true that it had achieved great feats during an ancient war, the enemy nation hadn’t even managed to invade the Empire, and the Archmage with the title of ‘Iron Wall’ wasn’t all that impressive.

To be honest, even I didn’t think much of the tome since I wasn’t fully aware of its limitations.

There were plenty of better Magic Tomes out there.

Moreover, Hans hadn’t even used the magic ‘Black Wall’ that much in the novel. He mainly relied on stolen magic as his primary technique, and I remembered that ‘Black Wall’ wasn’t used much.

So I gave it to Hans, but…

“Brother.”

Well, at least he seemed satisfied, so that was fortunate.

Whatever the case, if it’s good, it’s good. I gave a faint bitter smile and began stretching my wrists.

“Shall we get started then?”

“Gulp.”

Hans looked at me with trembling eyes, nervous about the nightly duels we had.

I set Tirbing aside and spoke to Hans.

“As always, I’ll use a wooden sword and refrain from using magic. Just do your best.”

“Let me prepare for a moment…!”

Without giving him a chance to hesitate, I kicked off the ground and charged at Hans.

-Boom.

With a sound that pierced through the air, the ensuing explosion prompted Hans to hurriedly begin reciting a spell formula.

“[Area]”

A black magical barrier spread from Hans’ body. It slowly encroached upon the space, eventually reaching my feet.

I quickly shifted my perspective and stepped out of Hans’ domain.

‘Did he have this kind of ability…?’

Seeing Hans use a magic I hadn’t encountered in the novel, I felt a sense of curiosity and asked,

“This seems like a magic I haven’t seen before.”

“I developed it recently.”

“?”

“The harmony of Dark Magic and magic… Thanks to rekindling my passion for magic…!”

Hans stopped speaking and began firing magic. Black hands extended from the shadows, flailing in an attempt to drag me into his domain. Dodging them effortlessly, I smiled lightly, feeling intrigued.

‘Interesting.’

Watching Hans improve day by day, I smiled with genuine delight. While it wasn’t as overwhelming as the martial arts displayed in the novel, I thought he was strong enough compared to the current protagonists.

He was worth nurturing.

“I’m curious.”

“About what…!”

“What you’ll show me next.”

“What…?”

A red aura began to flow from my hand. Lowering my stance, I prepared to attack as Hans’ pupils trembled.

Hans swallowed hard, bracing himself for the incoming assault.

Taking a breath, I spoke to Hans.

“A wooden sword has too many restrictions.”

“…”

“It’s hard to inflict fatal wounds, and no matter where I strike, it just breaks.”

“So.”

-Crack!

Hans twisted his waist as a silent groan escaped him.

As he raised his head in disbelief, he saw me preparing for the next move right in front of him.

Hans’ domain began to collapse.

With a red glare in my eyes, I swung the wooden sword, causing Hans’ pupils to shake violently.

“Just take the hit.”

I swung the sword at Hans.

*

After finishing a light duel,

I looked at Hans, who was sprawled on the ground, and gave a small smile.

“You’re good enough to be used as a bodyguard.”

“…Cough… Cough. What kind of bodyguard gets beaten up like this!”

“That’s the only way I can trust you to handle the job.”

Hans looked at me with a face full of emotion. It seemed he was moved by the acknowledgment of his usefulness.

Seeing Hans, who had a more upright character than I had expected, I handed him a water bottle with a gentle smile.

Gulping down the water, Hans drank deeply.

In a voice that flowed naturally, I spoke to Hans, making sure he wouldn’t misunderstand.

“By the way, when you came to my estate, why did you mention the Cockatrice’s habitat?”

“…”

At the mention of the Cockatrice, Hans froze like a robot. I looked at him with a chilling smile.

Hans, who had a coughing fit, lowered his head and spoke to me.

“How did you know?”

“There’s nothing I don’t know.”

“…”

“I think it would be nice if you could just say it outright.”

Hans’s eyes darted around, unable to find direction. What he thought was a perfect crime turned out to be something the victim was already aware of.

Not wanting any misunderstandings, I decided to add a comment for Hans. After all, I couldn’t be too harsh on someone who had run so hard to get here.

“I know you’re trying to bury me. I’m not trying to scold you; I’m just curious.”

“…Khhup.”

“Did you find me that unpleasant?”

“Cough…!”

“I even went easy on you while hitting you. It hurt my feelings, you know.”

“I’m sorry. The truth is…”

Hans began spilling a lot of information to me.

Hans, who had realized I knew his identity, called me a monster as a sort of compliment and slowly began explaining the plan he had devised. I nodded along, responding with “Hmm, I see,” while observing Hans’s expression.

When he explained the plan to lure me to the Cockatrice’s Nest and bury me along with the heretics, Hans’s trembling voice was exquisite.

What surprised me most was his honest confession when I asked if there was anything else he had done wrong. He admitted, “I tried to kidnap Olivia.”

If he had tried to hide it until the end, I would have pushed Hans to the brink of death.

Some might say it’s petty to bring up past events, but I’m the kind of person who holds grudges.

I thought it would be easier for both of us to address any unresolved issues.

After hearing Hans’s apology for considering the Young Lady’s abduction, I nodded.

And then.

I asked Hans the most important question.

“Is there any plan among the heretics that concerns the Young Lady’s safety?”

There must be something I don’t know.

In the tangled relationships we unintentionally collided with, I suspected the heretics might be involved, so I asked Hans.

“No…”

Hans stopped mid-sentence and pointed to his tongue with his finger. His gesture indicated that a curse restriction had been placed on him as part of his affiliation with the heretics. I nodded, pulling my hand out of my pocket, and snapped my fingers.

With a sharp “snap,” Hans looked at me with a bewildered expression, his face blank.

“This can’t be happening,” Hans muttered.

“How did you break it?”

“It’s a secret.”

At my words, Hans nodded and clasped his hands together. His cryptic remark, “It’s certain…” made me chuckle softly.

“Thanks to Tirbing, but I should keep that a secret.”

Skipping the tedious explanation, I looked at Hans, who, after letting out a hollow laugh, composed himself and began answering my question.

“There isn’t.”

“Really? I thought there might be.”

“So far, no information about you or Olivia has been shared within the heretics. You’re very thorough at erasing evidence, and I didn’t say anything either.”

“You’re surprisingly tight-lipped.”

“Despite how I may seem, I hold a fairly high position within the heretics… Reporting a failure wasn’t exactly an option.”

“That makes sense.”

I nodded, understanding Hans’s position.

After a brief silence.

Hans suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!” as if he had just remembered something.

“Come to think of it, there is one thing the heretics are planning.”

“A plan?”

“Yes.”

Hans swallowed nervously before speaking.

“Mikhail.”

“The heretics are planning to eliminate Mikhail.”

At Hans’s words, I reacted lightly, as if it were no big deal, and slipped my hand into my pocket.

“Ah, I already know about that.”

“What?”

“I just had a feeling they would.”

Leaving the bewildered Hans behind, I walked toward the estate.

The novel’s episode.

“Murder.”

It was the episode where Mikhail’s mercy toward the heretics vanished completely.