The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 80

[Hans’ ‘Corruption Value’ has exceeded the threshold.]

-As Hans has completely fallen into ‘Darkening’ as a Villain, persuasion is no longer possible.

[The Quest ‘Persuasion’ has failed.]

-Ding!

[The will of those opposing Hans has been broken.]

[Reason]

Ruin: A long-standing friendship.

Mikhail: A righteous conviction not to kill.

Yuria: Lacks combat ability. / A tender heart incapable of killing a friend.

[No one with the will to kill Hans can be found.]

[The Quest ‘Eliminate Hans’ has failed.]

[The Quest has failed.]

The moment doubt crept into Hans’ words.

The Blue Window rang out with a chilling notification, signaling the end of the story. The Blue Window, declaring ‘failure,’ pronounced that there was no hope left for those of us who had lost our qualifications.

At the mention of Darkening, Yuria’s eyes trembled violently.

Her expression darkened, weighed down by the thought that it might be too late and the guilt of failing to protect Hans.

“Hans…”

“Don’t look at me with that expression. It’s far too late.”

Hans, sneering, spoke to Yuria, who was wearing a pitiful expression.

“You should finish what you were saying earlier. I asked how someone like you, who doesn’t even learn Offensive Magic, managed to survive in the dungeon.”

Hans’ words stirred the doubts Yuria had long forgotten. Hans, who challenged the conclusion she had firmly attributed to Ricardo’s actions that day, wore a sardonic smile.

“Aren’t you curious? How you managed to survive?”

Yuria believed it was Ricardo’s doing.

She had thought it couldn’t be otherwise, but if it wasn’t Ricardo who orchestrated it, then there was no explanation for how she had been brought out of the dungeon. She believed there had to be some connection.

The odds were far too improbable to dismiss as coincidence.

However, Hans’ objection began to shake the conclusion she had reached.

“You see, I was actually there that day too. I had come to the dungeon to test out some decent magic I had learned.”

Hans, speaking nonchalantly, placed a hand on Ruin’s head.

Hans, now exuding Dark Energy and binding Mikhail with Black Chains, looked at Yuria, saying he wouldn’t fail this time.

“Was it about an hour later? I heard strange noises in the corridor. ‘Stop wagging your tail at Mikhail. I didn’t like you from the start. Don’t act out of place for a commoner.’ I heard those words, and I immediately knew it was you. Honestly, who else would they say that to but you? Am I wrong?”

Ignoring Ruin’s pained curses, Hans recounted the events of that day as he remembered them.

With eyes like a viper’s, daring her not to look away, he spoke.

“Those guys were really something. If you’re going to insult someone, do it behind their back, not to their face. But they hurled insults at you directly and then collapsed the exit with magic. I wanted to help too, but…”

Hans erased the faint smile from his face.

“When I cleared the blocked path, you were already gone.”

“…”

“Hey, Yuria… You’ve heard the dungeon legend at the Academy, haven’t you? The one about how if you enter a dungeon alone, you’ll be possessed by a ghost.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Hans scoffed at Yuria’s words and replied.

“You should know. You were possessed by that ghost.”

In Hans’ hand was a Red Sphere containing Ruin’s Unique Magic. Looking down at the gasping Ruin, Hans began to absorb the magic slowly, crushing Ruin’s head underfoot.

Feeling the intense heat, Hans smiled and continued to explain in simpler terms for the clueless Yuria.

“You know Calypso, right?”

Hans gave a sardonic smile.

“He’s the master of that legend.”

“…Don’t joke around. How could someone who died over a hundred years ago…?”

“Who said he died?”

“No, wait… Since he’s dead now, I guess he did die?”

Hans snapped his fingers.

The Red Sphere, which had been Ruin’s Unique Magic, began to emit hundreds of lights, illuminating the previously dark ceiling.

As the space brightened in an instant, Yuria squinted her eyes and was left speechless at the sight before her.

The ceiling and walls were covered in countless sword marks and densely packed Ancient Characters.

Hans, reading the confusion in Yuria’s eyes, spoke.

“Doesn’t this jog your memory?”

In that moment, forgotten memories rushed through Yuria’s mind.

-Miss Yuria, stay with me. When I count to three, you run over there. Got it?

-Don’t be scared.

-I’ll handle everything. Just keep running straight ahead.

Though the man’s face in her faint memories appeared shrouded in mist, the kind voice she clearly heard belonged to someone Yuria knew well.

