The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen-Chapter 302

Mikhail, who had once again come to Hamel’s plains over the weekend, was sweating profusely.

"Alright~ One."

-Haa!

"Two."

-Grrr...

"The tip of your sword is shaking too much. At this rate, you won’t even be able to take down a single Goblin. Take a breath and three."

He spoke while swinging his sword at regular intervals.

Mikhail, who had grown a bit closer to me through frequent meetings, sat down as if collapsing to the ground and started talking to me.

"Haa... Teacher, this is too hard."

"If you’re already saying it’s hard at this level, what are we supposed to do? Especially someone who has already awakened their Aura."

"That’s..."

"Ah, you said it was a secret, didn’t you?"

"Yes... I don’t like it when rumors spread."

"I’ll be careful."

Mikhail was hiding the fact that he could use Aura. It was likely because, to act under the name ’Misa,’ he had to conceal that he was an Aura User.

That would make it easier for her to convince me of ’Misa’s’ existence, and if I ever tried to track her down, I’d quickly realize she didn’t exist. It was her way of being cautious.

I let out a dry laugh and gave the next command. I didn’t want to make things awkward by asking unnecessary questions.

But there was one thing that lingered in my mind.

"By the way, isn’t it exhausting to come down here every weekend?"

It must be her packed schedule that brought her here every weekend.

While it was nice to grow closer to Misa through these frequent meetings, I couldn’t help but worry.

At my casual question, Mikhail gave an awkward smile and shook his head.

"It’s fine. I’ve already secured enough credits for the first semester."

"Oh... A prodigy, I see."

Surely, as the top student of the Swordsmanship Department, he wouldn’t have to worry about grades, but still, there are memories to be made...

Though I was concerned about Mikhail constantly coming to this boring place called Hamel, I decided not to overthink it. Given Mikhail’s current skill level, the Academy’s curriculum would be meaningless to him. Learning swordsmanship in Hamel was actually more beneficial for him.

Suppressing my worries, I directed the next command at Mikhail.

"Then, no resting. Four."

"Just a little break..."

"Silence."

"Ugh...!"

Mikhail groaned as he swung his sword. Relieving the stress that had built up because of him this way didn’t seem so bad, and it even put me in a good mood.

I let out a small chuckle and offered her some advice as she struggled.

"Don’t pull out your Aura too forcefully. Think of it as gently coating the surface."

"...You make it sound so easy."

"It was easy for me."

"..."

Frowning, Mikhail tightly closed her eyes and began to manifest Aura at the tip of her sword. But it didn’t work as smoothly as she wanted.

-Fsshh.

And it dissipated.

"Ah..."

Watching Mikhail’s Aura scatter, I gave a regretful smile. She had been so close to succeeding.

"What a pity."

It really was a shame.

Personally, I believed that the most important aspect of Aura after awakening it was ’control.’

Being able to regulate the appropriate amount made it advantageous in one-against-many battles and especially useful in fights against stronger opponents.

Mikhail’s current issue was one of control. During the battle with Yung in Hamel, Mikhail had completely depleted her Aura.

Of course, the significant gap between her and Yung was the main reason, but the fact that an Aura User couldn’t even leave a scratch on the Archbishop raised many points of critique.

"If you had focused just a little more, you could’ve succeeded. It’s really unfortunate."

"Haa... Haa..."

"Still, you’ve improved a lot compared to the beginning. At first, you couldn’t even spread it thinly."

"...Thank you, Teacher."

"I am getting paid for this, so there’s no need for thanks."

"..."

Knowing the original story, I had a clear understanding of the direction Mikhail’s growth should take.

What he was lacking.

What he needed to focus on.

Of course, awakening the Hero’s power and finding the Holy Sword would elevate his level, but the fundamentals had to be solid first.

Sitting under the shade of a tree, Mikhail wiped the sweat off his forehead and cautiously spoke to me while holding a parasol.

"Teacher,"

"Yes, Miss Misa."

"Do you happen to have time this afternoon?"

"What time are you thinking?"

"Uh... Would 2 o’clock be okay?"

"That’s quite an ambiguous time. But why are you asking?"

Mikhail hesitated, glancing at me nervously before opening her mouth.

"I..."

*

Inside a quiet restaurant in Hamel.

At Mikhail—no, Misa’s—invitation, I found myself seated in a rather expensive-looking restaurant.

A luxurious chandelier.

Private seating areas.

Though not as exclusive as Friends of Forest, it seemed like a place you couldn’t visit without a reservation. Sitting there, I looked at Mikhail, who was awkwardly smiling while staring at the menu, and smiled back.

"Th-the prices..."

Watching Mikhail panic, I raised the corners of my lips slightly. No matter how I looked at it, she didn’t seem like someone who frequented places like this.

She was fidgeting nervously.

"Teacher, what kind of food do you like?"

