The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen chapter 84

84 – The Villainess’s Father -1-

With empty eyes, Yuria wandered the streets.

A lot had happened since that day.

A disciplinary committee was convened by the student council.

Despite the president’s warnings, Mikhail, Ruin, and Yuria were disciplined for venturing into the dungeon.

There were loud disagreements between Ruin, who protested the unfairness of their punishment, and Princess Chartia, who was at the brink of exploding. Mikhail and Yuria humbly accepted their punishment.

Chartia bellowed at us, her voice nearly hurling the papers in our faces. She said she had warned us of the danger, told us not to go, yet we acted recklessly on our own accord.

“We could have died. If the knights had been even slightly delayed, we would all be dead. Are you insane, the three of you going there? Did you disregard the student council officers’ warnings and just go anyway? Do I seem like a joke to you? Are my words meaningless?”

“Fine, I can understand Ruin always does as he pleases. He lives without a thought.”

“What?”

“Shut it. Before I sew your mouth shut.”

“f*cking hell. As if I wasn’t in a sh*tty mood already.”

“I said shut up! If you open your mouth one more time, it won’t just be suspension—you’ll be expelled.”

…

With heavy dark circles under her eyes, Chartia turned to Yuria and sighed.

“Haah… And Mikhail, Yuria, you two especially shouldn’t have done this. You’re usually so diligent, and Yuria, you haven’t even been able to enter a dungeon since freshman year… Haah… Seriously…”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Anyway. All three of you are suspended.”

“Why should we be suspended? We didn’t even do anything wrong!”

“Silence! It’s already quite lenient that we’re stopping at this.”

Yuria received a month-long suspension.

Ordinary students would have faced more than just suspension. Expulsion was considered, but the professors and Chartia suggested reducing it since losing top students would be a loss to the academy.

And then.

The student council president announced that letters presumed to be from heretics were found in Hans’s room. They had carefully avoided any contact and were laying a trap for a live capture, but our actions had ruined the plan. After voicing her frustration, she added bitterly:

“If any victims result from his actions, it’s on you. You might think it’s passing the blame, but it’s the truth. Don’t resent me if you’re upset.”

“If you feel wronged, you should’ve listened to me.”

“Haah…”

Yuria wandered the capital with a tumult of thoughts.

She wasn’t aimlessly meandering like a lost child, simply because she was suspended. She had been prepared for this since the moment she stepped into the dungeon to search for the missing Hans.

However,

“Trash.”

She couldn’t stay in her room, haunted by the memory of that day shown through the blue window.

She spent many nights restlessly, and the dagger her father had given her as a gift when she started at the academy remained unclaimed in her dormitory drawer.

My hands trembled and my breathing became ragged at the sight of that dagger.

Yuria couldn’t shake off the gloomy feeling, realizing that what she had believed to be certain was in fact a terrible mistake she had made.

She wanted to apologize right then and there…

But she felt she couldn’t face Ricardo with the way she was now.

She had spoken harshly to him and had failed to thank him for his help when they were dragged away by the heretics in the dungeon last time. And if she were to apologize for what happened in the dungeon as well… She didn’t know what kind of expression to wear.

‘I’m shameless.’

Apologizing now wouldn’t change anything.

She had already made a mistake.

Trying to forcefully fix things between them could just make the situation worse, Yuria hesitated.

She hadn’t forgiven Ricardo.

She wasn’t sure if he deserved forgiveness, but she hadn’t pardoned his actions. What Ricardo had done at the academy was still a deep resentment that lingered.

And as for Ricardo.

– It’s okay. Let’s run away.

Yuria couldn’t easily offer an apology because she knew he would smile and say it was okay.

The acts she had committed towards Ricardo couldn’t be resolved with a simple apology.

She wanted to be hated. Hated with a resentment that asked if she had only just remembered, as it seemed that might give her some peace of mind.

Still, the chilling sound that had once pierced Ricardo seemed to echo in her ears. Yuria wore a sullen expression and sighed.

“I just don’t know…”

Where to start.

How to begin to make amends.

From Noble mtl dot com

This was new territory for Yuria; she couldn’t find the right answer.

She used to help people.

It felt unpleasant for her, who had only been harassed, to now feel like an aggressor.

As she walked the streets with a heavy heart.

– Murmurs and commotion.

Yuria stopped in her tracks where a crowd had gathered. Seeing the throng of people, she quickened her pace towards them, wondering,

‘A fight?’

If a crowd was gathering like this, it might be a famous imperial circus troupe or a dancer. Or it could be a brawl, which made Yuria start pushing through the crowd.

Even feeling despondent, she couldn’t just pass by if someone was hurt.

Although she forced her way through the crowd with her frail spirit, her small stature made it difficult to see what was drawing the people together.