Overwhelmed by the flood of memories, Yuria shook her head.

“No, back then, it was definitely…”

Watching Yuria mumble to herself, Hans shook his head and let out a sigh.

“Poor Ricardo.”

The moment Ruin’s Unique Ability, stolen by Hans, was fully absorbed into his body.

-Crackle.!

“Aaaaargh!!!”

Red light began to erupt from Hans’ body.

The sudden burst of red light started to envelop Hans. The Unique Ability of Ruin, which had been absorbed into Hans, returned to its spherical form and separated from him, causing Hans to clutch his head in extreme pain and scream.

“Aaaaargh!!! What the hell?! I perfectly implemented the spell formula…! What went wrong?!”

Writhing in agony, Hans sensed something had gone awry. Gritting his teeth, he searched for the cause, but the rampaging Dark Energy left him lost in confusion.

“Now’s the time!”

Taking advantage of the moment, Mikhail, freed from his restraints, charged at Hans. The Red Sphere containing Ruin’s Unique Magic flew through the air and fell to the ground.

Ruin, crawling on the floor, reached out toward his fallen magic.

Mikhail confronted Hans.

Yuria clutched her head, overwhelmed by fleeting memories, caught in the chaos.

Hans, panicked by the rampaging Dark Energy, muttered a familiar name in a voice filled with resentment.

“Did you make spoiled food, Ricardo…?!”

Hans muttered as he looked at the massive sword marks on the ceiling. Staring at the marks that had erased the intricate characters, Hans spat out a sardonic curse.

As everyone fought for their lives, Yuria, standing blankly, noticed the once-dormant Blue Window slowly reappearing in her vision.

-As a Quest Failure Penalty, the 〈42nd Side Story〉 ‘The Unqualified’ will now be opened for immediate viewing.

In that moment, Yuria’s time stopped.

Mikhail, standing with his sword drawn, facing Hans.

Ruin, crawling on the ground.

And Hans, clutching his head in pain from the rampaging Dark Magic.

Everyone froze in place, as if time itself had stopped. Even the floating dust in the air remained still.

‘Huh…?’

A small question formed in Yuria’s mind.

Yuria, too, could not move freely within the frozen time. All she could do was stare at the Blue Text that appeared before her.

A sense of foreboding began to engulf Yuria.

-Aren’t you curious?

Hans’ words echoed in her mind.

Stories she didn’t know. Hidden memories about events she thought were over. Yuria stared at the Blue Window with trembling eyes.

[In 10 seconds, Part 1 ‘The Reason He Saved Her’ will begin viewing.]

10.

3.

2.

1.

[Viewing begins.]

Yuria’s vision went dark.

***

Yuria opened her eyes in a familiar place.

In front of the fountain at the Academy.

Yuria stood in a place bustling with many students.

It was early dawn.

The gray sky reflected on the fountain in the early dawn.

Confused, Yuria looked around, but upon seeing a woman with black hair, she realized this wasn’t reality.

-Mmm.

The youngest daughter of the Desmond Family, whose prestige rivaled that of the Magic Tower, and a noble lady who once had lustrous black hair before using dark magic.

From the sight of Desmond Olivia in the past, Yuria realized she had traveled back in time.

‘Is this a dream?’

She wasn’t sure if she had fainted, but what was certain was that her current self was invisible to them.

Olivia sat on the fountain railing. In front of her was a man with red hair, and the noble lady, chewing on chocolate, had the fierce gaze she used to have.

-So, did you do what I asked?

-Putting thumbtacks in the indoor shoes?

-Yes.

-I didn’t do it.

-Why not?

-It was bothersome.

-Do you want to get fired?

-Snip.

-Eeeek!!

The two were having an ordinary conversation. Watching them joke and talk as they used to, Yuria clenched her fist.

She wasn’t pleased to see the two she disliked. Watching them casually talk about putting thumbtacks in her indoor shoes made disgust overflow within her.

After a brief exchange of jokes, Olivia let out a deep sigh and spoke to Ricardo.

-I’ll say this only once, so listen carefully.

Hearing Olivia’s words, Yuria unclenched her tightly gripped fist.

‘What…?’

As if echoing her thoughts, Ricardo spoke to the Olivia of the past in a flustered voice.

-What did you say?

-You heard me.

-No… Ugh.

Flustered, Ricardo ran his hand through his hair. Looking down at Olivia with a frustrated expression, a hint of anger could be seen in his eyes.