Trying to act as if she’d been here often.

"Ah... You don’t know? Then, um... What should I choose..."

Her flustered demeanor was amusing to watch.

Seeing the kid who once cried over a single box in the slums now offering me a good meal stirred mixed feelings in me. It was also surprising to discover this side of Mikhail, who used to grumble at the Academy.

After Mikhail finally managed to place an order, I spoke to her in a calm voice.

"It looks delicious."

"Pardon?"

"The meal Miss Misa is treating me to. I said it looks delicious."

"Ah... I hope it is. It’s the first meal I’m treating you to..."

"If it’s from Miss Misa, I’m sure it’ll be delicious. Free food is always the best, after all. Though, as a teacher, I feel a bit guilty about mooching off my disciple."

"...I feel the same way."

Mikhail clenched her fists tightly and lowered her head. Perhaps the gimbap we had last time left too strong of an impression, as she seemed eager to do more for me. Seeing her like this, I let out a small laugh.

"Even if it’s just flattery, it feels nice to hear."

I never thought I’d hear such words from Mikhail, and it brought back a flood of emotions. Though I wasn’t sure if she meant it sincerely.

Despite the misunderstandings and conflicts we’d been through, Mikhail’s considerate actions made me feel a small sense of gratitude. While there were lingering resentments and unresolved feelings, I didn’t want to dwell on them over a meal.

Looking at Mikhail’s smile, I gave a slight nod.

*

-What kind of food do you like, Teacher?

Mikhail clenched her fists tightly at the words she had just spoken.

She didn’t know anything.

What he liked.

What kind of food made him happy.

Realizing she knew absolutely nothing, her mind went blank.

’I really don’t know anything….’

Steak.

Salad.

Fried dishes.

Even though many dishes were listed on the menu, she couldn’t easily make a choice. It felt as if any decision she made would inevitably be the wrong one.

After hesitating for a long time, the menu she finally chose prompted Ricardo to smile faintly and say,

-Looks delicious.

What exactly did he find delicious?

If he knew I was the one who picked the menu, he would’ve frowned. And yet, seeing Ricardo smile so brightly made me smile along with him. Foolishly.

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.

The realization that I had never done anything for him.

Even back in the slum, where we grabbed each other by the collar over a single piece of hardtack.

-Here, eat this.

-...What about you?

-I’ve already eaten plenty.

’Growl...’

-That sound just came from your stomach...

-You must be really hungry! Why didn’t you say so earlier?

Even at the Academy, where the awkwardness kept me from approaching him freely.

-Mikhail! This time, let’s finally have a meal together. There’s something I want to discuss man-to-man.

-...Get lost.

-I’ll treat you.

-Ha... Dirty money, huh? Eating with money earned through blood and sweat must be so satisfying.

-It’s money I earned through honest work.

I had only ever received from him... The first time I treated him to a meal after becoming an adult... I felt both embarrassed and angry.

’...’

The fists I clenched grew tighter. Because of the stupid and foolish sins of my past. My fists tightened, and I couldn’t lift my head.

-Haha... If it’s Miss Misa treating me, I’m sure anything will taste great. A teacher, depending on their student for a meal.

Without knowing anything.

Seeing Ricardo’s bright smile, despite knowing absolutely nothing, made my heart ache as if it were being torn apart.

This was all I could do for him.

-Even if it’s just empty words, it makes me happy to hear that.

Seeing the person I liked smile made my heart ache so much.

On a scale so cruelly imbalanced, Mikhail clenched his fist while staring at the empty weight on his side.

*

-Ssshhh.

Rain poured sorrowfully onto the carriage as it made its way back to the Academy.

-Screech.

"Sigh... This is bad."

The coachman, who had been driving for a long time, stopped the carriage with a jolt and climbed down from the coachman’s seat. Letting out a deep sigh, he stared at the wheel stuck in the muddy pit.

"Oh no..."

-Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Excuse me, Teacher."

The coachman tapped on the window and spoke to Mikhail.

"I’m really sorry, but would it be alright if we departed tomorrow?"

"...What?"

"The wheel broke after falling into a ditch... I think I’ll need to borrow some tools from the nearby village to fix it...."

The coachman pointed eastward with his finger as he explained.

"If it’s alright with you, could we stay in that village for the night before leaving tomorrow?"

"Well..."

Mikhail looked up at the darkening sky and bit his lip. They weren’t even halfway there yet, and it seemed impossible to arrive by tonight, even if they pushed on.

He thought it was fortunate that there was a village nearby. There was nothing he could do about the broken wheel.

Mikhail stepped down from the carriage and began walking toward the village.

And then.

"Ah... Teacher."

The coachman’s voice reached his ears.

"Have a good night."

"...Thank you."

The village they arrived at.

·

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

·

·

Was shrouded in thick fog.