The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Ruin disliked Ricardo.

From the very first meeting.

It all started at the Royal Academy's entrance ceremony.

Even before entering the academy, the nobility was filled with bad reviews about "the villainess's butler," and indeed, the lady he served was a villainess.

Ruin, a disciple of the Tower Master, had also heard rumors about Ricardo.

Gossip had it that he was an arrogant fellow who got into the academy on the back of a villainess.

Ruin viewed him through skeptical lenses.

Red hair.

Sharp eyes.

He was exactly as the rumors described, and everyone kept their distance from him.

Though it's hard to say coming from him, Ricardo, with his tall stature and handsome appearance, seemed like he could have been popular.

However, Ricardo only sided with Olivia and did not seem to care much about academy life.

Strangely enough.

The real conflict between Ricardo and Ruin began before the ranking tournament.

At that time, Ricardo seemed unremarkable. Was he hiding his awakened aura? He didn't stand out and showed no interest in classes.

Skipping combat classes.

Seeming diligent in magic classes, but actually, he was writing notes titled "Peaceful and Joyful Butler Life."

In many ways, Ricardo was insane.

If it were Ruin, he would've worked tirelessly to refute rumors that he got in through Olivia's influence, but Ricardo was someone who did not make any effort.

Thus, Ricardo gradually became engraved in his memory as a useless person.

Then came the day of the ranking tournament.

The tournament to select the top new student.

Students not in combat fields were evaluated differently, but those involved with magic and weapons had to prove their worth through the tournament.

High-ranking students were awarded substantial scholarships and received support from the academy unlike ordinary students.

Good dormitories.

A life free from financial worries.

Support from the school.

He thought Ricardo would be uninterested in the ranking tournament.

After all.

-So bothersome.

He lacked passion.

Even if he had lucked into the top 10, his performance in the arena left no impact.

Catching opponents off-guard.

Overwhelming them with his sharp tongue. Every match he won was followed by criticism.

He seemed shameless.

Ruin thought.

Already an eyesore, this was the chance to thoroughly crush him.

-Act properly, you disrespectful brat.z

-Yes~

-Put some effort into it.

-Nye~

And so, the duel began.

Ricardo threw sand in Ruin's eyes.

He seemed like someone without any competitive spirit.

-Die~!

As soon as the duel started, he aggressively beat Ruin. Then,

-I surrender.

Seemingly relieved of stress, Ricardo, with sweat beading on his forehead, gave up.

From that day on, Ruin disliked Ricardo, even more than before if that was possible.

What was he thinking?

Ruin wasn't curious about that.

Ruin must have felt tremendous embarrassment coming here. If it were Ruin…

Because Ricardo was the strongest student Ruin knew and was tight-lipped.

Fighting him, Ruin felt.

Ricardo's skill was incomparable to Michail's. Realizing he was at an unreachable level, Ruin had no choice but to come to Ricardo.

Pride prevented him from asking Michail, and the Tower Master was in a particularly sharp mood.

Ruin chose Ricardo, who had less chance of causing backlash. Asking someone without friends like Ricardo would prevent rumors from spreading.

So.

"Damn… please."

Deceive him, Ricardo.

*

"Hmm."

I sighed, looking at the algae head bowed before me.

Wondering if he even understood what he was asking.

Cockatrice.

A monster with a chicken's head and a snake's tail, considered a high-level magical beast in this world.

Not a herd creature but individually strong, which is why.

For a brief moment, eye contact turns you into stone, and its sharp claws are venomous, making cockatrices troublesome opponents.

And.

Ruin definitely couldn't catch one.

A future where being pecked by a cockatrice's beak turns you into a delicious treat. It was a harsh assessment, but giving him this much credit was generous.

I looked at Ruin with a small "hmm" of amusement.

How did he come to know the location of a cockatrice? I wondered.

In stories, the tears of a cockatrice, or the Jewel of Fabia, held significant importance. Not just for their beauty but also because the location of cockatrices was veiled in secrecy.