“I can’t see…!”

Yuria said to the tall man beside her.

“Um… why is everyone crowded here?”

“Hmm? Oh… There’s something interesting to see.”

“Something interesting?”

“A chair with wheels is carrying people.”

“A chair with wheels?”

Yuria thought to herself.

Because of just a chair with wheels, do we make such a fuss? While she could understand the fascination with an unusual sight, Yuria could not fathom why so many people had gathered.

The tall man stroked his long beard and swelled with admiration.

“It’s not an ordinary chair… It’s an automatically rolling chair! That it can carry two people and still speed up like that… It’s truly exciting.”

The other man standing next to him also nodded in agreement, his youth brimming as he clenched his fists.

“People are riding in a wagon, can it really be that fast? It seems dangerous.”

Even though he spoke with a tone of worry, the man’s eyes held a passionate desire.

“Should I ask for a ride just once….”

The grown middle-aged man was muttering with a look full of longing.

With her growing curiosity, Yuria pushed her way through the crowd. After finally breaking through the crowd and seeing where everyone’s eyes were directed, she couldn’t hide her surprised expression.

– Vroommm

– eeeKKKK!!!!

It was a real moving chair!

With a red body.

The ‘Vroom’ sounding, swiftly moving chair entered Yuria’s view.

Further,

The sight of the person riding the chair made it impossible for Yuria to hide her trembling eyes.

“hehehe!!! hehehe!!”

“Lady! Didn’t they say no overspeeding!”

“Ricardo did not tell me how many kilometers/hour.”

“Drive at 30 or, no, 20.”

“20?”

Upon hearing the words of the man standing on the footboard below the backrest, the woman abruptly pulled up the brakes.

The chair, traveling at a brisk pace, came to a screeching halt, eliciting a “Creak” sound. The man was suddenly airborne.

“Huh?”

“Eek…! Ricardo is flying!”

“It was the young lady who launched him.”

The man, falling into the crowd that had gathered, did a flip in the air before landing and dusted off his hands.

“Nice landing.”

Applause broke out from the people at the sight.

“Fantastic!”

“Did you come here to perform at the circus, bro?”

“Wow~~~!”

The man bowed his head and gave an awkward smile.

“Thank you. I’m not from a circus; I’m a butler.”

Just as he was looking around to return to his stationary chair,

“Huh?”

Yulia’s eyes accidentally met with the man’s.

Upon seeing her, the man smiled brightly and said,

“Isn’t that Miss Yulia?”

Their encounter was sooner than anticipated.

While Yulia hesitated, lost for words, the scolding voice of a woman left in the middle of the road began to call for Ricardo.

“Ricardo. We need to go quickly. The chocolate shop will be closing.”

“It’s only just 10 o’clock, Miss.”

“What if they’re sold out?”

“Then that’s too bad.”

“…Yikes!”

Ricardo, with a sly grin, approached her. As Yulia watched Ricardo, straightening his attire and approaching slowly, she couldn’t help but avert her gaze.

“How did you get here…”

“Ah.”

Ricardo turned to see the woman seated in the chair. Her face was not visible because she was wearing a helmet, but he could tell it was Olivia from her voice.

Looking at his master, who was fidgeting with her fingers and feeling embarrassed under the gazes of the people, he whispered softly,

“Well… there are various reasons.”

“Pardon?”

“The lady’s driving skills are not quite polished. We haven’t been to the capital in a while… Anyway! We came here on a trip, partly to celebrate the master’s birthday.”

Ricardo spoke with his usual calm smile.

“Have you been well, Miss Yuria?”

“I…”

She found herself at a loss for words.

With trembling lips and not knowing what to say, Yuria wrung her now ghostly pale fingers and managed to speak.

“I’m… doing fine.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“And… have you been doing well, Ricardo?”

“Me?”

Olivia’s frustration, left alone in the middle of the street, reached them once again.

“Ricardo!”

Ricardo, taking a step forward, replied.

“Yes, quite.”

He seemed genuinely content.

*

After sending Yuria on her way and heading to the chocolate shop in the capital.

The young lady sitting in the wheelchair turned her head and asked,

“Ricardo, you seem to be in a good mood.”

“Yes. I feel like I’m growing.”

“Growing?”

“Growing taller, I mean.”

“I know.”

Ricardo was aware of his dealings with Hans. He knew they wouldn’t die, and that this experience would be an opportunity for growth.

He had always been perceptive, like a spirit possessor with a compassionate heart.

“I shall live a life of leisure and enjoyment from now on.”

“You’ve always lived that way.”

“…”

Ricardo pressed down on Olivia’s helmet.

“Yuck!!! I’ve become a dwarf!”