Ricardo spoke to Olivia. Suppressing his anger, he calmly reiterated what he had heard.

-What do you mean by leaving Yuria alone in the dungeon?

Ricardo questioned Olivia as if accusing her. He shouted, asking how it made sense to leave Yuria, who couldn’t even use offensive magic, alone in the dungeon. Watching him, Yuria thought.

‘Why is he making that face?’

Yuria couldn’t understand Ricardo’s anger. It wasn’t the kind of expression she expected from someone who had tormented her.

‘Shouldn’t he be pleased instead?’

Yuria felt something was off about her memories.

The Olivia of the past avoided Ricardo’s gaze.

-It wasn’t my idea.

-Then whose was it…?

-Kyla.

A familiar name brushed past her ears.

‘Kyla.’

She was a dear friend who had approached her first, despite being ostracized as the child of a high-ranking noble, a marquis.

Hearing an unexpected name, Yuria felt as if she had been struck hard on the head with a club.

She wanted to believe it was a dream.

Until now, she had been doing well.

Yuria couldn’t hide her trembling heart at the revelation that Kyla, who had comforted her first after she survived the dungeon, was the mastermind behind everything.

‘Kyla did that…?’

‘No, that’s not true. Kyla is so kind.’

‘We ate together, did assignments together, and were so close.’

Trying to deny it deeply in her heart, Yuria attempted to focus on Olivia’s words, but she couldn’t shake off her troubled thoughts.

Olivia began to explain to Ricardo why she had been abandoned in the dungeon that day.

-Kyla said she liked Mikhail too. So she suggested we teach you a lesson, saying that if we crushed you so you couldn’t flirt with Mikhail again, you’d lose your spirit.

Ricardo let out a deep sigh at Olivia’s indifferent words.

-So, did you agree to it?

-No. I said no because I thought there would be backlash.

-You did well.

-I know.

Ricardo held his throbbing head. Muttering about why he always got caught up in such incidents, he spoke to Olivia about Kyla.

-The dead rat in the locker last week was Kyla’s doing too, wasn’t it?

-Yes. I’m scared of rats, so I couldn’t touch them. Ricardo, would you do it for me?

-No? I hate rats too.

-Coward.

It seemed Ricardo had known for a long time. He had known what kind of person Kyla was and what intentions she had when approaching him. Ricardo seemed to have known for a very long time.

‘What is this…’

Hearing a story so different from what she knew, Yuria grew anxious.

‘Why… Kyla?’

Olivia relayed what Kyla had told her, and Ricardo nodded in response.

Seeing the two, Yuria felt a sense of dissonance and began to feel a headache from her chaotic thoughts.

‘This has to be a lie, right?’

She couldn’t believe that her closest friend had tried to kill her, nor could she believe Olivia was telling Ricardo about it.

She couldn’t believe that Kyla’s actions, which had seemed protective, were actually staged.

As her chaotic thoughts tore through her mind,

Ricardo put on the outer garment he was holding and spoke to Olivia.

-For now, I’ll take a day off today.

-Are you going to save her?

-Yes. I can’t stand seeing my friend in such a bad situation.

He called her a friend.

He called her his friend.

Yuria found it strange that someone she had hated so much was calling her a friend.

Olivia, seeing Ricardo like that, told him to do as he pleased. She said she wasn’t Yuria’s friend, so she didn’t care whether she lived or died.

Ricardo asked Olivia, puzzled.

-But why are you telling me this? You hate Yuria too.

-Yes, I do. But…

Olivia got up from the railing and spoke with a clear expression.

-Dying is a bit much. And I fought Kyla…

-Did you win?

Olivia pulled a clump of what appeared to be Kyla’s hair from her pocket and said.

-Yes.

It was a move befitting the title of undefeated Olivia.

-And even if I told you not to go, you’d still go.

-No. If you told me not to, I wouldn’t go.

-Liar. You secretly helped last time too.

-That was just luck.

-Your lies are clumsy.

-I’ll practice.

Ricardo watched Olivia head back to the dormitory, then turned around with a stern expression.

And then, he began to run at full speed. Without stopping, he raced toward the dungeon where he had been abandoned that day.

The moment the misunderstanding of that day was resolved.

[Part 2 ‘The One Without Qualifications’ begins.]

Pale blue lettering announcing the start of events once again loomed before his eyes.

And then.

He began to see himself stabbing a sword into Ricardo’s abdomen.