The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 251

“Mmmnya.”

Olivia woke up from her sleep, rubbing her eyes as she sat up in bed.

“Gaaah… Air raid alert! Full mobilization of the Empire!”

Next to her, Darbav was still asleep.

The air was dry.

“Mmmnya.”

Olivia felt thirsty. If this continued, there was a risk that she might lose to the Mandragora forces threatening the Empire’s security by morning. With a serious expression, she sniffled.

“Sniff!”

She could breathe just fine.

Her body felt light.

Carefully, Olivia kicked the blanket in Darbav’s direction and looked under the bed.

-Pitch black…

“Eeeek!!!! It’s so high!”

Perhaps because it was dark, she couldn’t see the floor. Olivia calmly exhaled, placing one foot on the bed and stretching the other to measure the distance to the ground.

“…”

-Flailing.

Frowning, Olivia looked at her short legs that couldn’t reach the floor and let out a frustrated sigh. If she fell from this height, it would surely make a loud noise, so she swung her short legs desperately, hoping at least her toes would touch the ground.

“Ughhh!”

It was hopeless.

Having no other choice, Olivia tightly shut her eyes and began to descend slowly.

-Thud!

“Ouch!”

Of course, her short legs were far from enough to land her safely. The sound of Olivia’s body hitting the hard floor echoed, waking Darbav, who sat up in bed and looked at her.

“Olivia!”

Although he had pretended to sleep with his eyes closed at her cute antics, he couldn’t ignore the fact that his daughter might be hurt.

Darbav looked at Olivia with startled eyes, while Olivia stared back at him with a sullen expression.

-Smack.

“Father.”

“Are you alright?”

“Go back to sleep.”

“Understood.”

Darbav was a father who listened well.

Taking advantage of the late evening, Olivia carefully headed toward the stairs to get some water. She tiptoed lightly, moving cautiously so as not to wake anyone.

“Huff…!”

‘I mustn’t wake them.’

At this moment, Olivia was a spy.

“Hehehe.”

Honestly, it was fun. There was nothing more exciting than sneaking around. Having once stolen the Academy headmaster’s seal, Olivia enjoyed this kind of thrill.

Holding her breath, Olivia descended the stairs. Gripping the railing tightly, she moved stealthily, suppressing her presence to a level even a Sword Master wouldn’t notice.

You might ask how a mere villainess could possess such stealth that even a Sword Master wouldn’t detect, but it was possible because she was a villainess born with the innate talent for thievery passed down through her household.

“Heheh…!”

Just as Olivia was considering choosing thievery as her new side job, she found herself nearing the kitchen.

One step closer.

-Do you even know what you’re doing right now?

Two steps closer.

-If you know, how can you still do it? What’s your plan? Even if you have one, it’s not something you can handle!

By the time she took her third step, a rough voice could be heard beyond the kitchen.

Olivia tilted her head in curiosity.

“They’re having fun without me again.”

Thinking that they were doing something fun without her, Olivia clenched her fist. She was upset that they had left her in Father’s room while they played. She pouted her lips.

“Hmph…”

Quietly, Olivia leaned her head toward the direction of the voices. If she barged in suddenly, Mother would surely tell her to go back to bed. She needed to stay calm.

She didn’t know what kind of game they were playing, but if she learned the rules, Ricardo would surely let her join. Holding on to her limited patience, Olivia pressed her eye to the gap in the open door and focused on the sounds.

She saw three people.

“I’m doing this because I want to.”

Ricardo.

“And what about the people left behind?”

Mother. Or rather, Mom.

“Mother…”

And her older brother.

The three of them were sitting together, looking at each other with serious expressions. No matter how she looked at it, their huddled posture didn’t seem like they were playing a game, which only deepened Olivia’s curiosity.

“Hmph…! They’re playing Mafia, aren’t they?”

She recalled the time she played Mafia with Ricardo, just the two of them.

-Bang.

-Ack!

-Game over.

-…It’s over already?

-Yes.

-You’re not going to kill me?

-No.

Remembering the disappointment of the game ending in one turn because there weren’t enough players, Olivia clenched her fist in frustration.

“I want to play Mafia too…”

With three people, at least it would last two days. Olivia held her envy in her heart and focused on their conversation.

The discussion began with Ricardo’s defense.

“In the end, no one will be harmed, and we can create a happy outcome. I’m confident and certain of this.”