I didn't know the location of a cockatrice, so how could he?

The situation intrigued me as I fiddled with the handle of my teacup.

Something seemed fishy.

As if someone intentionally leaked clues to Ruin. Or there was some other factor.

Ruin's expression was serious.

Aware that he was asking for a favor, he steadfastly held his ground despite my dismissive attitude.

Cockatrice…

Certainly, it's not an easy beast to deal with… something felt off.

I wasn't enticed.

It seemed fishy.

And I couldn't trust him.

Who would help someone who came uninvited?

It was nonsensical.

I wished for a more constructive conversation. Whether I'd help Ruin depended on the proposal he made.

I calmly opened my eyes and looked at Ruin.

"What's the payment?"

"I'll pay whatever you ask."

"And how much do you think I'll ask for?"

"Name your price. As long as you keep it a secret, I'll add a bonus. You need money too, so it should be a good offer."

"If it's about hiring me, you might as well buy it."

Ruin said nothing.

Just clenching his mouth, waiting for what I would say next.

Thus, I smiled at Ruin.

"Let's ask one thing. Who told you the location of the cockatrice?"

Ruin couldn't speak at my question about the cockatrice's location. It seemed he didn't expect me to ask such a question.

With the momentum, I voiced the doubts I had.

"As far as I know, the habitat of a cockatrice is quite difficult to find. Adventurers charge a high price just for sharing its location."

"But… who gave you such high-quality information?"

A sneer was directed at Ruin.

"I'm really curious."

Ruin didn't speak. He just clenched the handle of his teacup and bowed his head.

An awkward silence followed.

Ruin muttered to me in an irritated voice.

"If you don't want to do it, just say no. Why make a fuss?"

"Hmm… True that."

I responded with a straightforward smile to Ruin's cold threat. A porcupine doesn't raise its quills to kill but to defend.

Ruin's cold threat seemed just a defensive mechanism, like the quills of a porcupine that you just need to avoid.

I shared my straightforward opinion with Ruin. There was only one way he could have gotten such high-quality information.

From his bad friend.

"Did you hear it from Hans?"

"…Shut up."

"Right."

So, it was like that.

It was strange that Ruin came out of nowhere.

I spoke to him as if handling an interesting toy.

"How's life at the Tower?"

"What?"

"Just curious."

"…It's okay."

Ruin's face paled as he mumbled something unintelligible. Clearly trying to say something but unable to articulate properly out of panic.

Interesting.

I smiled at Ruin.

"Please leave."

I didn't want the conversation to last any longer.

*

Walking through a dark alley, Ruin roughly ran his hands through his hair.

"Damn. It didn't work."

His shaking hands began to emit noise.

Slowly.

Bit by bit.

Ruin's face began to distort.

Green hair turned into monotonous black.

Fierce eyes gradually changed to those of a well-behaved honor student.

"Ha…"

The man took out black horn-rimmed glasses from his pocket and sighed.

"Did he notice?"

Hans.

Having barely escaped the Tower, Hans thought of Ricardo, who had put him there, with a bitter smile.

He tried his best to act like Ruin.

He thought he had given a plausible reason.

But Ricardo's defenses were much higher than he anticipated.

"Crazy."

He thought it was a perfect trap.

He believed money could lure him into the nest he had set. It seemed plausible to slowly entice Ricardo without raising suspicion.

However.

Ricardo, quick-witted, didn't fall for it.

"Should I go after Olivia?"

But if he messed with her, Desmond wouldn't stay idle.

Maintaining neutrality, if Desmond actively intervened, the damage to the heretics would be unimaginably large.

For personal sentiment like revenge, he had to restrain himself from distorting the greater cause.

Hans smiled regretfully and chanted.

"Teleport"

*

In the place where Hans disappeared.

"Hmm…"

A man with red hair stood smiling.

"Interesting."