The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 215

The tip of the sword dripped with blood.

A red line had been drawn on the Iron Fortress, which no one but Yuria had ever managed to wound, and fresh blood began to fall.

-Todoodook…

Having severed Olaf’s arm, I looked at his face and smiled.

‘It touched.’

The gap that once seemed impossible to close had finally been bridged.

Was it because the compatibility was in my favor?

Or had I simply grown stronger?

A year ago, I wouldn’t have even dared to meet his gaze, and now, facing his guard felt more rewarding than I had expected.

Because it made me realize—I had become a force strong enough to hold a pivotal role in this novel.

With a calm expression, I spoke to Olaf, who was staring at his severed limb on the ground.

“Where has the god you so fervently called upon gone?”

“…”

“Why don’t you cry out to your god?”

“What have you done to my body?”

“Ask your god about that as well.”

His severed right arm, wrapped in white linen.

Drops of blood falling.

Even for Olaf, who had experienced countless battles, this wound felt different from usual.

‘It’s not regenerating…?’

A body blessed by god, one that regenerated from any injury, now seemed abandoned by that very god, rejecting its divine grace.

A sense of something fundamental being severed.

As a chilling sensation crept up his spine, Olaf lowered his head and muttered.

“This can’t be happening.”

“…”

“The only ones who could defy god’s grace are heretics. Is it because my faith is lacking?”

Olaf muttered to himself and shook his head. Hearing him say, ‘I can’t regenerate,’ I smiled.

“Pray harder.”

Olaf spoke in a calm voice.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, heretic.”

“…”

“God will deliver judgment upon you.”

“God, huh…”

At his nonsense, I let out a small laugh. It was amusing to think about what his god was doing, that it wouldn’t grant him mercy.

Recalling his past as described in the novel, I spoke with a mocking tone.

“Then why doesn’t the god you seek grant you salvation?”

“Do not blaspheme god. He has always answered my prayers and fulfilled them…”

“Then why doesn’t he answer your daughter’s prayers?”

At the mention of a single word from my mouth, Olaf’s body began to freeze over.

Daughter.

It was a sensitive topic that should have been left untouched, but I had to use every weapon at my disposal to shatter his mental state.

After all, he must have tormented someone too. There was no rule saying I couldn’t do the same. I laughed derisively.

“Puhaha… Isn’t it funny when you think about it? Your prayers are answered, but the prayers of the daughter you love are ignored.”

Having read the novel, I knew about Olaf’s past. I knew how selfish and pathetic his reasons were for aligning himself with the heretics.

He was the king of the underbelly.

And at the same time, a father who had lost his daughter at a young age.

It was his reverse scale. Mentioning his daughter was a forbidden topic for Olaf.

Clenching his fists, Olaf glared at me with murderous intent, and I shrugged as I spoke.

“What exactly is your god doing that…”

“Shut up.”

“…he doesn’t answer prayers because they’re not human?”

With a sneer, I glanced at the monster screaming outside the window.

-Kieeeek!

“Your god must discriminate by race.”

“I’ll tear you limb from limb right now.”

“Go ahead and try.”

Gripping my sword, I waited for him as he briskly approached.

I bent my knees, preparing to leave a decisive wound before he could adapt to my presence.

Dark mana swirled like black haze around Olaf’s axe.

He approached with a menacing aura, proving that the position of apostle wasn’t granted by ability alone.

I took a slow breath, letting the gentle wind carry my body. Then, I closed my eyes and murmured softly.

“Dog…”

No, the name of the technique was too ridiculous, even to me, so I decided against saying it. Letting out an empty laugh, I began gathering strength from my core.

I sheathed my sword.

A technique that poured all its power into a single moment of friction.

‘Iai.’

As Olaf’s eyes widened, he watched the approaching sword, realizing that what he had dismissed as a toothpick could actually slice his neck.

-Plod.

Taking a step back, he began to reveal his fear of the sword, but it was too late. The blade had already reached his chin tip, grazing his skin.

The sound of ‘sharpening’ accompanied the chilling sensation of the blade cutting into flesh.

Though not as deep as the initial attack, it was clear the sword strike hadn’t missed its mark.

“You bastard!”

Severely wounded, Olaf called out to his silent god as he picked up the axe that had fallen to the ground.

“Answer my prayer!!!!”

“God is dead.”

“Shut up!”

Blocking Olaf’s pathetic axe strikes, I became certain.

I could win.

Olaf’s ability was reflection.

He could reflect any damage directed at him.