Ricardo, seemingly frustrated at being accused of being the Mafia, spoke with a voice filled with conviction.

“He’s acting well.”

Olivia clenched her fist at Ricardo’s calm performance. For some reason, she felt uneasy. She swallowed nervously and held her breath.

“It looks fun…”

It didn’t seem like acting—it felt real.

Mom glared at Ricardo and said,

“If you’re so confident…”

“…”

“If you’re so confident, what changes? Does it change the fact that you’ll get hurt? Or are you expecting people to bow down and thank you, treating you like a hero?”

“I’ve never thought about that, not even once. I’m not someone great enough to deserve that.”

“You are great. Even as your mother, I couldn’t have thought of that.”

Ricardo shook his head slightly, answering as if he knew something she didn’t.

“No. Mother, you would undoubtedly make the same choice as I did.”

“…”

Olivia smiled.

“Ricardo speaks so well.”

She thought that no matter whose butler he was, his eloquence clearly reflected his master’s brilliance.

Praising herself for her excellent eye in choosing a butler, Olivia simultaneously muttered a curse under her breath as she looked at her older brother, who remained silent.

“Older Brother is terrible at games.”

Keeping quiet only made him an easy target to be accused of being the Mafia. Frustrated by her older brother’s poor gameplay, Olivia felt an urge to give him advice.

The battle of words between Mom and Ricardo continued.

“But then you won’t be happy!”

“I’m already happy enough.”

“Ricardo!”

“I’m satisfied with where I am now. And I’ve already resolved that issue. All that’s left is time…”

The Mother who said not to do it.

Ricardo, who refused to back down.

Neither side showed any intention of conceding, each forcing the other to give up.

“Why are you going so far with this?”

“Because it’s the duty of a butler.”

“Who taught you to sacrifice your life for your master? Was that written in some manual?”

“Yes.”

“Then quit being a butler.”

“I refuse.”

“Ricardo, I’m not speaking to you as your family right now. I’m giving you an order as the Mistress of Desmond.”

“At times, making unilateral decisions for the master’s safety is also within the Butler’s Authority.”

“…You.”

Mother gritted her teeth and spoke.

“What do you think Olivia would say if she knew?”

‘Me…?’

Olivia clenched her fists.

Hearing her name suddenly mentioned, her heart began to race. Overcome by an inexplicable sense of unease, Olivia forced a smile and thought, ‘Mom’s using me as an excuse because she’s losing the argument.’ She perked up her ears and focused on their conversation.

“Do you think Olivia would be happy if she found out?”

“…”

“Do you think she’d be grateful and say, ‘You’ve sacrificed so much for me. I’ll make sure to do better from now on’?”

Olivia pouted her lips and shook her head.

“Mom, no matter how smart I am, I’m not that naive.”

Olivia felt a bit hurt by her mother. She wished her mom would take her side, but instead, her mother was speaking so coldly, and it stung a little.

But then again, her mother was fiercely competitive.

Olivia tried to suppress her growing uneasiness with a smile and closed her eyes.

And then.

“Hii… Hiiiiiik…”

The swirling dust tickled her nose, causing her nostrils to flare.

“Eek… I shouldn’t interrupt the game.”

Her nose itched.

Ricardo and Mother continued their conversation while Olivia shook her head, trying to hold back a sneeze.

Just as Mother was about to say something decisive.

“Because of Olivia, you’re going to die…!”

“Puh-heh-heh-CHOO!”

Olivia let out a sneeze.

Silence fell.

No one spoke as they turned toward the direction of the sneeze, looking startled. Like someone who had been caught saying something they shouldn’t, all three pairs of eyes widened as they stared at the door. Olivia awkwardly smiled, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

“Sniff.”

Olivia raised her face, now a mess with snot, and showed it to them. With a ridiculous expression that almost made her laugh, Olivia walked toward the three, wearing an awkward smile.

“Mom. Brother. Ricardo!”

Ricardo’s face had turned ashen. He looked more shocked than Mother or Brother, his complexion pale as he stared at her.

“Ah… Young Lady?”

“Yep.”

“Th-that’s…”

Olivia awkwardly smiled and spoke to Ricardo.

“I want to play the game.”

Calming the unease in her heart.

“Let me play too.”

She stretched out her hands toward Ricardo.