The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

"Show me."

Olivia muttered in the darkened space.

"Show me… please."

What happened afterward.

What she had done.

The faint smile of Ricardo that disappeared, marking the end of the lengthy viewing. Olivia, who remained there where the curtain fell without seeing the end of the story, screamed.

To show her the future that follows, to show even the slightest effort of trying to save Ricardo, Olivia grasped the solitary blue window in front of her and yelled.

"Show me…!"

"You can show me at least a bit of effort. You can tell me what I've done…"

Olivia felt wronged.

Every time, the blue window showed only Ricardo making sacrifices, showing Olivia's repenting figure, showing only Ricardo suffering in the future, which weighed heavily on her heart.

If only it showed a regretful figure, her heart wouldn't have hurt so much.

Like a fool, only after Ricardo died, realizing the meaning of parting, Olivia felt disgustingly foolish.

Knowing such thoughts were selfish, Olivia still pleaded with the blue window.

"Please, show me just once…"

Just once, wanting to see herself reflecting, Olivia knelt in the dark space and cried.

"Please…"

Ricardo's faint smile wouldn't leave her mind.

She was scared to open her eyes, fearing Ricardo would disappear.

So…

She begged to know the end of the story.

Even if it showed her suffering, Olivia tried screaming at the blue window.

[The viewing is terminated.]

The blue window, as always, did not heed her wish.

***

5 AM, The Lady's Room.

Stopping my steps carefully in front of the lady's room, where she must be sleeping soundly, I woke up earlier than usual.

The reason for my visit was simple.

Because she might be sleeping with the window open.

As always, the lady, who wouldn't listen to me and said, ‘If I don't open the window, I'll suffocate and die,' with such a scientific reason, I couldn't win against her.

"Sounds about right?" I, the flip-flop butler, had easily given in.

I quietly tiptoed and opened the door to the lady's room.

"Knock knock, may I come in?"

-…

"Nobody's here, then I'll just intrude."

Inside, I saw the lady sleeping soundly. Because she took care of me all night, she was breathing evenly, hands neatly placed on her stomach as if she were a corpse inside a coffin.

"She's sleeping well."

The lady looked as beautiful as an angel in heaven while sleeping. I was pleased to feast my eyes on this early in the morning.

The moment I reached for the slowly opening window, the lady's trembling voice quietly passed by my ears.

"Show me…!"

-Startled.

The lady was still closing her eyes.

Seeming to be talking in her sleep, she kept asking to be shown something.

What she wanted to be shown, I had a rather naughty thought and shook my head, then proceeded to close the window I was about to shut.

"Show me…"

"I don't know what it is, but it's not possible."

"Please… show me."

The lady sleeping appeared deeply troubled.

"Uh…"

Frowning as if about to cry any moment, the lady was murmuring in her sleep, possibly having a terrible nightmare, with cold sweat continuously flowing from her forehead.

"Why is that?"

Worried she might have caught a cold from me, I carefully placed my hand on her forehead, but the lady's forehead was utterly calm.

"No fever."

It was 5:30 AM.

After being sick, it feels like my body has come back to life. The headache that felt like it would split my head was gone, and my vitality was returning to normal.

Now, returning to my duties as a butler, the lady was having a nightmare.

"I can't do anything about dreams."

Being born human, I regretted a bit that I couldn't perform dream care like an incubus could.

To become a perfect butler, I would have to be reborn first.

"Madman."

I laughed at myself for indulging in such useless worries. I truly became a real butler.

After about 10 minutes of foolish thoughts.

Tears began to flow from the lady's eyes.

"I'm sorry…"

What was she apologizing for?

Because she's not a succubus?

The lady, who possesses a charm surpassing that of a succubus, her apology didn't feel comforting at all.

I stretched the lady's plump cheeks as I pondered, feeling the squishy texture on my fingertips. The urge to bite was overwhelming, but as a true butler, I made the difficult decision to resist.

Waking up the lady sleeping soundly for a mere impulse was not desirable.

Besides.

If I woke her up, I wouldn't be able to touch her cheeks anymore, which was regrettable in its own way.

I pulled on the lady's cheek to the side, wearing a pleasant smile.

"What are you apologizing for? If it's because you're not covering yourself with a blanket while sleeping, then you are indeed at fault."

I covered the lady up to her shoulders with a blanket and stroked her head.

"There's nothing else you should be sorry for."

Indeed, watching the lady sleep was as entertaining as ever. The sight of her with her mouth closed and sleeping was angelic.

White hair, white skin.

And the sinfully swollen chest.

Hmm… is this not quite right?

Anyway, the lady with her mouth shut was like a grumpy tsundere angel, so spending time like this wasn't too bad.

"So, what should I make for breakfast today?"

The sight of the lady crying was something I disliked.

Just.

It seems like there's no reason for it.

***

Flash.