Even Mikhail’s attacks.

Even Ruin’s attacks.

He was an impregnable fortress, capable of withstanding and returning everything. He wasn’t a weak opponent. He might even rival Rowen in strength.

But there was one thing.

-Tirbing severs all blessings upon its target.

Our compatibility was horrendous for him, tipping the scales of battle heavily in my favor.

In the novel, the only thing that could harm Olaf was Yuria’s ‘Divine Power.’ Tirbing went even further, relentlessly exploiting Olaf’s weaknesses and tightening its grip on him.

No matter how great his magic or how devastating his dark magic, if the foundation of his power was severed, it was useless.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop his reflection. My abilities weren’t divine power. Tirbing’s best effort was to impose limits on Olaf’s monstrous regeneration.

Enduring the intense pain in my shoulder and arm, I swung my sword again. When it came to regeneration, I was confident too.

-Limit Break tests the limits of ‘Regeneration Lv. 4.’

-Limit Break tests the limits of ‘Rehabilitation’s Touch.’

Once again, my sword moved toward Olaf’s chest. Holding an aura that seemed ready to explode, I pressed forward, aiming to exploit his unsteady posture.

“God is…”

Watching the approaching sword, Olaf thought to himself.

Is that monster incapable of feeling pain? Even as his body bore identical wounds, he gritted his teeth and swung his sword. The will of this monster was more terrifying than falling red lightning.

He had to escape this situation where he couldn’t recover and was being pushed into a disadvantage. The flow of the battle was turning against him.

Gripping the handle of his axe, Olaf thought.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to burn everything here to the ground.

Olaf calmly organized his thoughts.

Fine, I admit it.

I admit that man was more capable than I thought. I admit I was deceived by the serpent’s lips, speaking as if they knew everything, and I let my guard down.

As someone holding the position of an Apostle, I shouldn’t have displayed such disgrace. Yet, I even wiped away tears while looking at the cold corpses of the devotees who had gone ahead.

“Lord.”

Olaf bowed his head and silently endured Ricardo’s attacks. It was the shepherd’s duty to embrace the whiny complaints of a lost lamb.

“Lord…”

He prayed to God while listening to Ricardo’s repentance.

And then,

he raised his hands to the heavens and offered a prayer to God.

“Angel, come to me.”

As Olaf’s prayer ended, the monster outside the window, enduring the thunderstorm, began to move. Its writhing body twisted violently as it opened its massive mouth wide toward the inn.

I clenched my teeth as I saw the black hand extending from the angel’s mouth.

“Damn it.”

-Kwagagagagang!!

To save Olaf, who was driven into a corner, his savior arrived.

The angel, spewing out a black hand shaped like a baby’s hand, began to envelop Olaf, undeterred by the pouring thunderstorm.

“Daddy… Daddy…”

The angel, emitting a bizarre mechanical sound, gently embraced Olaf.

“Daddy… Daddy…”

I clenched my teeth.

‘This shouldn’t be happening.’

Phase 2 shouldn’t have been triggered.

If it did, emotional manipulation wouldn’t work anymore.

I slowly aimed a sword strike at Olaf, who was hiding within the angel’s mouth, and said,

“F*ck.”

Olaf was smiling.

*

I swung my sword all night long.

Not to defeat him.

But to survive.

I desperately swung my sword.

And then.

[Q. A name that can no longer be called.]

1. Rescue Yuria’s father, ‘James.’ (1/1)

2. Survive against the Apostle of Mercy, ‘Olaf.’ (1/1)

[Quest completed.]

Dawn broke.

*

As the battle that lasted until dawn ended, Olivia stared blankly at the ruins of the collapsed inn.

“Ricardo…?”

Ricardo, bleeding and collapsed, was breathing heavily.

With blood-soaked hands trembling, he forced a smile and spoke to Olivia.

“Young Lady, you shouldn’t be here.”

“…”

“I think… I can win now…”

-Kwaduduk.

Behind Olivia, Olaf began clearing away the debris. She saw him emerging, shedding the appearance of an old man and revealing the form of a robust young man, his body clean and unscathed, as he looked down at her.

“Girl, do you believe in God?”

Olivia stared at Olaf with vacant eyes and asked,

“Is it because of him?”

“Young Lady.”

“Is Ricardo in pain because of him?”

Darkness began to settle in Olivia’s eyes. A cold, profound darkness spread, enveloping a single target.

Olivia looked at Olaf with a cold voice and said,

“Die.”

A massive shadow in the sky began to obscure the dawn’s sun.