The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 214

The crimson thunderstorm poured light outside the window as it fell.

When the ‘Boom’ sound echoed, numbing the ears, a sorrowful cry came from the monster’s mouth, and when the vibration that shook the ground struck the earth, a grotesque voice saying, ‘It hurts…!’ could be heard.

Olaf, watching the suffering beast, revealed for the first time an emotion that could be called confusion.

No one had ever harmed that beast before. In the novel, even Rowen hadn’t been able to wound that beast, as far as I remembered.

That monster was a fragmentary existence that nullified all attacks.

You might wonder how damage could be inflicted on a being akin to a gift of God, but I had no intention of revealing that.

-Limit Break is testing the boundaries of ‘Tirbing.’

That was a corporate secret.

I let out a small sigh and looked at the old man before me. Gazing at the old man, whose body was robust despite his age, I took a calm breath and spoke.

“You’ve gone completely senile. Judging by your twisted tastes.”

“How dare you, the one who defiled the angel bestowed by God…”

“Angel…?”

I scoffed, ignoring Olaf’s hatred-filled gaze. No matter how I looked at it, that thing seemed more like a devil than an angel.

“An angel without wings? What kind of angel is that? It’s nothing but grotesque and filthy.”

“Do not disrespect the messenger of God.”

“Even God would dislike such a messenger.”

I clicked my tongue, deliberately provoking the old man’s pride, which I found distasteful from start to finish.

“Ask God. See what He thinks.”

“…Are you not seeking mercy?”

“I tried, but He didn’t grant it. Maybe the calculations weren’t in my favor.”

Olaf nodded at my sarcastic remark, letting out an empty laugh.

“Judging by how freely you speak, it seems you’re not afraid of God’s hammer.”

He thought I was like a puppy, oblivious to the rank difference, wagging its tail in front of a tiger.

Olaf trembled with laughter.

“Pfft. Hahaha… You’re an amusing one.”

“…”

“If I offer you as a tribute, the angel will surely be pleased.”

Olaf was staring at me.

Even as he bent slightly at the waist, laughing, his eyes glared at me with a chilling intensity.

Looking at Olaf squinting his eyes into triangles, I spoke.

“Have you developed dementia as well?”

“Heh heh.”

As Olaf’s cold laughter ended, the warning bell within me began to toll slowly. ‘Ding. Ding. Ding.’ Even now, the sound of the bell urged me to flee, carried by Olaf’s sharp gaze that struck my heart.

Olaf clasped his hands together and looked toward the sky. Then, in a voice low enough for the heretics nearby to hear, he murmured.

“Saints, show mercy to this poor young man….”

Slowly, the shadow of the heretics began to envelop me. Perhaps judging that James, who was barely breathing, wasn’t a threat, they left him behind and started walking toward me.

I nodded slightly as I looked at their heads.

‘One… Two… Six of them.’

I swung Tirbing lightly.

I didn’t have the luxury to listen to the backstories of small fry. Without introducing myself, I decapitated them.

With the ‘Slash’ sound, the scattering red bloodstain splattered onto Olaf’s cheek and soaked the ground.

“…”

Olaf, showing no sign of surprise at the thudding deaths of his devotees, gazed at me with a serene expression and spoke with a benevolent smile.

“You show no mercy.”

I raised my middle finger, paying my respects to the old man.

“Mercy? I’m too busy trying to survive to spare any of that nonsense.”

“You truly show no mercy to the very end.”

Olaf spread his hands and looked up at the sky. As if he intended to tattle to God, he raised his hands in prayer toward the dark night sky.

“Oh God, what should I do with this wandering lamb?”

What do you mean, what should you do? You’re going to kill me anyway.

Listening to the senile old man’s prayer, I went to check on James, who was hiding in the corner.

At least I had to finish one thing. I needed to move James to a safe place.

“Are you alright?”

James nodded weakly and spoke.

“Thank you, Guest… I’ll repay this kindness by setting you up with my daughter…”

“Shut up.”

“Ugh…”

Supporting James, I clicked my tongue as I looked at the severe bleeding in his abdomen. The wound was worse than I had thought; it seemed walking on his own was out of the question.

But what could I do? If he wanted to live, he had to walk.

-Ah, indeed, oh God…! For those who show no mercy, the hammer of divine punishment…

Glancing at Olaf, who was spouting gibberish, I whispered to James. I told him coldly that he had to walk despite the pain, that he wasn’t the only one suffering, and that he had to walk if he wanted to live.

Fortunately, James seemed to understand the situation and nodded.

“Ugh…! I’ll get up.”

“Good. Keep going in that condition.”

“What about you, Guest?”

“For now…”

-Whoosh

As I helped James to the stairs, a hand axe flew through the air with a ‘Thwack’ and embedded itself in the wall.

Pushing James down the stairs, I smiled faintly as I watched his gaze grow distant.

“Run.”

And at that moment.

-Craaaack!!!

A fierce storm began to rage.

*

Olivia stared blankly at the inn.

Blinking at the monster that had emerged from the ground. Blinking at the inn whose roof had been blown away. Blinking at the man struggling to emerge from the inn’s front door.

“Hey.”