The lady, who had been crying for a while, stared blankly at the ceiling with empty eyes. Gazing blankly at the ceiling with complicated emotions in her eyes, the lady let out a deep sigh as if the ground beneath her would cave in.

"Hmm…"

The usual air raid warnings didn't sound. It seems like the patriot who worries about the empire's safety every morning considered today's empire safe enough. The noisy morning greeting was absent.

Instead, she was concerned about someone else's well-being.

"Ricardo…"

What's this.

‘This kind of flirting makes this butler's heart flutter.'

Truly, no villainess could play with a person's heart as well as she could.

"Ricardooo…"

The lady, slightly opening her eyes, was searching for me.

Seemingly unaware that I was by her side, she called my name with a choked voice, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Where are you…?"

It seemed like she had a nightmare.

Not a nightmare about ghosts, but rather, it seemed she had a long nightmarish dream involving me.

Did she dream that I left her? Or that I died?

Sorrow was deeply etched on the lady's face.

Even though I know it's wrong, my heart fluttered because the first word she uttered after waking from her nightmare was my name.

"I'm sorry…"

The lady's shoulders trembled delicately.

"I'm sorry, so come back quickly… okay?"

I placed my hand above the lady's head. As my fingers touched her fluffy hair, the gentle trembling of the lady's shoulders began to subside.

Tears, like small droplets of dew, rolled down the lady's cheeks and wet the pillow.

"Uh…?"

The lady's eyes trembled. Surprised by my sudden appearance, her trembling gaze began to search busily to find me.

Right.

Left.

And then our eyes met as I sat by her bedside.

As if seeing a ghost, the lady's eyes trembled, seeing my figure within them.

Slowly, bit by bit. Though hidden behind the curtains, as if she wouldn't forget this sight, she didn't blink and kept looking at me.

I smiled tenderly at her and placed my hand on her forehead.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"…"

"What kind of nightmare made you cry so much? I was worried you'd collapse from dehydration, my lady."

The lady bit her lip, her fist opening and closing. As if she had something to say, her adorable fists repeatedly clenched and unclenched.

"Listen… Ricardo."

"Yes."

"I…"

"Yes, my lady."

"I missed you so much."

I covered the lady's eyes with my hand, avoiding direct eye contact. My face felt hot. It wasn't easy to suddenly face such a direct approach from a white-haired beauty.

"My lady. How many times have I told you? This kind of flirting…"

The lady interrupted me with a trembling voice.

"I was afraid that when I opened my eyes, Ricardo wouldn't be there…"

As if a child woke from sleep looking for her mother, the lady spoke to me with a sorrowful voice.

"I was afraid that Ricardo would leave me."

"Why would I leave my lady? I have back pay to collect, and it's fun being with you."

"Still…"

The lady murmurred, sounding saddened.

"I have nothing to offer you."

I naturally pinched the lady's cheek. Her cheek, drenched in tears, was soggy.

"You can take your time to do so. If you don't be picky with food, eat snacks in moderation, and curse a little less, that's enough for me."

The glossy cheek of the lady didn't feel as nice to the touch as when she wasn't crying.

So.

"Don't cry."

I wished she wouldn't cry.

"That won't get you more chocolate."

The lady's eyes grew moist again. Were there still tears left to shed? Continuously sniffling and shaking her shoulders, she seemed to have a reservoir within her small body, wiping away the falling tears with her sleeve and smiling.

"Stop crying. If you cry more, you won't be able to open your eyes."

"But… but… Ricardo."

"It's okay. I'm right here."

The lady looked at me with a big sniffle.

"Don't get hurt."

"Yes."

"Always be healthy."

"Who else is as healthy as me… ah. No, that's wrong. I was sick yesterday, so I might be a bit frail."

"Don't be picky with food."

"That's for my lady to do."

"Just listen…!"

The lady grumbled at me, sounding annoyed. They say if you cry and then laugh, horns grow on sensitive parts, so I stopped myself from making a pointless joke and chose to stay silent.

Now was the time to listen to the lady.

"I'll be quiet."

The lady, whose crying hadn't stopped, murmured softly.

"And if you don't tell me when you're sick next time… I'll really be upset."

"Yes, I'll definitely keep that in mind."

"It's a promise."

The lady, her hand wet with tears and a bit of snot, somewhat ‘ugh…' in appearance but if it can comfort the lady who had a nightmare, I thought it would be a good deal.

I pressed my finger to the lady's hand as if stamping a seal and nodded.

"Yes."

As the atmosphere shifted to a more warm and amiable one.

The lady, whose crying had stopped, sat up and glared at me.

"Ricardo."

"Yes."

The lady spoke with a cold voice.

"Strip."

"?"

"I'll check if you're not hurt."

"I'll sue you for sexual harassment."

"Eeeek…! Just strip!"

I wrapped my arms around myself shyly, a playful smile full of mischief on my face.

"I refuse."