Olivia turned her head and spoke to the man standing beside her.

“How long are you going to keep holding me back?”

“…”

“Ricardo went in there, but he hasn’t come out. Did he lose his way? I need to go find him….”

Olivia’s question received no answer. The man simply bowed his head silently, his shoulders trembling, his lips tightly shut.

“Huh? I’m asking you.”

Whoosh. The debris from the intense battle was blocked by Hans’s barrier and crumbled away.

Olivia, her expression blank, watched the vanishing debris and spoke again.

“I’m telling you, Ricardo is in there.”

“…Ricardo told me to protect you, Young Miss.”

“Ricardo?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“…”

Hans couldn’t answer Olivia’s question. He had been given an order.

Hans knew.

He knew what kind of existence an apostle was. He knew how dangerous they were.

That’s why he stood there, unable to do anything. He was certain that his clumsy help would only hinder him.

-I will fight the apostle.

-What do you mean by that?

-Exactly what I said. I will fight the apostle.

-You can’t. Absolutely not. No matter how strong you are, you can’t fight an apostle.

-I will win.

Hans clenched his fist and did his utmost to protect Olivia. The only command he had received was to “Protect the Young Lady.” Hans spoke in a voice filled with resentment.

“It is an order.”

“…”

“I must follow it.”

Olivia placed her hand on the Unbreakable Barrier and lifted her head.

“…Ricardo.”

Slowly, the Darkness began to rise.

*

A heavy attack slammed into Tirbing with a resounding crack.

Axes Floating in the Sky, seemingly endless as they emerged from his sleeves, danced as they sought blind spots.

“Filthily fast.”

I cursed under my breath, thinking to myself that it seemed more manageable than expected.

His strength was fitting for the Name of the Apostle, but I was adapting to his simple patterns. Olaf’s attacks were threatening, but as long as I blocked them, that was enough.

-Crack…!

Blocking the Sound of Air Splitting that rang in my ears, I slowly closed the distance between us while swallowing deep breaths and began to gather Aura.

“Hooh.”

Seeing the Aura, Olaf gave a sinister smile, his gaze fixed sharply on my sword. He smiled faintly, as if intrigued.

“I’ve never offered an Aura User as a sacrifice before, but this is fascinating. Is this also an offering from the Lord?”

Olaf was composed.

He was so relaxed that he even prayed to his god while facing me. Like a butcher shop owner weighing meat, Olaf examined my hands and feet with a Small Smile, and I smiled inwardly.

‘Now.’

I knew it too.

That an Apostle was far more than this.

That they were an Existence Beyond Standards, possessing countless hidden tricks and unimaginable abilities. But even Apostles had something I could exploit. I was waiting for an opening.

I was aiming for the carelessness that even the Sword of the Empire could not avoid.

I knew the Apostle’s Ability.

What kind of magic he used.

What habits he had.

I knew better than anyone else.

The problem was that knowing didn’t mean I could avoid it. Still, I had an Attack Manual prepared in my mind.

That’s why the only way I could defeat an Apostle was to strike decisively through strategy and exploiting carelessness. This was the best method I could employ and the one that would yield Top Efficiency.

Knowing that an All-Out War would put me at a disadvantage, I barely fended off the Apostle’s attacks while gathering mana.

-Limit Break is testing the Limit of Strength.

-Limit Break is testing the Limit of Mana.

-Limit Break is testing the limits of Swordsmanship Lv. 6.

.

.

.

Blood began to flow from Olaf’s hand as he yawned out of boredom.

The Red Bloodstain dripped to the floor, spreading out to form a Black Magic Circle.

Olaf smiled as he watched the Magic Circle expand to cover the second floor of the inn.

“Heh heh…”

“Don’t laugh. It’s unsettling.”

“The Lord loves you.”

Spouting nonsense about the Love of God, Olaf spoke to me. Finally, the moment to open the first page had arrived.

I gripped my sword.

I wasn’t kind enough to wait for him to transform. Seizing the moment when he was drunk on arrogance, I raised my sword.

Reciting his love for God.

Now, when he wasn’t using his full power, was the perfect Opportunity for me to pour everything I had into this.

‘Hanna would’ve loved to see this.’

I thrust Tirbing forward and spoke softly.

“Cut. [Gaebyeok].”

I opened the door of the sword.

And then. The sword came to a halt, stopped powerlessly by a single finger.

“Puhuhut…”

Olaf was laughing. Catching my thrusting sword with his finger, he let out Maniacal Laughter.

“[Gaebyeok]? Puhahahaha! What are you even saying?”

He poured out mockery.

Scoffing at the idea of naming such a mere sword.

He sneered with disdain.

“Ha… Truly, I have no choice but to show mercy.”

Olaf held my sword, which lingered in Empty Space, and spoke softly.

“Return your sins.”

Olaf’s ability was reflection.

Commonly known as Athena’s Reflector.

The ability to return received attacks as they were and store the damage he took in a massive monster.

“Cough.”

I knew.

That he was a berserker who roamed the battlefield, reflecting all damage.

So what if he was?

“[Gaebyeok].”

I smiled as I coughed up blood.

-Limit Break is testing the limits of Rehabilitation’s Touch.

I will win.